Anthropometric and physical characteristics allow differentiation of young female volleyball players according to playing position and level of expertise

The aim of our study was to determine the differences in some anthropometric and physical performance variables of young Croatian female volleyball players (aged 13 to 15) in relation to playing position (i.e., independent variable) and performance level within each position (i.e., independent variable). Players were categorized according to playing position (i.e., role) as middle blockers (n=28), opposite hitters (n=41), passer-hitters (n=54), setters (n=30), and liberos (n=28). Within each position, players were divided into a more successful group and a less successful group according to team ranking in the latest regional championship and player quality within the team. Height and body mass, somatotype by the Heath-Carter method, and four tests of lower body power, speed, agility and upper body power (i.e., dependent variables) were assessed. Players in different positions differed significantly in height and all three somatotype components, but no significant differences were found in body mass, body mass index or measured physical performance variables. Players of different performance level differed significantly in both anthropometric and physical performance variables. Generally, middle blockers were taller, more ectomorphic, less mesomorphic and endomorphic, whereas liberos were shorter, less ectomorphic, more mesomorphic and endomorphic than players in other positions. More successful players in all positions had a lower body mass index, were less mesomorphic and endomorphic, and more ectomorphic than less successful players. Furthermore, more successful players showed better lower body power, speed, agility and upper body power. The results of this study can potentially provide coaches with useful indications about the use of somatotype selection and physical performance assessment for talent identification and development

Track running shoes: a case report of the transition from classical spikes to "super spikes" in track running

Research on high-tech running shoes is increasing but few studies are available about the use of high-tech track spike shoes (super spikes), despite their growing popularity among running athletes. The aim of this case study was to investigate kinematics, kinetics, and plantar pressures of an Olympic running athlete using two different types of shoes, to provide an easy and replicable method to assess their influence on running biomechanics. The tested athlete performed six running trials, at the same speed, wearing a pair of normal spikes shoes (NSS) and a super spikes shoe (SSS), in random order. SSS increased contact time, vertical impact, and swing force (Effect Size 3.70, 7.86, and 1.31, respectively), while it reduced foot-strike type and vertical ground reaction force rate (Effect Size 3.62 and 7.21, respectively). Moreover, a significant change was observed in medial and lateral load, with SSS inducing a more symmetrical load distribution between the left and right feet compared to the NSS (SSS left medial load 57.1 +/- 2.1%, left lateral load 42.9 +/- 1.4%, right medial load 55.1 +/- 2.6%, right lateral load 44.9 +/- 2.6%; NSS left medial load 58.4 +/- 2.6%, left lateral load 41.6 +/- 2.1%, right medial load 49.2 +/- 3.7%, right lateral load 50.8 +/- 3.7%). The results of this case study suggest the importance of using individual evaluation methods to assess shoe adaptations in running athletes, which can induce biomechanical modifications and should be considered by coaches to ensure optimal running performance

Intra-positional and inter-positional differences in somatotype components and proportions of particular somatotype categories in youth volleyball players

Objective(s). Main aim of this cross-sectional study was to analyse intra-positional, inter-positional differences in proportions of particular somatotype categories in youth volleyball players. Methods. Heath-Carter method was used to determine somatotype characteristics of 181 young female volleyball players (age 14.05\ub10.93, height 170.03\ub17.61 cm, mass 57.80\ub18.59 kg, body mass index 19.99\ub12.37 kg/m2, somatotype 4.33-2.79-3.73\ub11.02-1.02-1.25). Dependent variables were playing position, player efficacy. Only 7 somatotype categories (of possible 13) were obtained. Results. By analysing intra-positional differences, a significantly higher frequency of somatotype categories dominated by the ectomorph component was established in a subsample of more successful players, and a significantly higher frequency of somatotype categories dominated by the endomorph component was found in a subsample of less efficient players. The most frequent somatotype category in all player positions in a sample of more efficient volleyball players is the balanced ectomorph. The smallest number of somatotype categories (only three) was obtained in the subsample of more efficient middle hitters. It indirectly indicates that the most stringent requirements for selection according to the body build are for that position. Similar small inter-positional differences were obtained in both subsamples. Ectomorph somatotype component was most pronounced in young middle-hitters, and endomorph in liberos. Small inter-positional differences in both subsamples are probably consequences of previous selection processes within the clubs. Conclusion. Results obtained in this study provide a clearer insight into inter-positional, intra-positional differences in somatotype categories of young female volleyball players

Pulmonary function is related to success in junior elite Kumite karatekas

Spirometry can be considered a method for measuring lung capacity and speed of air-flow through the airways. Due to its simple application, it is commonly used in sport diagnostics. Aims of this research were to determine the values of ventilation function variables in karatekas competing in kumite discipline and their relationship to result. The sample included 51 junior karate athletes (with defined subgroups of more successful [n=31] and less successful [n=20]), competing in kumite discipline, from nine European countries. Their values of some ventilation function variables were measured. Measurement procedures were chosen and used according to acknowledged literature. By univariate analysis of differences, significant differences between more successful and less successful competitors were determined in the following variables: forced vital capacity (more successful 5.24\ub10.56 l; less successful 4.27\ub10.61 l; p=0.00), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (more successful 4.13\ub10.68 l; less successful 3.69\ub10.57 l; p=0.02), ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity (more successful 78.98\ub110.29%; less successful 86.64\ub18.37%; p=0.01) and maximal voluntary ventilation (more successful 150.46\ub131.14 l/min; less successful 125.50\ub129.49 l/min; p=0.01). More successful contestants showed higher values in some relevant variables compared to less successful ones supporting a relationship to result

Vibration effect on ball score test in international vs. national level table tennis

In table tennis, motor skills are crucial for discriminating player level. However, there is a dearth of studies exploring the impact of a vibrational stimulus on performance. Thirty-four male players (age 25 72 years; body mass index, BMI 23.4\ub11.2 kg\ub7m-2) participated in the study. Seventeen played at international level (IL), while the remaining 17 played at national level (NL). The participants underwent a ball-handling test, the ball score, before (PRE) and after (POST) a vibrational stimulus. Intra-class correlation (ICC) for the ball score result showed good reliability (ICC 0.87 for IL and 0.80 for NL). Repeated measures ANOVA showed differences between groups for ball score (p=0.000) and a significant group 7 time interaction (p=0.004). Better performances were observed for the IL group than for the NL group, significantly only for POST. Vibration produced positive and negative effects in IL and NL groups, respectively

Enabling heterogeneous data integration and biomedical event prediction through ICT: The test case of cancer reoccurrence

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Intradermal Indocyanine Green for In Vivo Fluorescence Laser Scanning Microscopy of Human Skin: A Pilot Study

BACKGROUND: In clinical diagnostics, as well as in routine dermatology, the increased need for non-invasive diagnosis is currently satisfied by reflectance laser scanning microscopy. However, this technique has some limitations as it relies solely on differences in the reflection properties of epidermal and dermal structures. To date, the superior method of fluorescence laser scanning microscopy is not generally applied in dermatology and predominantly restricted to fluorescein as fluorescent tracer, which has a number of limitations. Therefore, we searched for an alternative fluorophore matching a novel skin imaging device to advance this promising diagnostic approach. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Using a Vivascope®-1500 Multilaser microscope, we found that the fluorophore Indocyanine-Green (ICG) is well suited as a fluorescent marker for skin imaging in vivo after intradermal injection. ICG is one of few fluorescent dyes approved for use in humans. Its fluorescence properties are compatible with the application of a near-infrared laser, which penetrates deeper into the tissue than the standard 488 nm laser for fluorescein. ICG-fluorescence turned out to be much more stable than fluorescein in vivo, persisting for more than 48 hours without significant photobleaching whereas fluorescein fades within 2 hours. The well-defined intercellular staining pattern of ICG allows automated cell-recognition algorithms, which we accomplished with the free software CellProfiler, providing the possibility of quantitative high-content imaging. Furthermore, we demonstrate the superiority of ICG-based fluorescence microscopy for selected skin pathologies, including dermal nevi, irritant contact dermatitis and necrotic skin. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results introduce a novel in vivo skin imaging technique using ICG, which delivers a stable intercellular fluorescence signal ideal for morphological assessment down to sub-cellular detail. The application of ICG in combination with the near infrared laser opens new ways for minimal-invasive diagnosis and monitoring of skin disorders

Age and gender influence on HIDRAdisk outcomes in adalimumab-treated hidradenitis suppurativa patients

Background Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic relapsing inflammatory skin disease characterized by a significant impairment of patients' quality of life (QoL). It has been recently found that clinical severity of HS does not correlate well with QoL. Therefore, it is important to enhance the evaluation of severity considering the disease burden on QoL. Recently, a new graphical tool able to better describe HS burden, the so-called HIDRAdisk, has been introduced. Objective To investigate the utility of HIDRAdisk in clinical practice before and after treatment and to analyse whether specific factors such as age and gender may influence the outcomes in patients with moderate-to-severe HS. Methods A single-centre retrospective study on 24 patients (13F/11M, mean age 38 +/- 15 years) with moderate-to-severe HS was performed. Clinical data (disease severity and quality of life) were collected at baseline and after 12 weeks of adalimumab. Results HIDRAdisk showed significantly better improvements in males (69.8 +/- 6.2-49.6 +/- 10.8) compared to females (80.7 +/- 6.0-72.3 +/- 6.7), P <0.001. A significant correlation was found in the total population between HS severity values measured through the modified Sartorius score (mSS) and QoL measured through HIDRAdisk. As regards the relationship between disease outcomes and age, a trend for better HIDRAdisk outcomes in younger patients (<40 years) compared to older ones was observed. Conclusions HIDRAdisk appears as a complete and informative tool which can easily measure the global burden of HS, guiding treatment choice and evaluating its efficacy

Control of hyperglycaemia in paediatric intensive care (CHiP): study protocol.

BACKGROUND: There is increasing evidence that tight blood glucose (BG) control improves outcomes in critically ill adults. Children show similar hyperglycaemic responses to surgery or critical illness. However it is not known whether tight control will benefit children given maturational differences and different disease spectrum. METHODS/DESIGN: The study is an randomised open trial with two parallel groups to assess whether, for children undergoing intensive care in the UK aged <or= 16 years who are ventilated, have an arterial line in-situ and are receiving vasoactive support following injury, major surgery or in association with critical illness in whom it is anticipated such treatment will be required to continue for at least 12 hours, tight control will increase the numbers of days alive and free of mechanical ventilation at 30 days, and lead to improvement in a range of complications associated with intensive care treatment and be cost effective. Children in the tight control group will receive insulin by intravenous infusion titrated to maintain BG between 4 and 7.0 mmol/l. Children in the control group will be treated according to a standard current approach to BG management. Children will be followed up to determine vital status and healthcare resources usage between discharge and 12 months post-randomisation. Information regarding overall health status, global neurological outcome, attention and behavioural status will be sought from a subgroup with traumatic brain injury (TBI). A difference of 2 days in the number of ventilator-free days within the first 30 days post-randomisation is considered clinically important. Conservatively assuming a standard deviation of a week across both trial arms, a type I error of 1% (2-sided test), and allowing for non-compliance, a total sample size of 1000 patients would have 90% power to detect this difference. To detect effect differences between cardiac and non-cardiac patients, a target sample size of 1500 is required. An economic evaluation will assess whether the costs of achieving tight BG control are justified by subsequent reductions in hospitalisation costs. DISCUSSION: The relevance of tight glycaemic control in this population needs to be assessed formally before being accepted into standard practice