Match running performance during fixture congestion in elite soccer: Research issues and future directions

Match congestion in elite soccer has been proposed to result in residual fatigue and underperformance in ensuing competition due to insufficient recovery time. In this article, matters relating to match congestion and running performance in elite soccer competition are discussed. The authors suggest a need to determine the extent to which elite players are in reality exposed to periods of match congestion hence to potential declines in performance. Despite evidence of exercise-induced muscle damage combined with a decline in physical performance up to 72-hours post-match, research using time-motion analyses suggest running performance represented by distances covered is unaffected over periods of match congestion. The authors recommend analysis of alternative movement variables including accelerations, decelerations and turns that are taxing metabolically and contribute greatly to muscle damage. Moreover, a holistic approach combining subjective ratings with biochemical, hormonal and immunological responses to exercise would be pertinent especially in players frequently exposed to match congestion. Contemporary practitioners typically implement various post-match recovery treatments during dense schedules in an attempt to accelerate recovery and ensure that subsequent running performance is not unduly affected. However, empirical evidence to support their efficacy in maintaining running performance is lacking and the authors recommend controlled intervention studies using match simulations in an attempt to verify their effectiveness. These points are critically addressed using findings from the current scientific literature while gaps in the current body of knowledge and future directions for research are highlighted

Monitoring training loads in professional basketball players engaged in a periodized training programme

The aims of this study were to investigate the dynamics of external (eTL) and internal (iTL) training loads during seasonal periods and examine the effect of a periodized training programme on physical performance in professional basketball players. Repeated measures for 9 players (28±6 yr; 199±8 cm; 101±12 kg) were collected from 45 training sessions, over a 6-wk pre-season phase and a 5-wk in-season phase. Physical tests were conducted at baseline (T1), week 4 (T2) and week 9 (T3). Differences in means are presented as % ± Confident Limits (CL). A very likely difference was observed during in-season compared to pre-season for the eTL variables measured by GPS: mechanical load (13.5±8.8) and peak acceleration (11.0±11.2) respectively. Regarding iTL responses, a very large decrement in TRIMP (most likely difference, -20.6±3.8) and in session-RPE training load (very likely difference, -14.2±9.0) was detected from pre-season to in-season. Physical performance improved from T1 to T3 for: Yo-Yo Intermittent-Recovery Test 1, 62.2±34.3, ES>1.2; Countermovement Jump, 8.8±6.1, ES>0.6; and Squat Jump, 14.8±10.2, ES>0.8. Heart rate (HR; % HRpeak) exercise responses during a submaximal running test decreased from T1 to T3 (3.2±4.3, ES1.2). These results provide valuable information to coaches about training loads and physical performance across different seasonal periods. The data demonstrate that both eTL and iTL measures should be monitored in association with physical tests to provide a comprehensive understanding of the training process

Effect of a congested match schedule on immune-endocrine responses, technical performance, and session-RPE in elite youth soccer players

This study investigated the effects of a congested match schedule (7 matches played in 7 days) on steroid hormone concentrations, mucosal immunity, session rating of perceived exertion (S-RPE) and technical performance in 16 elite youth soccer players (14.8 ± 0.4 yr; 170.6 ± 9.4 cm; 64.9 ± 7 kg). No change was observed for salivary cortisol concentration across multiple matches (p=0.33; Effect size [ES]=0.13-0.48). In contrast, there was a decrease in salivary testosterone and IgA concentrations (SIgA) from the 1st compared to the last time-point (p=0.01 and 0.001, ES=0.42 and 0.67, respectively). The SIgA concentration varied across time points (p 0.05). A higher number of tackles and interceptions were observed during the 4th match vs. 1st and 7th matches (p<0.001; ES=2.25 and 1.90, respectively). The present data demonstrate that accumulated fatigue related to participation in a congested match schedule might induce a decrease in testosterone concentration in youth players’ and negatively affect their mucosal immunity and capacity to perform certain technical actions

Multi frequency evaporative cooling to BEC in a high magnetic field

We demonstrate a way to circumvent the interruption of evaporative cooling observed at high bias field for $^{87}$Rb atoms trapped in the (F=2, m=+2) ground state. Our scheme uses a 3-frequencies-RF-knife achieved by mixing two RF frequencies. This compensates part of the non linearity of the Zeeman effect, allowing us to achieve BEC where standard 1-frequency-RF-knife evaporation method did not work. We are able to get efficient evaporative cooling, provided that the residual detuning between the transition and the RF frequencies in our scheme is smaller than the power broadening of the RF transitions at the end of the evaporation ramp.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figure

Amyloid precursor protein cleavage-dependent and -independent axonal degeneration programs share a common nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyltransferase 1-sensitive pathway

Axonal degeneration is a hallmark of many debilitating neurological disorders and is thought to be regulated by mechanisms distinct from those governing cell body death. Recently, caspase 6 activation via APP cleavage and activation of DR6 was discovered to induce axon degeneration after NGF withdrawal. We tested whether this pathway is involved in axonal degeneration caused by withdrawal of other trophic support, axotomy or vincristine exposure. Neurturin deprivation, like NGF withdrawal activated this APP/DR6/caspase 6 pathway and resulted in axonal degeneration, however, APP cleavage and caspase 6 activation were not involved in axonal degeneration induced by mechanical or toxic insults. However, loss of surface APP (sAPP) and caspase 6 activation were observed during axonal degeneration induced by dynactin 1(Dctn1) dysfunction, which disrupts axonal transport. Mutations in Dctn1 are associated with motor neuron disease and frontal temporal dementia, thus suggesting that the APP/caspase 6 pathway could be important in specific types of disease-associated axonal degeneration. The NGF deprivation paradigm, with its defined molecular pathway, was used to examine the context of Nmnat-mediated axonal protection. We found that although Nmnat blocks axonal degeneration after trophic factor withdrawal, it did not prevent loss of axon sAPP or caspase 6 activation within the axon, suggesting it acts downstream of caspase 6. These results indicate that diverse insults induce axonal degeneration via multiple pathways and that these degeneration signals converge on a common, Nmnat-sensitive program that is uniquely involved in axonal, but not cell body, degeneration

Temporal Changes in Technical and Physical Performances During a Small-Sided Game in Elite Youth Soccer Players

Background: There have been claims that small-sided games (SSG) may generate an appropriate environment to develop youth players’ technical performance associated to game-related problem solving. However, the temporal change in technical performance parameters of youth players during SSG is still unknown.. Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine temporal changes in technical and physical performances during a small-sided game (SSG) in elite soccer players.. Methods: Sixty elite youth players (age 14.8 ± 0.2 yr; stature 177 ± 5 cm; body mass 66.2 ± 4.7 kg) completed a 5 v 5 SSG using two repetitions of 8 minutes interspersed by 3 minutes of passive recovery. To evaluate temporal changes in performance, the data were analysed across 4 minutes quarters. Physical performance parameters included the total distance covered (TDC), the frequency of sprints (>18 km•h-1), accelerations and decelerations (> 2.0 m•s-2 and - 2.0 m•s-2), metabolic power (W•kg-1), training impulse (TRIMP), TDC: TRIMP, number of impacts, and body load. Technical performance parameters included goal attempts, total number of tackles, tackles and interceptions, total number of passes, and passes effectiveness.. Results: All physical performance parameters decreased from the first to the last quarter with notable declines in TDC, metabolic power and the frequency of sprints, accelerations and decelerations (P 0.05; trivial ES for 1st v 4th quarters: 0.15 - 0.33).. Conclusions: The data demonstrate that technical performance is maintained despite substantial declines in physical performance during a SSG in elite youth players. This finding may have implications for designing SSG’s for elite youth players to ensure physical, technical and tactical capabilities are optimized. Modifications in player number, pitch dimensions, rules, coach encouragement, for instance, should be included taking into account the main aim of a given session and then focused on overloading physical or technical elements.

A rotating three component perfect fluid source and its junction with empty space-time

The Kerr solution for empty space-time is presented in an ellipsoidally symmetric coordinate system and it is used to produce generalised ellipsoidal metrics appropriate for the generation of rotating interior solutions of Einstein's equations. It is shown that these solutions are the familiar static perfect fluid cases commonly derived in curvature coordinates but now endowed with rotation. The resulting solutions are also discussed in the context of T-solutions of Einstein's equations and the vacuum T-solution outside a rotating source is presented. The interior source for these solutions is shown not to be a perfect fluid but rather an anisotropic three component perfect fluid for which the energy momentum tensor is derived. The Schwarzschild interior solution is given as an example of the approach.Comment: 14 page

Creating a low-dimensional quantum gas using dark states in an inelastic evanescent-wave mirror

We discuss an experimental scheme to create a low-dimensional gas of ultracold atoms, based on inelastic bouncing on an evanescent-wave mirror. Close to the turning point of the mirror, the atoms are transferred into an optical dipole trap. This scheme can compress the phase-space density and can ultimately yield an optically-driven atom laser. An important issue is the suppression of photon scattering due to ``cross-talk'' between the mirror potential and the trapping potential. We propose that for alkali atoms the photon scattering rate can be suppressed by several orders of magnitude if the atoms are decoupled from the evanescent-wave light. We discuss how such dark states can be achieved by making use of circularly-polarized evanescent waves.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure

Health Status and Health Care Use Among Adolescents Identified With and Without Autism in Early Childhood — Four U.S. Sites, 2018–2020

Persons identified in early childhood as having autism spectrum disorder (autism) often have co-occurring health problems that extend into adolescence (1–3). Although only limited data exist on their health and use of health care services as they transition to adolescence, emerging data suggest that a minority of these persons receive recommended guidance* from their primary care providers (PCPs) starting at age 12 years to ensure a planned transition from pediatric to adult health care (4,5). To address this gap in data, researchers analyzed preliminary data from a follow-up survey of parents and guardians of adolescents aged 12–16 years who previously participated in the Study to Explore Early Development (https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/seed.html). The adolescents were originally studied at ages 2–5 years and identified at that age as having autism (autism group) or as general population controls (control group). Adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) that accounted for differences in demographic characteristics were used to compare outcomes between groups. Adolescents in the autism group were more likely than were those in the control group to have physical difficulties (21.2% versus 1.6%;aPR = 11.6;95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.2–31.9), and to have additional mental health or other condition