Design of a Network Topology Using CISCO NSO Orchestrator

This paper presents the design of a network topology using CISCO NSO orchestrator. The mismatch problem solution between a network service and its monitoring is proposed. Applying the proposed approach, the telemetry efficiency ratio parameter greater than 40 is achieved. All tests are performed in the real experimental conditions using CISCO NSO orchestrator

Effect of sprint approach velocity and distance on deceleration performance in NCAA Division I female softball athletes

Team sports require athletes to rapidly reduce whole body momentum and velocity, to efficiently change direction, or to avoid defenders. Decelerations often occur following varying approach distances and velocities. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different sprinting approach distances, and therefore velocities and momenta on measures of horizontal deceleration performance within female NCAA Division I softball players. Athletes performed an acceleration:deceleration assessment (ADA) over 20 yards (18.29 m) (ADA20) and 10 yards (9.14 m) (ADA10), respectively. The sample was divided into high and low performance groups for approach velocity and approach momentum, and between-group differences were studied for each test. Correlations between measures of deceleration were analysed between the ADA10 and ADA20. Results suggested that during the ADA20 trials, athletes initiated the deceleration phase at greater approach velocities (p < .001, ES = 2.71) and momenta (p < .001, ES = 2.65), generating greater reductions in velocity (p < .001, ES = 1.60) and momentum (p < .001, ES = 1.50). Within the ADA10, athletes within the high velocity group saw significantly greater reductions in velocity (p = .009, ES = 1.24). This was not observed within the ADA20. A significant negative association was found between average deceleration within the ADA10 and ADA20 (r = -0.443, p = .039). Findings suggest that horizontal decelerations are influenced by the approach distance, velocity, and momentum, which athletes are exposed to before initiating the deceleration phase. This should be accounted for when implementing training to enhance such qualities

ANTHROPOMETRIC AND PHYSICAL FITNESS PROFILES OF YOUTH ATHLETES

Mason Thieu1, Quincy R. Johnson1,Yang Yang1, Dayton Sealey2, Clay Frels2, Dimitrije Cabarkapa1, & Andrew C. Fry1, FACSM 1University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas; 2Department of Kinesiology and Sport Science, University of Nebraska at Kearney, Kearney, Nebraska Youth sports participation, competitiveness, and training intensity continues to increase. However, more information is needed regarding the anthropometric and physical fitness profile of today’s youth athletes. Common strategies for profiling anthropometric and physical fitness characteristics of athletes across their lifespan include the sit and reach (SR), functional movement screen (FMS), isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP), and the countermovement jump (CMJ) tests. PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess SR, FMS, IMTP, and CMJ performance of youth athletes. METHODS: Youth athletes participating in a community-based strength and conditioning program (male; n=15, age=10.7±0.9, height=157.7±9.2cm, weight=53.2±14.3kg, female; n=6, age=10.2±0.4, height=146.9±8.7cm, weight=40.4±8.2kg) participated in this study. Each athlete performed a SR test, FMS test, two maximum effort IMTPs, and two maximum effort CMJs. Mann-Whitney U Tests (p\u3c0.05) were performed using sex as the grouping variable. RESULTS: Among the variables analyzed, significant differences were found in SR performance (p=0.026), FMS total score (p=0.018), IMTP peak force (p=0.006), and CMJ peak propulsive power (p=0.016) between sexes. The mean ± SD is reported in Table 1. CONCLUSION: Significant differences in anthropometric and physical fitness were observed between male and female youth athletes. While sex differences in anthropometrics have been well reported, the present study provides novel insights on physical fitness data measuring muscular strength and power for youth athletes. These findings can be utilized by coaches, physical educators, strength and conditioning professionals, and sport scientists to better understand the youth athlete population and contribute to their long-term development of athletic qualities

Use of a differential pressure transducer for the monitoring of soil volume change in cyclic triaxial test on unsaturated soils

A new experimental set-up using a differential pressure transducer was developed, that enables the monitoring of volume changes in cyclic triaxial tests on unsaturated soils. Calibration tests were performed in order to analyze the performance of the set-up, especially in terms of loading frequencies. Based on calibration results, a low frequency of 0.05 Hz was adopted for the tests carried out on the unsaturated loess from northern France. Five water contents were considered in the tests. The obtained results have confirmed the efficiency of the new system for volume change monitoring under cyclic loading. The effect of water content on the cyclic behavior of loess was clearly evidenced. Finally, some suggestions were made to improve the accuracy of the system

DIFFERENCES IN VERTICAL JUMP PERFORMANCE BETWEEN STARTERS AND NON-STARTERS IN PROFESSIONAL FEMALE VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS

Damjana Cabarkapa1, Dimitrije Cabarkapa1, & Andrew Fry1 1Jayhawk Athletic Performance Laboratory – Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance, Department of Health, Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas As one of the most fundamental skills in volleyball, countermovement vertical jump (CVJ) has been commonly implemented in the applied sports setting as a non-invasive and time-efficient assessment of athletes’ lower-body neuromuscular function. PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study was to examine the differences in CVJ characteristics between starters and non-starters within a cohort of professional female volleyball players. METHODS: Nineteen athletes (age= 21.6±2.8 yrs; hgt= 181.5±7.0 cm; wgt= 74.2±8.3 kg) competing in one of the top European leagues (i.e., SuperLeague) volunteered to participate in the present investigation. The athletes were divided into two groups: starters (n=9) and non-starters (n=10). Following a standardized dynamic warm-up protocol, each athlete performed three maximal-effort CVJs with no arm swing (i.e., hands on the hips) while standing on a uni-axial force plate system sampling at 1000 Hz, with a 15-sec rest interval between each jump trial. The following force-time metrics were used for performance analysis purposes: braking phase duration and impulse, eccentric and concentric duration, mean and peak force and power, contraction time, jump height, and reactive strength index-modified. Mann-Whitney or independent t-tests were used to examine statistically significant differences in each dependent variable between the starters and non-starters (p\u3c0.05). In addition, Hedge’s g was used to calculate the magnitude of between-group differences. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were observed in force-time metrics during both eccentric and concentric phases of CVJ between the players included in the starting lineup and their substitutions, with the effect sizes being small to moderate in magnitude (Table 1). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the present study reveal that starters and non-starters have similar CVJ characteristics. While further research is warranted on this topic, these results suggest that securing a position in a starting lineup at the professional level of volleyball competition may be more contingent on the player’s ability to proficiently execute sport-specific skills (e.g., blocking, attacking), rather than the performance on the CVJ assessment, considering that the observed values for both groups fall within the desired ranges

DIFFERENCES IN SALIVARY TESTOSTERONE AND CORTISOL BETWEEN WINNING AND LOSING TEAMS IN PROFESSIONAL MEN’S BASKETBALL

Damjana Cabarkapa, Dimitrije Cabarkapa, Drake Eserhaut, Nicolas Philipp and Andrew Fry University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS Salivary analysis of exercise-related biomarkers has been commonly used as a non-invasive method for quantifying the physiological stress (internal load) experienced during training sessions and/or competition. PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study was to examine differences in salivary testosterone (T) and cortisol (C) between the winning and losing teams during a 5-on-5 basketball game. METHODS: Seven professional male basketball players (hgt=193.0±11.4 cm, wgt=89.4±13.4 kg; age=28.0±2.2 yrs) volunteered to participate in the present study. All athletes simultaneously provided salivary samples by holding an oral swab (Salimetrics, State College, PA) sublingually in their mouth for 2 min before releasing it into a centrifuge tube at eight testing time points: baseline (BS), post-warm-up (PW), post first (P1Q), second (P2Q), third (P3Q), and fourth (P4Q) quarter, and 30 (P30) and 60 min (P60) post-game. A separate enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used for each hormone and all samples were ran in duplicates. Independent sample t-tests and Hedge’s g effect sizes (ES) were used to examine statistically significant differences in hormonal concentrations and their magnitudes between winning and losing teams (p≤0.05) RESULTS: No significant differences were observed in salivary T between winning and losing teams. However, salivary C revealed significantly greater values at BS (p=0.03; ES=2.35), PW (p=0.02; ES=2.59), and P60 (p=0.05; ES=1.96) when compared to the losing team (Figure 1). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study reveal that the winning and losing teams experienced different physiological responses during a 5-on-5 basketball game. While further research is warranted on this topic, it is likely that greater C levels observed within the players on the winning team prior to the start of the game allowed for better attentional control and cognitive processes that ultimately increased the likelihood of securing the desired outcome

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SALIVARY TESTOSTERONE AND CORTISOL AND POINTS SCORED DURING A BASKETBALL GAME – EXPLORATORY STUDY

Dimitrije Cabarkapa, Drake Eserhaut, Damjana Cabarkapa, Nicolas Philipp and Andrew Fry University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance While previous research has been primarily focused on studying changes in exercise-specific biomarkers on a pre-to-post-game basis, there is a lack of scientific literature investigating how they relate to some of the key sport-specific performance parameters. PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between salivary testosterone (T) and cortisol (C) and points scored during a 5-on-5 basketball game. METHODS: Upon arrival at the gym (12:00 h), 7 professional male basketball players (hgt= 193.0±11.4 cm, wgt= 89.4±13.4 kg; age= 28.0±2.2 yrs) performed a standardized dynamic warm-up procedure, followed by 15 min of partner shooting. Then, all athletes simultaneously provided a pre-game salivary sample by holding an oral swab (Salimetrics, State College, PA) sublingually in their mouth for 2 min before releasing it into a centrifuge tube and proceeded with playing a simulated 5-on-5 basketball game (4x10 min quarters; 24-sec shot clock). A separate enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used for each hormone and all samples were analyzed in duplicate. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients were used to measure the strength of a linear regression between pre-game T and C concentrations and points scored at the end of the game. Due to the exploratory nature of this study, the significance level was set to p\u3c0.10. RESULTS: Points scored showed a strong positive correlation with C (r=0.73, R2=0.53, F[1,5]=5.54, p=0.06), and a weak non-significant association with T (r=0.17, R2=0.03, F[1,5]=0.16, p=0.71; Figure 1). CONCLUSION: The findings of this exploratory analysis revealed a positive relationship between salivary C and basketball on-court playing performance. Greater pre-game C levels could imply on the athlete’s better readiness to properly respond to competitive demands via the influence on cognitive processes and attentional control, which ultimately resulted in scoring more points at the end of the game

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN JUMP KINETICS AND BASKETBALL REBOUNDING PERFORMANCE – AN EXPLORATORY STUDY

Dimitrije Cabarkapa and Andrew C. Fry Jayhawk Athletic Performance Laboratory, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA Incorporation of intelligence software for sports performance analysis has become highly prominent in recent years. It has been documented that vertical jump kinetics assessed with force plate technology may provide additional insight into athletes’ performances and detect areas for further improvement. PURPOSE: The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine a relationship between jump kinetic variables and game rebounding performance in men’s basketball. METHODS: Twenty-seven Division-I men’s basketball players were monitored during each competitive season for a total of six consecutive years. Ground reaction forces during countermovement vertical jump (CMVJ) testings administered on multiple occasions as a part of team testing protocols were derived from a force plate (Kistler Instrumente AG, Switzerland) and analyzed by data analysis software (Sparta Science, Menlo Park, CA). Average Eccentric rate of force development (ERFD), average relative concentric force (ARCF), and relative concentric impulse (RCI) were compared between the top (T; n=13) and bottom half (B; n=14) performers based on the number of total rebounds (TR) accumulated during their competitive seasons. To assure adequate comparison, only players with ≥10 min·game-1 playing time contribution were included in the following analysis. One-way ANOVA was used to determine the difference between the group means and discriminant analysis to classify T vs. B performers. RESULTS: Although being able to accurately classify T vs. B performers in 78% cases (λ=0.62; χ2=11.23; p=0.01; R2-canonical=0.61), no differences (p\u3e0.05) were found for ERFD (N·s-1; T= 5054.4±1601.9; B= 6201.1±1963.7), ARCF (N·kg-1; T=21.4±2.2; B=21.4±2.2), and RCI (Ns·kg-1; T= 6.1±0.3; B=5.9±0.3). CONCLUSION: This exploratory analysis suggests a positive relationship between kinetic parameters observed in the present study during in-season CMVJ testings and on-court rebounding performance. However, there are additional factors that need to also be examined more closely (e.g., playing position, style of play, game strategies) that may have substantial contributions on the rebounding performance

GROUND REACTION FORCES DURING DIFFERENT BASKETBALL DUNKS

Dimitrije Cabarkapa, Andrew C. Fry; Jayhawk Athletic Performance Laboratory, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas Basketball is one of the most popular sports worldwide. The basketball dunk uses a very powerful jumping motion to forcefully push a basketball through a goal positioned at a height of 10 feet (3.05m). In the modern game of basketball, the dunk is very popular due to its very high field goal percentage. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the kinetic variables of peak force, peak power, rate of force development, impulse and time during the concentric phase of the five most commonly used variations of a basketball dunk: one-leg left (1LL), one-leg right (1LR), two-leg left-right (2LLR), two-leg right-left (2LRL) and two leg stationary (2LS). METHODS: Ten healthy recreationally active men (X±SD, age=22.4±2.5, weight=89±6.3kg, height=192.8±4.9cm, vertical jump=73.7±12.4cm) who were capable of dunking a basketball volunteered to participate in this research study. Kinetic variables measured in this study were obtained from a force plate and data acquisition system sampling at 1000Hz. Descriptive statistics and repeated measures analyses of variance were used to analyze the data. The significance for all statistical tests was set at p\u3c0.05. RESULTS: Our data indicate that the most time-consuming dunk approach was a 2LS (0.820±0.116sec) while the fastest dunk approach was 1LL (0.311±0.039sec). The highest peak power output was observed for 2LS (6261.9±1104.1W) which also had the lowest rate of force development (5851.3±3069.5 N‧sec-1) and impulse (408.2±41.1 N‧sec-1). The highest peak forces were observed for 2LLR (3158.4±376.3N) and 2LRL (3206.8±518.2N) dunk approaches. CONCLUSION: Based on our data we can conclude that the basketball dunk is a highly powerful activity that requires high levels of strength and speed. Knowing the specific biomechanical characteristics of a motion can help target optimal training for each individual and lead to enhanced basketball performance. Peak force and peak power values observed during all five of the most common basketball dunk approaches were similar to or greater when compared to some of the most common resistance training exercises performed in weightlifting room. The data presented in this study can serve as a guideline for off-court training programs and for which dunk approach should be utilized at certain times during an on-court game performance

IMPACT OF SHOOTING APPROACH AND DISTANCE ON FEMALE BASKETBALL PLAYERS’ SHOOTING KINEMATICS

Dimitrije Cabarkapa1, Andrew C. Fry1, Damjana V. Cabarkapa1, Chloe A. Myers1, Grant T. Jones1, Michael A. Deane1 1Jawhawk Athletic Performance Laboratory – Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS While the development of an optimal shooting motion has been a primary focus for many basketball coaches, there is a lack of scientific literature addressing elementary biomechanical attributes. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of shooting approach and distance on basketball shooting motion kinematics for women. METHODS: Twenty-two females (hgt=167.8±7.8 cm; wgt=76.8±4.4 kg; age=23.1±2.6 yrs) performed a total of 1320 shots. Each subject attempted 30 2-point (5.20 m) and 30 3-point (6.75 m) shots using stationary, step-in left-right and step-in right-left shooting approaches. Each shot and shooting approach were separated by 5-10 sec and 1-2 min rest intervals, respectively. Kinematic variables measured with Kinovea (V0.8.27) video analysis software at the initial concentric phase of the shooting motion were knee angle (internal angle between thigh and shank), hip angle (internal angle between torso and thigh), elbow angle (internal angle between upper arm and forearm), ankle angle (angle between the shank and ground), shoulder angle (angle between upper arm and torso), and relative elbow height (perpendicular distance between the olecranon process and the ground divided by subject’s height). MANOVA and follow-up ANOVAs were used to examine statistically significant interactions and main effects (p\u3c.05). RESULTS: A non-significant interaction was observed between shooting approach and distance. Significant differences in elbow height (p=.006), knee (p=.021), ankle (p=.007), and shoulder (p=.027) angles were detected (Table 1). CONCLUSION: The approach had no impact on the kinematic parameters of shooting motion. Along with greater shoulder extension, an increase in shooting distance required greater flexion in the knee and ankle joints which ultimately led to a lower elbow height. These kinematic adjustments may be mainly attributed to the need for greater ground reaction forces necessary to propel the ball to the basket