The Influence of COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown on the Physical Performance of Professional Soccer Players: An Example of German and Polish Leagues

[Abstract] The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the in-season pandemic lockdown influenced physical match performance in professional soccer players who participated in the competition of German Bundesliga and Polish Ekstraklasa. The data from 306 games for German Bundesliga and 296 games for Polish Ekstraklasa were divided into before- and after-lockdown periods. The physical performance of German Bundesliga teams after the 63-day COVID-19 lockdown did not differ significantly from that in the first part of the season. In contrast, Polish Ekstraklasa teams, after the 81-day lockdown, displayed significantly shorter total distances (p < 0.001), shorter high-intensity running distances (p = 0.03), and fewer high-intensity actions (p = 0.02). Moreover, when the effective playing time was considered, teams covered significantly less relative total distance (p < 0.001) and relative high-intensity running distance (p = 0.02). The results of the current study suggest that physical performance during the matches of the German Bundesliga was not influenced by the COVID-19 lockdown, contrary to those of the Polish Ekstraklasa. This difference could have been caused by different break lengths and different restrictions implemented in these countries during the pandemic lockdown

Rola fauny glebowej w zróżnicowaniu roślinności na zwałowisku karbońskiej skały płonnej

The work analyzes the relationship between the amount of soil fauna in the diversity of vegetation on post-mining dumps. Until now, researchers have devoted a lot of attention to the development and diversity of plant communi-ties in post-industrial areas, including heaps of gangue. The quantitative and qualitative participation of selected meso-fauna groups (Nematoda, Enchytraeidae) in the soil base of post-mining areas was much less known. Under-standing these relationships can be of great practical importance in planning and implementing surveying works to restore habitats in areas created in connection with the exploitation of mineral resources. Activity of soil organisms is one of the factors conditioning plant growth and their resistance to stress. A marginally significant relationship was found between the species diversity of the patches of vegetation, measured by the value of the Shannon-Wiener index, and the abundance of vase vessels (rs = 0.31, p = 0.05). The percentage coverage of the dominant species, its abundance, as well as the total percentage coverage of plants and bryophytes, dry matter volume and general coverage of herbaceous plants significantly affects the number of vassels

The effect of mid-season coach turnover on running match performance and match outcome in professional soccer players

[Abstract]: The aim of this research was to examine the physical match performance and match outcome before and after coach turnover in professional soccer teams compared with a control group containing coaches working continuously for 3 consecutive seasons. Analysed data included 325 performances of teams led by dismissed coaches (DC), 313 of teams led by new coaches (NC), and 580 of teams led by unchanged coaches (UnC). Variables, such as average number of collected points, total distance (TD), total distance per minute (TD/min), high-speed running (HSR), sprinting and number of high-intensity runs (NHIR), were analysed in the last 15 games of DC and 15 matches of NC. These periods were divided into 3 blocks out of 5 matches (5-match blocks). NC collected a significantly higher number of points than DC (p = 0.015), whereas average points collected by UNC were significantly greater than DC (p < 0.001 and NC (p = 0.012). TD and TD/min for DC were significantly lower (p < 0.001) compared with both NC and UnC, whereas significant differences in HSR (p = 0.003) and NHIR (p = 0.03) were identified between DC and NC. The current study reported that mid-season coach turnover may result in short-term improvement in team results and physical match performance. However, this effect disappears after a period of approximately 5 games

Challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of peritoneal mesothelioma: a case study and review of the literature

Peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare neoplasm that is associated with multiple diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Therapeutic guidelines are scarce and based on extrapolative data. Histopathological diagnosis is difficult as neither the morphological finding nor the immunohistochemical stains are specific. The mainstay treatment for resectable disease is cytoreductive surgery with intraperitoneal chemotherapy being a valuable addition. Treatment of non-resectable cases includes platinum-based chemotherapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and bevacizumab. We present a case of a 49-year-old woman suffering from inoperable peritoneal mesothelioma, which was initially diagnosed as ovarian cancer and treated accordingly

Refining PD-1/PD-L1 assessment for biomarker-guided immunotherapy: A review

Anti-programmed cell death ligand 1 (anti-PD-L1)  immunotherapy is an increasingly crucial in cancer treatment. To date, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has approved four PD-L1 immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining protocols, commercially available in the form of "kits", facilitating testing for PD-L1 expression. These kits comprise four PD-L1 antibodies on two separate IHC platforms, each utilizing distinct, non-interchangeable scoring systems. Several factors, including tumor heterogeneity and the size of the tissue specimens assessed, can lead to PD-L1 status misclassification, potentially hindering the initiation of therapy. Therefore, the development of more accurate predictive biomarkers to distinguish between responders and non-responders prior to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy warrants further research. Achieving this goal necessitates refining sampling criteria, enhancing current methods of PD-L1 detection, and deepening our understanding of the impact of additional biomarkers. In this article, we review potential solutions to improve the predictive accuracy of PD-L1 assessment in order to more precisely anticipate patients' responses to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy, monitor disease progression and predict clinical outcomes

Dysgerminoma and gonadoblastoma in the course of Swyer syndrome

We present a case of a woman with primary amenorrhea. Ultrasound imaging showed a uterus of normal size but bands of connective tissues at the site of ovaries. A genetic test was done which revealed the XY karyotype. Swyer syndrome was diagnosed. The patient did not report for the follow-up visits. Three years later, the woman reported back because of increasing abdominal circumference. The patient underwent an operation. Radical hysterectomy was performed. Histopathological examination showed dysgerminoma and gonadoblastoma on the left gonad and dysgerminoma on the right one. This case report presents the natural history of Swyer syndrome

Comparison of pulmonary and systemic NO- and PGI_{2}-dependent endothelial function in diabetic mice

Diabetes increases the risk of pulmonary hypertension and is associated with alterations in pulmonary vascular function. Still, it is not clear whether alterations in the phenotype of pulmonary endothelium induced by diabetes are distinct, as compared to peripheral endothelium. In the present work, we characterized differences between diabetic complications in the lung and aorta in db/db mice with advanced diabetes. Male, 20-week-old db/db mice displayed increased HbA1c and glucose concentration compatible with advanced diabetes. Diabetic lungs had signs of mild fibrosis, and pulmonary endothelium displayed significantly ultrastructural changes. In the isolated, perfused lung from db/db mice, filtration coefficient (Kf,c) and contractile response to TXA2 analogue were enhanced, while endothelial NO-dependent modulation of pulmonary response to hypoxic ventilation and cumulative production of NO2− were impaired, with no changes in immunostaining for eNOS expression. In turn, 6-keto-PGF1α release from the isolated lung from db/db mice was increased, as well as immunostaining of thrombomodulin (CD141). In contrast to the lung, NO-dependent, acetylcholine-induced vasodilation, ionophore-stimulated NO2− generation, and production of 6-keto-PGF1α were all impaired in aortic rings from db/db mice. Although eNOS immunostaining was not changed, that of CD141 was clearly lowered. Interestingly, diabetes-induced nitration of proteins in aorta was higher than that in the lungs. In summary, diabetes induced marked ultrastructural changes in pulmonary endothelium that were associated with the increased permeability of pulmonary microcirculation, impaired NO-dependent vascular function, with compensatory increase in PGI2 production, and increased CD141 expression. In contrast, endothelial dysfunction in the aorta was featured by impaired NO-, PGI2-dependent function and diminished CD141 expression