The Quantification of a Professional Football Teams External Load Using a Microcycle Structure

The aims of this study were to (1) determine the external load of a football team across playing position and relative to competition for a structured microcycle and (2) examine the loading and variation the day after competition for players with or without game time. Training and match data were obtained from twenty-four professional football players who belonging to the reserve squad of a Spanish La Liga Club during the 2015/16 season using global positioning technology (n=37 matches and n=42 training weeks). Training load data were analyzed with respect to the number of days before or after a match (MD minus or plus). Training load metrics declined as competition approached (MD-4>MD-3>MD-2>MD-1; pMD+1R; p<0.05; ES: 1.4-1.6). Acceleration and deceleration metrics during training exceeded 50% of that performed in competition for MD+1C (80-86%), MD-4 (71-72%), MD-3 (62-69%) and MD-2 (56-61%). Full backs performed more high-speed running and sprint distance than other positions at MD-3 and MD-4 (p<0.05; ES: 0.8-1.7). The coefficient of variation for weekly training sessions ranged from ~40% for MD-3 and MD-4 to ~80% for MD+1R. The data demonstrate that the external load of a structured microcycle varied substantially based on the players training day and position. This information could be useful for applied sports scientists when trying to systematically manage load, particularly compensatory conditioning for players without game time

Anti-inflammatory effects of pancreatitis associated protein in inflammatory bowel disease

Background and aims: Increased pancreatitis associated protein (PAP) mRNA has been reported in active inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The aims of the current study were to characterise PAP production in IBD and the effects of PAP on inflammation. Patients and methods: Serum PAP levels were determined in healthy controls (n¿=¿29), inflammatory controls (n¿=¿14), and IBD patients (n¿=¿171). Ex vivo PAP secretion in intestinal tissue was measured in 56 IBD patients and 13 healthy controls. Cellular origin of PAP was determined by immunohistochemistry. The effects of exogenous PAP on nuclear factor ¿B (NF¿B) activation, proinflammatory cytokine production, and endothelial adhesion molecule expression were also analysed ex vivo. Results: Patients with active IBD had increased serum PAP levels compared with controls, and these levels correlated with clinical and endoscopic disease severity. Ex vivo intestinal PAP synthesis was increased in active IBD and correlated with endoscopic and histological severity of inflammatory lesions. PAP localised to colonic Paneth cells. Incubation of mucosa from active Crohn¿s disease with PAP dose dependently reduced proinflammatory cytokines secretion. PAP prevented TNF-¿ induced NF¿B activation in monocytic, epithelial, and endothelial cells and reduced proinflammatory cytokine mRNA levels and adhesion molecule expression. Conclusions: PAP is synthesised by Paneth cells and is overexpressed in colonic tissue of active IBD. PAP inhibits NF¿B activation and downregulates cytokine production and adhesion molecule expression in inflamed tissue. It may represent an anti-inflammatory mechanism and new therapeutic strategy in IBD

BJS commission on surgery and perioperative care post-COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared a pandemic by the WHO on 11 March 2020 and global surgical practice was compromised. This Commission aimed to document and reflect on the changes seen in the surgical environment during the pandemic, by reviewing colleagues' experiences and published evidence