The effect of contextual variables on match performance across different playing positions in professional portuguese soccer players

This study investigated the position-specific physical demands of professional Portuguese players. The effects of situational variables on the physical performance demands were also analysed (match location, match half and match result). Match performance observations were collected using Global Navigation Satellite System devices across 11 matches during a competitive season (2019– 2020). Data were analysed according to five playing positions: goalkeepers (n = 11), central defenders (n = 42), wide defenders (n = 31), central midfielders (n = 34), open attackers (n = 28), and centre forwards (n = 14). Central midfield players completed the greatest total distance (10,787 ± 1536 m), while central defenders covered the least distance (9272 ± 455; p < 0.001). Open attackers covered the greatest high and very-high-speed distance (1504 ± 363 m), number of high-speed decelerations per match (11 ± 4) and were the fastest players (30.6 ± 1.5 km/h), along with center forwards (30.6 ± 2.0 km/h), versus all other positions (p < 0.05). Greater distances were performed in teams that were winning (9978 ± 1963 m) or drawing (10,395 ± 875 m) versus losing (9415 ± 2050) p = 0.036 and p = 0.006, respectively. Increases in distance covered at walking speeds were observed during the 2nd half (1574 ± 179 m) compared with the 1st half (1483 ± 176; (p < 0.003). A higher number of decelerations across all speeds were performed in the 1st half (144 ± 39) versus the 2nd half (135 ± 37). The distance covered in home matches (10,206 ± 1926 m) far exceeded away matches (9471 ± 1932 m; p < 0.001). The number of faster accelerations were higher in away (7 ± 5) versus home matches (6 ± 4; p < 0.049). The data demonstrate the different physical demands of each playing position and suggest that situational variables influence physical performance. These findings suggest position-specific physical training is required to condition players for the bespoke demands of each playing position

Avaliação e tratamento do doente com acne – Parte I: Epidemiologia, etiopatogenia, clínica, classificação, impacto psicossocial, mitos e realidades, diagnóstico diferencial e estudos complementares

O Portuguese Acne Advisory Board (PAAB), grupo de dermatologistas portugueses que, à semelhança de grupos congéneres internacionais, tem dedicado particular atenção à definição de linhas de orientação para o tratamento da acne, pretende que o presente documento constitua uma ferramenta útil na abordagem dos doentes com esta patologia. Elaborou-se um dossier, para educação médica contínua, subdividido em 2 partes: Parte I – etiopatogenia e clínica; Parte II – abordagem terapêutica. Nesta Parte I, revêem-se os principais aspectos da clínica e da fisiopatogenia da acne à luz dos conhecimentos actuais. Discute-se a importância do impacto psicológico e social desta entidade e analisam-se os principais mitos e realidades com ela relacionados. Descrevem-se, sucintamente, as patologias mais relevantes no diagnóstico diferencial das lesões de acne. Enumeram-se as indicações para estudo hormonal, bem como os exames a efectuar nos doentes com esta patologia. The Portuguese Acne Advisory Board (PAAB), a group of Portuguese dermatologists with a special interest in acne, develop, as other international groups in this field, consensus recommendations for the treatment of acne. Overall, the goal is to provide a practice guideline to all physicians dealing with this entity. The continuing medical education dossier was divided in two parts: Part I – etiopathogeny and clinical features; Part II – therapy. This Part I reviews acne pathophysiology, clinical aspects, psychological and social impact and several myths surrounding this disease. Some other entities relevant for the differential diagnosis are described. The need of hormonal evaluation is also discusse

Avaliação e tratamento do doente com acne - Parte II: tratamento tópico, sistémico e cirúrgico, tratamento da acne na grávida, algoritmo terapêutico

O Portuguese Acne Advisory Board (PAAB), grupo de dermatologistas portugueses que, à semelhança de grupos congéneres internacionais, tem dedicado particular atenção à definição de linhas de orientação para o tratamento da acne, pretende que o presente documento constitua uma ferramenta útil na abordagem dos doentes com esta patologia. Elaborou-se um dossier, para educação médica contínua, subdividido em 2 partes: Parte I – etiopatogenia e clínica; Parte II – abordagem terapêutica. Nesta Parte II discute-se a abordagem terapêutica – tópica e sistémica – em cada forma clínica de acne, dando particular ênfase aos retinóides e aos antimicrobianos, e salientam-se as estratégias a adoptar para limitar a crescente resistência bacteriana aos antibióticos. Referem-se as indicações específicas para terapêutica hormonal e analisam-se as particularidades do tratamento da acne na grávida e lactante. Descrevem-se algumas técnicas para correcção das cicatrizes da acne. Por último, publica-se um algoritmo que pretende ilustrar a classificação da acne e definir, para cada tipo clínico, a abordagem terapêutica consensualmente recomendada

Super-resolution far-field ghost imaging via compressive sampling

Much more image details can be resolved by improving the system's imaging resolution and enhancing the resolution beyond the system's Rayleigh diffraction limit is generally called super-resolution. By combining the sparse prior property of images with the ghost imaging method, we demonstrated experimentally that super-resolution imaging can be nonlocally achieved in the far field even without looking at the object. Physical explanation of super-resolution ghost imaging via compressive sampling and its potential applications are also discussed.Comment: 4pages,4figure

Using the Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score based on erythrocyte sedimentation rate or C-reactive protein level: results from the Portuguese register

Our aims were to evaluate the correlation between Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score 27-joint reduced count (JADAS27) with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and JADAS27 with C-reactive protein (CRP) scores and to test the agreement of both scores on classifying each disease activity state. We also aimed at verifying the correlation of the 2 scores across juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) categories and to check the correlation between JADAS27-ESR and clinical JADAS27 (JADAS27 without ESR)

Rational Design and Characterization of D-Phe-Pro-D-Arg-Derived Direct Thrombin Inhibitors

The tremendous social and economic impact of thrombotic disorders, together with the considerable risks associated to the currently available therapies, prompt for the development of more efficient and safer anticoagulants. Novel peptide-based thrombin inhibitors were identified using in silico structure-based design and further validated in vitro. The best candidate compounds contained both l- and d-amino acids, with the general sequence d-Phe(P3)-Pro(P2)-d-Arg(P1)-P1′-CONH2. The P1′ position was scanned with l- and d-isomers of natural or unnatural amino acids, covering the major chemical classes. The most potent non-covalent and proteolysis-resistant inhibitors contain small hydrophobic or polar amino acids (Gly, Ala, Ser, Cys, Thr) at the P1′ position. The lead tetrapeptide, d-Phe-Pro-d-Arg-d-Thr-CONH2, competitively inhibits α-thrombin's cleavage of the S2238 chromogenic substrate with a Ki of 0.92 µM. In order to understand the molecular details of their inhibitory action, the three-dimensional structure of three peptides (with P1′ l-isoleucine (fPrI), l-cysteine (fPrC) or d-threonine (fPrt)) in complex with human α-thrombin were determined by X-ray crystallography. All the inhibitors bind in a substrate-like orientation to the active site of the enzyme. The contacts established between the d-Arg residue in position P1 and thrombin are similar to those observed for the l-isomer in other substrates and inhibitors. However, fPrC and fPrt disrupt the active site His57-Ser195 hydrogen bond, while the combination of a P1 d-Arg and a bulkier P1′ residue in fPrI induce an unfavorable geometry for the nucleophilic attack of the scissile bond by the catalytic serine. The experimental models explain the observed relative potency of the inhibitors, as well as their stability to proteolysis. Moreover, the newly identified direct thrombin inhibitors provide a novel pharmacophore platform for developing antithrombotic agents by exploring the conformational constrains imposed by the d-stereochemistry of the residues at positions P1 and P1′