Relative Age Effect in Elite German Soccer: Influence of Gender and Competition Level

The relative age effect (RAE) is associated with (dis)advantages in competitive sports. While the RAE in elite male soccer reveals a skewed birthdate distribution in relation to a certain cut-off date, research of RAE in elite female soccer is affected by small number of samples and conflicting results. The purpose of this study was to investigate the RAE in elite adult German soccer regarding gender and competition level. The sample comprised 680 female and 1,083 male players of the two top German leagues during the 2019/20 season and German national teams (A-Team to Under 19). Differences between the observed and expected birthdate distributions were analyzed using chisquare statistics and effect sizes followed by calculating odds ratios. Results showed a statistically significant RAE with small effect size across all players included for both genders (female players: P < 0.001, W = 0.16, male players: P < 0.001, W = 0.23). The identified RAE was based on an over-representation of players born at the beginning of the year. According to gender and competition level, RAEs were more pronounced in German male soccer. While significant RAEs were found among males in the first two leagues (first league: P < 0.001, W = 0.19, second league: P < 0.001, W = 0.26), the RAE of females was more pronounced in the second league (first league: P = 0.080, W = 0.16, second league: P = 0.002, W = 0.20). The analysis of RAE regarding the national teams revealed a statistically significant RAE with large effect size for only the youngest investigated age group of male players (Under 19: P = 0.022, W = 0.52). Our data show an RAE in female and male German adult soccer, which could be accompanied by a loss of valuable elite players during the youth phase of the career. Consequently, the pool of talented players at the adult level would be limited

Validity of a Local Positioning System during Outdoor and Indoor Conditions for Team Sports

This study aimed to compare the validity of a local positioning system (LPS) during outdoor and indoor conditions for team sports. The impact of different filtering techniques was also investigated. Five male team sport athletes (age: 27 ± 2 years; maximum oxygen uptake: 48.4 ± 5.1 mL/min/kg) performed 10 trials on a team sport-specific circuit on an artificial turf and in a sports hall. During the circuit, athletes wore two devices of a recent 20-Hz LPS. From the reported raw and differently filtered velocity data, distances covered during different walking, jogging, and sprinting sections within the circuit were computed for which the circuit was equipped with double-light timing gates as criterion measures. The validity was determined by comparing the known and measured distances via the relative typical error of estimate (TEE). The LPS validity for measuring distances covered was good to moderate during both environments (TEE: 0.9–7.1%), whereby the outdoor validity (TEE: 0.9–6.4%) was superior than indoor validity (TEE: 1.2–7.1%). During both environments, validity outcomes of an unknown manufacturer filter were superior (TEE: 0.9–6.2%) compared to those of a standard Butterworth filter (TEE: 0.9–6.4%) and to unprocessed raw data (TEE: 1.0–7.1%). Our findings show that the evaluated LPS can be considered as a good to moderately valid tracking technology to assess running-based movement patterns in team sports during outdoor and indoor conditions. However, outdoor was superior to indoor validity, and also impacted by the applied filtering technique. Our outcomes should be considered for practical purposes like match and training analyses in team sport environments

VR-Hiking: Physical Exertion Benefits Mindfulness and Positive Emotions in Virtual Reality

Exploring the great outdoors offers physical and mental health benefits. Hiking is healthy, provides a sense of accomplishment, and offers an opportunity to relax. However, a nature trip is not always possible, and there is a lack of evidence showing how these beneficial experiences can be replicated in Virtual Reality (VR). In response, we recruited (N=24) participants to explore a virtual mountain landscape in a within-subjects study with different levels of exertion: walking, using a chairlift, and teleporting. We found that physical exertion when walking produced significantly more positive emotions and mindfulness than other conditions. Our research shows that physically demanding outdoor activities in VR can be beneficial for the user and that the achievement of hiking up a virtual mountain on a treadmill positively impacts wellbeing. We demonstrate how physical exertion can be used to add mindfulness and positive affect to VR experiences and discuss consequences for VR designers

Myotonometry and extended field-of-view ultrasound imaging allow reliable quantification of patellar tendon stiffness and length at rest and during maximal load, whereas several restrictions exist for the Achilles tendon

IntroductionStiffness and length are well-established tendon parameters in sports and medicine. Myotonometry and ultrasound imaging are the commonly used methods to quantify these parameters. However, further studies are needed to clarify the reliability of these methods, especially when assessing maximally loaded tendons and when conducted by different experienced investigators. This study aimed to determine the intra- and interrater reliabilities of measuring the stiffness and length of the patellar tendon (PT) and Achilles tendon (AT) using the myotonometry method and the extended field-of-view ultrasound (EFOV-US) technique at rest and maximal load performed by different experienced investigators.MethodsTwenty-seven participants were examined on three different days by one experienced investigator and one novice investigator. Primary outcomes were the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and associated 95% confidence interval (95% CI), coefficient of variation (CV), standard error of measurement (SEM), and minimal detectable change (MDC) across the measurement days and investigators.ResultsFor PT measurements at rest and maximal load, the estimated ICCs for stiffness and length were ≥.867 and ≥.970, respectively, with 95% CIs ranging from poor (.306) to excellent (.973) and good (.897) to excellent (.999). The CV, SEM, and MDC for PT stiffness and length were ≤5.2% and ≤2.0%, ≤39.3 N/m and ≤0.9 mm, and ≤108.9 N/m and ≤2.6 mm, respectively. For AT measurements, some restrictions were evident for stiffness at rest and both parameters at maximal load. However, regarding AT length at rest, the estimated ICC was ≥.996, with an excellent 95% CI (.987–.999). The CV, SEM, and MDC for AT length at rest were 2.8%, ≤1.1 mm, and ≤2.9 mm, respectively.ConclusionThe estimated ICCs show good to excellent reliability for the myotonometry method and the EFOV-US technique for measuring PT stiffness and length at rest and maximal load for experienced and novice investigators. However, some restrictions are evident for the AT, especially for measurements at maximal load

Intelligent Music Interfaces: When Interactive Assistance and Augmentation Meet Musical Instruments

The interactive augmentation of musical instruments to foster self-expressiveness and learning has a rich history. Over the past decades, the incorporation of interactive technologies into musical instruments emerged into a new research field requiring strong collaboration between different disciplines. The workshop "Intelligent Music Interfaces"consequently covers a wide range of musical research subjects and directions, including (a) current challenges in musical learning, (b) prototyping for improvements, (c) new means of musical expression, and (d) evaluation of the solutions

Expert consensus on the contraindications and cautions of foam rolling: an international delphi study

Background: Foam rolling is a type of self-massage using tools such as foam or roller sticks. However, to date, there is no consensus on contraindications and cautions of foam rolling. A methodological approach to narrow that research gap is to obtain reliable opinions of expert groups. The aim of the study was to develop experts’ consensus on contraindications and cautions of foam rolling by means of a Delphi process. Methods: An international three-round Delphi study was conducted. Academic experts, defined as having (co-) authored at least one PubMed-listed paper on foam rolling, were invited to participate. Rounds 1 and 2 involved generation and rating of a list of possible contraindications and cautions of foam rolling. In round 3, participants indicated their agreement on contraindications and cautions for a final set of conditions. Consensus was evaluated using a priori defined criteria. Consensus on contraindications and cautions was considered as reached if more than 70% of participating experts labeled the respective item as contraindication and contraindication or caution, respectively, in round 3. Results: In the final Delphi process round, responses were received from 37 participants. Panel participants were predominantly sports scientists ( n = 21), physiotherapists ( n = 6), and medical professionals ( n = 5). Consensus on contraindications was reached for open wounds (73% agreement) and bone fractures (84%). Consensus on cautions was achieved for local tissue inflammation (97%), deep vein thrombosis (97%), osteomyelitis (94%), and myositis ossificans (92%). The highest impact/severity of an adverse event caused by contraindication/cautions was estimated for bone fractures, deep vein thrombosis, and osteomyelitis. Discussion: The mechanical forces applied through foam rolling can be considered as potential threats leading to adverse events in the context of the identified contraindications and cautions. Further evaluations by medical professionals as well as the collection of clinical data are needed to assess the risks of foam rolling and to generate guidance for different applications and professional backgrounds

Age, sex, endurance capacity, and chronic heart failure affect central and peripheral factors of oxygen uptake measured by non-invasive and continuous technologies: support of pioneer work using invasive or non-continuous measures

IntroductionIt is known that maximum oxygen uptake depends on age, sex, endurance capacity, and chronic heart failure. However, due to the required invasive or often applied non-continuous approaches, less is known on underlying central and peripheral factors. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effects of age, sex, endurance capacity, and chronic heart failure on non-invasively and continuously measured central and peripheral factors of oxygen uptake.Methods15 male children (11 ± 1 years), 15 male (24 ± 3 years) and 14 female recreationally active adults (23 ± 2 years), 12 male highly trained endurance athletes (24 ± 3 years), and 10 male elders (59 ± 6 years) and 10 chronic heart failure patients (62 ± 7 years) were tested during a cardiopulmonary exercise test on a cycling ergometer until exhaustion for: blood pressure, heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output, cardiac power output, vastus lateralis muscle oxygen saturation, and (calculated) arterio-venous oxygen difference. For the non-invasive and continuous measurement of stroke volume and muscle oxygen saturation, bioreactance analysis and near-infrared spectroscopy were used, respectively. A two-factor repeated measure ANOVA and partial eta-squared effect sizes (ηp2) were applied for statistical analyses at rest, 80, and 100% of oxygen uptake.ResultsFor the age effect, there were statistically significant group differences for all factors (p ≤ .033; ηp2≥.169). Concerning sex, there were group differences for all factors (p ≤ .010; ηp2≥.223), except diastolic blood pressure and heart rate (p ≥ .698; ηp2≤.006). For the effect of endurance capacity, there were no group differences for any of the factors (p ≥ .065; ηp2≤.129). Regarding chronic heart failure, there were group differences for the heart rate and arterio-venous oxygen difference (p ≤ .037; ηp2≥.220).DiscussionAge, sex, endurance capacity, and chronic heart failure affect central and peripheral factors of oxygen uptake measured by non-invasive and continuous technologies. Since most of our findings support pioneer work using invasive or non-continuous measures, the validity of our applied technologies is indirectly confirmed. Our outcomes allow direct comparison between different groups serving as reference data and framework for subsequent studies in sport science and medicine aiming to optimise diagnostics and interventions in athletes and patients

Uromodulin is expressed in renal primary cilia and UMOD mutations result in decreased ciliary uromodulin expression

Uromodulin (UMOD) mutations are responsible for three autosomal dominant tubulo-interstitial nephropathies including medullary cystic kidney disease type 2 (MCKD2), familial juvenile hyperuricemic nephropathy and glomerulocystic kidney disease. Symptoms include renal salt wasting, hyperuricemia, gout, hypertension and end-stage renal disease. MCKD is part of the ‘nephronophthisis-MCKD complex', a group of cystic kidney diseases. Both disorders have an indistinguishable histology and renal cysts are observed in either. For most genes mutated in cystic kidney disease, their proteins are expressed in the primary cilia/basal body complex. We identified seven novel UMOD mutations and were interested if UMOD protein was expressed in the primary renal cilia of human renal biopsies and if mutant UMOD would show a different expression pattern compared with that seen in control individuals. We demonstrate that UMOD is expressed in the primary cilia of renal tubules, using immunofluorescent studies in human kidney biopsy samples. The number of UMOD-positive primary cilia in UMOD patients is significantly decreased when compared with control samples. Additional immunofluorescence studies confirm ciliary expression of UMOD in cell culture. Ciliary expression of UMOD is also confirmed by electron microscopy. UMOD localization at the mitotic spindle poles and colocalization with other ciliary proteins such as nephrocystin-1 and kinesin family member 3A is demonstrated. Our data add UMOD to the group of proteins expressed in primary cilia, where mutations of the gene lead to cystic kidney diseas

Germline variants and breast cancer survival in patients with distant metastases at primary breast cancer diagnosis

Breast cancer metastasis accounts for most of the deaths from breast cancer. Identification of germline variants associated with survival in aggressive types of breast cancer may inform understanding of breast cancer progression and assist treatment. In this analysis, we studied the associations between germline variants and breast cancer survival for patients with distant metastases at primary breast cancer diagnosis. We used data from the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC) including 1062 women of European ancestry with metastatic breast cancer, 606 of whom died of breast cancer. We identified two germline variants on chromosome 1, rs138569520 and rs146023652, significantly associated with breast cancer-specific survival (P = 3.19 × 10−8 and 4.42 × 10−8). In silico analysis suggested a potential regulatory effect of the variants on the nearby target genes SDE2 and H3F3A. However, the variants showed no evidence of association in a smaller replication dataset. The validation dataset was obtained from the SNPs to Risk of Metastasis (StoRM) study and included 293 patients with metastatic primary breast cancer at diagnosis. Ultimately, larger replication studies are needed to confirm the identified associations

Germline variants and breast cancer survival in patients with distant metastases at primary breast cancer diagnosis.

Breast cancer metastasis accounts for most of the deaths from breast cancer. Identification of germline variants associated with survival in aggressive types of breast cancer may inform understanding of breast cancer progression and assist treatment. In this analysis, we studied the associations between germline variants and breast cancer survival for patients with distant metastases at primary breast cancer diagnosis. We used data from the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC) including 1062 women of European ancestry with metastatic breast cancer, 606 of whom died of breast cancer. We identified two germline variants on chromosome 1, rs138569520 and rs146023652, significantly associated with breast cancer-specific survival (P = 3.19 × 10-8 and 4.42 × 10-8). In silico analysis suggested a potential regulatory effect of the variants on the nearby target genes SDE2 and H3F3A. However, the variants showed no evidence of association in a smaller replication dataset. The validation dataset was obtained from the SNPs to Risk of Metastasis (StoRM) study and included 293 patients with metastatic primary breast cancer at diagnosis. Ultimately, larger replication studies are needed to confirm the identified associations