The impact of injury on match running performance following the return to competitive match-play over two consecutive seasons in elite European soccer players

Based on the assessment and diagnosis, the rest period following a moderate/severe injury may lead to deconditioning for the injured player and therefore an association with a prolonged rehabilitation, re-conditioning and return to sport is observed post-injury. The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of all injuries on match running performance following the return to competitive match-play over two consecutive seasons in elite European soccer players. A retrospective analysis was conducted utilizing data related to a player’s injury and match running performance. A club physiotherapist consistently recorded availability and injury data in a standardized format. Linear mixed modelling analysis revealed no difference between PRE and POST1, POST2, and POST3 for total distance, running distance, high-intensity distance, and sprint distance (all p >0.05). Although, maximum speed was significantly (p<0.05) lower in POST1 and POST2 when compared to PRE, in both cases with a large (ES = 1.88) effect. No significant difference was observed for maximum speed between PRE and POST3 (p=0.07). There were very low correlations between the number of days absent and changes in maximum speed between POST1 and PRE (r = 0.09, 95% CI -0.42 to 0.56), and POST2 and PRE (r = 0.10, 95% CI -0.42 to 0.57), respectively. In conclusion, no variation in distance variables were found regardless of one, two or three matches post-injury compared to pre-injury status. Moreover, maximum speed was lower during the first three matches post-injury, although the mean value was slightly lower. Finally, a low correlation between absent days and maximum speed loss between pre-injury and following one and two matches were foun

The influence of physical performance on technical and tactical outcomes in the UEFA Champions League

Background: To clarify does physical performance affect success in highest-level soccer, the purpose of the present study was to identify differences in technical-tactical performance (TP) between teams covering high and low run- ning performance (RP) during the UEFA Champions League (UCL) matches. Methods: The RP and TP data were collected from UCL group stage matches in the 2020/21 season. RP variables included total distance covered (TD), high intensity running (HIR), total distance when in ball possession (TDB), and high intensity running when in ball possession (HIRB). TP variables included goal chances, shots, shots on target, passes, accurate passes, key passes, key passes accurate, crosses, crosses accurate, counter attacks, counter attacks with a shot, high pressing, high pressing successful, low pressing, low pressing successful, tackles, tackles successful, entrances to the opponent’s box, total actions, and successful actions. K-means cluster analysis method was used to classify teams covering (i) low and high TD, (ii) low and high HIR, (iii) low and high TDB, (iv) low and high and HIRB. Linear mixed models were used to identify differences in teams’ TP according to their RP. Pearson’s correlations were used to establish direct association between team TP and RP. Results: Similar TP were observed whether teams covering high or low TD/HIR. Teams covering greater TDB/HIRB had more goal chances, shots, shots on target, passes, accurate passes, key passes, accurate key passes, crosses, successful high pressing, entrances to the opponent’s box, total actions, and successful actions were observed (all moderate to very large effect sizes. Significant association between specific TP variables and TDB/HIRB were evidenced (Pearson’s r = 0.35–0.96, all p < 0.05). Conclusion: Covering greater TDB and HIRB may allow more frequent execution of fundamental TP which are con- sidered essential for match success, indicating that RP when team has ball in possession is important determinant of success in highest-level soccer. This study shows that physical performance affect success in highest-level soccer. Keywords: Football, Running performance, Technical-tactical performance, Success, Linear mixed model *

Randomized investigation of the bioavailability of fluoride in saliva after administration of sodium fluoride, amine fluoride and fluoride containing bioactive glass dentifrices

Witten/Herdecke University

IGFBP3 Colocalizes with and Regulates Hypocretin (Orexin)

Background: The sleep disorder narcolepsy is caused by a vast reduction in neurons producing the hypocretin (orexin) neuropeptides. Based on the tight association with HLA, narcolepsy is believed to result from an autoimmune attack, but the cause of hypocretin cell loss is still unknown. We performed gene expression profiling in the hypothalamus to identify novel genes dysregulated in narcolepsy, as these may be the target of autoimmune attack or modulate hypocretin gene expression. Methodology/Principal Findings: We used microarrays to compare the transcriptome in the posterior hypothalamus of (1) narcoleptic versus control postmortem human brains and (2) transgenic mice lacking hypocretin neurons versus wild type mice. Hypocretin was the most downregulated gene in human narcolepsy brains. Among many additional candidates, only one, insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP3), was downregulated in both human and mouse models and coexpressed in hypocretin neurons. Functional analysis indicated decreased hypocretin messenger RNA and peptide content, and increased sleep in transgenic mice overexpressing human IGFBP3, an effect possibly mediated through decrease