Did the three point line change influence the female youth basketball? Analysis of the predictive factors from winning teams (U-16 and U-20)

The main purpose of this study was to analyze the behavior of winning teams in youth basketball, considering in particular the increasing distance from the three point line, among other changes introduced by FIBA (International Amateur Basketball Federation). More precisely identify which and how the game-related statistics indicators present in the equation of "4 Factors - ROBOSCOUT" discriminate the winning teams, considered in function of category/season. Data referred to 485 matches of the European Championships in 2010 and 2011 (S16-2010, n = 140, S20-2010, n = 104, S16-2011, n = 131, S20-2011, n = 110) was analyzed, focusing on the following variables: final score, offensive rebounds, opponent defensive rebounds, turnovers, field goal attempt; 2 and 3-point field-goals and free-through (attempted, failed and made). Although at first view, the main differences appear to be related to the age factor, namely the effectiveness of the field-goals and turnovers per possession, the results obtained using analysis of variance (MANOVA) shows that since 2010 to 2011 seasons the game becomes more homogeneous between S16 and S20 categories, disappearing values statistically significant as the 3-points made and 2-points attempted. Curiously, in U20 category the values given in the 3-point field-goals, considering the significant difference for the attempted and the observed virtually identical percentages, it suggested a better selection of shot in 2011 compared to2010 season. Despite the consciousness that an understanding of performance in youth basketball need a multivariate perspective, it is expected that these results may help in future research and female basketball coaches in the development of training programs and planning competitions

Matrizes fibrosas produzidas por eletrofiação para regeneração de pele e reparo de parede abdominal

Doutoramento em QuímicaEsta tese centra-se no desenvolvimento de materiais biodegradáveis e nãodegradáveis produzidos por eletrofiação com aplicação na área biomédica. O poli(3-hidroxibutirato-co-3-hidroxivalerato) (PHBV), um poliéster biodegradável, foi selecionado como base dos materiais biodegradáveis, enquanto o poli(tereftalato de etileno) (PET), um polímero sintético, estável e biocompatível, foi selecionado para a produção das matrizes não degradáveis. Adicionou-se quitosana aos sistemas com o objetivo de melhorar o processo de eletrofiação e as propriedades morfológicas, físico-químicas e biológicas dos materiais resultantes. A composição química, bem como as características morfológicas e físicoquímicas dos materiais em estudo, foram manipuladas de modo a otimizar a sua performance como suportes celulares para engenharia de tecidos. Foram realizados estudos in vitro com cultura de fibroblastos L929 para avaliar o comportamento das células, i.e. viabilidade, adesão, proliferação e morte, quando cultivadas nas matrizes produzidas por eletrofiação. Adicionalmente foram realizados ensaios in vivo para investigar o potencial dos materiais em estudo na regeneração cutânea e como tela abdominal. Os principais resultados encontrados incluem: o desenvolvimento de novas matrizes híbridas (PHBV/quitosana) adequadas ao crescimento de fibroblastos e ao tratamento de lesões de pele; o desenvolvimento de um sistema de eletrofiação com duas seringas para a incorporação de compostos bioativos; diversas estratégias para manipulação das características morfológicas dos materiais de PHBV/quitosana e PET/quitosana produzidos por eletrofiação; uma melhoria do conhecimento das interações fibroblastos-suporte polimérico; a verificação de uma resposta inflamatória desencadeada pelos materiais nãodegradáveis quando utilizados no tratamento de defeitos da parede abdominal, o que sugere a necessidade de novos estudos para avaliar a segurança do uso de biomateriais produzidos por eletrofiação.This thesis focuses on the development of biodegradable and non-degradable electrospun materials with application in the biomedical field. Poly(3- hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), a natural biodegradable polyester, was selected as the basis of the biodegradable materials while polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a biocompatible stable synthetic polyester, was selected for the production of the non-degradable ones. Chitosan was added to both systems in order to enhance electrospinnability as well as morphological, physico-chemical, and biological features of the biomaterials. The chemical composition, morphological and some physico-chemical characteristics of these materials were manipulated toward an optimized biological performance as scaffolds for tissue engineering. In vitro cell culture studies were performed with L929 fibroblasts in order to study the cell behavior, i.e. viability, adhesion, proliferation and death, when cultured on the electrospun materials. Furthermore, in vivo assays were conducted in order to investigate the potential of the materials under study for skin and abdominal wall repair. The main achievements of this thesis include: the development of new PHBV/chitosan hybrid mats suitable for fibroblasts growth and with a good performance when used as a scaffold for skin repair; the development of a dual syringe electrospinning system for incorporation of bioactive compounds; several strategies to manipulate the morphological characteristics of electrospun materials of both PHBV/chitosan and PET/chitosan blends; an improvement of the knowledge of cell-scaffolds interactions; the detection of an important inflammatory response elicited by the non-degradable electrospun materials when used as prosthetic meshes for abdominal defect repair, suggesting the need of further studies on the safety of nanosized electrospun biomaterials

ESTUDO COMPARATIVO DAS ACÇÕES OFENSIVAS DESENVOLVIDAS EM SITUAÇÃO DE JOGO FORMAL E DE JOGO REDUZIDO NUMA EQUIPA DE BASQUETEBOL DE INICIADOS

Acknowledging the conceptual and methodological changes in the teaching of team sports, the aim of the present study was to examine the impact of the partial game form over the opportunities to actively participate in the game play. We described and compared the frequency and quality of the strategical responses performed by players within offensive game play situations. We have considered both individual and group offensive actions in both game forms: 5x5 full court game form and 3x3 half court game form. The sample was composed by a young female basket team (n= 1 2) with an average of 1 1 .5 years old. Ali players were in theír first season, and they practised twice a week. The results showed that the 3x3 half court game form provided the players with more chances to participate, fewer chances for passive attitude, a greater frequency of bali contact and an increased success ín scoring after offensive actíons. Evidence seems to support the suitability of taking reduced game form as a reference to design basketball programs in school settings.O presente trabalho tem como objectivo situar, no contexto do processo de transformações das concepções e abordagens metodológicas do ensino e formação nos jogos desportivos colectivos (JDC), o papel assumido pelo Jogo Reduzido (JR), no processo de aprendizagem do jogo de basquetebol. Descrevemos e comparamos a freqüência e a qualidade das intervenções dos jogadores em situação de finalização/ a partir de acções tácticas individuais e de grupo nas situações de: (1) Jogo Formal (JF) (5x5); e (2) Jogo Reduzido (JR) (3x3 em meio-campo). A amostra foi constituída por uma equipa do escalão infantil feminino (n= 1 2), com a média de 1 1,5 anos de idade, que se iniciavam na modalidade pela primeira vez e realizavam 2 treinos por semana. De acordo com os resultados obtidos, podemos concluir que o Jogo Reduzido (3x3) possibilita uma maior participação do jogador, uma menor probabilidade para a ocorrência de atitudes passivas, uma elevada freqüência de contactos com a bola e um maior sucesso na finalização das acções ofensivas. Assim, podemos considerar que no processo de ensino do basquetebol é defensável a constituição de unidades temáticas do ensino do jogo que tenham por referência o jogo reduzido. Acknowledging the conceptual and methodological changes in the teaching of team sports, the aim of the present study was to examine the impact of the partial game form over the opportunities to actively participate in the game play. We described and compared the frequency and quality of the strategical responses performed by players within offensive game play situations. We have considered both individual and group offensive actíons in both game forms: 5x5 full court game form and 3x3 half court game form. The sample was composed by a young female basket team (n= 1 2) with an average of 1 1 .5 years old. Ali players were in theír first season, and they practised twice a week. The results showed that the 3x3 half court game form provided the players with more chances to participate, fewer chances for passive attitude, a greater frequency of bali contact and an increased success ín scoring after offensive actíons. Evidence seems to support the suitability of taking reduced game form as a reference to design basketball programs in school setting

Desenvolvimento de membranas nanofibrosas por electrospinning : potencial aplicação na clarificação de sumos

Mestrado em Bioquímica e Química dos AlimentosO objectivo deste trabalho consistiu no desenvolvimento de matrizes fibrosas para clarificação de sumos. Deste modo, foram produzidas por electrospinning matrizes simples de poli(tereftalato de etileno) (PET) e matrizes bicomponentes (PET+ quitosano). A influência de alguns parâmetros no processo de electrospinning, tais como a composição do solvente, a concentração de polímero e as configurações operacionais do sistema, foi analisada. Avaliaram-se também os efeitos da variação da concentração e da massa molecular do quitosano nas matrizes bicomponentes. A morfologia das fibras foi avaliada por microscopia óptica (MO) e microscopia de varrimento electrónico (SEM). A presença dos dois polímeros na matriz (PET e quitosano) foi examinada por espectroscopia de infravermelho com transformada de Fourier (FTIR). As propriedades mecânicas das matrizes de PET e PET+quitosano foram testadas através de ensaios de tensão uniaxial. Estudou-se o comportamento destas matrizes fibrosas quando em contacto com a água e com meio aquoso ácido. Analisouse o potencial de aplicação destas matrizes no processo de clarificação de sumos, utilizando como modelo o sumo de maçã. Os resultados obtidos permitiram compreender melhor o funcionamento da técnica de electrospinning e alguns dos parâmetros que a governam. Desenvolveram-se matrizes fibrosas bicomponentes a partir de dois polímeros muito diferentes, onde cada polímero ocupa preferencialmente uma zona de cada fibra. As matrizes obtidas mostraram um potencial de clarificação semelhante aos processos tradicionais. A morfologia e a estrutura das matrizes fibrosas desenvolvidas apresentam potencialidade de aplicação em diversas áreas, para além da filtração, nomeadamente em aplicações biomédicas. ABSTRACT: The aim of this work was the development of nanofibrous mats with potential application on juice clarification. Electrospinning was used to produce poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) nanofibrous mats and “PET-chitosan” bicomponent nanofibrous mats. The influence of some electrospinning parameters, such as solvent system, polymer concentration and operational conditions, was analysed. For the bicomponent nanofibrous mats, the effect of changing concentration and molecular weight of chitosan was also evaluated. Fiber morphology and size distribution was investigated by optical and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to evaluate the presence of both polymers (PET and chitosan) in the bicomponent mats. Mechanical properties of the PET and PET+chitosan mats were studied by uniaxial tension tests. Nanofibrous mats solubility in water and acid was also study. The potential application of these mats on juice clarification was performed using apple juice as study model. The knowledge on how to control the electrospinning conditions to achieve final desired properties of the mats was improved with this work. Bicomponent fibrous mats were developed using two distinct polymers, where each polymer occupy a specific zone of the fiber. These nanomats revealed potential in juice clarification, similar to conventional clarification treatments. These nanomats have a great potential, not only in juice clarification, but also in other fields, especially on biomedical field

Electrospinning Technology: Designing Nanofibers toward Wound Healing Application

Electrospinning is a widely used technology to obtain nanofibers. Electrospun systems have been especially investigated for wound dressings in skin regeneration given the similarity of structures with the extracellular matrix. Several efforts have been made to combine distinct design strategies, such as utilizing synthetic and/or natural materials, modifying fiber orientation, and incorporating substances, e.g., drugs, peptides, growth factors or other biomolecules, to develop an optimized electrospun wound dressing. This chapter reviews the current advances in electrospinning strategies for skin regeneration

Protein Kinase A and Protein Kinase C Connections: What Could Angiogenesis Tell Us?

The formation of embryonic blood vessels, defined as vasculogenesis, is a complex morphogenetic process ultimately related to tubulogenesis, carried out from in situ differentiation of mesoderm-recruited or proliferated progenitor endothelial cells (angioblasts) to endothelial cells for structuring a primary vascular plexus. Subsequent events involving apoptosis versus cell survival (remodeling) in the vessel network stabilizes the primordial microvasculature, which through the angiogenesis process yields new capillaries by sprouting from the preexisting ones. Methylxanthinic alkaloids such as caffeine (compounds present in a number of beverages consumed worldwide) exert some well-known effects upon heart and other cardiovascular structures, in part, by negatively interplaying with phosphodiesterase (PDEs) enzymes. Once caffeine as well as Ilex paraguariensis (yerba mate) infusion extract have shown to enhance the vessel formation (vasculogenesis and angiogenesis), we discuss the impact afforded by I. paraguariensis constituents on the (PDEs-related) quantities and stability of Protein kinase A (PKA) and Protein kinase C (PKC) enzymes. Besides, the text reflects on a suggested dual roles displayed by PKA and PKC enzymatic pathways in the developmental angiogenic events

Lesão do esôfago e de tronco braquiocefálico em trauma fechado: uma associação incomum

Uncommon esophagic lesion associated with brachiocephalic trunk lesion in patient victim of blunt trauma’s report case. A 19-year-old man victim of an automobilistic accident without seat belt arrived at PSHC-FMUSP conscient, oriented and hemodynamically stable. Early exams evidenciated widened mediastinum. The arteriography showed sugestive image of a brachiocephalic pseudoaneurysm and the endoscopy showed two 6cm longitudinal lacerations in the lateral esophageal wall that preserved only mucosa. All the lesions were surgically repaired. The patient’s course was relatively uneventful and he was discharged on the postoperative day 10. In the review of literature, esophagic and brachiocephalic lesions are rare. The association of them, such as the kind of esophagic lesion found in this report case were not mentioned in the studied literature.Relato de lesão incomum de esôfago e rara associação desta com lesão em tronco braquiocefálico (TBC) em paciente vítima de trauma fechado. Paciente vítima de acidenteautomobilístico (auto x caminhão), masc., 19a., passageiro do banco traseiro do auto e sem cinto de segurança. Chegou ao PSHC-FMUSP consciente, orientado e estável hemodinamicamente. Exames iniciais evidenciaram alargamento de mediastino. À arteriografia, identificou-se alargamento proximal de TBC sugestivo de pseudoaneurisma e à endoscopia, duas lesões esofágicas de aproximadamente 6cm que acometiam a serosa e a muscular, mas poupavam a mucosa. Foi submetido a uma esternotomia para enxerto do TBC e posterior toracotomia ântero-lateral para correção das lesões esofágicas. Evoluiu bem, sem intercorrências significativas, recebendo alta no 10o PO. Consideram os autores, após revisão da literatura, que lesões de esôfago e de TBC causados por trauma fechado são individualmente raras e, a associação das lesões não foi observada na literatura estudada

PLA/PCL electrospun membranes of tailored fibres diameter as drug delivery systems

[EN] The main electrospinning parameters, i.e., polymer concentration in the injectable solution, solvents used and their proportion, flow rate, voltage and distance to collector were herein systematically modified to analyse their particular influence in fibres diameter of electrospun membranes of poly(lactic acid), polycaprolactone and their mixture. As a result of this analysis, the procedures to obtain membranes of these polymers and blend with under- and above-micron-sized fibres were established, in which the solvents ratio (chloroform/methanol and dichloromethane/dimethylformamide) and voltage were found to play the major role. Moreover, the plausible differential effect of these fibres diameters (0.8 and 1.8 ¿m) in the controlled release of a molecule of interest was explored, using bovine serum albumin (BSA), proving that the most effective configuration for BSA release among those studied was the PLA-PCL combination in membranes of above-micron fibres diameter.The authors acknowledge Spanish Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad through DPI2015-65401-C3-2-R project, and the assistance and advice of the Electron Microscopy Service of the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (Spain).Herrero-Herrero, M.; Gómez-Tejedor, J.; Vallés Lluch, A. (2018). PLA/PCL electrospun membranes of tailored fibres diameter as drug delivery systems. European Polymer Journal. 99:445-455. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2017.12.045S4454559