Analysis of playing area dimensions in Spanish professional soccer: extrapolation to the design of small-sided games with tactical applications

Caro, O, Zubillaga, A, Fradua, L, and Fernandez-Navarro, J. Analysis of playing area dimensions in Spanish professional soccer: Extrapolation to the design of small-sided games with tactical applications. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000–000, 2019—The aims of this study were to examine (a) the width and length dimensions of the playing area in 4v4 situations during competition, (b) the influence of the pitch zone where the ball is on 4v4 dimensions, and (c) the influence of match status on the dimensions of 4v4 situations. Data were collected from 25 matches from the Spanish La Liga of the 2007–2008 season using the Amisco system. Length, width, and individual playing area (IPA) of the rectangle that included the nearest 4 players to the ball from each team were collected in a total of 8,727 4v4 game situations. The pitch zone and match status were also considered for these 4v4 situations. To determine factors that affect 4v4 game situations, 1-way analysis of variance was used. The influence of the pitch zone where 4v4 situations took place showed significant differences (p < 0.001) between the zones where different principles of the game apply. The areas of the 4v4 situations ranged from 14.70 ± 4.69 × 17.18 ± 6 to 17.09 ± 5.16 × 20.34 ± 5.93 m, and the IPA of the 4v4 playing rectangle ranged from 46.33 ± 20 to 35.48 ± 16.95 m2, being larger in the central zones of the pitch. The length of the 4v4 rectangle showed a significant reduction in the closer zones to the goal. Match status did not affect the dimensions of these 4v4 game situations significantly. The findings of this study suggest that the size of 4v4 situations proposed for training should be designed according to the pitch zone where playing actions take place

99mTc-Ciprofloxacin Imaging: Still an Unsettled Issue?

The objective of this work consisted in the assessment of 99mTc-ciprofloxacin imaging performance as a diagnostic tool in an experimental rat model of osteomyelitis. Bone (tibia) infection was induced in adult rats by inoculation of a suspension containing S. aureus suspended in fibrin glue. In vivo studies by means of small animal imaging were conducted using a gamma camera. The study shows the correlation between 99mTc-ciprofloxacin positive images with bacterial bone count but also with histopathological findings in an osteomyelitis animal model, highlighting its potential as a tool in preclinical research and the accomplishment of 3Rs concept regarding welfare of laboratory animals. 99mTc-MDP scintigraphy, failed to show these correlations and therefore it may be proposed as a complementary method to diagnose and follow up the bone physiopathology in this animal model. Future perspectives of small animal imaging in order to potentiate osteomyelitis basic research will derive from numerous research works, and 99mTc-ciprofloxacin may still be a candidate for infectious diagnose and follow-up as demonstrated in this study

Changes of solar cell parameters during damp-heat exposure

The degradation of PV modules during damp-heat exposure is investigated. Power degradation is analysed in dependence of temperature and humidity during exposure. The module’s equivalent circuit parameters are calculated from I-V characteristics measured during ageing. A dose function is developed and degradations of power as well as equivalent circuit parameters can be analysed against the dose, which provides a better understanding of the module ageing behaviour. EL images of modules before and after ageing support the changes of solar cell parameters

Caribbean-wide decline in carbonate production threatens coral reef growth

This a post-print, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Nature Communications. Copyright © 2013 Nature Publishing Group . The definitive version is available at http://www.nature.com/ncomms/journal/v4/n1/full/ncomms2409.htmlGlobal-scale deteriorations in coral reef health have caused major shifts in species composition. One projected consequence is a lowering of reef carbonate production rates, potentially impairing reef growth, compromising ecosystem functionality and ultimately leading to net reef erosion. Here, using measures of gross and net carbonate production and erosion from 19 Caribbean reefs, we show that contemporary carbonate production rates are now substantially below historical (mid- to late-Holocene) values. On average, current production rates are reduced by at least 50%, and 37% of surveyed sites were net erosional. Calculated accretion rates (mm year(-1)) for shallow fore-reef habitats are also close to an order of magnitude lower than Holocene averages. A live coral cover threshold of ~10% appears critical to maintaining positive production states. Below this ecological threshold carbonate budgets typically become net negative and threaten reef accretion. Collectively, these data suggest that recent ecological declines are now suppressing Caribbean reef growth potential

Evaluating Patterns of a White-Band Disease (WBD) Outbreak in Acropora palmata Using Spatial Analysis: A Comparison of Transect and Colony Clustering

. Likewise, there is little known about the spatiality of outbreaks. We examined the spatial patterns of WBD during a 2004 outbreak at Buck Island Reef National Monument in the US Virgin Islands. colonies with and without WBD.As the search for causation continues, surveillance and proper documentation of the spatial patterns may inform etiology, and at the same time assist reef managers in allocating resources to tracking the disease. Our results indicate that the spatial scale of data collected can drastically affect the calculation of prevalence and spatial distribution of WBD outbreaks. Specifically, we illustrate that higher resolution sampling resulted in more realistic disease estimates. This should assist in selecting appropriate sampling designs for future outbreak investigations. The spatial techniques used here can be used to facilitate other coral disease studies, as well as, improve reef conservation and management

Preserving and Using Germplasm and Dissociated Embryonic Cells for Conserving Caribbean and Pacific Coral

Coral reefs are experiencing unprecedented degradation due to human activities, and protecting specific reef habitats may not stop this decline, because the most serious threats are global (i.e., climate change), not local. However, ex situ preservation practices can provide safeguards for coral reef conservation. Specifically, modern advances in cryobiology and genome banking could secure existing species and genetic diversity until genotypes can be introduced into rehabilitated habitats. We assessed the feasibility of recovering viable sperm and embryonic cells post-thaw from two coral species, Acropora palmata and Fungia scutaria that have diffferent evolutionary histories, ecological niches and reproductive strategies. In vitro fertilization (IVF) of conspecific eggs using fresh (control) spermatozoa revealed high levels of fertilization (>90% in A. palmata; >84% in F. scutaria; P>0.05) that were unaffected by tested sperm concentrations. A solution of 10% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) at cooling rates of 20 to 30°C/min most successfully cryopreserved both A. palmata and F. scutaria spermatozoa and allowed producing developing larvae in vitro. IVF success under these conditions was 65% in A. palmata and 53% in F. scutaria on particular nights; however, on subsequent nights, the same process resulted in little or no IVF success. Thus, the window for optimal freezing of high quality spermatozoa was short (∼5 h for one night each spawning cycle). Additionally, cryopreserved F. scutaria embryonic cells had∼50% post-thaw viability as measured by intact membranes. Thus, despite some differences between species, coral spermatozoa and embryonic cells are viable after low temperature (−196°C) storage, preservation and thawing. Based on these results, we have begun systematically banking coral spermatozoa and embryonic cells on a large-scale as a support approach for preserving existing bio- and genetic diversity found in reef systems

Analysis of small game areas of 4vs4 and 7vs7 in Spanish professional football

This study was originally published in Proceedings of the 2nd International Congress on Sports Sciences Research and Technology Support (PerSoccer-2014), pages 231-235.http://www.scitepress.org/DigitalLibrary/PublicationsDetail.aspx?ID=QERaUpqIGtg=&t=1The aim of this study was to analyse the reduced space game situations that appear during competition in soccer considering interactions with a small number of players involved. The Amisco system was employed to collect the dimensions of playing areas of different situations from competition in order to extrapolate the results to the appropriate training drills design in reduced space. 8,477 4v4 and 7v7 game situations were collected for the study. Width, length and individual playing area were registered from these situations. The influence of the zone of the pitch in the configuration of these spaces was also considered. The results showed that the dimensions of the areas designed for training drills are larger than those in competition. The influence of the zone of the pitch is also significant, mainly in 4v4 situations. This should be considered to adjust the training drills design depending on the intended tactical aim, directly associated with the zone of the pitch where the tra ining drill is developed