Kinetic and Kinematic Characteristics of Proficient and Non-Proficient 2-Point and 3-Point Basketball Shooters

The purpose of this study was to examine kinetic and kinematic characteristics of various types of 2-point and 3-point basketball shooting approaches and determine which variables have the greatest contribution in discriminating proficient (PRO) from non-proficient (N-PRO) shooters. While standing on a force plate, twenty-nine recreationally active males performed a total of 1740 shots by utilizing stationary and step-in shooting approaches. Two high-definition cameras were used to simultaneously capture kinematic parameters of shooting motions. The type of shooting approach showed as a non-influential factor. During the preparatory phase of the shooting motion, PRO 2-point shooters demonstrated higher elbow and basketball height placements, greater flexion in the shoulder and elbow joints while attaining greater release and entry ball angles during the release phase. PRO 3-point shooters demonstrated greater elbow flexion, higher basketball placement, and less hip flexion during the preparatory phase while attaining greater heel, release, and trajectory heights during the release phase. When entered into a full-model discriminant function analysis, elbow angle, elbow height, and release angle variables correctly classified PRO from N-PRO 2-point shooters in 62.1% of cases and hip angle, heel height, and elbow angle variables correctly classified PRO from N-PRO 3-point shooters in 81.6% of cases

The home-court advantage in NCAA Division-I men’s basketball

The purpose of the present study was to examine the differences in game-related statistics between home and away games at the NCAA Division-I level of men’s basketball competition. The data scraping technique was used to obtain publicly available box scores during the 2018-19 competitive season. Throughout this period, 2181 home and 2205 away box scores were randomly selected across 353 teams, regardless of the winning or losing game outcome. The findings of the present study revealed that the game-related statistics influenced by the game location, listed in descending order of magnitude, were: assists (AS), personal fouls (PF), field-goal percentage (FG%), free-throw attempts (FTA), blocks (BL), defensive rebounds (DRB), turnovers (TO), steals (ST), and three-point shooting percentage (3P%). During home games, the teams tended to display better decision-making processes (i.e., more AS and ST, and less TO), defensive performance (i.e., more DRB and BL), shooting efficiency (i.e., greater FT% and 3P%), and minimize tactical errors (i.e., less PF and more FTA). Overall, these findings suggest that playing on a home-court provides a significant advantage in securing the desired game outcome and provides insight into what game-related statistics contribute most to this effect

Game statistics that discriminate winning and losing at the NBA level of basketball competition

The purpose of the present study was to examine differences in game-related statistical parameters between National Basketball Association (NBA) regular and post-season competitive periods and to determine which variables have the greatest contribution in discriminating between winning and losing game outcomes. The data scraping technique was used to obtain publicly available NBA game-related statistics over a three-year span (2016–2019). The total number of games examined in the present investigation was 3933 (3690 regular season and 243 post-season games). Despite small to moderate effect sizes, the findings suggest that NBA teams’ style of play (i.e., tactical strategies) changes when transitioning from the regular to post-season competitive period. It becomes more conservative (i.e., fewer field goal attempts, assists, steals, turnovers, and points scored), most likely due to greater defensive pressure. Discriminant function analysis correctly classified winning and losing game outcomes during the regular and post-season competitive periods in 82.8% and 87.2% of cases, respectively. Two key game-related statistics capable of discriminating between winning and losing game outcomes were field goal percentage and defensive rebounding, accounting for 13.6% and 14.2% of the total percentage of explained variance during the regular season and 11.5% and 14.7% during post-season competitive periods. Also, overall shooting efficiency (i.e., free-throw, 2-point, and 3-point combined) accounted for 23–26% of the total percentage of explained variance

Tyrosine phosphorylation of type Iγ phosphatidylinositol phosphate kinase by Src regulates an integrin–talin switch

Engagement of integrin receptors with the extracellular matrix induces the formation of focal adhesions (FAs). Dynamic regulation of FAs is necessary for cells to polarize and migrate. Key interactions between FA scaffolding and signaling proteins are dependent on tyrosine phosphorylation. However, the precise role of tyrosine phosphorylation in FA development and maturation is poorly defined. Here, we show that phosphorylation of type Iγ phosphatidylinositol phosphate kinase (PIPKIγ661) on tyrosine 644 (Y644) is critical for its interaction with talin, and consequently, localization to FAs. PIPKIγ661 is specifically phosphorylated on Y644 by Src. Phosphorylation is regulated by focal adhesion kinase, which enhances the association between PIPKIγ661 and Src. The phosphorylation of Y644 results in an ∼15-fold increase in binding affinity to the talin head domain and blocks β-integrin binding to talin. This defines a novel phosphotyrosine-binding site on the talin F3 domain and a “molecular switch” for talin binding between PIPKIγ661 and β-integrin that may regulate dynamic FA turnover

Heightened Levels of Antimicrobial Response Factors in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic progressive autoimmune disease leading to considerable disability over time. The disease can be characterized by the presence of multiple autoantibodies in the serum and synovial fluid. Microbial dysbiosis is proposed to play a role in the pathogenesis of RA. Increased systemic bacterial exposure leads to elevated levels of antimicrobial response factors (ARFs) in the circulation. In the present study, we tested whether RA patients have increased levels of ARFs by analyzing the levels of multiple ARFs in serum from RA patients and healthy age and sex-matched controls. The levels of soluble CD14 (sCD14), lysozyme, and CXCL16 were significantly elevated in RA patients compared to healthy controls. Lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP) levels remained unchanged in RA patients compared to healthy controls. A positive correlation of LBP with rheumatoid factor (RF) was also found in RA subjects. Interestingly, the levels of anti-endotoxin core antibodies (EndoCAb) IgM, total IgM, EndoCAb IgA, and total IgA were significantly elevated in RA patients compared to healthy controls. No significant changes in the levels of EndoCAb IgG and total IgG were observed in RA patients compared to healthy controls. Furthermore, lysozyme and CXCL16 levels were positively correlated with disease severity among RA subjects. Increases in the levels of several ARFs and their correlations with clinical indices suggest systemic microbial exposure in the RA cohort. Modulation of microbial exposure may play an important role in disease pathogenesis in individuals with RA

DIFFERENCES IN GAME-RELATED STATISTICS BETWEEN WINNING AND LOSING TEAMS IN NCAA DIVISION-II MEN’S BASKETBALL

Knowing how to design training regimens and modify offensive and defensive strategies to accurately resemble on-court competitive demands can help the team secure the winning game outcome. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to examine differences in game-related statistics between winning and losing teams at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division-II level of men’s basketball competition and determine which performance parameters have the greatest impact in differentiating between winning and losing game outcomes. The data scraping technique was used to obtain publicly available box scores during the 2018-19 competitive season. The total number of games examined in the present investigation was 4630. The findings of the present study indicate that winning teams: a) made more field-goal and three-point shots; b) attempted and made more free-throw shots; c) attained superior free-throw, two-point, and three-point shooting efficiency; d) accumulated more assists, steals, blocks, and offensive, defensive, and total rebounds; e) had fewer turnovers and personal fouls. Moreover, field-goal percentage, defensive rebounds, and assists showed to be the top three game-related statistics capable of discriminating winning from losing game outcomes on the NCAA Division-II level of competition, accounting for 17.0%, 12.7%, and 12.6% of the total percentage of the explained variance, respectively

Plasma adiponectin levels are associated with circulating inflammatory cytokines in autoantibody positive first-degree relatives of rheumatoid arthritis patients

Background Extra-articular manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), potentially due to systemic inflammation, include cardiovascular disease and sarcopenic obesity. Adiponectin, an adipose-derived cytokine, has been implicated in inflammatory processes in RA, but little is known regarding its association with inflammation in a pre-clinical period. Therefore, we investigated whether adiponectin was associated with inflammatory markers in individuals at risk for RA, and whether RA-related autoimmunity modifies these associations. Methods We analyzed samples from 144 first-degree relatives (FDRs) of RA probands, of whom 23 were positive for anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody and/or ≥ 2 rheumatoid factor isotypes (IgM, IgG or IgA). We called this phenotype the ‘high risk autoantibody profile (HRP)’ as it has been shown in prior work to be >96% specific for future RA. We measured adiponectin, cytokines, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP). Using linear mixed effects models, we evaluated interaction between HRP positivity and adiponectin on inflammatory markers, adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, body mass index, pack-years smoking, and use of cholesterol-lowering medications. Results In everyone, adiponectin concentration was inversely associated with hsCRP and IL-1β in adjusted models, where a 1% higher adiponectin was associated with a 26% lower hsCRP (p = 0.04) and a 26% lower IL-1β (p = 0.04). Significant interactions between HRP and adiponectin for associations with GM-CSF, IL-6, and IL-9 were detected in fully adjusted models (p = 0.0006, p = 0.006, p = 0.01, respectively). In HRP positive FDRs but not HRP negative FDRs, a 1% higher adiponectin was associated with 97% higher GM-CSF, 73% higher IL-6, and 54% higher IL-9 concentrations. Conclusions Adiponectin associates with inflammatory markers, and these associations differ in individuals with a high-risk autoantibody profile compared with those without. The interaction between adiponectin and autoimmunity warrants further investigation into the potential systemic effects of RA-related autoantibodies and adiponectin on inflammation in the absence of clinically apparent RA

Variation in Arabidopsis Flowering Time Associated with Cis-Regulatory Variation in CONSTANS

The onset of flowering, the change from vegetative to reproductive development, is a major life history transition in flowering plants. Recent work suggests that mutations in cis-regulatory mutations should play critical roles in the evolution of this (as well as other) important adaptive traits, but thus far there has been little evidence that directly links regulatory mutations to evolutionary change at the species level. While several genes have previously been shown to affect natural variation in flowering time in Arabidopsis thaliana, most either show protein-coding changes and/or are found at low frequency (\u3c5%). Here we identify and characterize natural variation in the cis-regulatory sequence in the transcription factor CONSTANS that underlies flowering time diversity in Arabidopsis. Mutation in this regulatory motif evolved recently and has spread to high frequency in Arabidopsis natural accessions, suggesting a role for these cis-regulatory changes in adaptive variation of flowering time

Global Gene Expression Associated with Hepatocarcinogenesis in Adult Male Mice Induced by in Utero Arsenic Exposure

Our previous work has shown that exposure to inorganic arsenic in utero produces hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in adult male mice. To explore further the molecular mechanisms of transplacental arsenic hepatocarcinogenesis, we conducted a second arsenic transplacental carcinogenesis study and used a genomewide microarray to profile arsenic-induced aberrant gene expression more extensively. Briefly, pregnant C3H mice were given drinking water containing 85 ppm arsenic as sodium arsenite or unaltered water from days 8 to 18 of gestation. The incidence of HCC in adult male offspring was increased 4-fold and tumor multiplicity 3-fold after transplacental arsenic exposure. Samples of normal liver and liver tumors were taken at autopsy for genomic analysis. Arsenic exposure in utero resulted in significant alterations (p < 0.001) in the expression of 2,010 genes in arsenic-exposed liver samples and in the expression of 2,540 genes in arsenic-induced HCC. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis revealed that significant alterations in gene expression occurred in a number of biological networks, and Myc plays a critical role in one of the primary networks. Real-time reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis of selected genes/proteins showed > 90% concordance. Arsenic-altered gene expression included activation of oncogenes and HCC biomarkers, and increased expression of cell proliferation–related genes, stress proteins, and insulin-like growth factors and genes involved in cell–cell communications. Liver feminization was evidenced by increased expression of estrogen-linked genes and altered expression of genes that encode gender-related metabolic enzymes. These novel findings are in agreement with the biology and histology of arsenic-induced HCC, thereby indicating that multiple genetic events are associated with transplacental arsenic hepatocarcinogenesis

Genomic approaches to understanding population divergence and speciation in birds

© 2016 American Ornithologists\u27 Union. The widespread application of high-throughput sequencing in studying evolutionary processes and patterns of diversification has led to many important discoveries. However, the barriers to utilizing these technologies and interpreting the resulting data can be daunting for first-time users. We provide an overview and a brief primer of relevant methods (e.g., whole-genome sequencing, reduced-representation sequencing, sequence-capture methods, and RNA sequencing), as well as important steps in the analysis pipelines (e.g., loci clustering, variant calling, whole-genome and transcriptome assembly). We also review a number of applications in which researchers have used these technologies to address questions related to avian systems. We highlight how genomic tools are advancing research by discussing their contributions to 3 important facets of avian evolutionary history. We focus on (1) general inferences about biogeography and biogeographic history, (2) patterns of gene flow and isolation upon secondary contact and hybridization, and (3) quantifying levels of genomic divergence between closely related taxa. We find that in many cases, high-throughput sequencing data confirms previous work from traditional molecular markers, although there are examples in which genome-wide genetic markers provide a different biological interpretation. We also discuss how these new data allow researchers to address entirely novel questions, and conclude by outlining a number of intellectual and methodological challenges as the genomics era moves forward