Serve profile of male and female professional tennis players at the 2015 Roland Garros Grand Slam tournament

The aim of this study was to compare the serve statistics profile of male and female high-level tennis players. In all, 111 tennis singles matches of the Roland Garros 2015 tennis tournament were collected and 10 variables related to first and second serve were analyzed according to service box (deuce and advantage sides) and landing location (wide, body and T-areas). The results show: (a) men served faster than women; (b) men served a higher percentage of serves at T-area on deuce side (35.0 vs 27.7%) and at the wide zone on advantage side (44.1 vs 36.7%) with first serves, while women hit more to the body on both sides; (c) men won a higher percentage of points with their first serve compared to women at any zone on both sides, except for the T-area on deuce side; (d) with their second serve, men placed a greater percentage of serves in the T-area on deuce side (28.0 vs 21.8%) and wide on the advantage side, whereas women directed more to the body on the advantage side (41.4 vs 33.5%); (e) men won a higher percentage of points with their second serve when they placed it to the body zone on deuce side (54.1 vs 47.1%) and at the T-area on the advantage side (64.4% vs 44.1%). Our conclusions are that with respect to gender, players showed differing serve patterns. Men served faster, with higher success and placed their serves more frequently to the external areas of the service boxes, while women directed a higher percentage of serves to the body of their opponent

Statistical Differences in Set Analysis in Badminton at the RIO 2016 Olympic Games

The aim of the present study was to determine statistical differences in a set of badminton competition matches in five different modalities with regard to competition level (Group Phase vs. Eliminatory Phase). Data from 453 sets (125 in men's singles; 108 sets in women's singles; 77 sets in men's doubles; 73 in women's doubles and 70 in mixed doubles) from the RIO 2016 Olympics Games were recorded and classified in two groups of variables to analyze variables related to match (5) and set (15). A descriptive analysis and univariate test (Mann-Whitney U) for non-parametric data were conducted. The results show in men's and women's singles all the variables related to match were higher in the Elimination Phase than in the Group Phase (p < 0.01). In Sets 1 and 3, the longest set duration, rally and average rally were found in the Elimination Phase than Group Stage (p < 0.05). In women's singles, these differences were also recorded in Set 2. For doubles, the results are more stable among groups. Men's doubles had a longer duration of the match and set (sets 1 and set 2) (p < 0.01), and also scored highest for average rally strokes (sets 1 3) < 0.05) and shuttles used in the Elimination Phase vs. the Group Phase along the match (p < 0.01). In women's doubles, more shuttles were used in a match in the Elimination than in the Group Phase. Moreover, the same results are established for Set 2, including for average rally. Mixed doubles saw no match going to three sets. However, the greatest differences showed a longer rally and average rally being registered in the Elimination than in the Group Phase. In conclusion, the timing factors of the badminton singles and doubles games were different in the Elimination and Group Phases. This information may help players and coaches prepare and administer different types of workouts or, more specifically, competition schedules adapted to the characteristics of modern badminton

Impacto económico de los asistentes a la Universiada de Invierno del 2015 en la ciudad de Granada

Mega-sport events create a new image of the host country, attracting viewers and the media (Santo, 2005; Cornelissen and Swart, 2006). The economic impact of an event can be defined as the net economic change in the host country that derives from the expenditure attributed to the event (Crompton, 1995). Since one of the most important benefits are the permanent benefits in the city (Witt, 1988) as the improvement of the facilities or the image of the country. In relation to the tourism of a big event there is a moderate increase of the internal business tourism in a city during the development of the event (OECD, 2012). Thus, the city increases its investment potential and commercial activity (Avison Young, 2003). The objective of the present study was to analyze the economic impact generated by the attendees in the city of Granada during the Universiade Granada 2015.Los mega-eventos deportivos crean una nueva imagen del país anfitrión, atrae a espectadores y a los medios de comunicación (Santo, 2005; Cornelissen y Swart, 2006). El impacto económico de un evento puede definirse como el cambio económico neto en el país anfitrión que deriva del gasto atribuido al evento (Crompton, 1995). Ya que uno de los beneficios más importantes son los beneficios permanentes en la ciudad (Witt, 1988) como la mejora de las instalaciones o la imagen del país. En relación al turismo de un gran evento hay un moderado incremento del turismo interno de negocios en una ciudad durante el desarrollo del evento (OECD, 2012). Por lo tanto, la ciudad aumenta su potencial de inversión y actividad comercial (Avison Young, 2003) El objetivo del presente estudio fue analizar el impacto económico generado por los asistentes en la ciudad de Granada durante la Universiada Granada 2015

The Mediation of Emotions in Sport Events: A Case Study in Badminton

This study examines the relationships between functional quality, outcome quality, satisfaction, and future intentions, influenced by emotions, of spectators who attended the 2018 European Badminton Championships. The population studied was 686 spectators. The mean age was 36.08 ± 14.15 years, 39.1% were females, and 66.1% were local resident spectators. The results allow to affirm that functional quality and outcome quality have an impact on satisfaction, either directly or indirectly through emotions. In the same way, it has been possible to observe the relationship between satisfaction and future intentions of the spectators. These results help understand the factors that predict the loyalty of spectators of sports events of badminton

Loss of glutathione redox homeostasis impairs proteostasis by inhibiting autophagy-dependent protein degradation

In the presence of aggregation-prone proteins, the cytosol and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) undergo a dramatic shift in their respective redox status, with the cytosol becoming more oxidized and the ER more reducing. However, whether and how changes in the cellular redox status may affect protein aggregation is unknown. Here, we show that C. elegans loss-of-function mutants for the glutathione reductase gsr-1 gene enhance the deleterious phenotypes of heterologous human, as well as endogenous worm aggregation-prone proteins. These effects are phenocopied by the GSH-depleting agent diethyl maleate. Additionally, gsr-1 mutants abolish the nuclear translocation of HLH-30/TFEB transcription factor, a key inducer of autophagy, and strongly impair the degradation of the autophagy substrate p62/SQST-1::GFP, revealing glutathione reductase may have a role in the clearance of protein aggregates by autophagy. Blocking autophagy in gsr-1 worms expressing aggregation-prone proteins results in strong synthetic developmental phenotypes and lethality, supporting the physiological importance of glutathione reductase in the regulation of misfolded protein clearance. Furthermore, impairing redox homeostasis in both yeast and mammalian cells induces toxicity phenotypes associated with protein aggregation. Together, our data reveal that glutathione redox homeostasis may be central to proteostasis maintenance through autophagy regulation.. The Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness supported EF-S and VG (BFU2016–78265-P), PA (BFU2016– 79313-P and MDM-2016–0687), and AM-V (BFU2015–64408-P). AM-V was also supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI11/ 00072) and RPV-M (CPII16/00004, PI14/00949 and PI17/00011). All projects were cofinanced by the Fondo Social Europeo (FEDER). AM-V is a member of the GENIE and EU-ROS Cost Actions of the European Union and RPV-M is a Marie Curie Fellow (CIG322034, EU)

Loss of glutathione redox homeostasis impairs proteostasis by inhibiting autophagy-dependent protein degradation

Trabajo presentado en el VII Spanish Worm Meeting (SWN), celebrado en Castelldefels (Barcelona) el 28 y 29 de marzo de 2019.Peer reviewe

Analysis of Dehydration and Strength in Elite Badminton Players

Background: The negative effects of dehydration on aerobic activities are well established. However, it is unknown how dehydration affects intermittent sports performance. The purpose of this study was to identify the level of dehydration in elite badminton players and its relation to muscle strength and power production. Methodology: Seventy matches from the National Spanish badminton championship were analyzed (46 men?s singles and 24 women?s singles). Before and after each match, jump height and power production were determined during a countermovement jump on a force platform. Participants? body weight and a urine sample were also obtained before and after each match. The amount of liquid that the players drank during the match was also calculated by weighing their individual drinking bottles. Results and Discussion: Sweat rate during the game was 1.1460.46 l/h in men and 1.0260.64 l/h in women. The players rehydrated at a rate of 1.1060.55 l/h and 1.0160.44 l/h in the male and female groups respectively. Thus, the dehydration attained during the game was only 0.3760.50% in men and 0.3260.83% in women. No differences were found in any of the parameters analyzed during the vertical jump (men: from 31.8265.29 to 32.9064.49 W/kg; p.0.05, women: from 26.3664.73 to 27.2564.44 W/kg; p.0.05). Post-exercise urine samples revealed proteinuria (60.9% of cases in men and 66.7% in women), leukocyturia (men = 43.5% and women = 50.0%) and erythrocyturia (men = 50.0% and women = 21.7%). Conclusions: Despite a moderate sweat rate, badminton players adequately hydrated during a game and thus the dehydration attained was low. The badminton match did not cause muscle fatigue but it significantly increased the prevalence of proteinuria, leukocyturia and erythrocyturia

Association between convalescent plasma treatment and mortality in COVID-19: a collaborative systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

Funder: laura and john arnold foundationBACKGROUND: Convalescent plasma has been widely used to treat COVID-19 and is under investigation in numerous randomized clinical trials, but results are publicly available only for a small number of trials. The objective of this study was to assess the benefits of convalescent plasma treatment compared to placebo or no treatment and all-cause mortality in patients with COVID-19, using data from all available randomized clinical trials, including unpublished and ongoing trials (Open Science Framework, https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/GEHFX ). METHODS: In this collaborative systematic review and meta-analysis, clinical trial registries (ClinicalTrials.gov, WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform), the Cochrane COVID-19 register, the LOVE database, and PubMed were searched until April 8, 2021. Investigators of trials registered by March 1, 2021, without published results were contacted via email. Eligible were ongoing, discontinued and completed randomized clinical trials that compared convalescent plasma with placebo or no treatment in COVID-19 patients, regardless of setting or treatment schedule. Aggregated mortality data were extracted from publications or provided by investigators of unpublished trials and combined using the Hartung-Knapp-Sidik-Jonkman random effects model. We investigated the contribution of unpublished trials to the overall evidence. RESULTS: A total of 16,477 patients were included in 33 trials (20 unpublished with 3190 patients, 13 published with 13,287 patients). 32 trials enrolled only hospitalized patients (including 3 with only intensive care unit patients). Risk of bias was low for 29/33 trials. Of 8495 patients who received convalescent plasma, 1997 died (23%), and of 7982 control patients, 1952 died (24%). The combined risk ratio for all-cause mortality was 0.97 (95% confidence interval: 0.92; 1.02) with between-study heterogeneity not beyond chance (I2 = 0%). The RECOVERY trial had 69.8% and the unpublished evidence 25.3% of the weight in the meta-analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Convalescent plasma treatment of patients with COVID-19 did not reduce all-cause mortality. These results provide strong evidence that convalescent plasma treatment for patients with COVID-19 should not be used outside of randomized trials. Evidence synthesis from collaborations among trial investigators can inform both evidence generation and evidence application in patient care

Badminton preferentially decreases explosive over maximal voluntary torque in both the plantar flexors and extensors

We assessed changes in maximal and explosive plantar flexion (PF) and dorsi flexion (DF) torque, and thus the maximal and explosive DF/PF ratio, in response to successive badminton matches (2 × 35, 15 minutes of rest) in 16 juniors (10 males, 6 females) International‐level badminton players before (Pre), immediately after the first (Post‐1) and second (Post‐2) match as well as after resting for 12 hours. For both PF and DF, maximal voluntary torque decreased from Pre to Post‐2 (~7%‐9%; P < 0.05). Compared with Pre, PF explosive voluntary torque decreased by ~4%‐13% at Post‐1 (P < 0.05), with further reductions ranging from −15% to −25% within the 0‐100 ms epoch after contraction (P < 0.001) at Post‐2. Decrements of similar magnitude in DF explosive voluntary torque occurred at Post‐1 (ranging −7% to −27%) and Post‐2 (ranging −3% to −28%) relative to Pre (P < 0.05). All neuromuscular parameters were fully recovered after 12 hours of rest. Explosive DF/PF ratios during the very initial phase of contraction (up to 50 ms from onset) were lower compared with the maximal DF/PF ratio, with no effect of time (all P < 0.05). In badminton, explosive torque indices should be included to more accurately reflect acute fatigue induced by successive badminton matches