Search results for "DICS"
showing 10 items of 2714 documents
Crowdsourced analysis of fungal growth and branching on microfluidic platforms
2021
Fungal hyphal growth and branching are essential traits that allow fungi to spread and proliferate in many environments. This sustained growth is essential for a myriad of applications in health, agriculture, and industry. However, comparisons between different fungi are difficult in the absence of standardized metrics. Here, we used a microfluidic device featuring four different maze patterns to compare the growth velocity and branching frequency of fourteen filamentous fungi. These measurements result from the collective work of several labs in the form of a competition named the “Fungus Olympics.” The competing fungi included five ascomycete species (ten strains total), two basidiomycete…
Factors associated with potential doping behavior in Olympic-sailing: A gender-specific analysis
2019
BACKGROUND: Olympic-sailing is not contaminated with doping, and special efforts are needed to keep this sport free of doping. The aim of this study was to evaluate factors associated with potential doping behavior (PDB) in professional Olympic sailors. METHODS: The sample of participants were professional Olympic Laser class athletes (N.=80, 39 females ; all >18 years). Data were collected through previously validated questionnaires, utilizing sociodemographic-variables, sport- related- factors, and various factors of hesitation against doping (predictors), and PDB (criterion). To calculate the associations between predictors and the criterion, gender- stratified logistic regression models…
Fitness profile of young female volleyball players
2020
BACKGROUND: Factors that influence performance in volleyball, in terms of motor skills, refer to muscle power, speed and agility. This study aimed to examine the abilities and physical characteristics of female volleyball players in terms of age and player specialization. METHODS: A total of 35 subjects (junior and cadet age), participated in this study. Subjects were assessed for body height, mass, spike and block reach, and body composition. Vertical jump, standing broad jump, spike and block jump were tests used to measure leg power. The running speed was evaluated with a 20-m single-sprint effort. The change of direction speed was assessed with a T-test, the sprint 9-3-6-3-9 m forward-b…
Specific intensity for peaking: Is race pace the best option?
2015
Background: The peaking period for endurance competition is characterized for a relative increase of the intensity of training, after a longer period of training relatively dominated by lower intensity and higher volume Objectives: The present study was designed to compare physiological and 10 km performance effects of high intensity training (HIT) versus race pace interval training (RP) during peaking for competition in well-trained runners. Patients and Methods: 13 athletes took part in the study, they were divided into two groups: HIT and RP. HIT performed short intervals at ~105% of the maximal aerobic velocity (MAV), while RP trained longer intervals at a speed of ~90% of the MAV (a sp…
Sprint and Strength Training Modulates Autophagy and Proteostasis in Aging Sprinters
2020
Purpose Exercise and aging may modulate muscle protein homeostasis and autophagy, but few studies examine highly-trained middle-aged or older individuals. This study elucidated the effects of a new long-term training stimulus on markers of muscle autophagy and unfolded protein response (UPR) and on sprint running performance in masters sprinters. Methods Thirty-two male competitive sprinters (aged 40–76 years) were randomly divided into experimental (EX) and control (CTRL) groups. The EX training program was a combination of heavy and explosive strength and sprint exercises aimed at improving sprint performance. Fifteen and thirteen participants completed the 20-week intervention period in …
Association Between Implementation of the Athlete Biological Passport and Female Elite Runners’ Performance
2020
The purpose of this research was to evaluate the performances of female middle- and long-distance runners before and after the implementation of a new antidoping strategy (the Athlete Biological Passport [ABP]) in a country accused of systematic doping. A retrospective analysis of the results of Russian National Championships from 2008 to 2017 was performed. The 8 best female performances for the 800-m, 1500-m, 3000-m steeplechase, 5000-m, and 10,000-m events from the semifinals and finals were analyzed. The yearly number of athletes fulfilling standard qualifications for international competitions was also evaluated. Overall, numbers of athletes banned for doping in 2008–2017 were calculat…
Importance of Propionibacterium acnes hemolytic activity in human intervertebral discs: A microbiological study
2018
Most patients with chronic lower back pain (CLBP) exhibit degenerative disc disease. Disc specimens obtained during initial therapeutic discectomies are often infected/colonized with Propionibacterium acnes, a Gram-positive commensal of the human skin. Although pain associated with infection is typically ascribed to the body's inflammatory response, the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus was recently observed to directly activate nociceptors by secreting pore-forming α-hemolysins that disrupt neuronal cell membranes. The hemolytic activity of P. acnes in cultured disc specimens obtained during routine therapeutic discectomies was assessed through incubation on sheep-blood agar. T…
Positional transversal release is effective as stretching on range of movement, performance and balance: a cross-over study.
2022
Abstract Background The aim of this study was to compare the positional transversal release (PTR) technique to stretching and evaluate the acute effects on range of movement (ROM), performance and balance. Methods Thirty-two healthy individuals (25.3 ± 5.6 years; 68.8 ± 12.5 kg; 172.0 ± 8.8 cm) were tested on four occasions 1 week apart. ROM through a passive straight leg raise, jumping performance through a standing long jump (SLJ) and balance through the Y-balance test were measured. Each measure was assessed before (T0), immediately after (T1) and after 15 min (T2) of the provided intervention. On the first occasion, no intervention was administered (CG). The intervention order was rando…
Crenobalneotherapy (spa therapy) in patients with knee and generalized osteoarthritis: a post-hoc subgroup analysis of a large multicentre randomized…
2014
Abstract Objective To determine whether the addition of spa therapy to home exercises provides any benefit over exercises and the usual treatment alone in the management of generalised osteoarthritis associated with knee osteoarthritis. Methods This study was a post-hoc subgroup analysis of our randomised multicentre trial ( www.clinicaltrial.gov : NCT00348777 ). Participants who met the inclusion criteria of generalized osteoarthritis (Kellgren, American College of Rheumatology, or Dougados criteria) were extracted from the original randomised controlled trial. They had been randomised using Zelen randomisation. The treatment group received 18 days of spa treatment in addition to a home ex…
A team fares well with a fair coach: Predictors of social loafing in interactive female sport teams
2014
The present research aimed to develop and test a theoretical model that links players' perceived justice of the coach to a more optimal motivational climate, which in turn increases players' team identification and cohesion, and results in lower levels of social loafing in female sport teams. Belgian elite female basketball, volleyball, and football players (study 1; N = 259; M(age) = 22.6) and Norwegian world-class female handball players (study 2; N = 110; M(age) = 22.8) completed questionnaires assessing players' perceived justice (distributive and procedural), motivational climate, team identification, team cohesion (task and social), and social loafing (perceived and self-reported). …