Stuart, A, Vetrovsky, T, Cochrane-Snyman, KC, Vieira, A, and Tufano, JJ. Investigating the consistency in countermovement jump performance after high-velocity and high-force PAPE: A multiday analysis. J Strength Cond Res 39(7): e843-e853, 2025-Postactivation performance enhancement (PAPE) is widely acknowledged in both practical application and research. However, studies have primarily focused on single experimental PAPE sessions, neglecting the repeatability of protocols with the same individuals over time. The purpose of this study was to determine whether PAPE, involving high-velocity and high-force conditioning activities, could be observed at consistent time points across multiple sessions. Sixteen elite speed skaters (9 men: 23.1 ± 2.6 years and 7 women: 24.2 ± 4.7 years) participated in 6 sessions for each independent study. For all sessions, a standardized warm-up was performed, followed by 3 baseline bodyweight countermovement jumps (CMJ), and a potentiation protocol of 5 repeated band-assisted countermovement jumps at approximately 20% bodyweight reduction, or a single 5-second maximal effort isometric squat. Subsequently, subjects rested for 3, 5, and 7 minutes before performing a single bodyweight CMJ at each time point. Multiday analyses of variance showed mixed results for both protocols, with most effect sizes ranging from trivial to small. Linear mixed models indicated that at the individual level, subjects did not consistently jump higher at any specific post-PAPE rest time. The variance between baseline and post-PAPE jump height at the rest time that produced the greatest result was neither statistically significant nor statistically different ( p > 0.05), compared with other rest times. Postactivation performance enhancement was identifiable across sessions but variability in jump performance and inconsistent effects made it difficult to observe repeatable responses within individuals over time, thus questioning the idea of "individualizing" PAPE in practice.
- MeSH
- Skating * physiology MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Muscle, Skeletal physiology MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Young Adult MeSH
- Plyometric Exercise * MeSH
- Athletic Performance * physiology MeSH
- Muscle Strength physiology MeSH
- Warm-Up Exercise physiology MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Young Adult MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
The influence of surgical volume on partial nephrectomy (PN) outcomes is a subject of debate. The European Association of Urology (EAU) renal cell carcinoma (RCC) guideline panel performed a protocol-driven systematic review of the association between hospital volume (HV) and oncological, functional, and complication outcomes following PN for RCC. The intervention was PN performed in a higher-volume hospital (defined according to the number of procedures per unit time) and the comparator was PN performed in a lower-volume hospital. Ten studies involving a total of 106 569 patients were included in the review. Higher HV was associated with lower complication rates, shorter length of stay, lower positive surgical margin rates, and lower transfusion rates. For six studies, multivariable analyses showed that low HV was an independent risk factor for inpatient complications, PSM presence, longer LOS, and failure to achieve a trifecta of no complications, warm ischemia time <25 min, and negative surgical margins. Most studies were judged to have high risk of bias. The available evidence suggests a potential association between higher HV and better PN outcomes in RCC. The EAU RCC guidelines panel encourages the development and rigorous evaluation of indicators of surgery quality in RCC to better inform the designation of high-quality centers within models of centralized care.
- MeSH
- Hospitals, Low-Volume * statistics & numerical data MeSH
- Length of Stay MeSH
- Carcinoma, Renal Cell * surgery MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Kidney Neoplasms * surgery MeSH
- Nephrectomy * methods standards adverse effects MeSH
- Postoperative Complications epidemiology MeSH
- Practice Guidelines as Topic MeSH
- Hospitals, High-Volume * statistics & numerical data MeSH
- Urology standards MeSH
- Treatment Outcome MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Systematic Review MeSH
- Geographicals
- Europe MeSH
BACKGROUND: Soccer is a dynamic sport that involves high-intensity running, changes of direction, jumping and contact. Therefore, a proper warm-up duration is of great importance to optimize players'performance and minimize the risk of injury. METHODS: This study examined the responses of amateur young 16 players (age = 17.00 ± 0.81 years; height = 177.38 ± 5.50 cm; weight = 64.50 ± 5.45 kg) 25 min (min), 15 min and 8 min warm-up duration in 4 v 4 small-sided games (SSGs) with mini-goal formats. Participants are assessed using the Participant Classification Framework, they are categorized under Tier 2: Trained/Developmental. The SSG interventions were randomly assigned to three training intervention groups. The features of SSG are determined as size; 25 × 32 m, bout; 4 × 4 min, resting; 4 min. Before the SSG, same protocol was applied at different times in all warm-ups. Warm-up protocols consisted of 13 sections. The intervention time in each section decreased parallel to the total 25 min, 15 min and 8 min warm-up times. The rating of perceived exertion (RPE), heart rate (HR) responses, distance covered and technical activities were consistently recorded during all SSG sessions. A one-way repeated-measures ANOVA was used to assess significant differences in performance among the different warm-up duration. RESULTS: After the interventions, HR, total player load (TPL), successful passes (SP), unsuccessful passes (USP), interceptions and lost ball results demonstrated significant difference between the 25-min, 15-min and 8-min warm-up durations (p < 0.05). Total distance, velocity, RPE and enjoyment results showed no significant difference between the 25-min, 15-min and 8-min warm-up duration (p > 0.05). Results indicate that a 15-min warm-up duration provides an optimal balance between physiological and technical preparation, leading to improved HR responses, SP and interceptions compared to the 25-min and 8-min warm-ups. The 25-min warm-up decreased USP and lost ball occurrences compared to the 15-min and 8-min warm-ups. The 8-min warm-up resulted in a lower TPL, indicating reduced physiological demands. CONCLUSIONS: The 15-min warm-up duration emerged as an optimal protocol, offering a time-efficient approach that enhances both technical performance and physiological readiness while avoiding unnecessary fatigue. This finding provides practical implications for coaches and practitioners in designing warm-up routines that maximize match readiness without overexertion.
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
The impacts of climate change on human health are often underestimated or perceived to be in a distant future. Here, we present the projected impacts of climate change in the context of COVID-19, a recent human health catastrophe. We compared projected heat mortality with COVID-19 deaths in 38 cities worldwide and found that in half of these cities, heat-related deaths could exceed annual COVID-19 deaths in less than ten years (at + 3.0 °C increase in global warming relative to preindustrial). In seven of these cities, heat mortality could exceed COVID-19 deaths in less than five years. Our results underscore the crucial need for climate action and for the integration of climate change into public health discourse and policy.
- MeSH
- COVID-19 * mortality epidemiology MeSH
- Climate Change * MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- SARS-CoV-2 * isolation & purification MeSH
- Cities MeSH
- Public Health MeSH
- Hot Temperature * MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Geographicals
- Cities MeSH
Hlavným cieľom realizovaného výskumu bolo odhaliť vplyv rôznych foriem hypoxie (akútnej a inter mitentnej) na výkon výkonnostných plavcov. Realizovali sme vstupné a výstupné testovanie v rýchlosti preplávania 50 metrov kraulom (T1), zisťovali počet nádychov pri plávaní 50 metrovej vzdialenosti kraulom (T2) a maximálnej preplávanej vzdialenosti pod vodou na jeden nádych T3. Výskum bol realizovaný na n = 12 výkonnostných plavcoch (4 ženy a 8 mužov), ktorých priemerný vek bol 15,75 roka, priemerná telesná hmotnosť bola 56,2 kg a priemerná telesná výška bola 172,5 cm. Testova nie bolo realizované po 10 minútovom spoločnom rozcvičení a rozplávanie 400 metrovej vzdialenosti ľubovoľným spôsobom a 2 x (15 metrov šprint + 35 metrov vyplávanie). Aplikácie a využívanie hypoxických podmienok prebiehalo v mesiacov február– marec 2024, 3 týždne / 21 dní. Sledovaný probandi boli náhodne rozdelený do 3 súborov, kde VS1 absolvoval plavecký hypoxický kontrolovaný tréning, VS2 absolvoval prerušovaný simulovaný hypoxický tréning pomocou hypoxického generátora „AltitudeTechPortable 2020“ a VS3 absolvoval klasický podnet bez aplikácie experimentálneho pod netu. Výsledky poukazujú na zistenia, že v teste T1 dosiahol najvýraznejšie priemerné zlepšenia VS2 (+ 5,3 %), v teste T2 dosiahol najvýraznejšie zlepšenia VS1 (+ 35,7 %) a v teste T3 sa najviac zlepšil VS1(+14,3 %). Nazáklade výsledkov môžeme konštatovať, že pre plavcov výkonnostnej úrovne sa javí ako najefektívnejšie využívať akútnu hypoxiu v normoxických podmienkach zaraďovaný do plavecke prípravy v jednotlivých obdobiach v dĺžke 3 týždňov a rozsahu 10-15 minút v tréningovej jednotke po rozcvičení a rozplávaní, ideálne v kombinácii s intermitentnou formou hypoxie podľa realizovanej schémy v tomto výskume najmä pre zlepšenie času v najkratších 50 metrových disciplínach.
The main objective of the research was to determine the impact of different forms of hypoxia (acute and intermittent) on the performance of performance swimmers. We realised pre and post-tests in 50-meter freestyle swimming speed (T1), counted the number of breaths taken during 50-meter freestyle swimming (T2), and measured the maximum underwater distance covered in one breath (T3). The study was conducted on a sample of n = 12 performance swimmers (4 females and 8 males), with the average age of 15.75 years, average body weight of 56.2 kg, and average body height of 172.5 cm. The testing was preceded by a 10-minute warm-up and a 400-meter swim using any stroke, followed by two repetitions of a 15-meter sprint and a 35-meter easy swim. The experiment involving hypoxic conditions was carried out over a 3-week period / 21 days in February and March 2024. The participants were randomly assigned to three groups: RG1 underwent hypoxic controlled swimming training, RG2 underwent intermittent simulated hypoxic training using the 'AltitudeTechPortable 2020' hypoxic generator, and RG3 served as a control group without any experimental intervention. The results indicate that the most significant average improvement in T1 was achieved by RG2 (+5.3%), in T2 by RG1 (+35.7%), and in T3 by RG1 (+14.3%). Based on the results, we may conclude that for performance swimmers, acute hypoxia in normoxic conditions, incorporated into swimming training in individual periods of 3 weeks and lasting 10-15 minutes per training session after warm-ups, appears to be most effective, especially when combined with intermittent hypoxia as implemented in this study, particularly for improving performance in the shortest 50-meter disciplines.
- MeSH
- Respiration MeSH
- Physical Endurance physiology MeSH
- Hypoxia * classification MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Adolescent MeSH
- Swimming * physiology MeSH
- Athletic Performance physiology MeSH
- Endurance Training methods MeSH
- Exercise Test classification methods MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Adolescent MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Clinical Study MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
The increase in extreme climate events associated with global warming is a great menace to crop productivity nowadays. In addition to abiotic stresses, warmer conditions favor the spread of infectious diseases affecting plant performance. Within this context, beneficial microbes constitute a sustainable alternative for the mitigation of the effects of climate change on plant growth and productivity. Used as biostimulants to improve plant growth, they also increase plant resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses through the generation of a primed status in the plant, leading to a better and faster response to stress. In this review, we have focused on the importance of a balanced redox status for the adequate performance of the plant and revisited the different antioxidant mechanisms supporting the biocontrol effect of beneficial microbes through the adjustment of the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In addition, the different tools for the analysis of antioxidant responses and redox regulation have been evaluated. The importance of redox regulation in the activation of the immune responses through different mechanisms, such as transcriptional regulation, retrograde signaling, and post-translational modification of proteins, emerges as an important research goal for understanding the biocontrol activity of the beneficial microbes.
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Review MeSH
Carbonaceous aerosols (CA), composed of black carbon (BC) and organic matter (OM), significantly impact the climate. Light absorption properties of CA, particularly of BC and brown carbon (BrC), are crucial due to their contribution to global and regional warming. We present the absorption properties of BC (bAbs,BC) and BrC (bAbs,BrC) inferred using Aethalometer data from 44 European sites covering different environments (traffic (TR), urban (UB), suburban (SUB), regional background (RB) and mountain (M)). Absorption coefficients showed a clear relationship with station setting decreasing as follows: TR > UB > SUB > RB > M, with exceptions. The contribution of bAbs,BrC to total absorption (bAbs), i.e. %AbsBrC, was lower at traffic sites (11-20 %), exceeding 30 % at some SUB and RB sites. Low AAE values were observed at TR sites, due to the dominance of internal combustion emissions, and at some remote RB/M sites, likely due to the lack of proximity to BrC sources, insufficient secondary processes generating BrC or the effect of photobleaching during transport. Higher bAbs and AAE were observed in Central/Eastern Europe compared to Western/Northern Europe, due to higher coal and biomass burning emissions in the east. Seasonal analysis showed increased bAbs, bAbs,BC, bAbs,BrC in winter, with stronger %AbsBrC, leading to higher AAE. Diel cycles of bAbs,BC peaked during morning and evening rush hours, whereas bAbs,BrC, %AbsBrC, AAE, and AAEBrC peaked at night when emissions from household activities accumulated. Decade-long trends analyses demonstrated a decrease in bAbs, due to reduction of BC emissions, while bAbs,BrC and AAE increased, suggesting a shift in CA composition, with a relative increase in BrC over BC. This study provides a unique dataset to assess the BrC effects on climate and confirms that BrC can contribute significantly to UV-VIS radiation presenting highly variable absorption properties in Europe.
- MeSH
- Aerosols * analysis MeSH
- Air Pollutants analysis MeSH
- Environmental Monitoring MeSH
- Particulate Matter analysis MeSH
- Light MeSH
- Carbon * analysis MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Geographicals
- Europe MeSH
Equine neosporosis is an intracellular protozoan disease with a global distribution, affecting a diverse range of warm-blooded animals. Neospora caninum Dubey, Carpenter, Speer, Topper et Uggla, 1988 is associated with foetal loss, neurological disease and abortion in equids. No information was available regarding equine N. caninum infection among equids in Iraq. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence rate of N. caninum in equines by using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA). A total of 329 blood samples randomly selected from equines, comprising 268 horses and 61 donkeys were examined. The seroprevalence rate of N. caninum was determined as 46% (28/61) for donkeys and 24% (64/268) for horses. The prevalence of N. caninum indicated a significantly higher risk of infection in donkeys compared to horses (P < 0.001). However, the odds of N. caninum infection in draught equids were 8.2 times greater than other equids with a significant difference (P < 0.001). The current study revealed no significant differences in the prevalence of N. caninum across various genders, breeds, clinical statuses, disease histories and among equids that had contact with dogs. While outdoor feeding and mixed (grazing), showed a significant difference (P = 0.003) and (P = 0.75), respectively, in the presence of antibodies against N. caninum compared to indoor feeding (stable). Moreover, the odds of infection in equids with a history of late abortion were 4.8 times higher than those without such a history of abortion (2.20-10.56) with statistical significance (P < 0.001).
- MeSH
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay * veterinary MeSH
- Equidae * parasitology MeSH
- Coccidiosis * veterinary epidemiology parasitology MeSH
- Horses MeSH
- Horse Diseases * epidemiology parasitology MeSH
- Neospora * isolation & purification MeSH
- Prevalence MeSH
- Antibodies, Protozoan blood MeSH
- Seroepidemiologic Studies MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Geographicals
- Iraq MeSH
The occurrence of toxic bloom-forming cyanobacteria, Microcystis aeruginosa, has been frequently reported worldwide. These colony forming toxic cyanobacteria harbour a wide range of heterotrophic bacterial communities. The present study has attempted to understand the bloom dynamics of M. aeruginosa along with isolating their colony-associated culturable heterotrophic bacteria from two freshwater ponds in south India with a persisting cyanobacterial bloom. The monthly monitoring of these study areas revealed the conducive role of warm, stagnant waters with high nutrients in forming M. aeruginosa bloom. The peak values of temperature, nitrate, and phosphate at station 1 reached up to 30.5 °C, 4.48 mg/L, 1.64 mg/L, and at station 2, 31 °C, 3.45 mg/L, and 0.62 mg/L, respectively. Twenty-eight bacterial isolates belonging to Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes were obtained during the study. Among these 28 isolates, Firmicutes was dominant with the M. aeruginosa bloom from both the study areas.
- MeSH
- Bacteria classification genetics isolation & purification growth & development MeSH
- Biodiversity * MeSH
- DNA, Bacterial genetics MeSH
- Eutrophication MeSH
- Phylogeny * MeSH
- Microcystis * growth & development classification genetics MeSH
- RNA, Ribosomal, 16S * genetics MeSH
- Fresh Water microbiology MeSH
- Temperature MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Geographicals
- India MeSH
This study evaluated the effects of a neuromuscular training (NMT) warm-up program on injury incidence, neuromuscular function, and program adherence, maintenance and acceptance in adolescent basketball players. A total of 275 players from 20 Slovenian teams (15 ± 1.7 years of age), were randomized into an intervention group (IG, n=129) and a control group (CG, n=146). Over three months, the IG incorporated NMT into their warm-ups, while the CG followed their usual practice. Measurements of body anthropometry, muscle contractile properties, and balance were taken before and after the intervention. Also, the injury incidence, training adherence and maintenance were reported. Both groups showed improved balance, with no significant difference between them. However, IG demonstrated reduced delay times in specific muscles, indicating improved neuromuscular function. Injury prevalence proportion (%) during the whole study period was higher in the control group compared to intervention (IG: 10.9% vs. CG: 23.3%), and incidence rate. Moreover, the incidence rate ratio for sustaining an injury was 2.6 on average (ranging from 0.88 to 7.07 for tendon and muscle injuries, respectively), indicating significantly lower injury risk in IG than CG. These findings highlight the effectiveness of NMT warm-ups in reducing injury risk and enhancing neuromuscular function, emphasizing the value of structured injury prevention strategies in youth sports..
- MeSH
- Anthropometry MeSH
- Basketball * injuries physiology MeSH
- Incidence MeSH
- Physical Conditioning, Human methods MeSH
- Muscle, Skeletal injuries physiology MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Adolescent MeSH
- Tendon Injuries prevention & control epidemiology MeSH
- Postural Balance physiology MeSH
- Athletic Injuries * prevention & control epidemiology MeSH
- Muscle Contraction physiology MeSH
- Muscle Strength physiology MeSH
- Warm-Up Exercise * MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Adolescent MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Randomized Controlled Trial MeSH
- Geographicals
- Slovenia MeSH