Search Results (15)

For vaccine development and adoption decisions, the ‘Full Value of Vaccine Assessment’ (FVVA) framework has been proposed by the WHO to expand the range of evidence available to support the prioritization of candidate vaccines for investment and eventual uptake by low- and middle-income countries. Recent applications of the FVVA framework have already shown benefits. Building on the success of these applications, we see important new opportunities to maximize the future utility of FVVAs to country and global stakeholders and provide a proof-of-concept for analyses in other areas of disease control and prevention. These opportunities include the following: (1) FVVA producers should aim to create evidence that explicitly meets the needs of multiple key FVVA consumers, (2) the WHO and other key stakeholders should develop standardized methodologies for FVVAs, as well as guidance for how different stakeholders can explicitly reflect their values within the FVVA framework, and (3) the WHO should convene experts to further develop and prioritize the research agenda for outcomes and benefits relevant to the FVVA and elucidate methodological approaches and opportunities for standardization not only for less well-established benefits, but also for any relevant research gaps. We encourage FVVA stakeholders to engage with these opportunities. Full article

While various quantifiable physical attributes have been found to contribute to athletes’ performance, there is a lack of scientific literature focused on examining how they relate to success during competition performance. The aim of this study was to investigate different countermovement jump (CMJ)-derived force–time characteristics and their utility in distinguishing high from low performers within a measure of on-court contribution (i.e., minutes per game played). Twenty-nine collegiate athletes (n = 15 males and n = 14 females) volunteered to participate in this investigation and performed CMJs on dual force plates sampling at 1000 Hz, weekly over the course of their basketball season. The athletes’ average of their three best test-days across the season was used for further analysis. To identify their on-court contribution, athletes were divided into groups with high and low minutes per game, based on a median-split analysis. The findings suggest that at the overall group level (i.e., both genders), the modified reactive strength index (mRSI) and braking rate of force development (RFD) revealed the greatest between-group magnitudes of difference, with athletes playing more minutes per game showing greater performance. At the team-specific level, the braking RFD, average braking velocity, and mRSI were shown to be the greatest differentiators between groups for the men’s team. The women’s high-minutes group displayed greater magnitudes of mRSI and jump height. By identifying the neuromuscular qualities seen in top performers within their respective populations, the attributed physical performance underpinning these qualities may be identified, providing practitioners with insights into physical performance qualities and training methodologies that have the potential to influence basketball performance. Full article

Although different strategies have been implemented to manage recovery-fatigue status in athletes, there is still a lack of consensus on which recovery protocols have the greatest impact and effectiveness when implemented with basketball players, including both physiological and psychological recovery methods. Thus, the purpose of this systematic review is to: (a) determine which recovery methods attain the greatest benefit in restoring the process of attenuating fatigue and (b) provide sports practitioners with guidelines on how some of the most effective recovery strategies can be used to optimize athletes’ recovery and ultimately enhance their performance. Using the PRISMA guidelines, a total of 3931 research reports were obtained through four database searches (i.e., PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Science), from which only 25 met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The recovery protocols analyzed in this systematic review were: sleep, nutrition, hydration, ergogenic aids, cold-water immersion, compression garments, massage, acupuncture, tapering, mindfulness, and red-light irradiation. The results revealed that all recovery strategies are capable of attenuating fatigue and enhancing recovery in basketball players to a certain degree. However, an individualized approach should be promoted, where a combination of proactive recovery modalities appears to result in the most rapid rates of recovery and athletes’ ability to maintain high-level performance. Recovery should be programmed as an integral component of training regimens. Also, cooperation and communication between coaches, players, and the rest of the team staff members are essential in minimizing the risk of non-functional overreaching or injury and optimizing basketball players’ on-court performance. Full article

The purpose of the present study was to examine differences in kinematic characteristics between (a) proficient and non-proficient two-point and three-point shooters, (b) made and missed two-point and three-point shots within a proficient group of shooters, and (c) shots attempted from two-point and three-point shooting distances. Eighteen recreationally active females with previous basketball playing experience attempted 10 two-point (5.10 m) and 10 three-point shots (6.32 m) while facing directly to the basket. To eliminate the possible influence of fatigue, each shot was separated by a 5–10 s rest interval. Participants who made ≥50% of their two-point and ≥40% of their three-point shooting attempts were classified as proficient. A high-definition video camera recording at 30 fps and video analysis software (Kinovea) were used to obtain the kinematic variables of interest during both the preparatory phase (PP) and release phase (RP) of the shooting motion. The results indicate that proficient two-point shooters attained less hip and shoulder flexion during the PP and had greater release height and vertical displacement during the RP. Hip angle differentiated made from missed two-point shots within the proficient group of shooters, with made shots being depicted by less hip flexion. Significantly greater vertical displacement was observed in proficient three-point shooters during the RP. Additionally, the greater elbow and release angles separated made from missed three-point shots within the proficient group of shooters. In response to an increase in shooting distance, hip, knee, ankle, and shoulder angles during the PP all decreased. Moreover, an increase in shooting distance caused a decrease in release angle and an increase in vertical displacement during the RP, while the relative release height remained unchanged. Full article

Given the multidirectional nature of the sport, handball athletes must frequently perform high-intensity decelerations to avoid defenders, generate space, or perform directional changes. The aim of the present study was twofold: (i) to investigate different kinematic measures of horizontal deceleration performance by comparing the acceleration-deceleration assessment (ADA) with the 5-0-5 test and (ii) to investigate relationships between force-time characteristics derived from the countermovement vertical jump (CVJ) and measures of horizontal deceleration performance. Eleven female handball players competing in the first-tier professional league in Europe performed three CVJs while standing on a uni-axial force plate system sampling at 1000 Hz, followed by two ADAs (i.e., maximal-effort acceleration over a 10 m distance, followed by rapid deceleration) and 5-0-5 test trials. Tripod-mounted radar sampling at 47 Hz, placed 5 m behind the start line, was used to record horizontal velocity data. Each test was separated by a 5–7 min rest interval to minimize the influence of fatigue. No statistically significant differences were found in horizontal deceleration performance parameters between ADA and the 5-0-5 test. However, athletes with a higher CVJ height and reactive strength index-modified showed better performance in terms of horizontal deceleration measures such as maximal approach velocity and average and maximal deceleration. Overall, these results may be of interest to practitioners working with multidirectional sport athletes such as handball players as they provide critical insight for the selection of assessments and training strategies targeted toward optimizing on-court athlete performance. Full article

With advancements in technology able to quantify wide-ranging features of human movement, the aim of the present study was to investigate the inter-device technological reliability of a three-dimensional markerless motion capture system (3D-MCS), quantifying different movement tasks. A total of 20 healthy individuals performed a test battery consisting of 29 different movements, from which 214 different metrics were derived. Two 3D-MCS located in close proximity were utilized to quantify movement characteristics. Independent sample t-tests with selected reliability statistics (i.e., intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), effect sizes, and mean absolute differences) were used to evaluate the agreement between the two systems. The study results suggested that 95.7% of all metrics analyzed revealed negligible or small between-device effect sizes. Further, 91.6% of all metrics analyzed showed moderate or better agreement when looking at the ICC values, while 32.2% of all metrics showed excellent agreement. For metrics measuring joint angles (198 metrics), the mean difference between systems was 2.9 degrees, while for metrics investigating distance measures (16 metrics; e.g., center of mass depth), the mean difference between systems was 0.62 cm. Caution is advised when trying to generalize the study findings beyond the specific technology and software used in this investigation. Given the technological reliability reported in this study, as well as the logistical and time-related limitations associated with marker-based motion capture systems, it may be suggested that 3D-MCS present practitioners with an opportunity to reliably and efficiently measure the movement characteristics of patients and athletes. This has implications for monitoring the health/performance of a broad range of populations. Full article

With rapid technological development over recent years, the use of wearable athlete monitoring devices has substantially gained popularity. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to examine the impact of the anatomical placement of an accelerometer on biomechanical characteristics of countermovement vertical jump with and without an arm swing when compared to the force plate as a criterion measure. Seventeen recreationally active individuals (ten males and seven females) volunteered to participate in the present study. Four identical accelerometers sampling at 100 Hz were placed at the following anatomical locations: upper-back (UB), chest (CH), abdomen (AB), and hip (HP). While standing on a uni-axial force plate system sampling at 1000 Hz, each participant completed three non-sequential maximal countermovement vertical jumps with and without an arm swing. All devices recorded the data simultaneously. The following variables of interest were obtained from ground reaction force curves: peak concentric force (PCF), peak landing force (PLF), and vertical jump height (VJH). The findings of the present study reveal that the most appropriate anatomical locations to place the accelerometer device when attempting to estimate PCF, PLF, and VJH during a countermovement vertical jump with no arm swing are CH, AB, and UB, and during a countermovement vertical jump with an arm swing are UB, HP, and UB, respectively. Overall, these findings may help strength and conditioning professionals and sports scientists to select appropriate anatomical locations when using innovative accelerometer technology to monitor vertical jump performance characteristics. Full article

Despite exponential growth in popularity over the last decade and recently becoming an Olympic sport, the amount of scientific literature focused on depicting a profile of successful 3×3 basketball players is sparse. Thus, the purpose of this study was to present the physical and performance characteristics of professional 3×3 male basketball players and how they differ between elite and non-elite athletes. The anthropometrics, vertical jump, agility, and sprint performance parameters collected from ten players during regular training sessions were ($\overline{\mathrm{x}}$ ± SD): height (193.7 ± 4.5 cm), weight (89.2 ± 4.1 cm), wingspan (196.5 ± 5.2 cm), squat jump (43.5 ± 4.6 cm), countermovement jump with (53.3 ± 4.4 cm) and without an arm swing (46.3 ± 4.0 cm), reactive strength index (2.4 ± 0.3 m/s), t-test (10.3 ± 0.3 s), 505 drill (2.4 ± 0.2 s), 10 m sprint (1.5 ± 0.1 s), 30 m sprint (4.0 ± 0.3 s), shuttle run (27.7 ± 1.7 s), and bench press (98.2 ± 10.0 kg) and back squat (139.5 ± 17.6 kg) one repetition maximum. Additionally, the average and maximal heart rate (HR) responses during simulated games were 160.6 ± 8.0 and 188.5 ± 6.3 bpm, with players spending 6.3 ± 4.2, 11.4 ± 5.2, 13.9 ± 3.5, 26.4 ± 10.4, and 42.1 ± 10.0% of the total time in HR Zones 1–5, respectively. Interestingly, no statistically significant differences in the aforementioned physical and performance parameters were noted between elite and non-elite players. Overall, the findings of the present study provide coaches, sports scientists, and strength and conditioning practitioners with information that can aid in the athlete selection process, detection of areas for further improvement, and development of training regimens that resemble 3×3 basketball on-court competitive demands. Full article

Shooting efficiency is one of the key performance parameters related to securing the desired game outcome at various levels of basketball competition, and it is largely influenced by the biomechanical adjustments incorporated during the preparatory and release phase of the shooting motion. Thus, the purpose of the present study was twofold: (a) to examine the differences in the kinematic characteristics between free-throw, two-point, and three-point shots, and (b) to examine the differences between shooters with excellent (≥80%) and good (<80%) levels of shooting proficiency. A total of 10 professional male basketball players performed 5 free-throw (4.57 m), two-point (5.18 m), and three-point (6.75 m) shots, combining for a total of 150 shots. A high-definition camera recording at 120 fps was used to capture the shooting motion from a sagittal point of view, and video analysis software was used to analyze the kinematic variables of interest. The findings of the present study reveal that the kinematic characteristics during the preparatory phase of the shooting motion remain unchanged between free-throw and two-point shots. Three-point shots required lower elbow positioning, influenced by greater knee and hip flexion when compared to free-throw and two-point shots. The release angle was notably lower for shots attempted beyond the three-point line but remained unchanged between the free-throw and two-point shooting motions. Release height and vertical displacement were significantly greater for two- and three-point shots when compared to free-throw shots, while no difference was observed between the two- and three-point shots. In addition, no significant differences in shooting kinematics were observed between those participants with excellent and good levels of shooting proficiency. Full article

Strength is one of the key physiological performance attributes related to optimal on-court basketball performance. However, there is a lack of scientific literature studying how strength relates to shooting proficiency, as a key basketball skill capable of discriminating winning from losing game outcomes. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between maximal upper and lower body strength and free-throw, two-point, and three-point shooting accuracy. Ten males and seven females performed bench press and back squat one repetition maximum (1RM) and basketball shooting testing during two laboratory visits. The shooting protocol consisted of five sets of 15 free-throw, two-point, and three-point shots performed in sequential order. Each set was separated by a 30 min rest interval to minimize the influence of fatigue. Each subject attempted 225 shots, combining for a total of 3825 shots. The average free-throw, two-point, and three-point shooting accuracy for men were 74.5 ± 11.9, 68.4 ± 9.9, and 53.3 ± 14.9%, and for women 79.2 ± 11.2, 65.5 ± 8.4, and 51.2 ± 15.3%, respectively. The average bench press and back squat 1RM for men was 88.2 ± 18.6 and 117.0 ± 21.2 kg, and for women, 40.6 ± 7.5 and 66.9 ± 9.9 kg, respectively. The findings of the present study revealed no significant relationships between maximal upper and lower body strength and basketball shooting performance for both male and female participants. Neither bench press nor back squat 1RM was a good predictor of free-throw, two-point, and three-point shooting performance. Full article

The purpose of the present study was to examine the repeatability of five algorithm-derived motion health screening scores (i.e., readiness, explosiveness, functionality, quality, and dysfunction) obtained from an innovative three-dimensional markerless motion capture system, composed of eight high-definition cameras recording at 60 fps. Thirteen females and six males performed two sets of three motion capture screenings, separated one week apart (six in total). The screenings consisted of 20 body movements performed in sequential order. Each screening within a testing session was separated by a 30 min rest interval to avoid the possible influence of fatigue. A trained research team member, facing the participant and standing outside of the camera capture range, was present to demonstrate each individual movement. The order in which motions were performed was identical across all participants. Repeated measures analysis of variance and intraclass correlation coefficients were used to examine statistically significant differences and measurement agreement across six testing sessions. The findings of the present study revealed no significant differences in algorithm-based motion health screening scores across multiple testing sessions. Moreover, excellent measurement reliability was found for readiness scores (ICC, 95% CI; 0.957, 0.914–0.980), good-to-excellent for functionality (0.905, 0.821–0.959) and explosiveness scores (0.906, 0.822–0.959), and moderate-to-excellent for dysfunction (0.829, 0.675–0.925) and quality scores (0.808, 0.635–0.915). Full article

While the importance of optimal two-point and three-point jump-shooting performance for securing the desired game outcome on various levels of basketball competition has been well documented, there is a limited amount of scientific literature on what biomechanical adjustments in shooting technique comprise the success of each shooting attempt. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to examine the difference in kinetic and kinematic characteristics during the preparatory and release phases of the shooting motion between made and missed jump shots. While standing on a force plate, twenty-nine recreationally active males with prior basketball playing experience attempted 10 two-point and 10 three-point jump shots, combining for a total of 580 attempts. Simultaneously, two high-definition cameras were used to capture kinematic characteristics of interest. Higher elbow positioning during the preparatory phase of the shooting motion, relative to the shooter’s stature, was shown to be a critical kinematic adjustment that differentiated made from missed two-point jump shots. Alongside identical observations regarding the importance of the elbow placement, keeping the torso in a more erect position during the preparatory phase of the shooting motion, having a greater release angle and vertical jump height at the timepoint of the ball release, and attaining higher maximal trajectory height were critical kinematic adjustments that differentiated made from missed three-point jump shots. Full article

Transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) using the MitraClip™ device has been established as a suitable alternative to mitral valve surgery in patients with severe mitral regurgitation (MR) and high or prohibitive surgical risk. Only limited information regarding the impact of TEER on ventricular arrhythmias (VA) has been reported. The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of TEER using the MitraClip^TM device on the burden of VA and ICD (Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator) therapies. Among 600 MitraClip^TM implantations performed in our clinic between September 2009 and October 2018, we identified 86 patients with successful TEER and an active implantable cardiac device (pacemaker, ICD, CRT-P/D (Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy-Pacemaker/Defibrillator)) eligible for retrospective VA analyses. These patients presented with mainly functional MR (81.4%) and severely reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (mean LVEF 22.1% ± 10.3%). The observation period comprised 456 ± 313 days before and 424 ± 287 days after TEER. The burden of ventricular arrhythmias (sustained ventricular tachycardia (sVT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF)) was significantly reduced after TEER (0.85 ± 3.47 vs. 0.43 ± 2.03 events per patient per month, p = 0.01). Furthermore, the rate of ICD therapies (anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP) and ICD shock) decreased significantly after MitraClip^TM implantation (1.0 ± 3.87 vs. 0.32 ± 1.41, p = 0.014). However, reduction of VA burden did not result in improved two-year survival in this patient cohort with severely reduced LVEF. Mitral valve TEER using the MitraClip™ device was associated with a significant reduction of ventricular arrhythmias and ICD therapies. Full article

Inland waters are of great importance for scientists as well as authorities since they are essential ecosystems and well known for their biodiversity. When monitoring their respective water quality, in situ measurements of water quality parameters are spatially limited, costly and time-consuming. In this paper, we propose a combination of hyperspectral data and machine learning methods to estimate and therefore to monitor different parameters for water quality. In contrast to commonly-applied techniques such as band ratios, this approach is data-driven and does not rely on any domain knowledge. We focus on CDOM, chlorophyll a and turbidity as well as the concentrations of the two algae types, diatoms and green algae. In order to investigate the potential of our proposal, we rely on measured data, which we sampled with three different sensors on the river Elbe in Germany from 24 June–12 July 2017. The measurement setup with two probe sensors and a hyperspectral sensor is described in detail. To estimate the five mentioned variables, we present an appropriate regression framework involving ten machine learning models and two preprocessing methods. This allows the regression performance of each model and variable to be evaluated. The best performing model for each variable results in a coefficient of determination $R^2$ in the range of 89.9% to 94.6%. That clearly reveals the potential of the machine learning approaches with hyperspectral data. In further investigations, we focus on the generalization of the regression framework to prepare its application to different types of inland waters. Full article

Thymidylate synthase (TYMS) is a crucial enzyme for DNA synthesis. TYMS expression is regulated by its antisense mRNA, ENOSF1. Disrupted regulation may promote uncontrolled DNA synthesis and tumor growth. We sought to replicate our previously reported association between rs495139 in the TYMS-ENOSF1 3′ gene region and increased risk of mucinous ovarian carcinoma (MOC) in an independent sample. Genotypes from 24,351 controls to 15,000 women with invasive OC, including 665 MOC, were available. We estimated per-allele odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using unconditional logistic regression, and meta-analysis when combining these data with our previous report. The association between rs495139 and MOC was not significant in the independent sample (OR = 1.09; 95% CI = 0.97–1.22; p = 0.15; N = 665 cases). Meta-analysis suggested a weak association (OR = 1.13; 95% CI = 1.03–1.24; p = 0.01; N = 1019 cases). No significant association with risk of other OC histologic types was observed (p = 0.05 for tumor heterogeneity). In expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) analysis, the rs495139 allele was positively associated with ENOSF1 mRNA expression in normal tissues of the gastrointestinal system, particularly esophageal mucosa (r = 0.51, p = 1.7 × 10⁻²⁸), and nonsignificantly in five MOC tumors. The association results, along with inconclusive tumor eQTL findings, suggest that a true effect of rs495139 might be small. Full article