A survey into the current fitness testing practices of elite male soccer practitioners: from assessment to communicating results.

This study provides insight into the current fitness testing practices in elite male soccer. One hundred and two practitioners from professional soccer leagues across 24 countries completed an online survey comprising 29 questions, with five sections: a) background information, b) testing selection, c) testing implementation, d) data analysis, and e) data reporting. Frequency analysis was used to evaluate the responses to fixed response questions and thematic analysis was used for open-ended questions to generate clear and distinct themes. Strength (85%) and aerobic capacity (82%) represent the most frequently assessed physical qualities. Scientific literature (80%) is the most influential factor in testing selection and practitioners conduct fitness testing less frequently than their perceived ideal frequency per season (3.6 ± 2 vs. 4.5 ± 2). Time and competitive schedule were the greatest barriers to fitness testing administration. Practitioners mostly used a 'hybrid' approach (45%) to fitness testing, blending 'traditional' (i.e., a day dedicated to testing) and 'integrated' (i.e., testing within regular training sessions) methods. Microsoft Excel is the most used software for data analysis (95%) and visualization (79%). An equal use of the combination of best and mean scores of multiple trials (44%) and the best score (42%) was reported. Comparing a player's test performance with previous scores (89%) was the most common method for interpreting test results. However, only 38% considered measurement error. Digital displays and verbal feedback are the most common data reporting methods, with different data reporting processes for coaches and players. Practitioners can use data and findings from this study to inform their current testing practices and researchers to further identify areas for investigation, with the overarching aim of developing the field of fitness testing in elite male soccer.

Bovine serum albumin uptake and polypeptide disaggregation studies of hypoglycemic ruthenium(II) uracil Schiff-base complexes.

Our prior studies have illustrated that the uracil ruthenium(II) diimino complex, [Ru(H3ucp)Cl(PPh3)] (1) (H4ucp = 2,6-bis-((6-amino-1,3-dimethyluracilimino)methylene)pyridine) displayed high hypoglycemic effects in diet-induced diabetic rats. To rationalize the anti-diabetic effects of 1, three new derivatives have been prepared, cis-[Ru(bpy)2(urdp)]Cl2 (2) (urdp = 2,6-bis-((uracilimino)methylene)pyridine), trans-[RuCl2(PPh3)(urdp)] (3), and cis-[Ru(bpy)2(H4ucp)](PF6)2 (4). Various physicochemical techniques were utilized to characterize the structures of the novel ruthenium compounds. Prior to biomolecular interactions or in vitro studies, the stabilities of 1-4 were monitored in anhydrous DMSO, aqueous phosphate buffer containing 2% DMSO, and dichloromethane (DCM) via UV-Vis spectrophotometry. Time-dependent stability studies showed ligand exchange between DMSO nucleophiles and chloride co-ligands of 1 and 3, which was suppressed in the presence of an excess amount of chloride ions. In addition, the metal complexes 1 and 3 are stable in both DCM and an aqueous phosphate buffer containing 2% DMSO. In the case of compounds 2 and 4 with no chloride co-ligands within their coordination spheres, high stability in aqueous phosphate buffer containing 2% DMSO was observed. Fluorescence emission titrations of the individual ruthenium compounds with bovine serum albumin (BSA) showed that the metal compounds interact non-discriminately within the protein's hydrophobic cavities as moderate to strong binders. The metal complexes were capable of disintegrating mature amylin amyloid fibrils. In vivo glucose metabolism studies in liver (Chang) cell lines confirmed enhanced glucose metabolism as evidenced by the increased glucose utilization and glycogen synthesis in liver cell lines in the presence of complexes 2-4.

Building a Community - Academic Partnership to Enhance Hepatitis C Virus Screening.

BACKGROUND: An estimated 3.5 million Americans are chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). However, the majority are unaware of their HCV diagnosis and few are treated. New models are required to diagnose and link HCV infected patients to HCV care. This paper describes an innovative partnership between Sisters Together and Reaching (STAR), Inc., a community organization, and Johns Hopkins University (JHU), an academic institution, for the identification of HCV cases. METHODS: STAR and JHU identified a mutual interest in increasing hepatitis C screening efforts and launched an HCV screening program which was designed to enhance STAR's existing HIV efforts. STAR and JHU used the Bergen Model of Collaborative Functioning as theoretical framework for the partnership. We used descriptive statistics to characterize the study population and correlates of HCV antibody positivity were reported in univariable/multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: From July 2014 to June 2015, 325 rapid HCV antibody tests were performed in community settings with 49 (15%) positive HCV antibody tests. 33 of the 49 HCV antibody positive individuals answered questions about their HCV testing history and 42% reported a prior positive result but were not engaged in care and 58% reported that they were unaware of their HCV status. In multivariable analysis, factors that were significantly associated with screening HCV antibody positive were increasing age (AOR: 1.06, 95% CI 1.02-1.10), male sex (AOR: 5.56, 95% CI 1.92-14.29), and history of injection drug use (AOR: 39.3, 95% CI 15.20-101.49). CONCLUSIONS: The community-academic partnership was successful in identifying individuals with hepatitis C infection through a synergistic collaboration. The program data suggests that community screening may improve the hepatitis C care continuum by identifying individuals unaware of their HCV status or aware of their HCV status but not engaged in care and linking them to care.

6-Amino-1,3-dimethyl-5-[(E)-2-(methyl-sulfan-yl)benzyl-idene-amino]-pyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione-1,3,7,9-tetra-methyl-pyrimido[5,4-g]pteridine-2,4,6,8-tetrone (1/1).

In the title co-crystal, C(12)H(12)N(6)O(4)·C(14)H(16)N(4)O(2)S, both mol-ecules are essentially planar [maximum deviations = 0.129 (1) and 0.097 (1) Å, respectively]. The tricyclic and Schiff base mol-ecules are alternately stacked along the a axis and are linked by π-π inter-actions with centroid-centroid distances of 3.5170 (16) and 3.6576 (17) Å. An intra-molecular C-H⋯O hydrogen bond and a C-H⋯S contact occur in the Schiff base molecule. In the crystal, N-H⋯O, N-H⋯N and C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds lead to the formation of a three-dimensional network.

N-[(E)-Thio-phen-2-yl-methyl-idene]-1,3-benzothia-zol-2-amine.

In the title thio-phene-derived Schiff base compound, C(12)H(8)N(2)S(2), the thio-phene ring is slighty rotated from the benzothia-zole group mean plane, giving a dihedral angle of 12.87 (6)°. The largest displacement of an atom in the mol-ecule from the nine-atom mean plane defined by the non-H atoms of the benzothia-zole ring system is 0.572 (1) Å, exhibited by the C atom at the 3-position of the thio-phene ring. In the crystal, weak C-H⋯S hydrogen bonds involving the thio-phene group S atom and the 4-position thio-phene C-H group of a symmetry-related mol-ecule lead to an infinite one-dimensional chain colinear with the c axis. The structure is further stabilized by π-π inter-actions; the distance between the thia-zole ring centroid and the centroid of an adjacent benzene ring is 3.686 (1) Å. The crystal studied was an inversion twin with the ratio of components 0.73 (3):0.27 (3).

Weak organic acids: a panoply of effects on bacteria.

Weak organic acids have been used for centuries to preserve foods, but only recently has the possible mechanism for bacterial growth inhibition been investigated. Although the lowering of internal pH was favored as the cause of growth inhibition, the emphasis has shifted to the anion and its specificity. There are a number of applications of weak organic acids to foods and in the food industry be they pre- or postharvest, However, there is concern that the ability of foodborne pathogens to adapt to these acids may allow longer survival in these commodities and also to better survive transit through the gastric acid barrier of the stomach. Genomic and proteomic approaches have been applied to the identification of genes and proteins that may allow prokaryotes to cope with organic acid stress. These technologies in combination with genetic approaches may provide better identification of genes essential for survival to organic acids. These acids may have other roles: they can induce phenotypic antibiotic resistance, and the high concentrations of these acids in the colon may signal a relationship to diet, colonic microflora, and human health.

Differential subcellular localization of two populations of glutamate/AMPA receptors in the rat telencephalon.

The distribution of glutamate AMPA receptors in the synaptosomal and microsomal fractions of neonatal and adult rat telencephalon was studied by determining the saturation kinetics at equilibrium of 3H-AMPA and 3H-CNQX binding. At both ages, synaptosomal preparations exhibited two populations of 3H-AMPA binding sites with a small number of high affinity sites and a large number of low affinity sites. 3H-AMPA binding to microsomal preparations from both neonatal and adult rat telencephalon exhibited a much higher proportion of high affinity relative to low affinity sites. 3H-CNQX binding to the same fractions did not parallel 3H-AMPA binding, but was correlated with the low affinity 3H-AMPA binding and with a marker of plasma membranes. The results suggest that nonsynaptic glutamate/AMPA receptors have a high affinity for agonist and become low affinity when inserted into postsynaptic membranes and that 3H-CNQX binds synaptic but not nonsynaptic glutamate/AMPA receptors with high affinity.

Disturbed maternal bereavement following infant death.

This report describes mental health intervention with the mothers of children with behavioural disturbances following infant death. Disturbed maternal bereavement disrupted the mother's relationships with their own children and related to maladaptive handling of prior losses. Treatment directed toward the recovery of memories and effects related to these losses led to more adaptive parent-child relationships. The implications for preventive interventions with families are discussed.

The adaptation of parents to the birth of an infant with a congenital malformation: a hypothetical model.

To determine the course of parental reactions to the birth of a child with a congenital malformation and the process of parental attachment, the parents of 20 children with a wide range of malformations including mongolism, congenital heart disease, and cleft palate were interviewed. Structured interviews took place 7 days to 60 months after birth. Despite the wide variation of malformations, analysis of the interviews demonstrated five stages of parental reactions--shock, denial, sadness and anger, adaptation, and reorganization--in dealing with a congenitally malformed child during the course of his development and care. Observations of these patients suggest that early crisis counseling in the first months of life may be particularly crucial in parental attachment and adjustment.