Position-based anthropometric characteristics and general physiological performance of national level, U18 ice hockey players / Características antropométricas basadas en la posición y el rendimiento fisiológico general de jugadores de hockey sobre hielo de nivel nacional, sub-18

Identifying talented players requires subjective, as well as objective assessments of playing ability and performance. The assessment of anthropometric characteristics, as well as general physiological performance can be used for player selection. The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether positional profiling is possible for national level ice hockey players by examining anthropometric characteristics and physiological performance. The study involved two ice-hockey teams, U18 and U23, in total of 49 athletes (32 forwards and 17 defensemen), members of the “Székelyföldi” Ice Hockey Academy (SZJA). Data collection was conducted in May 2020, at the SZJAs Medical and Methodological Center. Body height was determined including barefoot height (± 0.1 cm) using a wall mounted stadiometer. Body weight was measured with a standard scale. A standard incremental maximal oxygen uptake test was conducted in the laboratory by means of open-circuit spirometry and computerized instrumentation (CPET Cosmed, Italy) following the Bruce protocol. With the use of the descriptive statistics, we found no differences at the anthropometric characteristics between forwards and defensemen. Regarding the physiological characteristics, some possible differences were found for maximal- and absolute oxygen uptake rate. While our results from descriptive statistics show no significant differences between the two studied ice hockey position, based on the Mann-Whitney U test, considering all parameter values, we found that there were significant differences between the two groups within this sample number. (AU)

La identificación de jugadores talentosos requiere evaluaciones subjetivas y objetivas de la capacidad y el rendimiento de juego. La evaluación de las características antropométricas, así como el rendimiento fisiológico general, pueden utilizarse para la selección de jugadores. El objetivo principal de este estudio fue determinar si el perfil posicional es posible para los jugadores de hockey sobre hielo de nivel nacional mediante el examen de las características antropométricas y el rendimiento fisiológico. El estudio involucró a dos equipos de hockey sobre hielo, U18 y U23, en un total de 49 atletas (32 delanteros y 17 defensas), miembros de la Academia de Hockey sobre Hielo "Székelyföldi" (SZJA). La recolección de datos se realizó en mayo de 2020, en el Centro Médico y Metodológico SZJAS. La altura del cuerpo se determinó incluyendo la altura de los pies descalzos (±0,1 cm) utilizando un estadiómetro montado en la pared. El peso corporal se midió con una balanza estándar. Se realizó una prueba de consumo de oxígeno máximo incremental estándar en el laboratorio mediante espirometría de circuito abierto e instrumentación computarizada (CPET Cosmed, Italia) siguiendo el protocolo de Bruce. Con el uso de la estadística descriptiva, no encontramos diferencias en las características antropométricas entre delanteros y defensas. En cuanto a las características fisiológicas, se encontraron algunas posibles diferencias para la tasa de consumo de oxígeno máxima y absoluta. Si bien nuestros resultados de las estadísticas descriptivas no muestran diferencias significativas entre las dos posiciones de hockey sobre hielo estudiadas, con base en la prueba U de Mann-Whitney, considerando todos los valores de los parámetros, encontramos que hubo diferencias significativas entre los dos grupos dentro de este número de muestra. (AU)

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungus Rhizophagus irregularis Influences Artemisia annua Plant Parameters and Artemisinin Content under Different Soil Types and Cultivation Methods.

Artemisinin extracted from Artemisia annua has been used efficiently in malaria treatment since 2005. In this study, the variations in plant parameters (plant biomass, glandular trichome density, essential oil total chemical content, artemisinin production, and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity) were tested under different soil types (Luvisol, Gleysol, Anthrosol and sterile peat) and cultivation conditions (potted plants in semi-open field, and open field experiments) for plants inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) Rizophagus irregularis. Under semi-open field conditions, the AMF colonization of A. annua plant roots varied, and presented the highest percentage in Luvisol and sterile peat. The increase in the root colonization rate positively influenced some plant parameters (biomass, glandular trichome density, artemisinin concentration, essential oil quantity and composition), but no effects on PPO enzyme activity were detected. AMF fungus R. irregularis significantly increased the artemisinin content and essential oil yield of plants cultivated in Luvisol, Gleysol, Anthrosol and in peat. These soil types can offer appropriate conditions for A. annua cultivation and artemisinin production even on a smaller scale. Under open field conditions, low (about 5%) AMF colonization was observed. No differences in artemisin contents were detected, but essential oil yield significantly increased compared to control plants. AMF treatment increased beta-farnesene and germacrene D concentrations in Artemisia plants in the open field experiment.

Increase in Artemisia annua Plant Biomass Artemisinin Content and Guaiacol Peroxidase Activity Using the Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungus Rhizophagus irregularis.

The main objective of this study was to investigate Artemisia annua plant property variations in terms of plant biomass, glandular trichome numbers, artemisinin production and Guaiacol peroxidase (GPOX) activity when plants are in mutualism with AMF. According to the results, A. annua mutualism with AMF significantly increased the most important and pharmaceutically relevant factors of fresh and dry plant biomass. This increase, especially in the biomass of plant herba (leaves), was 30% higher during the vegetation period and remained high (29% higher than for control) when plants were harvested at the end of the vegetation period. Similar differences in dry biomass were also detected. Glandular trichomas numbers increased by 40%, and the artemisinin content by 17% under AMF colonization. No effects due to AMF on chlorophyll variations were detected, while GPOX enzyme concentrations increased significantly under AMF colonization. Altogether the Artemisia plant properties with high pharmaceutically importance (fresh and dry biomass of leaves and artemisinin, number of trichomes and the artemisinin content) were significantly improved by AMF, the application in Artemisia cultivation can be an effective and cheap method. The high GPOX activity under AMF colonization indicate an enhanced oxidative stress alleviation, therefore a higher resistance to water deficiency, mechanisms important under climate conditions with low water supply where Artemisia is usually cultivated.