Browse Articles

Acute effects of footwear and surface condition on sport specific performance in athletes

Abstract This study examined the acute effects of minimalist shoes, standard sport shoes, and barefoot conditions on sports-specific performance in forty-eight team and racket sport athletes across three testing sessions. Biomechanical laboratory assessments included 90° cutting maneuvers (90°COD) and jump tests. Linear (LS) and multidirectional sprint (MS) performances were evaluated in a second session on an indoor sports floor. In the third session, LS and MS performance were tested exclusively in minimalist shoes on tartan and artificial turf. Performance was quantified as test completion time and jump height. Significant footwear effects were observed for 90°COD, MS, and LS, with minimalist shoes and barefoot conditions reducing performance by up to 9% compared to standard sport shoes. Jumping performance was unaffected by footwear. Surface conditions significantly influenced LS and MS, with tartan and artificial turf improving performance by up to 9% compared to indoor surfaces. Significant sex differences were observed in all tests except for 90°COD. These findings suggest that the effects of footwear are context-dependent and should not be generalized without considering specific surfaces, movements, and individual factors. Future research should investigate whether long-term habituation can alter these outcomes.

Polyelectrolyte Membrane Enables Highly Reversible Zinc Battery Chemistry via Immobilizing Anion and Stabilizing Water

Ultralow Coordination Copper Sites Compartmentalized within Ordered Pores for Highly Efficient Electrosynthesis of <i>n</i>-Propanol from CO₂

Inhibition of autophagy in platelets as a therapeutic strategy preventing hypoxia induced thrombosis

Abstract Hypoxia triggers activation of platelets, leading to thrombosis. If not addressed clinically, it can cause severe complications and fatal consequences. The current treatment regime for thrombosis is often palliative and include long-term administration of anticoagulants, causing over-bleeding risk and other secondary effects as well. This demands a molecular understanding of the process and exploration of an alternative therapeutic avenue. Interestingly, recent studies demonstrate that platelets exhibit functional autophagy. This cellular homeostatic process though well-studied in non-platelet cells, is under-explored in platelets. Herein, we report autophagy activation under physiologically relevant hypoxic condition (10% O2; associated with high altitude) in ex-vivo platelets and in vivo as well. We show that autophagy inhibition using chloroquine (CQ), a repurposed FDA-approved drug, can significantly reduce platelet activation, both in ex-vivo and in-vivo settings. Further, surgical ligation of inferior vena cava (IVC) was performed to induce thrombus formation. Interestingly, CQ pre-treated rats showed reduced clotting ability in surgical animals as well. Importantly, thrombosis inhibitory dose of CQ was considerably lower than the currently used drug-acetazolamide; CQ was also found to be non-toxic to the tissues. Hence, we propose that repurposing of CQ can attenuate hypoxia-induced thrombosis through inhibition of autophagy and can be explored as an effective therapeutic alternative.

Cyclic (Alkenyl)(Amino)Carbene (^<i>SMe</i>CA_enAC): Introducing a Member to the Cyclic (Alkyl)(Amino)Carbenes Family Featuring a Narrow Energy Gap

Enhanced glioma tumor detection and segmentation using modified deep learning with edge fusion and frequency features

Surface-Emanated Vertical Organic Semiconducting Nanobrushes

Role of PLA2R domain antibodies and epitope spreading in risk stratification and prediction of proteinuria remission in primary membranous nephropathy

Enantioselective Ring Opening of Azetidines via Charge Recognition in Hydrogen-Bond-Donor Catalysis

Mechanical properties of steel fiber-reinforced rubber concrete after elevated temperature

Neural Network Potential with Multiresolution Approach Enables Accurate Prediction of Reaction Free Energies in Solution

3D-printed gelled electrolytes for electroanalytical applications

Abstract In this work, several gelators were employed to formulate a conducive gel phase (ionic conductivity) compatible with direct ink writing/bioprinting/robocasting (different names in the literature describe the same printing technology). The main goal of this work was to evaluate gelled phases being a mixture of background electrolyte (NaCl), redox probe (Fe(CN)6 3−/4−), and gel precursor (guar gum, gelatine, agarose, and agar-agar). The studied concentration of gelators ranged from 0.1 to 4% depending on the employed system. Each gelator required a customized formulation protocol. We have found that guar gum exhibits the best printing properties (lack of aggregates blocking the printing nozzle) while giving the least reproducible electrochemical results (when a glassy carbon electrode was employed as the working electrode). The study of two other gelators (agarose and gelatin) indicated significant changes in the electrochemical properties of the investigated surface as their concentration and number of voltammetric scans were varied. The best electrochemical performance was obtained for agar-agar however, this was also a gelator causing the most problems during 3D printing. Finally, we have employed six screen-printed electrodes displaying approximate properties, that were further covered with a 3D-printed conductive gelled cube (direct printing over the electrode surface). We have found that such a system allowed for a surprisingly good electroanalytical response when the model redox probe (Fe(CN)6 3−/4−) was considered. This work is a prelude to 3D-printed gel-based detection devices we are currently developing in our team.

The impact of goat hair as a natural animal fiber on properties of the lightweight cement composite

Abstract The increasing demand for sustainable and eco-friendly construction materials has prompted the exploration of natural fibers as reinforcement in cement composites. This study investigates the potential of goat hair as a natural fiber reinforcement in lightweight cement composites to enhance mechanical properties and sustainability. The research evaluates goat-hair-reinforced composites’ flexural and compressive strengths at 7 and 28 days after mixing. The results show that the inclusion of goat hair at a rate of 0.4% of cement, as a reinforcing material, leads to a significant increase in flexural and compressive strength. Specifically, flexural strength increased by 2.5% and 21.8%, while compressive strength improved by 5.5% and 21.5% at water-to-cement ratios of 0.4 and 0.5, respectively, compared to the control mixture. The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of goat hair in improving mechanical performance while reducing the environmental footprint of construction materials. This study highlights the need for further exploration of natural fibers in sustainable construction practices, focusing on optimizing mechanical performance and eco-friendly materials for broader applications.

Molecular Distinction of Cell Wall and Capsular Polysaccharides in Encapsulated Pathogens by In Situ Magic-Angle Spinning NMR Techniques

Comparative study of cytochrome P450 expression in the kidneys of Lepus yarkandensis and Oryctolagus cuniculus

Synergistic Effects in Low-Temperature CO Oxidation on Cerium Oxide Surfaces

Transformer-based conditional generative transfer learning network for cross domain fault diagnosis under limited data

Assessment of quality in volatile oil from three basic sources of Xinyi from Hubei by anatomy, GC-MS, and chemometric methods

Chirality-Dependent Kinetics of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes from Machine-Learning Force Fields

Highly efficient polarization converter with wide angular stability