Longitudinal Meta-Analysis of Peak Height Velocity in Young Female Athletes.

Growth patterns and biological milestones in youth sports are key to interpreting the development of young athletes. However, there is no analysis of longitudinal meta-analysis describing the growth of young female athletes. This longitudinal meta-analysis estimated growth curves and age at peak height velocity (PHV) in young female athletes based on anthropometric data from longitudinal studies found in the literature.

Peak height velocity in young athletes: A longitudinal meta-analysis.

The present longitudinal meta-analysis aimed to estimate the growth curves and age at peak height velocity (PHV) in young male athletes, considering anthropometric data from available longitudinal studies. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, studies with repeated measurements in young male athletes were identified from searches across four databases (MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, and SCOPUS). Estimations were based on multilevel polynomial models using a fully Bayesian framework.

Does early specialization provide an advantage in physical fitness development in youth basketball?

The present study examined the influence of the specialization onset on the magnitude and patterns of changes in basketball-specific physical fitness within a competitive season and developmental fitness trends between 11 and 17 years in young basketball players. Repeated measures of 181 young basketball players (female,  = 40; male,  = 141) were examined. Anthropometry, age, estimated maturity status, and basketball-specific physical fitness (assessed with the countermovement jump, line drill, and yo-yo intermittent recovery level-1 and fitness score) were considered.

Student-Athlete Identity Variation Across the Undergraduate Period: A Mixed-Methods Study.

We examined the influence of individual and contextual characteristics on student-athlete identities and then explored identity variations across the undergraduate college years. Our main analysis relied on a quantitative study of a large sample of cross-sectional data (n = 862: females = 490, males = 372) with follow-up data for 102 participants. We also used qualitative semi-structured interviews within a small sub-sample (n = 4) who participated in international competitions to provide deeper insight into their identities across time.

Validity and usefulness of the student-athletes' motivation toward sport and academics questionnaire: a Bayesian multilevel approach.

Background: Reliable assessment and understanding of student-athletes' motivation for dual careers are crucial to support their career development and transitions. The purpose of this research was to examine the validity and usefulness of the student-athletes' motivation toward sport and academics questionnaire (SAMSAQ-PT) in the Brazilian higher education context. Four studies were performed.

Multidimensional characteristics of young Brazilian volleyball players: A Bayesian multilevel analysis.

Brazil has been the benchmark for volleyball performance for at least two decades, providing a unique context to examine expertise development. This study examined the variation in body size, functional capacities, motivation for achievement, competitiveness, and deliberate practice of youth volleyball players associated with differences in biological maturity status, chronological age, and accumulated deliberate volleyball practice, adopting a Bayesian multilevel modeling approach. We considered 68 female and 94 male adolescent players (14.

Revisiting the Relative Age Effect From a Multidisciplinary Perspective in Youth Basketball: A Bayesian Analysis.

Relative age effect (RAE) is considered to bias the selection of young athletes and a cause of exclusion of many participants. The goal of the study was to unveil the effects of the birth quarter on physical performances and a set of psychological constructs in the age groups corresponding to the specialization years. A set of surveys with cross-sectional data collected from 2015 to 2019 in youth basketball was used.

Deliberate Practice, Functional Performance and Psychological Characteristics in Young Basketball Players: A Bayesian Multilevel Analysis.

Background: Early sport specialization has increased its popularity mostly based on the deliberate practice theory premises. In this study, we examined the influence of the age of onset of deliberate basketball practice on body size, functional performance (countermovement jump, line drill and yo-yo intermittent recovery level 1), motivation for achievement and competitiveness, motivation for deliberate practice and sources of enjoyment among young Brazilian basketball players. In addition, we adjusted for the influence of gender, age group, maturity status and state basketball federation on the outcomes.

Performance, motivation, and enjoyment in young female basketball players: An interdisciplinary approach.

The purpose of this study was to examine the variation in accumulated basketball training experience, body size, functional performance, deliberate practice motivation, achievement and competitiveness motivation and sources of enjoyment among young female basketball players, partitioning the potential variation by individuals´ biological characteristics (menarche status) and contextual characteristics (competitive age group and competitive level). We considered 114 adolescent female basketball players aged 14.3 (1.

Student-Athletes' Motivation and Identity: Variation Among Brazilian and Portuguese University Student-Athletes.

This study examined the variation of student-athletes' identity and motivation across Portuguese and Brazilian universities, accounting for variation in gender, student-athletes' training hours per week, sports level, student-athletes status within each university, and university type. We initially established the validity of the Baller Identity Measurement Scale questionnaire and the Student-Athletes' Motivation toward Sports and Academics Questionnaire-based observations among 441 Brazilian and Portuguese student-athletes. Then, the validated version of the questionnaires was applied to a total sample of 765 student-athletes from Brazil (n= 568) and Portugal (n = 197).

Development of a Healthy Lifestyle Assessment Toolkit for the General Public.

The prevalence of age-related non-communicable chronic diseases has increased worldwide, being the leading causes of morbidity and death in many world regions, including in Europe. Innovative models and strategies focused on preventive care, including early identification of risk factors underlying disease onset and progression, and proper modification of lifestyle habits and behaviors, might contribute to promote quality of life, healthy living and active aging. Healthy Lifestyle Innovative Quarters for Cities and Citizens (HeaLIQs4cities) is an EIT Health-funded project aiming to engage, empower and educate citizens toward healthy lifestyles.

Longitudinal Changes of Functional Capacities Among Adolescent Female Basketball Players.

The interpretation of young athletes' performance during pubertal years is important to support coaches' decisions, as performance may be erroneously interpreted due to the misalignment between chronological age (CA), biological age (BA) and sport age (SA). Using a Bayesian multilevel approach, the variation in longitudinal changes in performance was examined considering the influence of CA, BA (age at menarche), SA, body size, and exposure to training among female basketball players. The study had a mixed-longitudinal design.

Determinants of drop-out in youth basketball: an interdisciplinary approach.

Using an interdisciplinary approach, we examined the baseline variation in biological maturity status, training experience, body size, functional capacities (Line Drill test and Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery level 1 test) and motivation for achievement, competitiveness and deliberate practice of youth basketball players according to their participation status in the sport two years after assessment. Fifty-seven players were considered (10.5 to 15.

Developmental Benefits of Extracurricular Sports Participation Among Brazilian Youth.

Youth sporting activities have been explored as a way to impact positive personal transformation and development, glaringly demonstrated by world-wide investments in public policies, programs, and projects. We studied positive effects of participation in sports on the developmental assets of 614 adolescents (13.1 ± 1.

Growth, functional capacities and motivation for achievement and competitiveness in youth basketball: an interdisciplinary approach.

The interaction of multiple influences on the path to sport success is not yet fully understood by sport scientists. In this study, we examined variation in body size, functional capacities and motivation for achievement, competitiveness and deliberate practice of youth basketball players associated with differences in biological maturity status, chronological age and years of training experience. Reflecting the importance of interactive effects, we examined the relationships between the psychological variables and functional capacities.

Effects of Youth Participation in Extra-Curricular Sport Programs on Perceived Self-Efficacy: A Multilevel Analysis.

The present study examined extracurricular sport participation variables and developmental context in relationship to perceived self-efficacy among underserved adolescents. Participants ( n = 821, 13.6 ± 1.

Acute Hematological and Inflammatory Responses to High-intensity Exercise Tests: Impact of Duration and Mode of Exercise.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the hematological and inflammatory responses to 4 maximal high-intensity protocols, considering energy expenditure in each test. 9 healthy volunteers performed 4 high-intensity exercise tests of short [Wingate (WANT); Repeated-sprints (RSA)] and long durations [Continuous VO test (VCONT); intermittent VO test (VINT)] in a cycle-ergometer, until exhaustion. Hematological parameters and IL-6, IL-10 and creatine kinase (CK) levels were determined before (PRE), POST, 30 min, 1, 2, 12 and 24 h after the end of the protocols.

Validity and usefulness of the Line Drill test for adolescent basketball players: a Bayesian multilevel analysis.

The study examined the validity of the Line Drill test (LD) in male adolescent basketball players (10-15 years). Sensitiveness of the LD to changes in performance across a training and competition season (4 months) was also considered. Age, maturation, body size and LD were measured (n = 57).

KIR repertory in patients with hematopoietic diseases and healthy family members.

Background: Since the discovery of specific histocompatibility, literature has associated genes involved in the immune response, like the Human Leucocyte Antigen (HLA), with a better prognosis in transplantation. However, other non-HLA genes may also influence the immune process, such as the genes encoding the immunoglobulin-like receptors of natural killer cells (KIRs). The discovery that NK cell KIR receptors interact with conservative epitopes (C1, C2, Bw4) presented in HLA class I molecules that are genetically polymorphic, also observed in KIR genes, led to the investigation of the relevance of the KIR system to hematopoietic stem cell transplant.

Motivation towards dual career of European student-athletes.

The present study aimed to investigate motivations for the dual career of European student-athletes living in countries providing different educational services for elite athletes: State-centric regulation-State as sponsor/facilitator (State), National Sporting Federations/Institutes as intermediary (Federation) and Laisser Faire, no formal structures (No Structure). Therefore, the European Student-athletes' Motivation towards Sports and Academics Questionnaire (SAMSAQ-EU) was administered to 524 European student-athletes. Exploratory Factor Analysis, and Confirmatory Factor Analysis were applied to test the factor structure, and the reliability and validity of the SAMSAQ-EU, respectively.

The path to expertise in youth sport: using a retrospective interview in three different competitive contexts.

The goal of this study was to identify contextual factors in the path to excellence in youth sport. 48 male athletes under 17 years of age (M = 15.7 yr.

Mesenchymal stem cells from different murine tissues have differential capacity to metabolize extracellular nucleotides.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown a great potential for cell-based therapy and many different therapeutic purposes. Despite the recent advances in the knowledge of MSCs biology, their biochemical and molecular properties are still poorly defined. Ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolases (E-NTPDases) and ecto-5'-nucleotidase (eNT/CD73) are widely expressed enzymes that hydrolyze extracellular nucleotides, generating an important cellular signaling cascade.