Lower Extremity Stretch-Shortening Cycle Performance in the Vertical and Horizontal Direction as Key Determinants of Success in Collegiate Male Taekwondo.

Background/objectives: The underlying mechanisms of taekwondo-specific jumping ability among different competition levels are still unknown. This study aimed to compare vertical and horizontal stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) performance between athletes of different competitive levels and examine the relationships of force and power production abilities between those two directions in Taiwanese collegiate-level male taekwondo athletes.

Methods: Seventeen male collegiate taekwondo athletes were divided into two groups: medalists (MG, n = 8) and non-medalists (NMG, n = 9); both groups performed countermovement jumps (CMJ) on a force platform and single-leg lateral hops (SLLHs) via an optoelectronic measurement system.

Engineering hydrogen bonding at tyrosine-201 in the orange carotenoid protein using halogenated analogues.

The Orange Carotenoid Protein (OCP) is a unique water-soluble photoactive protein that plays a critical role in regulating the balance between light harvesting and photoprotective responses in cyanobacteria. The challenge in understanding OCP´s photoactivation mechanism stems from the heterogeneity of the initial configurations of its embedded ketocarotenoid, which in the dark-adapted state can form up to two hydrogen bonds to critical amino acids in the protein's C-terminal domain, and the extremely low quantum yield of primary photoproduct formation. While a series of experiments involving point mutations within these contacts helped us to identify these challenges, they did not resolve them.

Prediction of Persistent Tumor Status in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Post-Radiotherapy-Related Treatment: A Machine Learning Approach.

The duration of the response to radiotherapy-related treatment is a critical prognostic indicator for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Persistent tumor status, including residual tumor presence and early recurrence, is associated with poorer survival outcomes. To address this, we developed a prediction model to identify patients at a high risk of persistent tumor status prior to initiating treatment.

Low Versus High Levels of Social Cognition Impairment and Their Associations With Specific Schizophrenia Symptom Domains.

Objective: Social cognition is defined as the ability to construct mental representations about oneself, others, and one's relationships with others to guide social behaviors, including referring to mental states (cognitive factor) and understanding emotional states (affective factor). Difficulties in social cognition may be symptoms of schizophrenia. The authors examined associations between two factors of social cognition and specific schizophrenia symptoms, as well as a potential path from low-level affective perceptual social cognition to high-level social cognition, which may be associated with schizophrenia symptoms.

Periodontitis Increases Gingival, Serum and Hippocampus β-Amyloid Expressions but Reduces Neurovascular Coupling in Basilar Artery of Rats.

Aim: Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by early increased beta-amyloid (Aβ) and decreased cerebrovascular reactivity. We investigated Aβ in gingiva, serum or hippocampus and neurovascular reactivity in basilar artery (BA) of periodontitis rats, to test the impact of Aβ on BA vasoreactivity ex vivo.

Materials And Methods: Periodontitis was induced in 32 rats using silk-ligation.