The Great British Medalists Project: A Review of Current Knowledge on the Development of the World's Best Sporting Talent.

The literature base regarding the development of sporting talent is extensive, and includes empirical articles, reviews, position papers, academic books, governing body documents, popular books, unpublished theses and anecdotal evidence, and contains numerous models of talent development. With such a varied body of work, the task for researchers, practitioners and policy makers of generating a clear understanding of what is known and what is thought to be true regarding the development of sporting talent is particularly challenging. Drawing on a wide array of expertise, we address this challenge by avoiding adherence to any specific model or area and by providing a reasoned review across three key overarching topics: (a) the performer; (b) the environment; and (c) practice and training.

Using portable NIRS to compare arm and leg muscle oxygenation during roller skiing in biathletes: a case study.

Portable near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has been shown to be a useful and reliable tool for monitoring muscle oxygenation and blood volume changes during dynamic exercise in elite athletes. The wearable nature of such technology permits the measurement of specific muscles/muscle groups during realistic sport-specific exercise tasks in an outdoor environment. The aim of this case study was to observe the effect on arm and leg muscle oxygenation of roller skiing over a typical outdoor racing course.

Effect of race distance on muscle oxygenation in short-track speed skating.

Purpose: Previous work identified an asymmetry in tissue desaturation changes in the left and right quadriceps muscles during on-ice skating at maximal speed in males. The effect of changing race distance on the magnitude of desaturation or leg asymmetry is unknown.

Methods: Six elite male skaters (age = 23 ± 1.

NIRS measurements with elite speed skaters: comparison between the ice rink and the laboratory.

Wearable, wireless near-infrared (NIR) spectrometers were used to compare changes in on-ice short-track skating race simulations over 1,500 m with a 3-min cycle ergometry test at constant power output (400 W). The subjects were six male elite short-track speed skaters. Both protocols elicited a rapid desaturation (∆TSI%) in the muscle during early stages (initial 20 s); however, asymmetry between right and left legs was seen in ΔTSI% for the skating protocol, but not for cycling.

Asymmetry of quadriceps muscle oxygenation during elite short-track speed skating.

Purpose: It has been suggested that, because of the low sitting position in short-track speed skating, muscle blood flow is restricted, leading to decreases in tissue oxygenation. Therefore, wearable wireless-enabled near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technology was used to monitor changes in quadriceps muscle blood volume and oxygenation during a 500-m race simulation in short-track speed skaters.

Methods: Six elite skaters, all of Olympic standard (age = 23 ± 1.

Genome-wide association study of blood pressure extremes identifies variant near UMOD associated with hypertension.

Hypertension is a heritable and major contributor to the global burden of disease. The sum of rare and common genetic variants robustly identified so far explain only 1%-2% of the population variation in BP and hypertension. This suggests the existence of more undiscovered common variants.

The effects of sex and method of blood pressure measurement on genetic associations with blood pressure in the PAMELA study.

Background: Phenotypic accuracy and specificity are essential for a successful genetic association study. Blood pressure (BP) measurements show heterogeneity depending on the method and time of measurement, sexual dimorphism and measurement errors, making genetic dissection difficult.

Methods And Results: We studied 1550 adults aged 25-74 years, not on any antihypertensive treatment, resident in Monza, Italy (PAMELA study) all of whom had home, clinic and ambulatory BPs measured.

Influence of timing of postexercise carbohydrate-protein ingestion on selected immune indices.

The aim of the study was to determine the influence of immediate and 1-hr-delayed carbohydrate (CHO) and protein (PRO) feeding after prolonged exercise on leukocyte trafficking, bacterially stimulated neutrophil degranulation, saliva secretory IgA (S-IgA) responses, and circulating stress hormones. In randomized order, separated by 1 wk, 9 male runners completed 3 feeding interventions after 2 hr of running at 75% VO2max. During control (CON), participants received water (12 ml/kg body mass [BM]) immediately and 1 hr postexercise.

One night of sleep deprivation decreases treadmill endurance performance.

The aim was to test the hypothesis that one night of sleep deprivation will impair pre-loaded 30 min endurance performance and alter the cardio-respiratory, thermoregulatory and perceptual responses to exercise. Eleven males completed two randomised trials separated by 7 days: once after normal sleep (496 (18) min: CON) and once following 30 h without sleep (SDEP). After 30 h participants performed a 30 min pre-load at 60% [VO(2 max) followed by a 30 min self-paced treadmill distance test.

Neutrophil-degranulation and lymphocyte-subset response after 48 hr of fluid and/or energy restriction.

The aim was to investigate the effects of 48 hr of fluid, energy, or combined fluid and energy restriction on circulating leukocyte and lymphocyte subset counts (CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+) and bacterially stimulated neutrophil degranulation at rest and after exercise. Thirteen healthy men (M +/- SEM age 21 +/- 1 yr) participated in 4 randomized 48-hr trials. During control (CON) participants received their estimated energy (2,903 +/- 17 kcal/day) and fluid (3,912 +/- 140 ml/day) requirements.

No effect of a 30-h period of sleep deprivation on leukocyte trafficking, neutrophil degranulation and saliva IgA responses to exercise.

A one night period without sleep is not uncommon amongst athletes travelling across time zones and military personnel during training and operations. However, the effect of one night without sleep on immune indices in response to strenuous exercise remains unknown. The objective was to determine the effect of one night without sleep on immune indices in response to subsequent strenuous exercise.

Saliva indices track hypohydration during 48h of fluid restriction or combined fluid and energy restriction.

Objective: To investigate whether unstimulated whole saliva flow rate (UFR) and osmolality (Sosm) track changes in hydration status during 48h of restricted fluid intake (RF) or combined fluid and energy restriction (RF+RE). Following the 48h periods, UFR and Sosm were assessed after acute exercise dehydration and rehydration.

Design: Thirteen healthy males completed three trials in a randomised order: control (CON) where participants received their estimated energy (12,154+/-230kJ/d: mean+/-S.

CDH1 gene polymorphisms, smoking, Helicobacter pylori infection and the risk of gastric cancer in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-EURGAST).

Despite declining incidence rates, gastric cancer (GC) is a major cause of death worldwide. E-Cadherin is an adhesion molecule that is thought to be involved in GC. Germline mutations in the E-Cadherin gene (CDH1) have been identified in hereditary diffuse GC.

Human blood neutrophil responses to prolonged exercise with and without a thermal clamp.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of prolonged exercise with and without a thermal clamp on neutrophil trafficking, bacterial-stimulated neutrophil degranulation, stress hormones, and cytokine responses. Thirteen healthy male volunteers (means +/- SE: age 21 +/- 1 yr; mass 74.9 +/- 2.

Effect of exercise with and without a thermal clamp on the plasma heat shock protein 72 response.

The contribution of heat and exercise related stress to the release of heat shock protein 72 (HSP72) is currently unknown. The purpose of the present study was to determine the combined and independent effects of heat and exercise on the extracellular (e)HSP72 response. Eleven moderately trained male volunteers [means +/- SD: age 21 +/- 4 yr; body mass 75.

Salivary immunoglobulin A response at rest and after exercise following a 48 h period of fluid and/or energy restriction.

The aim was to investigate the effects of a 48 h period of fluid, energy or combined fluid and energy restriction on salivary IgA (s-IgA) responses at rest and after exercise. Thirteen healthy males (age 21 (sem 1) years) participated in four randomised 48 h trials. In the control trial participants received their estimated energy (12,154 (sem 230) kJ/d) and water (3912 (sem 140) ml/d) requirements.

Endurance running performance after 48 h of restricted fluid and/or energy intake.

Purpose: To determine the effect of a 48-h period of either fluid restriction (FR), energy restriction (ER), or fluid and energy restriction (F + ER) on 30-min treadmill time trial (TT) performance in temperate conditions.

Methods: Thirteen males participated in four randomized 48-h trials (mean +/- SD: age, 21 +/- 3 yr; VO2max 50.9 +/- 4.

The influence of an arduous military training program on immune function and upper respiratory tract infection incidence.

The effects of the first 19 weeks of U.K. Parachute Regiment (PARA) training on upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) incidence and immune function (circulating leukocyte counts, lymphocyte subsets, lipopolysaccharide-stimulated neutrophil degranulation, and salivary immunoglobulin A concentrations) were investigated for 14 PARA recruits and 12 control subjects.

Neutrophil degranulation response to 2 hours of exercise in a 30 degrees C environment.

Introduction: Evidence supports an interaction between neuro-endocrine responses to exercise and immune responses to exercise. We hypothesized that prolonged exercise in the heat would evoke a greater stress hormone response and a greater decrease in neutrophil degranulation [lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated elastase release] than when the same exercise was performed in thermoneutral conditions.

Methods: In counterbalanced order and separated by 7 d, 13 male cyclists cycled for 2 h at 62 +/- 3% VO2max (mean +/- SEM), with ad libitum water intake, on one occasion with heat (HOT: 30.

Allelic association of the human homologue of the mouse modifier Ptprj with breast cancer.

Human homologues of mouse cancer modifier genes may play a role in cancer risk and prognosis. A proportion of the familial risk of common cancers may be attributable to variants in such genes, each contributing to a small effect. The protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type J (PTPRJ) has been recently identified as being the protein encoded by the Scc1 mouse gene (susceptibility to colon cancer-1).

Saliva parameters as potential indices of hydration status during acute dehydration.

Purpose: Firstly, to identify whether saliva flow rate, osmolality, and total protein are potential markers of hydration, we compared changes in these parameters with changes in plasma osmolality during progressive dehydration. Secondly, we compared the sensitivity of saliva parameters to track hydration changes with the sensitivity of urine osmolality. Thirdly, to test the hypothesis that dehydration, rather than neuroendocrine regulation, is responsible for the decrease in saliva flow rate during prolonged exercise, we compared flow rate and catecholamine responses to prolonged exercise with and without fluids.