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Introduction: Football analysis has experienced significant growth in recent years as an applied research field. This study aims to contribute to this area by applying the chain on goals model to analyze both the attacking and defensive phases of football matches. Additionally, it introduces four practical concepts to better understand player and team performance in Spain's professional football leagues. Method: Data for the 2023/24 season were collected from Football Reference, covering both men's (LaLiga) and women's (LigaF) leagues. Variables analyzed included team performance, attack and defensive performance, goals saved above average (GSAA), goals and possession value (PV), expected goals (xG), and xG on target (xGOT) for attack and defensive phases. Four practical concepts analyzed were off-ball movement (PV-xG), player's offensive quality (xG-xGOT), team's positioning (PVA-xGA), and player's defensive quality (xGA-xGOTA). Descriptive and comparative statistical analyses were performed to compare all variables between the two leagues using an Independent Student's test. Additionally, correlation coefficients were calculated to examine the relationships between the four concepts. Results: Significant differences were observed between leagues in defensive performance (p = 0.03) and GSAA (p < 0.001). Practical concepts revealed disparities in off-ball movement and team's positioning (p < 0.001 in both). No correlations were found between off-ball movement and player's offensive quality or between team's positioning and player's defensive quality. Conclusions: The Spanish women's league exhibited defensive weaknesses, conceding more goals and showing lower goalkeeper performance. PV was the most influential variable in the women's league, while xG was critical in the men's league. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Electrical nerve stimulation is an effective therapeutic tool in the field of rehabilitation for the management of musculoskeletal conditions. Objective: To analyze the muscle activity of the short head of the biceps femoris (SHBF) and long head of the biceps femoris (LHBF) after the application of percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation to the common fibular versus tibial nerve compartment of the sciatic nerve. Methods: Thirty-eight healthy subjects received electrical stimulation (asymmetric biphasic rectangular waveforms) through a needle in the sciatic nerve. The sample was divided into two groups in which the technique was applied to the lateral compartment versus medial compartment of the nerve, respectively. The protocol used included 5 s of stimulation at a frequency of 100 Hz and a phase duration of 350 ms, followed by 55 s of rest, for 5 min. The electrical activity of the SHBF and LHBF and the muscle strength of the knee flexors was assessed by surface electromyography during isometric knee flexion in the prone position. Results: Neither group showed significant changes (p > 0.05) in any variable after the intervention compared with baseline values. Similarly, there were no significant differences in any of the study variables when comparing both groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Selective stimulation of the sciatic nerve by percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation had no measurable effects on muscle activity in the SHBF or LHBF, regardless of the approach applied. Trial registration number: NCT05549700 (ClinicalTrials.gov). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The epistemologies generated from colonized spaces such as Latin America and the Caribbean have been excluded from the dominant Euro‐ and US‐centric discourses of community psychology. Modern science is compartmentalized into disciplines forming silos and boundaries among them. Historically, psychology has been authored by European or North American White men, claiming superior expertise as detached researchers who study, analyze, interpret, and represent the inferior objects of study. Therefore, we should ask: what type of knowledges does psychology generate, with whom, and for what? Our praxis constitutes a political act which should question and challenge coloniality. In Latin America and the Caribbean, we became increasingly aware of the importance of generating knowledges about the communal (lo común) based on the experiences of Indigenous people in the Americas. Epistemologies from Abya Yala delink from the hegemonic, US‐Eurocentric paradigms and address the structural violence of the neoliberal system. To co‐create an inclusive and pluriversal discipline of psychology, we need to disrupt the linguistic colonization executed by the imposition of the English language legitimized as universal. We ought to convey the many examples of epistemologies and praxes from Abya Yala that contribute to the co‐construction of decolonial psychologies emerging from their own localities and cultures. We propose counterepistemologies that disrupt a monocultural, monolingustic, universal, and hegemonic epistemology. This paper reviews selected decolonial contributions from Abya Yala and sketches pathways toward the making of decolonial community psychologies anchored in pluriversal ecologies of knowledges. Highlights: Centering Indigenous community psychologies contributes to decolonialityCommunity psychologies, Indigenous psychologies, and feminist contributions in Abya YalaDecolonial community psychologies web solidarity with communities' strugglesDecolonial community psychologies promote collective well‐being that includes the rights of the EarthPluriversal ecologies of knowledges and praxes sustain Indigenous cosmovisions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intracellular bacterial pathogens pose significant public health challenges due to their ability to evade immune defenses and conventional antibiotics. Drug repurposing has recently been explored as a strategy to discover new therapeutic uses for established drugs to combat these infections. Utilizing high-throughput screening, bioinformatics, and systems biology, several existing drugs have been identified with potential efficacy against intracellular bacteria. For instance, neuroleptic agents like thioridazine and antipsychotic drugs such as chlorpromazine have shown effectiveness against Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes. Furthermore, anticancer drugs including tamoxifen and imatinib have been repurposed to induce autophagy and inhibit bacterial growth within host cells. Statins and anti-inflammatory drugs have also demonstrated the ability to enhance host immune responses against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The review highlights the complex mechanisms these pathogens use to resist conventional treatments, showcases successful examples of drug repurposing, and discusses the methodologies used to identify and validate these drugs. Overall, drug repurposing offers a promising approach for developing new treatments for bacterial infections, addressing the urgent need for effective antimicrobial therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Football analysis is an applied research area that has seen a huge upsurge in recent years. More complex analysis to understand the soccer players' or teams' performances during matches is required. The objective of this study was to prove the usefulness of the expected goals on target (xGOT) metric, as a good indicator of a soccer team's performance in professional Spanish football leagues, both in the women's and men's categories. Method: The data for the Spanish teams were collected from the statistical website Football Reference. The 2023/24 season was analyzed for Spanish leagues, both in the women's and men's categories (LigaF and LaLiga, respectively). For all teams, the following variables were calculated: goals, possession value (PV), expected goals (xG) and xGOT. All data obtained for each variable were normalized by match (90 min). A descriptive and correlational statistical analysis was carried out. Results: In the men's league, this study found a high correlation between goals per match and xGOT (R2 = 0.9248) while in the women's league, there was a high correlation between goals per match (R2 = 0.9820) and xG and between goals per match and xGOT (R2 = 0.9574). Conclusions: In the LaLiga, the xGOT was the best metric that represented the match result while in the LigaF, the xG and the xGOT were the best metrics that represented the match score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The performance of sprints during male soccer matches usually is slow medium paced, where the soleus and gastrocnemius (ankle plantar flexors) play a very important role. As in male soccer, soleus injuries should be considered in female soccer; but the scientific evidence is very limited in this case. Design: Pilot clinical trial study. Objective: To determine whether adding an ultrasound-guided percutaneous needle electrolysis (US-guided PNE) technique to a specific exercise program improved perceived pain at stretching and at palpation, ankle dorsiflexion range of motion, muscle fatigue, and sport performance in women soccer players with soleus injury. Methods: This pilot study recruited 20 female players with chronic soleus injury (type 1, characterized by hypoechoic image) who were assigned to one of 2 groups: an experimental group (exercise program + US-guided PNE; n = 10) or a control group (exercise program + sham stimulation; n = 10). Pain intensity, dorsiflexion range of motion, knee-flexion heel raise test, curve sprint test, and the global rating of change scale were analyzed at baseline and after treatment (4 wk) and there was no further follow-up. Results: Pain intensity at palpation and at stretching, dorsiflexion range of motion, and heel raise test values showed significant improvements (P < .05) between pretreatment and posttreatment for both groups, however, no significant differences were observed between groups. Curve sprint tests did not show significant differences between pretreatment and posttreatment for either group or between groups. However, the percentage of changes always revealed better values in favor of the PNE group. Both groups showed good player satisfaction with the therapies. Conclusion: The application of the US-guided PNE combined with a specific exercise program may cause clinical benefits in the treatment of female soccer players with soleus injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cough is a frequent symptom in many common respiratory diseases and is considered a predictor of early exacerbation or even disease progression. Continuous cough monitoring offers valuable insights into treatment effectiveness, aiding healthcare providers in timely intervention to prevent exacerbations and hospitalizations. Objective cough monitoring methods have emerged as superior alternatives to subjective methods like questionnaires. In recent years, cough has been monitored using wearable devices equipped with microphones. However, the discrimination of cough sounds from background noise has been shown a particular challenge. This study aimed to demonstrate the effectiveness of single-axis acceleration signals combined with state-of-the-art deep learning (DL) algorithms to distinguish intentional coughing from sounds like speech, laugh, or throat noises. Various DL methods (recurrent, convolutional, and deep convolutional neural networks) combined with one- and two-dimensional time and time–frequency representations, such as the signal envelope, kurtogram, wavelet scalogram, mel, Bark, and the equivalent rectangular bandwidth spectrum (ERB) spectrograms, were employed to identify the most effective approach. The optimal strategy, which involved the SqueezeNet model in conjunction with wavelet scalograms, yielded an accuracy and precision of 92.21% and 95.59%, respectively. The proposed method demonstrated its potential for cough monitoring. Future research will focus on validating the system in spontaneous coughing of subjects with respiratory diseases under natural ambulatory conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Lateral epicondylalgia (LE) refers to a painful condition at or around the lateral epicondyle of the humerus. LE is one of the most common injuries of the elbow; however, the cause of the pathology is not clear. Patients often experience symptoms consistent with a radial nerve injury; however, data on the involvement of the radial nerve are needed. Objective: To analyze the relationship between electrophysiologic excitability and morphology of the radial nerve in patients with unilateral chronic LE. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Department of Physiotherapy, University of Seville. Patients: A total of 56 elbows (28 right, 28 left) in 28 patients (12 females, 16 males; age 49 [7.37] y) were recruited by convenience sampling. Main Outcome Measures: Strength–duration curves (chronaxia and accommodation index) and cross-sectional area (CSA) of the radial nerve were made in all participants. All parameters were compared between both limbs. Also, pain with palpation in the lateral epicondyle and functional pain of involved extremities was assessed using visual analog scale and the Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation, respectively. Results: Symptomatic limb showed higher CSA values of the radial nerve when compared with the asymptomatic limb (P <.001). On the symptomatic limb, duration of symptoms was positively correlated with CSA values. Chronaxia values were all normal and similar between both limbs (P =.35). Regarding accommodation index, 14 (54%) patients showed accommodation indices that suggested pathological radial nerve on the right limb, 4 (14%) on the left limb, 5 (18%) on both limbs, and 4 (14%) had none of the affected nerves. Eight-six percent of patients showed accommodation indices that suggested pathological radial nerve, independently of symptomatic limb. In these cases, affected nerves had higher CSA than the unaffected nerve (P =.01). On the affected nerves, duration of symptoms was positively correlated with accommodation indices. Conclusions: These findings suggest that patients with unilateral chronic LE show a decreased excitability in any radial nerve, independently of the symptomatic limb, and that pathological nerves have higher CSA than the nonpathological nerves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cats play an important role as pets in the present society. Thus, the knowledge about their main diseases and causes of death is fundamental to prevent various pathologies. However, when dealing with domestic cats there are very few researches in Veterinary Medicine. The aim of this study is to identify the causes of death of cats through a retrospective study of necropsies in the Animal Pathology Laboratory in the Federal University of Uberlândia (Brazil), in a period of 36 years, in which 350 cat necropsies were conducted. The most frequent causes of death of these animals were digestive system diseases (48 cats – 13.71%), and among them, feline hepatic lipidosis was the most frequent etiology (18.75%). The second most affected system was the respiratory (10.86%) and acute pneumonia, pulmonary edema, and diaphragmatic hernia were the main diseases to cause death of cats with some kind of disorder in this system. Other decease causes were rabies, squamous cell carcinoma, fibrous osteodystrophy, fractures and traumatism, hypovolemic shock, and feline lower urinary tract disease. This type of analysis can provide basic information about the most common diseases in felines, contributing with veterinarians as they adopt control and prevention actions against diseases.

Substantive barriers to research, such as cultural, language, and methodological variables, exist in Hispanic-serving institutions. Historical and contextual variables account for the differences between academic settings with research-intensive centers and those with limited infrastructure for competitive research. We provide a case example to serve as a model for developing and strengthening the research infrastructure in Hispanic-serving institutions and for providing the mentorship Latino investigators may need to compete with other investigators in research-intensive centers. We present recommendations to reduce these barriers. (doi:10.2105/AJPH.2007.121731)

Background: Limited hip internal rotation range of motion (IR-ROM) and hip abductor weakness are recognized in low back pain (LBP) sufferers. The main aim was to investigate the effect of a ultrasound (US)-guided percutaneous neuromodulation (PNM) technique on hip strength in people with LBP. A second purpose was to discover whether the location along the sciatic nerve, where percutaneous neuromodulation was applied, could influence the change of strength response in these patients. Methods: Sixty LBP sufferers were recruited and divided randomly into three groups. All participants received an isolated percutaneous electrical stimulation at one of three different locations of the sciatic nerve pathway (proximal, middle, and distal), depending on the assigned group. Pain intensity, hip passive IR-ROM, hip muscle strength, and the Oswestry disability index (ODI) were analyzed. All variables were calculated before the intervention and one week after the intervention. Results: All interventions significantly decreased pain intensity and improved the IR-ROMs, strength, and functionality after one week (p = 0.001). However, between-group (treatment x time) differences were reported for flexion strength in the non-intervention limb (p = 0.029) and ODI (p = 0.021), although the effect size was small (Eta2 = 0.1) in both cases. Conclusions: The application of an isolated intervention of the US-guided PNM technique may be a useful therapeutic tool to increase the hip muscle strength in patients with chronic LBP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The building industry generates millions of tons of construction and demolition waste annually (12 million tons/year are generated in Mexico, of which only 4% is reused or recycled). Concomitantly, the demand for goods and services by the building industry causes significant environmental impacts. On the other hand, plastic waste is also difficult to assimilate into the environment in the short term, and its recovery is of special interest. Therefore, this research focuses on the feasibility of the manufacture of Partition Blocks (essential building element) through the combination of construction and demolition waste (CDW), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic flakes, dust from tire shredding, and residue from the sugar industry (bagasse). The results of this study show that the Partition Blocks made with CDW and PET reach an average compressive strength of 115.003 kgf/cm2 (11.278 MPa) (suitable for structural use according to Mexican regulations); the use of lime enhances the consistency of the mixture of CDW and PET (increases its cohesion and homogeneity); and finally, these Partition Blocks have a cost comparable to the current conventional Partition Blocks made with virgin material, thus, conferring them validity as a feasible recycling option for these residues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The rise of Big Data, the widespread use of Machine Learning, and the cheapening of omics techniques have allowed for the creation of more sophisticated and accurate models in biomedical research. This article presents the state-of-the-art predictive models of cancer prognosis that use multimodal data, considering clinical, molecular (omics and non-omics), and image data. The subject of study, the data modalities used, the data processing and modelling methods applied, the validation strategies involved, the integration strategies encompassed, and the evolution of prognostic predictive models are discussed. Finally, we discuss challenges and opportunities in this field of cancer research, with great potential impact on the clinical management of patients and, by extension, on the implementation of personalised and precision medicine. Cancer is one of the most detrimental diseases globally. Accordingly, the prognosis prediction of cancer patients has become a field of interest. In this review, we have gathered 43 state-of-the-art scientific papers published in the last 6 years that built cancer prognosis predictive models using multimodal data. We have defined the multimodality of data as four main types: clinical, anatomopathological, molecular, and medical imaging; and we have expanded on the information that each modality provides. The 43 studies were divided into three categories based on the modelling approach taken, and their characteristics were further discussed together with current issues and future trends. Research in this area has evolved from survival analysis through statistical modelling using mainly clinical and anatomopathological data to the prediction of cancer prognosis through a multi-faceted data-driven approach by the integration of complex, multimodal, and high-dimensional data containing multi-omics and medical imaging information and by applying Machine Learning and, more recently, Deep Learning techniques. This review concludes that cancer prognosis predictive multimodal models are capable of better stratifying patients, which can improve clinical management and contribute to the implementation of personalised medicine as well as provide new and valuable knowledge on cancer biology and its progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to compare by ultrasound imaging (USI) the tibial posterior (TP), medial gastrocnemius (MG) and soleus muscle in patients with and without plantar fasciitis (PF). A sample of 42 individuals was recruited and divided into two groups: PF and a healthy group. The thickness, cross-sectional area (CSA), echointensity and echovariation were assessed in both groups by USI. TP, soleus and MG variables did not report differences (p > 0.05) for thickness and CSA. For the echotexture parameters significant differences were found for MG echointensity (p = 0.002), MG echovariation (p = 0.002) and soleus echointensity (p = 0.012). Non-significant differences (p > 0.05) were reported for soleus echovariation, TP echointensity and TP echovariation variables. The thickness and CSA of the TP, GM and soleus muscle did not show significant differences between individuals with and without PF measured by USI. Muscle quality assessment reported an increase of the MG echointensity and echovariation, as well as a decrease of echointensity of the soleus muscle in the PF group with respect to the healthy group. Therefore, the evaluation of the structure and muscle quality of the extrinsic foot muscles may be beneficial for the diagnosis and monitoring the physical therapy interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The primary aim of the present study was to compare the echo intensity (EI) and echovariation (EV) of the intrinsic foot muscles (IFMs) between individuals with and without plantar fasciitis (PF), using ultrasound imaging. The secondary objective was to study the intra-rater reliability of the echotexture variables. Methods: A case–control study was conducted with 64 participants, who were divided into the following two groups: A, the PF group (n = 32); B, the healthy group (n = 32). Results: The comparison between the two groups did not identify significant differences (p > 0.05) between the flexor hallucis brevis (FHB), flexor digitorum brevis (FDB), quadratus plantae (QP) and abductor hallucis brevis (AHB) variables for the EI and EV. Moreover, excellent intra-rater reliability was reported for the following ultrasound imaging EI variables: ABH (ICC = 0.951), FHB (ICC = 0.949), FDB (ICC = 0.981) and QP (ICC = 0.984). Conclusions: The muscle quality assessment using the EI and EV variables did not identify differences in the FHB, FDB, AHB and QP muscles between individuals with and without PF through USI evaluation. The reliability of all the IFM measurements was reported to be excellent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The application of Poincaré-plot analysis to heart-rate variability (HRV) is a common method for the assessment of autonomic balance. However, results obtained from the indexes provided by this analysis tend to be difficult to interpret. In this study the authors aimed to prove the usefulness of 2 new indexes: the stress score (SS) and the sympathetic:parasympathetic ratio (S:PS ratio). Methods: 25 professional Spanish soccer players from same team underwent 330 resting measurements of HRV. All subjects experienced 10 min of HRV monitoring through an R-R-interval recorder. The following parameters were calculated: (1) Poincaré-plot indexes: SD1 (transverse axis), which is proportional to parasympathetic activity; SD2 (longitudinal axis), which is inversely proportional to sympathetic activity; and the SD1:SD2 ratio; (2) time-domain parameters: standard deviation of R-R intervals (SDNN), root-mean-square differences of successive heartbeat intervals (rMSSD), and percentage of successive R-R-interval pairs differing in more than 50 ms in the entire recording divided by the total number of R-R intervals (pNN50); and (3) the proposed 2 new indexes: the SS and the S:PS ratio. Results: The study found a high negative correlation between the SS and SDNN (R² = .94). The S:PS ratio correlated inversely to rMSSD (R² = .95), SDNN (R² = .94), and pNN50 (R² = .74). The S:PS ratio showed a strong correlation with SD1 (R² = .95) and SS (r = .87, R² = .88). Conclusions: The application of the SS as sympathetic-activity index and the S:PS ratio as a representation of autonomic balance (SS:SD1) provides a better understanding of the Poincaré-plot method in HRV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]