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The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a 40-min nap opportunity (N40) on performance during, markers of muscle damage and inflammation, and the perception of fatigue and recovery, in response to a 5-m shuttle run test (5msrt). Fifteen male amateur athletes performed the 5msrt under two conditions: N40 and no-nap condition (NN). Blood biomarkers were collected at rest and after the 5msrt to measure muscle damage (i.e., creatinine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT), and alanine aminotransferase (ALAT)) and inflammation (i.e., C-reactive protein (CRP)). RPE was determined immediately after each repetition of the test and PRS and DOMS were determined 5 min, thereafter. Compared to NN, N40 improved the highest distance (p<0.001, Δ=+7.9%) and the total distance (p<0.001, Δ=+7.2%) attained during the 5msrt. Pre and post the 5msrt, participants presented lower muscle damage (i.e., CK, LDH, ASAT and ALAT) and inflammation (i.e., CRP) (p<0.05) values in the N40 compared to NN. Concerning RPE, DOMS, and PRS, there was a positive effect in the N40 vs. NN (p<0.01). N40 represents an effective method for improving repeated high intensity short-term maximal performance, PRS, and associated muscle damage and inflammation, and reducing RPE and DOMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the two different time-of-day effect on team-handball-related short-term maximal physical performances. At two different time-of-day, fifteen young female team handball players performed different physical tests: HandGrip (HG) test, Ball-Throwing Velocity (BTV) test, Modified Agility T-test (MAT) and Repeated Shuttle-Sprint and Jump Ability (RSSJA) test. Rating of perceived exertion (RPE) scale was determined following the termination of the last test. Measurements were performed at two separate testing sessions (i.e., in the morning (7:00–8:30 h) and in the early evening (17:00–18:30 h)) in a randomised and counter-balanced setting on non-consecutive days. The results showed that HG (P = 0.0013), BTV (P = 0.0027) and MAT (P < 0.001) performances were better in the evening compared with the morning. During RSSJA, both best and mean sprint times were shorter in the evening compared to the morning (P < 0.001). Moreover, during the latter test, mean jump performance was higher in the evening compared to the morning (P = 0.026). However, there was no morning–evening difference in the best jump performance during RSSJA. Likewise, jump performance decrement was not affected by the time-of-day of testing. On the other hand, RPE fluctuated, with morning nadirs and afternoon/early evening highest values. The findings suggest that in female team handball players, team-handball-related short-term maximal physical performances were better in the afternoon than in the morning. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We aimed to examine the effect of maintaining or reducing resistance training volume during Ramadan-intermittent-fasting (RIF) on short-term maximal performances. 20 footballers (age: 18.4 ± 0.8 years; body-mass: 72.4 ± 4.1 kg; height: 183.4 ± 4.6 cm) were matched and randomly assigned to a normal-training-group (G1) or a tapering-group (G2). They were tested for muscular strength (maximal-voluntary-contraction) and power (squat-jump and counter-movement-jump) 1 month before RIF (T0), 1 week before RIF (T1), after 2 weeks of fasting (T2) and at the end of RIF (T3). From T1 to T2, subjects performed a whole-body resistance training program (8-repetitions × 4-sets with 4-min recovery in-between). During RIF, G1 maintained the same training program, while G2 performed a period of reduced training volume (3 sets/exercise; -22%). Muscle strength and power increased significantly from T0 to T1, from T0 to T2 and from T0 to T3 in G1 and G2 and from T1 to T2 and from T1 to T3 only in G2 (p < 0.05). Performance was higher in G2 than G1 during T2 (p < 0.01). Moreover, the ?-change of performance between T0 and T2 and T3 was significantly higher in G2 than G1 (p < 0.05). For young soccer players, a tapering period characterized by a reduced training volume during RIF may lead to significant improvement in muscle strength and power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate footballers’ diurnal variation of performance during the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test and the associated biochemical responses. Fifteen male footballers (17.3 ± 0.3 years, 69.1 ± 4.2 kg, 179.7 ± 3.6 cm) performed two randomised Yo-Yo tests at 07:00 h and 17:00 h. Blood samples were collected before and 3 min after each test for the assessment of metabolic responses. Resting oral temperature and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) after and peak heart rate during the Yo-Yo test were recorded at both times-of-day. Core temperature and performances during the Yo-Yo test increased from the morning to the evening (P < 0.0005 andP = 0.01, respectively) without significant time-of-day effects on peak heart rate and RPE. Moreover, pre- and post-Yo-Yo test biochemical parameters (high-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, glucose, creatine-kinase) were higher at 17:00 h than 07:00 h (160.45 ± 18.68vs.173.73 ± 14.48 before and 191.18 ± 21.13vs.219.27 ± 27.74 IU · L−1after the Yo-Yo test at 07:00 h and 17:00 h,P = 0.032 andP < 0.0005, respectively for creatine-kinase). Only post-exercise lactate levels were higher in the evening (9.82 ± 0.65vs.10.86 ± 0.33 mmol · L−1,P < 0.0005) with all biochemical variables being increased after the exercise (P < 0.0005). These findings suggest a possible link between the diurnal fluctuation of metabolic responses and the related pattern of specific-endurance performances in footballers. Therefore, the higher biochemical responses observed in the evening could explain, partially, the greater performance and metabolic solicitation at this time-of-day. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Aggressiveness of 14 Phoma medicaginis isolates obtained from Medicago truncatula (barrel medic) and M. ciliaris (ciliate medic) growing in Tunisia was measured after inoculation on leaves and roots of M. truncatula. The ability of one isolate to cause disease on M. sativa (alfalfa), Cicer arietinum (chickpea), Pisum sativum (pea), Lens culinaris (lentil) and Phaseolus vulgaris (common bean) was also tested. The pathogen caused dark lesions that enlarged and coalesced causing yellowing and premature abscission of leaves, resulting in decreased shoot fresh weight in barrel medic plants. All P. medicaginis isolates infected barrel medic roots causing collar rot, brown root discoloration, yellowing of cotyledons and reduced shoot and root development. The pathogen colonized the cortex and the stele of plants and produced fertile pycnidia on infected roots. Symptoms on leaves allowed for greater discrimination in aggressiveness among isolates in comparison to symptoms on roots. No correlations were observed between the parameters measured on leaves and roots suggesting organ specialization in this pathogen. Phoma medicaginis infected leaves of alfalfa, pea, common bean and chickpea causing necrosis and tissue yellowing at 15 d post inoculation (dpi). Pycnidium production was observed on dead and dying foliar tissues of alfalfa, pea and common bean, but not on chickpea. The pathogen caused symptoms of collar rot and brown root discoloration on alfalfa, chickpea, pea and common bean, but did not cause symptoms on leaves or roots of lentil at 15 dpi. Phoma medicaginis was more pathogenic on barrel medic, the host of origin, in comparison to the other legumes, suggesting that these species are likely to be secondary hosts for this pathogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]