Competitive achievement may be predicted by executive functions in junior tennis players: An 18-month follow-up study.

This study evaluates whether high levels of executive function predict competition results 18 months later in junior tennis players. Forty junior tennis players (20 girls, 20 boys; 9-15 years old) who regularly participate in prefecture tennis tournaments were recruited. All participants underwent executive function evaluations (the Design Fluency Task) in July 2015 and their prefecture junior rankings in August 2015 and February 2017 were recorded. As a result, after controlling for age and gender, the future ranking (February 2017) was significantly predicted by performance in the Design Fluency Task (ß = -.30, p = .02; ΔR2 = .08), whereas the prediction for August 2015 rank as the baseline was not significant (ß = -.19, p = .17; ΔR2 = .03). After controlling for age, gender, and ranking in the baseline, the change in ranking was significantly predicted by performance in the Design Fluency Task (ß = -.14, p = .02; ΔR2 = .02). This suggests that childhood executive function may play a significant role in success later in life. This study highlights how executive function predicts future success in a specific sport; as such, supporting the development of executive function may contribute to higher competition results.

Compact Surface Plasmon Resonance System with Au/Si Schottky Barrier.

Ethanol concentration was quantified by the use of a compact surface plasmon resonance (SPR) system, which electrically detects hot electrons via a Schottky barrier. Although it is well known that SPR can be used as bio/chemical sensors, implementation is not necessarily practical, due to the size and cost impediments associated with a system with variable wavelength or angle of incidence. However, scanning capability is not a prerequisite if the objective is to use SPR in a sensor. It is possible to build a small, inexpensive SPR sensor if the optics have no moving parts and a Schottky barrier is used for electrical current detection in place of a photodetector. This article reports on the design and performance of such a novel SPR sensor, and its application for quantifying ethanol concentration. As the concentration of ethanol is increased, the change in the angle dependence of the SPR current is observed. This change can be understood as a superposition of contributions of SPR coupled with the +3rd- and -3rd-order diffraction. Moreover, real-time monitoring of ethanol concentration was demonstrated using the proposed SPR system.

Association between perceived exertion and executive functions with serve accuracy among male university tennis players: A pilot study.

Serve in tennis is a very important strokes and is positively correlated with the rankings of the Association of Tennis Professionals ranking. This study investigated the associations between time-course changes in the ratings for perceived exertion, executive function, and second serve accuracy during 30-min tennis exercise sessions. Eleven Japanese male tennis players participated in the study, and their executive function and second serve performance were evaluated using the paper version of the Stroop Color and Word Test, followed by a serve performance test. The participants took part in a 30-min tennis exercise program and performed the Stroop Color and Word Test, heart rate (HR) check, and second serve accuracy test before and after the tennis exercise. Pearson correlation was used to determine the relationships between the ratings for perceived exertion, interference scores on Stroop Color and Word Test performance, and second serve performance. Post exercise, the rating of perceived exertion tended to correlate with serve accuracy (r = -0.57, p = 0.07) and interference score (r = 0.65, p = 0.03). The pre-to-post changes in second serve accuracy were negatively associated with the changes in interference score (r = -0.54, p = 0.08) and interference score in the posttest (r = -0.73, p = 0.01). The results suggest that time-course changes in executive function when playing tennis are positively associated with the accuracy of the second serve. These findings expand the previous knowledge regarding the positive association between time-course changes in executive functions and percentage of points won when playing tennis by including more specific skills (i.e., second serve accuracy).

Balancing academics and athletics: School-level athletes' results are positively associated with their academic performance.

BACKGROUND: Using data from a nationwide high-school sample, the present study aimed to examine whether school-level athletes' sporting results are positively or negatively associated with their academic performance. METHODS: Athletic performance was assessed using the results of spring and summer regional qualifying interschool tennis tournaments in Japan among both male and female tournaments across all prefectures in Japan. Academic performance was assessed using the standardized rank scores for academic performance at the school level, with higher scores denoting superior academic levels; this is the most common measure of academic performance in Japanese high schools. Linear mixed models were conducted to compare the academic performance of high schools with winning and losing records, respectively, for all games together and for the spring and summer tournaments separately. The results of a total of 4,870 games were analyzed. RESULTS: High schools with winning records showed a significantly higher academic-performance score than those with losing records, and this association was stronger among boys than girls. The observed difference in academic-performance scores between the schools with winning and losing records, respectively, was replicated in both tournament settings (i.e., spring and summer). CONCLUSIONS: Athletic results are positively associated with academic performance at the school level. Given the cross-sectional nature of the present study, the present results do not necessarily imply that sports participation can improve academic performance; rather, the present study suggests that balancing academic and athletic commitments is feasible.

Corrigendum: The relationships of sleep duration and inconsistency with the athletic performance of collegiate soft tennis players.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.791805.].

Imeglimin-mediated glycemic control in maternally inherited deafness and diabetes.

Mitochondrial dysfunction causes maternally inherited deafness and diabetes (MIDD). Herein, we report improved glycemic control in a 47-year-old Japanese woman with MIDD using imeglimin without major adverse effects. Biochemical tests and metabolome analysis were performed before and after imeglimin administration. Blood glucose level fluctuations were determined. Sulfonylureas, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP4is), and sodium glucose transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) were administered to evaluate the efficacy of their combination with imeglimin. Imeglimin decreased the HbA1c and ammonia levels and increased the time-in-range, C-peptide reactivity, and glucagon level. Elevated citrulline and histamine levels were decreased by imeglimin. The hypoglycemic effect was not enhanced by imeglimin when combined with sulfonylurea or DPP4i, but the blood glucose level was improved when combined with SGLT2i. Imeglimin improved glucose concentration-dependent insulin secretion and maximized the insulin secretory capacity by improving mitochondrial function and glutamine metabolism and urea circuit abnormalities by promoting glucagon secretion. Imeglimin could improve glycemic control in MIDD.

The Relationships of Sleep Duration and Inconsistency With the Athletic Performance of Collegiate Soft Tennis Players.

We evaluated the relationships of daily sleep duration and inconsistency with soft tennis competitive performance among 15 healthy collegiate soft tennis players (13 male, 2 female, mean age = 19.7 ± 0.8 years, height = 170.8 ± 7.3 cm, weight = 60.3 ± 5.6 kg, soft tennis experience = 8.7 ± 2.0 years). Sleep duration and inconsistency were determined by a 50-day sleep diary, which recorded sleep and wake times of sleep. Soft tennis athletic performance was evaluated by a service and baseline stroke accuracy test and the spider run test. Mean sleep duration was 7.4 ± 1.7 h. No correlation was found between long-term mean sleep duration and athletic performance. But inconsistency in sleep duration (SD of sleep duration) was inversely correlated with service score after controlling for soft tennis experience and sex (r = -0.56, p = 0.046). There was no significant relationship between sleep inconsistency and other athletic performance. This result indicates that reducing the instability of sleep duration (i.e., sleep regular hours) in the long-term may have a positive effect on soft tennis players' service performance. Although participants' current mean sleep duration (7.4 h) was not as sufficient as the recommendation in sleep extension experiments (9-10 h), it revealed the importance for athletes to maintain regular sleep in daily life.

Relationship between attention shifting and tennis performance during singles matches.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive ability, such as attention shifting, during tennis matches may be associated with players' performance through physical ability, technique, and exercise intensity. However, examinations of the relationship between attention shifting and performance in sport are limited to laboratory settings. The present study examined the relationships between exercise intensity, attention shifting, and tennis performance in singles tennis matches involving university tennis players using a field-based approach. METHODS: Sixteen university tennis players participated. Participants were evaluated concerning their attention shifting using a local-global task before a singles tennis match (pre-test: 0 minutes), during the match (inter-test: 30 minutes), and after the match (post-test: 60 minutes). Exercise intensity was evaluated using a heart rate monitor and ratings of perceived exertion. RESULTS: Higher ratings of perceived exertion and longer duration of vigorous physical activity were correlated with lower attention shifting at the inter-test period. Higher attention shifting at inter-test was related to greater tennis performance. CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests that greater attention shifting during a singles tennis match may be related to higher quality tennis performance, and higher exercise intensity and perceived exertion may be associated with impairment of attention shifting during a match. Strategies for maintaining attention shifting during high-intensity physical activity in a tennis singles match may contribute to improved tennis performance.