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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Occupational Safety and Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 March 2023) | Viewed by 10119

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Prof. Dr. Ewelina Maculewicz

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Guest Editor

Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Physical Education, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education, 00-968 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: genes; nutritional; cytokine
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Andrzej Mastalerz

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Guest Editor

Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Physical Education, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education, 00-968 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: biomechanics; physical activity; training; overload; ergonomics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Physical fitness and hygiene of physical work are important areas of public health. Selected environmental and genetic factors related to physical fitness and hygiene of work will be described in this Special Issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Environmental factors affecting human health included in the Special Issue come from chemical factors (aviation fuel, radiation), physical factors (overload), biological factors (COVID-19), and diet (nutritional profiles and nutritional status). The influence of genetic factors has also been demonstrated. Publications in this issue should present the origin of these factors, as well as the effects of their occurrence. The results of included research should be in the form of original papers containing previously unpublished results, as well as in the form of a meta-analysis of the results of many individual studies that were previously described in original publications concerning the subject. Moreover, invited to the Special Issue are publications that describe methods, means, and tools to counteract these dangers. These include, among others, physical activity, nutritional supplementation, lifestyle, and learning methods. Additionally, the relationship between health dangers and genetic polymorphisms will be demonstrated.

Dr. Ewelina Maculewicz
Prof. Dr. Andrzej Mastalerz
Guest Editors

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Keywords

physical activity
injury
learning
health risk
Covid-19
overload
genetic variants
dietary
nutritional status

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 1259 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Does Multi-Strain Probiotic Supplementation Impact the Effort Capacity of Competitive Road Cyclists?

by Paulina Mazur-Kurach, Barbara Frączek and Andrzej T. Klimek

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 12205; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912205 - 26 Sep 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2991

Abstract

(1) Background: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of multi-strain probiotic supplementation on the physical capacity and selected health indicators related to the exercise capacity of competitive road cyclists such as body composition, markers of intestinal permeability, pro- and anti-inflammatory markers, and anti-/pro-oxidant potential. (2) Methods: The group comprised 26 competitive road cyclists aged between 18 and 26. The study was a 4-month double-blind, random-assignment, parallel-group, and placebo-controlled trial. The measurements of physical capacity in the exercise tests of the anaerobic Wingate test (the level of total work volume, maximal anaerobic power, average power per revolution, mean time to achieve maximal anaerobic power, and time to maintain maximal anaerobic power) and the aerobic test using a cycle ergometer (maximum oxygen uptake, exercise duration, maximum load power, and maximal heart rate) were repeated after one, three, and four months. (3) Results: The probiotic supplementation resulted in increased levels of the relative magnitude of maximal oxygen uptake (65.28 vs. 69.18), the duration of training until failure (14.35 vs. 15.65), the load on the ergometer (5.11 vs. 5.36), and the degree of decrease in heart rate (193.3 vs. 188.6) together with a feeling of less discomfort during the exercise test (Borg scale) (19.38 vs. 18.43), confirming the beneficial effect of probiotics on the cyclists’ aerobic capacity during exercise. The probiotic supplementation produces no effects on the anaerobic capacity and body composition of the athletes, except for an observed increase in muscle mass. The concentration of zonulin in the stool mass decreased as a result of the probiotic therapy (81.2 vs. 25.21), and α1-atitrypsin was maintained at a similar level during the experiment (0.95 vs. 1.05), indicating a sealing of the intestinal barrier and beneficial changes in the cyclists’ intestinal function. The supplementation resulted in a reduction in the concentrations of: tumor necrosis factor TNF-α after the aerobic (13.88 vs. 9.75) and anaerobic tests (8.54 vs. 6.8), IL-6 before (1.2 vs. 0.86) and after the anaerobic test (1.47 vs. 0.97), IL-10 before the anaerobic test (0.70 vs. 0.44), and the total oxidative status (TOS) of the blood plasma before (663.7 vs. 484.6) and after the anaerobic test (643.1 vs. 435.9). (4) Conclusions: The probiotic supplementation resulted in increased levels of the cyclists’ aerobic capacity and their maintenance of anaerobic capacity and positively affected selected health indicators related to the exercise capacity of competitive road cyclists. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity and Occupational Health)

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11 pages, 340 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Physical Culture and Sports as an Educational Basis of Students’ Healthy Physical Activities during and Post-Lockdown COVID-19 Restrictions

by Remigiusz Dróżdż, Marcin Pasek, Magdalena Zając and Mirosława Szark-Eckardt

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(18), 11663; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811663 - 16 Sep 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2033

Abstract

(1) Background: The SARS-CoV-2 virus manifests itself in many aspects of everyday life, among which one of the most frequently accentuated are changes in physical activity from the perspective of lockdown mobility limitations. The aim of this study was to assess the level of physical activity in groups of students with different levels of educational engagement in physical activity while taking into account the realities of remote and traditional education. (2) Methods: The study was conducted among 200 students of 3 majors with varying degrees of curriculum related to physical activity, including students of physical education (n-73), tourism and recreation (n-65) and students of a non-physical education major (n-62). The survey technique used was the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). (3) Results: PE students are the most engaged in physical activity compared to other study groups. This pattern is particularly true for high physical activity. An interesting observation is that, in the post-lockdown period, there was no statistically significant difference between the physical activity levels of PE students and TR students. Meanwhile, such a difference in favor of PE students was evident during the lockdown period. (4) Conclusions: Educational links to physical activity appear to be an important factor in stimulating this activity during times of epidemiological emergency. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity and Occupational Health)

12 pages, 352 KiB

Open AccessArticle

TTN Variants Are Associated with Physical Performance and Provide Potential Markers for Sport-Related Phenotypes

by Agata Leońska-Duniec, Małgorzata Borczyk, Marcin Piechota, Michał Korostyński, Andrzej Brodkiewicz and Paweł Cięszczyk

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(16), 10173; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191610173 - 17 Aug 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1983

Abstract

TTN encodes the third myofilament, titin, which plays structural, mechanical, regulatory, and developmental roles in sarcomeres. The aim of this research was to determine the interaction between novel and previously described TTN variants and athletic performance, as well as competition level, in Caucasians. Firstly, 100 athletes and 47 controls were recruited, and whole-genome sequencing was performed. Secondly, 348 athletes (108 endurance, 100 sprint/power, 140 mixed-sport athletes) and 403 volunteers were included, and real-time PCR was performed. We found a significant overrepresentation of the rs10497520 CT and TT genotypes in the sprint/power athlete group (95% CI, 1.41–3.66, p = 0.0013). The rs10497520 T carriers were 2.17 times more likely to become sprint/power athletes (95% CI 1.35–3.49, p = 0.0021). We also found that the likelihood of having the TT genotype was higher for the highly elite and sub-elite sprint/power athletes. Possessing at least one TAA (rs10497520, rs55837610, rs72648256) haplotype resulted in an increase in the log-odds ratio by 0.80 (p = 0.0015), 1.42 (p = 0.003), and 0.77 (p = 0.044) for all, highly elite, and sub-elite sprint/power athletes, respectively. We demonstrated that harbouring the rs10497520 T allele, individually and in a haplotype combination, increased the chance of being an elite sprint/power athlete, indicating that this allele may be favourable for sprint/power performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity and Occupational Health)

11 pages, 704 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Associations of Brain-Derived Neurotropic Factor rs6265 Gene Polymorphism with Personality Dimensions among Athletes

by Kinga Humińska-Lisowska, Jolanta Chmielowiec, Krzysztof Chmielowiec, Marta Niewczas, Milena Lachowicz, Paweł Cięszczyk, Jolanta Masiak, Aleksandra Strońska-Pluta, Monika Michałowska-Sawczyn, Ewelina Maculewicz and Anna Grzywacz

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(15), 9732; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159732 - 7 Aug 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2417

Abstract

Brain-Derived Neurotropic Factor (BDNF) is one of the essential mediating factors of exercise-induced neuroplasticity, but the underlying molecular mechanisms of exercise-induced neuroplasticity are still largely unknown. Personality dimensions differentiate individuals and depend on genes and environmental factors. The dimensions of openness to experience, emotional stability, extraversion and conscientiousness have been reported to be positively related to performance; considering agreeableness, a negative relation with sports performance was emphasized. However, not enough effort has been put into investigating the relationship between genetic polymorphisms affecting psychological abilities and competitive power sports. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of the rs6265 polymorphism of BDNF with personality dimensions in martial arts athletes. The study was conducted among martial arts athletes. The study group included 258 volunteers (martial arts athletes (n = 106) and controls (n = 152). BDNF polymorphism testing was performed using the real-time PCR method; personality dimensions were assessed using standardized NEO-FFI questionnaires. All analyses were performed using STATISTICA 13. We observed that martial arts athletes’ G/G genotypes compared to the control group G/G genotypes presented significantly higher severity of personality dimension “conscientiousness”. In comparison with the controls, the case group subjects had significantly higher scores in the dimension extraversion (M 6.89 vs. M 6.43, p = 0.0405) and conscientiousness/scale (M 7.23 vs. M 5.89, p < 0.0001). The results of 2 × 3 factorial ANOVA noticed a statistically significant effect of combined factor BDNF rs6265 genotype of martial arts/control (F_2,252 = 3.11, p = 0.0465, η² = 0.024). Additionally, we observed that the results of 2 × 3 factorial ANOVA showed a statistically significant influence of combined factor BDNF rs6265 of genotype martial arts/ control (F_2,252 = 6.16, p = 0.0024, η² = 0.047). The combination of the analysis of personality dimensions with genetics—as in the case of the polymorphism of the BDNF gene related to neuroplasticity—indicates that neurobiology cannot be ignored in educating sports champions. We already know that this is related to genetics. However, little is still known about the influence of personality traits on sports performance. We observed that martial arts athletes’ G/G genotypes, in comparison to the control group’s G/G genotypes, presented significantly higher severity of personality dimension “conscientiousness”. This is worthy of further analysis and probably longitudinal studies on a more numerous group of athletes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity and Occupational Health)

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