Search Results (445)

The stages of change have been identified as a valuable framework for understanding the transition toward a healthy lifestyle. It is also important to recognize change through other psychosocial variables, such as motivation and self-efficacy. The objective of this study was to explore weight control over the course of an academic year (nine months) through three behaviors: the stage of change toward weight control (pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance), healthy and unhealthy eating behaviors for weight control, and the frequency of physical activity (PA). Furthermore, we wanted to ascertain whether the three distinct types of motivation (autonomous, controlled, and amotivation) and self-efficacy could account for fluctuations in weight control over time. The sample consisted of 303 adolescents (205 female and 98 male) between the ages of 15 and 23 (M = 17.26; SD = 1.65). Chi-square, t-test, and multiple linear stepwise regression analysis were employed. The results indicated that a higher proportion of adolescents were in the precontemplation and action stages at Time 2. Concurrently, an increase in the frequency of moderate-to-vigorous PA and an increase in healthy and unhealthy behaviors were observed during the school period. The present study posits that autonomous motivation, controlled motivation, and self-efficacy can explain healthy eating behaviors for weight control and the frequency of moderate-to-vigorous PA, while only controlled motivation explains unhealthy eating behaviors for weight control. The conclusion of the study points out that healthy behaviors can change over time due to individual regulation of motivation and increased self-perception of efficacy in one’s own abilities to perform a specific action to control weight. Full article

Lifestyle-related diseases, such as overweight/obesity, diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM), cardiovascular disease, or osteoarthritis, are a major health burden in Western societies. Due to common risk factors, most patients suffer from multimorbidity, i.e., have been diagnosed with more than one of these diseases. Physical activity (PA) is known to have a positive effect on all of these diseases; however, little is known about the effects of PA on patients with multimorbidity. In particular, so far, no reliable biomarkers have been found to predict and monitor the effects of PA-based lifestyle intervention programs on these subjects. Employing a metabolomics approach with dried blood spots, we analyzed the concentrations of different metabolites in subjects with multimorbidity over the course of the lifestyle intervention program MultiPill-Exercise. We found increased concentrations of all tested amino acids (AAs), total carnitine (Cx), and short- (C2-C6) and long- (>C12) chain acylcarnitines (ACs) after 12 weeks (t1) and/or 24 weeks (t2) of intervention. When correlating baseline (t0) metabolite concentrations with changes in physiological and clinical parameters, we observed associations of various metabolite concentrations with changes in metabolic and cardiovascular parameters. When analyzing metabolite acute reactions in response to exhaustive exercise (ergometer test), however, few overall changes were observed. Nevertheless, a significant negative correlation was found between the mobilization of medium-chain acylcarnitines (MC-ACs) at t2 and changes in peak power output (PPO) between t0 and t2. Taken together, these data suggest that specific AAs and ACs might be candidate biomarkers to predict and monitor the effects of PA-based lifestyle intervention programs in subjects with multimorbidity, a hypothesis that should be further tested in larger cohorts. Full article

Lead (Pb(II)) contamination in water poses severe environmental and health risks due to its toxicity and persistence. This study compares almond shell-derived biochars produced by slow pyrolysis (SP) and microwave pyrolysis (MW), with and without KOH activation, focusing on structural properties and Pb(II) adsorption performance. Biochars were characterized by proximate and elemental analysis, BET surface area, FTIR spectroscopy, and adsorption experiments including pH dependence, kinetics, and equilibrium isotherms. Non-activated SP exhibited the highest surface area (S_BET = 693 m²·g⁻¹), pronounced mesoporosity (≈73% of total pore volume), and the largest observed equilibrium capacities. KOH activation increased surface hydroxyl content but degraded textural properties; in MW samples, it induced severe pore collapse. Given the very fast uptake, kinetic modeling was treated cautiously: for non-activated biochars, Elovich adequately captured the time-course trend, whereas activated samples returned non-physical kinetic constants (e.g., negative k₂) likely due to high post-adsorption pH (>11) and probable Pb(OH)₂ precipitation. Equilibrium data (fitted over 50–500 mg·L⁻¹) were better captured by the Freundlich and Redlich–Peterson models, indicating a mixed adsorption behaviour with contributions from heterogeneous site distribution and site-specific interactions. Optimal Pb(II) removal occurred at pH 4, with no measurable leaching from the biochar matrix. Overall, non-activated SP biochar is the most effective, sustainable and low-cost option among the tested materials for Pb(II) removal from water, avoiding aggressive chemical activation while maximizing adsorption performance. Full article

We present the findings of a case showing an improvement in severe, chronic mid-back pain (MBP) and disability following sagittal correction of the thoracic spine using Chiropractic BioPhysics^® (CBP^®) spinal rehabilitation with a nine-month long-term follow-up. A 40-year-old female had suffered for years and was referred for spinal rehabilitation by her physicians and physical therapist to treat her severe, chronic MBP. The symptoms had not improved despite several months of physical therapy, traditional chiropractic spinal manipulation, and pain management trigger point injections. The pain was reported as severe and rated as 8/10 at worst on the numerical rating scale. The pain was severe enough to interfere with her normal activities including martial arts training. Postural analysis revealed increased thoracic flexion and spine hyperkyphosis. Lateral thoracic radiography showed a previously undiagnosed wedged vertebral body at T6. Mensuration of the radiograph found an increase in overall posterior tangent angulation from T3–T10 measuring 66.2°. Negative sagittal balance measured from a vertical of T3 above T10 was −16.3 mm. Treatment included Chiropractic Biophysics^® (CBP^®) orthopedic rehabilitation protocols including postural and radiographic based Mirror Image^® (MI^®) exercises, spinal manipulation, and traction. The patient was treated in-office 37 times over the course of 3 months and all initial subjective and objective outcomes were re-assessed. It was reported that the initial average pain of 8/10 for the mid-back had nearly resolved and was rated as 2/10. All ADLs were reported as pain free, including intense exercise and martial arts. Post-treatment radiography was taken following a 24 h “rest-period” and found reduction in the overall hyperkyphosis from T3–T10 now measured 45.2°. Due to the presence of the wedge vertebra, it was recommended that the patient continue home traction and exercises, and long-term follow-up was assessed at 9 months including a repeat of all initial examinations, for subjective and objective outcomes. Thoracic kyphosis was maintained at 47.7° and VAS was 0/10 at 9-month follow-up and symptoms remained nearly resolved. Full article

Background: Physical conditioning is essential to meet the operational demands of military environments. However, high-intensity exercise provokes muscle microinjuries resulting in exercise-induced muscle damage. This condition is typically monitored using serum biomarkers such as creatine kinase (CK), myoglobin (MYO), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Nevertheless, individual variability and genetic factors complicate the interpretation. In this context, the rs1815739 variant (ACTN3), the most common variant related to exercise phenotypes, hypothetically could interfere with the muscle physiological response. This study aimed to evaluate the kinetics of serum biomarkers during a high-intensity activity and their potential association with rs1815739 polymorphism. Materials and Methods: 32 male cadets were selected during the Army Paratrooper Course. Serum was obtained at six distinct moments while they performed regular course tests and recovery time. Borg scale was assessed in 2 moments (~11 and ~17). Results: Serum levels of CK, CK-MB, MYO, and LDH significantly increase after exercise, proportionally to Borg’s level, following the applicability of longitudinal studies to understand biomarker levels in response to exercise. R allele carriers (ACTN3) were only slightly associated with greater levels of MYO and CK, mainly in relative kinetic levels, and especially at moments of greater physical demand/recovery. Although the ACTN3 was slightly related to different biomarker levels in our investigation, the success or healthiness in military activities is multifactorial and does not depend only on interindividual variability or physical capacity. Conclusions: Monitoring biomarkers and multiple genomic regions can generate more efficient exercise-related phenotype interventions. Full article

This study investigated the immediate and cumulative effects of attentional focus (external vs. internal), practice autonomy, and their combination on soccer penalty kick performance. Methods: Ninety physically active male university students (average age 22.8 ± 1.5 years) were selected from a pool of 330 students who completed a 60 h university soccer course. Participants were randomly divided into six groups: external focus with target choice (EF-TC), external focus without target choice (EF-NTC), internal focus with target choice (IF-TC), internal focus without target choice (IF-NTC), autonomy support (AS), and a control group (C). Results: The EF-TC group demonstrated significantly higher accuracy than the IF-TC, IF-NTC, and C groups while performing comparably to the EF-NTC and AS groups in between-group analyses. Notably, the EF-NTC group showed the largest within-group improvement from pre-test to acquisition. Conclusions: The findings indicate that combining attentional focus with practice autonomy enhances the accuracy of penalty kicks, emphasizing the potential of tailored training methods for improving penalty kick performance in soccer. Full article

Background/Objectives: Engaging in regular physical activity (PA) and reducing sedentary behaviors benefits youth health, especially for those with disabilities. However, two-thirds of European children remain insufficiently active. In schools, Active Breaks, brief 5–15 min PA sessions led by teachers during or between lessons, offer a feasible strategy to increase movement. This study investigated teachers’ perceptions of ABs by comparing implementers and non-implementers, examining facilitators and barriers to implementation, and exploring their potential to support the inclusion of students with disabilities. Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted among primary and secondary school teachers in the Emilia-Romagna region (Italy), all of whom had completed a 6 h training course on the implementation of ABs. Data were collected using an ad hoc questionnaire consisting of four sections: sociodemographic data, an adapted Attitudes Toward Physical Activity scale, ABs’ practicality/sustainability, and inclusiveness. Results: Overall, 65% of teachers reported implementing ABs, with higher adoption in primary (69.5%) than secondary schools (58.6%). Implementers reported more positive perceptions and attitudes across individual, classroom, and school-support domains (p < 0.05). In addition, primary teachers consistently scored higher than their secondary counterparts, particularly in terms of class characteristics and benefit perceptions (p < 0.001). Most teachers, especially in primary schools (84.2%), reported no difficulties, although one-third of secondary teachers reported challenges. Exploratory factor analysis on barrier items identified two dimensions (practical/logistical feasibility; institutional/procedural difficulties), but internal consistency was low. Teachers mainly reported using motor activities, with sessions lasting 5–10 min, typically scheduled mid-morning. Inclusion analysis revealed that 60% of teachers had students with disabilities in their classes. While most students participated without adjustments, 25% required occasional or consistent modifications. Conclusions: ABs are a practical and inclusive strategy to reduce SBs in schools. However, not all teachers are currently able to implement them, due to varying contextual constraints, levels of support, and perceived barriers. Primary school settings appear more conducive to their integration, whereas secondary schools may require more tailored support. Fostering teacher confidence, peer collaboration, and inclusive planning can enhance both the implementation and long-term sustainability of educational initiatives. Full article

The ability of police officers to make correct decisions under emotional stress is critical, as errors in high-pressure situations can have severe legal and physical consequences. This study aims to evaluate the neurophysiological responses of police academy cadets during stressful decision-making scenarios and to predict individual stress levels from those responses. Fifty-eight police academy cadets from three cohorts watched a custom-made, naturalistic video scene and then chose the appropriate course of action. Simultaneous 32-channel electroencephalography (EEG) and electrocardiography (ECG) captured brain and heart activity. Event-related potentials (ERPs) and band-specific power features (particularly delta) were extracted, and machine-learning models were trained with nested cross-validation to predict perceived stress scores. Global and broadband EEG activity was suppressed during the video stimulus and did not return to baseline during the cooldown phase. Widespread ERPs and pronounced delta-band dynamics emerged during decision-making, correlating with both cohort rank and self-reported stress. Crucially, a combined EEG + cohort model predicted perceived stress with an out-of-fold R² of 0.32, outperforming EEG-only (R² = 0.23) and cohort-only (R² = 0.17) models. To our knowledge, this is the first study to both characterize EEG dynamics during stressful naturalistic decision tasks and demonstrate their predictive utility. These findings lay the groundwork for neurofeedback-based training paradigms that help officers modulate stress responses and calibrate decision-making under pressure. Full article

Background/Objectives: During the past decade, incorporating innovative teaching strategies for active learning, such as the use of escape rooms (ERs), has effectively contributed to the acquisition of the necessary skills. This study aimed to assess students’ opinions, engagement, and gameful experience, and to analyse the impact of engagement and gameful experience on students’ opinions about ER activity. Methods: This descriptive-analytical, quantitative, and interventional cross-sectional study was conducted among first-year nursing students enrolled in the Nursing Fundamentals course. The ER activities took place in a faculty classroom. The measure included a questionnaire for assessing students’ opinions about ER activity, engagement while learning through play, and the Gameful Experience Scale. Results: The students reported very positive opinions on the outcomes of escape room activities. According to the students’ perception, solving puzzles required a high level of cognitive, emotional, physical, and other engagement. The experience of learning through play contributed to their increased enjoyment, absorption, and creative thinking, with a low level of negative effects and dominance. Enjoyment, immersion, and creative thinking during the gameful experience explained 49.0% of the variance in students’ opinions on ER activity. Conclusions: ER enabled students to consolidate knowledge from various fields within one lesson, encouraging them to be highly engaged and think creatively, giving them a sense of enjoyment in learning and motivation for further learning. Full article

Background: Unlike medical training, science teacher training in Brazil does not include PBL as a curricular methodology. However, there is a Pedagogical Residency Program (PRP) that allows teaching experiences that are different from those provided in the undergraduate course. Thus, in this research, we propose a formative intervention in PBL for scholarship holders in the Pedagogical Residency Program (hereinafter Residents), aiming to answer the following question: “What are the perceptions of pre-service teachers about the planning, implementation, and evaluation of a PBL intervention in physics teaching?”. Methods: Five Residents taught an elective course specially designed for the application of PBL to teach secondary school physics. The training of the Residents in PBL occurred almost simultaneously with the offering of the elective subject. To reveal their perceptions, we collected Residents’ teaching plans, problem scenarios, and reflective analyses. Results: The results demonstrate that the Residents encountered several difficulties in developing and implementing the PBL methodology when teaching physics. Regarding development, the difficulties lie in coherently aligning the learning objectives with the highly complex active methodology of PBL. In addition, another clear difficulty is developing a problem situation appropriate to the knowledge that one wishes to develop. During the intervention, the Residents realized how difficult it is to implement PBL to allow students to develop skills and knowledge in a reflective way. Conclusions: The results indicate that PRP is necessary to develop methodologies such as PBL, as it allows supervision and reflection on practice. However, we also observed that the results point to the urgent need to introduce PBL in the initial training of science teachers; this process can be established in three stages: strategically studying lesson planning for the implementation of PBL, developing problem situations that align with the knowledge that one wishes to develop, and developing metacognitive regulation and argumentation skills to conduct interventions based on PBL. Full article

Backgorund. Multiple sclerosis (MS) profoundly affects the lives of patients and their families. The experience of the disease is shaped not only by its progression and specific characteristics but also by the quality of medical and caregiving support received. The diagnosis of MS represents a transformative event that may lead to job loss, the need for continuous care, and a significant reorganization of family roles. In Italy, more than 140,000 people are affected by MS (AISM data, 2024). The impact of the disease is multifaceted and complex, involving various aspects of the patient’s life. Dependence on external assistance often becomes an unavoidable necessity, highlighting the importance of exploring the quality of life of people with MS in the Italian context. The main objective is to assess the quality of life of individuals affected by MS, both before diagnosis and during the course of the disease. A secondary aim is to identify related psycho-physical consequences, including care-related needs. Methods: An online survey was conducted through various associations operating across Italy, involving a sample of 99 individuals diagnosed with MS. Results: The results show a predominance of female participants, with a mean age of 41 years. The disease was reported to be at an early stage in 66.7% of cases and advanced in 33.3%, with none of the respondents being in a terminal phase. The most frequent clinical form was relapsing–remitting MS (RRMS), which accounted for 78.8% of the cases. In terms of employment and daily activities, more than half of the participants reported underperforming (59.6%) or limiting specific tasks (51.5%) due to disability caused by the disease. Emotional distress had even more pronounced effects, with 63.6% reporting a decline in performance and 62.6% experiencing concentration difficulties. Quality of life was significantly affected, particularly in the physical and emotional domains. Vitality, physical pain, perceived health, and psychological well-being emerged as compromised dimensions, pointing to the need for a multidimensional care model that integrates therapeutic, rehabilitative, and psychosocial interventions. Individuals in the early stages of MS tended to maintain better work relationships and demonstrated higher levels of professional engagement. Conclusions: The findings underscore the importance of a continuous and personalized care approach, addressing not only clinical treatment but also psychological and social support. These aspects are crucial for monitoring patients’ needs, promoting quality of life, facilitating disease acceptance, and mitigating psychological distress. Full article

In this paper, we report how digital resources support engineering students in the early stages of mathematical modelling within a Challenge-Based Education (CBE) course. The study was conducted in a second-year engineering course involving mathematics, physics, and ethics. Through a case study of two student teams, we analyze how a digital curriculum resource—specifically, a dashboard designed for feedback and progress monitoring—helped students identify, define, and begin modelling a real-world problem related to crowd flow on train platforms. Using the instrumental approach, we examined the dual processes of instrumentation (integration of resources) and instrumentalization (adaptation and repurposing of tools). Results show that the Dashboard played a central role in fostering self-regulated learning, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the iterative refinement of guiding questions. Students used data analysis, simulations, and modelling techniques to build and validate mathematical representations in answer to the guiding questions. Our findings contribute to ongoing discussions on how mathematics education in engineering can be enhanced through activity-based learning and targeted use of digital tools. We argue that digital feedback systems like dashboards can bridge the gap between abstract mathematical content and its meaningful application in engineering contexts, thus fostering engagement, autonomy, and authentic learning. Full article

Online laboratories have emerged as a viable alternative for providing hands-on experience to engineering students, especially in fields related to computer, software, and electrical engineering. In particular, remote laboratories enable users to interact in real time with physical hardware via the internet. However, current remote laboratory systems often restrict access to a single user per session, limiting broader participation. Embedded systems laboratory activities have traditionally relied on in-person instruction and direct interaction with hardware, requiring significant time for code development, compilation, and hardware testing. Students typically spend an important portion of each session coding and compiling programs, with the remaining time dedicated to hardware implementation, data collection, and report preparation. This paper proposes a remote laboratory implementation that optimizes remote laboratory stations’ availability, allowing users to lock the system only during the project debugging and testing phases while freeing the remote laboratory station for other users during the code development phase. The implementation presented here was developed for a microprocessor laboratory course. It enables users to code the solution in their preferred local or remote environments, then upload the resulting source code to the remote laboratory hardware for cross-compiling, execution, and testing. This approach enhances usability, scalability, and accessibility while preserving the core benefits of hands-on experimentation and collaboration in online embedded systems education. Full article

Adequate initial training should ensure that future physical activity and sports sciences (PASS) professionals acquire skills that include not only in-depth knowledge of the content to be taught but also an understanding of the most effective teaching strategies for its transmission. The objective of this descriptive, exploratory, and quantitative study was to analyze the degree of acquisition of gymnastics teaching competencies of 107 future Portuguese PASS professionals, according to gender and training course. The research instrument was the Physical Education Teaching Competence Perception Scale, adapted to the gymnastics context. The main results showed that Portuguese students perceived themselves as having acquired medium levels of teaching competencies for gymnastics across all the dimensions analyzed, and feeling less competent in adapting curricular specifications. Regarding gender and training year, female students perceived themselves as more competent in the dimension related to the ability to use gymnastics content as teaching tools, with a significant difference. First-year students perceived a higher level of competence compared to their second- and third-year peers. Therefore, there is a need for more contextualized and reflective initial training, incorporating experiential learning modules that simulate real scenarios for adapting the gymnastics classroom. Full article

Background/Objectives: Chemotherapy is an aggressive form of oncological treatment often accompanied by numerous adverse effects. A patient’s baseline status significantly influences the course of therapy, its efficacy, quality of life, and overall survival. This review aims to analyze the published peer-reviewed studies in this area and to assess whether they permit the formulation of preliminary recommendations for future prehabilitation protocols. Methods: An integrative review was conducted due to the limited number of relevant studies. Four databases—MEDLINE/PubMed (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online/National Library of Medicine), Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Science—were systematically searched for English-language articles published between 2010 and 13 January 2025, using the terms “prehabilitation,” “chemotherapy,” “drug therapy,” and “neoadjuvant.” A total of 162 records were retrieved. After duplicate removal, titles and abstracts were screened. The remaining papers were subjected to detailed analysis, resulting in ten studies with diverse methodologies being included. Results: We reviewed ten (n = 10) studies, most of which were reviews focused on breast cancer, indicating variation in the state of knowledge across different cancer types. A protein intake of 1.4 g/kg body mass helps preserve fat-free mass, with whey being more effective than casein. Supplementing EPA at a dose of 2.2 g/day may help prevent chemotherapy-related neurotoxicity and support appetite and weight maintenance. Physical activity, especially when it includes strength training, improves VO₂max, preserves fat-free mass, and may reduce stress and anxiety. We identified one randomized controlled trial in which a single exercise session before the first dose of doxorubicin resulted in a smaller reduction in cardiac function. Continuous psychological support should be available. A combined behavioural and pharmacological approach appears to be the most effective strategy for smoking cessation. Conclusions: No official guidelines exist for prehabilitation before chemotherapy, and the availability of studies on this topic is very limited. The pre-treatment period represents a critical window for interventions. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness and applicability of particularly single-component interventions. Full article