Search Results (610)

(1) Background: Fatigue impacts neuromuscular performance, especially in endurance sports like rowing. The aim is to explore how continuous workload affects explosiveness and fatigue progression. This study examines acute fatigue during repeated race events by assessing vertical jump height, force output, and subjective fatigue over three consecutive days at the 2024 Hungarian National Rowing Championships. (2) Methods: Nine rowers (five women, four men; mean age 20.17 ± 1.73 years) competed in multiple 2000 m races over three days. Lower limb explosiveness was measured via countermovement jump (CMJ) using a Kistler force plate, pre- and post-race. Heart rate data were recorded with Polar Team Pro^®. Subjective fatigue was assessed using the ‘Daily Wellness Questionnaire’. (3) Results: We found a significant difference in the pattern of the medians of the force exerted by males during the jump between the results of the Thursday preliminaries (ThuQ_Me = 13.3) and the second final (ThuF2_Me = −75.5). Women showed no notable changes. (4) Conclusion: Repeated high-intensity races induce neuromuscular fatigue in men, reflected in reduced explosiveness and increased subjective fatigue. Future research should incorporate biochemical markers to deepen the understanding of fatigue mechanisms. Full article

Cancer metabolic reprogramming plays a critical role in tumor progression and therapeutic resistance, underscoring the need for advanced analytical strategies. Metabolomics, leveraging mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, offers a comprehensive and functional readout of tumor biochemistry. By enabling both targeted metabolite quantification and untargeted profiling, metabolomics captures the dynamic metabolic alterations associated with cancer. The integration of metabolomics with machine learning (ML) approaches further enhances the interpretation of these complex, high-dimensional datasets, providing powerful insights into cancer biology from biomarker discovery to therapeutic targeting. This review systematically examines the transformative role of ML in cancer metabolomics. We discuss how various ML methodologies—including supervised algorithms (e.g., Support Vector Machine, Random Forest), unsupervised techniques (e.g., Principal Component Analysis, t-SNE), and deep learning frameworks—are advancing cancer research. Specifically, we highlight three major applications of ML–metabolomics integration: (1) cancer subtyping, exemplified by the use of Similarity Network Fusion (SNF) and LASSO regression to classify triple-negative breast cancer into subtypes with distinct survival outcomes; (2) biomarker discovery, where Random Forest and Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) models have achieved >90% accuracy in detecting breast and colorectal cancers through biofluid metabolomics; and (3) prognostic modeling, demonstrated by the identification of race-specific metabolic signatures in breast cancer and the prediction of clinical outcomes in lung and ovarian cancers. Beyond these areas, we explore applications across prostate, thyroid, and pancreatic cancers, where ML-driven metabolomics is contributing to earlier detection, improved risk stratification, and personalized treatment planning. We also address critical challenges, including issues of data quality (e.g., batch effects, missing values), model interpretability, and barriers to clinical translation. Emerging solutions, such as explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) approaches and standardized multi-omics integration pipelines, are discussed as pathways to overcome these hurdles. By synthesizing recent advances, this review illustrates how ML-enhanced metabolomics bridges the gap between fundamental cancer metabolism research and clinical application, offering new avenues for precision oncology through improved diagnosis, prognosis, and tailored therapeutic strategies. Full article

Background: Circadian rhythms regulate critical cellular processes, including DNA repair and cell cycle dynamics, potentially influencing the effectiveness of radiotherapy (RT). This study evaluated whether RT timing impacts clinical outcomes and symptom burden in prostate cancer patients. Patients/Methods: This retrospective study (n = 336, median follow-up 55 months) included men who received curative intent external beam RT between 2010 and 2019 (median age 69, 69% black, median PSA 11.3, 40% with Gleason 8–10). Treatment times (TTs) were averaged and analyzed by quartile/median. Outcomes included freedom from biochemical failure (FFBF) and distant metastasis (FFDM), GI and GU toxicity, and quality of life (QOL). Subgroup analyses by race and hormone therapy status were performed. Results: Across the overall cohort, TT was not associated with FFBF or FFDM. However, in white men, earlier TTs were significantly associated with higher 5-year FFBF (89% vs. 67%, p = 0.0139) and FFDM (93% vs. 72%, p = 0.0268). In the multivariate analysis (MVA), TT was not associated with FFBF or FFDM for all men, but in white men, earlier TT was associated with improved FFBF (HR 2.8, p = 0.06) in a model also including risk category (p = 0.21). Overall, no significant differences were observed for grade 2–3+ toxicity and TT. Trends for inferior QOL, and worse grade 2+ (p = 0.2) and 3+ GU toxicity (p = 0.1) were observed for later TTs. In white men, bowel, urinary continence, and irritative/obstructive urinary QOL were worse with later TTs (p < 0.05). Conclusions: TT may influence clinical outcomes and symptom burden, particularly in white men. These findings underscore the potential of chronoradiotherapy as a personalized treatment strategy and highlight the need for prospective trials. Full article

Background/Objectives: Sports tourism, particularly international running events such as half marathons and marathons, has rapidly grown due to rising health consciousness and active lifestyles. Runners competing abroad face unique nutritional challenges that extend beyond physiological needs, including adaptation to local food cultures and psychosocial factors. This study aims to explore the nutritional difficulties encountered by international runners during competitions abroad, using participants of the Poznan Half Marathon 2025 as a case example. Methods: A qualitative research design was employed, involving semi-structured in-depth interviews with 12 international runners from the United Kingdom, Germany, and Ukraine. Participants had at least two years of experience competing internationally. Results: Four primary categories of nutritional challenges emerged: (1) quality and availability of food, (2) adaptation to local eating habits and physiological impacts, (3) hydration and access to appropriate fluids, and (4) logistical factors and the interactions between psychological stress, physical well-being, and nutritional choices. These factors influenced runners’ preparation, race-day performance, and recovery, highlighting the complexity of managing nutrition in unfamiliar environments. Conclusions: Nutritional challenges for international runners are multidimensional, requiring flexible and culturally sensitive nutritional strategies. Although these findings offer useful insights, they are based on a small, specific sample and should be generalized with caution. Further research is necessary to explore the broader applicability of the findings and their relevance to diverse athletic populations and contexts. Full article

Despite advances in cancer care, disparities persist. The collection of the social determinants of health (SDOH) is fundamental to addressing disparities. However, SDOH are inconsistently collected in many regions of the world. This two-phase multiple methods study examined patient and community perspectives regarding SDOH data collection in Canada. In phase 1, a survey was administered to patients at a cancer centre (n = 549) to assess perspectives on an SDOH data collection tool. In phase 2, broader perspectives were sought through a community consultation with patient partners experiencing structural inequality (n = 15). Most participants were comfortable with SDOH data collection. Of survey respondents, 95% were comfortable with the collection of language, birthplace, sex, gender, education, and disability, and 82% to 94% were comfortable with SES, sexual orientation, social support, and race/ethnicity. Discomfort levels did not differ across subgroups, except women were more uncomfortable disclosing SES (OR: 2.00; 95%CI: 1.26, 3.19). Most (71%) preferred face-to-face data collection with a healthcare professional and only half were comfortable with storage of SDOH in electronic health records. Open-ended survey responses (n = 1533) and the community consultation revealed concerns about privacy, discrimination, relevance to care, and data accuracy. SDOH data collection efforts should include a clear rationale for patients, training for providers, strong data privacy and security measures, and actionable strategies to address needs. Full article

Background: Teen dating violence (TDV) is a serious public health concern, with sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY) at elevated risk due to minority stress and systemic inequalities. This systematic review examines individual, relational, and contextual risk factors for TDV among SGMY. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in Scopus, Web of Science, and APA PsycInfo on 10 December 2024. Studies published between 2014 and 2024 focusing on teen dating violence (TDV) as an outcome among sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY) aged 13–19 were included. Study selection was independently performed by multiple reviewers using Rayyan. Risk of bias was assessed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Tools. Due to heterogeneity in the study design and measurement tools, a narrative synthesis was conducted. Results: Six risk domains emerged: (1) Demographic/Identity (e.g., gender, orientation, or race); (2) Psychological/Behavioral (e.g., distress or substance use); (3) Violence/Bullying (e.g., cyberbullying or exclusion); (4) Family/Sexual Abuse (e.g., family rejection); (5) Relational/Social (e.g., partner outing); and (6) School/Community (e.g., non-inclusive environments). Bisexual, pansexual, transgender, and racialized youth showed heightened vulnerability. Most studies were conducted in the USA and relied on non-validated TDV measures and cross-sectional designs, limiting comparability and causal inference. Conclusions: SGMY face unique, often overlooked TDV risks. There is a need for intersectional, longitudinal research and inclusive, developmentally appropriate prevention efforts that address both relational and structural factors. This review received no external funding and was not registered. Full article

Background: Optimal nutrition and training regimens are essential for athletes to maximize performance and recovery. Probiotic supplementation, through the modulation of the gut microbiota, and omega-3 fatty acids, known for their anti-inflammatory properties, may enhance physiological adaptations when combined with targeted training. This study evaluated the effects of probiotics and omega-3 supplementation, alongside ultra-short race pace training (USRPT), on performance metrics in competitive sprint swimmers. Methods: In this double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 60 male sprint swimmers (age: 19.2 ± 3.6 years; height: 182.2 ± 5.2 cm; weight: 81.6 ± 4.4 kg) with a minimum of five years of training experience, were randomly assigned to six groups (n = 10 per group): (1) Control (CON), (2) USRPT only, (3) Placebo + USRPT (PLA + USRPT), (4) Probiotics + USRPT (PRO + USRPT), (5) Omega-3 + USRPT (OMEGA + USRPT), and (6) Probiotics + Omega-3 + USRPT (PRO + OMEGA + USRPT). Over the eight-week intervention, the participants in PRO + USRPT consumed one multi-strain probiotic capsule daily (4.5 × 10¹¹ CFU) and a placebo capsule. Those in OMEGA + USRPT ingested 1000 mg of fish oil after lunch (500 mg EPA and 180 mg DHA per capsule) paired with a placebo capsule. The combined supplementation group (PRO + OMEGA + USRPT) received both probiotic and omega-3 capsules. The PLA + USRPT group consumed two starch capsules daily. The USRPT protocol was implemented across all the training groups, where the swimmers performed 17 sets of 25 m and 12.5 m sprints based on weekly recorded race times. Performance assessments included pre- and post-test measurements of sprint times (50 m and 100 m freestyle), vertical jump tests (both in water and on dry land), and other strength and endurance metrics (reaction time, agility T-test, sprint index, fatigue index, and velocity). Results: The combined intervention of probiotics and omega-3 with USRPT produced the greatest improvements in performance. The PRO + OMEGA + USRPT group reduced 50 m freestyle time by 1.92% (p = 0.002, pEta² = 0.286) and 100 m freestyle time by 2.48% (p = 0.041, pEta² = 0.229), demonstrating significant Time × Group interactions consistent with a synergistic effect. Additionally, the sprint index improved (pEta² = 0.139, p = 0.013) and reaction time decreased (pEta² = 0.241, p = 0.009) in the combined group, indicating enhanced anaerobic capacity and neuromuscular responsiveness compared to single interventions. Conclusions: This study suggests that combining probiotics and omega-3 supplementation with USRPT leads to synergistic improvements in sprint swimming performance, enhancing anaerobic power and recovery beyond what is achieved with individual interventions. This integrated approach may provide a practical strategy for competitive swimmers seeking to optimize their performance. Future studies should incorporate mechanistic markers, longer intervention durations, and diverse athlete populations to clarify further and extend these findings. Full article

Bias and fairness issues in artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms are major concerns, as people do not want to use software they cannot trust. Because these issues are intrinsically subjective and context-dependent, creating trustworthy software requires human input and feedback. (1) Introduction: This work introduces an interactive method for mitigating the bias introduced by machine learning models by allowing the user to adjust bias and fairness metrics iteratively to make the model more fair in the context of undergraduate student admissions. (2) Related Work: The social implications of bias in AI systems used in education are nuanced and can affect university reputation and student retention rates motivating a need for the development of fair AI systems. (3) Methods and Dataset: Admissions data over six years from a large urban research university was used to create AI models to predict admissions decisions. These AI models were analyzed to detect biases they may carry with respect to three variables chosen to represent sensitive populations: gender, race, and first-generation college students. We then describe a method for bias mitigation that uses a combination of machine learning and user interaction. (4) Results and Discussion: We use three scenarios to demonstrate that this interactive bias mitigation approach can successfully decrease the biases towards sensitive populations. (5) Conclusion: Our approach allows the user to examine a model and then iteratively and incrementally adjust bias and fairness metrics to change the training dataset and generate a modified AI model that is more fair, according to the user’s own determination of fairness. Full article

Marathon running exerts physical stress and may lead to transient immune dysregulation, increasing susceptibility to airway inflammation and exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB). This study investigated systemic levels of antimicrobial peptides in athletes and their association with EIB. Serum concentrations of angiogenin, human beta-defensin 2 (hBD-2), major basic protein (MBP), S100A8, and S100A8/A9 were measured in 34 marathoners and 36 half-marathoners at baseline, immediately after a race, and seven days postrace using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and compared with 30 sedentary controls. Lung function was assessed by spirometry to identify bronchoconstriction. Levels of hBD-2 and S100A8/A9 were significantly elevated postrace in runners compared to baseline and controls, returning to baseline during recovery. During recovery, S100A8 levels remained slightly elevated in marathoners with EIB. Similarly, human beta-defensin 2 was modestly increased in runners who developed bronchoconstriction. Notably, S100A8 levels correlated negatively with lung function parameters, including forced expiratory volume and mid-expiratory flows. These findings suggest that endurance running induces systemic inflammatory responses and modulates innate immune peptides, particularly in individuals prone to bronchoconstriction. These peptides may serve as biomarkers of respiratory stress and help guide personalized strategies in endurance sports. Full article

This commentary evaluates contemporary equestrian sport governance through the lens of equine welfare science. Drawing on evidence from the FEI Sport Forum 2025 debates, the IFHA Racing Integrity Handbook, media coverage of horse sport, recent scientific presentations, regulatory texts, and published research, we identify systemic shortcomings in how horse welfare is assessed, prioritised, and protected. Key issues include reliance on performance as a proxy for welfare, inadequate “fit-to-compete” protocols, neglect of horses’ mental states, coercive tack and equipment practices (e.g., double bridles, tight nosebands, ear hoods), pharmacological and surgical interventions that mask pain, euphemistic regulatory language (e.g., whip “encouragement”), and inconsistent implementation of welfare rules. Through a series of case studies, from dressage and show jumping forums to racing integrity handbooks, we illustrate euphemistic language, defensive group dynamics, dismissive rhetoric towards evidence-based criticism, and a troubling “stable blindness” that sidelines the horse’s perspective. We conclude that meaningful reform requires (1) embedding validated behavioural and physical welfare indicators into all competition and pre-competition protocols, (2) transparent, evidence-inclusive rule-making under a precautionary principle, (3) genuine engagement with independent equine welfare experts, and (4) establishment of empowered, impartial oversight bodies to ensure that stated codes of conduct translate into consistent, enforceable practice. Only by catering to the horse’s subjective experiences and applying modern ethological and bioethical standards can equestrian sport retain its social licence and ensure integrity in all areas of competition management. Full article

Autonomous race driving has emerged as a challenging domain for reinforcement learning (RL) applications, requiring high-speed control while adhering to strict safety constraints. Existing RL-based racing methods often struggle to balance performance and safety, with limited adaptability in dynamic racing scenarios with multiple opponent vehicles. The high-dimensional state space and strict safety constraints pose significant challenges for efficient learning. To address these challenges, this paper proposes an integrated RL framework that combines three novel components: (1) a state mapping mechanism that dynamically transforms raw track observations into a consistent representation space; (2) an action mapping technique that rigorously enforces physical traction constraints; and (3) a safe exploration guidance method that combines conservative controllers with RL policies, significantly reducing off-track incidents during training. Extensive experiments conducted in our simulation environment with four test tracks demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach. In time trial scenarios, our method improves lap times by 12–26% and increases the training completion rate from 33.1% to 78.7%. In competitive racing, it achieves a 46–51% higher average speed compared to baseline methods. These results validate the framework’s ability to achieve both high performance and safety in autonomous racing tasks. Full article

Stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), threatens global wheat production. Breeding resistant varieties is a key to disease control. In this study, 198 modern wheat varieties were phenotyped with the prevalent Pst races CYR33 and CYR34 at the seedling stage and with mixed Pst races at the adult-plant stage. Seven stable resistance varieties with infection type (IT) ≤ 2 and disease severity (DS) ≤ 20% were found, including five Chinese accessions (Zhengpinmai8, Zhengmai1860, Zhoumai36, Lantian36, and Chuanmai32), one USA accession (GA081628-13E16), and one Pakistani accession (Pa12). The genotyping applied a 55K wheat single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified 14 QTL using a significance threshold of p ≤ 0.001, which distributed on chromosomes 1B (4), 1D (2), 2B (4), 6B, 6D, 7B, and 7D (4 for CYR33, 7 for CYR34, 3 for mixed Pst races), explaining 6.04% to 18.32% of the phenotypic variance. Nine of these QTL were potentially novel, as they did not overlap with the previously reported Yr or QTL loci within a ±5.0 Mb interval (consistent with genome-wide LD decay). The haplotypes and resistance effects were evaluated to identify the favorable haplotype for each QTL. Candidate genes within the QTL regions were inferred based on their transcription levels following the stripe rust inoculation. These resistant varieties, QTL haplotypes, and favorable alleles will aid in wheat breeding for stripe rust resistance. Full article

The individual marathon optimal pacing sparring the runner to hit the “wall” after 2 h of running remain unclear. In the current study we examined to what extent Deep neural Network contributes to identify the individual optimal pacing training a Variational Auto Encoder (VAE) with a small dataset of nine runners. This last one has been constructed from an original one that contains the values of multiple physiological variables for 10 different runners during a marathon. We plot the Lyapunov exponent/Time graph on these variables for each runner showing that the marathon wall could be anticipated. The pacing strategy that this innovative technique sheds light on is to predict and delay the moment when the runner empties his reserves and ’hits the wall’ while considering the individual physical capabilities of each athlete. Our data suggest that given that a further increase of marathon runner using a cardio-GPS could benefit of their pacing run for optimizing their performance if AI would be used for learning how to self-pace his marathon race for avoiding hitting the wall. Full article

Background: Preconception diet and nutritional status are important determinants of reproductive and pregnancy health. As a comprehensive evaluation, this paper describes harmonization of diet data across multiple cohorts including over 50,000 participants and the differences between them. This information may be useful for developing targeted strategies to improve women’s diet prior to pregnancy for optimal prenatal health outcomes. Methods: The Preconception Period Analysis of Risks and Exposures influencing health and Development (PrePARED) consortium incorporates studies covering the preconception period and includes both couples planning pregnancy and studies covering the reproductive period but not focused on pregnancy. We harmonized data on 56,520 participants from seven cohort studies that collected data during the preconception period. We generated data on diet quality according to the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) nutrition checklist to examine diet quality measures across the cohorts and compare estimates of diet quality across studies. Four studies used food frequency questionnaires; one used a study-specific diet history; one used two 24 h dietary recalls; and one used a short series of general diet questions. Positive responses on the six FIGO questions were tallied to calculate a total diet quality score. Results: Cohort samples varied in terms of age; socioeconomic status; race; ethnicity; and geographic region. Across the cohorts, participants met a median of three or four of the FIGO criteria for diet quality; those most commonly met were recommendations for consumption of meat and protein, while those least commonly met were recommendations for limiting consumption of processed foods and snacks. There was greater variation in meeting recommendations for the consumption of fruits and vegetables; dairy; fish; and whole grains. The percentage meeting ≤ 2 criteria ranged from 6.4% (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) to 40.4% (Bogalusa Heart Study). Discussion: There was wide variability across preconception cohort studies in the extent to which participants met FIGO dietary guidelines. Although studies were conducted in populations that were not likely to be malnourished, it was rare for women to meet all the preconception dietary recommendations. These findings illustrate a need for strategies to promote meeting dietary guidelines prior to conception to improve health outcomes. Full article

Background: Statins are commonly used cholesterol-lowering drugs with evidence of additional chemoprotective and immunomodulatory effects resulting from the inhibition of DNA replication, cell proliferation, and TH1-cell inhibition. There are conflicting reports regarding the potential benefit of concurrent statin treatment on non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) and specifically on intravesical Bacillus Calmette–Guerin (BCG) outcomes. We therefore aimed to analyze the effects of concurrent BCG and statin use in patients with NMIBC. Methods: National Veterans Affairs databases were used to retrospectively identify men with NMIBC between 2000 and 2010 who were treated with BCG. Pharmacy data was interrogated, and patients were divided according to statin therapy status. Statins had to be given at the beginning of BCG treatments and continued for at least 6 months. Cox proportional hazard ratios after inverse propensity score-weighted and competing risks adjustments were calculated for recurrence, secondary events (e.g., progression), cancer-specific survival, and overall survival. Results: Among 8814 patients, with a median follow-up of 11.3 years, statins were used by 38% of the patients. Patients taking statins were older (71 vs. 68, p < 0.0001), had more comorbidities (Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI > 2; 38.6% vs. 31.4%, p < 0.0001), and had a higher-grade disease (40.2% vs. 34.3%, p < 0.0001) compared to those not on statins. After adjusting for stage, grade, age, race, CCI, agent orange exposure, and year of diagnosis, Cox proportional hazard analysis revealed no association with recurrence (HR 1.05, 95% CI 0.97–1.15, p = 0.23), secondary events (HR 0.91, 95% CI 0.80–1.05, p = 0.189), or bladder cancer specific survival (HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.76–1.02, p = 0.09) of statin use. However, statins were associated with improved overall survival (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.83–0.96, p = 0.002). Conclusions: Concurrent statin and BCG use in patients with NMIBC was associated with improved overall survival, but not recurrence, secondary events, or bladder cancer-specific survival. These results confirm the real-world well-established cardiovascular benefit of statin treatment and primary preventive care. However, this large population study did not find any association between statins and the outcomes of patients with NMIBC treated with BCG immunotherapy. Full article