Search Results (46)

This study analyzes how Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MoCST) communicates policy implementation in tourism governance through 35 official responses to citizen petitions, using Heidbreder’s Multilevel Policy Implementation Strategies Framework (centralization, agencification, convergence, networking). Content coding, frequency analysis, co-occurrence network, and sentiment analysis reveal a dominant centralization pattern, with MoCST maintaining strong top-down control in decision-making and resource allocation. Convergence reflects increased inter-ministerial coordination, while agencification is limited, and networking with private or civil sectors remains weak. This weak networking limits participatory decision-making and hinders the development of adaptive, community-based tourism initiatives, which are crucial for sustainable tourism governance. Positive sentiment is more associated with centralized and convergent actions, indicating institutional trust. The study extends Heidbreder’s framework to a non-Western, centralized context and calls for stronger local agency roles and inclusive networks to enhance resilience and community ownership in policy implementation. Full article

Mental health disorders, particularly depression and anxiety, have become increasingly prevalent among elite athletes, exacerbated by factors such as competitive pressure and the Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study analyzes trends in the use of antidepressants, anxiolytics, and cannabinoids (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)/cannabidiol (CBD)) among Italian athletes from 2011 to the first half of 2023 (FH2023), referring to anti-doping reports published by the Italian Ministry of Health. Data from 13,079 athletes were examined, with a focus on non-prohibited medications, banned substances, and regulatory impacts, including threshold adjustments for THC since 2013 and the legalization of CBD. The results show fluctuating use of antidepressants/anxiolytics, with peaks in 2021 and the FH2023, coinciding with post-pandemic awareness. Positive THC cases rose following regulatory changes, reflecting socio-cultural trends. Gender disparities emerged, with THC use predominantly among males (e.g., nine males vs. one female in 2013), though female athletes were underrepresented in testing. This study highlights the need for personalized, evidence-based strategies that balance therapeutic efficacy and anti-doping compliance. Clinicians should carefully consider prescribing selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and benzodiazepines to address depression and anxiety and should monitor the risks of CBD contamination. Future research should adopt longitudinal, gender-sensitive approaches to refining guidelines and combating stigma in professional sports. Full article

Innovation in science and technology arises from balanced supports for basic research, applied research, and societal implementation. However, changes in Japanese science policy that shifts toward top–down, evaluation-based, and competitive funding practices appear to have undermined Japan’s long-term research sustainability and innovation potential. The “selection and concentration” strategy (prioritization of specific research areas) and “competition principle”, combined with persistent reduction in Management Expenses Grants, have significantly altered Japan’s research environment for the worse. Together with these policy changes, the introduction of fixed-term contracts in academia has increased instability at both the institutional and the individual levels and has diminished the time and resources available for long-term basic research. Academic careers in science have become less attractive, as evidenced by declining doctoral student enrollment. These changes threaten the potential for scientific discoveries that lead to innovation. Although initiatives such as the introduction of University Research Administrators (URAs) have been implemented to support researchers, such efforts remain insufficient to counterbalance the systemic challenges faced by Japan’s research ecosystem. To re-establish a stable research environment, rethinking the strategy may be necessary, including restoration of stable institutional funding, sustainable career pathways, and balanced funding allocation to basic science that foster seeds for future innovation. Full article

Background and Objectives: As the world enters an aging society, it is necessary to focus on older individuals, especially those with disabilities. The latter must face two issues, their disability and their age; therefore, a lot of attention must be paid to their health. In this study, we aimed to explore the association between participation in leisure sports activities, health behaviors, and life satisfaction among older adults with disabilities. The research question we aimed to address was as follows: Can participation in leisure sports activities positively affect the health behaviors and life satisfaction of older adults with disabilities? Materials and Methods: Data were sourced from the 2023 Survey on the Status of Persons with Disabilities organized by the Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare. The collected data were analyzed using frequency analyses, chi-squared tests, and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results: Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that regarding sex, the average odds ratio (OR) was 1.525 (p = 0.001) for males. Regarding efforts to control weight, the average OR was 1.808 (p < 0.001) for “tried to reduce”, 1.893 (p < 0.001) for “tried to maintain”, and 1.245 (p = 0.345) for “tried to increase”. Regarding smoking, the average OR was 0.612 (p = 0.008) for “smoke daily”, 0.947 (p = 0.889) for “smoke occasionally”, and 1.175 (p = 0.255) for “smoked in the past but do not smoke now”. Regarding health status satisfaction, the average OR was 2.014 (p = 0.022) for very satisfied, 1.846 (p = 0.013) for somewhat satisfied, and 1.347 (p = 0.220) for somewhat dissatisfied. Regarding friendship satisfaction, the average OR was 9.177 (p < 0.001) for very satisfied, 5.428 (p < 0.001) for somewhat satisfied, and 3.024 (p = 0.011) for somewhat dissatisfied. Namely, participation in leisure sports activities was significantly related to weight control efforts, smoking cessation, increased health status satisfaction, and increased friendship satisfaction among older adults with disabilities. Conclusions: Access to leisure sports activities should be increased to improve the health of older adults with disabilities. Furthermore, leisure sports activities should be considered in the establishment of policies and services to enhance the health of these individuals. Full article

Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the effects of an 8-week exergaming intervention for exercise training on sleep quality and sleep duration among elementary schoolchildren in Taiwan. Methods: A randomized controlled trial design was employed, with 68 elementary schoolchildren (aged 10.76 ± 0.49 years) recruited and randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 35) or a control group (n = 33). The experimental group participated in an 8-week exergaming intervention for exercise training; this comprised three sessions per week consisting of three rounds per session, with each round lasting 1 min. The control group did not receive any training and maintained their regular daily routines. All participants provided information on their demographic characteristics and anthropometric measurements and completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire at both pre-test (baseline) and post-test (week 8) assessments. Results: After 8 weeks of exergaming intervention, the experimental group showed a significant reduction in the PSQI global score (6.17 ± 2.96 vs. 4.80 ± 1.97, p < 0.0001). The change in the PSQI global score in the experimental group was significantly greater than in the control group (−1.37 ± 1.97 vs. −0.27 ± 1.89, p = 0.022). Additionally, the experimental group demonstrated a significantly longer sleep duration at week 8 compared with the control group (505.15 ± 53.16 vs. 480.51 ± 54.13, p = 0.047). Conclusions: Overall, the findings of this study indicate a beneficial response of elementary schoolchildren to exergaming, with participants reporting improved sleep quality and sleep duration as a result of engaging in the exergaming intervention sessions three times per week for 8 weeks, with three one-minute rounds per session. Therefore, it appears that exergaming may be an effective method for improving certain aspects of sleep quality and sleep duration among children between 10 and 12 years of age. Full article

Background and Objectives: Tobacco use and exposure to tobacco products remain a major public health challenge, even among athletes. This study aimed to evaluate tobacco use and second-hand smoke exposure in athletes through urinary cotinine levels and exhaled air carbon monoxide (CO) measurements. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included licensed athletes who visited the sports medicine outpatient clinic of a tertiary hospital. Participants completed an electronic questionnaire on smoking habits and second-hand smoke exposure. Urine samples were analysed for cotinine levels, while CO levels were measured in exhaled breath. Results: A total of 421 athletes participated (57.8% male, median age: 18 years). Tobacco use was reported by 29.9% (n = 126) of participants. Median urinary cotinine levels were 22.9 ng/mL among daily tobacco users and 17.4 ng/mL among athletes exposed daily to second-hand smoke, with a statistically significant difference between exposure levels (p < 0.05). The optimal cut-off value for detecting second-hand smoke exposure was identified as 12.5 ng/mL. Median exhaled air CO levels were 5 ppm in daily tobacco users. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that tobacco use prevalence among athletes mirrors Türkiye’s national rates. Despite legal measures to curb tobacco use, direct use and second-hand smoke exposure remain pressing issues among athletes. Full article

This article presents a vibration signal analysis method to diagnose helicopter turboshaft engine defects such as bearing imbalance and wear. The scientific novelty of the article lies in the development of a comprehensive approach to diagnosing helicopter turboshaft engine defects based on the vibration signals amplitude and frequency characteristics integral analysis combined with a neural network for probabilistic defect detection. Unlike existing methods, the proposed approach uses the energy criterion for the vibration characteristics. It averages the assessment of unique signal processing algorithms, which ensures reliable defect classification under flight vibration conditions. The method is based on representing vibration signals as a sum of harmonic oscillations supplemented by noise components, which helps to identify deviations from typical values. The developed method includes a state function in which the amplitudes and frequency characteristics from nominal parameters estimate deviations. When the critical threshold is exceeded, the function signals possible malfunctions. A multilayer neural network is used to classify defect types, providing high classification accuracy (from 0.985 to 0.994). Computer experiments on the developed seminaturalistic modeling stand confirm that the method can detect increased vibration levels, which is the potential failure indicator. Comparative analysis shows the proposed method’s accuracy and noise resistance superiority, emphasizing the importance of introducing modern technologies to improve aircraft operation reliability and safety. Full article

The number of migrant children in Lithuania is increasing every year. For many years, the majority of migrants (around 82%) were returning Lithuanians, but since 2022, due to the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, a large influx of Ukrainian immigrants has been observed: 7761 children have arrived in Lithuania since the outbreak of the full-scale invasion. This study aims to highlight the integration-related challenges that educators face in the context of the increasing number of migrant children. Qualitative, semi-structured interviews (N = 9) were applied to investigate the issue and outline possible solutions from the point of view of educators. The study was conducted in a school with 875 students, including 31 (3.5%) immigrants. The empirical study revealed that the school implements the integration of migrant children in accordance with the recommendations issued by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Sport. Upon the arrival of a migrant child, the committee assesses the child’s knowledge, interviews the parents, and determines the appropriate class placement and learning methods. An individual education plan is then devised based on the expectations of both the child and their parents. Teachers face challenges related to language barriers and cultural differences. The provision of courses developing intercultural competence, more language lessons, and training for both children and their parents are considered to be the most important conditions for the successful integration of migrant children into the education system. Full article

Stopping competitions and the training process was a shock that sports organizations had to deal with. Financial problems forced them to rethink the situation. In Slovakia, this became critical. This is why we started to research this issue to provide an answer to the research question: What are the actual consequences of government measures on the sports industry? A survey was conducted including two questionnaires made available between the pandemic waves. The first questionnaire was designed for athletes and sports professionals (N = 1040). The second addressed sports organizations (N = 626). Questionnaires were accessible via sports organizations’ portals. The ban on organizing mass sports events affected this industry. More than 80% of respondents had an experience of having to cancel a competition or training activity. This had an impact on their income as well as their future activities. We cooperate with government institutions and sports associations in Slovakia, so the results were provided to government officials. However, due to political changes accompanied by changes in the ministries responsible for the sports industry in Slovakia, it is relevant to summarize the research results in their present form. In this way they can serve as background for future sports policies. Full article

It is reasonable to state that gastronomic tourism is an efficient tool that has the potential to refresh Thailand’s macroeconomic viability. With the aim of becoming a hub of tourism in Southeast Asia, Thailand’s tourism industry must urgently address and sustainably integrate gastronomic activities to navigate the troubled situation caused by its decline after the COVID-19 pandemic. This has led the authors to conduct a deep study on a regional input–output (I-O) table analysis for Thailand’s tourism system, specifically focusing on gastronomic activities and tourism industries. The tourism I-O data used in this study come from the official source provided by the Thailand Ministry of Tourism and Sport. Empirically, the results of the dynamic regional I-O model predict that Bangkok and its surrounding areas are the heart of gastronomic tourism development, driving income into Thailand’s economy. The eastern region stands as the second-largest area of gastronomy tourism, generating a positive impact on Thailand’s economy. On the other hand, the Northeast of Thailand receives less income from gastronomy tourism despite being the largest area in the country. Ultimately, there should be a greater emphasis on gastronomy tourism policies in order to fully maximize their potential for tourism development, stimulating every part of Thailand during the economic depression caused by COVID-19. Moreover, gastronomy tourism has the potential to play an important role in driving economic growth through the combination of cuisine and tourism development. Full article

Leisure activities play an important role in improving happiness levels for the elderly. The purpose of this study is to explore leisure-related factors that affect the happiness of the elderly using machine learning algorithms. For this research, the 2019 National Leisure Activity Survey released by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Republic of Korea, was used to analyze the data of 1769 elders over the age of 65 among 10,060 men and women aged 15 years and older in 17 cities and provinces nationwide, and it went through the process of data preprocessing, data segmentation, prediction model construction and evaluation, and model tuning. According to the findings of the study, the main factors predicting the happiness index of the elderly were leisure life satisfaction, leisure time, whether to use public leisure facilities, leisure policy satisfaction, and leisure activity companionship. The overall findings of this study imply that exploring sustainable policy towards the achievement of sustainable happiness for the elderly is important. Based on these results, policy measures to improve the happiness level of the elderly were discussed. Full article

The reverse-yield factor (RF) database was developed for qualitatively and quantitatively disaggregating Japanese composite foods into raw primary commodity (RPC) ingredients. Representative equations for four types (dried, salted, fermented and mixed foods) were developed to calculate RFs using the food content and composition data for composite foods listed in the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan—2020—(STFCJ), published by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan. Out of 1150 composite foods identified in the STFCJ, RFs for 54 dried, 41 salted, 40 fermented and 818 mixed foods were obtained. RFs for 197 mixed foods could not be calculated because these foods were produced from ingredients with no specified information and/or through complex processing. The content and composition of Japanese composite foods would be interpreted representatively by RFs in the developed database. Full article

(1) Background: Probiotics in the form of nutritional supplements are safe and potentially useful for strategic application among endurance athletes. Bifidobacterium animalis lactis BL-99 (BL-99) was isolated from the intestines of healthy Chinese infants. We combined plasma-targeted metabolomics and fecal metagenomics to explore the effect of 8 weeks of BL-99 supplementation on cross-country skiers’ metabolism and sports performance. (2) Methods: Sixteen national top-level male cross-country skiers were recruited and randomly divided into a placebo group (C) and a BL-99 group (E). The participants took the supplements four times/day (with each of three meals and at 21:00) consistently for 8 weeks. The experiment was conducted in a single-blind randomized fashion. The subject’s dietary intake and total daily energy consumption were recorded. Blood and stool samples were collected before and after the 8-week intervention, and body composition, muscle strength, blood biochemical parameters, plasma-targeted metabolomic data, and fecal metagenomic data were then analyzed. (3) Results: The following changes occurred after 8 weeks of BL-99 supplementation: (a) There was no significant difference in the average total daily energy consumption and body composition between the C and E groups. (b) The VO_2max and 60°/s and 180°/s knee joint extensor strength significantly increased in both the C and E groups. By the eighth week, the VO_2max and 60 s knee-joint extensor strength were significantly higher in the E group than in the C group. (c) The triglyceride levels significantly decreased in both the C and E groups. In addition, the LDL-C levels significantly decreased in the E group. (d) The abundance of Bifidobacterium animalis increased two-fold in the C group and forty-fold in the E group. (e) Plasma-targeted metabolomic analysis showed that, after eight weeks of BL-99 supplementation, the increases in DHA, adrenic acid, linoleic acid, and acetic acid and decreases in glycocholic acid and glycodeoxycholic acid in the E group were significantly higher than those in the C group. (f) Spearman correlation analysis showed that there was a significant positive correlation between Bifidobacterium animalis’ abundance and SCFAs, PUFAs, and bile acids. (g) There was a significant correlation between the most significantly regulated metabolites and indicators related to sports performance and lipid metabolism. (4) Conclusions: Eight weeks of BL-99 supplementation combined with training may help to improve lipid metabolism and sports performance by increasing the abundance of Bifidobacterium, which can promote the generation of short-chain fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids, and inhibit the synthesis of bile acids. Full article

Background: Perceived psychological stress and exercise are bidirectionally related, and the effects of exercise on stress relief are well documented. However, research on the influence of stress on exercise remains scarce. This study examined the association between perceived psychological stress and exercise participation among Korean adults and older adults as well as the relationship between exercise frequency and perceived stress. Methods: Data on 3440 participants (2813 adults aged 19–64 and 627 older adults aged 65 or more) were collected from the Survey of National Physical Fitness conducted by the Korea Institute of Sport Science and the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2015. We compared the participants’ health-related behaviors, including exercise, regular breakfast consumption, and smoking, according to their perceived psychological stress levels. Results: Those who perceived a higher level of psychological stress reported lower levels of exercise participation, regular breakfast consumption, and smoking, with the exception of older male participants. The study also found that a higher frequency of exercise participation corresponded with a lower perceived level of psychological stress (β = −0.080, p < 0.001) and that engaging in physical activity even once a week yields a substantial reduction in stress levels. Conclusions: In a large sample of Koreans, high levels of perceived psychological stress were significantly associated with less physical activity and infrequent weekly exercise. This study found a dose–response relationship between exercise frequency and reduced stress and suggested that psychological stress should be considered crucial in promoting physical activity. Full article

Background: Perceived stress has a significant effect on metabolic diseases, including obesity and hypertension. However, the association between stress levels, obesity, and hypertension according to age and sex is not fully understood. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between stress levels and obesity and hypertension in Korean adults and older adults. Methods: We analyzed data from the 2015 survey of the Korea National Physical Fitness Project conducted by the Korea Institute of Sports Science and the Korea Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. Of the 3457 participants, 2829 were adults (20–64 years old) and 628 were older adults (≥65 years old). The correlation between obesity and hypertension according to the degree of perceived stress (low, medium, and high) was analyzed using the chi-square test. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the influence of perceived stress levels on obesity and hypertension. Age, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, exercise frequency, smoking, breakfast, and sleeping hours were included as covariates. Results: In adult males, perceived stress levels, age, and diastolic blood pressure were found to have a significant impact on obesity rates, whereas age and breakfast had a significant effect on hypertension rates. In adult females, age and systolic blood pressure were found to significantly influence obesity rates, whereas age, BMI, and exercise frequency had a significant impact on hypertension rates. In older adult females, perceived stress levels and systolic blood pressure were found to significantly impact obesity rates, and sleep duration influenced the rates of hypertension. The effect of perceived stress level on obesity and hypertension rates was less pronounced in the elderly population than in the adult population. Conclusions: This study revealed age and sex differences in the relationship between perceived stress, obesity, and hypertension among Koreans. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the complex relationship between perceived stress and metabolic disorders and emphasize the need for a deeper understanding of the specific factors involved in the prevention and management of metabolic diseases. Full article