Search Results (53)

In recent years, the advancement of various applications, data mining, technologies, and socio-technical systems has led to the development of interactive platforms that enhance user experiences through personalization. In the sports domain, users can access training plans, routes and healthy habits, all in a personalized way thanks to sports recommender systems. These recommendation engines are fueled by rich datasets that are collected through continuous monitoring of users’ activities. However, their potential to address user profiling is limited to single users and not to the dynamics of groups of sportsmen. This paper introduces GoSS-Rec, a Group-oriented Segment Sequence Recommender System, which is designed for groups of cyclists who participate in fitness activities. The system analyzes collective preferences and activity records to provide personalized route recommendations that encourage exploration of diverse cycling paths and also enhance group activities. Our experiments show that GoSS-Rec, which is based on Prod2vec, consistently outperforms other models on diversity and novelty, regardless of the group size. This indicates the potential of our model to provide unique and customized suggestions, making GoSS-Rec a remarkable innovation in the field of sports recommender systems. It also expands the possibilities of personalized experiences beyond traditional areas. Full article

Multiple-hop tests are commonly used in both performance and rehabilitation settings to assess neuromuscular function. This study aimed to explore the relationship between hop performance and sprint ability. Specifically, it focused on three goals: (1) examining the connection between 3-Hop and 5-Hop distances and sprint performance and comparing the strength of relationship between hop kinetics and sprint times; (2) investigating two methods of calculating the 3-Hop and 5-Hop Reactive Strength Indexes (RSI_hors) and their relationship to sprinting; and (3) assessing whether hop ratios or kinetic variables could distinguish sprinters of varying abilities. Forty-four male sportsmen participated, completing 3-Hop and 5-Hop tests and sprint times (5–45 m) over 54 inground force platforms. Ground reaction forces (GRFs) were collected during hop trials and horizontal and vertical hop propulsive and braking kinetics were determined. Results showed strong negative correlations between hop distances and sprint times (r = −0.700 to −0.796), while kinetic variables showed weaker relationships with sprint performance (r = −0.554 to 0.017). RSI_hor, derived from hop distance, correlated more strongly with sprint performance than RSI_hor from flight time. Hop ratios (5-Hop/3-Hop) did not differentiate fast from slow sprinters, and maximal vertical force and horizontal propulsive impulse were the best predictors of 10 m and 40 m sprint times. These findings suggest that hop distance and RSI_hor are valuable tools for assessing sprint performance and reactive strength. Full article

This entry provides a review of economic models of professional sports leagues with and without revenue sharing. These include models that assume profit-maximizing and win-maximizing (sportsmen) club owners. Both approaches predict that revenue sharing will reduce the demand for player talent, depress player salaries, and transfer revenue from large-market to small-market clubs, but they differ on league parity effects. Empirical work has been sparse due to financial data limitations and has not yielded definitive results on the parity issue. Despite the growing awareness of sports economics in the sports industry, the lack of consensus from theoretical models has resulted in sports leagues searching for an optimal revenue sharing policy. The difficulty in providing consistent policy prescriptions in models that incorporate revenue sharing, salary caps, and other league policies has made economic modeling of sports leagues very difficult and complex. While revenue sharing remains an interesting theoretical modeling issue, it has not bridged the gap to real-world league policies. Full article

The study aimed to show the potential clinical application of supplements used among sportsmen for patients suffering from Intensive Care Unit-acquired Weakness (ICUAW) treatment. ICUAW is a common complication affecting approximately 40% of critically ill patients, often leading to long-term functional disability. ICUAW comprises critical illness polyneuropathy, critical illness myopathy, or a combination of both, such as critical illness polyneuromyopathy. Muscle degeneration begins shortly after the initiation of mechanical ventilation and persists post-ICU discharge until proteolysis and autophagy processes normalize. Several factors, including prolonged bedrest and muscle electrical silencing, contribute to muscle weakness, resulting from an imbalance between protein degradation and synthesis. ICUAW is associated with tissue hypoxia, oxidative stress, insulin resistance, reduced glucose uptake, lower adenosine triphosphate (ATP) formation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and increased free-radical production. Several well-studied dietary supplements and pharmaceuticals commonly used by athletes are proven to prevent the aforementioned mechanisms or aid in muscle building, regeneration, and maintenance. While there is no standardized treatment to prevent the occurrence of ICUAW, nutritional interventions have demonstrated the potential for its mitigation. The use of ergogenic substances, popular among muscle-building sociates, may offer potential benefits in preventing muscle loss and aiding recovery based on their work mechanisms. Full article

The review summarises the data of the last 50 years on the effectiveness of the amino acid L-arginine in therapeutic practice in conditions accompanied by different-origin hypoxia. The aim of this review was to analyse the literature and our research data on the role of nitric oxide in the modulation of individual physiological reactivity to hypoxia. The review considers the possibility of eliminating methodological conflicts in the case of L-arginine, which can be solved by taking into account individual physiological reactivity (or the hypoxia resistance factor). Considerable attention is paid to genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of adaptation to hypoxia and conditions of adaptation in different models. The article presents data on the clinical effectiveness of L-arginine in cardiovascular system diseases (hypertension, atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, etc.) and stress disorders associated with these diseases. The review presents a generalised analysis of techniques, data on L-arginine use by athletes, and the ambiguous role of NO in the physiology and pathology of hypoxic states shown via nitric oxide synthesis. Data on the protective effects of adaptation in the formation of individual high reactivity in sportsmen are demonstrated. The review demonstrates a favourable effect of supplementation with L-arginine and its application depending on mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation processes and biochemical indices in groups of individuals with low and high capacity of adaptation to hypoxia. In individuals with high initial anti-hypoxic reserves, these favourable effects are achieved by the blockade of NO-dependent biosynthesis pathways. Therefore, the methodological tasks of physiological experiments and the therapeutic consequences of treatment should include a component depending on the basic level of physiological reactivity. Full article

This study reports the possibility of obtaining sugar-free WPI-based macarons with erythritol addition. The whey protein isolate (WPI) solution (20%, w/v) was whipped, and erythritol was added to the foam at concentrations of 20, 40, and 60 g, with 125 g of almond flour. The rheological properties (τ, G′, G″, and tan (δ)) and stability of the macaron batters before baking were evaluated. In order to produce the macarons, the batters were solidified at 147 °C for 12 min. The textural and surface properties (roughness and color), as well as the microstructures and water activities, were determined for the macarons. It was feasible to produce macarons over the entire range of the tested erythritol content. Even the smallest amount of erythritol (20 g) facilitated the preservation of the macaron structure. The medium erythritol concentration (40 g) improved the stability of the batters and their rheology and was the most effective for air pocket stabilization during baking; however, its largest addition (60 g) resulted in an increase in the final macaron volume. The increased erythritol addition improved mechanical properties and shelf life, producing a smoothing effect on the macaron surfaces and having a significant effect on their color co-ordinates. Full article

Paralympic participants represent a special subset of athletes. Although sudden cardiac death in this group is a rare event, it should be underlined that, in particular, Paralympians with movement restrictions have a higher prevalence of coronary heart disease. Numerous reports have focused on comparing athletes with spinal cord injury (SCI) and the ones with non-spinal cord injury—NSCI. The first group is more prone to develop arrhythmias, arterial hypertension, hyperlipidaemia including atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter, and this group potentially may have a higher risk of cardiovascular mortality. In ECGs of the disabled athletes with SCI, we more often find changes typically established as consequences of exercise training, such as T-wave inversions. The potential differences in the cardiovascular status of disabled athletes may depend not only on the class of impairment, but also on the discipline of sport and environmental conditions, which makes the analysis relatively complex. The paper analyses up-to-date articles discussing the cardiovascular problems in disabled athletes, pointing to scarce data in several fields of interest. Previous studies on the frequency of abnormalities of the cardiovascular system in Paralympic athletes highlighted the need to intensify preventive cardiology care for this group of athletes, and some activities could be proposed for sportsmen and sportswomen in this group, including more frequent screening ECG, application of 24 h ECG Holter monitoring, echocardiography and cardiological care. Due to the relatively few data available and existing discrepancies in this area, further research is necessary. Full article

Our study aims to prospectively report the functional outcomes of 31 sportsmen following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, up to 12 months after surgery, with regards to subjective tests and drop jump performance, and to investigate the correlations between these variables, to be used for determining the return to sports after ACL reconstruction. Lysholm score, Tegner activity level, and the ACL–Return to Sport after Injury (ACL-RSI) scale were evaluated preoperatively, at 6 months, and at 12 months after surgery. Drop vertical jump was recorded using an infrared optical acquisition system. Lysholm and ACL-RSI scores significantly improved at the 12-month follow-up compared to the baseline and 6-month evaluations (p < 0.001). Concerning Tegner activity level, no statistically significant differences were reported between pre- and post-operative status (p = 0.179). Drop jump limb symmetry index significantly improved at 12 months, with the mean value improving from 76.6% (SD: 32,4) pre-operatively to 90.2% (SD: 14.7; p < 0.001) at follow-up. Scarce positive correlation was reported between the ability to perform drop jumps and activity level in athletes one year after ACL reconstruction. In addition, subjective knee score and psychological readiness were not related to jumping performance. Full article

Neuroplasticity and inflammation play important part in the body’s adaptive reactions in response to prolonged physical activity. These processes are associated with the cross-interaction of the nervous and immune systems, which is realized through the transmission of signals from neurotransmitters and cytokines. Using the methods of flow cytometry and advanced biochemical analysis of blood humoral parameters, we showed that intense and prolonged physical activity at the anaerobic threshold, without nutritional and metabolic support, contributes to the development of exercise-induced immunosuppression in sportsmen. These athletes illustrate the following signs of a decreased immune status: fewer absolute indicators of the content of leukocytes, lowered values in the immunoregulatory index (CD4⁺/CD8⁺), and diminished indicators of humoral immunity (immunoglobulins A, M, and G, and IFN-γ). These factors characterize the functional state of cellular and humoral immunity and their reduction affects the prenosological risk criteria, indicative of the athletes’ susceptibility to develop exercise-induced immunosuppression. Full article

The pathoetiology and pathophysiology of motor neuron loss in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are still to be determined, with only a small percentage of ALS patients having a known genetic risk factor. The article looks to integrate wider bodies of data on the biological underpinnings of ALS, highlighting the integrative role of alterations in the mitochondrial melatonergic pathways and systemic factors regulating this pathway across a number of crucial hubs in ALS pathophysiology, namely glia, gut, and the muscle/neuromuscular junction. It is proposed that suppression of the mitochondrial melatonergic pathway underpins changes in muscle brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and its melatonergic pathway mimic, N-acetylserotonin, leading to a lack of metabolic trophic support at the neuromuscular junction. The attenuation of the melatonergic pathway in astrocytes prevents activation of toll-like receptor agonists-induced pro-inflammatory transcription factors, NF-kB, and yin yang 1, from having a built-in limitation on inflammatory induction that arises from their synchronized induction of melatonin release. Such maintained astrocyte activation, coupled with heightened microglia reactivity, is an important driver of motor neuron susceptibility in ALS. Two important systemic factors, gut dysbiosis/permeability and pineal melatonin mediate many of their beneficial effects via their capacity to upregulate the mitochondrial melatonergic pathway in central and systemic cells. The mitochondrial melatonergic pathway may be seen as a core aspect of cellular function, with its suppression increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to ROS-induced microRNAs, thereby altering the patterning of genes induced. It is proposed that the increased occupational risk of ALS in farmers, gardeners, and sportsmen and women is intimately linked to exposure, whilst being physically active, to the widely used glyphosate-based herbicides. This has numerous research and treatment implications. Full article

Background: Data on the effects of weight training on joint morphology are mostly restricted to muscle gain. However, in many circumstances, it is not stated if there are negative consequences for the joints and their surrounding components. This study was conducted to explore whether long-term excessive resistance training (RT) causes hidden pathological alterations in the shoulder. Methods: A total of eleven asymptomatic sportsmen (22 shoulders) underwent clinical and radiological examination of both shoulder joints. All participants had engaged in bodybuilding for at least four years, at least three times per week, and for at least four hours per week. All participants were examined clinically using the Constant Murley Score (CMS), Simple Shoulder Test (SST), UCLA Activity Test, and a specially designed questionnaire. All participants received a bilateral shoulder MRI. The MRI scans were checked for pathology using a checklist. Results: Maximum scores were observed for the SST and UCLA Activity Test. The CMS was 97.7 points on average (range, 87–100). RT had been conducted for a mean of 10.7 years (range, 4–20), for an average of 8.8 h a week (range, 4–12). MRI examinations revealed two supraspinatus tendinopathies (9.1%), one labral change (4.5%), three humeral tuberosity cysts (13.6%), fourteen acromioclavicular (AC) joint hypertrophies (63.6%), five AC joint osteophytes (22.7%), and ten signs of AC joint inflammation (45.5%). Conclusions: The research results show that strength is associated with MRI-documented AC joint pathology. However, it appears that RT may not negatively affect other anatomical structures of the shoulder. Full article

The present study discusses foods for professional athletes since sports nutrition is the foundation of effective performance. A dietary supplement complex designed for ski orienteers, swimmers, road cyclists, and biathletes is described. The composition of the dietary supplement complex with directed influence on metabolic processes, intensity, and training load is given. All the ingredients for this complex are selected, taking into account their synergistic effect and safety. The manufacturing process, with its gentle process conditions like granulation at 40 °C, drying at 60 °C, and a relatively short manufacturing time, ensures the safety of biologically active ingredients and their functional properties. The manufacturing company is the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certified and meets the General Manufacturing Practice (GMP) requirements. The clinical trials were undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of the dietary supplement complex. The findings indicate increased adaptation to training, enhanced recovery, and balanced emotional state. The benefits of adding the dietary supplement complex to eating plans of sportsmen are listed. Full article

Aim: Mental fatigue (MF) has been defined as a psychobiological state commonly caused by prolonged periods of demanding cognitive activity. However, the differences between women and men in their reaction times (RTs) to visual stimuli due to mental fatigue remain largely unknown. We compare the differences in RT and heart rate after an acute intervention of mental fatigue between male and female athletes. Materials and methods: For this aim, 64 participants (age 31.7 ± 6.2 y) performed a routine of 15 min of the Stroop test (PsyTool), with 600 tasks and five different colors. Their heart rate (HR) was registered before, during, and one, three, and five minutes after the Stroop test. Meanwhile, the RT was evaluated before and after the Stroop test. A general linear mixed model (GLMM) and a Bonferroni post hoc test were used to compare the HR between the conditions and an ANOVA two-way analysis was used to compare the values pre-/post-Stroop test. (α = 0.05). Results: The GLMM for HR showed an effect on the time (p < 0.001) and the time × group interaction (p = 0.004). The RT was significantly increased pre- to post-Stroop test (p < 0.05); however, there was no difference between the pre- and post-HR measurements (p = 1.000) and the measurements one (p = 0.559), three (p = 1.000) and five (p = 1.000) min after the Stroop test. Conclusion: The present findings suggest that the parasympathetic branch of the autonomous nervous system which functions as a relaxation system tends to be activated under increasing mental fatigue, with a decreased performance (RT) similarly in men and women. Therefore, athletes could use MF induced during training to improve the time delay related to motor tasks. Full article

The deployment of wearable or body-worn devices is increasing rapidly, and thus researchers’ interests mainly include technical and economical issues, such as networking, interoperability, security, power optimization, business growth and regulation. To address these issues properly, previous survey papers usually focused on describing the wireless body area network architecture and network protocols. This implies that deployment issues and awareness issues of wearable and BAN devices are not emphasized in previous work. To defeat this problem, in this study, we have focused on feasibility, limitations, and security concerns in wireless body area networks. In the aspect of the economy, we have focused on the compound annual growth rate of these devices in the global market, different regulations of wearable/wireless body area network devices in different regions and countries of the world and feasible research projects for wireless body area networks. In addition, this study focuses on the domain of devices that are equally important to physicians, sportsmen, trainers and coaches, computer scientists, engineers, and investors. The outcomes of this study relating to physicians, fitness trainers and coaches indicate that the use of these devices means they would be able to treat their clients in a more effective way. The study also converges the focus of businessmen on the Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) and provides manufacturers and vendors with information about different regulatory bodies that are monitoring and regulating WBAN devices. Therefore, by providing deployment issues in the aspects of technology and economy at the same time, we believe that this survey can serve as a preliminary material that will lead to more advancements and improvements in deployment in the area of wearable wireless body area networks. Finally, we present open issues and further research direction in the area of wireless body area networks. Full article

Introduction: Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is beneficial for lung mechanics, chest kinematics, metabolism, and inspiratory and peripheral muscle function. Freediving training (FD) can be effective in sportsmen and can improve breath-holding time. Aims: We sought to determine the effectiveness of freediving training in the pulmonary rehabilitation of COPD patients. Patients and methods: Twenty-three COPD patients (15 men and 8 women; median age 63 years; FEV1: 41% pred; BMI: 28 kg/m²) participated in the FD + PR group (3 weeks PR and 3 weeks FD + PR) and 46 patients with COPD (25 men and 21 women; median age 66 years; FEV1: 43% pred; BMI: 27 kg/m²) participated in an inpatient PR program (6 weeks). Patients performed comfort zone breath holding for 30 min/day. Patients increased their breath-holding time within their comfort zone for 30 min. We detected lung function, chest expansion (CWE), inspiratory muscle pressure (MIP), peripheral muscle function (GS), and exercise capacity (6MWD), and we included breath-holding time (BHT), quality of life score (COPD Assessment Test (CAT)), modified Medical Research Dyspnea Scale (mMRC) score, and the severity of the disease assessed by the BODE index (FEV1, BMI, 6MWD, and mMRC) and an alternative scale (FEV1, BMI, 6MWD, and CAT). Result: There were significant differences in the characteristics of the two groups. Significant improvement was detected in all functional and quality of life parameters except lung function in both groups. Significantly higher improvement was detected in CWE, GS, 6MWD, BHT, CAT, mMRC, alternative scale, and MIP. The improvement in forced vital capacity (FVC) was not significant. There were no side effects of FD training. Conclusion: The FD method can potentiate the effect of PR, improving not only BHT but also other parameters. Trial registration: ISRCTN ISRCTN13019180. Registered 19 December 2017. Full article