Search Results (418)

Background and Objectives: Aerobic submaximal interval training performed under hypoxic and elevated temperature conditions may induce significant alterations in physiological responses. Understanding these effects may contribute to optimizing training programs for athletes and individuals exposed to extreme environmental conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of combined heat and hypoxia training on physiological response and adaptation during submaximal interval training in untrained men. Methods: Eighty men aged 19–26 years, reporting moderate physical activity levels, were randomly assigned to one of five groups: normoxic thermoneutral training (NOR+21 °C), intermittent hypoxic training in normothermia (IHT+21 °C), normoxic training in heat (NOR+31 °C), intermittent hypoxic training in heat (IHT+31 °C), or a control group (CON). Training sessions were conducted three times per week over a four-week period (12 sessions in total). Somatic parameters and a graded exercise test were assessed before and after the intervention. On the first and last training sessions, selected physiological indices were recorded, including the Bedford scale, Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE), heart rate (HR), tympanic temperature (Ttym), and skin temperature (Tsk), hematocrit (Hct), and hemoglobin (Hb) and lactate concentration. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics and analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Tukey’s post hoc test (p < 0.05). Results: A statistically significant decrease in heart rate (p = 0.04) and exercise intensity expressed as a percentage of maximal heart rate (%HRmax) (p = 0.03) was observed in the IHT+21 °C group following the training intervention. Furthermore, a significant decrease in RPE was found in the IHT+21 °C (p = 0.04) and IHT+31 °C (p = 0.001) groups. A significant change in tympanic temperature was noted only in the IHT+21 °C group, where it increased post-intervention (p = 0.01). No significant changes in Hct and Hb were observed as a result of training. Conclusions: The combination of hypoxic and heat training did not yield the expected results, and no significant changes in the physiological response to submaximal aerobic training were observed in untrained men. In untrained young men, training under hypoxic and thermoneutral conditions leads to significant physiological adaptations, including reductions in heart rate and relative exercise intensity (%HRmax) after the intervention. Moreover, both hypoxia alone and hypoxia combined with heat were associated with a reduced perception of exertion following the training period. Full article

Background: Dietary behaviors are important modifiable factors related to health and well-being. Sports volunteers represent a population involved in sport-related environments, yet limited evidence is available regarding their specific dietary behaviors and their associations with sociodemographic characteristics. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 297 sports volunteers (184 women, 113 men) at international sporting events in Poznan, Poland. Twenty specific dietary behaviors, including meal frequency, consumption of fruits, vegetables, cereal products, meat, dairy products, fish, sweets, sugar-sweetened beverages, salty snacks, ready-made meals, legumes, water, and selected eating behaviors, were assessed using a 20-item dietary habits questionnaire developed in accordance with dietary recommendations of the National Institute of Public Health and the National Center for Nutrition Education in Poland. Gender, age, educational attainment, and BMI were recorded. Chi-square tests were used to examine bivariate associations between each dietary behavior and sociodemographic characteristics. Multivariable logistic regression models were subsequently applied to dietary behaviors showing statistically significant bivariate associations. Results: Of the 20 dietary behaviors assessed, only a small number varied significantly according to sociodemographic characteristics. Women reported higher adherence to daily fruit consumption (46.8% vs. 28.1%; p = 0.002) and daily consumption of at least three portions of vegetables (44.1% vs. 28.9%; p = 0.013) than men. Participants aged 18 years differed from older age groups in daily fruit consumption and limiting meat consumption to no more than once per day (p < 0.05). Educational attainment was associated with daily fruit consumption, with participants with primary education reporting higher adherence than those with higher education (48.8% vs. 25.3%; p = 0.011). BMI was associated with several dietary behaviors, including fruit consumption, avoiding snacking between meals, and portion control (p < 0.05). In multivariable analyses, female gender remained independently associated with fruit and vegetable consumption, while younger age was independently associated with daily fruit consumption and lower meat consumption. BMI remained independently associated with daily fruit consumption, whereas educational attainment was no longer significantly associated with dietary behaviors after adjustment. Conclusions: Most of the 20 dietary behaviors assessed did not differ significantly according to the examined sociodemographic characteristics. The observed associations were limited to selected behaviors and varied by gender, age, educational attainment, and BMI. Further research should examine additional factors, including physical activity, volunteering characteristics, and socioeconomic conditions, that may contribute to dietary behaviors among sports volunteers. Full article

As the integration between urban public spaces and aquatic environments continues to deepen, waterside sports venues have gradually become important public spaces that combine sports, leisure, and nature-based experiential value. Existing studies have mainly focused on the functional configuration and spatial performance of sports venues, or on the restorative benefits of natural environments. However, relatively limited attention has been paid to the psychological pathway through which residents develop blue space connectedness and restorative experiences in waterside sports venues, and how these experiences are further associated with well-being. This study surveyed 1064 residents who had used waterside sports venues and constructed a chain mediation model linking perceived waterside sports venue design, blue space connectedness, perceived restorativeness, and residents’ well-being. Perceived waterside sports venue design was conceptualized as a second-order construct composed of water visibility, water accessibility, water harmony, and water interactivity, while perceived restorativeness was conceptualized as a second-order construct composed of being-away, fascination, extent, and compatibility. Questionnaire data were collected from residents, and structural equation modeling was employed to test the theoretical model. The results indicate that: (1) perceived waterside sports venue design is significantly and positively associated with residents’ well-being; (2) blue space connectedness and perceived restorativeness play independent mediating roles in the above relationship; (3) blue space connectedness and perceived restorativeness form a chain mediation pathway between perceived waterside sports venue design and residents’ well-being. The findings extend blue space and sport venue research by conceptualizing waterside sports venues as hybrid public environments that combine water-based spatial experience, sport participation, and restorative potential. By identifying the sequential roles of blue space connectedness and perceived restorativeness, this study provides a psychological explanation of how perceived waterside venue design is associated with residents’ well-being, and offers practical implications for health-oriented waterfront sport venue planning and evaluation. Full article

River ecosystems play a key role in both natural and urbanized environments, acting as essential links in ecological systems. However, they are increasingly exposed to the synergistic effects of anthropogenic pressure and hydrological instability. This study aims to identify and assess changes in land use and their impact on the phytosociological structure and functioning of ash-alder (Fraxino-Alnetum) patches in floodplains. Based on cartographic analyses (1941, 1961, 2025) and detailed geobotanical surveys (2024–2025) conducted at six representative sites, the spatio-temporal dynamics of land use and vegetation habitat conditions were evaluated using ecological indicator values. The results indicate a substantial landscape transformation: a transition from areas dominated by agricultural and forest ecosystems to zones heavily altered by urban expansion, transport infrastructure, and industrialization. Phytosociological analyses show that while species richness remains relatively stable, floristic composition is changing due to hornbeam succession and the emergence of mesophilous species. The presence of non-native species indicates ongoing anthropization in plant patches. Furthermore, hydromorphological modifications, including bank reinforcement and channel deepening in the vicinity of sports and railway infrastructure, have hindered natural river dynamics and accelerated floodplain drainage. The observed changes indicate that ash-alder forests in the Biała Przemsza valley are in a transitional phase between riparian and oak-hornbeam communities, with a clear oak-hornbeam transformation evident in many areas, driven by changes in water relations. This study highlights the urgent need to implement integrated restoration strategies that account for both hydrological catchment recovery and the mitigation of urban pressure to ensure the long-term resilience of riparian ecosystems. Full article

The construction of adequate infrastructure in low-resource regions is frequently constrained by limited technical facilities, inadequate supply chains, and the absence of standardized quality control. This study presents a case study of the reinforced concrete foundation system of a multifunctional sports hall constructed in Cacine, Guinea-Bissau, where concrete production was carried out under severe logistical and technological constraints. Following construction, laboratory investigations were performed to evaluate the transported cement sample, locally available aggregates, and concrete specimens collected on site. Cement characterization included particle-size distribution, thermal analysis, and compressive strength testing, while the concrete was assessed through compressive strength and water absorption measurements. The aggregate grading complied with the relevant technical requirements and fell within the recommended grading envelope; however, the cement exhibited lower mechanical performance than expected from its declared class, although the non-standard specimen geometry does not permit formal conformity assessment. The concrete reached an average 28-day compressive strength of 12.9 MPa and exhibited relatively high water absorption, reflecting the combined influence of volumetric batching, high water demand, limited mixing efficiency, and the absence of chemical admixtures. Scenario analyses based on the Bolomey relationship indicated that improved control of the effective water-to-cement ratio could substantially enhance concrete performance. Although the study is limited by retrospective testing and a small number of specimens, it provides practical insight into the adaptation of concrete technology to resource-constrained environments and identifies key technological priorities for future infrastructure projects in Guinea-Bissau and similar regions. Full article

Climate change is increasing the frequency, intensity, and duration of heatwaves, making extreme heat a recurrent public health challenge with important nutritional implications. High ambient temperatures affect human health through thermoregulatory strain, sweating, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, cardiovascular and renal stress, impaired cognitive and physical performance, and exacerbation of chronic diseases. Diet and hydration may therefore represent modifiable, although still underinvestigated, components of heat-health prevention. This narrative review synthesizes evidence on hydration, electrolyte balance, meal composition, dietary quality, vulnerable populations, Mediterranean dietary patterns, seasonality, environmental sustainability, and public health strategies for reducing heat-related health risks. Evidence from climate-health research, physiology, nutrition science, occupational and sports medicine, geriatrics, pediatrics, and public health guidance was integrated. Particular attention was given to distinguishing direct heat-health evidence from recommendations based on indirect evidence, physiological plausibility, or expert consensus. Regular water intake, water-rich foods, avoidance of alcohol, moderation of sugar-sweetened beverages, and individualized electrolyte replacement during prolonged or intense sweating are supported by physiological rationale and public health guidance, although direct heatwave-specific intervention studies remain limited. Dietary recommendations should prioritize smaller, digestible, nutrient-dense meals that preserve nutritional adequacy while reducing unnecessary digestive and metabolic burden. However, evidence on meal size, macronutrient composition, and heat-related outcomes remains largely indirect. Vulnerable groups, including older adults, children, pregnant women, individuals with chronic diseases, outdoor workers, athletes, and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, require tailored strategies. The Mediterranean diet may provide a useful regional model because it emphasizes seasonal plant foods, fruits and vegetables with high water content, legumes, whole grains, olive oil, culinary simplicity, and environmental sustainability; however, its specific role in heat adaptation requires further study. Integrating nutrition and hydration into heat-health action plans may improve preparedness and support climate-resilient food systems. Future studies should evaluate hydration protocols, meal patterns, Mediterranean diet adherence, biomarkers of nutritional heat resilience, and nutrition-sensitive interventions in real-world heat exposure settings. Full article

Monitoring physiological responses to intensified training is critical in elite sport, yet evidence in world-class kayak paddlers remains limited. To assess biochemical and hematological acute responses during an intensified training microcycle in an elite flat-water kayaker, a 35-year-old Olympic-level kayaker was monitored across two consecutive 7-day microcycles (pre-intensified and intensified). During the intensified microcycle, fasting venous blood samples were collected over five consecutive mornings. Hematological, biochemical, and hormonal markers were analyzed using standardized laboratory procedures. Training intensification induced marked but physiological changes. From Monday to Tuesday, leucocytes increased from 5.7 to 7.3 × 10⁹/L (+28%), while creatine kinase (CK) rose from 291 to 602 U/L (+107%) and remained elevated (579–604 U/L). Serum iron decreased from 131 to 88 µg/dL (−32.8%) and remained below baseline throughout the microcycle. Triglycerides declined from 63 to 52 mg/dL (−17.5%) and stabilized thereafter. AST increased from 33 to 41 U/L (+24.2%) with minor fluctuations. Across the microcycle, cortisol rose from 522 to 575–578 nmol/L (+10–10.7%), whereas testosterone remained stable (29.4–31.2 nmol/L). Epinephrine increased from 13 to 37 ng/L (+184.6%). Erythrocytes, hemoglobin, and C-reactive protein remained stable. The intensified microcycle elicited substantial but controlled physiological perturbations, reflecting increased muscle stress and systemic load without evidence of maladaptation. Full article

Climate change adaptation in cities increasingly requires not only technical and spatial solutions, but also a better understanding of residents’ beliefs and expectations towards green infrastructure. This study aimed to identify the relationship between climate change knowledge and preferences for urban green infrastructure among Warsaw residents. The research was based on a CAWI survey conducted at the end of 2024 among 780 adult residents of Warsaw. Respondent segmentation was performed using hierarchical cluster analysis and k-means clustering, while differences between groups were assessed using the Kruskal–Wallis and chi-square tests. Four resident segments were identified: Climate Aware, Natural-Factor Oriented, Sceptics, and Uncertain. These groups were found to differ significantly in their climate change knowledge and beliefs, socio-demographic characteristics, motivations for using green areas, and preferences for specific green infrastructure elements. Climate-aware residents attached particular importance to multifunctional green and blue infrastructure, including large parks, trees, water elements, and proximity to natural areas. More sceptical residents tended to perceive green areas mainly through their recreational and sport-related functions. The findings indicate that climate-adaptive green infrastructure should be planned in a socially differentiated way, combining environmental, recreational, and tourism-related functions to strengthen both urban resilience and the attractiveness of Warsaw. Full article

This paper presents a novel approach for estimating 3D human pose from monocular video sequences in underwater scenarios, tackling the unique challenges posed by water refraction, body occlusion, low image quality and illumination distortion in underwater environments. Leveraging both 2D keypoint extraction and parametric model estimation, our method operates in a two-stage framework including preprocessing and optimization. In the preprocessing stage, a Part Attention Regressor (PARE) is adopted to dynamically estimate SMPL human body parameters, particularly adept at handling occlusions common in underwater scenarios. Additionally, a 2D keypoint detector, employing YOLO for bounding box detection and HRNet for keypoint regression, enhances feature extraction despite underwater image challenges. In the optimization stage, we propose an underwater variational autoencoder (UW-VAE), which adopts a data-driven strategy to learn the biomechanical prior distribution of underwater human poses and implicitly correct unreasonable pose parameters caused by refraction and occlusion. The optimization process incorporates constraints aligning final SMPL models with detected 2D keypoints, minimizing disparity between adjusted and original SMPL models, and ensuring temporal consistency. Furthermore, to address the scarcity of annotated underwater datasets, we build a full pipeline to generate synthetic underwater datasets with complete annotations based on UW-VAE. Experimental results on the SwimXYZ synthetic dataset show that our method achieves 51.60% PCK@0.2 and 80.13% PCK@0.5, outperforming state-of-the-art land-based methods across most stroke categories. Validation on real-world underwater swimming datasets demonstrates improved 2D keypoint accuracy after synthetic-data fine-tuning, which provides a new solution for 3D human motion analysis in underwater sports, biomechanical research and swimming training. Full article

This study evaluated the effect of sports and energy drinks on the surface roughness of three commonly used restorative dental materials: resin-based composites (RBCs), resin-modified glass ionomer cements (RMGICs), and conventional glass ionomer cements (GICs). Sixty-three A2-shade specimens of each material were fabricated, stored in distilled water for 24 h, and then immersed in six commercially available beverages or distilled water (control) for 6, 30, or 60 h. Surface roughness was assessed after each immersion period using contact profilometry, and the effects of material type, immersion medium, and exposure time were compared. Surface roughness increased with longer immersion times for all materials, although the magnitude of change varied significantly among material types. RBCs showed the greatest resistance to surface degradation, whereas RMGICs and particularly GICs exhibited progressively higher roughness values over time. Beverages generally produced greater surface roughness than distilled water, with sugar-containing formulations showing higher roughness values than their sugar-free counterparts. Prolonged exposure to sports and energy drinks may adversely affect the surface integrity of restorative materials. Resin-based composites demonstrated the highest resistance to roughness changes, whereas glass ionomer cements were the most susceptible. Increased surface roughness may contribute to plaque accumulation, staining, and material wear, potentially compromising the long-term clinical performance of restorations. Full article

As wearable sensors advance toward long-term motion monitoring and operation in humid environments, performance priorities are shifting from sensitivity to sustained reliability. Hydrogels are attractive sensing materials due to their tissue-like compliance, biocompatibility, and tunable conductivity; however, their hydrated networks readily absorb water under perspiration, high humidity, and underwater conditions, leading to structural relaxation, interfacial instability, conductive pathway disruption, and signal drift. Thus, anti-swelling design should move beyond reducing swelling ratios toward coordinated regulation of water transport, internal water environment, interfacial integrity, and signal stability. This review summarizes recent advances in anti-swelling hydrogel-based wearable sensors, focusing on structural engineering strategies, including network confinement, surface hydrophobicity, core–shell architectures, and gradient structures, as well as material regulation mechanisms, including ionic/coordination crosslinking, nanoconfinement, zwitterionic hydration, and solvation-mediated anti-water exchange, highlighting their synergistic roles in long-term anti-swelling performance and environmental adaptability. Representative applications in perspiration monitoring, underwater motion sensing, rehabilitation, and intelligent interaction demonstrate the importance of anti-swelling regulation for reliable sensing in wet environments. Finally, the remaining challenges are summarized, together with future perspectives on the synergistic design of structures, materials, and interfaces, standardized evaluation systems for realistic motion environments, and scalable manufacturing. Anti-swelling hydrogel sensors are expected to evolve from low-swelling materials into environmentally adaptive sensing platforms for aqueous environments, enabling advances in underwater sports monitoring, digital health, and underwater human–machine interaction. Full article

Urban vitality is a key indicator for characterizing the quality of urban space and the operational status of urban functions. However, existing studies still have limitations in multidimensional vitality measurement at the block scale, the representation of hierarchical differences in cultural facilities, and the coupling coordination diagnosis of multidimensional vitality. This study takes 2504 blocks in the central urban area of Nanjing as the basic analytical units and integrates multi-source geospatial data, including VIIRS nighttime light data, Baidu Huiyan population heat data, POIs, road networks, and water systems, to construct a three-dimensional urban vitality evaluation system encompassing economic, social, and cultural vitality. A Composite Nighttime Light Index (CNLI) is constructed by geometrically fusing VIIRS nighttime light data with the kernel density of industry- and consumption-related POIs to reduce the impact of the spatial generalization of nighttime lights on block-scale economic vitality measurement. Meanwhile, population heat data and cultural POIs are used to characterize social vitality and cultural resource supply, respectively, and PCA, a coupling coordination model, and spatial autocorrelation analysis are combined to identify the spatial structure of multidimensional vitality and the dominant factors of disorder. External reference variables are also introduced to conduct convergent validity verification. The results indicate that the comprehensive vitality of Nanjing’s central urban area exhibits a distinct “core agglomeration–multi-node diffusion” structure. High-vitality zones are primarily concentrated in Xinjiekou, Confucius Temple, Hunan Road–Zhongyang Road, Longjiang, and the Nanjing Olympic Sports Center, with localized vitality patches forming at peripheral commercial and transportation nodes. Both comprehensive vitality and coupling coordination degree exhibit significant positive spatial autocorrelation, with Moran’s I values of 0.8089 and 0.8372, respectively. The disorder types show distinct quantitative differences and spatial differentiation. Among these, blocks with lagging cultural vitality are the most numerous; peripheral new towns and newly developed residential areas are more prone to cultural vitality lag; areas surrounding scenic spots, universities, and large ecological spaces tend to exhibit economic vitality lag; and less developed peripheral blocks primarily exhibit comprehensive disorder. Based on accessible multi-source geospatial data, this study constructs a block-scale framework for measuring multidimensional urban vitality and diagnosing coordination status. This framework can provide a reference for vitality identification, functional shortcoming diagnosis, and refined spatial governance in Nanjing’s central urban area, and offer a case reference for historic and cultural cities with similar spatial structures. Full article

This study was developed within the framework of the GOLL (Green Olympic Living Lab and Environment Change) project, promoted by the Municipality of Coimbra, Portugal. The project uses the Mário Mexia Multisport Pavilion (MMMP) and the Olympic Swimming Pools Complex (OSPC) as living lab case studies for sustainability-oriented sports infrastructure management. The study combines a review of best practices in sustainable sports facilities with an applied case study focusing on infrastructure characterisation and the identification of intervention requirements (InRs). The review addresses the environmental, economic, and social dimensions of sustainable sports facilities, including energy and water efficiency, digital technologies, renewable energy integration, waste management, mobility, certification systems, and user inclusion. The adopted methodology integrates a literature review, technical inspections, and the analysis of building systems and resource consumption. The findings highlight the significant potential for improving operational performance, resource efficiency, and overall sustainability by adopting more integrated maintenance and management approaches. However, practical implementation remains dependent on overcoming challenges related to costs, data integration, and stakeholder engagement. The paper also discusses the potential adoption of integrated maintenance approaches, including the potential adoption of tailored digital management solutions and certification schemes, which may support more structured and proactive management. Within the GOLL living lab environment, this contributes to more informed technical, operational, and policy decision-making for the sustainable rehabilitation and management of sports facilities. Full article

Urban parks are widely regarded as healthy and sustainable urban infrastructures, yet their respiratory benefits depend on the coupling of design, behaviour, and perception rather than ambient PM concentrations alone. A multi-season daytime fair-weather panel study across five urban park space types integrated in situ PM monitoring, SOPARC-based behavior mapping (9173 users), dwell-time surveys, and inhalation-rate libraries to estimate per capita inhaled doses, while an on-site survey (n = 837) assessed perceived PM and its influence on space choice. Understory and water spaces exhibited the highest PM₁₀ and TSP concentrations, whereas waterfront areas were the cleanest; winter concentrations were elevated but preserved the same space-type ranking. Sports spaces had the most intense activity profiles (61.9% moderate-to-extreme), and understory and sports spaces supported the longest stays, with little seasonal change in either intensity or duration. Consequently, per capita PM exposure was highest in sports and understory spaces and lowest in water and waterfront spaces. Spaces that attracted more users also delivered higher per capita doses, indicating an overlap between popularity and high-dose micro-environments. Perceptually, 94.9% of users rated PM as low or relatively low in water spaces, whereas squares had the highest share of “moderate or worse” ratings (26.4%); 78.1% chose locations based on perceived air quality, despite weak or even negative correlations with measured PM. These findings reveal a design-driven exposure architecture in which space configuration organizes both PM concentrations and user behavior, while misperception can steer visitors, especially in winter, toward the very park micro-environments that deliver the highest inhaled doses. This study provides evidence for exposure-aware park design and management that can reduce respiratory risk while supporting sustainable outdoor recreation and healthier urban living. Full article

In professional water polo, understanding the effects of ball wettability on game dynamics is essential but remains insufficiently investigated. This research aims to evaluate how the surface wettability of various professional water polo balls could influence their behavior during play. The study employed a combination of laboratory measurements to assess the wettability of multiple ball brands using the sessile drop method under standardized conditions. FTIR spectroscopy was also performed to characterize the surface chemical composition and support the interpretation of wettability differences observed in contact angle measurements. Performance-related parameters, including static contact angle values and droplet behavior during measurement, were analyzed in relation to surface chemistry and material composition. Significant variability in wettability was observed across different ball brands. These differences indicate that surface properties may play an important role in modulating ball–water interaction mechanisms, which are influenced by both chemical composition and surface morphology. Based on these results, we propose including wettability-related parameters in the official water polo equipment guidelines, which currently cover only size, weight, and material composition. This adjustment could help standardize ball behavior across competitive play, leading to more consistent and fair conditions. This study extends current knowledge of the physical factors influencing sports performance and suggests practical improvements to enhance fairness and quality in water polo competitions. Full article