Does scoliosis-specific exercise treatment in adolescence alter adult quality of life?

Objective. Health-related quality of life in adults, who in adolescence participated in a scoliosis-specific exercise program, was not previously studied. Design. Cross-sectional study, with retrospective data collection. Material and Methods. Homogenous groups of 68 persons (43 women) aged 30.10 (25–39) years, with mild or moderate scoliosis, and 76 (38 women) able-bodied persons, aged 30.11 (24–38) years, who 16.5 (12–26) years earlier had completed scoliosis-specific exercise or observation regimes, participated. Their respiratory characteristics did not differ from predicted values. The WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire, Oswestry Disability Questionnaire, and pain scale (VAS) were applied. Results. The transformed WHOQOL-BREF scores ranged from 54.6 ± 11.19 in the physical domain in the mild scoliotic subgroup to 77.1 ± 16.05 in the social domain in the able-bodied subgroup. The ODQ values did not generally exceed 5.3 ± 7.53. Inter- and intragroup differences were nonsignificant. Age, marital status, education, and gender were significantly associated with the ODQ scores. Significant association between the ODQ and WHOQOL-BREF social relationships domain scores with the participation in exercise treatment was found. Conclusions. Participants with the history of exercise treatment generally did not differ significantly from their peers who were only under observation. This study cannot conclude that scoliosis-specific exercise treatment in adolescence alters quality of life in adulthood

Mental Health of Adults Treated in Adolescence with Scoliosis-Specific Exercise Program or Observed for Idiopathic Scoliosis

Objective. To examine general mental health in adult males and females, who in adolescence participated in a scoliosis-specific therapeutic exercise program or were under observation due to diagnosis of scoliosis. Design. Registry-based, cross-sectional study with retrospective data collection. Methods. Sixty-eight subjects (43 women) aged 30.10 (25–39) years, with mild or moderate scoliosis (11–36° Cobb angle), and 76 (38 women) nonscoliotic subjects, aged 30.11 (24–38) years, participated. The time period since the end of the exercise or observation regimes was 16.5 (12-26) years. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) scores were analyzed with the χ2 and U tests. Multiple regression analyses for confounders were also performed. Results. Intergroup differences of demographic characteristics were nonsignificant. Scoliosis, gender, participation in the exercise program, employment, and marital status were associated with BDI scores. The presence of scoliosis and participation in the exercise program manifested association with the symptoms. Higher GHQ-28 “somatic symptoms” subscale scores interacted with the education level. Conclusions. Our findings correspond to the reports of a negative impact of the diagnosis of scoliosis and treatment on mental health. The decision to introduce a therapeutic program in children with mild deformities should be made with judgment of potential benefits, risks, and harm

External validation of VO2max prediction models based on recreational and elite endurance athletes

In recent years, numerous prognostic models have been developed to predict VO2max. Nevertheless, their accuracy in endurance athletes (EA) stays mostly unvalidated. This study aimed to compare predicted VO2max (pVO2max) with directly measured VO2max by assessing the transferability of the currently available prediction models based on their R$^{2}$, calibration-in-the-large, and calibration slope. 5,260 healthy adult EA underwent a maximal exertion cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) (84.76% male; age 34.6±9.5 yrs.; VO2max 52.97±7.39 mL·min$^{-1}$·kg$^{-1}$, BMI 23.59±2.73 kg·m$^{-2}$). 13 models have been selected to establish pVO2max. Participants were classified into four endurance subgroups (high-, recreational-, low- trained, and “transition”) and four age subgroups (18–30, 31–45, 46–60, and ≥61 yrs.). Validation was performed according to TRIPOD guidelines. pVO2max was low-to-moderately associated with direct CPET measurements (p>0.05). Models with the highest accuracy were for males on a cycle ergometer (CE) (Kokkinos R$^{2}$ = 0.64), females on CE (Kokkinos R$^{2}$ = 0.65), males on a treadmill (TE) (Wasserman R$^{2}$ = 0.26), females on TE (Wasserman R$^{2}$ = 0.30). However, selected models underestimated pVO2max for younger and higher trained EA and overestimated for older and lower trained EA. All equations demonstrated merely moderate accuracy and should only be used as a supplemental method for physicians to estimate CRF in EA. It is necessary to derive new models on EA populations to include routinely in clinical practice and sports diagnostic

Validity of the Maximal Heart Rate Prediction Models among Runners and Cyclists

Maximal heart rate (HRmax) is a widely used measure of cardiorespiratory fitness. Prediction of HRmax is an alternative to cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), but its accuracy among endurance athletes (EA) requires evaluation. This study aimed to externally validate HRmax prediction models in the EA independently for running and cycling CPET. A total of 4043 runners (age = 33.6 (8.1) years; 83.5% males; BMI = 23.7 (2.5) kg·m -2) and 1026 cyclists (age = 36.9 (9.0) years; 89.7% males; BMI = 24.0 (2.7) kg·m -2) underwent maximum CPET. Student t-test, mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), and root mean square error (RMSE) were applied to validate eight running and five cycling HRmax equations externally. HRmax was 184.6 (9.8) beats·min -1 and 182.7 (10.3) beats·min -1, respectively, for running and cycling, p = 0.001. Measured and predicted HRmax differed significantly ( p = 0.001) for 9 of 13 (69.2%) models. HRmax was overestimated by eight (61.5%) and underestimated by five (38.5%) formulae. Overestimated HRmax amounted to 4.9 beats·min -1 and underestimated HRmax was in the range up to 4.9 beats·min -1. RMSE was 9.1-10.5. MAPE ranged to 4.7%. Prediction models allow for limited precision of HRmax estimation and present inaccuracies. HRmax was more often underestimated than overestimated. Predicted HRmax can be implemented for EA as a supplemental method, but CPET is the preferable method

Identification of success factors in elite wrestlers-An exploratory study.

Identification of success factors in wrestling as well as establishing their hierarchy are crucial from a cognitive and practical standpoint. It may provide a lot of practical recommendations related to wrestling-specific training. The aim of this study was to identify and establish the hierarchy of success factors in wrestling regardless of a fighting style and weight class. This study included 168 elite male freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestlers. They were divided into two groups: athletes who won medals (successful wrestlers) in high-rank competitions (Polish Championships or higher) and those who did not win any medals (less successful wrestlers) in those competitions. The following elements were assessed: anthropological measurements, body composition, dynamic strength, strength endurance, agility, special endurance, wrestling-specific fitness, response time, technical wrestling skills and anaerobic capacity. For initial data analysis, one-way ANOVA (α = 0.005) was used. Random Forests classifier was employed to identify success factors and to determine the importance of each of these factors in terms of sports performance. Seven key success factors were identified: anaerobic power, strength endurance, response time, special endurance, wrestling-specific fitness and technical wrestling skills performed in a horizontal position. Random Forests turned out to be an effective method of modelling success in wrestling (compared to SVM and KNN, which were also used in the study). These findings suggest that wrestling-specific training can be effectively monitored by controlling several vital indicators of athletes' preparedness: anaerobic power, strength endurance, response time, special endurance, wrestling-specific fitness and technical wrestling skills (the performance of reverse waistlock from a standing position and trunk grip gut wrench assessed by experts)

Social return on investment (SROI) as a method of evaluating the results of scientific research

Badania naukowe jako obszar zarządzania publicznego podlegają ocenie pod kątem ich efektywności i oddziaływania na społeczeństwo. Ocena ta ma najczęściej charakter opisowy lub bibliometryczny. Rzadko stosuje się analizę wpływu badań naukowych, prac badawczych finansowanych ze środków publicznych w ujęciu monetarnym. Celem pracy jest ocena możliwości zastosowania metody społecznego zwrotu z inwestycji w obszarze finansowania badań naukowych. Praca opiera się na analizie przypadków wybranych prac badawczych sfinansowanych na drodze konkursów ze środków publicznych w ramach dyscyplin naukowych nauki o zdrowiu i nauki o kulturze fizycznej. W pracy zidentyfikowano brakujące dane w wybranym systemie naukowych baz danych potrzebne do wprowadzenia społecznej stopy zwrotu z inwestycji w badania naukowe. Dodatkową wartością dodaną pracy jest charaterystyka i ocena funkcjonalności systemów informatycznych wspierających procesy ewaluacji badań naukowych, w tym systemów informatycznych wspomagających zarządzanie oparte na dowodach. We wnioskach w pracy zarekomendowana rozwiązania sprzyjające w przyszłości wdrożeniu przedmiotowego rozwiązania oceny efektów prac badawczych.Scientific research as an area of public management are evaluated in terms of its effectiveness and impact on the society. This assessment is often descriptive or bibliometric. The monetary impact of scientific research is rarely analyzed. The aim of the study is to assess the possibility of applying the social return on investment model in the area of financing scientific research. The work is based on the analysis of selected research projects financed by public funds. The research disciplines selected for analysis are health sciences and physical education. The study identified missing data in a selected scientific database system needed to introduce the social rate of return on investment in research. An additional added value of the work is the characterization and evaluation of the functionality of IT systems supporting the processes of scientific research evaluation, including IT systems supporting evidence-based management. In the conclusions of the work, some solutions were recommended. It would be conducive to the future implementation

Value of a football club in the context of social media

The paper presents an approach to the valuation of specific sports businesses – commercial football clubs in the context of social media factors. The authors show specific value definitions from philosophical to financial approaches. Research shows us that to understand and measure the value of football clubs is not as simple as in non-sports companies. The problem lies inside of intangible assets that from an accounting viewpoint do not constitute all the factors which build the value of the club. One of those factors is social media and their influence on football business

Cyfrowa transformacja przestrzeni organizacyjnej sportu

W artykule opisano system informatyczny wdrożony w Klubie Sportowym AZS-AWF Wrocław jako element mobilnej platformy komunikowania się między interesariuszami klubu sportowego. Implementacja systemu oraz użytkowanie odbywa się przez stronę internetową KS AZS-AWF Wrocław. System wykorzystywany jest przez zawodników, kadrę trenerską oraz działaczy klubu (www.e-azs.pl). W artykule opisano metodykę postępowania projektowego związaną z wytworzeniem, testowaniem oraz walidacją prototypu systemu Pe-AZS. Przedmiotem analiz jest transformacja cyfrowa klubów sportowych z perspektywy teorii przestrzeni organizacyjnej. Punktem wyjścia do prowadzonych badań oraz formułowania ostatecznych wniosków była także orientacja podejścia myślenia projektowego, które w konsekwencji pozwoliło na wypracowanie pożądanych rozwiązań informatyczno- komunikacyjnych dla dedykowanej platformy wspomagającej skuteczność w zarządzaniu całą organizacją sportow

Polymorphisms in Genes Encoding VDR, CALCR and Antioxidant Enzymes as Predictors of Bone Tissue Condition in Young, Healthy Men

The aim of the study was to assess significant predictors of bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) in a group of young, healthy men at the time of reaching peak bone mass. Regression analyses showed that age, BMI and practicing combat sports and team sports at a competitive level (trained vs. untrained group; TR vs. CON, respectively) were positive predictors of BMD/BMC values at various skeletal sites. In addition, genetic polymorphisms were among the predictors. In the whole population studied, at almost all measured skeletal sites, the SOD2 AG genotype proved to be a negative predictor of BMC, while the VDR FokI GG genotype was a negative predictor of BMD. In contrast, the CALCR AG genotype was a positive predictor of arm BMD. ANOVA analyses showed that, regarding SOD2 polymorphism, the TR group was responsible for the significant intergenotypic differences in BMC that were observed in the whole study population (i.e., lower BMC values of leg, trunk and whole body were observed in AG TR compared to AA TR). On the other hand, higher BMC at L1–L4 was observed in the SOD2 GG genotype of the TR group compared to in the same genotype of the CON group. For the FokI polymorphism, BMD at L1–L4 was higher in AG TR than in AG CON. In turn, the CALCR AA genotype in the TR group had higher arm BMD compared to the same genotype in the CON group. In conclusion, SOD2, VDR FokI and CALCR polymorphisms seem to affect the association of BMC/BMD values with training status. In general, at least within the VDR FokI and CALCR polymorphisms, less favorable genotypes in terms of BMD (i.e., FokI AG and CALCR AA) appear to be associated with a greater BMD response to sports training. This suggests that, in healthy men during the period of bone mass formation, sports training (combat and team sports) may attenuate the negative impact of genetic factors on bone tissue condition, possibly reducing the risk of osteoporosis in later age

Bone Mineral Status of Young Men With Different Levels of Physical Activity

Introduction. The study sought to assess bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) in men with different levels of physical activity during the period of reaching peak bone mas