Biomechanical analysis of the knee during an immersive, high-intensity exergame training in healthy athletes

Introduction: Exergaming – physically active gaming – is cognitively and physically challenging, and, therefore, has great potential for sports rehabilitation, for example after knee injuries. Before it can be recommended for rehabilitation, the biomechanics during exergaming needs to be understood. The occurrence of high-risk movement patterns for knee injuries, an abducted, internally rotated knee at 10-30° of flexion, needs to be monitored [1,2]. This study aimed to compare the amount of knee valgus (KV) and knee internal rotation (KIR) at 10-30° of knee flexion during different exercises of an immersive, high-intensive exergame in healthy athletes. Materials and Methods: Kinematics during a 25-minute exergame training (ExerCube) [3] were measured using marker-based motion capture (Vicon) in 18 athletes (9 female, 9 male) without prior knee injuries. The mean maximal KV and KIR angle during 10°- 30° knee flexion were compared between 9 exercises [4] using a two-way within-subject linear mixed model with post-hoc t-test. Results: A significantly higher KV compared to the other exercises, was found during the punch to the ipsilateral side of the investigated knee (Mean 8.5° (Standard Deviation 0.04°)) and high-touch to the contralateral side (8.5° (0.1°)). In addition, the ipsilateral KIR of the punch (13.2° (0.9°)), the high-touch (11.7° (0.6°)), and mid-touch (10.9° (1.3°)) were significantly larger than in the other exercises. Conclusion: High-touches, mid-touches, and punches result in knee kinematics related to an increased risk of injury in healthy athletes. The inclusion of these movements during exergame-based rehabilitation should be carefully managed and performed in later stages of rehabilitation

Investigation of the Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production of Semiconductor Nanocrystal-Based Hydrogels

Destabilization of a ligand-stabilized semiconductor nanocrystal solution with an oxidizing agent can lead to a macroscopic highly porous self-supporting nanocrystal network entitled hydrogel, with good accessibility to the surface. The previously reported charge carrier delocalization beyond a single nanocrystal building block in such gels can extend the charge carrier mobility and make a photocatalytic reaction more probable. The synthesis of ligand-stabilized nanocrystals with specific physicochemical properties is possible, thanks to the advances in colloid chemistry made in the last decades. Combining the properties of these nanocrystals with the advantages of nanocrystal-based hydrogels will lead to novel materials with optimized photocatalytic properties. This work demonstrates that CdSe quantum dots, CdS nanorods, and CdSe/CdS dot-in-rod-shaped nanorods as nanocrystal-based hydrogels can exhibit a much higher hydrogen production rate compared to their ligand-stabilized nanocrystal solutions. The gel synthesis through controlled destabilization by ligand oxidation preserves the high surface-to-volume ratio, ensures the accessible surface area even in hole-trapping solutions and facilitates photocatalytic hydrogen production without a co-catalyst. Especially with such self-supporting networks of nanocrystals, the problem of colloidal (in)stability in photocatalysis is circumvented. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and photoelectrochemical measurements reveal the advantageous properties of the 3D networks for application in photocatalytic hydrogen production

Happiness around the world: A combined etic-emic approach across 63 countries.

What does it mean to be happy? The vast majority of cross-cultural studies on happiness have employed a Western-origin, or "WEIRD" measure of happiness that conceptualizes it as a self-centered (or "independent"), high-arousal emotion. However, research from Eastern cultures, particularly Japan, conceptualizes happiness as including an interpersonal aspect emphasizing harmony and connectedness to others. Following a combined emic-etic approach (Cheung, van de Vijver & Leong, 2011), we assessed the cross-cultural applicability of a measure of independent happiness developed in the US (Subjective Happiness Scale; Lyubomirsky & Lepper, 1999) and a measure of interdependent happiness developed in Japan (Interdependent Happiness Scale; Hitokoto & Uchida, 2015), with data from 63 countries representing 7 sociocultural regions. Results indicate that the schema of independent happiness was more coherent in more WEIRD countries. In contrast, the coherence of interdependent happiness was unrelated to a country's "WEIRD-ness." Reliabilities of both happiness measures were lowest in African and Middle Eastern countries, suggesting these two conceptualizations of happiness may not be globally comprehensive. Overall, while the two measures had many similar correlates and properties, the self-focused concept of independent happiness is "WEIRD-er" than interdependent happiness, suggesting cross-cultural researchers should attend to both conceptualizations

Hybridization as a threat in climate relict Nuphar pumila (Nymphaeaceae)

Field studies and conceptual work on hybridization-mediated extinction risk in climate relicts are extremely rare. Nuphar pumila (Nymphaeaceae) is one of the most emblematic climate relicts in Europe with few isolated populations in the Alpine arc. The extent of introgression with related lowland and generalist species Nupharlutea has never been studied using molecular methods. All biogeographical regions where N.pumila naturally occurs in the neighbourhood of the Alpine arc were sampled and studied using nuclear microsatellite markers. Furthermore, we used forward-in-time simulations and Approximate Bayesian Computation to check whether an introgression scenario fits with the observed admixture patterns and estimated the demographic parameters associated with this process. Our study confirms ongoing hybridization between N.pumila and N.lutea and validates it by the use of population models. More than 40 % of investigated N.pumila individuals were admixed and hybrids were found in over 60 % of studied populations. The introgression is bidirectional and is most likely a result of very recent gene flow. Our work provides strong evidence for rapid extinction risk and demographic swamping between specialized climatic relicts and closely related generalists. The remaining pure populations of N.pumila are rare in the Alpine arc and deserve high conservation priority

Biomechanische Analyse von Risikofaktoren für Knieverletzungen während eines Exergame-Trainings

AK Exergames - Innovative Trainingsansätze für Prävention, Rehabilitation und Sport!?Einleitung: Exergaming - körperlich aktives Spielen - bietet ein großes Potenzial für die Rehabilitation nach Knieverletzungen im Sport, da es physische und kognitive Herausforderungen kombiniert. Bevor jedoch die Anwendung in der Sportrehabilitation als sicher und zuverlässig empfohlen werden kann, ist es erforderlich, die Biomechanik, die mit Knieverletzungen assoziiert ist - ein abduziertes, innenrotiertes Knie bei 10-30° Flexion - zu überprüfen (Koga et al., 2010). Das Ziel dieser Studie war es, den Knievalgus (KV) und die Knieinnenrotation (KIR) während 10-30° Knieflexion zwischen gesunden Personen ohne vorherige Knieverletzungen und Patient:innen in der Rehabilitation nach Knieverletzungen in zwei Übungen eines hochintensiven, immersiven Exergames (ExerCube) zu vergleichen. Methode: Die Kinematik von 18 gesunden Personen (25,2 ± 3,3 Jahre, 9 weiblich) und 6 Patient:innen (25,0 ± 5,9 Jahre, 2 weiblich) wurde mittels markerbasierter Bewegungsanalyse (Vicon) während eines 25-minütigen Exergame-Trainings erfasst. Der durchschnittliche maximale KV- und KIR-Winkel während 10-30° Knieflexion wurde für das rechte Bein mittels Welch's t-Test zwischen Gesunden und Patient:innen im Squat (65,4 ± 8,6 Wiederholungen) und im rechten Punch (78,5 ± 9,1 Wiederholungen) verglichen. Ergebnisse: Beim Squat zeigten sich signifikante Unterschiede mit geringer Effektgröße sowohl im KV (t(745) = -2,29, p < .001, d = -0,13) als auch in der KIR (t(1778) = 6,12, p < .001, d = 0,35). Ähnliche Ergebnisse zeigten sich beim Punch nach rechts. Es zeigten sich signifikante Unterschiede mit geringer Effektgröße im KV (t(777) = -6,02, p < .001, d = -0,32) und in der KIR (t(741) = 8,51, p < .001, d = 0,46). Deskriptive Ergebnisse zeigten bei beiden Übungen einen durchschnittlich höheren KV, aber eine verminderte KIR bei den Patient:innen. Diskussion: Während eines Exergame-Trainings zeigen Patient:innen einen erhöhten KV. Um die Belastung des Knies in frühen Rehabilitationsphasen zu reduzieren, sollte dieses Exergame-Training erst spät in der Rehabilitation, in der "Return to Sport"-Phase, eingesetzt werden

Forschungsbasiertes Exergame-Design für die Sportrehabilitation

AK Exergames – Innovative Trainingsansätze für Prävention, Rehabilitation und Sport!?Einleitung: Nur 65% der Sportler:innen kehren auf das gleiche Leistungsniveau wie vor einer Knieverletzung zurück. Die Rehabilitationsphase ist langwierig und bereitet die Sportler:innen nur bedingt auf die Anforderungen im Sport vor. Durch einen nutzerzentrierten Ansatz bei der Entwicklung therapeutischer Interventionen werden die Bedürfnisse der Betroffenen sowie wissenschaftliche Evidenz berücksichtigt. Exergaming, körperlich aktives Spielen, bietet eine Möglichkeit für motivierendes und funktionales Training. Das Ziel dieses Projekts war es, ein spezifisches Exergame für die Rehabilitation nach Knieverletzungen zu entwickeln. Methode: Es wurde eine biomechanische Analyse des Spielens eines bestehenden Exergame-Szenarios im "ExerCube" (Martin-Niedecken et al., 2020) durchgeführt. Zusätzlich wurden in Fokusgruppen die Bedürfnisse der primären und sekundären Endnutzer:innen ermittelt. Basierend auf diesen Ergebnissen wurden in einem iterativen und interdisziplinären Designprozess ein spezifisches funktionelles Bewegungskonzept sowie ein neues Game-Szenario entwickelt und in ein neues Exergame für den ExerCube integriert. Ergebnisse: Die Fokusgruppen ergaben, dass die Patient:innen möglichst schnell zum Sport zurückkehren wollen, jedoch Bedenken hinsichtlich der vielen Reize während des Trainings haben. Physiotherapeut:innen wünschen sich ein Gerät, das zusätzliches eigenständiges Training mit neuen therapeutischen Reizen ermöglicht. Dementsprechend enthält das Bewegungskonzept für das neue Exergame Kraft- und Gleichgewichtsübungen sowie ein Mini-Game für Ausdauer-, Reaktions- und Geschicklichkeitstraining. Durch drei Schwierigkeitsstufen kann die Komplexität und Geschwindigkeit variiert werden, und biomechanische Risikofaktoren werden erst bei zunehmender Schwierigkeit eingeführt. Diskussion: Der interdisziplinäre und evidenzbasierte Ansatz ermöglichte eine systematische Erarbeitung der Anforderungen an ein Reha-Exergame und gewährleistete eine nutzerzentrierte Umsetzung. Abschließende Evaluationen werden das Spielerlebnis, potenzielle Effekte und die Anwendbarkeit des neuen Exergames in der Sportrehabilitation überprüfen

Biomechanical risk factors for ACL injury differ between the sexes when performing a high-intensive exergame

Introduction: Incidence rates in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, which are linked to multiple factors, are higher in females than males (Sutton & Bullock, 2013). However, the main contributors to the difference in risk are biomechanical factors such as increased knee valgus (KV), knee internal rotation (KIR), or decreased hip flexion (HF; Seyedahmadi et al., 2022). Returning back to sports after an injury requires extensive rehabilitation as well as training of dual-task situations in order to be physically and cognitively prepared. Exergaming represents a dual task including a cognitive and a motor component and may be used as training modality during rehabilitation. It is known that performing a dual-task leads to altered landing movement patterns in healthy athletes (Dai et al., 2018). Before an exergame for rehabilitation after ACL injury can be implemented and tailored to the specific needs of female and male athletes, the movement patterns of males and females need to be understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify biomechanical differences between males and females when performing a high-intensive exergame. Methods: Using 3D-motion capture (Vicon) kinematics were measured in 18 healthy athletes (9 male, 9 female) during a 25-min exergame (Sphery Racer, ExerCube). The exergame included nine different exercises of which 8 were used for analysis. The exercises were separated into neutral (squat, jump, burpee) and side-specific exercises (low-touch, mid-touch, high-touch, punch, lunge). For analysis, the maximal KV, maximal KIR, and the minimal HF were extracted during 10-30° knee flexion. These maximal values were then compared between the sexes, the exercises, and both legs with a linear mixed model, for each the neutral and the side-specific exercises. Results: A main effect of sex was only found for side-specific exercises in KIR (F(1, 16) = 6.1, p = .02) with females exhibiting higher values. For KV and HF in side-specific exercises as well as all variables in neutral exercises, no significant main effect for sex was found. However, there was a main effect of exercise in KV; KIR, and HF in neutral (p < .001) as well as in side-specific exercises (p < .001). Discussion/Conclusion: Differences in KIR between males and females primarily exist during touches and punches. Therefore, exergames should incorporate this fact to counteract increased risk for knee injuries in females

Glacial relicts in the Alps: the decline and conservation strategy for Nuphar pumila (Nymphaeaceae)

The Alps played an important role in the biogeography of European plants and acted as a refugium for numerous species during the interglacial cycles. We investigated Nuphar pumila, one of the most emblematic glacial relicts of the Alps, by carrying out exhaustive literature and field surveys to collect relevant data on its distribution and threats. We further evaluated the level of introgression with the closely related N. lutea based on microsatellite data from natural populations across the Alps as well as from all ex situ collections and reintroductions in Switzerland. According to our results, more than 60% of the known N. pumila populations went extinct, and the species currently presents 37 natural populations in the investigated area. A large number of populations were affected by eutrophication (69%) and hybridization with N. lutea (53%). Priority should be given to the in situ conservation of genetically pure populations, while ex situ cultures should be applied to nearly extinct populations and the genetically pure individuals still present in hybrid populations. N. pumila is an excellent representative of the wetland/aquatic glacial relicts that are particularly affected by the combination of climate change and habitat degradation. International integration of research and conservation programs is needed to limit the decline of such rare species in the Alps