Bruce Springsteen: Evolution of the American Dream

Bruce Springsteen is a man many people associate with the ideals of the “American Dream”. He comes from a poor, working-class family. He is currently an incredibly successful musician and he has been for some time now. However, he does not think this way and he has not for some time now. He has changed his opinions on the “American Dream” over time, coming from one end of the spectrum in thinking that the “American Dream” is real to the other end where he now thinks that it is a lie, and the promised land is not real

Effects on Children’s Physical and Mental Well-Being of a Physical-Activity-Based School Intervention Program: A Randomized Study

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of physically active breaks of a total duration of 10 min a day, introduced during curricular lessons, together with a 10 min physical activity intervention during the daily school recess period on obesity prevention, fitness, cognitive function, and psychological well-being in school-aged children. A sample of 310 children (139 boys vs. 171 girls), aged between 8 and 10 years (9.82 ± 0.51), was selected. Our strategy was implemented over a 6-month period and the participants were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n = 157) or the non-intervention (control) group (n =153). In the intervention group, a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in body mass index, waist circumference, waist–height ratio, and relative body fat mass was achieved after the intervention (T1) compared to the values measured before intervention (T0); in the control group, no differences emerged between T0 and T1 for any of the parameters considered. We found a significant increase in the intervention group in standing long jump, Ruffier, and sit and reach test scores (p < 0.001 for all). At T0, cognitive test scores did not differ between the girls and boys or between the intervention and control groups; instead at T1, significant differences were observed in the two groups regarding the total number of responses and the concentration performance scores (p < 0.001). Consistently, in the intervention group, well-being levels significantly increased between T0 and T1 (p < 0.001). Finally, the intervention had significant effects on the children regardless of gender. We may therefore conclude that schools should create more opportunities for teachers and students to introduce intervention strategies to promote regular PA during school recess

Validazione di un modello probabilistico degli span complessi basato sulla Theory of Constructive Operators

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Referees' physical performance over a soccer season

Background: An important role of soccer referees is to apply the rules of the game by observing the match closely. Thus, referees have to undertake training to keep up with play and attain an optimal position when making critical decisions. We analyzed the variation of the soccer referee physical performance during official championship. Methods: The referees were classified into three groups according to ages (16–20 years; 21–29 years; 30–45 years) and physical fitness variations were studied at the start (T0), at the middle (T1) and at the end of the competitive season (T2). In each period, Yo–Yo intermittent recovery test level 1 (YYIRT1) and 40 m sprint test were performed and VO2max assessed. Finally, the referees’s rating (i.e. the mean of numerically quantification of the performances received during the season) was also evaluated. Results: The mean distance covered by the referees during the YYIRT1 test increased significantly from T0 to T1 and T2, and from T1 to T2, in all age groups, with a higher effect observed for group 16–20 years in all testing periods. This group significantly improved YYIR1 performance and VO2max at T1and T2. Referee ages correlated with differences (Δ) in running speed test (40 m sprint test), of YYIRT1 and VO2max. Finally, the referees’ rating, based upon training, experience, performance and fitness assigned by qualified officials, ranged from 8.20 to 8.65. A positive correlation was found between the excellent rating and younger age (p = 0.015 by Chi-square test χ = 8.6). Conclusions: The young referees performed better physical performances than adult referees and obtained better assessments by qualified officials

The regulation of fat metabolism during aerobic exercise

Since the lipid profile is altered by physical activity, the study of lipid metabolism is a remarkable element in understanding if and how physical activity affects the health of both professional athletes and sedentary subjects. Although not fully defined, it has become clear that resistance exercise uses fat as an energy source. The fatty acid oxidation rate is the result of the following processes: (a) triglycerides lipolysis, most abundant in fat adipocytes and intramuscular triacylglycerol (IMTG) stores, (b) fatty acid transport from blood plasma to muscle sarcoplasm, (c) availability and hydrolysis rate of intramuscular triglycerides, and (d) transport of fatty acids through the mitochondrial membrane. In this review, we report some studies concerning the relationship between exercise and the aforementioned processes also in light of hormonal controls and molecular regulations within fat and skeletal muscle cells

The effects of training on hormonal concentrations in young soccer players

To test the hypothesis that football training would be accompanied by physiological adaptations and hormonal changes, we analyzed the effects of a whole football season on physical fitness and hormonal concentrations in youth football players. Male football players (n = 29, age 16.51 ± 0.7 years) in a regional professional league and male healthy control subjects (n = 30, age 17.1 ± 1 years) participated to the study. Blood cortisol, testosterone, and growth hormone (hGH) concentrations were assayed before the beginning of the training period (T0), just after the training period (T1), at the middle of the season (T2), and at the end of the season (T3). In each period physical tests and anthropometric measurements were also performed. Results showed significant differences in basal values of cortisol, testosterone, and growth hormone (hGH) in the four time points evaluated (P < 0.01). In addition, the concentrations of hGH were higher in the soccer players group than in control subjects (P < 0.001). Between the start of the training period and the end of the football season significant differences were observed in the anthropometric characteristics and in the physical form of the football players. Furthermore, the hormonal status was significantly correlated with the indicators of the lower limb power (squat-jump [SqJ], and counter-movement-jump [CMJ]) and those of aerobic performance (Yo–Yo intermittent recovery test level 1 (YYIRT1) and maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max)).These data underscore the importance of establishing training protocols that present the potential to promote positive adaptations without, at the same time, provoking overtraining of young players

Effects of training on plasmatic cortisol and testosterone in football female referees

none6Antonella Muscella; Giulia My; Selmi Okba; Daniele Zangla; Antonino Bianco; Santo MarsiglianteMuscella, Antonella; My, Giulia; Okba, Selmi; Zangla, Daniele; Bianco, Antonino; Marsigliante, Sant

The impact of physical exercise on the circulating levels of BDNF and NT 4/5: A review

(1) Background: One mechanism through which physical activity (PA) provides benefit is by triggering activity at a molecular level, where neurotrophins (NTs) are known to play an important role. However, the expression of the circulating levels of neurotrophic factors, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neurotrophin-4 (NT-4/5), in response to exercise, is not fully understood. Therefore, the aim was to provide an updated overview on the neurotrophin (NT) variation levels of BDNF and NT-4/5 as a consequence of a long-term aerobic exercise intervention, and to understand and describe whether the upregulation of circulating NT levels is a result of neurotrophic factors produced and released from the brain, and/or from neurotrophic secreting peripheral organs. (2) Methods: The articles were collected from PubMed, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, MEDLINE, and Embase. Data were analyzed through a narrative synthesis. (3) Results: 30 articles studied humans who performed training protocols that ranged from 4 to 48 weeks; 22 articles studied rodents with an intervention period that ranged from 4 to 64 weeks. (4) Conclusions: There is no unanimity between the upregulation of BDNF in humans; conversely, concerning both BDNF and NT-4/5 in animal models, the results are heterogeneous. Whilst BDNF upregulation appears to be in relative agreement, NT-4/5 seems to display contradictory and inconsistent conclusions

Biological, Psychological, and Physical Performance Variations in Football Players during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Prospective Cohort Study

none6This prospective cohort study aimed to evaluate whether COVID-19 lockdown caused biological, psychological, and/or physical performance variations in footballers. We compared the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 seasons evaluating the plasma volume, hematological parameters, iron/ferritin, creatine kinase, vitamin D, cortisol, testosterone, and physiological state of players of the Italian football major league (Serie A). Measurements were performed before the preparatory period (T0), at the beginning (T1) and in the middle (T2) of the championship, and in March (T3) and at the end of season (T4). The results showed that in the 2019/2020 season affected by the lockdown, the weight, BMI, and fat mass percentage were higher than in the previous season. Hematocrit, hemoglobin, red blood cells, and ferritin decreased during both seasons, more significantly than in the regular season. During both seasons, creatine kinase increased from T2 whilst iron concentrations decreased in T3. Testosterone increased in both seasons from T0 to T3 and returned to initial levels at T4; cortisol increased in T2 and T3 during the 2018/2019 season but not during the COVID-19 season. Physical performance tests revealed differences associated with lockdown. Thus, although from a medical point of view, none of the evaluated changes between the two seasons were clinically relevant, training at home during lockdown did not allow the players to maintain the jumping power levels typical of a competitive period.openMy G.; Marsigliante S.; Bianco A.; Zangla D.; da Silva C.M.; Muscella A.My, G.; Marsigliante, S.; Bianco, A.; Zangla, D.; da Silva, C. M.; Muscella, A