THE TREND IN THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS FROM SERBIA IN THE BELGRADE MARATHON FROM 2007 TO 2019: THE EFFECT OF GENDER AND AGE

The aim of the research is to analyze the trend in the number of participants in the Belgrade Marathon in the period 2007-2019: total, by gender and age categories, with a special reference to participants from Serbia. Using linear regressions, it was found that the total number of participants, both from Serbia and abroad, significantly increased; total number of male and female participants, both from Serbia and abroad, significantly increased ; the number of women is growing more than men every year, especially inthe sample of participants from Serbia; the number of participants by age categories of 5 years, for women and men from Serbia increased to the age group of 30-35 years, and then slowly decreased; the percentage of men and women in the 30-39 age category is increasing; the proportion of female seniors and female veterans is increasing. Statistically significant decreases: percentage of men in the 50-59 age category; percentage of male veterans. The percentage of male seniors didnot change. It can be concluded that the number of participants in the Belgrade Marathon, especially participants from Serbia, is increasing significantly, with a trend that exceeds many marathons in the world. The number of women is lower than in most marathons in the world, but the number of women from Serbia is increasing significantly compared to the number of men, which is in line with world trends. The number of male veterans is decreasing, which is different from most marathons in the world

Glutathione redox cycle in small intestinal mucosa and peripheral blood of pediatric celiac disease patients

The celiac disease is an autoimmune gastrointestinal disorder caused by gluten from wheat, rye or barley. In genetically predisposed persons, gluten induces the immune-mediated inflammation of small intestinal mucosa. Histological lesions include intraepithelial lymphocytosis, crypt hypertrophy and villous atrophy, resulting in malabsorption of micro- and macronutrients. The only treatment for celiac patients is a permanent gluten-free diet (GFD). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress are strongly associated with the celiac disease. Glutathione (GSH) is a main detoxifier of endogenous and exogenous ROS in the intestine. In order to explain the role of glutathione redox cycle in celiac patients, we examined the activities of GSH-related antioxidant (AO) enzymes glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR), as well as the concentration of GSH in small intestinal biopsies and peripheral blood of children affected by the celiac disease. The concentration of lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH) as markers of oxidative damage was measured in the same samples. The results clearly demonstrate a significant malfunction of GSH redox cycle with a concomitant decrease in the capacity to regenerate GSH and detoxify LOOH in celiac patients, even after several years of GFD. The oral administration of GSH and a diet rich in natural antioxidants, as well as appropriate dietary supplements, could be of great benefit to the patients

The pacing differences in performance levels of marathon and half-marathon runners

INTRODUCTION Many studies indicate a considerable impact of optimal pacing on long-distance running performance. Given that the amount of carbohydrates in metabolic processes increases supralinearly with the running intensity, we may observe differences between the pacing strategies of two long-distance races and different performance levels of runners. Accordingly, the present study aimed to examine the differences in pacing strategies between marathon and half-marathon races regarding the performance levels of runners. METHODS The official results and split times from a total of 208,760 (marathon, N = 75,492; half-marathon, N = 133,268) finishers in the "Vienna City Marathon" between 2006 and 2018 were analyzed. The percentage of the average change of speed for each of the five segments (CS 1-5), as well as the absolute change of speed (ACS) were calculated. The CS 1-5 for the marathon are as follows: up to the 10th km, 10th - 20th km, 20th - 30th km, 30th - 40th km, and from the 40th km to the 42.195 km. For the half-marathon, the CS 1-5 are half of the marathon values. Four performance groups were created as quartiles of placement separately for sexes and races: high-level (HL), moderate to high-level (MHL), moderate to low-level (MLL), and low-level (LL). RESULTS Positive pacing strategies (i.e., decrease of speed) were observed in all performance groups of both sex and race. Across CS 1-5, significant main effects (p < 0.001) were observed for the segment, performance level, and their interaction in both sex and race groups. All LL groups demonstrated higher ACS (men 7.9 and 6.05%, as well as women 5.83 and 5.49%, in marathon and half-marathon, respectively), while the HL performance group showed significantly lower ACS (men 4.14 and 2.97%, as well as women 3.16 and 2.77%, in marathon and half-marathon, respectively). Significant main effects (p < 0.001) for the race were observed but with a low effect size in women (ŋ$^{2}$ = 0.001). DISCUSSION Better runners showed more even pacing than slower runners. The half-marathoners showed more even pacing than the marathoners across all performance groups but with a trivial practical significance in women

Sportsko srce - savremeni dijagnostički pristup

The athlete's heart is an exercise-induced cardiac remodeling phenomenon, which is individual and depends on the intensity, duration and frequency of training, as well as genetic factors. Cardiovascular screening prior to participation in sports activities, is a systematic practice of medical evaluation in the athlete population. The current US recommendations for the screening of cardiovascular abnormalities in high school and university athletes at all levels of performance were initially put forther by the American Heart Association in 2007. These recommendations consist of 12 points, factoring personal and family history data, as well as physical examination. On the other hand, European recommendations suggest the importance of non-invasive diagnostic methods, such as the 12-lead ECG, which should be carried out in combination with a history and physical examination. According to the European Association for Cardiovascular Imaging, standard echocardiography is the first line approach to differentiate an athlete's heart from pathological left ventricular hypertrophy. Updated 'Seattle criteria' from 2017. include criteria for assessing abnormalities in the electrocardiogram of athletes and their differentiation from the adaptive electrophysiological changes, which do not require further evaluation. Since sudden cardiac death during sport activities remains a major concern and, as such, it is imperative for the physician to diagnose unrecognized pathological conditions in athletes. Following current expert consensus recommendations on this topic helps to prevent untoward events during physical activity in those who are found to be at elevated risk.Atletsko srce je fenomen remodelovanja srčanog mišića, koje je nastalo usled fizičke aktivnosti, a čiji stepen zavisi od intenziteta, trajanja, učestalosti treniranja, individualnih osobina i genetskih faktora. Aktuelne američke preporuke za skrining kardiovaskularnih abnormalnosti među sportistima srednjoškolcima i studentima svih nivoa utreniranosti, inicijalno su bile postavljene od strane Američkog udruženja kardiologa 2007. godine. Ove preporuke čini 12 tačaka i podrazumevaju podatke iz lične i porodične istorije bolesti, kao i fizičkog pregleda. S druge strane, evropske preporuke sugerišu na značaj neinvazivnih dijagnostičkih metoda, kao što je 12-kanalni EKG, čiji rezultati bi trebali biti razmatrani udruženo sa istorijom bolesti i fizičkim pregledom. Prema Evropskom udruženju za kardiovakularni imidžing, standardna ehokardiografija je prva dijagnostička metoda diferencijacije sportskog srca od patološke hipertrofije leve komore. Godine 2012, Američko udruženje za sportsku medicine je definisalo kriterijume, koji su osveženi 2017. godine, za utvrđivanje abnormalnosti u elektrokardiogramu sportista i njihovu diferencijaciju od adaptivnih elektrofizoloških promena, koje ne zahtevaju dalju evaluaciju. S obzirom na to da iznenadna srčana smrt u sportu zahteva veliku pažnju, neophodno je da lekari budu edukovani da dijagnostikuju neprepoznata patološka stanja kod sportista. Praćenje aktuelnih preporuka koje se bave ovim problemom doprinosi prevenciji neželjenih događaja u sportu i kod osoba koje su iz drugih razloga izložene velikim fizičkim naporima

Sportsko srce

The athlete's heart is a set of morphological and functional characteristics that develop over time due to sports training. These adaptive changes result in increase in cardiac work efficiency and economy. They are manidested as cardiac muscle hypertrophy and dilation, with accompanying angiogenesis and slower heart rate, that are influenced by variable regulatory systems and genetic predisposition. The problem of sudden cardiac death in athletes, which persists despite numerous activities aimed at prevention, creates the need for a better definition of the athlete's heart, especially in terms of its differentiation from certain pathological conditions. This is of particular importance in the context of cardiac electrical activity. Right heart adaptations, hormonal regulatory mechanisms and the effects of nonphysiological adaptations during training, that may lead to pathologic alterations direction, are all relevant in the investigation of adverse cardiac events in athletes. In order to prevent sudden cardiac death in athletes, it is necessary to examine competitive athletes as well as apparently health individuals who recreationally exercise at a high volume. There are guidelines for mass screening and individual examinations, for all age groups and both genders, as well as for public service staff who require intense physical activity during their occupation. Both American and European recommendations require a detailed anamnesis and physical examination, whereas European, apart from that, require initial electrocardiography. The implementation of additional tests is necessary if the existence of any underlying pathophysiologic process is suspected. Checks should be performed before engaging in sports activities, as well as during training and competition periods.Sportsko srce predstavlja efekat morfoloških i funkcionalnih adaptacija srca koje se razvijaju tokom vremena, pod uticajem sportskog treninga. Promene na srcu kod sportista za posledicu imaju promenu efikasnosti i ekonomičnosti srčanog rada. Manifestuju se hipertrofijom i dilatacijom srca, sa pratećom angiogenezom i usporenim srčanim radom, procesima koji su pod kontrolom različitih regulatornih sistema i genetske predispozicije. Problem iznenadne srčane smrti u sportu, čija se incidenca ne smanjuje uprkos brojnim aktivnostima koje se sprovode u cilju njene prevencije, nameće potrebu boljeg definisanja sportskog srca, naročito u smislu njegovog razlikovanja od pojedinih patoloških stanja. Kod izvesnog broja sportista uočavaju se promene električne aktivnosti, te je i u tom smislu potrebno razlikovati zdravo od bolesnog srca. Poslednjih godina posebno je u fokusu definisanje adaptivnih promena desnog srca. Dodatno, postoje nova saznanja o hormonskoj regulaciji adaptivnih promena srca sportista, a istražuju se i efekti nefizioloških manipulacija u trenažnom procesu koji mogu 'skrenuti' fiziološke procese u patološkom pravcu. U cilju prevencije iznenadne srčane smrti, neophodno je redovno pregledanje kako sportista, tako i fizički aktivnog dela populacije. Aktuelne preporuke daju smernice za masovne skrininge i individualne preglede sportista, za sve starosne grupe oba pola, kao i pripadnike javnih službi koje u opisu posla imaju intenzivne fizičke napore. Dok američke preporuke zahtevaju samo detaljnu anamnezu i fizikalni pregled, evropske preporuke zahtevaju i inicijalnu elektrokardiografiju. I evropske i američke preporuke zahtevaju sprovođenje dodatnih ispitivanja kod sumnje na postojanje bilo kakvog oboljenja. Ove preglede bi trebalo obavljati pre početka trenažnog procesa, kao i tokom perioda treniranja i takmičenja

Marina Đorđević-Nikić, MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND FUNCTIONAL ABILITIES OF AN ELITE FOLK ENSEMBLE DANCER

Abstract Morphological characteristics and physiological abilities of dancers, members of an elite folklore ensemble, are estimated by EUROFIT measurement and assessment method. Both sub samples (males and females) are characterized by an above average height. Percentage values of body fat component in both sub samples is considerably higher than that reported for athletes, or for sedentary persons. Maximal oxygen uptake values, as an index of aerobic capacity, were considerably lower than athletes&apos; maximal oxygen uptake and they were within average range reported for sedentary persons. It was concluded that physical preparation was not enough represented in folk dancers&apos; class work

Analysis and performance trends of Serbian runners in the Belgrade marathon in the 2007-2019 period

The Belgrade Marathon has been held since 1988 and has the longest tradition in the Western Balkans region. The trend in the number of participants in the Belgrade Marathon showed a significant increase in the 2007-2019 period. In addition to the global increase in the number of participants, a decreasing performance trends in marathon races has been noticed. The aim of this paper was to determine the trends in the performances of participants from Serbia in the Belgrade Marathon in the 2007-2019 period. The general cognitive assumption was that with an increase in the number of participants led to a decline in the average performance in the race. The results on the official website of the Belgrade Marathon were used as a source of data for this non-experimental study. All performances of the marathoners from Serbia (n = 3554) in the period 2007-2019 were analyzed. Linear regression analysis was used to assess the trend of the performances of all marathoners from Serbia, their distribution according to age groups by every 10 years, as well as the performances of the 10 first-ranked athletes in total and in each of the groups. The linear trend model on the sample of all marathoners from Serbia has shown that the performance became significantly worse over the years i.e., by 2:14 minutes per year. The trend of a significant decline in performance, ranging from 1:52 to 3:02 minutes per year, has been observed in all age groups of up to 50 years. The linear trend models obtained on the subsamples of the 10 first-ranked men in each of the analyzed age groups did not exceed the level of statistical significance, except in the group of males aged 50-60, where a significant performance trends improvement by 2:10 minutes a year was determined. The performances of competitors from Serbia at the Belgrade Marathon were declining in the examined period, along with a simultaneous increase in the number of participants in this event. It can be assumed that the average performance is declining due to an increasing number of recreational runners participating in the marathon, while the number of categorized runners is not increasing significantly, which in a way reflects conservatism and unchangeability within athletic long-distance races and marathon running events

Efekti programa High-low aerobika na morfološke karakteristike i funkcionalne sposobnosti učenica osmih razreda osnovne škole

Istraživanje je sprovedeno sa ciljem da se utvrde efekti programirane nastave high-low aerobika na morfološke karakteristike i funkcionalne sposobnosti učenica osmih razreda osnovne škole. Istraživanje je primenjeno na uzorku 31 učenice, osmih razreda Osnovne škole „Vožd Karađorđe” iz Leskovca, koje su bile podeljene u dve grupe: eksperimentalnu (N=16) i kontrolnu (N=15). Eksperimentalni faktor predstavljala je posebno programirana nastava high-low aerobika, koja je trajala osam nedelja i realizovala se u okviru redovne nastave fizičkog vaspitanja. Kontrolna grupa pohađala je program propisan po Nastavnom planu i programu, Ministarstva prosvete Republike Srbije. Efekti programa high-low aerobika praćeni su u prostoru morfoloških karakteristika (osam varijabli) i u prostoru funkcionalnih sposobnosti (jedna varijabla). Rezultati istraživanja su pokazali da je program high-low aerobika, uticao na poboljšanje morfoloških karakteristika i funkcionalnih sposobnosti učenica, u odnosu na učenice iz kontrolne grupe. Dobijeni rezultati istraživanjem ukazuju na pozitivne aspekte high-low aerobika na očuvanje pravilnog rasta i razvoja dece

Effects of resistance training on hypertrophy, strength and tensiomyography parameters of elbow flexors: Role of eccentric phase duration

The aim of the study was to compare the effects of two different training protocols, which differ in the duration of the eccentric phase, on the one-repetition maximum (1RM), thickness and contractile properties of elbow flexors. Twenty untrained college students were randomly divided into two experimental groups, based on the training tempo: FEG (Faster Eccentric Group: 1/0/1/0) and SEG (Slower Eccentric Group: 4/0/1/0). Training intervention was a biceps bending exercise, conducted twice a week for 7 weeks. The intensity (60–70% RM), sets (3–4) and rest intervals (120 s) were held constant, while repetitions were performed until it was not possible to maintain a set duration. In the initial and final measurements, 1RM, muscle thickness and tensiomyography parameters – contraction time (Tc) and radial deformation (Dm) – were evaluated. An ANCOVA model (using baseline outcomes as covariates) was applied to determine between-group differences at post-test, while Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient was used to investigate the relationship between absolute changes in muscle thickness and Dm. Muscle strength increase was greater for SEG than for FEG (6.0 ± 1.76 vs. 3.30 ± 2.26 kg, p < 0.01). In both groups muscle thickness increased equally (FEG: 3.24 ± 2.01 vs. SEG: 3.57 ± 1.17 mm, p < 0.01), while an overall reduction in Dm was observed (FEG: 1.99 ± 1.20 vs. SEG: 2.26 ± 1.03 mm, p < 0.01). Values of Tc remained unchanged. A significant negative relationship was observed between changes in muscle thickness and Dm (r = -0.763, Adj.R² = 0.560, p < 0.01). These results indicate that the duration of the eccentric phase has no effect on muscle hypertrophy in untrained subjects, but that slower eccentric movement significantly increases 1RM