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Individual and institutional factors associated with urinary incontinence among nursing home residents: a multilevel analysis /
No full textAims: (1) To analyse individual and institutional-level factors associated with urinary incontinence in older adults living in nursing homes; (2) to estimate the prevalence of urinary, faecal and double incontinence in nursing home residents. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Residents aged 65+ living in 22 nursing homes in Catalonia (Spain) were included. Descriptive, bivariate, and multilevel analyses were performed. Results: The final sample comprised 452 residents (75.9% female, mean age of 87.0 years). The prevalence of urinary, faecal and double incontinence was 77.5%, 46.1% and 45.7%, respectively. Urinary incontinence was statistically significantly associated with neurological conditions, moderate cognitive impairment, moderate dementia, severe cognitive impairment, very severe cognitive impairment and age. Conclusion: Approximately three out of four nursing home residents suffered from urinary incontinence and almost half of the sample from faecal or double incontinence. Individual-level factors (cognition, neurological conditions and age) played a more important role than institutional-level factors for urinary incontinence. Implications for the profession and patient care: The findings of this study highlight the importance of individual-level interventions to prevent and manage urinary incontinence in nursing homes. Impact: In Catalonian nursing homes, individual factors such as cognitive impairment and neurological conditions were more strongly associated with urinary incontinence than institutional factors. This has implications for improving care provided to older adults, particularly those with dementia and neurological conditions. Reporting method: STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) guidelines. Patient or public contribution: Nursing home residents were not involved in this study
Situation awareness in fast rescue crafts operators—a simulator study /
No full textThis study investigated whether experience in maritime operations contributed to situation awareness (SA) and confidence among Fast Rescue Craft (FRC) operators during simulated maritime search and rescue (SAR) missions. A total of 20 novice and 20 experienced Canadian Coast Guard personnel were presented with collision avoidance scenarios of various difficulty levels on a desktop FRC simulator. A goal-directed task analysis (GDTA) was conducted to identify the critical goals, decisions, and information requirements underpinning FRC operations, providing a structured basis for scenario design and SA measurement. The results indicated that experienced operators had significantly higher Total SA scores. These differences were primarily attributable to stronger performance on Level 3 SA across all scenarios and Level 2 SA in head-on scenarios. Experienced participants also reported higher confidence in Level 1 and Level 2 SA, although no differences were found in Level 3 or Total SA confidence. Experienced operators’ navigation decisions were influenced by informal decision-making cues, especially when interpreting collision-avoidance regulations. The absence of significant differences in Level 3 SA confidence and Total SA confidence between experienced and novice operators suggests that the latter may be overconfident in predicting future events in complex maritime environments. To better prepare novice operators for real-world SAR operations, these findings suggest the potential value of training interventions that focus on specific SA components, particularly projection, and support the development of decision-making strategies under uncertainty
Do the effects of krill oil supplementation on skeletal muscle function and size in older adults differ by sex, age or BMI: A secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial /
No full textThis study examined whether the effects of krill oil supplementation on muscle function and size differ by sex, age or BMI in healthy older adults. This was a secondary exploratory analysis of a previous randomised controlled trial. Men and women aged ≥65 years, with BMI 70 years) and BMI (≤24.9 kg/m2/>25 kg/m2). Increases in muscle strength, size, and physical function in response to krill oil supplementation were comparable across age, sex and BMI subgroups (all P > 0.05). This was similar for neuromuscular measures although increases in the Mwave the response to krill oil supplementation differed by sex, with no change over time in females in either krill or control groups, but an increase in Mwave in males in the krill group (+3.80 [1.72–5.88] mV, p = 0.016) with a tendency for a decrease in the control group (−3.71 [1.58–6.05] mV, p = 0.059). In conclusion, krill oil supplementation improved muscle strength and size in older adults regardless of age, sex and BMI status, although neuromuscular effects of krill oil on membrane excitability, via the Mwave, may be more pronounced in men. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04048096
The power of belief: investigating the placebo effect in post-exercise recovery strategies for football players /
No full textObjectives: The objective is assessing whether the placebo effect can influence the time course of recovery following a football match. Methods: Using a randomized crossover design, eighteen youth male players (age: 15.3 ± 0.5 years, stature: 178.7 ± 6.4 cm, body mass: 65.3 ± 7.6 kg, playing experience: 8.6 ± 1.5 years) completed two friendly matches, followed by placebo (PLA; sham vagus nerve stimulation) or passive rest (CON). To assess the impact of PLA, countermovement jump height (CMJ), 10 and 20 m sprint times, heart rate variability (Ln-rMSSD), static and dynamic muscle soreness, and perceived fatigue were measured at pre-match, post-match, post-recovery, and 24 h post-match. Results: Our findings indicate that match play induced substantial fatigue, with significant deteriorations [p ≤ 0.002, small-to-large effect sizes (ES)] in CMJ, 10 and 20 m sprint performance, Ln-rMSSD, muscle soreness, and perceived fatigue at post-match and post-recovery compared to pre-match (except Ln-rMSSD between pre-match and post-recovery: p = 0.151, small ES). Although no significant between-intervention differences were found for any variable at any time point (p > 0.05), effect size analysis showed moderately lower perceived fatigue (r = 0.40) and dynamic soreness (r = 0.32) in PLA compared to CON at post-recovery. Conclusions: These findings suggest that while placebo stimulation did not affect performance or heart rate variability, it may support perceptual recovery. This holds relevance for both research and practice, as including placebo conditions can help isolate psychological effects from true treatment responses, while promoting positive expectations may enhance the perceived effectiveness of recovery strategies
Acute exercise effects on cognitive flexibility in preterm and full-term children: an event-related potential study /
No full textBackground: Preterm birth is associated with impairments in executive functions (EFs), particularly in cognitive flexibility, which is essential for adaptive and goal-directed behavior. While acute exercise has been shown to transiently enhance cognitive flexibility in children born full-term, its effects in preterm children remain poorly understood. This study aimed to examine the effects of acute aerobic exercise on cognitive flexibility and its underlying neural mechanisms in preterm children, and to determine whether these effects are comparable to those observed in full-term peers. Methods: Children aged between 10 and 16 years were assigned based on gestational age to either the preterm group (n = 20; born before 37 weeks of gestation) or the full-term group (n = 22; born at or after 37 weeks) to complete two sessions, including a 30-minute aerobic exercise (AE) session and a seated control (CON) session. Cognitive flexibility was assessed immediately after each session using a task-switching paradigm, with concurrent electroencephalographic recording to measure P3b event-related potentials (ERPs). Results: Across both groups, participants exhibited shorter response times in the global and local switch conditions and higher accuracy in the local switch condition following AE compared with CON, although switching costs did not differ significantly between sessions. ERP analyses showed increased P3b amplitudes after AE in both switch conditions, indicating enhanced allocation of attentional resources. No significant group differences were observed, suggesting comparable behavioral and neural patterns between preterm and full-term children. Conclusion: These findings indicate that a single session of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise may transiently enhance cognitive processing in both preterm and full-term children. Although behavioral improvements were not observed in the core index of cognitive flexibility (i.e., switching cost), the ERP results suggest a short-term modulation of neural efficiency following acute exercise
The effects of aerobic exercise and music therapy on mental health and quality of life in patients with cancer and cardiovascular disease: a systematic literature review.
No full textThe aim of the review: to analyze selected scientific studies and evaluate the impact of aerobic exercise and music therapy interventions on mental health and quality of life in the context of oncological or cardiovascular diseases. Hypothesis - we believe that an intervention of aerobic exercise and music therapy will improve the mental health of patients with cancer and CVD. Problem - it is unclear to what extent and under what conditions aerobic exercise and music therapy can effectively improve mental health, especially in cases of chronic illness. Review objectives: 1. To evaluate the effects of aerobic exercise on the mental health and quality of life of cancer patients. 2. To evaluate the effects of aerobic exercise on the mental health and quality of life of cardiovascular patients. 3. To evaluate the effects of music therapy on the mental health and quality of life of cancer patients. 4. To evaluate the effects of music therapy on the mental health and quality of life of cardiovascular patients. Research methods: A systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. The search was performed in the PubMed (MEDLINE) database. Selected study data was analyzed and compared. Results: Results of the systematic analysis showed that music interventions have a significant and moderate positive effect on mental health in cardiovascular disease and various other clinical situations, but the overall effect in cancer patients did not reach statistical significance. The effect of aerobic exercise varies between populations: mental health improvement is not statistically significant in people with cardiovascular disease, but a consistent and clinically significant reduction in psychological symptoms has been found in cancer patients and patients with various clinical conditions. In most analyses, the risk of publication bias was not significant, so the results are considered reliable. Thus, both music and aerobic exercise can contribute to improving mental health, but the effectiveness of interventions depends on the clinical population and the type of intervention. Conclusions: 1. The effect of aerobic exercise on mental health and quality of life in patients with cancer is moderate but significant. 2. The effect of aerobic exercise on mental health and quality of life in patients with CVD is weak and insignificant. 3. The effect of music therapy on mental health and quality of life in patients with cancer is small and insignificant. 4. Since there were only two studies investigating the effect of music therapy on mental health in patients after stroke, there was insufficient data to calculate reliable results, so this part of the analysis was left without results
Finger pulse monitoring is a reliable and valid tool for measuring heart rate during exercise among adolescents in lab and school settings /
No full textBackground: A finger pulse monitor (FPM) offers multiple advantages for monitoring heart rate during exercise in comparison to chest worn monitors, including: enhanced testing efficiency; less invasive, particularly for vulnerable populations (e.g. children); and, reduced cost. The purpose of this study was to establish the test-retest reliability of an FPM device for monitoring heart rate during a 3-minute step test (3MST30) to estimate cardiorespiratory fitness in a lab and school setting, and to compare indices of reliability with a chest worn heart rate monitor. Methods: Participants (N = 29; male = 16, female = 13; age: 15.8 ± 0.7) completed the 3MST30 on two occasions, in a lab setting (T1) and in a school setting (T2), one week apart. Participants wore a Braun® FPM and a Polar® H7 chest strap heart rate monitor. Heart rate in beats per minute (bpm) was recorded on both devices at 1-minute, 2-minutes, 3-minutes, and one minute following test completion. Equivalence testing was used to analyse the data for differences between the two devices by using the TOSTER R package. Results: Absolute mean differences between devices and settings were clinically insignificant, with the smallest variance at the 1-minute post recording (FPM p = .012; chest strap = 0.041). There were no statistically significant differences in heart rate measurement between settings. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that finger pulse monitoring is a reliable and valid tool for measuring heart rate during sub-maximal exercise in lab and school settings
Global trends in Tai Chi research: a bibliometric analysis /
No full textTai Chi has evolved into a widely used mind–body practice increasingly incorporated into complementary therapy, rehabilitation, and public health. This study provides an updated global bibliometric overview, with VOSviewer mapping publication performance, co-authorship networks, and keyword-based thematic clusters. Articles and reviews with Tai Chi–related terms in the title were retrieved from Scopus, with no restrictions on language or publication year. A total of 2253 publications from 1978 to 2025 were analyzed, revealing steady growth, concentrated largely in the past decade. China led the publication output, while the United States had the highest number of citations, forming a dual-core pattern. The field is largely driven by a small group of authors and regional clusters, and its visibility in mainstream medical journals remains limited. Nine software-generated keyword clusters were manually synthesized into five themes: motor function (balance and fall prevention), musculoskeletal conditions (osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia), chronic disease management (cardiovascular disease, stroke, COPD), psychological health (quality of life, depression, anxiety, mindfulness), and cognitive aging (dementia, mild cognitive impairment). Future progress requires greater methodological rigor, including mechanistic inquiry, long-term study designs, and community- or population-level applications, along with stronger international collaboration and deeper integration into clinical and public health practice
Warming up for basketball: comparing traditional vs. small-sided game approaches in youth players /
No full textThis study compared the external [movement load (ML)] and internal [rating of perceived exertion (RPE), mean and peak heart rate (HRmean, HRpeak)] loads, performance and enjoyment between time-matched (~12 min) traditional (TRAD) and small-sided game (SSG) warm-ups in youth basketball players. Using a counterbalanced crossover design, 24 male players (16.0 ± 0.1 years) performed both warm-up types after reporting fatigue (ROF) and completing an 8 min standardized pre-warm-up. Before and after each warm-up, players completed 20 m sprint and countermovement jump (CMJ) tests; enjoyment (ENJ) was assessed post-warm-up. No significant differences were found between warm-ups for ROF (p = 0.053), RPE (p = 0.259), or HRmean (p = 0.053). However, SSG induced a higher HRpeak than TRAD (p = 0.001), while ML was greater in TRAD (p < 0.001). No interaction, time effect, or typology effect emerged for performance in sprinting and change of direction, although CMJ was higher after TRAD (p = 0.047). Enjoyment did not differ significantly (p = 0.066), although with a large effect size (r = 0.612). The greater ML in TRAD may reflect more dynamic basketball actions compared with SSG, which emphasized static tasks (e.g., screening, boxing out) yet produced higher HRpeak. Coaches may consider SSG warm-ups to replicate game-specific conditions while controlling the external load and maintaining adequate physiological preparation
Sustainability in the digital era: Exploring the role of public websites /
No full textIn the digital era, public sector websites serve as critical platforms for delivering services, engaging citizens, and promoting sustainability. This study investigates the relationship between consumer sustainability expectations and the perceived quality of public sector websites, focusing on how these digital platforms influence trust and user satisfaction. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research integrates an extensive literature review with a quantitative survey based on the SERVQUAL model. Data were collected from 381 respondents through an online questionnaire measuring five key dimensions: reliability, responsiveness, tangibility, assurance, and empathy. The statistical analysis revealed significant disparities between user expectations and actual experiences. Public websites exceeded expectations in reliability, competence, and empathy, particularly in accessibility, inclusivity, and the provision of sustainability-related training. However, responsiveness and transparency in institutional sustainability metrics were identified as areas requiring improvement. Despite growing demands for environmentally conscious digital services, many government websites lack sufficient mechanisms to communicate sustainability efforts effectively. These findings highlight the necessity for public institutions to integrate sustainable design principles, improve digital responsiveness, and enhance transparency to foster greater public trust and engagement. By addressing these gaps, policymakers and digital strategists can create more effective and inclusive e-government services that align with global sustainability objectives. This study aligns with the journal’s focus on sustainability by examining how digital governance can contribute to environmental, social, and economic well-being. The research underscores the importance of user-centered design and sustainable digital strategies in enhancing the perceived quality of public services, ultimately supporting long-term sustainability goals and citizen engagement in digital governance