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In Austria, exercise therapy is an accredited profession that requires academic training on the university master’s level. However, exercise therapy is not listed in the service plans of health and medical insurance funds and is therefore not reimbursed as a health service for patients. This position paper aims to compile the scientific evidence of the efficacy and effectiveness of exercise therapy as a treatment component in medical care. It also informs about the skills and competencies that exercise therapists acquire during their university studies in sport science. Thus, the necessity to include exercise therapy as a health service for patients is argued. Additionally, legal parity for exercise therapists within the healthcare professions offering evidence-based treatment methods is advocated. Numerous studies confirm that exercise therapy clearly leads to improvements in musculoskeletal, internal, neurological, psychiatric, and psychosomatic diseases. Exercise therapy is a highly evidence-based, low-side-effect component of prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation measures for almost all chronic diseases. It has a positive impact on pathogenesis, symptoms, fitness, quality of life, morbidity, and mortality of affected patients. The five-year academic training in sport science for exercise therapists conveys medical, theoretical knowledge, and practical skills on training and exercise, communication-related, sports-, and movement-related skills, as well as a profound education in scientific methodology. Consequently, the integration of exercise as therapeutic treatment into the healthcare system is highly indicated from a medical, societal and economic perspective. A new legal framework offering self-employment regulations for exercise therapists is required.

Metal recycling is essential for strengthening a circular economy. Microbial leaching (bioleaching) is an economical and environmentally friendly technology widely used to extract metals from insoluble ores or secondary resources such as dust, ashes, and slags. On the other hand, microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) would offer an energy-efficient application for recovering valuable metals from an aqueous solution. In this study, we investigated a MEC for Zn recovery from metal-laden bioleachate for the first time by applying a constant potential of −100 mV vs. Ag/AgCl (3 M NaCl) on a synthetic wastewater-treating bioanode. Zn was deposited onto the cathode surface with a recovery efficiency of 41 ± 13% and an energy consumption of 2.55 kWh kg−1. For comparison, Zn recovery from zinc sulfate solution resulted in a Zn recovery efficiency of 100 ± 0% and an energy consumption of 0.70 kWh kg−1. Furthermore, selective metal precipitation of the bioleachate was performed. Individual metals were almost completely precipitated from the bioleachate at pH 5 (Al), pH 7 (Zn and Fe), and pH 9 (Mg and Mn).

Current trends in attacking strategies and increases in external workload have led to a need for fast and well-conditioned athletes in modern soccer. More recently, progressions in speed, coordination, power and endurance were found over a decade in elite Austrian youth players. However, possible confounders such as relative age, maturation, learning effects, and academy philosophy may have influenced these changes. The present study aimed to determine the decade effect on fitness under statistical control of players' exact age, height, body mass, test location as well as total number of pretests and time interval between test and pretest. Players annually completed a battery of anthropometric, general and soccer-specific fitness tests. MANCOVA was calculated to identify the overall impacts of the covariates on fitness. To balance the covariates of initially 2,530 “former” (2002 to 2005) and 2,611 “recent” (2012 to 2015) players, 1:1 nearest neighbor propensity score (PS) matching was used, resulting in 587 U13, 573 U14, 475 U15, 325 U16, 262 U17, and 129 U18 matched pairs. The decade effect on fitness was assessed by independent t-tests and Cohen's d separately at each age group. Superior performances of recent players were found for linear sprint across all age categories (d = 0.154–0.476) as well as for agility (d = 0.125–0.340) and change-of-direction speed (d = 0.172–0.466) in U15 to U18. Reaction speed increased in U13 (d = 0.288) and U15 (d = 0.310). Flexibility reduced over the decade in all age categories (d = −0.151 to −0.589) and upper-limb power decreased (d = −0.278 to −0.347) in U13 and U14. Balancing the covariate distribution via PS matching generally confirmed previous findings, with fitness decade effects reflecting the athletic needs for modern soccer. Since fitness performance changed over time, reference values should be periodically updated. Coaches favor both physical and cognitive fast players nowadays. Thus, training should target all aspects of speed, without disregarding flexibility, upper-limb power and other preventive strategies that keep the players on the pitch.

IntroductionAlthough a few studies suggest that young overweight to obese children and adolescents (YO) may have impaired postural control compared to young normal-weight (YN) peers, little information exists about how these two groups differ in the quality of the underlying balance strategies employed. Hence, the aim of the present study was a first comprehensive examination of the structural complexity of postural sways in these two cohorts during quiet bilateral standing.MethodsNineteen YO secondary school students (13.0 ± 1.4 years; male = 10, female = 9) were carefully matched to YN controls (13.0 ± 1.5 years) for age, sex, height, and school. Mediolateral (ML) and anteriorposterior (AP) acceleration signals were recorded with an inertial measurement unit (IMU) positioned at the trunk while standing barefoot in two conditions: firm and foam support surface. The magnitude of postural fluctuations was obtained using the root mean square (RMS). The temporal structure of the signals was analyzed via sample entropy (SEn), largest Lyapunov exponent (LyE), and detrended fluctuation analysis (α-DFA) algorithm. Reliability was assessed using a test–retest design.ResultsIn both groups, foam standing caused higher postural fluctuations (higher RMS values) and reduced structural complexity (lower SEn values, higher LyE values, higher α-DFA values). In comparison to YN, YO exhibited a higher RMSAP. Especially in ML direction, the acceleration signals of the YO had higher repeatability (smaller SEn values), greater long-range correlations (higher α-DFA values), and lower local stability (higher LyE values). However, these observations were largely independent of the task difficulty. Except for α-DFAAP, the IMU approach proved reliable to characterize posture control.DiscussionOur outcomes confirm postural control deficits in YO compared to their YN peers and indicate impaired regulatory mechanisms reflected as rigidity. Such less complex patterns usually reflect diverse pathologies, are detrimental to compensate for internal or external perturbations, and are attributed to lower adaptability and task performance. Without targeted balance stimuli, YO likely end in a lifelong vicious circle of mutually dependent poor balance regulation and low physical activity.

In Austria, exercise therapy is an accredited profession that requires academic training on a university’s master level. However, exercise therapy is not listed in the service plans of health and medical insurance funds and is therefore not reimbursed as a health service for patients. This position paper aims to compile the scientific evidence of the efficacy and effectiveness of exercise therapy as a treatment component in medical care. It also informs about the skills and competencies that exercise therapists acquire during their university education in sport science. Based on that, the necessity to include exercise therapy as a health service for patients is argued. Additionally, legal parity for exercise therapists within the healthcare professions offering evidence-based treatment methods is advocated. Numerous studies confirm that exercise therapy clearly leads to improvements in musculoskeletal, internal, neurological, psychiatric, and psychosomatic diseases. Exercise therapy is thus a highly evidence-based, low-sideeffect component of prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation measures for almost all chronic diseases. It has a positive impact on pathogenesis, symptoms, fitness, quality of life, morbidity, and mortality of patients. The five-year academic training in sport science for exercise therapists conveys medical, theoretical knowledge, and practical skills on training and exercise, communication-related, sports-, and movement-related skills, as well as a profound education in scientific methodology. Consequently, the integration of exercise as therapeutic treatment into the healthcare system is highly indicated from a medical, societal and economic perspective. A new legal framework offering self-employment regulations for exercise therapists is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increases in physical (e.g., high-intensity running and sprinting), technical (e.g., passing rate), and tactical (e.g., player density) aspects made elite level soccer more challenging within the past years. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether these evolutions are also been reflected in changes in anthropometric and fitness characteristics between former (2002 to 2005) and current (2012 to 2015) elite Austrian youth development center (U13 to U14) and soccer academy (U15 to U18) players. A battery of anthropometric, general and soccer-specific fitness tests was conducted annually at the end of each year. Independent t-test and Cohen’s d (ES) were calculated to compare the two four-year periods (2530 vs. 2611 players) at each age group separately. Current players were significantly faster in 20 m sprint (ES = 0.26–0.50) and reaction test (ES = 0.15–0.39, except for U18), but less flexible at sit-and-reach (ES = –0.19 to –0.55), in all age categories. Whereas height (ES = 0.26–0.32), body mass (ES = 0.11–0.18) and countermovement jump (ES = 0.24–0.26) increased significantly at youth development center level, current academy players performed superior at shuttle sprint (ES = 0.21–0.59), hurdles agility run (ES = 0.24–0.49), and endurance run (ES = 0.11–0.20). These changes over time in speed, change-of-direction ability, lower-body power, coordination, and endurance were attributed to modern training approaches (e.g., modified games and change-of-direction drills) and modifications in selection politics (e.g., coaches favor speed and decision-making skills).

Research background and hypothesis. For both the athlete and the coach, the purpose and goal of training is the same: to enhance performance. Research aim. This study investigated the effect of differential learning on basketball free throw and volleyball strike. Research methods. In the basketball experiment, in pre-, post- and retention test design, the free throw performance was measured (number of successful shots). Aiming to investigate transfer performance, jump shots were tested. In the volleyball experiment, movement variability during the strike was further increased by the application of an elastic constraint. The second intervention and quasi-control group trained under constant practice conditions. Ball velocity and accuracy were analysed with a constant and a variable test. Research results. No signifi cant differences were observed for either the free throw (p > 0.05) or the transfer performance (p > 0.05). However, a positive trend for the variable group was observed in the transfer situation. For the strike in volleyball, the differential learning group had a signifi cant advantage with respect to velocity in a variable test situation (p < 0.05) whereas in the constant situation (p > 0.05) and measurements for accuracy (p > 0.05) it did not reveal similar results. Discussion and conclusions. In both experiments, the set variability leads to benefi ts in variable (transfer) situations. However, as a practical consequence, especially for constant situations, certain moderator variables such as training age or background in other sports or activities must be kept in mind to adjust the amount of external or intervention-induced variability. Keywords: differential learning, variability, adaptability, ball sports.

Metal recycling is essential for strengthening a circular economy. Microbial leaching (bioleaching) is an economical and environmentally friendly technology widely used to extract metals from insoluble ores or secondary resources such as dust, ashes, and slags. On the other hand, microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) would offer an energy-efficient application for recovering valuable metals from an aqueous solution. In this study, we investigated a MEC for Zn recovery from metal-laden bioleachate for the first time by applying a constant potential of -100mV vs. Ag/AgCl (3M NaCl) on a synthetic wastewater-treating bioanode. Zn was deposited onto the cathode surface with a recovery efficiency of 41±13% and an energy consumption of 2.55 kWh kg-1. For comparison, Zn recovery from zinc sulfate solution resulted in a Zn recovery efficiency of 100±0% and an energy consumption of 0.70 kWh kg-1. Furthermore, selective metal precipitation of the bioleachate was performed. Individual metals were almost completely precipitated from the bioleachate at pH 5 (Al), pH 7 (Zn and Fe), and pH 9 (Mg and Mn). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metallurgical dusts are by-products from steel manufacturing. The high iron content of cast house dust (~64%) makes this by-product an interesting iron feedstock alternative. Therefore, its return into the internal steelmaking circuit, specifically in the sinter plant, is a common practice in the steel industry. However, this dust fraction also contains heavy metals, as zinc. As a result of the re-entry of zinc into the process, the zinc concentration in the blast furnace flue gas dust also increases. This prevents the full recirculation of the blast furnace flue gas dust in the steelmaking process despite its relatively high iron content (~35%), thus causing part of the blast furnace flue gas dust to end in the landfill. The goal of this study was to investigate the usage of bacteria, such as the sulfur oxidizing Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans or the iron and sulfur oxidizing Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, to leach the undesirable element zinc from the cast house dust while preventing the leaching of iron, by adjusting the sulfur addition and avoiding, at the same time, the accumulation of sulfur in the solid fraction. Experiments proved that a co-culture of A. thiooxidans and A. ferrooxidans can effectively leach zinc from metallurgical dusts, maintaining high iron concentrations in the material. The influence of elemental sulfur on the efficiencies reached was shown, since higher removal efficiencies were achieved with increasing sulfur concentrations. Maximum zinc leaching efficiencies of ~63% (w/w) and an iron enrichment of ~7% (w/w) in the remaining residue were achieved with sulfur concentrations of 15 g/L for cast house gas concentrations of 125 g/L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dünnwald, T, Morawetz, D, Faulhaber, M, Gatterer, H, Birklbauer, C, Koller, A, Weiss, G, and Schobersberger, W. Supplemental O2 during recovery does not improve repeated maximal concentric-eccentric strength-endurance performance in hypoxia. J Strength Cond Res 36(11): 3065–3073, 2022—An alpine ski racing training session typically includes repeated bouts of maximal exercise at high altitude. We evaluated whether hyperoxic recovery between 5 sets of high-intensity strength-endurance exercises, which resembled ski racing activity and were performed in hypoxia, has beneficial effects on performance and acid-base status. In this randomized, single blinded crossover study, 15 highly skilled ski athletes (4 f/11 m; 29.7 ± 5.7 years) performed 5 90 seconds flywheel sets (S) in a normobaric hypoxic chamber (3,500 m). The flywheel sets were separated by 4 15-minute recovery periods. During recovery, subjects received either 100% O2 (hyperoxic setting [HS]) or hypoxic air (nonhyperoxic setting [NHS]; FiO2: 0.146). Performance outcomes (e.g., power output [PO], concentric peak power [Conpeak], and eccentric peak power [Eccpeak]) and physiological parameters (e.g., heart rate, blood gases, and blood lactate) were evaluated. Mean PO, Conpeak, and Eccpeak from S1 to S5 did not differ between settings (146.9 ± 45 W and 144.3 ± 44 W, 266.9 ± 80 W and 271.2 ± 78 W, and 271.0 ± 93 W and 274.1 ± 74 W for HS and NHS, respectively; p ≥ 0.05). SpO2, PaO2, and CaO2 were higher during recovery in HS than in NHS (p ≤ 0.001). Lactate levels were significantly lower in the last recovery phase in HS than in NHS (p = 0.016). Hyperoxic recovery has no impact on performance in a setting resembling alpine ski racing training. Positive effects on arterial oxygen content and cellular metabolism, as indicated by reduced blood lactate levels during recovery in the hyperoxic setting, seem to be insufficient to generate a direct effect on performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Although a few studies suggest that young overweight to obese children and adolescents (YO) may have impaired postural control compared to young normal-weight (YN) peers, little information exists about how these two groups differ in the quality of the underlying balance strategies employed. Hence, the aim of the present study was a first comprehensive examination of the structural complexity of postural sways in these two cohorts during quiet bilateral standing. Methods: Nineteen YO secondary school students (13.0 ± 1.4 years; male = 10, female = 9) were carefully matched to YN controls (13.0 ± 1.5 years) for age, sex, height, and school. Mediolateral (ML) and anteriorposterior (AP) acceleration signals were recorded with an inertial measurement unit (IMU) positioned at the trunk while standing barefoot in two conditions: firm and foam support surface. The magnitude of postural fluctuations was obtained using the root mean square (RMS). The temporal structure of the signals was analyzed via sample entropy (SEn), largest Lyapunov exponent (LyE), and detrended fluctuation analysis (α-DFA) algorithm. Reliability was assessed using a test–retest design. Results: In both groups, foam standing caused higher postural fluctuations (higher RMS values) and reduced structural complexity (lower SEn values, higher LyE values, higher α-DFA values). In comparison to YN, YO exhibited a higher RMSAP. Especially in ML direction, the acceleration signals of the YO had higher repeatability (smaller SEn values), greater long-range correlations (higher α-DFA values), and lower local stability (higher LyE values). However, these observations were largely independent of the task difficulty. Except for α-DFAAP, the IMU approach proved reliable to characterize posture control. Discussion: Our outcomes confirm postural control deficits in YO compared to their YN peers and indicate impaired regulatory mechanisms reflected as rigidity. Such less complex patterns usually reflect diverse pathologies, are detrimental to compensate for internal or external perturbations, and are attributed to lower adaptability and task performance. Without targeted balance stimuli, YO likely end in a lifelong vicious circle of mutually dependent poor balance regulation and low physical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sleep has been shown to facilitate the consolidation of newly acquired motor memories. However, the role of sleep in gross motor learning, especially in motor adaptation, is less clear. Thus, we investigated the effects of nocturnal sleep on the performance of a gross motor adaptation task, i.e. riding an inverse steering bicycle. Twenty‐six male participants (M = 24.19, SD = 3.70 years) were randomly assigned to a PM‐AM‐PM (n = 13) or an AM‐PM‐AM (n = 13) group, i.e. they trained in the evening/morning and were re‐tested the next morning/evening and the following evening/morning (PM‐AM‐PM/AM‐PM‐AM group) so that every participant spent one sleep as well as one wake interval between the three test sessions. Inverse cycling performance was assessed by speed (riding time) and accuracy (standard deviation of steering angle) measures. Behavioural results showed that in the PM‐AM‐PM group a night of sleep right after training stabilized performance (accuracy and speed) and was further improved over the subsequent wake interval. In the AM‐PM‐AM group, a significant performance deterioration after the initial wake interval was followed by the restoration of subjects' performance levels from right after training when a full night of sleep was granted. Regarding sleep, right hemispheric fast N2 sleep spindle activity was related to better stabilization of inverse cycling skills, thus possibly reflecting the ongoing process of updating the participants' mental model from "how to ride a bicycle" to "how to ride an inverse steering bicycle". Our results demonstrate that sleep facilitates the consolidation of gross motor adaptation, thus adding further insights to the role of sleep for tasks with real‐life relevance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increases in physical (e.g., high-intensity running and sprinting), technical (e.g., passing rate), and tactical (e.g., player density) aspects made elite level soccer more challenging within the past years. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether these evolutions are also been reflected in changes in anthropometric and fitness characteristics between former (2002 to 2005) and current (2012 to 2015) elite Austrian youth development center (U13 to U14) and soccer academy (U15 to U18) players. A battery of anthropometric, general and soccer-specific fitness tests was conducted annually at the end of each year. Independent t -test and Cohen's d (ES) were calculated to compare the two four-year periods (2530 vs. 2611 players) at each age group separately. Current players were significantly faster in 20 m sprint (ES = 0.26–0.50) and reaction test (ES = 0.15–0.39, except for U18), but less flexible at sit-and-reach (ES = –0.19 to –0.55), in all age categories. Whereas height (ES = 0.26–0.32), body mass (ES = 0.11–0.18) and countermovement jump (ES = 0.24–0.26) increased significantly at youth development center level, current academy players performed superior at shuttle sprint (ES = 0.21–0.59), hurdles agility run (ES = 0.24–0.49), and endurance run (ES = 0.11–0.20). These changes over time in speed, change-of-direction ability, lower-body power, coordination, and endurance were attributed to modern training approaches (e.g., modified games and change-of-direction drills) and modifications in selection politics (e.g., coaches favor speed and decision-making skills). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wenige Tage nach dem Anschlag von Wien am 2. November hat die österreichische Bundesregierung die Leitlinien eines Anti-Terror-Pakets präsentiert. Zwar hätte der Anschlag auch schon mit den derzeitigen juristischen Möglichkeiten zur Überwachung von Gefährder*innen verhindert werden können. Aber ungeachtet dessen sollen im Eilzugstempo (geplant noch im Dezember 2020) rechtliche Verschärfungen beschlossen werden, die massiv in Grund- und Freiheitsrechte eingreifen. Mit einer vernunftgeleiteten Kriminalpolitik, die auch in solchen Zeiten mit Bedacht reagiert und sich nicht vom Boulevard treiben lässt, haben diese Pläne nichts zu tun.

Light-field cameras offer new imaging possibilities compared to conventional digital cameras. However, the additional angular domain of light fields prohibits direct application of frequently used image processing algorithms, such as warping, retargeting, or stitching. We present a general and efficient framework for nonuniform light-field warping, which forms the basis for extending many of these image processing techniques to light fields. It propagates arbitrary spatial deformations defined in one light-field perspective consistently to all other perspectives by means of 4D patch matching instead of relying on explicit depth reconstruction. This allows processing light-field recordings of complex scenes with non-Lambertian properties such as transparency and refraction. We show application examples of our framework in panorama light-field imaging, light-field retargeting, and artistic manipulation of light fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a novel approach to recording and computing panorama light fields. In contrast to previous methods that estimate panorama light fields from focal stacks or naive multi-perspective image stitching, our approach is the first that processes ray entries directly and does not require depth reconstruction or matching of image features. Arbitrarily complex scenes can therefore be captured while preserving correct occlusion boundaries, anisotropic reflections, refractions, and other light effects that go beyond diffuse reflections of Lambertian surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capturing exposure sequences to compute high dynamic range (HDR) images causes motion blur in cases of camera movement. This also applies to light-field cameras: frames rendered from multiple blurred HDR light-field perspectives are also blurred. While the recording times of exposure sequences cannot be reduced for a single-sensor camera, we demonstrate how this can be achieved for a camera array. Thus, we decrease capturing time and reduce motion blur for HDR light-field video recording. Applying a spatio-temporal exposure pattern while capturing frames with a camera array reduces the overall recording time and enables the estimation of camera movement within one light-field video frame. By estimating depth maps and local point spread functions (PSFs) from multiple perspectives with the same exposure, regional motion deblurring can be supported. Missing exposures at various perspectives are then interpolated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a caching framework with a novel probability-based prefetching and eviction strategy applied to atomic cache units that enables interactive rendering of gigaray light fields. Further, we describe two new use cases that are supported by our framework: panoramic light fields, including a robust imaging technique and an appropriate parameterization scheme for real-time rendering and caching; and light-field-cached volume rendering, which supports interactive exploration of large volumetric datasets using light-field rendering. We consider applications such as light-field photography and the visualization of large image stacks from modern scanning microscopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, the running pattern of the lower extremity was examined while being perturbed through tubes attached between the ankles and the lower back to analyze influences on the running pattern variability before and after a varied running intervention. 3D-kinematics, joint coupling and electromyography (EMG), as well as their variability, were analyzed in ten healthy male participants during treadmill running (10.5 km.h-1). Pre- and post-tests each consisted of 2 x 30 min treadmill running (one with and one without tubes). The results showed major acute effects on EMG and kinematics, as well as joint coordination variability, due to the constraints (p < 0.05). After the intervention, a process of normalization of most kinematic and EMG parameters occurred; however, EMG variability, kinematic variability and joint coordination variability were reduced during tube running below normal running level (p < 0.05). The findings further indicate rapid kinematic adaptations while muscle activity appears to require longer practice to adapt. The constraint serves to acutely increase variability, but may lead to reduced variability when applied for a longer period of time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the effect of an acute bout of treadmill running with rubber tube (RT) and without rubber tube (NT) elastic constraints on electromyographic (EMG), 3D kinematics variability, and blood lactate concentration (LA). In the RT test, the constraints were attached to the hips and ankles. The selected variables were compared between 30 min of NT running and 30 minutes of RT running in 13 healthy recreationally trained male runners who had no prior exposure to RT. Statistical analysis revealed significantly higher EMG variability (p < 0.01) and muscle activity (p < 0.05) during RT compared to NT that decreased over time approaching NT, indicating movement pattern adaptation. 3D-kinematics and their variability remained generally unaltered. Changes occurred predominantly in the sagittal plane, specifically to the knee and the swing. A significant increase in LA was measured at the end of RT (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that RT running influences muscle recruitment and variability, but has only a minor influence on kinematics. Changes in LA were significant, although relatively small. The observed adaptations in EMG and kinematics suggest that the RTs provide a possibility to create within movement variability in various sports, and thus, variable training conditions may foster strategies to increase the ability to flexibly adapt to different and new situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]