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Health and exercise technology may promote a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to understand and involve the perspective of pregnant women as users in the design of a framework for future e-health and exercise interventions during pregnancy. Pregnant women replied to a questionnaire aimed at understanding their physical activity patterns, needs, and preferences regarding the use of mobile applications (apps). The main results showed that one-third of the women did not practice any type of exercise during pregnancy. Women preferred to exercise in a gym, outdoors, or at home. The majority already had or were currently using a fitness app, but never used any pregnancy-specific app. Most women agreed that it was important to have a specific app for pregnancy to improve knowledge about recommendations on lifestyle, have direct contact with health and exercise professionals, have social interaction with other mothers, and have guidance on preparation for childbirth and postpartum recovery. Understanding and involving the perspective of pregnant women as users will allow researchers to improve the design of a pregnancy-specific app and future e-health and exercise interventions during pregnancy. These preliminary results will lead to the development of the "active pregnancy app" focused on the promotion of an active and healthy lifestyle during pregnancy and postpartum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The effectiveness of the supplementation of prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics as a therapeutic approach in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear. The aim of this systematic review is to critically examine the current scientific evidence on the impact of modulating the microbiota, through the use of prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics, in patients diagnosed with CRC undergoing treatment, to determine the potential therapeutic use of this approach. Methods: This systematic review was made according to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Inclusion criteria were randomized controlled trials (RCT) comparing the impact of pre-, pro-, or synbiotic supplementation with placebo or standard care in patients with CRC undergoing treatment. Exclusion criteria were nonhuman studies, non-RCTs, and studies in languages other than English or Portuguese. Six databases were consulted, namely, Cochrane Library, Pubmed, Scopus, Cinahl, MedicLatina and Web of Science until May of 2023. RAYYAN software was used to manage the search results and risk of bias was assessed according to the guidelines of the Cochrane Collaboration using the Rob 2.0 tool. Results: Twenty-four RCTs met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. Administration of pre-, pro-, or synbiotics improved surgical outcomes such as the incidence of infectious and non-infectious postoperative complications, return to normal gut function, hospital length of stay, and antibiotic usage. The supplementation of these microorganisms also alleviated some symptoms from chemotherapy and radiotherapy, mainly diarrhea. Evidence on the best approach in terms of types of strains, dosage and duration of intervention is still scarce. Conclusions: Pre-, pro-, and synbiotics supplementation appears to be a beneficial therapeutic approach in CRC treatment to improve surgical outcomes and to alleviate side-effects such as treatment toxicity. More RCTs with larger sample sizes and less heterogeneity are needed to confirm these potential benefits and to determine the best strains, dosage, and duration of administration in each situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) is a reliable, non-invasive, objective, and cost-effective body composition assessment method, with high reproducibility. This scoping review aims to evaluate the current scientific and clinical evidence on BIA for body composition assessment in oncology patients, under active treatment. Literature search was conducted through MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Science databases, following PRISMA-ScR Guidelines. Inclusion criteria comprised studies reporting the use of BIA for body composition evaluation in adults with cancer diagnosis. Studies including non-cancer pathology or only assessing nutritional status were excluded. This scoping review comprised a total of 36 studies: 25 were original studies including 18 prospective studies, six cross-sectional studies and one retrospective study and 11 were systematic reviews. Population size for the included original articles ranged from 18 to 1217 participants, comprising a total of 3015 patients with cancer with a mean baseline Body Mass Index (BMI) ranging from 20.3 to 30.0 kg/m2 and mean age ranging between 47 and 70 years. Review articles included a total of 273 studies, with a total of 78,350 participants. The current review considered studies reporting patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) (n = 8), breast cancer (BC) (n = 4), esophageal cancer (EC) (n = 2), liver cancer (n = 2), pancreatic cancer (PC) (n = 3), gastric cancer (GC) (n = 3), colorectal cancer (CRC) (n = 8), lung cancer (LC) (n = 1), skin cancer (SK) (n = 1) and multiple cancer types (n = 6). BIA is a suitable and valid method for the assessment of body composition in oncology. BIA-derived measures have shown good potential and relevant clinical value in preoperative risk evaluation, in the reduction of postoperative complications and hospital stay and as an important prognostic indicator in persons with cancer. Future research on the diagnostic value and clinical applications of BIA and BIA-derived phase angle (PhA) should be conducted in order to predict its impact on patient survival and other clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing competitiveness of modern sport means that children, from very early ages, are increasingly submitted to intensive training programmes. These programmes are problematic for young athletes not only because their developing bodies are particularly susceptible to different kinds of injuries, but because athletes are also particularly vulnerable to experiences of different kinds of abuses. Using data collected through semi-structured interviews this study examines the various kinds of abuse that former Portuguese female gymnasts underwent during their sporting careers. Interviewees were asked to reflect on their past experiences and discuss aspects of the gymnastics subculture. Weight control, training/competing with injuries and corporal punishment emerged as key themes. The study therefore shows that the physical and psychological abuse of young athletes occurs even beyond the confines of elite professional sport, and thus that a broader spectrum of athletes learn to consider these forms of exploitation and abuse as normal.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a heterogeneous lung condition, the main symptoms of which are dyspnoea and fatigue. Though exercise has been recommended for subjects with COPD, its benefits remain unclear. The aim of this study was to summarise, through a systematic review and meta-analysis, the available evidence on the effects of aerobic, resistance, stretching, and combined exercise on the main symptoms of COPD. Methods: Search was performed using the electronic databases PubMed and Web of Science. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) with interventions based on aerobic, resistance and/or combined exercise published until July 2022 were identified. The effects were summarised based on standardised mean differences (95% confidence intervals) using random and fixed effect models. Results: Eight studies were selected, including a total of 375 subjects. The results obtained showed that resistance exercise, aerobic exercise and combined exercise seem to improve dyspnoea and fatigue symptoms in COPD subjects. Conclusions: In general, we can conclude that exercise-based interventions appear to improve the main COPD symptoms and may benefit quality of life in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognition includes all processes through which a person becomes aware of their situation, needs, goals, and necessary actions. Regular specialized cognitive and neuromotor simulation exercises have improved various cognitive processes, including memory, speed of reasoning, and problem-solving skills. This review focuses on understanding the efficacy of long-term multicomponent exercise interventions to mitigate and delay the effects on cognitive abilities in older adults with neurodegenerative disorders. The main criteria for final studies were randomised controlled trials with a minimum of a 24-week intervention. The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, SCOPUS, B-On, Sport Discus, Scielo, APA PsycINFO, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences, Academic Search Complete, Medline (PubMed), ERIC, and Google Scholar databases were checked. The search occurred between April 2022 and July 2022. A total of 19 studies were used in this review. The initial search identified 6.835 studies. In the first screening, a total of 6474 studies were excluded. After this, 361 studies were analysed by co-authors and did not meet the specific final criteria and were excluded. In total, 19 studies were included in the final analysis, and 14 papers met all requirements previously defined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: For a long time, in sports, researchers have tried to understand an expert by comparing them with novices, raising the doubts if the visual search characteristics distinguish experts from novices. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to review and conduct a meta-analysis to evaluate the dierences in visual search behavior between experts and novices in team sports athletes. Methods: This systematic review with meta-analysis followed the PRISMA 2020 and Cochrane’s guidelines. Healthy team athletes were included, which engaged in regular practice, from any sex or competitive level, specifically classified a priori as expert or novice in the original research (i.e., if they were classified after the experiment, based on one of the tests, the study would be excluded). We considered only research published in peer-reviewed journals, with no limitations regarding date or language. It was considered healthy team sport athletes engaged in regular practice. The scenarios could be in situ or film-based. The databases of EBSCO (Academic Search Complete, Academic Search Ultimate, APA PsycArticles, and APA PsycINFO), PubMed, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science were used to perform the searches. The risk of bias was calculated through the RoBANS tool Results: From a total of 6,257 records, of which 985 were duplicates, titles and abstracts of 5,272 were screened, and 45 required full-text analysis. Of those, 23 were excluded due to not fulfilling the eligibility criteria regarding participants. In the end, 22 studies were selected, however, as two studies were part of the same trial and were analyzed conjointly. Discussion: Experts showed to be older and with more years of practice. The ability to distinguish experts from novices was not so clear regarding the variables analyzed. This could be due to the strategies chosen in each study, which were specific to each scenario, and when grouping all together, it was lost information within non-representative averages. The distinction between experts and novices was not clear, showing a lot of heterogeneity in the included studies. The expert classification itself may have been the conditioning aspect for these results, retaining the doubt and the need for more studies in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Because the consequences of the lifestyle changes in older adults associated with the social isolation imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic are not fully understood, here, we investigated the effects of one year of social isolation imposed by COVID-19 on the metabolic parameters and functional physical capacity of older women who regularly practiced physical exercises before the pandemic. Methods: Systemic lipid and protein profiles, estimated creatinine clearance (ECC), and functional physical capacity (FPC) were assessed before (January-February 2020) and 12 months after social isolation in 30 older women (mean age 73.77 ± 6.22) who were engaged in a combined-exercise training program for at least 3 years before the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: In this group, we observed increased plasma levels of triglycerides and creatinine, an increase in the time necessary to perform gait speed and time-up-and-go tests, and reduced muscle strength assessed by the handgrip test and ECC post-COVID-19 pandemic relative to values recorded pre-pandemic. In addition, we observed significant correlations (both negative and positive) between anthropometric, some metabolic parameters, and physical tests. Conclusion: One year of interruption of physical exercise practice imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered some systemic metabolic parameters and worsened ECC and FPC in older women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Anthropomorphic conversational agents (ACA) are a promising digital tool to support self-management of type 2 diabetes (T2D), albeit little explored. There is a dearth of literature on the detailed content of these interventions, which may limit effectiveness and replication. Our aim is to describe the development of an evidence and theory-based intervention to improve physical activity in older adults with T2D, subsumed in a multi-behavior intervention via a mobile application with an ACA. Methods: Overall decisions on the multi-behavior intervention design, such as the use of standardized behavior change techniques (BCTTv1), guided the development of the physical activity component. Firstly, recommendations on ambulatory activity were used to select the target behavior (walking). Meta-research on effective behavior change techniques (BCTs) was then identified. One meta-analysis linked effective BCTs with the three basic psychological needs of the self-determination theory (SDT). This meta-analysis, taken together with additional evidence on SDT, led to the selection of this theory to inform the design. BCTs were extracted from meta-research; we selected the most appropriate to be operationalized via the conversational agent through multidisciplinary discussions. Rules governing the dialogue flow and BCTs tailoring, taking the form “if some conditions hold then execute some action,” were derived based on the Basic Psychological in Exercise Scale (competence, autonomy, and relatedness scores), in conjunction with published evidence and multidisciplinary discussions. Results: Thirteen BCTs were implemented in the prototype via the ACA (e.g., goal setting behavior 1.1). Six if-then rules were derived and depicted in the dialogue steps through process flow diagrams, which map how the system functions. An example of a rule is “If competence score≤10 then, apply BCT 1.1 with 500 steps increments as options for the daily walking goal; If competence score>10 then, apply BCT 1.1 with 1,000 steps increments as options for the daily walking goal.” Conclusion: Evidence and SDT were translated into a mobile application prototype using an ACA to promote physical activity in older adults with T2D. This approach, which includes 13 BCTs and six if-then rules for their tailoring, may leverage the efforts of others in developing similar interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence-based practice (EBP) is considered the "holy grail" to manage patients by health practitioners (such as physical therapists). However, sometimes, patients are not treated with the best interventions for their condition. Although studies already explored the facilitators and barriers for this issue, they increase in the level of importance if the information gathered are context appropriated. As the profession is relatively new in Portugal, currently little is known about the implementation of EBP in Portuguese physical therapists context. So, the aim of this study is to know if the Portuguese physical therapists use an EBP, and collect and deeper understand the factors, barriers and facilitators associated with EBP. Methods: This study incorporated a mixed-methods design (quantitative and qualitative). In an attempt to ensure the correct population sample, a national professional association e-mail database and the e-mails of past students from national schools were requested. For the quantitative data it was choose an e-survey, adapted from the EBP: Beliefs, Attitudes, Knowledge, and Behaviors of Physical Therapists Portuguese version questionnaire, consisted of 55 close-ended questions. It was analyzed response frequencies and associations between variables with logistic regression analyses. For the qualitative data, it was choose to perform semi-structured interviews in purposefully selected physical therapists to include different sociodemographic factors (especially those found to be statistically significant in the logistic regression) and survey responses regarding the physical therapists' beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors. The interviews were performed in an online software, where only audio contact was performed. The audios were anonymized and verbatim transcribed, and the texts explored by the thematic approach. Results: From the 277 physical therapists that shown interest in participating in the study, 193 fully completed the questionnaire and, from those, 10 participated in the interviews. The Portuguese physical therapists reported positive beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors regarding EBP. Among the physical therapists characteristics it seems that age (younger therapists), education (participating in continuing education courses; belonging to practice-orientated organizations; having a doctorate degree; pursuing a higher academic degree; and being a clinical instructor), and workplace (working for someone else account; and academic sector) are the main factors in the Portuguese EBP implementation. The Portuguese physical therapists, beyond the physical therapists individual characteristics and workplace, also stated that evidence, patients, clinical experience, schools, country and physical therapy characteristics, may behave as facilitators or barriers when performing an EBP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Central accumulation and distribution of body fat (BF) is an important cardiometabolic risk factor. Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), commonly elevated in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients, has been endorsed as a risk related marker of central BF content and distribution, but no standardized waist circumference measurement protocol (WCmp) has been proposed. We aimed to investigate whether using different WCmp affects the strength of association between WHR and BF content and distribution in NAFLD patients. BF was assessed with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in 28 NAFLD patients (19 males, 51 ± 13 years, and 9 females, 47 ±13 years). Waist circumference (WC) was measured using four different WCmp (WC1: minimal waist; WC2: iliac crest; WC3: mid-distance between iliac crest and lowest rib; WC4: at the umbilicus) and WHR was calculated accordingly (WHR1, WHR2, WHR3 and WHR4, respectively). High WHR was found in up to 84.6% of subjects, depending on the WHR considered. With the exception of WHR1, all WHR correlated well with abdominal BF (r = .47 for WHR1; r = .59 for WHR2 and WHR3; r = .58 for WHR4) and BF distribution (r = .45 for WHR1; r = .56 for WHR2 and WHR3; r = .51 for WHR4), controlling for age, sex and body mass index (BMI). WHR2 and WHR3 diagnosed exactly the same prevalence of high WHR (76.9%). The present study confirms the strong relation between WHR and central BF, regardless of WCmp used, in NAFLD patients. WHR2 and WHR3 seemed preferable for use in clinical practice, interchangeably, for the diagnosis of high WHR in NAFLD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is unclear how sedentary behavior (SED), physical activity (PA), and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) influence vascular structure in children of varying body size. This study examined whether associations between SED, PA, and CRF with intima-media thickness (IMT) added to that of abdominal fatness and IMT. Differences in physiological measures among waist circumference (WC) percentiles were tested. Methods: We assessed IMT of the carotid artery in 265 children aged 11 to 13 years (135 girls). Measures included IMT assessed with high-resolution ultrasonography, WC, body fat mass (BFM) from DXA, and CRF determined using a maximal cycle test. SED and PA were assessed by accelerometry. Association between IMT and CRF adjusted for PA variables, and body composition phenotypes were tested with multiple linear regression analysis. Results: CRF was related to IMT independently of moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) and SED (P < .05). When WC was added to the model CRF was no longer associated with IMT (P > .05). Children in the higher WC group had increased mean values of BMI, BFM, WC, and IMT and lower MVPA and CRF (P < .05). Conclusion: Full modeling of SED, MVPA, CRF, and WC revealed that regional adiposity appears to have the biggest role in arterial structure of children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluate the student’s satisfaction in Physical Education (PE) classes can contribute to help teachers in developing strategies to better planning and get students more motivated. The aim of this study is to describe what students’ value most and why in a PE class. It was used a qualitative and descriptive approach of the critical incidents in a PE classroom interviewing 278 Portuguese students. The results reveal in the satisfaction striking moments, playing and compete, getting individually and collective success in a satisfactory class climate. The less welcome striking moments were a mixture of playing, compete and failure. The warmup and negative class climate also were reported as not very gratifying. The fun moments reported were personal realization, pleasure and sharing. The teacher appreciation reveals pedagogical interactions, specific knowledge and personal conduct. The students like PE classes. Planning by the PE teacher should maximize opportunities of enjoyable situations by the students, in order to improve their motivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: Improving adherence to antidiabetic medication is crucial, resulting in improved health outcomes, cost reduction, and minimization of waste. A lack of underlying theory in existing interventions may explain the limited success in sustaining behavior change. This paper describes the development of a theory and evidence-based complex intervention to improve adherence to oral antidiabetics in older people via a software prototype with an anthropomorphic virtual assistant. Methods: The Behavior Change Wheel (BCW) was used to develop a theoretical understanding of the change process, corresponding to the first phase of the Medical Research Council Framework for developing and evaluating complex interventions. At the BCW core is a model of human behavior (COM-B), which posits that human behavior (B) results from the interaction between capabilities (C), opportunities (O), and motivation (M). Literature-derived medication adherence determinants were mapped onto COM-B components. Then, intervention functions (IFs) were selected employing the APEASE criteria. Finally, standardized behavior change techniques (BCTs) were chosen based on their suitability and their effectiveness on medication adherence trials. The prototype was developed for android devices; its core was implemented in Unity3D, using a female 3D virtual assistant, named Vitória. Results: Two COM-B components were identified as main targets for behavior change—psychological capability and reflective motivation; these were linked with four IFs—education, persuasion, enablement, and environmental restructuring. Eleven BCTs were, in turn, linked with the IFs. An example of a BCT is "problem solving"; it requires users to pinpoint factors influencing non-adherence and subsequently offers strategies to achieve the desired behavior. BCTs were operationalized into the dialogues with Vitória and into supplementary software features. Vitória communicates with users verbally and non-verbally, expressing emotions. Input options consist of buttons or recording values, such as medication taken. Conclusion: The present approach enabled us to derive the most appropriate BCTs for our intervention. The use of an explicit bundle of BCTs, often overlooked in interventions promoting medication adherence, is expected to maximize effectiveness and facilitates replication. The first prototype is being refined with users and health professionals' contributions. Future work includes subjecting the prototype to usability tests and a feasibility trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The beneficial effects of short-term exercise programs (4-16 weeks) in the glycemic control of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) are well documented in the literature. Less consensus exists on the long-term effects. This study aims to evaluate the effects of a longterm exercise program on glycemic control and insulin resistance in patients with DM2. The sample consisted of a reference group (GR) (n=102) and an intervention group (IG) (n=23), all with DM2. The GR subjects did not participate in any program, having been assessed 1 time. Subjects of the GI participated on a long-term exercise program (32 months), with assessments every 4 months in a total of 9 assessments. Between each evaluation, there was a significant effect in reducing the mean values of fasting glucose [-0.119 mmol·L-1 (95% CI: - 0.193 - -0.046)], insulin resistance (HOMA IR) [-0.080 units (95% CI: -0.142 - -0.019)] and chronic levels of blood glucose (HbA1c) [-0.073% (95% CI: -0.130 - -0.016)]. The long-term exercise program consisted a safe and effective auxiliary treatment in improving glycemic control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Applied Physiology, Nutrition & Metabolism is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Applied Physiology, Nutrition & Metabolism is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The growing competitiveness of modern sport means that children, from very early ages, are increasingly submitted to intensive training programmes. These programmes are problematic for young athletes not only because their developing bodies are particularly susceptible to different kinds of injuries, but because athletes are also particularly vulnerable to experiences of different kinds of abuses. Using data collected through semi-structured interviews this study examines the various kinds of abuse that former Portuguese female gymnasts underwent during their sporting careers. Interviewees were asked to reflect on their past experiences and discuss aspects of the gymnastics subculture. Weight control, training/competing with injuries and corporal punishment emerged as key themes. The study therefore shows that the physical and psychological abuse of young athletes occurs even beyond the confines of elite professional sport, and thus that a broader spectrum of athletes learn to consider these forms of exploitation and abuse as normal. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Revista da UIIPS is the property of Revista da UIIPS and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Age-related decreases in muscle function lead to disabilities and are associated with negative health outcomes in older people. Although several physical tests can be used to assess physical performance, muscle strength, and power, their interpretation can be hampered by the ceiling effect of some of them. The aim of this study was to assess whether vertical jump tests are safe in terms of physical integrity and whether they are useful in assessing physical performance in forty-one robust older women. The investigation entailed an assessment of anthropometric characteristics, physical functioning tests (Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), sit-to-up 5 times and sit-to-up 30 s, gait speed, time-up-to-go test (TUGT)), and tests evaluating muscle strength and power (handgrip, lower limb isokinetic tests, and vertical jumping tests). Significant negative correlations were found between vertical jumping tests and BMI, body fat percentage, sit-to-up 5 times and TUGT. In addition, significant positive correlations were observed between vertical jumping tests and SPPB, gait speed, handgrip, and concentric isokinetic tests of knee muscles. No adverse events in volunteers' physical integrity were reported during and after the performance of all physical tests. Thus, the study results showed that vertical jumping tests are safe and accurate for assessing physical performance and are useful for monitoring age-related loss of muscle performance in robust older women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To analyze the body fat (BF) content and distribution modifications in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients in response to a 1-year combined aerobic and resistance exercise training (CET) program. Design and Methods: We followed two groups of CAD male patients for 12 months. One group consisted of 17 subjects (57 ± 12 years) who engaged in a CET program (CET group) and the other was a age-matched control group of 10 subjects (58 ± 11 years). BF content and distribution were measured through dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at baseline and follow-up. Results: We found no differences on body mass and BMI between baseline and end of follow-up in both groups but, in CET group, we found significant reductions in all analyzed BF depots, including total BF (21.60 ± 6.00 vs. 20.32 ± 5.89 kg, P < 0.01), % total BF (27.8 ± 5.5 vs. 26.4 ± 5.4%, P < 0.05), trunk fat (12.54 ± 3.99 vs. 11.77 ± 4.01 kg, P < 0.05), % trunk fat (31.1 ± 6.9 and 29.2 ± 7.1%, P < 0.05), appendicular fat (8.22 ± 2.08 vs. 7.72 ± 2.037 kg, P < 0.01), % appendicular fat (25.7 ± 4.9 and 24.5 ± 4.9%, P < 0.05), and abdominal fat (2.95 ± 1.06 vs. 2.75 ± 1.10 kg, P < 0.05). Control group showed significant increase in appendicular fat (7.63 ± 1.92 vs. 8.10 ± 2.12 kg, P < 0.05). Conclusions: These results confirm the positive effect of CET on body composition of CAD patients, despite no changes in body mass or BMI. In this study, we observed no alterations on BF distribution meaning similar rate of fat loss in all analyzed BF depots. These results also alert for the limitations of BMI for tracking body composition changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women worldwide. The treatments may also cause neuromuscular and skeletal disorders; therefore, the aim of this study was to verify the existence of a relationship between heart rate variability and different functional fitness parameters in women survivors of breast cancer. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 25 women survivors of breast cancer, with a mean ± SD age, height, and body mass of 50.8 ± 8.8 years, 1.6 ± 0.7 m, and 67.1 ± 12.3 kg, respectively. Patients underwent measurements of heart rate variability with time and frequency domain analyses, as well as a "30 s chair-stand test", "6 min walking test", "timed up and go test", and "ball throwing test". Results: A multiple linear regression analysis showed that from the heart rate variability frequency domain, high frequency explained 21% (R2 = 0.21) of the "30 s chair-stand test" performance. Conclusion: The findings of this study highlight high frequency as a predictor of "30 s chair-stand test" performance, regardless of age and time after diagnosis, suggesting its usefulness as a clinical indicator of functionality in breast cancer survivors. This study presents a straightforward and non-invasive methodology predicting functional fitness in women breast cancer survivors potentially applicable to clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Engaging undergraduate students in faculty-led research is documented as a mutually valuable experience [1,2]. The VASelfCare project started in January 2018 (); it aims to develop and test a software prototype with a virtual assistant, to facilitate self-care of older people with type 2 diabetes. The project entails the involvement of undergraduate nursing students at the consortium's lead Institution (ESEL). The purpose of this paper is to describe the strategy for students' participation and present its first results. Materials and methods: The implementation strategy was informed by prior experience of the research team and relevant literature. A call for applications was launched within ESEL, targeting 2nd to 4th year students. The call provided information about the project, the required student profile and the selection process. In this early phase, participation consisted of expanding the literature review on features of virtual assistant softwares. After an initial meeting, each student was assigned a specific task. Students worked in pairs and presented their work in two meetings with the multidisciplinary research team, scheduled over the course of roughly two months. Students' opinion was ascertained at the end of this phase by means of an anonymous questionnaire, comprised by four open questions and five closed questions. Results: All the 12 applications were selected. There was a predominance of 3rd year students (n = 5). Of the 11 students who completed this phase, six responded to the questionnaire and consented to the use of data in publications related to the project. Participation was described in one word using terms such as "challenging" and "interesting". Students perceived their involvement as an opportunity to contact with research and innovation, to develop competencies and to network with students with different background. Views on less positive aspects pertained mainly to the small exposure to research. Students' expressed willingness to be involved in more phases of the project and to be informed about its results. They unanimously agreed (6/6) that participation contributed to improving their understanding of novel situations in a different scientific area and to the development of skills in scientific literature analysis. Discussion and conclusions: Thorough recruitment, assigning specific tasks, peer support and regular meetings were an effective strategy for involving students. This is in line with previous findings [2], and may be of help to researchers in other institutions and disciplines. Overall, students' opinion on their experience were favourable. Future perspectives include awarding course credit for students' participation, to enable more in-depth involvement without overloading their schedule and to further stimulate their interest in research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Drowning is the third leading cause of death worldwide (WHO, 2010). According to Brenner et al (2009) participating in swimming lessons (SL) can reduce by 88% the risk of drowning in children 1-4 years old, despite some controversy regarding the most appropriate swimming programs (Ward, 2009). On the other hand no studies tested the skills acquired in SL in drowning prevention. So we proposed a test to evaluate the survivability of a child that accidentally falls into the water. Methods Twenty two children (4.68±0.82yrs) who practice SL (2.01±0.91yrs/practice) were subjected to two tests: aquatic readiness (AR) (Stallman et al, 2008); and survival test (ST), which consisted of an inflatable boat ride (unknown pool; presence of the usual swim teacher; wearing t-shirt) which 'accidentally' turns. Recorded images were later observed by 6 field experts whose observations obtained an overall index of concordance (IC) of 89%. Results In ST 15 children had positive responses (n=10, 100% IC; n=1, 66% IC; n=1, 83% IC; n=3, 50% IC) and 7 (n=6, 100% IC; n=1, 66% IC) would be in danger. Conclusions Through this test, we found that not all children whose result was positive in AR had a positive performance in the ST. This brings us to observe according to Langendörfer (2011) that the positive or negative response of the subject depends on the interaction of various constraints such as individual characteristics, the environment conditions, and the state in which the swimmer is. The application of ST suggests that the inclusion of safety and prevention activities in swimming lessons, aiming to develop attitudes and motor skills as a defense to drowning, must be taken into account. More studies are necessary to provide valid information to assist pediatricians in advising parents regarding what type of SL are more appropriate to reduce drowning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Phase angle cutoff value (5.6°) can be a marker of the health status and functional capacity in breast cancer survivors. • A higher PhA suggested a significantly lower ECW/TBW ratio, ECW/ICW ratio and ECW/BCM ratio in breast cancer survivors. • Intracellular water has a positive association with group a higher PhA values. • Muscle mass values has a positive association with group a higher PhA values. Accurate predictive tools are key factors for cancer care. Phase angle (PhA) has been proposed as a marker of cellular health, particularly of cell-membrane integrity. Cutoff values have been proposed, including for cancer survivors. This study aimed to assess the usefulness of the proposed PhA cutoff, as a marker of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) assessed health-status, and functional capacity in breast cancer (BC) survivors. This cross-sectional study included 25 women (50.6 ± 8.6 yrs) survivors of BC, divided into two groups according to the PhA reference value of 5.6° (group 1 [G1]: PhA ≤ 5.6° [n=13]; group 2 [G2]: PhA > 5.6° [n=12]) (Gupta et al. 2008). BIA-assessed health status parameters included: extracellular water (ECW), intracellular water (ICW), total body water (TBW), PhA, body mass, fat-free mass, muscle mass, body cell mass (BCM). Four functional tests were performed: 30 s chair-stand test, timed up and go test, ball throw test and 6-minute walking test. Results showed G2 had lower ECW/ICW ratio (p=0.001; ES=1.2), ECW/BCM ratio (p=0.001; ES=3.2) and ECW/TBW ratio (p=0.001; ES=4.8). There was no difference in functional capacity between groups. The results of the present study show that patients with higher PhA values have a higher ICW values and preservation in the ECW/ICW ratio, suggesting it's a better cell membrane quality and integrity. Relation of both PhA and cell membrane integrity with functional capacity warrants further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective/aims: The aims of this study are to collect the most common non-pharmacological and non-surgical interventions used by the Portuguese physical therapists in their knee osteoarthritis patients, and to deeper understand the factors associated to their intervention choices., Methods: This study incorporated a mixed-methods design. For the quantitative data it was choose an e-survey (with 25 close-end questions, plus general information of the study and a clinical vignette), retrieving sociodemographic and self-reported practice on knee osteoarthritis information. It was analysed response frequencies and associations between variables with logistic regression analyses. For the qualitative data, it was chosen to perform semi-structured interviews in purposefully selected physical therapists to include different sociodemographic factors and survey responses regarding the physical therapists' interventions chosen. After the interviews, the audios were collected, anonymised, transcribed verbatim, and the texts explored by the thematic approach., Results: From the 277 PTs that shown interest in participating in the study, 120 fully completed the questionnaire and, from those, 10 participated in the interviews. The most chosen interventions included Resistance Exercise, Manual Therapy, Nutrition/Weight Loss, Self-care/Education, Stretching and Aquatic Exercise. Furthermore, it seems that PTs' individual characteristics (age, experience, and clinical reasoning), patient's characteristics (clinical findings and preferences), and work-related factors (facility type, work environment and available resources) are the main actors responsible for an intervention chosen., Conclusions: In the Portuguese PTs context the most important interventions are Exercise, Manual Therapy, Nutrition/Weight Loss, and Self-care/Education; these interventions chosen may be influenced by PT, patient and work-related factors., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (© 2023 The Mediterranean Journal of Rheumatology (MJR).)

Introduction: Body composition is one of the main variables of interest in clinical practice in cancer patients. Specific markers from bioelectrical impedance analysis, such as phase angle (PhA), have been assuming increasing relevance in this population. The aim of the present systematic review was to study and systematise the effect of exercise on PhA in cancer survivors, as compared to control conditions, namely usual care, with no exercise. The effect of exercise on PhA in the population of cancer survivors is not yet established., Evidence Acquisition: This systematic review was conducted on October 13, 2021, through PubMed, Web of Science, Wiley Online Library, Directory of Open Access Journals, Science Direct and JSTOR, following PRISMA guidelines and PICOS model that include: cancer survivors with ≥18 years; intervention of any exercise program for the target group; comparison between intervention group and control group that followed control conditions, namely usual care, with no exercise; outcome related to PhA; and studies of randomized control trials., Evidence Synthesis: We founded a total of 1244 publications, using selected keywords. Eight studies were included in this systematic review, after inclusion/exclusion criteria considered. Compared with the control conditions, exercise training programs seem associated with a positive effect on PhA, both in solid tumours and haematologic cancer types, but only when using resistance exercise alone. According to the best evidence synthesis criteria, we could not conclude the superiority of any exercise program analysed in the value of the PhA., Conclusions: There were several exercise details that may have potential to be beneficial for PhA in cancer patients, including an early start of the exercise intervention (during treatment and immediately after discharge from hospital), the use of resistance exercise or/and aerobic exercise, and mainly a long follow-up period (≥ 4 months) to verify the structural effects of exercise on the PhA. However, there were no effects on the PhA value immediately after the intervention, regardless of the type of protocol and the intervention time.

Aim: To develop and validate a physical exercise programme aimed at delaying the functional decline in frail older adults., Design: The revised guideline of Criteria for Reporting the Development and Evaluation of Complex Interventions in health care was followed., Methods: The physical exercise programme was designed and validated by exercise specialists to be implemented by healthcare professionals. The physical exercise programme underwent three stages of development, piloting and evaluation. It includes a portfolio of exercises in different support materials (posters, e-book and website). A testing intervention was delivered to the target population., Results: The Criteria for Reporting the Development and Evaluation of Complex Interventions in health care process has the potential to help practitioners in developing and planning complex interventions, such as an exercise programme. Its components can be adjusted to the context and to the characteristics of the target population. A study protocol and a pilot study will be developed to test the effectiveness of the physical exercise programme on delaying the functional decline of frail older adults., Competing Interests: No conflict of interest has been declared by the authors., (© 2019 The Authors. Nursing Open published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: The aim of this investigation was to analyze differences in body composition and body fat distribution between subjects following a structured cardiac rehabilitation program (CRP) and subjects not involved in any CRP., Methods: Body composition and body fat distribution were assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in 62 male subjects, white, who had been diagnosed with coronary artery disease (CAD). The sample came from two groups: a CRP group (n=31) who had been engaged in phase IV of a CRP for more than a year (age: 58 +/- 10 years), and a non-CRP group (n=31) who were not involved in any CRP (age: 59 +/- 12 years)., Results: The non-CRP group showed higher values than the CRP group in the following variables: body weight (84.924 +/- 11.250 kg vs. 79.077 +/- 10.050 kg, p < 0.05), BMI (29.0 +/- 3.2 kg/m2 vs. 27.3 +/- 2.6 kg/m2, p < 0.05), body fat (BF) (24.584 +/- 6.696 kg vs. 20.010 +/- 7.340 kg, p < 0.05), % BF (28.6 +/- 4.9% vs. 24.7 +/- 6.7%, p < 0.05), trunk BF (14.563 +/- 4.408 kg vs. 11.430 +/- 4.743 kg, p < 0.01), % trunk BF (32.8 +/- 6.0% vs. 27.4 +/- 8.5%, p < 0.01), abdominal BF (2.934 +/- 1.068 kg vs. 2.083 +/- 1.058 kg, p < 0.01), % abdominal BF (37.2 +/- 6.1% vs. 31.3 +/- 9.4%, p < 0.01), visceral BF (2.401 +/- 0.693 kg vs. 1.731 +/- 0.826 kg, p < 0.01), % visceral BF (35.5 +/- 5.7% vs. 29.6 +/- 9.1%, p < 0.01), abdominal subcutaneous BF (0.533 +/- 0.421 kg vs. 0.353 +/- 0.257 kg, p = 0.05) and abdominal BF/BF ratio (0.12 +/- 0.03 vs. 0.10 +/- 0.02, p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the other variables studied, including total and regional fat-free mass., Conclusion: These results show that the subjects who did not participate in any CRP had a more adverse profile of body composition and body fat distribution. The higher values found for specific fat depots, as well as for the total abdominal BF/BF ratio, confirm the more adverse body fat distribution in non-CRP subjects. These data are in agreement with results from intervention studies in CAD patients.