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Ruckenschmerzen sind zu einer Volkskrankheit geworden und fuhren zu vielen Fehltagen in der Erwerbstatigkeit. Dies erfordert effektive und effiziente Therapieformen, zu denen auch Krafttraining gehort. Da sich EMS-Training seit einigen Jahren einer zunehmenden Beliebtheit erfreut, stellt sich die Frage, ob mittels dieser neueren Methode des Krafttrainings Effekte auf den Ruckenschmerz erzielen lassen. Wie wirkt sich ein 10-wochiges EMS-Training auf die Kraftausdauer der Rumpfbeuge- und Rumpfstreckmuskulatur, auf die subjektive Wahrnehmung der physischen Konstitution sowie auf das subjektive Belastungsempfinden und die Bewaltigung der Alltagsanforderungen von Lehrkraften aus? Es handelt sich um eine multimethodische Pilotstudie, die sich aus drei replizierten Interventionsstudien mit je zwei Messzeitpunkten zusammensetzt. Mittels verschiedener Datenerhebungsinstrumente (Kraftausdauertests, Fragebogen und Leitfadeninterviews) wurden das Kraftniveau relevanter Muskelgruppen, das subjektive Schmerzempfinden sowie Aktivitaten des taglichen Lebens gemessen, individuelle Einschatzungen erhoben und in einer Gesamtbewertung zusammengefuhrt. Mittels t‑Tests konnten bezuglich der gemessenen Parameter zwar keine signifikanten Verbesserungen nachgewiesen werden, dennoch lagen die Effekte des EMS-Trainings im Bereich mittel bis hoch. Zu vermuten ist, dass dies den kleinen Stichproben geschuldet ist. Eine qualitative Analyse der subjektiven Einschatzungen von EMS-Training zeigte durchweg positive individuelle Wahrnehmungen, jedoch kaum Auswirkungen auf die Belastungssituationen im Alltag.

„Functional training“ erfreut sich groser Beliebtheit – was steckt hinter dem Hype um diese neuartige Trainingsmethode? Wie wirkt sich ein individuell konzipiertes, funktionelles Trainingsprogramm im Vergleich zu einem standardisierten, gerategestutzten Zirkelkrafttraining auf den FMS-Score aus? Quasiexperimentelle Interventionsstudie im Feld. Analyseinstrument bildet der „functional movement screen“ (FMS), der die Haltung, Statik, Bewegungsamplitude sowie die Stabilitat des Sportlers in Zeitlupe untersucht. Mittels einer Varianzanalyse mit Messwiederholung konnte fur beide Trainingsgruppen (funktionelles & gerategestutztes Training) ein Haupteffekt „Training“ festgestellt werden. Daruber hinaus zeigte sich ein Interaktionseffekt „Training*Gruppe“: Die funktionell trainierende Gruppe erzielte einen groseren Trainingseffekt als die Probanden, die ein gerategestutztes Krafttraining durchgefuhrten. Des Weiteren konnte festgestellt werden, dass das Geschlecht keinen Einfluss auf das Testergebnis hatte. Bezuglich der Zufriedenheit mit der durchgefuhrten Studie wurde ein signifikanter Einfluss festgestellt. Wenn auch einen geringen und nicht-signifikanten Einfluss hatten die tatsachlich absolvierten Trainingseinheiten auf das Ergebnis der Studie.

Amphetamine (AM) is a powerful psychostimulant existing in two enantiomeric forms. Stereoselective analysis of AM in biosamples can assist clinicians and forensic experts in differentiating between abuse of illicitly synthesized racemic AM and ingestion of pharmaceutical AM formulations containing either S-AM or different proportions of the S- and R-enantiomers. Therefore, a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for quantifying AM enantiomers in urine was newly developed. The method comprised dilution with water, followed by injection of the diluted sample onto an achiral C18 trapping column for purification and subsequent backflush elution to a chiral Lux 3 μm AMP LC column by means of a switching valve. An isocratic mobile phase of 25 % acetonitrile in 0.1 M aqueous ammonia was used for enantiomeric separation. Injection, cleanup, and backflush of the next sample were performed before the previous sample had eluted from the analytical column, thus enabling simultaneous enantioseparation of up to three samples within the analytical column. This novel chromatographic concept allowed for increased sample throughput by accelerating both the sample preparation and the LC analysis. Analyte detection was accomplished by electrospray ionization in positive ion mode and selected reaction monitoring using a triple-stage quadrupole mass spectrometer. The method was successfully validated through assessment of its linearity, lower limit of quantification, accuracy and precision, selectivity, matrix effect, carry-over, dilution integrity, and re-injection reproducibility. Linearity ranged from 0.05 to 25 mg/L for both enantiomers. Proof of the method included analysis of urine samples obtained from drug abusers and patients receiving an S-AM prodrug. Graphical Abstract Enantioselective determination of amphetamine in human urine using liquid chromatography with achiral-chiral column-switching and tandem mass spectrometry.

The forensic utility of N-acetyltaurine (NAcT) in urine as a marker for ethanol intake was examined. A HILIC-based liquid chromatography method for the mass spectrometric determination of NAcT, taurine, and creatinine in urine was developed and validated to investigate NAcT formation and elimination in a drinking study. Thereby, eight subjects ingested 0.66 to 0.84 g/kg alcohol to reach a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.8 g/kg. Blood and urine were taken every 1.5-2 h, during the first 8 h. NAcT and taurine levels were measured and corrected for the urine's dilution by normalization to a creatinine concentration of 1 mg/mL. For the determination of NAcT and taurine, uncorrected lower limits of quantitation (LLOQs) were at 0.05 μg/mL of urine. In the drinking study, NAcT proved to be an endogenous compound, which is present at a range of 1.0 to 2.3 μg/mL in urine of alcohol-abstinent subjects. Maximum NAcT concentrations were reached in samples taken 3 to 6 h after the start of drinking, whereby an upregulation in N-acetyltaurine could be found for all the subjects. The mean peak concentrations (c̅ max) of 14 ± 2.6 μg/mL (range 9-17.5 μg/mL) were reached. Within 24 h, the NAcT levels declined to endogenous concentrations. The detectability of NAcT was found to be slightly shifted compared to BAC: When BAC was not detectable anymore, NAcT levels were still elevated. After 24 h, when ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl sulfate (EtS) were still detectable, NAcT concentrations showed endogenous levels again. Positive NAcT results can be used as an indicator for recent alcohol consumption. A direct relationship between NAcT and taurine concentrations could not be found. Graphical abstract N-acetyltaurine concentrations for eight subjects during the first 24 h after an alcohol consumption of 0.8 g/kg.

For driving aptitude assessment (DAA), the analysis of several alcohol biomarkers is essential for the detection of alcohol intake besides psycho-medical exploration. In Switzerland, EtG in hair (hEtG) is often the only direct marker for abstinence monitoring in DAA. Therefore, the suitability of phosphatidylethanol (PEth) was investigated as additional biomarker. PEth 16:0/18:1 and 16:0/18:2 were determined by online-SPE-LC-MS/MS in 136 blood samples of persons undergoing DAA and compared to hEtG, determined in hair segments taken at the same time. With a PEth 16:0/18:1 threshold of 210 ng/mL for excessive alcohol consumption, all (n = 30) but one tested person also had hEtG values ≥30 pg/mg. In 54 cases, results are not in contradiction to an abstinence as neither PEth (

Research on teaching in Physical Education (RT-PE) comprises a great deal of complex phenomena. These can be understood at a more profound level by using mixed methods research approaches (MMR). Hence, the aim of this paper is to analyze potentials and limitations of mixed methods research in RT-PE, also trying to generate an additional value for MMR. First, it approaches research streams and methods in RT-PE. Second, the key elements of mixed methods research are analyzed to integrate this approach into RT-PE. Third, several mixed methods studies, organized along different levels of complexity, are presented to illustrate the added value of MMR for different epistemological interests of RT-PE. Finally, dealing with quality issues of mixed methods designs brings about a more general view of the issue at hand.

Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) is considered as specific biomarker of alcohol consumption. Due to accumulation after repeated drinking, PEth is suitable to monitor long-term drinking behavior. To examine the applicability of PEth in "driving under the influence of alcohol" cases, 142 blood samples with blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) ranging from 0.0-3.12 ‰ were analyzed for the presence of PEth homologues 16:0/18:1 (889 ± 878 ng/mL; range

The problem of maximizing the $$p$$pth power of a $$p$$p-norm over a halfspace-presented polytope in $$\mathbb {R}^d$$Rd is a convex maximization problem which plays a fundamental role in computational convexity. Mangasarian and Shiau showed in 1986 that this problem is $$\mathbb {NP}$$NP-hard for all values $$p \in \mathbb {N}$$p?N if the dimension $$d$$d of the ambient space is part of the input. In this paper, we use the theory of parameterized complexity to analyze how heavily the hardness of norm maximization relies on the parameter $$d$$d. More precisely, we show that for $$p=1$$p=1 the problem is fixed-parameter tractable (in FPT for short) but that for all $$p >1$$p>1 norm maximization is W[1]-hard. Concerning approximation algorithms for norm maximization, we show that, for fixed accuracy, there is a straightforward approximation algorithm for norm maximization in FPT running time, but there is no FPT-approximation algorithm with a running time depending polynomially on the accuracy. As with the $$\mathbb {NP}$$NP-hardness of norm maximization, the W[1]-hardness immediately carries over to various radius computation tasks in computational convexity.

The aim of this study was to investigate coaching performance in team sports taking leadership behaviours into focus. To do so, coaching performance was put in a literature-based frame and analysed with reference to a task structure based on the idea of hierarchical planning. The focus of the paper is on a mixed methods multi-strand study using qualitative as well as quantitative threads to develop and verify a set of coaching strategies focussing on teambuilding and team leadership. Qualitative analyses showed that coaches do have a clear understanding of forming and leading a team, which could be shown by a specific set of strategies being used by high performance coaches from different team sports (basketball, football, handball, and volleyball). These strategies could be confirmed in a sequential quantitative study analysing coaches’ and players’ attitudes towards the previously analysed schemes. The results of this study are discussed in terms of methodical and practical implications.

This paper examines the role of trust and reputation in Grid environments. As Grid technology becomes standardized and stable, business models are invented and increasingly applied, and economic implications can be observed. Asymmetrically distributed information may allow for opportunistic behavior of service providers or users who opportunistically exploit the information gap between providers and consumers on the quality of services. The paper takes up these economic issues by proposing a reputation-based conceptual framework for enabling future open Grid markets, to recommend the most promising Grid architecture and a corresponding reputation approach in a particular case.