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Abstract Background In response to the global scope of forced displacement, international organizations highlight the need of scalable solutions to support individuals’ health and integration into host societies. Exposure to high mental and physical stress perceived before, during, and after displacement can impair functional capabilities, essential for adapting to a new environment. This secondary analysis examined the impact of an exercise and sport intervention on cognitive function and pain severity among individuals living in a refugee camp in Greece. Methods We implemented a randomized controlled trial involving n = 142 (52.8% women) forcibly displaced individuals from Southwest Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Participants were randomly assigned to a waitlist or a 10-week co-designed exercise and sport intervention with a 1:1 allocation rate between groups and sexes. Assessments at baseline and follow-up included the Flanker task, the Oddball paradigm, pain severity via visual analog scales, and the Åstrand-Rhyming indirect test of maximal oxygen uptake. We analyzed the intervention effects using structural equation modeling. Results Our findings did not indicate a direct intervention effect on cognitive function or pain (p ≥ .332). However, the intervention group significantly improved cardiorespiratory fitness, ß = .17, p = .010, which was associated with faster reaction times in cognitive tasks, ß = − .22, p = .004. Moreover, there was some evidence that adherence might be linked to reduced pain severity, ß = − .14, p = .065. Conclusions Exercise and sport did not directly impact cognitive function and pain severity among a sociodemographically diverse sample living in a refugee camp, suggesting the need for complementary measures. Nevertheless, our results indicate that improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness benefit aspects of attention. Trial registration The study was approved by the local ethics committee of the University of Thessaly (no. 39) and registered prospectively on February 8, 2021 at the ISRCTN registry (no. 16291983).

ObjectivesRefugees may have an increased risk of developing overweight/obesity as they often experience a nutritional transition. Because maintaining good cardiorespiratory fitness can help reduce the negative impact of excess weight on overall health, the objective of this study was to examine whether fitness moderates the relationship between weight status and cardiovascular and mental health outcomes in forcibly displaced individuals living in a Greek refugee camp.MethodsA sample of 142 forcibly displaced individuals were recruited. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed with the submaximal Åstrand-Rhyming bicycle ergometer test. Blood pressure, blood lipids, blood glucose, and hs-CRP were assessed as physical health outcomes, whereas post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety symptoms, pain, and quality of life were assessed as mental health outcomes. Main and interaction effects were tested via analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs).ResultsAlmost 50% of the participants were overweight/obese, more than 60% presented with very poor fitness levels, and the percentage of participants with very poor fitness levels was particularly high among overweight/obese participants. Whereas overweight/obesity was associated with a less favorable body composition and cardiovascular risk profile, poor fitness was associated with a higher percentage of body fat and a lower percentage of muscle mass. Cardiorespiratory fitness did not moderate the relationship between overweight/obesity and most of the assessed health outcomes.ConclusionsOnly limited support was found for the applicability of the fit-but-fat concept to our population of forcibly displaced individuals. Public health services should prioritize measures to prevent overweight/obesity and associated diseases in refugee camps. Moreover, efforts are needed to improve the fitness of camp residents via exercise/sport interventions.

Background: Global forced displacement has been rising steeply since 2015 as a result of wars and human rights abuses. Forcibly displaced people are often exposed to physical and mental strain, which can cause traumatic experiences and poor mental health. Physical activity has been linked with better mental health, although such evidence is scarce among those populations. The purpose of the study was to examine the relationships of self-reported physical activity and fitness with mental health indices among people residing in a refugee camp in Greece as asylum seekers. Methods: Participants were 151 individuals (76 women, 75 men; mean age 28.90 y) displaced from their homes for an average of 32.03 months. Among them, 67% were from Afghanistan and countries from southwest Asia, and 33% from sub-Saharan African countries. Participants completed self-report measures assessing physical activity, fitness, symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and well-being. Results: High prevalence of mental health disorder symptoms and poor well-being were identified, with women and Asians showing poorer mental health. Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety were related to perceived fitness, but not to self-reported physical activity. Regression analysis showed that perceived fitness (β: 0.34; 95% CI, 0.43 to 1.52) and low-intensity physical activity (β: 0.24; 95% CI, 0.001 to 0.009) significantly positively predicted well-being, showing small to medium effect. Conclusions: The findings provide useful insights regarding the link between physical activity and well-being; nevertheless, further research examining objectively measured physical activity is warranted to complement these data and further explore the associations between physical activity and mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored goal-directed self-talk and its optimization through educational self-talk interventions, focusing on a novel sports-oriented board-game intervention. Examining a practitioner's experiences and diverse participant profiles, including an elite tennis player, a recreational athlete, a football referee, and a tennis coach, the research employed four in-depth case studies. A unique aspect of this study involved intentional control transfer from practitioner to client, documented through a practitioner diary and postintervention interviews. Participants generally expressed appreciation for the intervention; however, the coach's case necessitated bespoke adjustments, underscoring the importance of contextual sensitivity in applied practice. The educational self-talk intervention reportedly facilitated the analytical deconstruction of challenges, enhancing self-regulation through goal-directed self-talk. The study underscored the pedagogical merit of the board game and observed a substantive transfer of control from practitioner to participant over the intervention's longitudinal trajectory. Detailed recommendations have been crafted for practitioners to implement the educational self-talk intervention effectively in their practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Muscular strength represents a specific component of health-related fitness. Hand grip strength is used as a simple and dynamic marker of maximum voluntary force of the hand and to estimate overall strength. Today, little is known about the relationship between grip strength and health in forcibly displaced populations. In the present study, we examined whether grip strength is associated with various health outcomes in a sample of forcibly displaced people living in a Greek refugee camp. The present analyses are part of a larger pragmatic randomized controlled trial. In this paper, cross-sectional baseline data of 143 participants (71 men, 72 women) will be presented. In addition to grip strength, the following physical and mental health outcomes were assessed: body weight and body composition, blood pressure, total cholesterol, low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, blood glucose levels (HbA1c), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, depressive and anxiety symptoms, pain, and quality of life. Linear regression analyses were carried out to examine how grip strength is associated with the health outcomes, separately for absolute and normalized grip strength scores. Grip strength was positively and strongly associated with percentage muscle mass (normalized grip strength: Stand. B = 0.58, p

Background: The metabolic syndrome epidemic, including in forcibly displaced individuals, requires cost-effective prevention and treatment strategies. Yet, the health needs of forcibly displaced individuals often remain underserved. Our study evaluated the effect of a co-designed exercise and sport intervention on cardiorespiratory fitness and metabolic syndrome components among individuals in a refugee camp in Greece and examined the indirect effect through cardiorespiratory fitness on metabolic syndrome components. Methods: We conducted a randomized controlled trial involving an intervention and a wait-list control group with n = 142 (52.8 % women) forcibly displaced Southwest Asians and Sub-Saharan Africans. The intervention group participated for 10 weeks in exercise and sport activities. Outcomes were cardiorespiratory fitness and single metabolic syndrome components. Effects were analyzed with structural equation modeling. Results: In total, 62.7 % of participants presented with low cardiorespiratory fitness levels (

IntroductionEmotions consist of different components such as the emotional experience, physiological reactions, action tendencies, or emotional expressions. Assessing the relation of these components may help to better understand the role of emotions in sport competitions. Based on the component process model of emotions, the goal of the present study was to assess the relation between emotional experiences and emotional expressions.MethodsTwenty tennis players (7 female) with an average age of 23.10 (SD = 4.88) were taped during competitive tennis matches. Thereafter, in individual meetings, after having watched themselves on the footage at pre-selected points, the players had to indicate whether, immediately after the end of a rally, they had a positive or a negative emotional experience and, in case they had one, rate its intensity. Moreover, based on their observable behavior, the players were also asked to state whether they could recognize a positive or a negative emotional expression and, in case they recognized one, rate its intensity. The occurrence of emotional expressions was additionally rated by two external coders. Using multilevel models, separate analyses were conducted for positive emotions after won points and negative emotions after lost points.Results and discussionFor both positive and negative emotions, the results indicated a positive correlation between emotional experiences and emotional expressions. Moreover, the intensity of emotional experiences could predict the occurrence of an emotional expression rated by both the players or external coders. These insights into the relation between emotional experiences and emotional expressions may help players to more effectively regulate their emotions.

In this study, a VR system called VRADA (VR Exercise App for Dementia and Alzheimer's Patients) was designed for physical and cognitive training forindividuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). The inflammatory factors IL-1β and TNF-α, Alzheimer's disease (AD) hallmarks total tau, p181-tau, Αβ42 and Aβ40, the ratio of Aβ42/40 and p181-tau/Aβ42 were assessed on the blood serum of patients diagnosed with MCI to determine the effect of VRADA training. No significant differences were verified in the levels of inflammatory markers after the end of the study, however IL-1β levels of the VRADA group were significantly lower than those of the control group, at the follow-up of the study. Also, patients following VRADA intervention presented significantly higher Αβ42/Αβ40 ratio, and lower levels of Αβ42, of total tau, p-tau181, and of the crucial ratio p-tau181/Αβ42, in comparison with patients of the Control group. These results are promising for the further employment of the VRADA training during early dementia, and hopefully for halting the progression to AD.

BackgroundForcibly displaced people face various challenges and are therefore at higher risk of being affected by mental and physiological distress. The present study aimed to determine levels of psychological well-being, PTSD symptom severity, metabolic syndrome, and associated factors among forcibly displaced people in Greece in response to WHO’s call for evidence-based public health policies and programs for forcibly displaced people.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study among n = 150 (50% women) forcibly displaced people originating from Sub-Sahara Africa and Southwest Asia living in a Greek refugee camp. Self-report questionnaires were used to assess psychological well-being, symptoms of PTSD, depression, generalized anxiety disorder and insomnia, perceived stress, headache, and perceived fitness. Cardiovascular risk markers were assessed to determine metabolic syndrome, and cardiorespiratory fitness was measured with the Åstrand-Rhyming Test of Maximal Oxygen Uptake.ResultsThe prevalence of mental distress and physiological disorders was overall elevated. Only 53.0% of participants rated their psychological well-being as high. Altogether, 35.3% scored above the clinical cut-off for PTSD, 33.3% for depression, 27.9% for generalized anxiety disorder, and 33.8% for insomnia. One in four (28.8%) participants met criteria for metabolic syndrome. While the prevalence of moderate or severe insomnia symptoms and metabolic syndrome differed little from the global population, the risk of being affected by mental distress was markedly increased. In multivariable analysis, higher perceived fitness was associated with higher psychological well-being (OR = 1.35, p = 0.003) and a decreased likelihood for metabolic syndrome (OR = 0.80, p = 0.031). Participants with elevated psychiatric symptoms were less likely to report high psychological well-being (OR = 0.22, p = 0.003) and had increased odds for higher PTSD severity (OR = 3.27, p = 0.034). Increased stress perception was associated with higher PTSD symptoms (OR = 1.13, p = 0.002).ConclusionThere is an elevated risk for mental distress compared to the global population and an overall high mental and physiological burden among people living in a Greek refugee camp. The findings underpin the call for urgent action. Policies should aim to reduce post-migration stressors and address mental health and non-communicable diseases by various programs. Sport and exercise interventions may be a favorable add-on, given that perceived fitness is associated with both mental and physiological health benefits.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between students' perceived motivational climate (mastery and performance), satisfaction of basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness), and self-talk (positive and negative) in physical education (PE). Six hundred six students (282 males, 315 females, 9 did not provide their gender), aged 10 to 17 years old (Mage = 13.32 [+ or -] 2.12), from seven primary schools (n = 250), five secondary schools (n = 131), and eight high schools (n = 225) in Greece voluntarily participated in this study. During a PE class, students completed online a number of valid and reliable questionnaires measuring perceived motivational climate, basic psychological needs, and self-talk. Results showed that students' positive self-talk was positively related to mastery motivational climate, autonomy, competence, and relatedness. In contrast, negative self-talk was positively related only to performance motivational climate and negatively related to perceived mastery climate, competence, and relatedness. Separate hierarchical regression analyses revealed that perceived mastery climate and competence were the most significant predictors of students' positive self-talk. On the contrary, perceived performance climate, competence, and autonomy were the most significant predictors of students' negative self-talk. On the basis of the results, it seems that PE teacher-initiated motivational climate and satisfaction of basic psychological needs is strongly related to students' self-talk., People during their daily activities have thoughts. These thoughts may be related to the activity being performed or could be completely irrelevant to the subject matter. We often do not [...]

While the impact of strategic self-talk on performance is well documented, examination of the attentional–perceptual mechanisms of self-talk is still at early stages. This study's aim was to examine the effects of instructional self-talk on quiet-eye durations and putting performance. Thirty participants were recruited and randomly assigned to self-talk or control conditions. Participants performed a golf-putting task in a mixed between (self-talk vs. control) and within (pre- vs. postintervention) design. Two 2 × 2 mixed-design analyses of variance were conducted for performance and quiet-eye durations as dependent variables. A mediation analysis was conducted to examine the mediating effect of quiet-eye durations on performance. Results showed that self-talk use led to longer quiet-eye durations and better performance compared with controls. The mediation analysis indicated that performance was mediated by quiet-eye durations. Discussion centers on the role of quiet-eye in motor performance and how self-talk can assist in regulating quiet-eye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Gas in gallstones represents a rare but well described radiological finding. Other causes of gas in gallbladder include biliary‐enteric fistula, sphincterotomy, gas forming organisms cholangitis. However, gas in gallbladder raises suspicion of emphysematous cholecystitis which necessitates prompt diagnosis and management due to its rapid clinical course and high mortality rate.

Abstract Differential diagnosis between benign and life‐threatening pneumatosis intestinalis poses a great dianostic dilemma.

Objectives: Refugees may have an increased risk of developing overweight/obesity as they often experience a nutritional transition. Because maintaining good cardiorespiratory fitness can help reduce the negative impact of excess weight on overall health, the objective of this study was to examine whether fitness moderates the relationship between weight status and cardiovascular and mental health outcomes in forcibly displaced individuals living in a Greek refugee camp. Methods: A sample of 142 forcibly displaced individuals were recruited. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed with the submaximal Åstrand-Rhyming bicycle ergometer test. Blood pressure, blood lipids, blood glucose, and hs-CRP were assessed as physical health outcomes, whereas post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety symptoms, pain, and quality of life were assessed as mental health outcomes. Main and interaction effects were tested via analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs). Results: Almost 50% of the participants were overweight/obese, more than 60% presented with very poor fitness levels, and the percentage of participants with very poor fitness levels was particularly high among overweight/obese participants. Whereas overweight/obesity was associated with a less favorable body composition and cardiovascular risk profile, poor fitness was associated with a higher percentage of body fat and a lower percentage of muscle mass. Cardiorespiratory fitness did not moderate the relationship between overweight/obesity and most of the assessed health outcomes. Conclusions: Only limited support was found for the applicability of the fit-but-fat concept to our population of forcibly displaced individuals. Public health services should prioritize measures to prevent overweight/obesity and associated diseases in refugee camps. Moreover, efforts are needed to improve the fitness of camp residents via exercise/sport interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this pilot study, we assessed the effectiveness and acceptability of an educational program designed to prevent alcohol-related behaviors among high school students. The program was rooted in the Theory of Planned Behavior principles (TPB) and supplemented with life-skills teaching. A total of 352 participants were involved, representing 10 secondary schools in central Greece. Among these, 257 students (Mage: 14.51 ± 1.34 years) constituted the experimental group, while 95 were assigned to the control group. The experimental group received a 10-session program, one per week. The results revealed that the experimental group had a significant improvement on knowledge about alcohol, perceived behavioral control (PBC), and alcohol-related behavior between pre- and post-intervention measurements. Additionally, students expressed high levels of satisfaction with the program. These findings offer substantial evidence for the practicality and effectiveness of an alcohol prevention initiative that is rooted in theory and supported by life-skills education when implemented within a school environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In response to the global scope of forced displacement, international organizations highlight the need of scalable solutions to support individuals' health and integration into host societies. Exposure to high mental and physical stress perceived before, during, and after displacement can impair functional capabilities, essential for adapting to a new environment. This secondary analysis examined the impact of an exercise and sport intervention on cognitive function and pain severity among individuals living in a refugee camp in Greece. Methods: We implemented a randomized controlled trial involving n = 142 (52.8% women) forcibly displaced individuals from Southwest Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Participants were randomly assigned to a waitlist or a 10-week co-designed exercise and sport intervention with a 1:1 allocation rate between groups and sexes. Assessments at baseline and follow-up included the Flanker task, the Oddball paradigm, pain severity via visual analog scales, and the Åstrand-Rhyming indirect test of maximal oxygen uptake. We analyzed the intervention effects using structural equation modeling. Results: Our findings did not indicate a direct intervention effect on cognitive function or pain (p ≥.332). However, the intervention group significantly improved cardiorespiratory fitness, ß =.17, p =.010, which was associated with faster reaction times in cognitive tasks, ß = −.22, p =.004. Moreover, there was some evidence that adherence might be linked to reduced pain severity, ß = −.14, p =.065. Conclusions: Exercise and sport did not directly impact cognitive function and pain severity among a sociodemographically diverse sample living in a refugee camp, suggesting the need for complementary measures. Nevertheless, our results indicate that improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness benefit aspects of attention. Trial registration: The study was approved by the local ethics committee of the University of Thessaly (no. 39) and registered prospectively on February 8, 2021 at the ISRCTN registry (no. 16291983). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human made conflicts and natural disasters led to a doubling of forced displacement in the past 10 years (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 2022). Forcibly displaced people are generally challenged with severe mental and physical strains before, during and after their flight. Whereas forcibly displaced people show high levels of resilience (Dangmann et al., 2021), their risk of mental health struggles is markedly increased (Mesa-Vieira et al., 2022). The objective of this study was to explore the perception of regular participation in a co-designed and tailored sport and exercise intervention among adults living in a Greek refugee camp. The methodological approach relied on ethnography including informal discussions and participative observations. Data was collected and documented daily in a research diary over a period of eight months. Additionally, debrief meetings with the coaches (4 women and 4 men) were held regularly. These insights built the basis for a critical understanding and interpretation of 13 focus group discussions (n = 49, 19 women) and 38 self-recorded testimonies (17 women). Focus group discussions were conducted after a 10-week physical activity intervention period. The same participants were asked, after a 10-week follow-up, to provide a self-recorded testimony. Overall, 58 (55.8%) of the participants took part in the physical activities on a regular basis. Regular participation benefitted domains of psychological well-being, social cohesion, personal competencies, change in behavior and physiological health. However, some of the same domains were likewise negatively affected for certain participants, namely social cohesion and physiological health. The results indicate that organized sport and exercise activities have the potential to positively impact the living conditions of adults living in a Greek refugee camp. However, participation is not imperatively beneficial and only a specific target population can be addressed. References Dangmann, C., Solberg, Ø., Myhrene Steffenak, A. K., Høye, S., & Andersen, P. N. (2021). Syrian refugee youth resettled in Norway: Mechanisms of resilience influencing health-related quality of life and mental distress. Frontiers in Public Health, 9, Article 711451. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.711451 Mesa-Vieira, C., Haas, A. D., Buitrago-Garcia, D., Roa-Diaz, Z. M., Minder, B., Gamba, M., Salvador, D., Gomez, D., Lewis, M., Gonzalez-Jaramillo, W. C., Pahud de Mortanges, A., Buttia, C., Muka, T., Trujillo, N., & Franco, O. H. (2022). Mental health of migrants with pre-migration exposure to armed conflict: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet Public Health, 7(5), e469-e481. https://doi:10.1016/S2468-2667(22)00061-5 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. (2022). Global Trends. Forced Displacement in 2021. Retrieved from https://www.unhcr.org/publications/brochures/62a9d1494/global-trends-report-2021.html

Abstract Background Due to ongoing political and social conflicts, the number of international refugees has been increasing. Refugees are exposed to severe mental and physical strain, as well as traumatic experiences during their flight. Therefore, the risk of psychiatric disorders is markedly increased among international refugees. International organizations have criticized the lack of early interventions as a key problem, because untreated mental disorders are often difficult to cure at a later stage. Today, exercise and sport have been successfully employed to treat a wide range of psychiatric disorders. With patients with post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), very limited empirical evidence exists, and studies carried out with international refugees are nearly non-existent. Methods We intend to implement a pragmatic randomized controlled trial (RCT) with an exercise and sport intervention group (n = 68, 50% women) and a wait-list control group (n = 68, 50% women) in the Koutsochero refugee camp, located close to the city of Larissa (Greece). During the RCT, exercise and sport will be offered five times per week (60 min/session) for 10 weeks. Participants will be asked to participate in at least two sessions per week. The programme is developed according to the participants’ needs and preferences and they will be able to choose between a range of activities. PTSD symptoms will serve as primary outcome, and several secondary outcomes will be assessed. Qualitative data collection methods will be used to gain a more in-depth appraisal of the participants’ perception of the intervention programme. In the second year of study, the programme will be opened to all camp residents. A strategy will be developed how the programme can be continued after the end of the funding period, and how the programme can be scaled up beyond the borders of the Koutsochero camp. Discussion By moving towards the primary prevention of chronic physical conditions and psychiatric disorders, a relevant contribution can be done to enhance the quality and quantity of life of refugee camp residents in Greece. Our findings may also strengthen the evidence for exercise as medicine as a holistic care option in refugee camps, by helping camp residents to adopt and maintain a physically active lifestyle. Trial registration The study was registered prospectively on the 8 February 2021 with ISRCTN https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN16291983

Abstract Mesh infection is the most common complication after elective hernia repair with an increasing incidence with time.

Abstract Diagnosis of acute low back emergencies during a systemic lupus erythematosus flare necessitates high clinical suspicion and early CT.

Abstract Salvage surgery is an acceptable option for palliative treatment of thyroid bed recurrence in metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma when other non‐invasive options fail to control local skin complications.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of a strategic self-talk intervention on basketball free throw performance under conditions of physical exertion. Forty-one male basketball players (Mage = 23.19 years) participated in the study. Following a baseline assessment, a 3-week intervention was implemented. During this period participants of the two groups practiced the same number of free throws in their training sessions; participants of the experimental group practiced using self-talk and developed personal free throw self-talk plans. In the final assessment, the participants repeated the free throw test following a typical shuttle run task causing increased physical exertion. The results showed that in the final assessment the self-talk group performed significantly better than the control group. Overall, the findings indicate that self-talk can be an effective strategy for basketball players when performing free throw under conditions of physical exertion, which is a typical situation in basketball games.

A perspective on self-talk introduced in the literature distinguishes between organic self-talk and strategic self-talk. Based on this perspective, the purpose of the present scoping review was to (a) give a comprehensive overview of studies investigating the relationship between organic self-talk and affective processes and (b) review the effectiveness of strategic self-talk to regulate affective processes. A systematic search was conducted with the databases PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and SPORTDiscus. As a result, 44 articles with 46 relevant studies were included for an in-depth analysis. Thirty studies focused on organic self-talk and 15 on strategic self-talk, while one study focused on both. With regard to organic self-talk, the results indicate a relatively consistent concurrence of the valence of self-talk and affective processes. In addition, various functions of self-talk relate to emotion regulation. For strategic self-talk, intervention studies, which were limited to the regulation of anxiety, revealed mixed effects. Based on the results, we discuss how the integration of various established theories in sport psychology in the new self-talk perspective might facilitate a more systematic approach when studying the relationship between self-talk and affective processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In cirrhotic patients with undifferentiated shock, early CT with emphasis in ascitic fluid density should be performed to exclude rare causes of shock such as secondary peritonitis or hemoperitoneum.

Abstract Duodenal diverticulosis can be a difficult CT diagnosis and should be considered in the differential diagnosis when a periduodenal mass‐like structure that may contain air, air‐fluid level, or oral contrast material is depicted.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a self-talk intervention program on performance of wheelchair basketball drills. Twenty-two (N = 22) wheelchair basketball athletes from two different clubs of the same league participated in the study. The duration of the intervention was 12 weeks and its aim was the improvement of two fundamental basketball skills, passing and dribbling. One team was assigned as a self-talk group (STG), whereas the other as a control group (CG). The STG, in addition to their normal practice, used self-talk in the form of technical instruction, whereas the CG followed the same training schedule without the use of self-talk. Athletes' performance was evaluated before the start of the program and at two time points thereafter, midst the intervention and on completion. The results indicated that performance of the STG improved more than performance of the CG in the two basketball skills. Overall, the results of the study suggest that the use of self-talk, and in particular in the form of technical instruction, can be an effective tool for the improvement of performance in wheelchair basketball players and its use should be encouraged and practiced by coaches. (Contains 4 figures and 1 table.)

Abstract Although inguinal bladder hernia associated with obstructive uropathy is an extremely rare entity, it should be suspected in elderly patients with bladder outlet obstruction presented with inguinal hernia and lower urinary tract symptoms.

Abstract In patients operated for a suspected appendiceal neoplasm, radical appendectomy is the procedure of choice because it provides definitive treatment in most of appendiceal neoplasms, except from mucinous or colonic‐type adenocarcinoma and NET>2 cm.

The present work contains a personal perspective on what sport and exercise psychology (SEP) is today. It is a global synthesis of research about psychological aspects related to the context and practice of sport and exercise. The intended impact was to positively influence teaching SEP to students, to promote interdisciplinary research and practice, and to assist the development of SEP as an applied science by helping experts develop a more holistic view of the field. Over 650 theoretical and review articles about psychological concepts in connection to sport and exercise were read in the process of creating a conceptual model that reflects the essence of SEP and leads to a conceptualization of SEP based on research topics. The result was a knowledge map of SEP made up of four main research clusters: biopsychological descriptors, external variables, psychological skills, and applied SEP practice. In terms of interdisciplinarity, the present perspective on SEP suggests that sport and exercise can be used as a research paradigm or natural laboratory to study psychological aspects relevant to various scientific fields, and that sport and exercise can be used as a therapeutic framework in response to challenges that researchers and practitioners in these fields are typically addressing.

In sports, athletes might train or compete with some degree of mental fatigue that has an impact on performance. The present study investigated the effect of strategic motivational self-talk on endurance performance in mentally fatigued individuals. Twelve healthy men performed three cycling endurance tests at 80% peak power output until exhaustion. Two experimental conditions (mental fatigue [MF] and mental fatigue plus motivational self-talk [MF + M−ST]) and a control condition (CO) were set out. Mental fatigue was induced via 30 min Stroop task; an electroencephalogram of the frontal cerebral cortex was continually monitored. Affective state and perceived exertion were recorded during each session and subjective workload after the endurance exercise trials. Theta band power spectral density was significantly higher in both experimental condition (MF and MF + M−ST) compared to CO, without significant differences between MF and MF + M−ST. Endurance performance was significantly worse in MF (227 ± 63s) than in CO (329 ± 84s). However, motivational self-talk reversed the deleterious effect of MF on endurance performance as in MF + M−ST (368 ± 139s) it was significantly better than MF and not significantly different from CO. Displeasure and perceived exertion scores were similar at the end of exercise and presented similar rate of increase among conditions. Mental demand after exercise was significantly greater in MF than in CO condition. These results suggest that motivational self-talk mitigates the negative effect of MF on endurance performance due to an elevated engagement with the task. Lay summary: This study examined to what extent the deliberate and planned use of cue words to enhance motivation (i.e., motivational self-talk), influenced endurance performance in mentally fatigued individuals. The harmful impact of mental fatigue on endurance performance was mitigated by using motivational self-talk during cycling exercise. Strategic motivational self-talk can be used to mitigate the harmful effect of mental fatigue effect on endurance performance. Motivational self-talk can be used to slow down the athletes' perceived exertion and the feeling of displeasure during high-intensity endurance training and competitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]