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IntroductionThe prevalence of impostor syndrome among PhD students has increased rapidly in recent years, having very negative effects on their mental and psychological health as well as on their doctoral journey. This exploratory study aims to examine whether there is a causal correlation between impostor syndrome among PhD students and empathy among supervisors.MethodsThis study encompasses 562 doctoral students (300 females, 262 males) and 152 Tunisian supervisors (68 females, 84 males).ResultsEmploying ANOVA, significant influences on impostor syndrome emerge for gender, marital status, professional status, and the doctoral enrollment level (p

Background: Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are widely studied for their effects on muscle recovery and performance. Aims: This study examined the effects of BCAA supplementation on anthropometric data, physical performance, delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and fatigue in recreational weightlifters. Methods: The trial involved 100 participants (50 men and 50 women), randomized into BCAA and placebo groups. Subjects in the BCAA group took five daily capsules of 500 mg L-leucine, 250 mg L-isoleucine, and 250 mg L-valine for six months. A two-way ANOVA was used to analyze the main and interaction effects of sex and treatment. Results: Notable findings include significant improvements in muscle recovery, as indicated by reduced DOMS, particularly in women who showed a decrement of 18.1 ± 9.4 mm compared to 0.8 ± 1.2 mm in the placebo group of a horizontal 100 mm line. Fatigue perception was also significantly lower in the BCAA group, with women reporting a greater decrease (2.6 ± 1.5 scores) compared to the placebo group (0.6 ± 0.7 scores). Strength gains were prominent, especially in men, with a 10% increase in bench press maximum observed in the BCAA group. The interaction between sex and treatment was significant, suggesting sex-specific responses to BCAA supplementation. Conclusions: These results underscore the effectiveness of BCAA supplementation in enhancing muscle recovery, reducing fatigue, and improving strength. This study also highlights sex-specific responses, with women benefiting more in terms of DOMS and fatigue reduction, while men experienced greater strength gains, suggesting a need for tailored supplementation strategies.

Background/Objectives: Physical inactivity in children can lead to decreased physical fitness and reduced enjoyment of physical activity. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of exergaming on physical fitness, body composition and perceived enjoyment in elementary school children. Methods: Sixty-four male students (mean age 9.5 years) were randomly assigned to an exergaming group (EG, n = 32), engaging in Kinect Adventures three times a week for six months, or a control group (CG, n = 32), which continued standard physical education. Assessments were conducted pre- and post-intervention, including anthropometric measures, physical fitness tests (standing long jump, countermovement jump, sit-and-reach, 20-m sprint), aerobic fitness (20-m shuttle run), and perceived enjoyment measured with the PACES scale. Results: The EG demonstrated significant reductions in body weight, BMI, and relative fat mass compared to the CG (p < 0.01). Improvements in physical fitness were evident in EG, with increases in standing long jump distance (+12.8%; p < 0.0001), countermovement jump height (+65%, p < 0.0001), and flexibility (+75%; p < 0.0001). Aerobic fitness improved significantly in EG (+87.8m) compared to CG. Perceived enjoyment was notably higher in EG, especially at week three, compared to CG (69.3 ± 5.8 vs. 44.2 ± 11.6; p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Exergaming offers benefits for physical fitness and body composition in children, while also enhancing enjoyment. Incorporating exergames into physical education programs could be an effective strategy for addressing childhood obesity, improving physical skills, and increasing student enjoyment, encouraging long-term physical activity adherence.

Introduction: Remote Monitoring (RM) of Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices (CIEDs) is proven to be safe and efficient. It has been adopted in our center since years. At the time of the recent Covid-19 outbreak, we introduced and tested a collaborative organizational model, through a new RM device (Totem), creating a network with the surrounding territory and limiting CIED patients’ presence in hospital. Methods: We involved 4 neighbor pharmacies where Totem devices were installed; we called and informed 64 patients with Totem compatible pacemaker (PM) about the possibility to perform their PM follow-up (FU) in-pharmacy; 58 gave their consent and their data were inserted into our RM database. Results: During an 18-month FU period, a total of 70 RM transmissions have been received: one alert of high atrial burden triggering a pharmacological optimization, one alert of high ventricular impedance leading to a new ventricular lead implantation and four alerts of elective replacement indicator. Fulfilled questionnaires revealed complete patient satisfaction. Conclusions: A collaborative network between our hospital and the surrounding territory to perform RM FUs of CIEDs during Covid-19 pandemic was feasible, leading to patient compliance and satisfaction and revealing important technical and clinical alerts.

Limited attentional capacity is essential to working memory. How its limit should be assessed is a debated issue. Five experiments compare Cowan’s 4-units and Pascual-Leone’s 7-units models of limited working memory capacity, with presentation time and attention to operative schemes as potential explanations of this discrepancy. Experiments 1a–1c used the Compound Stimuli Visual Information (CSVI) task, with long versus brief presentation. Capacity was estimated with the Bose-Einstein model, assuming a different number of attending acts in each condition. Participants’ k estimates in both conditions were highly correlated and the means were not different, indicating that the same capacity is assessed in both conditions. Experiments 2 and 3 used the 5000-msec CSVI, and the Visual Array Task (VAT) in two conditions (5000- vs. 120-msec presentation). Capacity in the VAT was estimated with Morey’s Bayesian method. Participants’ k estimates in both VAT conditions were correlated, but the mean was higher with long presentation, suggesting that the long condition benefits from recoding or chunking. The k estimate in the CSVI correlated with the short VAT and (to a lesser degree in Exp.2) with the long VAT. The mean estimate of k in the CSVI was one unit more than in the short VAT. We conclude that the CSVI and the short VAT tap the same capacity, one unit of which in the short VAT is allocated to an operative scheme; we discuss how Cowan’s and Pascual-Leone’s views on limited capacity can be reconciled.

Emotional intelligence (EI) has been recently the main target in research on sports psychology. The objectives of this study were to investigate the relation between self-report measures of emotional intelligence, pre-competitive anxiety, and performance among students during the physical education exam of the high school final year. This cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 350 students attending the physical education exam in the year 2021–2022. Analysis of the correlations between the scores of Emotional intelligence and anxiety showed that self-confidence was positively correlated with all dimensions of Emotional intelligence (Beta = 0.524; p = 0.000). Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that the most related items to performance were self-confidence in a positive direction (r = 0.56; p = 0.000) and negatively with somatic anxiety (r = −0, 39; p = 0.000). Considering the Emotional intelligence subscales, hetero-emotional management was significantly positively associated with performance (p = 0.000) however emotional perception was negatively correlated with performance (p = 0.003). These results demonstrate the importance of social and emotional learning programs for improving self-confidence and better management of emotions during physical education and sports.

ObjectiveVerbal encouragement (VE) can be used by coaches to boost morale and commitment during training exercises. This investigation aimed to study the impacts of VE given by coaches on the physiological aspects, players' internal intensity, mood, and perceived enjoyment of youth soccer players during repeated agility speed training (RAS).MethodsA total of 17 male youth soccer players (mean ± SD; age: 13.8 ± 0.4 years; body mass: 59.1 ± 6.7 kg; height: 170.0 ± 6.2 cm; training experience: 5.1 ± 0.7 years) participated, in a randomized order, in two experimental training sessions that consisted of a RAS (i.e., the Illinois course) either with VE (RAS-E) or without VE (RAS-NE), with a 7-day interval between the testing sessions. Heart rate (HR) was registered throughout the exercise. The rating of perceived exertion, blood lactate concentration [La], and perceived enjoyment were measured after each training session. The mood state was recorded before and after each protocol.ResultsHR mean (Cohen's coefficient d = 0.45, small), %HRmax (d = 0.37, small), HR peak (d = 0.66, moderate), [La] (d = 0.56, small), and the PACES score (d = 2.8, very large) were higher in RAS-E compared to RAS-NE (all, P < 0.001). Compared to the RAS-E trial, the RAS-NE trial showed higher fatigue (P < 0.01), tension (P < 0.05), anger (0.05), total mood score (P < 0.001), and lower vigor (P < 0.001).ConclusionCoaches may use VE during RAS to improve psychophysiological responses, mood state, and perceived enjoyment in youth soccer players.

The global prevalence of childhood and adolescent overweight and obesity increases rapidly. Physical activity plays a major role in the prevention of obesity. The present study aimed to analyze the effect of adapted basketball sessions according to the empathic capacity of adolescent girls with overweight. Forty-two girls with overweight (age: 16.09 ± 0.85; years; height: 1.64 ± 0.67 m: weight: 73.02 ± 0.61 kg; BMI: 27.15 ± 1.37) volunteered to participate in the study and were randomly assigned to the experimental group (EG, n = 21) and control group (CG, n = 21). EG was submitted to a basketball intervention adapted to students with obesity while the CG performed classic basketball exercises for 7 weeks. Each week girls had 2 basketball teaching-learning sessions, lasting 50 min. The participants’ empathy was assessed before and after the intervention using the Favre CEC. The results showed that adaptation intervention was associated with a significant emotional contagion decrease (Δ% = 0.466) and splitting with emotions (Δ% = 0.375), and with an empathy increase (Δ% = 1.387), in EG compared to CG. No significant difference was assessed in the empathy CG, before and after the intervention. This study demonstrated that adapted physical education classes could be an effective strategy to improve empathetic skills and inclusion of overweight girls as well as a means to prevent obesity.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly aggressive type of solid tumor that is becoming more common. cis‐[PtCl2 (NH3)2] (in short cisplatin or CDDP) has been shown to be effective in treating various cancers, including PDAC. However, the development of resistance to chemotherapy drugs has created a need for the synthesis of new anticancer agents. Platinum‐based drugs containing the bidentate ligand phenanthroline have been found to have strong antitumor activity due to their ability to cause DNA damage. In this study, we examined the ability of two Pt (II) cationic complexes, [Pt(η1‐C2H4OR) (DMSO) (phen)]+ (in short Pt‐EtORSOphen; R = Me, 1; Et, 2), to inhibit the growth and spread of BxPC‐3 PDAC cells, in comparison to CDDP. The length of the alkyl chain and its associated lipophilic properties did not affect the anticancer effects of complexes 1 and 2 in BxPC‐3 cells. However, it did appear to influence the rapid loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨM), suggesting that these complexes could potentially be used as mitochondria‐targeted lipophilic cations in anticancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the response to cisplatin in BxPC-3, Mia-Paca-2, PANC-1, and YAPC pancreatic cancer lines with different genotypic and phenotypic characteristics, and the mechanisms associated with their resistance. BxPC-3 and MIA-PaCa-2 cell lines were the most sensitive to cisplatin, while YAPC and PANC-1 were more resistant. Consistently, in cisplatin-treated BxPC-3 cells, the cleavage patterns of pro-caspase-9, -7, -3, and PARP-1 demonstrated that they were more sensitive than YAPC cells. The autophagic pathway, promoting cisplatin resistance, was active in BxPC-3 cells, as demonstrated by the time-dependent conversion of LC3-I to LC3-II, whereas it was not activated in YAPC cells. In cisplatin-treated BxPC-3 cells, Bcl-2 decreased, while Beclin-1, Atg-3, and Atg-5 increased along with JNK1/2 phosphorylation. Basal levels of phosphorylated ERK1/2 in each cell line were positively correlated with cisplatin IC50 values, and cisplatin caused the activation of ERK1/2 in BxPC-3 and YAPC cells. Furthermore, ERK1/2 pharmacological inactivation increased cisplatin lethality in both BxPC-3 and YAPC cells, suggesting that p-ERK1/2 may be related to cisplatin resistance of PDAC cells. Different mechanisms and strategies are generally required to acquire drug resistance. Here, we partially explain the other response to cisplatin of BxPC-3 and YAPC cell lines by relating it to the role of ERK pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionPsychological aspects of sport are key in maintaining athlete motivation and make a difference in competitive outcomes. Adjustments to training may be necessary according to athletes’ emotional state. Therefore, it is important to assess and quantify mood states throughout the season in team sports, including among soccer players. The Profile of Mood States (POMS) is a widely used questionnaire that assesses emotional states characterized by positive or negative feelings and can be administered repeatedly to assess changes in mood state. This review aims to assess and summarize the current literature on mood state variation in soccer players with a specific focus on training loads, training modalities, and competitive performance.MethodsA literature search was systematically conducted and resulted in 156 records. After removing duplicates, items with irrelevant titles and abstracts were screened out, and full texts were then screened for relevance and compared with inclusion and exclusion criteria. The remaining 37 articles were included in the final qualitative synthesis.ResultsPOMS scores were related to variability in training load, intensity of the training period, modality of training exercises, competitive performance and time of day in soccer players. Common recommendations include monitoring the mood state of soccer players during training sessions, matches, and throughout training periods to detect early signs of psychological disturbance and aid in optimizing high-level training performance.ConclusionThe POMS allows for monitoring of players’ psychological state, providing coaches with data to aid in adjusting acute program variables according to players’ psychological states and improve performance. Results offer practical support for the use of a simple POMS measurement as part of an overall program to monitor the players’ psychological states. Results also highlight how training choices (i.e., load and exercise modality) and competitive performance are related to mood states (i.e., tension, anger, confusion, depression, fatigue, and vigor).

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal malignancies with an increasing incidence and a high mortality rate, due to its rapid progression, invasiveness, and resistance to anticancer therapies. In this work, we evaluated the antiproliferative and antimigratory activities of the two organometallic compounds, [Pt(η1-C2H4-OMe)(DMSO)(phen)]Cl (1) and [Pt(η1-C2H4-OEt)(DMSO)(phen)]Cl (2), on three human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cell lines with different sensitivity to cisplatin (Mia PaCa-2, PANC-1, and YAPC). The two cationic analogues showed superimposable antiproliferative effects on the tested cells, without significant differences depending on alkyl chain length (Me or Et). On the other hand, they demonstrated to be more effective than cisplatin, especially on YAPC cancer cells. For the interesting cytotoxic activity observed on YAPC, further biological assays were performed, on this cancer cell line, to evaluate the apoptotic and antimetastatic properties of the considered platinum compounds (1 and 2). The cytotoxicity of 1 and 2 compounds appeared to be related to their intracellular accumulation, which was much faster than that of cisplatin. Both 1 and 2 compounds significantly induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, with a high accumulation of sub-G1 phase cells, compared to cisplatin. Moreover, phenanthroline-containing complexes caused a rapid loss of mitochondria membrane potential, ΔΨM, if compared to cisplatin, probably due to their cationic and lipophilic properties. On 3D tumor spheroids, 1 and 2 significantly reduced migrated area more than cisplatin, confirming an antimetastatic ability.

This study aimed to explore the effect of the motor game, “Clock Motor Games”, on the improvement of “Reading and Recording of Time” (RRT) in children with Grade 1 mathematical learning difficulties (MLDs). A within-school cluster-randomized intervention study was conducted with 232 children (aged 6–7 years) with limited physical education experience (0.7 ± 0.3 years). The participants were divided into two groups: a control group, which received conventional teaching on time without any additional motor activities, and an experimental group, which incorporated the concept of time with the “Clock Motor Game”, for 3 weeks. The Clock-Reading Test was administered before the intervention (T0), immediately after each session (T1), and five weeks after the intervention (T2) in both groups. The results demonstrated that the experimental group exhibited significantly greater improvements in RRT performance compared to the control group (U = 4416.5; p < 0.001; r = 0.3; medium effect). Additionally, the experimental group was more likely to show progress and less likely to experience regression or stagnation compared to the control group (25% vs. 38.4%). The findings suggest that practicing “Clock Motor Games” can positively contribute to the RRT ability in children with Grade 1 MLD.

The feeling of pleasure during physical education (PE) could increase with physical activity participation and adherence for overweight children. While traditional games are known to have positive benefits on motor skill development, especially for children with poorer motor skills, and on the body mass of children, little is known about overweight children’s feelings of enjoyment when playing these games. To identify a program of physical activity appreciated by overweight children, we tested the effect of different activities, namely soccer (SO), shot put (SP), and traditional motor games (TMGs), on the feelings of pleasure for 28 overweight male children (aged 12.11 ± 0.63 years, BMI 26.89 ± 0.15 kg·m−2) participating in a 3-month cross-over study. To measure affective responses to exercises, we applied a validated feeling scale. The data were collected during eight PE lessons, which were organized for each cycle taught. Post hoc pairwise comparisons revealed a significant difference (Z = −3.195, p < 0.01) between the mean feeling score reported after the SO cycle (2.48 ± 0.41) and that after the TMGs (3.04 ± 0.32). A similar significant difference (Z = −3.304, p < 0.01) was found between the mean feeling scores reported after the SP cycle (2.27 ± 0.32) and the TMGs (3.04 ± 0.32). There was no significant difference between the mean feeling scores reported after the SO (2.48 ± 0.41) and SP cycles (2.27 ± 0.32). In conclusion, the findings of the present study suggest that TMGs may have beneficial effects on the feelings of pleasure for overweight children. Therefore, TMGs might potentially be considered as an alternative to conventional physical activities.

Childhood obesity represents a serious public health problem and this study evaluates the effectiveness of a 6-month educational intervention on lifestyle, nutrient adequacy, and diet quality in the school setting in improving the knowledge and behavior of primary school children regarding correct eating habits. The strategy was implemented over a 6-month period and participants were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n = 200) or the non-intervention group (control group, n = 197). Participants had a mean body mass index of 18.3 ± 2.7 kg/m2 and its variation in the intervention group (−2.7 ± 0.5 kg/m2) was significantly different from that in the control group (3.41 ± 0.8 kg/m2). In the experimental group, there were significant differences between the proportion of children who were overweight, underweight, normal weight, or obese before and after intervention (p < 0.05). The best results were seen in the female sex, and after the intervention, there were no more girls with obesity. Furthermore, there were significant waist circumference decrement effects in the intervention group compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Finally, many of the participating children acquired healthy eating habits. Therefore, the quantitative results obtained suggest that a school intervention program represents an effective strategy to prevent and improve the problem of childhood overweight and obesity.

This study aimed to evaluate AT1-R expression in normal and cancerous human kidneys, how these expressions are modified, and AT1-R functionality. AT-1R mRNA expression, determined by real-time PCR, was detected in all samples. AT-1R mRNA increased in well-differentiated cancer (G1, p < 0.01) and decreased 2.9-fold in undifferentiated cancer (G4, p < 0.001) compared with normal kidney tissues. Immunocytochemistry analysis showed that the AT-1R was expressed in the normal tubular epithelium. The glomerulus was also immunoreactive, and as expected, the smooth muscle cells of the vessel walls also expressed the receptor. A total of 35 out of 42 tumors were AT-1R positive, with the cell tumors showing varying numbers of immunoreactive cells, which were stained in a diffuse cytoplasmic and membranous pattern. Computer-assisted counting of the stained tumor cells showed that the number of AT-1R-positive cells increased in the well-differentiated cancers. The functionality of AT-1R was assessed in primary cultures of kidney epithelial cells obtained from three G3 kidney cancer tissues and corresponding histologically proven non-malignant tissue adjacent to the tumor. Indeed, Ang II stimulated, in a dose-dependent manner, the 24 h proliferation of normal kidney cells and cancer cells in the primary culture and phosphorylated extracellular regulated kinases 1 and 2. In conclusion, Ang II may be involved in the growth or function of neoplastic kidney tissue.

Background/Objectives: Physical inactivity in children can lead to decreased physical fitness and reduced enjoyment of physical activity. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of exergaming on physical fitness, body composition and perceived enjoyment in elementary school children. Methods: Sixty-four male students (mean age 9.5 years) were randomly assigned to an exergaming group (EG, n = 32), engaging in Kinect Adventures three times a week for six months, or a control group (CG, n = 32), which continued standard physical education. Assessments were conducted pre- and post-intervention, including anthropometric measures, physical fitness tests (standing long jump, countermovement jump, sit-and-reach, 20-m sprint), aerobic fitness (20-m shuttle run), and perceived enjoyment measured with the PACES scale. Results: The EG demonstrated significant reductions in body weight, BMI, and relative fat mass compared to the CG (p < 0.01). Improvements in physical fitness were evident in EG, with increases in standing long jump distance (+12.8%; p < 0.0001), countermovement jump height (+65%, p < 0.0001), and flexibility (+75%; p < 0.0001). Aerobic fitness improved significantly in EG (+87.8m) compared to CG. Perceived enjoyment was notably higher in EG, especially at week three, compared to CG (69.3 ± 5.8 vs. 44.2 ± 11.6; p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Exergaming offers benefits for physical fitness and body composition in children, while also enhancing enjoyment. Incorporating exergames into physical education programs could be an effective strategy for addressing childhood obesity, improving physical skills, and increasing student enjoyment, encouraging long-term physical activity adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are widely studied for their effects on muscle recovery and performance. Aims: This study examined the effects of BCAA supplementation on anthropometric data, physical performance, delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and fatigue in recreational weightlifters. Methods: The trial involved 100 participants (50 men and 50 women), randomized into BCAA and placebo groups. Subjects in the BCAA group took five daily capsules of 500 mg L-leucine, 250 mg L-isoleucine, and 250 mg L-valine for six months. A two-way ANOVA was used to analyze the main and interaction effects of sex and treatment. Results: Notable findings include significant improvements in muscle recovery, as indicated by reduced DOMS, particularly in women who showed a decrement of 18.1 ± 9.4 mm compared to 0.8 ± 1.2 mm in the placebo group of a horizontal 100 mm line. Fatigue perception was also significantly lower in the BCAA group, with women reporting a greater decrease (2.6 ± 1.5 scores) compared to the placebo group (0.6 ± 0.7 scores). Strength gains were prominent, especially in men, with a 10% increase in bench press maximum observed in the BCAA group. The interaction between sex and treatment was significant, suggesting sex-specific responses to BCAA supplementation. Conclusions: These results underscore the effectiveness of BCAA supplementation in enhancing muscle recovery, reducing fatigue, and improving strength. This study also highlights sex-specific responses, with women benefiting more in terms of DOMS and fatigue reduction, while men experienced greater strength gains, suggesting a need for tailored supplementation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) are a diverse group of malignancies with a shared phenotype but varying prognosis and response to current treatments. Based on their morphological features and rate of proliferation, NENs can be classified into two main groups with a distinct clinical behavior and response to treatment: (i) well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) or carcinoids (with a low proliferation rate), and (ii) poorly differentiated small- or large-cell neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs) (with a high proliferation rate). For certain NENs (such as pancreatic tumors, higher-grade tumors, and those with DNA damage repair defects), chemotherapy is the main therapeutic approach. Among the different chemotherapic agents, cisplatin and carboplatin, in combination with etoposide, have shown the greatest efficacy in treating NECs compared to NETs. The cytotoxic effects of cisplatin and carboplatin are primarily due to their binding to DNA, which interferes with normal DNA transcription and/or replication. Consistent with this, NECs, which often have mutations in pathways involved in DNA repair (such as Rb, MDM2, BRCA, and PTEN), have a high response to platinum-based chemotherapy. Identifying mutations that affect molecular pathways involved in the initiation and progression of NENs can be crucial in predicting the response to platinum chemotherapy. This review aims to highlight targetable mutations that could serve as predictors of therapeutic response to platinum-based chemotherapy in NENs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The prevalence of impostor syndrome among PhD students has increased rapidly in recent years, having very negative effects on their mental and psychological health as well as on their doctoral journey. This exploratory study aims to examine whether there is a causal correlation between impostor syndrome among PhD students and empathy among supervisors. Methods: This study encompasses 562 doctoral students (300 females, 262 males) and 152 Tunisian supervisors (68 females, 84 males). Results: Employing ANOVA, significant influences on impostor syndrome emerge for gender, marital status, professional status, and the doctoral enrollment level (p < 0.001). Concurrently, supervisors' empathy is significantly affected by gender, marital status, and experience (p < 0.001). Linear regression establishes a noteworthy negative correlation (p = 0.045): a 1-unit increase in empathy correlates with a 0.122-unit decrease in impostor syndrome. Discussion: These findings underscore the intricate relationship between socioprofessional factors, empathy, and impostor syndrome within the academic milieu, offering crucial insights for interventions and psychological support. The study aligns with the broader context of understanding mental health challenges in academia, emphasizing the imperative for ongoing support initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract There is very little about the impact that sports training has on female football referees. Therefore, we determined the effects of a 40‐week physical preparation, including a full football season, on plasma testosterone and cortisol concentrations and physical performance in female football referees. Plasma cortisol and testosterone concentrations were assayed together with fitness tests at the beginning of the training period (T0, in September), after 8 weeks from T0 (T1), at the mid of the season (T2, 24 weeks after T0), and at the end of the season (T3, in June, 40 weeks after T0). Plasma cortisol increased during the first period and up to T2 (from 15.4 ± 4.7 to 28.5 ± 3.9 µg/dl; p

This study examined the effect of small-sided football games (SSFG) and small-sided Ultimate Frisbee games (SSUFG) on working memory, response times, and feeling mood of boys with overweight. Twenty-eight boys (age 12.23 ± 1.58 years) participated in two trials during physical education lessons (20-min SSFG and 20-min SSUFG) in a counterbalanced, randomized crossover design. The response times and feeling mood were measured for all participants post-exercise through the Sternberg paradigm and feeling scale. For the response times, the paired samples t-test revealed a significantly better reaction time after SSUFG at the “One item level” of the Sternberg paradigm (p = 0.014, Hedges’ g = 0.27, small effect) and (p = 0.010, Hedges’ g = 0.74, medium effect), at “Three item level” (p = 0.000106, Hedges’ g = 1.88, very large effect). The SSFG also showed vigor at the “Five item level” (p = 0.047, Hedges’ g = 0.61, medium effect). For the feeling mood, the feeling score was significantly higher after the SSUFG session than the SSFG session and the increase in feeling scores observed after switching from SSFG to SSUFG was significantly different (p < 0.001) from the decrease observed in feeling scores after switching from SSUFG to SSFG. Therefore, the results of the study allow the teacher to introduce new sports and reflect on the motor tasks he or she proposes for boys with overweight during physical education classes.

Abstract The global prevalence of childhood obesity is high. Obesity main causes are linked to sedentary lifestyles. Increasing physical activity (PA) and reducing sedentary activities are recommended to prevent and treat obesity. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a 6‐month school PA intervention on obesity prevention and healthy behaviors in school‐aged children. Participating students (10–11 years of age) were randomly divided into an intervention group and a control group. Children in the intervention group (n = 80) participated in a multicomponent PA that included improvement in extracurricular physical activities (with an additional 40 min per day for 5/6 days per week). Children (n = 80) in the control group participated in usual practice. Participants had mean body mass index of 19.7 ± 2.9 kg/m2, and 33.7% of them were overweight or with obesity at T0. The change in body mass index in intervention group (−2.4 ± 0.6 kg/m2) was significantly different from that in control group (3.01 ± 1.8 kg/m2). The effects on waist circumference, waist‐to‐height ratio, and physic fitness were also significant in intervention group compared with control group (all p

NMR-based metabolomics is a very effective tool to assess the tumor response to drugs by providing insights for their mode of action. Recently, a novel Pt(II) complex, [Pt(ƞ1-C2H4OMe)(DMSO)(phen)]+ (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline), Pt-EtOMeSOphen, was synthesized and studied for its antitumor activity against eight human cancer cell lines. Pt-EtOMeSOphen showed higher cytotoxic effects than cisplatin in most of the cancer cell lines and in particular against the neuroblastoma cell line (SH-SY5Y). In this study, the mechanism of action of Pt-EtOMeSOphen on SH-SY5Y cells was investigated using 1H NMR-based metabolomics and compared with cisplatin. The observed time response of SH-SY5Y cells under treatment revealed a faster action of Pt-EtOMeSOphen compared with cisplatin, with a response already observed after six hours of exposure, suggesting a cytosolic target. NMR-based metabolomics demonstrated a peculiar alteration of the glutathione metabolism pathway and the diacylglycerol expression.

We investigated the effect of the role of the joker in children with obesity (OCs) on integration and physio-psychological responses during small-sided games (SSG) training programs. Sixteen OC students (age 13.8 ± 0.73 years) performed training programs consisting of two sessions a week for three weeks. The experimental protocol consisted of 16 teams of 4 children (3 of normal weight and 1 OC). The 16 teams were divided into 2 groups, one with an OC playing as the joker (SSG-J) and the other group with OC playing as non-joker (SSG-NJ). Maximum heart rates (HRmax), blood lactate concentration [La] and OMNI-Child perceived exertion were measured at the end of each SSG. A physical activity enjoyment Scale (PACES) was accomplished during physical activity for the evaluation of feelings in OCs. Additionally, the profile of mood states (POMS) was measured before and after the SSG-J and SSG-NJ programs. HRmax, [La], perceived exertion, and PACES scores were significantly higher after the SSG-J compared with SSG-NJ (increments of 6.4%, 31.7%, 19.5% and 18.1%, respectively). The score of the POMS variables was positively increased in the presence of jokers. The vigor score increased by 30%, while tension and total mood disturbance scores decreased by 27.6% and 4.5%, respectively. These findings suggest that the joker role could be effective in improving integration, physical enjoyment, physiological responses and mood states in OCs when a team game is used during PE sessions. PE teachers could then program joker exercises with the aim of improving OCs’ physical commitment willingness to play.

Platinum‐based chemotherapeutic agents are widely used in the treatment of cancer. However, their effectiveness is limited by severe adverse reactions, drug resistance, and poor water solubility. This study focuses on the synthesis and characterization of new water‐soluble cationic monofunctional platinum(II) complexes starting from the [PtCl(η1‐C2H4OEt)(phen)] (1, phen=1,10‐phenanthroline) precursor, specifically [Pt(NH3)(η1‐C2H4OEt)(phen)]Cl (2), [Pt(1‐hexyl‐1H‐imidazole)(η1‐C2H4OEt)(phen)]Cl (3), and [Pt(1‐hexyl‐1H‐benzo[d]imidazole)(η1‐C2H4OEt)(phen)]Cl (4), which deviate from traditional requirements for antitumor activity. These complexes were evaluated for their cytotoxic effects in comparison to cisplatin, using immortalized cervical adenocarcinoma cells (HeLa), human renal carcinoma cells (Caki‐1), and normal human renal cells (HK‐2). While complex 2 showed minimal effects on the cell lines, complexes 3 and 4 demonstrated higher cytotoxicity than cisplatin. Notably, complex 4 displayed the highest cytotoxicity in both cancer and normal cell lines. However, complex 3 exhibited the highest selectivity for renal tumor cells (Caki‐1) among the tested complexes, compared to healthy cells (HK‐2). This resulted in a significantly higher selectivity than that of cisplatin and complex 4. Therefore, complex 3 shows potential as a leading candidate for the development of a new generation of platinum‐based anticancer drugs, utilizing biocompatible imidazole ligands while demonstrating promising anticancer properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We had previously synthetized a macromolecular prodrug consisting of oxidized Alginate and dopamine (AlgOx-Da) for a potential application in Parkinson disease (PD). Methods: In the present work, we aimed at gaining an insight into the interactions occurring between AlgOx-Da and SH-SY5Y neuronal cell lines in view of further studies oriented towards PD treatment. With the scope of ascertaining changes in the external and internal structure of the cells, multiple methodologies were adopted. Firstly, fluorescently labeled AlgOx-Da conjugate was synthetized in the presence of fluorescein 5(6)-isothiocyanate (FITC), providing FITC-AlgOx-Da, which did not alter SH-SY5Y cell viability according to the sulforhodamine B test. Furthermore, the uptake of FITC-AlgOx-Da by the SH-SY5Y cells was studied using scanning near-field optical microscopy and assessments of cell morphology over time were carried out using atomic force microscopy. Results: Notably, the AFM methodology confirmed that no relevant damage occurred to the neuronal cells. Regarding the effects of DA on the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, AlgOx-Da reduced them in comparison to free DA, while AlgOx did almost not influence ROS production. Conclusions: these findings seem promising for designing in vivo studies aiming at administering Oxidized Alginate Dopamine Conjugate for PD treatment.

ABSTRACT As no study has explored the impact of physical stress on hypothalamic‐pituitary‐gonadal axis hormones over a long period, the purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the football season period on plasma cortisol and testosterone concentrations and referee's physical performances. Physical tests and plasma cortisol and testosterone concentrations were assayed before the beginning of the training period, just after the training period, at the middle of the season, and at the end of the season, in 29 male football referees and 30 healthy control subjects. Results showed significant differences in hormone concentrations at the four‐time points evaluated. Plasma cortisol increased during the first training period from 15.8 ± 3.8 to 21.7 ± 5.1 µg/dl (p

Verbal encouragement (VE) can be used by physical education (PE) practitioners for boosting motivation during exercise engagement. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of VE on psychophysiological aspects and physical performance in a PE context. Twenty secondary school male students (age: 17.68 ± 0.51 yrs; height: 175.7 ± 6.2 cm; body mass: 67.3 ± 5.1 kg, %fat: 11.9 ± 3.1%; PE experience: 10.9 ± 1.0 yrs) completed, in a randomized order, two test sessions that comprised a soccer dribbling circuit exercise (the Hoff circuit) either with VE (CVE) or without VE (CNVE), with one-week apart between the tests. Heart rate (HR) responses were recorded throughout the circuit exercise sessions. Additionally, the profile of mood-state (POMS) was assessed pre and post the circuit exercises. Furthermore, rating of perceived exertion (RPE), traveled distance, and physical activity enjoyment (PACES) were assessed after the testing sessions. Furthermore, the CVE trial resulted in higher covered distance, %HRmax, RPE, PACES score, (Cohen’s coefficient d = 1.08, d = 1.86, d = 1.37, respectively; all, p < 0.01). The CNVE trial also showed lower vigor and higher total mood disturbance (TMD) (d = 0.67, d = 0.87, respectively, p < 0.05) and was associated with higher tension and fatigue, compared to the CVE trial (d = 0.77, d = 1.23, respectively, p < 0.01). The findings suggest that PE teachers may use verbal cues during soccer dribbling circuits for improving physical and psychophysiological responses within secondary school students.

Futsal is a sport that originates from soccer and is increasingly practiced all over the world. Since training and warm-up protocols should be sport-specific in order to reduce injuries and maximize performance, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of 5 weeks of the FIFA 11+ warm-up program on explosive strength, speed, and perception of physical exertion in elite female futsal athletes. Twenty-nine elite female futsal athletes participating in the Italian national championships were divided into two groups: the experimental group (EG) underwent 5 weeks of the FIFA 11+ warm-up program, and the control group (CG) underwent 5 weeks of a dynamic warm-up. We evaluated any effect on explosive strength (by Squat Jump test), speed (by Agility T-test), and perception of physical exertion (by Borg CR-10 scale). All measurements were carried out by a technician of the Italian Football Federation before (T0), at the middle (T1), and at the end (T2) of the protocol. The EG showed significant improvements on performances between T0 vs. T1 and T0 vs. T2 both in the Squat Jump test (p = 0.0057 and p = 0.0030, respectively) and in the Agility T-test (p = 0.0075 and p = 0.0122). No significant differences were found in the Squat Jump test performances in the CG, while significant improvements were detected in the Agility T-test performances (p = 0.0004 and p = 0.0053, T0 vs. T1 and T0 vs. T2, respectively). As for the Borg CR-10 scale, we found a significant difference between T0 and T2 in the EG (p = 0.017) and no differences in the CG. This study showed that 5 weeks of the FIFA 11+ warm-up program improves the jumping performance of female futsal athletes without adversely affecting speed. These findings can be useful for coaches and athletic trainers in order to consider FIFA 11+ warm-up program also in female futsal athletes.

A variety of aquatic training regimens have been found to be beneficial for individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in multiple domains. This study investigated and compared the efficacy of two aquatic training regimens (technical vs. game-based) on gross motor skills, stereotypy behavior and emotion regulation in children with ASD. Twenty-two autistic children were randomly assigned into three groups: two experimental groups performed either a technical aquatic program or a game-based aquatic program and a control group. Participants were assessed before and after an 8-week training period, with the Test of Gross Motor Development, the stereotypy subscale of the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale, and the Emotion Regulation Checklist. A significant effect for time was found in gross motor skills and stereotypy behavior in both experimental groups. An improvement in gross motor skills was observed in both experimental groups compared to the control group. A small pre-post change effect in emotion functioning was found in all groups. No significant differences were observed between the experimental groups in all assessed variables. Our findings provide additional evidence suggesting the effectiveness of beneficial effects of aquatic activities on the motor and social skills that underpin the hypothesis that motor and intellectual domains are highly interrelated in autistic children.