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This article derives the power curves for a Wald test that can be applied to randomized response models when small prevalence rates must be assessed (e.g., detecting doping behavior among elite athletes). These curves enable the assessment of the statistical power that is associated with each model (e.g., Warner's model, crosswise model, unrelated question model, forced-choice models, item count model, cheater detection model). This power analysis can help in choosing the optimal model and sample size and in setting model parameters in survey studies. The general framework can be applied to all existing randomized response model versions. The Appendix of this article contains worked-out numerical examples to demonstrate the power analysis for each specific model. (Contains 3 tables, 7 footnotes and 13 figures.)

Nutritional supplements (NS) are denned as concentrated sources of nutrients and other substances that have a nutritional or physiological effect and that are used in high frequency among athletes. The study aimed to create a prediction profile for young elite athletes to identify those athletes who have a higher relative risk for using NS. The second objective was to examine the hypothesis that the consumption of NS paves a gateway for the use of illicit drugs and doping substances. A self-designed anonymous paper-and-pencil questionnaire was used to examine the prevalence of NS consumption, doping, and illicit drug use in elite athletes with a mean age of 17 years (SD = 4 years). Logistic regression analysis was employed to assess whether NS consumption can be predicted by independent variables (e.g., biographical data, training characteristics, drug consumption behavior) to create the prediction profile for NS use. 55% and 5% of the athletes (n = 536) responded positively to having used NS and illicit drugs, respectively. Nutritional supplement consumption was positively correlated with age (OR: 1.92; CI: 1.21 to 3.05), the desire to enhance performance to become an Olympic or World Champion (OR: 3.72; CI: 2.33 to 6.01), and being educated about NS (OR: 2.76; CI: 1.73 to 4.45). It was negatively correlated with training frequency (OR: 0.55; CI: 0.35 to 0.86) and the use of nicotine (OR: 0.29; CI: 0.1 to 0.74) but did not correlate with illicit drug use and alcohol consumption. The present results show that NS are used on a large scale in elite sports. The prediction profile presented in this article may help to identify those athletes who have a high risk for using NS to plan potential education and prevention models more individually. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Endurance capacity of each individual soccer player can notably influence a team’s success. The opinion about the necessity of generic endurance specific training in soccer, especially in adolescent athletes, still varies widely. Methods: We examined n = 38 elite premier league youth soccer players from three different age groups and with a different amount of endurance specific training. Two identical graded incremental exercise tests were performed before and after a 5 weeks training intervention. Besides soccer specific training, the different groups absolved either 25–30% (U16 and U19) or < 5% (U17) of generic endurance specific training as well as soccer specific endurance training. After the training intervention the alterations of blood lactate concentration (La-), the individual anaerobic threshold (LT) as well as the 4 mmol/-1 threshold were determined. Results: Running velocity of the U16 and U19 players at individual anaerobic threshold and at the 4 mmol/-1 threshold increased significantly. In contrast, no changes of the LT or 4 mmol/-1 threshold could be detected for the U17 players. Conclusions: The individual endurance capacity of young elite soccer players can be improved significantly, even over a short preseason period, by performing an adequate amount of generic endurance specific training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A doctor-patient relationship is basically characterised by medical confidentiality, which means that doctors have to remain silent about any information coming to their attention in the respective context. A breach of medical confidentiality constitutes an act of misconduct relevant in terms of criminal and professional law. If a doctor has the permission or obligation to disclose confidential information, a breach of medical confidentiality is not illegitimate. A permission to disclose confidential information is given if a patient releases a doctor from his or her medical confidentiality obligation either explicitly or through coherent action. Doctors who provide concurrent or successive treatment of a patient are also released from their obligation to keep medical confidentiality towards their attending colleagues. Furthermore, doctors are allowed to disclose confidential information if disclosure is of superior interest. Those specific constellations are narrowly defined by law. Moreover, a permission to disclose confidential information can be the result of a legal provision. Obligations of disclosure are limited to cases regulated by law. Medical confidentiality also applies to the treatment of athletes without any restrictions. However, there are particular constellations in elite sports where doctors either have a permission to disclose confidential information or may assume that athletes agree with the transfer of their diagnostic findings to certain third parties., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)