The Effects of Physical Exercise on Saliva Composition. A Comprehensive Review

Saliva consists of organic and inorganic constituents. During exercise, analysis of the saliva can provide valuable information regarding training stress, adaptation and exercise performance. The objective of the present article was to review the effect of physical exercise on saliva composition. The shift in the composition of the saliva, during and after a workout, reflects the benefits of exercise, its potential risks and the capability of the saliva to serve as a health indicator. The type and the frequency of training, the physical condition and the athletes’ general health influence the hormones, immunoglobulins and saliva enzymes. The correlation between saliva and physical exercise has to be further investigated and the available knowledge to be applied for the benefit of the athletes during sports activities.

Mind training, stress and behaviour—A randomised experiment

In this paper, we evaluate the effects of a psychological training, called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) on stress and risk and time preferences. MBSR is a well-known psychological technique, which is believed to improve self-control and reduce stress. We conduct the experiment with 139 participants, half of whom receive the MBSR training, while the other half are asked to watch a documentary series, both over 4 consecutive weeks. Using a range of self-reported and physiological measures (such as cortisol measures), we find evidence that mindfulness training reduces perceived stress, but we only find weak evidence of effects on risk and inter-temporal attitudes.

Analysing the Performance of Stress Detection Models on Consumer-Grade Wearable Devices

Identifying stress level can provide valuable data for mental health analytics as well as labels for annotation systems. Although much research has been conducted into stress detection models using heart rate variability at a higher cost of data collection, there is a lack of research on the potential of using low-resolution Electrodermal Activity (EDA) signals from consumer-grade wearable devices to identify stress patterns. In this paper, we concentrate on performing statistical analyses on the stress detection capability of two popular approaches of training stress detection models with stress-related biometric signals: user-dependent and user-independent models. Our research manages to show that user-dependent models are statistically more accurate for stress detection. In terms of effectiveness assessment, the balanced accuracy (BA) metric is employed to evaluate the capability of distinguishing stress and non-stress conditions of the models trained on either low-resolution or high-resolution Electrodermal Activity (EDA) signals. The results from the experiment show that training the model with (comparatively low-cost) low-resolution EDA signal does not affect the stress detection accuracy of the model significantly compared to using a high-resolution EDA signal. Our research results demonstrate the potential of attaching the user-dependent stress detection model trained on personal low-resolution EDA signal recorded to collect data in daily life to provide users with personal stress level insight and analysis.

RESEARCH ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SPORTS SCIENTIFIC TRAINING AND ATHLETES’ MENTAL HEALTH

ABSTRACT Introduction: Regarding sports mental fatigue research, foreign countries mainly discuss the theoretical model of mental exhaustion. Among them, Silva's theoretical model believes that sports mental fatigue is a negative training stress response. Domestic research mainly analyzes and discusses the concept, causes, and monitoring of mental fatigue. Objective: This study explores the relationship between sports fatigue and mental health of elite athletes through investigation and analysis; analyzes whether social support plays a moderating role in training stress and how aspect support plays an important role. Methods: Based on the stress theory and the negative training stress response model theory, the paper used the Mental Health Inventory (PHI), Athlete Exercise Fatigue Questionnaire, Social Support Rating Scale, and Perceived Social Support Scale to analyze 163 outstanding athletes above the first level. Carry out investigation, use SPSS10.0 software to carry out reliability analysis, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple linear stepwise regression analysis. Results: The mental health level of elite athletes is closely related to the degree of sports fatigue, and the correlation coefficients between most factors have reached a significant level. The physical (emotional) exhaustion in sports fatigue is an important predictor of the mental health of elite athletes; age, sports grade, economic conditions, perceived family support, and mental health are important predictors of sports fatigue for elite athletes; social support is an important external “buffer” in the process of training stress, in which family support and emotional support play a major regulatory role. Conclusions: The research results can provide references for maintaining and promoting athletes’ physical and mental health, provide some useful references for mental health education of sports teams, and provide empirical data for sports psychology and health psychology. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment results.

The Global Session Metric Score (GSMs): A Modified Session-Specific Exertional Index

Monitoring session training load to optimize the training stress that drives athlete adaptation and subsequent performance, is fundamental to periodization and programming. Analyzing the internal load experienced by the individual in response to the external load prescribed by coaching staff is crucial to avoid overtraining and optimize training adaptation. Subjective measures provide more information regarding individual training load, as heart rate measures alone do not account for collisions, eccentric muscle actions, muscle soreness, weather conditions, or accumulated training loads, which are paramount to the athlete experience. However, the current subjective metric for interpreting session training load (sRPE) is poorly shaped to the athlete's global response to the whole session, often showing poorer correlations to heart rate (HR) measures during intermittent or high-intensity activity. This study introduces a new metric, the Global Session Metric Score (GSMs), which creates a symmetrical relation between the verbal descriptor and numeric values, as well as more applicable session-specific verbal descriptors for the highest level of exertion. Twenty-four D1 male college soccer field players (age: 20.5 +/– 1.42) wore HR monitors and reported GSMs for all practices and games within an entire season. Linear regression with 10-fold cross validation was used to test the relation between GSMs with B-TRIMP and E-TRIMP, respectively. These models demonstrate good performance with consistency and reliability in the estimation of GSMs to predict both B-TRIMP (R2 = 0.75–0.77) and E-TRIMP (R2 = 0.76–0.78). The findings show promise for the GSMs index as a reliable means for measuring load in both training and matches during a high-intensity intermittent team sport. Future studies should directly compare GSMs to the existing sRPE scale within a controlled laboratory setting and across various other sports. GSMs provides coaches and clinicians a simple and cost-effective alternative to heart rate monitors, as well as a proficient measure of internal training load experienced by the individual.

Between Adaptation and Resistance: A Study on Resilience Competencies, Stress, and Well-Being in German VET Teachers

We demonstrate the relationships between occupational demands in German vocational education and training (VET) teacher training, stress symptoms, and different behavioral resilience competencies. Taking into account interindividual differences in resilience competencies, we use a typological approach to identify different types of (trainee) teachers classified by their degrees and configurations of resilience competencies. Our empirical analysis is based on questionnaire data from 131 German vocational trainees and qualified teachers. The results reveal, among other things, that all three resilience competencies—resistance, flexibility, and dynamism—are significantly negatively correlated with the demands of working conditions and workload. Via a latent class analysis, we were able to identify three groups of (trainee) teachers who differed in their resilience competencies to adapt appropriately to different situations and their requirements (“behavioral flexibility”), to recover rapidly from setbacks and to defy the expectations of others (“behavioral resistance”), and to initiate changes as soon as they are necessary or desirable (“behavioral dynamics”). More resilient (trainee) teachers show, among other things, lower values for anxiety as an emotional stress symptom and higher values for job engagement. The findings are discussed with regard to implications for VET teacher training and we stress the need for equilibration on a systemic perspective.

Doctors on duty: the real-life heroes during pandemic: Your opinion matters!!!

Background: Data for front-line health-care workers, risk of disease is limited so as the resources available. Although inspiring stories on doctors fighting against COVID-19-19 were covered we are still unaware of the challenges at ground level. The present study throws light on it and provides way through towards resolving the issues. Objectives:1. To assess the perceptions of the doctors towards the process of COVID-19-19 crisis management. 2.To identify the challenges and recommend solutions based on their views, suggestions. Methods: A cross sectional study on perception of doctors (94) involved in COVID-19 duty was conducted during July to September 2020, with the help of pre-validated semi-structured questionnaire through online google survey form. The questionnaire had demographic details, views on before, during and after the COVID-19 duty along with 4 open ended questions on their good and bad experiences, problems & suggestions. Descriptive statistics for quantitative & thematic analysis for qualitative data was used. Results: Nonresponse rate was 26%, mean age 27.55 year. Majority were from clinical departments (78%). 42% felt that training was proper, 60% adequate PPE kit, 52.6% were aware of management strategy, 86% stressed,82% found difficulties in communication. 42% were provided proper quarantine facility yet, 58% faced discrimination. Few themes emerged under challenges like lack of resources & training, stress & burnout, for which patient sensitization, refresher training, psychological & administrative support was suggested. Conclusion: Although COVID-19 pandemic has impacted life of doctors in either way, the challenges could easily be tackled by the recommended simple solutions.

Irisin, Fibroplast Growth Factor-21, and Follistatin Responses to Endurance Rowing Training Session in Female Rowers

Purpose: This study examined selected myokine responses to an endurance rowing training session, and whether metabolic demands of the acute aerobic rowing exercise together with training volume, aerobic capacity, and body composition variables affect potential exercise-induced changes in the myokine levels in female rowers.Methods: Fifteen national level female rowers [18.3 ± 1.6 years; 172.0 ± 5.0 cm, 67.5 ± 8.8 kg; maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max): 47.2 ± 7.9 ml.min.−1 kg−1] performed a 1-h rowing ergometer exercise at the intensity of 70% of VO2max [distance: 12.1 ± 1.1 km; energy expenditure (EE): 639 ± 69 kcal; heart rate (HR): 151 ± 7 beats.min−1] followed by a 30-min recovery period. Venous blood samples were collected before and after exercise, and analyzed for irisin, fibroplast growth factor-21 (FGF-21), and follistatin conentrations.Results: Plasma irisin and FGF-21 concentrations were increased (by 8%; p = 0.013 and by 13%; p < 0.0001, respectively) immediately after the aerobic rowing exercise. Follistatin was significantly increased (by 11%; p = 0.001) only after the first 30 min of recovery. Exercise metabolic demand variables such as distance covered and total EE were correlated with the pre-to-post-exercise increases in FGF-21 concentrations (r = 0.52; p = 0.047 and r = 0.68; p = 0.005, respectively). Exercise-induced increases in irisin levels were related to aerobic capacity as measured by VO2max (r = 0.53; p = 0.041) and training stress as measured by weekly training volume (r = 0.54; p = 0.039) in female rowers.Conclusion: Acute negative energy balance induced by a single endurance rowing training session elicited significant increases in irisin, FGF-21, and follistatin levels in national level female rowers. While exercise-induced increases in FGF-21 levels were associated with exercise metabolic demand measures, exercise-induced increases in irisin concentrations were related to aerobic capacity and training stress measures in female rowers.

Practitioner perspectives of athlete recovery in paralympic sport

Athlete health and sport performance research for athletes with disabilities has increased substantially over the years as the level of competition and intensity in Paralympic sport has grown. However, relative to able-bodied sport, there remains some key areas of parasport research which are distinctly lacking. Athlete recovery, as a counterbalance to training stress and an important factor in preventing adverse health consequences such as illness and injury, is one of these understudied areas for elite para-athletes. Thus, the purpose of this descriptive qualitative study was to understand factors impacting recovery among Paralympic athletes, based on practitioner perspectives, with the aim of providing insightful guidance for applied practice. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 North American sport practitioners who worked with elite para-athletes. Through thematic analysis, five main themes about optimizing athlete recovery in various populations of para-athletes were developed: a) prioritize the simple concepts, b) get to know the whole athlete, c) experience matters, d) musculoskeletal factors, and e) non-training load. Collectively, these results highlight how humanistic approaches to care, augmented by individual athlete expertise, extensive education, and a consideration of fundamental lifestyle factors is exceedingly important for para-athlete recovery. This study further describes that the approach to recovery among para-athletes, a diverse population, is uniquely complex from that of able-bodied sport and warrants scholarly attention.