Braid Groups on Triangulated Surfaces and Singular Homology

Let $\Sigma_g$ denote the closed orientable surface of genus $g$ and fix an arbitrary simplicial triangulation of $\Sigma_g$. We construct and study a natural surjective group homomorphism from the surface braid group on $n$ strands on $\Sigma_g$ to the first singular homology group of $\Sigma_g$ with integral coefficients. In particular, we show that the kernel of this homomorphism is generated by canonical braids which arise from the triangulation of $\Sigma_g$. This provides a simple description of natural subgroups of surface braid groups which are closely tied to the homology groups of the surfaces $\Sigma_g$

Sport and health science: interdisciplinary approaches to modern challenges

Background: Sport and health science are undergoing a transformative shift driven by interdisciplinary approaches, technological innovations, and data-driven strategies. Sources of data: This invited editorial explores key advancements in precision athletic monitoring, holistic well-being, population health initiatives, and innovative training and rehabilitation techniques. The integration of wearable technology, real-time analytics, and psychological interventions enables more personalized and effective strategies to optimize performance and promoting overall health. Additionally, the role of physical activity in mitigating lifestyle-related diseases underscores the importance of tailored public health initiatives. Areas of agreement: Current consensus in sport and health science highlights that interdisciplinary collaboration-blending physiology, psychology, nutrition, and data analytics-significantly improves both athletic performance and public health outcomes. This progress is driven by precision monitoring technologies, holistic well-being strategies, innovative training methods, and a shared commitment to ethical standards ensuring equitable, responsible application of new health, and performance innovations. Areas of controversy: As the field progresses, ethical considerations regarding data privacy, accessibility, and equitable application of emerging technologies remain central. Growing points: Future directions include leveraging artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data to refine personalized interventions, ensuring that both athletic and public health advancements are sustainable and inclusive. Areas timely for developing research: Emerging research in sport and health science focuses on harnessing artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data to develop predictive models and personalized interventions, while tailoring physical activity programmes to diverse population needs based on age, gender, socioeconomic, and cultural factors. Simultaneously, priorities include advancing psychological and mindfulness-based strategies in athletic care, integrating cutting-edge rehabilitation technologies, promoting inclusive public health frameworks for ageing and chronically ill populations, and establishing ethical guidelines for the responsible use of innovative performance and health technologies

Effect of three technical arms swings on the elevation of the center of mass during a standing back somersault

Arms swing during standing back somersaults relates to three different “gymnastics schools”, each is considered “optimal” by its adepts. In the three cases, technical performance, elevation and safety differ. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the mechanical variables of three different arms swing techniques in the performance of a standing back tucked somersault. Five high-level male gymnasts (age: 23.17±1.61 yrs; body height: 1.65±0.05 m; body mass: 56.80±7.66 kg) randomly performed standing somersaults under three conditions, each following a different arms’ swing technical angle (270°, 180° and 90°). A force plate synchronized with a three dimensional movement analysis system was used to collect kinetic and kinematic data. Significant differences were observed between somersaults’ performance. The back somersault performed with 270° arms swing showed the best vertical displacement (up to 13.73%), while the back somersaults performed with 180° arms swing showed a decrease in power (up to 22.20%). The back somersault with 90° arms swing showed the highest force (up to 19.46%). Considering that the higher elevation of the centre of mass during the flight phase would allow best performance and lower the risk of falls, this study demonstrated that optimal arms’ swing technique prior to back tucked somersault was 270°

The effect of uphill stride manipulation on race walking gait

Stride length analysis represents an easy method for assessing race walking kinematics. However, the stride parameters emerging from such an analysis have never been used to design a training protocol aimed at increasing stride length. With this aim, we investigated the effects of stride frequency manipulation during three weeks of uphill (2%) training on stride length at iso-efficiency speed. Twelve male race walkers were randomly allocated to one of two training groups: stride frequency manipulation (RWM, n=6) and free stride frequency (RWF, n=6)

The Impact of Training Load on Running Gait Variability: A Pilot Study

Purpose: Running gait variability appears to be a new metric related to fatigue in long-distance runners. However, no study has verified the changes in gait variability over a longitudinal study involving well-experienced runners. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the changes in gait variability in distance runner before and after a week endurance training program. Methods: A male runner (age 23 years; body mass 58 kg; stature 1.70 m, BMI 20 kg·m−2) completed two critical speed (CS) test and six trial at different speeds (calculated by CS) with 9-week of training in-between. At the same time heart rate (HR) was continuously recorded and normalized as a percentage of the maximal heart rate (220 - age) %HRmax, serving as a proxy for metabolic expenditure. Additionally, kinematic (contact time (CT), flight time (FT), step length (SL), step rate (SR)) and kinetic measurements (leg (kvert) and vertical (kleg) stiffness), were recorded. While the running gait variability was calculated as phase coordination index (PCI). Results: CS and HR were 16.40/18.00 km·h-1 and 93.19±1.23/93.81±2.38 %HRmax in baseline and after the training, respectively. The kinematic and kinetic variables studied at different speeds (13.80-14.40-15.00-15.70-16.40-17.10 km·h-1) showed a significative training effect vs baseline conditions for CT (P= .010), FT (P= .010), SL (P= .002), SR (P= .002), kvert (P=.003), kleg (P= .0001). At the same way the metabolic demand and PCI changed significantly after the training compared to the baseline condition for average/maximum HR (P= .009 – 0.024, respectively) and PCI (P= .009). Conclusions: These results suggest that gait variability is one mechanical determinant that demonstrates the adaptation of training load when neuromuscular output related to physiological efforts is under stress conditions, such as running training. Therefore, PCI could be a useful tool for monitoring the impact of running training load on bilateral running coordination

The Effect of Physical Activity on Cognitive Performance in an Italian Elementary School: Insights From a Pilot Study Using Structural Equation Modeling

When compared to the previous generations, younger generations have become sedentary on a global level. Physical activity positively contributes to human growth and development, causing, indeed, both physiological and psychological benefits. The aim of the current study was examining the relationship between physical activity and school achievement in a sample of 80 Italian elementary (viz. primary) school last year responding children (11.0 ± 0.3 years, 1.46 ± 0.09 m, 39.5 ± 7.9 kg). Such an aim was fulfilled by investigating eventual correlations between physical tests results and school marks and by disclosing eventual mutual relationships between socio-demographics, family context, lifestyle (including physical activity), and school performance information using a structural modeling approach. Children were assessed for lower/upper limbs muscle strength and running/agility performance. Pearson’s correlation between physical tests and school performance was studied. We found that agility correlated with English, Italian, mathematics, music, and sport marks, whereas jump correlated with English, mathematics, sport, and technologies marks. Sprint correlated with mathematics, sport, and technologies marks. All correlation coefficients were moderate, except for correlations between sport marks and physical tests (strong correlation). From the structural model, we found that socio-demographics and lifestyle significantly impacted on school achievement. In particular, lifestyle was found to fully moderate the impact of the family context on school achievement. Schools and households represent important settings for improving children physical and psychological-cognitive health and status, offering physical activities opportunities

Gait variability and fatigability during a simulated 10-km running race in trained runners

Purpose: Fatigue is an inevitable phenomenon during distance running, leading to the adoption of altered gait patterns by runners. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the changes in gait variability and fatigability in distance runners over a 10-km running race. Methods: For this aim, 12 runners (36.5 ± 5.4 y) completed a simulated 10-km running race. Throughout the trial, heart rate (HR) and rate perceived exertion (RPE, CR-10) were analyzed. In addition, kinematic/kinetic measurements: contact time (CT), flight time (FT), step length (SL), stride time (ST) leg (kvert) and vertical (kleg) stiffness, were recorded. Gait variability including phase coordination index (PCI) was calculated for each 2-km segment. Results: HR increased (from 88.46 ± 5.84 to 93.87 ± 6.48 %HRMAX, P < 0.05) as well as RPE (6.58 ± 0.47-8.96 ± 0.40 a.u., P < 0.001) as the distance increased. Conversely, no differences between running segments for the kinematic/kinetic data (CT-FT-SL-ST-kvert-kleg) were observed over five 2 km. However, there was increase (P < 0.05) in gait variability (PCI), over the course of the running race. Furthermore, the determination coefficient (R2) was found as strong and very strong when compared five (0-10 km) and four (4-10 km) running segments between HR-RPE and PCI (R2 = 0.623-0.845). Conclusion: These results suggest that the gait variability is one mechanical determinant in assessing the neuromuscular output when the fatigability increases during a running race

The Outdoor Game “Catch-Up” is A Tool to Support the Development of Coordination Abilities in Children

Background. The actual problem of physical inactivity among schoolchildren can be solved by supplementing the school program on physical culture with outdoor games. Objectives. To assess the impact of the outdoor game named “Catch-up” on some variables (throwing, running and agility) featuring coordination abilities of schoolchildren 7-8 years old. Methods. Assessment was performed at the Kirov primary school in Russia. 120 boys and girls participated in the study over 4 months. As they went to the same school, it was assumed them to have similar previous coordination development and performed similar extra-school physical activities. First-graders from the control group were engaged in a standard program of physical education at school and children from the experimental group were additionally engaged in a physical activity game Catch-up. To match the effort between the two groups, the control group prolonged the standard program (warm-up phase) by a time corresponding to how long it took the control to play Catch-up. The level of development of coordination abilities of schoolchildren was assessed using two tests: throwing a ball to a target and 3×10-meter shuttle running. Results. The variables in the control group in the throwing test improved from 3.35±0.92 to 3.60±0.69 hits (7.5%, p>0.05) and in the shuttle running from 10.20±0.40 to 9.85±0.39 seconds (3.4%, p<0.001). In the experimental group, there was a significant improvement in both tests. In the ball throw test, the experimental group improved from 3.15±0.76 to 4.30±0.62 hits (36.5%, p<0.001) and in the shuttle running from 10.50±0.48 to 8.95±0.46 (14.8%, p<0.001). Conclusion. The physical activity game Catch-up could be included in physical education lessons in schools to improve some variables featuring the coordination abilities of young schoolchildren.publishedVersio

The influence of burpee on endurance and short-term memory of adolescents

Aim-The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of the Burpee exercise on the endurance and short-term memory of adolescents aged 15-16 years. Methods-The experiment was performed in a coeducational school in Kirov (Russia). The four-month study involved 52 adolescents of both genders. During the study period, 30 physical education lessons were held in each class. Adolescents from the control group were involved in a typical program (also aimed at improving endurance), and adolescents from the experimental group additionally performed the Burpee exercise. Endurance in adolescents was assessed by means of an "all-out" Running 2000 m test, and short-term memory was assessed by means of the Jacobs test (tests were performed before and after the programs). Results-An analysis of variance revealed an interaction effect (F = 28.733, ηp2 = 0.578 and p &lt; 0.001, and F = 104.353, ηp2 = 0.676 and p &lt; 0.001 for the Running 2000 m test and the Jacobs test, respectively). The control group improved by 1.9% (p &gt; 0.05) in the Running 2000 m and by 5.5% (p &gt; 0.05) in the Jacobs test. In the experimental group, both improved significantly by 8.6% (p &lt; 0.05) in the Running 2000 m test and by 26.0% (p &lt; 0.05) in the Jacobs test. Conclusion-The Burpee exercise could be included in physical education classes to improve endurance and short-term memory in 15-16-year-old