Paul Florian Dragos

Body composition is strongly influenced by physical activity and dietary habits. Male students enrolled in Physical Education and Sport programs represent a distinct population because their curricula include systematic physical activity that directly affects physiological characteristics. This study aimed to establish a representative body composition profile of physically active male Physical Education and Sport students using a multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analyzer (BIA) and to evaluate the reliability and consistency of measurements across two assessments. A total of 108 male students aged 19–25 years participated in the study. Body composition was assessed using ten indicators: body fat percentage, visceral fat index, body mass index (BMI), muscle mass, skeletal muscle mass, sarcopenic index, total body water, body weight, height, and phase angle. Descriptive statistics, paired-samples t-tests, effect size analysis (Cohen’s d), and Bland–Altman analyses were used to evaluate agreement, reliability, and measurement consistency between pre- and post-test assessments. No statistically significant differences were observed between assessments for any parameter (p > 0.05). Effect sizes were trivial across all indicators, indicating negligible changes between measurements. Bland–Altman analysis revealed bias values close to zero and relatively narrow 95% limits of agreement, confirming good measurement reliability and reproducibility. Physically active male students exhibited a stable and reproducible body composition profile. The obtained values may serve as reference data for body composition assessment in similar populations. Although the BIA method demonstrated high reliability, it appears more sensitive to moderate-to-large changes than to very small individual physiological fluctuations.

In an increasingly interconnected world, the global demand for inclusion and the recognition of diversity in educational settings (Appelbaum, 2002) have become central, politically driven prioritie...

Background: The aim of the study was to demonstrate changes in 25(OH)D concentration, bone resorption indicators and physical fitness in female handball players as a result of their exposure to the sun, diet and exercise load during the six-month training period from mid-March to mid-September, i.e. the time when the sun exposure is the highest during the calendar year. Twenty-two women handball players participated in the study. Due to the random occurrences and exclusion criteria, 20 players completed the project. Biochemical analysis of blood, aerobic capacity, running speed and power tests (Wingate test, squat jump, counter movement jump, etc.) was conducted three times during this six-month period. Significant changes in 25(OH)D, PTH concentrations and some physical tests were demonstrated between all the tested moments. A very strong effect size has been found for almost all the indicators, except PTH, which presents a smaller value. No direct correlation was found between 25(OH)D levels and performance.

Anaerobic power is a decisive component of performance in female handball, given the high frequency of explosive actions such as sprints, jumps, and rapid direction changes. Although the Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT) is considered the laboratory reference for assessing anaerobic power, its application in team sports is limited due to equipment, time constraints, and low movement specificity. Field tests such as the Countermovement Jump (CMJ), sprinting, and Repeated Sprint Ability (RSA) represent practical alternatives, yet their concurrent validity in sub-elite female handball players is not fully established. Objectives: This study investigated the concurrent validity of CMJ, 10m/30m sprint, and RSA tests as predictors of Wingate-derived anaerobic power, and seasonal variations across four phases of the competitive cycle. Methods: Twenty female players from Romania’s 2nd League were assessed at four time points during the 2023–2024 season. Laboratory measures included Peak Power Output (PPO), Relative Peak Power (RPP), Mean Power, and Fatigue Index from the 30-s Wingate test. Field assessments included CMJ, CMJ Free Arm, 10m/30m sprints, and an RSA protocol (6 × 20 m shuttle sprints). Pearson correlations quantified relationships between field and laboratory metrics. Results: PPO averaged 578.9 ± 62.5 W. Strong correlations were observed between PPO and CMJ (r = 0.72) and CMJ Free Arm (r = 0.75), while 30m sprint time showed a large inverse correlation (r = -0.68). RSA average time showed a moderate correlation with PPO (r = - 0.55). Seasonal analysis revealed peak RPP at pre-season, followed by a decline during the winter break. Conclusions: CMJ and 30m sprint tests show high concurrent validity relative to Wingate anaerobic power and are recommended for routine monitoring in sub-elite female handball. RSA reflects additional recovery-related mechanisms and should be independently assessed. Continuous power-oriented training is necessary to minimize seasonal declines.

The purpose of this paper is to present a procedure for automating the scanning process based on a mathematical model for a handheld 3D scanner for shoes used in some indoor sports. The study aims to use inverse kinematics to automate 3d footwear scanning used for indoor sport (handball) using a robotic arm with three joints. A modeling of the robotic arm and final effector was performed, to simulate the minimum and maximum trajectory of the robot arm according to the angles shown based on the mathematical model and inverse kinematics. With an easy-to-use interface and ergonomic design, this 3D scanning solution offers the versatility to scan various objects (such as scanning two shoe models used in indoor sports) and complex surface types. This scanning manner represents the state of the art of 3D scanning solutions as well as a benchmark in the 3D measurement equipment industry. The data obtained as a result of this research provide new directions and solutions for sports shoe scanning for indoor sports based on scanning trajectories preset by inverse kinematics in order to automate the scanning process using a handheld 3D scanner. Based on the mathematical model presented in the paper, automation of the scanning process can be achieved by maintaining the proposed trajectory using an automated arm operating through a control program that can be run on a simple controller.

The purpose of this paper is a social one, to present various experimental thermal analyses of sports footwear to identify the areas that ensure the best foot ventilation for comfort in movement. The mechanical properties of the analyzed footwear were determined on the Nano Indenter Agilent G200, with the help of which Young’s modulus was determined according to ISO 14577. Thermography measurements were performed at the Oradea University Sports Club. The FLIR SC 640 thermal imaging camera was used, which is a portable thermographic scanning equipment. The measurements were performed on eight athletes (subjects) in a volleyball training session, wearing sports footwear (Asics and Mizuno). Thermographic recordings were made during training at five different times: moment zero (before the start of training), moment one (2 min of training), moment two (5 min of training), moment three (15 min of training), and moment four (at the end of the volleyball training session). For the other three subjects, although having different models of the same sports footwear, the analysis of the thermal distribution values shows they are within the minimum and maximum limits of the five subjects analyzed in the paper. Based on the thermographic recording values obtained, a mathematical model was determined using polynomial regression to predict temperature values outside the range of the experimental data. In the present paper, research was carried out in order to identify the thermal variations of indoor sports shoes used in volleyball training so as to detect the heat exchange between the foot and the outdoor environment. Whether we are talking about winter sports or sports that take place in other atmospheric conditions, the comfort given by the optimal temperature at the level of each body segment is certainly reflected in the level of performance achieved.

European, national and local public policies have a crucial role when it comes to social and economic development. Based on European and national frameworks, local public administration develops and implements local public policies based on the community needs in order to reach a high level of local development. Among other sectors, sport plays a major role in the local development. Our paper aims to outline the role of local public authorities from Oradea, Romania, in supporting high-performance sport at a local level through local public policies. In Oradea a high-performance sport is represented by the Municipal Sports Club; therefore, our analysis focuses on the impact of local public policies on the sports activity of the club. The study methodology is mixed, based on document analysis and individual interviews. Research results show a clear link between the decision of local public authorities to get involved in local sports activity and the achievement of outstanding results by local sports teams. Consistent financial support, high quality sports infrastructure, transparent public-private partnerships, as well as strong partnerships between various local public authorities are the keys to developing performance sport.

The main purpose of this study is to assess the relations between training loads and selected blood parameters in professional soccer players during a preseason sports camp. Fifteen professional soccer players (age: 24.3 ± 5.25 year; height: 182.6 ± 6.75 cm; weight: 76.4 ± 6.72 kg) participated in the 12-day training camp. All the training sessions and friendly games were accurately analyzed with a GPS system. Blood samples were taken from the players and analyzed before the camp (PRE), in the middle (MID), and one day after the camp (POST). Mean total distance covered by the players during the camp was 85,205 ± 2685 m, high-intensity running 12,454 ± 1873 m, and sprinting 639 ± 219 m. The highest aspartate transaminase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), and C-reactive protein (CRP) values were observed after six days of the camp. The application of intensive training during a 12-day sports camp can be associated with chronic muscle pain with high activity of some blood enzymes (CK, AST) and a high concentration of myoglobin (Mb). During training camps longer than 10 days, it would be necessary to apply, every second or third day, one day of rest, and the training load should not exceed two units every day.

The aim of this study was to confirm that vitamin D supplementation of young soccer players during eight-week high-intensity training would have a significant effect on their motion activity. The subjects were divided into two groups: the experimental one, which was supplemented with vitamin D (SG, n = 20), and the placebo group (PG, n = 16), which was not supplemented with vitamin D. All the players were subjected to the same soccer training, described as High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). The data of the vitamin D status, time motion parameters and heart rate were collected just before and after the intervention. A significant increase in 25(OH)D concentration (119%) was observed in the supplemented group, while the non-supplemented group showed a decrease of 8.4%. Based on the obtained results, it was found that physical activity indicators in the players were significantly improved during small-sided games at the last stage of the experiment. However, taking into account the effect of supplementation with vitamin D, there were no statistically significant differences between the placebo and the supplemented groups; thus, the effect size of the conducted experiment was trivial.