(1) Aim: The study aimed at assessing simple-reaction, recognition and cognitive-reaction times to visual stimuli among student athletes: boxing, gymnastics, taekwondo, judo, karate and wrestling, using computer games tests. (2) Methods: Our study involved 332 students and athletes. We applied three types of computer tests to measure the dominant and non-dominant hands: the simple motor reaction time through the Human Benchmark test, the recognition time by the Hit-the-dots and the cognitive reaction time by the Trail making test part B. (3) Results: For dominant and non-dominant hands, better results of individual sports were for: simply reaction time—boxing; recognition reaction time—taekwondo; cognitive reaction—judo. (4) Conclusions: Athletes had better simple reaction with the left hand than with the right hand. Athletes had better recognition and cognitive reaction time with the right hand than with the left hand regardless of the dominant hand. The outcomes of our study indicate that the reaction times of left and right hands were influenced by the hand laterality, the type of applied stimulus, the stress complexity of tests and the type of practiced sport.

Background and Study Aim. Common use of surgical face masks is recommended for social and individual health due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is no systematic report for responses of organism to wearing a surgical face mask during different exercises. In this context the purpose of this study was to examine the impacts of wearing a surgical face mask during a one-hour brisk walking. Material and Methods. A total of thirty male (n=16) and female (n=14) volunteers (mean age and BMI of 32±1.07 years and 25.1±0.68 kg/m2, respectively) completed the protocol. This was a multiple cross-over trial for healthy volunteers. All participants took a one-hour brisk walking with and without a surgical face mask. Specific physiological measurements (HR - heart rate; BP - blood pressure, SaO2 - arterial oxygen content) were compared before and immediately after two brisk walking. Each subject served their own control. Results. The evaluation found that there was no statistically significant difference between the mean HR and blood pressure values during the brisk walking with and without a surgical face mask, while there was a statistically significant difference in the SaO2 values on behalf of no-mask-walking (p<0.05). Conclusions. The use of surgical face masks in healthy volunteers causes a decrease in SaO2 during brisk walking. However, it does not affect the mean pulse rate and blood pressure. Although there was a statistically significant decrease in the SaO2 parameter during mask-walking, it is possible to state that brisk walking with a surgical face mask does not have a physiologically negative impact, because this decrease is in ranges that are accepted to be normal.

Background and Study Aim. Thyroid hormone responses to acute maximal aerobic exercise is still unclear, so the aim of the study is to investigate the effect of acute maximal aerobic exercise resulting in fatigue on blood thyroid levels in men and women. Material and Methods. The study included 8 male and 7 female subjects who did not actively exercise. Both group participants were students in the Kastamonu University in the period of study. The heights, weights, resting hearth rates and 5 cc. venous blood samples of subjects were taken before the exercise. The subjects warmed up for ten minutes before they had 20 m shuttle run. The purpose of this test was to tire the subjects to the exhaustion. The heart rate were measured at the end of the test in order to determine the exhaustion levels of the participants. The 5 cc. venous blood samples were taken again just after the exhaustion exercise. Statistical analysis was carried out using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 23 program (SPSS Inc. Chicago. II. USA). P value was set at p0.05). There was significant change in TSH values in all group. They increased following the exercise compared to pre-exercise values. Moreover, total T3 decreased in all group. No other significant difference was found in free T3 and free T4 variables. Conclusions. In conclusion, thyroid responses to exercise emerge in a very complex way, which makes it difficult to reach a clear conclusion about its effects. The reason why the results are so contradictory is that the duration and intensity of the exercise, age, not being able to control the diet, and the timing of collection of blood samples after exercise.

Previously most studies indicated that high intensity training is a powerful stimulus to acute increases in blood testosterone hormone levels in males. The testosterone responses to exercise in females are controversial; while some studies have shown increases, others have suggested no change. The aim of this study was to determine alterations in serum concentrations of testosterone after an exhausting exercise in males and females. Eight physically active male students (age: 22.25 ± 1.49 yr; height 177.62 ± 1.87 cm; weight 74.97 ± 3.32 kg) and eight physically active female students (age: 19.87 ± 1.45 yr; height 161.87 ± 3.18 cm; weight 57.91 ± 7.33 kg) who were studying at School of Physical Education, Kastamonu University, voluntarily participated in this study. The subjects performed an incremental exercise test until exhaustion using a cycle ergometer (Monark, Stockholm, Sweden) at a constant pedal speed of 60 rpm with stepwise increments of 15 W every minute after a warm-up at 15 W for 3 min. The 5 cc. venous blood samples were obtained from an antecubital vein at pre and immediately after the exhaustion exercise. The Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test was used for determine the differences within groups results at a significance levels of p < 0.05. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that exhausting exercise has some effects on the total testosterone profile both males and females.

This study aims to investigate the impact of cardiorespiratory fitness on cardiometabolic risk factors and testosterone levels among firefighters. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with seventy-four firefighters working in a metropolitan municipality. Anthropometric measurements, cardiometabolic risk parameters (high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein, triglycerides, total cholesterol), total testosterone (TT) levels were clinically evaluated for each participant. The proportion of firefighters with low TT was 20.3%, and a statistically significant negative relationship was found between TT and weight, BMI, body fat percentage, waist circumference, hip circumference, and HbA1c as cardiometabolic risk factors (p < 0.05). Additionally, statistically significant positive relationship was observed between metabolic equivalent scores and testosterone levels among the firefighters (p < 0.05). The key findings of this study reveal significant differences in various cardiometabolic risk factors between firefighters with high fitness levels and those with lower fitness levels.

Background and Study Aim. Despite its increasing popularity, beach handball has not been studied in terms of physiological responses. Thus the aim of this study was to demonstrate lactate and heart rate responses as well as urine specific gravity (USG) levels and fluid intakes of female university students who competed at an international beach handball tournament. Material and Methods. Five university students who are also handball players (age: 21±1,2, body weight: 56,6±6,4, height:1,61±0,06 and BMI: 21,7±1,43) voluntarily participated in this study. Heart rate (HR), lactate level (LA) and USG were measured before each and immediately after each competition and fluid intake during competition was monitored. Results: The mean values of lactate accumulation and heart rate before and after the match were 1,4 mmol and 87,3, 5,0 and 123,9, respectively. Athletes were euhydrated before the matches (USGmean=1,018) and only presented dehydration after the second match. Conclusions. Beach handball does not result in strenuous physiological effects according to heart rate and lactate responses. Their fluid intake was not enough to eliminate dehydration. Despite fluid availability during the match they presented dehydration at the second match.