Motivation in sport performance has been an interesting topic for many investigators during the past decade. This area can be considered from different viewpoints: motivation for participation in sport activity, achievement motivation, competitiveness etc. Motivation plays an important role in all out tests, as well as in sport activities and at all levels of competition. Motivation climate, or positive social environment may influence and modulate motivation of individuals involved in sports. Experience has shown that conventional encouragement and feedback during the test may affect its outcome. According to Wingate research team recommendations, verbal encouragement, as a motivation factor, was given to all examined subjects during Wingate anaerobic test, which is considered the most reliable test for assessing anaerobic capacity. The investigated group consisted of 30 young men--medical students, who were not actively involved in any programmed sport activity. The investigated group included second-year students of the Faculty of Medicine in Novi Sad chosen by random sampling. The Wingate anaerobic test was performed in all subjects, and changes of parameters when test was performed with verbal encouragement, were recorded The results show statistically significant increase of Wingate test parameters when conducted with verbal encouragement: anaerobic power (622/669 W); relative anaerobic power (7.70/8.27 W/kg); slope of the power (95.5/114 W/s); relative slope of the power (1.18/1.40 W/s/kg); anaerobic capacity (12.7/13.2 kJ) and relative anaerobic capacity (158/164 J/kg).

This study primarily aimed to quantify and compare iron status in professional female athletes and nonathletes. Furthermore, this study also aimed to identify differences in iron status according to sporting discipline and explore the relationship between ferritin concentration and weekly training volume in professional athletes. A total of 152 participants were included in this study, including 85 athletes who were members of senior teams (handball, n = 24; volleyball, n = 36; soccer, n = 19; and judo, n = 6) involved at the highest level of competition and 67 nonathletes. A significantly greater proportion (p = .05) of athletes (27%) demonstrated iron-deficient erythropoiesis (IDE) compared with nonathletes (13%). There were nonsignificant differences (p > .05) in the prevalence of iron deficiency (ID; 49% vs. 46%) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA; 2% vs. 4%) between athletes and nonathletes. Similarly, the prevalence of ID, IDE, and IDA was not significantly different between sports (p > .05). Furthermore, training volume was negatively correlated with ferritin concentration in athletes (r: −.464, moderate, p < .001). Professional female athletes are at a heightened risk of IDE compared with nonathletes; therefore, they should be periodically screened for ID to reduce the deleterious effects on training and performance. The similar prevalence of ID, IDE, and IDA found across athletes competing in different sports suggests that overlaps exist between handball, volleyball, soccer, and judo athletes regarding risk of disturbance in iron metabolism.

Hospital workers at the Oncology Department are occupationally exposed to antineoplastic drugs (ANTNP) or low doses of ionizing radiation (Irrad). Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the level of DNA damage, the oxidative stress parameters and complete blood count (CBC) of hospital workers in order to analyze the negative health effects of ANTNP and low dose Irrad. The frequency of micronuclei (MN) and proliferation index (PI) were analyzed by cytokinesis-block test. The oxidative stress biomarkers evaluated were the level of lipid peroxidation in plasma and catalase activity (CAT) in erythrocytes. A group of 86 hospital workers (35 exposed to ANTPN and 51 to Irrad) had increased MN frequency, CAT activity and level of lipid peroxidation compared to the control group, which consisted of 24 volunteers. The hemoglobin level was lower in the ANTNP group compared to thecontrol group, while a significant difference in RBC was recorded between thecontrol and Irrad groups, and in platelet count betweentheIrrad and ANTNP group. The results showed increased DNA damage, oxidative stress parameters, as well as impairment on complete blood count in hospital workers occupationally exposed to antineoplastic drugs and low-dose ionizing radiation. As this research has shown the importance of oxidative stress, we suggest that in addition to routine methods in periodic medical evaluation, the possibility of applying oxidative stress parameters is considered. Moreover, hospital workers exposed to ANTNP and Irrad in the workplace should undergo not only a more complete health prevention procedure but also have a more appropriate health promotion.

Specific body composition and anthropometri- cal assessment as a part of morphological analysis should complement physiological profile of elite athletes. The analysis of the anaerobic performance shows that the handball players have greater alactic anaerobic and explosive power component, compared to the rowers in whom the anaerobic endurance and specific training have the greatest effect on the consumption of dominant metabolic substrate during the race.

In elite athletes, the palmaris longus (PL) presence has a potential contribution to hand strength, smaller reaction time, better shooting speed and power. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of PL in elite competitive artistic gymnasts and its impact on grip strength compared to a control group of moderately active non-athletes. This prospective study included 370 subjects divided in two groups (170 elite artistic gymnasts and 200 moderately active non-athletes, students of medicine). The study consisted of two clinical sets of examination: a search for the clinical presence of PL was initially conducted followed by the assessment of maximal grip strength. Standard and six additional tests were performed to confirm PL tendon absence. Maximal grip strength was measured bilaterally with an electronic hand dynamometer. Bilateral absence was more common than unilateral, predominately noted on left side in both study groups. Unilateral PL absence was correlated to decreased grip strength in students, while the opposite was found in gymnasts. The mean value of grip strength in some age groups was higher on the side where the PL was absent. The results of our study show that the presence of the PL doesn`t affect the hand grip strength in gymnasts. Due to the low incidence of unilateral PL absence, further large-sampled research is warranted to assess PL contribution to hand grip strength and to other hand functions that could be of significant importance for athletes and non-athletes.

Over the course of several decades at the Faculty of Medicine in Novi Sad, fundamental studies in the field of neurosciences were of great importance and were continually kept up-to-date with global scientific achievements. These studies were applied by using the stereotactic method, single-unit recording, and electroencephalography. The Laboratory of Neurophysiology was established in 1965 and since 1978 microelectrode and microiontophoretic techniques important for the registration and analysis of the activity of individual neurons were fully developed. Under the great influence of Russian neurophysiological school (P.K. Anokhin, K.V. Sudakov), the emphasis was on the study of Anokhin's theory of functional systems. Recently, epilepsy, brain ischemia and the influence of different medications, auxiliary medicinal products, and physical agents (electromagnetic radiation) on the central nervous system, behaviour, learning and investigated pathological conditions have been studied. Scientific collaboration with renowned institutions in the country and abroad has been established, numerous scientific projects have been carried out, expert international meetings have been organized, and numerous significant studies have been published. These results have often been the basis for further clinical investigations and the improvement of preventive or curative treatment of patients. Researchers from the Laboratory participated in the education of new generations of neurophysiologists, encouraging their scientific curiosity and love for fascinating mechanisms of the nervous system.

According to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) global drowning report (2017), drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury death worldwide. Drowning can occur anywhere there is water: oceans, seas, lakes, pools, bathtubs, rivers or water collection on the side of the road, etc. In many countries, there are drowning prevention programs for children and adults. The two most commonly used strategiesagainst drowning are the presence of lifeguards in public places and the use of protected areas that could prevent most of the drownings. The main aim of the present study is to examine the individual differences in a Big Five plus Two (BF+2) personality traits in lifeguards and non-lifeguards (including students). The subsample of lifeguards represented 122 male respondents who were, at the time of the survey, licensed as lifeguards (60.9%) or were in training for lifeguards—candidates (39.1%). The subsample of students represented 138 male respondents who were studying at the University of Novi Sad. The results indicate that lifeguards in comparison to students are more extraverted, open to experience, and conscientious, less neurotic, and aggressive. Both positive and negative valence are higher in student subsample. All of the above traits are desirable traits for people working as lifeguards.

Backgound/Aim. Allergic rhinitis is the most frequent type of rhinitis affecting more than 600 million people worldwide. As incidence increases, it is important to know about the characteristics, the allergens that exacerbate it as well as effects of allergic rhinitis on population. The aim of this study was to determine among patients with chronic rhinitis the number of patients positive to standard inhaled allergens, their distribution by sex, age and to determine the type and frequency of allergic sensitization to specific inhalatory allergens. Methods. Data was collected from 514 patients tested for standard inhalatory allergens via the skin prick test from 01.01.2016 to 31.12. 2016. Age, sex and concomitant diseases as well an analysis of type and frequency of hypersensitivity to different allergens were assessed and recorded. Results. Of 514 patients, 307 patients, with an average age of 29.6 ± 8.88 years had a positive skin prick test. The sex ratio was 1.2 : 1 in favor of the females. Outdoor allergens affected 81.2% of all patients while indoor allergens 66.4% of them. Weed pollen (71%), grass pollen (61%) and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (46%) were the most common allergens. Most patients were sensitized to 1 (22%) or 2 (22%) allergens, while 20% of patients were simultaneously sensitized to 3 allergens. Conclusion. Most patients with the symptoms of chronic rhinitis had a positive allergic reaction. Those in their third decade of life were the most commonly affected. Outdoor allergens were the most prevalent allergen group, and weed pollen was the most frequent type of allergen. ApstraktUvod/Cilj. Alergijski rinitis kao najčešći oblik hroničnog zapaljenja sluznice nosa (rinitisa), nalazi se na četvrtom mestu na listi najčešćih hroničnih oboljenja na svetu, s obzirom da od njega boluje više od od 600 miliona ljudi. Zbog izuzetno brzog porasta incidence oboljenja, značajno je odrediti karakteristike inhalatornih alergena koji ga izazivaju kao i efekte samog oboljenja na populaciju. Cilj studije je bio da se u grupi obolelih od hroničnih rinitisa, koji se podvrgavaju testiranju na alergije, utvrdi broj onih koji su alergični, njihova distribucija po polu, starosti i utvrđivanje vrste i učestalosti alergijske senzibilizacije na specifične inhalatorne alergene. Metode. Prospektivo-retrospektivnom studijom analizirani su podaci 514 pacijenata sa hroničnim rinitisom, koji su podvrgnuti testiranju na alergije, supkutanim testom uz upotrebu standardnih inhalatornih alergena, u periodu od godinu dana (od 1.01.2016 do 31.12.2016). Analizirani su starost, pol, pridružene bolesti ispitanika sa alergijskim rinitisom, kao i vrsta i učestalost hipersenzibilizacije na pojedine alergene. Rezultati. Od 514 pacijenata sa hroničnim rinitisom, 307 pacijenata prosečne starosti od 29.6 ± 8.88 godina i blagom dominacijom ženskog pola u odnosu na muški (1,2 : 1) je imalo pozitivan test na inhalacione alergene. Na spoljašnje alergene je bilo senzibilisano 81.2% pacijenata, a na unutrašnje alergene 66.4%. Dominantna senzibiliza...