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Background and Study Aim: Talent identification/development programs are utilized by sports federations to select or train elite athletes. In addition to the established tests that assess perceptive and motor skills, it was deemed significant that cognitive skills should be evaluated as well. The present study was undertaken to assess the utility of Instruction-Based Selective Action Pattern (IBSAP), a novel method that we developed, in estimating perceptive, motor as well as cognitive skills of athletes in order for talent identification. We also investigated the relationship between IBSAP and auditory reaction times (ARTs). Material and Methods: Forty-three students (average age: 12.6 years) participated in the study. Random/fixed-interval ARTs were recorded. IBSAP was applied using a table tennis robot that was set up to throw 30 balls in three different colors to different spots on the table with a frequency of 1 ball/s. The subjects were instructed to ignore the white balls, to touch the yellow balls, and to catch the pink balls before the first trial and their scores were calculated in two consecutive trials according to a scoring system. Results: Our results showed that motor learning, adaptation and reinforcement of the participants were significantly greater in second trial compared with the first trial and that IBSAP values were correlated with ARTs. Conclusions: We conclude that the IBSAP method reliably provides quantitative data on perception, motor as well as cognitive skills and it can be considered as a useful tool for talent identification.

Garments should not overload the body during activity and should be chosen in accordance with the ambient conditions. Especially in active sports, sportswear should make a person feel comfortable and increase performance by easily removing excess heat and moisture from the body without interrupting physical activity. In this study, five T-shirts with the same size and weight characteristics, but in different yarn types were produced and analysed. The thermal and water vapour resistance properties of these garments were measured using a thermal manikin system. In addition, thermal camera images were taken at 10-minute intervals during the 50-minute wear trial programme, and skin temperatures were measured from the upper front body and the upper back body with two sensors. The results showed that POS and PM-coded garments made of polyester with low clothing insulation (clo) values were statistically different from CS and CPS coded cotton-containing garments in terms of front and back surface thermal camera images. It was observed that cotton-containing garments were more uncomfortable than polyester and Tencel owing to their higher thermal resistance, garment surface temperature, and skin temperature values. The Tencel garment was measured similarly to the CS and CPS coded garments at the beginning of the activity and measured similarly to the POS and PM coded garments at the end of the activity on both surfaces.

The increase in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) along with physical exercise is thought to be one of the main reasons of the positive effect on the cognitive characteristics of elderly persons. The aim of this study is to systematically review the effects of physical exercise on BDNF in elderly people. The methodology of the electronic database survey was based on the preferred reporting clauses for systematic reviews. In this review, 21 full-text studies which have been evaluated in terms of the effects of physical exercise on BDNF in elderly people were reviewed. In most of the studies, there is serious evidence that physical exercise regulates BDNF levels in the elderly. Exercise can become a powerful prescription in combating cognitive diseases associated with neuromuscular disorders, and a sedentary lifestyle, if it can lead to the healing and regeneration of neural tissue through its effect on BDNF.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the physical activity levels and the quality of life of the university students. In this purpose, the SF-36 life quality scale was used to examine the quality of life of the participants and physical activity levels were also determined through IPAQ. One-way ANOVA was used to compare the quality of life based on the physical activity levels of the participants. Moreover, the Bonferroni Correction were used to determine which physical activity level causes the difference by keeping the type I error rate fixed at 0.05. Statistically significant results were observed between social function and physical activity levels for the female group. In addition, statistically significant results were found between vitality and physical activity levels for the male group. The results show that there is a significant relationship between physical activity and quality of life. The individuals who feel more fit and social tend to have an active life. Given that it is crucial to intensify the studies on this topic for university students to encourage them for taking up regular physical activity as a part of life style.