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The aim of the study was to analyse changes in the average height of adult Polish women born in 1931–2001 in the aspect of dynamically changing economic and socio-economic conditions of the living environment. An ethnically homogeneous group of 6,028 adult women from large Polish cities, born in 1931–2001, living between 1931 and 2020, were examined using the same research methods and research equipment. All women were divided into eight birth cohorts. The Kruskal-Wallis test and multiple regression analyses were used. Root Mean Square Standardized Effect (RMSSE), critical value of the test, and test power were calculated. The average height of women born during 70 years of the study increased by 9.63 cm, from 158.22 cm (SD = 5.57 cm) to 167.85 cm (SD = 6.91 cm) (H = 1084.84, p<0.001). The intensity of the intergenerational trend in subsequent cohorts of years of birth varied strongly between decades, averaging 1.34 cm/decade. The body height in women increased significantly up to the height of those born between 1970 and 1979 and then the trend weakened noticeably, although it remained positive. The observed secular trend confirms positive changes in the standard of living of Polish women between 1931 and 2020. Improving living conditions allow people to fully achieve their genetically determined growth potential.

Maintaining body symmetry in sports characterized by high lateralization is crucial for optimizing long-term athletic performance and mitigating injury risk. This study aimed to evaluate the extent of morphological asymmetry in anthropometric features among elite professional fencers. Additionally, the presence of functional asymmetry and its associations with morphological asymmetry were assessed. Thirty-two Polish adult female fencers, aged 18–33 yrs, were examined. Data collection involved a questionnaire survey, anthropometric measurements, calculation of anthropological indices, and assessment of functional asymmetry. For the 24 bilateral anthropometric features, small differences were found in seven characteristics: foot length, subscapular skinfold thickness, upper arm circumference, minimum and maximum forearm circumference, upper limb length, and arm circumference in tension. Morphological asymmetry index did not exceed 5%. Left-sided lateralization of either the upper or lower limbs was associated with significantly high asymmetry, specifically indicating larger minimum forearm circumferences in the right limb. Continuous, individualized monitoring of morphological asymmetry and its direction in athletes is essential, demanding concurrent consideration of functional lateralization. This ongoing assessment establishes a critical baseline for evaluating training adaptations, reducing injury susceptibility, and optimizing rehabilitation strategies. Deeper investigation of symmetry within non-dominant limbs is warranted to enhance our understanding.

The occurrence of injuries due to unintentional falls becomes particularly dangerous in people with neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease (PD). The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of the Rock Steady Boxing (RSB) program’s single training units on body stability changes in elderly people with PD. Data from 18 patients (PG) and a similar-age 15-person control group without PD (CG) were used to analyze the collected study material. Postural stabilography was used to assess balance ability in two 30-second tests of standing on both feet with eyes open (EO) and closed (EC). The EO_CoP path length was significantly (p = 0.007) longer in the PG (266 ± 105 mm) compared to the CG (172 ± 32 mm), and similar differences were obtained for other parameters. PG measurements were taken over four consecutive weeks of RSB, both before and after each 90-minute training session. The lack of relevant differences be-tween measurements before vs. after for the PG may indicate the appropriate adaptation of exercisers to the applied loads. The probability of the compared parameters ranged from p = 0.586 to p = 0.999. Participation in RSB-based physical activity resulted in a deterioration in balance ability in the majority of participants immediately after exer-cise, but the results were characterized by a large spread, and the changes varied indi-vidually. Therefore, sports activities for PD must be adapted accordingly, taking into account the stage of the disease or the duration of the disease.

Physical inactivity of children can be a precursor of reduced bone mineral density, considered to be a typical problem only in old age. The aim of this study was to evaluate bone mineral density in 96 Polish boys aged 14–17 years with varied physical activity (swimmers, track and field athletes, non-athletes) and the effect of bone composition, birth weight and breastfeeding during infancy on bone parameters. Anthropometric and body composition measurements were performed according to the kinanthropometric standards. Bone parameters of the forearm were measured by means of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Data on the infant’s birth weight and the length of breastfeeding were collected during direct interviews with mothers. The strongest links with bone parameters were found for the type of physical activity and birth weight. Regardless of birth weight, track and field athletes had the most advantageous bone parameters (mainly sT-score prox values). Swimmers with normal or low birth weight had less favourable sT-score prox values than non-athletes. The type of physical activity proved to be an important determinant of bone parameters. Childhood and adolescence are important periods of bone development and increasing the content of bone mineral components, and the bone status in later years of life depends to a large extent on this period. The perinatal period, especially the correct birth weight of the child, not only has a significant effect on general health, but also on bone status.

: The purpose of the study was to assess the level of physical fitness (PF) and somatic structure in children training a Korean martial art (ITF taekwondo) and untrained peers and to determine the associations of children’s BMI with that of their parents. : The research material consisted of data from 135 individuals, representing 45 child-mother-father triplets, including 22 triplets with children practicing taekwondo and 23 triplets with untrained children. The children had an average chronological age of 10.08 ± 1.35 years, whereas the age of mothers and fathers was 38.09 ± 4.56 years and 40.57 ± 4.70 years, respectively. Traits analyzed included those evaluated by selected physical fitness tests from the Eurofit Physical Fitness Test battery, body mass index (BMI), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) in children, and BMI in parents. Statistical analyses included the chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Spearman’s correlations, with a significance level set at α = 0.05. : The results showed no significant differences in the somatic structure, physical fitness, BMI, and WHtR in the children studied. However, a tendency was observed for children attending ITF taekwondo classes to be characterized by higher levels of physical fitness. Higher BMI was found in the parents of the trained children and positive correlations were found between the BMI of the trained children and their parents. : Identifying and studying the effect size of PA determinants in adolescents, with a particular focus on the influence of parents, may be the key to improving the health of future generations.

: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of whole-body and local cryotherapy on pain and function of the osteoarthritic hip. : The study included 40 patients (26 women and 14 men) aged 36 to 85 years with confirmed hip osteoarthritis. Twenty participants received whole-body cryotherapy whereas twenty received local cryotherapy in the hip region. A visual analog scale (VAS) was used to assess the effects of therapy. : Based on the examinations, improvements in both reported pain and general functional status of the participants were observed in both groups. Slightly greater improvement regarding reported pain was found in the group of participants undergoing local cryotherapy treatments. : The results showed that the analgesic effect of both whole-body and local cryotherapy noticeably increased the ability of the participants to engage in activities of daily living.

The apelinergic system comprises two peptide ligands, apelin and ELABELA, and their cognate G-protein-coupled receptor, the apelin receptor APJ. Apelin is a peptide that was isolated from bovine stomach extracts; the distribution of the four main active forms, apelin-36, -17, -13, and pyr-apelin-13 differs between tissues. The mature form of ELABELA-32 can be transformed into forms called ELABELA-11 or -21. The biological function of the apelinergic system is multifaceted, and includes the regulation of angiogenesis, body fluid homeostasis, energy metabolism, and functioning of the cardiovascular, nervous, respiratory, digestive, and reproductive systems. This review summarises the mechanism of the apelinergic system in cell apoptosis. Depending on the cell/tissue, the apelinergic system modulates cell apoptosis by activating various signalling pathways, including phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK1/2), protein kinase B (AKT), 5’AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK), and protein kinase A (PKA). Apoptosis is critically important during various developmental processes, and any dysfunction leads to pathological conditions such as cancer, autoimmune diseases, and developmental defects. The purpose of this review is to present data that suggest a significant role of the apelinergic system as a potential agent in various therapies.

Proper functioning of the body depends on hormonal homeostasis. White adipose tissue is now known as an endocrine organ due to the secretion of multiple molecules called adipokines. These proteins exert direct effects on whole body functions, including lipid metabolism, angiogenesis, inflammation, and reproduction, whereas changes in their level are linked with pathological events, such as infertility, diabetes, and increased food intake. Vaspin-visceral adipose tissue-derived serine protease inhibitor, or SERPINA12 according to serpin nomenclature, is an adipokine discovered in 2005 that is connected to the development of insulin resistance, obesity, and inflammation. A significantly higher amount of vaspin was observed in obese patients. The objective of this review was to summarize the latest findings about vaspin expression and action in endocrine tissues, such as the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, adipose tissue, thyroid, ovary, placenta, and testis, as well as discuss the link between vaspin and pathologies connected with hormonal imbalance.

The apelinergic system, which includes the apelin receptor (APJ) as well as its two specific ligands, namely apelin and ELABELA (ELA/APELA/Toddler), have been the subject of many recent studies due to their pleiotropic effects in humans and other animals. Expression of these factors has been investigated in numerous tissues and organs—for example, the lungs, heart, uterus, and ovary. Moreover, a number of studies have been devoted to understanding the role of apelin and the entire apelinergic system in the most important processes in the body, starting from early stages of human life with regulation of placental function and the proper course of pregnancy. Disturbances in the balance of placental processes such as proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, or hormone secretion may lead to specific pregnancy pathologies; therefore, there is a great need to search for substances that would help in their early diagnosis or treatment. A number of studies have indicated that compounds of the apelinergic system could serve this purpose. Hence, in this review, we summarized the most important reports about the role of apelin and the entire apelinergic system in the regulation of placental physiology and pregnancy.

The corpus luteum is a small gland of great importance because its proper functioning determines not only the appropriate course of the estrous/menstrual cycle and embryo implantation, but also the subsequent maintenance of pregnancy. Among the well-known regulators of luteal tissue functions, increasing attention is focused on the role of neuropeptides and adipose tissue hormones—adipokines. Growing evidence points to the expression of these factors in the corpus luteum of women and different animal species, and their involvement in corpus luteum formation, endocrine function, angiogenesis, cells proliferation, apoptosis, and finally, regression. In the present review, we summarize the current knowledge about the expression and role of adipokines, such as adiponectin, leptin, apelin, vaspin, visfatin, chemerin, and neuropeptides like ghrelin, orexins, kisspeptin, and phoenixin in the physiological regulation of the corpus luteum function, as well as their potential involvement in pathologies affecting the luteal cells that disrupt the estrous cycle.