The practice of introducing an electronic health passport in educational institutions

Introduction. Monitoring of students' health and physical fitness in general educational institutions is an integral part of the educational process, however, it takes much time on the part of teachers and school authorities responsible for collecting and storing information about health. The research relevance is substantiated by the need to preserve and strengthen students' health due to the dependence of the quality of education on the level of students' health and their performance. The research purpose was to test an electronic health passport in educational institutions for a comprehensive assessment of students' health and physical fitness indicators. Materials and methods. More than 600 schoolchildren of three age groups took part in the study: students aged 8-9 (298 students), 12-13 (244 schoolchildren), 15-16 (119 boys and girls) from general educational institutions in Lipetsk. Methods of assessing the morphofunctional state (measurement of body weight and length, blood pressure, heart rate monitoring, health coefficient calculation), the questionnaire method (assessment of school motivation, the study of self-esteem, diagnostics of learning motivation and emotional attitude to learning, the Ladder test) and methods of assessing physical fitness included in the All-Russian Physical Education and Sports Complex "Ready for Labor and Defense" were used. Research results. Significant differences (p<0.05) were determined in indicators of the health coefficient among schoolchildren from three general educational institutions in Lipetsk, and a tendency towards a decrease in the level of students' health from the lower grades to the higher ones was revealed. A decrease in indicators of school motivation and interest in the learning process was found in half of the students of primary school age (13-14 points out of 30 possible ones) and the majority of secondary school students (8-13 points out of 60 possible ones) and senior school students (7-12 points out of 60 possible ones). An insignificant difference (p>0.05) was found in the indicators of physical fitness of schoolchildren with different training profiles. The practice of introducing an automated electronic health passport system made it possible to systematize large amounts of information on various parameters characterizing the students' health and physical fitness in the shortest possible time and to optimize the teachers' work. Conclusion. The authors presented an experience of approbation of an electronic health passport, which made it possible to determine the level of physical, mental health and physical fitness of each student or group of students, formulate recommendations for students, parents and heads of educational institutions, as well as conduct a comparative characteristic of the studied indicators of schoolchildren from various educational institutions.

A systematic review about stablished methods and thresholds to determine velocity and accelerations in soccer

Background Velocity and accelerations have been highlighted as the most important variables in soccer. However, there is a consensus gap to define different levels of effort. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify those articles that purposed a threshold to establish (i) movement intensity at different velocities using tracking systems and (ii) accelerations using inertial measurement units, classifying the justification methods. Methods A systematic review of Cochrane Library, EBSCO, PubMed, Scielo, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science databases was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Results From the 1983 studies initially identified, 40 were fully reviewed, and their outcome measures were extracted and analyzed. Conclusios: The 40 m maximal linear sprint test is the preferred method used in originating speed and acceleration thresholds in soccer despite recent research opted also to consider composite fitness measures such as anaerobic speed reserve. However, there is a substantial heterogeneity on locomotor testing procedures and workload zones established from these performance data while construct validity of several fitness indicators is not yet supported. Studies diverged on recommending, maybe consider or suggested avoid the use of individualized thresholds. Low sampling frequency (≤ 10 Hertz) in publications computing acceleration and deceleration demands should be also interpreted with caution. The present study collated evidence that may help conditioning professionals when processing and interpreting external load data in a soccer context.

Power improvement of male students in the physical education process through powerlifting and kettlebell lifting

The article presents indicators of the powerlifting and kettlebell lifting influence on the power improvement of male students. The analysis of literature sources showed that to increase the level of power readiness, a significant number of students prefer powerlifting, and others - kettlebell lifting. Power exercises promote the development of students' important volitional and physical qualities, readiness for highly productive work; preservation and strengthening of health, maintenance of comprehensive harmonious development; acquiring of the necessary knowledge on the organization of physical education and sports training by young people; the realization of tasks of professionally-applied physical training taking into account features of the future professional activity, and improving skills in sports developing power. The aim of the article is to substantiate and test experimentally the efficiency of powerlifting and kettlebell lifting for the power improvement of male students in the physical education process. It is proved that the use of powerlifting promotes the development of maximum and absolute power, and kettlebell lifting promotes the development of endurance and the improvement of the physical performance of students, which is important for their future professional activity and life activity. The analysis of the physical fitness indicators of students, obtained in the process of a formative pedagogical experiment, convincingly showed the high efficiency of powerlifting and kettlebell lifting for the power development. The students of the experimental group significantly improved the indicators in five tests in physical training Р < 0,05–0,001.

Effects of Constant versus Fluctuating Temperatures on Fitness Indicators of the Aphid Dysaphis plantaginea and the Parasitoid Aphidius matricariae

Testing fluctuating rather than constant temperatures is likely to produce more realistic datasets, as they are ecologically more similar to what arthropods experience in nature. In this study, we evaluated the impact of three constant thermal regimes (7, 12, and 17 °C) and one fluctuating thermal regime (7–17 °C with a mean of 12 °C) on fitness indicators in the rosy apple aphid Dysaphis plantaginea, a major pest of apple orchards, and the parasitoid Aphidius matricariae, one of its natural enemies used in mass release biological control strategies. For some—but not all—traits, the fluctuating 7–17 °C regime was beneficial to insects compared to the constant 12 °C regime. Both aphid and parasitoid development times were shortened under the fluctuating regime, and there was a clear trend towards an increased longevity under the fluctuating regime. The fecundity, mass, and size were affected by the mean temperature, but only the mass of aphids was higher at 7–17 °C than at a constant 12 °C. Parasitism rates, but not emergence rates, were higher under the fluctuating regime than under the constant 12 °C regime. Results are discussed within the framework of insect thermal ecology and Jensen’s inequality. We conclude that incorporating thermal fluctuations in ecological studies could allow for the more accurate consideration of how temperature affects host–parasitoid interactions and insect responses to temperature change over time.

Relationships between body size and physical abilities in elite female tennis players

This paper studied the relationships between anthropometry and physical fitness indicators that affect elite female tennis players’ training process planning. Bodyweight and height were measured as well as aerobic and anaerobic lactic capabilities, and the physiological indicators determined. Results showed reliable relationships between the anthropometric and functional fitness indicators and the players’ competitive performance. It was concluded that monitoring the average weight relative to the height of female tennis players can assist in the improvement of the players’ performance through changes in the training process, specifically by relating the weight and height indicators with the strengths and weaknesses of the players’ tactical patterns.

Reactive anti-predator behavioral strategy shaped by predator characteristics

Large mammalian herbivores use a diverse array of strategies to survive predator encounters including flight, grouping, vigilance, warning signals, and fitness indicators. While anti-predator strategies appear to be driven by specific predator traits, no prior studies have rigorously evaluated whether predator hunting characteristics predict reactive anti-predator responses. We experimentally investigated behavioral decisions made by free-ranging impala, wildebeest, and zebra during encounters with model predators with different functional traits. We hypothesized that the choice of response would be driven by a predator’s hunting style (i.e., ambush vs. coursing) while the intensity at which the behavior was performed would correlate with predator traits that contribute to the prey’s relative risk (i.e., each predator’s prey preference, prey-specific capture success, and local predator density). We found that the choice and intensity of anti-predator behaviors were both shaped by hunting style and relative risk factors. All prey species directed longer periods of vigilance towards predators with higher capture success. The decision to flee was the only behavior choice driven by predator characteristics (capture success and hunting style) while intensity of vigilance, frequency of alarm-calling, and flight latency were modulated based on predator hunting strategy and relative risk level. Impala regulated only the intensity of their behaviors, while zebra and wildebeest changed both type and intensity of response based on predator traits. Zebra and impala reacted to multiple components of predation threat, while wildebeest responded solely to capture success. Overall, our findings suggest that certain behaviors potentially facilitate survival under specific contexts and that prey responses may reflect the perceived level of predation risk, suggesting that adaptive functions to reactive anti-predator behaviors may reflect potential trade-offs to their use. The strong influence of prey species identity and social and environmental context suggest that these factors may interact with predator traits to determine the optimal response to immediate predation threat.

Long-term mating positively predicts both reproductive fitness and parental investment

Empirical data on the relations between mating and reproductive success are rare for humans, especially for industrial and post-industrial populations. Existing data show that mating (and especially long-term mating) can be beneficial for fitness, especially that of males. This finding is in line with the hypothesis of sexual selection operating in human populations. The present research expands on previous studies by: 1) analysing additional fitness indicators, including having children with different partners; 2) including parental investment in the analysis as another important marker of sexual selection; 3) analysing several mediators between mating, reproductive fitness and parental investment, i.e. age of first and last reproduction and desired number of children. The data were obtained in 2019 from a sample of parents living in Serbia (N=497). The findings showed that long-term mating (duration of longest partner relationship) was positively related to parental investment and number of offspring and grand-offspring. Furthermore, the link between long-term mating and reproductive success was completely mediated by the age of first reproduction and desired number of children. Short-term mating (number of sexual partners) was marginally positively related to the number of children participants had with different partners and negatively related to parental investment. No sex differences in the link between mating, fitness and parental investment were detected. In general, the signatures of sexual selection were weak in the present data, but those that were detected were in line with sexual selection theory. The present findings provide a deeper insight into the adaptive function of mating and also the mechanism of how mating is beneficial for fitness.

The Shortest Duration Constrained Hidden Markov Model: Data denoise and forecast optimization on the country-product matrix for the Fitness-Complexity Algorithm

The Economic Fitness Index describes industrial completeness and comprehensively reflects product diversification with competitiveness and product complexity in production globalization. The Fitness-Complexity Algorithm offers a scientific approach to predicting GDP and obtains fruitful results. As a recursion algorithm, the non-linear iteration processes give novel insights into product complexity and country fitness without noise data. However, the Country-Product Matrix and Revealed Comparative Advantage data have abnormal noises which contradict the relative stability of product diversity and the transformation of global production. The data noise entering the iteration algorithm, combined with positively related Fitness and Complexity, will be amplified in each recursion step. We introduce the Shortest Duration Constrained Hidden Markov Model (SDC-HMM) to denoise the Country-Product Matrix for the first time. After the country-product matrix test, the country case test, the noise estimation test and the panel regression test of national economic fitness indicators to predict GDP growth, we show that the SDC-HMM could reduce abnormal noise by about 25% and identify change points. This article provides intra-sample predictions that theoretically confirm that the SDC-HMM can improve the effectiveness of economic fitness indicators in interpreting economic growth.

Az életcélok szerepe a szociális szférában dolgozó nők tápláltsági, fittségi és életminőségi mutatóiban

Összefoglaló. Bevezetés: A szociális szférában dolgozók túlterheltsége jelentős, és munkakörülményeik többnyire kedvezőtlenek. Bizonyított, hogy az életcélok meghatározzák a karrier, az egészségtudatosság és az életminőség területeit, de ez utóbbi a szociális dolgozók mintáján még nem került bizonyításra. Célkitűzés: A kutatás célja, hogy bemutassa egy szociális és egészségügyi szolgáltatóintézmény női dolgozóinak (n = 127) tápláltsági és fittségi állapotát és életminőségét, valamint az életcélok meghatározó szerepét ezekre a mutatókra. Módszer: Kérdőív, teszt, testösszetétel-vizsgálat és fittségiállapot-felmérés segítségével gyűjtöttünk adatokat, amelyeket különbözőségvizsgálattal és regresszióelemzéssel elemeztünk. Eredmények: A minta tápláltsági mutatója túlsúlyra utal, míg a fittségi állapot, az életminőség és az életcélok még elfogadható tartományban vannak, de a szélsőértékek jelentősek. A magasabb életcélokkal rendelkezők jobb fittségi mutatókkal és életminőséggel jellemezhetők. Az ülőmunkát és a fizikai munkát végzők között minimális különbség volt kimutatható a tápláltsági mutatók, a fittség és az életminőség tekintetében. A táppénzt igénybe vevők gyengébb fittségi és életminőség-mutatókkal rendelkeznek, mint akik nem voltak betegszabadságon. Az életkor előrehaladtával romló testösszetételt és fittségi állapotot detektáltunk. Következtetés: A korábbi kutatási eredményeket megerősíthetjük abban, hogy a szociális dolgozók tápláltsági és fittségi mutatói, valamint életminőségszintje nem optimális. Az életcélok meghatározó szerepe a vizsgált területek számottevő részében bizonyítást nyert. A dolgozói életcélok megerősítésének egyik fontos színtere a munkahely, ahol számos pozitív hatás érhető el a testi-lelki egészség, a jóllét és a munkateljesítmény területein is. Orv Heti. 2021; 162(27): 1089–1098. Summary. Introduction: Professionals working in the social sector typically do significant overwork in rather unfavourable working conditions. Although the purpose in life is proved to determine the areas of career, health awareness, and the quality of life, the latter has not yet been confirmed among social workers. Objective: The purpose of this research is to demonstrate body composition and fitness status as well as the quality of life of female employees (n = 127) at a social institution, furthermore the decisive role purpose of life plays in these indicators. Method: Data were collected through questionnaires, tests, body composition analyses, and fitness status tests, and were assessed by t-test, analysis of variance and regression analysis. Results: Body composition of the participants indicates a generally overweight status, while fitness status, quality of life, and purpose of life are within the acceptable range, however, all with notable range values. Those with a higher-level purpose of life demonstrate better fitness indicators and higher quality of life. In terms of body composition, fitness, and quality of life, only a minor difference was found between those who do intellectual and physical type of work. Those who took sick leave demonstrated a lower level of fitness and quality of life compared to those who did not take any sick leave. Body composition and fitness status have proven to deteriorate with age. Conclusion: Previous research findings can be confirmed by stating that neither the body composition and fitness indicators, nor the quality-of-life level of social workers are optimal. The determining role of purpose in life has been proven in substantial aspects in this study. One of the focus areas of enhancing purpose in life is the workplace, where major positive impacts can be achieved in terms of the physical and mental health, well-being, and work performance. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(27): 1089–1098.