The influence of the field orientation on physical demands in soccer small-sided games

The aim of this study was to compare the physical demands of SSG with either greater length (SSGlength) or width (SSGwidth) with official soccer matches. Sixteen Brazilian U-20 national-level soccer players participated in two sessions with SSGlength (4v4, 40 m length and 26 m width) and two sessions with SSGwidth (4v4, 26 m length and 40 m width). External and internal load variables were monitored and compared to official games (12.8 ± 8.9 games per player). Data were standardized to the time and compared between the experimental conditions by a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures (level of significance set at p < 0.05). The effect size was calculated by the partial ETA squared (ɳ p2). Results showed that the total distance covered during SSGlength was significantly higher compared to official matches (8.1%; p = 0.001) and SSGwidth (5.2%; p = 0.049). Highest values were registered in the matches when compared to SSGlength and SSGwidth for high-speed distance, sprint distance, maximal speed and number of sprints. The number of accelerations was significantly lower during official matches than SSGwidth (36.5%; p = 0.002) and SSGlength (45.0%; p < 0.001). The number of high-speed actions was higher in official games when compared to SSGwidth (47.1%; p < 0.001). No differences were found between matches and SSGlength ( p = 0.059). We concluded that the physical demands of the 4v4 SSGs adopted in this study were different from the physical demands of official match play. The use of a field with a greater width rather than length does not appear to make the physical demands of the SSG more similar to the official games.

Education of the Lower Body Flexibility in Students by Combining Various Types of Stretching during Physical Education Lessons

Goal: The identification of the effectiveness of the application of dynamic stretching (DS) and static stretching (SS) during warm-up and cool-down, in regards to lower body flexibility. Participants: 206 boys and 91 girls, first- and second-year students of the Dunărea de Jos University, Galați, involved in over 90% of the physical education lessons over the course of both semesters of the academic year 2018-2019, for 28 weeks, 1 module/2 hours weekly. Results: The statistical calculation performed with ANOVA, with repeated measurements indicates the existence of significant progress (values of F<.05), for both genders, in most of the applied tests, but the size of the effect (Partial eta squared/Ƞ2p) shows a weak influence of the independent variable on the flexibility values in half of the analyzed cases. The average values of the girls' performances are significantly superior to the boys' results, in 6 out of 8 tests. Conclusions: The stretching types used during the physical education lessons are effective, producing results in regards to flexibility and to the initial, reduced training level, however, in order to get stronger effects, one physical education lesson per week is not a viable solution to achieve long term favorable adaptations.

A comparative study of the reproductive success of Theobroma Cacao L (malvaceae) undernatural and manual pollination

The reproductive successes under natural and manual pollination were assessed. Two cocoa farms around Bobiri Forest Reserve, in the Ejisu-Juabeng District Ghana were purposively selected. Fifteen percent of open flowers from five selected cocoa trees were subjected to manual-pollination and total exclusion. Ninety pods under natural pollination were compared with ninety pods under manually pollination. Proximate analysis was carried out to evaluate the macronutrients of cocoa pod and seeds produced under the two pollination modes. Results show that pollinator exclusion significantly decreased fruit set (df=2, X2 =12.5, P=0.00) and flower set (df= 2, F=25.2, P=0.00) (P=0.00). Pod weights and seed numbers significantly differed (V=0.049, F (4.49)=0.986, p<0.01, eta squared=0.049) irrespective of pod size and mode of pollination, however, there were individual differences. Weights of small pods did not differ (p>0.05) under the two pollination regimes, however, weights of medium size pods (p < 0.05) and that of the large pods (<0.05) produced under the two regimes of pollination differed. Number of beans and the size of pods did not differ under the two modes of pollination. Linear relationship existed between weight (y) and seed number (x) of individual pods: Y=18.56 + 0.016x; R2 =0.45. Macronutrients of pods and seeds did not differ (paired t test= 4.08, 29 d. f.; P=0.12) under the two pollination mode. The study concluded that natural pollination contributed to cocoa production.

Effects of a preparatory training protocol on the movement and body stability of handball players

Handball is a sport with a high risk of injury, The prevalence of injury is only obtainable through a thorough and comprehensive analysis. One of the most commonly used test batteries for interpreting the characteristics of an injury is the Functional Movement Screen (FMSTM). It makes possible to possible to identify movement limitations and asymmetries which are believed to impact injury risk in sports. The aim of this study is to use the FMSTM to determine whether an eight-week training protocol can predict and prevent injuries in handball. The study sample comprised the fifteen members of the Borac handball club youth team. The initial measurement showed that most players (80%) had an overall score in the test battery ranging from 15 to 20 points. In addition, three players were found to have asymmetry. Only one of the three players had an overall score in the FMSTM of ≤14. The participants scored the lowest in the initial measurement for Rotary Stability, followed by Deep Squat and Hurdle Step Left. They scored the highest in the Shoulder Mobility. After the implementation of the exercise protocol for improving body mobility and stability, the final measurements showed that all the participants had an overall score in the FMSTM of >14. The value of eta squared showed that training in between the two measurements had a significant impact. At the time of testing and protocol implementation no players sustained any injuries during matches or in training. This study confirmed that the FMSTM can be used to predict injuries in sports.

The Effect of Kompa Media (Science Comics) on the Predicting Skills of Class V Students in Elementary Schools

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of science comics media on the predicting skills of fifth grade students at Simogirang 1 Prambon Elementary School. Predictive skills have indicators suggesting what might happen. The research method used is experimental quantitative. This type of research is a one-group retest posttest with written test instruments and treatment, namely science comics media which includes material on the nature and form of objects in theme 7. The written test is obtained from students' answers which refer to the material properties and forms of objects with a total of 7 items, The first step is a written pretest, the second is a treatment, and the last is a posttest. The results of the research data from the results of the t-test known that the value of sig(-2 failed) was 0.000˂0.05. That is, the science comic media can be said to have a big influence on the predicting skills of fifth grade students at SD Negeri Simogirang 1 Prambon. This is indicated by the Eta Squared test of 95% and the remaining 5% is influenced by variables not examined.

The Effect of Training on Functional Behavioural Analysis on Teacher Self-Efficacy Among Special Education Teachers in Osun State, Southwestern Nigeria

Dealing with challenging behaviour is a source of stress and burnout among teachers of children with special education needs. Functional Behavioral Analysis (FBA) is useful for prevention and management of challenging behaviour, but the evidence-base among special education teachers is limited in Sub-Saharan Africa. Twenty teachers were recruited from two special needs schools (10 from each school), with one school designated ‘intervention’ and the other ‘control’. Two sessions of group-based training on FBA were conducted in the intervention school for the 10 teachers. All participants completed the ‘Teacher Self Efficacy Scale’ and ‘Professional Quality of Life Scale’ at baseline and again two weeks after the last intervention session. The intervention group completed a post-intervention ‘Client Satisfaction Questionnaire’. Controlling for baseline scores, the intervention group scored significantly higher on Self-Efficacy [F (1,18)=8.95, p=0.009, partial eta squared=0.36], and lower on Burnout [F (1,17) = 9.82, p=0.006, partial eta squared=0.380]. The intervention group’s mean score on the Burnout subscale of PQOLS was more than one standard deviation lower than the control group after the intervention [(29.30(2.58) vs 34.11(4.01)]. All participants in the intervention group rated the programme as good or excellent and over three-quarters (77.7%) would recommend it to their peers. To our knowledge, this is the first study of FBA training for special education teachers in Sub-Saharan Africa. The programme showed promising effectiveness, good feasibility and was highly accepted.

The Biomechanical Response of the Cornea in Orthokeratology

Orthokeratology has been widely used to control myopia, but the mechanism is still unknown. To further investigate the underlying mechanism of corneal reshaping using orthokeratology lenses via the finite element method, numerical models with different corneal curvatures, corneal thicknesses, and myopia reduction degrees had been developed and validated to simulate the corneal response and quantify the changes in maximum stress in the central and peripheral corneal areas during orthokeratology. The influence of the factors on corneal response had been analyzed by using median quantile regression. A partial eta squared value in analysis of variance models was established to compare the effect size of these factors. The results showed central and peripheral corneal stress responses changed significantly with increased myopia reduction, corneal curvature, and corneal thickness. The target myopia reduction had the greatest effect on the central corneal stress value (partial eta square = 0.9382), followed by corneal curvature (partial eta square = 0.5650) and corneal thickness (partial eta square = 0.1975). The corneal curvature had the greatest effect on the peripheral corneal stress value (partial eta square = 0.5220), followed by myopia reduction (partial eta square = 0.2375) and corneal thickness (partial eta square = 0.1972). In summary, the biomechanical response of the cornea varies significantly with the change in corneal conditions and lens designs. Therefore, the orthokeratology lens design and the lens fitting process should be taken into consideration in clinical practice, especially for patients with high myopia and steep corneas.

Multivariate Analysis of Vehicular Emissions in Parts of Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria

The focus of this study is to monitor the incidence of vehicular emissions in some parts of Benin City in addition to studying the spatial variation of the pollutant using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). Seven (7) georeferenced sampling points were employed for data collection and gaseous pollutants such as; dinitrogen oxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO) including the total radiation were monitored in the morning and evening for 35 days with the aid of portable toxic gas monitors and radiation alert meters. Also measured were maximum temperature and wind speed using infra-red thermometers and portable anemometer respectively. From the result, it was observed that for temperature, the mean ± standard deviation during morning session was 30.549 ± 1.3716 and during evening season it was 28.879 ± 1.1788. For NO2, the mean ± standard deviation during morning session was 0.0181 ± 0.01119 and during evening season it was 0.0230 ± 0.01282. For CO, the mean ± standard deviation during morning session was 0.5428 ± 0.36396 and during evening season it was 0.6169 ± 0.32395. For total radiation, the mean ± standard deviation during morning session was 0.247 ± 0.1285 and during evening season it was 0.281 ± 0.1298. On the significance difference of the overall results, it was revealed that the difference in concentration of vehicular emissions during the early hours of the morning and peak hours of evening is significant. With a calculated partial Eta squared based on Pillai’s trace of 0.325, it was concluded that; there exist about 32.50% variability among the dependent variables.

Technology-Assisted, Group-Based CBT for Rural Adults’ Depression: Open Pilot Trial Results

Purpose: This pilot study assesses the association of Raising Our Spirits Together (ROST), a technology-assisted, group-based cognitive behavioral therapy for depression, with rural adults’ depressive symptoms and anxiety. Method: Nine adults from rural Michigan participated in an open pilot of ROST. Clergy facilitated pilot groups. The pilot began in February 2020 in-person. Due to COVID-19, the pilot was completed virtually. Results: Mean depressive symptom scores, based on the PHQ-9, significantly decreased from pre-treatment ( M = 14.4) to post-treatment ( M = 6.33; t (8) = 6.79; P < .001). Symptom reduction was maintained at 3-month follow-up ( M = 8.00), with a significant pattern of difference in depressive symptoms over time (F(2) = 17.7; P < .001; eta-squared = .689). Similar patterns occurred for anxiety based on the GAD-7. Participants attended an average of 7.33 of 8 sessions. Fidelity ratings were excellent. Discussion: ROST is a potentially feasible intervention for rural adults’ depressive symptoms. ROST offers a promising model for increasing treatment access and building capacity in rural areas.

54 Body Mass Index vs Weight-for-Length in Infancy and Cardiometabolic Outcomes at Age 8-10 Years

Primary Subject area Public Health and Preventive Medicine Background The WHO provides body mass index (BMI) curves for infants 0 to &lt; 2 years old, but how these compare to the recommended method (weight-for-length [WFL]) in predicting later adiposity and cardiometabolic measures is uncertain. Objectives Our project aimed to: 1) confirm that WFL and BMI in infancy are associated with adiposity and cardiometabolic measures at 8-10 years old; and 2) compare the predictive ability of the two methods. We hypothesized that both methods would perform similarly. Design/Methods WFL and BMI Z-scores (zWFL and zBMI) at 6, 12, and 18 months of age were computed using data extracted from health booklets, used among participants in a prospective cohort study investigating the natural history of obesity and cardiovascular risk in youth (n = 464). Outcome measures at 8-10 years included adiposity, lipid profile, blood pressure, and insulin dynamics. The relationships between zWFL, zBMI, and each outcome were estimated using multivariable linear regression models. Outcome prediction at 8-10 years was compared between the two methods, using eta-squared and Lin’s concordance correlation. Results zWFL and zBMI were associated with all measures of adiposity at 8-10 years. Associations with other cardiometabolic measures were less consistent. For both zWFL and zBMI across infancy, eta-squared were highly similar and the Lin’s coefficients were markedly high (&gt; 0.991) for all outcomes. Conclusion zBMI measured in infants appeared to be equivalent to zWFL for predicting adiposity and cardiometabolic measures in childhood. This lends support to the sole use of zBMI for growth monitoring and screening of overweight and obesity from birth to 18 years.