Meaning and structural dynamics in poetry: a computational perspective

This work addresses Sri Aurobindo’s mantric poem, Savitri, with a computational linguistics approach. This is one of the longest poems ever written in English. We build the connectivity matrix between all main word pairs and analyse its structure. Concepts emerge as directions that better explain the variance of the data in the hyperspace of words. When projected to the low dimensional space of concepts, the vector of attention as the reader moves through the text shows a large correlation across sections of the poem, thus acting the future and the past over again. These findings suggest that the mathematical structure of Savitri is and reflects a substrate for the author’s main ideas, facilitating the reader’s understanding of the poem’s meaning via its long-range dynamical correlations. Acknowledging an irreducible essence to poetry, future studies on the relationship between words and sounds, and sounds and ideas may provide invaluable hints of the origin of language and its intimate relationship with the evolution of human consciousness.

Physiological and Performance Correlates of Squash Physical Performance

The physiological and performance attributes of elite squash players were investigated. Thirty-one players (21 males, world ranking [WR] 42-594; 10 females, WR 7-182) completed a battery of fitness tests which included an aerobic squash-specific physical performance test (SPPT), repeated-sprint ability (RSA), change-of-direction speed (COD), acceleration (5-m sprint), body composition and force development (countermovement jump) assessments. The SPPT provided a finishing lap score, V̇O2max, average movement economy and the lap corresponding to a blood lactate concentration of 4 mM.L-1. Players were ranked and assigned to HIGH or LOW performance tiers. Two-way ANOVA (performance level*sex) revealed higher ranked players performed better (p < 0.05) for SPPT final lap (d = 0.35), 4 mM.L-1 lap (d = 0.52) and COD (d = 0.60). SPPT displayed a ‘very-large’ correlation with 4 mM.L-1 lap (r = 0.86), ‘large’ correlations with COD (r = 0.79), RSA (r = 0.79), sum-of-7 skinfolds (r = 0.71) and V̇O2max (r = 0.69), and a ‘trivial’ correlation with average movement economy (r = 0.02). Assessments of cardiovascular fitness (i.e. 4 mM.L-1 lap), RSA, COD and body composition appear highly pertinent for performance profiling of squash players. Regular, submaximal assessment of the 4 mM.L-1 lap during the SPPT may offer a practical athlete monitoring approach for elite squash players.

he Relationship between External and Internal Load during Elite Pre-season Friendly Basketball Games.

The aim of this study was to analyse the relationship between External Load (EL) and internal load (IL). Thirteen male basketball players competing at professional level in First Spanish Division (ACB) during six friendly games throughout the 2020/2021 preseason were monitored. The EL variables collected were movement load (ML), movement intensity (MI), box score time (BST), and total duration (TD)] while IL variables monitored were heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), training impulse (TRIMP) and time invested in five HR zones. Very large to almost perfect correlation (r= 0.77-0.91) exists between EL variables except TD. In addition, HR, TRIMP and RR present large to very large correlation (r= 0.55-0.79) with all EL variables except TD. Monitoring HR-based variables would present general information and an estimated prediction of players EL which could allow basketball practitioners to prioritize time invested players internal/external load.

Soil Moisture Retention Characteristics Of Saprock From The Weathering Profile Over A Biotite-Muscovite Granite In Peninsular Malaysia

The weathering profile at the slope cut near Km 16 of the Kuala Lumpur - Ipoh trunk road can be differentiated into an upper, 11.8 m thick pedological soil (zone I) and a lower, 31.9 m thick saprock (zone II) comprising silty sandy gravels that distinctly preserve the minerals, textures and structures of the original granite. In order to investigate the influence of particle size distributions on soil moisture retention characteristics, saprock samples were collected at depths of 26.53 m (Sample A), 31.29 m (Sample B) and 41.93 m (Sample C). Samples A and B, with porosities of 37%, comprise 33% gravel, 27% sand, 22% silt and 18% clay, and 31% gravel, 24% sand, 25% silt and 22% clay, respectively. Sample C with a porosity of 44% consists of 24% gravel, 28% sand, 38% silt and 10% clay. Tests with the pressure plate method show increasing suctions from 0 kPa through 0.98 kPa and 9.8 kPa to 33 kPa and 1,500 kPa to result in gravimetric soil moisture retentions of 31.9% through 28.6% and 23.3% to 16.9% and 6.8% in sample A, of 32.1% through 24.9% and 21.5% to 17.8% and 7.4% in sample B, and of 31.5% through 30.3% and 27.30% to 23.5% and 9.5% in sample C. Regression analyses of gravel, sand and clay contents plotted against moisture contents retained at high suctions (33 kPa and 1,500 kPa) yield negative trends with variable correlation coefficients (R2), though plots involving silt contents yield positive trends with large correlation coefficients (R2 >0.9966). It is concluded that adsorption of water on surfaces of silt sized particles (of mainly sericite derived from weathering of feldspars) that gives rise to the retention of soil moisture in saprock.

Molecular Distributions of the Disk/Envelope System of L483: Principal Component Analysis for the Image Cube Data

Unbiased understanding of molecular distributions in a disk/envelope system of a low-mass protostellar source is crucial for investigating physical and chemical evolution processes. We have observed 23 molecular lines toward the Class 0 protostellar source L483 with ALMA and have performed principal component analysis (PCA) for their cube data (PCA-3D) to characterize their distributions and velocity structures in the vicinity of the protostar. The sum of the contributions of the first three components is 63.1%. Most oxygen-bearing complex organic molecule lines have a large correlation with the first principal component (PC1), representing the overall structure of the disk/envelope system around the protostar. Contrary, the C18O and SiO emissions show small and negative correlations with PC1. The NH2CHO lines stand out conspicuously at the second principal component (PC2), revealing more compact distribution. The HNCO lines and the high-excitation line of CH3OH have a similar trend for PC2 to NH2CHO. On the other hand, C18O is well correlated with the third principal component (PC3). Thus, PCA-3D enables us to elucidate the similarities and the differences of the distributions and the velocity structures among molecular lines simultaneously, so that the chemical differentiation between the oxygen-bearing complex organic molecules and the nitrogen-bearing ones is revealed in this source. We have also conducted PCA for the moment 0 maps (PCA-2D) and that for the spectral line profiles (PCA-1D). While they can extract part of characteristics of the molecular line data, PCA-3D is essential for comprehensive understandings. Characteristic features of the molecular line distributions are discussed on NH2CHO.

PandAcuity in paediatrics: a novel clinical measure of visual function based on the panda illusion

Background/aimsTo evaluate the PandAcuity test for visual function testing in a paediatric cohort and to examine its agreement with conventional visual acuity (VA) testing.MethodsPandAcuity scores were determined in 152 children (77 males) aged between 3 and 15 years after VA testing (LEATM-test, E-chart, Landolt-C-rings or numbers). The PandAcuity test consisted of illusions made up from silhouettes of animals ‘hidden’ within zig-zag-patterns of decreasing spatial frequencies. Correlation analyses between PandAcuity score and VA were performed.Results150 children completed the test in at least one eye, 148 in both eyes. The PandAcuity test demonstrated good test–retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient=0.89) between two runs. VA and PandAcuity score showed a medium to large correlation (Spearman’s ρ=0.52, p<0.0001). 93% of the children’s visual impairment was classified in the same range by both test types. Receiver operating characteristic analysis of predicted visual impairment showed an excellent agreement with the classification based on VA testing (AUC=0.84).ConclusionThe PandAcuity test is rapid, simple and well accepted, rendering it a suitable supplement for the clinical assessment of VA in children. Because of its counterintuitive application (a higher number of correctly identified images means worse VA), it can be used to cross-validate conventional acuity tests to assure children’s compliance.

The Reality of Marketing the Islamic University's Educational Services in the Gaza Strip and its Impact on the Decision to Enter Them from the Point of View of the University's First- Level Students: واقع تسويق الخدمات التعليمية للجامعة الإسلامية بقطاع غزة وأثره في قرار الالتحاق بها من وجهة نظر طلبة المستوى الأول بالجامعة

The study aimed to assess the reality of marketing educational services at the Islamic University in the Gaza Strip and its impact on the decision to join it from the viewpoint of first- level students at the university. The study adopted the descriptive and analytical approach, and the tool was a questionnaire. It was distributed to a simple stratified random sample of (355) male and female students from all colleges of the first level (BA), and the SPSS program was used in the data analysis. The results of the study showed that the marketing of educational services from the viewpoint of the first- level students obtained an overall average (3.75 out of 5), with a grade of (large), and the field of promotion came first with an arithmetic average ((3.86), followed by the field of public relations with an average ((3.83) and the third in the field of advertising with an average (3.75) and fourth in the field of factors helping to attract students with an average of (3.72) and finally the field of direct marketing with an average of (3.57), and it was found that the size of the effect amounted to (0.85). It indicates (large) correlation coefficients and the existence of a positive relationship of (α≤0.05) Between the marketing of educational services at the Islamic University in the Gaza Strip in its five dimensions and the decision to enroll students in the university reached (0.83), indicating (large) correlation coefficients. Based on the results of the study, the researcher presented a number of recommendations and proposals, including: The university forming marketing teams that keep pace with the technical and technological developments in the world Marketing because of the great importance attached to the university in all respects, especially attracting students and attracting them to the university's specializations.

Cardiorespiratory fitness and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in older adults with multiple sclerosis

Background Cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2peak) may be a modifiable indicator of health status and well-being in older adults with multiple sclerosis. Purpose We examined differences in VO2peak and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity between older adults with multiple sclerosis and healthy controls, and whether moderate-to-vigorous physical activity accounted for group differences in VO2peak. Methods Older adults with multiple sclerosis ( n = 31) and healthy controls ( n = 29) completed a cardiopulmonary exercise test and wore an accelerometer for measuring moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. The data were analyzed using the Baron and Kenny approach for examining moderate-to-vigorous physical activity as a mediator of group differences in VO2peak. Results The multiple sclerosis group had significantly lower VO2peak and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity than healthy controls. VO2peak had a large correlation with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity ( r = .59). Group initially explained 8% of the variance in VO2peak ( β = −0.29). The inclusion of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity accounted for an additional 27% of the variance in VO2peak, but only moderate-to-vigorous physical activity ( β = 0.57) was a statistically significant correlate of VO2peak. The effect of Group was attenuated and non-significant with the addition of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in Step 2 (Group β Step 1 = −0.29, Group β Step 2 = −0.05). Conclusions Our results provide initial support for targeting moderate-to-vigorous physical activity as an approach for improving VO2peak in older adults with multiple sclerosis.

Association Between Mental Imagery and Change of Direction Performance in Young Elite Soccer Players of Different Maturity Status

Previous studies have not considered the potential influence of maturity status on the relationship between mental imagery and change of direction (CoD) speed in youth soccer. Accordingly, this cross-sectional study examined the association between mental imagery and CoD performance in young elite soccer players of different maturity status. Forty young male soccer players, aged 10-17 years, were assigned into two groups according to their predicted age at peak height velocity (PHV) (Pre-PHV; n = 20 and Post-PHV; n = 20). Participants were evaluated on soccer-specific tests of CoD with (CoDBall-15m) and without (CoD-15m) the ball. Participants completed the movement imagery questionnaire (MIQ) with the three- dimensional structure, internal visual imagery (IVI), external visual imagery (EVI), as well as kinesthetic imagery (KI). The Post-PHV players achieved significantly better results than Pre-PHV in EVI (ES = 1.58, large; p &lt; 0.001), CoD-15m (ES = 2.09, very large; p &lt; 0.001) and CoDBall-15m (ES = 1.60, large; p &lt; 0.001). Correlations were significantly different between maturity groups, where, for the pre-PHV group, a negative very large correlation was observed between CoDBall-15m and KI (r = –0.73, p = 0.001). For the post-PHV group, large negative correlations were observed between CoD-15m and IVI (r = –0.55, p = 0.011), EVI (r = –062, p = 0.003), and KI (r = –0.52, p = 0.020). A large negative correlation of CoDBall-15m with EVI (r = –0.55, p = 0.012) and very large correlation with KI (r = –0.79, p = 0.001) were also observed. This study provides evidence of the theoretical and practical use for the CoD tasks stimulus with imagery. We recommend that sport psychology specialists, coaches, and athletes integrated imagery for CoD tasks in pre-pubertal soccer players to further improve CoD related performance.

Association between Training Load and Well-Being Measures in Young Soccer Players during a Season

This study aimed to analyze the correlations among weekly (w) acute workload (wAW), chronic workload (wCW), acute/chronic workload ratio (wACWR), training monotony (wTM), training strain (wTS), sleep quality (wSleep), delayed onset muscle soreness (wDOMS), fatigue (wFatigue), stress (wStress), and Hooper index (wHI) in pre-, early, mid-, and end-of-season. Twenty-one elite soccer players (age: 16.1 ± 0.2 years) were monitored weekly on training load and well-being for 36 weeks. Higher variability in wAW (39.2%), wFatigue (84.4%), wStress (174.3%), and wHI (76.3%) at the end-of-season were reported. At mid-season, higher variations in wSleep (59.8%), TM (57.6%), and TS (111.1%) were observed. Moderate to very large correlations wAW with wDOMS (r = 0.617, p = 0.007), wFatigue, wStress, and wHI were presented. Similarly, wCW reported a meaningful large association with wDOMS (r = 0.526, p < 0.001); moderate to very large associations with wFatigue (r = 0.649, p = 0.005), wStress, and wHI. Moreover, wTM presented a large correlation with wSleep (r = 0.515, p < 0.001); and a negatively small association with wStress (r = −0.426, p = 0.003). wTS showed a small to large correlation with wSleep (r = 0.400, p = 0.005) and wHI; also, a large correlation with wDOMS (r = 0.556, p = 0.028) and a moderate correlation with wFatigue (r = 0.343, p = 0.017). Wellness status may be considered a useful tool to provide determinant elite players’ information to coaches and to identify important variations in training responses.