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The aims of this study were to determine the relationship between vertical jumping performance, linear speed, change of direction speed (CODs) time and the COD deficit (CODD) in adolescent basketball players and to analyze the CODD between faster and slower players based on linear speed performance. Thirty-eight male basketball players (age: 15.47 ± 0.51 years; body height: 185.19 ± 5.67 cm; body mass: 71.87 ± 7.29 kg) completed countermovement jumps (CMJ) with and without an arm swing, squat jumps (SJs), linear sprints at 20 m with split times at 5 and 10 m, the pro–agility test and the zig-zag tests. Furthermore, the CODD was calculated as the difference between the 20 m linear speed result and CODs time in both COD tests. Pearson and Spearman analyses were used to determine the correlations between power-speed-related variables and the CODD. Moreover, independent t-tests and Cohen's d effect size (ES) were used to analyze the differences between the faster and slower players in the CODD. Moderate to strong significant negative correlations were observed between the CODD in the pro-agility test and linear speed at 5 m, 10 m, and 20 m (r = –0.55 to –0.46), while moderate negative significant correlation was found between the zig-zag CODD and SJs (r = –0.37) as well as small positive significant correlation between the CODD in the zig–zag test and the eccentric utilization ratio (EUR) (r = 0.23). Additionally, faster basketball players displayed significantly higher CODD values performing the pro-agility test. In summary, these findings underline the complexity of COD performance and the importance of remodeling traditional training programs in basketball players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fall detection is a challenging task for human activity recognition but is meaningful in health monitoring. However, for sensor-based fall prediction problems, using recurrent architectures such as recurrent neural network models to extract temporal features sometimes could not accurately capture global information. Therefore, an improved WTCN model is proposed in this research, in which the temporal convolutional network is combined with the wavelet transform. Firstly, we use the wavelet transform to process the one-dimensional time-domain signal into a two-dimensional time-frequency domain signal. This method helps us to process the raw signal data efficiently. Secondly, we design a temporal convolutional network model with ultralong memory referring to relevant convolutional architectures. It avoids the gradient disappearance and explosion problem usefully. In addition, this paper also conducts experiments comparing our WTCN model with typical recurrent architectures such as the long short-term memory network in conjunction with three datasets, UniMiB SHAR, SisFall, and UMAFall. The results show that WTCN outperforms other traditional methods, the accuracy of the proposed algorithm is up to 99.53%, and human fall behavior can be effectively recognized in real time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the effect of three run-up steps on the kinetic and kinematic variables of the stag ring leap, with throw-catch of the ball, in high-level rhythmic female gymnasts. The three run-up steps used are a chassé step, glissade, and assemblé. Methods: Seven high-level rhythmic female gymnasts participated in this study. Three run-up steps (i.e., chassé step, glissade and assemblé) were used randomly to perform a stag ring leap with throwing a ball on the jump take-off. 2D kinetic and kinematic analysis was conducted. Results: The results indicated that the assemblé step used in the run-up technique generated greater values of the rate of force development, the highest values of vertical velocity, and the best vertical displacement. In addition, the assemblé step allows for the best opening angle of the split leap and the best closest angle of the ring leg. The same was noted for the front leg’s angular velocity. Conclusion: We concluded that the assemblé step used in the run-up technique appears to favor a greater stag ring leap that meets the Code of Points’ condition for admitting the jump, as well as numerous studies that focus on improving jumping abilities in rhythmic gymnastics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hilandar Versed prologues Hil. 424, dating to the 1420s and 1430s of the 15th century, and Hil. 427, dating to the 2nd quarter of the 15th century, are characterized by a combination of readings from the Serbian and Bulgarian translations. A comparison of all of the readings of the December cycle with the traditional readings of the two translations of the Versed Prologue has shown that the structure and editorial affiliation of the two Hilandar copies coincide in the section from December 1 to 11. In this section, both copies contain readings from the Serbian translation with small insertions from the Bulgarian one. In the following section, from December 12 to 31, prologue Hil. 424 switches to the Bulgarian translation with sporadic insertions from the Serbian one. Meanwhile, Hil. 427 partially retains versions of the Bulgarian translation and contains numerous articles from the Serbian translation and combined readings from the Serbian and Bulgarian translations. Moreover, prologues Hil. 424 and Hil. 427 share common structural and linguistic features indicating their direct textual interconnection, i.e. there is high probability that Hil. 424 served as one of the antigraphs for Hil. 427. The latter demonstrates features of an additional editorial revision consisting of either total or partial replacement of the verses and texts of the Bulgarian translation by their Serbian equivalents. The copy Hil. 427 contains more changes than its predecessor Hil. 424. However, from the typological point of view, Hil. 427 represents a return to the text of the Serbian translation of the Versed Prologue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manuscript No. 138 from the A. I. Khludov Collection is a Middle Bulgarian oldredaction Triodion from the second half of the ХІІІ century, in which 15 synaxarion readings have been included. Their texts and composition are the subject of this article. Nine of the readings, whose author supposedly is St Clement of Ohrid (the readings on the Sundays of the Great Lent and the Saturday of Lazarus), are well known and explored. The remaining six texts have not been published or analyzed. All of them refer to the Old Bulgarian literature, but their oldest preserved copies are from the 13th century. While working in detail with the sermons associated with the name of St Clement, I hypothesize that the displacement of parts of three of them (on the fifth Sunday of the Great Lent, on the Resurrection of Lazarus and on the Palm Sunday) is due to shuffled leaves in the antigraph. Unnoted as an integral whole, the Sermon on Palm Sunday is present here under the authorship of Athanasius of Alexandria, while its second half has become the second part of the Homily on the Resurrection of Lazarus. A text about Cheesefare Saturday without a Greek original has been added here. This text can also be associated with the authorship of St Clement or bookmen of his school. It is published in the Appendix to the article. As a whole, the composition of the synaxarion readings from Triodion Hlud138 is unique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to analyze the association between upper and lower limb muscle strength and biological maturation on bone mass in adolescent athletes and non-athletes of both sexes. The sample consisted of 105 adolescent men and women, 61% athletes and 39% non-athletes. Bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) were analyzed using dual energy X-ray bone densitometry. Strength of upper limbs (ULS), force handgrip (HG), vertical jump (VJ) and jump against movement (CMJ) were analyzed. Somatic maturation was verified using anthropometry. The strength of the upper limbs showed a high effect size on the bone mass of adolescent athletes of both sexes (Male: ƒ2 > 3.40; Female: ƒ2 > 3.30). Similar results were found for the group of non-athletes (Male: ƒ2 > 3.30; Female: ƒ2 > 2.20). Maturation showed a relevant effect size on bone mass in all groups (ƒ2 > 0.30). The strength of the upper limbs showed a high correlation with the bone mass of adolescent male non-athletes (BMD (ULS: r = 0.52; p = 0.01; HG: r = 0.63; p = 0.001); BMC (ULS: r = 0.52; p = 0.01; HG: r = 0.60; p = 0.001). Maturation correlated with bone mass in adolescent non-athletes of both sexes (p < 0.05). It was possible to conclude that the maturation and muscular strength of the upper limbs, as well as that of the lower limbs, point to a significant association with the bone mass of adolescents athletes and non-athletes of both sexes. BMD(g/Cm2) Bone mineral density, BMC (g) Bone Mineral Content, ULS Upper Limbs Strength, HG HandGrip. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to analyze the effect of aquatic plyometric training (APT) on jump performance in volleyball players. Twelve female athletes (16.6 ± 0.9 years) were assessed through the following jump tests: spike height (SH), squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ) and CMJ with an arm swing (CMJA). Jump height in each test and the eccentric utilization ratio (EUR) were the outcome measures. APT consisted of sets of drop jumps for 6 weeks (2 sessions/week) at a water depth of 0.75 m. Tests were performed at the beginning of a five-week pre-season period, before and after APT, and four weeks later for the follow-up. Repeated measures ANOVAs were used to analyze data and Hedges' g to estimate effect size (ES). Performance of all jumps did not change from baseline to Pre-APT. Performance improved in SH (p < 0.001, ES: 1.09), the SJ (p = 0.045, ES: 0.76) and the CMJA (p < 0.001, ES: 0.78) after APT when compared to Pre-APT. No changes were observed after the follow-up period. In conclusion, including six weeks of APT in the training routine of youth volleyball players improved performance of a sport-specific task (SH), the SJ and CMJA, with gains preserved after a four-week follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to compare the kinetic and kinematic factors of stag ring leap with and without throwing the ball using the two-leg take-off ballet-step "Assemblé" between three different modes in rhythmic gymnastics (RG). Seven members of the Tunisian RG national team (age 18.71±2.69 years; height 1.67±0.04 m; weight 58.43±4.03 kg) took part in this study. A kinetic and kinematic analysis of three stag ring leap execution modes (i.e., assemblé stag ring leap without ball, throw ball assemblé stag ring leap and assemblé throw ball stag ring leap) using two cameras on a specially designed floor carpet where a force plate was integrated was conducted. The result showed that the vertical component of force, the rate of force development, the angle of split legs and the horizontal and vertical velocity were significantly different (P<0.01). In this study, it was found that while performing the stag ring leap element, gymnasts present the highest value in both kinetic and kinematic parameters when throwing the ball during the jump (i.e., assemblé throw ball stag ring leap). In light of the obtained results, it is recommended that coaches start working with gymnasts on the throws during the jump from their youngest age, as this could help them attain the optimal performances in competition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Jumping and specific multidirectional repeated sprint ability are important in basketball. The objective of this study was to assess the contributions of 8-week combined versus single-mode training programs based on drop jump (DJ) and specific multidirectional repeated sprint (MRSA) on repeated sprint ability performances, body balance and lower limbs power in male professional basketball players. Methods: This study followed a randomized parallel study design. Fifty-two professional male basketball players from the Tunisian first division participated in this study. The players were randomly assigned to 4 groups: DJ group (JG; n = 13), MRSA group (RSG; n = 13), combined group (COMB; n = 13) and an active control group (CON; n = 13). The JG, RSG and COMB groups completed the 8-week training programs with 2 sessions per week while the CON continues their regular basketball training. Training volume was similar between groups all over the experimental period. Before and after the intervention, the four groups were evaluated for the stork test, Y-balance test, the repeated sprint ability test (IRSA5COD), the squat jump (SJ) and countermovement jump (CMJ) tests, the single leg drop jump test, the five time-jump test and T—change of direction (CoD) test. Results: All measures displayed significant main effect, (medium/small) magnitude (effect size) improvements for time (post-test > pre-test) except the physiological parameters for IRSA5COD. Significant time × group interactions were revealed for body balance, T test, IRSA5COD (total time and best time) and jump tests (vertical/horizontal). Bonferroni corrected post-hoc tests revealed significant greater improvement in favor of RSG and COMB compared to JG for body balance, CoD and IRSA5COD. Moreover, greater improvement in CMJ, SJ and single leg DJ in favor of JG compared to the RSG. In addition, a greater CoD improvement was observed in favor of COMB when compared to the RSG. Conclusion: Combined and single-mode training programs based on DJ and MRSA contributed to a significantly better performance in specific basketball physical fitness parameters with results favoring combined interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As energy consumption constantly gains importance, it has become one of the major issues in managing logistics systems. However, it is ranked against other company priorities, and the rationalization for investing in energy needs to be justified by the savings achieved. A solution for reducing energy consumption via electric forklifts for performing docking operations at distribution centers, which requires no investments in infrastructure or equipment, is outlined in this paper. The solution is based on optimizing inbound dock door allocation, and the energy savings are quantified using a simulation model. A case study of a local FMCG distributor's logistics center was conducted to collect the data and information needed for modeling inbound docking operations and performing simulation experiments. The optimal dock door allocation was obtained using a linear programming method using an MS Excel spreadsheet optimizer (Solver), while the simulation of the docking operations was carried out using FlexSim simulation software. The experimental results show that the solution outlined in this paper enables savings in the electric energy consumption of forklifts of between 12.8% and 14.5%, compared to the empirical solution applied by the company in the case study. The intended contribution of this paper is not limited to presenting an applicable solution for energy savings in performing logistics processes, but also aims to draw the attention of more researchers and companies to the ways in which logistics processes are managed and performed in terms of raising energy efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Goalball is a dynamic sport for visually impaired people, where attack and defense situations alternate during the game. In attack situations, the throwing performance could be dependent on several variables such as the anthropometry, the core stability, or the balance of the athletes. In defense situations, the reaction time to an acoustic stimulus could be also considered as a performance factor. All these variables have been analyzed in this pilot study assessing the ball velocity and accuracy in throwing, analyzing the relationship with the previous parameters. New evaluation tests have been proposed in this research, suggesting a more specific evaluation test battery for this sport. Goalball is a sport for visually impaired athletes, where the roles of attack and defense change continuously during the game. Performance evaluation should consider the variables that determine the throwing and the stop and clearance of the ball. The aim of this study is to evaluate the precision and velocity of the ball throwing in goalball, besides core stability and balance as variables that determine an optimal throwing. Moreover, a novel acoustic reaction time is applied to analyze the defense performance. Eight goalball players (33 ± 9 years old; 77.8 ± 22.7 kg; 174 ± 13 cm; 10 ± 5 years of experience) were recruited to assess ball velocity, with a radar gun, and throwing accuracy. Anthropometry, static balance, and core stability were assessed using a computerized pressure platform. Acoustic reaction time was measured with a photoelectric system. A significant positive correlation was found between throwing speed and the years of experience (Ƿ = 0.714, p = 0.047), height (Ƿ = 0.786, p = 0.021), dominant leg surface area of the stabilogram (Ƿ = 0.738, p = 0.037), and non-dominant leg center of pressure mean velocity (Ƿ = 0.714, p = 0.017). In the present pilot study, height and years of experience are correlated to throwing velocity. This is also the first test proposal to assess throwing precision and complex acoustic reaction in goalball players, which could be used to assess the level of performance in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of small farms in agricultural production is particularly important for less developed economies, with a high share of agriculture in GDP and a lower level of national income. These economies have a high share of small-scale farms in the total number of registered farms, measured by the size of an agricultural holding. The paper thoroughly analyses the distribution channels of the agricultural products of Moldova (MDA), Romania (ROM), and Serbia (SRB). The data sources for this analysis are taken from the survey conducted on 1 608 small-scale farms in the above-mentioned countries in 2019. The aim of the paper is to develop a model that could enable the structured analysis of distribution channels. Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method was used for efficient assessment and as a criterion for choosing the most appropriate distribution channel. The results of the analysis show that small-scale farms mostly place their products in green markets and processing plants and that the quality and the price of agricultural products are the dominant criteria for the selection of a channel. The results of the applied model indicate that the model is stable and that small-scale farms can choose the optimal distribution channel by using this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although numerous machine learning models have been developed for NLP applications, recently, deep learning approaches have achieved remarkable results across many NLP tasks. Natural language processing (NLP) is one of the most important technologies in use today, especially due to the large and growing amount of online text, which needs to be understood in order to fully ascertain its enormous value. Extensive experiments are conducted using the E-Khool dataset and the Coursera course dataset, with empirical results demonstrating that the proposed Taylor ChOA-based RMDL model significantly outperforms state-of-the-art methods for course recommendation tasks. Preface to the Special Issue "Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Machine Learning (ML) - Theory and Applications". [Extracted from the article]

A plethora of negative behavioural activities have recently been found in social media. Incidents such as trolling and hate speech on social media, especially on Twitter, have grown considerably. Therefore, detection of hate speech on Twitter has become an area of interest among many researchers. In this paper, we present a computational framework to (1) examine out the computational challenges behind hate speech detection and (2) generate high performance results. First, we extract features from Twitter data by utilizing a count vectorizer technique. Then, we provide the labeled dataset of constructed features to adopted ensemble methods, including Bagging, AdaBoost, and Random Forest. After training, we classify new tweet examples into one of the two categories, hate speech or non-hate speech. Experimental results show (1) that Random Forest has surpassed other methods by generating 95% using accuracy performance results and (2) word cloud displays the most prominent tweets that are responsible for hateful sentiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to propose an extensible framework for extracting data set usage from research articles. Design/methodology/approach: The framework uses a training set of manually labeled examples to identify word features surrounding data set usage references. Using the word features and general entity identifiers, candidate data sets are extracted and scored separately at the sentence and document levels. Finally, the extracted data set references can be verified by the authors using a web-based verification module. Findings: This paper successfully addresses a significant gap in entity extraction literature by focusing on data set extraction. In the process, this paper: identified an entity-extraction scenario with specific characteristics that enable a multiphase approach, including a feasible author-verification step; defined the search space for word feature identification; defined scoring functions for sentences and documents; and designed a simple web-based author verification step. The framework is successfully tested on 178 articles authored by researchers from a large research organization. Originality/value: Whereas previous approaches focused on completely automated large-scale entity recognition from text snippets, the proposed framework is designed for a longer, high-quality text, such as a research publication. The framework includes a verification module that enables the request validation of the discovered entities by the authors of the research publications. This module shares some similarities with general crowdsourcing approaches, but the target scenario increases the likelihood of meaningful author participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores manuscript MS Or. 297 from the collection of the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana (Venice). The manuscript is the fifth autograph of Samujil Bakačyč, which contains his translation of the cycle “Miracles of the Theotokos”, written by the Greek man of letters Agapios Landos. It is a newly studied autograph of Bakačyč with unknown from the copies composition of 157 miracles (in this autograph the translator has added 81 miracles from Joanikiy Galiatovsky’s book “Key of understading”) and it enlighten the history of Bakačyč’s translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of this paper is to develop possible scenarios for reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in Serbia by switching from coal-fired to natural gas-fired electricity generation by the end of 2050. Accordingly, the challenges are to establish scenarios and identify measures that are best suited to all Western Balkan countries. In particular, this paper proposes a number of energy mix scenarios that offer some options for reducing CO2 emissions while maintaining an economic way of consumption. Projections of these reduction scenarios are obtained by combining the Kaya identity with the emission factor method. A simplified methodology based on sensitivity analysis is used as a source of data to estimate the nonstatistical uncertainty limits for the projections of the reduction scenarios. The sensitivity analysis is carried out using historical data from Serbia for the period from 1990 to 2019. In addition, a direct verification of the proposed methodology is performed based on historical data for 2020. The developed scenarios 1 and 2 show that CO2 emissions could be reduced by 10.94% and up to 74.44% from baseline in 1990, respectively. The obtained results are also contrasted with the data available for some other countries with similar experiences. Finally, it is found that the developed scenarios are achievable only at significantly decreased levels of coal-fired electricity generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Performance in strike combat sports is mostly evaluated through the values of the net force, acceleration, or speed to improve efficient training procedures and/or to assess the injury. There are limited data on the upper limb striking area, which can be a useful variable for contact pressure assessment. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the contact area of the upper limb in three different strike technique positions. A total of 38 men and 38 women (n = 76, 27.3 ± 8.5 years of age, 73.9 ± 13.8 kg of body weight, 173.3 ± 8.4 cm of body height) performed a static simulation of punch with a fist, palm strike, and elbow strike, where three segments of the right upper limb were scanned. The analysis of 684 images showed a correlation (r = 0.634) between weight and punch technique position in men and significant differences in elbow strike (p < 0.001) and palm strike (p < 0.0001) between women and men. In both groups, the palm demonstrated the largest area and the elbow the smallest one. These data may be used to evaluate strike contact pressure in future studies in forensic biomechanics and assessment of injury in combat sports and self-defense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) is a physiological phenomenon that acutely improves voluntary muscular performance following a conditioning activity. A large and growing body of literature has investigated different strategies to induce a PAPE stimulus; however, little attention has been given to whether acute caffeine ingestion could augment the effect of PAPE on subsequent performance. This study evaluated the acute effects of caffeine ingestion and back squat conditioning activity on subsequent countermovement jump (CMJ) performance in female semi-professional volleyball players. Methods: Fourteen resistance-trained female volleyball players (26 ± 3 years) performed 3 different testing conditions in randomized order: where each ingested 6 mg/kg of caffeine (CAF) or placebo (PLAC) and performed a single set of back squats at 80%1RM until mean movement velocity dropped by 10% as the conditioning activity or a control (CTRL) condition where participants did not ingest any supplement and did not perform the conditioning activity. CMJ height was examined at baseline and in 2 min intervals until 10 min postconditioning activity. Furthermore, due to the wide inter-individual variation in optimal recovery time of PAPE response, the baseline and best post-conditioning activity performance were also analyzed. Results: The Friedman test revealed a significant difference in jump height within CTRL (p = 0.002) and CAF (p = 0.001) conditions, but no significant difference was found within the PAP condition. The post hoc showed a significant decrease in jump height in 8th min in CTRL condition (p = 0.022, effect size [ES] = −0.31), a significant increase in jump height in 2nd min in CAF condition (p = 0.013, ES = 0.3), without differences in PLAC condition in comparison to baseline values. Moreover, a significant jump height increases from baseline to best performance post conditioning activity value for CAF (p = 0.001, ES = 0.39) and PLAC (p = 0.001, ES = 0.3) condition, but no significant difference was found for the CTRL condition. Conclusions: The single set of heavy-loaded back squats with controlled velocity used as a conditioning activity in the current study enhanced subsequent CMJ performance in female volleyball players with no additional effect of caffeine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a setting where multiple automatic annotation approaches coexist and advance separately but none completely solve a specific problem, the key might be in their combination and integration. This paper outlines a scalable architecture for Part-of-Speech tagging using multiple standalone annotation systems as feature generators for a stacked classifier. It also explores automatic resource expansion via dataset augmentation and bidirectional training in order to increase the number of taggers and to maximize the impact of the composite system, which is especially viable for low-resource languages. We demonstrate the approach on a preannotated dataset for Serbian using nested cross-validation to test and compare standalone and composite taggers. Based on the results, we conclude that given a limited training dataset, there is a payoff from cutting a percentage of the initial training set and using it to fine-tune a machine-learning-based stacked classifier, especially if it is trained bidirectionally. Moreover, we found a measurable impact on the usage of multiple tagsets to scale-up the architecture further through transfer learning methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caffeine supplementation has become increasingly popular among athletes. The benefits of caffeine include delaying the negative effects of fatigue, maintaining a high level of physical and mental performance, and improving certain abilities necessary for sport success. Given the complex nature of basketball, caffeine could be a legal, ergogenic stimulant substance, which will positively affect overall basketball performance. The purpose of this systematic review was to summarize evidence for the effect of acute caffeine ingestion on variables related to the basketball performance. Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus and ProQuest, MEDLINE, and ERIC databases were searched up to February 2021. Studies that measured the acute effect of caffeine on basketball performance were included and analyzed. Eight studies published between 2000 and 2021 were included in the analysis. Pre-exercise caffeine intake increased vertical jump height, running time at 10 and 20 m without the ball, overall basketball performance (number of body impacts, number of free throws, rebounds, and assists) during simulated games, and reduced the time required to perform a basketball-specific agility test. Equivocal results between caffeine and placebo groups were found for aerobic capacity, free throw and three-point accuracy, and dribbling speed. Pre-exercise caffeine ingestion did not affect RPE, but insomnia and urinary excretion were increased. The pre-exercise ingestion of 3 and 6 mg/kg caffeine was found to be effective in increasing several physical performance variables in basketball players during sport-specific testing and simulated matches. However, considering the intermittent nature and complexity of basketball, and individual differences between players, future studies are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to audit the key performance indicators (KPIs) in Ghanaian university libraries. It aimed at finding out the KPIs used by Ghanaian university libraries and how effective they have been in correcting lapses in staff performance. Design/methodology/approach: Employing a quantitative research approach, the views of 218 librarians were elicited from nine universities in Ghana. Due to the manageable size of staff population in the libraries, the census sampling technique was adopted. Findings: Results indicated even though staff members were unaware of KPIs in their libraries, most of the respondents understood the concept and perceived is to be measuring the success and tracking performance in libraries. It was also revealed that most of the libraries did not have clear and measurable KPIs. Close to 80% of the libraries under study did not have clearly stated KPIs of which members of staff were aware. The study revealed that KPIs may differ from one library to the other, depending on the mission and vision statement of the library. For increased staff performance in Ghanaian university libraries the study recommends management to develop clear and measurable outcome-based metrics that will lead to high performance. This will not only address the needs of clients but also improve the libraries' efficiency in terms of information provision. Management should also have clear and measurable KPIs and make them available to library staff. Practical implications: For increased staff performance in Ghanaian university libraries the study recommends management to develop clear and measurable outcome-based metrics that will lead to high performance. This will not only address the needs of clients but also improve the libraries' efficiency in terms of information provision. Management should also have clear and measurable KPIs and make them available to library staff. Originality/value: The study provides information on KPIs in Ghanaian university libraries and how to effectively deal with the challenges associated with its usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Anali Pravnog Fakulteta Univerziteta u Zenici is the property of Anali Pravnog Fakulteta Univerziteta u Zenici and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Technical Journal / Tehnički Glasnik is the property of Polytechnic of Varazdin and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study compared the effects of acute caffeine supplementation (3 mg/kg) administered in the morning and evening on performance-related variables in basketball players. Eleven, national-level, adolescent male basketball players underwent field-based fitness testing on four occasions: morning (10:00) with caffeine ingestion (AMCAFF), morning (10:00) with placebo ingestion (AMPLAC), evening (21:00) with caffeine ingestion (PMCAFF), and evening (21:00) with placebo ingestion (PMPLAC). Fitness testing included of a countermovement jump without arm swing (CMJ), CMJ with arm swing (CMJAS), squat jump (SJ), Lane Agility Drill (LAD), 20-m linear sprint, and Suicide Run with (SRD) and without dribbling (SR). Data were analysed using two-way repeated measures analyses of variance and paired t-tests, with effect sizes (ES) also determined for all pairwise comparisons. Follow-up t-test comparisons revealed that AMCAFF produced small-moderate, significant (p<0.001), improvements in CMJ (ES = 0.51), CMJAS (ES = 0.40), SJ (ES = 0.51), and SR (ES = −0.45) compared to AMPLAC. AMCAFF also produced a moderate, significantly (p<0.001) faster LAD (ES = −0.61) compared to PMCAFF. PMPLAC demonstrated small-moderate, significant (p<0.05) improvements in CMJ (ES = 0.43), CMJAS (ES = 0.48), and 20-m sprint (ES = −0.63) compared to AMPLAC. In contrast, AMPLAC resulted in large, significantly (p<0.001), faster SRD (ES = −1.46) and SR (ES = −1.59) compared to PMPLAC. Given the ergogenic effects of caffeine during basketball-specific fitness tests appear to be influenced by time of ingestion, basketball practitioners should consider administering caffeine only to players in the morning to improve vertical jump, sprinting, and change-of-direction performance, with no beneficial effects observed with caffeine ingestion in the evening. Highlights The effect of caffeine supplementation on basketball-specific performance related variables were mediated by ingestion time in elite, adolescent basketball players. AMCAFF produced small-moderate improvements in vertical jump, change-of-direction, 20-m linear sprint, and repeated-sprint performance compared to AMPLAC while PMCAFF produced trivial differences in each performance-related variable compared to PMPLAC. Comparisons between ingestion times in the placebo condition revealed vertical jump height and 20-m sprint speed were impaired in the morning compared to the evening, but these time-dependent differences were eliminated when caffeine was consumed in the morning. Basketball practitioners should consider administering caffeine only to players in the morning to improve vertical jump, sprinting, and change-of-direction performance, with no beneficial effects observed with caffeine ingestion in the evening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Reactive performance is an important component of rhythmic gymnastics. So far, it is unclear whether additional plyometric training in female gymnasts shows an increase in performance. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to examine the effect of additional plyometric training in rhythmic gymnastics on the reactive jumping performance and strength of the lower leg muscles. METHODS: Fifteen rhythmic gymnasts (age: 12.3 ± 2.6 years, height: 1.47 ± 0.12 m, body weight: 37.3 ± 9.3 kg, BMI: 16.7 ± 2.1 kg*m - 2 ; competition level: national and international championships, Tanner stages I–III) participated in the study. The athletes were assigned to an experimental (EG) and a control group (CG). The EG performed plyometric exercises three times per week in addition to the regular training. Before and after six weeks of training the reactive jump performance, the work of dorsi flexors and plantar flexors performed during isokinetic plantarflexion, as well as the performance in two sport-specific tests were measured. RESULTS: In contrast to the CG, in the EG the jump height (pre: 24.8; post: 27.25 cm; p < 0.05) and the reactive-strength-index (pre: 1.01; post: 1.19; p < 0.01) increased significantly. The EG achieved significant improvements in the counter movement jump test (pre: 27.0 cm; post: 31.5 cm; p < 0.01) and in the sport specific double rope jump test (jumps per minute, pre: 18.0; post: 23.0; p < 0.01). Furthermore, a significant increase in work performed during plantarflexion was found in the EG for the right leg (pre: 24.9 J; post: 29.7 J; p < 0.01) and a tendency to increase for the left leg (pre: 26.4 J; post: 37.7 J; p = 0.05). CONCLUSION: Both reactive strength and dynamic force can be efficiently increased by plyometric training. It may be recommended to include plyometric exercises in the training regime of rhythmic gymnasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivated by the importance of fault tolerance in quantum computing, there has been renewed interest in quantum circuits that are realized with Clifford+T gates. Quantum computers that are based on ion-trap technology, superconducting, and quantum dots need to fulfill certain nearest-neighbor (NN) constraints. Fault-tolerant implementations of quantum circuits also require restricted interactions among neighboring quantum bits. The insertion of SWAP-gates is often deployed to make quantum circuits nearest-neighbor (NN) compliant. As quantum operations are prone to various errors, it is important to reduce the nearest-neighbor cost (NNC) which is a marker to the number of SWAP-gates needed to make a quantum circuit NN-compliant. Such an optimization problem arises while synthesizing reversible circuits using the Kronecker functional decision diagram (KFDD). In this work, we propose a method based on KFDD that reduces NNC during synthesis. Considering the Clifford+T quantum mapping for NOT, CNOT, and Toffoli (NCT) gates, and mixed-polarity Peres (MPP) gates, NNC metrics are defined for reversible circuits. Governed by NNC metrics, the nodes are then ranked for reducing NNC in resulting reversible circuits. Furthermore, local transformations are applied on node functions while mapping a node to a cascade of reversible gates. Experimental results on several benchmark functions reveal that the proposed synthesis technique reduces NNC in many cases while slightly impacting the number of qubits, T-depth, and T-count. Compared to prior methods based on functional decision diagrams or binary decision diagrams, the proposed synthesis technique reduces quantum cost for NCV-realizations (i.e., with NOT, CNOT, V, and V † gates) in most of the cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Annual Review of the Faculty of Philosophy / Godisnjak Filozofskog Fakulteta is the property of Faculty of Philosophy, University of Novi Sad and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Egitania Sciencia is the property of Egitania Sciencia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose. Battle rope is usually used in CrossFit and all kinds of functional training since, thanks to it, resistance and muscles are improved. A HIIT that includes exercises with this battle rope is an excellent high-resistance workout. By maneuvering battle ropes in a variety of linear and circular movements, the idea is to increase the heart rate. HIITstyle regimens that focus on improving power, explosiveness, and aerobic endurance are where the battle ropes really shine; they are an essential part of the recipe for creating a calorie expenditure that will cause body fat to melt at record speed. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of battle ropes training on certain physical variables and speed of tennis serve for volleyball players. Methods. The research sample was chosen in a deliberate way from volleyball players in the Desouq Youth Center in Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate, and the strength of the actual research sample was (10) volleyball players. The data collected before - after the training programs for the two groups. Results. Statistical analyses showed that: • Significant Difference between the Pre- Posttests for the experimental Group in (Medicine ball throw, Vertical jump, Dynamometer of back Strength, Serve speed (m/s) for posttest. • No - Significant Difference between the Pre- Posttests for the experimental Group in (Dynamometer of leg Strength, Dynamometer of grip Strength (right -left). Conclusions. Under the conditions of article, that eight weeks of battle ropes training contributed to improving Medicine ball throw, vertical jump, Dynamometer of back Strength, and tennis serve velocity in volleyball. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to examine how marketing mixes of bottled mineral water manufacturers influence the brand preferences of retailers in Ethiopia. This study quantitatively examined how the four marketing mix elements (i.e., product, price, place, and promotion) affect the brand preference of retailers. To collect data, a total of 345 questionnaires were distributed to randomly selected managers in restaurants, groceries, supermarkets, and shops; and 310 usable questionnaires were employed for analysis. Descriptive and ANOVA, two-tailed t-test and multiple regression analysis were used. The finding shows that product, price, promotion, and distribution have a significant and a positive effect on retailer’s preference towards bottled mineral water brands. This study suggests that bottled mineral water manufacturers should design and upgrade their marketing programs in line with the requirements of customers in order to gain acceptance in the market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of this study were (i) to identify the motor potential and basic anthropometric characteristics of Polish basketball players aged 13 to 15 years, (ii) to demonstrate the effect of maturity timing on the results achieved in motor tests and basic body composition parameters, and (iii) to determine which index contributes most to the prediction of performance in the individual tests of speed, jumping ability, agility, and endurance. The sample included 818 male Polish players. Analysis of values related to age-adjusted characteristics showed that in the under 13-year-old group, early maturers had significantly better results (except for stage 1 in the agility test) than average maturers. However, in the endurance test in the under 14- and 15-year-old groups (both distance covered and VO2max), the average maturers obtained higher values. Furthermore, maturity differentiation in the under 14- and 15-year-old groups significantly affected body size, 20-m sprinting time (under 14-year-old group only), and the results of all jumping tests. ANCOVA results (age, body height, and body mass as covariates) showed better results of early maturers in the under 13-year-old group. The opposite trend was observed in the under 14- to 15-year-old groups, where early maturing individuals performed worse in the running vertical jump (VJ) and endurance tests (both distances covered and VO2max). Maturity timing (VJ and VO2max), chronological age (5 m, 10 m, 20 m, agility, and VO2max tests), body height (all tests), body mass (5 m), and the interaction between body mass and height (10 m, 20 m, agility, standing vertical jump, vertical jump) were significant (adjusted R2 = 0.08–0.25; p < 0.001) predictors of motor skills. These findings can be helpful in quantifying and controlling the results of youth sports programs adjusted to biological requirements used in the training process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: This work provides a collection of validated basketball-related field tests and test packages intended to aid coaches and other experts in the selection of tests and the building of testing protocols. In addition to collecting study results using these tests, practical advice on test planning and execution is also given to help with the correct application of field tests. We conducted a review to collect the validated basketball-specific physical field tests and to provide practical advice for their appropriate selection and application. A comprehensive electronic literature search was performed via three electronic databases (PubMed, GoogleScholar, and SportDiscuss). Results of 93 studies provided recommendations for seven test packages and eighteen individual tests that have already been validated for basketball players. Although there is a lack of standardized, widely, and systematically used test protocols for testing the fitness levels of basketball players, standardized, normative data from NBA Combine Testing and other basketball-specific tests have the potential to help coaches compare their players with elite basketball players. Our review indicated that agility and reactive agility are fundamental skills in basketball; however, linear sprinting ability should not be considered a determining factor of success for basketball players. Finally, the countermovement jump test can help experts monitor fatigue, loss of explosive force, and interlimb asymmetries. In general, we found that identifying and developing a talented player is a complex task and requires experts from different fields, including trainers, coaches, performance- and movement analyzers, and physiotherapists. We found that during the testing of basketball players, experts always have to normalize their data with anthropometric measures for valid results. Most importantly, although experts always need to define an aim of testing and should follow the protocol of the chosen test, they also have to be open to making adjustments if the actual circumstances require it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the wake of the Reformation, intellectuals from all parts of the religious spectrum read, studied and translated Christian sources, not only the Scriptures but also ancient and modern patristic sources, sermons, commentaries, chronicles. The users of these texts - translators, theologians, controversialists - were highly experimental and lexically innovative, as demonstrated by the appearance of many of them amongst the first 1000 sources of the OED. In our paper we propose a corpus-based study of their lexical competence to assess their impact on the development of the English vocabulary 1500-1650. This is a pilot study intending to test the use of "sources" in the OED for corpus-building, and to combine digital databases and corpus-query systems (OED, EEBO, SketchEngine) for the diachronic study of lexis. Our study points out a prevalence of church-related vocabulary as a specialised terminology, but it also focuses on other secondary domains such as demonyms and geographical terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores manuscript MS Or. 298 from the collection of the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana (Venice). The manuscript is an autograph of Samuil Bakachich and it contains his translation of the work “Key of understanding”, written by the Ukrainian man of letters Joanikiy Galiatovsky. It is a newly discovered translation by Bakachich, made in the eighth decade of the 17th century [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Physical activity and the use of herbal supplements can affect liver enzymes. Nano-curcumin is an effective ingredient (deferulovl methane) in turmeric with antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antiinflammatory and anti-proliferative properties and can play an important role in preventing liver fibrosis. This study was performed to determine the effect of 6 weeks of high intensity interval training (HIIT) with Nano-curcumin supplementation on liver enzyme levels in overweight female students. Methods: This clinical trial study was performed on 48 overweight female students of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Iran with an average age of 21.7±1.32 years and a BMI equals 27.8±2.46kg/m2 during 2018. Participants were randomly divided into 4 groups: control, Nano-curcumin supplementation (One 80 mg capsule daily), training and training combined with nano-curcumin supplementation (one 80 mg capsule daily). Training groups performed an exercise protocol of HIIT training with maximum heart rate for 6 weeks (three sessions per week). Blood samples were obtained to liver enzymes measurement (ALT, AST and ALP) before and after the intervention period. Results: Performing six weeks of high intensity interval training along with taking nano-curcumin supplemen led to a significant reduction in serum level of AST and ALT compared to control group (P<0.05). In the supplement-training group, a significant decrease was observed in serum levels of ALT and AST compared to pre-test (P<0.05). But no statistically significant changes were observed in ALP serum level. Conclusion: It seems taking nano-curcumin supplement along with high intensity interval training have a favorable effects on improving some of the liver characteristics of overweight female students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to identify whether competitive rhythmic gymnasts feel body dissatisfaction and, if so, to analyze the factors related to its development and the implications for the gymnasts' health. We interviewed 28 female gymnasts, aged between 13 and 16 years, from three teams in one Brazilian state. Based on the thematic analysis, we present the following themes: "Body, Performance, and Misconceptions in Rhytmic Gymnastics (RG)" and "Body weight in RG: Belief vs. Science." Gymnasts' dissatisfaction with their bodies appears to be influenced by their coaches, judges, and other athletes, who reinforce the existence of an established "ideal" body type in this sport. The athletes seem to believe that this body ideal would help them in the movements execution in the judges' evaluation, and would, therefore, influence competitive performance. Their coaches used body mass measured on a set of scales as a reference for controlling and guiding weight loss. To lose weight at all costs, the gymnasts mentioned that they took laxatives and adhered to self-imposed calorie restriction. Excessive pressure to lose weight and obtain results could lead to or maintain body dissatisfaction and damage gymnasts' health. Thus, coaches must be careful when associating weight loss with better performance; they need to consider the individuality of gymnasts and should not generalize them. Moreover, professional monitoring should be adopted, as well as the use of reliable and justified body evaluation methods. Preventive measures and coach education should also be implemented, and official agencies should regulate and punish any excessive and abusive practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study used small-sided games (SSGs) to induce fatigue and therefore, reduce the action capabilities of Varsity soccer players (n= 20). The aim was to examine the effect of compromised action capabilities on defensive movement response in a 1-vs-1 scenario. Action capabilities were assessed via countermovement jumps (CMJ), 5-m acceleration, 20-m sprint and a Change of Direction (COD) test. Defensive movement response was measured via a Soccer-Specific Anticipation Test (SSAT). Following SSGs, significant reductions were observed in jump (p=.04, d=.31), acceleration (p<.001, d=.98), and sprint (p<.001, d=.66) performance. Significantly, players tended to move earlier in the SSAT following SSGs (p=.049, d=.66). Furthermore, to examine the distinct effect of reductions in each action capability, players were categorised according to whether SSGs had a worthwhile change in CMJ, acceleration, sprint or COD performance. For each of the four measures, movements tended to be initiated earlier following SSGs, although pre-/post-SSGs differences were not significant (p =.08-.51), moderate to large effect sizes were shown (d=.56-.84). These findings intimate that compromised action capabilities influence the timing of the movement response of defensive players in 1-vs-1 situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Ekonomika is the property of Society of Economists 'Ekonomika' and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Acta Facultatis Medicae Naissensis is the property of Nis University, Faculty of Medicine and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of International Dialogue: East-West is the property of International Center for Slavic Education- Sveti Nikole and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of International Dialogue: East-West is the property of International Center for Slavic Education- Sveti Nikole and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Turkiye Klinikleri Journal of Sports Sciences is the property of Turkiye Klinikleri and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We aimed to assess the cardiovascular responses and locomotory demands of male referees during diverse elite, international, basketball matches, and to investigate the influence of moderating factors (competition sex, level and stage) on these demands. Cardiovascular and locomotory responses were monitored in 123 elite, male referees while officiating 283 basketball sessions (preparation until match end), during group and playoff stages, of women's and men's FIBA Continental and World Cups at senior and youth level. The total and average session distance and velocity were ~4740 m, 19.0 m·min −1 and 2 km·h −1. Referees experienced an average relative HR of 60–65% maximum HR with ~85% of each session spent within the very light to moderate HR categories. The average session relative HR was significantly greater for men compared to women competition, during senior compared to youth sessions, and for the group compared to the playoff stage sessions. Mean distance covered was significantly greater during senior and men compared with youth and women sessions. Elite, international male basketball referees experienced moderate cardiovascular load accompanied with intermittent locomotor activities during international sessions when accounting for all occupational activities. International competitions are more demanding for referees based upon competition sex, level and stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-agent systems (MAS) represent a distributed computing paradigm well suited to tackle today’s challenges in the field of the Internet of Things (IoT). Both share many similarities such as the interconnection of distributed devices and their cooperation. The combination of MAS and IoT would allow the transfer of the experience gained in MAS research to the broader range of IoT applications. The key enabler for utilizing MAS in the IoT is the ability to build large-scale and fault-tolerant MASs since IoT concepts comprise possibly thousands or even millions of devices. However, well known multi-agent platforms (MAP), e. g., Java Agent DE-velopment Framework (JADE), are not able to deal with these challenges. To this aim, we present a cloud-native Multi-Agent Platform (cloneMAP) as a modern MAP based on cloud-computing techniques to enable scalability and fault-tolerance. A microservice architecture is used to implement it in a distributed way utilizing the open-source container orchestration system Kubernetes. Thereby, bottlenecks and single-points of failure are conceptually avoided. A comparison with JADE via relevant performance metrics indicates the massively improved scalability. Furthermore, the implementation of a large-scale use case verifies cloneMAP’s suitability for IoT applications. This leads to the conclusion that cloneMAP extends the range of possible MAS applications and enables the integration with IoT concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research presented in this paper aims at creating a bilingual (sr-en), easily searchable, hypertext, born-digital, corpus-based terminological database of raw material terminology for dictionary production. The approach is based on linking dictionaries related to the raw material domain, both digitally born and printed, into a lexicon structure, aligning terminology from different dictionaries as much as possible. This paper presents the main features of this approach, data used for compilation of the terminological database, the procedure by which it has been generated and a mobile application for its use. Available (terminological) resources will be presented—paper dictionaries and digital resources related to the raw material domain, as well as general lexica morphological dictionaries. Resource preparation started with dictionary (retro)digitisation and corpora enlargement, followed by adding new Serbian terms to general lexica dictionaries, as well as adding bilingual terms. Dictionary development is relying on corpus analysis, details of which are also presented. Usage examples, collocations and concordances play an important role in raw material terminology, and have also been included in this research. Some important related issues discussed are collocation extraction methods, the use of domain labels, lexical and semantic relations, definitions and subentries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]