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Body length is an important parameter in morphological, ecological and behavioral studies of a species and contributes to the understanding of the body condition of individuals. This parameter is essential for conservation and management strategies by informing studies evaluating growth rates, physical maturity and classification of individuals into age groups, promoting better accuracy for the biological parameters of the species. The aim of this study was to identify predictors of body length for Amazonian manatees (Trichechus inunguis) using metric characters of osteological materials. Eleven linear measurements of skull, jaw, scapulae and humeri were collected from 41 Amazonian manatee skeletons of different age classes (calf, juvenile and adult). Data were analyzed by simple linear regression. The condylobasal length was the best predictor of body length for the species (R = 0.943), however, all bones evaluated showed at least one measurement with the capacity to predict body size (R2 > 0.9). Results of this study are useful for inferring body length of Amazonian manatees using bones deposited in museums and biological collections, expanding the informative potential of these materials. RESUMO O comprimento corporal é um importante parâmetro em estudos morfológicos, ecológicos e comportamentais de uma espécie e contribui para o entendimento da condição corporal de um indivíduo. Este parâmetro é essencial para estratégias de conservação e manejo, informando estudos que avaliam taxas de crescimento, maturidade física e classificação dos indivíduos em grupos de idade, promovendo uma melhor precisão aos parâmetros biológicos de uma espécie. O objetivo desse trabalho foi identificar preditores de comprimento corporal para o peixe-boi da Amazônia (Trichechus inunguis) utilizando caracteres métricos de material osteológico. Onze medidas lineares do crânio, mandíbula, escápula e úmero foram coletadas de 41 esqueletos de peixe-boi da Amazônia de diferentes classes de idade (filhote, juvenil e adulto). Os dados foram analisados por regressão linear simples. O comprimento côndilobasal foi o melhor preditor de comprimento corporal para a espécie (R = 0,943), entretanto, todos os ossos avaliados mostraram pelo menos um caractere com capacidade de predizer o comprimento corporal (R2 > 0,9). Os resultados deste estudo são úteis para inferir o comprimento corporal de peixes-boi da Amazônia a partir de ossos depositados em museus e coleções biológicas, expandindo o potencial informativo destes materiais.

Menarche is a sign of physical maturity and fertility. The preparation has an impact on the menarche experience in adolescents. Menarche is seen as a transitional period associated with religious and socio-cultural significance. The purpose of this review is to describe the menarche experience in adolescents. This review uses arksey O'Malley framework with 5 stages namely: identifying questions, identifying relevant articles, selecting articles, mapping charting data, compiling, summarizing and creating reports. The results of 6 literatures were selected with two themes that appeared, namely positive and negative attitudes and changes that occurred in adolescents with menarche.

Two features of adolescence have remained largely constant over time—(1) youth experience drastic physical changes during puberty, and (2) many youth engage in antisocial or delinquent behavior. Prior work has found a positive relation between off-time pubertal timing and a host of adverse behaviors including reduced academic performance and substance use (Simmons 2017; Westling et al. Journal of Adolescent Health, 42(6), 555−563, 2008). However, previous research is largely limited in its measurement of pubertal timing in that it does not account for youth perceptions of self, social comparisons, and peer influence—salient components of the developmental period. The present study addressed this limitation by testing the effect of self-perceived development on antisocial behavior. Among a nationally representative sample of 4803 youth, the present study examined the effect of a self-report, peer-relevant measure of physical development on antisocial behaviors, varying in severity. Results revealed a positive relation between youths’ perceived physical development relative to same-aged peers and five categories of behaviors: antisocial behaviors, non-violent offending, violent offending, substance use, and weapon use. Overall, when youth reported being more physically developed than their same-aged peers, they were more likely to engage in deviant behavior. The results provide evidence for including self-report, peer-relevant measures of physical maturity from the youth perspective when studying adolescence and undesirable youth behavior.

Kenichiro Murata,1 Tsukasa Kumai,2 Norikazu Hirose2 1Graduate School of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Nishi-tokyo, Japan; 2Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Saitama, JapanCorrespondence: Norikazu HiroseFaculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, 2-579-15, Mikajima, Tokorozawa, Saitama 359-1192, JapanTel/Fax +81 42-451-1022Email toitsu_hirose@waseda.jpPurpose: Lateral ankle sprain (LAS) in childhood can result in lateral malleolus avulsion fractures; additionally, bone nonunion may occur. Physical maturity relates to the development of bone morphology and physical functionality. It is unknown how changes in physical functionality attributable to physical maturity affect young soccer players with abnormal lateral malleolus (ALM) morphology. Hence, the present study aimed to investigate the bone morphology of the lateral malleolus in young soccer players and to examine its relationship with physical functionality at different maturity levels.Subjects and Methods: Two hundred and ninety young soccer players aged 6– 15 years were included. The presence of ALM was assessed using ultrasonography. The subjects were allocated to three groups based on physical maturity (Pre-, Mid-, and Post-peak height velocity age [PHVA]). The prevalence of ALM and the relationship between ALM and physical maturity were examined for body composition, foot pressure distribution, foot alignment, ankle mobility, and single-leg balance.Results: The prevalence of ALM was 17.6%. For physical maturity, the post-PHVA group showed a decrease in ankle dorsiflexion and eversion and an increase in one-leg hop distance compared to the Pre-PHVA group (P < 0.05). In the ALM group, the center of pressure during heel raising was distributed laterally in the Post-PHVA (P < 0.01), and the weight-bearing dorsiflexion angle was decreased in the Mid- and Post-PHVA (P < 0.05).Conclusion: In the Post-PHVA young soccer players, decreased ankle dorsiflexion and eversion and increased one-leg hop distance were observed. The ALM group exhibited lateral loading during heel raising in the Post-PHVA group and decreased weight-bearing ankle dorsiflexion angle in the Mid- and Post-PHVA groups. The findings indicate the importance of secondary prevention of LAS and ultrasonography. Prospective studies of LAS in young athletes are required in the future.Keywords: lateral ankle sprain, ultrasonography, physical maturity, physical function, soccer

The 2019 guidelines for the renewal of general education programs in Lithuania state that there is a lack of coherence between the goals of education, the implementation of the curriculum, and the assessment of students’ achievements. The description of Lithuanian primary, basic and secondary education (2015) states that the main result of education is the gradually acquired competencies indicating the spiritual, intellectual and physical maturity of a person, which include knowledge, understanding, abilities and attitudes. This presupposes that state maturity exams should be designed to reflect the competencies, knowledge, understanding, abilities and attitudes that indicate a person’s maturity. Based on this idea, a qualitative study was conducted in 2020. Its aim was to determine the indicators of personal maturity in Lithuanian conceptual educational documents. To achieve the research goal, we applied the data collection method (document analysis) and the data processing method (content analysis). Qualitative research has shown that a person’s maturity in Lithuania is identified based on a set of competencies. To complete their general education, students should have the following competencies: social, emotional and healthy lifestyles; cognition; creativity; civil, cultural communication. A review of the scientific literature presupposes that at the stage of late adolescent personality development, a person is yet to be in search of their identity. The documents emphasize that competencies are assessed in teacher-student interactions by accumulating qualitative evidence of competencies. Meanwhile state maturity exams measure three groups of cognitive abilities: knowledge and understanding, application of knowledge, and advanced thinking abilities. Personal values and beliefs are not reflected in state maturity exams. The conclusion of the research is that maturity exams do not reflect the maturity of a person described in the conceptual documents of Lithuanian education.

Adolescence (adolence) is a period of transition from childhood to adulthood with the age limit of 10 to 18 years or before marriage which generally occurs in puberty, namely the process of changes in physical maturity. Physical or biological changes in young women are starting to experience menstruation. One complaint that usually occurs in women who are menstruating is dysmenorrhea . One way that can be done to reduce pain is by relaxation (guided imagery). This study aims to determine whether there is an effect of guided imagery relaxation therapy by decreasing the level of pain in primary dysmenorrhea in diploma of midwefery. The type of method used is quasy experiment with approach one group pre-post test design. The sampling method with probability sampling with a total sample of 51 respondents. The instrument used is NRS (numeral rating scal ) and SOP of guided imageryrelaxation therapy. The type of univariate analysis used frequency distribution and bivariate analysis using paired t test analysis. The results of this study indicate that guided imagery relaxation therapy is effective in reducing the scale of menstrual pain ( dysmenorrhea ) in diploma of midwefery, the results of statistical tests using the Wilcoxon test obtained with a significant value of p-value (2-tailed) 0,000 (p < 0.05). The conclusion of this study is that there is a significant effect of guided imagery relaxation therapy on decreasing the level of menstrual pain (dysmenorrhea) in adolescent girls. Based on the above research, guided imagery relaxation therapy can be applied as one of the non-pharmacological pain management during menstruation (dysmenorrhea).

BackgroundThree commonly used non-invasive protocols are implemented to estimate the timing at which PHV most likely occurs. Accurate estimation of circumpubertal years can aid in managing training load of adolescent athletes.AimThree protocols were compared against observed age at PHV: an estimate of 13.8 ± 1.0 years – generic age at PHV (from longitudinal measures); an estimate based on the maturity offset equation, predicted age at PHV ±1.0 year; a window of PHV based on 85–96% of predicted adult height at time of observation.Subjects and methodsA final sample of 23 (from 28) adolescent male participants were selected from the academy of an English Premier League club. Anthropometric measures were collected across five playing seasons; age at PHV was estimated with Super-Imposition by Translation and Rotation (SITAR). The three protocols were compared based on measures at 13.0 years.Results and Conclusions: An age window based on predicted maturity offset did not improve estimation of PHV compared to generic age method; however, the percentage of predicted adult height window showed improvement in performance shown by the following results. Predicted age at PHV correctly assigned 15 participants (65%) as experiencing PHV, while the percentage height correctly assigned 17 participants (74%). Generic age and predicted age at PHV correctly predicted observed age at PHV for 14 participants (61%), percentage of adult height window correctly predicted 22 participants (96%).

Objectives Even though permanent teeth eruption time may vary, the tooth eruption stage represents a critical developmental milestone, which may help in the monitoring of the child's growing status towards adolescence. This paper aims to evaluate the relationship between the third molar eruption (TME) and investigate any possible association with the body mass index (BMI), which is used to monitor the growth of children and adolescents. Methods We included 1060 student participants aged 14 to 26 years from selected educational institutions in Assam for this study. We performed a conventional clinical dental examination to determine the stages of TME. Moreover, to calculate the individual height and weight, we have carried out a thorough physical examination to assess the BMI and rule out any visible congenital developmental anomalies. Result The overall mean age of the status of no eruption (NE), incomplete eruption (IE), and complete eruption (CE) categories of the third molar in the current research were 17.39±2.273, 18.67±2.282 and 20.33±2.566 years, respectively, and the difference in mean age was statistically significant (p-value

Male reproductive biology is described for the Southern Hemisphere long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas edwardii), a subspecies that regularly mass strands along the New Zealand coastline. Ten mass stranding events sampled over a 7-year period enabled assessments of key life history parameters. Sexual maturation in immature, maturing, and mature males was assessed using morphological data and histological examination of testicular tissue. Variation was observed in the age (11–15 years) and length (450–490 cm) at which individuals attained sexual maturity. Using Bayesian cumulative logit regression models, we estimated the average age and length at the attainment of sexual maturity to be 13.5 years and 472 cm, respectively. Combined testes weight, combined testes length, an index of testicular development (combined testes weight/combined testes length), and mean seminiferous tubule diameter were all good indicators of sexual maturity status. Combined testes length was the best nonhistological indicator, and all testicular measures were found to be better indicators of sexual maturation for G. m. edwardii than age or total body length. Sexual maturity was attained before physical maturity (> 40 years and 570 cm), and at a younger age and smaller body length than previously reported for Globicephala melas melas in the North Atlantic. Given the ease of collection, minimal processing, and applicability to suboptimal material collected from stranding events, future studies should assess the value of testicular size as an indicator of sexual maturity in pilot whales and other cetacean species. Estimates of the average age and length at sexual maturity for G. m. edwardii provided in this study may be used to inform population models required for conservation management of the subspecies, which is subject to high levels of stranding-related mortality.

Tyrimo tikslas. Išanalizuoti išnešiotų vienvaisių naujagimių gimimo svorius ir ūgius pagal nėštumo laiką savaitėmis bei palyginti jų pokyčius per 20 metų. Tyrimo medžiaga ir metodai. Retrospektyviai išnagrinėti 2018 m. kovo 1 d. – 2019 m. gruodžio 31 d. laikotarpiu Lietuvos sveikatos mokslų universiteto ligoninėje Kauno klinikose (toliau – Kauno klinikos) 37–41 nėštumo savaitėmis iš vienvaisių nėštumų gimusių naujagimių ūgiai ir svoriai bei sudarytos procentilių lentelės pagal nėštumo laiką. Duomenys palyginti su kontroline grupe (2004 m. G. Mečėjaus publikuotomis vienvaisio nėštumo Lietuvos naujagimių fizinio brandumo lentelėmis). Rezultatai. Iš viso išnagrinėti 250 naujagimių duomenys. Statistiškai patikimo skirtumo tarp vidutinio moteriškosios ir vyriškosios lyčių naujagimių svorių ir ūgių negauta. Tiriamųjų grupėje rastas abiejų lyčių 3 ir 5, taip pat moteriškosios lyties 10 procentilio 37, 38 ir 39 nėštumo savaitę, vyriškosios lyties 37 nėštumo savaitę svorių padidėjimas. 90 procentilio svoris buvo mažesnis moteriškosios lyties naujagimių 40 ir 41 nėštumo savaitę bei vyriškosios lyties naujagimių 39 ir 40 nėštumo savaitę. Išvados. Abiejų lyčių naujagimių svorių ir ūgių pokyčiai nežymūs, tačiau gali būti pakankamai reikšmingi diagnozuojant vaisiaus augimo sulėtėjimą ir vaisiaus makrosomiją. Tam, kad būtų galima sudaryti naujas Lietuvos naujagimių svorio ir ūgio procentilių lenteles, reikėtų ištirti visos Lietuvos naujagimius.

Bering–Chukchi–Beaufort Sea bowhead whales are born at about 4.2 m in length and 1000 kg, in lead systems along the NW Alaskan coast. Bowheads in the other northern stocks are also born in ice-covered seas. Maximum body lengths (standard measure) can reach 19 m. Regarding coloration: the skin is gray on neonates and young calves, and black on yearlings and adults. The size and shape of the chin patch is variable and does not change through life. After adulthood age, the specific areas of the skin lose pigment and turn white around the eye, the peduncle, genital groove, and base of the pectoral limb. Growth is rapid from birth to age 1, followed by a 3- to 4-year growth hiatus. Following the hiatus, the increase in body length is slow to sexual maturity at ~25 years and ~13.5 m in length. The Inupiat recognize several growth forms associated with age; these include aġvaaq (neonate), ingutuq (yearling), qairaliq (postyearling), along with several names for large adults. Allometry of the head is marked and likely associated with extreme development of the baleen rack. The head is very large in relation to body—perhaps the largest in Mammalia. The blubber is among the thickest of any cetacean (to ~38 cm). Body mass is similar to right whales of similar length; large bowheads can reach 100 metric tons or larger. Longevity can reach 200 or more years. The age of physical maturity is unclear, and adults may increase in length through life. Their ability to navigate ice-covered seas and break through ice to breathe is singular among baleen whales.

International audience; Harbor porpoises exhibit early maturation, relatively short gestation/lactation periods and a faster rate of reproduction as compared to other cetacean species. Intrinsic and extrinsic factors can influence both population vital rates and population structure, which ultimately cause changes in dynamics within and between populations. Here, we undertook a retrospective analysis of mortality data collected over a 24-year period for assessing life history traits of the North-east Atlantic harbor porpoise population. We use time-period specific models for key life history relationships that considered cause of death of individuals (as a proxy for health status), sex and management unit (MU). Sexual variation in asymptotic length, asymptotic age, average length at 50% maturity (L50) and average age at 50% maturity (A50) were observed, with females attaining a larger asymptotic length, larger L50, and delaying attainment of both sexual and physical maturity, compared to males. While females are constrained in their minimum body size due to giving birth to proportionally larger offspring, males exhibited more plasticity in size at sexual maturity, enabling re-allocation of available energy resources toward reproduction. Data were then used to compare biological parameters among two porpoise MUs in United Kingdom waters, both of which in the current study exhibited reduced reproductive rates compared to other geographic regions. In both MUs, females significantly increased their A50 and males significantly declined in their L50. An increase in the age at asymptotic length was also observed in both sexes, along with a significant decline in the Gompertz growth rate parameter that was more apparent in the female data. While availability of suitable prey resources may be a limiting factor, a combination of other factors cannot be ruled out. Porpoises in the Celtic and Irish Seas MU were significantly larger in their maximum length, asymptotic length and L50 compared to porpoises in the North Sea MU throughout the study period, suggesting limited gene flow between these two MUs. These results justify the maintenance of these harbor porpoise MUs or assessment units, as two separate units, within the range of the North-east Atlantic population, and for indicator assessments under the EU’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive.

The ability to estimate age and determine the growth status of free-ranging dugongs (Dugong dugon) is vital to providing insight into the basic biology of this endangered species. Currently, age estimation in dugong carcasses relies on counting dentin growth layer groups (GLGs) in tusks, but a disadvantage is they need to be intact. We explored whether measures of telomere length could be used as an alternative approach to age estimation in dugongs given that in other species, telomere length and age are inversely related. In this study, relative telomere length (rTL) was measured by qPCR in skin samples from 24 dugongs of varying ages determined by counts of GLGs. In addition, relationships between age by GLG counts and body weight and length and were examined. Our findings indicate that age estimated by GLGs was negatively correlated with telomere length using the logistic formula with a rate of telomere attrition of approximately 0.036 rTL/year between the ages of 5–20 years. By comparison, both body weight and length were positively correlated with GLG-based age, with growth rates of ~8.8 kg/year for weight and ~3.58 cm/year for length, respectively. After that, growth rates slowed substantially and then plateaued. The results suggest that physical maturity in dugongs occurs at 20 years of age and that measures of rTL might serve as a tool for age estimation in dugongs, living and deceased.

Tyrimo aktualumas - Lietuvoje mokyklos baigimo egzaminai vadinami - brandos egzaminais, o mokyklos baigimo diplomas – brandos atestatu. Asmens branda yra apibrėžiama kaip būsena, kai asmuo yra fiziškai, psichiškai ir emociškai išsivystęs, todėl geba elgtis atsakingai. Lietuvos pradinio, pagrindinio ir vidurinio ugdymo aprašė (2015) teigiama, kad pagrindinis ugdymo rezultatas yra palaipsniui įgyjamos dvasinę, intelektinę ir fizinę asmens brandą rodančios kompetencijos, apimančios žinias, supratimą̨, gebėjimus ir nuostatas (ŠMM, 2015). Tai suponuoja, jog valstybiniai brandos egzaminai turėtų būti sudarytas taip, kad ne tik tikrintų žinias, bet ir matuotų asmens brandą. Dėl šios priežasties aktualu ištirti, kiek mokiniai pasiekia asmens brandos baigdami mokyklą. Kaip ši branda atsispindi valstybinių brandos egzaminų programose? Tyrimo problema - Lietuvos švietimo tarybos atliktame „Lietuvos švietimo būklės tyrime 2013 – 2016“ yra teigiama, kad „Lietuvoje yra iškilusi kompleksinė mokinių pasiekimų ir baigiamųjų egzaminų vertinimo problema“ (Varanauskas, Targamadzė, 2017). Tyrime yra teigiama, kad mokytojai stengiasi paruošti mokinius egzaminams, todėl neugdo asmeninių kompetencijų, kurios yra svarbios asmens brandai. Remiantis šia mintimi, nuspręsta ištirti , kaip asmens branda atsispindi valstybinių brandos egzaminų programose Lietuvoje. Tyrimo klausimas - kaip asmens branda atsispindi Lietuvos valstybiniuose brandos egzaminų programose? Tyrimo objektas - asmens brandos atspindžiai Lietuvos valstybiniuose brandos egzaminų programose. Tyrimo tikslas - nustatyti asmens brandos atspindžius Lietuvos valstybiniuose brandos programose. Tyrimo tikslui pasiekti išsikelti keturi uždaviniai: atskleisti asmens brandos kriterijus ir indikatorius; atskleisti asmens brandos sąvoką konceptualiuose Lietuvos švietimo dokumentuose; pagrįsti asmens brandos Lietuvos valstybiniuose brandos egzaminų programose tyrimo metodologiją; nustatyti asmens brandos atspindžius Lietuvos valstybiniuose brandos egzaminų programose. Tyrimo tikslui pasiekti, taikyti šie duomenų surinkimo metodai: mokslinės literatūros analizė – atskleisti asmens brandos kriterijai ir indikatoriai; dokumentų analizė - atskleista asmens brandos samprata konceptualiuose Lietuvos švietimo dokumentuose; iš dalies struktūruotas ekspertinis interviu - surinktos ekspertų įžvalgos apie valstybinių brandos egzaminų pavadinimo ir turinio neatitikimo problemą, galimas šios problemos sprendimo alternatyvas. Taikytas duomenų apdorojimo metodas – turinio analizė. Turinio analizės metodo pagrindu išanalizuotos: trijų pasirinktų valstybinių brandos egzaminų programos, užduotys bei vertinimo kriterijai; duomenys gauti atlikus ekspertinius interviu. Atlikus teorinį ir empirinį tyrimą nustatyta, jog valstybinių brandos egzaminų pavadinimas neatitinka egzamino turinio. Atlikus mokslinės literatūros analizę sudarytas asmens brandos modelis ir mokyklą baigiančio asmens (vėlyvoji paauglystė) kriterijų ir indikatorių vertinimo lentelė. Nustatyta, jog asmens branda yra sudaryta iš fizinės, kognityvinės ir psichosocialinės brandos. Atlikus Lietuvos konceptualiųjų dokumentų apžvalgą, nustatyta jog asmens branda Lietuvoje yra suvokiama kaip kompetencijų visuma, apimanti žinias, supratimą, gebėjimus ir nuostatas. Nustatyta, jog valstybiniai brandos egzaminai tikrina tris kognityvinių gebėjimų lygius, tačiau netikrina fizinės ir psichosocialinės brandos. Empirinis tyrimas buvo atliktas dviem etapais. Pirmajame tyrimo etape pateikta pasirinktų brandos egzaminų programų analizė. Šioje analizėje nustatyta, jog valstybiniai brandos egzaminai patikrina tik tam tikras kognityvinių gebėjimų grupes, tačiau netikrina asmens nuostatų ir kompetencijų. Antrajame tyrimo etape atlikti du iš dalies struktūruoti ekspertiniai interviu. Atlikus ekspertinį interviu nustatyta, jog valstybiniai brandos egzaminai matuoja asmens žinias, supratimą bei gebėjimą laikytis reikalavimų, tačiau nematuoja kompetencijų, įsitikinimų, vertybių. Valstybinių brandos egzaminų pavadinimas kilo iš tradicijos, tačiau pavadinimas neatspindi egzamino turinio. Remiantis ekspertiniu interviu pateikti galimos problemos sprendimo alternatyvos. Apibendrinant gautus rezultatus, nustatyta valstybinių brandos egzaminų pavadinimo ir turinio neatitikimo problema. Rekomenduojama toliau tyrinėti brandos egzaminų klausimą bei pasiremti tarptautinio bakalaureato pavydžiu. Projektas yra sudarytas iš įvado, trijų dėstymo dalių, išvadų, rekomendacijų ir priedų. Pirmoji dėstymo dalis yra skirta mokslinės literatūros analizei bei Lietuvos konceptualiųjų švietimo dokumentų apžvalgai. Antrąją dėstymo dalimi pagrįsta tyrimo metodologija. Trečioji dėstymo dalis skirta apžvelgti tyrimo rezultatus, pateikiama diskusija. Projektą sudaro 77 puslapių, 15 lentelių, 14 paveikslų ir 2 priedų., The novelty of research - in Lithuania, school leaving exams are called maturity exams, and school leaving diploma is called a maturity certificate. A person’s maturity is defined as a state in which a person is physically, mentally and emotionally developed and therefore able to behave responsibly. The description of Lithuanian primary, basic and secondary education (2015) states that the main result of education is the gradually acquired competencies indicating the spiritual, intellectual and physical maturity of a person, which include knowledge, understanding, abilities and attitudes (ŠMM, 2015). This presupposes that state maturity exams should be designed to not only test knowledge but also measure a person’s maturity. For this reason, it is relevant to investigate the extent to which students reach personal maturity after leaving school. How is this maturity reflected in state maturity exam programs? The problem of the research is that the “Lithuanian State of Education Survey 2013-2016” conducted by the Lithuanian Education Council states that “there is a complex problem of assessment of students' achievements and final exams in Lithuania” (Varanauskas, Targamadzė, 2017). The study states that teachers strive to prepare students for exams and therefore do not develop personal competencies that are important for a person’s maturity. Based on this idea, it was decided to investigate how a person's maturity is reflected in the state maturity examination programs in Lithuania. The object of the research is the reflections of personal maturity in Lithuanian state maturity examination programs. The aim of the research is to determine the reflections of personal maturity in Lithuanian state maturity programs. To achieve the goal of the research, four tasks were set: to reveal the criteria and indicators of a person's maturity; to reveal the concept of personal maturity in conceptual Lithuanian educational documents; to substantiate the research methodology of personal maturity in Lithuanian state maturity examination programs; to determine the reflections of a person's maturity in the Lithuanian state maturity examination programs. To achieve the goal of the research, the following data collection methods were applied: analysis of scientific literature - personal maturity criteria and indicators were revealed; document analysis - the concept of personal maturity is revealed in conceptual Lithuanian educational documents; partially structured expert interview - expert insights on the problem of discrepancy between the name and content of state matriculation examinations and possible alternatives for solving this problem were collected. The applied data processing method - content analysis. On the basis of the content analysis method, the following were analysed: the programs, tasks and assessment criteria of the three selected state maturity exams; data were obtained from expert interviews. Theoretical and empirical research has shown that the title of state maturity exams does not correspond to the content of the exam. Based on the analysis of the literature, a model of personal maturity and an evaluation table of criteria and indicators of a person maturity (late adolescence) were developed. A person’s maturity has been found to consist of physical, cognitive, and psychosocial maturity. Based on review of Lithuanian conceptual documents, it was established that a person's maturity in Lithuania is perceived as a set of competencies, which includes knowledge, understanding, abilities and attitudes. It was found that the state final examination reflects the three levels of cognitive skills, however, does not verify the physical and psychosocial maturity. The empirical study was conducted in two stages. In the first stage of the research, the analysis of selected maturity exam programs is presented. This analysis found that state maturity exams test only certain groups of cognitive abilities, but do not test a person’s attitudes and competencies. In the second phase of the study, two partially structured expert interviews were conducted. After the expert interview, it was established that the state maturity exams measure a person's knowledge, understanding and ability to comply with the requirements, but do not measure competencies, beliefs and values. The name of the state maturity exams comes from tradition, but the name does not reflect the content of the exam. Based on the expert interview, present possible solutions to the problem. Summarizing the obtained results, the problem of discrepancy between the name and content of state maturity exams was identified. It is recommended to further study the issue of maturity exams and to build on the example of an international baccalaureate. The project consists of an introduction, three parts, conclusions, recommendations and appendices. The first part is devoted to the analysis of scientific literature and the review of Lithuanian conceptual educational documents. The second part is based on research methodology. The third part is to review the results of the research, a discussion is presented. The project consists of 77 pages, 15 tables, 14 figures and 2 appendices.

To date, very little research has tackled whether pedophilic men''s attitude towards adult-child sex depends on characteristics of the adult or the child involved in such acts. This study examines the effect of the child''s gender (male vs. female) and physical maturity (pre-pubescent vs. early pubescent) on the moral evaluation of apparently noncoercive adult-child sex in a 2 x 2 factorial online vignette experiment. One hundred eighty-three English-speaking pedophilic men rated their agreement with moral arguments on the Immoral Sex Scale, as well as whether they believed this behavior to be typical for a child. The results revealed considerable inter-individual differences, with about one third showing restrictive moral attitudes. Contrary to our expectations, gender and physical maturity neither affected the perceived morality of the sexual act, nor beliefs about the representativeness of the child''s behavior. However, when controlling for confounds, pedophilic men believed that boys were more likely to willingly engage in adult-child sex. Furthermore, participants with stronger liberal attitudes were found to be more likely to defend the sexual act, as were participants with a preferential interest in pre-pubescents. There was no link between attitudes towards adult-child sex and sexual offending, replicating the non-associations reported in previous community surveys.

Tooth development is widely used for age estimation and staging physical maturity. It is of great importance in dental age estimation in forensic dentistry, orthodontic treatment planning, and pediatric endocrinology. This study aimed to compare the accuracy of two age estimation methods, i.e., the London Atlas and Smith's method, using the panoramic view of developing teeth. In this descriptive-analytic study, panoramic radiographs of 339 healthy individuals, including 145 boys and 194 girls, were assessed. The participants aged between 5.00 and 15.99 years. Dental age of the subjects was determined by the London Atlas of Human Tooth Development and Eruption and Smith's method. The collected information was entered in the SPSS software (Ver.18). Differences and correlations between chronological and dental age were assessed by paired t tests and Pearson's correlation analysis. In all analyzes, the significance level was considered less than 0.05. The mean chronological age of the subjects was 10.13 ± 2.92 years. The mean ages estimated by the London Atlas and Smith's method were 10.29 ± 2.91 and 9.89 ± 2.84 years, respectively. Paired t test showed that the differences between the mean chronological age and mean estimated ages using the London Atlas and Smith's method were not significant (P = 0.15 and 0.16, respectively). Our findings showed that both methods had high accuracy for age estimation, but the London Atlas is easier to use.

The Relative Age Effect (RAE) in sport has been targeted by many research studies. The objective of this study was to analyze, in amateur clubs, the RAE of soccer players, according to the sport expertise level of the team (e.g., A, B, C and subsequent) that they belong to within the same game category. 1,098 soccer players in formative stages took part in the study, with ages varying between 6 and 18 years old (U8 to U19 categories). All of them were members of 4 Spanish federated clubs. The birth dates were classified into 4 quartiles (Q1 = Jan-Mar; Q2 = Apr-Jun; Q3 = Jul-Sept; Q4 = Oct-Dec)according to the team they belonged to. The results obtained in the chi-squared test and d value (effect size) revealed the existence of RAE in the teams with the highest expertise level, “A” (X2 = 15.342, p = .002, d = 0.4473) and “B” (X2 = 10.905, p = .012, d = 0.3657). However, in the lower level teams, “C and subsequent”, this effect was not observed. Present findings show that players born during the first months of the year tend to be selected to play in teams with a higher sport expertise level of each category, due to their physical maturity. Consequently, this causes differences in terms of the experience they accumulate and the motivation that this creates in these players.

We examined the skulls ofArctocephalus australis,Callorhinus ursinusandOtaria byroniawith the objectives of (1) estimating the development and growth rates and comparing these parameters among the species; (2) describing the development for each linear measure, for each species and sex; (3) determining which variables are best correlated with age; (4) determining age of physical maturity. We employed traditional and geometric morphometric techniques to study the skulls. InA. australisandC. ursinus, skulls of females mature at about 6 years of age, and those of males at about 8 years.Otaria byroniamatures later, at about 9 years. Using geometric morphometric data sets, the rate and constant of growth inA. australisdid not differ between the sexes.Callorhinus ursinusandO. byroniashowed rates significantly different between sexes concerning growth (and in the constant as well), but onlyO. byroniadiffered between sexes in both developmental model parameters (rates and constant). Comparisons between the growth and developmental models showed significant differences in slope and constant. In both treatments employed, a relationship between size and shape dimorphism could be inferred for the skulls of all three species. We conclude that rates or timing of growth and development evolves within a conserved spatiotemporal organization of morphogenesis.

Important factors for development of quality defects are the physical, physiological and chemical state of the tubers, which is also described as the maturity status of the crop. The use of maturity indicators as predictors of quality in potato tubers during and after storage was explored in cvs. Asterix and Saturna with three different maturity levels during three years (2010, 2012 and 2013). The maturity indicators measured 1–3 weeks before harvest and at harvest included haulm senescence (haulm maturity), skin set (physical maturity), dry matter content (physiological maturity) and contents of sucrose, glucose and fructose (chemical maturity). Potato quality parameters were measured three times during storage (December, February and April) and included dry matter content, sucrose, glucose and fructose contents, weight loss and fry colour. Cultivar and maturity level were included as categorical predictors in a linear regression model and contributed significantly (P

For transgender and gender diverse youth, gender-affirming hormone therapy is often a crucial component of achieving gender goals. This chapter will discuss the initiation and management of hormone therapy in transgender youth based on their goals and physical maturity. Topics discussed include pre-hormone assessment, puberty-blocking medication in the early pubertal period, initiation of estradiol and testosterone therapy in the peri- and post-pubertal periods, adjunctive medical therapies, and long-term management. With the significant increase in children and adolescents seeking gender-affirming care, early identification, support, and effective management of gender dysphoria are all important for improved long-term health outcomes for this new generation of transgender and gender diverse youth.

This study aimed to investigate the ontogenetic development of the skull in the Guiana dolphin (Sotalia guianensis Van Bénéden, 1864 ) through the comparison of 29 morphological non-metrical characters together with the estimated age of 54 specimens derived from four areas on the northern coast of Brazil. The state of each character was associated with the age of each specimen to assess the formation of bone structures, and the degree of fusion of the sutures in each state of the character studied. Nineteen qualitative morphological characters presenting state ontogenetic variations have been analyzed statistically. The analysis depicted that the characters associated with the parietal-frontal suture, parietosupraoccipital, parietoexoccipital, supraoccipital-exoccipital and basioccipital-pterygoid varied according with the age. The results suggest that the physical maturity of the cranium was more premature in the specimens from the Northern Coast, suggesting a geographical adjustment of the species, or a biological response to an intense pressure of by-catch in fisheries over decades on the populations. RESUMO O objetivo do estudo foi investigar o desenvolvimento ontogenético craniano do boto-cinza (Sotalia guianensis Van Bénéden, 1864), comparando 29 caracteres morfológicos não métricos aliados às estimativas de idade de 54 espécimes provenientes de quatro áreas da Costa Norte do Brasil. Cada estado de caráter foi associado à idade de cada espécime para avaliar a formação de estruturas ósseas e o grau de fusionamento das suturas em cada estado de caráter analisado. Foram analisados estatisticamente 19 caracteres morfológicos qualitativos que apresentaram variação nos estados de caráter. A análise revelou que os caracteres que diferiram de acordo com a idade foram aqueles ligados à sutura parietal-frontal, parietal-supraoccipital, parietal-exoccipital, supraoccipital-exoccipital e basioccipital-pterigóide. Os resultados indicaram que a maturidade física do crânio foi mais precoce nos espécimes da Costa Norte, sugerindo uma estruturação geográfica da espécie ou uma resposta biológica a uma intensa pressão de captura acidental em redes de pesca sobre as populações.

Ramirez-Campillo, R, Alvarez, C, Gentil, P, Loturco, I, Sanchez-Sanchez, J, Izquierdo, M, Moran, J, Nakamura, FY, Chaabene, H, and Granacher, U. Sequencing effects of plyometric training applied before or after regular soccer training on measures of physical fitness in young players. J Strength Cond Res 34(7): 1959-1966, 2020-To compare the effects of short-term (i.e., 7 weeks) plyometric jump training applied before (PJT-B) or after (PJT-A) soccer practice on components of physical fitness in young soccer players, a single-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted. Postpubertal boys aged 17.0 ± 0.5 years were allocated to 3 groups: PJT-B (n = 12), PJT-A (n = 14), and control (CON; n = 12). The outcome measures included tests to evaluate 20-m speed, standing long jump (SLJ), squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ), and drop jump (DJ), 20-m multistage shuttle run endurance (MSSRT), and Illinois change-of-direction speed (ICODT). Although the CON performed soccer-specific training, the PJT-A and PJT-B groups conducted the same soccer-specific sessions but replaced ∼11% of their time with plyometric training. The PJT-B group performed plyometric exercises after a warm-up program, and the PJT-A group conducted plyometric exercises ∼10 minutes after the completion of soccer training. Analyses of variance were used to detect differences between groups in all variables for pretraining and posttraining tests. Main effects of time (all p < 0.01; d = 0.19-0.79) and group × time interactions (all p ≤ 0.05; d = 0.17-0.76) were observed for all examined variables. Post hoc analyses revealed significant increases in the PJT-B group (SLJ: 9.4%, d = 1.7; CMJ: 11.2%, d = 0.75; 20-m MSSRT: 9.0%, d = 0.77) and the PJT-A group (SLJ: 3.1%, d = 0.7; CMJ: 4.9%, d = 0.27; 20-m MSSRT: 9.0%, d = 0.76). Post hoc analyses also revealed significant increases in the PJT-B group (20-m speed: -7.4%, d = 0.75; 20-cm DJ reactive strength index: 19.1%, d = 1.4; SJ: 6.3%, d = 0.44; ICODT results: -4.2%, d = 1.1). In general, our study revealed that plyometric training is effective in improving measures of physical fitness in young male soccer players when combined with regular soccer training. More specifically, larger training-induced effects on physical fitness were registered if plyometric training was conducted before soccer-specific training.

Objective Restricting dietary methionine to 0.17% in male mice increases energy expenditure, reduces fat deposition, and improves metabolic health. The goal of this work was to compare each of these responses in postweaning male and female mice and in physically mature male and female mice. Methods Methionine-restricted (MR) diets were fed to age-matched cohorts of male and female mice for 8 to 10 weeks beginning at 8 weeks of age or beginning at 4 months of age. The physiological and transcriptional responses to MR were compared in the respective cohorts. Results Dietary MR produced sexually dimorphic changes in body composition in young growing animals, with males preserving lean at the expense of fat and females preserving fat at the expense of lean. The effects of MR on energy balance were comparable between sexes when the diet was initiated after attainment of physical maturity (4 months), and metabolic and endocrine responses were also comparable between males and females after 8 weeks on the MR diet. Conclusions The sexually dimorphic effects of MR are limited to nutrient partitioning between lean and fat tissue deposition in young, growing mice. Introduction of the diet after physical maturity produced comparable effects on growth and metabolic responses in male and female mice.

Bio-banded competition has been introduced to address the variation in physical maturity within soccer. To date, no research has investigated the effect of bio-banded competition relative to chronological competition. The current study investigated the effect of bio-banding upon physical and technical performance in elite youth soccer athletes. Twenty-five male soccer athletes (11&ndash, 15 years) from an English Premier League soccer academy participated in bio-banded and chronological competition, with physical and technical performance data collected for each athlete. Athletes were between 85&ndash, 90% of predicted adult stature, and sub-divided into early, on-time and late developers. For early developers, significantly more short passes, significantly less dribbles and a higher rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were evident during bio-banded competition compared to chronological competition (p &lt, 0.05). Significantly more short passes and dribbles, and significantly fewer long passes were seen for on-time developers during bio-banded competition (p &lt, 0.05). For late developers, significantly more tackles, and significantly fewer long passes were evident during bio-banded competition (p &lt, 0.05). No significant differences in physical performance were identified between competition formats. Results demonstrated that bio-banded competition changed the technical demand placed upon athletes compared to chronological competition, without reducing the physical demands. Bio-banded competition can be prescribed to athletes of differing maturation groups dependent upon their specific developmental needs.

Background Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) type III (Sanfilippo syndrome) comprises a group of rare, lysosomal storage diseases caused by the deficiency of one of four enzymes involved in the degradation of heparan sulfate. The clinical hallmark of the disease is severe neurological deterioration leading to dementia and death in the second decade of life. Adult MPS patients are generally of short stature. To date there is no clear description of the physical development of MPS III patients. The aim of this study was to document growth reference data for MPS III patients. We collected growth data of 182 German MPS III patients and were able to develop growth charts for this cohort. Growth curves for height, weight, head circumference, and body mass index were calculated and compared to German reference charts. Results Birth height, weight and head circumference were within the physiological ranges. Both genders were significantly taller than healthy children at 2 years of age, while only male patients were taller at the age of four. Growth velocity decelerated after the ages of 4.5 and 5 years for female and male patients, respectively. Both genders were significantly shorter than the reference group at the age of 17.5 years. Head circumference was larger compared to healthy matched controls within the first 2 years of life and remained enlarged until physical maturity. Conclusion MPS III is a not yet treatable severe neuro-degenerative disease, developing new therapeutic strategies might change the course of the disease significantly. The present charts contribute to the understanding of the natural history of MPS III. Specific growth charts represent an important tool for families and physicians as the expected height at physical maturity can be estimated and therapeutic effects can be monitored. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13023-019-1065-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Defining the age of attainment of physical maturity is important for many studies, including identification of stocks, populations or species. In order to identify the age when the skull of the bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus, reaches maturity, skulls of fifty-three specimens found stranded along the coasts of southern Brazil, Uruguay and northern Argentina (27o35’S, 48o34’W-36o49’S, 55o19’W) were analyzed. Sixty skull measurements were taken to compare the growth rate of the different functional apparatuses. Age was estimated by counts of growth layer groups in the dentine of decalcified, stained longitudinal sections of teeth. Von Bertalanffy’s equation was applied to assess the growth and determine the age at maturity of each apparatus. Generally the maturation of skull starts at age two and stabilizes at age five, and the age of reaching the mature size varies amongst different characters. The braincase is the most precocious apparatus, while the feeding is the one that last stabilizes. The development patterns observed for the hearing, vision and breathing apparatuses were similar. Statistic analysis revealed significant differences among the ages at maturity, but not for von Bertalanffy’s growth equation parameters for each functional apparatus. For the studied population it is suggested that skulls can be considered mature in animals with more than five years.

This paper describes cases of morphological variation and bone anomalies in the axial skeleton of the bottlenose dolphin, with emphasis on the vertebral column and considering the physical maturity of those specimens.

Background : Gestational age is required to determine diagnosis and optimal management of newborns. The gold standard for gestational age determination is the first day of last menstrual period (LMP). However, not all mothers remember their LMP. Another method for gestational age determination after birth is the New Ballard Score (NBS). This method measures gestational age using two main components, namely neorumuscular and physical maturity. In premature infants, surfactant deficiency leads to hypoxia which eventually leads to neuromuscular disorders. This situation may cause younger gestational age estimation when using NBS. The objective of this study was to analyze the conformity between NBS and LMP in determining gestational age in newborns with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Methods : A cross-sectional study was conducted on 35 newborns with RDS that were recorded in 2012 database in Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital Bandung. Data on the date of birth, LMP, NBS soon after birth, sex, birth weight, type of delivery and diagnosis were collected and analyzed statistically using Wilcoxon test. Results : The study showed that there was a significant difference (p

The aim of this study was to examine bilateral differences in ground reaction forces (GRF), measured during a deep squat (DS) exercise, in a population of elite youth soccer players. Bilateral muscle balance is a key component in promoting musculoskeletal health of performers, yet there is a limited evidence base investigating such imbalances in youth. Seventy-four subjects were assigned to performance groups according to chronological age (younger than 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 years). Analysis of physical maturity status revealed that very few players were classified as "early" or "late" maturers. Players completed an overhead DS exercise, as part of preseason functional movement screening. Peak GRF were assessed using a twin force plate system. Significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) were identified between right and left side peak GRF for all groups except the youngest (U13) and oldest (U17). Nondominant "sides" showed the highest levels of PGRF across all groups. The magnitude of PGRF was not significantly different both within and between groups, except for the left side in the U13 to U15 groups (p = 0.04). Results from this study show that performance asymmetry is marked in adolescence. There seems a "trigger point" during the early stage of adolescence, when bilateral imbalances become marked. These differences do seem to reduce during the later stages of adolescence. Correct attention to focussed training, designed to remediate any imbalance, is warranted in adolescent groups. This is important with respect of the key associations between bilateral asymmetry and risk of injury.

In the routine practice of neonatology, differentiating preterm premature new-born from small-for-date (SFD) new-born infant is an essential aspect to anticipate different clinical scenarios and monitor accordingly. Clinical assessment of new-born maturity is an invincible tool in resource poor areas for the purpose, without any prior investment. Over the past decades, clinical method for new-born infant maturity assessment has evolved intricately. From defining prematures with a mere statement of birth weight to clinical assessment of new-born as per gestational age with a comprehensive scheme based on neural and physical maturity characteristics of a new-born, clinical method for new-born maturity assessment has evolved substantially to the present where we stand. A complete review on the evolutionary history of clinical method for new-born infant maturity assessment will enable researchers in this field to get acquainted with the trend of past research work in accordance to the recent advancement all over the world. In the process, the lacunae still present in this area of study can be spotted which will invite new research proposals. Looking into the recent context, clinical method for assessing new-born infant maturity is making further forward shift with an attempt to quantify neuromuscular maturity criteria with further precision and incorporation of additional criteria."What is known - What is New" (Authors' summary)What is knownNeuro-muscular and external physical characteristic assessment together has greater significance for evaluating new-born infant's maturity as per gestational age over using individual one of them.Evaluation of brain maturity through passive muscle tone assessment of new-born infants with different maneuvers has the imperative role in determining new-born infant maturity.What is newClinical method for determining new-born infant maturity as per gestational age is being made explicit with the incorporation of criteria like feeding behavior of the new-born and objective assessment of anthropometric parameters, beside neuro-muscular and external physical characteristics evaluation.Neuro-muscular maturity can be quantified further with absolute values or closer range of values of different maneuvers and signs used in the clinical method for evaluating new-born infant maturity as per gestational age with more precision.