The effects of a calf pump device on second half performance of a simulated soccer match in competitive youth players

During soccer matches, performance decrements have been reported that relate to both physical abilities and technical skills. To investigate the effects of low-frequency electrical stimulation LFES (VeinoplusSport®, Ad Rem Technology, France) administered during half-time recovery on performance alterations during the second half. Twenty-two highly trained young players undertook a soccer-match simulation (SAFT⁹⁰). During half-time, they were randomly assigned to LFES group or Placebo group. Each half was split into 3 bouts of 12 minutes. Following each bout, maximal strike speed (MSS), sprint test (ST), maximal sprint accelerations (MA) and metabolic power (MP) were determined in both groups. Arterial (AF) and venous flows (VF) were measured at rest and at the end of half-time. LEFS group exhibited beneficial effects on performance compared to the Placebo group with a likely effect for MSS, ST, MA, and a possible effect for MP. AF and VF increased statistically more in LEFS group compared to Placebo group. The use of specific calf-pump LFES during half-time of a youth simulated soccer match attenuated the decrease in performance during the second half compared to Placebo group. This effect is most marked at the beginning of the second half with regards to explosive parameters.     

Leg amputation side determines performance in curve sprinting: a case study on a Paralympic medalist

The lower limb kinetics of curve sprinting in amputees are not well described in the literature, particularly with respect to the effect of the side of amputation. This is an issue due to the importance of the knowledge for prosthetic design and classification of athletes. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the influence of side of amputation on curve sprinting performance in athletes with a unilateral leg amputation. A three-dimensional motion analysis system (Vicon), four force plates (Kistler) and a modified mathematical human model (ALASKA) were used to compare clockwise and counter clockwise curve sprinting lower limb kinematics and kinetics of a Paralympic medalist with a left-sided knee exarticular amputation. Results reveal that vertical ground reaction force application and total vertical impulse were lower when the affected limb was at the inside of the curve. The unaffected limb showed joint mechanics different to those established for non-amputee athletes and might contribute better to propulsion when being the inside limb. Curve sprinting biomechanics and the ability to attain high radial velocities are directly dependent on the side of amputation relative to the curve direction in a unilateral amputee athlete of highest performance level.     

Recategorized WISC-R score patterns of older and younger referred Tlingit Indian children

This study investigated patterns of Bannatyne's recategorized WISC-R scores of 146 predominantly Tlingit Indian children who were referred for psychoeducational testing. The students were divided into two groups, ages 6 through 10 and 11 through 16, in order to investigate patterns that occurred at each level and to investigate the proportions that exhibited a typically “Indian” pattern: Spatial > Sequential > Conceptual and Acquired Knowledge. As a group, the older children displayed an Indian pattern, but the younger children displayed a different one: Spatial > Conceptual and Sequential > Acquired Knowledge. Both groups, however, displayed a significantly greater proportion of children with an Indian pattern than would be expected by chance. A considerable number of individuals from both groups attained significant differences among scores in the Indian direction.     

Sex differences and sex bias on the Boehm test of basic concepts: Do they exist?

Form A of the Boehm Test of Basic Concepts (BTBC) was administered to 180 kindergartners—90 boys and 90 girls. Neither their mean scores nor their standard deviations differed significantly, and the distributions of scores for the two groups were virtually identical. Moreover, the application of three internal criteria for bias yielded totally negative results; thus, there was no evidence of either sex differences or sex bias in the data.     

Interscorer reliability of the Minnesota Percepto-Diagnostic Test-Revised

This study investigated the interscorer reliability between a novice and a professional psychologist for the Minnesota Percepto-Diagnostic Test-Revised (MPDT-R). The sample consisted of 30 individuals (18 males and 12 females) who were referred to the Applied Neuroscience Institute of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Results from the study indicated that for three of the four MPDT-R scores there was a significant positive correlation between expert and novice scoring criteria. Implications for the assessment of perceptual-motor problems using the MPDT-R are discussed.     

Assessing the acceptability of behavioral interventions used in classrooms

This study examined components of teacher judgements that an intervention is either acceptable or unacceptable. A total of 180 preservice and student teachers were asked to evaluate the acceptability of six different interventions. The evaluations of acceptability were assessed using a 20–item rating scale. A factor analysis of the rating scale yielded one major dimension, a general acceptability factor, and four secondary dimensions of intervention acceptability: risk to the target child, amount of teacher time required, effects of the intervention on other children, and amount of teacher skill required. Results are discussed in terms of designing interventions that are both effective and usable by classroom teachers.