Best Predictor Of Performance Research Articles

Aptitude and attitude: predictors of performance during and after basic laparoscopic skills training

BackgroundManual dexterity and visual-spatial ability are considered key to the development of superior laparoscopic skills. Nevertheless, these abilities do not reliably explain all the variance found in the technical performance of surgical trainees. Consequently, we must look beyond these abilities to improve our understanding of laparoscopic skills and to better identify/develop surgical potential earlier on.PurposeTo assess the individual and collective impact of physical, cognitive, visual, and psychological variables on performance during and after basic simulation-based laparoscopic skills training.MethodThirty-four medical students (laparoscopic novices) completed a proficiency-based laparoscopic skills training program (using either a 2D or 3D viewing mode). This was followed by one testing session, a follow-up testing session with new (yet similar) tasks, and a series of physical, cognitive, visual, and psychological measures.ResultsThe statistical models that best predicted variance in training performance metrics included four variables: viewingmode (2D vs 3D), psychologicalflexibility, perceivedtaskdemands, and manualdexterity (bimanual). In subsequent testing, a model that included viewingmode and manualdexterity (assembly) best predicted performance on the pre-practiced tasks. However, for a highly novel, spatially complex laparoscopic task, performance was best predicted by a model that comprised viewingmode, visual-spatialability, and perceivedtaskdemands. At follow-up, manualdexterity (assembly) alone was the best predictor of performance on new (yet similar) tasks.ConclusionBy focussing exclusively on physical/cognitive abilities, we may overlook other important predictors of surgical performance (e.g. psychological variables). The present findings suggest that laparoscopic performance may be more accurately explained through the combined effects of physical, cognitive, visual, and psychological variables. Further, the results suggest that the predictors may change with both task demands and the development of the trainee. This study highlights the key role of psychological skills in overcoming initial training challenges, with far-reaching implications for practice.

Moderating role of attachment in predicting performance with self and collective efficacies

The importance of individual and group resources for predicting performance is a well-known debate in the literature. This paper presents one of the first attempts to examine the concurrent and relative effects of internal (self) and external (collective) efficacies on performance. We argue that one of the underlying mechanisms that affect the importance of these resources depends on the individual’s internal working model of attachment. Study 1 examined the moderating role of employees' attachment orientations in the relative importance they ascribe to self and collective efficacies for predicting performance. Study 2 examined the moderating role of managers' attachment orientations in the importance they attribute to employees' self and collective efficacies in predicting their subordinates' performance. Two samples of employees (N = 143) and managers (N = 132) in high-tech industries participated in these studies. Findings indicate that both employees and managers evaluated self-efficacy as a better predictor of performance than collective efficacy. Moreover, the analysis of both employees' and managers' attachment orientations illuminates how self vs. collective efficacy contribute to performance predictions. Findings also underscore the contribution of attachment theory to performance predictions in the workplace.

Verbal Fluency Tasks: Influence of Age, Gender, and Education and Normative Data for the Spanish Native Adult Population.

Phonological and semantic verbal fluency (VF) tasks are frequently used to assess language and executive functions in both clinical and research settings. F, A, and S are the most commonly used letters in phonological tasks across languages and cultures. Unfortunately, the lack of norms for the native Spanish population for these letters, and for certain semantic categories such as "proper names," may lead to misinterpretation of scores due to demographic differences. The aim of the present study was to provide normative data for F, A, and S and for "proper names," "animals," and "fruits and vegetables" for the native Spanish population. 257 healthy subjects took part in the study (ages: 17-100years, 3-20years of education). Correlation, multiple regression, and t-tests were used to select the most appropriate variables for stratification. Education was the best predictor of performance in all tasks, followed by age. Given that t-test results showed no differences related to gender, with the only exception of the semantic category "animals," this variable was not considered for stratification. Consequently, the data were stratified in two education levels (<13, ≥13years of education) and in two age levels (<60, ≥60) within the low-educational level group. Mean, standard deviation, and percentile scores for each group are provided. The present norms provide a reference for clinicians assessing VF. This data may also facilitate comparisons with other normative studies in cross-cultural and cross-linguistic research.

Analysis of Anthropometric and Body Composition Profile in Male and Female Traditional Rowers.

The anthropometric profile has a fundamental role in rowing performance and young talent detection. The objective of this study was to analyze the anthropometric profile, body composition, and somatotype in traditional rowers, and to analyze which variables can be used as predictors of rowing performance. Twenty-four rowers competing at national level participated in this study, thirteen men and eleven women. Significant differences (p < 0.001) were observed in the height of male rowers (large effect size, d = 1.8) and in body mass (very large effect size, d = 2.4). Also, muscle mass reached a higher percentage in male rowers (d = 3.7), whereas the sum of seven skinfolds (d = 2.0) and body fat percentage (d = 2.0) reached higher values in female rowers, all their difference being significant (p < 0.001) with very large effect size. The somatotype of male rowers was ecto-mesomorph (1.8-4.5-3.0), and the somatotype of female rowers was in the balanced mesomorph (2.8-3.8-2.6). A very strong correlation between height (r = 0.75; p = 0.002) and rowing performance was found in male rowers. Body mass (r = 0.70; p = 0.009) and muscle mass (r = 0.83; p = 0.001) showed also very strong correlation in female rowers. Finally, height was the best predictor of performance for male rowers (R2 = 0.56, p < 0.003) and muscle mass for female rowers (R2 = 0.68, p < 0.002). The anthropometric profile of male and female traditional rowers showed differences to be considered in training programs and talent selection.

Color Nameability Predicts Inference Accuracy in Spatial Visualizations

AbstractColor encoding is foundational to visualizing quantitative data. Guidelines for colormap design have traditionally emphasized perceptual principles, such as order and uniformity. However, colors also evoke cognitive and linguistic associations whose role in data interpretation remains underexplored. We study how two linguistic factors, name salience and name variation, affect people's ability to draw inferences from spatial visualizations. In two experiments, we found that participants are better at interpreting visualizations when viewing colors with more salient names (e.g., prototypical ‘blue’, ‘yellow’, and ‘red’ over ‘teal’, ‘beige’, and ‘maroon’). The effect was robust across four visualization types, but was more pronounced in continuous (e.g., smooth geographical maps) than in similar discrete representations (e.g., choropleths). Participants' accuracy also improved as the number of nameable colors increased, although the latter had a less robust effect. Our findings suggest that color nameability is an important design consideration for quantitative colormaps, and may even outweigh traditional perceptual metrics. In particular, we found that the linguistic associations of color are a better predictor of performance than the perceptual properties of those colors. We discuss the implications and outline research opportunities. The data and materials for this study are available athttps://osf.io/asb7n

Computerized Symbol Digit Modalities Test in a Swiss Pediatric Cohort - Part 2: Clinical Implementation.

BackgroundInformation processing speed (IPS) is a marker for cognitive function. It is associated with neural maturation and increases during development. Traditionally, IPS is measured using paper and pencil tasks requiring fine motor skills. Such skills are often impaired in patients with neurological conditions. Therefore, an alternative that does not need motor dexterity is desirable. One option is the computerized symbol digit modalities test (c-SDMT), which requires the patient to verbally associate numbers with symbols.MethodsEighty-six participants (8–16 years old; 45 male; 48 inpatients) were examined, 38 healthy and 48 hospitalized for a non-neurological disease. All participants performed the written SDMT, c-SDMT, and the Test of Non-verbal Intelligence Fourth Edition (TONI-4). Statistical analyses included a multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) for the effects of intelligence (IQ) and hospitalization on the performance of the SDMT and c-SDMT. A repeated measures analysis of variance (repeated measures ANOVA) was used to compare performance across c-SDMT trials between inpatients and outpatients.ResultsThe MANCOVA showed that hospitalization had a significant effect on IPS when measured with the SDMT (p = 0.04) but not with the c-SDMT (p = 0.68), while IQ (p = 0.92) had no effect on IPS. Age (p < 0.001) was the best predictor of performance of both tests. The repeated measures ANOVA revealed no significant difference in within-test performance (p = 0.06) between outpatient and inpatient participants in the c-SDMT.ConclusionPerformance of the c-SDMT is not confounded by hospitalization and gives within-test information. As a valid and reliable measure of IPS for children and adolescents, it is suitable for use in both inpatient and outpatient populations.

Effects of Faking on the Predictive Validity of a Quasi-Ipsative Forced-Choice Personality Inventory: Implications for Sustainable Personnel Selection

Faking behavior is one of the main problems of personality measures. For this reason, determining the potential effects of faking on personality assessment procedures is relevant. The aim of this study has been to examine the impact of faking, induced in a laboratory setting, on the predictive validity of a quasi-ipsative forced-choice (FC) inventory based on the five-factor model. It also examined whether the magnitude of the predictive validity varied depending on the type of criteria analyzed (self-reported performance ratings and grade point average). The participants were 939 students from the University of Santiago de Compostela. As expected, the results showed that: (1) conscientiousness is the best predictor of performance even under faking response conditions; (2) conscientiousness predicts performance better when it is assessed using rating scales; and (3) reliability and validity were attenuated under faking conditions. Finally, we discuss the implications of these findings for the research and practice of personnel selection.

Pre Clinic Grade and Clinic Periods Effect on Progress Test of UNISMA Medical Profession Students

Introduction: Pre clinic grade point is often seen as predictor of good performance in professional education whose short term goal is to pass national examination which command progress test to evaluate the preparation. Purpose: To know the effect of pre clinic grade point and clinical study periods in progress test result of medical profession students. Methods: 135 students of medical profession programme completed computer based progress test of 200 national standardized questions in 200 minutes using siPENA software. Progress test result then analysed based on how long they have been studied and their pre clinic grade point using ANOVA – Tukey HSD and Pearson correlation in SPSS for Windows ver 19 Results: Although students with pre clinic grade 2,50-2,74 have lower progress test result, but it’s not statistically significant (p&gt;0,05). The same happen in clinic study periods with the longer the students in their clinical rotation, the better their result (p&gt;0,05). The trends which showing better result in higher pre clinic grade point and time they spend in clinical rotation agrees with previous studies. Conclusion: Pre clinic grade point and clinic study periods has little to no effect on progress test result of medical profession students in UNISMA.

Allometric Scaling of Force-velocity Test Output Among Pre-pubertal Basketball Players.

Basketball is characterized by high-intensity episodes predominantly reliant on anaerobic metabolism. The force-velocity test enables individual determination of an optimal braking force and emerged as appropriate to estimate optimal peak power. It has rarely been used in youth basketball. This study aimed to examine the contribution of body size, composition, and biological maturation to interindividual variation in force-velocity test output among pre-pubertal basketball players. The sample consisted of 64 male participants (8.4-12.3 years). Stature, sitting height, body mass and two skinfolds were measured, and leg length estimated. Fat-free mass and lower limb volume were estimated from anthropometry. Age at peak height velocity was predicted from maturity offset. Optimal peak power was correlated with all body size descriptors (correlation: 0.541-0.700). Simple allometric models explained 30-47% of inter-individual variance, with fat-free mass being the best predictor of performance. Whole-body fat-free mass (as a surrogate for active muscle mass) plus the indicator of maturation emerged as the best proportional allometric model (53% explained variance). Even at pre-pubertal ages, the interpretation of the force-velocity test requires assessing the metabolically active component of body mass.

Predictors of Athlete's Performance in Ultra-Endurance Mountain Races.

Background: In previous studies, ultra-endurance performance has been associated with training and psychological variables. However, performance under extreme conditions is understudied, mainly due to difficulties in making field measures. Aim: The aim of this study was to analyze the role of training, hydration, nutrition, oral health status, and stress-related psychological factors in athletes’ performance in ultra-endurance mountain events. Methods: We analyzed the variables of race time and training, hydration state, nutrition, oral health status, and stress-related psychological factors in 448 ultra-endurance mountain race finishers divided into three groups according to race length (less than 45 km, 45–90 km, and greater than 90 km), using a questionnaire. Results: Higher performance in ultra-endurance mountain races was associated with better oral health status and higher accumulative altitude covered per week as well as higher positive accumulative change of altitude per week during training. In longer distance races, experience, a larger volume of training, and better hydration/nutrition prior to the competition were associated with better performance. Conclusions: Ultra-endurance mountain athletes competing in longer races (>90 km) have more experience and follow harder training schedules compared with athletes competing in shorter distances. In longer races, a larger fluid intake before the competition was the single best predictor of performance. For races between 45 and 90 km, training intensity and volume were key predictors of performance, and for races below 45 km, oral health status was a key predictor of performance. Psychological factors previously reported as ultra-endurance mountain race performance predictors were inconsistent or failed to predict the performance of athletes in the present research.

Resting-state brain oscillations predict cognitive function in psychiatric disorders: A transdiagnostic machine learning approach

BackgroundCognitive dysfunction is widespread in psychiatric disorders and can significantly impact quality of life. Deficits cut across traditional diagnostic boundaries, necessitating new approaches to understand how cognitive function relates to large-scale brain activity and psychiatric symptoms across the diagnostic spectrum. ObjectiveUsing random forest regression, we aimed to identify transdiagnostic patterns linking cognitive function to resting-state EEG oscillations. Methods216 participants recruited through an outpatient psychiatric clinic completed the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery and underwent a 5-minute eyes-closed resting state EEG recording. We built random forest regression models to predict performance on each cognitive test using the resting-state EEG power spectrum as input, and we compared model performance to a sampling distribution constructed with random permutations. For models that performed significantly better than chance, we used feature importance estimates to identify features of the EEG power spectrum that are predictive of cognitive functioning. ResultsRandom forest models successfully predicted performance on measures of episodic memory and associative learning (Paired Associates Learning, PAL), information processing speed (Choice Reaction Time, CRT), and attentional set-shifting and executive function (Intra-Extra Dimensional Set Shift, IED). Oscillatory power in the upper alpha range was associated with better performance on PAL and CRT, while low alpha power was associated with worse CRT performance. Beta power predicted poor performance on all three tests. Theta power was associated with good performance on PAL, and delta and theta oscillations were identified as predictors of good performance on IED. No differences in cognitive performance were found between diagnostic categories. ConclusionResting oscillations are predictive of certain dimensions of cognitive function across various psychiatric disorders. These findings may inform treatment development to improve cognition.

Being sustainable: The three‐way interactive effects of CSR, green human resource management, and responsible leadership on employee green behavior and task performance

AbstractThe main goal of this research was to analyze the three‐way interactive effects of corporate social responsibility (CSR), green human resource management (GHRM), and responsible leadership on employee green behavior and task performance. Social cognition theory was adopted to explore the context‐behavior‐performance framework. The research hypotheses were tested using data from a survey of 261 Millennial employees in five‐star hotels in China. The results indicated that the three‐way interactive effect of CSR, GHRM, and responsible leadership on employee green behavior and performance was significant and positive. In addition, green behavior played a mediation role in this relationship after controlling the effect of organizational identity. This suggests that behavioral improvements are a better predictor of performance than perceptions of organizational identity. The analysis enriches the context‐behavior‐performance framework literature and highlights that organizations can enhance sustainability by implementing CSR, GHRM, and responsible leadership.

An Assessment of the Benefits of Off-Season Training Among Teenage Basketball Players

The purpose of this research study was to establish the benefits of off-season training among teenage basketball players. The goal of every school basketball team is to achieve the best outcomes possible among its athletes; hence, the study intends to investigate the possible outcomes of off-season training on a junior level basketball team setting. In this regard, 40 youth participants aged between 14 and 18 years were selected from their respective school basketball teams to voluntarily take part in the off-season training program. For the sample, anthropometric measures such as weight or height were not taken into account. A quantitative research design was used in which 20 participants were assigned to the control group and 20 remaining participants were assigned to the test group. The focus was to establish the development of athletes’ rebounding, passing, scoring, and dribbling skills at the end of the off-season training. The descriptive statistics of the study entailing the mean, standard deviation, sample variance, skewness, and confidence interval indicated a significant improvement in the dribbling, scoring, passing, and rebounding skills in the test group, whereas there was a significant drop in the same skills observed in the control group. The correlation analysis in the pretest assessment had values of (r = 0.17), (r = 0.5), (r = -0.5), and (r = 0.28) and posttest assessment had values of (r = -0.76), (r = -0.58), (r = -0.47), and (r = -0.99) in dribbling, scoring, passing, and rebounding, respectively. Thus, this indicates that off-season training is a positive predictor of better performance among teenage basketball players.

Contribution of Stimulus Variability to Word Recognition in Noise Versus Two-Talker Speech for School-Age Children and Adults.

Speech-in-speech recognition scores tend to be more variable than the speech-in-noise recognition scores, both within and across listeners. This variability could be due to listener factors, such as individual differences in audibility or susceptibility to informational masking. It could also be due to stimulus variability, with some speech-in-speech samples posing more of a challenge than others. The purpose of this experiment was to test two hypotheses: (1) that stimulus variability affects adults' word recognition in a two-talker speech masker and (2) that stimulus variability plays a smaller role in children's performance due to relatively greater contributions of listener factors. Listeners were children (5 to 10 years) and adults (18 to 41 years) with normal hearing. Target speech was a corpus of 30 disyllabic words, each associated with an unambiguous illustration. Maskers were 30 samples of either two-talker speech or speech-shaped noise. The task was a four-alternative forced choice. Speech reception thresholds were measured adaptively, and those results were used to determine the signal-to-noise ratio associated with ≈65% correct for each listener and masker. Two 30-word blocks of fixed-level testing were then completed in each of the two conditions: (1) with the target-masker pairs randomly assigned prior to each block and (2) with frozen target-masker pairs. Speech reception thresholds were lower for adults than for children, particularly for the two-talker speech masker. Listener responses in fixed-level testing were evaluated for consistency across listeners. Target sample was the best predictor of performance in the speech-shaped noise masker for both the random and frozen conditions. In contrast, both the target and masker samples affected performance in the two-talker masker. Results were qualitatively similar for children and adults, and the pattern of performance across stimulus samples was consistent, with differences in masked target audibility in both age groups. Although word recognition in speech-shaped noise differed consistently across target words, recognition in a two-talker speech masker depended on both the target and masker samples. These stimulus effects are broadly consistent with a simple model of masked target audibility. Although variability in speech-in-speech recognition is often thought to reflect differences in informational masking, the present results suggest that variability in energetic masking across stimuli can play an important role in performance.

Self-Regulation in Children Born with Extremely Low Birth Weight at Four Years of Age: A Comparison Study

ABSTRACT Research Findings: This study examined performance on self-regulatory tasks, in addition to individual characteristics including cognitive ability, receptive and expressive language skills, planning, and behaviour as contributing factors to early learning difficulties. Twenty-nine children born with ELBW and 30 comparison children at four years of age completed self-regulatory tasks. Results indicated no differences between groups for the Gift task; however, comparison children performed better on the Delay of Gratification task than children with ELBW. Although similar numbers from both groups violated the delay protocol, comparison children were more likely to wait for the researcher to return and children with ELBW were more likely to recall the researcher for an immediate, lesser reward. Cognitive ability, language abilities and planning were correlated with Delay of Gratification. Group membership was the best predictor of performance on the Delay of Gratification task; however, maternal education, cognitive ability and expressive language were also significant predictors of Delay of Gratification. Practice or Policy: It is considered that the small sample size and exclusion of children with significant neurodevelopmental disabilities may have contributed to better performance on the self-regulatory measures in this study.

Reduced neurobehavioral functioning in agricultural workers and rural inhabitants exposed to pesticides in northern Chile and its association with blood biomarkers inhibition

BackgroundPrevious biomonitoring studies have shown that people in the rural population of Coquimbo, the major agricultural area in northern Chile are being occupationally and environmentally exposed to organophosphate/carbamate (OP/CB) pesticides. Given their harmful effects, this study had two aims; first, to evaluate the effect of cumulative or chronic exposure to OP/CB pesticides on the neurobehavioral performance of agricultural workers and rural inhabitants; second, to determine if changes in the neurobehavioral performance are associated to changes in blood biomarkers of OP/CB pesticides during the spray season, when exposure is higher.MethodsFor the first aim, a cross sectional study of neurobehavioral performance in adult volunteers (men and women, 18–50 years-old, right-handed) was carried out in the pre-spray season. Sampling was done by convenience and a questionnaire was used to categorize participants depending on their level of chronic exposure, as either: occupationally exposed (OE, n = 87), environmentally exposed (EE, n = 81), or non-exposed controls or reference group (RG, n = 100). A neurobehavioral test battery consisting of 21 tests to measure cognitive, motor and emotional state was applied. For the second aim, neurobehavioral measures were taken a second time from EE and OE groups during the spray season, and their exposure corroborated by blood-based biomarker inhibition.ResultsLower neurobehavioral performance was observed in the pre-spray evaluation of EE and OE groups compared to the non-exposed, OE being the worst performing group. Seasonal exposure impaired performance in both exposure groups on all tests except those on attention and mood. Data modeling of the basal (pre-spray) measurements showed that the level of exposure was the best predictor of performance. During spraying, inhibition of BChE activity in the EE group was the best predictor of low performance in tests measuring logical, auditory and visual memory, inhibitory control of cognitive interference, constructional and planning abilities, executive functions, and motor speed and coordination.ConclusionLong-term occupational or environmental exposure to pesticides caused impairment in neurobehavioral functioning, which worsened during the spraying season, mainly in EE. BChE inhibition was the best predictor for seasonal neurobehavioral changes in EE.

Not your father's homodonty-stress, tooth shape, and the functional homodont.

Teeth tell the tale of interactions between predator and prey. If a dental battery is made up of teeth that look similar, they are morphologically homodont, but if there is an unspecified amount of regional specialization in size or shape, they are morphologically heterodont. These are vague terms with no useful functional implication because morphological homodonty does not necessarily equal functional homodonty. Teeth that look the same may not function the same. Conical teeth are prevalent in fishes, superficially tasked with the simple job of puncture. There is a great deal of variation in the shape and placement of conical teeth. Anterior teeth may be larger than posterior ones, larger teeth may be surrounded by small ones, and patches of teeth may all have the same size and shape. Such variations suggest that conical dentitions might represent a single morphological solution for different functional problems. We are interested in the concept of homodonty and using the conical tooth as a model to differentiate between tooth shape and performance. We consider the stress that a tooth can exert on prey as stress is what causes damage. To create a statistical measure of functional homodonty, stress was calculated from measurements of surface area, position, and applied force. Functional homodonty is then defined as the degree to which teeth along the jaw all bear/exert similar stresses despite changes in shape. We find that morphologically heterodont teeth are often functionally homodont and that position is a better predictor of performance than shape. Furthermore, the arrangement of teeth affects their function, such that there is a functional advantage to having several smaller teeth surrounding a singular large tooth. We demonstrate that this arrangement of teeth is useful to grab, rather than tear, prey upon puncture, with the smaller teeth dissipating large stress forces around the larger tooth. We show that measurements of how shape affects stress distribution in response to loading give us a clearer picture of the evolution of conically shaped teeth.

Correlation-based feature selection for resilience analysis of MVDC shipboard power system

The future all-electric ship (AES) requires a resilient shipboard power system (SPS) that can withstand extreme events without substantial damage and maintaining critical capabilities. For superior capability to sustain disruptions, numerical measures of resilience provide assistance to engineers in making planning and operational decisions. This paper presents a novel method for analyzing the resilience characteristics of an SPS using correlation-based feature selection (CFS) to identify the system attributes that are the best predictors of performance during contingencies. Such attributes are typically chosen in the design stage and are not subject to modification during operation. The selected features are adjusted and their ramifications on the SPS performance are evaluated under the same contingencies. Results show quantitatively how a change of relevant attributes can improve or degrade the system performance in terms of unserved load and minimum recovery time.

Effects of Rest Position on Morphology of the Vastus Lateralis and Its Relationship with Lower-Body Strength and Power.

Ultrasonography of the lower body typically encompasses supine rest due to fluid shifts affecting tissue size and composition. However, vastus lateralis (VL) examination is completed in the lateral recumbent position, and this positional change may influence morphology and its ability to predict function. This study aimed to examine the effect of position on VL morphology and its relationship with lower-body performance. Cross-sectional area (CSA), muscle thickness (MT), pennation angle (PA), echo intensity (UnCorEI), subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness (SFT), and echo intensity corrected for SFT (CorEI) were assessed in 31 resistance-trained males (23.0 ± 2.1 yrs; 1.79 ± 0.08 m; 87.4 ± 11.7 kg) immediately after transitioning from standing to supine (IP), after 15 min of standing (ST), and after 15 min of rest in three recumbent positions: supine (SUP), dominant lateral recumbent (DLR), non-dominant lateral recumbent (NDLR). Participants also completed unilateral vertical jumps, isometric/isokinetic tests, and a one-repetition maximum leg press. CSA, MT, PA, and SFT were greater in ST compared to NDLR, DLR, and SUP (p < 0.05). CSA, UnCorEI, and CorEI were different between recumbent positions; however no differences were observed for MT, PA, and SFT. Different magnitudes of relationships were observed between muscle morphological characteristics measured after rest in different positions and performance variables. Muscle morphology in IP generally appears to be the best predictor of performance for most variables, although utilizing the NDLR and DLR positions may provide comparable results, whereas morphology measured in ST and SUP provide weaker relationships with physical performance. IP also requires less time and fewer requirements on the technician and subject, thus researchers should consider this positioning for VL examination.

Effect of corporate governance on financial performance of listed deposit money banks in Nigeria

This study examined corporate governance and financial performance of listed deposit money banks (DMBs) in Nigeria. The study covered listed DMBs listed in the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) for a ten year period from 2007–2016 and data were obtained from their annual financial reports. Data were presented using tables and analyzed using panel data regression. The corporate governance mechanisms of board size (BSIZE), board composition (BCOM) and audit committee (ACOM) were used as independent variables. Performance of the listed DMBs was measured by return on asset (ROA) which is the dependent variable while the bank size (FSIZE) was used as a control variable.The findings of this study revealed that board size had a positive but insignificant relationship with performance. It was also observed that audit committee, board composition and bank size all had positive and significant relationships with return on asset. The study therefore concludes that board composition and audit committee are good predictors of performance as measured by return on assets (ROA). The study recommended that DMBs listed in the Nigerian Stock Exchange should strive to have an average of fourteen members in their boards to avoid decision-making problems which are characterized by larger board of directors and should therefore comprise a mix of executive and nonexecutive directors with the relevant credentials, competence, and experience to serve on the board of banks. Additionally, the audit committee of banks should meet often to enable them review the financial reports of the banks and make appropriate recommendations that will help to improve the performance of the banks. Keywords: corporate governance, financial performance, board size, board composition and audit committee