Major Competition Research Articles

Developing an Algorithm for Building Individual Training Programs for Highly Qualified Multi-Sport Athletes at the Stage of Direct Preparation for Winter Season Competitions

The purpose of the study was to develop and experimentally justify the effectiveness of the algorithm for building individual training programs for highly qualified multi-sport athletes at the stage of direct preparation for the main competitions of the winter season.
 Materials and methods. Five highly qualified multi-sport athletes, whose sports qualification is the Master of Sports of Ukraine, took part in the pedagogical experiment. The mean age of the participants was (M±SD) 25.2±1.79 years. The main goal of the formative stage of the experiment (2020-2021) was to develop programs for the structural units of the training process (training classes, microcycles, mesocycles, and the stage of direct preparation for the main competitions) based on the developed algorithm for building individual programs. We have developed six consecutive steps for the purpose of achieving full preparation of athletes for major competitions.
 Results. The implementation of an individual program at the stage of direct preparation for winter season competitions is effective and enables qualified multi-sport athletes to reach the peak of their sports form during participation in the competitions of the Ukrainian indoor heptathlon championship. This is evidenced by the achieved statistically significant differences (р<0.05) in all indicators of physical and functional fitness compared to the ascertainment stage of the experiment. The increase in indicators was 2.8–4.4 % in the running tests, 4.0–4.2 % in the tests reflecting speed and strength abilities, 6.6 % in the strength control exercise. We note a statistically significant (p<0.05) positive increase during the formative stage in the indicators of physical performance of multi-sport athletes within the range of 5.8–6.0 % and in the indicators of aerobic productivity within the range of 4.4–4.5 %.
 Conclusions. The use of the algorithm for building an individual program of preparation for competitions of highly qualified multi-sport athletes orients the coach and athlete towards achieving the desired sports result in the shortest way with economical and rational use of training equipment at the most difficult and responsible stage of direct preparation for the main competitions. Compliance with the stated provisions of the algorithm made it possible to rationally plan and choose the best option for building the training process.

Tracking sleep in the field: sleep quality and sleep behaviours of elite track and field athletes during preparation and competition

ABSTRACT Elite athletes are susceptible to inadequate sleep, which may peak during competition and be exacerbated by poor sleep behaviours. This study sought to characterise and compare the sleep quality and sleep behaviours of elite track and field athletes during preparation and major competitions. Forty elite international track and field athletes (50% female, aged 25.1 ± 3.9 years) completed the Athlete Sleep Screening Questionnaire and the Athlete Sleep Behaviour Questionnaire on three separate occasions: during habitual training, during a pre-meet training camp and during a major international competition. Overall, 62.5% of athletes reported at least mild sleep difficulty during competition. Athletes reported higher sleep difficulty and poorer sleep behaviour during major competitions and the pre-meet training camp compared to habitual training (P = .001–.025). No significant differences were observed between the training camp and major competition. Global sleep behaviour scores were underpinned by unique characteristics at each timepoint. Sleep behaviour (R2 = .330, P = .017), injury status (R2 = .253, P = .003) and major championship experience (R2 = .113, P = .034) were associated with sleep difficulty during competition. Sleep quality and behaviours vary according to stage of the track and field season, providing a foundation for targeted intervention.

A paradox of tournament seeding

We analyse a mathematical model of seeding for sports contests with round-robin qualifying tournaments. The standard seeding system based on coefficients measuring the historical performance of the teams is shown to be unfair as it might potentially punish a team for its better results by having to face stronger opponents on average in the next stage. Major football competitions are revealed to suffer from this weakness. Incentive compatibility can be guaranteed by providing each qualified team with the highest coefficient of all teams that are ranked lower in its qualifying tournament for seeding purposes. Our proposal is illustrated by the 2020/21 UEFA Champions League.

Development and validation of a questionnaire for assessing perspectives of World Robot Olympiad on participants

Many studies have examined the effects of robotics competitions, but few have investigated their effects on participants, especially from the perspectives of students, parents, and coaches. The researchers of this study developed and validated an instrument for exploring the impact of the World Robot Olympiad (WRO), a major international robotics competition, on participants from the perspectives of students, parents, and coaches. Through a literature review and expert discussion, the researchers proposed the first version of the questionnaire. After three years of data collection and three iterations as well as a reliability and validity analysis, factor analysis, and expert review, researchers developed an impact questionnaire for participants in WRO, which included 18 items in the following six dimensions: Learning Skill, Engineering Thinking, Emotional Engagement, Career Choice, Cooperative Solution, and Global Consciousness. Data from 636 valid responses revealed that the questionnaire has good reliability and validity and that students, parents, and coaches all highly valued the positive impact of WRO in 2019. Data analysis indicated that, by and large, students’ abilities have improved in various dimensions which were similar to those of previous research on robotics education and robotics competitions.

Analysis of Cultivated Land Area and Urbanization Rate Based on Spatial Coordination

The study of the regional effects of urban competitiveness on housing prices and their impact is of great significance to real estate market operations, consumer purchases and government decision-making. This study takes 32 major cities as research samples, draws on the more mature urban competitiveness index system, selects 8 representative factors, collects panel data such as statistical yearbook, and uses principal component analysis regression equation to establish the influence of urban competitiveness on housing price. The model analyzes the extent to which major competitiveness factors affect housing prices. The results show that: 1 The regional GDP and the balance of household savings play a more important role in the change of housing prices. The impact of environmental factors on housing prices is gradually expanding. The impact of urban real estate development investment on housing prices is getting smaller and smaller. The tertiary industry creates comfort for urban life and has a greater impact on housing prices. The total population at the end of the year and the number of students in colleges and universities have a negative impact on housing prices; the total population at the end of the year, the completion of real estate development investment, and the proportion of the tertiary industry have a greater impact on housing prices in the eastern region; Factors such as economic fundamentals have a greater impact.

An analysis of Pak-Russia relations in the evolving new regional order: 2013-2022

As regional political order has been shifting, Pakistan is faced with the withdrawal of NATO forces from Afghanistan and its aftereffects, Indian inference in the region political paradigm, the building of new trilateral cooperative blocs in the regional context, and the threat of fifth-generation and hybrid warfare. Therefore, the study is designed to interpret and evaluate Pakistan-Russian foreign policy achievements and their futuristic consequences. The occurrence of multiple political events like hybrid warfare from a geo-strategic perspective has signalled major geopolitical and socio-economic competition in the global market; for which Pakistan and Russia are gearing up. Given existing geopolitical compulsions like Moscow’s quest for playing a decisive role in Afghanistan’s security calculus, Pakistan’s pursuit of coming out of the US straitjacket and finding alternative regional partners offer the reasons, challenges, and outlook for reshaping ties. Pakistan and Russia require a balanced strategic plan to counter the regional threats after the departure of NATO forces from Afghan soil. This article also discusses the core socio-economic strategies between Pakistan and Russia for diluting their gaps. The main point which can play a vital role in creating a close bilateral nexus between both states is the decisive foreign policy initiative from both ends.

Asian American Female Composers and Digital Memory

Asian American Female Composers and Digital Memory

Product-to-Product Virtual Metrology of Color Filter Processes in Panel Industry

The current thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) panel industry evolves in transition from volume production to customized production service as a major competition strategy. Owing to the highly mixed production type of small batch sizes and high varieties, metrology data are usually collected too infrequently for building accurate virtual metrology (VM) models. In this paper, a new product-to-product (P2P) VM model to predict photoresist spacer heights in the color filter process of the array sector is developed. First, a position-based random forests model is proposed for the base product. Second, an ensemble model combining the base model and a biased estimation random forests model for the new product of small batch size is proposed to perform P2P VM between different products on the same tool. The real datasets of photoresist spacer heights for different products are used to illustrate the accuracy of the new P2P VM framework in the experimental study. Note to Practitioners—As global competition intensifies, production management needs to be adjusted to adapt swiftly to changes in the time-varying and competitive market. For manufacturing firms, how to operate the manufacturing system effectively and efficiently plays a crucial role in quality and yield improvements. The color filter process in the array sector is of critical importance in the TFT-LCD practice since it essentially dictates the quality level of subsequent processing steps in the cell and assembly sectors. Virtual metrology is a state-of-the-art measure that can be used for monitoring and controlling purposes to maintain the yield and productivity of the color filter process in the highly mixed production environment. An immediate challenge to be faced by the data scientists is how to build accurate virtual metrology models for a variety of product lines separately in color filter manufacturing. A new proposal of product-to-product virtual metrology is first addressed between products, enabling to build appropriate virtual metrology models for new products with small-sized production batches.

Race analysis of the men’s 50 m events at the 2021 LEN European Championships

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to: (i) characterise the stroke kinematics’ stability of the male swimmers competing in the four 50 m events at the 2021 European Championships, and; (ii) understand the speed–time relationship in the four race events. All male swimmers who participated in the 50 m events (backstroke: 78 swimmers; breaststroke: 79 swimmers; butterfly: 89 swimmers; freestyle: 95 swimmers) were evaluated. In each swimming stroke swimmers were split in two groups (better and poorer performances). Significant variances (p < 0.05) were observed in both groups in all variables and for all swimming strokes. Swimming speed was the variable with the highest variance in both groups and strokes. Overall, better swimmers presented a low to high normative stability, and poorer swimmers a moderate-to-high. Speed–time curve fitting for all swimming strokes and groups suggested a cubic relationship. It can be considered that elite male swimmers racing 50 m sprint events at major competitions present an all-out trend. The present data provide coaches with substantial information about the main trend in the 50 m sprint events, specifically in each section of the race.

Forecasting office rents with ensemble models – the case for European real estate markets

PurposeCommercial real estate and office rental values, in particular, have long been the focus of research. Several forecasting frameworks for office rental values in multivariate and univariate fashions have been proposed. Recent developments in time series forecasting using machine learning and deep learning methods offer an opportunity to update traditional univariate forecasting frameworks.Design/methodology/approachWith the aim to extend research on univariate rent forecasting a hybrid methodology combining both ARIMA and a neural network model is proposed to exploit the unique strengths of both methods in linear and nonlinear modelling. N-BEATS, a deep learning algorithm that has demonstrated state-of-the-art forecasting performance in major forecasting competitions, are explained. With the ARIMA model, it is jointly applied to the office rental dataset to produce forecasts for four-quarters ahead.FindingsWhen the approach is applied to a dataset of 21 major European office cities, the results show that the ensemble model can be an effective approach to improve the prediction accuracy achieved by each of the models used separately.Practical implicationsReal estate forecasting is essential for assessing the value of managing portfolios and for evaluating investment strategies. The approach applied in this paper confirms the heterogeneity of real estate markets. The application of mixed modelling via linear and nonlinear methods decreases the uncertainty of abrupt changes in rents.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, no such application of a hybrid model updating classical statistical forecasting with a deep learning neural network approach in the field of commercial real estate rent forecasting has been undertaken.

The 19th Mediterranean Games, Oran 2022 and ‘the New Algeria’

From 25th June to 5th July 2022 the city of Oran located in the west of Algeria hosted the 19th Mediterranean Games. Algeria’s strategy to organize regional sport events reached its peak in the 1970s with the organization of the 7th Mediterranean Games in 1975 and the African Games in 1979. Algeria had to wait until 1990 to organize another major continental competition, which was the African Cup of Nations. Between the two Mediterranean Games a number of events outside sport occurred in the country (and around it). The aim of this paper is through the analysis of national and international media accounts to uncover these key transformations and examine local and geopolitical context surrounding the 19th Mediterranean Games, including the significance of Mediterranean culture in past and contemporary Algeria, symbolized by the host city, Oran.

Recent Covid-19 Vaccination Is Associated With Modest Increases In The Physiological Demands To Graded Exercise

PURPOSE: Athletes are advised to receive the COVID-19 vaccination to protect them from SARS CoV-2 infection during major competitions. Despite this, many athletes are reluctant to get the COVID-19 vaccine due to concerns that symptoms of vaccinosis may impair athletic performance. Our aim was to determine the effects of COVID-19 vaccination on the physiological responses to graded exercise. METHODS: Healthy participants completed a 20-minute bout of graded cycling exercise before and ~ 21 days after COVID-19 vaccination (2 dose Pfizer mRNA or 1 dose Johnson & Johnson). RESULTS: Oxygen uptake, CO2 production, respiratory exchange ratio, ventilation, heart rate, serum noradrenaline, and rating of perceived exertion were significantly elevated in the post-vaccine trial. However, vaccination did not affect serum lactate, adrenaline, cortisol, predicted V̇O2max, and ventilatory threshold. Post-vaccine effects on heart rate and noradrenaline remained significant in non-infected participants that received the Pfizer vaccine. No significant effects in respiratory gas exchange parameters were found after vaccination in those previously exposed to SARS-CoV-2, but exercise adrenaline levels were significantly lower and serum lactate levels trended (p = 0.10) lower after vaccination. No changes in any physiological responses to exercise were found in control participants who completed two bouts of exercise separated by ~5 weeks without vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: Recent COVID-19 vaccination is associated with modest increases in the physiological demands to graded exercise in non-infected healthy people but may actually improve metabolic responses to exercise in those previously infected with SARS-CoV-2. Whether or not these small effects could impact athletic performance at the elite level warrants investigation.

Jet Lag Symptoms And Sleep In High-performance Sport Support Staff Following Long-haul Transmeridian Travel

PURPOSE: To examine the impact of long-haul transmeridian travel (LHTT) on sleep and perceived jet lag symptoms in high-performance sport support staff travelling to Japan for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games, postponed to July 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. METHODS: For the purpose of this study, an observational descriptive design was used. Participants included were nine high-performance sport support staff (2 M/7F; 34.3 ± 8.3 y (mean ± SD)), who embarked on a long-haul eastward flight across eight time-zones from Ireland to Japan (approx. 24 h total travel time), to work at the Irish Team’s 2020 Summer Olympic Games pre-Games camp. Fourteen days before departure, baseline (BL) measurements were taken over two days. Measurements were repeated daily for eight days following the flight (D1-D8). Perceptual measures for symptoms of travel fatigue and jet lag were assessed via the Liverpool John Moore’s University Jetlag Questionnaire. Sleep (quality and duration) were monitored using wrist actigraphy and self-report sleep diaries. RESULTS: Participants perceived themselves to be jet lagged from D1 to D6 (p < 0.05). In comparison to BL, significant mean disturbances were reported on the days following arrival for meals, bowel activity, mood, sleep and fatigue; all normalizing on D7. From D1 to D6 after arrival participants went to bed earlier (p ≤ 0.02), with a shorter sleep duration (p < 0.05) from D2 to D6 in comparison to BL. Mean sleep efficiency was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than BL on four nights between D1 and D6. CONCLUSIONS: Following LHTT in an eastward direction across eight time-zones, it took seven days for sleep and perceptual markers related to jet lag and travel fatigue to normalise in high-performance sport support staff. These findings highlight the need for strategies to alleviate jet lag and travel fatigue symptoms and maximise sleep of support staff embarking on LHTT for major competition.

Analisis sektor unggulan Kota Jambi dalam menghadapi Pandemi Covid-19

In the years 2016-2019, Jambi City economic growth rate was higher than the Jambi Province and National data, but in 2020, it dropped by 8.07 percent and was lower than the Provincial and National figures. The goal of this study is to identify and describe the major revenue-generating industries and competitiveness sectors in the local economy. Then, on pandemic situation, an examination of the leading and competitive sectors with the potential for development is carried out. In the 2016-2020 timeframe the transportation and warehousing industry is the leading sector with the highest average, according to the results of the LQ analysis. According to the SS research, the largest percentage change is in the power and gas procurement sector. The results of the identification can be utilized to assist additional study in order to help the Jambi City economy accelerate and recover in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Correlation analysis of national elite Chinese male table tennis players' shoulder proprioception and muscle strength.

BACKGROUNDShoulder is the most injured part in table tennis players, and it takes multiple roles in transmitting power and striking the center of the ball during the stroke. Proprioception is strongly correlated with high level of athletic performance. It is customary to assume that there is a correlation between proprioception and muscle strength and therefore proprioceptive assessment and rehabilitation is often neglected.AIMTo investigate the correlation between isokinetic muscle strength and proprioception in the internal and external rotation muscle groups of elite Chinese male table tennis players, to provide reference for physical training and rehabilitation of elite table tennis players.METHODSA total of 19 national elite table tennis players from the Chinese National Table Tennis Team were recruited in this research. All of them had more than 10 years training experience and had participated major competitions such as the National Games and World Youth Championships. IsoMed 2000 was used to test the peak torque of internal and external rotation isokinetic concentric contraction of the athletes' bilateral shoulder joints at low speed (60°/s) and high speed (180°/s) respectively; IsoMed 2000 was used to conduct the Joint Position Reproduction test to evaluate the athletes' proprioceptive ability capacity at low speed (60°/s) and high speed (180°/s) respectively. If the data satisfied the normal distribution, the correlation between the differences in peak torque s and angles in different directions was analyzed using a Pearson simple linear model; otherwise, Spearman correlation analysis was used. The comparison of proprioceptive ability between the table tennis racket-holding hand and non-racket-holding hands was performed using independent samples t-test if the data satisfied a normal distribution; otherwise, the Mann-Whitney U test was used.RESULTSThere was no direct linear correlation between the strength and proprioceptive correlation analysis at slow speed (60°/s) and fast speed (180°/s) in the racket-holding hand; At the slow speed (60°/s) and fast speed (180°/s), there was no correlation between muscle strength and proprioception in the non-racket-holding hand except for the internal rotation variable error (VE) and external rotation relative peak torque, which showed a moderate positive correlation (r = 0.477, P < 0.05), (r = 0.554, P < 0.05). The internal rotation’s constant error (CE) and VE were 1.06 ± 3.99 and 2.94 ± 2.16, respectively, for the racket-holding hand, and -3.36 ± 2.39 and 1.22 ± 0.93, respectively, for the non-racket-holding hand; the internal rotation’s CE, VE of the racket-holding hand was lower than that of the non-racket-holding hand, and there was a highly significant difference (P < 0.01).CONCLUSIONThere was no correlation between muscle strength and proprioceptive function in the internal and external rotation of the racket-holding hand’s shoulder in elite Chinese male table tennis players. These results may be useful for interventions for shoulder injuries and for the inclusion of proprioceptive training in rehabilitation programs.

Development Status and Project Interpretation of the Robotics Wushu Competition

The Robotics Wushu Competition is a robotics competition that integrates intelligent robotics technology with traditional Chinese Wushu culture, maker spirit, and ideas. It is a highly confrontational and ornamental project in robotics competitions. This paper discusses the current situation, development status, and project settings of the Robotics Wushu Competition in the three major national competitions, focusing on the interpretation of several major projects, such as humanoid autonomous fighting, body-feeling humanoid fighting, wheeled autonomous fighting, visual confrontation, and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) confrontation. Finally, suggestions are proposed to support the regular holding and development of the Robotics Wushu Competition.

Effects of psychological pressure on first‐mover advantage in competitive environments: Evidence from penalty shootouts

AbstractIn this paper, we aim to determine the importance of psychological pressure on performance in sequential tournaments. We make use of penalty shootouts in soccer and test the presence of first‐mover advantage. Shootouts in soccer is a formidable framework because it is a natural experiment where teams compete in a sequence whose order is determined by the random outcome of a coin toss. Using data from all 663 penalty shootouts in all major competitions since first implemented in 1970, we fail to identify statistically significant differences in winning probabilities for teams kicking first or second in the shootout sequence.

Reliability of the Athlete Food Choice Questionnaire in Diverse Settings.

Understanding the factors that influence an athletes’ food choice is important to supporting optimal dietary intake. The Athlete Food Choice Questionnaire (AFCQ) is a new validated tool for assisting practitioners and researchers to understand athlete eating behaviours. However, the AFCQ previously has only been applied at international competition events. This observational study explored the online application of the AFCQ outside of the competition environment with detailed examination of factor reliability. The AFCQ factors include ‘nutritional attributes of the food’, ‘emotional influences’, ‘food and health awareness’, ‘influence of others’, ‘usual eating practices’, ‘weight control’, ‘food values and beliefs’, ‘sensory appeal’, and ‘performance’. A total of 131 athletes, representing 19 countries and 36 sports, participated using an online questionnaire. Reliability via Cronbach’s alpha (α) and item correlation scores were compared to those from previous competition events. Acceptable reliability was attained for seven of the nine factors (α ≥ 0.7, range 0.70–0.92). ‘Food values and beliefs’ and ‘usual eating practices’ (α = 0.60, 0.64) were tolerable and consistent against previous major competition samples, indicating that the setting is unlikely responsible for lower reliability scores. Three factors (‘emotional influence’; ‘nutritional attributes of the food’; ‘influence of others’) differed in reliability between the online sample compared to one or both major competition samples. The ‘religious food beliefs’ item within the ‘food values and beliefs’ factor may warrant removal due to recurrent low internal consistency. This study confirms the AFCQ’s reliability regardless of competition phase and supports use of the AFCQ for understanding the eating behaviours of athletes.

THE POWER OF TURKEY IN TEXTILE EXPORT AND THE DIMENSION OF COMPETITION WITH CHINA

Purpose- The textile and ready-made clothing sector is the leading industry, which dates back to very old times and has a lot of competition. The textile industry, where the competitive environment is increasing day by day, has a key role in global trade, especially in developing countries, both in export potential, employment opportunities and economic development. Turkey has a very important position in the textile and ready-to-wear industry and has reached a competitive level with many countries. Turkey's textile and ready-to-wear industry has become a major competition with its development over time and the added value it provides economically. The purpose of the study is to determine the importance of textile and ready-made clothing exports within Turkey's total exports and the competition size with China. Methodology-For this purpose, Turkey's position in the textile and ready-made clothing sector and export potential were first evaluated. China, which then proved its success in the world trade, was briefly mentioned in the textile and ready-made clothing industry and examined the competition size between Turkey and Turkey.In the study, the trend analysis was used, and with the help of paintings, the export values in the textile and ready-made clothing sector of both countries, their changes over the years, the number of places in the world trade, and what size of competition they are from there. Findings- In the trend analysis, it was found to be the country that exports the most textiles and clothing in China, based on the findings from the tables.Turkey has also been one of China's biggest competitors, but has managed to enter the top 10 of the countries that export the most textiles and ready-made clothing each year.There is also an increase in the export volume of textile and ready-made clothing over the years. Conclusion- Based on the findings, we can say that China is a threat to all countries in the textile and clothing industry.Each year, he was the first in the industry to export the most textiles and ready-made clothing.However, in the developing country against China, which has a very large economy, Turkey has proven itself in this sector with its share of exports in the textile and clothing industry.Turkey has shown that there is a potential competitor in the industry, increasing its exports of textiles and clothing by year-on-year. Anahtar Kelimeler:Textile and ready clothing sector, export, Turkey-China competition, trend analyses. JEL Codes: F10, F19, L67

The influence of competitive activity on the motivation for sports dancing in young athletes

In this article, based on the analysis and systematization of scientific research, the relevant issues of the influence of competitive activity on the motivation to engage in sports dance in young athletes are considered.&#x0D; Analysis and synthesis of experience shows that young athletes in competitions have to deal with a lot of information of technical and tactical, psychological and other kinds, which affects the motivation for dance sport,. This information must be correlated with the tasks facing dancers in each duel situation and competition in general. A factor that determines the structure of competitive activity is the focus on achieving the highest result for a given athlete. Naturally, such motivation takes place when it comes to major competitions. Perception and processing of information become more difficult if time and space deficits are not addressed in time. Sports competitions are the basis for the existence and development of sport. Specially organized competitions are aimed at the maximum realization of the spiritual physical capabilities of an individual, a group of people (team), demonstration and comparison of the level of preparedness, achievement of higher results or victory in the conditions of non- antagonistic competition regulated by special rules, specific to the sport.