Objective This study aims to investigate the impact of integrated training on kinematics variables and defensive accuracy in volleyball, focusing on enhancing balance and muscle tension control through proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) exercises. Methods The sample consisted of 14 male volleyball athletes from the first volleyball league of Al-Jaish Sports Club were divided into experimental (n=7) and control group (n=7). In the pre- and post-intervention periods, dynamic balance, muscle tension control and kinematic variables (during a lateral reaching task) as well as defensive performance accuracy upon fatigue onset of recoil laser strikes were assessed. Exposure the intervention program was carried out for six weeks, and the following measuring tools were used to assess performance, Y-Balance Test as well as sEMG and kinematic variables using Kinovea. Results Compared with the control- group, individuals in the experimental- group demonstrated significantly improved performance at balance (Y-Balance Test, Cohen's d = 1.42), muscle activity and tension control (sEMG, Cohen's d = 1.38) and defensive ability accuracy (Cohen's d = 1.60). Kinematic variables revealed moderate to large enhancements in knee, hip, shoulder, elbow ankle and trunk angles where effect size ranged from 1.03 to 1.49 (Cohen's d). Control group, as expected, showed mild changes in all studied variables. Conclusion The combined training program enhanced volleyball players’ biomechanical efficiency and defensive performance, highlighting its potential to boost performance, reduce injury risk, and improve coaching effectiveness.
Pregnancy and childbirth are physiological states characterized by sudden hormonal and immunologically described changes. The current study aimed to investigate the influence of maternal variables (age, previous abortion, placental position, and fetal position) on some physiological biomarkers, such as oxytocin (OT), prolactin (PRL), cortisol, and insulin growth factor 2 (IGF -2) and some immune biomarkers such as programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) in Iraqi women undergoing caesarean section (CS). Blood samples were collected from 48 pregnant women in the age range (16-43 years) and serum was obtained to determine the levels of the above biomarkers. The effect of
... Show MoreIn this paper we describe several different training algorithms for feed forward neural networks(FFNN). In all of these algorithms we use the gradient of the performance function, energy function, to determine how to adjust the weights such that the performance function is minimized, where the back propagation algorithm has been used to increase the speed of training. The above algorithms have a variety of different computation and thus different type of form of search direction and storage requirements, however non of the above algorithms has a global properties which suited to all problems.
objective: To evaluate the influence of monolithic zirconia brand, thickness, and substrate color on color matching accuracy when optically coupled to abutment substrates. Methods: A total of 180 samples of two brands of monolithic zirconia [Prettau Anterior (PA), Ceramill Zolid FX Multicolor (CZ)] were prepared in three different thicknesses (0.8 mm, 1.5 mm, and 2 mm) with a standardized 10 mm diameter. Color properties of the samples were assessed using spectrophotometry at baseline and after coupling to three substrate types: standard dentin, discolored dentin, and titanium. Color differences (ΔE) were calculated and statistically analyzed by 3-way ANOVA and pairwise comparison ( α=0.05). Results: The brand and material thickness, at
... Show MoreBipedal robotic mechanisms are unstable due to the unilateral contact passive joint between the sole and the ground. Hierarchical control layers are crucial for creating walking patterns, stabilizing locomotion, and ensuring correct angular trajectories for bipedal joints due to the system’s various degrees of freedom. This work provides a hierarchical control scheme for a bipedal robot that focuses on balance (stabilization) and low-level tracking control while considering flexible joints. The stabilization control method uses the Newton–Euler formulation to establish a mathematical relationship between the zero-moment point (ZMP) and the center of mass (COM), resulting in highly nonlinear and coupled dynamic equations. Adaptiv
... Show MoreObjective: preparing educational units for the magnet poles strategy in learning the spiking skill in volleyball, and identifying the effect of the magnet poles strategy in learning the spiking skill in volleyball for female students.Research methodology: The experimental design with two equal experimental and control groups with tight control was also adopted in the pre- and post-tests. The boundaries of this research community are represented by fourth-grade middle school students at Basra Girls' Middle School (2024-2025), whose total number is (90) students, distributed by nature into 4 sections. Sections (A-B) were determined by lottery, so that Section (A) represents the experimental group and Section (B) represents the control
... Show MoreRecommender Systems are tools to understand the huge amount of data available in the internet world. Collaborative filtering (CF) is one of the most knowledge discovery methods used positively in recommendation system. Memory collaborative filtering emphasizes on using facts about present users to predict new things for the target user. Similarity measures are the core operations in collaborative filtering and the prediction accuracy is mostly dependent on similarity calculations. In this study, a combination of weighted parameters and traditional similarity measures are conducted to calculate relationship among users over Movie Lens data set rating matrix. The advantages and disadvantages of each measure are spotted. From the study, a n
... Show MoreObjective: To find out if there are any significant differences between these women's knowledge in the
management of Breast Self-Examination in study and control group regarding some variables.
Methodology: A quasi-experimental design was used. A purposive "non-probability" sample of (260) women who
are employee and students in both colleges (Nursing and Health and Medical Technologies) was selected. The
sample consists of two groups, experimental group (130) includes those in (Nursing college), and control group
(130) in (Health and Medical Technologies). A questionnaire was constructed which included demographic
information, reproductive information, family history, previous medical history, and information about wome