The aim of this study was to verify how dancers’ flexibility work has developed during confinement through four assessment moments: before, during (two times), and after the lockdown period. The sample was formed by 18 dancers from the Porto Dance Conservatory (Portugal) with an average age of 11.4 ± 1.4 years and 1.4 ± 0.7 years of experience. To assess the passive and active flexibility level, we used seven of the International Gymnastics Federation’s recommended tests using main joints (i.e., hips and spine). The first evaluation was performed before the pandemic situation began in a training environment, and the second and third evaluation were performed during the lockdown, in home environment, and in virtual trainings. Finally, the last evaluation was carried out in a training environment after returning to face-to-face activities and with several rules such a social distancing and mask use. The results showed that significant improvements were verified in the flexibility level of the dancers from the first to the fourth moment of evaluation. In the current study, no statistical significance was noted for the decreased values of functional asymmetry between the preferred and non-preferred lower limbs. These differences may have substantial relevance for dancers’ harmonious body development.
The aim of this study was to compare the physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) levels of young and middle-aged adults living in and around the municipality of Penafiel and to determine whether they meet PA recommendations. The researchers used the “International Physical Activity Questionnaire” (IPAQ) to measure moderate to vigorous PA and time spent on sedentary behavior (high vs. low). A prospective observational cross-sectional sample of 1105 adults aged 18–63 years, living in the municipality of Penafiel and its surroundings (45% women, 55% men), was used. The results indicated that more than half of the population was inactive (53.8%) and sedentary (54.0%). Men were more likely to be sedentary (59.2%) and inactive (55.6%) than women (inactive: 51.7%, high SB: 47.7%). Regarding daily PA and SB levels, women had higher levels of walks (3.8 ± 2.3; p = 0.034) and vigorous PA (2.2 ± 1.8 min; p = 0.005) per days/week, as well as vigorous PA per minutes/week (75.4 ± 82.1 min; p = 0.034). The time spent on vigorous PA per day was also higher in women (26.2 ± 22.8 min; p = 0.030). However, men had higher values in walking minutes per day (26.3 ± 17.1 min; p = 0.030), SB for weekdays (429.2 ± 141.2 min; p = 0.001), SB for weekends (324.7 ± 163.7 min; p = 0.033) and time spent on SB per minutes/week (2795.6 ± 882.0 min; p = 0.001). The results also showed that the older the adults, the lower the frequency and total time of vigorous PA per week. Young adults (18–28 years) had higher levels of vigorous PA (p = 0.005) than the other age groups (29–39; 40–50 and 51–63 years). Finally, the study found no significant correlation between individual level factors, such as number of children, marital status and monthly income, and PA or SB. Conversely, a significant and negative correlation between SB and levels of PA was found, indicating that the higher the level of PA practice, the lower the SB level. The authors suggest that promoting new PA habits and healthy lifestyles is an important future challenge for sustainability and improving the quality of life in public health.
A numerically efficient transfer matrix approach is used to investigate the validity of the Tsallis scaling hypothesis in the long-range Ising spin chain with competitive interactions. In this model, the interaction between two spins i and j placed r lattice steps apart is J i, j = (−1) ζ(i, j) J 0 /r α , where ζ(i, j) is either 0 or 1. This procedure has succeeded to show the validity of the scaling hypothesis for the well investigated ferromagnetic version of the model, i.e., ζ(i, j) = 0, ∀i, j, ∀α ≥ 0. Results are reported for some models of a set, which is defined by requiring ζ(i, j) to be a periodic sequence of 0 s and 1 s. As expected from symmetry arguments, we find that the hypothesis is not valid when ζ(i, j) = 1, ∀i, j and α < 1. However, it is verified, with high degree of numerical accuracy, when α < 1, for sequences in which the occurrence of ζ(i, j) = 0 is more frequent than that of ζ(i, j) = 1.
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