Bio-banding in academy football: Player’s perceptions of a maturity matched tournament

Background: Individual differences in biological maturation impact player selection and development in youth football. Aim: To evaluate players perceptions of competing in a football tournament where they were matched by maturity rather than chronological age. Subjects: Participants included male junior footballers from three professional academies (n = 115). Methods: The study employed multiple methods of analysis, including one sample mean t-tests, equivalence tests, ANOVAs, and thematic analysis of qualitative data derived from open-ended questions. Results and conclusions: Player’s perceived the bio-banding format as providing two main benefits. Early maturing players perceived greater physical and technical challenge, and in turn new opportunities and challenges. Late maturing players perceived less physical and technical challenge, yet greater opportunity to demonstrate technical and tactical abilities. The players reported that they enjoyed and understood the purpose of the bio-banded format, and perceived less risk for injury. Players in all three maturity groups reported more opportunity to engage in leadership behaviours, influence game-play, and express themselves on the ball in the bio-banded format. Bio-banding may facilitate development for both early and late maturing academy players by presenting new learning environments and challenges

Three individuals, three stories, three burials from medieval Trondheim, Norway

This article presents the life stories of three individuals who lived in Trondheim, Norway, dur- ing the 13th century. Based on skeletal examinations, facial reconstructions, genetic analy- ses, and stable oxygen isotope analyses, the birthplace, mobility, ancestry, pathology, and physical appearance of these people are presented. The stories are discussed within the relevant historical context. These three people would have been ordinary citizens, without any privileges out of the ordinary, which makes them quite rare in the academic literature. Through the study of individuals one gets a unique look into the Norwegian medieval society

Prediction of stature based on radiographic measurements of cadaver long bones: a study of the Croatian population

We tested a new approach to the stature prediction that could be used in the identification process of human skeletal remains of unknown identity. The stature of 19 female and 21 male adult cadavers was measured within 24 h after death and considered to be equal to the living stature. The antero-posterior radiographs of all limbs were taken, and the maximum length of the six long bones was measured from radiographs. There was a significant difference in the stature and maximum length of long bones between female and male cadavers (p<0.001 for all). The correlation between the stature and long bone length was the best for the humerus in females (r=0.792) and the tibia in males (r=0.891). Regression equations specific to the Croatian population were computed separately for each long bone in males and females and proven to be reliable in predicting the living stature of the individual