LITERACY AND PROFESSORS’ PRACTICES: AN ANALYSIS OF LITERATURE

: This study aims to review Brazilian research on literacy practices for undergraduate professors. We reviewed SciELO and Portal de Periódicos CAPES. From 2013 to 2019, 20 articles were retrieved and fulfil led inclusion criteria. Studies’ main statements were interpreted using a dialogical analysis of the discourse method. Few studies directly addressed the association between literacy practices and undergraduate professional training in Brazilian higher education. Among these studies, there was a predominance of the procedural technical guidance method, which seeks to improve reading and writing practices in undergraduate courses, particularly for human sciences. The relevance of literacy while becoming a higher education professor in Brazil is discussed in light of previous international research. An interdisciplinary approach, guided by a discursive conception of language, may foster improvements for professors’ practices from different areas of knowledge.

INTRODUCTION
epistemological issues and social processes including: relationships of power between people, institutions and social identities" (p. 3).
Searching to understand the characteristics of texts that circulate at the university, we can resort to the architecture of Bakhtin's (2011) discursive genres. This philosopher of language tells us that each field of human activity creates and puts into use quite regular enunciative forms, even using a very standardized syntax to introduce and conclude their utterances to interact with a particular interlocutor.
In this way, he proposes the analysis of social spheres as an organizing principle of genres. They typify social relations, relatively stabilizing the statements that circulate in them, giving rise to particular genres of discourse. At the university, our language use practices (written, oral, multisemiotic) are relatively stabilized by the area in which utterances are produced and circulate in the academic sphere.
Therefore, it is not enough to master the formal structures of the language, it is also necessary to appropriate the forms of communication of the academic community. This appropriation can be problematic for many students, who fail in learning and do not achieve the desired success in their academic trajectories. An enunciative-discursive conception of language can modify the teacher's role in reading and writing practices at the university, given the reflection on its complexity.
Given the discussions provoked so far and based on a discursive conception of language and the concept of literacies, as a set of social practices, it is important to know: how research has discussed the relevance of literacy practices in the formation of teachers working in higher education? Therefore, the objective is to identify in the scientific literature in which direction the discussions on the importance of literacy practices in the training of teachers working in higher education are proposed, through the analysis of articles carried out at the national level, in six years to establish an overview of how this theme has been characterized.
However, it is necessary to go beyond a mere mapping of studies. This article is immersed in the concern of identifying and problematizing which are the concepts of language used to allow theoretical-methodological reflections on the prevailing pedagogical policies in higher education and how they affect literacy practices and the training of teachers who works in that space.

METHOD
This article intends, in the encounter with other texts, to carry out an integrative literature review, which, according to Scorsolini-Comin (2015), aims, in addition to "(...) mapping the production on a given subject, to discuss it in an integrated and critical way, enabling the survey of gaps and evidence for professional practice in the area" (p. 164). To this end, we considered articles produced in the national scenario, between 2013 and July 2019, indexed in two databases: SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online) and Portal de Periódicos da CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior) for article mapping. The option for these databases is related to the fact that they recover a large part of the national scientific production and present complete works.
The procedures and steps used in this integrative review are (1) Definition of the scientific question, specifying the object of investigation (literacy and teacher training) and the area of interest within the educational field (higher education); (2) Survey of databases to select the most suitable for the research, and the definition of keywords and search strategies; (3) Establishment of article selection criteria from the search; (4) Conducting searches in the databases, using previously defined strategies; (5) Application of criteria in the selection of articles, justifying possible exclusions; (6) Categorization of studies; (7) Preparation of a critical summary, summarizing the information provided by the articles that were included in the review; and finally, the interpretation and discussion of the studies based on the theoretical support selected for this study (9).

The search paths
The selection of keywords that would guide the searches was an arduous and careful step, carried out during the first week of June 2019. At first, we used the following terms: literacy; teacher training; University education; academic literacy; reading and writing at the university; practices and teaching-learning, sometimes combining them, sometimes using some to the detriment of others, that is, using different combinations. We observed that a reduced number of works appeared, noting, by reading the abstract, that they did not meet the objectives proposed for this article.
After several combinations of descriptors, we decided to use them comprehensively: literacy; teacher training (using the Boolean operators and for the search terms), in the search by subject. This action led us to an initial hypothesis: that there is little national production on the topic of literacy-related to teacher training. Even with these broader terms, we found 223 articles in the Capes Periodicals Portal and 15 in the SciELO Portal.
From this survey, we noticed that the debate on teacher training in literacy practices that occur within universities, although it appears in these researches, is often diluted in the body of the study, requiring a deeper reading of the selected works.
For the inclusion of articles in the integrative review, we adopted the following criteria: (1) Articles that addressed the issue of literacy and teacher education, produced on a national stage; (2) Works related to the training of teachers in higher education or for professional practice at this stage of education and (3) Studies carried out between 2013 and July 2019. Consequently, we excluded: (1) Studies that analyze literacy practices carried out in the initial grades of basic schooling; (2) Research on teacher training in a foreign language; (3) Works whose theme differs from what is proposed in the title and/or abstract, divergent from what is proposed to investigate in this study and (4) Repeated articles since they were counted only once.
After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the selected studies were compiled in an Excel spreadsheet, using the following organizational categorization items: title, authorship, linking institution, publication date, type of research, participating subjects, central question, theme, theoretical contribution, results, language concepts and teacher training (demarcated or implicit).
The axis "participating subjects" was fundamental for categorizing the types of studies and whether they are related to teacher training in undergraduate courses or teacher training to work in higher education.
We also present and discuss the main fields of knowledge that focus on these studies, their objectives, their contribution to literacy practices developed in higher education, and the theoretical foundation used for the analyses. Therefore, we identified the similarities and the gaps between the approaches to verify the gaps and point out important points for the advancement of the discussions.
Thus, we intended to compose the arena of the voices of the authors of the selected articles, of the language conceptions that permeate them, as well as to exercise the exotopic look to situate the historical context of production of these studies, following the Bakhtinian teachings about the functioning of language, being "(...) possible to apprehend the movements of transformation of meanings, which produce the scenarios of everyday experiences of a given society, in a given time" (PAN; LITENSKI, 2018, p.529).

Characterization of the research corpus
After employing the exclusion criteria, 36 articles remained, which were submitted to the second stage of analysis, reading the works in full. After this more careful approach, we selected 20 articles (Box 1). Most of the excluded research was related to the continuing education of teachers or was focused on literacy practices carried out in elementary school. With these selected articles (N=20), we carried out the first categorization, seeking to map from which universities the researchers of these works come from. We found that most of the research comes from public institutions (N=19), six (6) from the Universidade Federal do Tocantins, and the others from different institutions, including Universidade Federal de Brasília, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, and Universidade Federal da Bahia The articles that make up the corpus of this study were published in 12 different journals, all evaluated within the CAPES quality criteria (results presented in the 2013/2016 triennium), and the most common and convergence areas were: Linguistics (N=14) and Education (N=6).
Among the totality of articles, we can see (8) eight that, from the identification of problems related to structural issues of the language, propose models of practices, aiming at the development and mastery of reading and writing skills related to an academic genre specific. In this line of approach, we find studies such as those by Bittencourt; Avelar (2013), Silva et al. (2016), andFlorek (2016). Among the academic genres related to the analyzes and interventions proposed by the articles, there are infographics, monographs, internship reports, and training memorials.
The following box presents a categorization of the analyzed studies about the subjects participating in the investigations and reflections.  (2015).

Graduate Students
Master's students (N=2) SILVA (2017). GRANDE; NASCIMENTO (2018). We observed that, among the studies analyzed, only four (4) brought the issue of teacher training for higher education and its relationship with literacy practices directly into the theme. The other articles are related to teacher training that occurs in undergraduate courses, or deal with training more broadly, from basic to higher education.

Professors
Next, the articles will be categorized in two axes, according to the participants, the research objectives, and the adopted language conceptions.

The formation of the university professor and the practices of academic literacies
We start this section by highlighting that, among the four (4) articles that compose it (FLOREK, 2016, BITTENCOURT;AVELAR, 2013, FERRAGINI, 2018FRANCO, 2017), two (2) of the present studies beyond the field of degrees. Bittencourt and Avelar (2013) brought the theme to the area of Social Communication, while Florek (2016) presented reflections and guidelines aimed at reaching undergraduate and graduate professors from different courses.
In the article Estratégias instrutivas na docência do ensino superior: o letramento e a habilidade da leitura e da escrita em cursos de Comunicação Social (2013), Bittencourt and Avelar emphasized the writing difficulties of academics when entering the university, as observed in the excerpt: "(...) This historical heritage still generates gaps in cognitive skills for the apprehension of content, weakening the teaching-learning process, especially in the didactic models commonly used in school daily life" (BITTENCOURT; AVELAR, 2013, p. 31).
Based on this finding, they highlighted the importance of actions planned by teachers to advance this scenario. To better understand this possibility, they analyzed student productions, verifying that they improved a lot after directed and guided academic literacy practices. These practices consisted of what the authors called "exercises" involving oral readings, summaries, report writing, and case studies, for example. Although it is not explicitly demarcated in the text, there is a conception of language as the development of essential skills for professional practice, as the courses in the article are in the area of Social Communication.
In the body of the study, the authors presented literacy as an essential teaching method to reverse students' cognitive deficits. Thus, we can see in the excerpt: "In higher education, literacy, when planned and methodologically applied, can be an instrument of great value to reverse cognitive deficits, break crystallized barriers and establish positive attitudes of mutual respect in the classroom" (BITTENCOURT); AVELAR, 2013, p. 32). Finally, they reiterated the importance of adequate training for professors working in higher education, which considers the type of texts that circulate in this space, creativity, and the teacher-student relationship.
Florek (2016) in his article showed a systematized didactic proposal for the teaching of a multimodal genre of the scientific sphere, the graphic academic summary (GAS), which can be applied to students from different courses. Thus, he considered how cultural multiplicity and linguistic meanings can be socially materialized and the contemporary forms of communication amid new technologies.
The author built her methodology based on Critical Gender Analysis, on the Pedagogy of Multiliteracies and the conception of text as "(...) a semantic unit (from a gesture, a word to an entire speech) produced by the linguistic exchanges carried out between certain participants in specific sociohistorical contexts (HALLIDAY; HASAN, 1989;MEURER;MOTTA-ROTH, 1997apud FLOREK, 2016. This study aimed to bring analytical procedures on multimodal genres, with an emphasis on GASs, and also to present some conceptions of learning (behaviorist, cognitivist and sociocultural perspectives) that, according to the researcher, when intercrossing can help in reading and academic writing.
Ferragini (2018) shows an action-research, located in the field of applied linguistics studies and that allows reflections for university professors of the Arts course, based on a proposal for didacticization of the literary essay genre, aiming to bring the conception of language closer together and Mikhail Bakhtin's theory of discursive genres to Historical-Critical Pedagogy. It was intended, therefore, "(...) to demonstrate, in that context, theoretical-practical directions that lead to meaningful learning and, consequently, to a more reflective training" (p. 295).
Among the main results, we found the importance of the teacher to evaluate the writing practices he develops with the undergraduate students in Arts to find new ways of acting, more meaningful and contextualized in the teaching of Portuguese Language, articulating theory and practice. Silva and Franco (2017) represent the only study in the sample that brings academic reading as the focus of discussions. The authors aimed to verify to what extent the teaching praxis, present in Pedagogy Courses, implies the formation of reading teachers. For this, they analyzed the documents guiding the Courses, such as the Pedagogical Project, Curricular Matrices and the Menus of the subjects of Literacy, Portuguese Language Teaching Methodology and Theoretical-methodological Foundations in Literacy and Portuguese Language; the answers given by students and professors to the applied semistructured questionnaires and the observations made in the classes. The participants were the professors who taught the subjects related to the teaching of reading and the formation of the reader, and students enrolled in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th-grade classes.
Although they do not bring in their article the theoretical assumptions that supported the discussions about reading, the authors highlighted its importance for the intellectual emancipation of students, acting as a fundamental piece for the improvement of writing.
Among the results, it was evident that there is little workload available for these subjects that deal with reading in the Pedagogy course, as well as the presence of a bureaucratized praxis, which does not transform the reality of these students, that is, "(...) it was possible to observe that people talk about the concepts of reading and their importance, but they do not read; that the languages of different social contexts are talked about, but the language present in the different moments of dialogue in the classroom is not discussed" (SILVA; FRANCO, 2017, p. 102).
It is important to note that, among the articles investigated, in addition to this study by Silva and Franco (2017), only Muniz and Vilas Boas (2018) emphasized the importance of reading for teacher education; the others remained focused on writing. Regarding oral genres, there is no specific study in the selected articles.

Teacher training and reading and writing practices in undergraduate courses
As shown in Table 2, there is a significant number of works focused on the discussion of literacy in teacher training in undergraduate courses (N=13). These are articles that raise, at specific moments, some discussions about the formation of the university professor, that is, the one who trains the professor, especially in the passages in which, after the presentation of a problem related to academic literacy (learning deficit of a certain genre from the scientific sphere, for example), highlight the need to re-signify the training practices that take place in this space. This justifies the selection of these studies for the sample.
In them, based on the analysis of students' evaluative work, topics such as "teacher reflective training" and "teacher literacy" (SILVA, 2015), "the insertion of the academic as a researcher in another literacy space" (LIMA et al., 2014), "authorship and identity in academic writing" (PEREIRA; LEITÃO, 2015) and "the importance of digital information literacy in the formation of contemporary teachers" (SILVA et al., 2016).
Among the articles in this section, there are five (5)  Even the articles that deal with teacher training in graduate courses (SILVA, 2017; GRANDE; NASCIMENTO, 2018) analyze the preparation of professors in Professional Master's courses (ProfiLetras) to work in Basic Education classes. While Silva (2017) criticizes academic theory, Grande and Nascimento (2018) highlight that these training practices because they are very prescriptive and imposing, end up neglecting the identity conflicts of the subjects involved in it (students and professors).
Among the analyzed studies, there are thirteen (13)  There are also, for this study, two works that reflect on the training of teachers who work in different segments of education (Primary and Higher) and the literacy practices that occur in these spaces: Szundy (2014) and Kleiman (2014).
From an enunciative-discursive perspective of language, in Literacy in contemporaneity (KLEIMAN, 2014), based on examples of teaching and learning situations, there are reflections on the relationships established between the school and other institutions (multiliteracies of print and digital cultures, for example), "(...) keeping as a background for the discussion the objectives and functions of school literacy and the training of the teacher who wants to actively act as a literacy agent in the contemporary world" (KLEIMAN, 2014, p. 72). In this way, it brings to light the need to rethink reading and writing beyond the walls of educational institutions but establishing relationships with life.
Szundy (2014) used readings on the Bakhtin Circle and knowledge from the field of Applied Linguistics to discuss the characteristics of responsible education and training. According to the author, educating as a responsible act "(...) implies reflecting on an education that is responsive to contemporary social demands" (SZUNDI, 2014, p. 30).
As in the works of Szundy (2014) and Kleiman (2014), there are five (5) more articles that base their discussions on language in a conception anchored in the theoretical assumptions of the Bakhtin Circle: Lima et al. (2014), Azevedo and Santos (2018), Fischer and Colaço (2017), Sartori (2015), Grande and Nascimento (2018).

The training space circumscribed in the procedural technical field
The articles analyzed showed that the research interests discuss teacher training that takes place primarily within the teaching courses, that is, that prepare them to work with language in Basic Education classes. Among these degrees, the Arts course is the most investigated, reflecting on another important fact: literacy is closely related to courses whose language is the object of study.
In this direction, Muniz and Vilas Boas (2018) emphasize that there is a whole social valuation about the professional of Arts as being the main agent responsible "(...) for implementing a pedagogical practice that aims at the progressive development of linguistic-discursive competence, a fundamental principle for the multiple social actions of its students" (p. 2015). However, language permeates all training processes at the university, making it necessary to expand its investigative horizon, mainly because through language, subjects understand how knowledge is produced and the intertwined power relations. And, "(...) the way language is approached in pedagogical practices can favor the expansion of awareness in the professional universe, or reduce it to a technical and reproductive dimension of the knowledge of an area" (ALMEIDA; PAN, 2017, p. 90).
Another important fact to be highlighted is that the look at the topic of academic literacy is very specific to some subjects, in this case, Linguistics, especially Applied Linguistics. Although Silva (2013Silva ( , 2015 points out that this field of knowledge is limited to an interdisciplinary approach, oriented from the perspective of new literacy studies (STREET, 2014), it is necessary to bring other voices to the discussion of this topic, in an interdisciplinary perspective, understanding that "The one-sidedness and limitations of the point of view (of the position of the observer) can always be corrected, completed and transformed (enumerated) with the help of the same observations carried out from other points of view" (BAKHTIN, 2011, p. 330), making the debate on the subject of teacher education and its relationship with academic literacy more fertile.
All teachers, from the different courses and subjects, work with reading and writing practices, while they were also trained by them. This is because the language "(...) is validated by a double clashone on the factual plane (reflecting the world) and another on the axiological plane (on the plane of refractions)" (FARACO, 2017, p. 48). This axiological relationship at the university is marked by its history and the established sociocultural context, especially in how the teacher acts and understands the role and the way he relates to reading and writing practices.
To better situate this discussion, it is necessary to highlight that, just as the history of Higher Education is recent in Brazil (ZAVADSKI E FACCI, 2012), the consolidation of training processes for professionals working in universities continues to take its first steps. This formation is defined in art. 66, of the LDB, in the following terms: "Art. 66 -The preparation for the exercise of higher teaching will take place at the postgraduate level, primarily in master's and doctoral programs". In this sense: "The LDB does not conceive university teaching as a training process, but as a preparation for the exercise of higher education, which should be carried out primarily (not exclusively) in graduate courses" (PIMENTA et al., 2005, p. 273).
Postgraduate courses, especially in the academic master's and doctorate are more concerned with the formation of the researcher, leaving a workload restricted to the subjects aimed at the formation of the teacher who will work within the universities, which are often not even mandatory. Therefore, this teacher is constituted almost intuitively, based on their formative experiences and the action of their peers, which end up determining the characteristics that define them as a "university professor".
If there is little space in postgraduate courses for training actions focused on methodologies, didactics, teaching strategies, etc. much fewer discussions related to literacies that occur in a university, such as the appropriation, not always smooth, of the textual genres of the academic community. Quite the contrary, there is often a problematic relationship "(...) which leads us to conclude that this is a field of production of stigmas and symbolic violence. Teachers and students are victims of difficulties that can be alleviated if there is an investment in understanding the problems surrounding this theme and in proactive actions" (MARINHO, 2010, p. 383).
However, if this training, involving teaching strategies for working with textual genres in the academic sphere, has not occurred in many graduate courses, some researchers have addressed this issue. As we can see in the results within the set of articles studied, there is an expressive number of works aimed at proposing and discussing didactic models that guide the practices of specific genres, such as the works of Bittencourt and Avelar (2013), Florek (2016) and Ferragini (2018). Ferragini (2018) justifies this methodological strategy, present in his article, as a possibility to bring the theory of discursive genres closer to didactics and demonstrate "(...) theoretical-practical directions that lead to meaningful learning and, consequently, to a more reflective training" (p. 296).
Some researchers, such as Bittencourt and Avelar (2013) and Silva and Franco (2017) justify the choice of the didactic-methodological approach, present in the articles, as strategies to recover reading and writing deficits that students bring from Basic Education. As we see in this excerpt from the research by Silva and Franco (2017): "(...) it is possible to perceive the difficulties of Brazilian students in reading, since students in the 3rd year of high school have the same knowledge in this area of students who are in the 9th Year of Middle School, even with three more years of schooling" (p. 83).
In this sense, a first point to be highlighted is that the genres that circulate in the scientific community have different structures and specificities from those that make up the literacy processes experienced in previous stages of schooling. Even students who excel well in their written productions in high school tend to have difficulties with these more specific genres of higher education. Azevedo and Santos (2018), when analyzing excerpts from the speeches of university students about the writing of the conclusion work of the History course, highlight that there is a false understanding that autonomous literacy enables the reader to move through different texts with autonomy without considering "(...) that different textual genres require different skills from their readers/writers" (p. 381). Or, in the words of Bakhtin (2011): "(...) there are many people who, having mastered the language magnificently, immediately feel helpless in certain spheres of verbal communication, precisely because they do not, in practice, master the forms of the genre of a given sphere" (p. 303).
This conception of genres leads us to the understanding that it is not enough for the teacher to expose students to contact with academic texts, as this will not always guarantee the understanding of technical-scientific knowledge. It is necessary to mediate this meeting, calling attention to the particularities of the language used and how it is articulated for the production of meanings in the different texts (articles, essays, reviews, etc.); its production context; to situate the authors and the schools of belonging that confront each other or are silent. That is, the teacher needs to receive adequate training for these practices.
We can also historicize this need for practical approaches in research on literacies in higher education, aiming to better understand their centrality in academics, in this first moment of the rise of the theme as a field of research, as verified in the studies of Sartori (2015), Silva et al. (2016), Muniz and Vilas Boas (2018), Silva and Franco (2017), Pereira and Leitão (2015). During the Fernando Henrique Cardoso (1994-2002) and Lula (2003-2011 governments, the main measures were taken to create programs to encourage student access and permanence at the university. As an example, we can mention the University for All Program (Prouni) and the Support Program for Restructuring and Expansion Plans of Federal Universities (Reuni), in addition to expanding the scope of existing programs, such as the Student Financing Fund (Fies). The Quota Law, number 12,711/2012, was also implemented, providing that half of the vacancies of all courses and shifts at federal institutions be reserved for students who studied the entire high school level in public schools. A part of these vacancies is reserved for browns, blacks, and indigenous people; the other part for students with a family income equal to or less than 1.5 minimum wage per capita, promoting the access of the historically disadvantaged population to higher education. These programs increased vacancies in public universities and, mainly, facilitated the access of the lower classes to private HEIs.
This new profile of students who entered the university subverted the idea of the ideal academic, requiring new forms of reception and care, as well as requiring structural changes in the pedagogical policies of the courses, for which the professors were not prepared. However, it is observed that: The entry and permanence of popular layers traditionally excluded from academic spaces impact the established structures and the correlation of force and power existing in legitimized literacy practices. The University in the last decade has been responding to public policies that enable the entry of new actors but promotes or accepts few changes in its established traditions. (AZEVEDO; SANTOS, 2018, p. 383).
Regarding literacy, the absence and urgency of training for reading and writing practices, due to this heterogeneity, was partially supplied with didactic models of action in the face of specific genres. This is what this study showed us, which also revealed that the adoption of didactic-procedural models does not require an explanation of the conceptions that support them, especially the concept of student.
However, for the deficits in the acquisition of academic literacy do not fall only to the student and their cognitive disabilities, the analysis needs to include teachers and their practices, as discussed by Lima et al. al (2014); the university as a whole, given the complexities of literacies in contemporary times, as pointed out by studies by Kleiman (2014), Szundy (2014), Silva et al. (2016) and Grande and Nascimento (2018); and the heterogeneity of the profile of students who make up higher education, so well emphasized by Azevedo and Santos (2018) and Fisher and Colaço (2017), at the historical moment when access policies are democratized.
Regarding the educational demands of contemporary literacies, there are two (2) articles, among those analyzed, that indicate important advances in the way of thinking about teacher training, so that this professional can respond to these new forms of communication. Kleiman (2014), based on Bakhtinian architecture, highlights that, for the formation of autonomous and emancipated subjects, capable of acting as real participants in different discursive situations, teachers should not be mere replicators of theories imposed by the academy, but must understand that the genres that circulate in it are part of a complex cultural communication; that need to be reflected, debated, complemented, discussed and transformed in contact with other genres of discourse (KLEIMAN, 2014, p. 89).
With the same theoretical basis, Szundy (2014) emphasizes the importance of responsive training that enables teachers from the most different areas to "(...) guide verbal and non-verbal choices to reveal the refracted meanings from the choices carried out and problematize how meanings that cause suffering, exclusion or reveal prejudices can be reconstructed more critically and ethically" (p. 20). In this way, these professionals, when exercising teaching as a responsible act, would be able to seek more dialogical and persuasive experiences, aiming at the (re) construction of meanings about reading and writing at the university.
Many other analyzed articles also brought theoretical contributions anchored in the architecture of the Bakhtin Circle, mainly to support the discussions about the discursive genres present in the university, although, at times, oriented in a perspective more focused on the compositional structure, circumscribing in the background its dialogical orientation, that is, its historical and active responsive character, which gives voice to the academic community.
Divorcing the axiological and structural dimensions of language can reduce it to a transparent means of transmitting knowledge from a certain professional sphere, which is recurrent in universities, a reflection of a conception of language that understands reading and writing as products of a system abstract of signs aimed only at technical use. This character "(...) naturalizes the production devices of what they intend to form, on prevalent social values such as productivity and competition, to the detriment of the social, affective, language-transforming dimension" (ALMEIDA; PAN, 2017, p. 96).
It is necessary to bring to the discussion the understanding of language in its discursive dimension, permeated by a myriad of dialogic relationships that involve the different socio-ideological contexts of organization of the courses and of how the professionalization for the performance in universities occurs, mainly understanding that: Reading and writing the technical language of the profession combined with the domains of language norms, without the discursive, creative, political, and authorial dimension, is the subjugation of the author creator's role to assume a technical reproducer of the use of language and knowledge. (ALMEIDA; PAN, 2017, p. 92).
As a consequence of this objective view of language, many university professors, as well as students, are not aware of the discursive modes that operate in certain professional areas and that they require different reading and writing resources (ALMEIDA; PAN, 2017), not least because such learning is not always done intuitively.

FINAL CONSIDERATIONS
The articles analyzed, to a greater or lesser extent, demonstrate to be involved in the concern with the conduct of literacies practices developed in universities. Although many are focused on students and their reading and writing difficulties, they touch a wide field that still needs to be unveiled.
At the end of this work, readers must be asking themselves about the reasons that led to the proposition of a systematic review to show that there is very little research relating the training of professors who work in higher education with the literacy practices that occur at the University. Yes, that is the fact: pointing out the almost invisibility of the theme and demarcating its urgency.
It is the silence that moves the senses and tells us a lot. In the tiny space dedicated to this topic, most of the discussions remain focused on undergraduate students, on their difficulties in appropriating the genres of the scientific sphere, and on the indication of methodological strategies, suggesting that teacher training is directed towards a more technical training of uses of language, without, however, advancing the debate on the importance of the role of language in their formation, as a producer of meanings attributed to the literacy practices that they experience and produce at the university.
We need new studies that consider the dialogic complexity manifested in the relationship between academic literacy practices and teacher training, so that, in this way, we can bring to light new, more interdisciplinary training models that understand the socio-ideological character of utterances that make up the communicative forms that occur in universities, that is, the living language of the academic community, which reflects and refracts institutional and social voices, producing modes of subjectivation (ALMEIDA; PAN, 2017).
We also observed that, if, on the one hand, the voices of students are already present in research on academic literacy, through narratives, interviews, etc., the same is not yet observed in higher education professors and, therefore, much of what is said about them remains centered on interpretations based on evaluative results based on the productions of university students. Part of the discussions focuses on criticisms and notes on how the university professor should act, but in rare exceptions their experiences in professional practice and their life and training trajectories have become audible, seeking to understand how they are constitutive of their teacher identity, configured as a possibility of (re)creation of meanings and contributing to the construction of a collective voice (PAN; LITENSKI, 2018, p. 529). Therefore, we highlight the urgency of listening to teachers in their needs and anxieties, aiming to understand the language conceptions that underlie literacy practices and give meaning to them.
We also concluded, through this literature review, that discussions about the relevance of the role of language in teacher education remain very focused on a technical conception of language uses, aiming at urgent responses to the difficulties encountered by students and teachers during the encounter with scientific genres, especially in courses in which language is the object of study. In the same direction, Linguistics is circumscribed as the main field of investigation of the formative practices of academic literacies.
We emphasize the need to advance in research, based on a discursive conception of language that perceives its centrality in the training practices of university professors in different areas of activity, as well as an interdisciplinary look at the study of language, expanding the scope of analyses, and understanding that it permeates all communicative practices that occur in universities.


Hybrid Models with Technology: Is it Effective for Learning in Abnormal Situations?

S Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis efektivitas model hybrid. Peneliti akan melihat blended learning dengan problem-based learning dan apakah Sevima EdLink dapat meningkatkan hasil belajar dan kemampuan pemecahan masalah. Penelitian quasi-experimental design digunakan dalam penelitian ini. Pelaksanaan penelitian dengan jumlah populasi mahasiswa semester 4 berjumlah 54 mahasiswa. Mereka mengumpulkan data menggunakan bidang pertanyaan dan ujian. Analisis menggunakan uji-t. Kemudian dilanjutkan dengan uji normalitas, homogenitas, dan hipotesis. Temuan dari penelitian ini adalah pembelajaran dengan model hybrid berjalan dengan baik. Pembelajaran campuran dengan pembelajaran berbasis masalah dan Sevima EdLink berjalan pada komposisi klasifikasi yang masuk akal. Ada pengaruh yang sangat positif dan kontekstual dari menggabungkan pembelajaran campuran dengan pembelajaran berbasis masalah dan Sevima EdLink pada hasil belajar. Ada juga efek yang sangat positif dan kontekstual dari menggabungkan pembelajaran campuran dengan pembelajaran This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of hybrid model. Researcher will see blended learning with problem-based learning and whether Sevima EdLink can improve learning outcomes and problem-solving capabilities. Research quasi-experimental design are used in this study. Research conduct with total population of 4th-semester students is around 54 students. They are collecting data using question fields and exams. Analysis using t-test. They were followed by normality tests, homogeneity, and hypothesis. The finding of this research are learning with the hybrid model is going well. Blended learning with problem-based learning and Sevima EdLink runs on a reasonable classification composition. There was a very positive and contextual effect of combining blended learning with problem-based learning and Sevima EdLink on learning outcomes. There was also a very positive and contextual effect of combining blended learning with problem-based learning and Sevima EdLink on problem-solving capabilities. Research also shows that combining blended learning with problem-based learning and Sevima EdLink is reasonable and appropriate for use in abnormal learning situations.

INTRODUCTION
Indonesia is a disaster-prone country at war against Covid-19 (Firth, 2020;Park, 2021). The situation at hand has resulted in Indonesia being in an abnormal situation, especially in education (Hidayat & Wibawa, 2020). The government implements learning from home policy and this situations require strategies to maintain the quality of learning (Arribathi et al., 2021;Hou et al., 2021). Effective learning strategies using online technology allows learning to be done anywhere and anytime (Fatonia et al., 2020;Ramen A Purba, Sudarso, et al., 2020). However, technology is not enough to maintain the quality of learning. It is proven by students experience is setbacks in almost all courses. Learning outcomes are not achieved as expected, and student thinking skill does not develop (Nugraha et al., 2021;Sukmawati et al., 2020). In the initial observations through communication with several lecturers it reveal that when students are given assignments up to the time specified, the majority of students have not finished their work. Students only explain simple, ineffective, and inefficient solutions.
Observations at the author's college, for the IT Professional Ethics lecture, which focuses on technology ethics, profession, use, and law in the IT field, learning achievement is not satisfied. The student's ability to solve problems does not develop. They are just touching on the immediate context. Several lecturers teach the IT Professional Ethics course. In the Covid-19 pandemic situation, lecturers use technology, but not uniform. They use different technology media such as, WhatsApp, Google Classroom, Facebook, and Youtube. It is make the result of learning process is not optimal and caused poor learning outcomes and student capabilities. The main factor that caused this problem are lecturer-centered learning which make student become passive, learning process become less interactive and communicative. Most of learning process run by lecturers deliver materials, send assignments, and set a date for submitting assignments, there are no discussion. Even though discussion is a place to hone students' thinking capabilities. Inappropriate models and technologies will make learning monotonous and result in outcomes that are not as important as expected (Krismadinata et al., 2020;Rahiem, 2021;Suryawan et al., 2021). In line with previous research that state learning outcomes and capabilities will be realized when the right combination of models and technologies are used (Casasayas et al., 2021;Smetana & Bell, 2012;Xia et al., 2021). Accuracy in choosing and using the right combination of models and technology is a solution so that learning outcomes and problem-solving capabilities are expected. Lecture have responsibility to find out and aply a suitable model and technology in learning (Alamri et al., 2021;Caena & Redecker, 2019;Chu et al., 2021;Ramen A Purba, Tamrin, et al., 2020;Shantini et al., 2021).
One kind of learning model which able to solve those problem are blended learning. Blended learning is a learning model that can accommodate the learning process from a short distance (Fadillah et al., 2020;Ramen Antonov Purba, 2021;Shantini et al., 2021). Blended learning presents an active learning situation, where discussion is possible. Blended learning creates interactive, communicative, and dynamic learning situations. Blended learning is learning using technology by comparing direct learning with online learning (Dewi et al., 2018;Seage & Türegün, 2020;Sefriani et al., 2021;Shamsuddin & Kaur, 2020). Blanded learning also need support and collaborate with appropriate strategy. Problem-based learning utilizes problems to improve problem-solving capabilities (Arantes do Amaral & Fregni, 2021;Bumblauskas & Vyas, 2021). Problem-based learning also helps students understand that learning and lifestyle affect problemsolving which operates perfectly through target setting, monitoring, and continuous implementation (Arcos-Alonso & Alonso, 2021;Funa & Prudente, 2021;Haslam et al., 2021;Ryan, 2021). This strategy also creates a learning framework that includes students dealing with problems (Silviariza & Handoyo, 2021;Simanjuntak et al., 2021).
On other hand, to support the blanded learning there are need learninig platform that can helps students communicate and manage time (Darwanto, 2021). Sevima EdLink is suitable learning platform to support blanded learning, there are several fiture contain such as to real-time attendance, video conferencing and online scheduling (Fatihahsari & Darujati, 2021). With Sevima Edlink, lecture can easily share materials, assign tasks, and administer tests (Nasution, 2021;Rais, 2021;Widiyatmoko, 2021). Internet technology is used in blended learning to integrated learning to promote action (Jalinus, 2021). Previous study have tried to compares blended learning with flipped and Edmodo, the results show that students' learning strengths are growing (Mann et al., 2021;Silalahi, 2021). This combination provides a dynamic learning environment that is not solely dependent on the lecturer. This combination increases students' interest in learning and critical thinking. Because if learning only depends on a problem-based learning methodology without technology, it cannot be achieve learning achievement, it because the learning process is static (Chen et al., 2021;Juandi & Tamur, 2021). There has been not many research on hybrid models combined with technology, especially in the Ethics and IT Profession lectures. The need to bring up a new model that can accommodate learning in unstable situations. The research will combine a hybrid model, namely blended learning with problem-based learning and Sevima EdLink. So the purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of combination of blended learning with problem-based learning and Sevima EdLink in improve learning outcomes and problem-solving capabilities. It will be found whether combining the blended learning model with problem-based learning and Sevima EdLink can be a new practical and efficient learning model used in abnormal learning situations.

METHODS
The type of research is by using quasi-experimental (Trisiana, 2019). Research procedures with pretest and posttest. There are two groups: the control group learns IT Professional Ethics using WhatsApp, Facebook, and YouTube, while an experimental class uses a hybrid model combining problem-based learning with Sevima EdLink. Research subject is Politeknik Unggul LP3M student. The control and experimental groups each had 27 students. Data collection is done by filling out leaflets and examinations. Descriptive stats and t-test carried out data analysis. Then come normality, homogeneity, and hypothesis tests. The research method used application with the initial stages of doing learning by the existing group divisions. Each group was given treatment. The tests carried out are pretest and posttest for the form of questions and instruments used, as shown in Table 1 and Table 2.

Results
Actualization of learning achievement based on the pre-test and post-test results for the control and experimental groups are pre-sented in Table 3. The control group pretest score ranges from 36 to 76. The experimental group's lowest score is 44, and its best is 76. The control group posttest score ranges from 44 to 84. The experimental class has the highest score, 85, and the lowest, 56. It indicates the highest score. It is increased for the experimental and control groups. The control group averages 65.69, while the experimental class averages 70.96. The experimental class's average is higher than the control's. The average score interval is separated into five categories: extremely high, very high, comparatively high, and not very high. Table 4 summarizes the results.  Table 4 shows that the smallest control group's pretest value was 30, and the largest was 70. The experimental groups ranged from 30 to 70. The posttest control group had the lowest value at 45 and the highest at 80. Figure 50 was the group's smallest posttest. The highest is 85. The experimental group's pretest score is 49.81. The control group averaged 62.88, and the experimental group 67.77. The experimental group's average value is higher than the control group's, indicating insufficient classification. Normality test parameters is shown in Table 5.  Table 5 shows that the control group's sig score for learning achievement and problem-solving ability is 0.189 and 0.062, respectively, and that the score is above 0.05, indicating that the control group's pretest parameter is average. The sig score of the experimental group's pretest parameter is 0.096, then 0.200, and if the score is more than 0.05, the control group's pretest parameter acquisition has a standard distribution. Then the posttest parameters were normalized. Table 6 shows the accumulation. The posttest parameter of learning attainment and problem-solving ability of the control group had sig scores of 0.167 and 0.200, respectively, exceeding 0.05, and the posttest parameter of the control group was distributed in the normal category. The experimental group's sig parameter posttest scores are 0.087 and 0.156, which is above 0.05. The control group's posttest parameter acquisition parameter's normal distribution can be stated. Then the homogeneity test to determine data similarity. Pre-and post-test scores from the control and experimental groups were combined. Table 7 shows accumulated gains. In table 7, the sig results of learning achievement in the pretest category are 0.478, whereas in the post-test category are 0.071. The ability to solve issues has a sig score of 0.975 in the pretest and 0.751 in the post-test. If the sig number of learning achievement or problem-solving capability surpasses 0.05, the accumulation in the pretest and post-test categories comes from a uniform population. The first stage is the t-test. The number of sig acquisitions is 0.038, which is less than 0.05. Ho is rejected. The impact of hybrid models and learning differ significantly on the Ethics and IT Profession course outcomes. Then the t-test 2. The sig increase is 0.042, which is smaller than 0.05 in the sig category. Ho is rejected. There is a significant disparity in power. The experimental and control groups' average learning achievement increased, according to descriptive analysis. The control group improved by 11.5%-an average of 20.66% for the experimental group. The final categorization has an average value of over 70.

Discussion
The research aims to analyze whether Hybrid Models with Technology Effective For Learning In Abnormal Situations. The experimental group's average learning achievement is higher than the control group's. Averaging more learning outcomes was observed in both the experimental and control groups. The pretest results show the control and experimental groups' initial strength. The experimental group outperformed the control group on the posttest. Students can browse teaching resources and learn as they like using learning media such as statements (Pregowska et al., 2021;Rosmandi et al., 2021;Suswanto et al., 2021). Existing problems urge pupils to use references to solve challenges. The interaction of students and educators in problem-solving situations and the availability of activities and learning media can create a learning atmosphere. Xtrinsic factors affect learning results, then Interactive and communicative learning models empower students to learn independently and attain learning goals (Peimani & Kamalipour, 2021;Yousef & Sumner, 2021). There will be an effective and efficient learning environment when hybrid models and technologies are not used (Henderson et al., 2017;Milenkova & Lendzhova, 2021).
Hybrid Models, combining blended and problem-based learning, and Sevima EdLink, a learning model for the experimental group, assist each other. Blended learning allows teachers to share educational materials online with no room or time constraints (Aristika & Juandi, 2021;Paine & Fang, 2006). So learning outcomes can be expected. using problem-based learning, other models, and technology will drive students to build and refine their thinking skills and Problem-oriented (Syafril et al., 2021;Tambouris et al., 2014;Zeng et al., 2021). Problem-solving activities are part of problem-based learning. Formulas and combinations are required to solve it. Students' problem-solving skills are guided by blended learning with problem-based learning and Sevima EdLink. Following the learning activities, students are tested on their problem-solving skills. The post-test score was found whether the experimental group's problem-solving skill was higher than the control group's. The experimental group's value increased due to learning activities using blended learning, problem-based learning, and Sevima EdLink. Solve problems, construct solution formulas, execute planned formulas, and inventory prepared formulas and settlement procedures.
The activities used in blended learning with problem-based learning and Sevima EdLink allow students to obtain knowledge contextually and procedurally, motivating them to solve challenges. It stresses problem-solving when individuals use their information obtained, abilities, skills, and understanding to live in abnormal settings. Students can learn to solve problems by recognizing the issues, formulating plans to solve them, executing the plans, and reviewing the results (Carbonell et al., 2013;Mann et al., 2021). Problem-solving skills will improve with models and technologies-anomaly-proof activities (Klegeris & Hurren, 2011;O'Neill & Hung, 2010). Students are challenged to tackle current challenges using problem-based learning and Sevima EdLink in blended learning. Instructions for individual and group investigations are provided. Students are encouraged to improve and submit their ideas and analyze and evaluate the stages of problem-solving (Nurrohma & Adistana, 2021;Singh, 2021). The information insights and capacities students gain from problem-solving phases can help them solve difficulties in various situations. Problem-based learning helps students build problem-solving skills and makes them independent learners (Morgado et al., 2021;Ulinnuha & Rochmad, 2021). Using problem-based learning with Sevima EdLink allows students to overcome issues, and trials in problem-solving can help students handle complicated and dynamic situations. Using models and technologies will facilitate learning (Donnelly, 2010;R A Purba et al., 2019).

CONCLUSION
Research shows that blended learning with problem-based learning and Sevima EdLink runs on a reasonable classification composition. There was a very positive and contextual effect of combining blended learning with problem-based learning and Sevima EdLink on learning outcomes. There was also a very positive and contextual effect of combining blended learning with problem-based learning and Sevima EdLink on problem-solving capabilities. Research also shows that combining blended learning with problem-based learning and Sevima EdLink is reasonable and appropriate for use in abnormal learning situations.


Performance Alteration Induced by Weight Cutting in Mixed Martial Arts—A Biomechanical Pilot Investigation

Currently, there are pros and cons of research results related to weight cutting in combat sports, resulting in inconclusive results regarding the effects of weight-cut on athletes’ performance, and biomechanical investigations are hardly seen. Therefore, this pilot study tried to fill the gap by initiating an exploration in real-life competitions. It is our hope to add biomechanical insights (advantages/disadvantages) that would discern the impact of weight cutting on competitive performance and help to structure hypotheses in future research. The method consisted of 3D motion capture, EMG measurement and biomechanical modeling. Through the synchronized data, striking power, striking accuracy and reaction time were quantitatively determined. Pre- and post-test design was used to test common strikes before weight cutting and 24 h after weigh-in. Seven male athletes from local clubs were tested during regional competitions. Results were characterized by using descriptive statistics (means and standard deviations) and T-tests were performed to contrast differences between the pre- and post-tests. This pilot study has revealed that there is actually weight-regain instead of weight-loss. The weight-regain would speed up the perceptional and total reaction, slow down the limbs’ movement, worsen the striking accuracy and, possibly, decrease the strike power. The preliminary results are inconclusive regarding the competitive advantages/disadvantages induced by weight cutting. Further biomechanical studies are needed to deal with the controversial subject more objectively and scientifically.

Introduction
In combat sports, competitors are divided into various weight classes to ensure fair competitions. As a direct consequence, weight cutting is common in these sports in which athletes seek exclusively to compete one or more weight classes below their normal weight [1,2]. The common way for reaching the goal is to rapidly lower the weight through a combination of strategies that often involve dehydration prior to weigh-in. After the weighin with dehydrated bodies, the athletes will then eat and rehydrate for quick increases of their weight.
The common belief behind weight cutting is that it would give the weight-cut athletes advantages in the competition. Yet, the so-called advantage of weight cutting is offset by the fact that the combatant's opponent has most likely done the same. Of course, then the argument for using weight cutting is that the athlete must use them because his opponent is using it. It seems to be logical that weight cutting becomes a part of a subculture of these sports and, as such, is considered "normal." Studies have shown a high to very high Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 2015 3 of 13 investigation, i.e., to gather the selected biomechanical data in close to its real sport setting. A method developed for determining power and neural responses in a martial arts quasitraining environment [24] was applied. The data collection using this method is very close to the real-life condition with neglectable test influence on an athlete's performance.

Subjects
The current study recruited amateur male MMA athletes from local clubs scheduling for actual regional competitive events. Because the test/data collection was relatively time-consuming (about two hours, one hour for the pre-and the other for the post-test), this factor clearly influenced the participation willingness of many athletes. In order to initiate the pilot study, the only inclusion criterion applied in the current study was the participation willingness. For promoting the participation willingness, our team used all contact possibilities to make personal communication with athletes registered in the regional competitions for showing them the practical significance of this scientific research, i.e., introducing biomechanical factors that they should know and consider for preparing their competitions. With our great effort, 12 athletes were successfully recruited, signed the consent forms and voluntarily participated in the study. Among the 12 subjects, five were unfortunately excluded. The only exclusion criterion was if the athlete was unable to complete the post-test. The main reason for this was conflicts between the test and personal preparation for the competition. Table 1 shows the subjects' information that is relevant to this study. The host university scrutinized and approved the test protocol as meeting the criteria of ethical conduct for research involving human subjects.

Synchronized 3D Motion Capture and Full-Body Biomechanical Modeling
The method consists of 3D motion capture and EMG measurements as well as biomechanical modeling of a standard punching bag and an athlete's body. Three systems-a visual stimulus system with three LEDs, an eight-channel wireless EMG (NORAXON USA. Inc., Arizona, USA) and a twelve-camera VICON 3D motion capture system (Oxford Metrics Ltd., Oxford, England)-were synchronized for biomechanical data collection.
The LED and EMG systems were used to determine the neural response of an athlete's strikes. The EMG data were wirelessly recorded at a rate of 1000 Hz with a band pass filter of 16-500 Hz. The EMG electrodes were positioned over the 'belly' of eight selected muscles: left and right biceps, triceps, quadriceps and hamstrings. This setting allows an investigation of muscular recruitment, activation and onset differences [24]. The use of a wireless EMG system minimizes the constraints that normally occur with the use of wired electrodes, where subjects' dynamic movements and motor control patterns may be inadvertently altered due to the presence of wires connecting the subject to the measuring system. The LED system supplies a stimuli for initiating a striking action. Together with the EMG measurement, the amount of time that has elapsed between the stimuli and the response to that stimuli (i.e., the reaction time) is quantitatively determined [24].
The stimulus system comprises three LED lights and is placed at the top of the bag. One of the LEDs (a stimulus) is initiated by a remote trigger controlled by the researcher. The stimulus system is used to initiate the time of strikes/punches, as well as to indicate to the subject the location of strikes/punches [24]. For example, the researcher informs the subject that the next trial is a right kick, which enables the subject to be ready and then randomly initiates a LED (i.e., a stimulus): left LED-kick on head, middle LED-kick on body and right LED-kick on leg. The initiated LED is used to indicate to the subject the start of the trial and synchronized data collection is started at the same time. In this study, the system provided the following signals: straight, left or right for punches, as well as head, body or leg for kicks. These strikes were randomized by the researcher (Figure 1d).
Together with the EMG measurement, the amount of time that has elapsed between the stimuli and the response to that stimuli (i.e., the reaction time) is quantitatively determined [24].
The stimulus system comprises three LED lights and is placed at the top of the bag. One of the LEDs (a stimulus) is initiated by a remote trigger controlled by the researcher. The stimulus system is used to initiate the time of strikes/punches, as well as to indicate to the subject the location of strikes/punches [24]. For example, the researcher informs the subject that the next trial is a right kick, which enables the subject to be ready and then randomly initiates a LED (i.e., a stimulus): left LED-kick on head, middle LED-kick on body and right LED-kick on leg. The initiated LED is used to indicate to the subject the start of the trial and synchronized data collection is started at the same time. In this study, the system provided the following signals: straight, left or right for punches, as well as head, body or leg for kicks. These strikes were randomized by the researcher (Figure 1d). The 3D motion capture and biomechanical modeling were used to quantify striking power and accuracy [24]. The use of motion-capture permits allowed considerable freedom of movement without influencing the accuracy of data [32][33][34][35], so no restrictions were placed on the movement of the subject within the capture volume and subjects could perform without having to alter their normal body control. Using the manufacturer's specified guidelines, calibration resolution yielded results that were accurate within 1 mm. Data were gathered at 200 frame/s, which allowed the finest details of movement to be accurately examined.
During the 3D motion data collection, 39 reflective markers with a diameter of 9 mm were placed on each subject at specific bony landmarks (Figure 1a,b). Using a biomechanical model, as in previous studies [25,32,33,36], a 15-segments full-body model was created for striking quantification (Figure 1c). The anthropometric data required for the full-body model were estimated using anthropometric norms found in previous studies The 3D motion capture and biomechanical modeling were used to quantify striking power and accuracy [24]. The use of motion-capture permits allowed considerable freedom of movement without influencing the accuracy of data [32][33][34][35], so no restrictions were placed on the movement of the subject within the capture volume and subjects could perform without having to alter their normal body control. Using the manufacturer's specified guidelines, calibration resolution yielded results that were accurate within 1 mm. Data were gathered at 200 frame/s, which allowed the finest details of movement to be accurately examined.
During the 3D motion data collection, 39 reflective markers with a diameter of 9 mm were placed on each subject at specific bony landmarks (Figure 1a,b). Using a biomechanical model, as in previous studies [25,32,33,36], a 15-segments full-body model was created for striking quantification (Figure 1c). The anthropometric data required for the full-body model were estimated using anthropometric norms found in previous studies [37,38]. Additionally, a standard punching bag was outfitted with fifteen markers; eight of these were located on the top and bottom of the bag to frame the bag, and the other seven markers were located as follows: three at the vertical left, three at the vertical right and one at the front (Figure 1c,d). The eight markers that modeled the bag were used to determine striking power [24]. The other seven markers corresponded to the striking targets which were used to measure the striking accuracy.

Quantification of Biomechanical Parameters
Neural response/reaction time, striking power and striking accuracy are the fundamental elements in many martial arts competitions [24][25][26][27][28][29]39]. These biomechanical parameters were quantitatively determined using synchronized data and the method proposed by Chang et al. [24].
The reaction time consists of two parts: the central nervous system response time (CNSRT) and the peripheral nervous system response time (PNSRT). CNSRT refers to the time from a stimulus to the beginning of muscle movement, while PNSRT is related to the movement time of limbs, i.e., the time from the beginning of muscle movement to the completion of contraction [24,40]. Figure 2 shows the determination of the reaction time and its components using Chang et al.'s method. [37,38]. Additionally, a standard punching bag was outfitted with fifteen markers; eight of these were located on the top and bottom of the bag to frame the bag, and the other seven markers were located as follows: three at the vertical left, three at the vertical right and one at the front (Figure 1c,d). The eight markers that modeled the bag were used to determine striking power [24]. The other seven markers corresponded to the striking targets which were used to measure the striking accuracy.

Quantification of Biomechanical Parameters
Neural response/reaction time, striking power and striking accuracy are the fundamental elements in many martial arts competitions [24][25][26][27][28][29]39]. These biomechanical parameters were quantitatively determined using synchronized data and the method proposed by Chang et al. [24].
The reaction time consists of two parts: the central nervous system response time (CNSRT) and the peripheral nervous system response time (PNSRT). CNSRT refers to the time from a stimulus to the beginning of muscle movement, while PNSRT is related to the movement time of limbs, i.e., the time from the beginning of muscle movement to the completion of contraction [24,40]. Figure 2 shows the determination of the reaction time and its components using Chang et al.'s method. Figure 2. Quantification mechanism of the reaction time using the synchronized data collection and EMG enveloping method [24]. TRT: total reaction time, CNSRT: central nervous system response time, PNSRT-peripheral nervous system response time, BCT: bag contact time.
Every strike produces a unique movement of the punching bag with two components: translation and rotation. Treating the punching bag as a rigid body and utilizing the 3D data of the eight bag frame markers, linear power and angular power were able to be calculated and, hence, the total striking power could be calculated as well [24]. The linear power is related to the translational movement of the bag after striking, while the angular power is the cause of the rotary movement of the bag. Additionally, the peak power (max) and average power were commonly used to characterize the explosive degree of a strike. Hence, Chang et al.'s method was applied in quantifying these characteristics of the striking power in this study.
The seven target markers on the bag, combined with the carefully placed striking markers on the middle knuckle of the glove and lower shin, allowed for an investigation of striking accuracy. The accuracy was determined by quantifying the minimum distance between the appropriate target and strike marker using the distance equation: Figure 2. Quantification mechanism of the reaction time using the synchronized data collection and EMG enveloping method [24]. TRT: total reaction time, CNSRT: central nervous system response time, PNSRT-peripheral nervous system response time, BCT: bag contact time.
Every strike produces a unique movement of the punching bag with two components: translation and rotation. Treating the punching bag as a rigid body and utilizing the 3D data of the eight bag frame markers, linear power and angular power were able to be calculated and, hence, the total striking power could be calculated as well [24]. The linear power is related to the translational movement of the bag after striking, while the angular power is the cause of the rotary movement of the bag. Additionally, the peak power (max) and average power were commonly used to characterize the explosive degree of a strike. Hence, Chang et al.'s method was applied in quantifying these characteristics of the striking power in this study.
The seven target markers on the bag, combined with the carefully placed striking markers on the middle knuckle of the glove and lower shin, allowed for an investigation of striking accuracy. The accuracy was determined by quantifying the minimum distance between the appropriate target and strike marker using the distance equation: where (x t , y t , z t ) and (x s , y s , z s ) are the 3D position data (i.e., coordinates) of the target and the strike marker respectively.

Protocol
Pre-and post-test design was applied to investigate the effect of a weight cutting regimen on the biomechanical parameters in mixed martial arts (MMA) competitions. A variety of common strikes were selected for the test: strikes with the fist-right and left straights to the head, right and left hooks to the head, and right and left hooks to the body; as well as strikes with the foot-right and left round-house kicks to the head, body, and legs. For each target, the subject performed five strikes. The tests were randomized in the following categories: straights to the head (two LEDs used: left or right), hooks to the head (two LEDs used), hooks to the body (two LEDs used), left kicks (three LEDs used: head, body or leg), and finally right kicks (three LEDs used). The test resulted in 60 trials per subject.
In order to take the advantage of the method (i.e., the quasi-real-life condition with neglectable test influence on the athlete's performance), no restrictions were placed on subjects' weight-loss protocols; the athletes were allowed to utilize their preferred methods and timing strategies of weight reduction and regain. This approach preserved the tested subjects' normal "style" in competitive preparation and made the results more realistic. The pre-tests were done in the evenings, about the same time of day of the planned competitions. Before the biomechanical tests, the initial weights of the participants were recorded. After the pre-tests, the participants selected their own ways to complete weight cutting for achieving their desired weight (i.e., the necessary weight class). Individually, the process varied from one to seven days. The subjects were post-tested after a 24 h period (MMA rule) of rehydration and re-feeding as close to their real competitions as feasible. Weigh-in and post-test weights were also recorded for our analysis.

Data Analysis
All parameters obtained from the pre-and post-tests were analyzed using SPSS (IBM SPSS Statistics, version 26, Coppell, TX, USA). Due to indeterminacies resulting from the very small sample size (seven subjects) with a large between-subject deviation due to the confounding variables-such as weight class, amount of weight cut, duration of weight cutting, and dominant/non-dominant strikes-the current study is essentially a case study with a number of observations, rather than a statistical study. One common practice in case studies is to use individual data for revealing potential trends/influences and to apply descriptive statistics, i.e., mean (µ) and standard deviations (SD), to illustrate the characteristics of the selected parameters. In order to identify the potential influences (advantages/disadvantages) that exist in the individual data, the statistically defined majority (i.e., 68%) was applied as a cut-off criterion, i.e., a parameter is identified as a potential one when five or more out of the seven subjects show its increase/decrease. The advantage (position effect) represents a selected biomechanical parameter that is improved by the weight cutting process; otherwise it is the disadvantage (negative effect). Because of the selected sample size (i.e., five to seven) for the identification of potential performance changes induced by weight cutting, the Shapiro-Wilk Test was first performed to test the normality of the potential parameters, if normal, the paired T-test between the pre-and post-test was conducted to detect changes and the significance level was set at p = 0.05. Additionally, where there was a significant change, the percentage difference between the pre-and post-test was calculated using the formula (post-value − pre-value)/prevalue for indicating the degree of weight cutting influence on MMA competition, i.e., advantage/disadvantage.

Results
The weight changes during the individualized weight cutting process are presented in Table 2. On average, the amount of weight lost was 3.5 kg or 4.5%. Weight regain during the 24 h interval after the weigh in was 4.2 kg or 5.4%. All but one participant competed at a higher or about the same body weight when compared to their pre-cutting weight.  Table 3 shows the influence of individualized weight cutting processes on individual performances. The results indicate that consistent changes (≥five subjects) are found in the parameters related to the reaction and accuracy of MMA strikes, but not in the parameters related to the power of the strikes. Specifically, the weight cutting process shows a positive effect on CNSRT and the total reaction (faster), and a negative effect on PNSRT (slower) and on accuracy (less accurate) of the majority of the subjects. Further, the weight cutting process is linked to more negative effects on power parameters (57% of 42 selected power parameters). In addition, the actual weight-regain subject (i.e., a higher body weight when compared to one's pre-cut weight) displays more positive effects (e.g., subject 1 and subject 6) than the actual weight-loss subject (e.g., subject 7). The overall effect of weight cutting, i.e., a comparison of all of the trials for all strikes by all subjects, pre-versus post-test, is characterized by using descriptive statistics (µ ± SD), as seen in Table 4. The Shapiro-Wilk tests were performed on the potentially affected parameters and confirmed the normality of the reaction and accuracy data (p > 0.10).
The T-test revealed that significant differences existed in terms of the reaction time and striking accuracy. The weight cutting made the CNSRT and total reaction faster, while the movement of limbs became slower (PNSRT), and strikes became imprecise. The CNSRT and total reaction time were 18.52% and 6.25% quicker than normal, respectively. The limbs' movement was 19.23% slower than normal and the striking accuracy decreased by 7.46%.

Discussion
To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first application of biomechanicsrelated weight cutting research to ongoing real-life phenomenon. The aim of this study has been to supply biomechanical evidences for quantitatively identifying the advantages/disadvantages yielded by weight cutting, and establish possible causal-effect connections between performance quality and weight cutting where possible. It seems that this preliminary study suggests more questions than answers. The following are some aspects worthy of discussion.
It is surprising to see that, contrary to common expectation, six out of seven subjects could return to their pre-weights or even regain more weight than their normal weight prior to their competitions. Our result is not an isolated one. A recent study in 2019 has reported the same phenomenon [21]. It is should be noted that the subjects of both studies are MMA athletes. It seems that weight cutting would create a strength advantage for MMA athletes based on the weight regain (i.e., a single-factor analysis). However, this judgement could not be so simply made biomechanically, because weight regain does not necessarily equate to the power advantage. The preliminary results would reject such a single-factor judgement. Overall, there was no significant difference in the strikes' power generation between the pre-and the post-test. Yet, the power generation of three striking styles, i.e., the left straight to the head, the left and the right kick to the body, were significantly decreased ( Table 4). The decreases ranged from 10% to 63%, indicating the possibility that weight return to normal/higher would not fully restore, and may even worsen, the strength ability. Of course, more studies are needed to verify the probability of what occurred in this preliminary study.
Further, it is of interest that there was a positive effect on the total and central reaction but a negative effect on the peripheral reaction. The result would suggest that weight cutting (especially, the positive weight regain) would speed up the judging/perception process, while slowing down the limbs' movement. Since the judgement (CNSRT) takes about double the amount of time as the movement (PNSRT), the total effect on the reaction is positive, i.e., the strikes of athletes with more weight regain have been sped up. This result might indicate an unveiled/unknown advantage induced by weight cutting. Future studies are absolutely needed to check if the positive effect can be generalized or can only be repeated in the positive weight regain.
In practice, one of the most common ways to evaluate a fighter is to consider his/her striking accuracy [41]. The effect of weight cutting on strike accuracy has not yet biomechanically been investigated in contact combative sports, such as mixed martial arts. Our preliminary result would supply the first "picture" on this factor: weight cutting can significantly decrease the striking accuracy. It should be noted that our test had only static accuracy. In a dynamic situation (e.g., in competitions), the decreased accuracy could be amplified, leading to miss-strikes. It is common knowledge that athletes who land a higher percentage of their strikes can be more efficient and waste less energy on missed techniques. Therefore, weight cutting would not bring advantage for competitions. Again, the preliminary result needs to be justified by future studies.
Like the mixed results in the current literature, the preliminary evidences from this biomechanical investigation could also not be capable of mitigating real risks. The biomechanical results only confirm that weight cutting is a highly complicated issue that is influenced by multi-layer factors and/or numerous confounding variables that researchers have not learnt of. Considering all the current aspects, only one point is clear: weight cutting will continue to co-exist with combat sports. In this scenario, one proposition would be worthy to keep in mind: "what is reasonable is real; that which is real is reasonable" (from the book of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel: Elements of the Philosophy of Right [42]). The sentence properly describes the paradox which exists in weight cutting practices in current combat sports. Scientifically, we should not (e.g., based on health-risk alone) oppose the weight cutting that has been existed in combat sports, but should investigate any negative effects (controlling/minimizing it) and positive effects (making use of it) instead. Considering the mixed results in the current literature, our preliminary results would imply that two key terms-extreme weight cutting and bio-adaptation-might indicate two relevant directions for future biomechanical studies.

Where Is the Limit of Weight Cutting?
Most of the current negative evidences are linked to extreme weight cutting, ranging from 10% to 17% of body weight [7,8]. The discussion about extreme weight cutting seems to be one that rages on and continues to divide opinion amongst fighters, coaches, fans, and the media. Actually, we are still in the dark as to what the weight cutting limit is and, at least, what the biomechanical effects of weight cutting on performance are.
Weight cuts can vary in severity, with some fighters opting to drop just a few pounds or even become close to their natural weight. Others can partake in brutal weight cuts, losing up to 11% of their body weight [23] in an attempt to have a size advantage over their opponents in competitions. However, our preliminary results indicate that a size advantage does not equal a power/strength advantage.
The large differences of weight cutting that exist in the practice would suggest that there should be a critical value (i.e., a limit) of weight cut. Below the limit, an athlete may prevent the negative effects of weight cutting. However, the large and widespread anthropometrical diversity and athletic/training experience that exists among athletes would restrict a standard approach in defining the limit; instead, an individualized quantification would be significantly practical [43,44]. Therefore, future studies should focus on developing various practical means and methods to supply real-time biomechanical feedback in training to keep weight cutting below the limit in order to prevent negative effects occurring, e.g., a feedback alarm will be given when the reaction time increases over 5% between training sessions. This would be the first step towards safe training.

How to Positively Alter the Weight-Cut Limit Biomechanically in the Practice?
It is common among combat athletes to engage in some form of weight cutting regularly and, as such, weight cutting is considered to be a necessary part of the sport, and is even viewed as an ability that is required for the sport [16]. Then, a question is raised: is the ability biomechanically entrainable? The answer is yes, through bio-adaptation training. This would be the second step: gradually increase the ability, i.e., the weight cutting limit.
Fundamentally, human physical adaptation is an inherited ability that facilitates survival in hostile environments [45]. In response to some types of repeated external stimuli, the human body is able to modify over time [46] and, as such, bio-adaptation is an ability related to long-time training, i.e., an ability can only be gradually increased [45,46]. To the best of our knowledge, there is no biomechanical study that exists to date to quantify this training process. Future biomechanical studies are needed to quantify the intensity and duration at various competition levels related to bio-adaptation. Consequently, biomechanically-controlled weight cutting training could be integrated into martial arts training practices. Such a biomechanical approach would have the potential to inform practitioners on how to benefit from weight cutting, while minimizing the risks.
Practically, the results of the current study would provide an opportunity with a great potential to initiate real-time biomechanical feedback training that could develop an athletes' weight cutting ability, i.e., feedback training that aims to identify individual weight cutting limits and positively alter the individual's weight cutting limit. Biomechanically, the real-time feedback should focus on obtaining the attack power, attack accuracy and reaction time in the training environment and these feedbacks can now be easily obtained by LEDs (stimuli) and IMUs (inertial measurement unit, a wireless small sensor) [47][48][49]. When an IMU is attached to a punching bag, a hand or a foot, the IMU will supply the velocity data of the bag, the hand or the foot during striking. The velocity can be used to estimate the attack power. When two IMUs are synchronously used, the dynamic distance between the two sensors (i.e., accuracy) can be quantified [50]. When multiple IMUs are used, e.g., ≥three on the bag and one on each hand and each foot, together with LEDs, the PNSRT can be determined. Of course, research and development studies are needed for realizing this potential for coaches and practitioners.
This is the first biomechanical study that provides an objective view of weight cutting effects on martial arts performance. It is understandable that there are limitations associated with this study. There are two notable limits which should be carefully considered during the design of future studies. First, due to the real-life data collection and the requirement of the method consistency (i.e., the same data collection technologies), the subjects were limited to one location instead of being international (which could be done if the same technology was available among the collaborators). Although we did our best, the sample size was still very small, and, importantly, the very small sample has a large betweensubject deviation of power-related parameters due to confounding variables, such as weight class, amount of weight cut, duration of weight cutting, and the dominant/nondominant limbs' strikes. Regardless what type of statistical analysis could be chosen, it would always be possible to argue that the selected statistical test could have the statistical power to validate the outcomes. As such, the current study is essentially a case study with a number of observations. As a case-like study, the results are useful for revealing potentially relevant variables and/or to raise important questions for future researches in the field. It is well known that pilot case studies will promote more replication studies to verify/improve the generalizability of the potentially important results found in these studies. Further, anchored in real-life situations, the current study would have the strength to add a rich and holistic biomechanical account of weight cutting phenomenon. These insights could be construed as tentative hypotheses that could help structure future research and, with great potential, advance the field's knowledge base. In order to validate these preliminary results, the recruitment of sufficient subjects should be first solved in future studies. Second, the variations in weight class, amount of weight cut, duration of weight cutting, dominant/non-dominant limbs' strikes, training level and years in a sample could lead to over-or under-estimation of the potential effects. These factors need to be carefully considered in future studies.
Notwithstanding the limitations, the preliminary study has achieved the goals that a pilot study [51] can reach, i.e., to design and test new biomechanical research protocols, to evaluate the feasibility of data analysis, and to supply suggestions, such as sample recruitment strategies and preparations for future studies. Additionally, the pilot study demonstrates that researchers need to do a lot more before acquiring a holistic biomechanical understanding of the effect of weight cutting on martial arts performance. In short, this study could be one of the important stages in the research journey, as it supplies preliminary results for brainstorming, as well as identifies the potential problem areas and deficiencies in the research protocol prior to the implementation of future studies.

Conclusions
This pilot study applied, for the first time, biomechanical quantification in exploring the effects of weight cutting in real-life competitions. By letting the subjects to use their preferred weight cutting processes, the pilot study has revealed that there is actually weight regain instead of weight loss. The biomechanical quantification has divulged that the weight regain condition can speed up the perceptional reaction, slow down the limbs' movement, worsen the striking accuracy and, possibly, decrease the strike power. The preliminary results are inconclusive regarding the competitive advantages. While, perhaps, suggesting more questions than answers, the results of this pilot study provide the foundation for further biomechanical explorations of the effects of weight cutting on martial arts performance. Informed Consent Statement: Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.

Data Availability Statement:
The data presented in this study are available on request and after appropriate IRB approvals.