An Equifinality Energy Management Framework in Terms of Benchmarking Practices and Expectations: The EnerMan Project Outlook

Background: The Industry 4.0 wave is leading the changes in existing manufacturing and industrial processes across the world. This is especially important in the formulation of the smart-factory concept with an outlook to energy sustainable processes. In viewing and identifying the foundational elements of such a transformation, the initial conditions and current practices in a cross-sectoral manner is considered a first, yet crucial step in the EU-funded project EnerMan. Methods: In this paper, we identify and analyse the key common features and characteristics of industrial practices set in a perspective of similar and identical functions with a focus to three key energy areas: sustainability, management, and footprint. The examination of different industrial sector cases is performed via distributed questionnaires and then viewed under the prism of the equifinality state via a text-mining analysis approach. Results: identification of common themes and benchmarking of current practices in a cross-industry manner led to the creation of a common systemic framework within energy management related aspects, which is hereby presented. Conclusions: use of an equifinality approach in energy management practices should be further pursued to open up new methods of ideation and innovation and communicate systems’ design in tandem with each industrial set goals

Effect of Ischemic Preconditioning on Acute Recovery in Elite Judo Athletes: A Randomized, Single-Blind, Crossover Trial

© 2023 Human Kinetics. This is the accepted manuscript version of an article which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2022-0280Purpose: The ischemic preconditioning (IPC) method has been shown to aid the recovery processes; however, no studies have been done to assess its acute recovery use in judo. This study aimed to examine IPC of lower limbs effects on recovery after a judo-specific performance in highly trained male judokas and its applicability during a competition day. Methods: A single-blind, placebo-randomized crossover study was carried out on a sample of 13 elite male judo athletes. They undertook measurements of body composition, judo-specific task (Special Judo Fitness Test), jump performance, handgrip strength, lactate, blood pressure, perceived exertion, and delayed-onset muscle soreness. IPC was applied on the legs and inflated 50 mm Hg above the systolic blood pressure for 5 minutes and repeated 3 times for each leg, with 5 minutes of reperfusion. Two-way analysis of variance with repeated measurements was used to determine changes between interventions and measurement times. Paired-sample t test and 1-way repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to determine the difference among measurement times. Statistical significance was set at P < .05. Results: The IPC intervention resulted in (1) decreased heart rate at 30 and 60 minutes during recovery (P = .002; P = .001), (2) better countermovement jump performance at 60 minutes (P = .05), (3) lower perceived-muscle-soreness scores (P = .006), and (4) maintained handgrip strength compared with placebo. Conclusions: The present study revealed that IPC applied to judo athletes following judo-specific exercise resulted in better cardiovascular and neuromuscular recovery and could be a useful tool to enhance recovery during judo competition breaks between preliminaries and final block.Peer reviewe