MODELLING OF MUSCLE CONTRACTION OF HUMAN TRICEPS BRACHll

A mathematical model for description of the time course of muscle contractions has been developed by investigations on isolated muscles (animal experiments). This model can be used to describe several types of contractions. Concentric muscle work was subdivided in three partial processes overlapping each other: - the activation process (characterized by the velocity of force development) - the shortening process - the process of force decrease, which is due to the increasing overlap of filaments at the end of contraction. Each process could be described by a separate function. The complex model equation is a multiplicative connection of these function terms. The equation entail seven free parameters representing physiological qualities of the investigated muscles. The parameter values can be estimated by fitting the function to the F(v(t))-curve of the muscle contraction (see right figure: contraction of m.triceps brachii during arm extension). The calculation of muscle forces and contraction velocities during human elbow extension is based on a geometrical model of the arm extensor system (left figure). Needed individual anatomical data were estimated by a special measurement procedure. The parameter values call be used to monitor changes ~n strength fitness achieved by special training protocols and to yield information about the physiological processes involved

Alien Registration- Wank, Anna (Bath, Sagadahoc County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/8691/thumbnail.jp

Corruption and Market Reform in China

Summary Corruption in China, in various forms, has expanded along with and as a consequence of market reforms. Rent?seeking explanations are insufficient in explaining this link, which must also consider changes in the nature of the politico?administrative system, shifts in social values, and the changing structural context of opportunity, demand and impunity. Rather than reducing corruption, market reforms have not only increased it but have established a new type of relationship between officials and an emerging business elite which may well perpetuate the phenomenon over the longer term

ELECTROMECHANICAL DELAY OF THE KNEE EXTENSOR MUSCLES AND RELATION TO THE INITIAL MUSCLE LENGTH

The purpose of the present study was to elucidate the relation between initial muscle length (IML) and electromechanical delay (EMD) of the knee extensor muscles. The results showed distinctly shorter EMDs (18-20 ms) in an optimal muscle length (OML) than reported before. Furthermore beginning in an OML an increment of EMD was to be seen in direction of both stretched (21-26 ms) and unstretched (31-36 ms) IML. EMD length- curve in course rather seems to correspond with the inverse force-length-curve. It must be concluded that EMD is not directly dependent on IML, but rather on the maximum force and the rate of force development. From these results it must be concluded that EMD is misinterpreted because EMD cannot mainly be determined by the time it takes to stretch the SE by the CE

Destination image gap and its predictive effect on loyalty of first time German visitors to Portugal

In explaining destination loyalty and satisfaction with destination image, there is plenty of research focusing on destination image before travelling, as well asonimage gained from the experience itself. However, it is reasonable to infer that both satisfaction and loyalty might be better understood as the interplay between both images as only with both can one ascertain whether an expectation was realistic or not. So, image gap can be an informative variable in explaining both destination satisfaction and loyalty. To test whether image gap has incremental validity, i.e. if it explains unique variance above and beyond expected image, this study tests, with a sample of 179German tourists, first time visitors in Portugal, a conceptual model comprehending four hypotheses pertaining to the mediation of satisfaction in the relation between expected image and loyalty, as well as the predictive capability of image gap while controlling for expected image. Findingsshowthatimage gap adds unique variance to the model, thus suggesting that it can be an important variable for future destination loyalty models.Têm sido realizados muitos trabalhos de investigação focados na imagem de destino antes da viagem, bem como na imagem obtida através da experiência de viajar, como os elementos fundamentais para explicar a fidelização a um destino e a satisfação. No entanto, é razoável inferir que tanto a satisfação como a fidelização poderão ser melhor compreendidas considerando a interacção entre ambas as imagens, uma vez que apenas com ambas é possível confirmar se uma expectativa era realista ou não. Desta forma, o “gap” de imagem pode ser tomado como uma variável informativa para explicar tanto a satisfação como a lealdade com o destino. Por forma a testar se o “gap” de imagem tem validade incremental, i.e., se explcica a variância única acima e para além da imagem esperada, este estudo testa, com uma amostra de 179 turistas alemães que visitaram Portugal pela primeira vez, um modelo conceptual compreendendo quatro hipóteses relativas à mediação da satisfação na relação entre a imagem esperada e a fidelidade, bem como a capacidade preditiva do “gap” de imagem controlando a imagem esperada. Os resultados mostram que o “gap” de imagem atribuiuma variância única ao modelo, sugerindo, assim, que pode ser uma variável importante para futuros modelos de fidelidade de destino

Die POP-Konvention: Das neue Chemikalien-Regime der Vereinten Nationen

Die Freisetzung persistenter organischer Schadstoffe (POPs) gilt inzwischen als ernstes globales Umweltproblem. Ende Juni 1998 trat im kanadischen Montreal ein zwischenstaatlicher Verhandlungsausschuß zusammen, um einen weltweiten Vertrag »über die Umsetzung internationaler Maßnahmen betreffend gewisser persistenter organischer Schadstoffe« auszuarbeiten. Nach der Klimakonvention, der Biodiversitätskonvention und der Desertifikationskonvention wird die UNChemikalienkonvention die vierte zentrale »Rio-Konvention« sein, in Nachfolge zum Erdgipfel von Rio de Janeiro von 1992. In diesem Papier werden diese Verhandlungen seit ihrer Entstehung und in ihren seitherigen Ergebnissen analysiert. Wir umreißen das Problem und die Datenlage zur Interessenstruktur, verknüpfen die derzeitigen mit den älteren Verhandlungen, analysieren den Stand der Politik in wesentlichen Konfliktfeldern, auch mit Blick auf andere Regime, um dann im Abschlußkapitel einige Perspektiven für die weiteren Verhandlungen und mögliche intensivere Forschungsarbeiten über die POP-Diplomatie zu skizzieren. Unsere empirische Basis ist die Auswertung der offiziellen Verhandlungsdokumente, eine Reihe von Interviews mit Verhandlungsteilnehmerinnen und -teilnehmen! sowie die verfügbare Sekundärliteratur. -- Persistent organic pollutants (POP) have been identified as major global environmental threat. In June 1998, delegates of several governments convened in Montreal, Canada, to start negotiating a UN convention »for implementing international action on certain persistent organic pollutants«. This treaty will be the fourth major Rio Convention, after the 1992 Climate Convention, the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity and the 1994 Desertification Convention. This paper analyses the POP negotiations with a view both to their history and their (still preliminary) results. We sketch the problem and available data on state interests; link present negotiations to other issue areas of international environmental diplomacy; examine the emerging regime in major areas of conflict; and offer some perspectives on the next round of negotiations and possible future research projects on »POP diplomacy«. Our empirical basis are official documents from the negotiations, a series of interviews with delegates as well as some secondary sources.

SIMULATION OF THE FLIGHT DISTANCES OF JAVELINS BASED ON A NEURAL NETWORK APPROACH

INTRODUCTION: The flight distances of javelins are determined by the release parameters as well as by the forces acting on the javelin during flight. The flight phase of the javelin has been under investigation by many researchers using engineering approaches to model the flight phase. The objective is to allow an optimization of the release parameters for maximizing the flight distance. The measurement of release parameters as well as wind influence is not very precise. This means that the models are based on already distorted data. Artificial neural networks (NNs, Haykin 1994) are powerful information processing tools that allow to construct a input-output model of a problem by learning from examples. They are able to generalize , i.e. to produce reasonable outputs for inputs that have not been encountered during learning. NNs handle imprecise data well and could be suitable for modeling the flight distance of javelins as a result of the release parameters. METHODS: Release parameters have been measured using three dimensional film and video analysis. Relevant parameters were determined: the angle of release, the angle of attack (seen from the side), the angle of side attack (seen from behind) as well as the velocity of release. The overall flight was measured as the distance between the throwing line and the athlete’s hand at the point of release plus the distance between the line and the point of touch down of the javelin. Other parameters such as javelin brand, wind speed, etc., were not considered in the model. Multi-Layer-Perceptron Neural Networks (MLPs) were used to construct a model with the release parameters as inputs and the overall distance as output. RESULTS: Several setups were used for the training of the MLPs and 40 sets of release parameters were processed. We used 37 sets for the training of the MLPs and 3 sets were kept for examining the MLPs’ generalization performance (crossvalidation). This was repeated with randomly selected sets for training and crossvalidation. Predictions of the total flight distance using the release parameters were exact up to 5 percent of the overall distance for the cross validation sets. CONCLUSIONS: The MLP simulation of the flight distance is a suitable instrument even though it uses only a small number of parameters. This can be helpful for coaching and provides an alternative to other models. Using more data sets may improve the quality of prediction, and further work will include recording more data sets as well as studies on optimal javelin release parameters. REFERENCES: Haykin, S. (1994). Neural Networks. Englewood Cliffs: Macmillan Publishing Company

Special Report: COVID-19 impacts Chinese Buddhism, state control, and soft power

This essay details the religious response to COVID-19 in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). It deals specifically with Han Buddhism. The essay details temples, material support, prayer, and other rituals that have looked differently due to COVID-19. State control of religion is discussed in its relationship to the coronavirus pandemic