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In response to the low threshing efficiency of millet ear petals, this study investigated the tensile and impact mechanical properties of millet petals during the millet threshing process. Jingu 21, Zhangza 16, and Changza 466 were used as experimental subjects to study the effects of tensile angle and growth part on fracture strength, and to determine the influence of impulse and growth part on drop and breakage rates. The results indicated that both growth part and tensile angle have a highly significant impact on the tensile fracture strength of the millet petals. The tensile fracture strength decreases with the increase in the tensile angle, and increases with the growth part from top to bottom. The variety, growth part, and impulse significantly affect the impact drop and breakage rates of the millet petals, with the main factors affecting the drop rate being impulse, variety, and growth part, in that order. When the impulse is 2.296 N·s, the threshing effect for Jingu 21 is optimal, with a drop rate of 65.091% and a breakage rate of 13.487%. This research provides theoretical insights into the simulation of the millet ear threshing process and the optimization of the performance of millet threshing equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of blast loads on structures is important due to the potential of significant consequences in various scenarios. From terrorist attacks to industrial accidents, comprehending how structures respond to blast waves is critical for ensuring public safety and designing resilient structures. Studying these effects typically involves two main methods: free-field tests with live explosives and shock tube tests. Although shock tube testing offers certain advantages, both approaches are costly and demand significant space. This research aims to develop a cost-effective and straightforward technique for generating stress waves that closely replicate the progressive and spatial characteristics of free-field or shock tube blast waves. This method was designed to evaluate the dynamic response of laminated glass panels. The stress wave was generated by impacting a piston on the fluid inside a tube, which was connected to a fluid chamber. This setup produced impulsive loads that were distributed across a laminated glass test panel. Moreover, it was used to simulate the shock near filed explosions for a certain part of a structure. High-speed cameras were utilized to analyze the initial velocity of flying glass fragments. The apparatus successfully produced various blast waves and impulsive profiles for different drop weight heights. The initial velocities of randomly selected flying shards ranged from 3 m/s to 4 m/s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a method to achieve exponential stability in a class of impulsive delayed neural networks containing parameter uncertainties, time-varying delays, and impulsive effect and reaction–diffusion terms. By using an integro-differential inequality with impulsive initial conditions and employing the M-matrix theory and the nonlinear measure approach, some new sufficient conditions ensuring the global exponential stability and global robust exponential stability of the considered system are derived. In particular, the results obtained are presented by simple algebraic inequalities, which are certainly more concise than the previous methods. By comparisons and examples, it is shown that the results obtained are effective and useful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research addressed the spatiotemporal variables of the drop jump (DJ) versus the horizontal drop jump (HDJ). This study compared the kinetic variables of the DJ versus the HDJ in elite jumpers and sprinters. In a single session, sixteen elite jumpers and sprinters performed two DJ attempts with three different fall heights (0.30 m, 0.40 m, and 0.50 m), and after 2 h, performed two HDJ attempts from the same fall heights (0.30 m, 0.40 m, and 0.50 m). Kinetic variables: eccentric ground reaction forces (GRFE) and concentric ground reaction forces; eccentric impulse (PE) and concentric impulse (PC); peak power in the concentric phase; and rate of force decrease (RFDe) were measured using a research-grade force plate. The Wilcoxon test was used to compare the vertical and anteroposterior axes. GRFE was significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) in the DJ vs the HDJ with large effect sizes. The PE (p ≤ 0.006) and PC (p = 0.002) were significantly lower in the DJ than in the HDJ. The RFDe was also significantly lower in the DJ at 0.30 m vs. the HDJ at 0.30 m (p = 0.002). In summary, elite jumpers and sprinters may benefit from incorporating both the DJ and the HDJ into their training regimens, with the DJ being particularly advantageous for enhancing power metrics and RFDe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The asymptotic synchronization of quaternion-valued delayed neural networks with impulses and inertia is studied in this article. Firstly, a convergence result on piecewise differentiable functions is developed, which is a generalization of the Barbalat lemma and provides a powerful tool for the convergence analysis of discontinuous systems. To achieve synchronization, a constant gain-based control scheme and an adaptive gain-based control strategy are directly proposed for response quaternion-valued models. In the convergence analysis, a direct analysis method is developed to discuss the synchronization without using the separation technique or reduced-order transformation. In particular, some Lyapunov functionals, composed of the state variables and their derivatives, are directly constructed and some synchronization criteria represented by matrix inequalities are obtained based on quaternion theory. Some numerical results are shown to further confirm the theoretical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the existence of solutions of a class of Cauchy problems for hyperbolic partial fractional differential inclusions (HPFD) involving the Caputo fractional derivative with an impulse whose right hand side is convex and non-convex valued. Our results are achieved within the framework of the nonlinear alternative of Leray-Schauder type and contraction multivalued maps. A detailed example was provided to support the theorem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to identify the relationship between dry-land and in-water strength with performance and kinematic variables in short-distance, middle-distance, and repeated sprint swimming. Fifteen competitive swimmers applied a bench press exercise to measure maximum strength (MS), maximum power (P), strength corresponding to P (F@P), maximum velocity (MV), and velocity corresponding to P (V@P) using F–V and P–V relationships. On a following day, swimmers performed a 10 s tethered swimming sprint (TF), and impulse was measured (IMP). On three separate days, swimmers performed (i) 50 and 100 m, (ii) 200 and 400 m, and (iii) 4 × 50 m front crawl sprint tests. Performance time (T), arm stroke rate (SR), arm stroke length (SL), and arm stroke index (SI) were calculated in all tests. Performance in short- and middle-distance tests and in 4 × 50 m training sets were related to dry-land MS, P, TF, and IMP (r = 0.51–0.83; p < 0.05). MS, P, and TF were related to SR in 50 m and SI in 50 and 100 m (r = 0.55–0.71; p < 0.05). A combination of dry-land P and in-water TF variables explains 80% of the 50 m performance time variation. Bench press power and tethered swimming force correlate with performance in short- and middle-distance tests and repeated sprint swimming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research delves into the field of fractional differential equations with both non-instantaneous impulses and delay within the framework of Banach spaces. Our objective is to establish adequate conditions that ensure the existence, uniqueness, and Ulam–Hyers–Rassias stability results for our problems. The studied problems encompass abstract impulsive fractional differential problems with finite delay, infinite delay, state-dependent finite delay, and state-dependent infinite delay. To provide clarity and depth, we augment our theoretical results with illustrative examples, illustrating the practical implications of our work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the influences of an explosion-proof wall on shock wave parameters, an air explosion protection experiment was performed, the time history of shock wave pressure at different positions before and after the explosion-proof wall was established, and the characteristics of shock wave impulse and dynamic pressure were analyzed. The explosion-proof working conditions of five different diffraction angles were simulated and analyzed using Autodyn software(2019R3). Results indicated the following findings. The explosion-proof wall exerted an evident attenuation effect on the explosion shock wave, but considerable pressure still existed at the top of the explosion-proof wall. Overpressure behind the wall initially increased and then decreased. The larger the diffraction angle, the faster the attenuation speed of the diffraction overpressure of the shock wave in the air behind the wall. The history curve of shock wave pressure exhibited an evident bimodal structure. The shock wave diffraction of the wall made the shock wave bimodal structure behind the wall more prominent. The characteristics of the bimodal structure behind the wall (the interval time of overpressure peak Δt was less than the normal phase time of the diffracted shock wave T+) caused the shock wave impulse to stack rapidly, significantly improving its damage capability. The peak value of dynamic pressure on the oncoming surface was approximately two times the peak value of overpressure, and the inertia of air molecules resulted in a longer positive duration of dynamic pressure than overpressure. The maximum overpressure on the ground behind the explosion-proof wall appeared at approximately two times the height of the explosion-proof wall, while the maximum overpressure in the air behind the explosion-proof wall appeared at approximately one times the height of the explosion-proof wall. The relatively safe areas on the ground and in the air behind the wall were approximately 4–4.5 times and 3.5–4 times the height of the explosion-proof wall, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the analysis of existing collective shockwave protection methods worldwide, this paper addresses the mitigation of shock waves by means of passive methods, namely the use of perforated plates. Employing specialized software for numerical analysis, such as ANSYS-AUTODYN 2022R1®, the interaction of shock waves with a protection structure has been studied. By using this cost-free approach, several configurations with different opening ratios were investigated, pointing out the peculiarities of the real phenomenon. The FEM-based numerical model was calibrated by employing live explosive tests. The experimental assessments were performed for two configurations, with and without a perforated plate. The numerical results were expressed in terms of force acting on an armor plate placed behind a perforated plate at a relevant distance for ballistic protection in engineering applications. By investigating the force/impulse acting on a witness plate instead of the pressure measured at a single point, a realistic scenario can be considered. For the total impulse attenuation factor, the numerical results suggest a power law dependence, with the opening ratio as a variable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buried charges pose a serious threat to both civilians and military personnel. It is well established that soil properties have a large influence on the magnitude and variability of loading from explosive blasts in buried conditions. In this study, work has been undertaken to improve techniques for processing pressure data from discrete measurement apparatus; this is performed through the testing of truncation methodologies and the area integration of impulses, accounting for the particle size distribution (PSD) of the soils used in testing. Two experimental techniques have been investigated to allow for a comparison between a global impulse capture method and an area-integration procedure from a Hopkinson Pressure Bar array. This paper explores an area-limiting approach, based on particle size distribution, as a possible approach to derive a better representation of the loading on the plate, thus demonstrating that the spatial distribution of loading over a target can be related to the PSD of the confining material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pressure fields generated by two simultaneous discharges have not been investigated on any notable scale for the electrohydraulic impulse forming method. In this study, the synchronicity of two discharges is ensured by the sequential connection of two wires mounted in two spark gaps in a common volume of liquid. The objective is to experimentally confirm the equilibrium of the energies evolved in two spark gaps by means of pressure measurements. In addition, multipoint membrane pressure gauges demonstrated the feasibility of easily recording detailed pressure maps. Based on the membrane deformation mechanism and material strengthening under static and impulse conditions, the processing procedure is further developed so as to achieve better accuracy in the determination of pressure field parameters. The practical equality of the pressure fields on the left and right halves of the flat-loaded area confirms the equality of energies evolved in the two spark gaps. The direct shock waves create zones with the most intensive loading. These results provide a basis for the development of new electrohydraulic technologies involving the application of two simultaneous discharges with equal energy and pressure parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to reconstruct hazardous zones after the hydrogen explosion at a fueling station and to assess an influence of terrain landscape on harmful consequences for personnel with the use of numerical methods. These consequences are measured by fields of conditional probability of lethal and ear-drum injuries for people exposed to explosion waves. An "Explosion Safety®" numerical tool is applied for non-stationary and three-dimensional reconstructions of the hazardous zone around the epicenter of the explosion of a premixed stoichiometric hemispheric hydrogen cloud. In order to define values of the explosion wave's damaging factors (maximum overpressure and impulse of pressure phase), a three-dimensional mathematical model of chemically active gas mixture dynamics is used. This allows for controlling the current pressure in every local point of actual space, taking into account the complex terrain. This information is used locally in every computational cell to evaluate the conditional probability of such consequences for human beings, such as ear-drum rupture and lethal outcome, on the basis of probit analysis. To evaluate the influence of the landscape profile on the non-stationary three-dimensional overpressure distribution above the Earth's surface near the epicenter of an accidental hydrogen explosion, a series of computational experiments with different variants of the terrain is carried out. Each variant differs in the level of mutual arrangement of the explosion epicenter and the places of possible location of personnel. The obtained results indicate that any change in working-place level of terrain related to the explosion's epicenter can better protect personnel from the explosion wave than evenly leveled terrain, and deepening of the explosion epicenter level related to working place level leads to better personnel protection than vice versa. Moreover, the presented coupled computational fluid dynamics and probit analysis model can be recommended to risk-managing experts as a cost-effective and time-saving instrument to assess the efficiency of protection structures during safety procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of the environmentally friendly policy of ships, active research is being conducted on energy storage systems (ESS) for ships. This ESS has a major influence on determining the propulsion and operation system of the ship in the future. A separate space must be provided for the ESS, but small and medium-sized ships often require it to be located at the bottom of the ship to make use of the available space. If the ESS is located at the bottom of the ship, the slamming impact load should be considered, and a study of the vibrations generated during the slamming impact is required. Ships are subjected to various environmental effects while sailing. Among them, the risk factor caused by waves is one of the direct risk factors for the operation of the ship. This slamming phenomenon affects not only ships but also offshore structures, and is a risk factor that can cause structural damage as well as damage to human life. Therefore, it is necessary to study the slamming load, and a method is needed to address it with a dynamic load instead of a static load. In order to reflect the slamming load in the design as a dynamic load rather than the equivalent hydrostatic pressure, which is a static load, it is necessary to study the elastic effect of the structure. The plate thickness is calculated by considering the equivalent design pressure based on the measured slamming pressure peak, and several experimental and theoretical studies have been conducted to estimate the exact value of the peak pressure. However, according to recent studies, structural damage is affected not only by the peak pressure but also by the peak width in the time interval of the peak pressure. Research on slamming has been ongoing for a long time, but structural damage due to slamming is still being reported steadily. In order to understand the slamming phenomenon and reflect it in the structural design formula, high-quality experimental results are required. The slamming phenomenon occurs in a very short time. In order to obtain high-quality experimental results for this slamming phenomenon, numerous experimental variables such as experimental equipment setting, appropriate sensor selection, and data measurement and storage capability must be carefully considered. Normally the slamming load can be expressed in terms of peak pressure, peak width, and duration of the pressure, and the maximum pressure and the idealized pressure value (impulse) are applied to the structure. This slamming pressure is affected by the shape and natural period of the structure and shows the largest pressure value when the dead-rise angle is 3° to 10°. In this study, the test was performed by repeatedly dropping into the water using structural bottom angles of 0°, 3°, 10°, and 20° to the free surface of the water. The peak pressure, peak width, impulse, pressure coefficient, and traveling velocity of peak pressure obtained from the repeated tests are estimated with mean and coefficient of variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider the nonlinear impulsive generalized fractional differential equations with (p , q) -Laplacian operator for 1 < p ≤ q < ∞ , in which the nonlinearity f contains two fractional derivatives with respect to another function. Since the complexity of the nonlinear term and the impulses exist in generalized fractional calculus, it is difficult to find the corresponding variational functional of the problem. The existence of nontrivial solutions for the problem is established by the mountain pass theorem and iterative technique under some appropriate assumptions. Furthermore, our main result is demonstrated by an illustrative example to show its feasibility and effectiveness. Due to the employment of a generalized fractional operator, our results extend some existing research findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simplified model that calculates the deflagration pressure–time curves of a hydrogen explosion was proposed. The deflagration parameters (pressure peak, duration, deflagration index, and impulse) of hydrogen–air mixtures with different hydrogen concentrations were experimentally investigated. The results show that the pressure curves calculated by the model are consistent with experimental data pertaining to a methane and hydrogen explosion. By comparison, the pressure peak and deflagration index are found to be influenced by the aspect ratio and surface area of vessels. The impulse and explosion times at fuel-lean hydrogen concentrations are greater than those at fuel-rich concentrations. When the hydrogen concentration is between 34 vol.% and 18 vol.%, the greatest explosion damage effect is formed by both the overpressure and the impulse, which should be considered for hydrogen explosion safety design in industrial production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the problem of the pth moment and almost sure exponential stability of impulsive neutral stochastic functional differential equations (INSFDEs). Based on the Lyapunov function and average dwell time (ADT), two sufficient criteria for the exponential stability of INSFDEs are derived, which manifest that the result obtained in this paper is more convenient to be used than those Razumikhin conditions in former literature. Finally, two numerical examples and simulations are given to verify the validity of our result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A few decades ago, river erosion protective approaches were widely implemented, such as straightening the river course, enhancing riverbed/bank stability with layers of concrete or riprap, and increasing channel conveyance capacity (i.e., overwidening). However, recent research has established that such practices can be tremendously costly and adversely affect the rivers' ecological health. To alleviate these effects, green river restoration has emerged as a sustainable and environmentally friendly approach that can reduce the negative impact of the riverbed and bank destabilization and flooding. One of the typical green restoration measures, especially for instream habitat improvement, is the establishment of instream vegetation, which leads to a more diversified flow regime, increasing habitat availability and serving as refugia for aquatic species. Within the perspective presented above, flow–vegetation interaction problems for several decades received significant attention. In these studies, rigid rods have commonly been used to simulate these vegetative roughness elements without directly assessing the riverbed destabilization potential. Here, an experimental study is carried out to investigate the effect of different instream vegetation porosity on the near-bed flow hydrodynamics and riverbed destabilization potential for a range of simulated vegetation species. Specifically, the flow field downstream, four distinct simulated vegetation elements is recorded using an acoustic Doppler velocimetry (ADV), assuming about the same solid volume fraction for the different vegetation elements. In addition, bed destabilization potential is assessed by recording with optical means (a He-Ne laser with a camera system) the entrainment rate of a 15 mm particle resting on the uniform bed surface and the number of impulses above a critical value. Results revealed that the number of impulses above a critical value at the normalized distance equal to two is a good indicator for cylinder and five for other vegetation to assess the riverbed destabilization potential. The experimental findings from this study have interesting geomorphological implications regarding the destabilization of the riverbed surface (removal of coarse particles induced by high magnitude turbulent impulses) and the successful establishment of seedlings downstream of instream vegetation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of reliability theory has led to the setting of tasks requiring consideration of the efficiency and functional safety of technical objects of transport over the life cycle. The paper demonstrates the possibility of using the universal laws of elastic wave theory to describe natural phenomena occurring in complex dynamic systems, on the examples of solving issues arising in the interaction of rolling stock and the railway track. The accounting of the time component and the ability of elastic waves to propagate energy in time and space allowed considering any interaction process as a chain of processes, incidence-reflection-refraction of force impulses of interaction. Understanding the physics of dynamic processes that occur in objects while performing their intended functions allows developers to improve objects in such a way as to minimize their life cycle cost and maximize their ability to perform their intended functions under different operating conditions. In addition, it allows the expansion of existing methods and approaches to diagnostics of dynamic transport systems. All this is a base for making it possible to develop an innovative and effective tool for engineers and scientists to assess the impact of technosphere transport objects on human habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, some novel conditions for the stability results for a class of fractional-order quasi-linear impulsive integro-differential systems with multiple delays is discussed. First, the existence and uniqueness of mild solutions for the considered system is discussed using contraction mapping theorem. Then, novel conditions for Mittag–Leffler stability (MLS) of the considered system are established by using well known mathematical techniques, and further, the two corollaries are deduced, which still gives some new results. Finally, an example is given to illustrate the applications of the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper mainly deals with the issue of fixed-time synchronization of fuzzy-based impulsive complex networks. By developing fixed-time stability of impulsive systems and proposing a T-S fuzzy control strategy with pure power-law form, some simple criteria are acquired to achieve fixed-time synchronization of fuzzy-based impulsive complex networks and the estimation of the synchronized time is given. Ultimately, the presented control scheme and synchronization criteria are verified by numerical simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study demonstrates the orientation and the "shape factor" have pronounced effects on the development of the localized pressure fields inside of the helmet. We used anatomically accurate headform to evaluate four modern combat helmets under blast loading conditions in the shock tube. The Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH) is used to capture the effect of the orientation on pressure under the helmet. The three modern combat helmets: Enhanced Combat Helmet (ECH), Ops-Core, and Airframe, were tested in frontal orientation to determine the effect of helmet geometry. Using the unhelmeted headform data as a reference, we characterized pressure distribution inside each helmet and identified pressure focal points. The nature of these localized "hot spots" is different than the elevated pressure in the parietal region of the headform under the helmet widely recognized as the under-wash effect also observed in our tests. It is the first experimental study which indicates that the helmet presence increased the pressure experienced by the eyes and the forehead (glabella). Pressure fingerprinting using an array of sensors combined with the application of principle component analysis (PCA) helped elucidate the subtle differences between helmets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slamming is a very significant phenomenon that occurs in marine structures operating under extreme conditions. Slamming significantly reduces the design life of floating offshore wind turbines, as well as marine structures, and causes structural damage. Thus, the slamming load should be considered sufficiently during the design phase of the structure, and the results of experiments of good quality should be incorporated. The phenomenon of slamming should be analyzed using peak pressure, width, duration, and dynamic loads that depend on the design and natural frequency of the structure. In the case of a slamming experiment, the deadrise angle shows the greatest pressure between 3° to 10°. In this study, pressure values were compared using a model with a deadrise angle of 10° and a cylinder model most commonly used for the fabrication and installation of offshore structures. The peak pressure of the cylindrical model is greater than those of the flat model and the wedge model with a 10° deadrise angle. Pressure and strain were measured using free drops from heights of 1.0 and 1.7 m from the water surface, and the elastic effects were studied accordingly. Also, the peak pressure due to a slamming impact occurs several times depending on the natural frequency of the structure. In order to understand the behavior of the structure against the elastic effect, the second peak in the experimental results was theoretically and experimentally analyzed. The second pressure peak is greater than the first pressure peak due to the elastic behavior effects based on the natural frequency of models used in the slamming test. Also, a single slamming results in several peak pressures and it greatly deteriorates the fatigue strength. Experiments and simulations were carried out to derive the effects of repeated slamming loads on the structure. In the structural design considering the slamming loads, information on the elastic effect of the structure and accumulated loads is very important. This can be an important variable in the design of the floater and can play an important role in assessing the impact on the floater. These results raise questions as to the extent that slamming pressures are replaced with equivalent hydrostatic pressures in most design rules of the recognized certification society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Legged robots suffer from the impact due to the consistent collisions with the ground. At the moment of collision, the sudden impact force not only causes the legs to lose contact off the ground, but can also reduce controllability and durability. This phenomenon becomes worse for the robots in running. In order to mitigate such an impact effectively, this study focuses on the mechanical structure of the legs, unlike the previous studies, which focused on the component level. The mechanical structures include actuator configuration, segment ratio, total length, and flexion direction. Contact inertia (CI), closely related to the impact, is derived and utilized to analyze the mechanical structure in terms of impact mitigation. A series of impact experiments with a fabricated leg verify that the mechanical structure affects mitigating the impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are studying first order differential inclusions with periodic boundary conditions where the Stieltjes derivative with respect to a left-continuous non-decreasing function replaces the classical derivative. The involved set-valued mapping is not assumed to have compact and convex values, nor to be upper semicontinuous concerning the second argument everywhere, as in other related works. A condition involving the contingent derivative relative to the non-decreasing function (recently introduced and applied to initial value problems by R.L. Pouso, I.M. Marquez Albes, and J. Rodriguez-Lopez) is imposed on the set where the upper semicontinuity and the assumption to have compact convex values fail. Based on previously obtained results for periodic problems in the single-valued cases, the existence of solutions is proven. It is also pointed out that the solution set is compact in the uniform convergence topology. In particular, the existence results are obtained for periodic impulsive differential inclusions (with multivalued impulsive maps and finite or possibly countable impulsive moments) without upper semicontinuity assumptions on the right-hand side, and also the existence of solutions is derived for dynamic inclusions on time scales with periodic boundary conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoporosis currently afflicts 8 million postmenopausal women in the US, increasing the risk of bone fractures and morbidity, and reducing overall quality of life. We sought to define moderate exercise protocols that can prevent postmenopausal osteoporosis. Our previous findings singled out higher walking speed and pre-exercise meals as necessary for suppression of bone resorption and increasing of markers of bone formation. Since both studies were amenable to alternate biomechanical, nutritional, and circadian interpretations, we sought to determine the relative importance of higher speed, momentum, speed-enhanced load, duration of impulse, and meal timing on osteogenic response. We hypothesized that: (1) 20 min of exercise one hour after eating is sufficient to suppress bone resorption as much as a 40-min impulse and that two 20 min exercise bouts separated by 7 h would double the anabolic effect; (2) early morning exercise performed after eating will be as effective as mid-day exercise for anabolic outcome; and (3) the 08:00 h 40-min. exercise uphill would be as osteogenic as the 40-min exercise downhill. Healthy postmenopausal women, 8 each, were assigned to a no-exercise condition (SED) or to 40- or 20-min exercise bouts, spaced 7 h apart, for walking uphill (40 Up and 20 Up) or downhill (40 Down and 20 Down) to produce differences in biomechanical variables. Exercise was initiated at 08:00 h one hour after eating in 40-min groups, and also 7 h later, two hours after the midday meal, in 20-min groups. Measurements were made of CICP (c-terminal peptide of type I collagen), osteocalcin (OC), and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP), markers of bone formation, and of the bone resorptive marker CTX (c-terminal telopeptide of type 1 collagen). The osteogenic ratios CICP/CTX, OC/CTX, and BALP/CTX were calculated. Only the 40-min downhill exercise of suprathreshold speed-enhanced momentum, increased the three osteogenic ratios, demonstrating the necessity of a 40-min, and inadequacy of a 20-min, exercise impulse. The failure of anabolic outcome in 40-min uphill exercise was attributed to a sustained elevation of PTH concentration, as its high morning elevation enhances the CTX circadian rhythm. We conclude that postmenopausal osteoporosis can be prevented or mitigated in sedentary women by 45 min of morning exercise of suprathreshold speed-enhanced increased momentum performed shortly after a meal while walking on level ground, or by 40-min downhill, but not 40-min uphill, exercise to avoid circadian PTH oversecretion. The principal stimulus for the anabolic effect is exercise, but the prerequisite for a pre-exercise meal demonstrates the requirement for nutrient facilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the Singular-Polynomial-Fuzzy-Model (SPFM) approach problem and impulse elimination are investigated based on sliding mode control for a class of nonlinear singular system (NSS) with impulses. Considering two numerical examples, the SPFM of the nonlinear singular system is calculated based on the compound function type and simple function type. According to the solvability and the steps of two numerical examples, the method of solving the SPFM form of the nonlinear singular system with (and without) impulse are extended to the more general case. By using the Heine–Borel finite covering theorem, it is proven that a class of nonlinear singular systems with bounded impulse-free item (BIFI) properties and separable impulse item (SII) properties can be approximated by SPFM with arbitrary accuracy. The linear switching function and sliding mode control law are designed to be applied to the impulse elimination of SPFM. Compared with some published works, a human posture inverted pendulum model example and Example 3.2 demonstrate that the approximation error is small enough and that both algorithms are effective. Example 3.3 is to illustrate that sliding mode control can effectively eliminate impulses of SPFM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oscillation of impulsive differential equations plays an important role in many applications in physics, biology and engineering. The symmetry helps to deciding the right way to study oscillatory behavior of solutions of impulsive differential equations. In this work, several sufficient conditions are established for oscillatory or asymptotic behavior of second-order neutral impulsive differential systems for various ranges of the bounded neutral coefficient under the canonical and non-canonical conditions. Here, one can see that if the differential equations is oscillatory (or converges to zero asymptotically), then the discrete equation of similar type do not disturb the oscillatory or asymptotic behavior of the impulsive system, when impulse satisfies the discrete equation. Further, some illustrative examples showing applicability of the new results are included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surf pop-up is a unique and challenging skill, critical to successful surfing. Hypothesizing that anthropometric characteristics of surfers influence the pop-up performance, we aimed to measure kinematics and ground-reaction forces (GRF) during a simulated pop-up motion, and to relate these variables with anthropometric characteristics. Twenty-three male surfers (age: 28.4 ± 10.1 years old; body mass: 68.3 ± 10.8 kg; height: 1.73 ± 0.07 m; time of practice: 12.4 ± 8.9 years; arm-span: 1.75 ± 8.9 m) perform a simulated pop-up in the laboratory, while GRF and 3D motion-capture data were acquired. The duration of the pop-up was 1.20 ± 0.19 s (60% push-up and 40% reaching/landing phase). During the push-up, the hands were placed 0.46 ± 0.05 m apart and generated a relative total peak-force of 0.99 ± 0.10 N/Weight, with symmetrical impulse of 0.30 ± 0.05 N·s/Weight for the dominant and 0.29 ± 0.07 N·s/Weight for the nondominant hand. Elbow angles were not different during the peak force application (110 ± 18° vs. 112 ± 18°, respectively) of the push-up phase. During the landing phase, the feet were placed 0.63 ± 0.10 m apart and generated a relative peak force of 1.63 ± 0.18 N/Weight. The impact force during landing was applied unevenly between the rear foot (28%) and the front foot (72%). In conclusion, most anthropometric-related variables showed no relationship with performance variables, with the exception of an inverse relationship between muscle mass and pop-up total duration. We also observed no differences in upper- and lower-body kinematics between the dominant vs. nondominant hands and among surfers who preferred a regular vs. "goofy-foot" stance. Finally, the force profiles between hands were similar and symmetric, while the lower extremities during the reaching phase were different, with the front foot applying greater force than that of the rear foot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigates the effects of close-range blast loading of fibre metal laminates (FMLs) fabricated from woven glass polypropylene and aluminium alloy 2024-T3. The polypropylene layers and anodized aluminium are stacked in 3/2 layering configuration to investigate the impact energy absorbed through deformation and damage. In order to study the blast responses of FMLs, a 4-cable instrumented pendulum blast set-up is used. Effects of blast impulse and stand-off distance were examined. Investigation of the cross-section of FMLs are presented and damages such as fibre fracture, debonding, and global deformation are examined. Increasing stand-off distance from 4 to 14 mm resulted in a change of damage mode from highly localized perforation to global deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This investigation aimed to determine the countermovement jump (CMJ) neuromuscular performance (NMP) qualities that differentiate between athletes with high or low horizontal deceleration ability. Twenty-seven male university team sport athletes performed a CMJ on vertical axis force plates and a maximal horizontal deceleration following a 20 m maximal horizontal sprint acceleration. The instantaneous velocity throughout the maximal horizontal deceleration test was measured using a radar device. The deceleration ability was evaluated using the average deceleration (HDEC, m·s−2) and change in momentum—referred to as the horizontal braking impulse (HBI, N·s·kg−1). Participants were dichotomised into high and low HDEC and HBI according to a median-split analysis, and CMJ variables calculated for the overall eccentric, eccentric-deceleration and concentric phases. When horizontal deceleration ability was defined by HDEC, the CMJ concentric (effect size (ES) = 0.95) and eccentric (ES = 0.72) peak forces were the variables with the largest difference between groups. However, when defined using HBI, the largest difference was the concentric (ES = 1.15) and eccentric (ES = −1.00) peak velocities. Only the concentric mean power was significantly different between the high and low groups for both HDEC (ES = 0.85) and HBI (ES = 0.96). These findings show that specific eccentric and concentric NMP qualities may underpin the horizontal deceleration abilities characterised by HDEC and HBI. Specific NMP training interventions may be beneficial to target improvements in either of these measures of horizontal deceleration abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, by using the Banach contraction principle and the Schauder's fixed point theorem, we investigate existence results for a fractional impulsive sum-difference equations with periodic boundary conditions. Moreover, we also establish different kinds of Ulam stability for this problem. An example is also constructed to demonstrate the importance of these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article was to review the data on the relationship between multi-joint isometric strength test (IsoTest) force-time characteristics (peak force, rate of force development and impulse) and dynamic performance that is available in the current literature. Four electronic databases were searched using search terms related to IsoTest. Studies were considered eligible if they were original research studies that investigated the relationships between multi-joint IsoTest and performance of dynamic movements; published in peer-reviewed journals; had participants who were athletes or active individuals who participate in recreational sports or resistance training, with no restriction on sex; and had full text available. A total of 47 studies were selected. These studies showed significant small to large correlations between isometric bench press (IBP) force-time variables and upper body dynamic performances (r2 = 0.221 to 0.608, p < 0.05) and significant small to very large correlation between isometric squat (ISqT) (r2 = 0.085 to 0.746, p < 0.05) and isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP) (r2 = 0.120 to 0.941, p < 0.05) force-time variables with lower body dynamic performances. IsoTest force-time characteristics were shown to have small to very large correlations with dynamic performances of the upper and lower limbs as well as performance of sporting movements (r2 = 0.118 to 0.700, p < 0.05). These data suggest that IsoTest force-time characteristics provide insights into the force production capability of athletes which give insight into dynamic performance capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the p-th moment exponential stability and quasi sure exponential stability of impulsive stochastic functional differential systems driven by G-Brownian motion (IGSFDSs). By using G-Lyapunov method, several stability theorems of IGSFDSs are obtained. These new results are employed to impulsive stochastic delayed differential systems driven by G-motion (IGSDDEs). In addition, delay-dependent method is developed to investigate the stability of IGSDDSs by constructing the G-Lyapunov–Krasovkii functional. Finally, an example is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the obtained results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine relationships between arch stiffness and relative regional impulse during walking, running, and stopping. A total of 61 asymptomatic male subjects volunteered to participate in the study. All were classified by calculating the arch stiffness index using 3-dimensional foot morphological scanning. Plantar pressure distribution data were collected from participants using a Footscan pressure platform during gait tests that included walking, running, and gait termination. The stiff arches group ( n = 19) and flexible arches group ( n = 17) were included in the following data analysis. The results suggested that subjects with stiffer arches had a larger and smaller percentage of plantar impulse in the forefoot and rearfoot, respectively, than subjects with more flexible arches during walking and running. However, during gait termination, which included planned and unplanned gait stopping, the plantar impulse distribution pattern was found to be reversed. The current findings demonstrate that the distributional changes of plantar loading follow unidirectional transfer between the forefoot and the rearfoot on the plantar longitudinal axis. Moreover, the patterns of impulse distribution are also different based on different gait task mechanisms.

We establish sufficient conditions for the existence of solutions for a nonlinear impulsive multi-order Caputo-type generalized fractional differential equation with infinite delay and nonlocal generalized integro-initial value conditions. The existence result is proved by means of Krasnoselskii's fixed point theorem, while the contraction mapping principle is employed to obtain the uniqueness of solutions for the problem at hand. The paper concludes with illustrative examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the graph theory and stability theory of dynamical system, this paper studies the stability of the trivial solution of a coupled fractional-order system. Some sufficient conditions are obtained to guarantee the global stability of the trivial solution. Finally, a comparison between fractional-order system and integer-order system ends the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine countermovement jump (CMJ) kinetic data using logistic regression, in order to distinguish sports-related mechanical profiles. Eighty-one professional basketball and soccer athletes participated, each performing three CMJs on a force platform. Inferential parametric and nonparametric statistics were performed to explore group differences. Binary logistic regression was used to model the response variable (soccer or not soccer). Statistical significance (p < 0.05) was reached for differences between groups in maximum braking rate of force development (RFDDmax, U79 = 1035), mean braking rate of force development (RFDDavg, U79 = 1038), propulsive impulse (IMPU, t79 = 2.375), minimum value of vertical displacement for center of mass (SBCMmin, t79 = 3.135), and time difference (% of impulse time; ΔΤ) between the peak value of maximum force value (FUmax) and SBCMmin (U79 = 1188). Logistic regression showed that RFDDavg, impulse during the downward phase (IMPD), IMPU, and ΔΤ were all significant predictors. The model showed that soccer group membership could be strongly related to IMPU, with the odds ratio being 6.48 times higher from the basketball group, whereas RFDDavg, IMPD, and ΔΤ were related to basketball group. The results imply that soccer players execute CMJ differently compared to basketball players, exhibiting increased countermovement depth and impulse generation during the propulsive phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of the present study were to examine the influences of different push-off techniques on kinetic and kinematic parameters both in and out of the water. The two techniques were: (1) a push off that was characterized by rapid extension of knees and hips towards the wall, prior to contact (i.e., no countermovement), and, (2) where the swimmer glides into the wall, letting the wall flex the knees in an approximate countermovement or eccentric phase. Twenty trained male and female freestyle swimmers (age 26.1 ± 9.9 years, height 1.61 ± 0.04 m, and weight 65.6 ± 19.3 kg) participated. Data were analyzed by employing two (i.e., land and water) 3 (variables of interest) x 2 (push-off type) repeated measures ANOVAs with the alpha level set a priori at 05. Results indicated that there were significant main effects for peak perpendicular force (p < 0.001), perpendicular impulse (p = 0.018), and velocity at 2.5 m (p = 0.005) on land. However, no significant effects were found between techniques in the water trials. As many of the participants were master swimmers, it is possible that they were unable to approach the wall in the water at the requisite speed to elicit a benefit from the countermovement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seventeen strength and power athletes (n = 11 males, 6 females; height: 177.5 ± 7.0 cm, 165.8 ± 11.4 cm; body mass: 90.0 ± 14.1 kg, 66.4 ± 13.9 kg; age: 30.6 ± 10.4 years, 30.8 ± 8.7 years), who regularly performed weightlifting movements during their resistance training programs, were recruited to examine the effect of altering body posture and barbell position on the between-session reliability of force-time characteristics generated in the isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP). After participants were familiarised with the testing protocol, they undertook two testing sessions which were separated by seven days. In each session, the participants performed three maximal IMTP trials in each of the four testing positions examined, with the order of testing randomized. In each position, no significant differences were found between sessions for all force-time characteristics (p = >0.05). Peak force (PF), time-specific force (F50, F90, F150, F200, F250) and IMP time-bands (0–50, 0–90, 0–150, 0–200, 0–250 ms) were reliable across each of the four testing positions (ICC ≥ 0.7, CV ≤ 15%). Time to peak force, peak RFD, RFD time-bands (0–50, 0–90, 0–150, 0–200, 0–250 ms) and peak IMP were unreliable regardless of the testing position used (ICC = <0.7, CV = >15%). Overall, the use of body postures and barbell positions during the IMTP that do not correspond to the second pull of the clean have no adverse effect on the reliability of the force-time characteristics generated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]