Force Production Research Articles

Evaluating acceleration impact asymmetries during sprinting: Analyzing leg and track lane disparities among national athletes.

Sprinting on bends demands biomechanical adjustments compared with straight-line sprinting that results in asymmetrical force production in the lower extremities. This study aimed to assess acceleration impacts in the lower extremity and impact transmission when sprinting on bend versus straight lanes. Eight experienced sprinters (age 16.3±1.7years, mass 58.5±11.4kg, and height 1.72±0.10m), specializing in the 100, 200, and 400 m events, ran two bouts of 60m lane heats at maximum speed on the straight lane and bend lanes one and eight (with radii of 37 and 45.10m, respectively) of a standard 400m track. Accelerometers on the tibias and head recorded acceleration impacts. Results revealed higher impact magnitudes in the outside leg during bend sprints compared with the inside leg (p<0.05). Additionally, bend lanes exhibited higher impact magnitudes compared with the straight lane (p<0.05). Asymmetrical acceleration impacts were observed during bend sprints, with greater asymmetry compared to straight sprints. However, the distribution of impact forces between the legs did not appear to be influenced by lane radius. This suggests that the specific biomechanical demands of bend sprinting differ significantly from those of straight sprinting. These findings emphasize the need for coaches to account for increased asymmetry and distinct impact patterns when training athletes for bend sprints compared to straight-line sprints.

Financial Technology and New Quality Productive Forces of Enterprises

The field of financial technology (Fintech) is rapidly advancing within the global economy, offering essential support to businesses undergoing digital transformation, enabling data-driven decision-making, and providing access to innovative financial services. New quality productivity, crucial for achieving high-quality development, represents a more integrated and modern form of productivity in the digital age, driving ongoing progress and advancement for businesses. This study utilizes data from Chinese A-share listed companies (2011-2022) to investigate the influence of Fintech on enterprise productivity and its underlying mechanisms. The empirical findings reveal that regional levels of Fintech significantly enhance new quality productivity through technological innovation and optimized allocation of production factors. It is observed that the business environment plays a critical role in moderating the impact of Fintech on new quality productivity. Furthermore, the study highlights Fintech's substantial impact on state-owned enterprises, large-scale firms, and non-high-tech sectors. These findings offer valuable insights for businesses facing transformation challenges. Governments can further empower businesses to maximize Fintech's role in achieving new quality productivity by enhancing the business environment and promoting industry cooperation.

Practical path for developing “new quality productive forces” driven by the digital economy in China

Developing “New Quality Productive Forces” (NQPFs) has been accepted as a new theory to accelerate the high-quality development in China. In current, China’s high-quality development mainly relies on the traction of the digital economy. In view of this, developing NQPFs in China’s digital economy sector requires locate and remove some obstacles, such as the insufficient utilization of data, inadequate algorithm regulation, the mismatched supply and demand of regional computing power and the immature market environment. As a solution, it is necessary to allocating data property rights in a market-oriented way, establishing a user-centered algorithm governance system, accelerating the establishment of the national integrated computing network, and maintaining fair competition to optimize the market environment.

Recentering the Ming–Qing Transition: beyond the “Seventeenth Century Crisis,” “The Great Divergence,” and “New Qing History”

Abstract The Ming–Qing transition – the final dynastic change in Imperial China – followed the cyclical patterns of rise and fall that had characterized previous dynastic shifts throughout Chinese history. However, its occurrence in the mid-seventeenth century positions it within a broader context of significant transformations in Europe and the Americas. This transition’s most profound impact lay in the culmination of the long-term centralizing processes within Chinese civilization. In its aftermath, the imperial system continued, for a time, to grow stronger, while the economy experienced sustained prosperity driven by both agriculture and commerce. When viewed holistically, this period in Chinese history, while interconnected with European developments, followed a distinct trajectory. Recent scholarship, influenced by the framework of world history, has deepened our understanding of the Ming–Qing transition’s role in broader global changes. However, this approach has sometimes led to an overemphasis on international factors, potentially diminishing the transition’s significance as a particular phase in China’s long-term historical progression. Analyses that predominantly focus on ethnic Manchu–Han dynamics often fail to capture the full historical context. A more nuanced understanding emerges when we examine this period through the lens of the long-term centering process within Chinese civilization. Differences between Chinese and European civilizations extend far beyond comparisons of productive forces. Therefore, discourse around concepts like “convergence” or “divergence” can be misleading without clearly defined comparative frameworks and metrics.

The spatial-temporal evolution characteristics and influencing factors of the coupling between the industrial chain and innovation chain in China

Exploring the theoretical logic, development characteristics and improvement paths of the deep coupling of innovation chains and industrial chains (two-chain) is of great importance for building a modern industrial system and developing productive forces. However, empirical evidence on the spatial-temporal characteristics and influencing factors of two-chain coupling is still lacking. In this study, the degree of coupling coordination model is applied to assess the degree of two-chain coupling in China using provincial panel data from 2013 to 2022. In addition, spatial analysis is applied to investigate the spatial-temporal evolution characteristics of the variables in question. On this basis, the fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) method is applied to identify influential factors. The results indicate that: (1) Temporally, the coupling level of the two-chain shows a consistent upward trend and gradually develops a distribution pattern characterized by high values in the east and weak values in the west. (2) Spatially, there is a significant positive spatial correlation between the two-chain coupling. (3) In terms of drivers, the increase in two-chain coupling is attributed to multiple factors. Three models can be identified: human-driven, capital-driven and information-driven, which are influenced by the cooperation between government and market. The novelty of this article lies in its exploration of the theoretical logic and developmental characteristics of two-chain coupling, while empirically demonstrating its driving factors. This study provides a new perspective for governments and relevant departments to improve two-chain linkages and promote economic development.

Disciplining the active leisure performer: Swedish sport federations and outdoor recreation organizations’ work with environmental sustainability

ABSTRACT This study aims to analyse the efforts of the Swedish sport federations and outdoor organizations’ work in promoting environmental sustainability and the influence of their strategies on their work. The study utilizes data from 25 sport federations and outdoor organizations’ websites, and 19 interviews with key employees working with sustainability issues. The data were analysed from a Foucauldian understanding of power as both productive and disciplinary. One key finding is that organizations acknowledge their ability and responsibility to contribute to sustainable development and serve as a productive force. They aim to change their members’ habits and norms through disseminating knowledge, to discipline individuals according to certain expectations. However, challenges arise due to voluntariness, democratic governance by members and other norms that may prioritize different goals over environmental sustainability. It is crucial to consider the inherent objectives of sports and outdoor recreations and use their transformative potential to drive change.

Development of the Productive Forces of Kuzbass: History, Modern Experience, Strategy of the Future

Nauka Publishing House has published a four-volume collection of the International Scientific and Practical Conference Proceedings – Development of the Productive Forces of Kuzbass: History, Modern Experience, Strategy of the Future. The conference was held in Kemerovo from November 17 to 23, 2023. This event was arranged to coincide with the anniversary date: 75 years ago, the All-Union Conference of the USSR Academy of Sciences on the study of the productive forces of Kuzbass was held. At the 1948 Conference, the country's leading scientists worked out a strategy for the development of industrial Kuzbass in the post-war economy. Today, our country faces no less ambitious tasks to accelerate the structural adaptation of the economy, ensure technological sovereignty, as well as implement measures to transform industry in terms of replacing imported technologies and products. In the current circumstances, it is necessary to develop new approaches to solving the challenges faced by our country that define the vectors of development in the long term. The past conference was devoted to addressing this problem.

Understanding the new quality productive forces in the energy sector

The introduction of the term “new quality productive forces” (NQPF) in China signals its move towards cutting-edge technologies and innovation as the new drivers of economic growth. As it shifts from labor-tensive sectors towards advanced industries, the energy sector is also expected to experience significant regime switch. This paper discusses how the new term articulated by the top leadership will reshape China’s energy sector including its labor, technology, critical resource supply, and the industrial value chain. The development of NQPF not only affects labor landscape and technology development, but also bring about significant change in the industrial value chain in China’s energy sector. I summarize that NQPF refers to high-tech driven, and sustainability-oriented productivity with more radical rather than incremental innovation. Overall, the energy sector is the key domain for creating NQPF for high-quality economic growth and the new forces act as a significant catalyst in transforming the energy sector towards achieving green, low-carbon, and sustainable development.

GSK3 inhibition improves skeletal muscle function and whole-body metabolism in male mouse models of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Inhibiting glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) improves muscle function, metabolism, and bone health in many diseases and conditions; however, whether GSK3 should be targeted for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a severe muscle wasting disorder with no cure, remains unknown. Here, we show the effects of GSK3 inhibition in male DBA/2J (D2) and C57BL/10 (C57) mdx mice. Treating D2 mdx mice with GSK3 inhibitors alone or in combination with aerobic exercise improves muscle strength, endurance, and morphology, attenuates the hypermetabolic phenotype, and enhances insulin sensitivity. GSK3 inhibition in C57 mdx mice also improves muscle fatigue resistance and increases cage ambulation. Moreover, muscle-specific GSK3 knockdown in mdx mice augments muscle force production and endurance. In both mdx strains, GSK3 inhibition increases bone mineral content and density. Overall, these improvements to muscle, metabolic, and bone health with GSK3 inhibition in mdx mice may have clinical implications for patients with DMD, where the current standard of care, glucocorticoids, delay the loss of ambulation but increase the risk for insulin resistance and osteoporosis. Along with our observation of lowered β-catenin content in DMD myoblasts, a known cellular target for GSK3, this study provides ample evidence in support of inhibiting GSK3 for this disease.

Artificial Intellect Systems in Today’s Economic Environment

The article provides analysis of artificial intellect (AI) system development at the current stage of socio-economic relation progress. Processes of technological, finance and social system transformation are connected with application of AI technologies and systems. As processes of digitalization advance deep changes in socio-economic and social relations take place, style and nature of production forces keep altering and new forms of organizations and links turn up. The authors provide examples of AI technologies that are used in different fields of human life. Special attention is paid at using AI technologies in power-intensive spheres, such as agro-industrial complex and industrial-technological one, as they build the economic basis for sustainable development. In order to promote further development of AI systems at enterprises it is necessary to carry out a vast volume of job on digitalization of all business-processes (data-fixation and soft-verification). The article demonstrates future trends of digital transformation in production and technological systems and identifies barriers hindering the development of data technologies in the Russian Federation. Finally, conclusions were drawn about trends of AI system development.

The Role of Ion-Transporting Proteins on Crosstalk Between the Skeletal Muscle and Central Nervous Systems Elicited by Physical Exercise.

A paradigm shift in the understanding of bidirectional interactions between peripheral and central nervous systems is essential for development of rehabilitation and preventive interventions based on physical exercise. Although a causal relationship has not been completely established, modulation of voltage-dependent ion channels (Ca2+, Cl-, K+, Na+, lactate-, H+) in skeletal and neuronal cells provides opportunities to maintain force production during exercise and reduce the risk of disease. However, there are caveats to consider when interpreting the effects of physical exercise on this bidirectional axis, since exercise protocol details (e.g., duration and intensity) have variable effects on this crosstalk. Therefore, an integrative perspective of the skeletal muscle and brain's communication pathway is discussed, and the role of physical exercise on such communication highway is explained in this review.

Take &amp;quot;Service Management&amp;quot; as an Example to Explore How to Cultivate College Students&amp;apos; Service Innovation Ability Under the Background of New Quality Productivity

In the era of vigorous development of new quality productive forces, the training of service innovative talents has become the key to enhance the competitiveness of the service industry and promote high-quality economic development. The new quality productive forces is reshaping the economic structure and social form, which puts forward higher requirements for college students&amp;apos; service innovation ability. However, at present, there are some problems in the cultivation of service innovative talents in higher education, such as unclear path and insufficient coordination of environment. Based on this, the paper puts forward specific measures from four aspects: curriculum system reconstruction, teaching method innovation, practice platform construction and evaluation system reform, in order to build a service innovative talent training path that meets the requirements of new quality productive forces. Through reconstructing the curriculum system, integrate the advanced theory; Innovative teaching methods to stimulate students&amp;apos; enthusiasm for independent learning; Build a practice platform to strengthen students&amp;apos; practical ability; Reform the evaluation system to fully reflect the cultivation of students&amp;apos; ability. The research not only provides theoretical support and practical guidance for the teaching reform of service management course, but also provides beneficial exploration and enlightenment for the innovation of college talent training mode, which is of great significance for promoting the integration of education and industry.

Effects of Grip Style and Contact Point on Force Production in a Tennis Forehand Groundstroke

Effects of Grip Style and Contact Point on Force Production in a Tennis Forehand Groundstroke

Efficacy of High-Definition Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (HD-tACS) at the M1 Hotspot Versus C3 Site in Modulating Corticospinal Tract Excitability.

Previous studies have shown that beta-band transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) applied at the M1 hotspot can modulate corticospinal excitability. However, it remains controversial whether tACS can influence motor unit activities at the spinal cord level. This study aims to compare the efficacy of applying tACS over the hotspot versus the conventional C3 site on motor unit activities and subsequent behavioral changes. This study used a randomized crossover trial design, where fifteen healthy participants performed a paced ball-squeezing exercise while receiving high-definition tACS (HD-tACS) at 21 Hz and 2 mA for 20 min. HD-tACS targeted either the flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) hotspot or the C3 site, with the order of stimulation randomized for each participant and a 1-week washout period between sessions. Motor unit activities were recorded from the FDS. HD-tACS intervention significantly reduced the variability of motor unit firing rates and increased force variability during isometric force production. The significant modulation effects were seen only when the intervention was applied at the hotspot, but not at the C3 site. Our findings demonstrate that HD-tACS significantly modulates motor unit activities and force variability. The results indicate that cortical-level entrainment by tACS can lead to the modulation of spinal motor neuron activities. Additionally, this study provides further evidence that the C3 site may not be the optimal target for tACS intervention for hand muscles, highlighting the need for personalized neuromodulation strategies.

Research on the Impact of Urban Agglomeration Spatial Structure on the Innovation Capacity of the New Energy Vehicle Industry

As a new productive force, new energy vehicles have the characteristics of high technology, high efficiency, and high quality, which are in line with the advanced productive state of the new development concept. The spatial structure is related to whether the innovative elements of the new energy vehicle industry can be effectively organized, allocated, and produced within the city. This article takes the Beijing Tianjin Hebei Urban Agglomeration, Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration, Chengdu Chongqing Urban Agglomeration, and Pearl River Delta Urban Agglomeration as research objects. Based on fused corrected DMSP/OLS and NPP-VIIRS night light data, it examines the impact of spatial structure on the innovation capacity of the new energy vehicle industry, and explores the transfer of innovation capacity within urban agglomerations, and predicts possible future development paths

Research on the Impact of Urban Agglomeration Spatial Structure on the Innovation Capacity of the New Energy Vehicle Industry

As a new productive force, new energy vehicles have the characteristics of high technology, high efficiency, and high quality, which are in line with the advanced productive state of the new development concept. The spatial structure is related to whether the innovative elements of the new energy vehicle industry can be effectively organized, allocated, and produced within the city. This article takes the Beijing Tianjin Hebei Urban Agglomeration, Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration, Chengdu Chongqing Urban Agglomeration, and Pearl River Delta Urban Agglomeration as research objects. Based on fused corrected DMSP/OLS and NPP-VIIRS night light data, it examines the impact of spatial structure on the innovation capacity of the new energy vehicle industry, and explores the transfer of innovation capacity within urban agglomerations, and predicts possible future development paths

A mixed method approach for analyzing drivers of land use land cover change in the Northwestern Ethiopian highlands.

This study gives empirical evidence on the drivers of land use change by conducting a qualitative assessment and then using time series data to quantify the relationship between land use land cover change and factors that cause the change. Vector autoregressive models with exogenous variables were used to analyze the time series data. The findings revealed demographic and environmental factors were the primary causes of land use and land cover change. Population growth was found among the key drivers for losses of the natural vegetation on the one hand and rehabilitation of bare lands and grazing lands on the other hand. Despite its pressure on the natural vegetation, the increase in population contributes to a productive labor force for improving land management through rehabilitating degraded grazing lands, implementing soil and water conservation measures, and planting trees on degraded lands. This implies that population growth can be an opportunity or a threat for sustainable natural resources management, depending on how the available labor force is used. Climatic factors like maximum temperature and precipitation were also important causes of change in land use land cover. The study has important contributions to improving land use practices through designing appropriate land resources management policies.

Preliminary report: Reduced hand sensory and motor function in persons living with heart failure.

Despite the growing evidence highlighting reduced functional independence in persons living with heart failure (PwHF), the underlying mechanisms that lead to reduced functional independence in this patient population are unknown. Given the association between functional independence and fine motor skills, which are functionally related to hand sensory and motor functions, we hypothesized that PwHF exhibit reduced sensory and motor function of hands compared to healthy individuals. We recruited a total of 10 PwHF (age: 57.6 ± 12.5 years old, four females) and a total of age- & sex-matched healthy control individuals (age: 58.2 ± 12.2 years old, four females). Participants performed a wide range of tests assessing the level of independence, fitness, cognitive function, and hand sensorimotor function. While the level of independence was comparable between two groups, PwHF exhibited reduced sensory and motor function. Compared to healthy participants, the ability to identify an object via tactile and proprioceptive inputs was reduced in PwHF, though the tactile mechanoreceptor function showed normal integrity. Similarly, PwHF exhibited a decline in manipulating small objects and steady grip force production. Heart failure seems to have repercussions that extend to the sensorimotor control of hand actions in advance to a decline in functional independence. These results underscore the need of further investigation as to the underlying mechanisms of reduced sensorimotor function, potential intervention targets, and determine whether assessments of hand sensorimotor function can serve as a vehicle to quantify restoration of self-care functionality.

Investigating in vivo force and work production of rat medial gastrocnemius at varying locomotor speeds using a muscle avatar.

Traditional work loop studies, that use sinusoidal length trajectories with constant frequencies, lack the complexities of in vivo muscle mechanics observed in modern studies. This study refines methodology of the 'avatar' method (a modified work loop) to infer in vivo muscle mechanics using ex vivo experiments with mouse extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles. The 'avatar' method involves using EDL muscles to replicate in vivo time-varying force, as demonstrated by previous studies focusing on guinea fowl lateral gastrocnemius (LG). The present study extends this method by using in vivo length trajectories and electromyographic activity from rat medial gastrocnemius (MG) during various gaits on a treadmill. Methodological enhancements from previous work, including adjusted stimulation protocols and systematic variation of starting length, improved predictions of in vivo time-varying force production (R2=0.80-0.96). The study confirms there is a significant influence of length, stimulation and their interaction on work loop variables (peak force, length at peak force, highest and average shortening velocity, and maximum and minimum active velocity), highlighting the importance of these interactions when muscles produce in vivo forces. We also investigated the limitations of traditional work loops in capturing muscle dynamics in legged locomotion (R2=0.01-0.71). While in vivo length trajectories enhanced force prediction, accurately predicting work per cycle remained challenging. Overall, the study emphasizes the utility of the 'avatar' method in elucidating dynamic muscle mechanics and highlights areas for further investigation to refine its application in understanding in vivo muscle function.

Sex-differences in neuromuscular control of hip abductors during isometric submaximal tasks

BackgroundOne key focus in the literature is the need to better understand how males and females perform neuromuscular control, which requires consideration of muscle morphology, as it may change neural drive during force production. Although previous studies focused on muscles around the knee and ankle, it is crucial to explore the behavior of other muscles, such as the hip abductors, since many lower limb conditions more common in females have been associated with alterations in hip muscles. Research questionsAre electromyography (EMG) variables (amplitude and low- and high frequency bands) of hip abductors during submaximal isometric tasks different between males and females? How is muscle size associated with EMG responses during these tasks? MethodsThirty-six participants (males, n = 18; females, n = 18) had muscle and subcutaneous thickness of gluteus medius (GMed) and tensor fascia latae (TFL) measured. They then performed an estimated one-repetition maximum (1RM) test in a side-lying hip abduction exercise, followed by two 10-s submaximal tasks: (i) side-lying hip abduction with 50 % 1RM and (ii) with 20 % 1RM. GMed and TFL EMG amplitude and frequency bands (low and high frequency components) were analyzed. ResultsFemales had higher GMed EMG amplitude, lower low-frequency, and higher high-frequency components than males in both tasks (p = 0.001–0.040). No differences were observed in TFL EMG variables. Greater GMed thickness was associated with lower amplitudes in the 50 % 1RM task (r = − 0.35; p = 0.03), while greater TFL thickness was associated with lower low-frequency [20 % 1RM: r = − 0.70; p = 0.002; 50 %-1RM: r = − 0.65; p = 0.005] and higher high-frequency components [20 % 1RM: r = 0.74; p = 0.001; 50 %-1RM: r = 0.76; p < 0.001] only in females. SignificanceMales and females employ different neuromuscular control strategies, which vary among the synergists for hip abduction.