Trends In Fitness Research Articles

Density-functional theory vs density-functional fits.

Kohn-Sham density-functional theory (DFT), the predominant framework for electronic structure computations in chemistry today, has undergone considerable evolution in the past few decades. The earliest DFT approximations were based on uniform electron gas models completely free of empirical parameters. Tremendous improvements were made by incorporating density gradients and a small number of parameters, typically one or two, obtained from fits to atomic data. Incorporation of exact exchange and fitting to molecular data, such as experimental heats of formation, allowed even further improvements. This, however, opened a Pandora's Box of fitting possibilities, given the limitless choices of chemical reactions that can be fit. The result is a recent explosion of DFT approximations empirically fit to hundreds, or thousands, of chemical reference data. These fitted density functionals may contain several dozen empirical parameters. What has been lost in this fitting trend is physical modeling based on theory. In this work, we present a density functional comprising our best efforts to model exchange-correlation in DFT using good theory. We compare its performance to that of heavily fit density functionals using the GMTKN55 chemical reference data of Goerigk and co-workers [Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 19, 32184 (2017)]. Our density-functional theory, using only a handful of physically motivated pre-factors, competes with the best heavily fit Kohn-Sham functionals in the literature.

Livestock in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh: An Analysis for Some Policy Implications

Background: For formulating appropriate policies for development of livestock sector, it is necessary to assess the trends and dynamics of livestock population in the two states. In this study, we assessed the dynamics of livestock population in two central states of India, viz. Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh during the period 2003-2019. Methods: The study is based on secondary data, sourced from various Government of India publications. The analytical tools comprised of simple descriptive statistics and fitting exponential trend equations. Result: We found temporal variations in shares of different species to total livestock population. While population of cattle declined in Madhya Pradesh, the same registered a minor increase in Chhattisgarh. The reverse situation was observed in case of buffaloes. Within small ruminant population, importance of goats has increased compared to sheep. Rural livelihood dependency is highest on cattle in both the states. Economic dependence on sheep and pig is more in Chhattisgarh than Madhya Pradesh. The critical inputs and services availability and infrastructure for animal health care were also assessed at the respective state levels. Some policy suggestions have been given based on the findings of the study on leveraging the opportunities offered by livestock sector.

A Study to Find the Efficacy of Core Stabilization Exercise on Respiratory Functions

Core stabilization exercise has become a well-known trend in fitness. The diaphragm, which is a component of core stability, plays a role in respiration and stabilizing the trunk by controlling intra-abdominal pressure. Abdominal exercises, such as sit-ups and leg lifts, are used to enhance the strength of the core muscles. Correct breathing (especially as it involves the respiratory muscles) is vital to abdominal training because respiratory muscles are directly involved during common core stability exercises. This is an experimental study where pre and post design is used. This study was done on a healthy population; a total number of 30 subjects were taken according to the inclusion criteria. 15 subjects in Group-A received five core stabilization exercises combined with diaphragmatic breathing with pre and post-test analysis and 15 subjects in Group-B received resting breathing and diaphragmatic breathing with pre and post-test analysis. 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second (FEV1), Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) and Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF) were measured. Based on the inter-group analysis, Group-A (Experimental Group) showed greater improvement p < 0.05 than Group-B (Control Group) in post-test on 6MWT as well as FEV1, FVC, PEF. All the interventions have brought about some improvement (p<0.05) in each group post-treatment based on the mean score but its significance varies. The significance of this study is that it showed the relationship between the core muscles and respiratory functions. So, this study can be concluded that the exercise protocol of core stability exercise with diaphragmatic breathing could improve respiratory functions significantly as compared to resting breathing and diaphragmatic breathing exercise alone.

Infrared thermography for the investigation of physical–chemical properties and thermal durability of Tunisian limestone rocks

Twenty-one limestone lithotypes from the extreme North of Tunisia (Bizerte region) were characterized in order to investigate their weathering resistance and the resulting damage from thermal shock cycles. An infrared thermography (IRT) monitoring was also conducted to assess the tendencies between the cooling rate index (CRI) and the physical (bulk density, porosity, capillarity and P wave velocity) or the chemical (calcium carbonate, silica and total organic carbon contents) characteristics of the carbonate rocks. Statistical clustering defined four classes in accordance with their different porosity values (1 % < n < 20 %). The obtained CRI within a 10-min of infrared thermography (IRT) survey allowed to forecast not only the total porosity of these rocks but also their major physical properties with a noticeable correlation trends before and even after thermal shock cycles.Similar findings proved the compatibility between the CRI10 and the chemical composition of the limestones due to the different thermal properties of the minerals. The lowest porous samples (n ≤ 5 %) with the highest calcium carbonate content (CaCO3 > 95%) seemed to be the most suitable ones for the infrared thermography (IRT) characterization by its best fitting trends with the CRI10. Thermal shock was very well remarked for all the clusters particularly based on the measures of CRI10 and capillarity, as they are mainly related to surface and subsurface features that are the most affected by the fast cooling process. This study highlighted the validity of the CRI10 as a reliable indirect parameter for the estimation, in laboratory, of low porous stones properties undergoing thermal weathering.

Rafael Halperin’s Contribution to Israel’s Emerging Body Culture

The concept of “muscular Judaism” coined by Max Nordau has been interpreted in different ways. For Nordau, the image of a Jew standing fit was a rebuttal to anti-Semites and the answer to Jews’ unmet aspirations for a national home. In practical terms, “muscular Judaism” translated into excellence in sport. As athletes, the Jews could make their mark and move from the fringes of society into the mainstream. This concept evolved over the years, reflecting changing times, shifts in global thinking and national needs. After the establishment of the state, Israeli society underwent a process of Americanization that was accompanied by a new understanding of muscular Judaism and body image. This article discusses three physical fitness trends that redefined the concept of muscular Judaism: gym training, bodybuilding, and catch wrestling. These were rooted in the American aesthetic ideal, a far cry from the ideology and collective socialist worldview prevalent in Israel.

Wearable activity trackers-advanced technology or advanced marketing?

Wearable devices represent one of the most popular trends in health and fitness. Rapid advances in wearable technology present a dizzying display of possible functions: from thermometers and barometers, magnetometers and accelerometers, to oximeters and calorimeters. Consumers and practitioners utilize wearable devices to track outcomes, such as energy expenditure, training load, step count, and heart rate. While some rely on these devices in tandem with more established tools, others lean on wearable technology for health-related outcomes, such as heart rhythm analysis, peripheral oxygen saturation, sleep quality, and caloric expenditure. Given the increasing popularity of wearable devices for both recreation and health initiatives, understanding the strengths and limitations of these technologies is increasingly relevant. Need exists for continued evaluation of the efficacy of wearable devices to accurately and reliably measure purported outcomes. The purposes of this review are (1) to assess the current state of wearable devices using recent research on validity and reliability, (2) to describe existing gaps between physiology and technology, and (3) to offer expert interpretation for the lay and professional audience on how best to approach wearable technology and employ it in the pursuit of health and fitness. Current literature demonstrates inconsistent validity and reliability for various metrics, with algorithms not publicly available or lacking high-quality validation studies. Advancements in wearable technology should consider standardizing validation metrics, providing transparency in used algorithms, and improving how technology can be tailored to individuals. Until then, it is prudent to exercise caution when interpreting metrics reported from consumer-wearable devices.

Effect of Functional Training on Speed Agility Explosive Power and Aerobic Endurance In Recreational Soccer Players

Background: Recreational soccer is characterized by fewer players per side and played on a smaller field than a standard competitive soccer game. Work to date indicates that recreational soccer positively motivates individuals and facilitates social interaction, which may enhance compliance and adherence to the activity and contribute to a physically active lifestyle. Functional training is becoming increasingly popular now a days and was ranked among the top 10 most popular fitness trends. Context and purpose: The popularity of recreational soccer is increasing day by day. There is scarcity of studies regarding exercise program for conditioning recreational soccer players. Specific exercise program for conditioning the recreational soccer players may improve their performance level and reduce the risk of injury. So this study aims to determine the effect of functional training on speed, agility, explosive power and aerobic endurance in recreational soccer players. Results: The results projected a significant improvement in speed, agility, explosive power in both groups. Even though both groups showed improvement, Group A, the experimental group showed statistically significant improvement in speed, agility, explosive power and aerobic endurance than Group B, the conventional group. The improvement in movement pattern, proprioceptive loading and specific changes in the mechanism responsible for oxygen transport and utilization during Functional training may be the reason for improvement in Group A than Group B. Conclusion: The study concluded that functional training along with conventional training is effective in improving speed, agility, explosive power and aerobic endurance in recreational soccer players. KEY WORDS: Functional Training, Recreational Soccer, Speed, Agility, Explosive Power, Aerobic Endurance.

The Structure and Culture of CrossFit in Turkey as a Fitness Trend

The Structure and Culture of CrossFit in Turkey as a Fitness Trend

“Belly Only Pregnancy” content on social media and in internet blogs: a qualitative analysis on its definition and potential risks and benefits

PurposeSocial media enlarge the impact of health and fitness trends on body image and lifestyle choices, also in birthing parents. A new and yet to investigate social media trend addressing expectant mothers is “Belly Only Pregnancy”. This qualitative study sought to define this new trend and clarify whether content related to this trend might disrupt body image or eating habits in expectant mothers.MethodsPicture and text data were gathered on a key day by screening Instagram and blog posts including or linking #bellyonlypregnancy. The identified data were categorized applying qualitative content analysis using MAXQDA software version 2018.ResultsThree hundred and fifty-one Instagram and eight blog posts were included. Our qualitative analysis’ results indicated that the term “Belly Only Pregnancy” was used for describing: (1) The phenotype of an athletic woman whose abdominal size enlarges during pregnancy while not gaining excessive fat tissue. (2) An active lifestyle during pregnancy consisting of healthy nutrition and regular exercise pursuing goals like fast weight loss post-partum. Also, bodily, and mental gestational changes and the feasibility of this lifestyle were discussed.ConclusionA “Belly Only Pregnancy” allegorizes an ideal body type for expecting mothers. Especially women with increased vulnerability for an eating disorder might be negatively affected by the consumption of content linked to this trend. However, the positive effects of a healthy diet and exercise should not be denied keeping into account the increasing prevalence of obesity and gestational diabetes.Level of evidenceLevel III: Evidence obtained from cohort or case-control analytic studies.

OPTION PRICING USING STOCHASTIC VOLATILITY MODEL UNDER FOURIER TRANSFORM OF NONLINEAR DIFFERENTIAL EQUATION

The purposes are to solve the option pricing problem in financial derivatives and provide a practical basis for reducing the risk rate of the financial market. First, the classification of fractal theory and option pricing is outlined, the connotation of stochastic volatility is analyzed, and a stochastic volatility model is established. According to the Fourier transform and nonlinear differential equation, the pricing method in the volatility swap process and the pricing method of volatility derivatives are analyzed. Finally, the option pricing parameters are set, and the Origin 75 software is employed to visually analyze the mathematical results. The forward prices under stochastic volatility are compared monthly and weekly, and the resulted values are all close to 235. There is a gap between the forward prices of each month and each quarter, and the difference between the forward prices of each quarter is large, close to 50. The average relative percentage errors (ARPEs) within and out of the sample calculated by the stochastic volatility model are close to 16%, and the error gaps between different monetary intervals are also large. With the increase in strike price, the change rate of options under the random volatility model is faster than that of options under VIX index. When the strike price increases to 0.6, the two options are equal. The fitting trend of the stochastic volatility model for implied volatility at different maturity dates first decreases and then tends to a fixed value. The implied volatility of the 60-day-expiring option has changed significantly, showing a trend of increasing first and then tending to a fixed value (0.8). In contrast, the implied volatility of the 90-day-expiring option and the 120-day-expiring option almost have no change. When [Formula: see text] (fractional operator) takes 1 and [Formula: see text] takes 1.6 and 1.3, the solution to the stochastic volatility model is consistent with that to the classic CGMY model. When [Formula: see text] takes 1, the stochastic volatility model has the same solution as the classic CGMY and BS models. As the fractional order of time increases, the trend of asset price changes becomes smaller.

Health condition monitoring of bearings based on multifractal spectrum feature with modified empirical mode decomposition-multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis

Multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MFDFA) is proved to be a powerful tool for fault diagnosis of rotating machinery due to its ability to reveal multifractal structures hidden in nonstationary and nonlinear vibration signals. To overcome the discontinuity of the fitting scale-dependent trend and the poor adaptability of this algorithm, Empirical Mode Decomposition-Multifractal Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (EMD-MFDFA) is introduced. However, EMD-MFDFA runs into difficulties in reverse segmentation and the selection of the expected Intrinsic Mode Functions (IMFs). Aiming at solving these deficiencies, a Modified EMD-MFDFA (MEMD-MFDFA) approach with IMF selection strategy and Step-Moving Window (SMW) segmentation method is proposed in this paper. In MEMD-MFDFA, a metric for distinguishing deterministic and random components is established to select expected IMF components by scaling exponent. Meanwhile, SMW segmentation method is exploited to reduce the estimated errors caused by reverse segmentation. The robustness of the proposed method is investigated through comparing MEMD-MFDFA, MFDFA, and EMD-MFDFA by multifractality of simulated signals with different Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR). Furthermore, the proposed approach is applied to three bearing run-to-failure datasets containing three types of faults, and the results show that the multifeatures of the multifractal spectrum obtained by MEMD-MFDFA have the ability to simultaneously identify early fault and assess performance degradation of bearings.

2022 Fitness Trends from Around the Globe

Apply It! From this article, the reader should be able to • Identify top 20 fitness trends for Australia, Brazil, China, Europe, Mexico, Spain, and the United States. • Recognize individual and unique fitness trends represented within Australia, Brazil, China, Europe, Mexico, Spain, and the United States.

AcSM 2022 World Fitness Trend Characteristics Analysis and Enlightenment for China's National Fitness Activities

Applying the literature data method, etc., the characteristics of the 2022 world fitness trend released by the American Sports Medicine Association are analyzed, and the comparative study is carried out in combination with the fitness trend characteristics of China's past years and the national fitness policy documents, and it is found that the trend characteristics have the following enlightenment for the national strategy of national fitness activities in China: in-depth through the health concept, establish fitness awareness and motivation. Consolidate the talent base, improve and improve the nation's fitness venue facilities project, widely carry out various sports projects, promote the "Internet + home fitness intelligent construction, promote the integration of sports and medicine, and guide and encourage new sports industries."

Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2022

Apply It! From this article, the reader should understand the following concepts: • Explain the differences between a fad and a trend • Use the worldwide fitness trends in the commercial, corporate, clinical (including medical fitness), and community health fitness industry to further promote physical activity • Study expert opinions about identified fitness trends for 2021

Declining fitness and physical education lessons in UK adolescents

ObjectivesThe objective was to determine recent cross-sectional trends in health-related fitness (HRF) in secondary school students by studying the 13–14 years old age group repeatedly over 6 years, considering parallel...

THE SECULAR TREND IN MOTOR-SKILL ABILITIES OF GIRLS WITH A VARIED RATE OF BIOLOGICAL MATURATION

The aim of the study was to describe generational changes in the rate of puberty and motor skills of nonmenstruating and menstruating girls from eastern Poland in the years 1986–2016. The research material consisted of the results of 11,700 girls from eastern Poland. Physical fitness was assessed by means of the International Physical Fitness Test. Based on the test answers regarding the date of the first menstruation, using the "status quo" method, the fraction of already menstruating girls in relation to all the studied female students, as well as the mean age of the menarche were calculated. The differences in the results between the individual stages of the research were estimated using the t-Student test for independent samples. In the analyzed thirty-year timeframe, in the eastern part of the country, the percentage of menstruating girls in relation to non-menstruating girls increased significantly, while the menarche age decreased. In non-menstruating girls, an improvement in the results of hand strength, torso strength and agility was observed, as well as a reduction in the power of the lower limbs, running endurance, speed and torso flexibility. Slight, statistically insignificant differences were found in functional strength. On the other hand, in menstruating girls the results in lower limb power, speed, running endurance, and torso flexibility had decreased. Only hand strength and torso strength results had improved. The results of functional strength and agility were at a similar level. Girls with the same calendar age, but with a different maturation rate, were characterized by similar secular trends in physical fitness. On the other hand, greater negative and smaller positive changes in the level of motor skills were found in menstruating girls.

Anomaly Detection and Trend Prediction in Intelligent Operations Based on Prophet and S-ESD

Anomaly detection and trend prediction based on KPI business indicators play a key role in intelligent operation and maintenance in various fields. The types of indicators analyzed vary greatly for different scenarios of operation and maintenance, but all have time-series characteristics. In this paper, three core indicators are selected based on time series to build anomaly detection and trend prediction models. After preprocessing the index data, a statistical-based S-ESD time series anomaly detection method is firstly implemented. Anomaly detection is performed on three core indexes, and the detected anomalies are extracted and corrected. Use the revised KPI indicator data to further build a Prophet trend prediction model based on decomposable (trend + season + holiday), select MAPE as the evaluation index, perform model training on the indicator data, predict the next three days by step size, and get the fitting Curve and trend for the next three days. After parameter tuning, the MAPE of the Prophet prediction model is less than 0.1, the running time is shorter, and the trend prediction accuracy is higher, which can be practically applied to the field of intelligent operation and maintenance.

International Commentary of the Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends

International Commentary of the Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends

Impact of dam construction on precipitation: a regional perspective

Context Numerous dams have been built in China to develop hydropower, a sustainable and clean energy source. In recent years, the impact of dam construction on the regional climate has gradually attracted the attention of researchers. Aims This study has evaluated the impact of large-scale dam construction on regional precipitation. Methods This paper used the precipitation data of more than 2400 national stations of the China National Meteorological Information Center from 1990 to 2012. The regional precipitation data before and after the construction of the Xiaolangdi Dam and the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River were analysed using geostatistical tools. Wavelet transform and Yamamoto signal-to-noise ratio analysis were further adopted. Key results Analysis of the variation points of precipitation characteristics confirmed the correlation between dam construction and regional precipitation; the precipitation values in the two dam study areas had an increasing trend after the completion of the dams, and the fitting trend line showed an obvious increasing trend. Conclusions According to the analysis of precipitation variation points, it can be concluded that the establishment of the dam affected the precipitation in the area of ∼200 km upstream and increased the precipitation value in this area. The study showed that dam construction has a strong correlation with regional precipitation. Implications It is speculated that the construction of super dams will have a greater impact on precipitation.

Trends in physical fitness among Canadian adults, 2007 to 2017.

The fitness levels of Canadian adults declined substantially between 1981 and the years 2007 to 2009, suggesting a reduction in population health. This paper updates the fitness trends of Canadians aged 20 to 69 years by extending the time period to 2017. The Canadian Health Measures Survey is a repeated cross-sectional survey that is conducted to produce nationally representative health estimates. Descriptive statistics are presented for fitness measures in 2016 and 2017 by age and sex, and trends in fitness were calculated spanning a period of 10 years (2007 to 2017). The associations between fitness measures and meeting the 2020 Canadian physical activity recommendations were also assessed. From 2007 to 2017, there were few statistically significant changes in the fitness levels of Canadian adults. When all ages were combined, there were declining trends in predicted cardiorespiratory fitness, from 39.5 to 36.7 mL•kg⁻¹•min⁻¹ among men and 34.0 to 32.2 mL•kg⁻¹•min⁻¹ among women. Trends indicated declining flexibility among men. In general, meeting the current Canadian moderate-to-vigorous physical activity recommendation was associated with better fitness, particularly in the categories of predicted cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition. The periodic assessment of fitness in Canadians provides valuable insight into population health. The present update provides evidence that fitness levels among adults have generally stabilized over the past 10 years. Taken with the reported declines in fitness that occurred from 1981 to the 2007-to-2009 period, this study shows that the fitness of Canadian adults remained low between 2007 to 2009 and 2016 to 2017. It is necessary to explore new ways to help improve the fitness levels of the Canadian population.