The purpose of this paper is to evaluate neuromuscular fatigue among elite basketball players in the Iraqi Basketball League using surface electromyography (sEMG) with the Ultium EMG device and the MR3.18 program, and using the Wavelet analysis application with the Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT) method. The research sample included six advanced players from the Iraqi Elite League, aged (21.50 ±3.67) years, with a body mass of (80.50 ±11.71) kg, and a height of (189.00 ±7.75) cm. The research sample underwent a physical skill-exertion protocol that simulated the actual playing requirements of basketball, during which the electrical activity of the six selected muscles involved in performing the skill of shooting long-range three-point shots from outside the arc in the upper and lower limbs was measured. The anterior deltoid, the lateral triceps, the extensor carpi radialis, the flexor carpi radialis, the rectus femoris, and the lateral gastrocnemius represented these muscles. Forward fatigue was assessed in the three-point long-range shootingskill experienced before and after effort from low (15–45 Hz), through moderate (45–95 Hz) to high (95–400 Hz) frequency ranges. It was found that only one significant difference occurred in the rectus femoris muscle at high frequencies (p = 0.02, Cohen’s dz = 1.48), indicating significant neuromuscular fatigue associated with the muscle's high functional role in jumping, acceleration, deceleration, and while changing direction. The other muscles, however, did notdemonstrate statistically significant differences, although a small (to moderate) size of the traces was found, which could indicate that there has been reorganization of the neuromuscular activation strategy to compensate for performance. These results verify that CWT analysis is a sensitive and valid tool for dynamic, non-stationary, or cyclic sports activities, such as basketball, to estimate neuromuscular fatigue, and that it enhances understanding of task-specific muscle responses compared with other conventional spectral methods.
This paper proposes a novel finite-time generalized proportional integral observer (FTGPIO) based a sliding mode control (SMC) scheme for the tracking control problem of high order uncertain systems subject to fast time-varying disturbances. For this purpose, the construction of the controller consists of two consecutive steps. First, the novel FTGPIO is designed to observe unmeasurable plant dynamics states and disturbance with its higher time derivatives in finite time rather than infinite time as in the standard GPIO. In the FTGPO estimator, the finite time convergence rate of estimations is well achieved, whereas the convergence rate of estimations by classical GPIO is asymptotic and slow. Secondly, on the basis of the finite and fast e
... Show More
(10)
(7)
Language as a means of communication has long been the concern of many conversation analysts in their studies such as: Sacks et al. (1974), Schegloff et al. (1977), Duncan (1972), Grice (1975) and Burton (1980). Burton has attempted analyzing the first ten transitions of the play “The Dumb Waiter” for mere a presentation of her approach. This paper aims at analyzing the conversational structure of forum on the subject of literary fiction and genre fiction by applying Burton’s model (1980) of analysis to answer the question to what extent this model is applicable in analyzing the presented text. The findings of the investigation have proved the applicability of the structure of conversation formulated by Burton (1980) in her model wit
... Show More
(1)
Lower extremity exoskeletons can assist with performing particular functions such as gait assistance, and physical therapy support for subjects who have lost the ability to walk. This paper presents the analysis and evaluation of lightweight and adjustable two degrees of freedom, quasi-passive lower limb device to improve gait rehabilitation. The exoskeleton consists of a high torque DC motor mounted on a metal plate above the hip joint, and a link that transmits assistance torque from the motor to the thigh. The knee joint is passively actuated by spring installed parallel with the joint. The action of the passive component (spring) is combined with mechanical output of the motor to provide a good control on the designed exoskeleton whi
... Show More
(8)
(6)
(3)
(3)
Cognitive stylistics also well-known as cognitive poetics is a cognitive approach to language. This study aims at examining literary language by showing how Schema Theory and Text World Theory can be useful in the interpretation of literary texts. Further, the study attempts to uncover how readers can connect between the text world and the real world. Putting it differently, the study aims at showing how the interaction between ‘discourse world’ and ‘text world’. How readers can bring their own experience as well as their background knowledge to interact with the text and make interpretive connections.
Schema and text world theories are useful tools in cognitive stylistic stud
... Show More
(6)
A new modified differential evolution algorithm DE-BEA, is proposed to improve the reliability of the standard DE/current-to-rand/1/bin by implementing a new mutation scheme inspired by the bacterial evolutionary algorithm (BEA). The crossover and the selection schemes of the DE method are also modified to fit the new DE-BEA mechanism. The new scheme diversifies the population by applying to all the individuals a segment based scheme that generates multiple copies (clones) from each individual one-by-one and applies the BEA segment-wise mechanism. These new steps are embedded in the DE/current-to-rand/bin scheme. The performance of the new algorithm has been compared with several DE variants over eighteen benchmark functions including sever
... Show More
(4)
(2)
(3)
(5)