Acute effects of endurance exercise on jumping and kicking performance in top-class young soccer players

The aim of this study was to examine the acute effects of endurance exercise on jumping and kicking performance in young soccer players. Twenty-one top-class young soccer players (16.1±0.2 years) performed a countermovement jump test and a maximal instep soccer kick test before and after running for 20 min on a treadmill at 80% of their individual maximum heart rate. Two force platforms were used to obtain the following parameters during the countermovement jump: jump height, maximum power, maximum power relative to body mass, maximum vertical ground reaction force, maximum vertical ground reaction force relative to body mass, and maximum vertical ground reaction force applied to each leg. Maximum vertical ground reaction force and maximum vertical ground reaction force relative to body mass applied to the support leg during the kicks were also calculated with a force platform. The kicking motion was recorded using a three-dimensional motion-capture system. Maximum velocity of the ball, maximum linear velocity of the toe, ankle, knee and hip, and linear velocity of the toe at ball contact during the kicks were calculated. Non-significant differences were found in the parameters measured during the countermovement jump and the maximal instep soccer kick test before and after running, suggesting that the jumping and kicking performances of top-class young soccer players were not significantly affected after 20 min treadmill running at 80% of their individual maximum heart rate.

Dynamic response of hydro power plants for providing secondary regulation reserves considering elastic water column effects

In this paper, the dynamic response of a hydro power plant for providing secondary regulation reserve is studied in detail. Special emphasis is given to the elastic water column effects both in the penstock and the tailrace tunnel. For this purpose, a nonlinear model based on the analogy between mass and momentum conservation equations of a water conduit and those of wave propagation in transmission lines is used. The influence of the plant configuration and design parameters on the fulfilment of the Spanish Electrical System Operator requirements is analysed

Dynamic response of hydro power plants to load variations for providing secondary regulation reserves considering elastic water column effects

In this paper, the dynamic response of a hydro power plant for providing secondary regulation reserve is studied in detail. S pecial emphasis is given to the elastic water column effects both in the penstock and the tailrace tunnel. For this purpose, a nonline ar model based on the analogy between mass and momentum conservation equations of a water conduit and those of wave propagation in transmission lines is used. The influence of the plant configuration and design parameters on the fulfilment of the Spanish Electrical System Operator requirem ents is analysed.

Comparative study of ion beam-irradiation effects on silica and α-quartz: evidences for excitonic mechanisms

Introduction - SiO 2 •Simple composition and structure; Crystalline and amorphous phases •Adequate for atomistic simulations •Abundant in nature. Relevant for many technologies -Irradiation with swift heavy ions: •They provide EXTREME physical conditions •Very high excitation densities similar to high power lasers •Very high local temperatures •By playing with high energy and heavy mass (SHI) : •One can go from low electronic excitations (collisions regime) to high electronic excitations (electronic regime

Dynamic stabilization of L2 periodic orbits using attitude-orbit coupling effects

Numerical explorations show how the known periodic solutions of the Hill problem are modified in the case of the attitude-orbit coupling that may occur for large satellite structures. We focus on the case in which the elongation is the dominant satellite’s characteristic and find that a rotating structure may remain with its largest dimension in a plane parallel to the plane of the primaries. In this case, the effect produced by the non-negligible physical length is dynamically equivalent to the perturbation produced by an oblate central body on a mass-point satellite. Based on this, it is demonstrated that the attitude-orbital coupling of a long enough body may change the dynamical characteristics of a periodic orbit about the collinear Lagrangian points.

Ion charge number and flux saturation effects in the corona of a laser-irradiated pellet

The quasisteady structure of the corona of a laser-irradiated pellet is completely determined for arbitrary Z, (ion charge number} and re/ra (ratio of critical and ablation radii), and for heat-flux saturation factor/above approximately 0.04. The ion-to-electron temperature ratio at rc grows sensibly with Z,; all other quantities depend weakly and nonmonotonically on Z,. For rc /ra close to unity, and all Z, of interest (Z, < 47}, the flow is subsonic at rc. For a given laser power W, flux saturation may decrease (low/) or increase (high/) the ablation pressure Pa relative to the value obtained when saturation is not considered; in some cases a decrease in/with W fixed increases Pa. For intermediate^ ~0.1), Pa cc (W/r* )2/3 p\n\pc = critical density), independently of rc/ra; for/~0.6, Pa «s larger by a factor of about [rc/raf13. For rjra > 1.2 roughly, the mass ablation rate is C{Z,) [{m/kZ.f^Kr^Pl) l,\ independent of pc and/, and barely dependent on Z,(m, is ion mass; k, Boltzmann's constant; K, conductivity coefficient; and C, a tabulated function).

Local effects of depth-dependent water content of ice and snow and firn layers temperature on a conjectured subglacial lake below Amundsenisen Icefield (Svalbard)

It is known that the Amundsenisen Icefield in Southern Spitzbergen (Svalbard achipelago) is temperate with an upper layer of snow and firn. It is an accumulation area and, though ice/water mass balance is clearly subject to time evolution, observation data on the long-term elevation changes over the past 40 years (Nuth et al., 2010) allow to assume constant icefield surface. Within our study of the plausibility of a subglacial lake (Glowacki et al., 2007), here, we focus on the sensitivity of the system to the thermal effect of the firn and snow layers.

Urban trees and atmospheric pollutants in big cities: Effects in Madrid

Una investigación sobre la mejora de la contaminación del aire (CA) por medio de arbolado urbano se realizó en Madrid, una ciudad con casi 4 M de habitantes, 2,8 M de vehículos y casi 3 M de árboles de mantenimiento público. La mayoría de los árboles estaban en dos bosques periurbanos. Los 650.000 restantes era pies de alineación y parques. Los taxones estudiados fueron Platanus orientalis (97.205 árboles), Ulmus sp. (70.557), Pinus pinea (49.038), Aesculus hippocastanum (22.266), Cedrus sp. (13.678) y Quercus ilex (1.650), de calles y parques. Muestras foliares se analizaron en diferentes épocas del año, así como datos de contaminación por PM10 de 28 estaciones de medición de la contaminación durante 30 años, y también la intensidad del tráfico (IMD) en 2.660 calles. La acumulación de metales pesados (MP) sobre hojas y dentro de estas se estimó en relación con la CA y del suelo y la IMD del tráfico. La concentración media de Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb y Zn en suelo (materia seca) alcanzó: 489,5, 0,7, 49,4, 60,9, 460,9, 12,8, 155,9 y 190,3 mg kg-1 respectivamente. Los árboles urbanos, particularmente coníferas (debido a la mayor CA en invierno) contribuyen significativamente a mejorar la CA sobre todo en calles con alta IMD. La capacidad de las seis sp. para capturar partículas de polvo en su superficies foliares está relacionada con la IMD del tráfico y se estimó en 16,8 kg/año de MP tóxicos. Pb y Zn resultaron ser buenos marcadores antrópicos en la ciudad en relación con el tráfico, que fue la principal fuente de contaminación en los árboles y suelos de Madrid. Las especies de árboles variaron en función de su capacidad para capturar partículas (dependiendo de las propiedades de sus superficies foliares) y acumular los MP absorbidos de los suelos. Las concentraciones foliares de Pb y Zn estuvieron por encima de los límites establecidos en diferentes sitios de la ciudad. La microlocalización de Zn mediante microscópico mostró la translocación al xilema y floema. Se detectaron puntos de contaminación puntual de Cu and Cr en antiguos polígonos industriales y la distribución espacial de los MP en los suelos de Madrid mostró que en incluso en zonas interiores del El Retiro había ciertos niveles elevados de [Pb] en suelo, tal vez por el emplazamiento la Real Fábrica de Porcelana en la misma zona hace 200 años. Distintas áreas del centro de la ciudad también alcanzaron niveles altos de [Pb] en suelo. Según los resultados, el empleo de una combinación de Pinus pinea con un estrato intermedio de Ulmus sp. y Cedrus sp. puede ser la mejor recomendación como filtro verde eficiente. El efecto del ozono (O3) sobre el arbolado en Madrid fue también objeto de este estudio. A pesar de la reducción de precursores aplicada en muchos países industrializados, O3 sigue siendo la principal causa de CA en el hemisferio norte, con el aumento de [O3] de fondo. Las mayores [O3] se alcanzaron en regiones mediterráneas, donde el efecto sobre la vegetación natural es compensado por el xeromorfismo y la baja conductancia estomática en respuesta los episodios de sequía estival característicos de este clima. Durante una campaña de monitoreo, se identificaron daños abióticos en hojas de encina parecidos a los de O3 que estaban plantadas en una franja de césped con riego del centro de Madrid. Dada la poca evidencia disponible de los síntomas de O3 en frondosas perennifolias, se hizo un estudio que trató de 1) confirman el diagnóstico de daño de O3, 2) investigar el grado de los síntomas en encinas y 3) analizar los factores ambientales que contribuyeron a los daños por O3, en particular en lo relacionado con el riego. Se analizaron los marcadores macro y micromorfológicos de estrés por O3, utilizando las mencionadas encinas a modo de parcela experimental. Los síntomas consistieron en punteado intercostal del haz, que aumentó con la edad. Además de un punteado subyacente, donde las células superiores del mesófilo mostraron reacciones características de daños por O3. Las células próximas a las zonas dañadas, presentaron marcadores adicionales de estrés oxidativo. Estos marcadores morfológicos y micromorfológicos de estrés por O3 fueron similares a otras frondosas caducifolias con daños por O3. Sin embargo, en nuestro caso el punteado fue evidente con AOT40 de 21 ppm•h, asociada a riego. Análisis posteriores mostraron que los árboles con riego aumentaron su conductancia estomática, con aumento de senescencia, manteniéndose sin cambios sus características xeromórficas foliares. Estos hallazgos ponen de relieve el papel primordial de la disponibilidad de agua frente a las características xeromórficas a la hora de manifestarse los síntomas en las células por daños de O3 en encina. ABSTRACT Research about air pollution mitigation by urban trees was conducted in Madrid (Spain), a southern European city with almost 4 M inhabitants, 2.8 M daily vehicles and 3 M trees under public maintenance. Most trees were located in two urban forests, while 650'000 trees along urban streets and in parks. The urban taxa included Platanus orientalis (97'205 trees), Ulmus sp. (70’557), Pinus pinea (49'038), Aesculus hippocastanum (22’266), Cedrus sp. (13'678 and Quercus ilex (1'650) along streets and parks. Leave samples were analysed sequentially in different seasons, PM10 data from 28 air monitoring stations during 30 years and traffic density estimated from 2’660 streets. Heavy metal (HM) accumulation on the leaf surface and within leaves was estimated per tree related to air and soil pollution, and traffic intensity. Mean concentration of Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn in topsoil samples (dry mass) amounted in Madrid: 489.5, 0.7, 49.4, 60.9, 460.9, 12.8, 155.9 and 190.3 mg kg-1 respectively. Urban trees, particularly conifers (due to higher pollution in winter) contributed significantly to alleviate air pollution especially near to high ADT roads. The capacity of the six urban street trees species to capture air-born dust on the foliage surface as related to traffic intensity was estimated to 16.8 kg of noxious metals from exhausts per year. Pb and Zn pointed to be tracers of anthropic activity in the city with vehicle traffic as the main source of diffuse pollution on trees and soils. Tree species differed by their capacity to capture air-borne dust (by different leaf surface properties) and to allocate HM from soils. Pb and Zn concentrations in the foliage were above limits in different urban sites and microscopic Zn revelation showed translocation in xylem and phloem tissue. Punctual contamination in soils by Cu and Cr was identified in former industrial areas and spatial trace element mapping showed for central Retiro Park certain high values of [Pb] in soils even related to a Royal pottery 200 years ago. Different areas in the city centre also reached high levels [Pb] in soils. According to the results, a combination of Pinus pinea with understorey Ulmus sp. and Cedrus sp. layers can be recommended for the best air filter efficiency. The effects of ozone (O3) on trees in different areas of Madrid were also part of this study. Despite abatement programs of precursors implemented in many industrialized countries, ozone remained the main air pollutant throughout the northern hemisphere with background [O3] increasing. Some of the highest ozone concentrations were measured in regions with a Mediterranean climate but the effect on the natural vegetation is alleviated by low stomatal uptake and frequent leaf xeromorphy in response to summer drought episodes characteristic of this climate. During a bioindication survey, abiotic O3-like injury was identified in foliage. Trees were growing on an irrigated lawn strip in the centre of Madrid. Given the little structural evidence available for O3 symptoms in broadleaved evergreen species, a study was undertaken in 2007 with the following objectives 1) confirm the diagnosis, 2) investigate the extent of symptoms in holm oaks growing in Madrid and 3) analyse the environmental factors contributing to O3 injury, particularly, the site water supply. Therefore, macro- and micromorphological markers of O3 stress were analysed, using the aforementioned lawn strip as an intensive study site. Symptoms consisted of adaxial and intercostal stippling increasing with leaf age. Underlying stippling, cells in the upper mesophyll showed HR-like reactions typical of ozone stress. The surrounding cells showed further oxidative stress markers. These morphological and micromorphological markers of ozone stress were similar to those recorded in deciduous broadleaved species. However, stippling became obvious already at an AOT40 of 21 ppm•h and was primarily found at irrigated sites. Subsequent analyses showed that irrigated trees had their stomatal conductance increased and leaf life-span reduced whereas their leaf xeromorphy remained unchanged. These findings suggest a central role of water availability versus leaf xeromorphy for ozone symptom expression by cell injury in holm oak.

Modelling of landslides propagation with SPH : effects of rheology and pore water pressure

El estudio desarrollado en este trabajo de tesis se centra en la modelización numérica de la fase de propagación de los deslizamientos rápidos de ladera a través del método sin malla Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH). Este método tiene la gran ventaja de permitir el análisis de problemas de grandes deformaciones evitando operaciones costosas de remallado como en el caso de métodos numéricos con mallas tal como el método de los Elementos Finitos. En esta tesis, particular atención viene dada al rol que la reología y la presión de poros desempeñan durante estos eventos. El modelo matemático utilizado se basa en la formulación de Biot-Zienkiewicz v - pw, que representa el comportamiento, expresado en términos de velocidad del esqueleto sólido y presiones de poros, de la mezcla de partículas sólidas en un medio saturado. Las ecuaciones que gobiernan el problema son: • la ecuación de balance de masa de la fase del fluido intersticial, • la ecuación de balance de momento de la fase del fluido intersticial y de la mezcla, • la ecuación constitutiva y • una ecuación cinemática. Debido a sus propiedades geométricas, los deslizamientos de ladera se caracterizan por tener una profundidad muy pequeña frente a su longitud y a su anchura, y, consecuentemente, el modelo matemático mencionado anteriormente se puede simplificar integrando en profundidad las ecuaciones, pasando de un modelo 3D a 2D, el cual presenta una combinación excelente de precisión, sencillez y costes computacionales. El modelo propuesto en este trabajo se diferencia de los modelos integrados en profundidad existentes por incorporar un ulterior modelo capaz de proveer información sobre la presión del fluido intersticial a cada paso computacional de la propagación del deslizamiento. En una manera muy eficaz, la evolución de los perfiles de la presión de poros está numéricamente resuelta a través de un esquema explicito de Diferencias Finitas a cada nodo SPH. Este nuevo enfoque es capaz de tener en cuenta la variación de presión de poros debida a cambios de altura, de consolidación vertical o de cambios en las tensiones totales. Con respecto al comportamiento constitutivo, uno de los problemas principales al modelizar numéricamente deslizamientos rápidos de ladera está en la dificultad de simular con la misma ley constitutiva o reológica la transición de la fase de iniciación, donde el material se comporta como un sólido, a la fase de propagación donde el material se comporta como un fluido. En este trabajo de tesis, se propone un nuevo modelo reológico basado en el modelo viscoplástico de Perzyna, pensando a la viscoplasticidad como a la llave para poder simular tanto la fase de iniciación como la de propagación con el mismo modelo constitutivo. Con el fin de validar el modelo matemático y numérico se reproducen tanto ejemplos de referencia con solución analítica como experimentos de laboratorio. Finalmente, el modelo se aplica a casos reales, con especial atención al caso del deslizamiento de 1966 en Aberfan, mostrando como los resultados obtenidos simulan con éxito estos tipos de riesgos naturales. The study developed in this thesis focuses on the modelling of landslides propagation with the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) meshless method which has the great advantage of allowing to deal with large deformation problems by avoiding expensive remeshing operations as happens for mesh methods such as, for example, the Finite Element Method. In this thesis, special attention is given to the role played by rheology and pore water pressure during these natural hazards. The mathematical framework used is based on the v - pw Biot-Zienkiewicz formulation, which represents the behaviour, formulated in terms of soil skeleton velocity and pore water pressure, of the mixture of solid particles and pore water in a saturated media. The governing equations are: • the mass balance equation for the pore water phase, • the momentum balance equation for the pore water phase and the mixture, • the constitutive equation and • a kinematic equation. Landslides, due to their shape and geometrical properties, have small depths in comparison with their length or width, therefore, the mathematical model aforementioned can then be simplified by depth integrating the equations, switching from a 3D to a 2D model, which presents an excellent combination of accuracy, computational costs and simplicity. The proposed model differs from previous depth integrated models by including a sub-model able to provide information on pore water pressure profiles at each computational step of the landslide's propagation. In an effective way, the evolution of the pore water pressure profiles is numerically solved through a set of 1D Finite Differences explicit scheme at each SPH node. This new approach is able to take into account the variation of the pore water pressure due to changes of height, vertical consolidation or changes of total stress. Concerning the constitutive behaviour, one of the main issues when modelling fast landslides is the difficulty to simulate with the same constitutive or rheological model the transition from the triggering phase, where the landslide behaves like a solid, to the propagation phase, where the landslide behaves in a fluid-like manner. In this work thesis, a new rheological model is proposed, based on the Perzyna viscoplastic model, thinking of viscoplasticity as the key to close the gap between the triggering and the propagation phase. In order to validate the mathematical model and the numerical approach, benchmarks and laboratory experiments are reproduced and compared to analytical solutions when possible. Finally, applications to real cases are studied, with particular attention paid to the Aberfan flowslide of 1966, showing how the mathematical model accurately and successfully simulate these kind of natural hazards.

On a competitive system under chemotactic effects with non-local terms

In this paper, we study a system of partial differential equations describing the evolution of a population under chemotactic effects with non-local reaction terms. We consider an external application of chemoattractant in the system and study the cases of one and two populations in competition. By introducing global competitive/cooperative factors in terms of the total mass of the populations, weobtain, forarangeofparameters, thatanysolutionwithpositive and bounded initial data converges to a spatially homogeneous state with positive components. The proofs rely on the maximum principle for spatially homogeneous sub- and super-solutions.

Improved walnut mass micropropagation through the combined use of phloroglucinol and FeEDDHA

Despite the socioeconomic importance of walnut trees, poor rooting and recalcitrance to in vitro culture have hampered the establishment of high-yield clonal plantations. To improve walnut micropropagation, we introduced several modifications to current methods and evaluated the effects on microshoot performance and acclimatization. Nine selected genotypes (13-year-old trees) of the commercial hybrid Juglans major 209 x J. regia were cultured in vitro on DKW-C medium supplemented with 4.4 µM BA and 50 µM IBA. A protocol was developed that relies on the use of 0.40 mM phloroglucinol during shoot multiplication, 0.20 mM previous root induction, and 6.81 mg/L Fe3+ (FeEDDHA). Moreover, the addition of 83.2 µM glucose during the root expression phase significantly improved plant survival during acclimatization. Phloroglucinol promoted microshoot elongation but inhibited rooting, especially at concentrations above 0.40 mM. Replacing FeEDTA by FeEDDHA diminished chlorotic symptoms and improved rooting, with up to 90% microshoots developing viable roots. Likewise, glucose was more efficient than sucrose or fructose in promoting plant survival. At the proposed working concentrations, neither glucose nor FeEDDHA caused any noticeable deleterious effect on walnut micropropagation. Microscopic analysis revealed the physical continuity between adventitious roots and stem pericycles. Analysis of leaf genomic DNA with eight polymorphic microsatellite markers was supportive of the clonal fidelity and genetic stability of the micropropagated material. Successful clonal plantations (over 5,800 ramets) have been established by applying this protocol.

Aeroelastic effects in a traffic sign panel induced by a passing vehicle

Here, a simple theoretical model of the vehicle induced flow and its effects on traffic sign panels is presented. The model is a continuation of a previous one by Sanz-Andrés and coworkers, now including the flexibility of the panel (and, therefore, the flow effects associated to the motion of the panel). Through the paper an aeroelastic one-degree-of-freedom model is developed and the flow effects are computed from unsteady potential theory. The influence of panel's mechanical properties (mass, damping ratio, and stiffness) in the motion induced forces are numerically analyzed.

Glycerin and lecithin inclusion in diets for brown egg-layinghens: Effects on egg production and nutrient digestibility

The effects of the inclusion of raw glycerin (GLYC) and lecithin in the diet on egg production,egg quality and total tract apparent retention (TTAR) of dietary components was studied inbrown egg-laying hens from 23 to 51 wk of age. The experimental design was completelyrandomized with six diets combined as a 2 × 3 factorial with two levels of GLYC (0 vs.70 g/kg) and three animal fat to lecithin ratios (40:0, 20:20 and 0:40 g/kg). Each treatmentwas replicated eight times and the experimental unit was a cage with ten hens. Productionwas recorded by replicate every 28-d period and cumulatively. For the entire experiment,the inclusion of GLYC in the diet hindered feed conversion ratio per kilogram of eggs (2.071vs. 2.039; P < 0.05) but did not affect any of the other production or egg quality traits studied.The replacement of animal fat by lecithin (40:0, 20:20 and 0:40 g/kg) increased egg weight(60.1, 60.7 and 61.8 g, respectively; P < 0.001) and egg mass production (56.8, 57.5 and58.8 g/d, respectively; P < 0.01) and improved yolk color as measured by the DSM colorfan (9.2, 9.2 and 9.5, respectively; P < 0.001) and feed conversion ratio per kilogram of eggs(2.072, 2.068 and 2.027, respectively; P < 0.05). Feed intake, egg production and body weightgain, however, were not affected. The inclusion of GLYC in the diet did not affect nutrientretention but lecithin inclusion improved TTAR of dry matter (P < 0.05), organic matter(P < 0.05), ether extract (P < 0.001) and gross energy (P < 0.001). In summary, the inclusionof 70 g glycerol/kg diet hindered feed conversion ratio per kilogram of eggs but did notaffect any other production or digestibility trait. The replacement of animal fat by lecithinimproved egg weight, egg yolk color and nutrient digestibility. Consequently, lecithin canbe used as a lipid source in laying hen diets with beneficial effects on egg production