L'impacte d'un programa de tennis com a eina de millora de la qualitat de vida i l'estrès percebut en dones físicament inactives d'entre 43 i 50 anys

Introducció: L’activitat física és una necessitat imprescindible per a la salut de les persones, i tot i ser conscients dels seus beneficis encara es troben alts percentatges d’inactivitat física i sedentarisme. Per aquest motiu, els objectius principals d’aquest estudi són esbrinar si les dones adultes d’entre 43 i 50 anys que realitzen activitat física regularment, més concretament que practiquen l’esport del tennis, tenen una qualitat de vida i un estrès percebut millor que les que no realitzen activitat física, i per tant, valorar l’impacte d’un programa de tennis adequat i específic, és a dir, adaptat a les característiques i les necessitats dels alumnes, com a eina per millorar aquestes dues variables: l’estrès percebut i la qualitat de vida. Metodologia: El treball és un estudi experimental el qual consta d’una mostra total de 12 dones, 6 es varen assignar al grup control (practiquen el tennis) i 6 al grup intervenció (no realitzen AF), i totes elles de manera aleatòria. Les participants del grup intervenció varen realitzar un programa de 8 sessions de 60 minuts de treball durant 4 setmanes, mentre que les participants del grup control van seguir la seva rutina habitual. Les variables dependents (qualitat de vida i estrès percebut) es varen mesurar abans i després de la intervenció. Resultats: Els resultats obtinguts mostren, pel que fa al grup intervenció, millores significatives respecte a les dues variables mentre que el grup control presenta alguna mínima millora puntual però, en general no es produeixen canvis. Quan a la variable de qualitat de vida, les participants del grup intervenció han obtingut millores en les 8 dimensions del qüestionari un cop finalitzat el programa, les quals han estat més significatives pel que fa al rol emocional i la funció física. I respecte a l’estrès percebut, el grup intervenció ha aconsegui reduir el seu nivell d’estrès 3’17 punts. Discussió: Per tant, podem dir que el tennis, amb el disseny adequat d’un programa, millora l’estat de salut de les persones, en aquest cas redueix l’estrès percebut i millora la qualitat de vida. Extretes les conclusions i coneixent l’elevat nombre de dones que practiquen el tennis és de gran interès i molt factible oferir aquest programa a clubs de tennis amb l’objectiu de millorar la salut de les persones.

Dynamic structure function in 3-4He mixtures

Relevant features of the dynamic structure function S(q,¿) in 3-4He mixtures at zero temperature are investigated starting from known properties of the ground state. Sum rules are used to fix rigorous constraints to the different contributions to S(q,¿), coming from 3He and 4He elementary excitations, as well as to explore the role of the cross term S(3,4)(q,¿). Both the low-q (phonon-roton 4He excitations and 1p-1h 3He excitations) and high-q (deep-inelastic-scattering) ranges are discussed.

Intensity correlation function of dye lasers: Short-time behavior

We propose an equation to calculate the intensity correlation function of a dye-laser model with a pump parameter subject to finite-bandwidth fluctuations. The equation is valid, in the weak-noise limit, for all times. It incorporates novel non-Markovian features. Results are given for the short-time behavior of the correlation function. It exhibits a characteristic initial plateau. Our findings are supported by a numerical simulation of the model.

Kinematically complete analysis of the CLAS data on the proton structure Function F2 in a Regge-Dual model

The recently measured inclusive electron-proton cross section in the nucleon resonance region, performed with the CLAS detector at the Thomas Jefferson Laboratory, has provided new data for the nucleon structure function F2 with previously unavailable precision. In this paper we propose a description of these experimental data based on a Regge-dual model for F2. The basic inputs in the model are nonlinear complex Regge trajectories producing both isobar resonances and a smooth background. The model is tested against the experimental data, and the Q2 dependence of the moments is calculated. The fitted model for the structure function (inclusive cross section) is a limiting case of the more general scattering amplitude equally applicable to deeply virtual Compton scattering. The connection between the two is discussed.

In defense of the "tunneling" wave function of the universe

The tunneling approach to the wave function of the Universe has been recently criticized by Bousso and Hawking who claim that it predicts a catastrophic instability of de Sitter space with respect to pair production of black holes. We show that this claim is unfounded. First, we argue that different horizon size regions in de Sitter space cannot be treated as independently created, as they contend. And second, the WKB tunneling wave function is not simply the inverse of the Hartle-Hawking one, except in very special cases. Applied to the related problem of pair production of massive particles, we argue that the tunneling wave function leads to a small constant production rate, and not to a catastrophe as the argument of Bousso and Hawking would suggest.

Evolution and cellular function of monothiol glutaredoxins: involvement in iron-sulphur cluster assembly

A number of bacterial species, mostly proteobacteria, possess monothiol glutaredoxins homologous to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitochondrial protein Grx5, which is involved in iron–sulphur cluster synthesis. Phylogenetic profiling is used to predict that bacterial monothiol glutaredoxins also participate in the iron–sulphur cluster (ISC) assembly machinery, because their phylogenetic profiles are similar to the profiles of the bacterial homologues of yeast ISC proteins. High evolutionary cooccurrence is observed between the Grx5 homologues and the homologues of the Yah1 ferredoxin, the scaffold proteins Isa1 and Isa2, the frataxin protein Yfh1 and the Nfu1 protein. This suggests that a specific functional interaction exists between these ISC machinery proteins. Physical interaction analyses using low-definition protein docking predict the formation of strong and specific complexes between Grx5 and several components of the yeast ISC machinery. Two-hybrid analysis has confirmed the in vivo interaction between Grx5 and Isa1. Sequence comparison techniques and cladistics indicate that the other two monothiol glutaredoxins of S. cerevisiae, Grx3 and Grx4, have evolved from the fusion of a thioredoxin gene with a monothiol glutaredoxin gene early in the eukaryotic lineage, leading to differential functional specialization. While bacteria do not contain these chimaeric glutaredoxins, in many eukaryotic species Grx5 and Grx3/4-type monothiol glutaredoxins coexist in the cell.

Response of the Thermal Conductivity as a Function of Water Content of a Burnt Mediterranean Loam Soil

The purpose of this research is to explore the variability on the soil thermal conductivity -λ- after a prescribe fire, and to assess the effects of the ashes on the heat transfer once it"s were incorporated into the soil matrix. Sampling plot was located in the Montgrí Massif (NE of Spain). A set of 42 soil samples between surface and 5 cm depth was collected before and after the fire. To characterize the soil chemical and physical variables were analyzed. To determine the vari-ability on the soil λ a dry-out curve per scenario (before and after fire) was determined. SoilRho® method based on ASTM D-5334-08 which was validated by LabFerrer was used. Soil thermal conductivity has shown changes in their values. Indeed, in all moisture scenarios the values of soil λ decreased after soil was burnt. The critical point in the rela-tionship ϴ (λ) for the soil after fire which always was stronger than soil before to be burnt. Soil with"white" ashes showed a high thermal conductivity. An X-Ray diffractometry analysis allowed to clarify and to verify these results. To sum up, we could say that thermal conductivity presents changes when the scenario changes, i.e. before and after to be burnt. On the other hand, the volume of ashes incorporated on the soil increased the differences between no burnt and burnt soil, showing even some improvements on the heat transfer when water content started to govern the process.

On the physical realizability of highly focused electromagnetic field distributions

A method to evaluate the physical realizability of an arbitrary three-dimensional vectorial field distribution in the focal area is proposed. A parameter that measures the similarity between the designed (target) field and the physically achievable beam is provided. This analysis is carried out within the framework of the closest electromagnetic field to a given vectorial function, and the procedure is applied to two illustrative cases.

Analytical Dirac-Hartree-Fock-Slater screening function for atoms (Z=1-92)

An analytical approximation, depending on five parameters, for the atomic screening function is proposed. The corresponding electrostatic potential takes a simple analytical form (superposition of three Yukawa potentials) well suited to most practical applications. Parameters in the screening function, determined by an analytical fitting procedure to Dirac-Hartree-Fock-Slater (DHFS) self-consistent data, are given for Z=1¿92. The reliability of this analytical approach is demonstrated by showing that (a) Born cross sections for elastic scattering of fast charged particles by the present analytical field and by the DHFS field practically coincide and (b) one-electron binding energies computed from the independent-particle model with our analytical field (corrected for exchange and electrostatic self-interaction) agree closely with the DHFS energy eigenvalues.