A PRELIMINARY STUDY OF ROTATIONAL SHOT PUT TECHNIQUE

INTRODUCTION: The rotational throwing events in track and field, the shot put, discus and hammer throws, are technically very demanding. They involve complex movements performed at high speed in a limited space. The purpose of this study was to identify those characteristics of the rotational technique used by an elite male shot put thrower as they related to his record distances during two consecutive seasons (1996: 18.82 + 0.21 m and 1997: 20.26 + 0.49 m) at two major competitions in Finland. METHODS: Two VHS video cameras were used to record the performances of the athlete from a distance of 20-22 m. One camera was placed to the rear of the throwing circle and the other was placed to the side, and in line with, the midline of the circle. The angle between the optical axes of the two cameras was approximately 90 degrees. The three best trials of each season according to the official competition distances were selected for analysis. These trials were digitized at a sampling frequency of 50 (PAL) or 60 Hz (NTSC) with an Ariel Performance Analysis System. The DLT procedure was used to obtain threedimensional data from these records. The speed, angle and height of release of the shot, the change in speed of the shot during the first double support phase, the first single support phase, the flight phase, the second single support and the second double support phase were calculated. RESULTS: The distance and release velocity of the shot were increased in the second competition on average from 18.82 m to 20.26 (1.44 m or 7.63 %) and from 12.47 to 13.19 m/s (0.72 m/s or 5.77 %), respectively. The angle and height of release decreased from 38.26 degrees to 37.74 degrees (0.52 degrees or 1.37 %), and from 2.12 m to 2.11 m (0.01 m or 0.31 %). The shot speed was always lowest during the flight phase. The actual speeds at the end of the first double support phase, the first single support phase, the flight phase, the second single support and the second double support phase in the first competition were 2.75, 2.48, 1.02, 2.88 and 12.20 m/s, respectively. The changes during the mentioned phases between the two competitions were -0.42, -0.09, +0.52, -0.44 and +0.99 m/s, respectively. No statistically significant differences were found in the selected variables. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that emphasis placed on achieving a large change in the speed of the shot during the second double support phase is well founded and the most influential determinant of the distance of the shot put. A critical phase may be the flight phase in the middle of the rotation when the speed is lowest

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Response of Soil Surface Respiration to Storm and Ips typographus (L.) Disturbance in Boreal Norway Spruce Stands

Disturbances such as storm events and bark beetle outbreaks can have a major influence on forest soil carbon (C) cycling. Both autotrophic and heterotrophic soil respiration may be affected by the increase in tree mortality. We studied the effect of a storm in 2010 followed by an outbreak of the European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus L.) on the soil surface respiration (respiration by soil and ground vegetation) at two Norway spruce (Picea abies L.) dominated sites in southeastern Finland. Soil surface respiration, soil temperature, and soil moisture were measured in three types of plots—living trees (undisturbed), storm-felled trees, and standing dead trees killed by I. typographus—during the summer–autumn period for three years (2015–2017). Measurements at storm-felled tree plots were separated into dead tree detritus-covered (under storm-felled trees) and open-vegetated (on open areas) microsites. The soil surface total respiration for 2017 was separated into its autotrophic and heterotrophic components using trenching. The soil surface total respiration rates at the disturbed plots were 64%–82% of those at the living tree plots at one site and were due to a decrease in autotrophic respiration, but there was no clear difference in soil surface total respiration between the plots at the other site, due to shifts in either autotrophic or heterotrophic respiration. The soil surface respiration rates were related to plot basal area (living and all trees), as well as to soil temperature and soil moisture. As storm and bark beetle disturbances are predicted to become more common in the future, their effects on forest ecosystem C cycling and CO2 fluxes will therefore become increasingly important

Nordic welfare states : still standing or changed by the COVID‐19 crisis?

Nordic welfare states are known for their universalistic and all-encompassing approach to welfare and having a long tradition for active labour market policy as tool in economic crises with adverse impact on employment. They have had a long tradition for strong egalitarian approaches and their residents are consistently among the happiest in the world. A key issue is whether a crisis like the COVID-19 outbreak is changing the Nordic welfare states. This article focuses on providing a description of what instruments the Nordic countries have taken or expect to use as part of dealing with the welfare challenges resulting from rising unemployment and greater social and economic insecurity in the wake of the crisis. The tentative conclusion is that the crisis so far has strengthened key characteristics of the Nordic welfare states by the state taking on a strong central role not only for the functioning of the market but also continued in a path-dependent way with universal and relatively generous benefits such as for those who become unemployed or have reduced income because of the crisis.Peer reviewe

Response of Soil Surface Respiration to Storm and Ips typographus (L.) Disturbance in Boreal Norway Spruce Stands

Disturbances such as storm events and bark beetle outbreaks can have a major influence on forest soil carbon (C) cycling. Both autotrophic and heterotrophic soil respiration may be affected by the increase in tree mortality. We studied the effect of a storm in 2010 followed by an outbreak of the European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus L.) on the soil surface respiration (respiration by soil and ground vegetation) at two Norway spruce (Picea abies L.) dominated sites in southeastern Finland. Soil surface respiration, soil temperature, and soil moisture were measured in three types of plotsliving trees (undisturbed), storm-felled trees, and standing dead trees killed by I. typographusduring the summer-autumn period for three years (2015-2017). Measurements at storm-felled tree plots were separated into dead tree detritus-covered (under storm-felled trees) and open-vegetated (on open areas) microsites. The soil surface total respiration for 2017 was separated into its autotrophic and heterotrophic components using trenching. The soil surface total respiration rates at the disturbed plots were 64%-82% of those at the living tree plots at one site and were due to a decrease in autotrophic respiration, but there was no clear difference in soil surface total respiration between the plots at the other site, due to shifts in either autotrophic or heterotrophic respiration. The soil surface respiration rates were related to plot basal area (living and all trees), as well as to soil temperature and soil moisture. As storm and bark beetle disturbances are predicted to become more common in the future, their effects on forest ecosystem C cycling and CO2 fluxes will therefore become increasingly important.Peer reviewe

Luottamus dataan ja algoritmeihin syntyy ihmisen ja teknologian vuorovaikutuksesta

Tekoälyn käyttöönotto avaa uudenlaisia mahdollisuuksia työn, organisaatioiden ja yhteiskunnan kehittämiseen. Tekoälylle on lukuisia eri määritelmiä ja viittaamme tässä yhteydessä tekoälyllä ihmisten suunnittelemiin systeemeihin, jotka ”pyrkivät niille asetettuihin tavoitteisiin päättelemällä parhaan toimintatavan keräämällä, tulkitsemalla ja prosessoimalla dataa” (tekoälyn määrittelystä, ks. European Commission 2019, 6). Tekoälyä käytetään jo laajasti erilaisissa kuluttajapalveluissa, mainontaa kohdennetaan algoritmien avulla ja pankit ja vakuutuslaitokset hyödyntävät tekoälyä luokitellessaan rahoitukseen ja vakuutuksiin liittyvää asiakasdataa

Influence of soil and topography on defoliation intensity during an extended outbreak of the common pine sawfly (Diprion pini L.)

Insect herbivore disturbances are likely to intensify as a consequence of climate change. In Finland, outbreaks of the common pine sawfly (Diprion pini L.), which feeds on Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) needles, and resulting damage to forests have already increased. Although drivers of sawfly outbreak dynamics have been investigated, the effects of topography and soil fertility have not been fully elucidated. We studied the effect of elevation, slope and soil properties (carbon and nitrogen contents, C/N ratio, pH, texture and horizon thicknesses) on the defoliation intensity of 28 plots (227-531 m(2)), located in a 34.5 km(2) forested area in eastern Finland suffering from an extended outbreak of D. pini. Plot elevation and slope (relative relief 35 m, maximum elevation 200 m a. s.l.) were derived from a digital elevation model and the soil properties from samples of the humus layer (Of + Oh), (Ah+) E and B horizons of podzol profiles. Defoliation was greater on the more fertile and flatter sites than on less fertile and steeper sites, but independent of elevation. The soil property most strongly correlated to plot mean defoliation was the C/N ratio of the humus layer (Spearman's rho = -0.68). However, logistic modelling showed that the thickness of the (Ah+) E-horizon had the highest classification accuracy in predicting the probability of a plot having moderate to severe (> 20%) defoliation. Our study showed that forest damage caused by D. pini was related to topography and soil fertility. Taking these factors into account could help in understanding the population dynamics of D. pini, in modeling of insect outbreaks and in forest management planning.Peer reviewe

Measuring functional outcome in upper extremity soft-tissue sarcoma : Validation of the Toronto extremity salvage score and the QuickDASH patient-reported outcome instruments

Interest in functional outcome (FO) and health-related quality of life (HRQL) in extremity soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) patients has increased. The aim of this study was to validate two FO questionnaires for upper extremity STS patients: the Toronto Extremity Salvage Score (TESS) and short version of the Disability of Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH), based on Finnish population data. A multi-center study was conducted at two academic sarcoma centers. Surgically treated upper extremity STS patients were invited to participate. Patients completed the TESS and the QuickDASH with HRQL questionnaires the 15D and the QLQ-C30. The scores were analyzed and compared. Fifty-five patients with a mean follow-up period of 4.7 years were included. Mean age was 63 years (standard deviation [SD] 14.6). The mean score for TESS was 88.5 (SD 15.1) and for QuickDASH 17.8 (SD 19.6). The QuickDASH had a statistically significantly better score coverage. A ceiling effect was noted, 27% and 20% for TESS and QuickDASH, respectively. The TESS and QuickDASH scores were strongly correlated ( r =-0.89). The TESS score strongly correlated with the QLQ-C30 ( r = 0.79) and the 15D score ( r = 0.70). The QuickDASH score correlated strongly with the QLQ-C30 score ( r =-0.71) and moderately with the 15D score ( r =-0.56). The TESS score had a statistically significantly stronger correlation with the 15D score than QuickDASH ( p < 0.005). Both the TESS and the QuickDASH provide reliable scores for assessing FO in upper extremity STS patients. The QuickDASH has a better coverage, whereas TESS showed a stronger correlation to HRQL scores. (c) 2022 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )Peer reviewe