INTERACTION BETWEEN THE POLE AND THE HUMAN BODY AND ITS EFFECT ON THE POLE VAULTING PERFORMANCE

The purposes of this study were: (a) to examine the utilization of pole elasticity by the athletes through muscular work and to develope performance criteria throughout the pole vault and (b) to examine the reproducibility and the athlete's specificity of the developed criteria. In the study, 6 athletes performed from 4 to 11 trials each, at 90% of their respective personal best performance. All trials were recorded using four synchronized, genlocked video cameras operating at 50 Hz. The ground reaction forces exerted on the bottom of the pole were measured using a planting box fixed on a kistler force plate (1000 Hz). The interaction between athlete and pole may be split into two parts. During the first part of the interaction, energy is transferred into the pole and the total energy of the athlete decreases. The difference between the energy decrease of the athlete and the pole energy indicates if the athletes are producing additional energy by means of muscular work (criterion 1). In the second part of the interaction, energy is transferred back to the athlete and the total energy of the athlete increases. The difference between the returned pole energy and the amount of energy increase of the athlete defines criterion 2. The criteria are reproducible, specific to each athlete, capable of identifying deficits or strengths of the athlete's performance during his interaction with the pole; they can therefore estimate the quality of the technique during each of the phases of the interaction athlete-pole

Coherent magnetization precession in ferromagnetic (Ga,Mn)As induced by picosecond acoustic pulses

We show that the magnetization of a thin ferromagnetic (Ga,Mn)As layer can be modulated by picosecond acoustic pulses. In this approach a picosecond strain pulse injected into the structure induces a tilt of the magnetization vector M, followed by the precession of M around its equilibrium orientation. This effect can be understood in terms of changes in magneto-crystalline anisotropy induced by the pulse. A model where only one anisotropy constant is affected by the strain pulse provides a good description of the observed time-dependent response.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figure

On the Hierarchy of Block Deterministic Languages

A regular language is $k$-lookahead deterministic (resp. $k$-block deterministic) if it is specified by a $k$-lookahead deterministic (resp. $k$-block deterministic) regular expression. These two subclasses of regular languages have been respectively introduced by Han and Wood ($k$-lookahead determinism) and by Giammarresi et al. ($k$-block determinism) as a possible extension of one-unambiguous languages defined and characterized by Br\"uggemann-Klein and Wood. In this paper, we study the hierarchy and the inclusion links of these families. We first show that each $k$-block deterministic language is the alphabetic image of some one-unambiguous language. Moreover, we show that the conversion from a minimal DFA of a $k$-block deterministic regular language to a $k$-block deterministic automaton not only requires state elimination, and that the proof given by Han and Wood of a proper hierarchy in $k$-block deterministic languages based on this result is erroneous. Despite these results, we show by giving a parameterized family that there is a proper hierarchy in $k$-block deterministic regular languages. We also prove that there is a proper hierarchy in $k$-lookahead deterministic regular languages by studying particular properties of unary regular expressions. Finally, using our valid results, we confirm that the family of $k$-block deterministic regular languages is strictly included into the one of $k$-lookahead deterministic regular languages by showing that any $k$-block deterministic unary language is one-unambiguous

Cell Cycle–related Changes in the Conducting Properties of r-eag K+ Channels

Release from arrest in G2 phase of the cell cycle causes profound changes in rat ether-à-go-go (r-eag) K+ channels heterologously expressed in Xenopus oocytes. The most evident consequence of the onset of maturation is the appearance of rectification in the r-eag current. The trigger for these changes is located downstream of the activation of mitosis-promoting factor (MPF). We demonstrate here that the rectification is due to a voltage-dependent block by intracellular Na+ ions. Manipulation of the intracellular Na+ concentration indicates that the site of Na+ block is located ∼45% into the electrical distance of the pore and is only present in oocytes undergoing maturation. Since the currents through excised patches from immature oocytes exhibited a fast rundown, we studied CHO-K1 cells permanently transfected with r-eag. These cells displayed currents with a variable degree of block by Na+ and variable permeability to Cs+. Partial synchronization of the cultures in G0/G1 or M phases of the cell cycle greatly reduced the variability. The combined data obtained from mammalian cells and oocytes strongly suggest that the permeability properties of r-eag K+ channels are modulated during cell cycle–related processes

Response of a tropical cyclone to a subsurface ocean eddy and the role of boundary layer dynamics

We analyse a tropical cyclone simulated for a realistic ocean-eddy field using the global, nonhydrostatic, fully coupled atmosphere–ocean ICOsahedral Nonhydrostatic (ICON) model. After intensifying rapidly, the tropical cyclone decays following its interaction with a cold wake and subsequently reintensifies as it encounters a subsurface, warm-core eddy. To understand the change in the azimuthal-mean structure and intensity of the tropical cyclone, we invoke a conceptual framework, which recognises the importance of both boundary-layer dynamics and air–sea interactions. Crucially, the framework recognises that the change in the mean radius of updraught at the boundary-layer top is regulated by the expanding outer tangential wind field through boundary-layer dynamics. The decrease in the average equivalent potential temperature of the boundary-layer updraught during the early decay phase is related to an increase in the mean radius of the updraught rather than air–sea interactions. However, later in the decay phase, air–sea interactions contribute to the decrease, which is accompanied by a decrease in the vertical mass flux in the eyewall updraught and, ultimately, a more pronounced spin-down of the tropical cyclone. Air–sea interactions are also important during reintensification, where the tendencies are reversed, that is, the mean radius of the boundary-layer updraught decreases along with an increase in its average equivalent potential temperature and vertical mass flux. The importance of boundary-layer dynamics to the change in the azimuthal-mean structure is underscored by the ability of a steady-state slab boundary-layer model to predict an increasing and, to a lesser extent, decreasing radius of forced ascent for periods of decay and reintensification, respectively. Finally, our simulation highlights the importance of the ocean-eddy field for tropical cyclone intensity forecasts, since the simulated warm-core eddy does not display any sea-surface temperature (SST) signal until it is encountered by the tropical cyclone. © 2021 The Authors. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society published by John Wiley Sons Ltd on behalf of the Royal Meteorological Society

La responsabilité délictuelle en matière de pollution de l’environnement en droit français et en droit allemand

Das Ziel dieser Arbeit ist der Vergleich der zivilrechtlichen Umwelthaftung im französischen und im deutschen Recht, also der Vergleich aller Rechtsnormen, die zum Ausgleich von Umweltschäden dienen. Unter Umweltschäden versteht man sämtliche Schäden von Rechtssubjekten, die durch Umweltbeeinträchtigungen hervorgerufen werden. Umweltbeeinträchtigungen sind alle nachteiligen Umwelteinwirkungen, die sich in Boden, Luft oder Wasser ausbreiten. Die Anspruchsgrundlagen der Haftung für Beeinträchtigungen im Nachbarschaftsverhältnis, der Gefährdungshaftung und der Deliktshaftung werden verglichen. Dabei wird insbesondere festgestellt, inwieweit diese Regelungen sachgerechte Lösungen für die typischen Probleme der Umwelthaftung bieten, wie zum Beispiel für die Schwierigkeiten der Feststellung des Kausalzusammenhangs und des Ersatzes reiner Umweltschäden. Schließlich wird die Einführung einer einheitlichen Umweltgefährdungshaftung auf europäischer Ebene vorgeschlagen. The subject of this thesis is a comparison of the legal norms in France and Germany for the liability arising from pollution of the environment. This comprises all norms which provide for compensation for damages mediated through the environment. Examples are damages mediated by water, air or soil, or caused by noise. The rules of liability among neighbours, the rules of strict liability and of liability in tort are compared with special regard to the typical problems which arise in cases of environmental pollution. These problems are in particular the determination of causality, the influence of public law and the compensation of purely environmental damages. Finally, the introduction of a strict liability in environmental law on the level of the European Union is proposed

MEN'S AND WOMEN'S POLE VAULT AT THE SYDNEY 2000 OLYMPIC GAMES WITH RESPECT TO MECHANICAL ENERGY AND ANGULAR MOMENTUM

The purpose of this study was to identify differences between male and female pole vaulters with regard to the athlete's mechanical energy and angular momentum on elite level. On the basis of 3-D kinematic data of the pole vault finals at the Sydney Olympic Games the athlete's mechanical energy and angular momentum have been calculated. The development of the total, kinetic and potential energy shows similar characteristics for men and women. The initial energy of the vault, the energy at maximum pole bend position and the final energy are significantly higher for male athletes, while the energy gain produced by the athletes during the vault shows no significant differences. The angular momentum is higher for the female vaulters during the initial pole bend and the bar clearance

The impact of phenotypic heterogeneity of tumour cells on treatment and relapse dynamics

Intratumour heterogeneity is increasingly recognized as a frequent problem for cancer treatment as it allows for the evolution of resistance against treatment. While cancer genotyping becomes more and more established and allows to determine the genetic heterogeneity, less is known about the phenotypic heterogeneity among cancer cells. We investigate how phenotypic differences can impact the efficiency of therapy options that select on this diversity, compared to therapy options that are independent of the phenotype. We employ the ecological concept of trait distributions and characterize the cancer cell population as a collection of subpopulations that differ in their growth rate. We show in a deterministic model that growth rate-dependent treatment types alter the trait distribution of the cell population, resulting in a delayed relapse compared to a growth rate-independent treatment. Whether the cancer cell population goes extinct or relapse occurs is determined by stochastic dynamics, which we investigate using a stochastic model. Again, we find that relapse is delayed for the growth rate-dependent treatment type, albeit an increased relapse probability, suggesting that slowly growing subpopulations are shielded from extinction. Sequential application of growth rate-dependent and growth rate-independent treatment types can largely increase treatment efficiency and delay relapse. Interestingly, even longer intervals between decisions to change the treatment type may achieve close-to-optimal efficiencies and relapse times. Monitoring patients at regular check-ups may thus provide the temporally resolved guidance to tailor treatments to the changing cancer cell trait distribution and allow clinicians to cope with this dynamic heterogeneity.Author summary The individual cells within a cancer cell population are not all equal. The heterogeneity among them can strongly affect disease progression and treatment success. Recent diagnostic advances allow measuring how the characteristics of this heterogeneity change over time. To match these advances, we developed deterministic and stochastic trait-based models that capture important characteristics of the intratumour heterogeneity and allow to evaluate different treatment types that either do or do not interact with this heterogeneity. We focus on growth rate as the decisive characteristic of the intratumour heterogeneity. We find that by shifting the trait distribution of the cancer cell population, the growth rate-dependent treatment delays an eventual relapse compared to the growth rate-independent treatment. As a downside, however, we observe a refuge effect where slower-growing subpopulations are less affected by the growth rate-dependent treatment, which may decrease the likelihood of successful therapy. We find that navigating along this trade-off may be achieved by sequentially combining both treatment types, which agrees qualitatively with current clinical practice. Interestingly, even rather large intervals between treatment changes allow for close-to-optimal treatment results, which again hints towards a practical applicability.Competing Interest StatementMB performed contract research for Affimed, Amgen and Regeneron, served on the advisory board of Amgen and Incyte, and in the speaker bureau of Amgen, Janssen, Pfizer and Roche