SOME SPECIAL EFFICIENCY FACTORS IN GYMNASTICS

Hungarian University of Physical Education, Budapest, Hungary A gymnast's high-level performance consists of several factors. The neuromuscular and cardio-respiratory systems are burdened to extreme. Proprioreceptors, visual receptor and their reliable mobilization have an important role fro111 the beginning of the exercise to its end. Restoring and maintaining equilibrium in different elements of gymnastics have dominant significance in certain phases. Posturography interests coaches of gymnastics being a type of sports requiring high accuracy equilibrium. The aim of our present study is to examine equilibrium in model-situations: in traditional and sharpened Romberg position. The examination included the situation with closed feet, too. The circle of subjects in the experiment is the Hungarian national male team of gymnastics: 10 persons. (Age 18-24.) Measurements were carried out with a force platform hype Adam/, whose output signals were used to determine continuously the centre of mass ofthe subject. Excerpts of results After exercise, traditional Romberg test with closed feet: R-s: 11, 11, 9, - 9, 8 - 19, 10 - 9,8,7 nun. Sharpened Romberg test: R-s: 20, 14, 13 - 18, 19, 13 - 15, 10 - 18, 16 mm. 'Mean values: for R1 = 10,l nun and for R2 = 15,6 nun /Closed eyes

Economic Analysis of a Traveling Gun for Feedyard Dust Suppression

Dust created in feedyards can adversely affect cattle performance. Dust suppression can be accomplished by moistening pen surfaces with traveling gun(s) sprinklers, solid-set sprinklers, and water trucks. This study specifically addresses the fixed and operational costs associated with a traveling gun sprinkler system for various sized feedyards.traveling gun, dust suppression, fixed costs, operational costs, Livestock Production/Industries,

STABILOMETRY OF THE FLAMINGO BALANCE TEST

INTRODUCTION - The Flamingo balance test achieves the requirements of simplicity, low cost and it is capable for mass investigations. In this test the subject is standing on his preferred foot, bends his free leg backwards and grips the back of the foot with hand on the same side, standing like a flamingo. The aim of this work was to characterise the Flamingo test using electronic stabilometry equipment, recording stabilograms, time functions in frontal and sagittal directions, as well as Fourier spec-tra, while solving this test. SUBJECTS AND METHODS - Ten physical education major university students I aged 21-23 years I took part in the investigation. We used "Adam-type" stabilometer for the measurements and a rotating chair for vestibular stimulation of the subject. The measurements started with testing in Romberg position, with opened and closed eyes. After these tests the subjects were rotated 10 times I n = 40 r.p.m. I and the investigations have been continued with Romberg and Flamingo tests. RESULTS - Figures demonstrate the stabilogram of the Flamingo test with time functions and Fourier spectra, with quasi-losing of the balance IN of Subject: 101. Excerpts of results, using the characterising radius of stabilogram: Romberg tests before rotating: R = 6.5 mm /opened eyes/, R = 10.1 mm /closed eyes/ . after rotating: R = 12 mm /closed eyes/, R = 6.5 mm /opened eyes/. Flamingo test R = 11.2 mm /opened eyes/We found significant correlation between the Romberg test data /after rotating1 and the Flamingo test: r = 0.811. CONCLUSION In summary, the results suggest the improving effect of the vestibular training on the balance of sport students and the applicability of the Flamingo test, completed with electronic stabilometry methods

BODY SWAY IN BIATLON SHOOTING

In the 7.5 hi sprint biathlon event each competitor skis 7.5 kilometres. stopping Two times during the race to fire shots into a target. A miss means handicap circuit added to the distance charged to the skier while: completing the distance of competition. The race is capable to test the strength, endurance and skill of competitors. In biathlon shooting. two positional rules apply. ?'hey are standing-and prone (lying flat on the ground). Before the shooting. the cross-country racing loads extremely the cardio-respiratory and neuro-muscular system. In shooting. the oscillation amplitudes of body segments depend on the degree of optimalization in diminishing of' running velocity. immediately before the shooting without significant loss of time. The aim of the present study is the investigation of body sway in model-situation. in our experiments the representative biathlon tearn of Hungary. seven subjects (age: 16-28 years) as well as university students (eight subjects) have been tested. The equipment we used include microcomputer and a personal computer as well as a force platform. Two types of programs have been used for the measurements to study the movement coordination skill and the maintaining of equilibrium. The classic Romberg tests have been completed with measurements of the Equilibrium and displacement of centre of subjects in shooting position. Excerpts of results i20 s test/: traditional Romberg tests: R1 - 3 111111. 122 - 3 111111. It3 - 4 n111i ... (open eyes) R 1 - 3 tiitii. K2 - 3 timi. 113 -:6- Inn1 ... (closed eyes) Dominant frequencies in Fourier power spectra: lateral direction: !). 1 - 0.15 - 0.4 - 0.7 I IL anteroposterior direction: 0.05 - 0-25 - 0.7 1 IL (Open eyes. subject No. 2) The result verify premises concerning the balancing ability and stability of biathlon competitors

EQUILIBRIUM OF CHILDREN PRACTISING JUDO

INTRODUCTION Human body equilibrium is the index of one's health, physical development, fitness and athletic mastery level. Coordinational abilities of children aged 4-5 in maintaining statodynamic stability have been studied when solving equilibrium motor tasks ( P. Perrin, 1989; V. N. Boloban, 1990; K. Bretz, R. J. Kaske, 1994; A.U. Kholtobina, 1994, et al.) . METHODOLOGY Measurements have been made by means of ADAMtype equipment complex (Software: lngchicurbüro - Dr. K.Bretz, 1992). Different methods of solving equilibrium motor tasks by children have been determined. Their stabilograms consist of such individual parameters as: amplitude, frequency of vibration, duration of test task performance, special location in time function (on isoline, above or below it ) , and in “stabilograph-subject” coordinate system. RESULTS Spectral Fourier-analysis of stabilograms demonstrates that body stability is generally determined by vibrations having the frequencies 0.5-1.5 Hz. In the frequencies above 2-3 Hz, children subjects do not yet possess voluntary motions to regulate body postures. Coordination indices of children's body orthograde position demonstrate necessity of special training to provide body equilibrium. Developed didactical means, methods and control elements provide efficient formation of statodynamic stability skill. Stabilogram indices allow to determine coordinational abilities in children and forecast development of their voluntary motions in the structure of professional orientation

Cost Analysis and Water Conservation Potential of Irrigation Technologies in the Texas Panhandle Water Planning Area

Six irrigation systems are analyzed considering cost and potential water savings. The investment cost of furrow and drip is $115,800 and$260,120, respectively. The cost of quarter mile pivot ranges from $59,000 to$64,000. Per ac-in variable pumping cost ranges $9.96 to$14.86 assuming natural gas price $7.00 per MCF.Irrigation Technology, Ground Water Planning, Texas Panhandle, Water Conservation, Ogallala, Agribusiness, Environmental Economics and Policy, Farm Management, Production Economics, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Long term monitoring of bright TeV Blazars with the MAGIC telescope

The MAGIC telescope has performed long term monitoring observations of the bright TeV Blazars Mrk421, Mrk501 and 1ES1959+650. Up to 40 observations, 30 to 60 minutes each have been performed for each source evenly distributed over the observable period of the year. The sensitivity of MAGIC is sufficient to establish a flux level of 25% of the Crab flux for each measurement. These observations are well suited to trigger multiwavelength ToO observations and the overall collected data allow an unbiased study of the flaring statistics of the observed AGNs.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, to appear in the proceedings of the 30th International Cosmic Ray Conference, Merida, July 200

First contemporary case of human infection with Cryptococcus gattii in Puget Sound: Evidence for spread of the Vancouver Island outbreak

We report a case of cryptococcosis due to C. gattii which appears to have been acquired in the Puget Sound region, Washington State. Genotyping confirmed identity to the predominant Vancouver Island genotype. This is the first documented case of human disease by the major Vancouver Island emergence strain acquired within the United States

Rain: Relaxations in the sky

We demonstrate how, from the point of view of energy flow through an open system, rain is analogous to many other relaxational processes in Nature such as earthquakes. By identifying rain events as the basic entities of the phenomenon, we show that the number density of rain events per year is inversely proportional to the released water column raised to the power 1.4. This is the rain-equivalent of the Gutenberg-Richter law for earthquakes. The event durations and the waiting times between events are also characterised by scaling regions, where no typical time scale exists. The Hurst exponent of the rain intensity signal $H = 0.76 > 0.5$. It is valid in the temporal range from minutes up to the full duration of the signal of half a year. All of our findings are consistent with the concept of self-organised criticality, which refers to the tendency of slowly driven non-equilibrium systems towards a state of scale free behaviour.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures, submitted to PR