The effects of man-marking on work intensity in small-sided soccer games

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of manipulating defensive rules: with and without man-marking (MM and NMM) on exercise intensity in 3 vs. 3 small-sided games (SSGs). Twelve adolescent soccer players (age: 16.2 ± 0.7 years; body mass: 55.7 ± 6.4 kg; body height: 1.70 ± 0.07 m) participated in this repeated measures study. Each participant performed in four different SSGs formats: 3 vs. 3 MM with and without goals and 3 vs. 3 NMM with and without goals. Each SSG lasted 3 x 4 minutes interspersed with 4 minutes passive recovery. The percentage heart rate reserve (%HRreserve) was recorded continuously during SSG and session-rating of perceived exertion (session-RPE) after the SSG. MANOVA showed that defensive rule had significant effects on intensity (F = 5.37, p < 0.01). Specifically, MM during SSG induced significantly higher %HRreserve compared to NMM (Goal: 80.5 vs. 75.7%; No goal: 80.5 vs. 76.1%; p < 0.05, effect size = 0.91-1.06), irrespective of the presence or absence of goals. However, only MM with the presence of goals induced significant higher session-RPE compared to NMM (7.1 vs. 6.0; p < 0.05, effect size = 1.36), whereas no difference in session-RPE was observed between MM and NMM (7.4 vs. 6.9; p > 0.05, effect size = 0.63) when no goals were used. Higher intra-class reliability and lower coefficient of variation values were also reported in MM as compared to NMM. This study in youth soccer players shows there is ~4.5% increase in heart rate response by using the man-marking in 3 vs. 3 SSG thus the intensity of SSG can be significantly increased when using man-marking tactics

16-µJ pulse energy, picosecond, narrow-linewidth master oscillator power amplifier using direct amplification

We present a gain-switched-diode-seeded 1034.5nm master oscillator power amplifier, employing direct amplification through standard commercial Yb3+-doped fibres to generate 15.6µJ-pulse-energy, 126kW-peak-power, picosecond pulses with 3dB spectral bandwidth of 0.87nm

Frequency response function based structural damage detection using artificial neural networks

Damage detection in structures has become increasingly important in recent years. While a number of damage detection and localization methods have been proposed, few attempts have been made to explore the structure damage with frequency response functions (FRFs). This paper illustrates the damage identification and condition assessment of a beam structure using a new frequency response functions (FRFs) based damage index and Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs). In practice, usage of all available FRF data as an input to artificial neural networks makes the training and convergence impossible. Therefore one of the data reduction techniques Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is introduced in the algorithm. In the proposed procedure, a large set of FRFs are divided into sub-sets in order to find the damage indices for different frequency points of different damage scenarios. The basic idea of this method is to establish features of damaged structure using FRFs from different measurement points of different sub-sets of intact structure. Then using these features, damage indices of different damage cases of the structure are identified after reconstructing of available FRF data using PCA. The obtained damage indices corresponding to different damage locations and severities are introduced as input variable to developed artificial neural networks. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is illustrated and validated by using the finite element model of a beam structure. The illustrated results show that the PCA based damage index is suitable and effective for structural damage detection and condition assessment of building structures

Structure determination of PF3 adsorption on Cu(100) using X-ray standing waves

The local structure of the Cu(100)c(4x2)-PF3 adsorption phase has been investigated through the use of normal-incidence X-ray standing waves (NIXSW), monitored by P 1s and F 1s photoemission, together with P K-edge near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS). NEXAFS shows the molecule to be oriented with its C3v symmetry axis essentially perpendicular to the surface, while the P NIXSW data show the molecule to be adsorbed in atop sites 2.37±0.04 Å above the surface, this distance corresponding to the Cu-P nearest-neighbour distance in the absence of any surface relaxation. F NIXSW indicates a surprisingly small height difference of the P and F atoms above the surface 0.44±0.06 Å, compared with the value expected for an undistorted gas-phase geometry of 0.77 Å, implying significant increases in the F-P-F bond angles. In addition, however, the F NIXSW data indicate that the molecules have a well-defined azimuthal orientation with a molecular mirror plane aligned in a substrate mirror plane, and with a small (5-10°) tilt of the molecule in this plane such that the two symmetrically-equivalent F atoms in each molecule are tilted down towards the surface

A Generating Function for all Semi-Magic Squares and the Volume of the Birkhoff Polytope

We present a multivariate generating function for all n x n nonnegative integral matrices with all row and column sums equal to a positive integer t, the so called semi-magic squares. As a consequence we obtain formulas for all coefficients of the Ehrhart polynomial of the polytope B_n of n x n doubly-stochastic matrices, also known as the Birkhoff polytope. In particular we derive formulas for the volumes of B_n and any of its faces.Comment: 24 pages, 1 figure. To appear in Journal of Algebraic Combinatoric

Effects of Pore Walls and Randomness on Phase Transitions in Porous Media

We study spin models within the mean field approximation to elucidate the topology of the phase diagrams of systems modeling the liquid-vapor transition and the separation of He$^3$--He$^4$ mixtures in periodic porous media. These topologies are found to be identical to those of the corresponding random field and random anisotropy spin systems with a bimodal distribution of the randomness. Our results suggest that the presence of walls (periodic or otherwise) are a key factor determining the nature of the phase diagram in porous media.Comment: REVTeX, 11 eps figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Long-term trends in tropical cyclone tracks around Korea and Japan in late summer and early fall

This study investigates long-term trends in tropical cyclones (TCs) over the extratropical western North Pacific (WNP) over a period of 35 years (1982-2016). The area analyzed extended across 30-45 degrees N and 120-150 degrees E, including the regions of Korea and Japan that were seriously affected by TCs. The northward migration of TCs over the WNP to the mid-latitudes showed a sharp increase in early fall. In addition, the duration of TCs over the WNP that migrated northwards showed an increase, specifically in early to mid-September. Therefore, more recently, TC tracks have been observed to significantly extend into the mid-latitudes. The recent northward extension of TC tracks over the WNP in early fall was observed to be associated with changes in environmental conditions that were favorable for TC activities, including an increase in sea surface temperature (SST), decrease in vertical wind shear, expansion of subtropical highs, strong easterly steering winds, and an increase in relative vorticity. In contrast, northward migrations of TCs to Korea and Japan showed a decline in late August, because of the presence of unfavorable environmental conditions for TC activities. These changes in environmental conditions, such as SST and vertical wind shear, can be partially associated with the Pacific decadal oscillation

Cryogenic Characterization of Commercial SiC Power MOSFETs

The cryogenic performance of two commercially available SiC power MOSFETs are presented in this work. The devices are characterised in static and dynamic tests at 10 K intervals from 20-320 K. Static current-voltage characterisation indicates that at low temperatures threshold voltage, turn-on voltage, on-state resistance, transconductance, and the body diode turn-on voltage all increase while saturation current decreases. Dynamic, 60 V, 3A switching tests within the cryogenic chamber are also reported and the trends of switching speed, losses, and total power losses, which rise at low temperature, are presented. Overall, both MOSFETs are fully operable down to 20 K with both positive and negative changes in behaviour.</p

Looking for a Heavy Higgsino LSP in Collider and Dark Matter Experiments

A large part of the mSUGRA parameter space satisfying the WMAP constraint on the dark matter relic density corresponds to a higgsino LSP of mass $\simeq 1$ TeV. We find a promising signal for this LSP at CLIC, particularly with polarized electron and positron beams. One also expects a viable monochromatic $\gamma$-ray signal from its pair annihilation at the galactic center at least for cuspy DM halo profiles. All these results hold equally for the higgsino LSP of other SUSY models like the non-universal scalar or gaugino mass models and the so-called inverted hierarchy and more minimal supersymmetry models.Comment: LaTeX, 18 pages with 5 embedded postscript figures. Added a couple of references (version to appear in Phys. Lett. B

Secondary forest fragments offer important carbon‐biodiversity co‐benefits

Tropical forests store large amounts of carbon and high biodiversity, but are being degraded at alarming rates. The emerging global Forest and Landscape Restoration (FLR) agenda seeks to limit global climate change by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through the growth of trees. In doing so, it may also protect biodiversity as a free co‐benefit, which is vital given the massive shortfall in funding for biodiversity conservation. We investigated whether natural forest regeneration on abandoned pastureland offers such co‐benefits, focusing for the first time on the recovery of taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity of trees, including the recovery of threatened and endemic species richness, within isolated secondary forest fragments. We focused on the globally threatened Brazilian Atlantic Forest, where commitments have been made to restore one million hectares under FLR. Three decades after land abandonment, regenerating forests had recovered ~20% (72 Mg/ha−1) of the above‐ground carbon stocks of a primary forest, with cattle pasture containing just 3% of stocks relative to primary forests. Over this period, secondary forest recovered ~76% of taxonomic, 84% of phylogenetic and 96% of functional diversity found within primary forests. In addition, secondary forests had on average recovered 65% of threatened and ~30% of endemic species richness of primary Atlantic forest. Finally, we find positive relationships between carbon stock and tree diversity recovery. Our results emphasize that secondary forest fragments offer co‐benefits under FLR and other carbon‐based payments for ecosystem service schemes (e.g. carbon enhancements under REDD +). They also indicate that even isolated patches of secondary forest could help to mitigate climate change and the biodiversity extinction crisis by recovering species of high conservation concern and improving landscape connectivity