Effects of exercise on the markers of iron status in serum of cross-country skiers

The study aim was to assess the within-subject, day-to-day variability for ferritin and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) concentrations in serum of 6 female and 8 male cross-country skiers aged 16-18 years under a regular training regimen throughout 8 consecutive days. The concentrations of iron status variables and creatine kinase (CK) activities were adjusted to plasma volume changes. Mean ferritin concentrations were 30.6 • 1.142[sup]±1[/sup] and 22.6 • 1.167[sup]±1[/sup] μg/l for men and women, respectively, the average within-subject, mean day-to-day variability coefficients (CV) being 13.4% in men and 15.2% in women. Mean sTfR was 2.14 • 1.050[sup]±1[/sup] and 2.62 • 1.047[sup]±1[/sup] mg/l, respectively, and mean day-to-day CV 6.5% and 4.6%. Mean CV for sTfR/logFerr were 6.0% and 7.4%, respectively. Neither index correlated with training loads or CK activities. Thus, the training performed once daily had no significant effect on ferritin concentrations on the following morning, so ferritin alone may prove insufficient in detecting iron deficiency in endurance athletes. The low variability of sTfR under endurance loads made it useful in detecting iron deficiency together with ferritin and the sTfR/logFerr index. Adjusting the concentrations of ferritin and sTfR by changes in plasma volume might be recommendable for endurance athletes

Rolling contact problem - fatigue crack propagation in a surface layer

The paper deals with the problem of development of fatigue cracks in a surface layer, which is at present one of the most actual issues of contact mechanics. The results obtained by the authors from experimental and numerical investigations of the factors, which exert an essential influence on the propagation process of a crack of the "squat" type in the wheel/rail contact zone are presented. In the first part of the work, the results obtained using the Immersion Method of Holographic Interferometry from the investigation into the shapes of faces of the cracks detected in rail heads are presented. Furthermore the experimental investigations into crack faces interactions conducted on the samples made of 900A steel under comlex loads obtained by means of the Grating Holographic Interferometry are presented as well. In the second part of the paper, the results of numerical investigations into 3D cracks of the "squat" type are discussed, with a complex stress state in the contact zone, stresses due to rail bending, residual stresses as well as thermal stresses taken into account. The investigations of the effect of conditions of crack faces interaction on simulation results,which have been conducted using 2D models are presented as well. Eight different cases were considered, and the results having the form of Stress Intansity Factor... courses versus the load position relative to the crack are presented. In the last part of the work the results of numerical simulations of rolling the wheel over the raceway with an oblique crack are presented. The conditions of crack faces interaction used in simulations were determined, basing on the experimental investigations.Problemy mechaniki kontaktu - rozwój pęknięć zmęczeniowych w warstwie wierzchniej. Praca dotyczy rozwoju pęknięć zmęczeniowych w warstwie wierzchniej, obecnie jednego z najbardziej aktualnych problemów mechaniki kontaktu. Przedstawia uzyskane przez autorów wyniki eksperymentalnych i numerycznych poszukiwań czynników, które mogą mieć istotny wpływ na rozwój pęknięć zmęczeniowych typu "squat" dla kontaktu koła i szyny. W pierwszej części pracy przedstawiono wyniki obserwacji i pomiarów metodą immersyjną interferometrii holograficznej powierzchni rzeczywistych pęknięć wykrytych w główkach szyn kolejowych oraz wyniki uzyskane metodą siatkową interferometrii holograficznej, badania wzajemnego oddziaływania brzegów pęknięć w próbkach ze stali 900A podczas działania złożonych stanów obciążenia. W drugiej części pracy przedstawiono wyniki badań numerycznych przypadków 3D pęknięć typu "squat", uwzględniających złożone stany obciążenia kontaktu, naprężenia od zginania szyny, naprężenia własne i naprężenia wynikłe ze zmiany temperatur. Przedstawiono także dla obiektów 2D badania wpływu warunków oddziaływania brzegów pęknięcia na wyniki symulacji. Rozważono osiem różnych przypadków, prezentując wyniki w postaci wykresów współczynnika intensywności współczynnika... w funkcji położenia obciążenia względem pęknięcia. W ostatniej części przedstawiono wyniki symulacji przetaczania walca po bieżni ze skośnym pęknięciem, którego warunki oddziaływania brzegów wyznaczono na podstawie badań eksperymentalnych

Day to day variability in the transferrin receptor/ferritin index in female athletes

Results: The error for ferritin concentration was nearly twice as high in athletes as in controls, that for sTfR concentration was identical in the two groups, and that for the sTfR/logFerr index was about 50% higher in athletes than in controls. Conclusions: The within subject, day to day error for the sTfR/logFerr index computed from data recorded for untrained subjects cannot serve as a reference value for training athletes. When the sTfR/logFerr index is used to monitor iron stores in athletes, an error value of 0.20 should be used, because determination of the index after a few days of rest may not be feasible

Cosserat gyro-birefringence. An introduction to nonsymmetrical photoelasticity

Abstract. Mechanical couple stresses modify at a microscopic level optical properties of some materials so they can display gyro-birefringence phenomena. The Optical Cosserat medium is defined and optical rotation tensor relative to couple stress is introduced. The generalized tensor of the dielectric permittivity is written for the Cosserat medium. Split of the plane-polarized light wave on passing through the Cosserat medium is shown and rotation of the azimuth of polarization is expressed by components of the couple stress tensor