CONTEXTO: El entrenamiento aplicando elementos de inestabilidad está siendo ampliamente utilizado en el campo del entrenamiento como una herramienta novedosa y eficaz. No obstante, recientes hallazgos aportan datos contrarios a esta creencia y sugieren que la ejecución de ejercicios tradicionales sobre superficies inestables o ejercicios calisténicos específicos para el fortalecimiento estabilizador pueden no resultar estímulo suficiente para personas con un nivel de entrenamiento elevado llegando incluso a interferencia en el rendimiento final por la reducción de la capacidad de fuerza y la carencia de especificidad del entrenamiento. OBJETIVO: Cuantificar y comparar la actividad muscular paraespinal y la capacidad de generar fuerza máxima isométrica durante ejercicios globales que requieres de estabilidad frente a los ejercicios específicos calisténicos para el fortalecimiento estabilizador y los ejercicios que combinan inestabilidad externa. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: 31 sujetos altamente entrenados, con experiencia en el entrenamiento con elementos inestables y sin patologías de espalda fueron reclutados voluntariamente para la realización del estudio descriptivo. Tras un calentamiento estandarizado fueron colocados los electrodos para el registro muscular del multifidus (lumbar, torácico), erector espinae (lumbar, torácico). Con esta instrumentación los sujetos realizaron de forma aleatoria y dejando siempre un mínimo de 3 minutos de descanso los siguientes ejercicios: i) extensión lumbar; ii) extensión lumbar T-Bow; iii) lunge; iv) sentadilla con inestabilidad [Bosu, T-Bow]; v) peso muerto; vi) peso muerto con inestabilidad [Bosu, T-Bow]. Para todos los ejercicios se realizaron dos condiciones de evaluación, fuerza máxima contracción isométrica voluntaria (MCIV) y 10 repeticiones al 70% (MCIV). Los datos fueron registrados y almacenados para su posterior tratamiento estadístico con el SPSS 17.0. RESULTADOS: Durante las mediciones estáticas y dinámicas de siempre existió una mayor activación muscular y registros de fuerza máxima isométrica (MCIV) (p<0.05) para las condiciones de estabilidad frente a las de inestabilidad. Los registros más elevados los obtuvo el ejercicio de peso muerto donde la fuerza máxima isométrica voluntaria media fue de 107.85 (5.15) Kg. Mientras que la respuesta muscular global paraespinal en condiciones de estabilidad realizado al 70% (MCIV) fueron [máximo registro dinámico 117.38 (5.49) % y media dinámica 88.53 (2.97) %)]. CONCLUSIÓN: Añadir elementos de inestabilidad reduce la capacidad de generar fuerza máxima isométrica. La realización de los ejercicios globales al 70 % (MCIV) en condiciones de estabilidad generan la misma (lunge) o mayor (peso muerto) actividad muscular que los mismos ejercicios realizados con elementos de inestabilidad o con ejercicios específicos calisténicos. Por último, los datos parecen indicar que las respuestas musculares y la reducción en la capacidad de generar fuerza dependerán de los grados de inestabilidad que genere el dispositivo sobre el que se realice el ejercicio. / CONTEXT: It’s unclear whether unstable conditions during traditional resistance exercises performed at moderate loads can provoke higher levels of paraespinal muscular activation in healthy/athletic populations than the stable exercises performed at high loads. By other hand it has suggested that use unstable devices can reduce de strength performance output. PURPOSE: To quantify and to compare paraespinal muscular activity and maximum isometric voluntary contraction (MIVC) while carrying out different exercises polyarticular and calisthenic specific lumbar strengthening exercises in both stable and unstable conditions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 31 subjects highly trained, experienced in training with instability and without pathologies were voluntarily recruited back to the descriptive study. Following a standardized warming the electrodes were placed to record the multifidus and erector espinae both in lumbar and thoracic portion. Subjects performed at random and always leaving a minimum of 3 minutes of rest for the following exercises: i) lumbar extension; ii) T-Bow lumbar extension; iii) lunge; iv) unstable squat [Bosu, T- Bow]; v) deadlift; vi) unstable deadlift [Bosu, T-Bow].This exercises were performed two testing conditions, (MIVC) and 10 repetitions at 70% (MIVC). Data were recorded and stored for later statistical analysis with SPSS 17.0. RESULTS: Data shows that there was a greater muscle activation and maximal isometric force records (MCIV) (p <0.05) for the conditions of stability against instability. Records obtained higher the deadlift exercise where the maximum voluntary isometric force average was 107.85 (5.15) kg. While global paraspinal muscle response in a stable made of 70% (MCIV) were [maximum dynamic registration 117.38 (5.49)% and 88.53 running average (2.97 )%)]. CONCLUSION: Add elements of instability reduces the ability to generate maximal isometric force. The overall exercise performance 70% (MCIV) in stable conditions generate the same (lunge) or higher (deadlift) muscle activity that these exercises with elements of instability or specific exercises calisthenics.

Control of bulk melt crystal growth techniques is desirable for producing semiconductors with the highest purity and ternary alloys with tunable electrical properties. Because these molten materials are electrically conducting, external magnetic fields are often employed to regulate the flow in the melt. However, complicated by the coupled flow, thermal, electromagnetic and chemical physics, such magnetic control is typically empirical or even an educated guess. Two magnetic flow control mechanisms: flow damping by steady magnetic fields, and flow stirring by alternating magnetic fields, are investigated numerically. Magnetic damping during optically-heated float-zone crystal growth is modeled using a spectral collocation method. The Marangoni convection at the free melt-gas interface is suppressed by applying a steady magnetic field, measured by the Hartmann number Ha. Using normal mode linear stability analyses, suppression of detrimental flow instabilities is quantitatively determined in a range applicable to experiments (up to Ha = 300 for Pr = 0.02, and up to Ha = 500 for Pr = 0.001). The hydrodynamic flow instability for small Prandtl number P r float-zone is confirmed by energy analyses. Rotating magnetic field stirring during confined crystal growth in an ampoule is also modeled. Decoupled from the flow field at small magnetic Reynolds number, the electromagnetic field is solved in a finite element solver. At low AC frequencies, the force is only in the azimuthal direction but penetrates deep into the melt. In contrast, the magnetic shielding effect is observed at high alternating current (AC) frequencies, where the external magnetic field penetrates only by a skin depth into the electrically conducting media within the short AC cycle. As a result, the electromagnetic body force is primarily confined to the ampoule surface. At these high AC frequencies the magnetic flux lines are drastically distorted within the melt. The body force is fully three-dimensional and is much stronger than at low AC frequencies, but is confined to near the ampoule surface due to the magnetic shielding effect. These models promote fundamental understanding of flow dynamics regulated by electromagnetic body forces. They provide quantitative guidance for crystal growth to minimize trial and error experimentation that is slow and expensive.

Spray models are increasingly becoming the principal tools in the design and development of gas turbine combustors. Spray modeling requires a knowledge of the liquid atomization process, and the sizes and velocities of subsequently formed droplets as initial conditions. In order to have a better understanding of the liquid atomization process,the breakup characteristics of plane liquid sheets in co-flowing gas streams are investigated by means of linear and nonlinear hydrodynamic instability analyses. The liquid sheet breakup process is studied for initial sinuous and varicose modes of disturbance. It is observed that the sheet breakup occurs at half-wavelength intervals for an initial sinuous disturbance and at full-wavelength intervals for an initial varicose disturbance. It is also found that under certain operating conditions, the breakup process is dictated by the initial varicose disturbance compare to its sinuous counterpart. Further, the breakup process is studied for the combined mode and it is found that the sheet breakup occurs at half- or full-wavelength intervals depending on the proportion of the individual sinuous and varicose disturbances. In general, the breakup length decreases with the increase in the Weber number, gas-to-liquid velocity and density ratios. A predictive model of the initial droplet size and velocity distributions for the subsequently formed spray is also formulated here. The present model incorporates the deterministic aspect of spray formation by calculating the breakup length and the mass-mean diameter and the stochastic aspect by statistical means through the maximum entropy principle based on Bayesian entropy. The two sub-models are coupled together by the various source terms signifying the liquid-gas interaction and a prior distribution based on instability analysis, which provides information regarding the unstable wave elements on the two liquid-gas interfaces. Experimental investigation of the breakup characteristics of the liquid sheet is performed by a high speed CCD camera and the measurement of the initial droplet size and distributions is conducted by phase-Doppler interferometry. Good agreement of the theoretical breakup length with the experiment is obtained for a planar, an annular and a gas turbine nozzle. The predicted initial droplet size and velocity distributions show reasonably satisfactory agreement with experimental data for all the three types of nozzles. Hence this spray model can be utilized to predict the initial droplet size and velocity distributions in sprays, which can then be implemented as a front-end subroutine to the existing computer codes.

The whole universe is filled with plasma. There are different kinds of plasmas filling large volumes, separated by distinct boundaries. Many important energy conversion, particle acceleration and plasma transport processes occur at these boundaries, and therefore it is important to study the plasma processes there. It will for example help us to better understand the interaction and energy exchange between the Sun and the Earth. The lower hybrid drift waves (LHDW) are strong plasma waves that are often excited within boundaries, but their role in different plasma processes are still unclear. Many studies of the LHDW have been done, both in space and in laboratory. However, the LHDW are electron scale waves, and due to their small wavelength it has been difficult to study them in detail experimentally. For the first time we are able to make very detailed studies of the LHDW using observations by the Cluster spacecraft in the plasma surrounding Earth. By making cross spacecraft correlations of the electric field and examining existence conditions, we were able to determine the velocity of propagation and wavelength of the waves and thereby identify them as LHDW. We also calculate the electrostatic potential and find that it corresponds to about a third of the electron temperature. This indicate that they might be able to affect the electrons and thus take part in the processes within the boundary layer. By deriving a linear relation between the electrostatic potential, and the wave magnetic field, we compare them both and find that they correspond very well. We can use this to estimate the electrostatic potential in cases when cross spacecraft correlation is not possible.

Spray models are increasingly becoming the principal tools in the design and development of gas turbine combustors. Spray modeling requires a knowledge of the liquid atomization process, and the sizes and velocities of subsequently formed droplets as initial conditions. In order to have a better understanding of the liquid atomization process,the breakup characteristics of plane liquid sheets in co-flowing gas streams are investigated by means of linear and nonlinear hydrodynamic instability analyses. The liquid sheet breakup process is studied for initial sinuous and varicose modes of disturbance. It is observed that the sheet breakup occurs at half-wavelength intervals for an initial sinuous disturbance and at full-wavelength intervals for an initial varicose disturbance. It is also found that under certain operating conditions, the breakup process is dictated by the initial varicose disturbance compare to its sinuous counterpart. Further, the breakup process is studied for the combined mode and it is found that the sheet breakup occurs at half- or full-wavelength intervals depending on the proportion of the individual sinuous and varicose disturbances. In general, the breakup length decreases with the increase in the Weber number, gas-to-liquid velocity and density ratios. A predictive model of the initial droplet size and velocity distributions for the subsequently formed spray is also formulated here. The present model incorporates the deterministic aspect of spray formation by calculating the breakup length and the mass-mean diameter and the stochastic aspect by statistical means through the maximum entropy principle based on Bayesian entropy. The two sub-models are coupled together by the various source terms signifying the liquid-gas interaction and a prior distribution based on instability analysis, which provides information regarding the unstable wave elements on the two liquid-gas interfaces. Experimental investigation of the breakup characteristics of the liquid sheet is performed by a high speed CCD camera and the measurement of the initial droplet size and distributions is conducted by phase-Doppler interferometry. Good agreement of the theoretical breakup length with the experiment is obtained for a planar, an annular and a gas turbine nozzle. The predicted initial droplet size and velocity distributions show reasonably satisfactory agreement with experimental data for all the three types of nozzles. Hence this spray model can be utilized to predict the initial droplet size and velocity distributions in sprays, which can then be implemented as a front-end subroutine to the existing computer codes.

The research described in this thesis began with a single long-term objective: modelling of the vertebral artery during chiropractic manipulation of the cervical spine. Although chiropractic treatment has become prevalent, the possible correlation between neck manipulation and subsequent stroke in patients has been the subject of debate without resolution. Past research has been qualitative or statistical, whereas resolution demands a fundamental understanding of the associated mechanics.<p> Analysis in the thesis begins with a study of the anatomy and properties pertinent to the chiropractic problem. This indicates that the complexity of the problem will necessitate a long-term multidisciplinary effort including a nonlinear finite element formulation effective in analysing image data for soft tissue modelled as nearly incompressible. This leads to an assessment of existing finite element methods and the conclusion that new equation solving techniques are needed to ensure numerical stability.<p> Three techniques for effectively eliminating the source of numerical instability are developed and demonstrated with the aid of original finite element codes. Two of the methods are derived as modifications of matrix decomposition algorithms, while the third method constitutes a new finite element formulation. In addition, the understanding gained in developing these methods is used to produce a theorem for assessing a different but related problem: deformation of a nearly incompressible material subjected to a single concentrated force. Throughout the thesis, an interdisciplinary path from chiropractic problem to numerical algorithms is outlined, and results are in the form of mathematical proofs and derivations of both existing and new methods.

Microtubules are cytoskeletal protein polymers relevant to a wide range of cell functions. In order to polymerize, the constituent tubulin subunits need to bind the nucleotide GTP, but its subsequent hydrolysis to GDP in the microtubule lattice induces depolymerization. The resulting behaviour of stochastic switching between growth and shrinkage is called dynamic instability. Both dynamic instability and microtubule mechanical properties are integral to many cell functions, yet are poorly understood. The present study uses thermal fluctuation measurements of grafted microtubules with different nucleotide contents to extract stiffnesses, relaxation times, and drag coefficients with an unprecedented precision. Both the stiffness and the relaxation time data indicate that stiffness is a function of length for GDP microtubules stabilized with the chemotherapy drug taxol. By contrast, measurements on microtubules polymerized with the non-hydrolizable GTP-analogue GMPCPP show a significantly higher, but constant, stiffness. The addition of taxol is shown to not significantly affect the properties of these microtubules, but a lowering of the GMPCPP content restores the length-dependent stiffness seen for taxol microtubules. The data are interpreted on the basis of a recent biopolymer model that takes into account the anisotropic architecture of microtubules which consist of loosely coupled protofilaments arranged in a tube. Using taxol microtubules and GMPCPP microtubules as the respective analogues of the GDP and GTP state of microtubules, evidence is presented that shear coupling between neighbouring protofilaments is at least two orders of magnitude stiffer in the GTP state than in the GDP state. Previous studies of nucleotide effects on tubulin have focussed on protofilament bending, and the present study is the first to be able to show a dramatic effect on interprotofilament bonds. The finding’s profound implications for dynamic instability are discussed. In addition, internal friction is found to dominate over hydrodynamic drag for microtubules shorter than ∼ 4 μm and, like stiffness, to be affected by the bound nucleotide, but not by taxol. Furthermore, the thermal shape fluctuations of free microtubules are imaged, and the intrinsic curvatures of microtubules are shown for the first time to follow a spectrum reminiscent of thermal bending. Regarding the extraction of mechanical data, this assay, though previously described in the literature, is shown to suffer from systematic flaws.

<p>A majority of formal theoretic research in political science treats political parties as unitary actors, and endows them with decision-making powers not unlike those of strategic individuals. This is true both of most research in the spatial-theoretic tradition, as well as most game theoretic research in the field of comparative political-economy. In contrast, my dissertation examines strategic equilibria which arise when competition takes place simultaneously within parties over organizational control and between parties over political office. I first distinguish between three intra-organizational elements: a party's parliamentary group, its activist cadre, and its executive leaders. Chapters 2-4 develop a set of foundational game theoretic models which identify the equilibrium balance of power among these 3 organizational elements as a function of a country's electoral institutions and voters' relative responsiveness to marginal policy changes. In turn, this more complete understanding of intra-party competition sheds light on a number of important questions in comparative politics and comparative political-economy. For example, it helps to identify conditions under which Downsian vote-maximization is in fact a viable assumption in spatial theoretic models; conditions under which Duverger's argument that proportional representation (PR) should tend to generate multi-party competition may not apply; and, in contrast to Lijphart's famous argument, conditions under which PR may instigate rather than mediate social conflict. Ten months of intensive field research conducted in Turkey provide both the quantitative and the qualitative data which constitute the dissertation's most basic empirical material. This data includes primary and secondary source material on the history of intra-organizational competition in Turkey; observational and informant-based information on contemporary Turkish politics and the events of 2006-2008; and a data set of over 4,000 observations on party-switching in the Turkish Parliament (1987-2007).</p> / Dissertation

Film flow of a suspension has been investigated both experimentally and theoretically. Gravity-driven free-surface inclined plane flow of a suspension of neutrally buoyant particles has been investigated using a stereoscopic particle imaging velocimetry technique. Particles have been shown to migrate away from the solid surface, and the film thickness has been shown to decrease as the fluid moves down the inclined plane. The free surface has been characterized using a light reflection technique, which shows that surface topography is affected by the inclination angle, and the particle concentration. This flow has been modeled based on a suspension normal stress approach. A boundary condition at the free surface has been examined, and model predictions have been compared with experimental results. The model predicts that the film thickness, relative to its initial value, will decrease with the bulk particle concentration. The thin film flow over the inner cylinder in partially filled Couette flow of a suspension has been experimentally investigated as well as modeled. Concentration bands have been shown to form under a variety of different fill fractions, bulk particle concentrations, inclination angles, ratio of inner to outer cylinder, and rotation rates of the inner cylinder. The banding phenomena ranges from a regime where bands are small, mobile and relatively similar in concentration to the bulk, to a regime where the concentration bands are larger, stationary, and where the space between them is completely devoid of particles. The role of the film thickness in the band formation process has been investigated, and has led to a model for the band formation process based on a difference in the rate that fluid can drain from height fluctuations relative to the particles.

Wave Number Selection and Defect Dynamics in Patterns with Hexagonal Symmetry Denis B. Semwogerere 108 Pages Directed by Dr. Michael F. Schatz We report quantitative measurements of wave number selection, secondary instability and defect dynamics in hexagonal patterns. A novel optical technique ("thermal laser writing") is used to imprint initial patterns with selected characteristics in a B뮡rd-Marangoni convection experiment. Initial patterns of ideal hexagons are imposed to determine the band of stable-pattern wave numbers. For small values of control parameter epsilon the measured stable band is found to agree quantitatively with theoretical predictions at the low-wave-number side of the band, and qualitatively at the high-wave-number side. Long-wavelength perturbations of ideal hexagonal patterns suggested by theory are imposed for epsilon=0.46 and their growth rates are measured to investigate the mechanisms of secondary instability. Our results suggest a transverse-phase instability limits stable hexagons at low wave number while a longitudinal-phase instability limits high-wave-number hexagons. Initial patterns containing an isolated penta-hepta defect are imprinted to study defect propagation directions and velocities. The experimental results agree well with theoretical predictions. The experimental investigations are discussed in the context of patterns with hexagonal symmetry formed under nonequilibrium external driving conditions.