Dominant–non-dominant asymmetry of kicking a stationary and rolling ball in a futsal context

The aim of this study was to analyse the characteristics of the asymmetries in the dominant and non-dominant limbs when kicking stationary and rolling balls. Ten experienced Brazilian amateur futsal players participated in this study. Each participant performed kicks under two conditions (stationary ball vs. rolling ball) with the dominant and non-dominant limbs (five kicks per condition per limb). We analysed the kicking accuracy, ball and foot velocities, angular joint displacement and velocity. The asymmetry between the dominant and non-dominant limbs was analysed by symmetry index and two-way repeated measures ANOVA. The results did not reveal any interaction between the condition and limb for ball velocity, foot velocity and accuracy. However, kicking with the dominant limb in both kicks showed higher ball velocity (stationary ball: dominant – 24.27 ± 2.21 m · s^?1 and non-dominant – 21.62 ± 2.26 m · s^?1; rolling ball: dominant – 23.88 ± 2.71 m · s^?1 and non-dominant – 21.42 ± 2.25 m · s^?1), foot velocity (stationary ball: dominant – 17.61 ± 1.87 m · s^?1 and non-dominant – 15.58 ± 2.69 m · s^?1; rolling ball: dominant – 17.25 ± 2.26 m · s^?1 and non-dominant – 14.77 ± 2.35 m · s^?1) and accuracy (stationary ball: dominant – 1.17 ± 0.84 m and non-dominant – 1.56 ± 1.30 m; rolling ball: dominant – 1.31 ± 0.91 m and non-dominant – 1.97 ± 1.44 m). In addition, the angular joint adjustments were dependent on the limb in both kicks (the kicks with non-dominant limb showed lower hip external rotation than the kicks with the dominant limb), indicating that the hip joint is important in kick performance. In conclusion, the kicks with the non-dominant limb showed different angular adjustments in comparison to kicks with the dominant limb. In addition, kicking a rolling ball with the non-dominant limb showed higher asymmetry for accuracy, indicating that complex kicks are more asymmetric.     

A low-cost method for estimating energy expenditure during soccer refereeing

This study aimed to apply a validated bioenergetics model of sprint running to recordings obtained from commercial basic high-sensitivity global positioning system receivers to estimate energy expenditure and physical activity variables during soccer refereeing. We studied five Italian fifth division referees during 20 official matches while carrying the receivers. By applying the model to the recorded speed and acceleration data, we calculated energy consumption during activity, mass-normalised total energy consumption, total distance, metabolically equivalent distance and their ratio over the entire match and the two halves. Main results were as follows: (match) energy consumption = 4729 ± 608 kJ, mass normalised total energy consumption = 74 ± 8 kJ · kg^?1, total distance = 13,112 ± 1225 m, metabolically equivalent distance = 13,788 ± 1151 m and metabolically equivalent/total distance = 1.05 ± 0.05. By using a very low-cost device, it is possible to estimate the energy expenditure of soccer refereeing. The provided predicting mass-normalised total energy consumption versus total distance equation can supply information about soccer refereeing energy demand.     

The influence of dovetailed cross beams on the dimensional stability of a panel painting from the Middle Ages

This paper describes experiments carried out to determine the influence of dovetailed cross beams on the dimensional stability of a panel painting from the Middle Ages. Besides a serious cup (transverse distortion), the panel featured an unusual longitudinal distortion, a bow, mostly originating from bending in the proximity of the middle cross beam. Because of its localized occurrence, bending appeared to be caused by the crossbeam somehow pushing on the walls of its channel. Thanks to the cooperation offered by the curator and the restorer, some non-damaging tests were performed to measure the distortions of the panel, with and without the cross beams, after conditioning it in different climates. Processing and analysis of the measurement results demonstrated that the bow of the panel increases as the wood moisture content decreases. This led to the conclusion that the bow is actually produced by forces exerted by the cross beam along the panel's length, according to a mechanism named thrust transformation. By this mechanism the cross beam partly transforms the panel's tendency towards cupping, into a bow distortion.     

Enhanced production of thermostable laccases from a native strain of Pycnoporus sanguineus using central composite design

研究目的：优化获得血红密孔菌（P.sanguineus）的最佳培养基组成,提高耐热漆酶的产量。创新要点：获得了目前文献报道的最高水平的漆酶活力。研究方法：通过单因素试验研究了不同培养基（番茄汁、麦麸、麦芽提取物和葡萄糖细菌蛋白胨培养基）和不同组合诱导剂（大豆油、阿魏酸、没食子酸、二甲基苯胺、酸性蓝62和活性蓝19分别与硫酸铜组合诱导剂）对P.sanguineus产耐热漆酶的影响。在此基础上采用中心组合试验设计,进一步研究了番茄汁培养基结合硫酸铜和大豆油组合诱导剂对P.sanguineus产耐热漆酶的影响。利用SAS10.0和响应面分析方法对试验结果进行了统计分析和建立回归模型。重要结论：通过中心组合设计优化得出P.sanguineus产耐热漆酶的最优培养基条件：以36.8%番茄汁为培养基,以3 mmol/L硫酸铜和1%大豆油作为组合诱导剂。该条件下在10 L搅拌槽生物反应器中漆酶活力达到了143 000 IU/L（2,2＇-联氮双（3-乙基苯并噻唑啉-6-磺酸）为底物,pH值为3.0）。     

Depoliticizing the European immigration debate: How to employ public sector innovation to integrate migrants

Immigration is a hotly debated and politicized policy area, one in which governments confront fierce opposition from populist parties and negative media narratives altering citizens’ perceptions of the issue. There is also growing scholarly interest in migration; new migrant integration research advocates for a conceptual shift away from focusing on migrant populations and towards rethinking host communities. At the same time, public sector innovation research is developing new approaches for how governments and public organizations can be innovative in dealing with grand challenges such as migration. The aim of this article is to merge these two subfields in order to answer a guiding research question: how can public organizations be innovative to promote integration for migrants? We suggest a typology of different innovation strategies that governments can adopt regarding integration, and we present five illustrative cases from European nations to examine how governments can innovate in order to integrate migrants. We find that governments can use multiple tools to promote integration and respond to grand challenges; governments can use various sources of innovation to address major barriers to migrant integration (e.g. language barriers, negative media and public opinion, and the difficulties of providing concrete assistance).     

Students' transition into higher education: The role of self-efficacy,regulation strategies,and academic achievements

Transition into higher education (HE) has received increased interest in recent years, since it represents a challenging period for students. The aim of this study was to further understand the associations between self-efficacy, academic achievements, and regulation in first-year university students during their transition into HE. The convenience sample consisted of 374 first-year university students (230 females, 61.5%), aged from 18 to 33 (M = 19.86, SD = 1.51) and recruited from an Italian university. Self-efficacy was assessed using the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire; regulation strategies were assessed with the Inventory of Learning Patterns of Students; and a self-reported grade point average was taken as an indicator of each student's academic performance. Result shows that students' self-efficacy was positively associated with self-regulation and negatively associated with a lack of regulation. Students with higher self-efficacy and self-regulation strategies had better academic performance. Female students performed better in academic activities and adopted more external regulation strategies. The findings represent an opportunity for university institutions to consider the interventions they provide to first-year students in order to facilitate the successful transition from secondary school; they also provide researchers with further knowledge about the effect of self-efficacy, and regulation strategies on students' adjustment to HE.     

Passengers information in public transport and privacy: Can anonymous tickets prevent tracking?

Modern public transportation companies often record large amounts of information. Privacy can be safeguarded by discarding nominal tickets, or introducing anonymization techniques. But is anonymity at all possible when everything is recorded? In this paper we discuss travel information management in the public transport scenario and we present a revealing case study (relative to the city of Cesena, Italy), showing that even anonymous 10-ride bus tickets may betray a user's privacy expectations. We also propose a number of recommendations for the design and management of public transport information systems, aimed at preserving the users’ privacy, while retaining the useful analysis features enabled by the e-ticketing technology.     

Introducing the Discussion and One Another

Over a month-long period, the Journal of International and Intercultural Communication hosted an online discussion among 11 intercultural scholars across and outside of the discipline in response to four key questions. Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Rona Halualani, facilitated the discussion and introduced the question prompts. The goal was to create a vibrant, interactive dialogue about definitional framings of intercultural scholarship and their views of key urgencies, issues, and challenges in today's intercultural world. This section features the introduction of the discussion and of the scholar discussants themselves.     

Improving the design of squat machine using motion capture and virtual prototyping

Dynamic squat is one of the most executed fitness exercise. Its use is widespread both for rehabilitation and training purposes. Several typologies of the squat exercise can be performed. The most important are the front squat and the back squat. In the front squat the barbell is held in front of the body across the clavicles and deltoids, while in the back squat exercise the bar is held on the back of the body at the base of the neck. In this paper we will refer to dynamic back squat. The squat exercise can be performed with or without the help of a machine that has the scope of guiding the person during the movement and ensuring his stability and safety. The use of this type of machine is often necessary when the workout is heavy and the risk of incorrect exercise and injuries is high. On the other hand, the rigid structure of this device often overconstrains the lifting movement. From all these observations, the purpose of the paper is to discuss an alternative design of a mechanism able to maintain the advantage to allow a free-body execution and to preserve the safety of the athletes as well. The proposed mechanism has been designed starting from an anthropometric study on the squat movement. This has been performed by using a motion capture system and applying computer-aided engineering techniques. The design activity started from the experimental investigation of the trajectory of the barbell during the natural execution of the unrestricted back squat exercise. The tests have been performed on several subjects with different mass, anthropometry and gender. In a second phase, the data have been processed and analyzed and a specific mechanism, able to reproduce the natural trajectories, has been synthetized. Finally, the design and optimization of the entire structure has been performed through the use of virtual prototyping techniques.