BACKGROUND In the field of vertical jump diagnostics, force plates (FP) are the reference standard. Recently, despite a lack of evidence, jump mats have been used increasingly. Important factors in favor of jumping mats are their low cost and portability. OBJECTIVES This validity study compared the Haynl-Elektronik jump mat (HE jump mat) with the reference standard force plate. MATERIALS AN...

In the recent series of papers (cond-mat/0402471, cond-mat/0403618, condmat/0407618, cond-mat/0501586), Janis and Kolorenc discussed the role of the diffision poles in the Anderson transition theory. Their picture contradicts the general principles and is shown below to be completely misleading. Correct setting of the problem is given and the contemporary situation is discussed. The critical re...

organic horizons of old-growth Douglas-fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco] forests are colonized by ectomycorrhizal fungi, which can form large patches or mats. Respiration, N mineralization, chitinase activity, and amino sugar C and N turnover are higher in soils colonized by ectomycorrhizal mats. To test if microbial activity in mat soil is driven by decomposition of fungal biomass, we...

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a fungal plant pathogen and the causal agent of lettuce drop, an economically important disease of California lettuce. The structure of the S. sclerotiorum mating type locus MAT has previously been reported and consists of two idiomorphs that are fused end-to-end as in other homothallics. We investigated the diversity of S. sclerotiorum MAT using a total of 283 isola...

BACKGROUND The objective was to investigate the effect of placing mats on concrete slatted floors on performance, behaviour, hoof condition, dirt scores, physiological and immunological variables of beef steers, and to compare responses with animals on out-wintering pads. Continental crossbred beef steers [n = 360; mean (±SD) initial live weight 539 kg (42.2)] were blocked by breed and live wei...

BACKGROUND Subsurface fluids from deep-sea hydrocarbon seeps undergo methane- and sulfur-cycling microbial transformations near the sediment surface. Hydrocarbon seep habitats are naturally patchy, with a mosaic of active seep sediments and non-seep sediments. Microbial community shifts and changing activity patterns on small spatial scales from seep to non-seep sediment remain to be examined i...

To evaluate the reactivity to psychological stress in patients with essential hypertension we investigated hemodynamic and endocrinologic changes during a mental arithmetic task (MAT) and a mirror drawing test (MDT) in 10 hypertensive subjects. Hemodynamic changes were assessed continuously using an ambulatory radionuclide cardiac detector. There were significant increases in systolic blood pre...

The amethyst BioBelt was used by 12 subjects for 1 hour three times per week along with the amethyst Bio-Mat during sleep, daily over a 3-month period. The author used two different biofeedback devices to measure pain reduction, body mass index (BMI) to measure fat reduction, and blood cortisol levels to measure stress reduction. The BioBelt and the far infrared, negative ion amethyst Bio-Mat r...

leptospirosis is an acute infectious, systemic and septisemic disease which had recent outbreaks in some parts of iran especially in north provinces. rapid detection is a critical step for treatment and control of this disease. in this research a pcr based method was evaluated for detection of iranian local endemic serovars. all reported endemic serovars of leptospira including leptospira gripp...