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Volleyball players often land on a single leg following a spike shot because of a shift in the center of gravity. This landing is one of the high-risk actions for non-contact ACL injury. The purpose of this study was to compare and analyze the discrete and temporal kinematics and kinetics associated with functional valgus collapse during volleyball in player landing phases during a single-leg landing and double-leg landing following a spike shot. Kinematics and kinetics data were collected (captured by a Vicon motion system and AMTI force plate, processed by Visual-3D software) during the single-leg and double-leg landing phases in 13 semi-professional male volleyball players. The landing phase was defined as initial ground contact (0% landing phase) to maximum knee flexion (100% landing phase). Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) analysis revealed that single-leg landing depicted a significantly greater knee abduction angle and hip adduction moment than double-leg landing during the 0%–68% landing phase (single-leg: 7°–16°, double-leg: 0°–9°, p < 0.001) and 18%–22% (single-leg: 0.62–0.91 Nm/kg, double-leg: 0.08–0.19 Nm/kg, p = 0.0063) landing phase, respectively. The traditional discrete analysis revealed that single-leg landing depicted a significantly greater peak knee internal rotation moment (single-leg: 1.46 ± 0.38 Nm/kg, double-leg: 0.79 ± 0.19 Nm/kg, p = 0.006) and peak hip internal rotation moment (single-leg: −2.20 ± 0.54 Nm/kg, double-leg: −0.88 ± 0.30 Nm/kg, p = 0.011) than double-leg landing. Most differences were within a time frame during the landing phase of 30–50 ms in which non-contact ACL injuries are considered to happen. These recorded time frames are consistent with biomechanical measures that are deemed dangerous. To reduce lower limb injury, a volleyball player should consciously swing the arms to influence the body to maintain a better-balanced state. Adjusting the landing mode of the lower limbs can achieve a good cushioning effect during landing following a spike shot.

Elevated levels of total dissolved gas (TDG) may occur downstream of dams during the spill process. These high levels would increase the incidence of gas bubble disease in fish and cause severe environmental impacts. With increasing numbers of cascade hydropower stations being built or planned, the cumulative effects of TDG supersaturation are becoming increasingly prominent. The TDG saturation distribution in the downstream reaches of the Jinsha River was studied to investigate the cumulative effects of TDG supersaturation resulting from the cascade hydropower stations. A comparison of the effects of the joint operation and the single operation of two hydropower stations (XLD and XJB) was performed to analyze the risk degree to fish posed by TDG supersaturation. The results showed that water with supersaturated TDG generated at the upstream cascade can be transported to the downstream power station, leading to cumulative TDG supersaturation effects. Compared with the single operation of XJB, the joint operation of both stations produced a much higher TDG saturation downstream of XJB, especially during the non-flood discharge period. Moreover, the duration of high TDG saturation and the lengths of the lethal and sub-lethal areas were much higher in the joint operation scenario, posing a greater threat to fish and severely damaging the environment. This work provides a scientific basis for strategies to reduce TDG supersaturation to the permissible level and minimize the potential risk of supersaturated TDG.

The total dissolved gas (TDG) supersaturation that results from dam spillage may cause adverse effects, including increases in the risk of gas-bubble disease and mortality in fish. The accurate prediction of TDG levels is necessary in the exploration of measures for ameliorating the effects of TDG supersaturation. Based on an analysis of the mechanisms of hydropower projects with a plunging jet that produces high TDG levels, the process of TDG generation is divided into three stages. In Stage 1, TDG levels return to normal during jet spillage in air; in Stage 2, gas is dissolved in the stilling basin under high pressure; and in Stage 3, the TDG is abruptly released at the outlet of the stilling basin. According to previous research on Stage 1, the TDG level of water entering stilling basins can reach 100%. Experiments were carried out to estimate the TDG levels in Stage 2 under different pressures and retention times, and these experiments indicated that a TDG level above equilibrium saturation (ΔG 0) displays a linear relationship with the average pressure (ΔP) and a negative exponential relationship with retention time (t R). Experiments were also conducted using physical models of the Songta and Yangfanggou dam projects in China to develop a method for estimating the retention time in stilling basins. The resulting formula for estimating the retention time is a function of the water depth in the stilling basin (h k), length of the stilling basin (l), distance between the toe of the dam and impact point of the jet (l 0), and the dimensionless number at the stilling basin outlet λ. For Stage 3, in which the abrupt release of TDG occurs, field measurements were used to determine the values of the parameters used in the abrupt release expression contained in the model. By combining the results for the three stages, a predictive model of TDG levels was obtained. TDG observations collected at six different hydropower projects in China were used for validation. Substantial agreement between predictions and measurements was found. This work may provide a scientific basis for the production of precise predictive models of TDG levels, and it has considerable application value in assessing the effects of TDG and minimizing the risks posed by elevated TDG levels to aquatic life.

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High dam discharge can lead to total dissolved gas (TDG) supersaturation in the downstream river, and fish in the TDG-supersaturated flow can suffer from bubble disease and even die. Consequently, it is of great value to study the transport and dissipation characteristics of supersaturated dissolved gas for the protection of river fish. Floodplains may form downstream of high dams due to flood discharge, and the plants on these floodplains can affect both the hydraulic characteristics and TDG transport of the flowing water. In this study, the velocity distribution and the retention response time under different flow conditions and vegetation arrangements were studied in a series of experiments. The retention time was significantly extended by the presence of vegetation, and an empirical formula for calculating the retention time was proposed. In addition, the responses of the dissipation process of supersaturated TDG to hydraulic factors, retention time, and vegetation area coefficient were analyzed. The dissipation of supersaturated TDG significantly increased with increases in the vegetation area coefficient in the water. To quantitatively describe the TDG dissipation process in TDG-supersaturated flow under the effect of vegetation, the TDG dissipation coefficient was fitted and analyzed. The basic form of the formula for the dissipation coefficient involving various influence factors was determined by dimensional analysis. An equation for calculating the TDG dissipation coefficient of flowing water with vegetation was proposed by multivariate nonlinear fitting and was proven to have great prediction accuracy. The calculated method developed in this paper can be used to predict TDG dissipation in flowing water with vegetation and is of great significance for enriching TDG prediction systems.

Objectives: Although overuse running injury risks for the ankle and knee are high, the effect of different shoe designs on Achilles tendon force (ATF) and Patellofemoral joint contact force (PTF) loading rates are unclear. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to compare the ATF at the ankle and the PTF and Patellofemoral joint stress force (PP) at the knee using different running shoe designs (forefoot shoes vs. normal shoes). Methods: Fourteen healthy recreational male runners were recruited to run over a force plate under two shoe conditions (forefoot shoes vs. normal shoes). Sagittal plane ankle and knee kinematics and ground reaction forces were simultaneously recorded. Ankle joint mechanics (ankle joint angle, velocity, moment and power) and the ATF were calculated. Knee joint mechanics (knee joint angle velocity, moment and power) and the PTF and PP were also calculated. Results: No significant differences were observed in the PTF, ankle plantarflexion angle, ankle dorsiflexion power, peak vertical active force, contact time and PTF between the two shoe conditions. Compared to wearing normal shoes, wearing the forefoot shoes demonstrated that the ankle dorsiflexion angle, knee flexion velocity, ankle dorsiflexion moment extension, knee extension moment, knee extension power, knee flexion power and the peak patellofemoral contact stress were significantly reduced. However, the ankle dorsiflexion velocity, ankle plantarflexion velocity, ankle plantarflexion moment and Achilles tendons force increased significantly. Conclusions: These findings suggest that wearing forefoot shoes significantly decreases the patellofemoral joint stress by reducing the moment of knee extension, however the shoes increased the ankle plantarflexion moment and ATF force. The forefoot shoes effectively reduced the load on the patellofemoral joint during the stance phase of running. However, it is not recommended for new and novice runners and patients with Achilles tendon injuries to wear forefoot shoes.