Force and pressure analysis during occasional loaded gait

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The immediate effects of atlanto-occipital joint manipulation and suboccipital muscle inhibition technique on active mouth opening and pressure pain sensitivity over latent myofascial trigger points in the masticatory muscles

DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial.OB JECTIVE: To investigate the immediate effects on pressure pain thresholds over latent trigger points (TrPs) in the masseter and temporalis muscles and active mouth opening following atlanto-occipital joint thrust manipulation or a soft tissue manual intervention targeted to the suboccipital muscles. BACKGROUND : Previous studies have described hypoalgesic effects of neck manipulative interventions over TrPs in the cervical musculature. There is a lack of studies analyzing these mechanisms over TrPs of muscles innervated by the trigeminal nerve. METHODS: One hundred twenty-two volunteers, 31 men and 91 women, between the ages of 18 and 30 years, with latent TrPs in the masseter muscle, were randomly divided into 3 groups: a manipulative group who received an atlanto-occipital joint thrust, a soft tissue group who received an inhibition technique over the suboccipital muscles, and a control group who did not receive an intervention. Pressure pain thresholds over latent TrPs in the masseter and temporalis muscles, and active mouth opening were assessed pretreatment and 2 minutes posttreatment by a blinded assessor. Mixed-model analyses of variance (ANOVA) were used to examine the effects of interventions on each outcome, with group as the between-subjects variable and time as the within-subjects variable. The primary analysis was the group-by-time interaction. RESULTS: The 2-by-3 mixed-model ANOVA revealed a significant group-by-time interaction for changes in pressure pain thresholds over masseter (P<.01) and temporalis (P =.003) muscle latent TrPs and also for active mouth opening (P<.001) in favor of the manipulative and soft tissue groups. Between-group effect sizes were small. CONCLUSIONS: The application of an atlanto-occipital thrust manipulation or soft tissue technique targeted to the suboccipital muscles led to an immediate increase in pressure pain thresholds over latent TrPs in the masseter and temporalis muscles and an increase in maximum active mouth opening. Nevertheless, the effects of both interventions were small and future studies are required to elucidate the clinical relevance of these changes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE : Therapy, level 1b. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2010;40(5):310-317. doi:10.2519/jospt.2010.3257. KEYWORDSDS: cervical manipulation, muscle trigger points, neck, TMJ, upper cervical.

Influence of the pre-treatments on the properties of biodegradable films from bovine hair

The replacement of conventional synthetic films and coatings by biodegradable alternatives reduces the use of non-renewable resources and waste disposal problems. Considering that Portugal is a major producer of leather, and consequently a large producer of related wastes, in this research, bovine hair was tested for the production of biodegradable films directly by thermo-compression, allowing waste valorisation and reduction of environmental pollution. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of the different pre-treatments performed by two processes (removal by mechanical action and removal by chemical process), applied to bovine hair, in order to obtain a biodegradable film with appropriate properties. Mechanical properties for these films were evaluated, namely strain at break, stress at break and Young modulus. Additionally colour, solubility and swelling in water were also studied. The mechanical removal hair only produced films with Na2S treatment. Chemical removed hair (immunization) depends of the pre-treatment and the degreasing with petroleum ether or sodium sulphide pre-treatment leads better mechanical properties. The results obtained indicated that the pre-treatments have an important role in the final properties of biodegradable films.

Efeitos de um programa prolongado de exercício na tolerância ao esforço de indivíduos com antecedentes de síndrome coronário agudo

Objectivos: Este estudo teve por objectivo verificar a influência de um programa prolongado de exercício físico em parâmetros de aptidão física e cardiovasculares avaliados em prova de esforço máximo, em sujeitos com diagnóstico recente de síndrome coronário agudo. Métodos: A amostra, constituída por 50 sujeitos, foi distribuída por um grupo experimental (n=25) e por um grupo controlo (n=25), tendo o grupo experimental ficado sujeito a um programa de exercício físico regular durante 52 semanas. Todos os indivíduos realizaram duas provas de esforço máximas (PEM) em tapete rolante, uma no início e a outra no final do protocolo experimental, tendo a primeira prova sido realizada 2-3 meses após o evento cardíaco. Nas PEM foram registados parâmetros de aptidão física (velocidade máxima, inclinação máxima do tapete e tempo de prova), dos indicadores metabólicos (METs máximo) e parâmetros cardiovasculares (frequência cardíaca repouso e máxima durante a prova, tensão arterial de repouso e máxima durante a prova e o duplo produto máximo e em repouso). Resultados: Comparativamente à primeira prova, na segunda PEM verificou-se no grupo experimental um aumento significativo (p<0,05) dos valores absolutos dos indicadores de aptidão física, com uma percentagem de variação destes parâmetros significativamente superior à do grupo controlo. No entanto, apesar do melhor desempenho físico evidenciado pelo grupo experimental, não se verificaram diferenças significativas entre os dois grupos no que respeita aos parâmetros cardiovasculares. Conclusão: Os resultados permitem concluir que o programa de exercícios se revelou vantajoso para os indivíduos do grupo experimental, tendo-lhes aumentado a tolerância ao esforço físico máximo sem uma aparente sobrecarga cardiovascular adicional.

Produção de bioetanol a partir de um resíduo orgânico proveniente da central de compostagem da LIPOR

Mestrado em Engenharia Química

Estudo geotécnico dos solos do vale do Leça no âmbito de uma obra de requalificação portuária

A expansão da área ocupada pelo Porto de Leixões (Matosinhos e Leça da Palmeira), sobre solos muito compressíveis, de origem fluvial e marinha, leva a que seja necessário recorrer à engenharia para encontrar soluções adequadas à utilização de obras dos fins em vista. Assim, na zona do porto são muitos os projectos de engenharia civil/geotécnica executados nestes solos. Como exemplo, podem citar-se a Consolidação do Terrapleno e Construção dos Caminhos de Rolamento do Terminal de Contentores TC4S, a Reabilitação de um troço com 110m, do Cais Sul e do Cais Nascente da Doca nº 4 e a Construção da Portaria Principal do Porto de Leixões, todos no vale fóssil do rio Leça. São vastos os métodos a usar para o melhoramento destes solos, a colocação de colunas de brita, com o objectivo de reforçar o solo, aumentando a sua capacidade de carga e funcionando como drenos verticais, para solucionar o problema das deformações excessivas durante e após o final da obra, uma alternativa consiste em induzir a aceleração da consolidação da camada de solo mole, o uso de pré-carregamento e drenos verticais são usuais. Quando o tempo de concretização da obra exige que o aterro seja utilizado de imediato, uma solução viável é a colocação de estacas, que transferem o peso do aterro, ou parte dele, para camadas mais competentes. Também se pode proceder à retirada do solo original e substituí-lo por outro de qualidade superior. A mais recente técnica de melhoria de solos por injecção - jet grouting - é utilizada em diversas situações, incluindo obras provisórias e definitivas. O presente trabalho visa descrever, em função dos diversos factores, o comportamento do solo face aos vários métodos utilizados e os objectivos pretendidos que serão abordados no enquadramento empírico do trabalho.

Abordagem prática para execução de taludes em obras rodoviárias com recurso a pré‐corte

Este trabalho é realizado no domínio das obras de engenharia, área onde o desmonte de rocha com recurso a explosivos em obras rodoviárias é uma actividade específica e consistiu no acompanhamento e execução de três obras rodoviárias de média e grande dimensão. A necessidade de executar escavações, recorrendo a técnicas de desmonte cuidadoso de contorno, onde o plano de corte do talude final deve obedecer a requisitos de localização, alinhamento, inclinação, estabilidade e também estéticos, acrescendo a isto a necessidade de optimizar os meios envolvidos, obriga a que esta actividade seja encarada de uma forma sistematizada, visando o racional aproveitamento de recursos. A execução desta actividade requer conhecimentos no domínio das técnicas de desmonte de contorno, dos explosivos, do mecanismo de rotura de rochas, da operação de perfuração e da geomecânica dos maciços. A abordagem deste trabalho incide sobre a técnica denominada de pré‐corte e tem como objectivo encontrar uma equação característica que permita relacionar diferentes parâmetros envolvidos nesta actividade. Este objectivo é alcançado recorrendo à correlação entre equações relativas à pressão de detonação, à pressão no furo e ao espaçamento entre furos consecutivos, desenvolvidas por outros autores. Desta forma obteve‐se uma equação que relaciona parâmetros relativos ao maciço rochoso (resistência à tracção), ao explosivo (velocidade de detonação e densidade) e ao diagrama de fogo (concentração de carga – volume de explosivo e comprimento do furo – volume do furo). A comparação entre os valores destes parâmetros obtidos na produção e os obtidos com recurso à equação característica permite concluir que a sua aplicação para execução de futuras obras possibilita uma optimização dos meios envolvidos.

Short- and medium-term effects of manual therapy on cervical active range of motion and pressure pain sensitivity in latent myofascial pain of the upper trapezius muscle: a randomized controlled trial

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate effects of different manual techniques on cervical ranges of 17 motion and pressure pain sensitivity in subjects with latent trigger point of the upper trapezius muscle. 18 Methods: One hundred seventeen volunteers, with a unilateral latent trigger point on upper trapezius due to computer 19 work, were randomly divided into 5 groups: ischemic compression (IC) group (n = 24); passive stretching group (n = 20 23); muscle energy technique group (n = 23); and 2 control groups, wait-and-see group (n = 25) and placebo group 21 (n = 22). Cervical spine range of movement was measured using a cervical range of motion instrument as well as 22 pressure pain sensitivity by means of an algometer and a visual analog scale. Outcomes were assessed pretreatment, 23 immediately, and 24 hours after the intervention and 1 week later by a blind researcher. A 4 × 5 mixed repeated- 24 measures analysis of variance was used to examine the effects of the intervention and Cohen d coefficient was used. 25 Results: A group-by-time interaction was detected in all variables (P b .01), except contralateral rotation. The 26 immediate effect sizes of the contralateral flexion, ipsilateral rotation, and pressure pain threshold were large for 3 27 experimental groups. Nevertheless, after 24 hours and 1 week, only IC group maintained the effect size. 28 Conclusions: Manual techniques on upper trapezius with latent trigger point seemed to improve the cervical range of 29 motion and the pressure pain sensitivity. These effects persist after 1 week in the IC group. (J Manipulative Physiol 301 Ther 2013;xx:1-10)

Effects of early life permethrin exposure on spatial working memory and on monoamine levels in different brain areas of pre-senescent rats

Pesticide exposure during brain development could represent an important risk factor for the onset of neurodegenerative diseases. Previous studies investigated the effect of permethrin (PERM) administered at 34 mg/kg, a dose close to the no observable adverse effect level (NOAEL) from post natal day (PND) 6 to PND 21 in rats. Despite the PERM dose did not elicited overt signs of toxicity (i.e. normal body weight gain curve), it was able to induce striatal neurodegeneration (dopamine and Nurr1 reduction, and lipid peroxidation increase). The present study was designed to characterize the cognitive deficits in the current animal model. When during late adulthood PERM treated rats were tested for spatial working memory performances in a T-maze-rewarded alternation task they took longer to choose for the correct arm in comparison to age matched controls. No differences between groups were found in anxiety-like state, locomotor activity, feeding behavior and spatial orientation task. Our findings showing a selective effect of PERM treatment on the T-maze task point to an involvement of frontal cortico-striatal circuitry rather than to a role for the hippocampus. The predominant disturbances concern the dopamine (DA) depletion in the striatum and, the serotonin (5-HT) and noradrenaline (NE) unbalance together with a hypometabolic state in the medial prefrontal cortex area. In the hippocampus, an increase of NE and a decrease of DA were observed in PERM treated rats as compared to controls. The concentration of the most representative marker for pyrethroid exposure (3-phenoxybenzoic acid) measured in the urine of rodents 12 h after the last treatment was 41.50 µ/L and it was completely eliminated after 96 h.

Growth pressure dependence of Cu2ZnSnSe4 properties

In this work, we show a set of growth conditions, for the two step process, with which the growth of CZTSe is successful and reproducible. The properties of the best CTZSe thin films grown by this method were examined by SEM/EDS, XRD, Raman scattering, AFM/EFM, transmittance and reflectance measurements, photoluminescence (PL) measurements and hot point probe. A broad emission band was observed in the photoluminescence spectrum of the CZTSe thin film. The band gap energy was estimated to be around 1.05 eV at room temperature, using the transmittance and reflectance data, and CZTSe samples show p-type conductivity with the hot point probe. The different characterization techniques show that we could grow single phase CZTSe thin films with our optimized process conditions.

Influence of selenization pressure on the growth of Cu2ZnSnSe4 films from stacked metallic layers

Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe) is a p-type semiconductor with a high absorption coefficient, 104 to 105 cm-1, and is being seen as a possible replacement for Cu(In,Ga)Se2 in thin film solar cells. Yet, there are some fundamental properties of CZTSe that are not well known, one of them is its band gap. In order to resolve its correct value it is necessary to improve the growth conditions to ensure that single phase crystalline thin films are obtained. One of the problems encountered when growing CZTSe is the loss of Sn through evaporation of SnSe. Stoichiometric films are then difficult to obtain and usually there are other phases present. One possible way to overcome this problem is to increase the pressure of growth of CZTSe. This can be done by introducing an atmosphere of an inert gas like Ar or N2. In this work we report the results of morphological, structural and optical studies of the properties of CZTSe thin films grown by selenization of DC magnetron sputtered metallic layers under different Ar pressures. The films are analysed by SEM/EDS, Raman scattering and XRD.

Ground reaction forces and plantar pressure distribution during occasional loaded gait

This study compared the ground reaction forces (GRF) and plantar pressures between unloaded and occasional loaded gait. The GRF and plantar pressures of 60 participants were recorded during unloaded gait and occasional loaded gait (wearing a backpack that raised their body mass index to 30); this load criterion was adopted because is considered potentially harmful in permanent loaded gait (obese people). The results indicate an overall increase (absolute values) of GRF and plantar pressures during occasional loaded gait (p < 0.05); also, higher normalized (by total weight) values in the medial midfoot and toes, and lower values in the lateral rearfoot region were observed. During loaded gait the magnitude of the vertical GRF (impact and thrust maximum) decreased and the shear forces increased more than did the proportion of the load (normalized values). These data suggest a different pattern of GRF and plantar pressure distribution during occasional loaded compared to unloaded gait.

Non pre-emptive scheduling of messages on SMTV token-passing networks

Fieldbus communication networks aim to interconnect sensors, actuators and controllers within distributed computer-controlled systems. Therefore, they constitute the foundation upon which real-time applications are to be implemented. A specific class of fieldbus communication networks is based on a simplified version of token-passing protocols, where each station may transfer, at most, a single message per token visit (SMTV). In this paper, we establish an analogy between non-preemptive task scheduling in single processors and the scheduling of messages on SMTV token-passing networks. Moreover, we clearly show that concepts such as blocking and interference in non-preemptive task scheduling have their counterparts in the scheduling of messages on SMTV token-passing networks. Based on this task/message scheduling analogy, we provide pre-run-time schedulability conditions for supporting real-time messages with SMTV token-passing networks. We provide both utilisation-based and response time tests to perform the pre-run-time schedulability analysis of real-time messages on SMTV token-passing networks, considering RM/DM (rate monotonic/deadline monotonic) and EDF (earliest deadline first) priority assignment schemes

Pre-run-time schedulability analysis of P-NET fieldbus networks

P-NET is a fieldbus industrial communication standard, which uses a Virtual Token Passing MAC mechanism. In this paper we establish pre-run-time schedulability conditions for supporting real-time traffic with P-NET. Essentially we provide formulae to evaluate the minimum message deadline, ensuring the transmission of real-time messages within a maximum time bound