Efeito do método pilates no desempenho muscular e no equilíbrio corporal de mulheres idosas: ensaio clínico controlado randomizado

Background: The Pilates Method is a modality of exercise that has been growing in recent decades, but few researches has been conducted with elderly and little is known about its benefits in this population. Objective: To evaluate the effect of a program of Mat Pilates exercises in muscle performance and postural balance in elderly women. Materials and Method: This is a randomized controlled trial that evaluated the muscle performance (isokinetic dynamometer Biodex System 3 Pro®) and postural balance (Balance Master System®) of 33 women aged 65-80 years. The experimental group (EG) participated of a 12-week program of Mat Pilates exercises with two weekly sessions. Data normality was verified by the Shapiro - Wilk test and were adopted p value < 0.05 as significance level. Results: There were no differences between groups after training. However, the EG showed an increase in the values of extension and flexion average power to 60 ° / s after training (32.19 W to 37.04 W and 14.48 W to 17.56 W, respectively). Conclusion: The proposed exercise program was not effective in the total work and average power of flexor and extensor of the knee, as well as static and dynamic balance of participants

Efeitos imediatos da laserterapia sobre o desempenho neuromuscular após fadiga muscular induzida: ensaio clínico controlado, randomizado e cego

The aim of this study was to investigate the immediate effects of laser therapy on neuromuscular performance in healthy subjects after a muscle fatigue. This is a clinical trial, controlled, randomized, blinded, attended by 80 volunteers of both genders, healthy, with ages between 18 to 28 years. Initially the volunteers performed an initial evaluation (EV1) using electromyography in the biceps muscle, associated with assessment in isokinetic dynamometry with 5 concentric contractions (60 °/s) for elbow flexion. The subjects were randomly allocated into 4 groups: G1 (control, n = 20), G2 (placebo, n = 20), G3 (pre-fatigue laser, n = 20), and G4 (post fatigue laser, n = 20). The muscular fatigue protocol had 30 concentric isokinetic contractions (120 °/s). We used a 808 nm laser, power of 100 mW, applied at the belly of the biceps muscle. After the speeches the volunteers performed a final evaluation (EV2). Test was applied to two-way ANOVA with post hoc Turkey, with a significance level of 5%. There was no significant difference in electromyographic evaluation. In dynamometric evaluation showed a drop in peak torque, peak torque normalized to body weight (p <0.001) and average power (p <0, 05) between the initial and final evaluations in control. Among the groups there was a significant difference between the control and the other groups in relation to peak torque (p <0.05), peak torque to body weight (p <0.001) and average power (p <0.05). Therefore, the low intensity laser therapy does not alter the immediate neuromuscular performance after fatigue

Entendendo as propriedades do arenito Botucatu e sua utilização como meio poroso para estudos envolvendo o deslocamento de fluidos poliméricos

The development of products whose purpose is to promote blockages in high permeability zones as well as to control the hydrate or scale formation also needs some tests in porous media before using the product in the field, where attempts and unavoidable operational errors costs would able to derail any projects. The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the Botucatu and Berea sandstones properties, involving problems related to loss permeability. It was observed that even cores of Berea, without expansible clays in their composition had their permeability reduced, as soon as the salinity of brine reached a lower limit. As expected, the same happened with the Botucatu sandstone samples, however, in this case, the sensitivity to low salinity was more pronounced. In a second phase, the research was focused on the Botucatu Sandstone behavior front of dilute polymer solutions injection, checking the main relationships between the Rock / Fluid interactions, considering the Mobility Reduction, Resistance and Residual Resistance Factors, as well as adsorption/desorption processes of these polymers, and the polymer molecules average size and porous sandstone average size ratio. The results for both phases showed a real feasibility of using the Botucatu sandstone in laboratory tests whose objective is the displacement of fluids through porous media

Effects of meal size and proximal-distal segmentation on gastric activity

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Caracterização química e mineralógica da incrustação em rede de ferro fundido e potencial de recuperação da capacidade hidráulica

The purpose of this work was to characterize chemical and mineralogical the water supply networks and to assess the hydraulic recovery on high-degraded pipe. Thus, the resistance (by pitometric essays), chemical analyses (ICP-MS and ICP-ES), mineralogical analysis (petrographic thin sections, X-ray difractometry and scanning electronic microscopy), hardness (Mohs scale) and simulations for pipe's change and rehabilitations scenarios were investigated (from Scenario 1 to 4). The results showed that the high-degraded pipe had a limited recovery (from 3,9 to 14,0 m(0,367).s(-1)). The deposits were formed by oxide and hydroxide of iron (magnetite and goethite), which are materials of high hardness (6 on Mohs scale). The simulations indicated the required power ratio (C-i/C-1) around 86.00, 1.00 and 0.02% in relation to present scenario.

Aspectos fisiológicos do mountain biking competitivo

A prática do ciclismo off-road (mountain biking - MTB), cresceu muito nas últimas duas décadas, sendo incluído como esporte olímpico, nos Jogos de Atlanta em 1996, na modalidade Cross Country. Na última década, houve um aumento no número de publicações científicas que verificaram a demanda fisiológica durante competições, assim como o estudo de possíveis preditores da performance nesta modalidade. O objetivo deste estudo de revisão foi descrever alguns aspectos fisiológicos específicos do MTB Cross Country (MTB CC) competitivo (intensidade de provas, perfil fisiológico de atletas de elite, uso de suspensões e determinantes da performance em subidas). Observa-se na literatura analisada que as provas de MTB CC parecem impor uma sobrecarga fisiológica maior, quando analisada através da frequência cardíaca, do que provas de ciclismo de estrada com duração semelhante. Entretanto, quando analisada pela potência de pedalada, observa-se claramente a característica intermitente da modalidade, com variações de potência durante a prova entre zero e 500W, e potência média relativamente baixa em comparação aos valores de FC encontrados. Outro fator importante levantado neste estudo são as alterações fisiológicas decorrentes do uso de suspensões nas bicicletas de MTB CC. O uso deste equipamento reduz o estresse muscular provocado pelo terreno acidentado, embora pareça não afetar o gasto energético total, tanto em percurso plano como em subidas. Entretanto, é fato que o desempenho em circuitos acidentados é melhorado com o uso das suspensões. Com base nos estudos abordados nessa revisão, conclui-se que o MTB CC enquanto modalidade competitiva apresenta uma grande variação de intensidade (avaliada através da potência), sendo esta atribuída principalmente ao tipo de terreno (irregular e com muitas aclives e declives acentuados) em que as provas de MTB CC acontecem.

On the development of the brown spider Loxosceles gaucho Gertsch (Araneae, Sicariidae): the nympho-imaginal period

Observations of the developmental biology of Loxosceles gaucho Gertsch, 1967, the brown spider of southeastern Brazil are scarce. The present study reports the method of individualized rearing of 18 populations of L. gaucho, kept in laboratory under varied diet conditions, and characterizes their nympho-imaginal period as well as factors related to their reproduction. Females built the first egg sac about 20 days after copulation and nymphs hatched 40 days after the laying date. Average offspring was 61.3 spiderlings and females usually built three to four successive egg sacs in a period of five to seven months. First nymphs initiated their predatory activity between the 5th and 8th days after hatching and the majority reached adulthood within six moults (range of five to eight) in approximately 15 to 17 months (male) and 15.5 to 18 months (female). The average sex ratio equaled 1.0:1.7 (male:female). The wide individual variability of this species intermoult intervals is herewith expressed by the intermoult rate, which was fairly uniform for both intra and interpopulations and gives a relevant aspect for a general idea of the life cycles of spiders.

Morphology of alumina: a comparison between infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry

Morphology of three samples of alumina are investigated. Infrared spectra are analysed by use of their morphology through the theory of average dielectric constant. Crystal shape is obtained from X-ray diffraction patterns by reflection intensity ratio. In the case of electron scanning microscopy, shape factor was obtained by an average axial ratio of the particles. Comparison of results show that there is agreement among these techniques and infrared spectra can be used to determine the morphology of alumina particles from 2.7 to 10 mu m, even for heterogeneous samples. (C) 1999 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Rectificacion de aceros fragiles y ductiles: Parametros de entrada para obtener los mejores resultados

In this work, the behavior of the steel surface grinding process with conventional grinding wheels was studied for various grinding conditions and a fixed dressing condition. The input parameters (wheel speed, workpiece speed, depth of cut), that set up the grinding conditions were determined as a function of the characteristics of the grinding machine. A test bench was established where the grinding power was measured in real time as a function of the volume of material removed. The results showed that in the grinding of fragile steels with a soft wheel and medium grit size, the average power of the cut shows a tendency to increase and become stabilized. The surface roughness of the piece decreased in all the tests and was proportional to the increase in the number of active grits. In tests on the grinding of ductile steels with a soft wheel and fine grit size, the wheel became dull until the moment that the abrasive grits were released from the cut surface.

Effects of copper vapor laser radiation on the root canal wall of human teeth: A scanning electron microscope study

Objective: The aim of this study is to analyze the effects of copper vapor laser radiation on the radicular wall of human teeth. Materials and Methods: Immediately after the crowns of 10 human uniradicular teeth were cut along the cement-enamel junction, a chemical-surgical preparation of the radicular canals was completed. Then the roots were longitudinally sectioned to allow for irradiation of the surfaces of the dentin walls of the root canals. The hemi-roots were separated into two groups: one (control) with five hemi-roots that were not irradiated, and another (experimental) with 15 hemi-roots divided into three subgroups that were submitted to the following exposure times: 0.02,0.05, and 0.1 s. A copper vapor laser (510.6 nm) with a total average power of 6.5 W in green emission, frequency of 16.000 Hz, and pulse duration of 30 ns was used. Results: The results obtained by scanning electron microscope analysis showed the appearance of a cavity in the region of laser beam impact, with melting, recrystallization, and cracking on the edges of the dentin of the cavity due to heat diffusion. Conclusions: We determined that the copper vapor laser produces significant morphologic changes in the radicular wall of human teeth when using the parameters in this study. However, further research should be done to establish parameters that are compatible with dental structure in order to eliminate thermal damages. © Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

A non-ideal portal frame energy harvester controlled using a pendulum

A model of energy harvester based on a simple portal frame structure is presented. The system is considered to be non-ideal system (NIS) due to interaction with the energy source, a DC motor with limited power supply and the system structure. The nonlinearities present in the piezoelectric material are considered in the piezoelectric coupling mathematical model. The system is a bi-stable Duffing oscillator presenting a chaotic behavior. Analyzing the average power variation, and bifurcation diagrams, the value of the control variable that optimizes power or average value that stabilizes the chaotic system in the periodic orbit is determined. The control sensitivity is determined to parametric errors in the damping and stiffness parameters of the portal frame. The proposed passive control technique uses a simple pendulum to tuned to the vibration of the structure to improve the energy harvesting. The results show that with the implementation of the control strategy it is possible to eliminate the need for active or semi active control, usually more complex. The control also provides a way to regulate the energy captured to a desired operating frequency. © 2013 EDP Sciences and Springer.

Desempenho de uma semeadora de precisão em latossolo vermelho: pressão de inflação do pneu de acionamento x manejo de plantas de cobertura

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Avaliação de sistemas de manejo em Nitossolo Vermelho distroférrico e na cultura do girassol

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Ergonomia aplicada em posto de trabalho do operador de tratores: sistema para aquisição de coordenadas tridimensionais

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Energia na Agricultura) - FCA

Análise ergonômica do ambiente de trabalho para operadores de tratores e colhedoras agrícolas

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Energia na Agricultura) - FCA