Comparação da mobilidade, força muscular e medo de cair em idosas caidoras e não caidoras

OBJETIVOS: Verificar o medo de cair em idosas caidoras e não caidoras ativas fisicamente e comparar mobilidade e força de preensão palmar; verificar se existe relação entre mobilidade, força muscular e medo de quedas. MÉTODOS: Foram avaliadas 40 idosas ativas, idade ≥ 60 anos, divididas em caidoras (n = 20) e não caidoras (n = 20). Utilizou-se Mini-Exame do Estado Mental (MEEM) para rastreio cognitivo; Falls Efficacy Scale-International-Brasil (FES-I-BRASIL) para avaliar o medo de cair; a força muscular foi mensurada pela medida da força de preensão palmar por meio de dinamômetro hidráulico; Timed Up and Go (TUG) para avaliar mobilidade funcional. RESULTADOS: Não foi encontrada diferença significante entre os grupos no que diz respeito à mobilidade e força muscular. A maioria das participantes (92,5%) demonstrou preocupação com quedas. Das idosas que levaram mais que 12 segundos para desempenhar o TUG, 53,84% eram do grupo caidor. Não foi encontrada correlação entre mobilidade e força muscular. CONCLUSÃO: Não foi observada diferença significativa entre força muscular, mobilidade e medo de quedas entre os grupos. Não foi encontrada correlação significativa entre mobilidade, força muscular e medo de quedas. O estudo permitiu observar que o medo de cair está presente na maioria da população idosa, com ou sem história de quedas.

Avaliação sorológica de Parainfluenzavirus Tipo 1, Salmonella spp., Mycoplasma spp. e Toxoplasma gondii em aves silvestres

Newcastle disease, salmonellosis and mycoplamosis are the most important infectious diseases in poultry. Toxoplamosis is a common disease in urban environment. The present study investigated serologic evidence of these diseases in captive and wildlife birds, with rapid plate agglutination test, haemagglutination inhibition test, and modified agglutination test. In a total of 117 blood serum samples, 20 showed the presence of Toxoplasma gondii, Mycoplasma gallisepticum, and Salmonella spp. antibodies. Amazona aestiva was the specie with the highest number of positive individuals (13/20). We also verified the first detection of T. gondii antibodies in birds of prey from Mivalgo chimachima and Rupornis magnirostris species.

30° inclination in handles of plastic boxes can reduce postural and muscular workload during handling

CONTEXTUALIZAÇÃO:O manuseio de materiais está ainda presente nos setores industriais e é associado a lesões na coluna lombar e membros superiores. A inserção de alças em caixas industriais é uma forma de reduzir os riscos relacionados à tarefa, porém a posição e a angulação das alças, que são fatores importantes para o conforto e segurança durante o manuseio, são ainda pouco investigadas objetivamente.OBJETIVOS:Comparar o manuseio de uma caixa comercial e de protótipos com alças e avaliar seus efeitos na postura de membros superiores, atividade elétrica muscular e percepção de agradabilidade em diferentes empunhaduras durante manuseio entre diferentes alturas.MÉTODO:Trinta e sete voluntários saudáveis avaliaram as alças dos protótipos que possibilitavam mudança nas posições (superior e inferior) e angulações (0°, 15° e 30º). Os movimentos dos punhos, cotovelos e ombros foram avaliados por meio da eletrogoniometria e inclinometria. A atividade elétrica muscular dos extensores do punho, bíceps braquial e porção superior do trapézio foi avaliada por um eletromiógrafo portátil. Os registros de movimento e atividade elétrica muscular foram sincronizados. Aspectos subjetivos de agradabilidade foram avaliados por meio de uma escala visual analógica.RESULTADOS E CONCLUSÕES:Os protótipos com alças inclinadas em 30° apresentaram as melhores avaliações de agradabilidade, posturas mais neutras de punho, menores níveis de atividade eletromiográfica do trapézio superior e menores ângulos de elevação dos braços. Os diferentes métodos de medida se mostraram complementares para a avaliação dos membros superiores durante as tarefas de manuseio.

Avaliação de força de preensão manual e teste de usabilidade em embalagens com tampas de segurança: parâmetros para o design ergonômico

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Análise ergonômica de instrumentos líticos pré-históricos brasileiros: uma contribuição para a história da ergonomia

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Análise comparativa da atividade muscular do flexor superficial dos dedos e força de preensão palmar em atividades laborativas de uma indústria

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Mecânica - FEG

Desenvolvimento de um aplicativo Android e de uma interface bluetooth para um dinamômetro biomédico

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Elétrica - FEIS

Avaliação da qualidade microbiológica de um composto produzido a partir de resíduos animais e vegetais

Pós-graduação em Microbiologia Agropecuária - FCAV

Concepção morfológica de fórceps, para intervenção no paciente em posição supina e o operador sentado

Ergonomics, the science of working rationalization, seeks the best relationship between man and his working tools. In Dentistry, ergonomics is present as for the professional working correctly seated, in functional comfort, intervening of supine position patient, by means of suitable equipment and instrument. Nowadays, dental equipment is justly rationalized; however, some instruments should take shape, in order to adapt those requirements. The hand tool design should permit a comfortable, non-slip and safe handling. Thus, anatomical details, the correct position of the operator for its use and specific characteristics of application should be taken into account. The instrument under analysis - forceps - was conceived according to these requirements along with a new alveolar tooth extraction technique, based on electromyographic and biomechanical studies. The morphology of the instrument, which makes possible a simple and natural kinetics of the operator, was obtained by changing the paradigm of the conventional cross-action instruments (whose grip is always on the arms of the tool), divesting the handle from the tool arm. This induced on anatomical conceiving of perpendicular handles to the extremity of the tool arm, resulting an efficient and effective instrument, according to indicated on its experimental phase

Handgrip and functional mobility in elderly with different levels of physical activity

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

Influência do fortalecimento muscular na independência funcional de indivíduos parkinsonianos

Introduction: Parkinson’s disease is a chronic disease of the nervous system that leads to a clinical picture of resting tremor, bradykinesia, muscular rigidity and postural instability. These symptoms, in turn, directly influence the functional independence of the individual. Objective: To analyze the influence of muscle strengthening on functional independence of individuals with Parkinson’s disease. Method: A total of ten subjects of both genders participated in this study. We evaluated the functional independence, strength of lower limbs, grip strength testing and 1 repetition maximum. After the evaluation was performed muscle building program for 12 weeks. Results: There was improvement of functional independence (p = 0.007) and lower limb strength (p = 0.01), as well as an increase in grip strength, both of the dominant hand (p = 0.007) and the non-dominant one (p = 0.02). Conclusion: The muscle strength improved the functional independence of individuals with PD.

Existe correlação entre força muscular com o teste de caminhada de seis minutos em idosos institucionalizados?

The six-minute walking test can be affected by several variables, among them, the respiratory and peripheral muscle strength. The objective of this study was to correlate the respiratory muscle strength (maximum inspiratory pressure – MIP; and maximum expiratory pressure – MEP) and the hand grip test (HGT)with the six minute walking test distance in institutionalized elderly. It was included in this study 9 institutionalized elderly with age over 70 years old, both gender, evaluated by means of manometer, dynamometry and six minute walking test. The data were correlated by using the Pearson’s correlation test and the Spearman correlation test. From the evaluated elderly, it was four men and five women, with mean age: 78.8±7.3 years old, MIP: 75.7±33.6 cmH2O, MEP: 62.4±25.0 cmH2O, HGT: 20.4±6.2 kgf (right member) and 20.7±6.8 kgf (left member) and the distance on six minute walking test: 238.5±99.0 meters. There was correlation between expiratory strength and hand grip of both members with the distance on the six minute walking test. It is possible to conclude that there are correlation between expiratory muscle strength with the hand grip test and the functional capacity in institucionalized elderly.

Existe correlação antre força muscular com teste de caminhada de seis minutos em idosos institucionalizados?

The six-minute walking test can be affected by several variables, among them, the respiratory and peripheral muscle strength. The objective of this study was to correlate the respiratory muscle strength (maximum inspiratory pressure – MIP; and maximum expiratory pressure – MEP) and the hand grip test (HGT)with the six minute walking test distance in institutionalized elderly. It was included in this study 9 institutionalized elderly with age over 70 years old, both gender, evaluated by means of manometer, dynamometry and six minute walking test. The data were correlated by using the Pearson’s correlation test and the Spearman correlation test. From the evaluated elderly, it was four men and five women, with mean age: 78.8±7.3 years old, MIP: 75.7±33.6 cmH2O, MEP: 62.4±25.0 cmH2O, HGT: 20.4±6.2 kgf (right member) and 20.7±6.8 kgf (left member) and the distance on six minute walking test: 238.5±99.0 meters. There was correlation between expiratory strength and hand grip of both members with the distance on the six minute walking test. It is possible to conclude that there are correlation between expiratory muscle strength with the hand grip test and the functional capacity in institucionalized elderly.

Visuomotor processing and hand force coordination in dyslexic children during a visually guided manipulation task

Developmental Dyslexia negatively affects children's reading and writing ability and, in most cases, performance in sensorimotor tasks. These deficits have been associated with structural and functional alterations in the cerebellum and the posterior parietal cortex (PPC). Both neural structures are active during visually guided force control and in the coordination of load force (LF) and grip force (GF) during manipulation tasks. Surprisingly, both phenomena have not been investigated in dyslexic children. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare dyslexic and non-dyslexic children regarding their visuomotor processing ability and GF-LF coordination during a static manipulation task. Thirteen dyslexic (8-14YO) and 13 age- and sex-matched non-dyslexic (control) children participated in the study. They were asked to grasp a fixed instrumented handle using the tip of all digits and pull the handle upward exerting isometric force to match a ramp-and-hold force profile displayed in a computer monitor. Task performance (i.e., visuomotor coordination) was assessed by RMSE calculated in both ramp and hold phases. GF-LF coordination was assessed by the ratio between GF and LF (GF/LF) calculated at both phases and the maximum value of a cross-correlation function (r(max)) and its respective time lag calculated at ramp phase. The results revealed that the RMSE at both phases was larger in dyslexic than in control children. However, we found that GF/LF, rmax, and time lags were similar between groups. Those findings indicate that dyslexic children have a mild deficit in visuomotor processing but preserved GF-LF coordination. Altogether, these findings suggested that dyslexic children could present mild structural and functional alterations in specific PPC or cerebellum areas that are directly related to visuomotor processing. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

O controle de preensão em pinça em adultos jovens: efeito da posição do punho

The human hand is the focus of inumerous research studies. Human individuals are capable of performing manual tasks beyond the ability of any other animal. Such large motor ability is due in part to contact surface of the pulp thumb in opposition to the other fingers. Evidences in the literature show that the position of the upper limb influences the ability of hand strength and control. Specifically, the position of the wrist has great influence on the production of pinch strength. The main objective of this study was to investigate the influence of wrist position on the pinch grip with the thumb in opposition to the index finger. Participants of the present study were 21 undergraduate students, 10 men and 11 women. Participants performed a pinch grip task in three wrist positions - maximum flexion, maximum extension and neutral - on two force conditions - 20% and 40% of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). MVC was measured in two attempts in each of the three positions of the wrist for a period of three seconds, and the trial of the best result was used as the parameter for task performance. In each trial participants maintained the force production at position for 10 seconds. All participants performed each test condition four times, and the first was used as a familiarization trial and discarded from further analysis. In all trials visual feedback online was provided. Results of both group gender showed variability was similar for force production. Men were stronger than women, but this difference was not significant and both produced on the average more strength in the neutral wrist position than in flexion or extension. In the extended position participants were significantly less variable than in the flexion and neutral positions. We obtained a significant positive correlation between weight and pinch force...(Complete abstracts click electronic access below)