Transfer of resistance training to enhance rapid coordinated force production by older adults

The purpose of this study was to examine the capacity of resistance training to enhance the rapid and coordinated production of force by older people. Thirty adults (greater than or equal to 60 years) completed a visually guided aiming task that required the generation of isometric torque in 2 df about the elbow prior to and following a 4-week training period. Groups of six participants were allocated to two progressive ( 40 - 100% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC)) resistance-training (PRT) groups, to two constant low-load (10% MVC) training groups (CLO) and to one no-training control group. Training movements required the generation of either combined flexion and supination (FLESUP), or combined extension and supination (EXTSUP). In response to training, target acquisition times in the aiming task decreased for all groups; however, both the nature of the training load and the training movement influenced the pattern and magnitude of improvements (EXTSUP_ CLO: 36%, FLESUP_ PRT 26%, EXTSUP_ PRT 22%, FLESUP_ CLO 20%, CONTROL 15%). For one group that trained with progressively increasing loads, there arose a subsequent decrease in performance in one condition of the transfer task. For each group, these adaptations were accompanied by systematic changes in the coordination of muscles about the elbow joint, particularly the biceps brachii.

The Synergistic Organization of Muscle Recruitment Constrains Visuomotor Adaptation

Reaching to visual targets engages the nervous system in a series of transformations between sensory information and motor commands. That which remains to be determined is the extent to which the processes that mediate sensorimotor adaptation to novel environments engage neural circuits that represent the required movement in joint-based or muscle-based coordinate systems. We sought to establish the contribution of these alternative representations to the process of visuomotor adaptation. To do so we applied a visuomotor rotation during a center-out isometric torque production task that involved flexion/extension and supination/pronation at the elbow-joint complex. In separate sessions, distinct half-quadrant rotations (i.e., 45°) were applied such that adaptation could be achieved either by only rescaling the individual joint torques (i.e., the visual target and torque target remained in the same quadrant) or by additionally requiring torque reversal at a contributing joint (i.e., the visual target and torque target were in different quadrants). Analysis of the time course of directional errors revealed that the degree of adaptation was lower (by ~20%) when reversals in the direction of joint torques were required. It has been established previously that in this task space, a transition between supination and pronation requires the engagement of a different set of muscle synergists, whereas in a transition between flexion and extension no such change is required. The additional observation that the initial level of adaptation was lower and the subsequent aftereffects were smaller, for trials that involved a pronation–supination transition than for those that involved a flexion–extension transition, supports the conclusion that the process of adaptation engaged, at least in part, neural circuits that represent the required motor output in a muscle-based coordinate system.

Localization Algorithm Performance in Ultra Low Power Active RFID Based Patient Tracking

Indoor personnel localization research has generated a range of potential techniques and algorithms. However, these typically do not account for the influence of the user's body upon the radio channel. In this paper an active RFID based patient tracking system is demonstrated and three localization algorithms are used to estimate the location of a user within a modern office building. It is shown that disregarding body effects reduces the accuracy of the algorithms' location estimates and that body shadowing effects create a systematic position error that estimates the user's location as closer to the RFID reader that the active tag has line of sight to.

Minimal invasive surgery for coronoid fracture: technical note.

Operative treatment of coronoid fracture often requires a large dissection of soft tissue, resulting in elbow stiffness and functional limitation. The authors present a minimal invasive, safe technique, useful in the case of isolated coronoid fracture associated with elbow dislocation. This technique does not require soft tissue dissection and allows an early unlimited resumption of sports activities.

An Encoded Infrared Sheet Of Light Navigational Beacon System For Precise Localization Of Indoor Mobile Robot Vehicles

A new localization approach to increase the navigational capabilities and object manipulation of autonomous mobile robots, based on an encoded infrared sheet of light beacon system, which provides position errors smaller than 0.02m is presented in this paper. To achieve this minimal position error, a resolution enhancement technique has been developed by utilising an inbuilt odometric/optical flow sensor information. This system respects strong low cost constraints by using an innovative assembly for the digitally encoded infrared transmitter. For better guidance of mobile robot vehicles, an online traffic signalling capability is also incorporated. Other added features are its less computational complexity and online localization capability all these without any estimation uncertainty. The constructional details, experimental results and computational methodologies of the system are also described

¿La tomografía de codo cambia la conducta tomada previamente con radiografía en fracturas de cúpula radial? un estudio de concordancia

Las fracturas de la cúpula radial corresponden a un tercio de todas las fracturas del codo en adultos (1), por lo que se toman radiografías o tomografías, sin embargo no existe literatura que soporte la realización de la tomografía como estudio complementario, por lo que preguntamos ¿La tomografía de codo cambia la conducta tomada previamente con radiografía en fracturas de cúpula radial? Se propone un estudio de concordancia, donde se evalúan las radiografías y tomografías por parte de dos cirujanos de codo, de pacientes con diagnóstico de fractura de cúpula radial valorados en urgencias de dos hospitales de tercer nivel de Bogotá desde enero 2011 a enero 2013. Se revisaron 116 historias, 99 cumplieron los criterios, las radiografías fueron revisadas por dos ortopedistas de codo quienes realizaron clasificación de Mason obteniendo un κ 1 (p˂ 0,00), propuesta de tratamiento postradiografía κ 0,934 (p˂ 0,000 IC95% 0.85, 1). Tratamiento post-tomografía de codo κ 0.949 (p˂ 0,00 IC95% 0.867,1). Concordancia intra-ortopedista de la conducta pre y post-tomografía hay cambio en la conducta del ortopedista 1 en 32.6% (κ 0.674 p˂ 0,00 IC95% 0.52, 0.818) y del ortopedista 2 en 36% (κ 0.64 p˂ 0,00 IC95% 0.452, 0.792). Se dividieron los pacientes en Mason I, II, III con concordancia considerable en los pacientes Mason I y III, mientras que en Mason II fue una concordancia aceptable lo que significa que el uso de tomografía de codo cambia la conducta en general pero sobretodo en pacientes clasificados Masson II.

Neural systems in the visual control of steering

Visual control of locomotion is essential for most mammals and requires coordination between perceptual processes and action systems. Previous research on the neural systems engaged by self-motion has focused on heading perception, which is only one perceptual subcomponent. For effective steering, it is necessary to perceive an appropriate future path and then bring about the required change to heading. Using function magnetic resonance imaging in humans, we reveal a role for the parietal eye fields (PEFs) in directing spatially selective processes relating to future path information. A parietal area close to PEFs appears to be specialized for processing the future path information itself. Furthermore, a separate parietal area responds to visual position error signals, which occur when steering adjustments are imprecise. A network of three areas, the cerebellum, the supplementary eye fields, and dorsal premotor cortex, was found to be involved in generating appropriate motor responses for steering adjustments. This may reflect the demands of integrating visual inputs with the output response for the control device.

Detection of faults in a high speed packaging machine using a multilayer perceptron (MLP)

In high speed manufacturing systems, continuous operation is desirable, with minimal disruption for repairs and service. An intelligent diagnostic monitoring system, designed to detect developing faults before catastrophic failure, or prior to undesirable reduction in output quality, is a good means of achieving this. Artificial neural networks have already been found to be of value in fault diagnosis of machinery. The aim here is to provide a system capable of detecting a number of faults, in order that maintenance can be scheduled in advance of sudden failure, and to reduce the necessity to replace parts at intervals based on mean time between failures. Instead, parts will need to be replaced only when necessary. Analysis of control information in the form of position error data from two servomotors is described.

Dokumentationens dilemman : Förskollärare samtalar om pedagogisk dokumentation

Abstract  Pedagogical documentation is a certain procedure for documenting that, in recent years, has been embraced in several Swedish preschools. Teachers document children’s actions and conversations usually by photos or video recordings. This documentation is to be used for a pedagogical purpose. However, studies and governmental inspections have shown that pedagogical documentation gives rise to many questions among preschool teachers. The purpose of this study is to gain insight into what is being expressed when preschool teachers discuss pedagogical documentation, focusing on themes of content and on the participants’ expressions of their points of view. The data is comprised of transcriptions from audio recordings of discussions conducted in a research circle. The participants are eight preschool teachers that met over the course of one year. Each meeting focused on the documentation provided by a different participant. In that way the contents of the discussions were framed by the teachers own questions and narratives. Theoretically, the study departs from Social Constructionism and Discursive Psychology. The preschool teachers’ utterances have been analyzed using concepts of interpretative repertoires and ideological dilemmas. The results show the main themes to be: Knowledge content in a preschool setting, children’s learning, the teacher’s role and implementation of pedagogical documentation. The participants’ joint position is that the knowledge content at the preschool level is defined by the curriculum for the preschool. Concerning children’s learning and the teacher’s role, two main standpoints are disclosed. Ideologically those standpoints derive from two opposing theories of education. Based on how the standpoints have been expressed I have called them ”predetermined learning” versus ”non-predetermined learning”. One main distinction between the standpoints is that predetermined learning emphasizes the results of learning, while non-predetermined learning emphasizes the processes of learning. The participants’ utterances show that teachers tend to subscribe to the idea that there is only one acceptable way of working with pedagogical documentation. This sometimes creates performance anxiety and feelings of not succeeding and has led to arguments advocating an alternate approach; pedagogical documentation can be done in many ways. The ideological dilemmas within the discourse can be perceived as resources by which the participants argue about knowledge, learning, teaching and about the implementation of pedagogical documentation.

Características anatômicas e morfométricas do ligamento oblíquo do cotovelo de eqüinos

Neste trabalho, algumas características anatômicas e morfométricas do ligamento oblíquo do cotovelo do eqüino foram descritas em dez animais adultos, sem raça definida, que não apresentavam afecções dos órgãos locomotores. O ligamento oblíquo origina-se dorsal à fossa radial do úmero, atravessa obliquamente a superfície cranial do cotovelo e se divide em uma porção longa, que se insere na tuberosidade radial, e em outra curta, que se une à porção longa do ligamento colateral medial. Foram efetuadas medidas visando a obter o comprimento e a largura máximas entre a origem e a inserção do ligamento oblíquo, não sendo observadas diferenças (P>0,05) nas comparações feitas entre os sexos e os antímeros. O ligamento oblíquo contribui no efeito mola e na manutenção da estabilidade da articulação do cotovelo do eqüino. Pela particularidade de sua localização, cranial à articulação, o ligamento oblíquo possui ação frenadora, impedindo a extensão completa da referida articulação.

Influência do kinesio taping® no desempenho neuromuscular do quadríceps femoral e na função do membro inferior em sujeitos saudáveis: ensaio clínico, controlado, randomizado, cego

Objective:To analyze the immediate effects of the Kinesio Taping® application on the quadriceps neuromuscular performance, postural balance and lower limb function in healthy subjects. Materials andmethods:This is a randomized, controlled, blinded clinical trial. Sixtyfemale volunteers(age: 23.3±2.5 years old, BMI: 22.2±2.1kg/m2)wererandomly assigned intothreegroups with20memberseach,and performedone of these threeprotocols: control -10 minutesof rest,experimental 1- patch application ontherectusfemoris (RF), vastuslateralis(VL) and vastusmedialis(VM) and experimental 2-KT application on the same muscles. Allunderwent an evaluationfor singleand triple hop distance, postural balance (baropodometry), joint position sense(JPS), peak torque (concentric and eccentricevaluation at 60°/s)and electromyographic activityof VL,before andafter intervention.Results: There wasasignificant increasein the jump distanceof thethreestudied groups,with no differencebetween groups.There were nosignificant changesin postural balance,JPS, concentricpeak torqueand RMSof the VLin none of the groups. There was a reduction ineccentricpeak torquein all groups, without differencesbetween groups.Conclusion:The KT application on the RF, VL and VMmusclesis not able tosignificantly improvelower limbfunction and postural balance, as well as the kneeextensor peaktorque, JPSand the VL muscleactivation amplitudeof healthy women.

Efeito do tempo de repouso após fadiga induzida no desempenho neuromuscular do quadríceps femoral: ensaio clínico, controlado, randomizado, cego

Objective: To evaluate the effect of different resting periods, after induced muscle fatigue, in the quadriceps femoris neuromuscular performance, in healthy subjects. Methods: Sixty-four volunteers, of both genders, with an average of 21,8 ± 1,7 years and mean body mass index of 24,2 ± 3,7 Kg/m2 were randomly assigned into 4 groups: control group (was not induced fatigue); Experimental Group 1 (Exp. 1 1 minute of rest after fatigue); Experimental Group 3 (Exp. 3 3 minutes of rest after fatigue) and Experimental Group 5 (Exp. 5 5 minutes of rest after fatigue). The subjects were evaluated to the knee´s joint position sense (JPS), followed by 5 flexion-extension knee concentric isokinetic contractions at 60°/s, with concomitant recording of median frequency (Fmed) of rectus femoris (RF), vastus lateralis (VL) and vastus medialis (VM). Then they underwent a muscle fatigue protocol (30 flexion-extension knee concentric contractions at 60°/s) and were reevaluated on the isokinetic performance, Fmed and JPS. Blood lactate levels were measured before initial assessment, immediately after the fatigue protocol and 5 minutes after the end of the rest period. Results: The adoption of 3 minutes of rest was sufficient to restore the initial conditions for the peak torque normalized by body weight and the VL and VM Fmed. The joint position sense returned to its initial values with 1 minute rest. The lactate concentration remained high regardless of the adopted rest period. Conclusion: The use of 3-minute rest period is sufficient for the reestablishment of the neuromuscular parameters to the pre fatigue values.

Controle de movimentos voluntários no membro superior não plégico de portadores de paralisia cerebral hemiplégica espástica

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

The use of hydroxyapatite for arthrodesis in dogs and cats: a clinical study

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

Errors due to the tropospheric and ionospheric effects on the geographic location of data collection platforms

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