Comparison of plantar pressure distribution in adolescent runners at low vs. high running velocity

This study aimed to compare foot plantar pressure distribution while jogging and running in highly trained adolescent runners. Eleven participants performed two constant-velocity running trials either at jogging (11.2 ± 0.9 km/h) or running (17.8 ± 1.4 km/h) pace on a treadmill. Contact area (CA in cm(2)), maximum force (F(max) in N), peak pressure (PP in kPa), contact time (CT in ms), and relative load (force time integral in each individual region divided by the force time integral for the total plantar foot surface, in %) were measured in nine regions of the right foot using an in-shoe plantar pressure device. Under the whole foot, CA, F(max) and PP were lower in jogging than in running (-1.2% [p<0.05], -12.3% [p<0.001] and -15.1% [p<0.01] respectively) whereas CT was higher (+20.1%; p<0.001). Interestingly, we found an increase in relative load under the medial and central forefoot regions while jogging (+6.7% and +3.7%, respectively; [p<0.05]), while the relative load under the lesser toes (-8.4%; p<0.05) was reduced. In order to prevent overloading of the metatarsals in adolescent runners, excessive mileage at jogging pace should be avoided.

The effect of virtual reality on visual vertigo symptoms in patients with peripheral vestibular dysfunction: a pilot study

Individuals with vestibular dysfunction may experience visual vertigo (VV), in which symptoms are provoked or exacerbated by excessive or disorientating visual stimuli (e.g. supermarkets). VV can significantly improve when customized vestibular rehabilitation exercises are combined with exposure to optokinetic stimuli. Virtual reality (VR), which immerses patients in realistic, visually challenging environments, has also been suggested as an adjunct to VR to improve VV symptoms. This pilot study compared the responses of sixteen patients with unilateral peripheral vestibular disorder randomly allocated to a VR regime incorporating exposure to a static (Group S) or dynamic (Group D) VR environment. Participants practiced vestibular exercises, twice weekly for four weeks, inside a static (Group S) or dynamic (Group D) virtual crowded square environment, presented in an immersive projection theatre (IPT), and received a vestibular exercise program to practice on days not attending clinic. A third Group D1 completed both the static and dynamic VR training. Treatment response was assessed with the Dynamic Gait Index and questionnaires concerning symptom triggers and psychological state. At final assessment, significant betweengroup differences were noted between Groups D (p = 0.001) and D1 (p = 0.03) compared to Group S for VV symptoms with the former two showing a significant 59.2% and 25.8% improvement respectively compared to 1.6% for the latter. Depression scores improved only for Group S (p = 0.01) while a trend towards significance was noted for Group D regarding anxiety scores (p = 0.07). Conclusion: Exposure to dynamic VR environments should be considered as a useful adjunct to vestibular rehabilitation programs for patients with peripheral vestibular disorders and VV symptoms.

Soft tissue artifact assessment during treadmill walking in subjects with total knee arthroplasty.

Accurate measurement of knee kinematics during functional activities suffers mainly from soft tissue artifact (STA): the combination of local surface deformations and rigid movement of markers relative to the underlying bone (also called rigid STA movement: RSTAM). This study proposes to assess RSTAM on the thigh, shank, and knee joint and to observe possible features between subjects. Nineteen subjects with knee arthroplasty were asked to walk on a treadmill while a biplane fluoroscopic system (X-rays) and a stereophotogrammetric system (skin markers) recorded their knee movement. The RSTAM was defined as the rigid movement of the cluster of skin markers relative to the prosthesis. The results showed that RSTAM amplitude represents approximately 80-100% of the STA. The vertical axis of the anatomical frame of the femur was influenced the most by RSTAM. Combined with tibial error, internal/external rotation angle and distraction-compression were the knee kinematics parameters most affected by RSTAM during the gait cycle, with average rms values of 3.8° and 11.1 mm. This study highlighted higher RSTAM during the swing phase particularly in the thigh segment and suggests new features for RSTAM such as the particular shape of some RSTAM waveforms and the absence of RSTAM in certain kinematics during the gait phases. The comparison of coefficient of multiple correlations showed some similarities of RSTAM between subjects, while some correlations were found with gait speed and BMI. These new insights could potentially allow the development of new methods of compensation to avoid STA.

Viabilitat energètica de la sobrealimentació tèrmica de motors de combustió interna alternatius

Avaluació de la la viabilitat energètica de la millora de prestacions d’un motor de combustió interna alternatiu de tipus MEP (Motor d’Encesa Provocada o gasolina), mitjançant una sobrealimentació tèrmica. En aquest projecte, s’ha defugit de les tecnologies més esteses i s’ha estudiat una nova via no tant explorada, l’augment de la densitat de l’aire mitjançant la disminució de la seva temperatura a l’admissió, tecnologia que es coneix amb el nom de “sobrealimentació tèrmica”. Així doncs, respecte a les tecnologies de sobrealimentació més clàssiques, en aquest cas no es disposarà de cap sistema de compressió mecànica que augmenti la densitat de l’aire comprimint-lo, sinó que s’utilitzarà un sistema totalment diferent, el qual consistirà en un circuit de refrigeració per compressió mecànica de refrigerant, molt semblant a l’utilitzat pel sistema de climatització del vehicle i que en aquest cas refrigerarà l’aire d’admissió fent-lo passar per un intercanviador de calor (evaporador). Aquest fet repercutirà en un augment de potència i de les prestacions del motor tèrmic, que per contra haurà d’alimentar el cicle de compressió de vapor que produeix el fred. L’elecció d’aquest sistema, ha estat motivada sobretot per demostrar que altres sistemes de sobrealimentació són possibles a partir d’elements en part ja presents en el vehicle i que siguin fàcilment implementables, sense haver de modificar elements mecànics importants del motor

Networking of differentially expressed genes in human cancer cells resistant to methotrexate

BACKGROUND: The need for an integrated view of data obtained from high-throughput technologies gave rise to network analyses. These are especially useful to rationalize how external perturbations propagate through the expression of genes. To address this issue in the case of drug resistance, we constructed biological association networks of genes differentially expressed in cell lines resistant to methotrexate (MTX). METHODS: Seven cell lines representative of different types of cancer, including colon cancer (HT29 and Caco2), breast cancer (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468), pancreatic cancer (MIA PaCa-2), erythroblastic leukemia (K562) and osteosarcoma (Saos-2), were used. The differential expression pattern between sensitive and MTX-resistant cells was determined by whole human genome microarrays and analyzed with the GeneSpring GX software package. Genes deregulated in common between the different cancer cell lines served to generate biological association networks using the Pathway Architect software. RESULTS: Dikkopf homolog-1 (DKK1) is a highly interconnected node in the network generated with genes in common between the two colon cancer cell lines, and functional validations of this target using small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) showed a chemosensitization toward MTX. Members of the UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A (UGT1A) family formed a network of genes differentially expressed in the two breast cancer cell lines. siRNA treatment against UGT1A also showed an increase in MTX sensitivity. Eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1 alpha 1 (EEF1A1) was overexpressed among the pancreatic cancer, leukemia and osteosarcoma cell lines, and siRNA treatment against EEF1A1 produced a chemosensitization toward MTX. CONCLUSIONS: Biological association networks identified DKK1, UGT1As and EEF1A1 as important gene nodes in MTX-resistance. Treatments using siRNA technology against these three genes showed chemosensitization toward MTX.

Disseny d'una màquina per determinar l'assaig de: "Profundidad de penetración de agua bajo presión"

Disseny de l'estructura i l'automatització d'una màquina que s'utilitza per a fer un assaig sobre provetes de formigó endurit, segons la norma UNE-EN 12390-8:2001. Augmentar l'estructura fins a una capacitat de fins a sis provetes i automatitzar la fixació de les provetes mitjançant sis pistons pneumàtics i la regulació de la pressió i el temps del cicle d'injecció d'aigua del procés.

Disseny d'una cambra frigorífica al municipi de Seròs

El present projecte tracta del disseny, per a la posterior construcció, d'una cambra frigorífica destinada al refredament de la fruita recent recol·lectada. El principal objectiu d'aquesta cambra es poder conservar la fruita freda durant posc dies per poder-la distribuir arreu d'Espanya quan convingui, tot i que també té com a avantatge que el propietari pot recol·lectar els fruits durant els dies festius i guardar-los en bones condicions tèrmiques.

Life cycle analysis and life cyle impact assessment methodologies: a state of the art

Life cycle analysis (LCA) is a comprehensive method for assessing the environmental impact of a product or an activity over its entire life cycle. The purpose of conducting LCA studies varies from one application to another. Different applications use LCA for different purposes. In general, the main aim of using LCA is to reduce the environmental impact of products through guiding the decision making process towards more sustainable solutions. The most critical phase in an LCA study is the Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) where the life cycle inventory (LCI) results of the considered substances related to the study of a certain system are transformed into understandable impact categories that represent the impact on the environment. In this research work, a general structure clarifying the steps that shall be followed ir order to conduct an LCA study effectively is presented. These steps are based on the ISO 14040 standard framework. In addition, a survey is done on the most widely used LCIA methodologies. Recommendations about possible developments and suggetions for further research work regarding the use of LCA and LCIA methodologies are discussed as well.

Proyecto de puesta en marcha de una explotación de porcino de 672 cerdas reproductoras en ciclo cerrado en el término municipal de Viana de Duero (Soria)

El present Projecte es basa en el disseny, construcció i engegada d'una explotació intensiva de 672 truges en cicle tancat per a la producció de porc “blanc” amb orientació càrnia i en règim d'integració. L'explotació estarà composta de diverses construccions: Nau de cubrició-control-gestació, nau de maternitat i deslleti-transició, quatre naus d'esquer, nau de quarentena, naus d'infermeria per a reproductores i per a porcs en esquer, així com altres instal·lacions accessòries per al correcte funcionament de l'explotació. Aquestes són caseta multiusos, bassa de purins i dipòsit d'emmagatzematge d'aigua.

Els processos de suburbanització a la ciutat de Lleida i la primera corona de municipis immediats

En aquest treball s’analitzen els processos de suburbanització que es produeixen al sistema urbà de Lleida (Lleida ciutat i la seva primera corona de municipis) al llarg dels últims vint anys. Aquesta suburbanització (creixement més gran de la primera corona a través bàsicament del trasllat de la població i d’ activitats econòmiques del nucli principal cap a altres nuclis perifèrics) s’observa a partir de l’estudi i el treball de tres fonts: l’evolució de la població, els certificats finals d’obra (construcció de nous habitatges i tipologia d’aquests) i les migracions internes o canvis residencials. A la vegada també es construeix un marc teòric on s’analitza el que han dit diversos autors sobre l’evolució de la urbanització en la ciutat post industrial i el cicle de vida de les ciutats. En resum, la conjugació d’aquests dos apartats, anàlisi de les dades i marc teòric, ha permès definir i analitzar els nous processos de suburbanització al sistema urbà de Lleida on es produeix, especialment a partir de mitjans dels 90 un procés de descentralització relativa que implica la pèrdua de centralitat de la ciutat central. En el treball es quantifica i qualifica el nou procés que es defineix com a: intensiu, pels ritmes de producció d’habitatges que s’assoleixen; extensiu, per la quantitat de municipis i sòl que s’afecta; i selectiu , ja que en el mercat d’habitatge únic que configuren ara els municipis del sistema, els nuclis semblen especialitzar la seva producció atraient segments molt determinats de població.

The cell cycle–regulated genes of schizosaccharomyces pombe

Many genes are regulated as an innate part of the eukaryotic cell cycle, and a complex transcriptional network helps enable the cyclic behavior of dividing cells. This transcriptional network has been studied in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (budding yeast) and elsewhere. To provide more perspective on these regulatory mechanisms, we have used microarrays to measure gene expression through the cell cycle of Schizosaccharomyces pombe (fission yeast). The 750 genes with the most significant oscillations were identified and analyzed. There were two broad waves of cell cycle transcription, one in early/mid G2 phase, and the other near the G2/M transition. The early/mid G2 wave included many genes involved in ribosome biogenesis, possibly explaining the cell cycle oscillation in protein synthesis in S.pombe. The G2/M wave included at least three distinctly regulated clusters of genes: one large cluster including mitosis, mitotic exit, and cell separation functions, one small cluster dedicated to DNA replication, and another small cluster dedicated to cytokinesis and division. S. pombe cell cycle genes have relatively long, complex promoters containing groups of multiple DNA sequence motifs, often of two, three, or more different kinds. Many of the genes, transcription factors, and regulatory mechanisms are conserved between S. pombe and S. cerevisiae. Finally, we found preliminary evidence for a nearly genome-wide oscillation in gene expression: 2,000 or more genes undergo slight oscillations in expression as a function of the cell cycle, although whether this is adaptive, or incidental to other events in the cell, such as chromatin condensation, we do not know.

Measuring oscillating walking paths with a LIDAR

This work describes the analysis of different walking paths registered using a Light Detection And Ranging (LIDAR) laser range sensor in order to measure oscillating trajectories during unsupervised walking. The estimate of the gait and trajectory parameters were obtained with a terrestrial LIDAR placed 100 mm above the ground with the scanning plane parallel to the floor to measure the trajectory of the legs without attaching any markers or modifying the floor. Three different large walking experiments were performed to test the proposed measurement system with straight and oscillating trajectories. The main advantages of the proposed system are the possibility to measure several steps and obtain average gait parameters and the minimum infrastructure required. This measurement system enables the development of new ambulatory applications based on the analysis of the gait and the trajectory during a walk.

The transcriptional network activated by Cln3 cyclin at the G1-to-S transition of the yeast cell cycle

Background: The G1-to-S transition of the cell cycle in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae involves an extensive transcriptional program driven by transcription factors SBF (Swi4-Swi6) and MBF (Mbp1-Swi6). Activation of these factors ultimately depends on the G1 cyclin Cln3. Results: To determine the transcriptional targets of Cln3 and their dependence on SBF or MBF, we first have used DNA microarrays to interrogate gene expression upon Cln3 overexpression in synchronized cultures of strains lacking components of SBF and/or MBF. Secondly, we have integrated this expression dataset together with other heterogeneous data sources into a single probabilistic model based on Bayesian statistics. Our analysis has produced more than 200 transcription factor-target assignments, validated by ChIP assays and by functional enrichment. Our predictions show higher internal coherence and predictive power than previous classifications. Our results support a model whereby SBF and MBF may be differentially activated by Cln3. Conclusions: Integration of heterogeneous genome-wide datasets is key to building accurate transcriptional networks. By such integration, we provide here a reliable transcriptional network at the G1-to-S transition in the budding yeast cell cycle. Our results suggest that to improve the reliability of predictions we need to feed our models with more informative experimental data.

Anàlisi dels indicadors de qualitat de vida que faciliten processos inclusius en les persones amb discapacitat

En aquest article presentem aquells indicadors que faciliten processos inclusius ¡/o de qualitat de vida en les persones arnb discapacitat. Mitjan~ant entrevistes en profunditat a persones de I'entorn més proper (pares i professionals) hem recollit informació dels processos que estan ¡/o han portat ii terme les persones amb discapacitat, amb la finalitat d'identificar els punts forts del procés i, en conseqüencia, donar pautes generals d'actuació en relació amb I'organització dels suports en el nostre context per tal d'afavorir els processos inclusius. Dels diferents indicadors se'n constata la importancia de sentir-se recolzats, especialment en aquells moments vitals de transició i canvi d'una etapa d'escolaritat a una altra o del pas a la vida adulta. També podlem afirmar que tenir un bon benestar emocional (ambients estables, ajuda, suports, referents clars, seguretat) contribueix a la disminució de I'estres dels professionals i de les famílies a I'hora de cobrir les necessitats de la persona amb discapacitat. Pel que fa al desenvolupament personal i a la inclusió social hi ha una visió positiva de la persona i del seu progrés. Finalment, apareix una referencia molt clara als drets, pero s'evidencia una percepció més pessimista a mesura que s'avanca en el cicle vital i es denuncien diferencies entre els drets teorics i els reals.