Coexistence of stability and mobility in postural control: evidence from postural compensation for respiration

This study evaluated the extent to which movement of the lower limbs and pelvis may compensate for the disturbance to posture that results from respiratory movement of the thorax and abdomen. Motion of the neck, pelvis, leg and centre of pressure (COP) were recorded with high resolution in conjunction with electromyographic activity (EMG) of flexor and extensor muscles of the trunk and hip. Respiration was measured from ribcage motion. Subjects breathed quietly, and with increased volume due to hypercapnoca (as a result of breathing with increased dead-space) and a voluntary increase in respiration. Additional recordings were made during apnoea. The relationship between respiration and other parameters was measured from the correlation between data in the frequency domain (i.e. coherence) and from time-locked averages triggered from respiration. In quiet standing, small angular displacements (similar to0.5degrees) of the trunk and leg were identified in raw data. Correspondingly, there were peaks in the power spectra of the angular movements and EMG. While body movement and EMG were coherent with respiration (>0.5), the coherence between respiration and COP displacement was low (

Residential mobility in the Seoul metropolitan region: Who, where and why?

This article presents data on residential mobility for the Seoul Metropolitan Region. It addresses two questions-why do households move and who moves and finds that like research undertaken in other cities that a wide range of factors impact on the residential mobility process. Key outcomes include the impact of housing dissatisfaction on residential mobility and the impact that life cycle, period of residence and housing and dwelling characteristics have on discerning between movers and non-movers.

The VCAM-1 gene that encodes the vascular cell adhesion molecule is a target of the Sry-related high mobility group box gene, Sox18

VCAM-1 (vascular cell adhesion molecule-1) and Sox18 are involved in vascular development. VCAM-1 is an important adhesion molecule that is expressed on endothelial cells and has a critical role in endothelial activation, inflammation, lymphatic pathophysiology, and atherogenesis. The Sry-related high mobility group box factor Sox18 has previously been implicated in endothelial pathologies. Mutations in human and mouse Sox18 leads to hypotrichosis and lymphedema. Furthermore, both Sox18 and VCAM-1 have very similar spatio-temporal patterns of expression, which is suggestive of crosstalk. We use biochemical techniques, cell culture systems, and the ragged opossum (RaOP) mouse model with a naturally occurring mutation in Sox18 to demonstrate that VCAM-1 is an important target of Sox18. Transfection, site-specific mutagenesis, and gel shift analyses demonstrated that Sox18 directly targeted and trans-activated VCAM-1 expression. Importantly, the naturally occurring Sox18 mutant attenuates the expression and activation of VCAM-1 in vitro. Furthermore, in vivo quantitation of VCAM-1 mRNA levels in wild type and RaOP mice demonstrates that RaOP animals show a dramatic and significant reduction in VCAM-1 mRNA expression in lung, skin, and skeletal muscle. Our observation that the VCAM-1 gene is an important target of SOX18 provides the first molecular insights into the vascular abnormalities in the mouse mutant ragged and the human hypotrichosis-lymphedematelangiectasia disorder.

Stereological and other methods applied to rock joint size estimation - Does Crofton's theorem apply?

A number of authors concerned with the analysis of rock jointing have used the idea that the joint areal or diametral distribution can be linked to the trace length distribution through a theorem attributed to Crofton. This brief paper seeks to demonstrate why Crofton's theorem need not be used to link moments of the trace length distribution captured by scan line or areal mapping to the moments of the diametral distribution of joints represented as disks and that it is incorrect to do so. The valid relationships for areal or scan line mapping between all the moments of the trace length distribution and those of the joint size distribution for joints modeled as disks are recalled and compared with those that might be applied were Crofton's theorem assumed to apply. For areal mapping, the relationship is fortuitously correct but incorrect for scan line mapping.

Emergence of joint attention: Relationships between gaze following, social referencing, imitation, and naming in infancy

The authors investigated the extent to which the joint-attention behaviors of gaze following, social referencing, and object-directed imitation were related to each other and to infants vocabulary development in a sample of 60 infants between the ages of 8 and 14 months. Joint-attention skills and vocabulary development were assessed in a laboratory setting. Split-half reliability analyses on the joint-attention measures indicated that the tasks reliably assessed infants' capabilities. In the main analysis, no significant correlations were found among the joint-attention behaviors except for a significant relationship between gaze following and the number of names in infants' productive vocabularies. The overall pattern of results did not replicate results of previous studies (e.g., M. Carpenter, K. Nagell, & M. Tomasello, 1998) that found relationships between various emerging joint-attention behaviors.

A JOINT EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS OF INVESTOR BEHAVIOR IN IPO PRICING METHODS

This article jointly examines the differences of laboratory versions of the Dutch clock open auction, a sealed-bid auction to represent book building, and a two-stage sealed bid auction to proxy for the “competitive IPO”, a recent innovation used in a few European equity initial public offerings. We investigate pricing, seller allocation, and buyer welfare allocation efficiency and conclude that the book building emulation seems to be as price efficient as the Dutch auction, even after investor learning, whereas the competitive IPO is not price efficient, regardless of learning. The competitive IPO is the most seller allocative efficient method because it maximizes offer proceeds. The Dutch auction emerges as the most buyer welfare allocative efficient method. Underwriters are probably seeking pricing efficiency rather than seller or buyer welfare allocative efficiency and their discretionary pricing and allocation must be important since book building is prominent worldwide.

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.

Energy and ancillary services joint market simulation

In order to develop a flexible simulator, a variety of models for Ancillary Services (AS) negotiation has been implemented in MASCEM – a multi-agent system competitive electricity markets simulator. In some of these models, the energy and the AS are addressed simultaneously while in other models they are addressed separately. This paper presents an energy and ancillary services joint market simulation. This paper proposes a deterministic approach for solving the energy and ancillary services joint market. A case study based on the dispatch of Regulation Down, Regulation Up, Spinning Reserve, and Non-Spinning Reserve services is used to demonstrate that the use of the developed methodology is suitable for solving this kind of optimization problem. The presented case study is based on CAISO real AS market data considers fifteen bids.

International mobility in the Pharmacy degree at the school of allied health sciences of Oporto

Background: The Erasmus program is a subprogram of the Lifelong Learning program, exclusive for Higher Education that promotes (among other initiatives), the mobility of students(studies, training or internships). The mobility of students of higher education seeks to improve the quality and development of future professionals, providing a multidisciplinary and multicultural experience. Setting: Academic Pharmacy/Pharmacy Technicians Methods: We conducted a descriptive and transversal study on the implementation of the mobility program and analyze the results, which involved applying a survey to students. Results: Since 2009/2010, the Pharmacy Degree at ESTSP has established 7 SMs protocols resulting in an average mobility of 5 students IN and 7 Students OUT. We have also endeavoured in SMp Protocols for extracurricular training with an average of 3 students OUT. The application process is normally open during the year before the mobility period. For most of the students involved, this was a first time opportunity to be in a foreign country and more than 70% choose the mobility program because it is seen as a possibility to improve their curriculum, for personal development or even to pursue employment opportunities abroad. The mobility for teachers is also encouraged. Conclusions: The exchange of experiences and training, acquired during cooperation activities should be an element of continuous dynamics and institutional affirmation. Initiatives such as the ERASMUS Program contribute to the educational and scientific enrichment, and promote international competitiveness among Higher Education Institutions.

Intervenção em fisioterapia numa prótese total do ombro

Introdução: A artroplastia total do ombro é largamente aceite como tratamento para uma variedade de patologias do ombro com dor persistente e perda acentuada da funcionalidade. Em termos globais, os resultados obtidos após a intervenção cirúrgica são bastante bons, parecendo estar, no entanto, condicionados com a patologia subjacente e a qualidade da coifa dos rotadores. Objectivo: Pretende-se com este trabalho descrever e avaliar a eficácia de um plano de intervenção numa prótese total do ombro com integridade da coifa dos rotadores. Metodologia: Paciente sexo feminino, 61 anos, reformada, com dor acentuada no ombro esquerdo desde há três anos, submetida a uma cirurgia de colocação de prótese total do ombro. Apresentava limitação da amplitude articular, diminuição da força, alteração do ritmo escapulo-umeral e ligeira incapacidade funcional. Cinco semanas após a cirurgia, iniciou sessões diárias de fisioterapia durante 12 semanas. A intervenção incluiu a aplicação de modalidades anti-álgicas, mobilização articular, fortalecimento muscular e reeducação neuromuscular. Foi avaliada em quatro momentos: antes da intervenção (M1), 4 (M2), 7 (M3) e 12 (M4) semanas após. Resultados: A dor diminuiu de 4 para 0 (END) no final de 7 semanas e as amplitudes articulares passivas aproximaram-se dos valores definidos pelo protocolo com a flexão/elevação anterior a evoluir de 90º para 130º; a abdução/elevação lateral de 80º para 110º e a rotação medial de 35º para 70º. A força muscular inicial era de 3 nos grupos musculares flexores, extensores e rotadores do ombro atingindo no final grau 4. O ritmo escapulo-umeral demonstrou assincronia durante a elevação do ombro na primeira avaliação, ficando quase normalizado no final das sessões. Quanto à funcionalidade, antes da intervenção o score obtido foi de 30.8 atingindo um valor de 11.6 no final das sessões de tratamento. Conclusão: Após 12 semanas de tratamento, os objectivos delineados foram praticamente atingidos, uma vez que a utente já não refere dor no ombro e apresenta uma boa capacidade funcional, apesar de apresentar ligeiras diferenças nas amplitudes articulares e força muscular esperadas, apontando para o sucesso do protocolo de tratamento aplicado.

A Model to Evaluate Vertical Handovers on JRRM

In a heterogeneous cellular networks environment, users behaviour and network deployment configuration parameters have an impact on the overall Quality of Service. This paper proposes a new and simple model that, on the one hand, explores the users behaviour impact on the network by having mobility, multi-service usage and traffic generation profiles as inputs, and on the other, enables the network setup configuration evaluation impact on the Joint Radio Resource Management (JRRM), assessing some basic JRRM performance indicators, like Vertical Handover (VHO) probabilities, average bit rates, and number of active users, among others. VHO plays an important role in fulfilling seamless users sessions transfer when mobile terminals cross different Radio Access Technologies (RATs) boundaries. Results show that high bit rate RATs suffer and generate more influence from/on other RATs, by producing additional signalling traffic to a JRRM entity. Results also show that the VHOs probability can range from 5 up to 65%, depending on RATs cluster radius and users mobility profile.

A student personal system for Bologna process mobility

The Bologna Process aimed to build a European Higher Education Area with the objective of promoting students mobility. The adoption of Bologna Declaration directives requires a decentralized approach that accelerates student's mobility, based on frequently updated legislation. This paper proposes a student personal system to manage student's academic information. This system is supported by a flexible model that integrates, for instance, knowledge about the student attended courses or about a course that the student wishes to apply. Essentially, this model holds a (i) Student's Academic Record with skills acquired in academic course units, professional experience or training and an (ii) Individual Studies Plan, which places the student in a particular (iii) Course Plan setting the curricular structure that the student wishes to apply.