Operational safety: Development of electronic system for dynamic balance evaluation of farm tractors

The present study aimed at the development and evaluation of a low cost electronic device in order to provide safety for farm tractor users. The major accident occurrence in agricultural surroundings is from farm tractor side bending. Therefore, this sensor was designed to detect and alert about it. The results were satisfying. © 2013 Taylor & Francis Group.

Balance evaluation in haemophilic preadolescent patients using Nintendo Wii Balance Board®

Introduction: Alterations in the musculoskeletal system, especially in the lower limbs, limit physical activity and affect balance and walking. Postural impairments in haemophilic preteens could increase the risk of bleeding events and deteriorate the physical condition, promoting the progression of haemophilic arthropathy. Aim: This study aims to evaluate static postural balance in haemophilic children, assessed by means of the Wii Balance Board® (WBB). Methods: Nineteen children with haemophilia and 19 without haemophilia aged 9-10 years, have participated in this study. Postural balance was assessed by performing four tests, each one lasting 15 s: bipodal eyes open (BEO), bipodal eyes closed (BEC), monopodal dominant leg (MD) and monopodal non-dominant leg (MND). Two balance indices, standard deviation of amplitude (SDA) and standard deviation of velocity (SDV) were calculated in the anterior-posterior (AP) and medial-lateral (ML) directions. Results: Index values were higher in haemophilic group and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05) in only six (SDAAP in BEO, BEC and MD conditions, SDAML in BEO, SDVAP in BEO and SDVML in MND condition) of 16 parameters analysed. Conclusion: Tests performed indicate a poorer static postural balance in the haemophilic cohort compared to the control group. Accordingly, physiotherapy programmes, physical activity and sports should be designed to improve the postural balance with the aim of preventing joint deterioration and improving quality of life. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Balance control in hemiparetic stroke patients: Main tools for evaluation

Balance problems in hemiparetic patients after stroke can be caused by different impairments in the physiological systems involved in Postural control, including sensory afferents, movement strategies, biomechanical constraints, cognitive processing, and perception of verticality. Balance impairments and disabilities must be appropriately addressed. This article reviews the most common balance abnormalities in hemiparetic patients with stroke and the main tools used to diagnose them.

Evaluation of the influence of different types of seats on postural control in individuals with paraplegia

Study design: Cross-sectional study. Objectives: To assess the importance of proprioceptive and vision information on different types of wheelchair seats with regard to postural control in paraplegic individuals during static posture. Setting: Centre of Rehabilitation at the University Hospital/FMRP-USP and Rehabilitation Outpatient Clinic at University Hospital/UNICAMP, Brazil. Methods: This study involved 11 individuals with paraplegia. All individuals were submitted to an evaluation of static balance with their eyes open and closed in three different types of seats: wheelchair seat, foam seat and gel seat. Balance evaluation was performed by using the Polhemus system, in which body displacements and anteroposterior and mediolateral speeds were assessed in a static seated position in the different types of seats. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance. The differences were considered at P<0.05. Results: No statistical differences were found between the three types of seats in terms of displacements and anteroposterior and mediolateral speeds, or between seats with individuals keeping their eyes open or closed (P>0.05). However, it was observed that body displacements were more prominent toward an anteroposterior than a mediolateral direction. Conclusion: This study suggests that individuals with paraplegia tend to exhibit a more anteroposterior body displacement than a mediolateral one, with no significant differences between the types of seats in both situations of eyes open and closed. Spinal Cord (2010) 48, 825-827; doi:10.1038/sc.2010.30; published online 30 March 2010

Évaluation de l'équilibre chez la population lésée médullaire: validation de l'échelle de Berg et étude des interrelations avec les données cliniques.

L'évolution des soins médicaux auprès de la population ayant une lésion médullaire (LM) s'est traduite par une amélioration du profil fonctionnel des personnes atteintes. Ainsi une proportion importante retrouve une capacité à se tenir debout et à marcher qu'il convient d'évaluer adéquatement. Si quelques outils spécifiques à la population lésée médullaire existent pour évaluer leur ambulation, aucune évaluation de l'équilibre debout n'a été validée auprès de cette clientèle. L'échelle de Berg est un outil recommandé auprès de diverses populations, entre autres celles possédant des pathologies d'origine neurologique; et le score obtenu semble lié au niveau d'autonomie à la marche ainsi qu'aux aides techniques utilisées. L'objectif de ce projet de recherche était donc d'établir la validité concomitante de l'échelle de Berg auprès de la population LM et d'explorer les liens entre le score Berg et l'aide technique utilisée. Pour ce faire, trente-deux sujets BM ASIA D ont été recrutés parmi la clientèle hospitalisée de l'Institut de réadaptation Gingras-Lindsay de Montréal. L'évaluation de l'équilibre debout a été réalisée à l'aide de l'échelle de Berg ainsi que des tests statiques, dynamiques et des limites de stabilité du Balance Master. Le Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury (WISCI), le Spinal Cord Injury Functional Ambulation Inventory (SCI-FAI), la vitesse de marche sur 10m et le Timed up and go ont été utilisés pour évaluer l'ambulation. Des analyses descriptives et corrélatives ont été effectuées sur les données obtenues. Une corrélation forte (0.714Balance Master (-0.752Balance Master ont révélé de plus faibles corrélations avec les diverses mesures cliniques (-0.444Balance Master ont indiqué une relation équivoque avec l'échelle de Berg, n'étant reliées significativement qu'avec certaines épreuves en antéropostérieur (3 et 1s; -0.590Balance Master. En somme, la présente étude permet de recommander l'utilisation de l'échelle de Berg pour évaluer l'équilibre debout des personnes LM.

Equilíbrio em indivíduos com acidente vascular encefálico: Clínica Escola de Fisioterapia da Uniararas

Objective. To describe balance of stroke patients in the UNIA-RARAS Physical Therapy clinic school evaluating the correlation with age and time of lesion. Method. It was an observational study with 22 subjects, both genders, with diagnosis of stroke, ages ranged from 23 to 86 years old. The subjects were submitted to balance evaluation with Berg's Scale of Functional Balance (BSFB), Brazilian version, composed by fourteen tasks. Results. Stroke patients had an average punctuation of 37 points, showing a high risk of falls. There was no significant correlation between the patient's age and time of lesion with BSFB punctuation. Conclusion. This study showed that stroke patients present high risks of falls, independently of age and time of lesion.

Avaliação do equilíbrio, mobilidade e flexibilidade em idosas ativas e sedentárias

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

Avaliação da incerteza de medição no Setor Médico-hospitalar

This study aims to evaluate the uncertainty associated with measurements made by aneroid sphygmomanometer, neonatal electronic balance and electrocautery. Therefore, were performing repeatability tests on all devices for the subsequent execution of normality tests using Shapiro-Wilk; identification of influencing factors that affect the measurement result of each measurement; proposition of mathematical models to calculate the measurement uncertainty associated with measuring evaluated for all equipament and calibration for neonatal electronic balance; evaluation of the measurement uncertainty; and development of a computer program in Java language to systematize the calibration uncertainty of estimates and measurement uncertainty. It was proposed and carried out 23 factorial design for aneroid sphygmomanometer order to investigate the effect of temperature factors, patient and operator and another 32 planning for electrocautery, where it investigated the effects of temperature factors and output electrical power. The expanded uncertainty associated with the measurement of blood pressure significantly reduced the extent of the patient classification tracks. In turn, the expanded uncertainty associated with the mass measurement with neonatal balance indicated a variation of about 1% in the dosage of medication to neonates. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the Turkey test indicated significant and indirectly proportional effects of temperature factor in cutting power values and clotting indicated by electrocautery and no significant effect of factors investigated for aneroid sphygmomanometer.

Metabolic evaluation of dairy cows submitted to three different strategies to decrease the effects of negative energy balance in early postpartum

In early lactation dairy cattle suffer metabolic alterations caused by negative energy balance, which predisposes to fatty liver and ketosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the metabolic condition of high yielding dairy cows subjected to three treatments for preventing severe lipomobilization and ketosis in early lactation. Fifty four multiparous Holstein cows yielding >30 L/day were divided into four groups: control (CN= no treatment), glucose precursor (PG= propylene-glycol), hepatic protector (Mp= Mercepton®), and energy supplement with salts of linolenic and linoleic faty acids (Mg-E= Megalac-E®). Treatments were administrated randomly at moment of calving until 8 weeks postpartum. Blood samples were collected on days 1, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42 and 49 postpartum. Body condition score (BCS) was evaluated at the same periods and milk yield was recorded at 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th weeks of lactation. Concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), albumin, AST, ß-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), cholesterol, glucose, total protein, urea and triglycerides were analyzed in blood samples. Cut-off points for subclinical ketosis were defined when BHBA >1.4 mmol/L and NEFA >0.7 mmol/L. General occurrence of subclinical ketosis was 24% during the period. An ascendant curve of cholesterol and glucose was observed from the 1st to the 8th week of lactation, while any tendency was observed with BHBA and NEFA, although differences among treatments were detected (p<0.05). BCS decreased from a mean of 3.85 at 1st week to 2.53 at 8th week of lactation (p=0.001). Milk yield was higher in the Mg-E group compared with the other treatment groups (p<0.05) Compared with the CN group, the treatments with Mp and PG did not show significant differences in blood biochemistry and milk yield. Cows receiving PG and Mg-E showed higher values of BHBA and NEFA (P<0.05), indicating accentuated lipomobilization. Supplementation with Mg-E also resulted in significant higher concentrations of cholesterol, BHBA, urea, AST and lower values of glycemia. This performance may be explained by the highest milk yield observed with this treatment. Treatments with PG and Mp did not improve milk yield, compared with control cows, but did not show metabolic evidence of ketosis, fat mobilization or fatty liver. These results suggest that treatment with Mg-E improves milk production but induces a higher negative energy balance leading to moderated lipomobilization and ketone bodies production, increasing the risk of fatty liver.

The surface urban energy and water balance scheme (SUEWS): evaluation in Los Angeles and Vancouver

An urban energy and water balance model is presented which uses a small number of commonly measured meteorological variables and information about the surface cover. Rates of evaporation-interception for a single layer with multiple surface types (paved, buildings, coniferous trees and/or shrubs, deciduous trees and/or shrubs, irrigated grass, non-irrigated grass and water) are calculated. Below each surface type, except water, there is a single soil layer. At each time step the moisture state of each surface is calculated. Horizontal water movements at the surface and in the soil are incorporated. Particular attention is given to the surface conductance used to model evaporation and its parameters. The model is tested against direct flux measurements carried out over a number of years in Vancouver, Canada and Los Angeles, USA. At all measurement sites the model is able to simulate the net all-wave radiation and turbulent sensible and latent heat well (RMSE = 25–47 W m−2, 30–64 and 20–56 W m−2, respectively). The model reproduces the diurnal cycle of the turbulent fluxes but typically underestimates latent heat flux and overestimates sensible heat flux in the day time. The model tracks measured surface wetness and simulates the variations in soil moisture content. It is able to respond correctly to short-term events as well as annual changes. The largest uncertainty relates to the determination of surface conductance. The model has the potential be used for multiple applications; for example, to predict effects of regulation on urban water use, landscaping and planning scenarios, or to assess climate mitigation strategies.

The water balance of northern Africa during the mid-Holocene: an evaluation of the 6ka BP PMIP simulations

Runoff fields over northern Africa (10–25°N, 20°W–30°E) derived from 17 atmospheric general circulation models driven by identical 6 ka BP orbital forcing, sea surface temperatures, and CO2 concentration have been analyzed using a hydrological routing scheme (HYDRA) to simulate changes in lake area. The AGCM-simulated runoff produced six-fold differences in simulated lake area between models, although even the largest simulated changes considerably underestimate the observed changes in lake area during the mid-Holocene. The inter-model differences in simulated lake area are largely due to differences in simulated runoff (the squared correlation coefficient, R2, is 0.84). Most of these differences can be attributed to differences in the simulated precipitation (R2=0.83). The higher correlation between runoff and simulated lake area (R2=0.92) implies that simulated differences in evaporation have a contributory effect. When runoff is calculated using an offline land-surface scheme (BIOME3), the correlation between runoff and simulated lake area is (R2=0.94). Finally, the spatial distribution of simulated precipitation can exert an important control on the overall response.

Evaluation of modelled regional water balance using lake status data: a comparison of 6ka simulations with the NCAR CCM

Variations in lake area and depth reflect climatically induced changes in the water balance of overflowing as well as closed lakes. A new global data base of lake status has been assembled, and is used to compare two simulations for 6 ka (6000 yr ago) made with successive R15 versions of the NCAR Community Climate Model (CCM). Simulated water balance was expressed as anomalies of annual precipitation minus evaporation (P-E); observed water balance as anomalies of lake status. Comparisons were made visually, by comparing regional averages, and by a statistic that compares the signs of simulated P-E anomalies (smoothly interpolated to the lake sites) with the status anomalies. Both CCM0 and CCM1 showed enhanced Northern-Hemisphere monsoons at 6 ka. Both underestimated the effect, but CCM1 fitted the spatial patterns better. In the northern mid- and high-latitudes the two versions differed more, and fitted the data less satisfactorily. CCM1 performed better than CCM0 in North America and central Eurasia, but not in Europe. Both models (especially CCM0) simulated excessive aridity in interior Eurasia. The models were systematically wrong in the southern mid-latitudes. Problems may have been caused by inadequate treatment of changes in sea-surface conditions in both models. Palaeolake status data will continue to provide a benchmark for the evaluation of modelling improvements.