Search results for " FLEX"

The involvement of ankle muscles in maintaining balance in the upright posture is higher in elderly fallers

2016

International audience; The purpose of this study was to determine whether the mechanical contribution of ankle muscles in the upright stance differed among young adults (YA) (n = 10, age: similar to 24.3), elderly non-fallers (ENF) (n = 12, age: similar to 77.3) and elderly fallers (EF) (n = 20, age: similar to 80.7). Torque and electromyographic (EMG) activity were recorded on the triceps surae and tibialis anterior during maximum and submaximum contractions in the seated position. EMG activity was also recorded in subjects standing still. Plantar flexor (PF) and dorsal flexor (DF) torques generated in the upright posture were estimated from the torque-EMG relationship obtained during sub…

Data from: Effects of undergrowth removal and edge proximity on ground beetles and vascular plants in urban boreal forests

2019

Urban forests are regularly managed for human safety and aesthetic reasons, but they are crucial habitat for many species. Removals of undergrowth occur commonly in these forests, yet the ecological consequences of these operations are poorly understood. We sampled ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) and vascular plants along 20-m edge gradients in Finnish urban forests, in five stands treated 0.5−2.5 years earlier with undergrowth removal and in five untreated stands. We hypothesized that undergrowth removal and edge proximity would benefit opportunistic and open-habitat species, whereas shady-habitat species would be affected negatively. (1) Regarding carabids, diversity and evenness i…

Abitare la nuova scuola. Embodied cognition e spazi di apprendimento.

2018

With the help of the new technology, schools could re-examine the role of the teacher and offer experiences of individual development within shared spaces to the young generation of digital natives. By redesigning the learning environment and incorporating elements of the Embodied Cognition Design, in line with the indications of the national curriculum, students will be well prepared for the future, with capabilities and responsibilities, and will tend towards the realization of the self as active, critical and aware citizens. But, with the pressure of new technologies, a profound restructuring of learning teaching methodologies is also required, incorporating new architectural arrangement…

In situ observations of new particle formation in the tropical upper troposphere: the role of clouds and the nucleation mechanism

2011

New particle formation (NPF), which generates nucleation mode aerosol, was observed in the tropical Upper Troposphere (UT) and Tropical Tropopause Layer (TTL) by in situ airborne measurements over South America (January–March 2005), Australia (November–December 2005), West Africa (August 2006) and Central America (2004–2007). Particularly intense NPF was found at the bottom of the TTL. Measurements with a set of condensation particle counters (CPCs) with different <i>d</i><sub>p50</sub> (50% lower size detection efficiency diameter or "cut-off diameter") were conducted on board the M-55 <i>Geophysica</i> in the altitude range of 12.0–20.5 km and on board …

Semantic Verbal Fluency in Children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder: Relationship with Chronological Age and IQ

2016

We administered a semantic verbal fluency (SVF) task to two groups of children (age range from 5 to 8): 47 diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD Group) and 53 with typical development (Comparison Group), matched on gender, chronological age, and non-verbal IQ. Four specific indexes were calculated from the SVF task, reflecting the different underlying cognitive strategies used: clustering (component of generativity and lexical-semantic access), and switching (executive component, cognitive flexibility). First, we compared the performance of the two groups on the different SVF task indicators, with the ASD group scoring lower than the Comparison Group, although the difference was grea…

Stiffness and strength of composite truss beam to R.C. column connection in MRFs

2015

Abstract The results of experimental and numerical investigations on the cyclic behavior of composite truss beam to reinforced concrete column connection of moment resisting frames are reported. The beams are constituted by a steel truss and end zone added rebar embedded within a concrete block cast in place, so that, after curing, the steel truss and the added rebar work together with the concrete matrix as reinforcement of the composite beam. Particularly, three specimens of two-span continuous beams were tested under monotonic and cyclic actions as three point bending test. With the goal to investigate about the behavior of the end zone of the beam integrated into a moment resisting fram…

Understorey plant and soil responses to disturbance and increased nitrogen in boreal forests

2009

Question: How do N fertilization and disturbance affect the understorey vegetation, microbial properties and soil nutrient concentration in boreal forests? Location: Kuusamo (66°22′N; 29°18′E) and Oulu (65°02′N; 25°47′E) in northern Finland. Methods: We conducted a fully factorial experiment with three factors: site (two levels), N fertilization (four levels) and disturbance (two levels). We measured treatment effects on understorey biomass, vegetation structure, and plant, soil and microbial N and C concentrations. Results: The understorey biomass was not affected by fertilization either in the control or in the disturbance treatment. Fertilization reduced the biomass of deciduous Vacciniu…

Multilayered cultural identity and the perception of the self

2012

This qualitative study examines the reciprocal relationship between a person’s multilayered cultural identity (MCI) and the concept of self (CoS), that is presented purely on a theoretical level and encompasses various theories. Nowadays, in an increasingly globalising world, it is not enough to merely look at a national, ethnic or other type of identity. It is important to realise that there are different layers in an identity that one can view themselves through. The ways an individual perceives themselves through their multicultural background can also be different. This thesis helps identify the ways a person can see themselves. The thesis also attempts to explain the varied nature of o…

Mathematical methods and modeling of energy technologies to support the renewable energy sources integration and the buildings energy flexibility

2022

CARBOXYLATED-CELLULOSE NANOCRYSTALS PRODUCED FROM LIGNOCELLULOSIC SOURCES AND USED AS BARRIER COATING FOR PET FILMS

2015

The obtainment of Cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) from different cellulosic sources recently gained a great attention due to their physical and mechanical properties. CNC can be extracted from variety of bio-based and renewable sources, such as wood, cotton, bacterial cellulose, tunicate cellulose and softwood cellulose and used as reinforced nanocomposites, functional materials and oxygen-barrier layers. The most important factor affecting the nanocellulose production is the relative proportion of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin in the source material. The extraction of CNC from cellulosic materials started with a pre-treatment of biomass involving the complete or partial removal of hemic…