Search results for "Mechanical Phenomena"
showing 10 items of 532 documents
Study of three urethral pressure recording devices: Theoretical considerations
1978
Using a bladder-urethra model, 2 perfusion catheters (open side and open tip) were compared to the balloon catheter. The most accurate results were obtained using the balloon catheter. Based on the law of continuity and Bernouilli's law, the disadvantage of the open side catheter is due to the inconstant diameter of the sum of the side holes. Therefore, the measured pressure is not necessarily identical to the real pressure. The open tip catheter measures the opening pressure and the recorded pressure does not necessarily reflect the pressure at the site of the tip hole. The balloon catheter has elastic and plastic characteristics. Optimum results were obtained only with prestretch of the b…
Movements Execution in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s Disease
2007
We evaluated the relationship between motor and neuropsychological deficits in subjects affected by amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI) and early Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Kinematics of goal-directed movement of aMCI and AD subjects were compared to those of age-matched control subjects. AD showed a slowing down of motor performance compared to aMCI and controls. No relationships were found between motor and cognitive performances in both AD and aMCI. Our results suggest that the different motor behaviour between AD and aMCI cannot be related to memory deficits, probably reflecting the initial degeneration of parietal-frontal circuits for movement planning. The onset of motor dysfunct…
Older adults who have previously fallen due to a trip walk differently than those who have fallen due to a slip
2014
Studying the relationships between centre of mass (COM) and centre of pressure (COP) during walking has been shown to be useful in determining movement stability. The aim of the current study was to compare COM-COP separation measures during walking between groups of older adults with no history of falling, and a history of falling due to tripping or slipping. Any differences between individuals who have fallen due to a slip and those who have fallen due to a trip in measures of dynamic balance could potentially indicate differences in the mechanisms responsible for falls. Forty older adults were allocated into groups based on their self-reported fall history during walking. The non-faller …
Biomechanical Comparison Between Sprint Start, Sled Pulling, and Selected Squat-Type Exercises
2013
The purpose of this study was to compare kinetics, kinematics, and muscle activity among sprint start, sled pulling, and selected squat-type exercises (countermovement jumps [CMJs] and 1/2-squats with various loads) and also to examine how these exercises correlate with the performance time of the block start (10 m). Nine male athletes (4 sprinters, 3 decathlonists, 1 long jumper, and 1 triple jumper: age = 24.9 ± 3.9 years; 100-m record = 11.35 ± 0.29 seconds; track and field training years = 11.8 ± 3.1 years) volunteered as subjects. The comparisons were made with regard to the block phase (the phase of force production toward starting blocks) of the block start. In nearly all exercises, …
MOTOR DYSFUNCTION OF THE "NON AFFECTED" LOWER LIMB: A KINEMATIC COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN HEMIPARETIC STROKE AND TOTAL KNEE PROSTHESIZED PATIENTS
2009
In patients with hemispheric stroke, abnormal motor performances are described also in the ipsilateral limbs. They may be due to a cortical reorganization in the unaffected hemisphere; moreover, also peripheral mechanisms may play a role. To explore this hypothesis, we studied motor performances in 15 patients with hemispheric stroke and in 14 patients with total knee arthroplasty, which have a reduced motility in the prosthesized leg. Using the unaffected leg, they performed five superimposed circular trajectories in a prefixed pathway on a computerized footboard, while looking at a marker on the computer screen. The average trace error was significantly different between the groups of pat…
Muscle Activation in Young Men During a Lower Limb Aquatic Resistance Exercise With Different Devices
2014
Little research has been reported on the effects of using different devices with resistance exercises in a water environment. This study compared muscular activation of lower extremity and core muscles during leg adduction performed at maximum velocity with drag and floating devices of different sizes. A total of 24 young men (mean age 23.20 ± 1.18 years) performed 3 repetitions of leg adduction at maximum velocity using 4 different devices (ie, large/small and drag/floating). The maximum amplitude of the electromyographic root mean square of the adductor longus, rectus abdominis, external oblique on the dominant side, external oblique on the nondominant side, and erector lumbar spinae were…
Relationship among Corneal Biomechanics, Refractive Error, and Axial Length
2014
Purpose To evaluate the relationship between different ocular and corneal biomechanical parameters in emmetropic and ametropic healthy white children. Methods This study included 293 eyes of 293 healthy Spanish children (135 boys and 158 girls), ranging in age from 6 to 17 years. Subjects were divided according to the refractive error: control (emmetropia, 99 children), myopia (100 children), and hyperopia (94 children) groups. In all cases, corneal hysteresis (CH) and corneal resistance factor (CRF) were evaluated with the Ocular Response Analyzer system. Axial length (AL) and mean corneal power were also measured by partial coherence interferometry (IOLMaster), and central corneal thickne…
External rotation strength deficit after hip resurfacing surgery.
2008
The aim was to assess the effect of resurfacing hip arthroplasty on hip muscle function, when, in the posterior approach, the piriformis tendon and outer rotators of the hip joint were divided. The unoperated side was used as a control.Thirty-three consecutive patients (mean age 55 years, 73% males) were operated using the posterior approach. Main outcome measures were isometric muscle strength of external and internal rotators and extensors of the hip and hip pain.Hip external rotation strength (p0.001) and leg extension strength (p0.001) were significantly lower on the operated side compared with the un-operated side prior to the surgery. On the operated side external rotation strength de…
Effects of Joint Kinetics on Energy Cost during Repeated Vertical Jumping
2019
The present study was designed to investigate the effects of lower limb joint kinetics on energy cost during jumping.Eight male middle and long-distance runners volunteered for the study. The subjects were asked to repeat vertical jumps at a frequency of 2 Hz for 3 min on a force platform in three different surface inclination conditions: Incline (+8°), Level (0°), and Decline (-8°). Sagittal plane kinematics were obtained using a high-speed video camera. Simultaneously, ground reaction forces and EMG of the lower limb muscles were recorded. Energy cost was calculated using steady-state oxygen uptake, respiratory ratio, and vertical distance of the body.In all conditions, energy cost correl…
Sperm kinematic characterization of alpaca ( Vicugna pacos L.) during the reproductive season
2018
Semen analysis is a key factor when determining the fertility ability in males. South American camelids, and in particular the alpaca, have been studied very little when compared with other farm animals. The aim of this work was to perform the kinematic characterization of alpaca spermatozoa collected directly from the deferent duct by using CASA-Mot (Computer Assisted Semen Analysis for Motility) technology. Samples were obtained every three days throughout the reproductive season during two periods and with a break of seven days in the middle. During both periods, the quality of the sample's motility and kinematics increased over the first two days and then subsequently decreased. This pa…