Search results for "ORC"
showing 10 items of 4623 documents
Numerical simulations demonstrate that the double tapering of the spatualae of lizards and insects maximize both detachment resistance and stability
2011
Many biological attachment devices of insects, spiders and geckos consist of arrays of hairs (setae), which are terminated by contact elements of different shapes. However, the most frequently observed shape is a thin plate-like spatula. In spite of a rather wide range of sizes, most spatulae of different animals are not uniform, but rather possess a gradient in thickness and width. Here we show that the spatulae of insects and geckos become gradually thinner and wider approaching the end. This geometrical effect is explained in the present paper, by using a numerical approach for the modelling of the van der Waals adhesion and friction between the contact elements and the substrate. The ap…
Signal Characteristics of EMG at Different Levels of Muscle Tension
1976
Electromyographic activity of m. rectus femoris at submaximal and maximal voluntary contractions was quantified by conventional integration technique and also be a more "qualitative" procedure of automated motor unit averaging and frequency spectrum analysis. By relating the EMG parameters to produced muscle tension it was observed that the integrated EMG increased in a slightly nonlinear fashion with the increase in muscle force. The other EMG variables also showed clear changes as a function of muscle tension. The averaged motor unit potential (AMUP) and its specific parameters (number of spikes, amplitude, rise time and amplitude-rise time ratio) showed such changes with muscle tension t…
Postural Balance in a Random Sample of 7,979 Subjects Aged 30 Years and Over
2005
<i>Background:</i> Reliable normative data for force platform measurements of postural balance have not been available. <i>Methods:</i> Data on postural balance were collected from a representative nationwide sample of a Finnish population aged ≧30 years (n = 7,979). As part of a comprehensive health survey <i>(Health 2000)</i>, postural balance was measured with the help of a force platform system in four test conditions: normal standing with eyes open and closed (both for 30 s), semi-tandem (20 s) and tandem stand with eyes open (20 s). In addition, balance abilities were also evaluated by a non-instrumented field test. <i>Results:</i> The m…
Comparison of ground reaction forces and antagonist muscle coactivation during stair walking with ageing
2006
Abstract Stair walking is a demanding task in old age. Ground reaction force (GRF) analysis, relative EMG activation, and muscular coactivation were performed during stair walking. The aim was to investigate the ageing effect on GRF distribution and muscle antagonist coactivation during stair walking, at varied speed. During ascending at maximal velocity old subjects demonstrated reduced GRF in all examined phases (range: 28–35%), whereas muscle coactivation only was elevated for the Entire stance phase (18.5%). GRF parameters during ascent and descent at freely chosen speed demonstrated differences between age groups (5–28%). Furthermore, muscle coactivation was elevated in old subjects (e…
Muscle cross-sectional area, force production and relaxation characteristics in women at different ages
1991
Thirty women, divided among three different age groups, i.e. 30 years (range 26–35;n = 10), 50 years (range 46–55;n = 10) and 70 years (range 66–75;n = 10) volunteered as subjects for examination of the characteristics of the muscle cross-sectional area (CSA), maximal voluntary isometric force, isometric force-time and relaxation-time of their leg extensor muscles. The CSA of the quadriceps femoris muscle in the youngest age group was slightly larger (NS) than in the middle-aged group and much larger (P<0.41) than in the oldest age group whose CSA was markedly smaller (P<0.01) than the middle-aged group. Maximal force in the youngest group was slightly greater (NS) than in the middle-aged g…
15-Lipoxygenase expression and 15(S)-hydroxyeicoisatetraenoic acid release and reincorporation in induced sputum of asthmatic subjects
2000
Recent evidence shows that 15(S)-hydroxy-eicoisatetraenoic acid (15[S]-HETE) can be released and rapidly reincorporated into cellular lipids. These mechanisms exert several immunoregulatory functions that may be relevant in airway inflammation.Our purpose was to evaluate the levels of both soluble and cell-associated 15(S)-HETE and to examine 15-lipoxygenase (15-LO) messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in sputum samples obtained from 10 control and 18 asthmatic subjects.Levels of 15(S)-HETE were measured by reverse-phase HPLC separation followed by RIA in supernatants and in cell membrane-extracted phospholipids after acid hydrolysis. 15-LO mRNA was evaluated by primed in situ hybridization (PRI…
Dietary and physical activity counselling on Type 2 diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance by physicians and nurses in primary healthcare in Finland
2006
To investigate the initiation of dietary and physical activity counselling and the arguments used when discussing physical activity and the type and consumption of dietary fats, during nurse-patient and physician-patient diabetic lifestyle counselling.This study is a part of a larger follow-up research project focusing on diabetes counselling. The data include 129 videotaped counselling sessions between 17 patients and their physicians and nurses. Content analysis was carried out by identifying the verbal comments and reactions of participants concerning both physical activity and the type and consumption of dietary fats.The physicians and nurses spent little time on dietary and physical ac…
Importance of Patella, Quadriceps Forces, and Depthwise Cartilage Structure on Knee Joint Motion and Cartilage Response During Gait
2015
In finite-element (FE) models of the knee joint, patella is often omitted. We investigated the importance of patella and quadriceps forces on the knee joint motion by creating an FE model of the subject's knee. In addition, depthwise strains and stresses in patellar cartilage with different tissue properties were determined. An FE model was created from subject's magnetic resonance images. Knee rotations, moments, and translational forces during gait were recorded in a motion laboratory and used as an input for the model. Three material models were implemented into the patellar cartilage: (1) homogeneous model, (2) inhomogeneous (arcadelike fibrils), and (3) random fibrils at the superficia…
Adverse Childhood Experiences Among 28,047 Norwegian Adults From a General Population
2021
Aim: The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among Norwegian adults from a general population and to identify potential associations with demographic and socioeconomic characteristics.Methods: A randomly drawn sample (N = 61,611) from the public registry of inhabitants was invited to participate in the Norwegian Counties Public Health Survey. The present study was based on online responses from 28,047 adults ≥18 years (mean age: 46.9 years, SD = 16.03). Log-link binomial regression analyses were performed to examine associations between four measures of ACEs (family conflict, lack of adult support, bad memories, and difficult childhoo…
The choice between retirement and bridge employment: a continuity theory and life course perspective.
2009
The rapid aging of the workforce in most developed countries, and the strengthening presence of bridge employment among older employees, has brought about a need for a deeper theoretical and practical understanding of this employment phenomenon. This study examined the concept of bridge employment from a continuity theory and life course perspective. Several personal and job-related antecedents of 539 middle-aged and older U.S. Federal Government employees' intentions of full retirement or engagement in bridge employment were investigated. A multinomial logistic regression analysis provided support for most of the hypotheses on the antecedents of full retirement and overall bridge employme…