Effects of Training on Physical Performance Wearing Personal Protective Equipment

We evaluated the effects of wearing a weighted vest during 6 weeks of military-style training. Forty-three subjects were randomly assigned to a control group or a vest group (carrying 4-5 kg for 2 weeks, and 8-10 kg for 4 weeks), with 37 completing the study (17 vest, 20 control). Both groups performed stair climbing in addition to standard Marine Corps training for 1 hour, four times per week. Pre- and post-tests were performed while wearing military personal protective equipment, with the exception of the Marine Physical Readiness Test (PRT). Both groups significantly improved PRT scores (8.4% 3-mile run, 28-38% calisthenics) and an agility drill (4.4%). Significant improvements in uphill treadmill performance (6.8% vest, 3.0% control) and maximal oxygen consumption (10.7% vest, 6.8% control) were approximately twice as much in the vest versus control group, although these differences did not reach significance (p = 0.16 and 0.13, respectively)

Identifying Patterns in Behavioral Public Health Data Using Mixture Modeling with an Informative Number of Repeated Measures

Finite mixture modeling is a useful statistical technique for clustering individuals based on patterns of responses. The fundamental idea of the mixture modeling approach is to assume there are latent clusters of individuals in the population which each generate their own distinct distribution of observations (multivariate or univariate) which are then mixed up together in the full population. Hence, the name mixture comes from the fact that what we observe is a mixture of distributions. The goal of this model-based clustering technique is to identify what the mixture of distributions is so that, given a particular response pattern, individuals can be clustered accordingly. Commonly, finite mixture models, as well as the special case of latent class analysis, are used on data that inherently involve repeated measures. The purpose of this dissertation is to extend the finite mixture model to allow for the number of repeated measures to be incorporated and contribute to the clustering of individuals rather than measures. The dimension of the repeated measures or simply the count of responses is assumed to follow a truncated Poisson distribution and this information can be incorporated into what we call a dimension informative finite mixture model (DIMM). The outline of this dissertation is as follows. Paper 1 is entitled, "Dimension Informative Mixture Modeling (DIMM) for questionnaire data with an informative number of repeated measures." This paper describes the type of data structures considered and introduces the dimension informative mixture model (DIMM). A simulation study is performed to examine how well the DIMM fits the known specified truth. In the first scenario, we specify a mixture of three univariate normal distributions with different means and similar variances with different and similar counts of repeated measurements. We found that the DIMM predicts the true underlying class membership better than the traditional finite mixture model using a predicted value metric score. In the second scenario, we specify a mixture of two univariate normal distributions with the same means and variances with different and similar counts of repeated measurements. We found that that the count-informative finite mixture model predicts the truth much better than the non-informative finite mixture model. Paper 2 is entitled, "Patterns of Physical Activity in the Northern Manhattan Study (NOMAS) Using Multivariate Finite Mixture Modeling (MFMM)." This is a study that applies a multivariate finite mixture modeling approach to examining and elucidating underlying latent clusters of different physical activity profiles based on four dimensions: total frequency of activities, average duration per activity, total energy expenditure and the total count of the number of different activities conducted. We found a five cluster solution to describe the complex patterns of physical activity levels, as measured by fifteen different physical activity items, among a US based elderly cohort. Adding in a class of individuals who were not doing any physical activity, the labels of these six clusters are: no exercise, very inactive, somewhat inactive, slightly under guidelines, meet guidelines and above guidelines. This methodology improves upon previous work which utilized only the total metabolic equivalent (a proxy of energy expenditure) to classify individuals into inactive, active and highly active. Paper 3 is entitled, "Complex Drug Use Patterns and Associated HIV Transmission Risk Behaviors in an Internet Sample of US Men Who Have Sex With Men." This is a study that applies the count-informative information into a latent class analysis on nineteen binary drug items of drugs consumed within the past year before a sexual encounter. In addition to the individual drugs used, the mixture model incorporated a count of the total number of drugs used. We found a six class solution: low drug use, some recreational drug use, nitrite inhalants (poppers) with prescription erectile dysfunction (ED) drug use, poppers with prescription/non-prescription ED drug use and high polydrug use. Compared to participants in the low drug use class, participants in the highest drug use class were 5.5 times more likely to report unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) in their last sexual encounter and approximately 4 times more likely to report a new sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the past year. Younger men were also less likely to report UAI than older men but more likely to report an STI

Evolutionary robotics and neuroscience

No description supplie

3D locomotion biomimetic robot fish with haptic feedback

This thesis developed a biomimetic robot fish and built a novel haptic robot fish system based on the kinematic modelling and three-dimentional computational fluid dynamic (CFD) hydrodynamic analysis. The most important contribution is the successful CFD simulation of the robot fish, supporting users in understanding the hydrodynamic properties around it

Effect of Warm-Maintenance Between Innings on Overall Pitching Performance

This study examined if pitchers who performed warm-maintenance (WM) using treadmill walking and arm circles between innings maintained better ball velocity and accuracy than using only a traditional warm-up (NWM). Collegiate pitchers (N = 7) pitched four simulated innings on two different occasions. During NWM, each pitching stint was followed by a sham treatment involving brief, light treadmill walking at 15% HRR (93.1 ±12.7 bpm) and then seated rest. During WM, pitching followed the same pattern of activity, however instead of seated rest subjects performed arm circles and walked on a treadmill at 45% HRR (128.1 ±2.8 bpm), for each entire half-inning. Innings consisted of 15 pitches, with fastballs thrown on pitches 1-3, 7-9, and 13-15, which were evaluated for velocity and accuracy. Performance readiness and shoulder external and internal rotation were evaluated before each inning. Velocity and accuracy were each analyzed by using a 2x3 ANOVA (Treatment x Trial) for each inning, with repeated measures on both factors. For performance readiness, dependant samples I-tests were used to analyze between condition effects of each inning. Pitching arm range of motion was analyzed using a 2x2 ANOVA (Treatment x Rotation) for each inning, with repeated measures on both factors. The significance level for all statistical analyses was set at p \u3c 0.05. The results showed that there was no significant difference between WM and NWM, with respect to pitching velocity, accuracy, or performance readiness. However, performance never significantly declined due to the effects of WM. There were no significant differences in pitching arm shoulder range of motion. Although WM did not improve performance, the fact that velocity and accuracy can be maintained with the use of WM, pitchers and coaches might want to reconsider the current sedentary approach typically practiced between innings

Acute endocrine responses to plyometrics versus resistance exercise in children

The purpose of this study was to examine the acute hormonal responses to a bout of resistance versus plyometric exercise in young male athletes. Specifically, changes in salivary cortisol, testosterone and testosterone-to-cortisol ratio from pre- to post-exercise between the two different exercise protocols were examined. Twenty-six peri-pubertal active boys participated in this cross-over study, completing two exercise sessions. During each session, participants first completed a 30 min control period, which did not include any exercise, and then was randomly assigned to perform a 45 min of either a resistance exercise or a plyometric exercise protocol. All participants crossed over to perform the other exercise protocol during their second exercise session, a week later. Four saliva samples during each protocol were taken at: baseline, pre-exercise, 5 min post-exercise and 30 min post-exercise. Significant increases in testosterone values were reported 5 min post-exercise following the resistance protocol, but not the plyometric protocol. Both exercise protocols resulted in significant cortisol decreases overtime, as well as significant testosterone-to-cortisol ratio increases. The post-exercise increases in salivary testosterone and testosterone-to-cortisol ratio followed the typical exercise induced anabolic response seen in adults. However, the post-exercise decrease in salivary cortisol was different than the typical adult response indicating an insufficient stimulus for this age group maybe due to their stage of the biological development. Thus, in the adolescent boys, exercise appears to change the anabolic to catabolic balance in favor of anabolism

Effects of changes in the economic environment on diet- and physical activity-related behaviours and corollary outcomes: a large-scale scoping review.

A PLoS One article based on this work is currently available from: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0075070Changing the economic environment has some potential to influence patterns of diet and physical activity and thereby improve population health and reduce inequalities. We conducted a systematic scoping review to identify and describe current evidence for the effects of either specific interventions that change prices or income, or general exposure to variations in prices or income, on diet- and physical activity-related behaviours, their proximal consequences (food, energy or nutrient intake or energy expenditure) and their more distal consequences (risk factors for non-communicable diseases)

Effects of a Postural Exercise Program on Vertical Jump Height in Young Female Volleyball Players with Knee Valgus

Background: Although a knee valgus position is related to the increase in injury risk in volleyball players, there is a lack of studies on the relationship between knee valgus and vertical jump (VJ) performance. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a postural exercise program on VJ height in young female volleyball players with knee valgus. Methods: This pilot study included 19 young female volleyball players divided into the following groups: the Valgus Experimental Group (VEG); the Valgus Control Group (VCG); and the Neutral Control Group (NCG). All three groups carried out the same volleyball training program. In addition, only the VEG underwent a 3-month postural exercise program of 30–45 min/session, twice/week. VJ performance was measured through the Sargent test before (T0), at 6 weeks (T1), and at 12 weeks (T2). Results: A significant effect from T0 to T1 (p = 0.0017) and from T0 to T2 (p = 0.0001) was found in the VEG. No significant differences were found over time in the VCG and in the NCG. Conclusion: An integrated postural exercise program might lead to a more balanced muscle efficiency inducing athletes to obtain a higher VJ performance

Developing and Testing an Ecologically Valid Fitness Test in Suburban SWAT Operators

Developing and Testing an Ecologically Valid Fitness Test in Suburban SWAT Operators: 10 tactical athletes (SWAT operators) were tested to develop the validity of a physical fitness test that closely mirrored their physical tasks they would experience during their job

New Mexico Lobo, Volume 072, No 31, 10/29/1968

New Mexico Lobo, Volume 072, No 31, 10/29/1968https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/daily_lobo_1968/1100/thumbnail.jp