Photogrammetry on the identification of postural asymmetries in cadets and pilots of the Brazilian air force academy

Objective: To identify whether flight training activities cause postural changes in cadets and pilots of the Brazilian Air Force Academy (AFA). Methods: Eighty subjects were assessed through photographic images in anterior and right side views. Four groups of cadets (n=20 per group) divided according to the year since enlistment and a fifth group of fifteen pilots from the Air Demonstration Squadron (ADS) were included. Pictures were analyzed using the Postural Analysis Program (SAPO) and angles related to head vertical alignment (HVA), head horizontal alignment (HHA), acromion horizontal alignment (AHA) and anterior-superior iliac spine horizontal alignment (HAS) were plotted. Results: We did not find statistical significant differences in the angles: HVA, HHA and AHA. However, a significant difference was found for the HAS angle with pilots having lower values than cadets, suggesting greater postural stability for this variable in pilots. Conclusion: The horizontal alignment of the anterior-superior iliac spine was the only measure that showed significant difference in the comparison between pilots and cadets. The remaining alignments were not different, possibility because of the strict criteria used for admission of cadets at the AFA and the efficiency of the physical training that is performed periodically.Objetivo: Identificar se a atividade de treino de voo pode desencadear alterações posturais em cadetes e pilotos da Academia da Força Aérea Brasileira (AFA). Métodos: Os sujeitos foram avaliados por meio de registro fotográfico em vista anterior e lateral direita, tendo como casuística 80 cadetes da AFA, divididos em quatro grupos, 20 em cada, e 15 pilotos do Esquadrão de Demonstração Aérea (EDA), formando o quinto grupo. As fotos foram transferidas para o Software de Avaliação Postural (SAPO), sendo traçados ângulos relacionados ao alinhamento vertical da cabeça (AVC), alinhamento horizontal da cabeça (AHC), alinhamento horizontal dos acrômios (AHA) e alinhamento horizontal das espinhas ilíacas ântero-superiores (AHE). Resultados: Os resultados mostraram que, após comparação das médias das assimetrias posturais entre os grupos, não houve diferença estatisticamente significante em relação aos ângulos AVC, AHC e AHA. No entanto, na variável AHE, observou-se que o grupo de pilotos apresentou valores significativamente menores que os dos cadetes, sugerindo maior estabilidade postural em relação a essa variável. Conclusão: O AHE foi a única medida que apresentou diferença estatisticamente significate na comparação entre os pilotos e cadetes dos diferentes anos. Quanto aos demais alinhamentos, não houve diferença, podendo atribuir esse fato aos critérios exigentes de ingresso dos cadetes na AFA e a \ud eficiência do treinamento físico realizado periodicamente

Influência do número de camadas na propriedade mecânica de espécimes fabricados com atadura gessada usados para confeccionar splints ortopédicos

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of varying numbers of layers of plaster of Paris bandages on the mechanical properties of specimens used on the construction of orthopedic splints. METHODS: Rectangular plate-shaped and cylinder-shaped specimens were constructed and assigned to two groups simulating plaster slabs and cast and further divided into six subgroups according to the number of layers used: 3, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14 layers. The specimens were subjected to either a three-point bending test (plates/slab) or compressive strength test (cylinders/cast). The following mechanical properties were evaluated: maximum load, elastic limit load and stiffness. Specimen weight was also calculated. Data was analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and the least significant difference (LSD) tests. RESULTS: Pairwise comparisons of the subgroups 10x12 and 10x14 revealed significant differences for all mechanical properties (p<0.05). The results of this study suggest that when the goal is to construct appliances with high mechanical strength, regardless of weight, such as serial plaster slabs splints for stimulating tissue growth through the application of gradual load, splints made with plaster of Paris bandages with 12 or 14 layers should be preferred. For orthotic devices such as positioning orthotics, the use of 10 layers plaster bandages slab splints is advisable as they were found to have better correlation between mechanical strength and weight in comparison to those made wtih 6 or 8 layers. CONCLUSION: Based on the findings of this study, we suggest the use of 10 layers of plaster of Paris for the construction of orthopedic splints.OBJETIVO: Avaliar as propriedades mecânicas de amostras fabricadas a partir de ataduras de gesso que são utilizadas em órteses ortopédicas e que variam quanto ao número de camadas. MÉTODOS: Foram confeccionados espécimes em forma de placa retangular e em forma cilíndrica, divididos em dois grupos que simulavam splint e gesso circular, os quais foram divididos em seis subgrupos de acordo com o número de camadas utilizadas, ou seja, três, seis, oito, dez, 12 e 14 camadas. Os espécimes foram submetidos a um teste de inclinação de três pontos (placas/splint) ou teste de resistência à compressão (cilindros/gesso circular). As seguintes propriedades mecânicas foram avaliadas: carga máxima e carga no limite de elasticidade e rigidez. O peso da amostra foi calculado. Os dados foram analisados estatisticamente pelos testes de Kruskal-Wallis e diferença mínima significativa (DMS). Comparações pareadas entre os subgrupos 10x12 e 10x14 revelaram diferenças significativas para todas as propriedades mecânicas (p<0,05). RESULTADOS: Os resultados sugerem que, quando o objetivo é construir aparelhos com alta resistência mecânica, independente do peso, tais como órteses seriadas de posicionamento para simular força gradual aplicada no tecido para a melhoria da amplitude de movimento, talas de 12 ou 14 camadas devem ser preferidas. Para os aparelhos ortopédicos que irão ser submetidos a esforços de baixa intensidade, aconselha-se a utilização de dez camadas para as órteses, porque houve uma melhor correlação entre a resistência mecânica e peso para as amostras fabricadas com dez camadas de atadura gessada comparadas com aquelas confeccionadas com seis ou oito camadas. CONCLUSÂO: Baseado nos achados deste estudo, sugere-se a utilização de dez camadas na confecção de órteses ortopédicas

Acute effects of orexigenic antipsychotic drugs on lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in rat

This study aims to investigate whether orexigenic antipsychotic drugs may induce dyslipidemia and glucose disturbances in female rats through direct perturbation of metabolically active peripheral tissues, independent of prior weight gain. Methods In the current study, we examined whether a single intraperitoneal injection of clozapine or olanzapine induced metabolic disturbances in adult female outbred Sprague–Dawley rats. Serum glucose and lipid parameters were measured during time-course experiments up to 48 h. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to measure specific transcriptional alterations in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in adipose tissue depots or in the liver. Results Our results demonstrated that acute administration of clozapine or olanzapine induced a rapid, robust elevation of free fatty acids and glucose in serum, followed by hepatic accumulation of lipids evident after 12–24 h. These metabolic disturbances were associated with biphasic patterns of gluconeogenic and lipid-related gene expression in the liver and in white adipose tissue depots. Conclusion Our results support that clozapine and olanzapine are associated with primary effects on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism associated with transcriptional changes in metabolically active peripheral tissues prior to the development of drug-induced weight gain

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear un derstanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5–7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8–11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world’s most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepre sented in biodiversity databases.13–15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may elim inate pieces of the Amazon’s biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological com munities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple or ganism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region’s vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most ne glected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lostinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear understanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5,6,7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8,9,10,11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world's most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepresented in biodiversity databases.13,14,15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may eliminate pieces of the Amazon's biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological communities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple organism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region's vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most neglected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lost

Finite Element Modeling for Development and Optimization of a Bone Plate for Mandibular Fracture in Dogs

This study aimed to develop a plate to treat fractures of the mandibular body in dogs and to validate the project using finite elements and biomechanical essays. Mandible prototypes were produced with 10 oblique ventrorostral fractures (favorable) and 10 oblique ventrocaudal fractures (unfavorable). Three groups were established for each fracture type. Osteosynthesis with a pure titanium plate of double-arch geometry and blocked monocortical screws offree angulanon were used. The mechanical resistance of the prototype with unfavorable fracture was lower than that of the fcworable fracture. In both fractures, the deflection increased and the relative stiffness decreased proportionally to the diminishing screw number The finite element analysis validated this plate study, since the maximum tension concentration observed on the plate was lower than the resistance limit tension admitted by the titanium. In conclusion, the double-arch geometry plate fixed with blocked monocortical screws has sufficient resistance to stabilize oblique,fractures, without compromising mandibular dental or neurovascular structures. J Vet Dent 24 (7); 212 - 221, 201