Psychometric properties of a standardized protocol of muscle strength assessment by hand-held dynamometry in healthy adults: a reliability study

Background Maximal isometric muscle strength (MIMS) assessment is a key component of physiotherapists’ work. Hand-held dynamometry (HHD) is a simple and quick method to obtain quantified MIMS values that have been shown to be valid, reliable, and more responsive than manual muscle testing. However, the lack of MIMS reference values for several muscle groups in healthy adults with well-known psychometric properties limits the use and the interpretation of these measures obtained with HHD in clinic. Objective To determine the intra- and inter-rater reliability, standard error of measurement (SEM) and minimal detectable change (MDC) of MIMS torque values obtained with HHD. Methods Intra and Inter-rater Reliability Study. The MIMS torque of 17 muscle groups was assessed by two independent raters at three different times in 30 healthy adults using a standardized HHD protocol using the MEDup™ (Atlas Medic, Québec, Canada). Participants were excluded if they presented any of the following criteria: 1) participation in sport at a competitive level; 2) degenerative or neuromusculoskeletal disease that could affect torque measurements; 3) traumatic experience or disease in the previous years that could affect their muscle function; and 4) use of medication that could impact muscle strength (e.g., muscle relaxants, analgesics, opioids) at the time of the evaluation. Intra- and inter-rater reliability were determined using two-way mixed (intra) and random effects (inter) absolute agreement intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC: 95% confidence interval) models. SEM and MDC were calculated from these data. Results Intra- and inter-rater reliability were excellent with ICC (95% confidence interval) varying from 0.90 to 0.99 (0.85–0.99) and 0.89 to 0.99 (0.55–0.995), respectively. Absolute SEM and MDC for intra-rater reliability ranged from 0.14 to 3.20 Nm and 0.38 to 8.87 Nm, respectively, and from 0.17 to 5.80 Nm and 0.47 to 16.06 Nm for inter-rater reliability, respectively. Conclusions The excellent reliability obtained in this study suggest that the use of such a standardized HHD protocol is a method of choice for MIMS torque measurements in both clinical and research settings. And the identification of the now known metrological qualities of such a protocol should encourage and promote the optimal use of manual dynamometry

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Ce très bref commentaire vise à pointer plusieurs des aspects par lesquels le droit judiciaire belge peut demeurer porteur d'inégalités entre les hommes et les femmes

Kanaky Nouvelle-Calédonie : situations décoloniales

International audienc

What is Known About Muscle Strength Reference Values for Adults Measured by Hand-Held Dynamometry: A Scoping Review

Objective To map the body of existing literature regarding reference values of maximal isometric muscle strength (MIMS) of upper and lower limbs obtained with handheld dynamometers (HHD) in healthy adults to identify potential gaps in the literature and specify future research needs. Data Sources A scoping review in which PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL plus, PEDRO, and Cochrane databases were searched before May 1, 2020. Study Selection All studies using standardized HHD protocols for the purpose of establishing reference values in healthy adult population were included. Two independent reviewers completed an initial screening of article titles and abstracts, and the remaining articles were read in their entirety and screened according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Disagreements were discussed, with recourse to a third reviewer when needed. Data Extraction Data of the selected studies were extracted and charted by 2 independent reviewers using a tested data extraction grid to ensure method standardization. Data were subsequently merged to produce the complete final extracted data. Data Synthesis Titles and abstracts of 4015 studies were screened, 46 articles were fully reviewed, and 9 manuscripts were selected for the final analysis. A large variability exists between protocols used for muscle testing in terms of type of device, measurement units, subject positioning, and muscle groups tested. Conclusion The existing literature regarding HHD reference values of MIMS is scarce and presents gaps notably relating to strength units and well-described protocols with known psychometric properties, despite the development and increased availability of high quality HHD. This observation emphasizes the critical need to develop reference values in manual dynamometry in adults to optimize the use of manual dynamometry for diagnostic and prognostic decisions

Effect of ruthenium substitution in layered sodium cobaltate Na< i> x</i> CoO< sub> 2</sub>: Synthesis, structural and physical properties

International audienceSolid-state synthesis of Na0.71Co1−xRuxO2 compositions shows that ruthenium can be substituted for cobalt in the hexagonal Na0.71CoO2 phase up to x=0.5. The cell expands continuously with increasing ruthenium content. All mixed Co-Ru phases show a Curie-Weiss behaviour with no evidence of magnetic ordering down to 2 K. Unlike the parent phase Na0.71CoO2, ruthenium-substituted phases are all semiconducting. They exhibit high thermoelectric power, with a maximum of 165 μV/K at 300 K for x=0.3. The Curie constant C and Seebeck coefficient S show a non-monotonic evolution as a function of ruthenium content, demonstrating a remarkable interplay between magnetic properties and thermoelectricity. The presence of ruthenium has a detrimental effect on water intercalation and superconductivity in this system. Applying to Ru-substituted phases the oxidative intercalation of water known to lead to superconductivity in the NaxCoO2 system yields a 2-water layer hydrate only for x=0.1, and this phase is not superconducting down to 2 K

Effect of ruthenium substitution in layered sodium cobaltate Na< i> x</i> CoO< sub> 2</sub>: Synthesis, structural and physical properties

International audienceSolid-state synthesis of Na0.71Co1−xRuxO2 compositions shows that ruthenium can be substituted for cobalt in the hexagonal Na0.71CoO2 phase up to x=0.5. The cell expands continuously with increasing ruthenium content. All mixed Co-Ru phases show a Curie-Weiss behaviour with no evidence of magnetic ordering down to 2 K. Unlike the parent phase Na0.71CoO2, ruthenium-substituted phases are all semiconducting. They exhibit high thermoelectric power, with a maximum of 165 μV/K at 300 K for x=0.3. The Curie constant C and Seebeck coefficient S show a non-monotonic evolution as a function of ruthenium content, demonstrating a remarkable interplay between magnetic properties and thermoelectricity. The presence of ruthenium has a detrimental effect on water intercalation and superconductivity in this system. Applying to Ru-substituted phases the oxidative intercalation of water known to lead to superconductivity in the NaxCoO2 system yields a 2-water layer hydrate only for x=0.1, and this phase is not superconducting down to 2 K

An ecological momentary intervention for smoking cessation: The associations of just-in-time, tailored messages with lapse risk factors

BACKGROUND: Smartphone apps can provide real-time, tailored interventions for smoking cessation. The current study examines the effectiveness of a smartphone-based smoking cessation application that assessed risk for imminent smoking lapse multiple times per day and provided messages tailored to current smoking lapse risk and specific lapse triggers. METHODS: Participants (N=59) recruited from a safety-net hospital smoking cessation clinic completed phone-based ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) 5 times/day for 3 consecutive weeks (1week pre-quit, 2weeks post-quit). Risk for smoking lapse was estimated in real-time using a novel weighted lapse risk estimator. With each EMA, participants received messages tailored to current level of risk for imminent smoking lapse and self-reported presence of smoking urge, stress, cigarette availability, and motivation to quit. Generalized linear mixed model analyses determined whether messages tailored to specific lapse risk factors were associated with greater reductions in these triggers than messages not tailored to specific triggers. RESULTS: Overall, messages tailored to smoking urge, cigarette availability, or stress corresponded with greater reductions in those triggers than messages that were not tailored to specific triggers (p\u27s=0.02 to \u3c0.001). Although messages tailored to stress were associated with greater reductions in stress than messages not tailored to stress, the association was non-significant (p=0.892) when only moments of high stress were included in the analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Mobile technology can be used to conduct real-time smoking lapse risk assessment and provide tailored treatment content. Findings provide initial evidence that tailored content may impact users\u27 urge to smoke, stress, and cigarette availability