177 research outputs found
Stepping over obstacles: Attention demands and aging
Older adults have been shown to trip on obstacles despite taking precautions to step carefully. It has been demonstrated in dual-task walking that age-related decline in cognitive and attentional mechanisms can compromise postural management. This is yet to be substantiated during obstacle negotiation when walking. Forty-six healthy volunteers (aged 20-79 years) stepped over obstacles in their path whilst walking and performing a verbal fluency task. Using 3D kinematic analysis we compared obstacle crossing during single (obstacle crossing only) and dual-task (obstacle crossing with verbal task) conditions. We grouped the participants into three age groups and examined age-related changes to cognitive interference on obstacle crossing. During dual-task trials, the 20-29 and 60-69 groups stepped closer to the obstacles prior to crossing, increased vertical toe-obstacle clearance, and had reduced gait variability. In these two groups there was a small dual-task decrease in verbal output. The 70-79 group applied similar dual-task stepping strategies during pre-crossing. However, during crossing they showed reduced vertical toe-to-obstacle clearance and increased variability of obstacle-to-heel distance. Additionally, this group did not show any significant change to verbal output across trials. These results suggest that with advanced age, increased cognitive demands are more likely to have a detrimental impact on motor performance, leading to compromised safety margins and increased variability in foot placement. We conclude that younger adults utilise a posture-preserving strategy during complex tasks but the likelihood of this strategy being used decreases with advanced age
Exciton Spin Dynamics in Semiconductor Quantum Wells
In this paper we will review Exciton Spin Dynamics in Semiconductor Quantum
Wells. The spin properties of excitons in nanostructures are determined by
their fine structure. We will mainly focus in this review on GaAs and InGaAs
quantum wells which are model systems.Comment: 55 pages, 27 figure
Temporal dynamics of the shrub and herbaceous layer of an area of moist grassland in Alto Paraíso de Goiás, Brazil
Este trabalho avaliou a dinâmica estrutural e fl orística de uma comunidade de espécies herbáceo-arbustivas
de uma área de campo limpo úmido em Alto Paraíso de Goiás, o primeiro inventário realizado em 2000 (T0) e o
segundo em 2007 (T1). A diversidade de Shannon entre os períodos foi comparada pelo teste-t de Hutcheson e a
similaridade fl orística, pelo índice de similaridade de Chao-Sørensen. As relações fl orísticas e a cobertura, entre os
períodos e as linhas, foram avaliadas por meio de análises de correspondência retifi cada (DCA). Foram amostradas
98 espécies, 88 no T0 e 67 no T1, sendo 31 exclusivas do T0 e 10 do T1. A diversidade fl orística na comunidade
foi elevada nos dois períodos, porém diferente entre esses (t = 7,12; p < 0,001), devido a variação no número e
cobertura das espécies. A similaridade entre os dois inventários foi alta (Chao-Sørensen ± IC = 0,841 ± 0,074). A
ordenação por DCA indicou relações entre a composição fl orística e a cobertura com o gradiente de umidade e
de matéria orgânica no solo identifi cados em T0. Houve modifi cações nas linhas em zonas sazonais, as quais se
tornaram mais semelhantes às linhas constantemente saturadas por água. Em um intervalo de sete anos o campo
limpo úmido apresentou mudanças na composição fl orística e, principalmente na estrutura devido o aumento da
cobertura de espécies perenes, cespitosas e entouceiradas, que foram favorecidas pela maior umidade no solo em
resposta à elevação da pluviosidade da região. __________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTTh is study evaluated the fl oristic and structural dynamics of a community of herbaceous-shrub species
in an area of moist grassland in Alto Paraíso de Goiás. Th e fi rst inventory was undertaken in 2000 (T0) and the
second in 2007 (T1). Shannon’s diversity between the periods was compared by Hutchesons´s t-test, and the
fl oristic similarity by the Chao-Sørensen similarity index. Floristic composition and cover, between periods and
lines, were evaluated by detrended correspondence analysis (DCA). We sampled 98 species, 88 at T0 and 67 at T1;
31 were unique to T0 and 10 to T1. Floristic diversity in the community was high in both periods, but diff erent
between them (t = 7.12, p <0.001), due to variation in species number and coverage. Similarity between the two
surveys was high (Chao-Sørensen CI = ± 0.841 ± 0.074). Th e DCA ordination indicated relationships between the
fl oristic composition and cover with a gradient of moisture and organic matter in the soil identifi ed in T0. Th ere
were changes in the lines in the seasonal zones, which became more similar in those constantly saturated with
water. During an interval of seven years the moist grassland showed changes in fl oristic composition and mainly
in structure due to increased cover of the clumped tussock perennial species, which were favored by higher soil
moisture due to high rainfall in the region
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