fine classification of complex motion pattern in fencing

Abstract The subject of this study was fencing and the object was to classify the fundamental motions of fencers by creating a library of movements. Based on this library, thus, the recognition of motions during a real fencing match can be made. Kinematic data were acquired by a motion capture system (Vicon). The automated algorithm that recognized motions is based on three steps: a Principal Component Analysis for data dimension reduction, an innovative wavelet-based analysis of signals and a feature extraction method. The algorithm was tested on high level fencing athletes and it was found to be robust with a 12% of misclassification rate. It gave a description of how atheletes move and showed that in real match athletes do not execute fundamental motions but they mix different techniques in order to surprise the opponent

Break dance significantly increases static balance in 9 years-old soccer players

Static balance in young athletes is an important ability that has a relevant influence on their present and future sport performances, as well as on the reduction in risk of injury. The present study reports data collected on three homogeneous groups of 9 years-old athletes (n=10 for each group), whose static balance was monitored every two months during an overall period of six months. At the beginning of the study, all of the children in each of the three groups were performing soccer activity with a frequency (three times a week) that was kept constant during the observation period. During the six months, group 1 maintained only the soccer activity, group 2 also performed swimming activity (twice a week) in parallel with the soccer activity, while group 3 started, at month 2, to perform soccer activity with a break dance course (twice a week). Double leg stance (with eyes open and closed) and single leg stance (on dominant and non-dominant leg) tests were performed using a force platform, and the COP area calculated for each trial. Results show a clear decrease in the "soccer+break dance" players COP area values during the six months, suggesting an improvement in their static balance. The difference was significantly greater with respect to that of soccer players and "soccer+swimming" players. This was evident in all the tests performed starting from two months after the break dance activity began

Break dance significantly increases static balance in 9 years-old soccer players.

Static balance in young athletes is an important ability that has a relevant influence on their present and future sport performances, as well as on the reduction in risk of injury. The present study reports data collected on three homogeneous groups of 9 years-old athletes (n=10 for each group), whose static balance was monitored every two months during an overall period of six months. At the beginning of the study, all of the children in each of the three groups were performing soccer activity with a frequency (three times a week) that was kept constant during the observation period. During the six months, group 1 maintained only the soccer activity, group 2 also performed swimming activity (twice a week) in parallel with the soccer activity, while group 3 started, at month 2, to perform soccer activity with a break dance course (twice a week). Double leg stance (with eyes open and closed) and single leg stance (on dominant and non-dominant leg) tests were performed using a force platform, and the COP area calculated for each trial. Results show a clear decrease in the "soccer+break dance" players COP area values during the six months, suggesting an improvement in their static balance. The difference was significantly greater with respect to that of soccer players and "soccer+swimming" players. This was evident in all the tests performed starting from two months after the break dance activity began

Fine Classification of Complex Motion Pattern in Fencing

The subject of this study was fencing and the object was to classify the fundamental motions of fencers by creating a library of movements. Based on this library, thus, the recognition of motions during a real fencing match can be made. Kinematic data were acquired by a motion capture system (Vicon). The automated algorithm that recognized motions is based on three steps: a Principal Component Analysis for data dimension reduction, an innovative wavelet-based analysis of signals and a feature extraction method. The algorithm was tested on high level fencing athletes and it was found to be robust with a 12% of misclassification rate. It gave a description of how atheletes move and showed that in real match athletes do not execute fundamental motions but they mix different techniques in order to surprise the opponen

The identification of multiple U-turns in gait : comparison of four trunk IMU-based methods

The identification of turns during walking allows for the segmentation into straight and turn walking bouts. Several IMU-based methods were developed to this purpose, however many of them were tested on specific subject population. In this study, we tested four methods for the identification of turns in walking tasks with multiple U-turns that did not exploit any a-priori knowledge of the turn occurrences. We evaluated their robustness by recording IMU data on healthy and pathological subjects (healthy elderly, stroke survivors, patients with Parkinson disease and choreic patients) walking at two different speeds along a closed loop formed by straight bouts and U-turns. Overall, all methods identified correctly the totality of the U-turns when elderly and Parkinsonian patients were analyzed. When stroke survivors and choreic patients were analyzed, U-turns were either missed or erroneously detected in a limited number of cases. The only method using the magnetometer signals was the best performing, highlighting the usefulness of the magnetometer when turns are being investigated

PROTMINE: a web service based tool to interpreter clinical proteomic data

Nowadays scientific research improvements allow a lager information quantity, especially since Internet has been developed. In this paper we will deal with Proteomics data management, this branch studies protein elements which can be found in a living organism or in a biological system. This project was born at the same time Visual Studio and SQL Server had been used to build up a web site for the Proteomic data management. This idea has been developed by the \u201cGiannina Gaslini\u201d Institute of Genoa and the \u201cDepartment of Communication Computer and System Sciences\u201d (DIST) of University of Genoa. The projects name is \u201cProtmine\u201d

Muscle shortening manoeuvre reduces pain and functional impairment in shoulder impingement syndrome: clinical and ultrasonographic evidence.

To evaluate the short-term efficacy of muscle shortening manoeuvre (MSM), by inducing an increase in strength of the shoulder muscles, for the treatment of shoulder impingement syndrome (SIS).Sixty subjects (mean age: 58.6 years) with SIS were assigned to one of 3 different treatment interventions: 1) MSM: a series of fast accelerations in the upward direction was applied to the upper limb that was also submitted to forces acting in the opposite direction (added mass); 2) traditional physiotherapeutic technique: scapulothoracic gliding; 3) simple traction: the added mass was applied to the limb without the series of fast accelerations. Pain intensity, Neer's impingement sign, range of motion and muscle strength were assessed. Ultrasound (US) examination was performed before, immediately after and 30 days after each treatment to study the width of the subacromial-subdeltoid bursa, long biceps tendon sheath and acromioclavicular joint. Impingement was evaluated by dynamic examination.After treatment with MSM, pain was significantly reduced (p<0.001), Neer's impingement sign was negative, range of motion and muscle strength were increased. US examination showed that the widths of the subacromial-subdeltoid bursa (p<0.001), long biceps tendon sheath (p<0.001) and acromioclavicular joint (p<0.001) were significantly reduced; impingement was no more detected. After 30 days, improvement in clinical and US findings was maintained. In the two control groups, no significant changes were observed after treatment.Clinical and US findings demonstrate that MSM, by inducing an increase in muscle strength, is effective in the short-term treatment of SIS