A comparison among different Hill-type contraction dynamics formulations for muscle force estimation

El músculo es un tipo de tejido capaz de contraerse y, por lo tanto, acortarse, produciendo una fuerza capaz de generar movimiento. El análisis de su actividad es esencial para entender cómo se genera la fuerza para realizar un movimiento y cómo esa fuerza puede ser estimada a partir de las medidas directas o indirectas. El modelo muscular Hill-tipo es uno de los modelos más utilizados para describir el mecanismo de producción de fuerza. Está compuesto por diferentes elementos que describen el comportamiento del músculo contráctil (serie, paralelo y elástica elemento elástico) y el tendón. En este trabajo analizamos las diferencias entre diferentes formulaciones encontradas en la literatura para estos elementos. Para evaluar las diferencias, un flexo-movimiento de extensión del brazo se realiza, utilizando como entrada a los distintos modelos de electromiografía de superficie de la señal grabada y del músculo-tendón longitudes y por las velocidades de contracción obtenida a partir del análisis dinámico inverso. Los resultados muestran que la fuerza predicha por los diferentes modelos es similar y las principales diferencias en la predicción de la fuerza muscular se observaron en la flexión completa. Se espera que los resultados contribuyan a seleccionar las diferentes formulaciones del modelo muscular tipo Hill para resolver un problema específico.Muscle is a type of tissue able to contract and, thus, shorten, producing a pulling force able to generate movement. The analysis of its activity is essential to understand how the force is generated to perform a movement and how that force can be estimated from direct or indirect measurements. Hill-type muscle model is one of the most used models to describe the mechanism of force production. It is composed by different elements that describe the behaviour of the muscle (contractile, series elastic and parallel elastic element) and tendon. In this work we analyze the differences between different formulations found in the literature for these elements. To evaluate the differences, a flexo-extension movement of the arm was performed, using as input to the different models the surface electromyography signal recorded and the muscle-tendon lengths and contraction velocities obtained by means of inverse dynamic analysis. The results show that the force predicted by the different models is similar and the main differences in muscle force prediction were observed at full-flexion. The results are expected to contribute in the selection of the different formulations of Hill-type muscle model to solve a specific problem.• Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad y Fondos FEDER. Proyecto DPI2012-38331-C03 • Unión Europea. Fondos FEDERpeerReviewe

Estimation of muscular forces from SSA smoothed sEMG signals calibrated by inverse dynamics-based physiological static optimization

The estimation of muscular forces is useful in several areas such as biomedical or rehabilitation engineering. As muscular forces cannot be measured in vivo non-invasively they must be estimated by using indirect measurements such as surface electromyography (sEMG) signals or by means of inverse dynamic (ID) analyses. This paper proposes an approach to estimate muscular forces based on both of them. The main idea is to tune a gain matrix so as to compute muscular forces from sEMG signals. To do so, a curve fitting process based on least-squares is carried out. The input is the sEMG signal filtered using singular spectrum analysis technique. The output corresponds to the muscular force estimated by the ID analysis of the recorded task, a dumbbell weightlifting. Once the model parameters are tuned, it is possible to obtain an estimation of muscular forces based on sEMG signal. This procedure might be used to predict muscular forces in vivo outside the space limitations of the gait analysis laboratory.Postprint (published version

Design, control and evaluation of a low-cost active orthosis for the gait of spinal cord injured subjects

Robotic gait training after spinal cord injury is of high priority to maximize independence and improve the living conditions of the patients. Current rehabilitation robots are expensive and heavy, and are generally found only in the clinical environment. To overcome these issues, we present the design of a low-cost, low-weight and personalized robotic orthosis for incomplete spinal cord injured subjects. The paper also presents a preliminary experimental evaluation of the assistive device on one subject with spinal cord injury that can control hip flexion to a certain extent, but lacks control of knee and ankle muscles. Results show that gait velocity, stride length and cadence of walking increased (24,11%, 7,41% and 15,56%, respectively) when wearing active orthoses compared to the case when the subject used the usual passive orthoses.Postprint (published version

Low-cost active orthosis for gait assistance of subjects with spinal cord injury

Postprint (published version

Optimization Strategy for Improving the Energy Efficiency of Irrigation Systems by Micro Hydropower: Practical Application

[EN] Analyses of possible synergies between energy recovery and water management are essential for achieving sustainable advances in the performance of pressurized irrigation networks. Nowadays, the use of micro hydropower in water systems is being analysed to improve the overall energy efficiency. In this line, the present research is focused on the proposal and development of a novel optimization strategy for increasing the energy efficiency in pressurized irrigation networks by energy recovering. The recovered energy is maximized considering different objective functions, including feasibility index: the best energy converter must be selected, operating in its best efficiency conditions by variation of its rotational speed, providing the required flow in each moment. These flows (previously estimated through farmers¿ habits) are compared with registered values of flow in the main line with very suitable calibration results, getting a Nash¿Sutcliffe value above 0.6 for different time intervals, and a PBIAS index below 10% in all time interval range. The methodology was applied to a Vallada network obtaining a maximum recovered energy of 58.18 MWh/year (41.66% of the available energy), improving the recovered energy values between 141 and 184% when comparing to energy recovery considering a constant rotational speed. The proposal of this strategy shows the real possibility of installing micro hydropower machines to improve the water¿energy nexus management in pressurized systems.This research was supported by the program to support the academic career of the faculty of the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia 2016/2017 in the project "Maximization of the global efficiency in PATs in laboratory facility" of the first author. Besides, the authors wish to thank to the project REDAWN (Reducing Energy Dependency in Atlantic Area Water Networks) EAPA_198/2016 from INTERREG ATLANTIC AREA PROGRAMME 2014-2020 and CERIS (CEHIDRO-IST).Pérez-Sánchez, M.; Sánchez-Romero, F.; Ramos, HM.; López Jiménez, PA. (2017). Optimization Strategy for Improving the Energy Efficiency of Irrigation Systems by Micro Hydropower: Practical Application. Water. 9(10). https://doi.org/10.3390/w9100799S910Goonetilleke, A., & Vithanage, M. (2017). Water Resources Management: Innovation and Challenges in a Changing World. Water, 9(4), 281. doi:10.3390/w9040281Coelho, B., & Andrade-Campos, A. (2014). Efficiency achievement in water supply systems—A review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 30, 59-84. doi:10.1016/j.rser.2013.09.010Nogueira Vilanova, M. R., & Perrella Balestieri, J. A. (2014). Energy and hydraulic efficiency in conventional water supply systems. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 30, 701-714. doi:10.1016/j.rser.2013.11.024McNabola, A., Coughlan, P., Corcoran, L., Power, C., Prysor Williams, A., Harris, I., … Styles, D. (2013). Energy recovery in the water industry using micro-hydropower: an opportunity to improve sustainability. Water Policy, 16(1), 168-183. doi:10.2166/wp.2013.164Lydon, T., Coughlan, P., & McNabola, A. (2017). Pump-As-Turbine: Characterization as an Energy Recovery Device for the Water Distribution Network. Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, 143(8), 04017020. doi:10.1061/(asce)hy.1943-7900.0001316Pasten, C., & Santamarina, J. C. (2012). Energy and quality of life. Energy Policy, 49, 468-476. doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2012.06.051Kanakoudis, V., & Papadopoulou, A. (2014). Allocating the cost of the carbon footprint produced along a supply chain, among the stakeholders involved. Journal of Water and Climate Change, 5(4), 556-568. doi:10.2166/wcc.2014.101Kanakoudis, V., Tsitsifli, S., & Papadopoulou, A. (2012). Integrating the Carbon and Water Footprints’ Costs in the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC Full Water Cost Recovery Concept: Basic Principles Towards Their Reliable Calculation and Socially Just Allocation. Water, 4(1), 45-62. doi:10.3390/w4010045Kanakoudis, V. (2014). Three alternative ways to allocate the cost of the CF produced in a water supply and distribution system. Desalination and Water Treatment, 54(8), 2212-2222. doi:10.1080/19443994.2014.934117George, B., Malano, H., Davidson, B., Hellegers, P., Bharati, L., & Massuel, S. (2011). An integrated hydro-economic modelling framework to evaluate water allocation strategies I: Model development. Agricultural Water Management, 98(5), 733-746. doi:10.1016/j.agwat.2010.12.004Huesemann, M. H. (2002). The limits of technological solutions to sustainable development. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy, 5(1), 21-34. doi:10.1007/s10098-002-0173-8Sitzenfrei, R., & von Leon, J. (2014). Long-time simulation of water distribution systems for the design of small hydropower systems. Renewable Energy, 72, 182-187. doi:10.1016/j.renene.2014.07.013Patelis, M., Kanakoudis, V., & Gonelas, K. (2016). Pressure Management and Energy Recovery Capabilities Using PATs. Procedia Engineering, 162, 503-510. doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2016.11.094Patelis, M., Kanakoudis, V., & Gonelas, K. (2017). Combining pressure management and energy recovery benefits in a water distribution system installing PATs. Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology - Aqua, jws2017018. doi:10.2166/aqua.2017.018Fecarotta, O., Aricò, C., Carravetta, A., Martino, R., & Ramos, H. M. (2014). Hydropower Potential in Water Distribution Networks: Pressure Control by PATs. Water Resources Management, 29(3), 699-714. doi:10.1007/s11269-014-0836-3Gilron, J. (2014). Water-energy nexus: matching sources and uses. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy, 16(8), 1471-1479. doi:10.1007/s10098-014-0853-1Emec, S., Bilge, P., & Seliger, G. (2015). Design of production systems with hybrid energy and water generation for sustainable value creation. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy, 17(7), 1807-1829. doi:10.1007/s10098-015-0947-4Okadera, T., Chontanawat, J., & Gheewala, S. H. (2014). Water footprint for energy production and supply in Thailand. Energy, 77, 49-56. doi:10.1016/j.energy.2014.03.113Herath, I., Deurer, M., Horne, D., Singh, R., & Clothier, B. (2011). The water footprint of hydroelectricity: a methodological comparison from a case study in New Zealand. Journal of Cleaner Production, 19(14), 1582-1589. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2011.05.007Baki, S., & Makropoulos, C. (2014). Tools for Energy Footprint Assessment in Urban Water Systems. Procedia Engineering, 89, 548-556. doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2014.11.477Giugni, M., Fontana, N., & Ranucci, A. (2014). Optimal Location of PRVs and Turbines in Water Distribution Systems. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 140(9), 06014004. doi:10.1061/(asce)wr.1943-5452.0000418Pérez-Sánchez, M., Sánchez-Romero, F. J., López-Jiménez, P. A., & Ramos, H. M. (2018). PATs selection towards sustainability in irrigation networks: Simulated annealing as a water management tool. Renewable Energy, 116, 234-249. doi:10.1016/j.renene.2017.09.060Corcoran, L., McNabola, A., & Coughlan, P. (2016). Optimization of Water Distribution Networks for Combined Hydropower Energy Recovery and Leakage Reduction. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 142(2), 04015045. doi:10.1061/(asce)wr.1943-5452.0000566Ramos, H., & Borga, A. (1999). Pumps as turbines: an unconventional solution to energy production. Urban Water, 1(3), 261-263. doi:10.1016/s1462-0758(00)00016-9Ramos, H. M., Kenov, K. N., & Vieira, F. (2011). Environmentally friendly hybrid solutions to improve the energy and hydraulic efficiency in water supply systems. Energy for Sustainable Development, 15(4), 436-442. doi:10.1016/j.esd.2011.07.009Calibración de Modelos Hidrológicoshttp://www.imefen.uni.edu.pe/Temas_interes/modhidro_2.pdfD. N. Moriasi, J. G. Arnold, M. W. Van Liew, R. L. Bingner, R. D. Harmel, & T. L. Veith. (2007). Model Evaluation Guidelines for Systematic Quantification of Accuracy in Watershed Simulations. Transactions of the ASABE, 50(3), 885-900. doi:10.13031/2013.23153Kirkpatrick, S., Gelatt, C. D., & Vecchi, M. P. (1983). Optimization by Simulated Annealing. Science, 220(4598), 671-680. doi:10.1126/science.220.4598.671Samora, I., Franca, M. J., Schleiss, A. J., & Ramos, H. M. (2016). Simulated Annealing in Optimization of Energy Production in a Water Supply Network. Water Resources Management, 30(4), 1533-1547. doi:10.1007/s11269-016-1238-5Carravetta, A., del Giudice, G., Fecarotta, O., & Ramos, H. (2013). PAT Design Strategy for Energy Recovery in Water Distribution Networks by Electrical Regulation. Energies, 6(1), 411-424. doi:10.3390/en6010411Methodology for Energy Efficiency Analysis in Pressurized Irrigation Networks, Practical Applicationhttps://riunet.upv.es/bitstream/handle/10251/84012/RESUMEN.pdf?sequence=3Singh, P., & Nestmann, F. (2010). An optimization routine on a prediction and selection model for the turbine operation of centrifugal pumps. Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 34(2), 152-164. doi:10.1016/j.expthermflusci.2009.10.004Pérez-Sánchez, M., Sánchez-Romero, F., Ramos, H., & López-Jiménez, P. (2016). Modeling Irrigation Networks for the Quantification of Potential Energy Recovering: A Case Study. Water, 8(6), 234. doi:10.3390/w8060234Pérez-Sánchez, M., Sánchez-Romero, F. J., Ramos, H. M., & López-Jiménez, P. A. (2017). Calibrating a flow model in an irrigation network: Case study in Alicante, Spain. Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research, 15(1), e1202. doi:10.5424/sjar/2017151-10144Pérez-Sánchez, M., Sánchez-Romero, F., Ramos, H., & López-Jiménez, P. (2017). Energy Recovery in Existing Water Networks: Towards Greater Sustainability. Water, 9(2), 97. doi:10.3390/w9020097Fecarotta, O., Carravetta, A., Ramos, H. M., & Martino, R. (2016). An improved affinity model to enhance variable operating strategy for pumps used as turbines. Journal of Hydraulic Research, 54(3), 332-341. doi:10.1080/00221686.2016.114180

Portable Instrument for Hemoglobin Determination Using Room-Temperature Phosphorescent Carbon Dots

A portable reconfigurable platform for hemoglobin determination based on inner filter quenching of room-temperature phosphorescent carbon dots (CDs) in the presence of H2O2 is described. The electronic setup consists of a light-emitting diode (LED) as the carbon dot optical exciter and a photodiode as a light-to-current converter integrated in the same instrument. The reconfigurable feature provides adaptability to use the platform as an analytical probe for CDs coming from different batches with some variations in luminescence characteristics. The variables of the reaction were optimized, such as pH, concentration of reagents, and response time; as well as the variables of the portable device, such as LED voltage, photodiode sensitivity, and adjustment of the measuring range by a reconfigurable electronic system. The portable device allowed the determination of hemoglobin with good sensitivity, with a detection limit of 6.2 nM and range up to 125 nM.MINECO (Spain) CTQ2016-78754-C2-1-REuropean Union (EU

Planificación estratégica de enfermería en Extremadura: aproximación conceptual

En el presente artículo se pretende ofrecer a las personas interesadas en el campo de la gestión, en general y en la gestión de los servicios de enfermería, en particular, una aproximación a los principales conceptos que afectan la planificación estratégica de los servicios de enfermería. El objetivo es que pueda servir como base sobre la que en un futuro puedan desarrollarse proyectos de desarrollo profesional en enfermería. La metodología utilizada ha sido una amplia revisión de la bibliografía relacionada, en la que han destacado aspectos profesionales, sociales, económicos y de gestión. La conclusión más importante que podemos obtener es la necesidad de abordar los servicios de enfermería desde una óptica profesionalizada de gestión, en la que se pueda obtener un mayor desarrollo profesional y beneficio social.This article is intended to provide persons interested in the field of management in general and in the management of the nursing services, in particular, an approach to the main concepts that affect the strategic planning of nursing services. The objective is that it can serve as a future based on which they can develop professional development projects in nursing. The methodology used has been a comprehensive review of the related literature, which have featured professional, social, economic aspects and management. The most important conclusion that we can get is the need to address the nursing services from a professional perspective of management, in which can be obtain greater professional growth and social benefit

Analysis of parental behaviour and attitude in sports and its relation with the sports performance

The aim of the present investigation was to analyse the relation between parental behaviour and other socio-demographic and sportive variables with their children’s sports performance. A sample of 223 parents (46.2% men; 53.4% women) of 223 youth athletes (77.13% boys; 22.87% girls; Mage = 11.66 years; DE = 1.60) were asked. All of them belonged to 13 grassroots teams: football (soccer) (48.9%), basketball (13.5%), volleyball (34.1%) and handball (3.6%) of different categories: U-12 (36.8%), U-13 (48%) and U-15 (15.2%). A retrospective ex post facto design of unique group was planned. The questionnaire Análisis del Comportamiento y Actuación de los Padres y Madres en el Deporte (ACAPMD) was used. Differences statistically significant were detected between parental behaviour to the sports, socio-demographic variables (age and athlete’s gender, parents’ gender and geographical zone) and sports variables (sports category and sport played) with the sports performance. An age increase above the mean, it will make more probable a high sports performance. The clubs of out of Palma registered the highest percentage of sports performance and low sports performance. The highest percentage of high performance was registered in men and women highlighted in medium and low performance. The highest percentages of high and medium performance were registered when the mothers answered the questionnaire. The highest percentage of high and low performance was registered in basketball. And, the highest percentage of sports performance was in U-12’s category, U-13’s category highlighted in low performance and U-15’s category highlighted in medium performance.This research was conducted, in part, thanks to a grant (Values in sport) from Conselleria de Transparència, Cultura i Esport. Govern de les Illes Balears (Spain). Project number (06605)

Optimization tool to improve the management of the leakages and recovered energy in irrigation water systems

[EN] The use of pumps working as turbines is a new solution, which has been recently analysed to improve the water management in the different water systems. The improvement of sustainability involved with this use should be considered in these networks, and it focuses on the reduction of the consumption energy as well as the reduction of leakages. Both variables have a great influence on the rest of economical, technical and environmental indicators of network behavior, becoming key in their improvement. In this line, the research develops a methodology, which includes the estimation of the leakages in the different junctions and pipes as a function of the injected and registered volume data in the water. The present methodology proposes different operation scenarios according to leakages and it develops a double optimization procedure to locate and select the best recovery machines considering different objective functions. The methodology is applied to a real case study, which has serial data of water registered volume since 2001. The research shows the leakages influence in the operation points as well as the recovered energy. Different sustainable indicators are analysed for the different scenarios according to optimized procedures: The IRLGP index was defined as the ratio between reduction of the leakage volume for each installed power and it reached the annual value of 11,280.8 m3/kW; The optimized procedure establishes the significance to consider the leakages when the hydraulic machines are selected. Their best efficiency points increase to 195% and 205% compared to the ideal scenario without leakages.Funding for open access charge: CRUE-Universitat Politecnica de Valencia. This work was supported by the project SISIFO (Development of analytical tools to characterIze the Sustainability of hydraulic systems Indicators that deFine sustainable development Objectives) PID2020-114781RA-I00 from Spanish State Research Plan Scientific and Technical and Innovation 2017-2020.Macías Ávila, CA.; Sánchez-Romero, F.; López Jiménez, PA.; Pérez-Sánchez, M. (2021). Optimization tool to improve the management of the leakages and recovered energy in irrigation water systems. Agricultural Water Management. 258:1-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2021.107223S11325

Definition of the Operational Curves by Modification of the Affinity Laws to Improve the Simulation of PATs

[EN] New technologies for water pressurized systems try to implement the introduction of strategies for the improvement of the sustainable indicators. One of these technologies is the implementation of pumps working as turbines. The use of these recovery machines was proposed some years ago, and the interest in this technology has increased over the last years. The simulation of these machines is necessary when analyzing pressurized water systems, or when optimization procedures are proposed for their management, great care must be taken. In these cases, the knowledge of the operation curves is crucial to reach accurate results. This study proposes different regression expressions to define three operational curves when the machines operate under variable rotational speed. These curves are the best efficiency head, the best power-head and the best power flow. The here proposed methods were compared with other five published methods. The comparison shows the proposed method was the best when it is compared with the rest of the published procedures, reducing the error values between 8 and 20%.Macías Ávila, CA.; Sánchez-Romero, F.; López Jiménez, PA.; Pérez-Sánchez, M. (2021). Definition of the Operational Curves by Modification of the Affinity Laws to Improve the Simulation of PATs. Water. 13(14):1-18. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13141880S118131