Orientation and location of the finite helical axis of the equine forelimb joints

To reduce anatomically unrealistic limb postures in a virtual musculoskeletal model of a horse's forelimb, accurate knowledge on forelimb joint constraints is essential. The aim of this cadaver study is to report all orientation and position changes of the finite helical axes (FHA) as a function of joint angle for different equine forelimb joints. Five horse cadaver forelimbs with standardized cuts at the midlevel of each segment were used. Bone pins with reflective marker triads were drilled into the forelimb bones. Unless joint angles were anatomically coupled, each joint was manually moved independently in all three rotational degrees of freedom (flexion-extension, abduction-adduction, internal-external rotation). The 3D coordinates of the marker triads were recorded using a six infra-red camera system. The FHA and its orientational and positional properties were calculated and expressed against joint angle over the entire range of motion using a finite helical axis method. When coupled, joint angles and FHA were expressed in function of flexion-extension angle. Flexion-extension movement was substantial in all forelimb joints, the shoulder allowed additional considerable motion in all three rotational degrees of freedoms. The position of the FHA was constant in the fetlock and elbow and a constant orientation of the FHA was found in the shoulder. Orientation and position changes of the FHA over the entire range of motion were observed in the carpus and the interphalangeal joints. We report FHA position and orientation changes as a function of flexion-extension angle to allow for inclusion in a musculoskeletal model of a horse to minimize calculation errors caused by incorrect location of the FHA. [Abstract copyright: © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

STARTUPS: CRISE NO EMPREENDEDORISMO INVOADOR? (OU A BATALHA ENTRE OS UNICÓRNIOS E DINOSSAUROS?)

As Startups são empresas de caráter inovador e emergentes no mercado, que buscam aprimorar sistemas, métodos e modelos de negócios com baixo custo e alta lucratividade. Neste cenário temos as do tipo Unicórnios que são as que apresentam valor de mercado de, pelo menos, US$1 bilhão com capital fechado. No Brasil há aproximadamente 14 mil Startups sendo 39 consideradas Unicórnios e, ainda existe a expectativa de mais 13 se tornarem Unicórnios, ainda, este ano. No último ano as Startups brasileiras receberam US$ 9,4 bilhões em investimentos, segundo a plataforma Distrito – valor 2,5 vezes maior do que o registrado em 2020 e recorde desde o começo do levantamento, em 2011. Todavia, em 2022 o volume de investimento se mostra menor, estimando-se uma redução de aproximadamente 44% em relação ao ano anterior. Além disso, muitas Startups reduziram a contração e/ou estão demitindo funcionários. Nesse sentido, a questão que nos inquieta é: em que medida poderíamos dizer que estaria havendo uma crise nas Startups (ou seria apenas uma ameaça dos Unicórnios pelos Dinossauros)? A metodologia utilizada é a pesquisa descritiva com abordagem qualitativa utilizando a coleta de dados em bibliografia, principalmente matérias e artigos publicados na web, em plataformas e veículos especializadas. Ao final do estudo consideramos que a expectativa dos investidores é a geração de lucro escalonado, assim, o grande desafio para Startups e Unicórnios brasileiros é ter um crescimento sustentável e que, mesmo diante da redução dos valores em aportes em Startups e demissões, acredita-se que o bom momento de Startups não está terminando (são apenas ciclos e tendências de um mercado muito forte, com modelos de negócios com alto potencial de inovação de escalabilidade e replicabilidade)

Sagittal plane fore hoof unevenness is associated with fore and hindlimb asymmetrical force vectors in the sagittal and frontal planes

Asymmetry in forelimb dorsal hoof wall angles, termed unevenness, is associated with forelimb gait asymmetries, but compensatory mechanisms and out of plane ground reaction forces (GRFs) due to unevenness have yet to be documented. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the effects of fore hoof unevenness on contralateral fore and hind limb force vectors patterns, in both sagittal and frontal planes. A group of n = 34 riding horses were classified into four groups: hoof angle difference of more than 1.5 degrees (UNEVEN; n = 27), including higher left fore (HIGH-LF; n = 12), higher right fore (HIGH-RF; n = 15), and hoof angle difference of less than 1.5 degrees (EVEN; n = 7). Three dimensional ground reaction forces GRFs were collected during trotting. GRF summary vectors representing the magnitude (VecMag) and angular direction (VecAng) of the entire stance phase in the sagittal and the frontal plane were calculated. The effects of unevenness on GRF production were explored using linear regression, repeated measures ANOVA and statistical parametric mapping (SPM) with significance at (P0.05) were found between hindlimb pairs in the EVEN group. Unbalanced sagittal and increased frontal plane GRFs in uneven horses suggest that they have greater locomotory challenges, as the equine musculoskeletal system is not constructed to withstand movement and loading in the frontal plane as effectively as it is in the sagittal plane

A universal approach to determine footfall timings from kinematics of a single foot marker in hoofed animals

The study of animal movement commonly requires the segmentation of continuous data streams into individual strides. The use of forceplates and foot-mounted accelerometers readily allows the detection of the foot-on and foot-off events that define a stride. However, when relying on optical methods such as motion capture, there is lack of validated robust, universally applicable stride event detection methods. To date, no method has been validated for movement on a circle, while algorithms are commonly specific to front/hind limbs or gait. In this study, we aimed to develop and validate kinematic stride segmentation methods applicable to movement on straight line and circle at walk and trot, which exclusively rely on a single, dorsal hoof marker. The advantage of such marker placement is the robustness to marker loss and occlusion. Eight horses walked and trotted on a straight line and in a circle over an array of multiple forceplates. Kinetic events were detected based on the vertical force profile and used as the reference values. Kinematic events were detected based on displacement, velocity or acceleration signals of the dorsal hoof marker depending on the algorithm using (i) defined thresholds associated with derived movement signals and (ii) specific events in the derived movement signals. Method comparison was performed by calculating limits of agreement, accuracy, between-horse precision and within-horse precision based on differences between kinetic and kinematic event. In addition, we examined the effect of force thresholds ranging from 50 to 150 N on the timings of kinetic events. The two approaches resulted in very good and comparable performance: of the 3,074 processed footfall events, 95% of individual foot on and foot off events differed by no more than 26 ms from the kinetic event, with average accuracy between −11 and 10 ms and average within- and between horse precision ≤8 ms. While the event-based method may be less likely to suffer from scaling effects, on soft ground the threshold-based method may prove more valuable. While we found that use of velocity thresholds for foot on detection results in biased event estimates for the foot on the inside of the circle at trot, adjusting thresholds for this condition negated the effect. For the final four algorithms, we found no noteworthy bias between conditions or between front- and hind-foot timings. Different force thresholds in the range of 50 to 150 N had the greatest systematic effect on foot-off estimates in the hind limbs (up to on average 16 ms per condition), being greater than the effect on foot-on estimates or foot-off estimates in the forelimbs (up to on average ±7 ms per condition)

Functional Locomotor Consequences of Uneven Forefeet for Trot Symmetry in Individual Riding Horses

ABSTRACT: Left-right symmetrical distal limb conformation can be an important prerequisite for a successful performance, and it is often hypothesized that asymmetric or uneven feet are important enhancing factors for the development of lameness. On a population level, it has been demonstrated that uneven footed horses are retiring earlier from elite level competition, but the biomechanical consequences are not yet known. The objectives of this study were to compare the functional locomotor asymmetries of horses with uneven to those with even feet. Hoof kinetics and distal limb kinematics were collected from horses (n = 34) at trot. Dorsal hoof wall angle was used to classify horses as even or uneven (1.5° difference between forefeet respectively) and individual feet as flat (55°). Functional kinetic parameters were compared between even and uneven forefeet using MANOVA followed by ANOVA. The relative influences of differences in hoof angle between the forefeet and of absolute hoof angle on functional parameters were analysed using multiple regression analysis (P<0.05). In horses with uneven feet, the side with the flatter foot showed a significantly larger maximal horizontal braking and vertical ground reaction force, a larger vertical fetlock displacement and a suppler fetlock spring. The foot with a steeper hoof angle was linearly correlated with an earlier braking-propulsion transition. The conformational differences between both forefeet were more important for loading characteristics than the individual foot conformation of each individual horse. The differences in vertical force and braking force between uneven forefeet could imply either an asymmetrical loading pattern without a pathological component or a subclinical lameness as a result of a pathological development in the steeper foot

O COMPLIANCE NA EFETIVAÇÃO DOS DIREITOS FUNDAMENTAIS DA MULHER NO ÂMBITO EMPRESARIAL

O projeto intitulado, “O compliance na efetivação dos direitos fundamentais da mulher no âmbito empresarial” trata da discussão sobre os direitos da mulher nas empresas. É uma questão nova e representa um novo paradigma, os direitos da mulher no âmbito empresarial tornam-se o centro das atenções como elemento definidor não só de uma nova era da sociedade, mas também de uma revisão antropológica da relação homem-trabalho-mulher. O presente estudo objetiva investigar como o compliance pode contribuir para a efetivação dos direitos e garantias fundamentais no ambiente empresarial em âmbito geral. Dentre os objetivos específicos, a pesquisa visa compreender aplicabilidade do compliance nas organizações, em caráter preventivo, diante dos desafios no ambiente de trabalho; identificar a promoção da responsabilidade empresarial sobre os direitos da mulher no trabalho através do compliance e pesquisar as possibilidades de apoio e respeito à dignidade da mulher no ambiente empresarial. O estudo bem sendo realizado mediante a abordagem qualitativa que se caracteriza pela pesquisa primária documental, com o intuito de ampliar os conhecimentos, fundamentando-se no estudo de referenciais teóricos, tendo empregado onde as contradições se transcendem dando origem a novas contradições que requerem soluções. No ponto de vista dos objetivos metodológicos deste estudo, o tipo de pesquisa que é extrapolatória com vista a proporcionar maior familiaridade com um problema em razão de escolhermos para procedimentos técnicos de investigação o levantamento bibliográfico, elaborada a partir de consultas acerca do entendimento de constitucionalistas e juristas e empreendedores sobre a aplicabilidade do compliance na efetivação dos direitos fundamentais da mulher no âmbito empresarial, bem como utilização de artigos acadêmicos em sítios da internet apropriados. Assim, a metodologia a ser adotada será a dedutiva, isto é, análises de doutrinas, artigos e legislações. Além disso, será empregado o método indutivo devido com a análise de jurisprudências acerca do tema até o presente momento. O estudo de tal temática, tão vasta e complexa representa um desafio, como demonstram as diversas investigações multidisciplinares das áreas, que, sob diferentes enfoques e perspectivas, vêm continuamente tentando avançar a compreensão teórica do assunto. O estudo deste fenômeno e sua aplicabilidade na esfera juslaboral exigem prévia contextualização do instituto e sua evolução no tempo como condição para entender seus fundamentos, sua função teleológica, e, por fim, a verificação da sua efetividade sob o viés da proteção dos direitos fundamentais da mulher quando empoderamento das mulheres e promoção da equidade de gênero em todas as atividades sociais e da economia, como também da prevenção de eventuais prejuízos, ou ainda da benesse de alguma legislação vigente através das técnicas de consultorias/planejamento. O estudo em questão pretende contribuir para o entendimento dos avanços conquistados no âmbito de políticas públicas no Brasil, no que diz respeito às questões de gênero. Palavras-chave: compliance; direitos da mulher; direitos fundamentais

Integrated human formation: guiding category of professional and technological education / Formação humana integrada: categoria diretora da educação profissional e tecnológica

The present study is a bibliographic investigation that sought to analyze how Professional and Technological Education (EPT, from the acronym in Portuguese) and understand the concept of integrated human formation. Thus, based on the contributions of Ramos (2009) and Ciavatta (2012), the concept of integrated human formation was analyzed, its main objectives and its importance for EPT to differ from a mere technical education still in force in our educational model. The methodology consisted of file and bibliographic review followed by content analysis. It was concluded that, due to the search for the understanding of a whole, integrality is necessary for Professional and Technological Education, so that it does not continue the reproduction of educational duality, in one of the two partialities of knowledge, not just general education and not just technical education, but the training of a complete man who has a professional qualification, an education that emancipates individuals, in a full understanding of the world. It seeks to free individuals from a fragmented worldview, forming them in all their fullness as a human being, a being who understands the importance of work, science, and culture

p73 regulates ependymal planar cell polarity by modulating actin and microtubule cytoskeleton

[EN]Planar cell polarity (PCP) and intercellular junctional complexes establish tissue structure and coordinated behaviors across epithelial sheets. In multiciliated ependymal cells, rotational and translational PCP coordinate cilia beating and direct cerebrospinal fluid circulation. Thus, PCP disruption results in ciliopathies and hydrocephalus. PCP establishment depends on the polarization of cytoskeleton and requires the asymmetric localization of core and global regulatory modules, including membrane proteins like Vangl1/2 or Frizzled. We analyzed the subcellular localization of select proteins that make up these modules in ependymal cells and the effect of Trp73 loss on their localization. We identify a novel function of the Trp73 tumor suppressor gene, the TAp73 isoform in particular, as an essential regulator of PCP through the modulation of actin and microtubule cytoskeleton dynamics, demonstrating that Trp73 is a key player in the organization of ependymal ciliated epithelia. Mechanistically, we show that p73 regulates translational PCP and actin dynamics through TAp73-dependent modulation of non-musclemyosin-II activity. In addition, TAp73 is required for the asymmetric localization of PCP-core and global signaling modules and regulates polarized microtubule dynamics, which in turn set up the rotational PCP. Therefore, TAp73 modulates, directly and/or indirectly, transcriptional programs regulating actin and microtubules dynamics and Golgi organization signaling pathways. These results shed light into the mechanism of ependymal cell planar polarization and reveal p73 as an epithelial architect during development regulating the cellular cytoskeletonSIThis work was supported by Grants SAF2015-71381-R from Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad co-financed by FEDER funds (to M.C.M.) and LE021P17 from Junta de Castilla y Leon, and from the Queen Elisabeth Medical Foundation to F.T. J.V.-F. and S.F.-A. are holders of predoctoral fellowships from the Junta de Castilla y León. L.M.-A. is supported by a predoctoral scholarship from the Asociación Española contra el Cáncer (AECC). F.T. is a Research Director of the FNRS. M.W. and M.L. are funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) under grant number LI 2405/