AN ACCURATE ESTIMATION OF THE SPRINGBOARD REACTION FORCE IN VAULTING TABLE OF GYMNASTICS

The purpose of this study was to establish the measurement method of the reaction force from the springboard used in vaulting table of gymnastics. Ten male gymnasts?performed the handspring vault. The springboard was mounted on four force plates. The ground reaction force was obtained at 1000Hz. A high-speed camera at 500Hz sampled the springboard motion. The springboard was modeled as, 1) twenty-nine segment model consisting of three boards, 2) twelve segment model consisting of upper board, 3) two segment model consisting of upper board and 4) one segment model consisting of upper board. Board reaction forces of these models were calculated from GRF and accelerations of segments. Results indicate that the simpler two segment model can be used to accurately calculate the BRF as same as the complicated model (twenty-nine segment)

Dietary salt reduction in rural patients with albuminurea using family and community support: the Mima study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Residents of rural communities are often more socially connected compared to urban dwellers. Using family and community support to motivate health behavior change may be useful in rural settings. The objective of this study was to pilot a salt reduction (SR) intervention for rural albuminuria patients using support from family and neighborhood residents compared to a usual care condition. The primary outcome was change in urine albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>All consecutive outpatients with an ACR >= 30 mg/gCr were recruited from the Koyadaira Clinic. Patients self-selected their participation in the intervention group (IG) or the control group (CG) because the rural population expressed concern about not being treated at the same time. In the IG, patients and their families were educated in SR for 30 minutes in their home by experienced dieticians. In addition, patients, families and neighborhood residents were also educated in SR for 2 hours at a public town meeting hall, with educational content encouraging reduction in salt intake through interactive activity. The CG received conventional treatment, and ACR and blood pressure (BP) were measured after 3 months.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the 37 subjects recruited (20 male, 16 female, mean age; 72.8 ± 9.2 years), 36 completed the 3-month follow up and were analyzed. In the IG, ACR decreased significantly from baseline (706 ± 1,081 to 440 ± 656; t = 2.28, p = 0.04) and was reduced compared to the CG (213 ± 323 to 164 ± 162; F = 3.50, p = 0.07), a treatment effect approaching significance. Systolic BP in the IG (145 ± 14 to 131 ± 13 mmHg; t = 3.83, p = 0.002) also decreased significantly compared to the CG (135 ± 13 to 131 ± 14; F = 4.40, p = 0.04).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Simultaneous education of patients, their families and neighborhood residents may be important in rural areas for treatments and interventions requiring health behavior change.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>UMIN000001972</p

X-ray and Neutron Study on the Structure of Hydrous SiO2 Glass up to 10 GPa

The structure of hydrous amorphous SiO2 is fundamental in order to investigate the effects of water on the physicochemical properties of oxide glasses and magma. The hydrous SiO2 glass with 13 wt.% D2O was synthesized under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions and its structure was investigated by small angle X-ray scattering, X-ray diffraction, and neutron diffraction experiments at pressures of up to 10 GPa and room temperature. This hydrous glass is separated into two phases: a major phase rich in SiO2 and a minor phase rich in D2O molecules distributed as small domains with dimensions of less than 100 angstrom. Medium-range order of the hydrous glass shrinks compared to the anhydrous SiO2 glass by disruption of SiO4 linkage due to the formation of Si-OD deuterioxyl, while the response of its structure to pressure is almost the same as that of the anhydrous SiO2 glass. Most of D2O molecules are in the small domains and hardly penetrate into the void space in the ring consisting of SiO4 tetrahedra