A KINEMATIC ANALYSIS OF A TOP 10 WTA TENNIS PLAYER’S FIRST SERVE

The purpose of this study was to provide valuable information of the tennis serve, through a three-dimensional (3D) cinematographic analysis of Li Na’s flat serve. Two high-speed cameras operating at 200Hz placed around the baseline recorded her flat service motion. The direct linear transformation (DLT) method was used. The ball was hit at a distance of 1.11 m below a peak ball toss height of 3.65 m. In backswing, the minimum knee flexion angle was about 110°. The lowest point recorded by the racket head was about 0.21 m lower than the height of the body center of gravity during the early drive phase. The velocity of the racket head was 38.2 m/s at impact and the height of the impact point was 2.5 m which was 1.48 times the height of her body. Like other elite tennis players in the world, Li Na has her own tennis strokes and swing style

EFFECTS OF TAl CHI EXERCISE ON GAIT PATTERN IN THE ELDERLY

The purpose of this study was to examine the normal walking pattern of 21 older adults who had practiced Tai Chi for more than 5 years (TC group) and 20 older adults who often performed other kinds of physical activity (CTRL group). The results of the study indicated that there were significant differences in kinematic parameters of the hip joint angles, and the curve of ground reaction force versus time between the two groups

Gas-Solids Hydrodynamics in a CFB with 6 Cyclones and a Pang Leg

Solids volume fraction and particle velocity profiles were measured with a fiber optical probe in a cold circulating fluidized bed test rig with 6 parallel cyclones and a pant leg. Results in the pant leg zone, main bed zone and exit zone of the furnace are reported. The work also includes the influences of superficial gas velocity, secondary air rate and static bed height on the gas-solids hydrodynamics

Europium-doped cerium oxide nanoparticles for microglial Aβ clearance and homeostasis

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder. Pathologically, it is characterized by the deposition of amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques and presence of neurofibrillary tangles. These drive microglia neuroinflammation and consequent neurodegeneration. While the means to affect Aβ plaque accumulation was achieved how it affects disease outcomes remains uncertain. Cerium oxide (CeO2) reduces Aβ plaques, oxidative stress, inflammation, and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) signs and symptoms. Specifically, CeO2 nanoparticles (CeO2NPs) induces free radical scavenging and cell protective intracellular signaling. This can ameliorate the pathobiology of an AD-affected brain. In order to investigate, CeO2NPs affects for microglia neurotoxic responses a novel formulation of europium doped CeO2NPs (EuCeO2NPs) was synthesized. We then tested EuCeO2NPs for its’ abilities to generate cellular immune homeostasis in AD models. EuCeO2NPs attenuated microglia BV2 inflammatory activities after Aβ1–42 exposure by increasing the cells’ phagocytic and Aβ degradation activities. These were associated with increases in the expression of the CD36 scavenger receptor. EuCeO2NPs facilitated Aβ endolysosomal trafficking and abrogated microglial inflammatory responses. We posit that EuCeO2NPs may be developed as an AD immunomodulator