EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT RESISTED SPRINT RUNNING METHODS ON STRIDE LENGTH, STRIDE FREQUENCY, AND CG VERTICAL OSCILLATION

Sprint velocity can be increased thanks to specific strength improvements (Korchemny, 1985). The training principle of specificity states that for a training session to be effective, it must maintain similar characteristics to the sport requirements (Sale, 2003). With the use of resisted sprint running methods, possible benefits are specific strength improvements and an increase in stride length (Faccioni, 1994). However, these methods have not been scientifically proven yet (Sheppard, 2004)

USE OF EYELASH EXTENSION AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE ANTERIOR OCULAR SEGMENT

Background: Eyelash extensions have become the latest cosmetic trend worldwide. Women withlong eyelashes are considered a sign of beauty in various cultures, as a result many women try to improve their appearance by using eyelash extensions. The use of eyelash extensions can interfere with the normal growth and release of eyelashes. It can also cause infection or allergies to the chemicals contained in the glue. The use of eyelash extensions itself also causes many symptoms or complaints that appear in the wearer. Some of the diseases that can be caused are conjunctivitis, blepharitis, and keratitis. Objective: to identify and analyze the use of eyelash extensions and their effects on the anterior ocular segment. Methods: this study used observational analytic with cross sectional method. Sampling time lasted approximately 2 months and data analysis using the Spearman Test. Results: From the results of the study followed by 120 respondents (43 respondents using eyelash extensions and 77 respondents not using eyelash extensions) between the effect of using eyelash extensions and the symptoms of anterior ocular segment abnormalities that arise, it is obtained which means significant results (p<0.05) with the same symptoms. The most common is madarosis (lash loss). Conclusion: the use of eyelash extensions can have an effect on the anterior ocular segment.Keywords: eyelash extension, female student, anterior ocular segment

Memristors using solution-based IGZO nanoparticles

Solution-based indium-gallium-zinc oldde (IGZO) nanoparticles deposited by spin coating have been investigated as a resistive switching layer in metal-insulator-metal structures for nonvolatile memory applications. Optimized devices show a bipolar resistive switching behavior, low programming voltages of +/- 1 V, on/off ratios higher than 10, high endurance, and a retention time of up to 104 s. The better performing devices were achieved with annealing temperatures of 200 degrees C and using asymmetric electrode materials of titanium and silver. The physics behind the improved switching properties of the devices is discussed in terms of the oxygen deficiency of IGZO. Temperature analysis of the conductance states revealed a nonmetallic filamentary conduction. The presented devices are potential candidates for the integration of memory functionality into low-cost System-on-Panel technology.National Funds through FCT - Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology [UID/CTM/50025/2013, SFRH/BDP/99136/2013]; FEDER [POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007688]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Influence of a football match on landing biomechanics and jump performance in female football players

This study aimed to assess the acute effect of a competitive football match on jump performance and kinematic parameters during jump landing in semiprofessional female football players. Twenty-two semiprofessional players (20 ± 3 years) underwent a drop jump task for a posterior video analysis of the landing phase. These measurements were obtained at (1) baseline, (2) after, and (3) 48 h after a competitive football match. A one-way ANOVA with repeated measures was employed to detect differences over the time. There was a main effect of time for maximal knee flexion angle during drop landing (p = 0.001). In comparison with baseline, maximal knee flexion angle was reduced immediately post-match and was still reduced 48 h after the match (63.4 ± 8.6 vs 57.0 ± 11.7 vs 48.9 ± 19.1, p ≤ 0.038). There was also a main effect of time for drop jump height (p < 0.001). Drop jump height was reduced immediately post-match and remained low 48 h after the match in comparison with baseline (27.3 ± 3.6 vs 24.5 ± 2.8 ~ 25.5 ± 3.0 cm, p ≤ 0.002). There was a main effect of time on hip flexion angle during landing (p = 0.001), but the pairwise comparison revealed that this variable was not affected immediately post-match but was lower 48 h after the match than at baseline (50.1 ± 10.1 ~ 50.8 ± 13.2 vs 38.1 ± 17.8 °, p ≤ 0.005). A competitive football match worsened jump performance and several landing biomechanical parameters in female football players, which were still decreased in comparison with baseline even 48 h after the match

Reliability of a Field-Based Test for Hamstrings and Quadriceps Strength Assessment in Football Players

Background: Field-based tests using portable devices are extremely helpful to assist physicians and coaches in the assessment of athletes’ muscle strength and for injury risk screening. The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability of a field-based test to assess unilateral hamstring and quadriceps isometric muscle strength in a nearly extended position (30 knee flexion) in football players. Methods: Nineteen male football players completed the field-based test on two separate occasions, one week apart, to produce a test–retest design. To complete the test, participants performed maximal isometric efforts on a custom-built bench with 30 of knee flexion and 90 of hip flexion while the force applied was measured with a portable load cell at 80 Hz. On each occasion, participants performed two 2 s maximal isometric repetitions intending to flex and extend the knee to assess hamstring and quadriceps strength, respectively. In each repetition, the force developed during the maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) and rate of force development (RFD) metrics for hamstring (H) and quadriceps (Q) were collected, and the H:Q ratio was calculated afterwards. Results: MVIC showed the highest reliability for the measurement of both hamstring and quadriceps strength (ICC > 0.80, [95% CI: 0.55, 0.96]; CV 0.75, [95% CI: 0.48, 0.95]; CV < 15%, [95% CI: 8.9, 22.4]). RFD0–150 and RFD0–250 yielded moderate reliability values for hamstring strength (ICC = 0.78–0.86, [95% CI: 0.52, 0.94]; CV = 20–27%, [95% CI: 15, 39.7]). RFD0–50 presented the largest variability (ICC 25%, [95% CI: 19.2, 45.3]). Conclusions: The field-based test presented here provided reliable results for the measurement of maximal isometric hamstring and quadriceps strength and for the calculation of the H:Q ratio. However, the measurement of RFD with this test is less reliable. This test allows reliable field-based assessments of hamstring and quadriceps maximal isometric strength which can be helpful to identify muscle strength deficits and imbalances during injury prevention and management processes in football players.Ministry of Universities of Spain (grant number: FPU21/04536

Extracting human cortical responses to sound onsets and acoustic feature changes in real music, and their relation to event rate

Evoked cortical responses (ERs) have mainly been studied in controlled experiments using simplified stimuli. Though, an outstanding question is how the human cortex responds to the complex stimuli encountered in realistic situations. Few electroencephalography (EEG) studies have used Music Information Retrieval (MIR) tools to extract cortical P1/N1/P2 to acoustical changes in real music. However, less than ten events per music piece could be detected leading to ERs due to limitations in automatic detection of sound onsets. Also, the factors influencing a successful extraction of the ERs have not been identified. Finally, previous studies did not localize the sources of the cortical generators. This study is based on an EEG/MEG dataset from 48 healthy normal hearing participants listening to three real music pieces. Acoustic features were computed from the audio signal of the music with the MIR Toolbox. To overcome limits in automatic methods, sound onsets were also manually detected. The chance of obtaining detectable ERs based on ten randomly picked onset points was less than 1:10,000. For the first time, we show that naturalistic P1/N1/P2 ERs can be reliably measured across 100 manually identified sound onsets, substantially improving the signal-to-noise level compared to 2.5 Hz). Furthermore, during monophonic sections of the music only P1/P2 were measurable, and during polyphonic sections only N1. Finally, MEG source analysis revealed that naturalistic P2 is located in core areas of the auditory cortex.Peer reviewe

Validity and Reliability of a Smartphone App for Gait and Balance Assessment

Advances in technology provide an opportunity to enhance the accuracy of gait and balance assessment, improving the diagnosis and rehabilitation processes for people with acute or chronic health conditions. This study investigated the validity and reliability of a smartphone-based application to measure postural stability and spatiotemporal aspects of gait during four static balance and two gait tasks. Thirty healthy participants (aged 20–69 years) performed the following tasks: (1) standing on a firm surface with eyes opened, (2) standing on a firm surface with eyes closed, (3) standing on a compliant surface with eyes open, (4) standing on a compliant surface with eyes closed, (5) walking in a straight line, and (6) walking in a straight line while turning their head from side to side. During these tasks, the app quantified the participants’ postural stability and spatiotemporal gait parameters. The concurrent validity of the smartphone app with respect to a 3D motion capture system was evaluated using partial Pearson’s correlations (r(p)) and limits of the agreement (LoA%). The within-session test–retest reliability over three repeated measures was assessed with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the standard error of measurement (SEM). One-way repeated measures analyses of variance (ANOVAs) were used to evaluate responsiveness to differences across tasks and repetitions. Periodicity index, step length, step time, and walking speed during the gait tasks and postural stability outcomes during the static tasks showed moderate-to-excellent validity (0.55 ≤ r(p) ≤ 0.98; 3% ≤ LoA% ≤ 12%) and reliability scores (0.52 ≤ ICC ≤ 0.92; 1% ≤ SEM% ≤ 6%) when the repetition effect was removed. Conversely, step variability and asymmetry parameters during both gait tasks generally showed poor validity and reliability except step length asymmetry, which showed moderate reliability (0.53 ≤ ICC ≤ 0.62) in both tasks when the repetition effect was removed. Postural stability and spatiotemporal gait parameters were found responsive (p < 0.05) to differences across tasks and test repetitions. Along with sound clinical judgement, the app can potentially be used in clinical practice to detect gait and balance impairments and track the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs. Further evaluation and refinement of the app in people with significant gait and balance deficits is needed

Randomized clinical trial to evaluate the effect of fecal microbiota transplant for initial Clostridium difficile infection in intestinal microbiome

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of fecal donor-unrelated donor mix (FMT-FURM) transplantation as first-line therapy for C. difficile infection (CDI) in intestinal microbiome. Methods We designed an open, two-arm pilot study with oral vancomycin (250mg every 6 h for 10–14 days) or FMT-FURM as treatments for the first CDI episode in hospitalized adult patients in Hospital Universitario “Dr. Jose Eleuterio Gonzalez”. Patients were randomized by a closed envelope method in a 1: 1 ratio to either oral vancomycin or FMT-FURM. CDI resolution was considered when there was a reduction on the Bristol scale of at least 2 points, a reduction of at least 50% in the number of bowel movements, absence of fever, and resolution of abdominal pain (at least two criteria). From each patient, a fecal sample was obtained at days 0, 3, and 7 after treatment. Specimens were cultured to isolate C. difficile, and isolates were characterized by PCR. Susceptibility testing of isolates was performed using the agar dilution method. Fecal samples and FMT-FURM were analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing. Results We included 19 patients; 10 in the vancomycin arm and 9 in the FMT-FURM arm. However, one of the patients in the vancomycin arm and two patients in the FMT-FURM arm were eliminated. Symptoms resolved in 8/9 patients (88.9%) in the vancomycin group, while symptoms resolved in 4/7 patients (57.1%) after the first FMT-FURM dose (P = 0.26) and in 5/7 patients (71.4%) after the second dose (P = 0.55). During the study, no adverse effects attributable to FMT-FURM were observed in patients. Twelve isolates were recovered, most isolates carried tcdB, tcdA, cdtA, and cdtB, with an 18-bp deletion in tcdC. All isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin and moxifloxacin but susceptible to metronidazole, linezolid, fidaxomicin, and tetracycline. In the FMT-FURM group, the bacterial composition was dominated by Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria at all-time points and the microbiota were remarkably stable over time. The vancomycin group showed a very different pattern of the microbial composition when comparing to the FMT-FURM group over time. Conclusion The results of this preliminary study showed that FMT-FURM for initial CDI is associated with specific bacterial communities that do not resemble the donors’ sample.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio