Pattern of Alteration in Foot Mechanics When Carrying Loads Unilaterally in Hand

PURPOSE: Carrying weight in one hand is a common functional activity. This study investigated the effects of incremental loads carried in one hand unilaterally and its influence on the foot mechanics [plantar pressure, maximum force and contact area]. METHOD: Twenty healthy individuals were tested, in standing and walking, while carrying different weights (no load, 5 kg, 7.5 kg and 10 kg) using their right hand. ANCOVA was conducted separately for the right and left leg to address the effect of incremental loads on the foot mechanics within each leg with navicular drop index and Q angle as covariates. Paired t-test was conducted to address the effect of different loads on the foot mechanics between the legs. RESULTS: Results showed a significant increase in plantar pressure (pCONCLUSION: The fundamental changes in foot mechanics under the influence of different loads may be used to interpret the changes seen in the foot mechanics among different pathological condition

Changes in plantar pressure, force and contact area when carrying incremental loads among adults with and without low back pain

Plantar pressure, force and contact area information may provideinsights regarding stresses imparted to the foot when performing functional tasks. There is limited information regarding plantar pressure, force and contact area when carrying incremental loads (no load, 5 kg, 7.5 kg and 10 kg) using one hand between adults with and without low back pain (LBP). The aim of our study was to investigate the changes in the plantar pressure, force and contact area when carrying incremental loads (no load, 5 kg, 7.5 kg and 10 kg) using one hand between adults with and without low back pain (LBP). A total of 20 adults with non-specific LBP and 20 matched individuals without LBP were recruited according to the predefined recruitment criteria. Plantar pressure (PP), maximum force (MF) and contact area (CA were measured in standing position and during walking while carrying incremental loads (no load, 5 kg, 7.5 kg and 10 kg) using their right hand on a Matscan pressure assessment system. A two-way mixed analysis of variance (group× load) was conducted to analyse the data. No significant main effectof group was demonstrated on both the right and left foot during standing (PP: p = 0.74, p = 0.32; MF: p = 0.17, p = 0.67; CA: p = 0.25, p = 0.24) and walking (PP: p = 0.61, p = 0.48; MF: p = 0.19, p = 0.06; CA: p = 0.16, p = 0.26. Similarly, there was no interaction effect between the loads and groups on the PP (p = 0.89, p = 0.47), MF (p = 0.76, p = 0.83) and CA (p = 0.88, p = 0.20) on theright and left foot, respectively during standing. However, a significant interaction effect (p < 0.05), between the loads and groups was demonstrated on the PP, MF and CA on the left foot during walking. The results of our study suggest that stresses imparted to the foot alters during dynamic postures and this may be a compensatory mechanism. Plantar pressure, force and contact area were similar in adults both with and without LBP when standing and walking. Further biomechanical information that includes both kinematic and kinetic data in lumbopelvic and lower limbs in relation to the foot may be required to justify for prevention and management strategies among adults with LBP

Teori Tingkah Laku Berencana dan Tingkah Laku Menyokong Perubahan: Satu Sorotan

Sokongan pekerja semasa pelaksanaan perubahan organisasi adalah penting untuk memastikan perubahan tersebut mencapai kejayaan. Oleh itu, mengenal pasti faktor-faktor yang boleh memotivasikan individu untuk menyokong perubahan organisasi adalah penting. Kajian-kajian lepas telah mengesahkan faktor-faktor yang boleh memberi kesan terhadap tingkah laku individu menyokong perubahan. Walau bagaimanapun, hanya terdapat beberapa kajian sahaja yang telah mengenal pasti faktor-faktor yang berpotensi dalam bentuk kerangka kerja yang berasaskan teori khususnya menggunakan teori tingkah laku berencana. Oleh itu, kajian ini meneroka bagaimana faktor jangkaan manfaat dari perubahan, sokongan penyelia dan efikasi kendiri berkenaan perubahan menggalakkan tingkah laku individu menyokong perubahan. Seterusnya, sorotan yang dilakukan menawarkan beberapa proposisi berdasarkan literatur terkini untuk dibuat kajian empirikal yang lebih mendalam bagi mengenal pasti kesan faktor-faktor tersebut ke atas tingkah laku menyokong perubahan yang boleh dijadikan panduan dalam bidang akademik dan juga praktis

Tingkah Laku Menyokong Perubahan: Integrasi Model Perubahan Organisasi Berencana dan Teori Tingkah Laku Berencana

Sokongan pekerja semasa pelaksanaan perubahan organisasi berencana adalah penting untuk memastikan perubahan organisasi yang dilaksanakan berjaya. Oleh itu, kajian ini cuba menjelaskan fenomena tingkah laku menyokong perubahan dengan mengintegrasikan Model Tiga Langkah Perubahan Lewin dan Teori Tingkah Laku Berencana. Tinjauan literatur terhadap model-model perubahan organisasi berencana yang dibangunkan oleh penyelidik-penyelidik sebelum ini berdasarkan Model Tiga Langkah Perubahan Lewin telah dilakukan sebelum model perubahan bagi kajian ini dibangunkan yang melibatkan tiga fasa perubahan iaitu motivasi untuk berubah, komitmen untuk berubah, dan tingkah laku menyokong perubahan. Berasaskan model perubahan tersebut, Teori Tingkah Laku Berencana digunakan untuk menjelaskan hubungan antara pemboleh ubah di mana jangkaan manfaat dari perubahan (sikap), sokongan penyelia (norma subjektif) dan efikasi kendiri berkenaan perubahan (jangkaan kawalan tingkah laku) di jangka akan mempengaruhi komitmen afektif untuk berubah (niat tingkah laku), yang seterusnya memberi kesan terhadap tingkah laku individu untuk menyokong perubahan (tingkah laku). Seterusnya, kajian ini mencadangkan model konseptual berdasarkan literatur terkini untuk dilaksanakan kajian empirikal yang mendalam bagi menguji model yang dicadangkan

A bionomic study of parasitoids in the Taman Beringin landfill in Kepong and a poultry farm in Sungai Pelek, Selangor, Malaysia

A four-month cross-sectional study found five species of parasitoids parasitizing puparia of filth flies breeding at the Taman Beringin landfill in Kepong and a poultry farm in Sungai Pelek, Sepang, Selangor. Effect of monthly rainfalls towards density of flies and percentage of parasitoids emerging from collected puparia were also analyzed. Spalangia sp. was the most common, consisting of Spalangia endius Walker, S. cameroni Perkins and S. gemina Boucek. Other parasitoids collected were Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae Rondani and Exoristobia phillipinensis Ashmead. The parasitized fly hosts were Musca domestica Linn. and Chrysomya megacephala Fabricius. S. endius was the most common parasitoid attacking M. domestica at both locations. M. domestica was the most common fly found at the Sg. Pelek poultry farm whereas C. megacephala was the most numerous at the Taman Beringin landfill. During heavy rainfall month of November 2003, density of flies were high whereas the emerging parasitoids were low at both landfill and poultry farm. The present study revealed the endemic presence of parasitoids especially S. endius in both poultry farm and garbage landfill and the potential of the parasitoid species in fly control in Malaysia

An analysis of alphabet-based techniques in text steganography

Steganography and cryptography are methods in information hiding.Cryptography scrambles the secret message, whereas steganography conceals a secret message in a carrier medium.An audio, video, image, and text can be used as a cover medium for hiding messages in steganography. The final output of steganography is a stego object that is sent to a receiver using a stego key. Suspiciousness of a generated stego text will encourage eavesdroppers to reveal the hidden message from stego text. Having reviewed substitution, injection, and propagation techniques for steganography, this paper discovers that there is a suspicion in the generated stego text. It is also discovered that text steganography using Genetic Algorithm (GA) is less focused by researchers compared to image and audio.Accordingly, this paper proposes that the adoption of GA should be focused in future works to protect stego text from suspiciousness due to the effectiveness and efficiency used in other media.Suspiciousness against stego text is very important in steganography to avoid third parties detecting the existence of secret message

Description of larval instars of chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), a species of forensic importance in Malaysia.

The anatomical structures of the first, second and third instars of Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) were examined by light microscopy. Observations were documented on the three main characteristics; the cephalopharyngeal skeleton, anterior spiracle and posterior spiracle. The first instar larva bore cornuae of fairly pigmented delineation with slim hypostomal sclerite and distinct dental sclerite. First instar did not have obscured anterior spiracle but posterior spiracles were obscured with thin lining of opened peritreme. Intersegmental spines were evident. The second instar larva displayed a prominent anterodorsal process approaching closer to hypostomal sclerite while upper margin of the dorsal cornua was slightly pigmented. Each anterior spiracle consisted of nine to ten papillae, arranged in a single row. Peritreme of the posterior spiracle thick, opening at the end of peritreme was not wide and confined to two spiracular slits. The third instar larva showed a prominent arch of the ventral cornua with broad and bold appearance. It approached the dorsal cornua and became narrow at the incision median. The anterior spiracle consisted of a single row of nine to ten papillae while intersegmental spine could be identified with one to three dark pigmented tips. A dark pigmented and wide periterime was observed confining three short and thick spiracular slits while button was poorly pigmented. The most distinctive feature of this second and third instar larva was the slender, thorn-like tubercle with numerous spined tips on the middle line segment of the body. These findings provide identification features of C. rufifacies larvae instars

A performance of embedding process for text steganography method

One of the main aspects on embedding process of any text steganography methods is the capacity text.It is because a better embedding ratio and saving space offers; a more text can be hidden. This paper tries to evaluate several format based techniques of text steganography based on their embedding ratio and saving space capacity.Thus, main objective of this paper is to analyze the performance of text steganography methods which are CALP, Vertical based and Quadruple methods based on these two capacity factors.It has been identified that vertical based method give a good effort performance compared to CALP and Quadruple based method.In future, a robustness of text steganography methods should be considered as a next effort in order to find a strength capability on text steganography

Evaluation of in vitro bioactivity of Melaleuca cajuputi powell essential oil against Aedes aegypti (L.) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro activity of Melaleuca cajuputi essential oil leaf extract against Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. The essential oil of the M. cajuputi was obtained via steam hydro-distillation and analyzed by GC-MS for the chemical constituents. GC-MS analysis showed that the essential oil of M. cajuputi contained 13 compounds with two major chemical constituents, 2-propenoic acid (29.55%) and caryophyllene (20.04%). Adulticidal and larvicidal bioassay was evaluated following WHO guidelines. Larvicidal bioassays were conducted with the 10, 50, 80, 100, and 120 mg/L M. cajuputi essential oil against late 3rd instar of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus which give LC50 120.99 mg/L and 222.58 mg/L, respectively. Adult mortality was observed after 24 h with the LC50 of 0.029 mg/cm2 for Ae. aegypti and 0.028 mg/cm2 for Ae. albopictus. In adulticidal bioassay, M. cajuputi essential oils showed effective results at 0.04 mg/cm2 concentrations, with values for KT50 of 77.71 min for Ae. aegypti and 69.49 min for Ae. albopictus. M. cajuputi essential oils exhibited moderate toxicity effects against the larva and adults of Aedes species and may be used as an alternative to chemical insecticide