Design and Performance Evaluation of Horizontal- Shaft Palm Kernel Cracking Machine

The need to support the small and medium scale industries involved in palm kernels, led to the design, fabrication and evaluation of a horizontal shaft palm kernel cracking machine. All the materials were sourced locally in Nigeria which makes it affordable for small and medium scale farmers involved with palm kernel. The basic features of the machine include a horizontal shaft, hopper, cracking chamber, pulleys, bearings with housing, discharge outlet and electric motor (prime mover). The mean efficiency of the machine under good operating conditions is 75.5%. The production cost of the machine excluding electric motor was estimated to be one hundred and fifty-one dollar forty-sixcents (US$151.46), based on the exchange rate when it was manufactured. The cost can further be reduced, if mass-produced

Interference of functional dual-tasks on gait in untrained people with Parkinson's disease and healthy controls: a cross-sectional study

[EN] Background In Parkinson's disease (PD) population, performing secondary tasks while walking further deteriorates gait and restrict mobility in functional contexts of daily life. This study (1) analyzed the interference of functional cognitive and motor secondary task on untrained people with PD and (2) compared their walking with healthy subjects. Methods Forty people with PD (aged 66.72 [7.5] years, Hoehn and Yahr stage I-II-III, on-medication) composed the PD group (PDG) and 43 participants (aged 66.60 [8.75] years) formed the group of healthy counterparts (HG). Gait was evaluated through spatiotemporal, kinematic and kinetic outcomes in five conditions: single task (ST) and visual, verbal, auditory and motor dual-task (DT). Results The velocity, stride length, and braking force performance of both groups was statistically higher in the ST condition than in verbal, auditory and motor DT (p.05). Conclusions: In untrained participants with PD, verbal and motor secondary tasks affect gait significantly, while auditory and visual tasks interfere to a lesser extent. Untrained people with PD have a poorer gait performance than their healthy counterparts, but in different grades according to the analyzed variables. Trial registration The data in this paper are part of a single-blind, randomized, controlled trial and correspond to the evaluations performed before a physical rehabilitation program, retrospectively registered with the number at clinicaltrial.govNCT04038866.San Martín Valenzuela, C.; Dueñas Moscardó, L.; Lopez Pascual, J.; Serra-Añó, P.; Tomás, JM. (2020). Interference of functional dual-tasks on gait in untrained people with Parkinson's disease and healthy controls: a cross-sectional study. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. 21(1):1-11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-020-03431-xS111211Jankovic J. Parkinson’s disease: clinical features and diagnosis. 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Hip pull-off and ankle push-off in healthy and Parkinson's disease's gait

An emerging theme in the analysis of the gait of people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) is that the kinetic features such as joint power generated during the events of ankle push-off and hip pull-off required for propulsion and progression of the lower limb is diminished inspite of PD medication. However, there is lack of sufficient evidence from the proponents of these PD gait deficiencies. Furthermore, it was thought in the present study that the cause of reduced joint power (if observed) could be attributed to their preferred slow walking speed Therefore, the research presented in this thesis investigated the pull and push-off events at usual walking speed (in healthy and people with PD) and at fast walking speed (in PD) to examine and substantiate what the other studies suggested.The first part of the investigation into pull and push-off was to characterise and describe these gait events in healthy people whilst the second part was carried out on people affected with PD. A laboratory protocol/setup was designed for the first part of the study that was modified for use in the second part.Fourteen healthy adults (mean age 63.6 ±7 years) participated in the first (laboratory based) study. Their gait was measured using a camera based motion analysis system (Coda mpx30) and a force platform that was situated on an 8m walkway. A gait laboratory test session was conducted per subject and the result of gait components of pull and push-off powers, ankle and hip joint angular excursion and corresponding gait velocity, stride length and cadence were recorded. Similar laboratory sessions with modification to the protocol/set up were also conducted (after an initial home clinical assessment and screening) for people with PD (n=11, mean age 66.4 ±5.07 years, disease duration 6±3.1 years, motor UPDRS score 24.3±9.98) walking at their usual and fast speeds during their on phase of PD medication.The results showed that the gait of healthy subjects and subjects with PD was not significantly different from each other. Some PD subjects had greater pull-off and push-off powers than healthy subjects whilst a relationship between hip pull-off power and ankle plantarflexion suggests a compensatory strategy being used by PD subjects. PD subjects were able to significantly walk fast when asked to do so, with increments in the gait components. The results suggests that reduced pull and push-off powers are not applicable to all cases of PD and inspite of any diminished gait features their capacity to walk fast was still preserved

Quantitative gait analysis in Parkinson's disease: comparison with a healthy control group

OBJECTIVE: To compare gait parameters in Parkinson's disease (PD) during the on-phase of medication cycle with those of healthy elderly control subjects. DESIGN: A group-comparison study. SETTING: Gait analysis laboratory of a university hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Fifteen patients with PD and 9 healthy elderly controls. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Spatiotemporal, kinematic, and kinetic gait parameters. RESULTS: The PD spatiotemporal results showed a significant reduction in step length and walking velocity compared with controls. In the kinematics, the major feature of the PD group was a markedly reduced ankle plantarflexion excursion (at 50%-60% of the gait cycle). Most important, the kinetics showed reduced ankle push-off power and hip pull-off power. Unlike the control subjects, the patients with PD did not show any correlation between ankle generation (push-off) power and stride length ( r =.19) or with gait speed ( r =.29). Correction for walking velocity did not result in significant changes in the kinetics between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Reduced ankle (push-off) power generation and reduced hip flexion (pull-off) power persisted in PD gait despite being tested in the on-phase of the medication cycle. Lack of a correlation between ankle and hip power generation and walking velocity suggests that peripheral and central factors contribute to lack of forward progression. Patients with PD may benefit from intervention strategies that correct the kinematic and the kinetic gait components.status: publishe

Falls in Parkinson's disease: Kinematic evidence for impaired head and trunk control

Changes in stride characteristics and gait rhythmicity characterize gait in Parkinson's disease and are widely believed to contribute to falls in this population. However, few studies have examined gait in PD patients who fall. This study reports on the complexities of walking in PD patients who reported falling during a 12-month follow-up. Forty-nine patients clinically diagnosed with idiopathic PD and 34 controls had their gait assessed using three-dimensional motion analysis. Of the PD patients, 32 (65%) reported at least one fall during the follow-up compared with 17 (50%) controls. The results showed that PD patients had increased stride timing variability, reduced arm swing and walked with a more stooped posture than controls. Additionally, PD fallers took shorter strides, walked slower, spent more time in double-support, had poorer gait stability ratios and did not project their center of mass as far forward of their base of support when compared with controls. These stride changes were accompanied by a reduced range of angular motion for the hip and knee joints. Relative to walking velocity, PD fallers had increased mediolateral head motion compared with PD nonfallers and controls. Therefore, head motion could exceed “normal” limits, if patients increased their walking speed to match healthy individuals. This could be a limiting factor for improving gait in PD and emphasizes the importance of clinically assessing gait to facilitate the early identification of PD patients with a higher risk of falling