Is Soleus Muscle-Tendon-Unit Behavior Related to Ground-Force Application During the Sprint Start?

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 448-454 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik Schrödter ◽  
Gert-Peter Brüggemann ◽  
Steffen Willwacher

Purpose:To describe the stretch-shortening behavior of ankle plantar-flexing muscle–tendon units (MTUs) during the push-off in a sprint start.Methods:Fifty-four male (100-m personal best: 9.58–12.07 s) and 34 female (100-m personal best: 11.05–14.00 s) sprinters were analyzed using an instrumented starting block and 2-dimensional high-speed video imaging. Analysis was performed separately for front and rear legs, while accounting for block obliquities and performance levels.Results:The results showed clear signs of a dorsiflexion in the upper ankle joint (front block 15.8° ± 7.4°, 95% CI 13.2–18.2°; rear block 8.0° ± 5.7°, 95% CI 6.4–9.7°) preceding plantar flexion. When observed in their natural block settings, the athletes’ block obliquity did not significantly affect push-off characteristics. It seems that the stretch-shortening-cycle-like motion of the soleus MTU has an enhancing influence on push-off force generation.Conclusion:This study provides the first systematic observation of ankle-joint stretch-shortening behavior for sprinters of a wide range of performance levels. The findings highlight the importance of reactive-type training for the improvement of starting performance. Nonetheless, future studies need to resolve the independent contributions of tendinous and muscle-fascicle structures to overall MTU performance.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (24) ◽  
pp. 12140
Author(s):  
Sanubar Ghorbani Faal ◽  
Elham Shirzad ◽  
Ali Sharifnezhad ◽  
Mojtaba Ashrostaghi ◽  
Roozbeh Naemi

Stiffness of ankle joint has been investigated in a wide range of biomechanical studies with a focus on the improvement of performance and reduction in the risk of injury. However, measuring ankle joint stiffness (AJS) using the existing conventional methodologies requires sophisticated equipment such as force plate and motion analyses systems. This study presents a novel method for measuring AJS during a hopping task with no force or motion measurement system. Also the validity of the proposed new method was investigated by comparing the results against those obtained using conventional method in which motion capture and force plate data are used. Twelve participants performed the controlled hopping task at 2.2 Hz, on a force platform, and six high speed cameras recorded the movement. To calculate the AJS in both methods, the lower extremity was modeled as a three linked rigid segments robot with three joints. In the new method, the contact time and flight time were used to calculate ground reaction force, and inverse kinematic and inverse dynamic approaches were used to calculate the ankle kinematic and kinetic. The AJS calculated using the new method was compared against the results of conventional method as the reference. The calculated AJS using this new method (506.47 ± 177.84 N·m/rad) showed a significant correlation (r = 0.752) with the AJS calculated using conventional method (642.39 ± 185.96 N·m/rad). The validation test showed a mean difference of −24.76% using Bland–Altman plot. The presented method can be used as a valid, and low-cost tool for assessing AJS in the field in low resource settings.


Author(s):  
Sean Lawrence ◽  
Callum Atkinson ◽  
Julio Soria

Wake flows are prevalent in a wide range of engineering applications and their behaviour can significantly impact engineering design and performance. A considerable body of work exists on smooth body wake structures and flows over rough bodies, however, there is a lack of fundamental physical understanding of the amalgamation of the two fields. Two-component two-dimension particle image velocimetry (2C-2D PIV) is used to investigate the effect of surface roughness on the formation of large scale structures in the near wake of a thin flat plate. Both high-speed and low-speed, high-resolution PIV setups have been used to investigate the effect of surface roughness on the boundary layer and the near wake of the plate to gain insight into the underlying physical connection between these regions.


2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 447-459 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah-Jane Potts ◽  
Chris Phillips ◽  
Eifion Jewell ◽  
Ben Clifford ◽  
Yin Cheung Lau ◽  
...  

AbstractScreen printing is the most widely used process in the production of printed electronics due to its ability to consistently transfer inks containing a wide range of functional materials onto a range of substrates. However, despite its extensive use, the mechanism by which the ink is transferred through the mesh and onto the substrate is not fully understood. Existing theories are contradictory and lack experimental validation. Therefore, high-speed imaging was used in combination with a screen-printing simulation rig that was designed to provide good optical access to study ink deposition during the screen-printing process. The variation in the four stages of ink flow through the screen, described in the theory by Messerschmitt, has been quantified with respect to changes in snap-off distance and squeegee speed. Analyses of the images were compared with measurements of the ink properties and corroborated with analyses of the prints. This has provided a better understanding of the mechanism by which the ink transfers from the mesh to the substrate and subsequently separates in screen printing. This could be used as the basis for the development of predictive algorithms, as well as to improve the understanding of how to optimize print quality and performance.


Drones ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dhwanil Shukla ◽  
Narayanan Komerath

Aerodynamic interactions between rotors are important factors affecting the performance of in-plane multirotor Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs) or drones, which are the majority of small size UAVs (or mini-drones). Optimal design requires knowledge of the flow features. The low Reynolds number of many UAV rotors raises the question of how these features differ from those expected by traditional analytical methods for rotorcraft. Aerodynamics of a set of side-by-side rotors in hover over a range of rotor separation and Reynolds number is studied using high-speed Stereo Particle Image Velocimetry (SPIV) and performance measurements. The instantaneous and time-averaged SPIV data presented here indicate an increase in inter-rotor wake interactions with decrease in rotor spacing and Reynolds number. A dip in rotor efficiency at small rotor spacing at low Reynolds number is observed through thrust and torque measurements. The basic components of in-plane multirotor wake and velocity profiles are identified and discussed to help generalize the findings to a wide range of drones. However, the data provide confidence in traditional analysis tools, with small modifications.


Author(s):  
E.D. Wolf

Most microelectronics devices and circuits operate faster, consume less power, execute more functions and cost less per circuit function when the feature-sizes internal to the devices and circuits are made smaller. This is part of the stimulus for the Very High-Speed Integrated Circuits (VHSIC) program. There is also a need for smaller, more sensitive sensors in a wide range of disciplines that includes electrochemistry, neurophysiology and ultra-high pressure solid state research. There is often fundamental new science (and sometimes new technology) to be revealed (and used) when a basic parameter such as size is extended to new dimensions, as is evident at the two extremes of smallness and largeness, high energy particle physics and cosmology, respectively. However, there is also a very important intermediate domain of size that spans from the diameter of a small cluster of atoms up to near one micrometer which may also have just as profound effects on society as “big” physics.


Swiss Surgery ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 283-288
Author(s):  
Maurer ◽  
Stamenic ◽  
Stouthandel ◽  
Ackermann ◽  
Gonzenbach

Aim of study: To investigate the short- and long-term outcome of patients with isolated lateral malleolar fracture type B treated with a single hemicerclage out of metallic wire or PDS cord. Methods: Over an 8-year period 97 patients were treated with a single hemicerclage for lateral malleolar fracture type B and 89 were amenable to a follow-up after mean 39 months, including interview, clinical examination and X-ray controls. Results: The median operation time was 35 minutes (range 15-85 min). X-ray controls within the first two postoperative days revealed an anatomical restoration of the upper ankle joint in all but one patient. The complication rate was 8%: hematoma (2 patients), wound infection (2), Sudeck's dystrophy (2) and deep vein thrombosis (1). Full weight-bearing was tolerated at median 6.0 weeks (range 2-26 weeks). No secondary displacement, delayed union or consecutive arthrosis of the upper ankle joint was observed. All but one patient had restored symmetric joint mobility. Ninety-seven percent of patients were satisfied or very satisfied with the outcome. Following bone healing, hemicerclage removal was necessary in 19% of osteosyntheses with metallic wire and in none with PDS cord. Conclusion: The single hemicerclage is a novel, simple and reliable osteosynthesis technique for isolated lateral type B malleolar fractures and may be considered as an alternative to the osteosynthesis procedures currently in use.


1998 ◽  
Vol 38 (8-9) ◽  
pp. 213-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed F. Hamoda ◽  
Ibrahim A. Al-Ghusain

Performance data from a pilot-plant employing the four-stage aerated submerged fixed film (ASFF) process treating domestic wastewater were analyzed to examine the organic removal rates. The process has shown high BOD removal efficiencies (> 90%) over a wide range of hydraulic loading rates (0.04 to 0.68 m3/m2·d). It could also cope with high hydraulic and organic loadings with minimal loss in efficiency due to the large amount of immobilized biomass attained. The organic (BOD and COD) removal rate was influenced by the hydraulic loadings applied, but organic removal rates of up to 104 kg BOD/ m2·d were obtained at a hydraulic loading rate of 0.68 m3/m2·d. A Semi-empirical model for the bio-oxidation of organics in the ASFF process has been formulated and rate constants were calculated based on statistical analysis of pilot-plant data. The relationships obtained are very useful for analyzing the design and performance of the ASFF process and a variety of attached growth processes.


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (14) ◽  
pp. 4705
Author(s):  
Julian Lich ◽  
Tino Wollmann ◽  
Angelos Filippatos ◽  
Maik Gude ◽  
Juergen Czarske ◽  
...  

Due to their lightweight properties, fiber-reinforced composites are well suited for large and fast rotating structures, such as fan blades in turbomachines. To investigate rotor safety and performance, in situ measurements of the structural dynamic behaviour must be performed during rotating conditions. An approach to measuring spatially resolved vibration responses of a rotating structure with a non-contact, non-rotating sensor is investigated here. The resulting spectra can be assigned to specific locations on the structure and have similar properties to the spectra measured with co-rotating sensors, such as strain gauges. The sampling frequency is increased by performing consecutive measurements with a constant excitation function and varying time delays. The method allows for a paradigm shift to unambiguous identification of natural frequencies and mode shapes with arbitrary rotor shapes and excitation functions without the need for co-rotating sensors. Deflection measurements on a glass fiber-reinforced polymer disk were performed with a diffraction grating-based sensor system at 40 measurement points with an uncertainty below 15 μrad and a commercial triangulation sensor at 200 measurement points at surface speeds up to 300 m/s. A rotation-induced increase of two natural frequencies was measured, and their mode shapes were derived at the corresponding rotational speeds. A strain gauge was used for validation.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric J Snider ◽  
Lauren E Cornell ◽  
Brandon M Gross ◽  
David O Zamora ◽  
Emily N Boice

ABSTRACT Introduction Open-globe ocular injuries have increased in frequency in recent combat operations due to increased use of explosive weaponry. Unfortunately, open-globe injuries have one of the worst visual outcomes for the injured warfighter, often resulting in permanent loss of vision. To improve visual recovery, injuries need to be stabilized quickly following trauma, in order to restore intraocular pressure and create a watertight seal. Here, we assess four off-the-shelf (OTS), commercially available tissue adhesives for their ability to seal military-relevant corneal perforation injuries (CPIs). Materials and Methods Adhesives were assessed using an anterior segment inflation platform and a previously developed high-speed benchtop corneal puncture model, to create injuries in porcine eyes. After injury, adhesives were applied and injury stabilization was assessed by measuring outflow rate, ocular compliance, and burst pressure, followed by histological analysis. Results Tegaderm dressings and Dermabond skin adhesive most successfully sealed injuries in preliminary testing. Across a range of injury sizes and shapes, Tegaderm performed well in smaller injury sizes, less than 2 mm in diameter, but inadequately sealed large or complex injuries. Dermabond created a watertight seal capable of maintaining ocular tissue at physiological intraocular pressure for almost all injury shapes and sizes. However, application of the adhesive was inconsistent. Histologically, after removal of the Dermabond skin adhesive, the corneal epithelium was removed and oftentimes the epithelium surface penetrated into the wound and was adhered to inner stromal tissue. Conclusions Dermabond can stabilize a wide range of CPIs; however, application is variable, which may adversely impact the corneal tissue. Without addressing these limitations, no OTS adhesive tested herein can be directly translated to CPIs. This highlights the need for development of a biomaterial product to stabilize these injuries without causing ocular damage upon removal, thus improving the poor vision prognosis for the injured warfighter.


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