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La valutazione fisica del soggetto con insufficienza mentale. Prove in laboratorio e rilievi in gara
No full textMentally disabled subjects active in various sports are considered in Italy as 'not competitive' by law, on the basis that their effort should be submaximal even during competitions. As few literature is available on this topic, aim of our work was to verify if the physical exertion during competition of subjects with mental retardation is effectively submaximal, as generally supposed. To this aim, heart rate was continuosly measured before, during and after athletic and soccer competitions in 10 subjects (9 oligophrenics; 1 Down sindrome). During competition-field recordings, peak heart rates were near, and in some case higher, to the theoretical maximal heart rate value, which suggests a high physical and emotional involvement of these subjects. During laboratory test, peak oxygen uptake and physical fitness variables were lower than those obtained in healty controls. In conclusion, unlike to the common opinion, competition effort in mentally disabled people is maximal. Thus these subjects have to the properly trained in order to increase their fitness level. Moreover we suggest to evaluate even the mentally disabled people with a more accurate medical examination, as required by law for healty subjects involved in competitive sports
Paraplegic adaptation to assisted-walking : Energy expenditure during wheelchair versus orthosis use
Full text linkStudy Design: To study the energy cost of locomotion during ambulation with different orthoses (HIP Guidance Orthosis Orlau Parawalker (PW), n = 4; Reciprocating Gait Orthosis (RGO), n = 6; RGO + FNS, n = 4). Objectives: Since high energy costs of locomotion have been proposed as a major reason for early rejection of orthotic use, our aims were (a) to evaluate the impact of functional neuromuscular stimulation (FNS) on energy expenditure during orthosis-assisted ambulation; (b) to study whether energy expenditure data can predict the poor long-term patients' compliance and (c) to assess selection criteria for the assignment of the different types of orthosis. Setting: The study was completed at the Center of Sports Medicine and Center of Bioengineering, 'don C. Gnocchi' Foundation, IRCCS, Milan, Italy. Methods: The HR/V̇O2 relationship and the energy cost of locomotion (C) were studied in 14 patients (lesion level C7-T11) during wheelchair (WHCH) use at various speeds and during locomotion with different orthotic devices. Patients' short- and long-term compliance were assessed by questionnaires evaluating duration of and problems related to orthotic use. Results: (a) In patients using RGO + FNS the slope difference of HR/V̇O2 curves (Δ(s1)HR/ V̇O2) between WHCH and orthosis was significantly lower than in other groups (-3 beats 1-1 in RGO + FNS vs 43 and 52 beats 1-1 in RGO and PW, respectively); (b) neither C, nor VO2 peak, or Δ(s1)HR/V̇O2 correlated with orthosis duration of use; (c) in the RGO + FNS group, C was lower at maximal walking speed, which linearly correlated with maximal WHCH speed. Conclusion: (a) Electrical stimulation seems to improve locomotion, as a consequence of hemodynamic effects, but does not decrease energy expenditure, which remains high; (b) the poor long-term compliance to orthosis use cannot be predicted by the energy expenditure parameters; (c) the subjects who can reach high speeds by WHCH seem to be the most appropriate for RGO + FNS locomotion
Adeguamento cardiorespiratorio e metabolico all'esercizio sottomassimale e massimale in atleti poliomielitici
No full textMany individuals who have had poliomyelitis are involved in muscular exercise and are frequently evaluated in the Sports Medical Centres in our country. This paper was aimed to evaluate whether, by means of submaximal and maximal ergometric tests, the existence of a post-polio syndrome (PPS) can be assessed. The PPS includes muscle atrophy, general fatigue, weakness and muscle, joint pain and affects 20-30% of the patients 30-40 years after the initial bout with the disease. Moreover the fitness level and the cardiorespiratory adjustments to exercise were assessed in poliomyelitis individuals of various ages and different training levels. Two groups of polio athletes with lesions restricted to the lower limbs were recruited. Group A, males, n = 9; 46 ± 4.8 (SD) years, initial bout at age 1-6; walking aids required, all involved in the 'crutch soccer' sport since 30 years. Group B, males, n = 8; 30 ± 3 years, initial bout at age 1-5, wheelchair users, elite basket ball players. Ac and Bc groups were the corresponding healthy sedentary controls. After medical examination and respiratory function tests, the cardiorespiratory adjustments to submaximal and maximal exercise were assessed at steady state on the wheelchair ergometer. In the controls the peak of oxygen (VO 2p) was also determined during bicycle exercise. In A group no signs or symptoms of post-polio syndrome were detected. HR/VO 2 and VE/VO 2 relationships during submaximal exercises were similar in polio and healthy controls. VO 2p peak (ml min 1·kg -1) on the wheelchair ergometer was 20.5 ± 2 (SE) in A; 19.6 ± 3 in Ac; 30.3 ± 1 in B and 20.8 ± 3 in Bc: On the bicycle VO 2p was 28.8 ± 3 in Ac and 31.3 ± 3 in Bc. Ventilatory equivalent and oxygen pulse were similar in all groups. We conclude that presumably training for many years may help to prevent the post-polio syndrome. Moreover, basket ball played at high level substantially improves the fitness level of polio individuals and may counteract the expected negative evolution of the muscular function of these patients
Adeguamento cardiorespiratorio all'esercizio fisico nel paraplegico. Effetto dell'allenamento e del livello di lesione
No full textThis paper is aimed A) to extend the data base on the cardiorespiratory adjustments and on the level of physical fitness of spinal cord injury (SCI) subjects living in Italy, a country where participation in social and community activities is still quite difficult to wheelchair dependent individuals, and b) to evaluate the role played by training condition in respect to the role of injury levels in determining the maximal attainable performance capacity. A total of 24 male SCI were selected as follows: elite marathon racers with T1-T4 (n=4; 23-28 yrs; 49-65 kg BW) and T7-L2 (n=4, 22- 30 yrs, 59-67 kg BW) injury levels; T7-L2 moderately trained SCI basketball (n=16; 27±1 (SE) yrs, 70±3.4 kg BW). A group of age-and-gender matched sedentary able body individuals acted as controls. Oxygen consumption (V̇O2), pulmonary ventilation (V̇E) and heart rate (HR) were measured at the last min of 3-5 submaximal exercises of increasing intensities, each lasting 7 min, and at exhaustion (peak values, p), during wheelchair roller ergometer locomotion. Blood lactate concentration [LA] was also detected at the 5(th) min of recovery. During submaximal exercise HR/VO2, relationship increased linearly in all individuals with quite difference slopes: in marathon racers at a V̇O2=1500 ml·min-1 HR was almost maximal in T1-T4, and reached 120-140 b·min-1 in T7-L2. In T7-L2 moderately trained SCI a V̇O2=800 ml·min-1 was accompanied by a HR ranging between 90 and 140 b·min-1 (in controls between 95 and 120 b·min-1). V̇E was considerably different among subjects for a given V̇O2. At exhaustion V̇O2p and V̇Ep per kg and [LA]p were extraordinarily high for the small muscle mass activated. In T1-T4 marathon racers V̇O2 was 31±4 ml·min-1, V̇E 1184±102 ml·min-1 and [LA] 7.2±2 mmol·l-1, and, respectively, 43±2 ml·min-1, 1735±161 ml·min-1 and [LA] 13±1 mmol·l-1 in T7-L2. On the contrary, in the moderately trained basketball SCI and controls, 50% lower values were observed. When V̇O2 p values were evaluated as a function of the injury level in SCI with similar training condition, and the data from the literature were also taken into account, practically no changes occurred from L2 to T6. On the contrary from T6 to C6 a dramatic V̇O2p decrease was observed, reaching at C6 injury level a value about 50% lower. In conclusion, intense aerobic training increases the maximal capacity to perform exercise up to the double of the value of untrained SCI subjects with the same injury level. The level of injury impairs the maximal performance mainly above T6 where certain autonomic reflexes required for normal responses to exercise are disrupted
Cardiorespiratory and metabolic adjustments during submaximal and maximal exercise in polio athletes
No full textMany individuals who have had poliomyelitis are involved in muscular exercise and are frequently evaluated in the Sports Medical Centres in our country. This paper was aimed to evaluate whether, by means of submaximal and maximal ergometric tests, the existence of a post-polio syndrome (PPS) can be assessed. The PPS includes muscle atrophy, general fatigue, weakness and muscle, joint pain and affects 20-30% of the patients 30-40 years after the initial bout with the disease. Moreover the fitness level and the cardiorespiratory adjustments to exercise were assessed in poliomyelitis individuals of various ages and different training levels. Two groups of polio athletes with lesions restricted to the lower limbs were recruited. Group A, males, n = 9; 46 ± 4.8 (SD) years, initial bout at age 1-6; walking aids required, all involved in the 'crutch soccer' sport since 30 years. Group B, males, n = 8; 30 ± 3 years, initial bout at age 1-5, wheelchair users, elite basket ball players. Ac and Bc groups were the corresponding healthy sedentary controls. After medical examination and respiratory function tests, the cardiorespiratory adjustments to submaximal and maximal exercise were assessed at steady state on the wheelchair ergometer. In the controls the peak of oxygen (VO 2p) was also determined during bicycle exercise. In A group no signs or symptoms of post-polio syndrome were detected. HR/VO 2 and VE/VO 2 relationships during submaximal exercises were similar in polio and healthy controls. VO 2p peak (ml min 1·kg -1) on the wheelchair ergometer was 20.5 ± 2 (SE) in A; 19.6 ± 3 in Ac; 30.3 ± 1 in B and 20.8 ± 3 in Bc: On the bicycle VO 2p was 28.8 ± 3 in Ac and 31.3 ± 3 in Bc. Ventilatory equivalent and oxygen pulse were similar in all groups. We conclude that presumably training for many years may help to prevent the post-polio syndrome. Moreover, basket ball played at high level substantially improves the fitness level of polio individuals and may counteract the expected negative evolution of the muscular function of these patients
Cardio-respiratory adjustments and cost of locomotion in school children during backpack walking (the Italian Backpack Study).
No full textThe use of a school backpack is one of the possible causes of back pain in children. Oxygen consumption (VO2), pulmonary ventilation, and heart rate (fc) were measured in 35 pre-pubertal subjects [17 girls and 18 boys, mean (SD) age 11.3 (0.6) years]. They took part in a four-step experiment: (1) standing for 5 min, (2) walking at 3 km.h(-1) for 7 min, (3) walking at 3 km.h(-1) for 7 min carrying a school backpack weighing 8 kg, and (4) walking at 7 km.h(-1) for 5 min with no load. The occurrence of back pain in the last 2-3 years and during the last 15 days was assessed for the subjects by means of a questionnaire. Mean (SD) standing VO2, was 215 (45) ml.min(-1) during walking at 3 km.h(-1), 503 (101) ml.min(-1) during walking without a load, and increased to 541 (98) ml.min(-1) during walking with a load (P<0.01). Carrying a backpack increased fc only minimally. The energy cost of walking at 3 km.h(-1) without the backpack was 10.0 (2.0) ml O2.m(-1), and with the backpack was 10.8 (1.9) ml O2.m(-1) (P< 0.01). The net energy cost of locomotion was 0.129 (0.032) ml.kg body mass(-1).m(-1) for the unloaded condition and slightly lower, at 0.123 (0.025) ml.kg body mass(-1).m(-1) during loaded walking (P < 0.05). Ventilation did not change significantly between unloaded and loaded conditions. When the data were assessed according to the occurrence of back pain, the fc/VO2 slope was significantly lower in children without back pain, even though the net energy cost of locomotion was similar. Overall, these data suggest that the cardiovascular effortrequired for locomotion while carrying a backpack is minimal. However, fatigability and back pain are more likely to take place in less physical performing subjects. Thus, the occurrence of back pain in schoolchildren during locomotion while carrying a backpack may improve with an improvement in their level of fitness
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
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