Wii Fit balance training or progressive balance training in patients with chronic stroke: a randomised controlled trial

Science.gov (United States)

Yatar, Gozde Iyigun; Yildirim, Sibel Aksu

2015-01-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to compare the effects of Wii Fit balance training (WBT) and progressive balance training (PBT) approaches on balance functions, balance confidence, and activities of daily living in chronic stroke patients. [Subjects] A total of 30 patients were randomized into the WBT (n=15) and PBT (n=15) groups. [Methods] All of the subjects received exercise training based on a neurodevelopemental approach in addition to either Wii Fit or progressive balance training for total of 1 hour a day, 3 days per week for 4 weeks. Primary measurements were static balance function measured with a Wii Balance Board and dynamic balance function assessed with the Berg Balance Scale, Timed Up and Go test, Dynamic Gait Index, and Functional Reach Test. Secondary measures were balance confidence assessed with the Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale and activities of daily living evaluated with the Frenchay Activity Index. [Results] There was not remarkable difference between the two treatments in dynamic balance functions, balance confidence, and activities of daily living. [Conclusion] Although both of the approaches were found to be effective in improving the balance functions, balance confidence, and activities of daily living, neither of them were more preferable than the other for the treatment of balance in patients with chronic stroke. PMID:25995576

Wii Fit balance training or progressive balance training in patients with chronic stroke: a randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Yatar, Gozde Iyigun; Yildirim, Sibel Aksu

2015-04-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to compare the effects of Wii Fit balance training (WBT) and progressive balance training (PBT) approaches on balance functions, balance confidence, and activities of daily living in chronic stroke patients. [Subjects] A total of 30 patients were randomized into the WBT (n=15) and PBT (n=15) groups. [Methods] All of the subjects received exercise training based on a neurodevelopemental approach in addition to either Wii Fit or progressive balance training for total of 1 hour a day, 3 days per week for 4 weeks. Primary measurements were static balance function measured with a Wii Balance Board and dynamic balance function assessed with the Berg Balance Scale, Timed Up and Go test, Dynamic Gait Index, and Functional Reach Test. Secondary measures were balance confidence assessed with the Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale and activities of daily living evaluated with the Frenchay Activity Index. [Results] There was not remarkable difference between the two treatments in dynamic balance functions, balance confidence, and activities of daily living. [Conclusion] Although both of the approaches were found to be effective in improving the balance functions, balance confidence, and activities of daily living, neither of them were more preferable than the other for the treatment of balance in patients with chronic stroke.

Parkinsonian Balance Deficits Quantified Using a Game Industry Board and a Specific Battery of Four Paradigms.

Science.gov (United States)

Darbin, Olivier; Gubler, Coral; Naritoku, Dean; Dees, Daniel; Martino, Anthony; Adams, Elizabeth

2016-01-01

This study describes a cost-effective screening protocol for parkinsonism based on combined objective and subjective monitoring of balance function. Objective evaluation of balance function was performed using a game industry balance board and an automated analyses of the dynamic of the center of pressure in time, frequency, and non-linear domains collected during short series of stand up tests with different modalities and severity of sensorial deprivation. The subjective measurement of balance function was performed using the Dizziness Handicap Inventory questionnaire. Principal component analyses on both objective and subjective measurements of balance function allowed to obtained a specificity and selectivity for parkinsonian patients (vs. healthy subjects) of 0.67 and 0.71 respectively. The findings are discussed regarding the relevance of cost-effective balance-based screening system as strategy to meet the needs of broader and earlier screening for parkinsonism in communities with limited access to healthcare.

Balance confidence is related to features of balance and gait in individuals with chronic stroke

Science.gov (United States)

Schinkel-Ivy, Alison; Wong, Jennifer S.; Mansfield, Avril

2016-01-01

Reduced balance confidence is associated with impairments in features of balance and gait in individuals with sub-acute stroke. However, an understanding of these relationships in individuals at the chronic stage of stroke recovery is lacking. This study aimed to quantify relationships between balance confidence and specific features of balance and gait in individuals with chronic stroke. Participants completed a balance confidence questionnaire and clinical balance assessment (quiet standing, walking, and reactive stepping) at 6 months post-discharge from inpatient stroke rehabilitation. Regression analyses were performed using balance confidence as a predictor variable and quiet standing, walking, and reactive stepping outcome measures as the dependent variables. Walking velocity was positively correlated with balance confidence, while medio-lateral centre of pressure excursion (quiet standing) and double support time, step width variability, and step time variability (walking) were negatively correlated with balance confidence. This study provides insight into the relationships between balance confidence and balance and gait measures in individuals with chronic stroke, suggesting that individuals with low balance confidence exhibited impaired control of quiet standing as well as walking characteristics associated with cautious gait strategies. Future work should identify the direction of these relationships to inform community-based stroke rehabilitation programs for individuals with chronic stroke, and determine the potential utility of incorporating interventions to improve balance confidence into these programs. PMID:27955809

Parkinsonian balance deficits quantified using a game industry board and a specific battery of four paradigms.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olivier Darbin

2016-08-01

Full Text Available This study describes a cost-effective screening protocol for parkinsonism based on combined objective and subjective monitoring of balance function. Objective evaluation of balance function was performed using a game industry balance board and an automated analyses of the dynamic of the center of pressure in time, frequency and non-linear domains collected during short series of stand up tests with different modalities and severity of sensorial deprivation. The subjective measurement of balance function was performed using the Dizziness Handicap Inventory questionnaire. Principal component analyses on both objective and subjective measurements of balance function allowed to obtained a specificity and selectivity for parkinsonian patients (v.s. healthy subjects of 0.67 and 0.71 respectively. The findings are discussed regarding the relevance of cost-effective balance-based screening system as strategy to meet the needs of broader and earlier screening for parkinsonism in communities with limited access to healthcare.

Noise exposure and oxidative balance in auditory and extra-auditory structures in adult and developing animals. Pharmacological approaches aimed to minimize its effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Molina, S J; Miceli, M; Guelman, L R

2016-07-01

Noise coming from urban traffic, household appliances or discotheques might be as hazardous to the health of exposed people as occupational noise, because may likewise cause hearing loss, changes in hormonal, cardiovascular and immune systems and behavioral alterations. Besides, noise can affect sleep, work performance and productivity as well as communication skills. Moreover, exposure to noise can trigger an oxidative imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the activity of antioxidant enzymes in different structures, which can contribute to tissue damage. In this review we systematized the information from reports concerning noise effects on cell oxidative balance in different tissues, focusing on auditory and non-auditory structures. We paid specific attention to in vivo studies, including results obtained in adult and developing subjects. Finally, we discussed the pharmacological strategies tested by different authors aimed to minimize the damaging effects of noise on living beings. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Influence of ski boots on balance performance].

Science.gov (United States)

Mildner, E; Lembert, S; Raschner, C

2010-03-01

Modern ski carving technique demands that skiers have a strong sense of balance and edge their skis with precision and feeling. Stiff ski boots facilitate the transfer of power to the ski but increase the difficulty of balancing. The aim of this study was to analyse the influence of ski boots on balance performance of alpine skiers. 76 experienced skiers (female 33/male 43) and 76 ski racers of the Skigymnasium Stams (female 31/male 45) were tested on the MFT S 3 Check with and without ski boots. Ski boots significantly influenced balance. There were also significant differences between experienced skiers and ski racers, but gender differences were minimal. In addition to general conditioning, skiers should utilise general and ski-specific balance and sensomotor training which could help in ski injury prevention, especially knee injuries. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart, New York.

Process evaluation of a workplace health promotion intervention aimed at improving work engagement and energy balance.

Science.gov (United States)

van Berkel, Jantien; Boot, Cécile R L; Proper, Karin I; Bongers, Paulien M; van der Beek, Allard J

2013-01-01

To evaluate the process of the implementation of an intervention aimed at improving work engagement and energy balance, and to explore associations between process measures and compliance. Process measures were assessed using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. The mindfulness training was attended at least once by 81.3% of subjects, and 54.5% were highly compliant. With regard to e-coaching and homework exercises, 6.3% and 8.0%, respectively, were highly compliant. The training was appreciated with a 7.5 score and e-coaching with a 6.8 score. Appreciation of training and e-coaching, satisfaction with trainer and coach, and practical facilitation were significantly associated with compliance. The intervention was implemented well on the level of the mindfulness training, but poorly on the level of e-coaching and homework time investment. To increase compliance, attention should be paid to satisfaction and trainer-participant relationship.

Effects of specific muscle imbalance improvement training on the balance ability in elite fencers.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Taewhan; Kil, Sekee; Chung, Jinwook; Moon, Jeheon; Oh, Eunyoung

2015-05-01

[Purpose] The lunge Motion that occurs frequently in fencing training and matches results in imbalance of the upper and lower limbs muscles. This research focuses on the improvement of the imbalance that occurs in the national team fencers of the Republic of Korea through specific muscle imbalance improvement training. [Subjects] The subjects of this research were limited to right-handed male fencers. Nine male, right-handed national fencing athletes were selected for this study (4 epee, 5 sabre; age 28.2 ± 2.2 years; height 182.3 ± 4.0 cm; weight 76.5 ± 8.2 kg; experience 12.4 ± 3.0 years). [Methods] The specific muscle imbalance improvement training program was performed for 12 weeks and Pre-Post tests were to evaluate its effect on the experimental group. Measurements comprised anthropometry, test of balance, and movement analysis. [Results] After the training program, mediolateral sway of the nondominant lower limb and the balance scale showed statistically significant improvement. [Conclusion] The specific muscle imbalance improvement training program used in this research was proven to be effective for improving the muscle imbalance of elite fencers.

Associations of Walking Speed, Grip Strength, and Standing Balance With Total and Cause-Specific Mortality in a General Population of Japanese Elders.

Science.gov (United States)

Nofuji, Yu; Shinkai, Shoji; Taniguchi, Yu; Amano, Hidenori; Nishi, Mariko; Murayama, Hiroshi; Fujiwara, Yoshinori; Suzuki, Takao

2016-02-01

Walking speed, grip strength, and standing balance are key components of physical performance in older people. The present study aimed to evaluate (1) associations of these physical performance measures with cause-specific mortality, (2) independent associations of individual physical performance measures with mortality, and (3) the added value of combined use of the 3 physical performance measures in predicting all-cause and cause-specific mortality. Prospective cohort study with a follow-up of 10.5 years. Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Longitudinal Interdisciplinary Study on Aging (TMIG-LISA), Japan. A total of 1085 initially nondisabled older Japanese aged 65 to 89 years. Usual walking speed, grip strength, and standing balance were measured at baseline survey. During follow-up, 324 deaths occurred (122 of cardiovascular disease, 75 of cancer, 115 of other causes, and 12 of unknown causes). All 3 physical performance measures were significantly associated with all-cause, cardiovascular, and other-cause mortality, but not with cancer mortality, independent of potential confounders. When all 3 physical performance measures were simultaneously entered into the model, each was significantly independently associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. The C statistics for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality were significantly increased by adding grip strength and standing balance to walking speed (P balance predicted all-cause, cardiovascular, and other-cause mortality, but not cancer mortality, independent of covariates. Moreover, these 3 components of physical performance were independently associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality and their combined use increased prognostic power. Copyright © 2016 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interchangeability of the Wii Balance Board for Bipedal Balance Assessment

OpenAIRE

Bonnech?re, Bruno; Jansen, Bart; Omelina, Lubos; Rooze, Marcel; Van Sint Jan, Serge

2015-01-01

Background Since 2010, an increasing interest in more portable and flexible hardware for balance and posture assessment led to previously published studies determining whether or not the Wii Balance Board could be used to assess balance and posture, both scientifically and clinically. However, no previous studies aimed at comparing results from different Wii Balance Boards for clinical balance evaluation exist. Objective The objective of this crossover study is to assess the interchangeabilit...

Effects of a 12-month task-specific balance training on the balance status of stroke survivors with and without cognitive impairments in Selected Hospitals in Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Okonkwo, Uchenna Prosper; Ibeneme, Sam Chidi; Ihegihu, Ebere Yvonne; Egwuonwu, Afamefuna Victor; Ezema, Charles Ikechukwu; Maruf, Fatai Adesina

2018-05-02

Stroke results in varying levels of physical disabilities that may adversely impact balance with increased tendency to falls. This may intensify with cognitive impairments (CI), and impede functional recovery. Therefore, task-specific balance training (TSBT), which presents versatile task-specific training options that matches varied individual needs, was explored as a beneficial rehabilitation regime for stroke survivors with and without CI. It was hypothesized that there will be no significant difference in the balance control measures in stroke survivors with and without CI after a 12-month TSBT. To determine if TSBT will have comparable beneficial effects on the balance control status of sub-acute ischemic stroke survivors with CI and without CI. One hundred of 143 available sub-acute first ever ischemic stroke survivors were recruited using convenience sampling technique in a quasi-experimental study. They were later assigned into the cognitive impaired group (CIG) and non-cognitive impaired group (NCIG), respectively, based on the baseline presence or absence of CI, after screening with the mini-mental examination (MMSE) tool. With the help of four trained research assistants, TSBT was applied to each group, thrice times a week, 60 mins per session, for 12 months. Their balance was measured as Bergs Balance scores (BBS) at baseline, 4th, 8th, and 12th month intervals. Data were analyzed statistically using Kruskal Wallis test, and repeated measure ANOVA, at p balance control of CIG with large effect size of 0.69 after 12 months of TSBT. There was also significant improvement across time points in the balance control of NCIG with large effect size of 0.544 after 12 months of TSBT. There was no significant difference between the improvement in CIG and NCIG after 8th and 12th months of TSBT.  Within the groups, a 12-month TSBT intervention significantly improved balance control, respectively, but with broader effects in the

AN INITIAL EVALUATION OF THE BTRACKS BALANCE PLATE AND SPORTS BALANCE SOFTWARE FOR CONCUSSION DIAGNOSIS.

Science.gov (United States)

Goble, Daniel J; Manyak, Kristin A; Abdenour, Thomas E; Rauh, Mitchell J; Baweja, Harsimran S

2016-04-01

As recently dictated by the American Medical Society, balance testing is an important component in the clinical evaluation of concussion. Despite this, previous research on the efficacy of balance testing for concussion diagnosis suggests low sensitivity (∼30%), based primarily on the popular Balance Error Scoring System (BESS). The Balance Tracking System (BTrackS, Balance Tracking Systems Inc., San Diego, CA, USA) consists of a force plate (BTrackS Balance Plate) and software (BTrackS Sport Balance) which can quickly (balance testing with gold standard accuracy. The present study aimed to determine the sensitivity of the BTrackS Balance Plate and Sports Balance Software for concussion diagnosis. Cross-Sectional Study. Preseason baseline balance testing of 519 healthy Division I college athletes playing sports with a relatively high risk for concussions was performed with the BTrackS Balance Test. Testing was administered by certified athletic training staff using the BTrackS Balance Plate and Sport Balance software. Of the baselined athletes, 25 later experienced a concussion during the ensuing sport season. Post-injury balance testing was performed on these concussed athletes within 48 of injury and the sensitivity of the BTrackS Balance Plate and Sport Balance software was estimated based on the number of athletes showing a balance decline according to the criteria specified in the Sport Balance software. This criteria is based on the minimal detectable change statistic with a 90% confidence level (i.e. 90% specificity). Of 25 athletes who experienced concussions, 16 had balance declines relative to baseline testing results according to the BTrackS Sport Balance software criteria. This corresponds to an estimated concussion sensitivity of 64%, which is twice as great as that reported previously for the BESS. The BTrackS Balance Plate and Sport Balance software has the greatest concussion sensitivity of any balance testing instrument reported to date. Level 2

Using balance training to improve the performance of youth basketball players.

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Boccolini, Gabriele; Brazzit, Alessandro; Bonfanti, Luca; Alberti, Giampietro

2013-08-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of 12 weeks of balance training to improve the balance and vertical jump abilities of young basketball players. Twenty-three players from two teams in the Under Fifteen Basketball Excellence category participated in the study. Participants were divided into two training groups: balance training (BAL, n  = 11) and isotonic training (ISO, n  = 12). Both groups were tested for balance and vertical jumps at the beginning of the competitive season and at the end of 12 weeks of specific training programme. All of the tests were performed in sustained bipodalic and monopodalic (both right and left) positions. The results showed that players who participated in balance training for 12 weeks, compared to players who trained with isotonic machines, exhibited a significantly increase in balance (bipodalic 28.3 %; right 41.4 %; left 45.8 %; p  training using unstable boards was an effective training method for improving balance and the vertical jump, which is a basketball-specific action that frequently occurs in this sport.

Psychometric Properties of Persian Translated Version of Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC in Arak Community-dwelling Older Adults

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Daryoush Khajavi

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background: Balance deficiency, falls and fear of fall are important problems that can resulted in reversed health outcomes including decreased quality of life. The purpose of this study was surveying factor structure, validation, and reliability determination of Persian translated version of Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale in community-dwelling older adults of Arak city. Materials and Methods: Research method was descriptive in form of psychometry. The statistic population was older adults of Arak in year 2012 and 308 subjects with mean age 69.38 years were selected availably. Data were collected by Persian translated version of Activities-specific Balance Confidence that is a 16-item scale and evaluates balance confidence in activities of daily living. Data were analyzed by Exploratory Factor Analysis. Test-retest and internal reliability were calculated by Pearson correlation coefficient and Chronbach’s Alpha. Data were analyzed with SPSS-16. Results: The findings resulted in extraction of one factor with eigenvalue over one that explained 82.89% of total variance. Test-retest reliability between 1 to 4 weeks and internal reliability (Chronbach’s alpha were 0.82 and 0.98, respectively. Gutmann split-half correlation coefficient and intra-class correlation coefficient were calculated 95% and 85%, respectively. Conclusion: Persian translated version of Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC-F is a valid and reliable tool for Iranian community-dwelling older adults that can be used in clinical and research purpose.

Psychological Benefits of Nonpharmacological Methods Aimed for Improving Balance in Parkinson’s Disease: A Systematic Review

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Rastislav Šumec

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Parkinson’s disease (PD is a serious condition with a major negative impact on patient’s physical and mental health. Postural instability is one of the cardinal difficulties reported by patients to deal with. Neuroanatomical, animal, and clinical studies on nonparkinsonian and parkinsonian subjects suggest an important correlation between the presence of balance dysfunction and multiple mood disorders, such as anxiety, depression, and apathy. Considering that balance dysfunction is a very common symptom in PD, we can presume that by its management we could positively influence patient’s state of mind too. This review is an analysis of nonpharmacological methods shown to be effective and successful for improving balance in patients suffering from PD. Strategies such as general exercise, robotic assisted training, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, Yoga, dance (such as tango or ballet, box, virtual reality-based, or neurofeedback-based techniques and so forth can significantly improve the stability in these patients. Beside this physical outcome, many methods have also shown effect on quality of life, depression level, enjoyment, and motivation to continue in practicing the method independently. The purpose of this review is to provide information about practical and creative methods designed to improve balance in PD and highlight their positive impact on patient’s psychology.

Activities-specific balance confidence scale for predicting future falls in Indian older adults

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Moiz JA

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Jamal Ali Moiz,1 Vishal Bansal,2 Majumi M Noohu,1 Shailendra Nath Gaur,3 Mohammad Ejaz Hussain,1 Shahnawaz Anwer,4,5 Ahmad Alghadir4 1Centre for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India; 2Department of Physiology, 3Department of Respiratory Medicine, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of Delhi, Delhi, India; 4Rehabilitation Research Chair, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 5Department of Musculoskeletal Science, Dr D.Y. Patil College of Physiotherapy, Dr D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune, India Background: Activities-specific balance confidence (ABC scale is a subjective measure of confidence in performing various ambulatory activities without falling or experiencing a sense of unsteadiness. Objective: This study aimed to examine the ability of the Hindi version of the ABC scale (ABC-H scale to discriminate between fallers and non-fallers and to examine its predictive validity for prospective falls. Design: This was a prospective cohort study. Materials and methods: A total of 125 community-dwelling older adults (88 were men completed the ABC-H scale. The occurrence of falls over the follow-up period of 12 months was recorded. Discriminative validity was analyzed by comparing the total ABC-H scale scores between the faller and non-faller groups. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and a logistic regression analysis were used to examine the predictive accuracy of the ABC-H scale. Results: The mean ABC-H scale score of the faller group was significantly lower than that of the non-faller group (52.6±8.1 vs 73.1±12.2; P<0.001. The optimal cutoff value for distinguishing faller and non-faller adults was ≤58.13. The sensitivity, specificity, area under the curve, and positive and negative likelihood ratios of the cutoff score were 86.3%, 87.3%, 0.91 (P<0.001, 6.84, and 0.16, respectively. The percentage test accuracy and false-positive and

The gait and balance of patients with diabetes can be improved: a randomised controlled trial.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Allet, L.; Armand, S.; Bie, R.A. de; Golay, A.; Monnin, D.; Aminian, K.; Staal, J.B.; Bruin, E.D. de

2010-01-01

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Gait characteristics and balance are altered in diabetic patients. Little is known about possible treatment strategies. This study evaluates the effect of a specific training programme on gait and balance of diabetic patients. METHODS: This was a randomised controlled trial (n=71)

Visual feedback training using WII Fit improves balance in Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Zalecki, Tomasz; Gorecka-Mazur, Agnieszka; Pietraszko, Wojciech; Surowka, Artur D; Novak, Pawel; Moskala, Marek; Krygowska-Wajs, Anna

2013-01-01

Postural instability including imbalance is the most disabling long term problem in Parkinson's disease (PD) that does not respond to pharmacotherapy. This study aimed at investigating the effectiveness of a novel visual-feedback training method, using Wii Fit balance board in improving balance in patients with PD. Twenty four patients with moderate PD were included in the study which comprised of a 6-week home-based balance training program using Nintendo Wii Fit and balance board. The PD patients significantly improved their results in Berg Balance Scale, Tinnet's Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment, Timed Up-and-Go, Sit-to-stand test, 10-Meter Walk test and Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale at the end of the programme. This study suggests that visual feedback training using Wii-Fit with balance board could improve dynamic and functional balance as well as motor disability in PD patients.

Do budget balance rules anchor budget balance expectations? -- Some international evidence

OpenAIRE

Rülke, Jan-Christoph; Frenkel, Michael; Lis, Eliza

2013-01-01

This is the first study that analyzes whether budget balance expectations are anchored and whether budget balance rules effectively anchor expectations. To this end, we use a unique data set which covers budget balance expectations in 17 countries that implemented a budget balance rules. While our results are mixed concerning the general impact of budget balance rules on anchoring expectations, we do find that specific features of budget balance rules are important to successfully anchor budg...

Russia - Nato. The military balance

OpenAIRE

Daugaard, Søren Bech; Jacobsen, Karen Vestergård; Aigro, Signe; Skarequist, Anne

2010-01-01

This project aims to explain how the military balancing of Russia against NATO can be explained from a neoclassical realist framework. The project consists in three analytical parts of respectively, 1: The military capabilities balance between NATO and Russia; 2: How the international system puts pressure on Russia; and 3: How the strategic culture of Russia can explain its balancing. This project aims to explain how the military balancing of Russia against NATO can be explained from a neo...

Does Nintendo Wii Balance Board improve standing balance? A randomized controlled trial in children with cerebral palsy.

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Gatica-Rojas, Valeska; Méndez-Rebolledo, Guillermo; Guzman-Muñoz, Eduardo; Soto-Poblete, Alex; Cartes-Velásquez, Ricardo; Elgueta-Cancino, Edith; Cofré Lizama, L Eduardo

2017-08-01

Evidence on the effect of systemic exercise programs to improve the standing balance with the Nintendo Wii system is very limited and its post-treatment effectiveness is unknown in cerebral palsy (CP) patients. Primary aim was to compare the effect of Nintendo Wii balance board (Wii-therapy) and standard physiotherapy (SPT), on the performance of standing balance in children and adolescents with CP. Secondary aim was to determine the post-treatment effectiveness of Wii-therapy and SPT. Two-arm, matched-pairs, parallel-groups, randomized, controlled clinical trial. Outpatient Rehabilitation Centre in the city of Talca. Patients with CP type spastic hemiplegia (SHE) and spastic diplegia (SDI), aged 7 to 14 years, and level I or II of GMFCS or GMFCS-ER. Were excluded patients with FSIQWii-therapy (SDI=7; SHE=9) or SPT intervention (SDI=7; SHE=9). In each group, patients received three sessions per week over a period of 6 weeks. Standing balance was assessed at baseline and every 2 weeks. Additionally, two follow-up assessments (4 additional weeks) were performed to determine post-treatment effectiveness. Standing balance was quantified on force platform obtaining the outcomes area of center-of-pressure (CoP) sway (CoPSway), standard deviation in the medial-lateral (SDML) and the anterior-posterior (SDAP) directions, and velocity in both directions (VML and VAP). Compared to SPT, Wii-therapy significantly reduced the CoPSway (P=0.02) and SDAP in the eyes-open condition (P=0.01). However, the effects wane after 2-4 weeks. Post-hoc analysis revealed that only SHE children benefited from Wii-therapy. Wii-therapy was better than SPT in improving standing balance in patients with CP, but improves the balance only in SHE patients. Also, Wii-therapy effectiveness waned 2-4 weeks after the end the intervention. A systematic exercise program like Wii-therapy using the Nintendo Wii Balance Board device can be considered to improves the standing balance in patients with CP

[BALANCED SCORECARD AS A MANAGEMENT TOOL IN CLINICAL NUTRITION].

Science.gov (United States)

Gutiérrez López, Cristina; Mauriz, Jose L; Culebras, Jesús M

2015-07-01

Nowadays, balanced scorecards have updated traditional management systems in the business sector. In this way, Kaplan and Norton propose performance measurement through several perspectives with a logical sequence: internal processes and learning impact client services, so that financial performance is affected. The aim of the present paper is to analyze the main characteristics of balanced scorecard when it is applied to non-for-profit companies and, specifically to the health sector in the clinical nutrition field. This model improves the economic vision of management with clinical indicators that represent healthcare professional's perspective. The balanced scorecard would allow a proper monitoring and tracking system for the main healthcare indicators. This contributes to a better control in comparison with standards that are associated with adequate quality assistance. Owing to the role of management accounting and cost calculations, the definition of healthcare professionals as clients or users, and clinical results relevance, it is necessary to adapt the balanced scorecard to the specific characteristics of the clinical field, redefining both perspectives and indicators. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Emergence of Functional Specificity in Balanced Networks with Synaptic Plasticity.

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Sadra Sadeh

2015-06-01

Full Text Available In rodent visual cortex, synaptic connections between orientation-selective neurons are unspecific at the time of eye opening, and become to some degree functionally specific only later during development. An explanation for this two-stage process was proposed in terms of Hebbian plasticity based on visual experience that would eventually enhance connections between neurons with similar response features. For this to work, however, two conditions must be satisfied: First, orientation selective neuronal responses must exist before specific recurrent synaptic connections can be established. Second, Hebbian learning must be compatible with the recurrent network dynamics contributing to orientation selectivity, and the resulting specific connectivity must remain stable for unspecific background activity. Previous studies have mainly focused on very simple models, where the receptive fields of neurons were essentially determined by feedforward mechanisms, and where the recurrent network was small, lacking the complex recurrent dynamics of large-scale networks of excitatory and inhibitory neurons. Here we studied the emergence of functionally specific connectivity in large-scale recurrent networks with synaptic plasticity. Our results show that balanced random networks, which already exhibit highly selective responses at eye opening, can develop feature-specific connectivity if appropriate rules of synaptic plasticity are invoked within and between excitatory and inhibitory populations. If these conditions are met, the initial orientation selectivity guides the process of Hebbian learning and, as a result, functionally specific and a surplus of bidirectional connections emerge. Our results thus demonstrate the cooperation of synaptic plasticity and recurrent dynamics in large-scale functional networks with realistic receptive fields, highlight the role of inhibition as a critical element in this process, and paves the road for further computational

Reliability and validity of the German short version of the Activities specific Balance Confidence (ABC-D6) scale in older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Schott, Nadja

2014-01-01

The Activities specific Balance Confidence (ABC) is a questionnaire which was developed to assess falls-associated self-efficacy. The aim of this study was to evaluate reliability and validity of the German abbreviated 6-item version of the ABC scores in community-dwelling older people. The study sample included 384 subjects (age 71.1 ± 9.7). In order to determine the psychometric properties, reliability and validity were assessed through administration of the German adaptation of the ABC-D16 to participants twice, 10 days apart, and comparison of the ABC-D16 and the ABC-D6 with functional measures of balance and mobility (one-leg stance; 10 m walk; TUG; Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale (FAB)), physical activity (Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE)), physical fitness (30s arm curl, 30s chair stand, 6 min walk), cognition (Trail-Making-Test (TMT)), falls status, and quality of life (SF36). Factor analyses suggested a 1-factor solution for the ABC-D6 scale (explained variance 79.8%). Internal consistency (.95) and test-retest reliability (.98) for the ABC-D6 scores were excellent. Scores on the ABC-D6 were significantly lower than on the ABC-D16, but ABC-D16 and ABC-D6 scores were highly correlated (.94). There was an increasing difference in the ABC-scores between men and women with increasing age. Fallers reported lower balance confidence than non-fallers. The ABC-D6 score significantly correlated with functional measures of balance and mobility, physical activity, physical fitness, cognition, and quality of life (-.698valid instrument to asses falls-associated self-efficacy and may be used in future research projects and clinical trials. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Immunomodulation Mechanism of Antidepressants: Interactions between Serotonin/Norepinephrine Balance and Th1/Th2 Balance

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Martino, Matteo; Rocchi, Giulio; Escelsior, Andrea; Fornaro, Michele

2012-01-01

Neurotransmitters and hormones regulate major immune functions, including the selection of T helper (Th)1 or Th2 cytokine responses, related to cell-mediated and humoral immunity, respectively. A role of imbalance and dynamic switching of Th1/Th2 system has been proposed, with relative displacement of the immune reserve in relation to complex interaction between Th1/Th2 and neuro-hormonal balance fluctuations, in the pathogenesis of various chronic human diseases, probably also including psychiatric disorders. Components of the stress system such as norepinephrine (NE) and glucocorticoids appear to mediate a Th2 shift, while serotonin (5-HT) and melatonin might mediate a Th1 shift. Some antidepressants would occur affecting these systems, acting on neurotransmitter balance (especially the 5-HT/NE balance) and expression levels of receptor subtypes, which in turn affect cytokine production and relative Th1/Th2 balance. It could be therefore hypothesized that the antidepressant-related increase in NE tone enhances the Th2 response, while the decrease in NE tone or the increase in 5-HT tone enhances the Th1 response. However, the neurotransmitter and Th1/Th2 balance modulation could be relative, aiming to restore physiological levels a previous imbalance in receptor sensitivity and cytokine production. The considerations on neuro-immunomodulation could represent an additional aid in the study of pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders and in the choice of specific antidepressants in specific clusters of symptoms, especially in comorbidity with internal pathologies. Furthermore limited data, reviewed here, have shown the effectiveness of some antidepressants as pure immunomodulators. However, these considerations are tentative and require experimental confirmation or refutation by future studies. PMID:23204981

The water balance questionnaire: design, reliability and validity of a questionnaire to evaluate water balance in the general population.

Science.gov (United States)

Malisova, Olga; Bountziouka, Vassiliki; Panagiotakos, Demosthenes B; Zampelas, Antonis; Kapsokefalou, Maria

2012-03-01

There is a need to develop a questionnaire as a research tool for the evaluation of water balance in the general population. The water balance questionnaire (WBQ) was designed to evaluate water intake from fluid and solid foods and drinking water, and water loss from urine, faeces and sweat at sedentary conditions and physical activity. For validation purposes, the WBQ was administrated in 40 apparently healthy participants aged 22-57 years (37.5% males). Hydration indices in urine (24 h volume, osmolality, specific gravity, pH, colour) were measured through established procedures. Furthermore, the questionnaire was administered twice to 175 subjects to evaluate its reliability. Kendall's τ-b and the Bland and Altman method were used to assess the questionnaire's validity and reliability. The proposed WBQ to assess water balance in healthy individuals was found to be valid and reliable, and it could thus be a useful tool in future projects that aim to evaluate water balance.

The gait and balance of patients with diabetes can be improved: a randomised controlled trial

OpenAIRE

Allet, L.; Armand, S.; de Bie, R. A.; Golay, A.; Monnin, D.; Aminian, K.; Staal, J. B.; de Bruin, E. D.

2009-01-01

Aims/hypothesis Gait characteristics and balance are altered in diabetic patients. Little is known about possible treatment strategies. This study evaluates the effect of a specific training programme on gait and balance of diabetic patients. Methods This was a randomised controlled trial (n?=?71) with an intervention (n?=?35) and control group (n?=?36). The intervention consisted of physiotherapeutic group training including gait and balance exercises with function-orientated strengthening (...

Effect of Selected Balance Exercises on the Dynamic Balance of Children with Visual Impairments

Science.gov (United States)

Jazi, Shirin Davarpanah; Purrajabi, Fatemeh; Movahedi, Ahmadreza; Jalali, Shahin

2012-01-01

Introduction: Maintaining balance while walking is of utmost importance for individuals with visual impairments because deficits in dynamic balance have been associated with a high risk of falling. Thus, the primary aim of the study presented here was to determine whether balance training effects the dynamic balance of children with visual…

Balance evaluation in haemophilic preadolescent patients using Nintendo Wii Balance Board®.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez-Alenda, S; Carrasco, J J; Aguilar-Rodríguez, M; Martínez-Gómez, L; Querol-Giner, M; Cuesta-Barriuso, R; Torres-Ortuño, A; Querol, F

2017-01-01

Alterations in the musculoskeletal system, especially in the lower limbs, limit physical activity and affect balance and walking. Postural impairments in haemophilic preteens could increase the risk of bleeding events and deteriorate the physical condition, promoting the progression of haemophilic arthropathy. This study aims to evaluate static postural balance in haemophilic children, assessed by means of the Wii Balance Board ® (WBB). Nineteen children with haemophilia and 19 without haemophilia aged 9-10 years, have participated in this study. Postural balance was assessed by performing four tests, each one lasting 15 s: bipodal eyes open (BEO), bipodal eyes closed (BEC), monopodal dominant leg (MD) and monopodal non-dominant leg (MND). Two balance indices, standard deviation of amplitude (SDA) and standard deviation of velocity (SDV) were calculated in the anterior-posterior (AP) and medial-lateral (ML) directions. Index values were higher in haemophilic group and the differences were statistically significant (P balance in the haemophilic cohort compared to the control group. Accordingly, physiotherapy programmes, physical activity and sports should be designed to improve the postural balance with the aim of preventing joint deterioration and improving quality of life. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A new technology aimed at re-establishing a global sulphur supply/demand balance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slavens, A.F.; Jorgensen, C.; Ogg, D.

2009-01-01

The world's sulphur supply is mainly determined by involuntary production of elemental sulphur during the processing of oil and gas. As a result, sulphur supply is decoupled from demand, resulting in an imbalance between the two. For almost two decades, sulphur supply has exceeded demand, which has raised significant concerns for oil and gas producers such as where to store all of the excess sulphur, and how to transport a low-value commodity to market in an economically attractive fashion. Black and Veatch is involved in the development of a new technology called sulphur to energy process (STEP TM ) which has the potential to assist in balancing global sulphur supply and demand, as well as affording other benefits such as low-emission energy production. This paper presented the potential merits of the STEP as a means to reestablish a global sulphur supply/demand balance for the world trading market. It explored the other potential benefits that may result from the use of this new technology and compared STEP to other technologies and operating schemes that regulate sulphur supply. It was concluded that STEP has the potential to allow the processor to produce elemental sulphur when demand is high, or to provide safe and ecological disposal when demand is low, with the added benefits of energy recovery from the sulphur combustion process, and sour gas reservoir sweetening over time as sulphur dioxide reacts with hydrogen sulphide present in the reservoir. 13 refs., 3 tabs., 22 figs

Balanced performance measurement in research hospitals: the participative case study of a haematology department.

Science.gov (United States)

Catuogno, Simona; Arena, Claudia; Saggese, Sara; Sarto, Fabrizia

2017-08-03

The paper aims to review, design and implement a multidimensional performance measurement system for a public research hospital in order to address the complexity of its multifaceted stakeholder requirements and its double institutional aim of care and research. The methodology relies on a participative case study performed by external researchers in close collaboration with the staff of an Italian research hospital. The paper develops and applies a customized version of balanced scorecard based on a new set of performance measures. Our findings suggest that it can be considered an effective framework for measuring the research hospital performance, thanks to a combination of generalizable and context-specific factors. By showing how the balanced scorecard framework can be customized to research hospitals, the paper is especially of interest for complex healthcare organizations that are implementing management accounting practices. The paper contributes to the body of literature on the application of the balanced scorecard in healthcare through an examination of the challenges in designing and implementing this multidimensional performance tool. This is one of the first papers that show how the balanced scorecard model can be adapted to fit the specific requirements of public research hospitals.

The Effects of a Postural Balance Training Program on Balance, Gait and Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Essential Tremor

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Bilge Kara

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Objective: Although the effectiveness of postural balance training on balance and gait impairment has been proven as an effective treatment approach in several patient and healthy populations, its effectiveness in patients with essential tremor (ET is yet unknown. The aim was to examine the effects of postural balance training program on balance and gait performance, and health-related quality of life in patients with ET. Materials and Methods: This uncontrolled clinical study included patients with ET. The outcome measures were the Postural Stability Test, Limits of Stability Test, Fall Risk Test, Activities-Specific Balance Confidence scale, Dynamic Gait Index, and Short Form-36. The assessments were performed before and after the training program. The participants underwent an 8-week balance training designed to improve their ability to integrate multisensory inputs and postural control using a computerized balance assessment and training device. Results: In total, 24 patients with ET participated in the study. The compliance rate was 87.5%. There were significant improvements in all outcome measures of balance and gait performance, balance confidence, fall risk, and health-related quality of life (except the mental component, p>0.05 between baseline and 8 weeks (p<0.05. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the balance training program is a feasible method that may have positive effects on balance performance and confidence, gait performance, and health-related quality of life in patients with ET

EFFECT OF WOBBLE BOARD BALANCE TRAINING PROGRAM ON STATIC BALANCE, DYNAMIC BALANCE & TRIPLE HOP DISTANCE IN MALE COLLEGIATE BASKETBALL ATHLETE

OpenAIRE

Neeraj Panwar, MPT (Sports); Gaurav Kadyan, MPT (Sports); Aseem Gupta, MPT (Sports); Ravinder Narwal, MPT (Ortho,Cardiopulmonary)

2014-01-01

Aim & Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the effect of wobble board balance training program on static & dynamic balance & on triple hop distance in male collegiate basketball athletes. Methodology: Fifty healthy basketball players within a age group of 18-22 yrs. were randomly selected with a baseline BESS score between 6 to 14 & modified SEBT score equal to or greater than 94 (till 100) and they randomly divided into control (n-25) & training group (n-25).The training grou...

[Balance trainability using the Nintendo Wii balance board in sportive people].

Science.gov (United States)

Paukowits, S; Stöggl, T

2014-03-01

A multivariable training has a positive impact on balance skills and risk of injury. To date the effect of this training using the Nintendo Wii balance board in sportive people has not yet been investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate whether training with the Nintendo Wii balance board can improve balance skills. 20 people were randomized into a control and an intervention group each with 10 people who performed a unilateral stance test with eyes open and closed as well as the star excursion balance test before and after the intervention. The control group completed their usual sports and the intervention group an adjunct training with the Nintendo Wii balance board for 4 weeks. Adjunct Training using the Nintendo Wii Balance Board did not improve sportive people's balance skills significantly. The intervention group, however, attained better results in the star excursion balance test, whereas the control group did not show any changes. The unilateral stance tests did not provide significant differences before and after training within both groups. The use of the Nintendo Wii balance board should be further investigated by employing individual difficulty levels. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Wii Fit Balance Board Playing Improves Balance and Gait in Parkinson Disease

Science.gov (United States)

Mhatre, Priya V.; Vilares, Iris; Stibb, Stacy M.; Albert, Mark V.; Pickering, Laura; Marciniak, Christina M.; Kording, Konrad; Toledo, Santiago

2014-01-01

Objective To assess the effect of exercise training by using the Nintendo Wii Fit video game and balance board system on balance and gait in adults with Parkinson disease (PD). Design A prospective interventional cohort study. Setting An outpatient group exercise class. Participants Ten subjects with PD, Hoehn and Yahr stages 2.5 or 3, with a mean age of 67.1 years; 4 men, 6 women. Interventions The subjects participated in supervised group exercise sessions 3 times per week for 8 weeks by practicing 3 different Wii balance board games (marble tracking, skiing, and bubble rafting) adjusted for their individualized function level. The subjects trained for 10 minutes per game, a total of 30 minutes training per session. Main Outcome Measurements Pre-and postexercise training, a physical therapist evaluated subjects’ function by using the Berg Balance Scale, Dynamic Gait Index, and Sharpened Romberg with eyes open and closed. Postural sway was assessed at rest and with tracking tasks by using the Wii balance board. The subjects rated their confidence in balance by using the Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale and depression on the Geriatric Depression Scale. Results Balance as measured by the Berg Balance Scale improved significantly, with an increase of 3.3 points (P = .016). The Dynamic Gait Index improved as well (mean increase, 2.8; P = .004), as did postural sway measured with the balance board (decreased variance in stance with eyes open by 31%; P = .049). Although the Sharpened Romberg with eyes closed increased by 6.85 points and with eyes opened by 3.3 points, improvements neared significance only for eyes closed (P = .07 versus P = .188). There were no significant changes on patient ratings for the Activities-specific Balance Confidence (mean decrease, −1%; P = .922) or the Geriatric Depression Scale (mean increase, 2.2; P = .188). Conclusions An 8-week exercise training class by using the Wii Fit balance board improved selective measures of

Comparison of the Berg Balance Scale and Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale to predict falls in community-dwelling adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeon, Yong-Jin; Kim, Gyoung-Mo

2017-02-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the predictive properties of Berg Balance Scale and Fullerton Advanced Balance Scales, in a group of independently-functioning community dwelling older adults. [Subjects and Methods] Ninety-seven community-dwelling older adults (male=39, female=58) who were capable of walking independently on assessment were included in this study. A binary logistic regression analysis of the Berg Balance Scale and Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale scores was used to investigate a predictive model for fall risk. A receiver operating characteristic analysis was conducted for each, to determine the cut-off for optimal levels of sensitivity and specificity. [Results] The overall prediction success rate was 89.7%; the total Berg Balance Scale and Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale scores were significant in predicting fall risk. Receiver operating characteristic analysis determined that a cut-off score of 40 out of 56 on the Berg Balance Scale produced the highest sensitivity (0.82) and specificity (0.67), and a cut-off score of 22 out of 40 on the Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale produced the highest sensitivity (0.85) and specificity (0.65) in predicting faller status. [Conclusion] The Berg Balance Scale and Fullerton Advanced Balance Scales can predict fall risk, when used for independently-functioning community-dwelling older adults.

Comparison of two balance training programs on balance in community dwelling older adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shefali Walia

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Impaired balance has been associated with an increased risk for falls and a resulting increase in the mortality rate of elder people. Thus, balance-training interventions have an important place in fall prevention. This study was designed with the purpose of identifying the appropriate balance-training program for community dwelling elderly adults with an active lifestyle. A sample of 70 elderly adults were randomly allocated into two groups: group 1 (n=35 received general balance and mobility exercise; group 2 (n=35 received specific balance strategy training. The intervention consisted of 5 sessions/week for 4 weeks. The outcome measures were Timed up and go test (TUGT and Berg balance scale (BBS. An inter-group (2-way mixed model analysis of co-variance and intra-group (repeated measures analysis was done to find the change in balance scores. After the intervention, the TUGT scores in group 1 were, mean=10.38 s, standard deviation (SD=1.59 s and in group 2 were, mean=9.27 s, SD=1.13 s. Post training, BBS scores for group 1 were, mean=54.69, SD=1.13, and for group 2 were, mean=55.57, SD =0.56. There was a significant group × time effect for TUGT and BBS score. All the subjects showed significant changes in balance scores after balance training interventions. The subjects who participated in the specific balance-strategy training significantly improved their functional mobility, as shown on the TUGT, compared to the general training group.

Wnt signaling balances specification of the cardiac and pharyngeal muscle fields

Science.gov (United States)

Mandal, Amrita; Holowiecki, Andrew; Song, Yuntao Charlie; Waxman, Joshua S.

2017-01-01

Canonical Wnt/β-catenin (Wnt) signaling plays multiple conserved roles during fate specification of cardiac progenitors in developing vertebrate embryos. Although lineage analysis in ascidians and mice has indicated there is a close relationship between the cardiac second heart field (SHF) and pharyngeal muscle (PM) progenitors, the signals underlying directional fate decisions of the cells within the cardio-pharyngeal muscle field in vertebrates are not yet understood. Here, we examined the temporal requirements of Wnt signaling in cardiac and PM development. In contrast to a previous report in chicken embryos that suggested Wnt inhibits PM development during somitogenesis, we find that in zebrafish embryos Wnt signaling is sufficient to repress PM development during anterior-posterior patterning. Importantly, the temporal sensitivity of dorso-anterior PMs to increased Wnt signaling largely overlaps with when Wnt signaling promotes specification of the adjacent cardiac progenitors. Furthermore, we find that excess early Wnt signaling can cell autonomously promote expansion of the first heart field (FHF) progenitors at the expense of PM and SHF within the anterior lateral plate mesoderm (ALPM). Our study provides insight into an antagonistic developmental mechanism that balances the sizes of the adjacent cardiac and PM progenitor fields in early vertebrate embryos. PMID:28087459

How balance task-specific training contributes to improving physical function in older subjects undergoing rehabilitation following hip fracture: a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Monticone, Marco; Ambrosini, Emilia; Brunati, Roberto; Capone, Antonio; Pagliari, Giulia; Secci, Claudio; Zatti, Giovanni; Ferrante, Simona

2018-03-01

To evaluate the efficacy of a rehabilitation programme including balance task-specific training in improving physical function, pain, activities of daily living (ADL), balance and quality of life in subjects after a hip fracture. Randomized controlled trial. A total of 52 older subjects selected for internal fixation due to extra-capsular hip fracture were randomized to be included in an experimental ( n = 26) and control group ( n = 26). The experimental group underwent a rehabilitation programme based on balance task-specific training. The control group underwent general physiotherapy, including open kinetic chain exercises and walking training. Both groups individually followed programmes of 90-minute sessions five times/week for three weeks. The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), a Pain Numerical Rating Scale, the Berg Balance Scale, the Functional Independence Measure and the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey. The participants were evaluated before and after training, and after 12 months. Significant effects of time, group and time × group were found for all outcome measures in favour of the experimental group. A clinically important between-group difference of 25 points was achieved after training and at follow-up in terms of the primary outcome (WOMAC function before treatment, after treatment and at follow-up was 84.8 (3.7), 39.8 (4.9) and 35.7 (6.2) for the experimental group and 80.9 (5.7), 65.2 (7.1) and 61.0 (11.1) for the control group). An inpatient rehabilitation programme based on balance task-specific training is useful in improving physical function, pain, ADL and quality of life in older patients after hip fracture.

The Effect of Balance Training by Tetraks Interactive Balance System on Balance and Fall Risk in Parkinson?s Patients: A Report of Four Cases

OpenAIRE

BALCI, Nilay ??m?k; TONGA, Eda; G?L?EN, Mustafa

2013-01-01

This pilot study aimed to investigate the effect of balance training by Tetraks Interactive Balance System (TIBS) on balance and fall risk in patients with mild to moderate Parkinson?s disease. Four patients with Parkinson?s disease between the ages of 56 and 70 years (61.25?6.70) were applied balance training for 3 weeks by TIBS. Sociodemographic features and physical properties of the subjects were recorded. Their motor performance was evaluated by the Unified Parkinson?s Disease Rating Sca...

EFFECT OF SPECIFIC BALANCE STRATEGY TRAINING PROGRAMME ON BALANCE IN INSTITUTIONALIZED ELDERLY POPULATION

OpenAIRE

Muzaffar Mairaj; Hamdani Nusrat; Walia Shefali

2015-01-01

Background: Balance emerges from the interaction of multiple systems that are organized to meet functional task goals and that are constrained by environmental context, but is often compromised with advancing age. At least 30% of older people experience decline in physical activity after entry into residential care. Participation in activity is more difficult for older people because of fear, lack of motivation, depression and poor understanding of the long term benefits of physical activity....

Cortical processes associated with continuous balance control as revealed by EEG spectral power.

Science.gov (United States)

Hülsdünker, T; Mierau, A; Neeb, C; Kleinöder, H; Strüder, H K

2015-04-10

Balance is a crucial component in numerous every day activities such as locomotion. Previous research has reported distinct changes in cortical theta activity during transient balance instability. However, there remains little understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying continuous balance control. This study aimed to investigate cortical theta activity during varying difficulties of continuous balance tasks, as well as examining the relationship between theta activity and balance performance. 37 subjects completed nine balance tasks with different levels of surface stability and base of support. Throughout the balancing task, electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded from 32 scalp locations. ICA-based artifact rejection was applied and spectral power was analyzed in the theta frequency band. Theta power increased in the frontal, central, and parietal regions of the cortex when balance tasks became more challenging. In addition, fronto-central and centro-parietal theta power correlated with balance performance. This study demonstrates the involvement of the cerebral cortex in maintaining upright posture during continuous balance tasks. Specifically, the results emphasize the important role of frontal and parietal theta oscillations in balance control. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interchangeability of the Wii Balance Board for Bipedal Balance Assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonnechère, Bruno; Jansen, Bart; Omelina, Lubos; Rooze, Marcel; Van Sint Jan, Serge

2015-08-27

Since 2010, an increasing interest in more portable and flexible hardware for balance and posture assessment led to previously published studies determining whether or not the Wii Balance Board could be used to assess balance and posture, both scientifically and clinically. However, no previous studies aimed at comparing results from different Wii Balance Boards for clinical balance evaluation exist. The objective of this crossover study is to assess the interchangeability of the Wii Balance Board. A total of 6 subjects participated in the study and their balance was assessed using 4 different Wii Balance Boards. Trials were recorded simultaneously with Wii Balance Boards and with a laboratory force plate. Nine relevant clinical parameters were derived from center of pressure displacement data obtained from Wii Balance Board and force plate systems. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), F tests, and Friedman tests were computed to assess the agreement between trials and to compare the Wii Balance Board and force plate results. Excellent correlations were found between the Wii Balance Board and force plate (mean ρ =.83). With the exception of 2 parameters, strong to excellent agreements were found for the 7 remaining parameters (ICC=.96). No significant differences were found between trials recorded with different Wii Balance Boards. Our results indicate that for most of the parameters analyzed, balance and posture assessed with one Wii Balance Board were statistically similar to results obtained from another. Furthermore, the good correlation between the Wii Balance Board and force plate results shows that Wii Balance Boards can be reliably used for scientific assessment using most of the parameters analyzed in this study. These results also suggest that the Wii Balance Board could be used in multicenter studies and therefore, would allow for the creation of larger populations for clinical studies. Ethical Committee of the Erasme Hospital (CCB B406201215142

Wii Fit balance board playing improves balance and gait in Parkinson disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Mhatre, Priya V; Vilares, Iris; Stibb, Stacy M; Albert, Mark V; Pickering, Laura; Marciniak, Christina M; Kording, Konrad; Toledo, Santiago

2013-09-01

To assess the effect of exercise training by using the Nintendo Wii Fit video game and balance board system on balance and gait in adults with Parkinson disease (PD). A prospective interventional cohort study. An outpatient group exercise class. Ten subjects with PD, Hoehn and Yahr stages 2.5 or 3, with a mean age of 67.1 years; 4 men, 6 women. The subjects participated in supervised group exercise sessions 3 times per week for 8 weeks by practicing 3 different Wii balance board games (marble tracking, skiing, and bubble rafting) adjusted for their individualized function level. The subjects trained for 10 minutes per game, a total of 30 minutes training per session. Pre-and postexercise training, a physical therapist evaluated subjects' function by using the Berg Balance Scale, Dynamic Gait Index, and Sharpened Romberg with eyes open and closed. Postural sway was assessed at rest and with tracking tasks by using the Wii balance board. The subjects rated their confidence in balance by using the Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale and depression on the Geriatric Depression Scale. Balance as measured by the Berg Balance Scale improved significantly, with an increase of 3.3 points (P = .016). The Dynamic Gait Index improved as well (mean increase, 2.8; P = .004), as did postural sway measured with the balance board (decreased variance in stance with eyes open by 31%; P = .049). Although the Sharpened Romberg with eyes closed increased by 6.85 points and with eyes opened by 3.3 points, improvements neared significance only for eyes closed (P = .07 versus P = .188). There were no significant changes on patient ratings for the Activities-specific Balance Confidence (mean decrease, -1%; P = .922) or the Geriatric Depression Scale (mean increase, 2.2; P = .188). An 8-week exercise training class by using the Wii Fit balance board improved selective measures of balance and gait in adults with PD. However, no significant changes were seen in mood or

The Effect of Balance Training by Tetraks Interactive Balance System on Balance and Fall Risk in Parkinson's Patients: A Report of Four Cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Balci, Nilay Çömük; Tonga, Eda; Gülşen, Mustafa

2013-09-01

This pilot study aimed to investigate the effect of balance training by Tetraks Interactive Balance System (TIBS) on balance and fall risk in patients with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease. Four patients with Parkinson's disease between the ages of 56 and 70 years (61.25±6.70) were applied balance training for 3 weeks by TIBS. Sociodemographic features and physical properties of the subjects were recorded. Their motor performance was evaluated by the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), balance was measured using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Functional Reach Test (FRT), Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), and the Standing on One Leg Balance Test (SOL) and, their fall risks were evaluated by TIBS. Evaluations were performed twice, before and after treatment. Following training, Parkinson's patients showed improvements in UPDRS, TUG, BBS, FRT, SOL and fall risk. Balance training by TIBS has positive effects on balance and decreases fall risk in Parkinson's disease patients.

Occupational balance in health professionals in Sweden.

Science.gov (United States)

Wagman, Petra; Lindmark, Ulrika; Rolander, Bo; Wåhlin, Charlotte; Håkansson, Carita

2017-01-01

Health care employees are often women, a group that has high degrees of sick leave and perhaps problems attaining occupational balance. However, people think differently about their everyday activities and it is therefore important to take their perceptions into account but occupational balance has not yet been measured in health professionals. The aim was to describe occupational balance in three different samples of health professionals in Sweden. A further aim was to investigate whether occupational therapists (OTs) rate their occupational balance differently from other health professionals. Four hundred and eighty-two health professionals, employees in public dentistry, mental health care and OTs, aged 21-70 years participated. The participants' occupational balance was measured using the occupational balance questionnaire (OBQ). The ratings of occupational balance were similar to earlier studies and did not differ significantly between the samples. The OTs' occupational balance was also similar to that of the other health professionals. The similarities in occupational balance indicate the same difficulties in attaining it. The result highlights the possibility that working people face similar difficulties in achieving occupational balance. Further research is warranted about how to attain it.

Tax balance in agribusiness as a type of special balance

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Milojević Ivan

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The tendency of continuous compounding of business processes inevitably leads to application of increasingly complex instruments for the purposes of financial reporting in agribusiness. In this system the existential place and role of individual elements that alter the existing and acquire new functions comes into question. Balancing implies a regulated and consistent system in which every change leads to the creation of new relations and changing already established relationships. In this regard, in this paper we will focus on the place and role of tax balance in the group of special balances in agribusiness, as a very significant group of accounting instruments. Displaying information for users and situations in which they are used, balances gain their place in this classification. For the purposes of applying financial instruments, referring primarily to balances in agribusiness, it is necessary to know the way of their classification according to their functions. From this aspect, tax balance in agribusiness is a specific report, both in terms of its formal and material structure, which gives it the basis to belong to ordinary as well as special types of balances in agribusiness.

Line Balancing Using Largest Candidate Rule Algorithm In A Garment Industry: A Case Study

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V. P.Jaganathan

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The emergence of fast changes in fashion has given rise to the need to shorten production cycle times in the garment industry. As effective usage of resources has a significant effect on the productivity and efficiency of production operations, garment manufacturers are urged to utilize their resources effectively in order to meet dynamic customer demand. This paper focuses specifically on line balancing and layout modification. The aim of assembly line balance in sewing lines is to assign tasks to the workstations, so that the machines of the workstation can perform the assigned tasks with a balanced loading. Largest Candidate Rule Algorithm (LCR has been deployed in this paper.

Jump Rope Training: Balance and Motor Coordination in Preadolescent Soccer Players

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Athos Trecroci, Luca Cavaggioni, Riccardo Caccia, Giampietro Alberti

2015-12-01

Full Text Available General physical practice and multidimensional exercises are essential elements that allow young athletes to enhance their coordinative traits, balance, and strength and power levels, which are linked to the learning soccer-specific skills. Jumping rope is a widely-used and non-specific practical method for the development of athletic conditioning, balance and coordination in several disciplines. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a short-term training protocol including jumping rope (JR exercises on motor abilities and body balance in young soccer players. Twenty-four preadolescent soccer players were recruited and placed in two different groups. In the Experimental group (EG, children performed JR training at the beginning of the training session. The control group (CG, executed soccer specific drills. Harre circuit test (HCT and Lower Quarter Y balance test (YBT-LQ were selected to evaluate participant’s motor ability (e.g. ability to perform rapidly a course with different physical tasks such as somersault and passages above/below obstacles and to assess unilateral dynamic lower limb balance after 8 weeks of training. Statistical analysis consisted of paired t-test and mixed analysis of variance scores to determine any significant interactions. Children who performed jumping rope exercises showed a significant decrease of 9% (p 0.05, ES = 0.05-0.2 from pre- to post-training. A training-by-group interaction was found for the composite score in both legs (p 0.14. Our findings demonstrated that JR practice within regular soccer training enhanced general motor coordination and balance in preadolescent soccer players. Therefore, the inclusion of JR practice within regular soccer training session should encouraged to improve children’s motor skills.

Influence of balanced occlusion in complete dentures on the decrease in reduction of an edentulous ridge

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Poštić Srđan D.

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background/Aim. Balanced occlusal arrangement of artificial teeth and balanced occlusion is a specific type of occlusion that preserves the stability of complete dentures. Balanced occlusion comprises realization of tooth contacts at the working side as well as at the balancing side, at the same time. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of balanced occlusal arrangement of artificial teeth on the decrease in reduction of edentulous alveolar ridge. Methods. A longitudinal study on 91 fully edentulous patients was conducted using their panoramic radiographs and parameters of vertical dimension of edentulous ridges. All the patients were clinically examined by the same and a qualified dental practitioner. Numerical values of parameters of vertical dimensions of edentulous ridges and lines were statistically processed and compared using the Student’s t-test. Results. Vertical dimensions and heights of edentulous ridges were different after comparison of parameters in complete denture wearers with balanced occlusion and complete denture wearers without bilaterally balanced occlusion, as well as between male and female edentulous patients. Statistically significant differences of heights were established in complete denture wearers’ with a set of artificial teeth without balanced occlusion, at the baseline and 12 months after wearing of complete dentures. Conclusion. Balanced occlusion is a favored occlusal design in setting of artificial teeth in conventional complete dentures, which preserves edentulous ridge and influence the stability of dentures.

A balancing act? Work-life balance, health and well-being in European welfare states

OpenAIRE

Lunau, Thorsten; Bambra, Clare; Eikemo, Terje Andreas; van Der Wel, Kjetil A.; Dragano, Nico

2014-01-01

Background: Recent analyses have shown that adverse psychosocial working conditions, such as job strain and effort–reward imbalance, vary by country and welfare state regimes. Another work-related factor with potential impact on health is a poor work–life balance. The aims of this study are to determine the association between a poor work–life balance and poor health across a variety of European countries and to explore the variation of work–life balance between European countries. Methods: D...

EFFICACY OF A SPORTS SPECIFIC BALANCE TRAINING PROGRAMME ON THE INCIDENCE OF ANKLE SPRAINS IN BASKETBALL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elke Cumps

2007-06-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the study was to determine the efficacy of a 22- week prescribed sports specific balance training programme on the incidence of lateral ankle sprains in basketball players. A controlled clinical trial was set up. In total 54 subjects of six teams participated and were assigned to either an intervention (IG or a control group (CG. The IG performed a prescribed balance training programme on top of their normal training routine, using balance semi-globes. The programme consisted of 4 basketball skills each session and its difficulty was progressively thought-out. The intervention lasted 22 weeks and was performed 3 times a week for 5 to 10 minutes. Efficacy of the intervention on the incidence of lateral ankle sprains was determined by calculating Relative Risks (RR, including their 95% Confidence Intervals or CI and incidence rates expressed per 1000h. RR (95% CI showed a significantly lower incidence of lateral ankle sprains in the IG compared to the CG for the total sample (RR= 0.30 [95% CI: 0.11-0.84] and in men (RR= 0.29 [95% CI: 0.09-0.93]. The difference in RR was not confirmed when examining the incidence rates and their 95%CI's, which overlapped. The risk for new or recurrent ankle sprains was slightly lower in the IG (new: RR= 0.76 [95% CI: 0.17-3.40]; re-injury: RR= 0.21 [95% CI: 0.03-1.44]. Based on these pilot results, the use of balance training is recommended as a routine during basketball activities for the prevention of ankle sprains

Role of poultry meat in a balanced diet aimed at maintaining health and wellbeing: an Italian consensus document

Science.gov (United States)

Marangoni, Franca; Corsello, Giovanni; Cricelli, Claudio; Ferrara, Nicola; Ghiselli, Andrea; Lucchin, Lucio; Poli, Andrea

2015-01-01

The relationship between the consumption of meat and health is multifaceted, and it needs to be analyzed in detail, with specific attention to the relevant differences that characterize the effects of the different meat types, as yet considered by only a limited literature. A variable but moderate energy content, highly digestible proteins (with low levels of collagen) of good nutritional quality, unsaturated lipids (mainly found in the skin and easily removed), B-group vitamins (mainly thiamin, vitamin B6, and pantothenic acid), and minerals (like iron, zinc, and copper) make poultry meat a valuable food. Epidemiological studies performed across the world, in highly diverse populations with different food preferences and nutritional habits, provide solid information on the association between poultry consumption, within a balanced diet, and good health. Consumption of poultry meat, as part of a vegetable-rich diet, is associated with a risk reduction of developing overweight and obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Also, white meat (and poultry in particular) is considered moderately protective or neutral on cancer risk. The relevance of poultry meat for humans also has been recognized by the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), who considers this widely available, relatively inexpensive food to be particularly useful in developing countries, where it can help to meet shortfalls in essential nutrients. Moreover, poultry meat consumption also contributes to the overall quality of the diet in specific ages and conditions (prior to conception, during pregnancy up to the end of breastfeeding, during growth, and in the geriatric age) and is suitable for those who have an increased need for calorie and protein compared to the general population. PMID:26065493

Role of poultry meat in a balanced diet aimed at maintaining health and wellbeing: an Italian consensus document

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Franca Marangoni

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The relationship between the consumption of meat and health is multifaceted, and it needs to be analyzed in detail, with specific attention to the relevant differences that characterize the effects of the different meat types, as yet considered by only a limited literature. A variable but moderate energy content, highly digestible proteins (with low levels of collagen of good nutritional quality, unsaturated lipids (mainly found in the skin and easily removed, B-group vitamins (mainly thiamin, vitamin B6, and pantothenic acid, and minerals (like iron, zinc, and copper make poultry meat a valuable food. Epidemiological studies performed across the world, in highly diverse populations with different food preferences and nutritional habits, provide solid information on the association between poultry consumption, within a balanced diet, and good health. Consumption of poultry meat, as part of a vegetable-rich diet, is associated with a risk reduction of developing overweight and obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Also, white meat (and poultry in particular is considered moderately protective or neutral on cancer risk. The relevance of poultry meat for humans also has been recognized by the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO, who considers this widely available, relatively inexpensive food to be particularly useful in developing countries, where it can help to meet shortfalls in essential nutrients. Moreover, poultry meat consumption also contributes to the overall quality of the diet in specific ages and conditions (prior to conception, during pregnancy up to the end of breastfeeding, during growth, and in the geriatric age and is suitable for those who have an increased need for calorie and protein compared to the general population.

Role of poultry meat in a balanced diet aimed at maintaining health and wellbeing: an Italian consensus document.

Science.gov (United States)

Marangoni, Franca; Corsello, Giovanni; Cricelli, Claudio; Ferrara, Nicola; Ghiselli, Andrea; Lucchin, Lucio; Poli, Andrea

2015-01-01

The relationship between the consumption of meat and health is multifaceted, and it needs to be analyzed in detail, with specific attention to the relevant differences that characterize the effects of the different meat types, as yet considered by only a limited literature. A variable but moderate energy content, highly digestible proteins (with low levels of collagen) of good nutritional quality, unsaturated lipids (mainly found in the skin and easily removed), B-group vitamins (mainly thiamin, vitamin B6, and pantothenic acid), and minerals (like iron, zinc, and copper) make poultry meat a valuable food. Epidemiological studies performed across the world, in highly diverse populations with different food preferences and nutritional habits, provide solid information on the association between poultry consumption, within a balanced diet, and good health. Consumption of poultry meat, as part of a vegetable-rich diet, is associated with a risk reduction of developing overweight and obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Also, white meat (and poultry in particular) is considered moderately protective or neutral on cancer risk. The relevance of poultry meat for humans also has been recognized by the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), who considers this widely available, relatively inexpensive food to be particularly useful in developing countries, where it can help to meet shortfalls in essential nutrients. Moreover, poultry meat consumption also contributes to the overall quality of the diet in specific ages and conditions (prior to conception, during pregnancy up to the end of breastfeeding, during growth, and in the geriatric age) and is suitable for those who have an increased need for calorie and protein compared to the general population.

A differential evolution algorithm for tooth profile optimization with respect to balancing specific sliding coefficients of involute cylindrical spur and helical gears

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hammoudi Abderazek

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Profile shift has an immense effect on the sliding, load capacity, and stability of involute cylindrical gears. Available standards such as ISO/DIS 6336 and BS 436 DIN/3990 currently give the recommendation for the selection of profile shift coefficients. It is, however, very approximate and usually given in the form of implicit graphs or charts. In this article, the optimal selection values of profile shift coefficients for cylindrical involute spur and helical gears are described, using a differential evolution algorithm. The optimization procedure is developed specifically for exact balancing specific sliding coefficients at extremes of contact path and account for gear design constraints. The obtained results are compared with those of standards and research of other authors. They demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the applied method. A substantial improvement in balancing specific sliding coefficients is found in this work.

Absence of a market in the Dutch balancing mechanism: European rules versus specific investments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Niesten, E.M.M.I.; Jolink, A.

2013-01-01

The European directives for the electricity industry prescribe the creation of a market for balancing electricity supply and demand. In this paper, we demonstrate that a market for balancing has not emerged in the Dutch electricity industry, and that, instead, the balancing transactions are

40 CFR 1065.290 - PM gravimetric balance.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false PM gravimetric balance. 1065.290... balance. (a) Application. Use a balance to weigh net PM on a sample medium for laboratory testing. (b) Component requirements. We recommend that you use a balance that meets the specifications in Table 1 of...

Balancing multiple roles among a group of urban midlife American Indian working women.

Science.gov (United States)

Napholz, L

2000-06-01

Presented are the results of a secondary analysis of group data from a study of a six-week role conflict reduction intervention among a group of urban American Indian women (n = 8). The specific aim of this researcher was to understand the process of balancing multiple roles as expressed in the participants' daily lived experiences as mothers, wives, and workers. A construction of the process of balancing multiple roles was accomplished through the use of narratives. Balancing multiple roles represented a major current attempt on the part of the participants to integrate and balance traditional and contemporary feminine strengths in a positive, culturally consistent manner. The study themes included: traditional sex role expectation conflicts, family guilt, guilt management, transitioning inner conflict and stress, breaking the silence-learning to say no, and healing the spirit to reclaim the self. Further support for retraditionalization of roles for this group of Indian women was maintained as an effective means of balancing roles and achieving Indian self-determination.

Energy and entropy balance for a black piecewise homogeneous planet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pollarolo, G.; Sertorio, L.

1979-01-01

In this paper a crude model for a planet interacting with the solar radiation is presented, the aim being the discussion of the global energy balance and corresponding entropy production. It is found that the power of the surface energy circulation and the temperature excursion have a peculiar nonlinear behaviour as a function of the parameters representing the specific heat of each piece and the thermal conductivity of their boundaries. (author)

Physics of the fuel cycle. Evaluation of methods, uncertainties and estimation of the material balance for fuels UO2 and UO2-PuO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monier, C.

1997-09-01

The research works of this thesis are aimed to evaluate the methods and the associated uncertainties for the material balances estimation of the burn-up UO 2 and MOX fuels which intervene in the fuel cycle physics. The studies carried out are used to qualify the cycle 'package' DARWIN for the PWRs material balances estimation. The elaboration and optimisation of the calculation routes are carried out following a very specific methodology, aimed at estimating the bias introduced by the modelizations simplification by a comparison with almost exact reference modelizations. Depending on the precision goals and the informations, the permissible approximation will be determined. Two calculation routes have been developed and the qualified by applying them to the used fuels isotopic analysis interpretation: one 'industry-oriented' calculation route which can calculate full UO 2 assemblies material balances with a 2 % precision on the main actinides, respecting the industrial specifications. This route must run with a reasonable calculation time and stay user-friendly; one reference calculation route for the precise interpretation of fuel samples made of pieces of burn-up MOX rods. Aiming to provide material balances with the best possible precision, this route does not have the same specifications concerning its use and its calculation time performance. (author)

A Solution Approach to Assembly Line Balancing Problem With Task Related Constraints and an Application At An Enterprise

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Serkan Altuntaş

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Occasionally certain tasks in an assembly line balancing problem are required to be kept together due to some specific reasons. These tasks are attained to the same work stations. Such problems are called as 'Assembly Line Balancing Problem with Task Related Constraints (ALBTRC'. Certain situations like awkward product construction, simultaneous operations or specific requirements leading to zoning and positional constraints like utilization of common resources as tools, jigs and fixtures are implemented thanks to these supplementary constraints. Additionally, materials handling and tooling costs, distances, set-up and lead times are also reduced. Literature on ALBTRC seems quite rare compared to Classical Line Balancing papers, although ALBTRC is one of the common real life balancing problems. This study aimed to develop and implement a novel line balancing method for a manufacturing concern where known methods are impractical to employ due to some specific positional constraints. 'Largest Candidate Method' known as a simple but effective tool is modified for this purpose first. Then a thorough 'method and time study' is conducted to get the necessary data to utilize that method. As a result, more efficient alternatives are generated and presented to decision maker.

The effects of pilates on balance, mobility and strength in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Guclu-Gunduz, Arzu; Citaker, Seyit; Irkec, Ceyla; Nazliel, Bijen; Batur-Caglayan, Hale Zeynep

2014-01-01

Although there are evidences as to Pilates developing dynamic balance, muscle strength and flexibility in healthy people, evidences related to its effects on Multiple Sclerosis patients are insufficient. The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of Pilates on balance, mobility, and strength in ambulatory patients with Multiple Sclerosis. Twenty six patients were divided into two groups as experimental (n = 18) and control (n = 8) groups for an 8-week treatment program. The experimental group underwent Pilates and the control group did abdominal breathing and active extremity exercises at home. Balance and mobility were measured with Berg Balance Scale and Timed up and go test, upper and lower muscle strength with hand-held dynamometer. Confidence in balance skills while performing daily activities was evaluated with Activities Specific Balance Confidence Scale. Improvements were observed in balance, mobility, and upper and lower extremity muscle strength in the Pilates group (p 0.05). Due to its structure which is made up of balance and strengthening exercises, Pilates training may develop balance, mobility and muscle strength of MS patients. For this reason, we think that, Pilates exercises which are appropriate for the disability level of the patient may be suggested.

The Monte Carlo performance benchmark test - AIMS, specifications and first results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoogenboom, J. Eduard, E-mail: j.e.hoogenboom@tudelft.nl [Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology (Netherlands); Martin, William R., E-mail: wrm@umich.edu [Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); Petrovic, Bojan, E-mail: Bojan.Petrovic@gatech.edu [Nuclear and Radiological Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States)

2011-07-01

The Monte Carlo performance benchmark for detailed power density calculation in a full-size reactor core is organized under the auspices of the OECD NEA Data Bank. It aims at monitoring over a range of years the increase in performance, measured in terms of standard deviation and computer time, of Monte Carlo calculation of the power density in small volumes. A short description of the reactor geometry and composition is discussed. One of the unique features of the benchmark exercise is the possibility to upload results from participants at a web site of the NEA Data Bank which enables online analysis of results and to graphically display how near we are at the goal of doing a detailed power distribution calculation with acceptable statistical uncertainty in an acceptable computing time. First results are discussed which show that 10 to 100 billion histories must be simulated to reach a standard deviation of a few percent in the estimated power of most of the requested the fuel zones. Even when using a large supercomputer, a considerable speedup is still needed to reach the target of 1 hour computer time. An outlook is given of what to expect from this benchmark exercise over the years. Possible extensions of the benchmark for specific issues relevant in current Monte Carlo calculation for nuclear reactors are also discussed. (author)

The Monte Carlo performance benchmark test - AIMS, specifications and first results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoogenboom, J. Eduard; Martin, William R.; Petrovic, Bojan

2011-01-01

The Monte Carlo performance benchmark for detailed power density calculation in a full-size reactor core is organized under the auspices of the OECD NEA Data Bank. It aims at monitoring over a range of years the increase in performance, measured in terms of standard deviation and computer time, of Monte Carlo calculation of the power density in small volumes. A short description of the reactor geometry and composition is discussed. One of the unique features of the benchmark exercise is the possibility to upload results from participants at a web site of the NEA Data Bank which enables online analysis of results and to graphically display how near we are at the goal of doing a detailed power distribution calculation with acceptable statistical uncertainty in an acceptable computing time. First results are discussed which show that 10 to 100 billion histories must be simulated to reach a standard deviation of a few percent in the estimated power of most of the requested the fuel zones. Even when using a large supercomputer, a considerable speedup is still needed to reach the target of 1 hour computer time. An outlook is given of what to expect from this benchmark exercise over the years. Possible extensions of the benchmark for specific issues relevant in current Monte Carlo calculation for nuclear reactors are also discussed. (author)

Wii balance board exercise improves balance and lower limb muscle strength of overweight young adults

OpenAIRE

Siriphorn, Akkradate; Chamonchant, Dannaovarat

2015-01-01

[Purpose] The potential health benefits of the Nintendo Wii balance board exercise have been widely investigated. However, no study has been conducted to examine the benefits of Wii exercise for overweight young adults. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of exercise performed on a Nintendo Wii balance board on the balance and lower limb muscle strength in overweight young adults. [Subjects and Methods] Within-subject repeated measures analysis was used. Sixteen young adults (...

The short version of the Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale: its validity, reliability, and relationship to balance impairment and falls in older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Schepens, Stacey; Goldberg, Allon; Wallace, Melissa

2010-01-01

A shortened version of the ABC 16-item scale (ABC-16), the ABC-6, has been proposed as an alternative balance confidence measure. We investigated whether the ABC-6 is a valid and reliable measure of balance confidence and examined its relationship to balance impairment and falls in older adults. Thirty-five community-dwelling older adults completed the ABC-16, including the 6 questions of the ABC-6. They also completed the following clinical balance tests: unipedal stance time (UST), functional reach (FR), Timed Up and Go (TUG), and maximum step length (MSL). Participants reported 12-month falls history. Balance confidence on the ABC-6 was significantly lower than on the ABC-16, however scores were highly correlated. Fallers reported lower balance confidence than non-fallers as measured by the ABC-6 scale, but confidence did not differ between the groups with the ABC-16. The ABC-6 significantly correlated with all balance tests assessed and number of falls. The ABC-16 significantly correlated with all balance tests assessed, but not with number of falls. Test-retest reliability for the ABC-16 and ABC-6 was good to excellent. The ABC-6 is a valid and reliable measure of balance confidence in community-dwelling older adults, and shows stronger relationships to falls than does the ABC-16. The ABC-6 may be a more useful balance confidence assessment tool than the ABC-16. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ways to improve conceptual aspects of balancing the budget

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dodon Svetlana

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The aim of the present article is to analyze the various concepts, techniques and procedures applied in different periods by different countries in order to balance state budget. There are analyzed positive parts and deficiencies at legislative level of different concepts concerning budgetary balance and as a result are developed a series of measures that aim to balance the budget of Moldova

Balance Training Programs in Athletes – A Systematic Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brachman Anna

2017-08-01

Full Text Available It has become almost routine practice to incorporate balance exercises into training programs for athletes from different sports. However, the type of training that is most efficient remains unclear, as well as the frequency, intensity and duration of the exercise that would be most beneficial have not yet been determined. The following review is based on papers that were found through computerized searches of PubMed and SportDiscus from 2000 to 2016. Articles related to balance training, testing, and injury prevention in young healthy athletes were considered. Based on a Boolean search strategy the independent researchers performed a literature review. A total of 2395 articles were evaluated, yet only 50 studies met the inclusion criteria. In most of the reviewed articles, balance training has proven to be an effective tool for the improvement of postural control. It is difficult to establish one model of training that would be appropriate for each sport discipline, including its characteristics and demands. The main aim of this review was to identify a training protocol based on most commonly used interventions that led to improvements in balance. Our choice was specifically established on the assessment of the effects of balance training on postural control and injury prevention as well as balance training methods. The analyses including papers in which training protocols demonstrated positive effects on balance performance suggest that an efficient training protocol should last for 8 weeks, with a frequency of two training sessions per week, and a single training session of 45 min. This standard was established based on 36 reviewed studies.

Effect of Hydrotherapy on Static and Dynamic Balance in Older Adults: Comparison of Perturbed and Non-Perturbed Programs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elham Azimzadeh

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Falling is a main cause of mortality in elderly. Balance training exercises can help to prevent falls in older adults. According to the principle of specificity of training, the perturbation-based trainings are more similar to the real world. So these training programs can improve balance in elderly. Furthermore, exercising in an aquatic environment can reduce the limitations for balance training rather than a non-aquatic on. The aim of this study is comparing the effectiveness of perturbed and non-perturbed balance training programs in water on static and dynamic balance in aforementioned population group. Methods & Materials: 37 old women (age 80-65, were randomized to the following groups: perturbation-based training (n=12, non-perturbation-based training (n=12 and control (n=13 groups. Static and dynamic balance had been tested before and after the eight weeks of training by the postural stability test of the Biodex balance system using dynamic (level 4 and static platform. The data were analyzed by one sample paired t-test, Independent t-test and ANOVA. Results: There was a significant improvement for all indexes of static and dynamic balance in perturbation-based training (P<0.05. However, in non-perturbed group, all indexes were improved except ML (P<0.05. ANOVA showed that perturbed training was more effective than non-perturbed training on both static and dynamic balances. Conclusion: The findings confirmed the specificity principle of training. Although balance training can improve balance abilities, these kinds of trainings are not such specific for improving balance neuromuscular activities.The perturbation-based trainings can activate postural compensatory responses and reduce falling risk. According to results, we can conclude that hydrotherapy especially with perturbation-based programs will be useful for rehabilitation interventions in elderly .

An ecologically-controlled exoskeleton can improve balance recovery after slippage

Science.gov (United States)

Monaco, V.; Tropea, P.; Aprigliano, F.; Martelli, D.; Parri, A.; Cortese, M.; Molino-Lova, R.; Vitiello, N.; Micera, S.

2017-05-01

The evolution to bipedalism forced humans to develop suitable strategies for dynamically controlling their balance, ensuring stability, and preventing falling. The natural aging process and traumatic events such as lower-limb loss can alter the human ability to control stability significantly increasing the risk of fall and reducing the overall autonomy. Accordingly, there is an urgent need, from both end-users and society, for novel solutions that can counteract the lack of balance, thus preventing falls among older and fragile citizens. In this study, we show a novel ecological approach relying on a wearable robotic device (the Active Pelvis Orthosis, APO) aimed at facilitating balance recovery after unexpected slippages. Specifically, if the APO detects signs of balance loss, then it supplies counteracting torques at the hips to assist balance recovery. Experimental tests conducted on eight elderly persons and two transfemoral amputees revealed that stability against falls improved due to the “assisting when needed” behavior of the APO. Interestingly, our approach required a very limited personalization for each subject, and this makes it promising for real-life applications. Our findings demonstrate the potential of closed-loop controlled wearable robots to assist elderly and disabled subjects and to improve their quality of life.

Balancing beyond the horizon?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kluth, Michael Friederich; Pilegaard, Jess

2011-01-01

The present article seeks to make sense of recent European Union (EU) naval capability changes by applying neo-realist theory to the EU as a collective actor in the global balance of power. The paper compares two different strands of neorealist theory by deducing key predictions about the expecte......-term balancing strategy aimed at bolstering the autonomy and international influence of the Union vis-a`-vis other major powers, including the USA....

BALANCER: A Computer Program for Balancing Chemical Equations.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, R. David; Schwab, A. Paul

1989-01-01

Describes the theory and operation of a computer program which was written to balance chemical equations. Software consists of a compiled file of 46K for use under MS-DOS 2.0 or later on IBM PC or compatible computers. Additional specifications of courseware and availability information are included. (Author/RT)

The short version of the Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale: Its validity, reliability, and relationship to balance impairment and falls in older adults

OpenAIRE

Schepens, Stacey; Goldberg, Allon; Wallace, Melissa

2009-01-01

A shortened version of the ABC 16-item scale (ABC-16), the ABC-6, has been proposed as an alternative balance confidence measure. We investigated whether the ABC-6 is a valid and reliable measure of balance confidence and examined its relationship to balance impairment and falls in older adults. Thirty-five community-dwelling older adults completed the ABC-16, including the six questions of the ABC-6. They also completed the following clinical balance tests: unipedal stance time (UST), functi...

Clinimetric properties of the Tinetti Mobility Test, Four Square Step Test, Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale, and spatiotemporal gait measures in individuals with Huntington's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Kloos, Anne D; Fritz, Nora E; Kostyk, Sandra K; Young, Gregory S; Kegelmeyer, Deb A

2014-09-01

Individuals with Huntington's disease (HD) experience balance and gait problems that lead to falls. Clinicians currently have very little information about the reliability and validity of outcome measures to determine the efficacy of interventions that aim to reduce balance and gait impairments in HD. This study examined the reliability and concurrent validity of spatiotemporal gait measures, the Tinetti Mobility Test (TMT), Four Square Step Test (FSST), and Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale in individuals with HD. Participants with HD [n = 20; mean age ± SD=50.9 ± 13.7; 7 male] were tested on spatiotemporal gait measures and the TMT, FSST, and ABC Scale before and after a six week period to determine test-retest reliability and minimal detectable change (MDC) values. Linear relationships between gait and clinical measures were estimated using Pearson's correlation coefficients. Spatiotemporal gait measures, the TMT total and the FSST showed good to excellent test-retest reliability (ICC > 0.75). MDC values were 0.30 m/s and 0.17 m/s for velocity in forward and backward walking respectively, four points for the TMT, and 3s for the FSST. The TMT and FSST were highly correlated with most spatiotemporal measures. The ABC Scale demonstrated lower reliability and less concurrent validity than other measures. The high test-retest reliability over a six week period and concurrent validity between the TMT, FSST, and spatiotemporal gait measures suggest that the TMT and FSST may be useful outcome measures for future intervention studies in ambulatory individuals with HD. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Energy balance from Parana State: 1980-1993; Balanco energetico do Parana: 1980-1993

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1994-12-31

This energetic balance from the Parana State, Brazil, includes the data referent to the year of 1993. It aims to be a planning tool to the public sector embraced to the energetic question and to orient productive investments to the private sector. It also shows the energetic information during the period of 1980-1993, presenting energetic streams of energetic primary and secondary sources, since its production to the final consumption, according to the main sectors of the economy in the Parana State. The balance is divided in seven chapters, as follows: resume - a synthetic analysis of the energetic sector evolution during the last 14 years and the consolidated data about production, consumption, etc concerning to 1993; energetic supply and demand; energetic interchange transformation centers; another energetic information; energy and socio economy; consolidated energetic balances; and annex - balance structure, information treatment, units, conversion table to medium tEP and specific masses and higher calorific capacities 5 figs., 7 graphs, 1 map, 92 tabs.

Work-life balance policies: challenges and benefits associated with implementing flexitime

OpenAIRE

Downes, Caroline; Koekemoer, Frieda Eileen

2011-01-01

Orientation: Helping employees to balance their work and family lives is a business imperative. Work–life balance policies (like flexitime) aim to support employees to do so. However, implementing these policies is problematic. Research purpose: The aim of this article is to report on the challenges and benefits associated with implementing flexitime as a work–life balance policy. Motivation for the study: Organisations must develop and implement work–life balance policies. This r...

Does robot-assisted gait rehabilitation improve balance in stroke patients? A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Swinnen, Eva; Beckwée, David; Meeusen, Romain; Baeyens, Jean-Pierre; Kerckhofs, Eric

2014-01-01

The aim of this systematic review was to summarize the improvements in balance after robot-assisted gait training (RAGT) in stroke patients. Two databases were searched: PubMed and Web of Knowledge. The most important key words are "stroke," "RAGT," "balance," "Lokomat," and "gait trainer." Studies were included if stroke patients were involved in RAGT protocols, and balance was determined as an outcome measurement. The articles were checked for methodological quality by 2 reviewers (Cohen's κ = 0.72). Nine studies were included (7 true experimental and 2 pre-experimental studies; methodological quality score, 56%-81%). In total, 229 subacute or chronic stroke patients (70.5% male) were involved in RAGT (3 to 5 times per week, 3 to 10 weeks, 12 to 25 sessions). In 5 studies, the gait trainer was used; in 2, the Lokomat was used; in 1 study, a single-joint wearable knee orthosis was used; and in 1 study, the AutoAmbulator was used. Eight studies compared RAGT with other gait rehabilitation methods. Significant improvements (no to large effect sizes, Cohen's d = 0.01 to 3.01) in balance scores measured with the Berg Balance Scale, the Tinetti test, postural sway tests, and the Timed Up and Go test were found after RAGT. No significant differences in balance between the intervention and control groups were reported. RAGT can lead to improvements in balance in stroke patients; however, it is not clear whether the improvements are greater compared with those associated with other gait rehabilitation methods. Because a limited number of studies are available, more specific research (eg, randomized controlled trials with larger, specific populations) is necessary to draw stronger conclusions.

The Role of Clinical and Instrumented Outcome Measures in Balance Control of Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Neeta Kanekar

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. The aim of the study was to investigate differences in balance control between individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS and healthy control subjects using clinical scales and instrumented measures of balance and determine relationships between balance measures, fatigue, and disability levels in individuals with MS with and without a history of falls. Method. Twelve individuals with MS and twelve healthy controls were evaluated using the Berg Balance and Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scales, Modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction on Balance, and Limits of Stability Tests as well as Fatigue Severity Scale and Barthel Index. Results. Mildly affected individuals with MS had significant balance performance deficits and poor balance confidence levels (P<0.05. MS group had higher sway velocities and diminished stability limits (P<0.05, significant sensory impairments, high fatigue and disability levels (P<0.05. Sway velocity was a significant predictor of balance performance and the ability to move towards stability limits for the MS group. For the MS-fallers group, those with lower disability levels had faster movement velocities and better balance performance. Conclusion. Implementation of both clinical and instrumented tests of balance is important for the planning and evaluation of treatment outcomes in balance rehabilitation of people with MS.

Using the Wii Fit as a tool for balance assessment and neurorehabilitation: the first half decade of "Wii-search".

Science.gov (United States)

Goble, Daniel J; Cone, Brian L; Fling, Brett W

2014-02-08

The Nintendo Wii Fit was released just over five years ago as a means of improving basic fitness and overall well-being. Despite this broad mission, the Wii Fit has generated specific interest in the domain of neurorehabilitation as a biobehavioral measurement and training device for balance ability. Growing interest in Wii Fit technology is likely due to the ubiquitous nature of poor balance and catastrophic falls, which are commonly seen in older adults and various disability conditions. The present review provides the first comprehensive summary of Wii Fit balance research, giving specific insight into the system's use for the assessment and training of balance. Overall, at the time of the fifth anniversary, work in the field showed that custom applications using the Wii Balance Board as a proxy for a force platform have great promise as a low cost and portable way to assess balance. On the other hand, use of Wii Fit software-based balance metrics has been far less effective in determining balance status. As an intervention tool, positive balance outcomes have typically been obtained using Wii Fit balance games, advocating their use for neurorehabilitative training. Despite this, limited sample sizes and few randomized control designs indicate that research regarding use of the Wii Fit system for balance intervention remains subject to improvement. Future work aimed at conducting studies with larger scale randomized control designs and a greater mechanistic focus is recommended to further advance the efficacy of this impactful neurorehabilitation tool.

Mental, Physical and Mixed Practice Effects on Elderly Static and Dynamic Balance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Ali Aslankhani

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Objectives: After age of 65, annually 10 percent of older adults> loss their independent in one or more daily task. Because of decreasing changes in neuromuscular system that is important factor in loss the balance and walking ability in this group of people. In according to these sentences, the aim of this research was to the comparison of mental, physical and mixed practices on static and dynamic balance in health older adults. Methods & Materials: The study is semi-experimental with pre and post test design and three experimental groups. Statistical sample included 60 older adults> with age range of 60-70 years from Shahre-kord, that randomly divided to three experimental groups. In this research, the Stroke stands test (standing with one leg were used to measure the static balance and Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT test was used to measure the dynamic balance. After 8 session of training, subject of each group participated in post test that similar to pretest. The data were analyzed by one way ANOVA and Tukey post hoc and in order to detect the homogeny of variances, Leaven>s test was used in level of P balance by strength training, coaches and related affairs can use this training method in their specific programs for older adults.

Falls prevention and balance rehabilitation in multiple sclerosis: a bi-centre randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Cattaneo, Davide; Rasova, Kamila; Gervasoni, Elisa; Dobrovodská, Gabriela; Montesano, Angelo; Jonsdottir, Johanna

2018-03-01

People with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS) have a high incidence of accidental falls that have a potentially detrimental effect on their daily life participation. The effect of balance specific rehabilitation on clinical balance measures and frequency of falls in PwMS was studied. A bi-centre randomised rater-blinded controlled trial. Participants in both groups received 20 treatment sessions. Participants in the intervention group received treatment aimed at improving balance and mobility. Participants in the control group received treatments to reduce limitations at activity and body function level. Primary measures were frequency of fallers (>1 fall in two months) and responders (>3 points improvement) at the Berg Balance Scale (BBS). Data was analysed according to an intention to treat approach. One hundred and nineteen participants were randomised. Following treatment frequency of fallers was 22% in the intervention group and 23% in the control group, odds ratio (OR) and (confidence limits): 1.05 (0.41 to 2.77). Responders on the BBS were 28% in the intervention group and 33% in the control group, OR = 0.75 (0.30 to 1.91). At follow up ORs for fallers and responders at BBS were 0.98 (0.48 to 2.01) and 0.79 (0.26 to 2.42), respectively. Twenty sessions 2-3 times/week of balance specific rehabilitation did not reduce fall frequency nor improve balance suggesting the need for more frequent and challenging interventions. Implications for Rehabilitation Programs for balance rehabilitation can improve balance but their effects in fall prevention are unclear. Twenty treatments sessions 2/3 times per week did not reduced frequency of falls in MS. The comparison with similar studies suggests that higher intensity of practice of highly challenging balance activities appears to be critical to maximizing effectiveness.

Work - life balance u studentů

OpenAIRE

Fesslová, Tereza Anežka

2017-01-01

This bachelor thesis is focused on the importance of work-life balance, which means balance between work and life. The aim of this thesis is to find out current status of satisfaction with work-life balance for students of universities. In the theoretical part is explained the concept of work-life balance and another concepts related to this topic. The focus is drawn on four individual parts of human life, where people must be able to allocate their time. The practical part is devoted to char...

ANKLE JOINT CONTROL DURING SINGLE-LEGGED BALANCE USING COMMON BALANCE TRAINING DEVICES - IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION STRATEGIES

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Strøm, Mark; Thorborg, Kristian; Bandholm, Thomas

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: A lateral ankle sprain is the most prevalent musculoskeletal injury in sports. Exercises that aim to improve balance are a standard part of the ankle rehabilitation process. In an optimal progression model for ankle rehabilitation and prevention of future ankle sprains, it is important...... to characterize different balance exercises based on level of difficulty and sensori-motor training stimulus. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate frontal-plane ankle kinematics and associated peroneal muscle activity during single-legged balance on stable surface (floor) and three commonly used...... balance devices (Airex®, BOSU® Ball and wobble board). DESIGN: Descriptive exploratory laboratory study. METHODS: Nineteen healthy subjects performed single-legged balance with eyes open on an Airex® mat, BOSU® Ball, wobble board, and floor (reference condition). Ankle kinematics were measured using...

Clinical correlates of between-limb synchronization of standing balance control and falls during inpatient stroke rehabilitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Mansfield, Avril; Mochizuki, George; Inness, Elizabeth L; McIlroy, William E

2012-01-01

Stroke-related sensorimotor impairment potentially contributes to impaired balance. Balance measures that reveal underlying limb-specific control problems, such as a measure of the synchronization of both lower limbs to maintain standing balance, may be uniquely informative about poststroke balance control. This study aimed to determine the relationships between clinical measures of sensorimotor control, functional balance, and fall risk and between-limb synchronization of balance control. The authors conducted a retrospective chart review of 100 individuals with stroke admitted to inpatient rehabilitation. Force plate-based measures were obtained while standing on 2 force plates, including postural sway (root mean square of anteroposterior and mediolateral center of pressure [COP]), stance load asymmetry (percentage of body weight borne on the less-loaded limb), and between-limb synchronization (cross-correlation of the COP recordings under each foot). Clinical measures obtained were motor impairment (Chedoke-McMaster Stroke Assessment), plantar cutaneous sensation, functional balance (Berg Balance Scale), and falls experienced in rehabilitation. Synchronization was significantly related to motor impairment and prospective falls, even when controlling for other force plate-based measures of standing balance control (ie, postural sway and stance load symmetry). Between-limb COP synchronization for standing balance appears to be a uniquely important index of balance control, independent of postural sway and load symmetry during stance.

The effect of visual biofeedback on balance in elderly population: a systematic review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alhasan H

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Hammad Alhasan,1 Victoria Hood,2 Frederick Mainwaring2 1Physiotherapy Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Science, Umm al-Qura University, Mecca, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 2School of Health Science, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, UK Background: Balance is commonly affected by multiple factors, especially among the elderly population. Visual biofeedback (VBF is an intervention tool that can be used in balance rehabilitation.Aim: This study aimed to systematically review randomized controlled trials that examine whether VBF training is effective in improving balance in an elderly population.Data sources: Three databases were searched: CIAHL, EMBASE, and MEDLINE. The searches were limited to the period from 2010 to 2016.Eligibility criteria: Healthy adults, aged ≥65 years, with no specific disorders were included. Interventions were any VBF intervention with the aim of improving balance and were compared to no intervention, traditional exercises, placebo, or standard care. The outcome measures were balance as measured by any validated outcome measure.Studies appraisal method: The Physiotherapy Evidence Database quality assessment tool and The Cochrane Collaboration tool for assessing risk of bias were used by two independent authors (HA and FM in order to appraise the included studies.Results: The database search resulted in 879 articles, of which five papers were included. VBF was compared to no intervention, a placebo, and traditional exercise. The total number of participants in all the five included studies was 181, with a mean age of 74.3 years (standard deviation 6.7. Two studies were rated as high-quality studies, and three were rated as fair quality.Conclusion: Engaging elderly people living in the community in VBF training was found to be effective and could improve their balance ability. However, the variation between studies in methodology, intervention protocol, and outcomes utilized made it difficult to

Student Life Balance: Myth or Reality?

Science.gov (United States)

Doble, Niharika; Supriya, M. V.

2011-01-01

Purpose: Student life stress, student family conflict and student life balance are issues that are scarcely researched. This paper aims to develop a scale for assessing the concept of student life balance. Design/methodology/approach: The study evaluated a 54-item scale for assessing the construct. The data are obtained from 612 Indian students.…

Work-Life Balance Among Humanitarian Aid Workers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Visser, Miranda; Mills, Melinda; Heyse, Liesbet; Wittek, Rafael; Bollettino, Vincenzo

2016-01-01

A limited body of research has examined satisfaction with work-life balance of expatriate workers who live abroad, residing outside the typical family or life domain. This study aims to demonstrate how and under which organizational circumstances job autonomy can increase work-life balance

WORK / LIFE BALANCE REFLECTIONS ON EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION

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Selvarani

2011-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of this research is to analyze the relationship between employee satisfaction andwork/life balance. The construct used for this research consists of career opportunity, recognition,work tasks, payments, benefits, superior subordinate relationship, employee satisfaction, andwork/life balance. The study was conducted on a total of 210 respondents working in IT organization.This study makes a contribution to join two distinct research streams, namely employee satisfaction,and work/life balance. Findings suggest that high correlation exists between work task and employeesatisfaction with a mediator variable namely work-life balance.

Dynamic balance ability in young elite soccer players: implication of isometric strength.

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Chtara, Moktar; Rouissi, Mehdi; Bragazzi, Nicola L; Owen, Adam L; Haddad, Monoem; Chamari, Karim

2018-04-01

Soccer requires maintaining unilateral balance when executing movement with the contralateral leg. Despite the fact that balance requires standing with maintaining isometric posture with the support leg, currently there is a lack of studies regarding the implication of isometric strength on dynamic balance's performance among young soccer players. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the Y-Balance Test and 12 lower limbs isometric strength tests. Twenty-six right footed soccer players (mean±SD, age=16.2±1.6 years, height=175±4.2 cm, body mass=68.8±6.1 kg) performed a dynamic balance test (star excursion balance-test with dominant- (DL) and nondominant-legs (NDL). Furthermore, maximal isometric contraction tests of 12 lower limb muscle groups were assessed in DL and NDL. Correlations analysis reported a significant positive relationship between some of isometric strength tests (with DL and NDL) and the Y-Balance Test. Furthermore, stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that maximal isometric strength explained between 21.9% and 49.4% of the variance of the Y-Balance Test. Moreover, maximal isometric strength was dependent upon the reaching angle of the Y-Balance Test and the leg used to support body weight. This study showed a significant implication of maximal isometric strength of the lower limb and the Y-Balance Test. Moreover, the present investigation suggests the implementation of specific lower limb strengthening exercises depending on players' deficit in each reaching direction and leg. This result suggests that further studies should experiment if increasing lower limbs isometric strength could improve dynamic balance ability among young soccer players.

Low cost balancing unit design

Science.gov (United States)

Golembiovsky, Matej; Dedek, Jan; Slanina, Zdenek

2017-06-01

This article deals with the design of a low-cost balancing system which consist of battery balancing units, accumulator pack units and coordinator unit with interface for higher level of battery management system. This solution allows decentralized mode of operation and the aim of this work is implementation of controlling and diagnostic mechanism into an electric scooter project realized at Technical university of Ostrava. In todays world which now fully enjoys the prime of electromobility, off-grid battery systems and other, it is important to seek the optimal balance between functionality and the economy side of BMS that being electronics which deals with secondary cells of batery packs. There were numerous sophisticated, but not too practical BMS models in the past, such as centralized system or standalone balance modules of individual cells. This article aims at development of standalone balance modules which are able to communicate with the coordinator, adjust their parameters and ensure their cells safety in case of a communication failure. With the current worldwide cutting cost trend in mind, the emphasis was put on the lowest price possible for individual component. The article is divided into two major categories, the first one being desing of power electronics with emphasis on quality, safety (cooling) and also cost. The second part describes development of a communication interface with reliability and cost in mind. The article contains numerous graphs from practical measurements. The outcome of the work and its possible future is defined in the conclusion.

The relationships of eccentric strength and power with dynamic balance in male footballers.

Science.gov (United States)

Booysen, Marc Jon; Gradidge, Philippe Jean-Luc; Watson, Estelle

2015-01-01

Unilateral balance is critical to kicking accuracy in football. In order to design interventions to improve dynamic balance, knowledge of the relationships between dynamic balance and specific neuromuscular factors such as eccentric strength and power is essential. Therefore, the aim was to determine the relationships of eccentric strength and power with dynamic balance in male footballers. The Y-balance test, eccentric isokinetic strength testing (knee extensors and flexors) and the countermovement jump were assessed in fifty male footballers (university (n = 27, mean age = 20.7 ± 1.84 years) and professional (n = 23, mean age = 23.0 ± 3.08 years). Spearman Rank Order correlations were used to determine the relationships of eccentric strength and power with dynamic balance. Multiple linear regression, adjusting for age, mass, stature, playing experience and competitive level was performed on significant relationships. Normalised reach score in the Y-balance test using the non-dominant leg for stance correlated with (1) eccentric strength of the non-dominant leg knee extensors in the university group (r = 0.50, P = 0.008) and (2) countermovement jump height in the university (r = 0.40, P = 0.04) and professional (r = 0.56, P = 0.006) football groups, respectively. No relationships were observed between eccentric strength (knee flexors) and normalised reach scores. Despite the addition of potential confounders, the relationship of power and dynamic balance was significant (r = 0.52, P power correlates moderately with dynamic balance on the non-dominant leg in male footballers.

Nitrogen balance of healthy Dutch women before and during pregnancy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mojtahedi, M.; Groot, de C.P.G.M.; Boekholt, H.A.; Raaij, van J.M.A.

2002-01-01

Background: Experimental studies including longitudinal nitrogen balance studies could provide insight into protein metabolism in pregnancy. Objective: Our aim was to determine the development of nitrogen balance during pregnancy compared with nitrogen balance before pregnancy in women consuming

Wii balance board exercise improves balance and lower limb muscle strength of overweight young adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Siriphorn, Akkradate; Chamonchant, Dannaovarat

2015-01-01

[Purpose] The potential health benefits of the Nintendo Wii balance board exercise have been widely investigated. However, no study has been conducted to examine the benefits of Wii exercise for overweight young adults. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of exercise performed on a Nintendo Wii balance board on the balance and lower limb muscle strength in overweight young adults. [Subjects and Methods] Within-subject repeated measures analysis was used. Sixteen young adults (aged 21.87±1.13 years, body mass index 24.15 ± 0.50 kg/m(2)) were recruited. All subjects performed an exercise program on a Wii balance board for 8 weeks (30 min/session, twice a week for 8 weeks). A NeuroCom Balance Master and a hand-held dynamometer were used to measure balance performance and lower limb muscle strength. [Results] According to the comparison of pre- and post-intervention measurements, the Wii balance board exercise program significantly improved the limit of stability parameters. There was also a significant increase in strength of four lower-limb muscle groups: the hip flexor, knee flexor, ankle dorsiflexor and ankle plantarflexor. [Conclusion] These findings suggest that a Wii balance board exercise program can be used to improve the balance and lower limb muscle strength of overweight young adults.

ENTERPRISE RESTRUCTURING AIM AND TYPES

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S. P. Baranenko

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Enterprise restructuring is aimed at adapting it to market conditions and improving its competitiveness through selection of most effective model of using material, technical, technological, organizational, commercial, economical, financial, tax-related and other resources with due account of the demand. Restructuring classification signs and types as well as restructuring aims specific for industrial enterprises are provided for.

Stateful load balancing for parallel stream processing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Guo, Qingsong; Zhou, Yongluan

2018-01-01

-objective optimization problem, namely Minimum-Cost-Load-Balance (MCLB). We address MCLB with two approximate algorithms by a certain relaxation of the objectives: (1) a greedy algorithm ELB performs load balancing eagerly but relaxes the objective of load imbalance to a range; and (2) a periodic algorithm CLB aims...

Clinical measures of balance in people with type two diabetes: A systematic literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Dixon, C J; Knight, T; Binns, E; Ihaka, B; O'Brien, D

2017-10-01

Approximately 422 million people have diabetes mellitus worldwide, with the majority diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The complications of diabetes mellitus include diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and retinopathy, both of which can lead to balance impairments. Balance assessment is therefore an integral component of the clinical assessment of a person with T2DM. Although there are a variety of balance measures available, it is uncertain which measures are the most appropriate for this population. Therefore, the aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review on clinical balance measures used with people with T2DM and DPN. Databases searched included: CINAHL plus, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, Dentistry and Oral Sciences source, and SCOPUS. Key terms, inclusion and exclusion criteria were used to identify appropriate studies. Identified studies were critiqued using the Downs and Black appraisal tool. Eight studies were included, these studies incorporated a total of ten different clinical balance measures. The balance measures identified included the Dynamic Balance Test, balance walk, tandem and unipedal stance, Functional Reach Test, Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction and Balance, Berg Balance Scale, Tinetti Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment, Activity-Specific Balance Confidence Scale, Timed Up and Go test, and the Dynamic Gait Index. Numerous clinical balance measures were used for people with T2DM. However, the identified balance measures did not assess all of the systems of balance, and most had not been validated in a T2DM population. Therefore, future research is needed to identify the validity of a balance measure that assesses these systems in people with T2DM. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of Financial Position Based on the Balance Sheet

OpenAIRE

Spineanu-Georgescu Luciana

2011-01-01

Analysis of financial position based on the balance sheet is mainly aimed at assessing the extent to which financial structure chosen by the firm, namely, financial resources, covering the needs reflected in the balance sheet financed. This is done through an analysis known as horizontal analysis balance sheet financial imbalances.

Specific Organ Targeted Vestibular Physiotherapy: The Pivot in the Contemporary Management of Vertigo and Imbalance.

Science.gov (United States)

Biswas, Anirban; Barui, Bibhas

2017-12-01

Advancements in our understanding of vestibular physiology and how it is changes in different diseases have established that of the three therapeutic approaches to treat disorders of the vestibular system viz. pharmacotherapy, surgery and physical therapy, it is the later i.e., physical therapy which is the most efficacious modality in the management of balance disorders. The futility of vestibular sedatives in the correction of vestibular disorders and in the restoration of balance and the very limited role of surgery has now been recognised. Advancements in vestibulometry now enable us to localise any lesion in the vestibular system with utmost precision and also determine the exact cause of the balance disorder. The site of lesion and the specific organ that is defective can now be very precisely identified. Treatment modalities especially that for physical therapy hence have to be organ specific, and if possible, also disease specific. The study aims at evaluating the efficacy of physiotherapy in the management of balance disorders and also assesses the efficacy of organ targeted physical therapy, a new concept in restoring balance after vestibulometry has identified the offending organ. The study was conducted in the specialised physical therapy unit for balance and gait disorder patients which is a part of Vertigo and Deafness Clinic in Kolkata, India. Special instruments for physical therapy devised by the first author were used for stimulation of specific sense organs in the vestibular labyrinth that were found to be defective in vestibulometry. Specially made Virtual reality programs were used in patients suffering from psychogenic balance disorders. The pre and post therapy status was evaluated by different standard scales to assess balance and dizziness. Very promising results were obtained. Organ targeted physiotherapy where defective sense organs were specifically stimulated showed remarkable improvement in different measures. Virtual reality exercises

Perception of occupational balance by people with mental illness: A new methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Eklund, Mona; Argentzell, Elisabeth

2016-07-01

Aims The aims were to (i) investigate initial construct validity of a tool for assessment of time allocation in occupational balance, and (ii) describe perceived occupational balance and its relationship with socio-demographics, well-being, and personal recovery among people with mental illness. Methods Satisfaction with Daily Occupations and Occupational Balance (SDO-OB) was administered to 226 persons. SDO-OB reflects balance in five occupational domains: work, leisure, home chores, self-care, and overall occupational balance. Indicators for assessing construct validity were: satisfaction with everyday occupations, occupational value, symptom severity, and psychosocial functioning. For the second aim, the data collection included socio-demographics, life quality, self-esteem, self-mastery, and personal recovery. Results Occupational balance ratings indicated the participants were either under-occupied or in balance. Few were over-occupied. Feeling in balance was related to greater well-being and recovery compared with being under-occupied. Risk factors for under-occupation were younger age (in relation to work), and higher education (in relation to overall balance). Conclusions Associations with the indicators suggest initial construct validity. The SDO-OB is promising for assessment of occupational balance among people with mental illness. Being under-occupied was detrimental to well-being and recovery, and this indicates the importance of offering more occupational opportunities for people with mental illness.

Improving Balance in Older People: A Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial of Three Modes of Balance Training.

Science.gov (United States)

Nematollahi, Ahmadreza; Kamali, Fahimeh; Ghanbari, Ali; Etminan, Zahra; Sobhani, Sobhan

2016-04-01

The aim of this study was to examine and compare the effects of conventional, multisensory, and dual-task exercises on balance ability in a group of older community dwellers over a four-week period. Forty-four older people were randomly assigned to one of the three training groups. The score on the Fullerton Advanced Balance (FAB) scale, gait stability ratio, and walking speed were evaluated at baseline and after four weeks of training. All three groups showed significant (p balance of older adults, with no significant superiority of one mode of training over another.

Load Balancing Scientific Applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pearce, Olga Tkachyshyn [Texas A & M Univ., College Station, TX (United States)

2014-12-01

The largest supercomputers have millions of independent processors, and concurrency levels are rapidly increasing. For ideal efficiency, developers of the simulations that run on these machines must ensure that computational work is evenly balanced among processors. Assigning work evenly is challenging because many large modern parallel codes simulate behavior of physical systems that evolve over time, and their workloads change over time. Furthermore, the cost of imbalanced load increases with scale because most large-scale scientific simulations today use a Single Program Multiple Data (SPMD) parallel programming model, and an increasing number of processors will wait for the slowest one at the synchronization points. To address load imbalance, many large-scale parallel applications use dynamic load balance algorithms to redistribute work evenly. The research objective of this dissertation is to develop methods to decide when and how to load balance the application, and to balance it effectively and affordably. We measure and evaluate the computational load of the application, and develop strategies to decide when and how to correct the imbalance. Depending on the simulation, a fast, local load balance algorithm may be suitable, or a more sophisticated and expensive algorithm may be required. We developed a model for comparison of load balance algorithms for a specific state of the simulation that enables the selection of a balancing algorithm that will minimize overall runtime.

Calcium Balance in Chronic Kidney Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Hill Gallant, Kathleen M; Spiegel, David M

2017-06-01

The kidneys play a critical role in the balance between the internal milieu and external environment. Kidney failure is known to disrupt a number of homeostatic mechanisms that control serum calcium and normal bone metabolism. However, our understanding of calcium balance throughout the stages of chronic kidney disease is limited and the concept of balance itself, especially with a cation as complex as calcium, is often misunderstood. Both negative and positive calcium balance have important implications in patients with chronic kidney disease, where negative balance may increase risk of osteoporosis and fracture and positive balance may increase risk of vascular calcification and cardiovascular events. Here, we examine the state of current knowledge about calcium balance in adults throughout the stages of chronic kidney disease and discuss recommendations for clinical strategies to maintain balance as well as future research needs in this area. Recent calcium balance studies in adult patients with chronic kidney disease show that neutral calcium balance is achieved with calcium intake near the recommended daily allowance. Increases in calcium through diet or supplements cause high positive calcium balance, which may put patients at risk for vascular calcification. However, heterogeneity in calcium balance exists among these patients. Given the available calcium balance data in this population, it appears clinically prudent to aim for recommended calcium intakes around 1000 mg/day to achieve neutral calcium balance and avoid adverse effects of either negative or positive calcium balance. Assessment of patients' dietary calcium intake could further equip clinicians to make individualized recommendations for meeting recommended intakes.

Balance Performance of Deaf Children With and Without Cochlear Implants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amir-Abbas Ebrahimi

2016-12-01

Full Text Available  The aim of this study was to compare the static and dynamic balance performance of deaf children with and without cochlear implants. This is a cross-sectional study of 145 school children, aged between 7 and 12 years comprising 85 children with congenital or early acquired bilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss (the hearing loss group and 60 normal hearing aged-matched control counterparts were assessed using the balance subtest of Bruininks-Oseretsky test of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP. The hearing loss group, 50 without cochlear implants (the non-implant group and 35 of them with unilateral cochlear implants (the implant group were recruited from schools for the deaf and normal hearing children (the control group randomly selected from two randomly selected elementary schools of Tehran city. The scores were analyzed using one-way ANOVA. The total score of deaf children especially the implant group were significantly lower than the control group P<0.001. The balance performance of the control group was better than the implant group in all of the items as well as the non-implant group except the fourth tested item (walking forward on a line (P<0.05. The balance score of the implant group was significantly lower than the non-implant group except for the third tested item (standing on the preferred leg on a balance beam with eyes closed. The findings suggested that deaf children, specifically those with cochlear implants are at risk for motor and balance deficits. Thus, vestibular and motor evaluations, as well as interventions to improve balance and motor skills, should be prioritized for this population.

Affinity imaging mass spectrometry (AIMS): high-throughput screening for specific small molecule interactions with frozen tissue sections.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshimi, T; Kawabata, S; Taira, S; Okuno, A; Mikawa, R; Murayama, S; Tanaka, K; Takikawa, O

2015-11-07

A novel screening system, using affinity imaging mass spectrometry (AIMS), has been developed to identify protein aggregates or organ structures in unfixed human tissue. Frozen tissue sections are positioned on small (millimetre-scale) stainless steel chips and incubated with an extensive library of small molecules. Candidate molecules showing specific affinity for the tissue section are identified by imaging mass spectrometry (IMS). As an example application, we screened over a thousand compounds against Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain tissue and identified several compounds with high affinity for AD brain sections containing tau deposits compared to age-matched controls. It should also be possible to use AIMS to isolate chemical compounds with affinity for tissue structures or components that have been extensively modified by events such as oxidation, phosphorylation, acetylation, aggregation, racemization or truncation, for example, due to aging. It may also be applicable to biomarker screening programs.

Procedure-specific pain management and outcome strategies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Joshi, Girish P; Schug, Stephan A; Kehlet, Henrik

2014-01-01

Optimal dynamic pain relief is a prerequisite for optimizing post-operative recovery and reducing morbidity and convalescence. Procedure-specific pain management initiative aims to overcome the limitations of conventional guidelines and provide health-care professionals with practical recommendat......, optimizing fluid therapy and optimizing post-operative nursing care with early mobilization and oral feeding are utilized....... recommendations formulated in a way that facilitates clinical decision making across all the stages of the perioperative period. The procedure-specific evidence is supplemented with data from other similar surgical procedures and clinical practices to balance benefits and risks of each analgesic technique...

National energy balance - 1978

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-01-01

The national energy balance of 1978 shows some modifications in relation to the last year. New tables were included aiming to show the brazilian energy situation, such as the hydraulic potential and the non-renewable energy resources. (E.G.) [pt

Features of Balance Model Development of Exclave Region

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Timur Rustamovich Gareev

2015-06-01

Full Text Available In the article, the authors build a balance model for an exclave region. The aim of the work is to explore the unique properties of exclaves to evaluate the possibility of development of a more complex model for the economy of a region. Exclaves are strange phenomena in both theoretical and practical regional economy. There is lack of comparative models, so it is typically quite challenging to study exclaves. At the same time, exclaves produce better statistics, which gives more careful consideration of cross-regional economic flows. The authors discuss methodologies of model-based regional development forecasting. They analyze balance approach on a more general level of regional governance and individually, on the example of specific territories. Thus, they identify and explain the need to develop balance approach models fitted to the special needs of certain territories. By combining regional modeling for an exclave with traditional balance and simulation-based methods and event-based approach, they come up with a more detailed model for the economy of a region. Having taken one Russian exclave as an example, the authors have developed a simulation event-based long-term sustainability model. In the article, they provide the general characteristics of the model, describe its components, and simulation algorithm. The approach introduced in this article combines the traditional balance models and the peculiarities of an exclave region to develop a holistic regional economy model (with the Kaliningrad region serving as an example. It is important to underline that the resulting model helps to evaluate the degree of influence of preferential economic regimes (such as Free Customs Zone, for example on the economy of a region.

Radiation balances and the solar constant

Science.gov (United States)

Crommelynck, D.

1981-01-01

The radiometric concepts are defined in order to consider various types of radiation balances and relate them to the diabetic form of the energy balance. Variability in space and time of the components of the radiation field are presented. A specific concept for sweeping which is tailored to the requirements is proposed. Finally, after establishing the truncated character of the present knowledge of the radiation balance. The results of the last observations of the solar constant are given. Ground and satellite measurement techniques are discussed.

The Impact of Trade Balance in the Current Account of Kosovo’s Balance of Payments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Safet Merovci

2014-02-01

Full Text Available The trade deficit and specifically the current account deficit are the main challenges that Kosovo‘s economy is facing. According to the Balance of Payments Statistics (BOP, the trade balance of goods is the largest component, expressed in absolute and relative terms and consequently it determines the behavior of the current account balance. Trade deficit to GDP ratio is very high - more than 50 percent. Regarding this, financing the constant deficit of the current account is becoming a real problem, because in the long run it is impossible for a country to spend more than its income without becoming a debtor to the rest of the world. Given the unchanged structure of the current account of the Balance of Payments, we conclude that, an improvement of the trade balance is a precondition to the improvement of the current account balance. This can be done through longterm and sustainable substitution of imports with domestic production and also with effective export promotion. Increasing foreign direct investment and export promotion can be considered, in the longer term, the main way to improve Kosovo's Trade Balance.

A balancing act? Work-life balance, health and well-being in European welfare states.

Science.gov (United States)

Lunau, Thorsten; Bambra, Clare; Eikemo, Terje A; van der Wel, Kjetil A; Dragano, Nico

2014-06-01

Recent analyses have shown that adverse psychosocial working conditions, such as job strain and effort-reward imbalance, vary by country and welfare state regimes. Another work-related factor with potential impact on health is a poor work-life balance. The aims of this study are to determine the association between a poor work-life balance and poor health across a variety of European countries and to explore the variation of work-life balance between European countries. Data from the 2010 European Working Conditions Survey were used with 24,096 employees in 27 European countries. Work-life balance is measured with a question on the fit between working hours and family or social commitments. The WHO-5 well-being index and self-rated general health are used as health indicators. Logistic multilevel models were calculated to assess the association between work-life balance and health indicators and to explore the between-country variation of a poor work-life balance. Employees reporting a poor work-life balance reported more health problems (Poor well-being: OR = 2.06, 95% CI = 1.83-2.31; Poor self-rated health: OR = 2.00, 95% CI = 1.84-2.17). The associations were very similar for men and women. A considerable part of the between-country variation of work-life balance is explained by working hours, working time regulations and welfare state regimes. The best overall work-life balance is reported by Scandinavian men and women. This study provides some evidence on the public health impact of a poor work-life balance and that working time regulations and welfare state characteristics can influence the work-life balance of employees. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Balancing Design Project Supervision and Learning Facilitation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Louise Møller

2012-01-01

experiences and expertise to guide the students’ decisions in relation to the design project. This paper focuses on project supervision in the context of design education – and more specifically on how this supervision is unfolded in a Problem Based Learning culture. The paper explores the supervisor......’s balance between the roles: 1) Design Project Supervisor – and 2) Learning Facilitator – with the aim to understand when to apply the different roles, and what to be aware of when doing so. This paper represents the first pilot-study of a larger research effort. It is based on a Lego Serious Play workshop......In design there is a long tradition for apprenticeship, as well as tradition for learning through design projects. Today many design educations are positioned within the University context, and have to be aligned with the learning culture and structure, which they represent. This raises a specific...

Validation of the Balance Board for Clinical Evaluation of Balance During Serious Gaming Rehabilitation Exercises.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonnechère, Bruno; Jansen, Bart; Omelina, Lubos; Sholukha, Victor; Van Sint Jan, Serge

2016-09-01

Balance and posture can be affected in various conditions or become decreased with aging. A diminution of balance control induces an increase of fall's risk. The Nintendo Wii Balance Board™ (WBB) is used in rehabilitation to perform balance exercises (using commercial video games). The WBB has also been validated to assess balance and posture in static conditions. However, there is currently no study investigating the use of WBB to assess balance during the realization of balance exercises using this device. The aim of this study was to validate the use of WBB, coupled with specially developed serious games, to assess dynamic balance during rehabilitation exercises. Thirty five subjects participated in this study. Subjects were asked to play two specially developed serious games. Center of pressure (CP) displacements were simultaneously recorded with a WBB and a gold standard force plate (FP). Nine parameters were derived from CP displacement. Bland and Altman plots, paired-sample t tests, intraclass correlation coefficient's, and Pearson's coefficient correlations were computed. Excellent correlation between both devices was found for each parameter for the two games (R = 0.95 and 0.96). Unlike previous work on the WBB, these excellent results were obtained without using any calibration procedure. Despite this, results were highly correlated between the WBB and the FP. The WBB could be used in clinics to assess balance during rehabilitation exercises and, thus, allows a more regular patient follow-up.

Virtual reality balance training for elderly: Similar skiing games elicit different challenges in balance training

OpenAIRE

de Vries, Aijse W.; Faber, Gert; Jonkers, Ilse; Van Dieen, Jaap H.; Verschueren, Sabine M.P.

2018-01-01

Background Virtual Reality (VR) balance training may have advantages over regular exercise training in older adults. However, results so far are conflicting potentially due to the lack of challenge imposed by the movements in those games. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess to which extent two similar skiing games challenge balance, as reflected in center of mass (COM) movements relative to their Functional Limits of Stability (FLOS). Methods Thirty young and elderly participants p...

Aging and vestibular system: specific tests and role of melatonin in cognitive involvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Alpini, D; Cesarani, A; Fraschini, F; Kohen-Raz, R; Capobianco, S; Cornelio, F

2004-01-01

Balance disorders are frequent with aging. They are particularly important because they decrease social autonomy of the aged subjects and they often provoke falls. The cause is always multifactorial. There is evidence that aging affects multiple sensory inputs, as well as the muscoloskeletal system and central nervous system ability to perform sensorimotor integration. For the evaluation of decreased balance skills in elderly, a specific questionnaire has been prepared, in order to identify high risk of falling called falling risk inventory (FRI) questionnaire, and a complex psycho-sensory-motor test has been studied by means of posturography, in order to detect specific vestibular impairment. Regarding ethiopathogenesis of balance disorders in aged subjects, because the decline of behavioral and cognitive performances are due also to decline of biological rhythm control, the role of melatonin (the hormone regulating circadian rhythms, being strictly connected with cerebellar function, and it is well known that cerebellum acts in elderly both at motor and cognitive regulation. The goals of the present paper are: (i) To present a self-administered FRI questionnaire aimed at identifying possible causes of falls and quantifying falling risk in aged. (ii) To validate posturography as a specific test to investigate vestibular involvement in elderly in correlation with FRI. (iii) To present a complex behavioral test (NT) aimed at evaluating both spatial orientation and spatial memory in elderly, factors involved into the genesis of complex dizziness and unsteadiness. (iv) To evaluate the role of melatonin in cognitive involvement in dizzy, old subjects due to the functional correlations between circadian rhythms, cerebellum balance disturbances and cognitive disorders. General conclusions are: FRI correlates with falling risk. Posturography identifies specific vestibular impairments correlated to balance disorders and elderly falls. Spatial orientation is altered in

Using the Wii Fit as a tool for balance assessment and neurorehabilitation: the first half decade of “Wii-search”

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

The Nintendo Wii Fit was released just over five years ago as a means of improving basic fitness and overall well-being. Despite this broad mission, the Wii Fit has generated specific interest in the domain of neurorehabilitation as a biobehavioral measurement and training device for balance ability. Growing interest in Wii Fit technology is likely due to the ubiquitous nature of poor balance and catastrophic falls, which are commonly seen in older adults and various disability conditions. The present review provides the first comprehensive summary of Wii Fit balance research, giving specific insight into the system’s use for the assessment and training of balance. Overall, at the time of the fifth anniversary, work in the field showed that custom applications using the Wii Balance Board as a proxy for a force platform have great promise as a low cost and portable way to assess balance. On the other hand, use of Wii Fit software-based balance metrics has been far less effective in determining balance status. As an intervention tool, positive balance outcomes have typically been obtained using Wii Fit balance games, advocating their use for neurorehabilitative training. Despite this, limited sample sizes and few randomized control designs indicate that research regarding use of the Wii Fit system for balance intervention remains subject to improvement. Future work aimed at conducting studies with larger scale randomized control designs and a greater mechanistic focus is recommended to further advance the efficacy of this impactful neurorehabilitation tool. PMID:24507245

ANKLE JOINT CONTROL DURING SINGLE-LEGGED BALANCE USING COMMON BALANCE TRAINING DEVICES - IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION STRATEGIES

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Strøm, Mark; Thorborg, Kristian; Bandholm, Thomas

2016-01-01

(MVC), and in addition amplitude probability distribution function (APDF) between 90 and 10% was calculated as a measure of muscle activation variability. RESULTS: Balancing on BOSU® Ball and wobble board generally resulted in increased ankle kinematic and muscle activity variables, compared......BACKGROUND: A lateral ankle sprain is the most prevalent musculoskeletal injury in sports. Exercises that aim to improve balance are a standard part of the ankle rehabilitation process. In an optimal progression model for ankle rehabilitation and prevention of future ankle sprains, it is important...... to characterize different balance exercises based on level of difficulty and sensori-motor training stimulus. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate frontal-plane ankle kinematics and associated peroneal muscle activity during single-legged balance on stable surface (floor) and three commonly used...

The impact of Wii Fit intervention on dynamic balance control in children with probable Developmental Coordination Disorder and balance problems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jelsma, Dorothee; Geuze, Reint H; Mombarg, Remo; Smits-Engelsman, Bouwien C.M.

The aim of this study was to examine differences in the performance of children with probable Developmental Coordination Disorder (p-DCD) and balance problems (BP) and typical developing children (TD) on a Wii Fit task and to measure the effect on balance skills after a Wii Fit intervention.

Successful generation of primary virus-specific and anti-tumor T-cell responses from the naive donor T-cell repertoire is determined by the balance between antigen-specific precursor T cells and regulatory T cells.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jedema, I.; Meent, M. van de; Pots, J.M.; Kester, M.G.; Beek, M.T. van der; Falkenburg, J.H.F.

2011-01-01

BACKGROUND: One of the major challenges in allogeneic stem cell transplantation is to find a balance between the harmful induction of graft-versus-host disease and the beneficial graft-versus-leukemia and pathogen-specific immune responses. Adoptive transfer of in-vitro generated donor T cells with

Getting the balance right

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-01-01

This 8 page leaflet is published by the Nuclear Electricity Information Group (NEIG) which is made up of eight different bodies working within the nuclear industry. It aims to present a balanced outline of the facts needed to form an opinion about energy policy in the UK. It looks at the price of electricity, other sources of electricity, (oil and coal, solar power, wind power, water power), safety in the nuclear industry, nuclear waste disposal and risks from radiation. The NEIG is in favour of a balanced energy programme with nuclear energy being only a part of the overall scheme. (U.K.)

Home-based balance training programme using Wii Fit with balance board for Parkinsons's disease: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Esculier, Jean-Francois; Vaudrin, Joanie; Bériault, Patrick; Gagnon, Karine; Tremblay, Louis E

2012-02-01

To evaluate the effects of a home-based balance training programme using visual feedback (Nintendo Wii Fit game with balance board) on balance and functional abilities in subjects with Parkinson's disease, and to compare the effects with a group of paired healthy subjects. Ten subjects with moderate Parkinson's disease and 8 healthy elderly subjects. Subjects participated in a 6-week home-based balance training programme using Nintendo Wii Fit and balance board. Baseline measures were taken before training for the Sit-to-Stand test (STST), Timed-Up-and-Go (TUG), Tinetti Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA), 10-m walk test, Community Balance and Mobility assessment (CBM), Activities-specific Balance and Confidence scale (ABC), unipodal stance duration, and a force platform. All measurements were taken again after 3 and 6 weeks of training. The Parkinson's disease group significantly improved their results in TUG, STST, unipodal stance, 10-m walk test, CBM, POMA and force platform at the end of the 6-week training programme. The healthy subjects group significantly improved in TUG, STST, unipodal stance and CBM. This pilot study suggests that a home-based balance programme using Wii Fit with balance board could improve static and dynamic balance, mobility and functional abilities of people affected by Parkinson's disease.

In silico analysis of the anti-hypertensive drugs impact on myocardial oxygen balance.

Science.gov (United States)

Guala, A; Leone, D; Milan, A; Ridolfi, L

2017-06-01

Hypertension is a very common pathology, and its clinical treatment largely relies on different drugs. Some of these drugs exhibit specific protective functions in addition to those resulting from blood pressure reduction. In this work, we study the impact of commonly used anti-hypertensive drugs (RAAS, [Formula: see text] and calcium channel blockers) on myocardial oxygen supply-consumption balance, which plays a crucial role in type 2 myocardial infarction. To this aim, 42 wash-out hypertensive patients were selected, a number of measured data were used to set a validated multi-scale cardiovascular model to subject-specific conditions, and the administration of different drugs was suitably simulated. Our results ascribe the well-known major cardioprotective efficiency of [Formula: see text] blockers compared to other drugs to a positive change of myocardial oxygen balance due to the concomitant: (1) reduction in aortic systolic, diastolic and pulse pressures, (2) decrease in left ventricular work, diastolic cavity pressure and oxygen consumption, (3) increase in coronary flow and (4) ejection efficiency improvement. RAAS blockers share several positive outcomes with [Formula: see text] blockers, although to a reduced extent. In contrast, calcium channel blockers seem to induce some potentially negative effects on the myocardial oxygen balance.

Instrumental or Physical-Exercise Rehabilitation of Balance Improves Both Balance and Gait in Parkinson’s Disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marica Giardini

2018-01-01

Full Text Available We hypothesised that rehabilitation specifically addressing balance in Parkinson’s disease patients might improve not only balance but locomotion as well. Two balance-training protocols (standing on a moving platform and traditional balance exercises were assessed by assigning patients to two groups (Platform, n=15, and Exercises, n=17. The platform moved periodically in the anteroposterior, laterolateral, and oblique direction, with and without vision in different trials. Balance exercises were based on the Otago Exercise Program. Both platform and exercise sessions were administered from easy to difficult. Outcome measures were (a balancing behaviour, assessed by both Index of Stability (IS on platform and Mini-BESTest, and (b gait, assessed by both baropodometry and Timed Up and Go (TUG test. Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I and Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-8 were administered. Both groups exhibited better balance control, as assessed both by IS and by Mini-BESTest. Gait speed at baropodometry also improved in both groups, while TUG was less sensitive to improvement. Scores of FES-I and PDQ-8 showed a marginal improvement. A four-week treatment featuring no gait training but focused on challenging balance tasks produces considerable gait enhancement in mildly to moderately affected patients. Walking problems in PD depend on postural instability and are successfully relieved by appropriate balance rehabilitation. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03314597.

The dose-response relationship of balance training in physically active older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Maughan, Kristen K; Lowry, Kristin A; Franke, Warren D; Smiley-Oyen, Ann L

2012-10-01

A 6-wk group balance-training program was conducted with physically active older adults (based on American College of Sports Medicine requirements) to investigate the effect of dose-related static and dynamic balance-specific training. All participants, age 60-87 yr, continued their regular exercise program while adding balance training in 1 of 3 doses: three 20-min sessions/wk (n = 20), one 20-min session/wk (n = 21), or no balance training (n = 19). Static balance (single-leg-stance, tandem), dynamic balance (alternate stepping, limits of stability), and balance confidence (ABC) were assessed pre- and posttraining. Significant interactions were observed for time in single-leg stance, excursion in limits of stability, and balance confidence, with the greatest increase observed in the group that completed 3 training sessions/wk. The results demonstrate a dose-response relationship indicating that those who are already physically active can improve balance performance with the addition of balance-specific training.

Work-Life Balance and Work Satisfaction in Workplace

OpenAIRE

Soo, Chin Hock

2014-01-01

This study aims to investigate whether the workplace environment in an ICT organizations are conducive for the employees to use work-life balance and secondary investigation will involving whether the ability to have work-life balance will increase the happiness and this job satisfaction and leads to higher productivity. A questionnaire which consisted of all the work-life balance activities in the ICT organization were sent out and a total of 94 respondents whom worked in ICT organizations h...

Postural balance in low back pain patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Maribo, Thomas; Stengaard-Pedersen, Kristian; Jensen, Lone Donbæk

2011-01-01

Low back pain (LBP) patients have poorer postural control compared to healthy controls, and the importance of assessing and addressing balance is a matter of debate. In the clinic, balance is often tested by means of the one leg stand test (OLST) while research often employs center of pressure (Co......P) on a force platform. Portable force platforms might be of clinical relevance, but their reliability for LBP patients in a clinical setting has not been demonstrated. As LBP patients are more dependent on vision compared to healthy controls, the ratio of tests performed with eyes open and eyes closed (Romberg...... Ratio) might be of clinical interest. This study aimed to assess postural balance in LBP patients by analyzing intra-session reliability of CoP parameters on a portable force platform, the Romberg Ratio, and the OLST. Furthermore, we aimed to determine whether CoP parameters and OLST measure identical...

Mass balance of the Amitsulôq ice cap, West Greenland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahlstrøm, Andreas P.; Bøggild, Carl Egede; Olesen, Ole B.

2007-01-01

We present detailed mass balance measurements from the Amitsulôq ice cap in West Greenland spanning from 1982 to 1990. The data includes summer and winter balances from 26 stake locations distributed over five transects covering the whole ice cap. The mass balance measurements are combined...... with a recent satellite-derived digital elevation model to calculate the specific balance, which is in turn compared to discharge data from the adjacent Tasersiaq basin. The correlation between specific summer balance and discharge is R2 = 0.93 indicating that the basin discharge is dominated by glacial...... meltwater, linking the hydropower potential of the basin closely to the fate of the adjoining Greenland ice-sheet margin....

Management of the water balance and quality in mining areas

Science.gov (United States)

Pasanen, Antti; Krogerus, Kirsti; Mroueh, Ulla-Maija; Turunen, Kaisa; Backnäs, Soile; Vento, Tiia; Veijalainen, Noora; Hentinen, Kimmo; Korkealaakso, Juhani

2015-04-01

Although mining companies have long been conscious of water related risks they still face environmental management problems. These problems mainly emerge because mine sites' water balances have not been adequately assessed in the stage of the planning of mines. More consistent approach is required to help mining companies identify risks and opportunities related to the management of water resources in all stages of mining. This approach requires that the water cycle of a mine site is interconnected with the general hydrologic water cycle. In addition to knowledge on hydrological conditions, the control of the water balance in the mining processes require knowledge of mining processes, the ability to adjust process parameters to variable hydrological conditions, adaptation of suitable water management tools and systems, systematic monitoring of amounts and quality of water, adequate capacity in water management infrastructure to handle the variable water flows, best practices to assess the dispersion, mixing and dilution of mine water and pollutant loading to receiving water bodies, and dewatering and separation of water from tailing and precipitates. WaterSmart project aims to improve the awareness of actual quantities of water, and water balances in mine areas to improve the forecasting and the management of the water volumes. The study is executed through hydrogeological and hydrological surveys and online monitoring procedures. One of the aims is to exploit on-line water quantity and quality monitoring for the better management of the water balances. The target is to develop a practical and end-user-specific on-line input and output procedures. The second objective is to develop mathematical models to calculate combined water balances including the surface, ground and process waters. WSFS, the Hydrological Modeling and Forecasting System of SYKE is being modified for mining areas. New modelling tools are developed on spreadsheet and system dynamics platforms to

Development of a balance, safe mobility and falls management programme for people with multiple sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Gunn, Hilary; Endacott, Ruth; Haas, Bernhard; Marsden, Jonathan; Freeman, Jennifer

2017-08-07

To utilise stakeholder input to inform the structure, format and approach of a multiple sclerosis (MS) balance, safe mobility and falls management programme. Using a three-round nominal group technique, participants individually rated their agreement with 20 trigger statements, followed by a facilitated group discussion and re-rating. Three mixed groups included service users (n = 15) and providers (n = 19). Quantitative analysis determined agreement, whilst qualitative responses were analysed thematically. Median scores for each of the 20 trigger statements did not change significantly over sequential rounds, however, deviations around the medians indicated more agreement amongst participants over time. Key recommendations were: Aims and approach: The programme should be tailored to the needs of people with MS. Falls and participation-based outcomes are equally important. Structure and format: The programme should balance expected burden and anticipated benefit, moving away from models requiring weekly attendance and promoting and supporting self-efficacy. Optimising engagement: Support to maintain engagement and intensity of practice over the long term is essential. Sustainability: Adequate funding is necessary. Staff should have MS specific knowledge and experience. Participants collaboratively identified critical components of a MS balance, safe mobility and falls management programme. They also highlighted the importance of a collaborative, user-centred, MS-specific approach. Implications for Rehabilitation People with multiple sclerosis need condition-specific interventions focussed on maximising balance and safe mobility and reducing falls. Programme design should support self-efficacy and flexible engagement. Adequate support and funding are seen as essential by both service users and providers.

Sustainability with an Ethical Aim: Lessons from an American Nun in Amazonia

Science.gov (United States)

Demaree, Stephanie

2012-01-01

Research Topic: An exploration into human imagination, ethical aim and action are the progenitors for reconciliation between humans and their environment. This study of two successful projects in Brazil provides an example of working toward a balance between human endeavors and sustainable environments. This inquiry is an exploration that…

The complexity of role balance: support for the Model of Juggling Occupations.

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Kiah L; Millsteed, Jeannine; Richmond, Janet E; Falkmer, Marita; Falkmer, Torbjorn; Girdler, Sonya J

2014-09-01

This pilot study aimed to establish the appropriateness of the Model of Juggling Occupations in exploring the complex experience of role balance amongst working women with family responsibilities living in Perth, Australia. In meeting this aim, an evaluation was conducted of a case study design, where data were collected through a questionnaire, time diary, and interview. Overall role balance varied over time and across participants. Positive indicators of role balance occurred frequently in the questionnaires and time diaries, despite the interviews revealing a predominance of negative evaluations of role balance. Between-role balance was achieved through compatible role overlap, buffering, and renewal. An exploration of within-role balance factors demonstrated that occupational participation, values, interests, personal causation, and habits were related to role balance. This pilot study concluded that the Model of Juggling Occupations is an appropriate conceptual framework to explore the complex and dynamic experience of role balance amongst working women with family responsibilities. It was also confirmed that the case study design, including the questionnaire, time diary, and interview methods, is suitable for researching role balance from this perspective.

Effect of Somatosensory Impairments on Balance Control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alireza Hassanpour

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Background and Aim: The somatosensory system is one of the most effective systems in balance control. It consists of peripheral and central components. Knowing the role of these components in balance control assists the developing of effective rehabilitation protocols. In some diseases peripheral components and in others central components are impaired. This paper reviews the effect of impairment of peripheral and central components of the somatosensory system on balance control.Methods: In this study publication about somatosensory impairments from 1983 through 2011 in PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, Google Scholar, Iran Medex, Iran Doc and Magiran were reviewed. Medical subject headings terms and keywords related to balance, somatosensory, somatosensory loss, and sensory integration/processing were used to perform the searches.Conclusion: Somatosensory impairments either with peripheral or central origin, can cause problems in balance control. However, these problems are not considered in some patients. In these impairments, balance training is recommended to be used alongside other routine treatments in the patients' rehabilitation programs.

Does an exercise programme integrating the Nintendo Wii-Fit Balance Board improve balance in ambulatory children with cerebral palsy?

OpenAIRE

Cooper, T.; Williams, Jonathan M.

2017-01-01

Background: Cerebral palsy is a common childhood movement disorder with balance impairment a common complaint. Active video games such as the Nintendo Wii-Fit have been found to be a valuable therapeutic tool, enjoyed by a variety of populations including children with CP, but a synthesis of the research investigating its specific use for balance in children with CP has yet to be conducted.\\ud \\ud Objectives: To determine the effectiveness of a Nintendo Wii-Fit Balance board programme in impr...

Balance perturbation system to improve balance compensatory responses during walking in old persons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Melzer Itshak

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Ageing commonly disrupts the balance control and compensatory postural responses that contribute to maintaining balance and preventing falls during perturbation of posture. This can lead to increased risk of falling in old adults (65 years old and over. Therefore, improving compensatory postural responses during walking is one of the goals in fall prevention programs. Training is often used to achieve this goal. Most fall prevention programs are usually directed towards improving voluntary postural control. Since compensatory postural responses triggered by a slip or a trip are not under direct volitional control these exercises are less expected to improve compensatory postural responses due to lack of training specificity. Thus, there is a need to investigate the use balance perturbations during walking to train more effectively compensatory postural reactions during walking. This paper describes the Balance Measure & Perturbation System (BaMPer System a system that provides small, controlled and unpredictable perturbations during treadmill walking providing valuable perturbation, which allows training compensatory postural responses during walking which thus hypothesize to improve compensatory postural responses in older adults.

The energy cost for balance control during upright standing

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Houdijk, J.H.P.; Fickert, R.; van Velzen, J.; van Bennekom, C.A.M.

2009-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate whether balance control during a static upright standing task with and without balance perturbations elicits a significant and meaningful metabolic energy demand and to test whether this energy demand correlates with conventional posturography measures for

Improved Balance Confidence and Stability for Elderly After 6 Weeks of a Multimodal Self-Administered Balance-Enhancing Exercise Program

Science.gov (United States)

Hafström, Anna; Malmström, Eva-Maj; Terdèn, Josefine; Fransson, Per-Anders; Magnusson, Måns

2016-01-01

Objective: To develop and assess the efficacy of a multimodal balance-enhancing exercise program (BEEP) designed to be regularly self-administered by community-dwelling elderly. The program aims to promote sensory reweighting, facilitate motor control, improve gaze stabilization, and stimulate continuous improvement by being constantly challenging. Method: Forty participants aged 60 to 80 years performed 6 weeks of BEEP training, on average for 16 min four times weekly, in a randomized one-arm crossover design. Results: One-leg standing time improved 32% with eyes open (EO), 206% with eyes closed (EC) on solid surface, and 54% EO on compliant surface (p balance improvements when perturbed on solid and compliant surfaces with EO and EC (p ≤ .033). Walking, step stool, and Timed Up and Go speeds increased (p ≤ .001), as did scores in Berg Balance and balance confidence scales (p ≤ .018). Discussion: Multimodal balance exercises offer an efficient, cost-effective way to improve balance control and confidence in elderly. PMID:28138495

The effect of a supervised community-based exercise program on balance, balance confidence, and gait in individuals with lower limb amputation.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Carol A; Williams, Jennifer E; Durham, Katey L; Hom, Selena C; Smith, Julie L

2017-10-01

Many individuals with lower limb loss report concern with walking ability after completing structured traditional rehabilitation. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of a supervised community-based exercise program on balance, balance confidence, and gait in individuals with lower limb amputation. Repeated measures. The supervised exercise program was offered biweekly for 6 weeks. The GAITRite System by CIR Systems, Inc., the Figure-of-8 Walk Test, and Activity-specific Balance Confidence Scale were used to measure clinical outcomes pre- and post-intervention. In total, 16 participants with lower limb amputation (mean age: 50.8 years) completed the study. A multivariate, repeated measures analysis of variance indicated a statistically significant effect of training across six clinical outcome measures ( F(6, 10) = 4.514, p = .018). Moderate effect sizes were found for the Figure-of-8 Walk Test ( η 2 = .586), Activity-specific Balance Confidence Scale ( η 2 = .504), and gait velocity at comfortable walking speed ( η 2 = .574). The average increase in gait speed was clinically meaningful at .14 m/s. The supervised community-based exercise program implemented in this study was designed to address specific functional needs for individuals with lower limb loss. Each participant experienced clinically meaningful improvements in balance, balance confidence, and walking ability. Clinical relevance The provision of a supervised community-based exercise program, after traditional rehabilitation, provides opportunity to offer a continuum of care that may enhance prosthetic functional ability and active participation in the community for individuals with lower limb amputation.

Time-of-day influences postural balance in older adults

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jorgensen, M G; Rathleff, Michael Skovdal; Laessoe, U

2012-01-01

Postural balance assessments are performed in both clinical and basic research settings on a daily basis. During a 24-h time span our physiology and physical performance undergo radical changes as we are influenced by the circadian rhythm. The time-of-day interaction on postural balance is unknow...... in older adults. The aim of this study was to investigate the time-of-day effect on postural balance in older adults....

Information system quality in work-life balance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sharmini Gopinathan

2016-06-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to look for the role information systems quality may play in work-life balance among Malaysian ICT employees. The results of this study will be useful in the development of new tools and technologies that are focused on ISQ dimensions primarily information system quality which can be helpful to devise suggestions to the ICT sector on matters pertaining to sustainable development/policy formulation with reference to achieving a good work-life balance. A total of 79 respondents’ views were analyzed using Partial Least Square (PLS to obtain the final results. The results showed that information quality and system quality has strong effect on work-life balance as compared to service quality which showed no relation to work-life balance.

Evaluating Work-Life Balance in the Department of Defense

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-18

Evaluating Work - Life Balance in the Department of Defense Erin A. Moeser Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute (DEOMI) Kizzy M. Parks...for service members’ family lives may increase satisfaction with work - life balance . Examples of family-friendly organizational policies include...1,500 active duty military personnel were surveyed on the value of work / life balance initiates. More specifically, this study assessed respondents

Prediction of Balance Compensation After Vestibular Schwannoma Surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Parietti-Winkler, Cécile; Lion, Alexis; Frère, Julien; Perrin, Philippe P; Beurton, Renaud; Gauchard, Gérome C

2016-06-01

Background Balance compensation after vestibular schwannoma (VS) surgery is under the influence of specific preoperative patient and tumor characteristics. Objective To prospectively identify potential prognostic factors for balance recovery, we compared the respective influence of these preoperative characteristics on balance compensation after VS surgery. Methods In 50 patients scheduled for VS surgical ablation, we measured postural control before surgery (BS), 8 (AS8) days after, and 90 (AS90) days after surgery. Based on factors found previously in the literature, we evaluated age, body mass index and preoperative physical activity (PA), tumor grade, vestibular status, and preference for visual cues to control balance as potential prognostic factors using stepwise multiple regression models. Results An asymmetric vestibular function was the sole significant explanatory factor for impaired balance performance BS, whereas the preoperative PA alone significantly contributed to higher performance at AS8. An evaluation of patients' balance recovery over time showed that PA and vestibular status were the 2 significant predictive factors for short-term postural compensation (BS to AS8), whereas none of these preoperative factors was significantly predictive for medium-term postoperative postural recovery (AS8 to AS90). Conclusions We identified specific preoperative patient and vestibular function characteristics that may predict postoperative balance recovery after VS surgery. Better preoperative characterization of these factors in each patient could inform more personalized presurgical and postsurgical management, leading to a better, more rapid balance recovery, earlier return to normal daily activities and work, improved quality of life, and reduced medical and societal costs. © The Author(s) 2015.

Effects of aquatic balance training and detraining on neuromuscular performance and balance in healthy middle aged male

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Abbasi

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Since disorders in neuromuscular performance and imbalance are the main cause of fallingamong the middle aged, their aspects including rehabilitation of balance are the main concern theresearchers attend to them. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of eight weeks aquaticbalance training (ABT and detraining on neuromuscular performance and balance in healthy middle agedmale.Materials and Methods: Thirty adult male subjects were randomized into two groups of ABT and control(n=15 per group. Berg balance scale, Timed Up and Go and 5-Chair stand tests, as they are indicators ofbalance and neuromuscular performance in older subjects, were taken as pretest and post-test and after four,six, and eight weeks of detraining as well. The ABT consisted of the sessions that lasted one hour, threetimes a week, for eight weeks.Results: Results showed that neuromuscular performance and balance improved significantly in ABTgroup (P 0.05.Conclusion: ABT can affect neuromuscular performance and balance in healthy middle aged male, andreduce the probability of falling among them. Moreover, the effects of these training are persistent afterdetraining periods. Hence, ABT can be recommended as an effective neuromuscular and balance training inhealthy middle aged male

SENSITIVITY AND SPECIFICITY OF INDIVIDUAL BERG BALANCE ITEMS COMPARED WITH THE TOTAL SCORE TO PREDICT FALLS IN COMMUNITY DWELLING ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hazel Denzil Dias

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Falls are a major problem in the elderly leading to increased morbidity and mortality in this population. Scores from objective clinical measures of balance have frequently been associated with falls in older adults. The Berg Balance Score (BBS which is a frequently used scale to test balance impairments in the elderly ,takes time to perform and has been found to have scoring inconsistencies. The purpose was to determine if individual items or a group of BBS items would have better accuracy than the total BBS in classifying community dwelling elderly individuals according to fall history. Method: 60 community dwelling elderly individuals were chosen based on a history of falls in this cross sectional study. Each BBS item was dichotomized at three points along the scoring scale of 0 – 4: between scores of 1 and 2, 2 and 3, and 3 and 4. Sensitivity (Sn, specificity (Sp, and positive (+LR and negative (-LR likelihood ratios were calculated for all items for each scoring dichotomy based on their accuracy in classifying subjects with a history of multiple falls. These findings were compared with the total BBS score where the cut-off score was derived from receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Results: On analysing a combination of BBS items, B9 and B11 were found to have the best sensitivity and specificity when considered together. However the area under the curve of these items was 0.799 which did not match that of the total score (AUC= 0.837. A, combination of 4 BBS items - B9 B11 B12 and B13 also had good Sn and Sp but the AUC was 0.815. The combination with the AUC closest to that of the total score was a combination items B11 and B13. (AUC= 0.824. hence these two items can be used as the best predictor of falls with a cut off of 6.5 The ROC curve of the Total Berg balance Scale scores revealed a cut off score of 48.5. Conclusion: This study showed that combination of items B11 and B13 may be best predictors of falls in

SENSITIVITY AND SPECIFICITY OF INDIVIDUAL BERG BALANCE ITEMS COMPARED WITH THE TOTAL SCORE TO PREDICT FALLS IN COMMUNITY DWELLING ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hazel Denzil Dias

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Background: Falls are a major problem in the elderly leading to increased morbidity and mortality in this population. Scores from objective clinical measures of balance have frequently been associated with falls in older adults. The Berg Balance Score (BBS which is a frequently used scale to test balance impairments in the elderly ,takes time to perform and has been found to have scoring inconsistencies. The purpose was to determine if individual items or a group of BBS items would have better accuracy than the total BBS in classifying community dwelling elderly individuals according to fall history. Method: 60 community dwelling elderly individuals were chosen based on a history of falls in this cross sectional study. Each BBS item was dichotomized at three points along the scoring scale of 0 – 4: between scores of 1 and 2, 2 and 3, and 3 and 4. Sensitivity (Sn, specificity (Sp, and positive (+LR and negative (-LR likelihood ratios were calculated for all items for each scoring dichotomy based on their accuracy in classifying subjects with a history of multiple falls. These findings were compared with the total BBS score where the cut-off score was derived from receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Results: On analysing a combination of BBS items, B9 and B11 were found to have the best sensitivity and specificity when considered together. However the area under the curve of these items was 0.799 which did not match that of the total score (AUC= 0.837. A, combination of 4 BBS items - B9 B11 B12 and B13 also had good Sn and Sp but the AUC was 0.815. The combination with the AUC closest to that of the total score was a combination items B11 and B13. (AUC= 0.824. hence these two items can be used as the best predictor of falls with a cut off of 6.5 The ROC curve of the Total Berg balance Scale scores revealed a cut off score of 48.5. Conclusion: This study showed that combination of items B11 and B13 may be best predictors of falls in

Video and computer-based interactive exercises are safe and improve task-specific balance in geriatric and neurological rehabilitation: a randomised trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maayken van den Berg

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Question: Does adding video/computer-based interactive exercises to inpatient geriatric and neurological rehabilitation improve mobility outcomes? Is it feasible and safe? Design: Randomised trial. Participants: Fifty-eight rehabilitation inpatients. Intervention: Physiotherapist-prescribed, tailored, video/computer-based interactive exercises for 1 hour on weekdays, mainly involving stepping and weight-shifting exercises. Outcome measures: The primary outcome was the Short Physical Performance Battery (0 to 3 at 2 weeks. Secondary outcomes were: Maximal Balance Range (mm; Step Test (step count; Rivermead Mobility Index (0 to 15; activity levels; Activity Measure for Post Acute Care Basic Mobility (18 to 72 and Daily Activity (15 to 60; Falls Efficacy Scale (10 to 40, ED5D utility score (0 to 1; Reintegration to Normal Living Index (0 to 100; System Usability Scale (0 to 100 and Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (0 to 126. Safety was determined from adverse events during intervention. Results: At 2 weeks the between-group difference in the primary outcome (0.1, 95% CI –0.2 to 0.3 was not statistically significant. The intervention group performed significantly better than usual care for Maximal Balance Range (38 mm difference after baseline adjustment, 95% CI 6 to 69. Other secondary outcomes were not statistically significant. Fifty-eight (55% of the eligible patients agreed to participate, 25/29 (86% completed the intervention and 10 (39% attended > 70% of sessions, with a mean of 5.6 sessions (SD 3.3 attended and overall average duration of 4.5 hours (SD 3.1. Average scores were 62 (SD 21 for the System Usability Scale and 62 (SD 8 for the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale. There were no adverse events. Conclusion: The addition of video/computer-based interactive exercises to usual rehabilitation is a safe and feasible way to increase exercise dose, but is not suitable for all. Adding the exercises to usual rehabilitation resulted in task-specific

Complementing approaches to demonstrate chlorinated solvent biodegradation in a complex pollution plume: mass balance, PCR and compound-specific stable isotope analysis.

OpenAIRE

Courbet Christelle; Rivière Agnès; Jeannottat Simon; Rinaldi Sandro; Hunkeler Daniel; Bendjoudi Hocine; De Marsily Ghislain

2011-01-01

This work describes the use of different complementing methods (mass balance polymerase chain reaction assays and compound specific stable isotope analysis) to demonstrate the existence and effectiveness of biodegradation of chlorinated solvents in an alluvial aquifer. The solvent contaminated site is an old chemical factory located in an alluvial plain in France. As most of the chlorinated contaminants currently found in the groundwater at this site were produced by local industries at vario...

Postural Balance in Women with Osteoporosis and Effective Factors

OpenAIRE

Duygu Ünlüsoy; Ece Aydoğ; İhsan Ünlüsoy

2011-01-01

Introduction: The most common cause of mortality and morbidity among osteoporotic individuals is bone fracture which in many cases is a direct result of falls. Individual factors contributing to the risk of fall are poor postural balance and lack of muscle strength. Our aims were to assess postural dynamic balance in osteoporotic women and to describe the effective factors on the balance performance. Methods: Twenty osteoporotic women with kyphosis, 50 osteoporotic women without kyph...

WORK / LIFE BALANCE REFLECTIONS ON EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION

OpenAIRE

Selvarani; Kamalanabhan; Sakthivel Rani

2011-01-01

The aim of this research is to analyze the relationship between employee satisfaction andwork/life balance. The construct used for this research consists of career opportunity, recognition,work tasks, payments, benefits, superior subordinate relationship, employee satisfaction, andwork/life balance. The study was conducted on a total of 210 respondents working in IT organization.This study makes a contribution to join two distinct research streams, namely employee satisfaction,and work/life b...

Antecedents and consequences of work-life balance: an exploration of the Malaysian workforce

OpenAIRE

Au, Wee Chan

2017-01-01

Work-life balance is an issue of increasing importance to organizations in their attempt to build sustainable competitive advantage through effective management and leverage of human capital. As Malaysia progresses along its path of economic transformation, the issue of work-life balance is becoming highly critical in its aim of becoming a developed economy. This study aims to explore the antecedents and consequences of work-life balance among the Malaysian workforce. Two opposing theori...

Balanced Scorecard--A Strategic Management System of the Higher Education Institution

Science.gov (United States)

Hladchenko, Myroslava

2015-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to focus on the comparative analysis of the Balanced Scorecards of four higher education institutions and aims to define the general framework of the Balanced Scorecard for the higher education institution which concerns: the structure and elements of the Balanced Scorecard; development of the Balanced…

Balance (perceived and actual) and preferred stance width during pregnancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, John; Hsiao, Katherine T; Hsiao-Wecksler, Elizabeth T

2008-05-01

Pregnant women often remark that their balance degrades during pregnancy; however, it appears that no studies have documented the gravida's perception of her balance nor measured direction-specific changes in balance throughout pregnancy or after delivery. Thirty women, fifteen pregnant and fifteen non-pregnant controls, were tested monthly and through 6-month postpartum. For each session, perceived degradation in sense of balance, laboratory-based balance measures, stance width, and the number of falls since the previous session were recorded. Laboratory-based balance measures, quantified by direction-specific measures of postural sway, were computed from ten 30s quiet-standing trials on a stationary force platform. Repeated-measures analysis of variance, paired t-tests, and Pearson correlations were use to examine group and time effects. For the pregnant group, perceived balance degradation and stance width were highly correlated (r = 0.94). Both increased during pregnancy (P r > 0.72) and also decreased significantly between the third trimester and postpartum (P pregnancy, but increased after delivery. Contrary to recent work suggesting fall rates of 25%, only 13% of our subjects (n = 2) fell during pregnancy. Perceived degradation in balance during pregnancy was strongly related to increasing postural sway instability in the anterior-posterior direction. Lateral stability was maintained during pregnancy and likely accomplished by increasing stance width.

The Association of Flexibility, Balance, and Lumbar Strength with Balance Ability: Risk of Falls in Older Adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emilio J. Martínez-López Emilio

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of a proprioceptive training program on older adults, as well as to analyze the association between flexibility, balance and lumbar strength (physical fitness test with balance ability and fall risk (functional balance tests. This study was a controlled, longitudinal trial with a 12-week follow-up period. Subjects from a population of older adults were allocated to the intervention group (n = 28 or to the usual care (control group (n = 26. Subjects performed proprioceptive training twice weekly (6 specific exercises with Swiss ball and BOSU. Each session included 50 minutes (10 minutes of warm-up with slow walk, 10 minutes of mobility and stretching exercises, 30 minutes of proprioceptive exercises. The outcome variables were physical fitness (lower-body flexibility, hip-joint mobility, dynamic balance, static balance, and lumbar strength and functional balance (Berg scale and Tinetti test. The experimental group obtained significantly higher values than the control group in lower-body flexibility, dynamic balance, and lumbar strength (p = 0.019, p < 0.001, and p = 0.034 respectively. Hip-joint mobility, dynamic balance, and lumbar strength were positively associated with balance ability (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, and p = 0.014, respectively and the prevention of falls (p = 0.001, p < 0.001, and p = 0.017 respectively. These findings suggest that a 12-week proprioception program intervention (twice a week significantly improves flexibility, balance, and lumbar strength in older adults. Hip-joint mobility, dynamic balance and lumbar strength are positively associated to balance ability and the risk of falls in older adults. This proprioceptive training does not show a significant improvement in hip-joint mobility or static balance.

Dairy Proteins and Energy Balance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bendtsen, Line Quist

High protein diets affect energy balance beneficially through decreased hunger, enhanced satiety and increased energy expenditure. Dairy products are a major source of protein. Dairy proteins are comprised of two classes, casein (80%) and whey proteins (20%), which are both of high quality......, but casein is absorbed slowly and whey is absorbed rapidly. The present PhD study investigated the effects of total dairy proteins, whey, and casein, on energy balance and the mechanisms behind any differences in the effects of the specific proteins. The results do not support the hypothesis that dairy...... proteins, whey or casein are more beneficial than other protein sources in the regulation of energy balance, and suggest that dairy proteins, whey or casein seem to play only a minor role, if any, in the prevention and treatment of obesity....

Load Balancing in Hypergraphs

Science.gov (United States)

Delgosha, Payam; Anantharam, Venkat

2018-03-01

Consider a simple locally finite hypergraph on a countable vertex set, where each edge represents one unit of load which should be distributed among the vertices defining the edge. An allocation of load is called balanced if load cannot be moved from a vertex to another that is carrying less load. We analyze the properties of balanced allocations of load. We extend the concept of balancedness from finite hypergraphs to their local weak limits in the sense of Benjamini and Schramm (Electron J Probab 6(23):13, 2001) and Aldous and Steele (in: Probability on discrete structures. Springer, Berlin, pp 1-72, 2004). To do this, we define a notion of unimodularity for hypergraphs which could be considered an extension of unimodularity in graphs. We give a variational formula for the balanced load distribution and, in particular, we characterize it in the special case of unimodular hypergraph Galton-Watson processes. Moreover, we prove the convergence of the maximum load under some conditions. Our work is an extension to hypergraphs of Anantharam and Salez (Ann Appl Probab 26(1):305-327, 2016), which considered load balancing in graphs, and is aimed at more comprehensively resolving conjectures of Hajek (IEEE Trans Inf Theory 36(6):1398-1414, 1990).

Improved Balance Confidence and Stability for Elderly After 6 Weeks of a Multimodal Self-Administered Balance-Enhancing Exercise Program

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Hafström MD, PhD

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Objective: To develop and assess the efficacy of a multimodal balance-enhancing exercise program (BEEP designed to be regularly self-administered by community-dwelling elderly. The program aims to promote sensory reweighting, facilitate motor control, improve gaze stabilization, and stimulate continuous improvement by being constantly challenging. Method: Forty participants aged 60 to 80 years performed 6 weeks of BEEP training, on average for 16 min four times weekly, in a randomized one-arm crossover design. Results: One-leg standing time improved 32% with eyes open (EO, 206% with eyes closed (EC on solid surface, and 54% EO on compliant surface ( p < .001. Posturography confirmed balance improvements when perturbed on solid and compliant surfaces with EO and EC ( p  ≤ .033. Walking, step stool, and Timed Up and Go speeds increased ( p  ≤ .001, as did scores in Berg Balance and balance confidence scales ( p  ≤ .018. Discussion: Multimodal balance exercises offer an efficient, cost-effective way to improve balance control and confidence in elderly.

Alignment of the NPL Mark II watt balance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robinson, I A

2012-01-01

To reach uncertainties in the region of 1 part in 10 8 a moving-coil watt balance not only requires the accurate measurement of voltage, resistance, velocity, mass and the acceleration due to gravity but, in addition, requires the apparatus to be adjusted correctly to minimize the second order effects which can reduce the accuracy of the measurement. This paper collects together the alignment and correction techniques that have been developed at NPL over many years and are required to minimize the uncertainty of the measurement. Some of these techniques are applicable to all watt balances, whilst a few are specific to watt balances that employ a conventional beam balance to support a circular coil in a radial magnetic field, such as the NPL Mark II watt balance, now known as the NRC watt balance. (paper)

INTRA-RATER RELIABILITY OF WII BALANCE BOARD (WBB IN ASSESSING STANDING BALANCE IN OLDER ADULTS

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Shilpa Dugani Burji

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Background: WII Balance Board (WBB being one of the latest, advanced technologies of high sensitivity in monitoring change in balance over time and owing to, ease of use, and portability, it is being used in physical therapy clinics as a popular substitute for the expensive and complicated force plates to improve dynamic strength and balance. Despite its growing popularity, the WBB’s reliability as an intervention and assessment tool for balance is still being investigated. So this study aims in finding the accuracy of WBB. The objectives of the study are to find the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient and Standard Error Measurement on both day 1 and day 2 with eyes closed and eyes open in older adults. Method: 30 subjects over the age of 65 years were assessed for balance using WBB. Subjects were measured in double limb stance with eyes open and closed with feet comfortably distant apart on the board. The same procedure was repeated after 24 hours. Results: The study showed to be statistically significant for eyes open on day 1 and day 2, but was not statistically significant for eyes closed on day 1 and day 2. Conclusion: The study suggested that the WBB was reliable for eyes open and not reliable with eyes closed.

Managing work-life balance of working mothers

OpenAIRE

2014-01-01

M.Comm. (Business Management) Changes in the corporate landscape and an increase in female participation rates in corporate workforces necessitate a better understanding of female career paths and how organisations can accommodate them better. The purpose of this study is to identify the most appropriate work-life balance benefits organisations can offer to female employees to assist them in achieving greater work-life balance. The study further aims to identify learning and development op...

Multi-TSO cross border balancing mechanism

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Llorens, Maria Luisa; Moreno, Laura; Fuente, Jose Ignacio de la; Junco, Paula; Arenillas, Jorge [Red Electrica de Espana (REE) S.A.U., Madrid (Spain). Operation Markets Dept.; Pereira, Pedro [REN - Servicos, S.A., Lisbon (Portugal). Gabinete Mercado e Liquidacoes; Chabanne, Colas [RTE Reseau de Transport d' Electricite, Paris (France). Markets Dept.; Apoyan, Lalake; Barbieri, Galileo [RTE Reseau de Transport d' Electricite, Paris (France). Cross-Border Market Design

2012-07-01

The balancing market integration has been highlighted as a necessary step to reach the European Union goal for the development of an effective, competitive single market for electricity across Europe. In this paper it is described the work done by RTE, REE and REN regarding the design of a non-discriminatory, efficient and reliable multi-TSO Cross Border Balancing Mechanism at regional level, extendible to other control areas. The implementation of this multi-TSO Cross Border Balancing Mechanism will aim at increasing the operational security, enhancing the Liquidity and Competition of balancing markets, facilitating the integration of energy produced by Renewable Energy Sources while optimizing the use of Interconnection capacities. With this mechanism, the three TSOs will be able to exchange to each other balancing energy through the available interconnection capacities after the last intraday market sessions. This mechanism will be based on a common IT platform where TSOs will share their available surplus of reserves and communicate their balancing needs. The available interconnection capacities will be taken into account in an automatic and centralized way. Two main options are investigated regarding the allocation method: on the one hand, the first come first served approach (FCFS), on the other hand, the ''social welfare'' optimization approach. (orig.)

BALANCE

Science.gov (United States)

Carmichael, H.

1953-01-01

A torsional-type analytical balance designed to arrive at its equilibrium point more quickly than previous balances is described. In order to prevent external heat sources creating air currents inside the balance casing that would reiard the attainment of equilibrium conditions, a relatively thick casing shaped as an inverted U is placed over the load support arms and the balance beam. This casing is of a metal of good thernnal conductivity characteristics, such as copper or aluminum, in order that heat applied to one portion of the balance is quickly conducted to all other sensitive areas, thus effectively preventing the fornnation of air currents caused by unequal heating of the balance.

Evaluation and physiotherapeutic intervention in older with deficit balance through the Scale of Berg and Wii Balance Board platform

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juliana Secchi Batista

Full Text Available Introduction The aging process causes structural and functional changes in the organism. Among these changes, the systems responsible for controlling the balance are also affected, especially in women. This study aims to perform an assessment and physiotherapy intervention in elderly with balance deficits through Berg scale and platform Wii Balance Board. Materials and methods The study was longitudinal quasi-experimental intervention. Held in the city of Passo Fundo, RS - Brazil. Participants were 38 elderly women who had a deficit balance. The instruments used to collect data was a questionnaire to identify, assess balance across the Berg Balance Scale and an intervention program with six games via the Wii Balance Board™ platform. To statistically analyze the effects before and after the intervention were used Wilcoxon and Pearson correlation, with a significance level of p = 0.05. Results In the present study, we observed a statistically significant improvement in the balance of elderly compared before and after intervention, moreover, the six games played also showed statistical significance when comparing the first and twentieth session, highlighting the games Tightrope Walk Table Tilt, Deep Breathing and Soccer Heading. Conclusion The evaluation and balance training with the platform Wii Balance Board were able to provide significant results for the elderly, besides, the game has the potential to treat the health, well-being and functional capacity of older people through the visual representation the game in real time.

Comparison of dynamic balance in collegiate field hockey and football players using star excursion balance test.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhat, Rashi; Moiz, Jamal Ali

2013-09-01

The preliminary study aimed to compare dynamic balance between collegiate athletes competing or training in football and hockey using star excursion balance test. A total thirty university level players, football (n = 15) and field hockey (n = 15) were participated in the study. Dynamic balance was assessed by using star excursion balance test. The testing grid consists of 8 lines each 120 cm in length extending from a common point at 45° increments. The subjects were instructed to maintain a stable single leg stance with the test leg with shoes off and to reach for maximal distance with the other leg in each of the 8 directions. A pencil was used to point and read the distance to which each subject's foot reached. The normalized leg reach distances in each direction were summed for both limbs and the total sum of the mean of summed normalized distances of both limbs were calculated. There was no significant difference in all the directions of star excursion balance test scores in both the groups. Additionally, composite reach distances of both groups also found non-significant (P=0.5). However, the posterior (P=0.05) and lateral (P=0.03) normalized reach distances were significantly more in field hockey players. Field hockey players and football players did not differ in terms of dynamic balance.

Virtual reality balance training for elderly : Similar skiing games elicit different challenges in balance training

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Vries, Aijse W.; Faber, Gert; Jonkers, Ilse; Van Dieen, Jaap H.; Verschueren, Sabine M.P.

2018-01-01

Background Virtual Reality (VR) balance training may have advantages over regular exercise training in older adults. However, results so far are conflicting potentially due to the lack of challenge imposed by the movements in those games. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess to which

Using balance training to improve the performance of youth basketball players

OpenAIRE

Boccolini, Gabriele; Brazzit, Alessandro; Bonfanti, Luca; Alberti, Giampietro

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of 12?weeks of balance training to improve the balance and vertical jump abilities of young basketball players. Twenty-three players from two teams in the Under Fifteen Basketball Excellence category participated in the study. Participants were divided into two training groups: balance training (BAL, n?=?11) and isotonic training (ISO, n?=?12). Both groups were tested for balance and vertical jumps at the beginning of the competitive sea...

Balancing research and organizational capacity building in front-end project design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjortsø, Carsten Nico Portefée; Meilby, Henrik

2013-01-01

is more complex. We identify 11 specific factors influencing front-end project management related to structure, process and relationship, and we theorize about how these factors influence the choice between research and more general capacity development activities. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd......, but in order for partnerships to comply with general governance-level recommendations, a better understanding is needed of how specific context-dependent factors influence the development and execution of projects. In this article, we aim to contribute to the understanding of factors influencing the design...... phase of RCB partnerships and examine how they influence the balance between performing collaborative research and developing general organizational capacity. Data collection was based on a survey (n = 25), and individual interviews and focus group discussions with 17 Danish project managers from...

Balance ability measured with the Berg balance scale: a determinant of fall history in community-dwelling adults with leg amputation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Christopher Kevin; Chen, Christine C; Blackwell, Wren M; Rahal, Rana T; Benoy, Stephany A

2015-01-01

Falls are common among adults with leg amputations and associated with balance confidence. But subjective confidence is not equivalent with physical ability. This multivariate analyses of community-dwelling adults with leg amputations examined relationships among individual characteristics, falls, balance ability and balance confidence. Cross-sectional study. Community-dwelling adults with leg amputations recruited from a support group and prosthetic clinic. Subjects provided self-reported medical/fall history, prosthetic functional use, and Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) questionnaire data. Balance ability was assessed with the Berg Balance Scale (BBS). Fall incidence was categorized as any fall (one or more) and recurrent falls (more than one). Multivariate logistic regression analyzed relationships within the two fall categories. Cross tabulations and ANOVA analyzed differences among subcategories. Fifty-four subjects (mean age 56.8) with various etiologies, amputation levels, and balance abilities participated. 53.7% had any fall; 25.9% had recurrent falls. Models for both fall categories correctly classified fall history in > 70% of subjects with combinations of the variables ABC, BBS, body-mass-index, and amputation level. Falls occurred regardless of clinical characteristics. Total BBS and select item scores were independent determinants of fall history. Unlike other balance-impaired populations, adults with leg amputation and better balance ability had greater odds of falling.

[Brief disserting on the balance of internal environment in burn disease].

Science.gov (United States)

Han, C M; Wang, X G

2017-08-20

The essential internal environment in human being involves water, electrolyte, and acid-base balance, which is the basis of balance and stability of internal environment in other systems. For burn patients, the balance of internal environment, referring to metabolism, nutrition, inflammatory response, and immunoreaction, is one of the most important aspects in burn disease. This paper aims to briefly elaborate the balance of internal environment after burn, with the purpose to promote the basic and clinical research in this field.

The Relation of Work, Family Balance, and Life Quality of Nurses Working at Teaching Hospitals of Kerman-Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zeynab Sedoughi

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Background: Work and family are the source of tranquility and if the balance between these two is not provided, pleasure, happiness and peace of human being would be lost, which will cause unreturnable loss for him. Regarding the importance of nurses’ role in health system, the present study aimed to study the relation of work-family balance and quality of life of nurses working at selected Iranian teaching hospitals. Methods: Present study is a cross sectional, descriptive-analytical study which was carried out on 306 nurses working at three teaching hospitals of Iran. The sampling method was stratified sampling and questionnaire was the data collection instrument. Data analysis was carried out using inferential statistics through SPSS Ver18. Findings: nurses spent more time to work than family and they had more satisfaction of their family life than their work. This suggests the imbalance of nurses in two dimension of time balance and satisfaction balance, which has resulted a decrease in quality of life of studied nurses. Nurse’s involvement in work and life as the third component of work-life balance concept, was balanced and it did not indicate significant correlation with quality of life. Nurses experiencing less work-family conflict and more stress in their life, had higher level of quality of life. Conclusion: Nurses will be more exposed to the negative outcomes of work-life imbalance than other groups of employees, so paying attention to managing the demands of work and family aimed at improving the nurses’ quality of life, has specific importance. Hence, designing a plan which defines main components of work-family balance among various groups of hospital staff including nurses, should be put at the top agenda of Iran’s health system policy makers. 

Gender-specific alteration of energy balance and circadian locomotor activity in the Crtc1 knockout mouse model of depression

KAUST Repository

Rossetti, Clara

2017-12-06

Obesity and depression are major public health concerns, and there is increasing evidence that they share etiological mechanisms. CREB-regulated transcription coactivator 1 (CRTC1) participates in neurobiological pathways involved in both mood and energy balance regulation. Crtc1 -/- mice rapidly develop a depressive-like and obese phenotype in early adulthood, and are therefore a relevant animal model to explore possible common mechanisms underlying mood disorders and obesity. Here, the obese phenotype of male and female Crtc1 -/- mice was further characterized by investigating CRTC1\\'s role in the homeostatic and hedonic regulation of food intake, as well as its influence on daily locomotor activity. Crtc1 -/- mice showed a strong gender difference in the homeostatic regulation of energy balance. Mutant males were hyperphagic and rapidly developed obesity on normal chow diet, whereas Crtc1 -/- females exhibited mild late-onset obesity without hyperphagia. Overeating of mutant males was accompanied by alterations in the expression of several orexigenic and anorexigenic hypothalamic genes, thus confirming a key role of CRTC1 in the central regulation of food intake. No alteration in preference and conditioned response for saccharine was observed in Crtc1 -/- mice, suggesting that mutant males\\' hyperphagia was not due to an altered hedonic regulation of food intake. Intriguingly, mutant males exhibited a hyperphagic behavior only during the resting (diurnal) phase of the light cycle. This abnormal feeding behavior was associated with a higher diurnal locomotor activity indicating that the lack of CRTC1 may affect circadian rhythmicity. Collectively, these findings highlight the male-specific involvement of CRTC1 in the central control of energy balance and circadian locomotor activity.

Gender-specific alteration of energy balance and circadian locomotor activity in the Crtc1 knockout mouse model of depression

KAUST Repository

Rossetti, Clara; Sciarra, Daniel; Petit, Jean-Marie; Eap, Chin B.; Halfon, Olivier; Magistretti, Pierre J.; Boutrel, Benjamin; Cardinaux, Jean-René

2017-01-01

Obesity and depression are major public health concerns, and there is increasing evidence that they share etiological mechanisms. CREB-regulated transcription coactivator 1 (CRTC1) participates in neurobiological pathways involved in both mood and energy balance regulation. Crtc1 -/- mice rapidly develop a depressive-like and obese phenotype in early adulthood, and are therefore a relevant animal model to explore possible common mechanisms underlying mood disorders and obesity. Here, the obese phenotype of male and female Crtc1 -/- mice was further characterized by investigating CRTC1's role in the homeostatic and hedonic regulation of food intake, as well as its influence on daily locomotor activity. Crtc1 -/- mice showed a strong gender difference in the homeostatic regulation of energy balance. Mutant males were hyperphagic and rapidly developed obesity on normal chow diet, whereas Crtc1 -/- females exhibited mild late-onset obesity without hyperphagia. Overeating of mutant males was accompanied by alterations in the expression of several orexigenic and anorexigenic hypothalamic genes, thus confirming a key role of CRTC1 in the central regulation of food intake. No alteration in preference and conditioned response for saccharine was observed in Crtc1 -/- mice, suggesting that mutant males' hyperphagia was not due to an altered hedonic regulation of food intake. Intriguingly, mutant males exhibited a hyperphagic behavior only during the resting (diurnal) phase of the light cycle. This abnormal feeding behavior was associated with a higher diurnal locomotor activity indicating that the lack of CRTC1 may affect circadian rhythmicity. Collectively, these findings highlight the male-specific involvement of CRTC1 in the central control of energy balance and circadian locomotor activity.

Balance and Gait Training With Augmented Feedback Improves Balance Confidence in People With Parkinson's Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Xia; Mak, Margaret K Y

2014-07-01

Background Fear of falling has been identified as an important and independent fall-risk predictor in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, there are inconsistent findings on the effects of balance and gait training on balance confidence. Objective To explore whether balance and gait training with augmented feedback can enhance balance confidence in PD patients immediately after treatment and at 3- and 12-month follow-ups. Methods A total of 51 PD patients were randomly assigned to a balance and gait training (BAL) group or to an active control (CON) group. The BAL group received balance and gait training with augmented feedback, whereas CON participants received lower-limb strength training for 12 weeks. Outcome measures included Activities-Specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale, limits-of-stability test, single-leg-stance test, and spatiotemporal gait characteristics. All tests were administered before intervention (Pre), immediately after training (Post), and at 3 months (Post3m) and 12 months (Post12m) after treatment completion. Results The ABC score improved marginally at Post and significantly at Post3m and Post12m only in the BAL group (P point excursion at Post, but only the BAL group maintained the improvement at Post3m. The BAL group maintained significantly longer time-to-loss-of-balance during the single-leg stance test than the CON group at Post3m and Post12m (P balance confidence and balance and gait performance in patients with PD. © The Author(s) 2014.

The Balanced Scorecard and the Strategic Learning Process: A System Dynamics Modeling Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Steen Nielsen

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The main purpose of this paper is to improve on the conceptual as well as the methodological aspects of BSC as a quantitative model by combining elements from traditional balanced scorecard (BSC thinking with the Systems Thinking. This is done by combining short and long term aspects of measurements. The result is then used to build and construct a balanced scorecard model for strategic learning with the specific aim to maintain satisfied customers and motivated employees. Strategic planning, operational execution, feedback, and learning are some of the most important key features of any performance measurement model. This paper aims to address not only the conceptual domain related to BSC, that is, learning and system dynamics causality and feedback, but also the methodological domain concept of precision solved by differential equations. Our results show how a potential move from a static strategic vision map to a linked and dynamic understanding may be not fully realistic but very useful for learning purposes. The new knowledge obtained from the learning feedbacks fertilizes both decision discussion and decision-making and what may be required in order to move to the next level of BSC and system dynamics integration.

Reliability and validity of the Wii Balance Board for assessment of standing balance: A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Ross A; Mentiplay, Benjamin F; Pua, Yong-Hao; Bower, Kelly J

2018-03-01

The use of force platform technologies to assess standing balance is common across a range of clinical areas. Numerous researchers have evaluated the low-cost Wii Balance Board (WBB) for its utility in assessing balance, with variable findings. This review aimed to systematically evaluate the reliability and concurrent validity of the WBB for assessment of static standing balance. Articles were retrieved from six databases (Medline, SCOPUS, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Inspec) from 2007 to 2017. After independent screening by two reviewers, 25 articles were included. Two reviewers performed the data extraction and quality assessment. Test-retest reliability was investigated in 12 studies, with intraclass correlation coefficients or Pearson's correlation values showing a range from poor to excellent reliability (range: 0.27 to 0.99). Concurrent validity (i.e. comparison with another force platform) was examined in 21 studies, and was generally found to be excellent in studies examining the association between the same outcome measures collected on both devices. For studies reporting predominantly poor to moderate validity, potentially influential factors included the choice of 1) criterion reference (e.g. not a common force platform), 2) test duration (e.g. balance. Protocol registration number: PROSPERO 2017: CRD42017058122. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Weight/balance portable test equipment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whitlock, R.W.

1994-01-01

This document shows the general layout, and gives a part description for the weight/balance test equipment. This equipment will aid in the regulation of the leachate loading of tanker trucks. The report contains four drawings with part specifications. The leachate originates from lined trenches

Balance circuit classes to improve balance among rehabilitation inpatients: a protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Treacy, Daniel; Schurr, Karl; Sherrington, Catherine

2013-07-20

Impaired balance and mobility are common among rehabilitation inpatients. Poor balance and mobility lead to an increased risk of falling. Specific balance exercise has been shown to improve balance and reduce falls within the community setting. However few studies have measured the effects of balance exercises on balance within the inpatient setting. A single centre, randomised controlled trial with concealed allocation, assessor blinding and intention-to-treat analysis. One hundred and sixty two patients admitted to the general rehabilitation ward at Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital will be recruited. Eligible participants will have no medical contraindications to exercise and will be able to: fully weight bear; stand unaided independently for at least 30 seconds; and participate in group therapy sessions with minimal supervision. Participants will be randomly allocated to an intervention group or usual-care control group. Both groups will receive standard rehabilitation intervention that includes physiotherapy mobility training and exercise for at least two hours on each week day. The intervention group will also receive six 1-hour circuit classes of supervised balance exercises designed to maximise the ability to make postural adjustments in standing, stepping and walking. The primary outcome is balance. Balance will be assessed by measuring the total time the participant can stand unsupported in five different positions; feet apart, feet together, semi-tandem, tandem and single-leg-stance. Secondary outcomes include mobility, self reported physical functioning, falls and hospital readmissions. Performance on the outcome measures will be assessed before randomisation and at two-weeks and three-months after randomisation by physiotherapists unaware of intervention group allocation. This study will determine the impact of additional balance circuit classes on balance among rehabilitation inpatients. The results will provide essential information to guide evidence

Net energy balance of tokamak fusion power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buende, R.

1981-10-01

The net energy balance for a tokamak fusion power plant was determined by using a PWR power plant as reference system, replacing the fission-specific components by fusion-specific components and adjusting the non-reactor-specific components to altered conditions. For determining the energy input to the fusion plant a method was developed that combines the advantages of the energetic input-output method with those of process chain analysis. A comparison with PWR, HTR, FBR, and coal-fired power plants is made. As a result the net energy balance of the fusion power plant turns out to be more advantageous than that of an LWR, HTR or coal-fired power plant and nearly in the same range as FBR power plants. (orig.)

Work-Life Balance in the BPO Sector

OpenAIRE

P, Vanishree

2012-01-01

The success of any organization is highly dependent on its workforce. Especially the ITeS BPO industry needs to be flexible enough to develop commitment and talent in their workforce. They need to adopt a strategy to improve the employees 'Work-life balance' to satisfy both the organizational objectives and employee needs. The data pertaining to the study has been collected from professionals working in BPO companies in Hyderabad to analyze the Work-life balance. This paper aims to investigat...

Information system quality in work-life balance

OpenAIRE

Sharmini Gopinathan; Murali Raman

2016-01-01

This paper aims to look for the role information systems quality may play in work-life balance among Malaysian ICT employees. The results of this study will be useful in the development of new tools and technologies that are focused on ISQ dimensions primarily information system quality which can be helpful to devise suggestions to the ICT sector on matters pertaining to sustainable development/policy formulation with reference to achieving a good work-life balance. A total of 79 respondents’...

Does osteoporosis predispose falls? a study on obstacle avoidance and balance confidence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Duysens Jacques

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Osteoporosis is associated with changes in balance and physical performance and has psychosocial consequences which increase the risk of falling. Most falls occur during walking; therefore an efficient obstacle avoidance performance might contribute to a reduction in fall risk. Since it was shown that persons with osteoporosis are unstable during obstacle crossing it was hypothesized that they more frequently hit obstacles, specifically under challenging conditions. The aim of the study was to investigate whether obstacle avoidance ability was affected in persons with osteoporosis compared to a comparison group of a community sample of older adults. Methods Obstacle avoidance performance was measured on a treadmill and compared between persons with osteoporosis (n = 85 and the comparison group (n = 99. The obstacle was released at different available response times (ART to create different levels of difficulty by increasing time pressure. Furthermore, balance confidence, measured with the short ABC-questionnaire, was compared between the groups. Results No differences were found between the groups in success rates on the obstacle avoidance task (p = 0.173. Furthermore, the persons with osteoporosis had similar levels of balance confidence as the comparison group (p = 0.091. The level of balance confidence was not associated with the performance on the obstacle avoidance task (p = 0.145. Conclusion Obstacle avoidance abilities were not impaired in persons with osteoporosis and they did not experience less balance confidence than the comparison group. These findings imply that persons with osteoporosis do not have an additional risk of falling because of poorer obstacle avoidance abilities.

Balance Functional Assessment in People with Visual Impairment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rutkowska Izabela

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The aims of this study were twofold: to assess the level of balance of people with visual impairment against the BOT-2 standard scores for the able-bodied, and to identify in which trials subjects had the greatest difficulties in maintaining balance with respect to the degree of vision loss and age categories. One hundred twenty-seven subjects with visual impairment aged 6-16 years, participated in the study (68 girls and 59 boys. The division for partially sighted people (61 and the blind (66 was made according to the WHO classification. Functional balance assessment was made using a balance subtest from the Bruininks-Oseretsky test. Significant relationships were noticed between age and the level of balance (χ2 = 8.35 p <0,05, as well as between the degree of vision loss and the level of balance (χ2 = 24.53 p <0,001. The level of balance of almost all blind subjects was below (20% or well-below (60% the average for the able-bodied. The subjects’ ability to maintain balance was not dependent on gender and was associated primarily with the degree of visual impairment and age. Partially sighted people had better balance than the blind and the decrease in visual acuity resulted in reduction of balance skills. The lowest level of balance was observed in blind students aged 7-11 years. Elaborating physical fitness improvement programs for children and adolescents with visual impairment, diversity of age, the degree of vision loss and limitations of ablility to maintain balance should be taken into account.

Higher balance task demands are associated with an increase in individual alpha peak frequency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thorben eHülsdünker

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Balance control is fundamental for most daily motor activities, and its impairment is associated with an increased risk of falling. Growing evidence suggests the human cortex is essentially contributing to the control of standing balance. However, the exact mechanisms remain unclear and need further investigation. In a previous study we introduced a new protocol to identify electrocortical activity associated with performance of different continuous balance tasks with the eyes opened. The aim of this study was to extend our previous results by investigating the individual alpha peak frequency (iAPF, a neurophysiological marker of thalamo-cortical information transmission, which remained unconsidered so far in balance research. Thirty-seven subjects completed nine balance tasks varying in surface stability and base of support. Electroencephalography (EEG was recorded from 32 scalp locations throughout balancing with the eyes closed to ensure reliable identification of the iAPF. Balance performance was quantified as the sum of anterior-posterior and medio-lateral movements of the supporting platform. The iAPF, as well as power in the theta, lower alpha and upper alpha frequency bands were determined for each balance task after applying an ICA-based artifact rejection procedure. Higher demands on balance control were associated with a global increase in iAPF and a decrease in lower alpha power. These results may indicate increased thalamo-cortical information transfer and general cortical activation, respectively. In addition, a significant increase in upper alpha activity was observed in the fronto-central region whereas it decreased in the centro-parietal region. Furthermore, midline theta increased with higher task demands probably indicating activation of error detection/processing mechanisms. IAPF as well as theta and alpha power were correlated with platform movements. The results provide new insights into spectral and spatial characteristics

Balance in children born prematurely currently aged 6–7

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dziuba Ewa

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Study aim: Premature birth is one of the major problems of obstetrics, leading to numerous complications that are associated with prematurity, for instance balance disorders. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of premature birth on the ability to maintain balance in children commencing their school education. Material and methods: The study included children aged 6-7 years. The study group consisted of 59 children (31 girls and 28 boys, mean age 6.38 ± SD 0.73 born prematurely between 24 and 35 weeks of gestation. The control group consisted of 61 children (28 girls and 33 boys, mean age 6.42 ± 0.58 born at term. The research utilized standardized test tools - one-leg open-eyed and closed-eyed standing test, one-leg jumping test - and an original questionnaire survey. Results: The children born at term achieved better results in the majority of tests. The comparison of girls and boys born pre­maturely and at term showed no statistically significant difference between them in terms of dynamic balance, static balance or total balance control. The comparison of the tests performed on the right and left lower limb in prematurely born children showed no statistically significant differences. Conclusion: Premature birth affects the ability to maintain body balance. The results of the study indicate the need to develop coordination skills that shape body balance in prematurely born children.

Age effects on mediolateral balance control.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L Eduardo Cofré Lizama

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Age-related balance impairments, particularly in mediolateral direction (ML may cause falls. Sufficiently sensitive and reliable ML balance tests are, however, lacking. This study is aimed to determine (1 the effect of age on and (2 the reliability of ML balance performance using Center of Mass (CoM tracking. METHODS: Balance performance of 19 young (26±3 years and 19 older (72±5 years adults on ML-CoM tracking tasks was compared. Subjects tracked predictable and unpredictable target displacements at increasing frequencies with their CoM by shifting their weight sideward. Phase-shift (response delay and gain (amplitude difference between the CoM and target in the frequency domain were used to quantify performance. Thirteen older and all young adults were reassessed to determine reliability of balance performance measures. In addition, all older adults performed a series of clinical balance tests and conventional posturography was done in a sub-sample. RESULTS: Phase-shift and gain dropped below pre-determined thresholds (-90 degrees and 0.5 at lower frequencies in the older adults and were even lower below these frequencies than in young adults. Performance measures showed good to excellent reliability in both groups. All clinical scores were close to the maximum and no age effect was found using posturography. ML balance performance measures exhibited small but systematic between-session differences indicative of learning. CONCLUSIONS: The ability to accurately perform ML-CoM tracking deteriorates with age. ML-CoM tracking tasks form a reliable tool to assess ML balance in young and older adults and are more sensitive to age-related impairment than posturography and clinical tests.

REPRODUCIBILITY OF THE MODIFIED STAR EXCURSION BALANCE TEST COMPOSITE AND SPECIFIC REACH DIRECTION SCORES.

Science.gov (United States)

van Lieshout, Remko; Reijneveld, Elja A E; van den Berg, Sandra M; Haerkens, Gijs M; Koenders, Niek H; de Leeuw, Arina J; van Oorsouw, Roel G; Paap, Davy; Scheffer, Else; Weterings, Stijn; Stukstette, Mirelle J

2016-06-01

The mSEBT is a screening tool used to evaluate dynamic balance. Most research investigating measurement properties focused on intrarater reliability and was done in small samples. To know whether the mSEBT is useful to discriminate dynamic balance between persons and to evaluate changes in dynamic balance, more research into intra- and interrater reliability and smallest detectable change (synonymous with minimal detectable change) is needed. To estimate intra- and interrater reliability and smallest detectable change of the mSEBT in adults at risk for ankle sprain. Cross-sectional, test-retest design. Fifty-five healthy young adults participating in sports at risk for ankle sprain participated (mean ± SD age, 24.0 ± 2.9 years). Each participant performed three test sessions within one hour and was rated by two physical therapists (session 1, rater 1; session 2, rater 2; session 3, rater 1). Participants and raters were blinded for previous measurements. Normalized composite and reach direction scores for the right and left leg were collected. Analysis of variance was used to calculate intraclass correlation coefficient values for intra- and interrater reliability. Smallest detectable change values were calculated based on the standard error of measurement. Intra- and interrater reliability for both legs was good to excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient ranging from 0.87 to 0.94). The intrarater smallest detectable change for the composite score of the right leg was 7.2% and for the left 6.2%. The interrater smallest detectable change for the composite score of the right leg was 6.9% and for the left 5.0%. The mSEBT is a reliable measurement instrument to discriminate dynamic balance between persons. Most smallest detectable change values of the mSEBT appear to be large. More research is needed to investigate if the mSEBT is usable for evaluative purposes. Level 2.

Energy in Italian regions. Energy balance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Catoni, P. G.; Perrella, G.

1998-01-01

This paper reports the syntheses of regional energy balance and the elaboration of the most important energy index from 1990 to 1996 at this scope a specific methodology. Pentec (territorial energy planning ecompatible) is pointed [it

Exergaming: Interactive balance training in healthy community-dwelling older adults

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kosse, Nienke M.; Caljouw, Simone R.; Vuijk, Pieter-Jelle; Lamoth, Claudine J.C.

2011-01-01

Exergaming is a term used for videogame exercise. The aim of this study was to examine the training effect of an exergame that relies on the movements of a dynamic balance board. Nine healthy elderly subjects participated in a six-week intervention in which they played balance games three times a

foot orthosis in improving the balance in children with spastic

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Khaled A. Olama

2012-11-02

Nov 2, 2012 ... The present study aims to evaluate the effect of the three side ... enabled them to gain more balance control and postural reactions . © 2012 Ain Shams ..... sis on balance board to stimulate the child postural .... plantar-flexion improved gait efficiency by improving stability .... Older adults often adopt a.

The value of balanced growth for transportation.

Science.gov (United States)

2014-12-01

The Ohio Balanced Growth Program is a voluntary, locally-driven, incentive-driven program which aims to encourage : compact, nodal development patterns. The Ohio Department of Transportation provided support for this research to evaluate : potential ...

Clinical Assessment of Fluid Balance is Incomplete for Colorectal Surgical Patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tolstrup, J; Brandstrup, B

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Fluid balance for the surgical patient has been proven very important for the postoperative outcome and development of complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate, for the first time in modern times, the accordance between nurse-based fluid charting (cumulated fluid...... surgery were included. Cumulated fluid balance and body weight change were charted preoperatively and daily at the same time during a postoperative period of 6 days. Differences were calculated by subtracting cumulated fluid balance from body weight change (1 g = 1 mL), and agreement was assessed...... by making Bland-Altman plots as well as Pearson correlations. RESULTS: From day 1 to 4, the mean difference between cumulated fluid balance and body weight change was below 0.4 kg/L. On day 5 and 6, the discrepancies increased with mean differences of, respectively, 1.2 kg/L (p 

Mobility, balance and falls in persons with multiple sclerosis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jacob J Sosnoff

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: There is a lack of information concerning the relation between objective measures of gait and balance and fall history in persons with MS (PwMS. This investigation assessed the relation between demographic, clinical, mobility and balance metrics and falls history in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS. METHODS: 52 ambulatory persons with MS (PwMS participated in the investigation. All persons provided demographic information including fall history over the last 12 months. Disease status was assessed with Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS. Walking speed, coordination, endurance and postural control were quantified with a multidimensional mobility battery. RESULTS: Over 51% of the participants fell in the previous year with 79% of these people being suffering recurrent falls. Overall, fallers were older, had a greater prevalence of assistive devices use, worse disability, decreased walking endurance, and greater postural sway velocity with eyes closed compared to non-fallers. Additionally, fallers had greater impairment in cerebellar, sensory, pyramidal, and bladder/bowel subscales of the EDSS. CONCLUSIONS: The current observations suggest that PwMS who are older, more disabled, utilize an assistive device, have decreased walking coordination and endurance and have diminished balance have fallen in the previous year. This suggests that individuals who meet these criteria need to be carefully monitored for future falls. Future research is needed to determine a prospective model of falls specific to PwMS. Additionally, the utility of interventions aimed at reducing falls and fall risk in PwMS needs to be established.

Mobility, Balance and Falls in Persons with Multiple Sclerosis

Science.gov (United States)

Sosnoff, Jacob J.; Socie, Michael J.; Boes, Morgan K.; Sandroff, Brian M.; Pula, John H.; Suh, Yoojin; Weikert, Madeline; Balantrapu, Swathi; Morrison, Steven; Motl, Robert W.

2011-01-01

Background There is a lack of information concerning the relation between objective measures of gait and balance and fall history in persons with MS (PwMS). This investigation assessed the relation between demographic, clinical, mobility and balance metrics and falls history in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods 52 ambulatory persons with MS (PwMS) participated in the investigation. All persons provided demographic information including fall history over the last 12 months. Disease status was assessed with Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Walking speed, coordination, endurance and postural control were quantified with a multidimensional mobility battery. Results Over 51% of the participants fell in the previous year with 79% of these people being suffering recurrent falls. Overall, fallers were older, had a greater prevalence of assistive devices use, worse disability, decreased walking endurance, and greater postural sway velocity with eyes closed compared to non-fallers. Additionally, fallers had greater impairment in cerebellar, sensory, pyramidal, and bladder/bowel subscales of the EDSS. Conclusions The current observations suggest that PwMS who are older, more disabled, utilize an assistive device, have decreased walking coordination and endurance and have diminished balance have fallen in the previous year. This suggests that individuals who meet these criteria need to be carefully monitored for future falls. Future research is needed to determine a prospective model of falls specific to PwMS. Additionally, the utility of interventions aimed at reducing falls and fall risk in PwMS needs to be established. PMID:22132196

Cross-cultural exchange: How students can frustrate the aims of study abroad programmes

Science.gov (United States)

Barnes, Leslie R.

1982-09-01

Readily accepting that study abroad programmes may have as many differing forms and aims as there are participating institutions, and that by no means all programmes include academic content in their goals, I would nevertheless maintain: 1. that a sociological perspective is as necessary as the hitherto predominantly psychological approach in obtaining a balanced assessment of study abroad programmes;

Aims and tasks in parental caregiving for children receiving palliative care at home: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Verberne, Lisa M; Kars, Marijke C; Schouten-van Meeteren, Antoinette Y N; Bosman, Diederik K; Colenbrander, Derk A; Grootenhuis, Martha A; van Delden, Johannes J M

2017-03-01

In paediatric palliative care (PPC), parents are confronted with increasing caregiving demands. More children are cared for at home, and the need for PPC of children is lengthened due to technical and medical improvements. Therefore, a clear understanding of the content of parental caregiving in PPC becomes increasingly important. The objective is to gain insight into parental caregiving based on the lived experience of parents with a child with a life-limiting disease. An interpretative qualitative study using thematic analysis was performed. Single or repeated interviews were undertaken with 42 parents of 24 children with a malignant or non-malignant disease, receiving PPC. Based on their ambition to be a 'good parent', parents caring for a child with a life-limiting disease strived for three aims: controlled symptoms and controlled disease, a life worth living for their ill child and family balance. These aims resulted in four tasks that parents performed: providing basic and complex care, organising good quality care and treatment, making sound decisions while managing risks and organising a good family life. Parents need early explanation from professionals about balancing between their aims and the related tasks to get a grip on their situation and to prevent becoming overburdened. What is Known: • In paediatric palliative care, parents are confronted with increasing caregiving demands. • Parenting is often approached from the perspective of stress. What is New: • Parents strive for three aims: controlled symptoms and controlled disease, a life worth living for their child and family balance. • Parents perform four tasks: providing basic and complex care, organising good quality care, making decisions while managing risks and organising a good family life. • Professionals need insight into the parents' aims and tasks from the parental perspective to strengthen parents' resilience.

Exergaming for balance training of elderly: state of the art and future developments.

Science.gov (United States)

van Diest, Mike; Lamoth, Claudine J C; Stegenga, Jan; Verkerke, Gijsbertus J; Postema, Klaas

2013-09-25

Fall injuries are responsible for physical dysfunction, significant disability, and loss of independence among elderly. Poor postural control is one of the major risk factors for falling but can be trained in fall prevention programs. These however suffer from low therapy adherence, particularly if prevention is the goal. To provide a fun and motivating training environment for elderly, exercise games, or exergames, have been studied as balance training tools in the past years. The present paper reviews the effects of exergame training programs on postural control of elderly reported so far. Additionally we aim to provide an in-depth discussion of technologies and outcome measures utilized in exergame studies. Thirteen papers were included in the analysis. Most of the reviewed studies reported positive results with respect to improvements in balance ability after a training period, yet few reached significant levels. Outcome measures for quantification of postural control are under continuous dispute and no gold standard is present. Clinical measures used in the studies reviewed are well validated yet only give a global indication of balance ability. Instrumented measures were unable to detect small changes in balance ability as they are mainly based on calculating summary statistics, thereby ignoring the time-varying structure of the signals. Both methods only allow for measuring balance after the exergame intervention program. Current developments in sensor technology allow for accurate registration of movements and rapid analysis of signals. We propose to quantify the time-varying structure of postural control during gameplay using low-cost sensor systems. Continuous monitoring of balance ability leaves the user unaware of the measurements and allows for generating user-specific exergame training programs and feedback, both during one game and in timeframes of weeks or months. This approach is unique and unlocks the as of yet untapped potential of exergames as

REHABILITATION BALANCE ASSESSMENT IN STROKE PATIENTS USING BAROPODOMETRY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Danelciuc Francisc Tadeus

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Coordinative capabilities develops under different formes, one of them being the capability of self balance, which have an important role în stance, gait and in performing the activities of daily living of the persons with stroke. This study aims to emphasize the advantages offered by an appropriate equipment properly used in stroke patients rehabilitation, both for balance assessment by electronic baropodometry and for its rehabilitation by using MBT devices.

The Automated Assessment of Postural Stability: Balance Detection Algorithm.

Science.gov (United States)

Napoli, Alessandro; Glass, Stephen M; Tucker, Carole; Obeid, Iyad

2017-12-01

Impaired balance is a common indicator of mild traumatic brain injury, concussion and musculoskeletal injury. Given the clinical relevance of such injuries, especially in military settings, it is paramount to develop more accurate and reliable on-field evaluation tools. This work presents the design and implementation of the automated assessment of postural stability (AAPS) system, for on-field evaluations following concussion. The AAPS is a computer system, based on inexpensive off-the-shelf components and custom software, that aims to automatically and reliably evaluate balance deficits, by replicating a known on-field clinical test, namely, the Balance Error Scoring System (BESS). The AAPS main innovation is its balance error detection algorithm that has been designed to acquire data from a Microsoft Kinect ® sensor and convert them into clinically-relevant BESS scores, using the same detection criteria defined by the original BESS test. In order to assess the AAPS balance evaluation capability, a total of 15 healthy subjects (7 male, 8 female) were required to perform the BESS test, while simultaneously being tracked by a Kinect 2.0 sensor and a professional-grade motion capture system (Qualisys AB, Gothenburg, Sweden). High definition videos with BESS trials were scored off-line by three experienced observers for reference scores. AAPS performance was assessed by comparing the AAPS automated scores to those derived by three experienced observers. Our results show that the AAPS error detection algorithm presented here can accurately and precisely detect balance deficits with performance levels that are comparable to those of experienced medical personnel. Specifically, agreement levels between the AAPS algorithm and the human average BESS scores ranging between 87.9% (single-leg on foam) and 99.8% (double-leg on firm ground) were detected. Moreover, statistically significant differences in balance scores were not detected by an ANOVA test with alpha equal to 0

Formative versus reflective measurement: an illustration using work-family balance.

Science.gov (United States)

Ellwart, Thomas; Konradt, Udo

2011-01-01

The aim of this article is to propose the formative measurement approach that can be used in various constructs of applied psychology. To illustrate this approach, the authors will (a) discuss the distinction between commonly used principal-factor (reflective) measures in comparison to the composite (formative) latent variable model, which is often applied in other disciplines such as marketing or engineering, and (b) point out the advantages and limitations of formative specifications using the example of the work-family balance (WFB) construct. Data collected from 2 large cross-sectional field studies confirm the reliability and validity of formative WFB measures as well as its predictive value regarding criteria of WFB (i.e., job satisfaction, family satisfaction, and life satisfaction). Last, the specific informational value of each formative indicator will be demonstrated and discussed in terms of practical implications for the assessment in different psychological fields.

Comparing the effects of balance training with and without cognitive tasks on the quality of life and balance performance in community-dwelling older adults: a single-blind randomized clinical trial

OpenAIRE

Ehsan Sinaei; Fahimeh Kamali; Ahmadreza Nematollahi; Zahra Etminan

2016-01-01

Background: Aging process can deteriorate the ability to maintain balance, specifically under dual-task conditions. Thus far, different methods of exercises therapy have been applied to improve balance performance of older adults. The present study was designed to compare the effects of two protocols of balance training on the quality of life (QoL) and balance performance in older adults with mild balance impairments. Methods: Twenty-four older adults over 60 years old were ...

Do kinematic metrics of walking balance adapt to perturbed optical flow?

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Jessica D; Franz, Jason R

2017-08-01

Visual (i.e., optical flow) perturbations can be used to study balance control and balance deficits. However, it remains unclear whether walking balance control adapts to such perturbations over time. Our purpose was to investigate the propensity for visuomotor adaptation in walking balance control using prolonged exposure to optical flow perturbations. Ten subjects (age: 25.4±3.8years) walked on a treadmill while watching a speed-matched virtual hallway with and without continuous mediolateral optical flow perturbations of three different amplitudes. Each of three perturbation trials consisted of 8min of prolonged exposure followed by 1min of unperturbed walking. Using 3D motion capture, we analyzed changes in foot placement kinematics and mediolateral sacrum motion. At their onset, perturbations elicited wider and shorter steps, alluding to a more cautious, general anticipatory balance control strategy. As perturbations continued, foot placement tended toward values seen during unperturbed walking while step width variability and mediolateral sacrum motion concurrently increased. Our findings suggest that subjects progressively shifted from a general anticipatory balance control strategy to a reactive, task-specific strategy using step-to-step adjustments. Prolonged exposure to optical flow perturbations may have clinical utility to reinforce reactive, task-specific balance control through training. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Stomach regulates energy balance via acylated ghrelin and desacyl ghrelin

OpenAIRE

Asakawa, A; Inui, A; Fujimiya, M; Sakamaki, R; Shinfuku, N; Ueta, Y; Meguid, M M; Kasuga, M

2005-01-01

Background/Aims: The gastric peptide ghrelin, an endogenous ligand for growth-hormone secretagogue receptor, has two major molecular forms: acylated ghrelin and desacyl ghrelin. Acylated ghrelin induces a positive energy balance, while desacyl ghrelin has been reported to be devoid of any endocrine activities. The authors examined the effects of desacyl ghrelin on energy balance.

Typical balance exercises or exergames for balance improvement?

Science.gov (United States)

Gioftsidou, Asimenia; Vernadakis, Nikolaos; Malliou, Paraskevi; Batzios, Stavros; Sofokleous, Polina; Antoniou, Panagiotis; Kouli, Olga; Tsapralis, Kyriakos; Godolias, George

2013-01-01

Balance training is an effective intervention to improve static postural sway and balance. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of the Nintendo Wii Fit Plus exercises for improving balance ability in healthy collegiate students in comparison with a typical balance training program. Forty students were randomly divided into two groups, a traditional (T group) and a Nintendo Wii group (W group) performed an 8 week balance program. The "W group" used the interactive games as a training method, while the "T group" used an exercise program with mini trampoline and inflatable discs (BOSU). Pre and Post-training participants completed balance assessments. Two-way repeated measures analyses of variance (ANOVAs) were conducted to determine the effect of training program. Analysis of the data illustrated that both training program groups demonstrated an improvement in Total, Anterior-posterior and Medial Lateral Stability Index scores for both limbs. Only at the test performed in the balance board with anterior-posterior motion, the improvement in balance ability was greater in the "T group" than the "W group", when the assessment was performed post-training (p=0.023). Findings support the effectiveness of using the Nintendo Wii gaming console as a balance training intervention tool.

Fibromyalgia is Associated with Impaired Balance and Falls

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Kim D.; Horak, Fay B.; Winters, Kerri Stone; Morea, Jessica M.; Bennett, Robert M.

2010-01-01

Background/Objective The purpose of this study was to determine whether FM patients differ from matched healthy controls in clinical tests of balance ability and fall frequency. Methods 34 FM patients and 32 age matched controls were administered the Balance Evaluation-Systems Test (BESTest), rated their balance confidence with the Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC) and reported the number of falls in the last 6 months. The Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) was used to assess FM severity. Results FM patients had significantly impaired balance in all components of the BESTest compared to controls. They also scored more poorly on balance confidence. Overall fibromyalgia severity (FIQ) correlated significantly with the BESTest, and the ABC scale. The BESTest and ABC correlated significantly with 6 commonly reported FM symptoms (excluding pain). FM patients reported a total of 37 falls over the last six-months compared to 6 falls in healthy controls. Conclusion Fibromyalgia is associated with balance problems and increased fall frequency. Patients were aware of their balance problems. These results suggest that FM may affect peripheral and/or central mechanisms of postural control. Further objective study is needed to identify the relative contributions of neural and musculoskeletal impairments to postural stability in FM, thus providing clinicians with exercise prescriptions that maximize postural stability. PMID:19125137

Operational Management of Intraday and Balancing Markets - a survey

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Jeanne; K. Detlefsen, Nina

changes and challenges, which may be better addressed with closer collaboration. In order to evaluate the benefits of cross-border balancing, it is essential to have an understanding of the mechanisms and operations of the European markets and how they interact. Therefore, this paper aims at describing...... electricity markets in Europe: day-ahead markets and markets with shorter time spans. The focus will be on balancing markets and how these are used operationally. The most promising theoretical models found in the literature with applications to balancing will be presented. The purpose of this is to identify...

Local Balancing System from the Business Model Canvas Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matusiak Bożena Ewa

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents an overall view of the business model (BM for the e-balance system for: balancing energy production and consumption in energy efficient, smart neighbourhoods (the e-balance project, FP7-SMARTCITIES-2013 along with its functionalities, based upon the Osterwalder’s canvas methodology. Additionally, this is the second, after two years of work, more incisive evaluation of the BM from the user’s and demo site’s perspective (Bronsbergen, the Netherlands. The aim of this paper is to present results and assess the above mentioned BM in the face its commercialisation and applicability to Europe.

Effects of Tai Chi Chuan on the elderly balance: a semi-experimental study

OpenAIRE

Konig,Pablo Rafael; Galarza,Eveline; Goulart,Natália Batista Albuquerque; Lanferdini,Fábio Juner; Tiggeman,Carlos Leandro; Dias,Caroline Pieta

2014-01-01

Aging impairs the functional capacity, possibly compromising the balance over the years. However, Tai Chi Chuan is a martial art that can provide balance improvements in elderly people. This study aimed to evaluate balance in elderly after three and six months of Tai Chi Chuan practicing. Participants were 27 individuals (62±4.4 years) who underwent Tai Chi Chuan training (one hour each) twice a week, for six months. Balance was assessed by the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, Berg Balance Sc...

Effects of Tai Chi Chuan on the elderly balance: a semi-experimental study

OpenAIRE

Konig, Pablo Rafael; Galarza, Eveline; Goulart, Natália Batista Albuquerque; Lanferdini, Fábio Juner; Tiggeman, Carlos Leandro; Dias, Caroline Pieta

2014-01-01

Aging impairs the functional capacity, possibly compromising the balance over the years. However, Tai Chi Chuan is a martial art that can provide balance improvements in elderly people. This study aimed to evaluate balance in elderly after three and six months of Tai Chi Chuan practicing. Participants were 27 individuals (62±4.4 years) who underwent Tai Chi Chuan training (one hour each) twice a week, for six months. Balance was assessed by the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, Berg Balance Scale (...

Balanced Scorecards in Managing Higher Education Institutions: An Indian Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Umashankar, Venkatesh; Dutta, Kirti

2007-01-01

Purpose: The paper aims to look at the balanced scorecard (BSC) concept and discuss in what way it should be applied to higher education programs/institutions in the Indian context. Design/methodology/approach: The paper is based on extant literature on the balanced scorecard concept per se, as well as applications of BSC in higher education as…

On balance: lifestyle, mental health and wellbeing.

Science.gov (United States)

Haggett, Ali

2016-10-18

Given the supremacy of the biomedical model in defining our understanding and treatment of a wide range of physcial and psychological disorders, it is perhaps curious that simultaneously, scientists, clinicians, governments and patients routinely employ the concepts of "lifestyle" and "balance" to try to explain the causes of bodily disease and psychological disorder. Concurrently, the health advantages that are assumed to be inherent in a "balanced life" have been exploited by a rapidly expanding consumer market in "wellbeing"-by companies and individuals promoting food supplements, "wearable fitness", diet trends and the self-help material. Exploring the tension between the biomedical doctrine and the parallel preoccupation with balance and lifestyle has provided the impetus for this special issue. Emerging originally from papers presented at an interdisciplinary conference held at the University of Exeter in June 2015, and augmented by two further comment pieces, the collection of articles aims to explore the ways in which changing notions of "balance" have been used to understand the causes of mental illness; to rationalise new approaches to its treatment; and to validate advice relating to balance in work and family life.

Balanced and sparse Tamo-Barg codes

KAUST Repository

Halbawi, Wael; Duursma, Iwan; Dau, Hoang; Hassibi, Babak

2017-01-01

We construct balanced and sparse generator matrices for Tamo and Barg's Locally Recoverable Codes (LRCs). More specifically, for a cyclic Tamo-Barg code of length n, dimension k and locality r, we show how to deterministically construct a generator matrix where the number of nonzeros in any two columns differs by at most one, and where the weight of every row is d + r - 1, where d is the minimum distance of the code. Since LRCs are designed mainly for distributed storage systems, the results presented in this work provide a computationally balanced and efficient encoding scheme for these codes. The balanced property ensures that the computational effort exerted by any storage node is essentially the same, whilst the sparse property ensures that this effort is minimal. The work presented in this paper extends a similar result previously established for Reed-Solomon (RS) codes, where it is now known that any cyclic RS code possesses a generator matrix that is balanced as described, but is sparsest, meaning that each row has d nonzeros.

Balanced and sparse Tamo-Barg codes

KAUST Repository

Halbawi, Wael

2017-08-29

We construct balanced and sparse generator matrices for Tamo and Barg\\'s Locally Recoverable Codes (LRCs). More specifically, for a cyclic Tamo-Barg code of length n, dimension k and locality r, we show how to deterministically construct a generator matrix where the number of nonzeros in any two columns differs by at most one, and where the weight of every row is d + r - 1, where d is the minimum distance of the code. Since LRCs are designed mainly for distributed storage systems, the results presented in this work provide a computationally balanced and efficient encoding scheme for these codes. The balanced property ensures that the computational effort exerted by any storage node is essentially the same, whilst the sparse property ensures that this effort is minimal. The work presented in this paper extends a similar result previously established for Reed-Solomon (RS) codes, where it is now known that any cyclic RS code possesses a generator matrix that is balanced as described, but is sparsest, meaning that each row has d nonzeros.

Work and life balance of female doctors in the Czech Republic

OpenAIRE

Bočková, Šárka

2014-01-01

This bachelor thesis focuses on work and life balance of female doctors in the Czech Republic. Conflicting requirements of labour market, traditional division of gender roles, lack of institutional support for parents (insufficient number of establishment providing child care et.) and specific demands of being doctor complicate work and life balance. In the theoretical part were discussed key theories based on personal freedom of choices or structural barriers of labour market, specifics of m...

Production layout improvement by using line balancing and Systematic Layout Planning (SLP) at PT. XYZ

Science.gov (United States)

Buchari; Tarigan, U.; Ambarita, M. B.

2018-02-01

PT. XYZ is a wood processing company which produce semi-finished wood with production system is make to order. In the production process, it can be seen that the production line is not balanced. The imbalance of the production line is caused by the difference in cycle time between work stations. In addition, there are other issues, namely the existence of material flow pattern is irregular so it resulted in the backtracking and displacement distance away. This study aimed to obtain the allocation of work elements to specific work stations and propose an improvement of the production layout based on the result of improvements in the line balancing. The method used in the balancing is Ranked Positional Weight (RPW) or also known as Helgeson Birnie method. While the methods used in the improvement of the layout is the method of Systematic Layout Planning (SLP). By using Ranked Positional Weight (RPW) obtained increase in line efficiency becomes 84,86% and decreased balance delay becomes 15,14%. Repairing the layout using the method of Systematic Layout Planning (SLP) also give good results with a reduction in path length becomes 133,82 meters from 213,09 meters previously or a decrease of 37.2%.

Development of balanced key performance indicators for emergency departments strategic dashboards following analytic hierarchical process.

Science.gov (United States)

Safdari, Reza; Ghazisaeedi, Marjan; Mirzaee, Mahboobeh; Farzi, Jebrail; Goodini, Azadeh

2014-01-01

Dynamic reporting tools, such as dashboards, should be developed to measure emergency department (ED) performance. However, choosing an effective balanced set of performance measures and key performance indicators (KPIs) is a main challenge to accomplish this. The aim of this study was to develop a balanced set of KPIs for use in ED strategic dashboards following an analytic hierarchical process. The study was carried out in 2 phases: constructing ED performance measures based on balanced scorecard perspectives and incorporating them into analytic hierarchical process framework to select the final KPIs. The respondents placed most importance on ED internal processes perspective especially on measures related to timeliness and accessibility of care in ED. Some measures from financial, customer, and learning and growth perspectives were also selected as other top KPIs. Measures of care effectiveness and care safety were placed as the next priorities too. The respondents placed least importance on disease-/condition-specific "time to" measures. The methodology can be presented as a reference model for development of KPIs in various performance related areas based on a consistent and fair approach. Dashboards that are designed based on such a balanced set of KPIs will help to establish comprehensive performance measurements and fair benchmarks and comparisons.

Robust balancing and position control of a single spherical wheeled mobile platform

OpenAIRE

Yavuz, Fırat; Yavuz, Firat; Ünel, Mustafa; Unel, Mustafa

2016-01-01

Self-balancing mobile platforms with single spherical wheel, generally called ballbots, are suitable example of underactuated systems. Balancing control of a ballbot platform, which aims to maintain the upright orientation by rejecting external disturbances, is important during station keeping or trajectory tracking. In this paper, acceleration based balancing and position control of a single spherical wheeled mobile platform that has three single-row omniwheel drive m...

The balance space approach to multicriteria decision making—involving the decision maker

OpenAIRE

Ehrgott, M.

2002-01-01

The balance space approach (introduced by Galperin in 1990) provides a new view on multicriteria optimization. Looking at deviations from global optimality of the different objectives, balance points and balance numbers are defined when either different or equal deviations for each objective are allowed. Apportioned balance numbers allow the specification of proportions among the deviations. Through this concept the decision maker can be involved in the decision process. In this paper we prov...

Balance Problems

Science.gov (United States)

... fully trust your sense of balance. Loss of balance also raises the risk of falls. This is a serious and even life-threatening ... 65. Balance disorders are serious because of the risk of falls. But occasionally balance problems may warn of another health condition, such ...

Selectivity and sparseness in randomly connected balanced networks.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cengiz Pehlevan

Full Text Available Neurons in sensory cortex show stimulus selectivity and sparse population response, even in cases where no strong functionally specific structure in connectivity can be detected. This raises the question whether selectivity and sparseness can be generated and maintained in randomly connected networks. We consider a recurrent network of excitatory and inhibitory spiking neurons with random connectivity, driven by random projections from an input layer of stimulus selective neurons. In this architecture, the stimulus-to-stimulus and neuron-to-neuron modulation of total synaptic input is weak compared to the mean input. Surprisingly, we show that in the balanced state the network can still support high stimulus selectivity and sparse population response. In the balanced state, strong synapses amplify the variation in synaptic input and recurrent inhibition cancels the mean. Functional specificity in connectivity emerges due to the inhomogeneity caused by the generative statistical rule used to build the network. We further elucidate the mechanism behind and evaluate the effects of model parameters on population sparseness and stimulus selectivity. Network response to mixtures of stimuli is investigated. It is shown that a balanced state with unselective inhibition can be achieved with densely connected input to inhibitory population. Balanced networks exhibit the "paradoxical" effect: an increase in excitatory drive to inhibition leads to decreased inhibitory population firing rate. We compare and contrast selectivity and sparseness generated by the balanced network to randomly connected unbalanced networks. Finally, we discuss our results in light of experiments.

Balancing energy flexibilities through aggregation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Valsomatzis, Emmanouil; Hose, Katja; Pedersen, Torben Bach

2014-01-01

One of the main goals of recent developments in the Smart Grid area is to increase the use of renewable energy sources. These sources are characterized by energy fluctuations that might lead to energy imbalances and congestions in the electricity grid. Exploiting inherent flexibilities, which exist...... in both energy production and consumption, is the key to solving these problems. Flexibilities can be expressed as flex-offers, which due to their high number need to be aggregated to reduce the complexity of energy scheduling. In this paper, we discuss balance aggregation techniques that already during...... aggregation aim at balancing flexibilities in production and consumption to reduce the probability of congestions and reduce the complexity of scheduling. We present results of our extensive experiments....

Effects of dynamic posturographic balance training versus conventional balance training on mobility and balance in elderly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saddiqi, F.A.; Masood, T.

2017-01-01

To determine the effects of dynamic posturographic balance training versus conventional balance training in improving mobility and balance in elderly. Methodology: Forty subjects between 50 to 80 years of age were selected via non-probability convenience sampling technique, for this randomized controlled trial. Both females and males with no major co-morbid conditions and cognitive impairments were recruited and randomized via coin toss method into two equal groups: Dynamic Posturographic balance training (DPG) group and Conventional balance training (CBT) group. The DPG training was provided via Biodex Balance System (Static and Dynamic). Both groups received interventions 3 times (35 to 45min each day) a week for 8 weeks, after which terminal assessment was done. Data were collected on demographic profile, balance via berg balance score and mobility by using Timed Up and Go Test. Independent samples t test was used to check difference between CBT group and DPG Group and repeated measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used for within-group analysis. Results: Baseline analysis of Berg balance scale and timed up and go test between two groups showed no significant difference with (p 0.805 and 0.251, respectively). After 8 weeks of intervention, there was significant difference between the groups in both variables (p 0.019 and 0.001, respectively). Conclusion: Dynamic posturographic balance training was more effective in improving dynamic balance and mobility in elderly population in comparison to conventional balance training. (author)

Feasibility and outcomes of the Berg Balance Scale in older adults with intellectual disabilities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Oppewal, Alyt; Hilgenkamp, Thessa I. M.; van Wijck, Ruud; Evenhuis, Heleen M.

High incidence of falls and increased risk of fall-related injuries are seen in individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID). The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) is a reliable instrument for balance assessment in the population of (older) adults with ID. The aims of this study were to assess the balance

A Fine Balance: How Authors Strategize Around Journal Submission.

Science.gov (United States)

Ginsburg, Shiphra; Lynch, Meghan; Walsh, Catharine M

2018-04-24

Publishing in peer-reviewed journals is essential for medical education researchers. Competition remains fierce for top journals and authors are advised to consider impact factor (IF), audience, and alignment of focus. However, little is known about how authors balance these factors when making submission decisions. The authors aimed to explore decision-making around journal choice. Using constructivist grounded theory, the authors conducted and analyzed 27 semi-structured phone interviews (August-November 2016) with medical education researchers. Participants were recruited from a larger study and all had presented abstracts at medical education meetings in 2005 or 2006. When deciding where to submit an article, participants weighed a journal's IF and prestige against other factors, such as a journal's vision and mission, finding the right audience, study-specific factors including perceived quality of the work, and the peer-review process. The opportunity cost of aiming high and risking rejection was influenced by career stage and external pressures. Despite much higher IFs, clinical journals were viewed as less desirable for establishing legitimacy in the medical education field and were often the target for less novel or rigorous work. Participants expressed dissatisfaction with peer review in general, citing overly critical and poorly informed reviewers. Authors strategize around a particular article's submission by attempting to balance many inter-related factors. Their perceptions that high IF clinical journals are viewed as less prestigious in this field can lead to publication strategies that run counter to advice given to junior faculty. This has implications for mentorship and institutional leadership.

EFFECTS OF CIRCADIAN RHYTHM ON BALANCE PERFORMANCE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karagul Osman

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction. The aim of the study was to examine the effect of circadian rhythm on dynamic balance performance and to determine the role of physical activity level, body temperature, chronotype, and gender in this possible effect. Material and

Work-life balance among shift workers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Albertsen, Karen; Garde, Anne Helene; Nabe-Nielsen, Kirsten

2014-01-01

PURPOSE: The aims of the study were to explore the effects of the implementation of IT-based tools for planning of rosters among shift workers on work-family-related outcomes and to interpret the results in light of the different implementation processes. METHODS: A quasi-experimental interventio...... of the implementation of self-rostering was found on the balance between work and private life. However, results from the process evaluation suggested that the organizational aim with the intervention was crucial for the effect....

Devaluation and trade balance in Latin American countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kahraman Kalyoncu

2009-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to examine effectiveness of devaluation on the trade balance in four countries: Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Peru. We use the Johansen-Juselius cointegration test and impulse response function to estimate the long-run and shortrun effects of devaluation on the trade balance. The estimated results suggest that depreciation improve the trade balance in the long run for the case of Argentina and Peru, and in the short-run there has been J-curve in Argentina and Peru. In addition, the cointegration is found among the four variables (trade balance, domestic income, foreign incomes and real exchange rate in the case of Argentina and Peru. The results also indicate that there is no cointegration relationship between these variables for Brazil and Mexico. The conclusion of the paper is that the evidence of the J-curve pattern was found for Argentina and Peru only.

Chance for balance: Chance for balance

OpenAIRE

Sævild, Katariina; Skov Sørensen, Katrine; Kildahl Lauritsen, Louise; Fuglsang, Sofie Olivia; Arnbjerg, Stine Høegh

2015-01-01

This project investigates how (im) balance between family and career influences Danish women's desire to have children. In order to answer this question, we have chosen to use qualitative method and our analysis is based on two semi-structured research interviews with two chosen women. Thus these women’s definition of balance and their view on children define the project. We have chosen to use of work-life balance theories, Thomas Hoejrup’s lifeform-analysis and Anthony Giddens’ theories of s...

Balanced truncation for linear switched systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petreczky, Mihaly; Wisniewski, Rafal; Leth, John-Josef

2013-01-01

In this paper, we present a theoretical analysis of the model reduction algorithm for linear switched systems from Shaker and Wisniewski (2011, 2009) and . This algorithm is a reminiscence of the balanced truncation method for linear parameter varying systems (Wood et al., 1996) [3]. Specifically...

The balanced scorecard: an integrative approach to performance evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliveira, J

2001-05-01

In addition to strict financial outcomes, healthcare financial managers should assess intangible assets that affect the organization's bottom line, such as clinical processes, staff skills, and patient satisfaction and loyalty. The balanced scorecard, coupled with data-warehousing capabilities, offers a way to measure an organization's performance against its strategic objectives while focusing on building capabilities to achieve these objectives. The balanced scorecard examines performance related to finance, human resources, internal processes, and customers. Because the balanced scorecard requires substantial amounts of data, it is a necessity to establish an organizational data warehouse of clinical, operational, and financial data that can be used in decision support. Because it presents indicators that managers and staff can influence directly by their actions, the balanced-scorecard approach to performance measurement encourages behavioral changes aimed at achieving corporate strategies.

The effect of arm sling on balance in patients with hemiplegia.

Science.gov (United States)

Acar, Merve; Karatas, Gulcin Kaymak

2010-10-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of an arm sling on balance in patients with, hemiplegia following a stroke. Twenty-six patients with hemiplegia (11 men, 15 women) who had, shoulder subluxation were enrolled in the study. Balance was evaluated by the Berg Balance Scale, the, Functional Reach test, and a static balance index which was measured by the Kinesthetic Ability, Trainer 3000. Balance tests were performed twice, with arm sling and without arm sling use. Results of, this study show that the Berg Balance Scores and static balance index ameliorated with arm sling use (p=0.005 and p=0.004, respectively). Likewise, the Functional Reach test was better when performed with an arm sling (p=0.039). In conclusion, arm slings have a beneficial effect on balance in patients, with hemiplegia. An arm sling may be applied for its possible beneficial effect on balance especially in, the early phases of stroke rehabilitation while the upper extremity is still flaccid and arm swing is, reduced. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A screw-based dynamic balancing approach, applied to a 5-bar mechanism

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Jong, Jan Johannes; van Dijk, Johannes; Herder, Justus Laurens; Lenarcic, Jadran; Merlet, Jean-Pierre

2016-01-01

Dynamic balancing aims to reduce or eliminate the shaking base reaction forces and moments of mechanisms, in order to minimize vibration and wear. The derivation of the dynamic balance conditions requires significant algebraic effort, even for simple mechanisms. In this study, a screw-based

Can balance trampoline training promote motor coordination and balance performance in children with developmental coordination disorder?

Science.gov (United States)

Giagazoglou, Paraskevi; Sidiropoulou, Maria; Mitsiou, Maria; Arabatzi, Fotini; Kellis, Eleftherios

2015-01-01

The present study aimed to examine movement difficulties among typically developing 8- to 9-year-old elementary students in Greece and to investigate the possible effects of a balance training program to those children assessed with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). The Body Coordination Test for Children (BCTC; Körperkoordinationstest fur Kinder, KTK, Kiphard & Schilling, 1974) was chosen for the purposes of this study and 20 children out of the total number of 200, exhibited motor difficulties indicating a probable DCD disorder. The 20 students diagnosed with DCD were equally separated into two groups where each individual of the experimental group was paired with an individual of the control group. The intervention group attended a 12-week balance training program while students of the second - control group followed the regular school schedule. All participants were tested prior to the start and after the end of the 12-week period by performing static balance control tasks while standing on an EPS pressure platform and structured observation of trampoline exercises while videotaping. The results indicated that after a 12-week balance training circuit including a trampoline station program, the intervention group improved both factors that were examined. In conclusion, balance training with the use of attractive equipment such as trampoline can be an effective intervention for improving functional outcomes and can be recommended as an alternative mode of physical activity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Virtual reality balance training for elderly: Similar skiing games elicit different challenges in balance training.

Science.gov (United States)

de Vries, Aijse W; Faber, Gert; Jonkers, Ilse; Van Dieen, Jaap H; Verschueren, Sabine M P

2018-01-01

Virtual Reality (VR) balance training may have advantages over regular exercise training in older adults. However, results so far are conflicting potentially due to the lack of challenge imposed by the movements in those games. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess to which extent two similar skiing games challenge balance, as reflected in center of mass (COM) movements relative to their Functional Limits of Stability (FLOS). Thirty young and elderly participants performed two skiing games, one on the Wii Balance board (Wiiski), which uses a force plate, and one with the Kinect sensor (Kinski), which performs motion tracking. During gameplay, kinematics were captured using seven opto-electronical cameras. FLOS were obtained for eight directions. The influence of games and trials on COM displacement in each of the eight directions, and maximal COM speed, were tested with Generalized Estimated Equations. In all directions with anterior and medio-lateral, but not with a posterior component, subjects showed significantly larger maximal %FLOS displacements during the Kinski game than during the Wiiski game. Furthermore, maximal COM displacement, and COM speed in Kinski remained similar or increased over trials, whereas for Wiiski it decreased. Our results show the importance of assessing the movement challenge in games used for balance training. Similar games impose different challenges, with the control sensors and their gain settings playing an important role. Furthermore, adaptations led to a decrease in challenge in Wiiski, which might limit the effectiveness of the game as a balance-training tool. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of Hydrotherapy on postural control and electromyography parameters in men with chronic non-specific low back pain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahdi Mahjur

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate effects of hydrotherapy on postural control and electromyography parameters in men with chronic non-specific low back pain. Thirty men with chronic non-specific LBP divided into two hydrotherapy and control groups, randomly and equally. Electromyographic activity of erector spinae muscles and balance measured for both of groups before and after intervention. Hydrotherapy program was consisted of 24 sessions. Subjects in control group didn’t have any special activity. Two-way variance was used to interpret the data and correlated and independent T-tests were used for analysis of data at the significance level of (P0.05. However, a significant difference observed between two groups in balance index (P<0.05.

Effects of a sitting boxing program on upper limb function, balance, gait, and quality of life in stroke patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Junhyuck; Gong, Jihwan; Yim, Jongeun

2017-01-01

Boxing training including traditional stretching, muscular strength training, and duration training would be considered to be effective for improved functional stretching, dynamic balance, walking speed, and quality of life. We aimed to investigate upper limb function, balance, gait, and quality of life in stroke patients before and after a sitting boxing program. Twenty-six participants were randomly allocated to a boxing group (n = 13) and control group (n = 13) after the upper limb function, balance, gait, and quality of Life were recorded. The boxing group underwent a sitting boxing program (3 times/week) as well as conventional physical therapy (3 times/week) for 6 weeks. The control group only underwent conventional physical therapy (3 times/week) for 6 weeks. The Manual Functional Test (MFT), non-affected hand grip, Berg Balance Scale (BBS), velocity moment with eye opened, 10-m Walk Test (10 MWT), and Stroke-Specific Quality of Life questionnaire (SS-QOL) were significantly improved in the boxing group (p boxing group compared to the control group (p boxing program group had positive effects on upper extremity function, balance, gait, and quality of life in stroke patients.

Operational management of intraday and balancing markets. A survey

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andersen, Jeanne [Aarhus Univ. (Denmark). Dept. of Economics and Business, Business and Social Sciences; Detlefsen, Nina K. [Energinet.dk, Fredericia (Denmark). Systems Analysis

2011-07-01

Lately, there has been increased attention on the challenges that will appear when balancing the electricity in the future and the benefits of integrated markets between countries and regions. This is among other things due to the fact that electricity markets in the future will experience major changes and challenges, which may be better addressed with closer collaboration. In order to evaluate the benefits of cross-border balancing, it is essential to have an understanding of the mechanisms and operations of the European markets and how they interact. Therefore, this paper aims at describing electricity markets in Europe: day-ahead markets and markets with shorter time spans. The focus will be on balancing markets and how these are used operationally. The most promising theoretical models found in the literature with applications to balancing will be presented. The purpose of this is to identify the tools necessary to analyze future balancing of power systems. (orig.)

Ankle Taping Does Not Impair Performance in Jump or Balance Tests

OpenAIRE

Abián-Vicén, Javier; Alegre, Luis M.; Fernández-Rodríguez, J. Manuel; Lara, Amador J.; Meana, Marta; Aguado, Xavier

2008-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the influence of prophylactic ankle taping on two balance tests (static and dynamic balance) and one jump test, in the push off and the landing phase. Fifteen active young subjects (age: 21.0 ± 4.4 years) without previous ankle injuries volunteered for the study. Each participant performed three tests in two different situations: with taping and without taping. The tests were a counter movement jump, static balance, and a dynamic posturography test. The tests a...

Learning Responsibility and Balance of Power

Science.gov (United States)

Çam, Sefika Sümeyye; Ünal Oruç, Eylem

2014-01-01

This qualitative study aims to determine teacher perspectives on learning responsibility and balance of power. The research design is case study which was conducted on four primary school teachers. The data were collected with semi-structured interviews and the data obtained were analyzed with categorical analysis, a type of content analysis. The…

Equity and career-life balance in marine mammal science?

OpenAIRE

Hooker, Sascha K.; Simmons, Samantha E.; Stimpert, Alison K.; McDonald, Birgitte I.

2017-01-01

It is widely acknowledged that family and care-giving responsibilities are driving women away from Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. Marine mammal science often incurs heavy fieldwork and travel obligations, which make it a challenging career in which to find work-life balance. This opinion piece explores gender equality, equity (the principles of fairness that lead to equality), and work-life balance in science generally and in this field in particular. We aim ...

Program for accident and incident management support, AIMS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Putra, M.A.

1993-12-01

A prototype of an advisory computer program is presented which could be used in monitoring and analyzing an ongoing incident in a nuclear power plant. The advisory computer program, called the Accident and Incident Management Support (AIMS), focuses on processing a set of data that is to be transmitted from a nuclear power plant to a national or regional emergency center during an incident. The AIMS program will assess the reactor conditions by processing the measured plant parameters. The applied model of the power plant contains a level of complexity that is comparable with the simplified plant model that the power plant operator uses. A standardized decay heat function and a steam water property library is used in the integral balance equations for mass and energy. A simulation of the station blackout accident of the Borssele plant is used to test the program. The program predicts successively: (1) the time of dryout of the steam generators, (2) the time of saturation of the primary system, and (3) the onset of core uncovery. The coolant system with the actual water levels will be displayed on the screen. (orig./HP)

Learning object for teacher training aimed to develop communication skills

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Norma Esmeralda RODRÍGUEZ RAMÍREZ

2014-06-01

Full Text Available This article presents the results and reflections obtained across a research aimed to analyze the quality criteria of an opened learning object oriented to develop communication skills in order to be able to report and validate it according to its content, pedagogic structure, technological structure, graphical and textual language and usability to teacher training, in order to base it theoretically, pedagogically and technologically. The research question was: Which are the quality criteria that a learning object aimed to develop communication skills must cover? Under a quantitative approach, there were electronic questionnaires applied to: 34 Technological University teachers, eight experts about of communicative competence, teaching, technology and graphic design. The results indicated that some of the quality criteria of learning object are: the effective managing of the learning content, the balanced composition of his pedagogic structure, the technological structure efficiency and the proper managing of graphical and textual language.

Sensory-Challenge Balance Exercises Improve Multisensory Reweighting in Fall-Prone Older Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Allison, Leslie K; Kiemel, Tim; Jeka, John J

2018-04-01

Multisensory reweighting (MSR) deficits in older adults contribute to fall risk. Sensory-challenge balance exercises may have value for addressing the MSR deficits in fall-prone older adults. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of sensory-challenge balance exercises on MSR and clinical balance measures in fall-prone older adults. We used a quasi-experimental, repeated-measures, within-subjects design. Older adults with a history of falls underwent an 8-week baseline (control) period. This was followed by an 8-week intervention period that included 16 sensory-challenge balance exercise sessions performed with computerized balance training equipment. Measurements, taken twice before and once after intervention, included laboratory measures of MSR (center of mass gain and phase, position, and velocity variability) and clinical tests (Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale, Berg Balance Scale, Sensory Organization Test, Limits of Stability test, and lower extremity strength and range of motion). Twenty adults 70 years of age and older with a history of falls completed all 16 sessions. Significant improvements were observed in laboratory-based MSR measures of touch gain (P = 0.006) and phase (P = 0.05), Berg Balance Scale (P = 0.002), Sensory Organization Test (P = 0.002), Limits of Stability Test (P = 0.001), and lower extremity strength scores (P = 0.005). Mean values of vision gain increased more than those for touch gain, but did not reach significance. A balance exercise program specifically targeting multisensory integration mechanisms improved MSR, balance, and lower extremity strength in this mechanistic study. These valuable findings provide the scientific rationale for sensory-challenge balance exercise to improve perception of body position and motion in space and potential reduction in fall risk.

Computation of Pump-Leak Flux Balance in Animal Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Igor A. Vereninov

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Background/Aims: Many vital processes in animal cells depend on monovalent ion transport across the plasma membrane via specific pathways. Their operation is described by a set of nonlinear and transcendental equations that cannot be solved analytically. Previous computations had been optimized for certain cell types and included parameters whose experimental determination can be challenging. Methods: We have developed a simpler and a more universal computational approach by using fewer kinetic parameters derived from the data related to cell balanced state. A file is provided for calculating unidirectional Na+, K+, and Cl- fluxes via all major pathways (i.e. the Na/K pump, Na+, K+, Cl- channels, and NKCC, KC and NC cotransporters under a balanced state and during transient processes. Results: The data on the Na+, K+, and Cl- distribution and the pump flux of K+ (Rb+ are obtained on U937 cells before and after inhibiting the pump with ouabain. There was a good match between the results of calculations and the experimentally measured dynamics of ion redistribution caused by blocking the pump. Conclusion: The presented approach can serve as an effective tool for analyzing monovalent ion transport in the whole cell, determination of the rate coefficients for ion transfer via major pathways and studying their alteration under various conditions.

Do decent working conditions contribute to work–life balance: A study of small enterprises in Bangladesh

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.H.M. Belayeth Hussain

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Purpose - The purpose of this study was to explore the contributions of decent work situation to work–life balance of small entrepreneurs. The survey was conducted to uncover the degree and magnitude of essential decent work indicators that can aid the work–life balance situation of small ventures. Design/methodology/approach - The study utilized a survey research design and used a five-point Likert type questionnaire to investigate the research questions. Each construct of the scale has its corresponding items, which were measured specifically. To analyze the latent variables, partial least square (PLS–structural equation modelling with Smart PLS application was used. Findings - The findings of this study reveal that social dialogue and stability and security of enterprise have the most significant effects in ensuring work–life balance of an enterprise. Additionally, social dialogue among entrepreneurs has influence in maintaining decent working hours and fair treatment at workplace. Originality/value - The value of this study lies in exploring a new dimension of analyzing working conditions in informal sector economy such as small enterprises. Because this research aims to study ventures that are financed by the microcredit institution, whether social financing plays a role in improving work–life balance situation through empowering decent working conditions can be investigated.

Sex Differences in Balance Among Alpine Ski Racers: Cross-Sectional Age Comparisons.

Science.gov (United States)

Raschner, Christian; Hildebrandt, Carolin; Mohr, Johanna; Müller, Lisa

2017-12-01

Although balance is a key ability in the strength demands of alpine ski racing, affecting both performance and injury prevention, few studies have examined balance or related sex differences among still-maturing athletes. In this 10-year study, we investigated cross-sectional balance performances at different age periods of a representative sample of over 500 11-18-year-old elite skiers of both genders. Participants performed balance tests using the MFT S3-Check. Left-right and forward-backward movements were used to calculate sensory and symmetry balance scores, which were both incorporated into a stability score. Mann-Whitney U tests assessed gender-specific differences by age-group with a significance level set at p gender differences only on forward-backward measurements for 14-16-year-olds, with females showing better stability and sensory (but not symmetry) scores than males. Thus, gender interacted with age and maturation to influence balance ability in these participants. Additionally, these rare 10-year data support coaches in their training and talent development of maturing athletes by providing important sport-, age-, and gender-specific normative comparison data for individual trainees.

Comparison of traditional and recent approaches in the promotion of balance and strength in older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Granacher, Urs; Muehlbauer, Thomas; Zahner, Lukas; Gollhofer, Albert; Kressig, Reto W

2011-05-01

Demographic change in industrialized countries produced an increase in the proportion of elderly people in our society, resulting in specific healthcare challenges. One such challenge is how to effectively deal with the increased risk of sustaining a fall and fall-related injuries in old age. Deficits in postural control and muscle strength represent important intrinsic fall risk factors. Thus, adequate training regimens need to be designed and applied that have the potential to reduce the rate of falling in older adults by countering these factors. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to compare traditional and recent approaches in the promotion of balance and strength in older adults. Traditionally, balance and resistance training programmes proved to be effective in improving balance and strength, and in reducing the number of falls. Yet, it was argued that these training protocols are not specific enough to induce adaptations in neuromuscular capacities that are specifically needed in actual balance-threatening situations (e.g. abilities to recover balance and to produce force explosively). Recent studies indicated that perturbation-based or multitask balance training and power/high-velocity resistance training have the potential to improve these specific capacities because they comply with the principle of training specificity. In fact, there is evidence that these specifically tailored training programmes are more effective in improving balance recovery mechanisms and muscle power than traditional training protocols. A few pilot studies have even shown that these recently designed training protocols have an impact on the reduction of fall incidence rate in older adults. Further research is needed to confirm these results and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms responsible for the adaptive processes.

The relevance of clinical balance assessment tools to differentiate balance deficits

OpenAIRE

Mancini, Martina; Horak, Fay B

2010-01-01

Control of balance is complex and involves maintaining postures, facilitating movement, and recovering equilibrium. Balance control consists of controlling the body center of mass over its limits of stability. Clinical balance assessment can help assess fall risk and/or determine the underlying reasons for balance disorders. Most functional balance assessment scales assess fall risk and the need for balance rehabilitation but do not differentiate types of balance deficits. A system approach t...

Database on Aims and Visions in the COINCO Corridor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2005-01-01

This database contains aims and visions regarding overall regional development as well as more specific aims and visions related to transport and infrastructure in the Corridor Oslo-Göteborg-Copenhagen-Berlin. The sources used for this database are the most essential planning documents from Denmark...

Midlatitude Forcing Mechanisms for Glacier Mass Balance Investigated Using General Circulation Models

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Reichert, B.K.; Bengtsson, L.; Oerlemans, J.

2001-01-01

A process-oriented modeling approach is applied in order to simulate glacier mass balance for individual glaciers using statistically downscaled general circulation models (GCMs). Glacier-specific seasonal sensitivity characteristics based on a mass balance model of intermediate complexity are used

Maintaining balance in elderly fallers: novel aspects of postural balance measures in elderly

OpenAIRE

Swanenburg, Jaap

2009-01-01

At first in this thesis, an intervention programme was tested for the effect on the risk of falling in a population of elderly. The aim of the study was to investigate if exercise, combined with protein intake and calcium/vitamin D supplementation would have a larger effect on the risk of falling and postural balance outcomes than calcium/vitamin D supplementation only. An observational performance test (risk of falling) and performance measurements (force platform) were used as outcome measu...

Comparative analysis for low-mass and low-inertia dynamic balancing of mechanisms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Wijk, V.; Demeulenaere, B.; Gosselin, C.M.; Herder, Justus Laurens

2012-01-01

Dynamic balance is an important feature of high speed mechanisms and robotics that need to minimize vibrations of the base. The main disadvantage of dynamic balancing, however, is that it is accompanied with a considerable increase in mass and inertia. Aiming at low-mass and low-inertia dynamic

Wind-Tunnel Balance Characterization for Hypersonic Research Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Lynn, Keith C.; Commo, Sean A.; Parker, Peter A.

2012-01-01

Wind-tunnel research was recently conducted at the NASA Langley Research Center s 31-Inch Mach 10 Hypersonic Facility in support of the Mars Science Laboratory s aerodynamic program. Researchers were interested in understanding the interaction between the freestream flow and the reaction control system onboard the entry vehicle. A five-component balance, designed for hypersonic testing with pressurized flow-through capability, was used. In addition to the aerodynamic forces, the balance was exposed to both thermal gradients and varying internal cavity pressures. Historically, the effect of these environmental conditions on the response of the balance have not been fully characterized due to the limitations in the calibration facilities. Through statistical design of experiments, thermal and pressure effects were strategically and efficiently integrated into the calibration of the balance. As a result of this new approach, researchers were able to use the balance continuously throughout the wide range of temperatures and pressures and obtain real-time results. Although this work focused on a specific application, the methodology shown can be applied more generally to any force measurement system calibration.

Balance Problems

Science.gov (United States)

... often, it could be a sign of a balance problem. Balance problems can make you feel unsteady. You may ... related injuries, such as a hip fracture. Some balance problems are due to problems in the inner ...

PID Controller Design for FES Applied to Ankle Muscles in Neuroprosthesis for Standing Balance.

Science.gov (United States)

Rouhani, Hossein; Same, Michael; Masani, Kei; Li, Ya Qi; Popovic, Milos R

2017-01-01

Closed-loop controlled functional electrical stimulation (FES) applied to the lower limb muscles can be used as a neuroprosthesis for standing balance in neurologically impaired individuals. The objective of this study was to propose a methodology for designing a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller for FES applied to the ankle muscles toward maintaining standing balance for several minutes and in the presence of perturbations. First, a model of the physiological control strategy for standing balance was developed. Second, the parameters of a PID controller that mimicked the physiological balance control strategy were determined to stabilize the human body when modeled as an inverted pendulum. Third, this PID controller was implemented using a custom-made Inverted Pendulum Standing Apparatus that eliminated the effect of visual and vestibular sensory information on voluntary balance control. Using this setup, the individual-specific FES controllers were tested in able-bodied individuals and compared with disrupted voluntary control conditions in four experimental paradigms: (i) quiet-standing; (ii) sudden change of targeted pendulum angle (step response); (iii) balance perturbations that simulate arm movements; and (iv) sudden change of targeted angle of a pendulum with individual-specific body-weight (step response). In paradigms (i) to (iii), a standard 39.5-kg pendulum was used, and 12 subjects were involved. In paradigm (iv) 9 subjects were involved. Across the different experimental paradigms and subjects, the FES-controlled and disrupted voluntarily-controlled pendulum angle showed root mean square errors of controlled balance were significantly smaller or tended to be smaller than those observed with voluntarily-controlled balance, implying improved steady-state and transient responses of FES-controlled balance. At the same time, the FES-controlled balance required similar torque levels (no significant difference) as voluntarily

Relationship between functional vision and balance and mobility performance in community-dwelling older adults

OpenAIRE

Aartolahti, Eeva; Häkkinen, Arja; Lönnroos, Eija; Kautiainen, Hannu; Sulkava, Raimo; Hartikainen, Sirpa

2013-01-01

Background and Aims: Vision is an important prerequisite for balance control and mobility. The role of objectively measured visual functions has been previously studied but less is known about associations of functional vision. That refers to selfperceived vision-based ability to perform daily activities. The aim was to investigate the relationship between functional vision and balance and mobility performance in a community-based sample of older adults. Methods: This study ...

Balance, functional mobility, and fall occurrence in patients with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Fonseca, Erika Pedreira da; Sá, Katia Nunes; Nunes, Rebeca Freitas Reis; Ribeiro Junior, Antônio Carlos; Lira, Síntia Freitas Bastos; Pinto, Elen Beatriz

2018-01-01

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) may lead to reduced functional mobility and balance. It is important to establish specific parameters that identify these changes and predict the risk of falls in these patients. The aim was to compare balance, functional mobility, and occurrence of falls among patients with and without HAM/TSP and to suggest values to predict the risk of falls in these patients. A cross-sectional study in patients with and without HAM/TSP involved balance assessments based on the berg balance scale (BBS) and functional mobility evaluation based on the timed up and go (TUG) test. From reports of falls, the sensitivity, specificity, and best cutoff points for the risk of falls assessed by these instruments were established using the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve; 5% alpha was considered. We selected 42 participants: 29 with HAM/TSP and 13 without HAM/TSP. There was a statistically significant difference in the occurrence of falls, balance, and functional mobility between the groups (prisk of falls were defined as 50 points for the BBS and 12.28 seconds for the TUG test. Patients with HAM/TSP present reduced functional mobility and balance in relation to those without HAM/TSP. The risk of falls increased for these patients can be evaluated by the values ​​of 50 points using the BBS and 12.28 seconds using the TUG test.

Negative leave balances

CERN Multimedia

Human Resources Department

2005-01-01

Members of the personnel entitled to annual leave and, where appropriate, saved leave and/or compensatory leave are requested to take note of the new arrangements described below, which were recommended by the Standing Concertation Committee (SCC) at its meeting on 1Â September 2005 and subsequently approved by the Director-General. The changes do not apply to members of the personnel participating in the Progressive Retirement Programme (PRP) or the Part-time Work as a pre-retirement measure, for whom the specific provisions communicated at the time of joining will continue to apply. Â Negative balances in annual leave, saved leave and/or compensatory leave accounts at the end of the leave year (30th September) and on the date on which bonuses are credited to the saved leave account (31st December): Where members of the personnel have a leave account with a negative balance on 30Â September and/or 31Â December, leave will automatically be transferred from one account to another on the relevant dates i...

Negative leave balances

CERN Multimedia

Human Resources Department

2005-01-01

Members of the personnel entitled to annual leave and, where appropriate, saved leave and/or compensatory leave are requested to take note of the new arrangements described below, which were recommended by the Standing Concertation Committee (SCC) at its meeting on 1 September 2005 and subsequently approved by the Director-General. The changes do not apply to members of the personnel participating in the Progressive Retirement Programme (PRP) or the Part-time Work as a pre-retirement measure, for whom the specific provisions communicated at the time of joining will continue to apply.  Negative balances in annual leave, saved leave and/or compensatory leave accounts at the end of the leave year (30th September) and on the date on which bonuses are credited to the saved leave account (31st December): Where members of the personnel have a leave account with a negative balance on 30 September and/or 31 December, leave will automatically be transferred from one account to another on the relevant dates in or...

Modeling and simulating an electrical grid subsystem for power balance analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Totu, Luminita Cristiana; Leth, John-Josef; Wisniewski, Rafal

2012-01-01

We present an approach for power balance analysis in Smart Grids where the physical behavior of different electrical devices is modeled at unit level, and the collective load and generation curves can later be obtained by aggregation. In this way, new behaviors, flexibilities and intelligent...... strategies for power consumption and generation can be easily introduced at the user-level and the system-level impact analyzed on the aggregated profiles. The future aim is to investigate bottom-up balancing strategies, where units with a flexible energy band can react independently to power balance signals...

Tolerogenic Dendritic Cells Generated with Tofacitinib Ameliorate Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis through Modulation of Th17/Treg Balance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yan Zhou

2016-01-01

Full Text Available It is well known that dendritic cells (DCs play a pivotal role in triggering self-specific responses. Conversely, tolerogenic DCs (tolDCs, a specialized subset, induce tolerance and negatively regulate autoreactive responses. Tofacitinib, a Janus kinase inhibitor developed by Pfizer for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, is probable to be a promising candidate for inducing tolDCs. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of tolDCs induced by tofacitinib in a myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein- (MOG- specific experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE model and to investigate their effects on Th17/Treg balance in the animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS. Our results revealed that tofacitinib-treated DCs maintained a steady semimature phenotype with a low level of proinflammatory cytokines and costimulatory molecules. DCs treated by tofacitinib also induced antigen-specific T cells hyporesponsiveness in a concentration-dependent manner. Upon intravenous injection into EAE mice, MOG pulsed tolDCs significantly dampened disease activity, and adoptive cell therapy (ACT disturbed Th17/Treg balance with a remarkable decrease of Th1/Th17 cells and an increase in regulatory T cells (Tregs. Overall, DCs modified by tofacitinib exhibited a typical tolerogenic phenotype, and the antigen-specific tolDCs may represent a new avenue of research for the development of future clinical treatments for MS.

The International Balance of Payments Role in the Economy of Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ismadiyanti P Astuti

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The balance of payments is an indicator of economic fundamentals. Balance of payment describes the ability of a country to gain foreign exchange and foreign payments. This study aimed to analyze the determinants of the balance of payments on the Indonesian economy . It used  Thirlwall and Hussain models and also Duasa empirical model. This study used secondary data years 1987-2014, namely foreign exchange reserves, exports, foreign investment, the exchange rate and the real gross national income. The results showed that the performance of the balance of payments in Indonesia can be explained by the models shown in accordance with the hypothesis, but on several variables did not show a significant correlation.

Computerized dynamic posturography in the objective assessment of balance in patients with intermittent claudication.

Science.gov (United States)

Mockford, Katherine A; Mazari, Fayyaz A K; Jordan, Alastair R; Vanicek, Natalie; Chetter, Ian C; Coughlin, Patrick A

2011-02-01

One-third of all elderly patients fall each year and impaired balance has been recognized as a specific risk factor. Intermittent claudication is common among the elderly population, affecting approximately 5% of the population over the age of 50. The aim of this proof-of-concept study was to assess the prevalence of impaired balance among elderly claudicants and to assess each patient's insight into their own risk of falling. A total of 58 claudicants (45 men), median age of 70 (interquartile range = 65-73) years, underwent objective balance assessment by using computerized dynamic posturography. As compared with 195 (5%) historic controls, 24 (41%) of the claudicants demonstrated abnormal balance when the Sensory Organization Test (SOT) was used. Vestibular dysfunction occurred in 52% of the claudicants. Abnormalities including somatosensory (22%), visual function (17%), and preferential reliance on inaccurate visual cues (17%) occurred less often. Prolonged Motor Control Test latency times were uncommon (n = 13) and were in most cases evenly distributed between those with normal (n = 7) and abnormal (n = 6) composite SOT scores. There was a significant difference in history of falling between claudicants with abnormal and normal SOT scores (p = 0.003), with a higher number of patients with abnormal SOT having experienced falling in the past year. However, no correlation between fear of falling and composite SOT score was found (Spearman rank correlation, r = 0.124; p = 0.381). Impaired balance, particularly secondary to vestibular problems, is very common among claudicants and may predispose to a high incidence of falls. Claudicants with abnormal balance are more likely to have a history of falls but not a fear of falling, thus potentially rendering these patients to be at a greater risk. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The Effect of a Virtual Reality Game Intervention on Balance for Patients with Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hsin-Chieh; Huang, Chia-Lin; Ho, Sui-Hua; Sung, Wen-Hsu

2017-10-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of virtual reality (VR) balance training conducted using Kinect for Xbox® games on patients with chronic stroke. Fifty patients with mild to moderate motor deficits were recruited and randomly assigned to two groups: VR plus standard treatment group and standard treatment (ST) group. In total, 12 training sessions (90 minutes a session, twice a week) were conducted in both groups, and performance was assessed at three time points (pretest, post-test, and follow-up) by a blinded assessor. The outcome measures were the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Functional Reach Test, and Timed Up and Go Test (cognitive; TUG-cog) for balance evaluations; Modified Barthel Index for activities of daily living ability; Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale for balance confidence; and Stroke Impact Scale for quality of life. The pleasure scale and adverse events were also recorded after each training session. Both groups exhibited significant improvement over time in the BBS (P = 0.000) and TUG-cog test (P = 0.005). The VR group rated the experience as more pleasurable than the ST group during the intervention (P = 0.027). However, no significant difference was observed in other outcome measures within or between the groups. No serious adverse events were observed during the treatment in either group. VR balance training by using Kinect for Xbox games plus the traditional method had positive effects on the balance ability of patients with chronic stroke. The VR group experienced higher pleasure than the ST group during the intervention.

Medical Student Teaching and Recruiting: 50 Years of Balancing Two Educational Aims.

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider, Benjamin N; Chessman, Alexander; Toffler, William; Handler, Lara; Steiner, Beat; Biagioli, Frances Emily

2017-04-01

Family medicine (FM) undergraduate medical educators have had two distinct missions, to increase the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of all students while also striving to attract students to the field of family medicine. A five decade literature search was conducted gathering FM curricular innovations and the parallel trends in FM medical student interest. Student interest in FM had a rapid first-decade rise to 14%, a second 1990's surge, followed by a drop to the current plateau of 8-9%. This falls far short of the 30-50% generalist benchmark needed to fill the country's health care needs. Curricular innovations fall into three periods: Charismatic Leaders & Clinical Exposures (1965-1978), Creation of Clerkships of FM (1979-1998) and Curricular Innovations (1998-present). There is good evidence that having a required third-year clerkship positively impacts student interest in the field, however there is little research regarding the recruitment impact of specific clerkship curricula. Other tools associated with student interest include programming geared towards primary care or rural training and extracurricular opportunities such as FM Interest Groups. Strategic plans to improve the primary care work force should focus funding and legislative efforts on effective methods such as: establishing and maintaining FM clerkships, admitting students with rural and underserved backgrounds or primary care interest, developing longitudinal primary care tracks, and supporting extracurricular FM activities. Rigorous research is needed to assess how best to utilize limited educational resources to ensure that all students graduate with a core set of FM competence as well as an increased FM matriculation. Strategic plans to improve the primary care work force should focus funding and legislative efforts on effective methods such as: establishing and maintaining FM clerkships, admitting students with rural and underserved backgrounds or primary care interest, developing

Reliability and Clinical Significance of Mobility and Balance Assessments in Multiple Sclerosis

Science.gov (United States)

Learmonth, Yvonne C.; Paul, Lorna; McFadyen, Angus K.; Mattison, Paul; Miller, Linda

2012-01-01

The aim of the study was to establish the test-retest reliability, clinical significance and precision of four mobility and balance measures--the Timed 25-Foot Walk, Six-minute Walk, Timed Up and Go and the Berg Balance Scale--in individuals moderately affected by multiple sclerosis. Twenty four participants with multiple sclerosis (Extended…

A Virtual Reality-Cycling Training System for Lower Limb Balance Improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Chieh; Hsueh, Ya-Hsin; Yeh, Chun-Yu; Lo, Hsin-Chang; Lan, Yi-Ting

2016-01-01

Stroke survivors might lose their walking and balancing abilities, but many studies pointed out that cycling is an effective means for lower limb rehabilitation. However, during cycle training, the unaffected limb tends to compensate for the affected one, which resulted in suboptimal rehabilitation. To address this issue, we present a Virtual Reality-Cycling Training System (VRCTS), which senses the cycling force and speed in real-time, analyzes the acquired data to produce feedback to patients with a controllable VR car in a VR rehabilitation program, and thus specifically trains the affected side. The aim of the study was to verify the functionality of the VRCTS and to verify the results from the ten stroke patients participants and to compare the result of Asymmetry Ratio Index (ARI) between the experimental group and the control group, after their training, by using the bilateral pedal force and force plate to determine any training effect. The results showed that after the VRCTS training in bilateral pedal force it had improved by 0.22 (p = 0.046) and in force plate the stand balance has also improved by 0.29 (p = 0.031); thus both methods show the significant difference.

A Virtual Reality-Cycling Training System for Lower Limb Balance Improvement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chieh Yin

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Stroke survivors might lose their walking and balancing abilities, but many studies pointed out that cycling is an effective means for lower limb rehabilitation. However, during cycle training, the unaffected limb tends to compensate for the affected one, which resulted in suboptimal rehabilitation. To address this issue, we present a Virtual Reality-Cycling Training System (VRCTS, which senses the cycling force and speed in real-time, analyzes the acquired data to produce feedback to patients with a controllable VR car in a VR rehabilitation program, and thus specifically trains the affected side. The aim of the study was to verify the functionality of the VRCTS and to verify the results from the ten stroke patients participants and to compare the result of Asymmetry Ratio Index (ARI between the experimental group and the control group, after their training, by using the bilateral pedal force and force plate to determine any training effect. The results showed that after the VRCTS training in bilateral pedal force it had improved by 0.22 (p=0.046 and in force plate the stand balance has also improved by 0.29 (p=0.031; thus both methods show the significant difference.

Effects of Vestibular Rehabilitation on Balance Control in Older People with Chronic Dizziness: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Ricci, Natalia Aquaroni; Aratani, Mayra Cristina; Caovilla, Heloísa Helena; Ganança, Fernando Freitas

2016-04-01

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of vestibular rehabilitation protocols on balance control in elderly with dizziness. This is a randomized clinical trial with 3-mo follow-up period. The sample was composed of 82 older individuals with chronic dizziness from vestibular disorders. The control group was treated according to the Conventional Cawthorne & Cooksey protocol (n = 40), and the experimental group was submitted to a Multimodal Cawthorne & Cooksey protocol (n = 42). Measures included Dynamic Gait Index, fall history, hand grip strength, Time Up-and-Go Test, sit-to-stand test, multidirectional reach, and static balance tests. With the exception of history of falls, Forward Functional Reach, Unipedal Right and Left Leg Eyes Closed, and Sensorial Romberg Eyes Open, all outcomes improved after treatments. Such results persisted at follow-up period, with the exception of the Tandem Eyes Open and the Timed Up-and-Go manual. The between-group differences for Sensorial Romberg Eyes Closed (4.27 secs) and Unipedal Left Leg Eyes Open (4.08 secs) were significant after treatment, favoring the Multimodal protocol. Both protocols resulted in improvement on elderly's balance control, which was maintained during a short-term period. The multimodal protocol presented better performance on specific static balance tests.

Effects of balance and proprioceptive training on total hip and knee replacement rehabilitation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Domínguez-Navarro, Fernando; Igual-Camacho, Celedonia; Silvestre-Muñoz, Antonio; Roig-Casasús, Sergio; Blasco, José María

2018-05-01

Balance and proprioceptive deficits are frequently persistent after total joint replacement, limiting functionality and involving altered movement patterns and difficulties in walking and maintaining postural control among patients. The goal of this systematic review was to evaluate the short- and mid-term effects of proprioceptive and balance training for patients undergoing total knee and hip replacement. This is a systematic review of literature. MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, PEDro, and Scopus were the databases searched. The review included randomized clinical trials in which the experimental groups underwent a training aimed at improving balance and proprioception, in addition to conventional care. The studies had to assess at least one of the following outcomes: self-reported functionality or balance (primary outcomes), knee function, pain, falls, or quality of life. Eight trials were included, involving 567 participants. The quantitative synthesis found a moderate to high significant effect of balance and proprioceptive trainings on self-reported functionality and balance after total knee replacement. The effects were maintained at mid-term in terms of balance alone. Conversely, preoperative training did not enhance outcomes after total hip arthroplasty. The synthesis showed that, in clinical terms, balance trainings are a convenient complement to conventional physiotherapy care to produce an impact on balance and functionality after knee replacement. If outcomes such as improvement in pain, knee range of movement, or patient quality of life are to be promoted, it would be advisable to explore alternative proposals specifically targeting these goals. Further research is needed to confirm or discard the current evidence ultimately, predominantly in terms of the effects on the hips and those yielded by preoperative interventions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessing seniors' user experience (UX) of exergames for balance training

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nawaz, Ather; Skjæret, Nina; Ystmark, Kristine

2014-01-01

Exergames technologies are increasingly used to help people achieve their exercise requirements including balance training. However, little is known about seniors' user experience of exergame technology for balance training and what factors they consider most important for using the exergames....... This study aims to evaluate user experience and preferences of exergame technologies to train balance and to identify different factors that affect seniors' intention to use exergames. Fourteen healthy senior citizens played three different stepping exergames in a laboratory setting. Seniors' experience...... of the exergames and their preference to use exergames was assessed using a semi-structured interview, the system usability scale (SUS), and card ranking. The results of the study showed that in order for seniors to use exergames to train their balance, the exergames should particularly focus on challenging tasks...

Financing gas plants using off balance sheet structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Best, R.J.; Malcolm, V.

1999-01-01

A means by which to finance oil and gas facilities using off balance sheet structures was presented. Off balance sheet facility financing means the sale by an oil and gas producer of a processing and/or transportation facility to a financial intermediary, who under a Management Agreement, appoints the producer as the operator of the facility. The financial intermediary charges a fixed processing fee to the producer and all the benefits and upside of ownership are retained by the producer. This paper deals specifically with a flexible off balance sheet facility financing structure that can be used to make effective use of discretionary capital which is committed to gas processing and to the construction of new gas processing facilities. Off balance sheet financing is an attractive alternative method of ownership that frees up capital that is locked into the facilities while allowing the producer to retain strategic control of the processing facility

Comparison of the Mini-Balance Evaluations Systems Test with the Berg Balance Scale in relationship to walking speed and motor recovery post stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Madhavan, Sangeetha; Bishnoi, Alka

2017-12-01

The Mini-BESTest is a recently developed balance assessment tool that incorporates challenging dynamic balance tasks. Few studies have compared the psychometric properties of the Mini-BESTest to the commonly used Berg Balance Scale (BBS). However, the utility of these scales in relationship to post stroke walking speeds has not been explored. The purpose of this study was to compare the sensitivity and specificity of the Mini-BESTest and BBS to evaluate walking speeds in individuals with stroke. A retrospective exploratory design. Forty-one individuals with chronic stroke were evaluated with the Mini-BESTest, BBS, and 10-meter self-selected walk test (10MWT). Based on their self-selected gait speeds (below or above 0.8 m/s), participants were classified as slow and fast walkers. Significant linear correlations were observed between the Mini-BESTest vs. BBS (r = 0.72, p ≤ 0.001), Mini-BESTest vs. 10MWT (r = 0.58, p ≤ 0.001), and BBS vs. 10MWT (r = 0.30, p = 0.05). Independent t-tests comparing the balance scores for the slow and fast walkers revealed significant group differences for the Mini-BESTest (p = 0.003), but not for the BBS (p = 0.09). The Mini-BESTest demonstrated higher sensitivity (93%) and specificity (64%) compared to the BBS (sensitivity 81%, specificity 56%) for discriminating participants into slow and fast walkers. The Mini-BESTest has a greater discriminative ability than the BBS to categorize individuals with stroke into slow and fast walkers.

Human balance, the evolution of bipedalism and dysequilibrium syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Skoyles, John R

2006-01-01

A new model of the uniqueness, nature and evolution of human bipedality is presented in the context of the etiology of the balance disorder of dysequilibrium syndrome. Human bipedality is biologically novel in several remarkable respects. Humans are (a) obligate, habitual and diverse in their bipedalism, (b) hold their body carriage spinally erect in a multisegmental "antigravity pole", (c) use their forelimbs exclusively for nonlocomotion, (d) support their body weight exclusively by vertical balance and normally never use prehensile holds. Further, human bipedalism is combined with (e) upper body actions that quickly shift the body's center of mass (e.g. tennis serves, piggy-back carrying of children), (f) use transient unstable erect positions (dance, kicking and fighting), (g) body height that makes falls injurious, (h) stiff gait walking, and (i) endurance running. Underlying these novelties, I conjecture, is a species specific human vertical balance faculty. This faculty synchronizes any action with a skeletomuscular adjustment that corrects its potential destabilizing impact upon the projection of the body's center of mass over its foot support. The balance faculty depends upon internal models of the erect vertical body's geometrical relationship (and its deviations) to its support base. Due to the situation that humans are obligate erect terrestrial animals, two frameworks - the body- and gravity-defined frameworks - are in constant alignment in the vertical z-axis. This alignment allows human balance to adapt egocentric body cognitions to detect body deviations from the gravitational vertical. This link between human balance and the processing of geometrical orientation, I propose, accounts for the close link between balance and spatial cognition found in the cerebral cortex. I argue that cortical areas processing the spatial and other cognitions needed to enable vertical balance was an important reason for brain size expansion of Homo erectus. A novel

Design of the Balance@Work project: systematic development, evaluation and implementation of an occupational health guideline aimed at the prevention of weight gain among employees

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weel Andre NH

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Occupational health professionals may play an important role in preventive health promotion activities for employees. However, due to a lack of knowledge and evidence- and practice based methods and strategies, interventions are hardly being implemented by occupational physicians to date. The aim of the Balance@Work project is to develop, evaluate, and implement an occupational health guideline aimed at the prevention of weight gain among employees. Methods Following the guideline development protocol of the Netherlands Society of Occupational Medicine and the Intervention Mapping protocol, the guideline was developed based on literature, interviews with relevant stakeholders, and consensus among an expert group. The guideline consists of an individual and an environmental component. The individual component includes recommendations for occupational physicians on how to promote physical activity and healthy dietary behavior based on principles of motivational interviewing. The environmental component contains an obesogenic environment assessment tool. The guideline is evaluated in a randomised controlled trial among 20 occupational physicians. Occupational physicians in the intervention group apply the guideline to eligible workers during 6 months. Occupational physicians in the control group provide care as usual. Measurements take place at baseline and 6, 12, and 18 months thereafter. Primary outcome measures include waist circumference, daily physical activity and dietary behavior. Secondary outcome measures include sedentary behavior, determinants of behavior change, body weight and body mass index, cardiovascular disease risk profile, and quality of life. Additionally, productivity, absenteeism, and cost-effectiveness are assessed. Discussion Improving workers' daily physical activity and dietary behavior may prevent weight gain and subsequently improve workers' health, increase productivity, and reduce absenteeism

Design of the Balance@Work project: systematic development, evaluation and implementation of an occupational health guideline aimed at the prevention of weight gain among employees.

Science.gov (United States)

Verweij, Lisanne M; Proper, Karin I; Weel, Andre N H; Hulshof, Carel T J; van Mechelen, Willem

2009-12-14

Occupational health professionals may play an important role in preventive health promotion activities for employees. However, due to a lack of knowledge and evidence- and practice based methods and strategies, interventions are hardly being implemented by occupational physicians to date. The aim of the Balance@Work project is to develop, evaluate, and implement an occupational health guideline aimed at the prevention of weight gain among employees. Following the guideline development protocol of the Netherlands Society of Occupational Medicine and the Intervention Mapping protocol, the guideline was developed based on literature, interviews with relevant stakeholders, and consensus among an expert group. The guideline consists of an individual and an environmental component. The individual component includes recommendations for occupational physicians on how to promote physical activity and healthy dietary behavior based on principles of motivational interviewing. The environmental component contains an obesogenic environment assessment tool. The guideline is evaluated in a randomised controlled trial among 20 occupational physicians. Occupational physicians in the intervention group apply the guideline to eligible workers during 6 months. Occupational physicians in the control group provide care as usual. Measurements take place at baseline and 6, 12, and 18 months thereafter. Primary outcome measures include waist circumference, daily physical activity and dietary behavior. Secondary outcome measures include sedentary behavior, determinants of behavior change, body weight and body mass index, cardiovascular disease risk profile, and quality of life. Additionally, productivity, absenteeism, and cost-effectiveness are assessed. Improving workers' daily physical activity and dietary behavior may prevent weight gain and subsequently improve workers' health, increase productivity, and reduce absenteeism. After an effect- and process evaluation the guideline will be

The Balanced Company

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

through control or trust. Human resource specialists need to make balanced decisions about how to design tasks and jobs in order to make them attractive as well as motivating. Marketers need to make balanced decisions about how to market products in the light of what is now important in consumers...... in their environments. Communication specialists need to make balanced decisions which take the different value systems and assumptions of stakeholders into consideration. Change specialists need to balance the need for continuity and change. Managers need to make balanced decisions about whether to achieve goals...... the creation and recreation of balanced relationships. Chapters in The Balanced Company ask and provide answers to questions about corporately responsible and ethically driven balanced decision making, such as: • How can a company and its stakeholders identify what should be taken into consideration - What...

Physics of the fuel cycle. Evaluation of methods, uncertainties and estimation of the material balance for fuels UO{sub 2} and UO{sub 2}-PuO{sub 2}; Physique du cycle du combustible evaluation des methodes, incertitudes et estimation du bilan matiere pour les combustibles UO{sub 2} et UO{sub 2}-PuO{sub 2}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Monier, C

1997-09-01

The research works of this thesis are aimed to evaluate the methods and the associated uncertainties for the material balances estimation of the burn-up UO{sub 2} and MOX fuels which intervene in the fuel cycle physics. The studies carried out are used to qualify the cycle `package` DARWIN for the PWRs material balances estimation. The elaboration and optimisation of the calculation routes are carried out following a very specific methodology, aimed at estimating the bias introduced by the modelizations simplification by a comparison with almost exact reference modelizations. Depending on the precision goals and the informations, the permissible approximation will be determined. Two calculation routes have been developed and the qualified by applying them to the used fuels isotopic analysis interpretation: one `industry-oriented` calculation route which can calculate full UO{sub 2} assemblies material balances with a 2 % precision on the main actinides, respecting the industrial specifications. This route must run with a reasonable calculation time and stay user-friendly; one reference calculation route for the precise interpretation of fuel samples made of pieces of burn-up MOX rods. Aiming to provide material balances with the best possible precision, this route does not have the same specifications concerning its use and its calculation time performance. (author)

Do cortical midline variability and low frequency fluctuations mediate William James' "Stream of Consciousness"? "Neurophenomenal Balance Hypothesis" of "Inner Time Consciousness".

Science.gov (United States)

Northoff, Georg

2014-11-01

William James famously characterized consciousness by 'stream of consciousness' which describes the temporal continuity and flow of the contents of consciousness in our 'inner time consciousness'. More specifically he distinguished between "substantive parts", the contents of consciousness, and "transitive parts", the linkages between different contents. While much research has recently focused on the substantive parts, the neural mechanisms underlying the transitive parts and their characterization by the balance between 'sensible continuity' and 'continuous change' remain unclear. The aim of this paper is to develop so-called neuro-phenomenal hypothesis about specifically the transitive parts and their two phenomenal hallmark features, sensible continuity and continuous change in 'inner time consciousness'. Based on recent findings, I hypothesize that the cortical midline structures and their high degree of variability and strong low frequency fluctuations play an essential role in mediating the phenomenal balance between sensible continuity and continuous change. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Resilience and Work-life Balance in First-line Nurse Manager

OpenAIRE

Kim, Miyoung; Windsor, Carol

2015-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore how first-line nurse managers constructed the meaning of resilience and its relationship to work-life balance for nurses in Korea. Methods: Participants were 20 first-line nurse managers working in six university hospitals. Data were collected through in-depth interviews from December 2011 to August 2012, and analyzed using Strauss and Corbin's grounded theory method. Results: Analysis revealed that participants perceived work-life balance a...

On balanced minimal repeated measurements designs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shakeel Ahmad Mir

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Repeated Measurements designs are concerned with scientific experiments in which each experimental unit is assigned more than once to a treatment either different or identical. This class of designs has the property that the unbiased estimators for elementary contrasts among direct and residual effects are obtainable. Afsarinejad (1983 provided a method of constructing balanced Minimal Repeated Measurements designs p < t , when t is an odd or prime power, one or more than one treatment may occur more than once in some sequences and  designs so constructed no longer remain uniform in periods. In this paper an attempt has been made to provide a new method to overcome this drawback. Specifically, two cases have been considered                RM[t,n=t(t-t/(p-1,p], λ2=1 for balanced minimal repeated measurements designs and  RM[t,n=2t(t-t/(p-1,p], λ2=2 for balanced  repeated measurements designs. In addition , a method has been provided for constructing              extra-balanced minimal designs for special case RM[t,n=t2/(p-1,p], λ2=1.

Relationship between strength, power and balance performance in seniors.

Science.gov (United States)

Muehlbauer, Thomas; Besemer, Carmen; Wehrle, Anja; Gollhofer, Albert; Granacher, Urs

2012-01-01

Deficits in strength, power and balance represent important intrinsic risk factors for falls in seniors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between variables of lower extremity muscle strength/power and balance, assessed under various task conditions. Twenty-four healthy and physically active older adults (mean age: 70 ± 5 years) were tested for their isometric strength (i.e. maximal isometric force of the leg extensors) and muscle power (i.e. countermovement jump height and power) as well as for their steady-state (i.e. unperturbed standing, 10-meter walk), proactive (i.e. Timed Up & Go test, Functional Reach Test) and reactive (i.e. perturbed standing) balance. Balance tests were conducted under single (i.e. standing or walking alone) and dual task conditions (i.e. standing or walking plus cognitive and motor interference task). Significant positive correlations were found between measures of isometric strength and muscle power of the lower extremities (r values ranged between 0.608 and 0.720, p power and balance (i.e. no significant association in 20 out of 21 cases). Additionally, no significant correlations were found between measures of steady-state, proactive and reactive balance or balance tests performed under single and dual task conditions (all p > 0.05). The predominately nonsignificant correlations between different types of balance imply that balance performance is task specific in healthy and physically active seniors. Further, strength, power and balance as well as balance under single and dual task conditions seem to be independent of each other and may have to be tested and trained complementarily. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Effects of Wearable Sensor-Based Balance and Gait Training on Balance, Gait, and Functional Performance in Healthy and Patient Populations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Gordt, Katharina; Gerhardy, Thomas; Najafi, Bijan; Schwenk, Michael

2018-01-01

Wearable sensors (WS) can accurately measure body motion and provide interactive feedback for supporting motor learning. This review aims to summarize current evidence for the effectiveness of WS training for improving balance, gait and functional performance. A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, and CINAHL. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using a WS exercise program were included. Study quality was examined by the PEDro scale. Meta-analyses were conducted to estimate the effects of WS balance training on the most frequently reported outcome parameters. Eight RCTs were included (Parkinson n = 2, stroke n = 1, Parkinson/stroke n = 1, peripheral neuropathy n = 2, frail older adults n = 1, healthy older adults n = 1). The sample size ranged from n = 20 to 40. Three types of training paradigms were used: (1) static steady-state balance training, (2) dynamic steady-state balance training, which includes gait training, and (3) proactive balance training. RCTs either used one type of training paradigm (type 2: n = 1, type 3: n = 3) or combined different types of training paradigms within their intervention (type 1 and 2: n = 2; all types: n = 2). The meta-analyses revealed significant overall effects of WS training on static steady-state balance outcomes including mediolateral (eyes open: Hedges' g = 0.82, CI: 0.43-1.21; eyes closed: g = 0.57, CI: 0.14-0.99) and anterior-posterior sway (eyes open: g = 0.55, CI: 0.01-1.10; eyes closed: g = 0.44, CI: 0.02-0.86). No effects on habitual gait speed were found in the meta-analysis (g = -0.19, CI: -0.68 to 0.29). Two RCTs reported significant improvements for selected gait variables including single support time, and fast gait speed. One study identified effects on proactive balance (Alternate Step Test), but no effects were found for the Timed Up and Go test and the Berg Balance Scale. Two studies reported positive results on feasibility and usability. Only one study was

Tests of stepping as indicators of mobility, balance, and fall risk in balance-impaired older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Be-long; Scarpace, Diane; Alexander, Neil B

2004-07-01

To determine the relationships between two tests of stepping ability (the maximal step length (MSL) and rapid step test (RST)) and standard tests of standing balance, gait, mobility, and functional impairment in a group of at-risk older adults. Cross-sectional study. University-based laboratory. One hundred sixty-seven mildly balance-impaired older adults recruited for a balance-training and fall-reduction program (mean age 78, range 65-90). Measures of stepping maximally (MSL, the ability to maximally step out and return to the initial position) and rapidly (RST, the time taken to step out and return in multiple directions as fast as possible); standard measures of balance, gait, and mobility including timed tandem stance (TS), tandem walk (TW, both timing and errors), timed unipedal stance (US), timed up and go (TUG), performance oriented mobility assessment (POMA), and 6-minute walk (SMW); measures of leg strength (peak knee and ankle torque and power at slow and fast speeds); self-report measures of frequent falls (>2 per 12 months), disability (Established Population for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly (EPESE) physical function), and confidence to avoid falls (Activity-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale). Spearman and Pearson correlation, intraclass correlation coefficient, logistic regression, and linear regression were used for data analysis. MSL consistently predicted a number of self-report and performance measures at least as well as other standard balance measures. MSL correlations with EPESE physical function, ABC, TUG, and POMA scores; SMW; and peak maximum knee and ankle torque and power were at least as high as those correlations seen with TS, TW, or US. MSL score was associated with the risk of being a frequent faller. In addition, the six MSL directions were highly correlated (up to 0.96), and any one of the leg directions yielded similar relationships with functional measures and a history of falls. Relationships between RST and these

Work/Life Balance Issues for Female Physicians and Implications for Medical Education

Science.gov (United States)

Corder, Paige Frances

2016-01-01

Work/life balance issues exist for all people who navigate both professional and personal responsibilities, regardless of profession, gender, marital status, or number of children. This research sought to better understand the specific work/life balance challenges faced by female physicians and how medical education can better prepare future…

Investigation of thiol-disulphide balance in patients with acute urticaria and chronic spontaneous urticaria.

Science.gov (United States)

Akbas, Ayse; Kilinc, Fadime; Sener, Sertac; Aktaş, Akın; Baran, Pervin; Ergin, Merve

2017-09-01

Thiol-disulphide balance plays a major role in health and diseases. This balance may be disrupted by various diseases. We aimed to determine status of the effect of thiol-disulphide balance in urticaria. We aimed to investigate the thiol-disulphide balance in patients with acute urticaria (AUP) and chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). Study included 53 AUP and 47 healthy controls plus 57 patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSUP) and 57 healthy controls. Levels of native thiols, disulphides and total thiols were evaluated in plasma using a new and automated spectrophotometric method. Ratios of disulphides/total thiols, disulphides/native thiols and native thiols/total thiols were calculated. For AU, there was no statistical difference compared to control group in levels of native thiols, disulphides and total thiols. For CSU, however, there was an increase in levels of native thiols, disulphides and total thiols and the ratio of thiol/disulphide in favour of disulphide. Thiol-disulphide balance was not affected by AU but shifted towards to disulphide in CSU indicating the presence of oxidative stress (OS).

Explanatory factors of Work-Life Balance and time management leading to the well being in the vision of paranaian accountants1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stella Maris Lima Altoé

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Recently, work-life balance has been focus of debates that aim to approach on the integration between the different domains work and family. The discussions seek to reduce the role conflicts inherent in these spheres. In certain professions, due to the intense work, one observes the intensification of the conflicts of roles. This fact shows that the accounting profession presents specific demands in certain periods, so the professional is overwhelmed with tasks and needs to manage his time properly. Thus, the study aims to identify which are the factors that explain the perception of accountants from Paraná regarding their work-life balance and time management. Through an online survey, from the research instrument adapted from the study of Wong and Ko (2009, 267 registered registries in the state of Paraná answered the questionnaire. To analyze the data, we used descriptive statistics and factor analysis. From the factor analysis technique, three factors were identified as explanatory of work-life balance: (1 work support; (2 commitment to work; and (3 commitment to family and personal aspects. In addition to the three work-life balance factors identified, time management was considered. The results of this research are in line with the findings of Wong and Ko (2009. As a scientific contribution, this study enables relevant discussions on aspects related to the quality of life and the performance of accounting professionals.

The Role of Cognitive Factors in Predicting Balance and Fall Risk in a Neuro-Rehabilitation Setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Saverino, A; Waller, D; Rantell, K; Parry, R; Moriarty, A; Playford, E D

2016-01-01

There is a consistent body of evidence supporting the role of cognitive functions, particularly executive function, in the elderly and in neurological conditions which become more frequent with ageing. The aim of our study was to assess the role of different domains of cognitive functions to predict balance and fall risk in a sample of adults with various neurological conditions in a rehabilitation setting. This was a prospective, cohort study conducted in a single centre in the UK. 114 participants consecutively admitted to a Neuro-Rehabilitation Unit were prospectively assessed for fall accidents. Baseline assessment included a measure of balance (Berg Balance Scale) and a battery of standard cognitive tests measuring executive function, speed of information processing, verbal and visual memory, visual perception and intellectual function. The outcomes of interest were the risk of becoming a faller, balance and fall rate. Two tests of executive function were significantly associated with fall risk, the Stroop Colour Word Test (IRR 1.01, 95% CI 1.00-1.03) and the number of errors on part B of the Trail Making Test (IRR 1.23, 95% CI 1.03-1.49). Composite scores of executive function, speed of information processing and visual memory domains resulted in 2 to 3 times increased likelihood of having better balance (OR 2.74 95% CI 1.08 to 6.94, OR 2.72 95% CI 1.16 to 6.36 and OR 2.44 95% CI 1.11 to 5.35 respectively). Our results show that specific subcomponents of executive functions are able to predict fall risk, while a more global cognitive dysfunction is associated with poorer balance.

The Role of Cognitive Factors in Predicting Balance and Fall Risk in a Neuro-Rehabilitation Setting.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A Saverino

Full Text Available There is a consistent body of evidence supporting the role of cognitive functions, particularly executive function, in the elderly and in neurological conditions which become more frequent with ageing. The aim of our study was to assess the role of different domains of cognitive functions to predict balance and fall risk in a sample of adults with various neurological conditions in a rehabilitation setting.This was a prospective, cohort study conducted in a single centre in the UK. 114 participants consecutively admitted to a Neuro-Rehabilitation Unit were prospectively assessed for fall accidents. Baseline assessment included a measure of balance (Berg Balance Scale and a battery of standard cognitive tests measuring executive function, speed of information processing, verbal and visual memory, visual perception and intellectual function. The outcomes of interest were the risk of becoming a faller, balance and fall rate.Two tests of executive function were significantly associated with fall risk, the Stroop Colour Word Test (IRR 1.01, 95% CI 1.00-1.03 and the number of errors on part B of the Trail Making Test (IRR 1.23, 95% CI 1.03-1.49. Composite scores of executive function, speed of information processing and visual memory domains resulted in 2 to 3 times increased likelihood of having better balance (OR 2.74 95% CI 1.08 to 6.94, OR 2.72 95% CI 1.16 to 6.36 and OR 2.44 95% CI 1.11 to 5.35 respectively.Our results show that specific subcomponents of executive functions are able to predict fall risk, while a more global cognitive dysfunction is associated with poorer balance.

PID Controller Design for FES Applied to Ankle Muscles in Neuroprosthesis for Standing Balance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hossein Rouhani

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Closed-loop controlled functional electrical stimulation (FES applied to the lower limb muscles can be used as a neuroprosthesis for standing balance in neurologically impaired individuals. The objective of this study was to propose a methodology for designing a proportional-integral-derivative (PID controller for FES applied to the ankle muscles toward maintaining standing balance for several minutes and in the presence of perturbations. First, a model of the physiological control strategy for standing balance was developed. Second, the parameters of a PID controller that mimicked the physiological balance control strategy were determined to stabilize the human body when modeled as an inverted pendulum. Third, this PID controller was implemented using a custom-made Inverted Pendulum Standing Apparatus that eliminated the effect of visual and vestibular sensory information on voluntary balance control. Using this setup, the individual-specific FES controllers were tested in able-bodied individuals and compared with disrupted voluntary control conditions in four experimental paradigms: (i quiet-standing; (ii sudden change of targeted pendulum angle (step response; (iii balance perturbations that simulate arm movements; and (iv sudden change of targeted angle of a pendulum with individual-specific body-weight (step response. In paradigms (i to (iii, a standard 39.5-kg pendulum was used, and 12 subjects were involved. In paradigm (iv 9 subjects were involved. Across the different experimental paradigms and subjects, the FES-controlled and disrupted voluntarily-controlled pendulum angle showed root mean square errors of <1.2 and 2.3 deg, respectively. The root mean square error (all paradigms, rise time, settle time, and overshoot [paradigms (ii and (iv] in FES-controlled balance were significantly smaller or tended to be smaller than those observed with voluntarily-controlled balance, implying improved steady-state and transient responses of FES

1970-1997 energy balance-sheets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

The aim of this document is to bring together a consistent and harmonized set of statistical data on energy economics in the French territory. The information is based on the global and structural approach of the different energy balance-sheets published between 1970 and 1997. The first chapter gives a general idea of the energy situation of the passed year and outlines the evolution of the main aggregates (production, primary and final consumption etc..) comparatively to those of the general economy. The second chapter is devoted to the history of energy economics. Time series of indicators and diagrams allow to precise the structural modifications that occurred during the last decades. The main transformations in the national energy production and the development of the different energy sources in the industry, the residential and tertiary sectors and in the transportation sector are described too. The third chapter gives numerical data on energy for the last 28 years using the common Mtpe unit (million of tons of petroleum equivalent). These balance sheets are based on new energy keeping methods and use identical equivalence coefficients. The last chapter presents the energy balance sheets for the last three years, using the proper units for coal, petroleum, gas and electricity. (J.S.)

Balancing Audio

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Walther-Hansen, Mads

2016-01-01

is not thoroughly understood. In this paper I treat balance as a metaphor that we use to reason about several different actions in music production, such as adjusting levels, editing the frequency spectrum or the spatiality of the recording. This study is based on an exploration of a linguistic corpus of sound......This paper explores the concept of balance in music production and examines the role of conceptual metaphors in reasoning about audio editing. Balance may be the most central concept in record production, however, the way we cognitively understand and respond meaningfully to a mix requiring balance...

The Relationship Between Hip Strength and the Y-Balance Test.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Benjamin R; Robertson, Kaley E; Burnham, Jeremy M; Yonz, Michael C; Ireland, Mary Lloyd; Noehren, Brian

2017-07-17

The Y-Balance Test was developed as a test of dynamic postural control and has been shown to be predictive of lower extremity injury. However, the relationship between hip strength and performance on the Y-Balance Test has not been fully elucidated. The goal of this study was to identify the relationship between components of isometric hip strength and the Y-Balance Test, to provide clinicians better guidance as to specific areas of muscle performance to address in the event of poor performance on the Y-Balance Test. Laboratory Study. Biomechanics Laboratory. Seventy-three healthy participants, 40 males and 33 females, volunteered for this study. None. Participants completed the Y-Balance Test on the right leg. We then measured peak isometric torque in hip external rotation, abduction, and extension. Correlations were calculated between torque measurements, normalized for mass, and Y-Balance Test performance. Significant relationships were used in linear regression models to determine which variables were predictive of the Y-Balance Test performance. We found significant positive correlations between Y-Balance Test performance and hip abduction strength. We also found correlations between the Y-Balance Test and hip extension and external rotation strengths. Linear regression analysis showed hip abduction to be the only significant predictor of Y- Balance performance. We found the strongest association between the Y-Balance Test and hip abduction strength. We also showed smaller but significant associations with hip extension and external rotation strength. When entered into a linear regression analysis, hip abduction strength was the only significant predictor of Y-Balance performance. Using this information, practitioners should look to hip abduction strength when patients exhibit deficits in the Y-Balance Test.

Occupational balance of women with rheumatoid arthritis: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Stamm, Tanja; Wright, Jon; Machold, Klaus; Sadlo, Gaynor; Smolen, Josef

2004-01-01

Occupational balance has been shown to be an important factor in maintaining health. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) reduces functional ability and quality of life and may thus reduce occupational balance. The aim of this qualitative pilot study was to explore occupational balance in women who have RA. Nine women with RA with past, but not current, paid work experience, no other confounding neuro-motor disease and with disease duration of 0.75-31 years were selected from an Austrian rheumatology outpatient clinic. Age range of the participants was 28-68 years. A semi-structured interview was conducted with each participant and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed by the constant comparative method from an occupational perspective. Three main categories emerged: (1) The participants experienced a process of change that affected their occupational balance. (2) This new state of occupational balance was characterized by changed levels of involvement in physical, mental, social and rest occupations and by a certain level of unpredictability of symptoms. (3) Overall, the new state of occupational balance was valued differently: positively, indifferently or negatively. RA was found to have a considerable impact on occupational balance. The experience is not invariably seen as negative as previous literature would suggest. Further research should explore the longitudinal dimension of occupational balance in people with RA. Copyright (c) 2004 Whurr Publishers Ltd.

A Dynamic and Heuristic Phase Balancing Method for LV Feeders

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Samad Taghipour Boroujeni

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Due to the single-phase loads and their stochastic behavior, the current in the distribution feeders is not balanced. In addition, the single-phase loads are located in different positions along the LV feeders. So the amount of the unbalanced load and its location affect the feeder losses. An unbalanced load causes the feeder losses and the voltage drop. Because of time-varying behavior of the single-phase loads, phase balancing is a dynamic and combinatorial problem. In this research, a heuristic and dynamic solution for the phase balancing of the LV feeders is proposed. In this method, it is supposed that the loads’ tie could be connected to all phases through a three-phase switch. The aim of the proposed method is to make the feeder conditions as balanced as possible. The amount and the location of single-phase loads are considered in the proposed phase balancing method. Since the proposed method needs no communication interface or no remote controller, it is inexpensive, simple, practical, and robust. Applying this method provides a distributed and dynamic phase balancing control. In addition, the feasibility of reducing the used switches is investigated. The ability of the proposed method in the phase balancing of the LV feeders is approved by carrying out some simulations.

Balanced Scorecard: A Strategic Tool in Implementing Homeland Security Strategies

OpenAIRE

Caudle, Sharon

2008-01-01

This article appeared in Homeland Security Affairs (October 2008), v.4 no.3 Starting in the early 1990s, Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton advocated a 'balanced scorecard' translating an organization's mission and existing business strategy into specific strategic objectives that could be linked in cause and effect relationships and measured operationally. The balanced scorecard stressed drivers of future organizational performance -- capabilities, resources, and business processes -- a...

Does robotic gait training improve balance in Parkinson's disease? A randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Picelli, Alessandro; Melotti, Camilla; Origano, Francesca; Waldner, Andreas; Gimigliano, Raffaele; Smania, Nicola

2012-09-01

Treadmill training (with or without robotic assistance) has been reported to improve balance skills in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, its effectiveness on postural instability has been evaluated mainly in patients with mild to moderate PD (Hoehn & Yahr stage ≤3). Patients with more severe disease may benefit from robot-assisted gait training performed by the Gait-Trainer GT1, as a harness supports them with their feet placed on motor-driven footplates. The aim of this study was to determine whether robot-assisted gait training could have a positive influence on postural stability in patients with PD at Hoehn & Yahr stage 3-4. Thirty-four patients with PD at Hoehn & Yahr stage 3-4 were randomly assigned into two groups. All patients received twelve, 40-min treatment sessions, three days/week, for four consecutive weeks. The Robotic Training group (n = 17) underwent robot-assisted gait training, while the Physical Therapy group (n = 17) underwent a training program not specifically aimed at improving postural stability. Patients were evaluated before, immediately after and 1-month post-treatment. Primary outcomes were: Berg Balance scale; Nutt's rating. A significant improvement was found after treatment on the Berg Balance Scale and the Nutt's rating in favor of the Robotic Training group (Berg: 43.44 ± 2.73; Nutt: 1.38 ± 0.50) compared to the Physical Therapy group (Berg: 37.27 ± 5.68; Nutt: 2.07 ± 0.59). All improvements were maintained at the 1-month follow-up evaluation. Robot-assisted gait training may improve postural instability in patients with PD at Hoehn & Yahr stage 3-4. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Two-Dimension Sorting and Selection Algorithm featuring Thermal Balancing Control for Modular Multilevel Converters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sangwongwanich, Ariya; Máthé, Lászlo; Teodorescu, Remus

2016-01-01

With the aim to solve the unbalanced thermal behavior in the modular multilevel converter, introduced by mismatch in the submodule parameters, a thermal balancing control strategy is proposed here. The proposed solution ensures a balanced junction temperature for the power devices, while the bala...

Reactive Balance Control in Response to Perturbation in Unilateral Stance: Interaction Effects of Direction, Displacement and Velocity on Compensatory Neuromuscular and Kinematic Responses

Science.gov (United States)

Freyler, Kathrin; Gollhofer, Albert; Colin, Ralf; Brüderlin, Uli; Ritzmann, Ramona

2015-01-01

Unexpected sudden perturbations challenge postural equilibrium and require reactive compensation. This study aimed to assess interaction effects of the direction, displacement and velocity of perturbations on electromyographic (EMG) activity, centre of pressure (COP) displacement and joint kinematics to detect neuromuscular characteristics (phasic and segmental) and kinematic strategies of compensatory reactions in an unilateral balance paradigm. In 20 subjects, COP displacement and velocity, ankle, knee and hip joint excursions and EMG during short (SLR), medium (MLR) and long latency response (LLR) of four shank and five thigh muscles were analysed during random surface translations varying in direction (anterior-posterior (sagittal plane), medial-lateral (frontal plane)), displacement (2 vs. 3cm) and velocity (0.11 vs. 0.18m/s) of perturbation when balancing on one leg on a movable platform. Phases: SLR and MLR were scaled to increased velocity (Pjoints compensated for both increasing displacement and velocity in all directions (Pjoint deflections were particularly sensitive to increasing displacement in the sagittal (Pjoint deflections to increasing velocity in the frontal plane (P<0.05). COP measures increased with increasing perturbation velocity and displacement (P<0.05). Interaction effects indicate that compensatory responses are based on complex processes, including different postural strategies characterised by phasic and segmental specifications, precisely adjusted to the type of balance disturbance. To regain balance after surface translation, muscles of the distal segment govern the quick regain of equilibrium; the muscles of the proximal limb serve as delayed stabilisers after a balance disturbance. Further, a kinematic distinction regarding the compensation for balance disturbance indicated different plane- and segment-specific sensitivities with respect to the determinants displacement and velocity. PMID:26678061

Acute Sport-Related Concussion Screening for Collegiate Athletes Using an Instrumented Balance Assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Baracks, Joshua; Casa, Douglas J; Covassin, Tracey; Sacko, Ryan; Scarneo, Samantha E; Schnyer, David; Yeargin, Susan W; Neville, Christopher

2018-06-13

  Without a true criterion standard assessment, the sport-related concussion (SRC) diagnosis remains subjective. Inertial balance sensors have been proposed to improve acute SRC assessment, but few researchers have studied their clinical utility.   To determine if group differences exist when using objective measures of balance in a sample of collegiate athletes with recent SRCs and participants serving as the control group and to calculate sensitivity and specificity to determine the diagnostic utility of the inertial balance sensor for acute SRC injuries.   Cohort study.   Multicenter clinical trial.   We enrolled 48 participants with SRC (age = 20.62 ± 1.52 years, height = 179.76 ± 10.00 cm, mass = 83.92 ± 23.22 kg) and 45 control participants (age = 20.85 ± 1.42 years, height = 177.02 ± 9.59 cm, mass = 74.61 ± 14.92 kg) at 7 clinical sites in the United States. All were varsity or club collegiate athletes, and all participants with SRC were tested within 72 hours of SRC.   Balance performance was assessed using an inertial balance sensor. Two measures (root mean square [RMS] sway and 95% ellipse sway area) were analyzed to represent a range of general balance measures. Balance assessments were conducted in double-legged, single-legged, and tandem stances.   A main effect for group was associated with the root mean square sway measure ( F 1,91 = 11.75, P = .001), with the SRC group demonstrating balance deficits compared with the control group. We observed group differences in the 95% ellipse sway area measure for the double-legged ( F 1,91 = 11.59, P = .001), single-legged ( F 1,91 = 6.91, P = .01), and tandem ( F 1,91 = 7.54, P = .007) stances. Sensitivity was greatest using a cutoff value of 0.5 standard deviations (54% [specificity = 71%]), whereas specificity was greatest using a cutoff value of 2 standard deviations (98% [sensitivity = 33%]).   Inertial balance sensors may be useful tools for objectively measuring balance during acute

The impact of within and between role experiences on role balance outcomes for working Sandwich Generation Women.

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Kiah L; Millsteed, Jeannine; Richmond, Janet E; Falkmer, Marita; Falkmer, Torbjorn; Girdler, Sonya J

2018-03-15

Women combining paid employment with dual caring responsibilities for children and aging parents, otherwise known as the sandwich generation, experience both benefits and costs related to role participation and quality of life. However, previous literature is inconclusive regarding the impact of this role combination on role balance. In the context of these mixed findings on role balance for working sandwich generation women, this study aimed to explore how within role characteristics and between role interactions are related to role balance for these women. This aim was achieved through the use of a questionnaire administered to 18 Australian working sandwich generation women. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and correlation coefficients, with findings suggesting the women studied tended to experience neither role balance or role imbalance. Within-role characteristics, particularly within the mother and family member roles, were related to role balance. In addition, between-role conflict and role interactions involving either the home maintainer or family member roles had the greatest impact on role balance.

Postural Balance in Women with Osteoporosis and Effective Factors

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Duygu Ünlüsoy

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The most common cause of mortality and morbidity among osteoporotic individuals is bone fracture which in many cases is a direct result of falls. Individual factors contributing to the risk of fall are poor postural balance and lack of muscle strength. Our aims were to assess postural dynamic balance in osteoporotic women and to describe the effective factors on the balance performance. Methods: Twenty osteoporotic women with kyphosis, 50 osteoporotic women without kyphosis, and 30 healthy women were included in the study. Anterior/Posterior (AP, Medial/Lateral (ML and Overall (OA stability indices were obtained using Biodex Stability System (Biodex Medical System, Shirley, NY. Subjects were tested both with eyes open and eyes closed. Quadriceps-hamstring muscles’ strength were measured with isokinetic system at angular speeds of 60-180-300°/sec. Results: OA, AP, ML stability indices in the group with osteoporosis were found to be statistically significantly higher in the open-eyed balance test. When a correlation analysis was performed on all osteoporotic patients, a negative correlation was detected between balance stability indices and knee flexion-extension strength at 60°/sec and knee flexion strength at 300°/sec. Multivariable regression analysis revealed knee extension strength at 60°/sec to be the most effective factor contributing to balance in osteoporotic patients. Conclusion: Postural balance in osteoporotic women presenting is significantly worse than in the healthy women and the factor exerting the greatest influence on balance is quadriceps muscle strength. Therefore, particular importance must be given to balance and quadriceps strengthening exercises in order to prevent falls in osteoporotic patients. (Turkish Journal of Osteoporosis 2011;17:37-43

THE ESTIMATION OF INFLUENCE OF OUT-OF-BALANCE INTANGIBLE ASSETS ON THE ENTERPRISE MARKET VALUE

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Y. Melnyk

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this article is investigation of the factors of influence of out-of-balance intangible assetsand other non-monetary factors on the general market value of the enterprises of small, middle-sized and bigbusiness with the aim of providing their competitiveness, further development and giving the possibility ofmanaging the enterprise cost in the market. The investigation showed that the degree of influence of the latent non-monetary factors, including out-of-balance intangible assets can be much more essential than influence of balance intangible assets and other assets of the enterprise. Carrying out of the investigation allowed us to determine optimal methodological approaches y of determining the enterprise cost taking intoaccount out-of-balance intangible assets. The methodology has a number of indisputable advantages, whichcan be leveled only during carrying out the further investigations.

Japan and India: soft balancing as a reaction to China's rise?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wellington Amorim

2014-01-01

Full Text Available What are Indian and Japanese reactions to China's rise in economic, political and military terms? According to realist tradition, their option would be between balancing and bandwagoning. Applying Stephen Walt's balance of threats approach, this work aims to analyze Indian and Japan responses to an increasingly powerful China; its conclusions point to an evolving relationship between India and Japan, in military terms, especially after 2005.

Modeling of Two-Wheeled Self-Balancing Robot Driven by DC Gearmotors

Science.gov (United States)

Frankovský, P.; Dominik, L.; Gmiterko, A.; Virgala, I.; Kurylo, P.; Perminova, O.

2017-08-01

This paper is aimed at modelling a two-wheeled self-balancing robot driven by the geared DC motors. A mathematical model consists of two main parts, the model of robot's mechanical structure and the model of the actuator. Linearized equations of motion are derived and the overall model of the two-wheeled self-balancing robot is represented in state-space realization for the purpose of state feedback controller design.

Balancing dual roles in self-employed women: An exploratory study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kirsty-Lee McLellan

2009-04-01

Full Text Available This study is aimed at exploring how self-employed women cope in balancing their dual roles as mothers and executives. Through the elicitation of constructs by making use of Kelly’s repertory grid technique, the personal construct system of five self-employed white women in Gauteng across varying industries was established. While being successful dual earners, they still bore the primary responsibility for nurturing their families and assuring their well-being. The successful balancing of their dual roles was attributed to the following central themes, which emerged from all the participants: quality time spent with children and family, structure and planning, coping with guilt, support structures and self-reliance, and balance between work and life.

Trends in ice sheet mass balance, 1992 to 2017

Science.gov (United States)

Shepherd, A.; Ivins, E. R.; Smith, B.; Velicogna, I.; Whitehouse, P. L.; Rignot, E. J.; van den Broeke, M. R.; Briggs, K.; Hogg, A.; Krinner, G.; Joughin, I. R.; Nowicki, S.; Payne, A. J.; Scambos, T.; Schlegel, N.; Moyano, G.; Konrad, H.

2017-12-01

The Ice Sheet Mass Balance Inter-Comparison Exercise (IMBIE) is a community effort, jointly supported by ESA and NASA, that aims to provide a consensus estimate of ice sheet mass balance from satellite gravimetry, altimetry and mass budget assessments, on an annual basis. The project has five experiment groups, one for each of the satellite techniques and two others to analyse surface mass balance (SMB) and glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA). The basic premise for the exercise is that individual ice sheet mass balance datasets are generated by project participants using common spatial and temporal domains to allow meaningful inter-comparison, and this controlled comparison in turn supports aggregation of the individual datasets over their full period. Participation is open to the full community, and the quality and consistency of submissions is regulated through a series of data standards and documentation requirements. The second phase of IMBIE commenced in 2015, with participant data submitted in 2016 and a combined estimate due for public release in 2017. Data from 48 participant groups were submitted to one of the three satellite mass balance technique groups or to the ancillary dataset groups. The individual mass balance estimates and ancillary datasets have been compared and combined within the respective groups. Following this, estimates of ice sheet mass balance derived from the individual techniques were then compared and combined. The result is single estimates of ice sheet mass balance for Greenland, East Antarctica, West Antarctica, and the Antarctic Peninsula. The participants, methodology and results of the exercise will be presented in this paper.

The effect of balance training on cervical sensorimotor function and neck pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Beinert, Konstantin; Taube, Wolfgang

2013-01-01

The authors' aim was to evaluate the effect of balance training on cervical joint position sense in people with subclinical neck pain. Thirty-four participants were randomly assigned to balance training or to stay active. Sensorimotor function was determined before and after 5 weeks of training by assessing the ability to reproduce the neutral head position and a predefined rotated head position. After balance training, the intervention group showed improved joint repositioning accuracy and decreased pain whereas no effects were observed in the control group. A weak correlation was identified between reduced neck pain intensity and improved joint repositioning. The present data demonstrate that balance training can effectively improve cervical sensorimotor function and decrease neck pain intensity.

Adaptation of multi-joint balance coordination to whole body force fields

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Engelhart, Denise; Schouten, Alfred Christiaan; Pasma, Jantsje; Aarts, Ronald G.K.M.; Pasma, J.; Meskers, Carel; Maier, Andrea; van der Kooij, Herman

2014-01-01

Background and aim: The ankles and the hips play an important role in standing balance. Multi-joint coordination adapts with task, the magnitude and type of disturbance [1]. Arm studies show that postural responses are highly dependent on externally applied force fields [2]. Our aim is to study how

Balance, Proprioception, and Gross Motor Development of Chinese Children Aged 3 to 6 Years.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Gui-Ping; Jiao, Xi-Bian; Wu, Sheng-Kou; Ji, Zhong-Qiu; Liu, Wei-Tong; Chen, Xi; Wang, Hui-Hui

2018-01-01

The authors' aim was to find the features of balance, proprioception, and gross motor development of Chinese children 3-6 years old and their correlations, provide theoretical support for promoting children's motor development, and enrich the world theoretical system of motor development. This study used a Tekscan foot pressure measurement instrument (Tekscan, Inc., Boston, MA), walking on a balance beam, Xsens 3-dimensional positional measuring system (Xsens Technologies, Enschede, the Netherlands), and Test of Gross Motor Development-2 to assess static balance, dynamic balance, knee proprioception, and levels of gross motor development (GMD) of 3- to 6-year-old children (n = 60) in Beijing. The results are as follows: children had significant age differences in static balance, dynamic balance, proprioception, and levels of GMD; children had significant gender differences in static balance, proprioception, and levels of GMD; children's static balance, dynamic balance, and proprioception had a very significant positive correlation with GMD (p < .01), but no significant correlation with body mass index.

Marriage and family therapy faculty members' balance of work and personal life.

Science.gov (United States)

Matheson, Jennifer L; Rosen, Karen H

2012-04-01

A sense of imbalance is common among both professors and therapists, though few studies have been published examining the work and personal life balance of those who work in both professions simultaneously. Using in-depth telephone interviews, this study examined the work and personal life balance of 16 marriage and family therapy (MFT) faculty members. Results showed that six were satisfied with their balance, six were dissatisfied, and four were "middle of the road." Men, older participants, and those who were in their career longer were more likely to report feeling satisfied with their balance. Internal indicators of their balance included family and workplace messages, health indicators, feelings of contentment, and congruence with personal values. Child and relationship status, tenure status, and gender issues also impacted their sense of balance. Specific balance enhancers and reducers were highlighted, and participants discussed coping strategies and recommendations for other MFT faculty members. Clinical, training, and career implications are discussed. © 2010 American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

Development of a Common Nordic Balance Settlement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2006-02-15

need for incentives to reduce imbalances. NordREG comprehends that there are advantages for vertically integrated companies if they can net their imbalances. These advantages might be reduced and competition enhanced if the balance settlement includes separate consumption imbalances and separate production imbalances per Elspot area. It is difficult and costly to harmonize the area of metering value processing requirements and data systems, but it is crucial that it is done in order to have a common Nordic retail market. Therefore it is important that a road map for the necessary harmonisation and standardisation of these differences is agreed in the first phase. The difference in load profile systems is a obstacle for a harmonised balance settlement regarding customers without hourly measurements. After these issues have been discussed and agreed, it is possible to decide a plan for the further work aiming at implementation of a common Nordic balance settlement, which will also include necessary changes in the legal and regulatory framework.

Development of a Common Nordic Balance Settlement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-02-01

need for incentives to reduce imbalances. NordREG comprehends that there are advantages for vertically integrated companies if they can net their imbalances. These advantages might be reduced and competition enhanced if the balance settlement includes separate consumption imbalances and separate production imbalances per Elspot area. It is difficult and costly to harmonize the area of metering value processing requirements and data systems, but it is crucial that it is done in order to have a common Nordic retail market. Therefore it is important that a road map for the necessary harmonisation and standardisation of these differences is agreed in the first phase. The difference in load profile systems is a obstacle for a harmonised balance settlement regarding customers without hourly measurements. After these issues have been discussed and agreed, it is possible to decide a plan for the further work aiming at implementation of a common Nordic balance settlement, which will also include necessary changes in the legal and regulatory framework

Utilization of balance equipment in windsurf beginners off water training.

OpenAIRE

Frič, Čestmír

2013-01-01

Work name: Utilization of balance equipment in windsurf beginners off water training. Aim of work: To determin and evaluate significance of balance equipment in off water training. Method: The method of comparative experiment have been used in this thesis. Than the obtained data were evaluated. It was nessesary to create and compare two groups of people, compound of young healthy individuals in the age 20 - 30 both male and female. The only condition for the research was their zero experience...

Balancing Energy Processes in Turbine Engines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Balicki Włodzimierz

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The article discusses the issue of balancing energy processes in turbine engines in operation in aeronautic and marine propulsion systems with the aim to analyse and evaluate basic operating parameters. The first part presents the problem of enormous amounts of energy needed for driving fans and compressors of the largest contemporary turbofan engines commonly used in long-distance aviation. The amounts of the transmitted power and the effect of flow parameters and constructional properties of the engines on their performance and real efficiency are evaluated. The second part of the article, devoted to marine applications of turbine engines, presents the energy balance of the kinetic system of torque transmission from main engine turbines to screw propellers in the combined system of COGAG type. The physical model of energy conversion processes executed in this system is presented, along with the physical model of gasodynamic processes taking place in a separate driving turbine of a reversing engine. These models have made the basis for formulating balance equations, which then were used for analysing static and dynamic properties of the analysed type of propulsion, in particular in the aspect of mechanical loss evaluation in its kinematic system.

Work-life balance: Does age matter?

Science.gov (United States)

Richert-Kaźmierska, Anita; Stankiewicz, Katarzyna

2016-11-22

Work-life balance is a priority of EU policies but at the same time demographic change affects the labour market. Employers have to deal with the ageing of their employees and adjust human resource management to maintain their competitiveness. The purpose of the article is to answer research questions: whether the age of workers determines their assessment of the work-life balance, and whether there is a relationship between the worker's age and their assessment of the activities undertaken by their employer to provide them with work-life balance. The article is based on the results of surveys conducted among 500 employees of the SME sector from Finland, Lithuania and Sweden. The results identified a statistically significant difference: employees representing older age groups are more likely to indicate the maintenance of WLB; older workers more frequently do not agree that all workers have equal opportunities to benefit from flexible solutions aimed at ensuring the maintenance of WLB. The results can be the inspiration for the decisions and actions of employers in the field of personnel management and for creating workplace conditions encouraging senior workers to continue working, even upon becoming entitled to old-age pension.

A Mixed Transmission Strategy to Achieve Energy Balancing in Wireless Sensor Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Tong; Gu, Tao; Jin, Ning

2017-01-01

In this paper, we investigate the problem of energy balanced data collection in wireless sensor networks, aiming to balance energy consumption among all sensor nodes during the data propagation process. Energy balanced data collection can potentially save energy consumption and prolong network...... lifetime, and hence, it has many practical implications for sensor network design and deployment. The traditional hop-by-hop transmission model allows a sensor node to propagate its packets in a hop-by-hop manner toward the sink, resulting in poor energy balancing for the entire network. To address...... the problem, we apply a slice-based energy model, and divide the problem into inter-slice and intra-slice energy balancing problems. We then propose a probability-based strategy named inter-slice mixed transmission protocol and an intra-slice forwarding technique to address each of the problems. We propose...

Angra-1: Balance of an experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salvo Brito, S. de

1985-01-01

An evaluation of experience got during the construction of Angra-1 nuclear power plant which had built by FURNAS CENTRAIS ELETRICAS S.A. is done. It is analyzed the problems in level of management, including technology transfer. A balance of the real costs and benefits from the definition of the specifications to energy generation is done. (M.C.K.) [pt

Vibrotactile neurofeedback balance training in patients with Parkinson's disease: reducing the number of falls.

Science.gov (United States)

Rossi-Izquierdo, Marcos; Ernst, Arne; Soto-Varela, Andrés; Santos-Pérez, Sofía; Faraldo-García, Ana; Sesar-Ignacio, Angel; Basta, Dietmar

2013-02-01

The aim of this study was to assess effectiveness of balance training with a vibrotactile neurofeedback system in improving overall stability in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Ten patients diagnosed with idiopathic PD were included. Individualization of the rehabilitation program started with a body sway analysis of stance and gait tasks (Standard Balance Deficit Test, SBDT) by using the diagnostic tool of the applied device (Vertiguard(®)-RT). Those tasks with the poorest outcome as related to age- and gender-related controls were included in the training program (not more than six tasks). Improvement of postural stability was assessed by performing SBDT, Sensory Organization Test (SOT) of Computerized Dynamic Posturography (CDP), Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), activity-specific balance confidence scale and recording the number of falls over the past three months. Furthermore, scores of SOT and DHI of 10 PD patients previously trained in an earlier study (by using CDP) were compared with results of those in the present study. After neurofeedback training (NFT), there was a statistically significant improvement in body sway (calculated over all training tasks), number of falls, and scores of SOT, DHI and ABC. In comparison with CDP-training, a statistically significant higher increase of SOT score was observed for patients after NFT with the Vertiguard-RT device compared to CDP training. Our results showed that a free-field vibrotactile NFT with Vertiguard(®)-RT device can improve balance in PD patients in everyday life conditions very effectively, which might led in turn to a reduction of falls. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A question of balance: Kinetic balance for electrons and positrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dyall, Kenneth G.

2012-01-01

Graphical abstract: Kinetic balance for both electrons and positrons is achieved by applying the correct relation for positive and negative energy states separately and then using the electron and positron eigensolutions from the separate diagonalizations of the Hamiltonian as a dual basis. Highlights: ► Kinetic balance for electrons and positrons is achieved in a dual atomic basis. ► Dual atomic balance alleviates, but does not eliminate, energy prolapse. ► Positron affinities converge quicker with basis set size with dual atomic balance. - Abstract: The kinetic balance criterion used in current relativistic basis set codes is satisfied by the electron solutions of the Dirac equation, but not the positron solutions. A proposal for applying kinetic balance to both sets of solutions is presented. The method is applied along with “normal” kinetic balance to one-electron systems, to investigate its possible relation to prolapse, and to the positron affinity of F − , to investigate the kinetic energy deficiency for positron solutions. The new method reduces but does not eliminate prolapse for energy-optimized basis sets, and provides faster and smoother convergence with basis set size for the positron affinity.

Validation of the Brazilian version of the Clinical Gait and Balance Scale and comparison with the Berg Balance Scale

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jussara Almeida Oliveira Baggio

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Objective To validate the Clinical Gait and Balance Scale (GABS for a Brazilian population of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD and to compare it to the Berg Balance Scale (BBS. Methods One hundred and seven PD patients were evaluated by shortened UPDRS motor scale (sUPDRSm, Hoehn and Yahr (HY, Schwab and England scale (SE, Falls Efficacy Scale International (FES-I, Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (FOG-Q, BBS and GABS. Results The internal consistency of the GABS was 0.94, the intra-rater and inter-rater reliability were 0.94 and 0.98 respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC curve was 0.72, with a sensitivity of 0.75 and specificity of 0.6, to discriminate patients with a history of falls in the last twelve months, for a cut-off score of 13 points. Conclusions Our study shows that the Brazilian version of the GABS is a reliable and valid instrument to assess gait and balance in PD.

The balanced scorecard: an incremental approach model to health care management.

Science.gov (United States)

Pineno, Charles J

2002-01-01

The balanced scorecard represents a technique used in strategic management to translate an organization's mission and strategy into a comprehensive set of performance measures that provide the framework for implementation of strategic management. This article develops an incremental approach for decision making by formulating a specific balanced scorecard model with an index of nonfinancial as well as financial measures. The incremental approach to costs, including profit contribution analysis and probabilities, allows decisionmakers to assess, for example, how their desire to meet different health care needs will cause changes in service design. This incremental approach to the balanced scorecard may prove to be useful in evaluating the existence of causality relationships between different objective and subjective measures to be included within the balanced scorecard.

Does footwear affect balance?: the views and experiences of people with diabetes and neuropathy who have fallen.

Science.gov (United States)

Paton, Joanne S; Roberts, Anne; Bruce, Graham K; Marsden, Jon

2013-01-01

Despite falls being a major concern for people living with somatosensory deficit, little is known about the perceived impact of footwear and footwear features on balance. Clinical relevance is increased given that therapeutic footwear is often provided to people with diabetes to reduce foot ulcer risk. This qualitative study aims to explore the experiences and views of people with diabetes and neuropathy who have recently fallen to understand whether footwear type is perceived to affect balance or contribute to falling. Sixteen individuals (13 men and three women aged 44-83 years) were purposively sampled from a larger population of potential participants. Audio-recorded, in-depth, semistructured interviews were conducted in participant homes or at a place preferable to them. Once transcribed verbatim, the data were themed, charted, and interpreted using a framework approach. Although most participants did not believe that the footwear in which they fell contributed to their fall, most revealed how footwear choice influenced their balance confidence to undertake daily tasks. Most found their therapeutic footwear "difficult" to walk in, "heavy, or "slippery bottomed." Design recommendations for enhanced balance included a close fit with tight fastening, lightweight, substantial tread, and a firm, molded sole/insole. Complying with these recommendations, the hiking sandal was believed to be the most stable and safe shoe and was frequently worn as a walking aid to reduce fear of falling and boost confidence. People with diabetic neuropathy have disease-specific needs and concerns relating to how footwear affects balance. Engaging with patients to address those needs and concerns is likely to improve the feasibility and acceptability of therapeutic footwear to reduce foot ulcer risk and boost balance confidence.

Work-Life Balance Practices Among Irish Hotel Employees:Implications for HRM

OpenAIRE

Farrell, Kathleen

2015-01-01

The aim of this paper is to examine work-life balance in the Irish hotel sector from an employee perspective with implications for HRM. 246 questionnaires from employees were returned which was a 22% response rate. Company benefits were not associated with numerical flexibility, but company benefits were associated with functional flexibility and work-life balance supports. This would suggest an integrated approach to human resource management (HRM), whereby some companies engage in a contemp...

Modeling of Two-Wheeled Self-Balancing Robot Driven by DC Gearmotors

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Frankovský P.

2017-08-01

Full Text Available This paper is aimed at modelling a two-wheeled self-balancing robot driven by the geared DC motors. A mathematical model consists of two main parts, the model of robot’s mechanical structure and the model of the actuator. Linearized equations of motion are derived and the overall model of the two-wheeled self-balancing robot is represented in state-space realization for the purpose of state feedback controller design.

British pharmacists' work-life balance - is it a problem?

Science.gov (United States)

Seston, Elizabeth; Hassell, Karen

2014-04-01

Using a validated tool, the study aimed to explore pharmacists' experiences of maintaining work/life balance in a large, nationally representative sample of pharmacists in Great Britain (GB). A two-page postal questionnaire was sent in 2008 to all GB-domiciled pharmacists who were registered with the regulatory body for pharmacy in GB (just over 44 000 pharmacists). Demographic information, work patterns and other employment data were collected and analysed using regression techniques to explore the link between these characteristics and a validated measure of work/life balance. The response rate to the census was 69.6% (n = 30 517). Eighty-three per cent (n = 25 243) of respondents were working as a pharmacist and were therefore eligible to complete the work/life balance statements. The results reported here relate to 12 364 individuals who had full data for the work/life balance scale and the demographic and work variables. Findings indicate that age, ethnicity, having caring responsibilities, sector of practice, hours of work and type of job are significant predictors of work/life balance problems. Pharmacy employers and government should recognise the changing demographic characteristics of the profession and consider what support might be available to the workforce to help alleviate work/life balance problems being experienced by certain groups of pharmacists. © 2013 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Explanatory factors of Work-Life Balance and time management leading to the well being in the vision of paranaian accountants1

OpenAIRE

Stella Maris Lima Altoé; Simone Bernardes Voese

2018-01-01

Recently, work-life balance has been focus of debates that aim to approach on the integration between the different domains work and family. The discussions seek to reduce the role conflicts inherent in these spheres. In certain professions, due to the intense work, one observes the intensification of the conflicts of roles. This fact shows that the accounting profession presents specific demands in certain periods, so the professional is overwhelmed with tasks and needs to manage his time pr...

Balanced microwave filters

CERN Document Server

Hong, Jiasheng; Medina, Francisco; Martiacuten, Ferran

2018-01-01

This book presents and discusses strategies for the design and implementation of common-mode suppressed balanced microwave filters, including, narrowband, wideband, and ultra-wideband filters This book examines differential-mode, or balanced, microwave filters by discussing several implementations of practical realizations of these passive components. Topics covered include selective mode suppression, designs based on distributed and semi-lumped approaches, multilayer technologies, defect ground structures, coupled resonators, metamaterials, interference techniques, and substrate integrated waveguides, among others. Divided into five parts, Balanced Microwave Filters begins with an introduction that presents the fundamentals of balanced lines, circuits, and networks. Part 2 covers balanced transmission lines with common-mode noise suppression, including several types of common-mode filters and the application of such filters to enhance common-mode suppression in balanced bandpass filters. Next, Part 3 exa...

Static and Dynamic Balance in Congenital Severe to Profound Hearing-Impaired Children

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Farideh HajiHeydari

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Background and Aim: Research conducted since the early 1900s has consistently identified differences between deaf and hearing children on performance of a wide variety of motor tasks, most notably balance. Our study was performed to test static and dynamic balance skills in congenital severe to profound hearing impaired children in comparison with normal age-matched children.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 30 severe to profound hearing impaired and 40 normal children with age 6 to 10 years old. Bruininks-Oseretsky test of motor proficiency 2, balance subset with 9 parts was used for evaluation of balance skills.Results: Hearing-impaired children showed 16.7 to 100% fail results in 7 parts of the balance subset. In normal children fail result was revealed just in 3 parts of the balance subset from 2.5 to 57.5%, and differences between two groups were significant (p<0.0001. There was a significant difference between two groups in two static balance skills of standing on one leg on a line and standing on one leg on a balance beam with eyes closed (p<0.0001.conclusion: It seems that development of static balance skills are longer than dynamic ones. Because severe to profound hearing-impaired children showed more weakness than normal children in both static and dynamic balance abilities, functional tests of balance proficiency can help to identify balance disorders in these children.

Women in orthodontics and work-family balance: challenges and strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Davidson, Sarah; Major, Paul W; Flores-Mir, Carlos; Amin, Maryam; Keenan, Louanne

2012-01-01

The number of women entering the orthodontic profession over the past few decades has increased dramatically. A review of the literature revealed the lack of research on achieving a work-family balance among female dentists and dental specialists. Work-family balance has been researched more extensively in the field of medicine; however, despite some critical differences, parallels between these 2 professions exist. This study identified issues that Canadian female orthodontists face and strategies they use to achieve a work-family balance. A phenomenological qualitative study was used to analyze the results of semi-structured telephone interviews of a purposive sample of 13 Canadian female orthodontists. The results strongly support the role-conflict theory about the competing pressures of maternal and professional roles. Female orthodontists described their challenges and strategies to minimize role conflict in their attempt to achieve a work-family balance. The women defined balance as having success and satisfaction in both their family life and professional life. They identified specific challenges of achieving a work-family balance that are unique to orthodontic practice and strategies for adapting to their maternal and professional roles. Achieving a work-family balance is of paramount importance to female orthodontists, and the results of this study may be applied to other specialties in dentistry.

Developmental programming of energy balance regulation: is physical activity more 'programmable' than food intake?

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Shaoyu; Eclarinal, Jesse; Baker, Maria S; Li, Ge; Waterland, Robert A

2016-02-01

Extensive human and animal model data show that environmental influences during critical periods of prenatal and early postnatal development can cause persistent alterations in energy balance regulation. Although a potentially important factor in the worldwide obesity epidemic, the fundamental mechanisms underlying such developmental programming of energy balance are poorly understood, limiting our ability to intervene. Most studies of developmental programming of energy balance have focused on persistent alterations in the regulation of energy intake; energy expenditure has been relatively underemphasised. In particular, very few studies have evaluated developmental programming of physical activity. The aim of this review is to summarise recent evidence that early environment may have a profound impact on establishment of individual propensity for physical activity. Recently, we characterised two different mouse models of developmental programming of obesity; one models fetal growth restriction followed by catch-up growth, and the other models early postnatal overnutrition. In both studies, we observed alterations in body-weight regulation that persisted to adulthood, but no group differences in food intake. Rather, in both cases, programming of energy balance appeared to be due to persistent alterations in energy expenditure and spontaneous physical activity (SPA). These effects were stronger in female offspring. We are currently exploring the hypothesis that developmental programming of SPA occurs via induced sex-specific alterations in epigenetic regulation in the hypothalamus and other regions of the central nervous system. We will summarise the current progress towards testing this hypothesis. Early environmental influences on establishment of physical activity are likely an important factor in developmental programming of energy balance. Understanding the fundamental underlying mechanisms in appropriate animal models will help determine whether early life

The effect of virtual reality gaming on dynamic balance in older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Rendon, Abel Angel; Lohman, Everett B; Thorpe, Donna; Johnson, Eric G; Medina, Ernie; Bradley, Bruce

2012-07-01

physical therapy interventions that increase functional strength and balance have been shown to reduce falls in older adults. this study compared a virtual reality group (VRG) and a control group (CG). randomised controlled 6-week intervention with pre- and post-test evaluations. outpatient geriatric orthopaedic and balance physical therapy clinic. forty participants were randomised into two groups. the VRG received three different Nintendo® Wii FIT balance interventions three times per week for 6 weeks and the CG received no intervention. compared with the CG, post-intervention measurements showed significant improvements for the VRG in the 8-foot Up & Go test [median decrease of 1.0 versus -0.2 s, (P=0.038) and the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (6.9 versus 1.3%) (P=0.038)]. virtual reality gaming provides clinicians with a useful tool for improving dynamic balance and balance confidence in older adults.

The Relationship with Balance, Foot Posture, and Foot Size in School of Physical Education and Sports Students

Science.gov (United States)

Irez, Gonul Babayigit

2014-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship of foot posture and foot size with balance. A hundred and thirteen healthy volunteers were recruited from undergraduate students (Male = 74, Female = 37, age range 18-22). The Foot Posture Index (FPI-6), anthropometric measurements, dynamic balance and static balance measurements were done…

Organisational factors and occupational balance in working parents in Sweden.

Science.gov (United States)

Borgh, Madeleine; Eek, Frida; Wagman, Petra; Håkansson, Carita

2018-05-01

Parents with small children constitute a vulnerable group as they have an increased risk of sick leave due to stress-related disorders compared to adults without children. It has been shown that mothers and fathers to small children together spend more time in paid work than any other group, which could create negative stress and an experience of low occupational balance. The aim of this study was to examine associations between organisational factors and occupational balance among parents with small children in Sweden. Data were collected by a survey including questions about occupational balance, organisational factors and age, sex, employment rate, work position, monthly household income, number of children at home, separation/divorce last five years and overtime. The total number of parents included in this study was 718 (490 mothers and 228 fathers). Logistic regression models were applied to examine the odds ratios for occupational balance in relation to organisational factors. Parents who experienced positive attitudes towards parenthood and parental leave among colleagues and managers were more likely to experience high occupational balance than parents who experienced negative or neutral attitudes. Having a clear structure for handover when absent from work was also strongly associated with high occupational balance. The result of the present study indicates that some organisational factors could be important for the occupational balance of parents with small children.

Analysis of agility, reaction time and balance variables at badminton players aged 9-14 years

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Seydi Ahmet Ağaoğlu

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Aim: The aim of this study was investigated agility, static and dynamic balance and reaction time variables of badminton players aged between 9-14 and relate with among variables. Material and Methods: In Samsun, 19 males (sport age, 3.42±1.64 years and 12 females (3.00±1.28 years active badminton players were voluntarily participated in who are in 9-14 ages range. Agility was measured by “T” test, CSMI-Tecnobody Pk-252 isokinetic balance system measuring instrument was used to test static balance and dynamic balance and Mozart Lafayette reaction measuring instrument was used to test visual and auditory reaction times of players. Spearman correlation analysis was applied so as to correlation analysis. The level of significance was taken as p<0.05. Results: For female athletes, a positive relation was determined between the agility and the perimeter (mm used (r=0.727; p<0.01 through the static balance measure double foot and eyes are open. For male athletes, a positive relation was determined between the visual reaction time and the perimeter (mm used (r=0.725; p<0.01 through the static balance measure dominant foot and eyes are open. For male and female athletes were not found any correlation between reaction time and dynamic balance. Conclusion: It was determined that audio (ears and visual (eyes reaction time was effective on balance. While badminton players are closed eyes, audio sensors are more influence on balance test through measure dominant foot.

Balanced Ethics Review: A Guide for Institutional Review Board Members

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Ames Dhai

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this pocket-book size manual is to assist Institutional Review Board (IRB members and chairs conduct ethics review by balancing the two major morally relevant considerations in health research

Delivering Training Strategies: The Balanced Scorecard at Work

Science.gov (United States)

Baraldi, Stefano; Cifalinò, Antonella

2015-01-01

Aligning the value of training to organizational goals is an emerging need in human resource management. This study, aiming at expanding the research on training evaluation from a strategic management perspective, examines whether the use of the Balanced Scorecard approach can enable an effective delivery of training strategies, thus strengthening…

Distributed Control of the Power Supply-Demand Balance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Larsen, Gunn K. H.; van Foreest, Nicky D.; Scherpen, Jacquelien M. A.

This paper aims to achieve a balance of power in a group of prosumers, based on a price mechanism, i.e., to steer the difference between the total production and consumption of power to zero. We first set the information network topology such that the prosumers exchange price (power) information

AIM cryocooler developments for HOT detectors

Science.gov (United States)

Rühlich, I.; Mai, M.; Withopf, A.; Rosenhagen, C.

2014-06-01

Significantly increased FPA temperatures for both Mid Wave and Long Wave IR detectors, i.e. HOT detectors, which have been developed in recent years are now leaving the development phase and are entering real application. HOT detectors allowing to push size weight and power (SWaP) of Integrated Detectors Cooler Assemblies (IDCA's) to a new level. Key component mainly driving achievable weight, volume and power consumption is the cryocooler. AIM cryocooler developments are focused on compact, lightweight linear cryocoolers driven by compact and high efficient digital cooler drive electronics (DCE) to also achieve highest MTTF targets. This technology is using moving magnet driving mechanisms and dual or single piston compressors. Whereas SX030 which was presented at SPIE in 2012 consuming less 3 WDC to operate a typical IDCA at 140K, next smaller cooler SX020 is designed to provide sufficient cooling power at detector temperature above 160K. The cooler weight of less than 200g and a total compressor length of 60mm makes it an ideal solution for all applications with limited weight and power budget, like in handheld applications. For operating a typical 640x512, 15μm MW IR detector the power consumption will be less than 1.5WDC. MTTF for the cooler will be in excess of 30,000h and thus achieving low maintenance cost also in 24/7 applications. The SX020 compressor is based on a single piston design with integrated passive balancer in a new design achieves very low exported vibration in the order of 100mN in the compressor axis. AIM is using a modular approach, allowing the chose between 5 different compressor types for one common Stirling expander. The 6mm expander with a total length of 74mm is now available in a new design that fits into standard dewar bores originally designed for rotary coolers. Also available is a 9mm coldfinger in both versions. In development is an ultra-short expander with around 35mm total length to achieve highest compactness. Technical

Is Fitts' law continuous in discrete aiming?

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Rita Sleimen-Malkoun

Full Text Available The lawful continuous linear relation between movement time and task difficulty (i.e., index of difficulty; ID in a goal-directed rapid aiming task (Fitts' law has been recently challenged in reciprocal performance. Specifically, a discontinuity was observed at critical ID and was attributed to a transition between two distinct dynamic regimes that occurs with increasing difficulty. In the present paper, we show that such a discontinuity is also present in discrete aiming when ID is manipulated via target width (experiment 1 but not via target distance (experiment 2. Fitts' law's discontinuity appears, therefore, to be a suitable indicator of the underlying functional adaptations of the neuro-muscular-skeletal system to task properties/requirements, independently of reciprocal or discrete nature of the task. These findings open new perspectives to the study of dynamic regimes involved in discrete aiming and sensori-motor mechanisms underlying the speed-accuracy trade-off.

Modified multiphotodiode balanced detection technique for improving SAC-OCDMA networks

Science.gov (United States)

Tseng, Shin-Pin

2015-06-01

The aim of this study was to develop a feasible modified multiphotodiode balanced detection (MMBD) technique suitable for application in spectral-amplitude-coding optical code-division multiple-access networks, which could mitigate the effect of phase-induced intensity noise (PIIN). Because PIIN is related to the beating between optical signals with wavelengths arriving simultaneously at a balanced photodetector, combining spectral partitioning and an MMBD scheme facilitates reducing PIIN, which tends to dominate performance. Therefore, the system using the proposed scheme exhibited an enhanced performance.

Effects of balance training using a virtual-reality system in older fallers

Science.gov (United States)

Duque, Gustavo; Boersma, Derek; Loza-Diaz, Griselda; Hassan, Sanobar; Suarez, Hamlet; Geisinger, Dario; Suriyaarachchi, Pushpa; Sharma, Anita; Demontiero, Oddom

2013-01-01

Poor balance is considered a challenging risk factor for falls in older adults. Therefore, innovative interventions for balance improvement in this population are greatly needed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a new virtual-reality system (the Balance Rehabilitation Unit [BRU]) on balance, falls, and fear of falling in a population of community-dwelling older subjects with a known history of falls. In this study, 60 community-dwelling older subjects were recruited after being diagnosed with poor balance at the Falls and Fractures Clinic, Nepean Hospital (Penrith, NSW, Australia). Subjects were randomly assigned to either the BRU-training or control groups. Both groups received the usual falls prevention care. The BRU-training group attended balance training (two sessions/week for 6 weeks) using an established protocol. Change in balance parameters was assessed in the BRU-training group at the end of their 6-week training program. Both groups were assessed 9 months after their initial assessment (month 0). Adherence to the BRU-training program was 97%. Balance parameters were significantly improved in the BRU-training group (P falls and lower levels of fear of falling (P balance that were improved by BRU training showed a decline after 9 months post-training. In conclusion, BRU training is an effective and well-accepted intervention to improve balance, increase confidence, and prevent falls in the elderly. PMID:23467506

Kung-fu versus swimming training and the effects on balance abilities in young adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Baccouch, Rym; Rebai, Haithem; Sahli, Sonia

2015-11-01

Our purpose is to investigate the static balance control of young adolescents practicing kung-fu and swimming in order to find out which of these physical activities is the most effective in developing specific balance abilities in young adolescents. Comparative experimental study. University laboratory research. Three groups of 11-13-year-old boys (12 practicing Kung-Fu, 12 practicing swimming and 12 controls). Center of pressure (CoP) excursions were registered in upright bipedal and unipedal stances on a stabilometric force platform in eyes open (EO) and eyes closed (EC) conditions. Kung-fu practitioners control their balance (P Kung-fu training improved (P kung-fu practitioners. Both of these physical activities could be recommended for young adolescents as recreational or rehabilitation programs as they develop specific balance abilities that could be important for improving and maintaining optimal health. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Additional Virtual Reality Sitting Balance Training Using XBox Kinect™ in Patients with Neurological Disorders: A Pilot Study

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Xina Henry Quadros

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Sitting balance is a prerequisite to upper extremity function, standing and walking, which is affected in various neurological diseases. It is important to attain a good level of sitting balance before one can proceed to standing. In recent years, virtual reality game training has gained a widespread application. Aim: This pilot study aimed to examine the role of additional virtual reality sitting balance training using a commercial interactive virtual reality system- Xbox Kinect™ in patients with neurological disorders. Materials and Methods: Four patients with sitting balance impairments following neurological disorders received two weeks of virtual reality based therapy along with the conventional physiotherapy. Sitting balance was evaluated using FIST (Function In Sitting Test scores at baseline, one week and after two weeks of intervention. Results: All four patients showed clinically significant improvement in FIST score between the pre and post intervention. Percentage of improvement in FIST score was approximately 27% with a minimum change of 10 points in the FIST score Minimal Clinically Important Difference (MCID=6.5. Conclusion: Additional virtual reality training may improve sitting balance control in neurological patients with balance impairments. It can be used as an adjunct in routine neurorehabilitation.

Conclusions drawn of tritium balance in light water reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dolle, L.; Bazin, J.

1978-01-01

In the tritium balance of pressurized water reactors, using boric acid and lithium in the cooling water, contribution of the tritium produced by fission, diffusing through the zircalloy of the fuel cladding estimated to 0.1%, was not in agreement with quantities measured in reactors. It is still difficult to estimate what percentage is represented by the tritium formed by fission in the fuel, owing to diffusion through cladding. The tritium balance in different working nuclear power stations is consequently of interest. The tritium balance method in the water of the cooling circuit of PWR is fast and experimentally simple. It is less sensitive to errors originating from fission yields than balance of tritium produced by fission in the fuel. A tritium balance in the water of the cooling circuit of Biblis-A, with a specific burn-up of 18000 MWd/t gives a better precision. Diffusion rate of tritium produced by fission was less than 0.2%. So low a contribution is a justification to the use of lithium with an isotopic purity of 99.9% of lithium 7 to limit at a low value the residual lithium 6 [fr

Working time, satisfaction and work life balance: A European perspective

OpenAIRE

Humpert, Stephan

2014-01-01

This paper analyses gender-specific differences in working time mismatches by using three different measures for representing satisfaction and work life balance. Results show that, while male satisfaction with life or work is in general not affected by working for more or less hours, over-time is found to significantly lower male work life balance. Women are more sensitive to the amount of working hours as they prefer part-time employment and they are dissatisfied with changes ...

Association between fluid balance and mortality in patients with septic shock

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cronhjort, M; Hjortrup, P B; Holst, L B

2016-01-01

and a comparably low cumulative fluid balance, there was no association between fluid balance and mortality. However, the study design and the limited power preclude strong conclusions. There is an urgent need for high-quality trials assessing the benefit and harm of different fluid volume strategies in patients......BACKGROUND: Several studies have shown an association between a positive fluid balance and increased mortality in patients with septic shock. This may have led to a more restrictive use of intravenous fluids. The association between fluid accumulation and mortality in the setting of a more...... restrictive use of intravenous fluids, however, is uncertain. We therefore aimed to investigate the association between a cumulative fluid balance 3 days after randomization and 90-day mortality in a recent Nordic multicentre cohort of patients with septic shock. METHODS: A post hoc analysis of patients from...

Static Load Balancing Algorithms In Cloud Computing Challenges amp Solutions

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Nadeem Shah

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Cloud computing provides on-demand hosted computing resources and services over the Internet on a pay-per-use basis. It is currently becoming the favored method of communication and computation over scalable networks due to numerous attractive attributes such as high availability scalability fault tolerance simplicity of management and low cost of ownership. Due to the huge demand of cloud computing efficient load balancing becomes critical to ensure that computational tasks are evenly distributed across servers to prevent bottlenecks. The aim of this review paper is to understand the current challenges in cloud computing primarily in cloud load balancing using static algorithms and finding gaps to bridge for more efficient static cloud load balancing in the future. We believe the ideas suggested as new solution will allow researchers to redesign better algorithms for better functionalities and improved user experiences in simple cloud systems. This could assist small businesses that cannot afford infrastructure that supports complex amp dynamic load balancing algorithms.

A Tool for Balance Control Training Using Muscle Synergies and Multimodal Interfaces

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D. Galeano

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Balance control plays a key role in neuromotor rehabilitation after stroke or spinal cord injuries. Computerized dynamic posturography (CDP is a classic technological tool to assess the status of balance control and to identify potential disorders. Despite the more accurate diagnosis generated by these tools, the current strategies to promote rehabilitation are still limited and do not take full advantage of the technologies available. This paper presents a novel balance training platform which combines a CDP device made from low-cost interfaces, such as the Nintendo Wii Balance Board and the Microsoft Kinect. In addition, it integrates a custom electrical stimulator that uses the concept of muscle synergies to promote natural interaction. The aim of the platform is to support the exploration of innovative multimodal therapies. Results include the technical validation of the platform using mediolateral and anteroposterior sways as basic balance training therapies.

Balance Assessment in Deaf Children and Teenagers Prior to and Post Capoeira Practice through the Berg Balance Scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Lima, Rubianne

2017-12-01

Hearing loss changes the functionality and body structure a disability that limits activity and restricts the participation of the individual in situations of daily life. It is believed that capoeira can help people with visual disabilities to minimize these deficits. BSE is a low specificity scale that evaluates objectively and functionally aspects of balance and risk of falls in the elderly and children, including the effect of environment on balance function. The objective of the research is to analyze deaf children and adolescents prior to and post-practice of capoeira using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS). Quantitative, clinical and observational studies. Twenty five deaf children between 10 and 16 years old of both genders were assessed. BBS was applied in two stages: before starting capoeira and after 6 months of training. The one-hour classes were held once a week for quantitative evaluation purposes. The subjects were divided and evaluated in two groups (10-13 years old and 14-16 years old). There was a significant statistical difference in BBS scores. The general group and the group of 10-13 years old (p = 0.0251) showed an increase in scores after practicing capoeira (p = 0.0039). There were no statistically significant differences in the group from 14 to 16 years of age (p = 0.0504). Using the Berg Balance Scale, it was possible to observe an improvement in the balance of the group of children and adolescents who practiced capoeira, and consequently, a decrease in the risk of falling.

Maximizing lipocalin prediction through balanced and diversified training set and decision fusion.

Science.gov (United States)

Nath, Abhigyan; Subbiah, Karthikeyan

2015-12-01

Lipocalins are short in sequence length and perform several important biological functions. These proteins are having less than 20% sequence similarity among paralogs. Experimentally identifying them is an expensive and time consuming process. The computational methods based on the sequence similarity for allocating putative members to this family are also far elusive due to the low sequence similarity existing among the members of this family. Consequently, the machine learning methods become a viable alternative for their prediction by using the underlying sequence/structurally derived features as the input. Ideally, any machine learning based prediction method must be trained with all possible variations in the input feature vector (all the sub-class input patterns) to achieve perfect learning. A near perfect learning can be achieved by training the model with diverse types of input instances belonging to the different regions of the entire input space. Furthermore, the prediction performance can be improved through balancing the training set as the imbalanced data sets will tend to produce the prediction bias towards majority class and its sub-classes. This paper is aimed to achieve (i) the high generalization ability without any classification bias through the diversified and balanced training sets as well as (ii) enhanced the prediction accuracy by combining the results of individual classifiers with an appropriate fusion scheme. Instead of creating the training set randomly, we have first used the unsupervised Kmeans clustering algorithm to create diversified clusters of input patterns and created the diversified and balanced training set by selecting an equal number of patterns from each of these clusters. Finally, probability based classifier fusion scheme was applied on boosted random forest algorithm (which produced greater sensitivity) and K nearest neighbour algorithm (which produced greater specificity) to achieve the enhanced predictive performance

Balance, functional mobility, and fall occurrence in patients with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis: a cross-sectional study

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Erika Pedreira da Fonseca

Full Text Available Abstract INTRODUCTION: Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP may lead to reduced functional mobility and balance. It is important to establish specific parameters that identify these changes and predict the risk of falls in these patients. The aim was to compare balance, functional mobility, and occurrence of falls among patients with and without HAM/TSP and to suggest values to predict the risk of falls in these patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional study in patients with and without HAM/TSP involved balance assessments based on the berg balance scale (BBS and functional mobility evaluation based on the timed up and go (TUG test. From reports of falls, the sensitivity, specificity, and best cutoff points for the risk of falls assessed by these instruments were established using the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC curve; 5% alpha was considered. RESULTS: We selected 42 participants: 29 with HAM/TSP and 13 without HAM/TSP. There was a statistically significant difference in the occurrence of falls, balance, and functional mobility between the groups (p<0.05. Good accuracy was determined for the BBS (77% and TUG test (70% and the cutoff points for the risk of falls were defined as 50 points for the BBS and 12.28 seconds for the TUG test. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with HAM/TSP present reduced functional mobility and balance in relation to those without HAM/TSP. The risk of falls increased for these patients can be evaluated by the values of 50 points using the BBS and 12.28 seconds using the TUG test.

Relationship between functional assessments and exercise-related changes during static balance.

Science.gov (United States)

Clifton, Daniel R; Harrison, Blain C; Hertel, Jay; Hart, Joseph M

2013-04-01

The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is currently used for injury risk prediction, although researchers have not studied its relationships to injury risk factors. The purpose of this study was to compare FMS scores at rest to changes in static balance after exercise. Second, we examined FMS scores pre and post exercise. Twenty-five participants performed center of pressure (COP) measures and FMS testing. An acclimatization session for the FMS occurred on day 1, whereas day 2 involved COP measures for static balance and FMS testing before and after a 36-minute exercise protocol. Center of pressure standard deviations in the frontal (COPML-SD) and sagittal (COPAP-SD) planes, center of pressure velocity (COP-Velocity), center of pressure area (COP-Area), and FMS scores were recorded. No significant correlations occurred between preexercise FMS scores and change in COP measures. Preexercise hurdle step scores related to preexercise COPML-SD (p = -0.46), COPAP-SD (p = -0.43), and COP-Area (p = -0.50). Preexercise in-line lunge scores related to postexercise COPAP-SD (p = -0.44) and COP-Velocity (p = -0.39), whereas preexercise active straight leg raise (ASLR) scores related to postexercise COPML-SD (p = -0.46). Functional Movement Screen scores were not related to changes in static balance after exercise and may therefore not be useful to predict who will experience greater static balance deficits after exercise. Additionally, FMS scores did not differ before and after exercise. Clinicians aiming to identify injury risk from a general static balance standpoint may find the hurdle step, in-line lunge, and ASLR useful. Clinicians aiming to identify injury risk from a change in static balance standpoint may need to explore other screening tools.

Effects of virtual reality programs on balance in functional ankle instability.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Ki-Jong; Heo, Myoung

2015-10-01

[Purpose] The aim of present study was to identify the impact that recent virtual reality training programs used in a variety of fields have had on the ankle's static and dynamic senses of balance among subjects with functional ankle instability. [Subjects and Methods] This study randomly divided research subjects into two groups, a strengthening exercise group (Group I) and a balance exercise group (Group II), with each group consisting of 10 people. A virtual reality program was performed three times a week for four weeks. Exercises from the Nintendo Wii Fit Plus program were applied to each group for twenty minutes along with ten minutes of warming up and wrap-up exercises. [Results] Group II showed a significant decrease of post-intervention static and dynamic balance overall in the anterior-posterior, and mediolateral directions, compared with the pre-intervention test results. In comparison of post-intervention static and dynamic balance between Group I and Group II, a significant decrease was observed overall. [Conclusion] Virtual reality programs improved the static balance and dynamic balance of subjects with functional ankle instability. Virtual reality programs can be used more safely and efficiently if they are implemented under appropriate monitoring by a physiotherapist.

Effect of footwear on standing balance in healthy young adult males.

Science.gov (United States)

Alghadir, Ahmad H; Zafar, Hamayun; Anwer, Shahnawaz

2018-03-01

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of footwear on standing balance in healthy young adult males. Thirty healthy male participants aged 20-30 years were tested for standing balance on the Balance Master on three occasions, including wearing a sandal, standard shoe, or no footwear (barefoot). The tests of postural stability include; "Modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction on Balance" (mCTSIB), "Unilateral Stance" (US), and the "Limits of Stability" (LOS). The balance scores (mCTSIB, US, and LOS) was analyzed. There was a significant effect between footwear conditions for mCTIB with eye closed on a firm surface (p=0.002). There was a significant effect between footwear conditions for the US with eye open and closed (p⟨0.05). There was a significant effect between footwear conditions for LOS reaction time during forward movement (p=0.02). Similarly, there was a significant effect between footwear conditions for LOS reaction time during left side movement (p=0.01). Wearing sandals compared to bare feet significantly increased postural sway and reduced stability in healthy young adult males. However, wearing a standard shoe compared to bare feet did not significantly affect balance scores in standing.

A portable, automated, inexpensive mass and balance calibration system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maxwell, S.L. III; Clark, J.P.

1987-01-01

Reliable mass measurements are essential for a nuclear production facility or process control laboratory. DOE Order 5630.2 requires that traceable standards be used to calibrate and monitor equipment used for nuclear material measurements. To ensure the reliability of mass measurements and to comply with DOE traceability requirements, a portable, automated mass and balance calibration system is used at the Savannah River Plant. Automation is achieved using an EPSON HX-20 notebook computer, which can be operated via RS232C interfacing to electronic balances or function with manual data entry if computer interfacing is not feasible. This economical, comprehensive, user-friendly system has three main functions in a mass measurement control program (MMCP): balance certification, calibration of mass standards, and daily measurement of traceable standards. The balance certification program tests for accuracy, precision, sensitivity, linearity, and cornerloading versus specific requirements. The mass calibration program allows rapid calibration of inexpensive mass standards traceable to certified Class S standards. This MMCP permits daily measurement of traceable standards to monitor the reliability of balances during routine use. The automated system verifies balance calibration, stores results for future use, and provides a printed control chart of the stored data. Another feature of the system permits three different weighing routines that accommodate their need for varying degrees of reliability in routine weighing operations

A portable, automated, inexpensive mass and balance calibration system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maxwell, S.L. III; Clark, J.P.

1987-01-01

Reliable mass measurements are essential for a nuclear production facility or process control laboratory. DOE Order 5630.2 requires that traceable standards be used to calibrate and monitor equipment used for nuclear material measurements. To ensure the reliability of mass measurements and to comply with DOE traceable requirements, a portable, automated mass and balance calibration system is used at the Savannah River Plant. Automation is achieved using an EPSON HX-20 notebook computer, which can be operated via RS232C interfacing to electronic balances or function with manual data entry if computer interfacing is not feasible. This economical, comprehensive, user-friendly system has three main functions in a mass measurement control program (MMCP): balance certification, calibration of mass standards, and daily measurement of traceable standards. The balance certification program tests for accuracy, precision, sensitivity, linearity, and cornerloading versus specific requirements. The mass calibration program allows rapid calibration of inexpensive mass standards traceable to certified Class S standards. This MMCP permits daily measurement of traceable standards to monitor the reliability of balances during routine use. The automated system verifies balance calibration, stores results for future use, and provides a printed control chart of the stored data. Another feature of the system permits three different weighing routines that accommodate our need for varying degrees of reliability in routine weighing operations. 1 ref

Effect of a new physical therapy concept on dynamic balance in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Hatem Abdel Mohsen Abdel Hamid Emara

2014-09-30

Sep 30, 2014 ... Aim of the study: This study aims to evaluate the effect of gait training using AGT on standing balance of the spastic diplegic cerebral palsy (SDCP) children. Subjects and ... of cerebral palsy has significantly risen to 2.0 per 1000 life. * Address: ..... based on our pilot work and the work of others and the fact.

Comparing the effects of balance training with and without cognitive tasks on the quality of life and balance performance in community-dwelling older adults: a single-blind randomized clinical trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ehsan Sinaei

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Aging process can deteriorate the ability to maintain balance, specifically under dual-task conditions. Thus far, different methods of exercises therapy have been applied to improve balance performance of older adults. The present study was designed to compare the effects of two protocols of balance training on the quality of life (QoL and balance performance in older adults with mild balance impairments. Methods: Twenty-four older adults over 60 years old were allocated randomly into single-task (n=12 and dual-task (n=12 exercise groups. Single-task group received routine balance exercises, over a four-week period and dual-task group was treated by the same exercise program plus a cognitive task. QoL and balance status were assessed by the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36 and Fullerton Advanced Balance scale (FAB questionnaires, before and after the interventions. Results: After four weeks of training, balance performance and some factors of QoL improved significantly in both groups (P<0.05. However, there were no significant differences in any of the variables between the two groups. Conclusion: Balance exercises, under both single- and dual-task conditions can improve the balance level and some aspects of QoL in older adults with mild balance impairments, with no priority of one group over another.

Supervised Versus Home Exercise Training Programs on Functional Balance in Older Subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Youssef, Enas Fawzy; Shanb, Alsayed Abd Elhameed

2016-11-01

Aging is associated with a progressive decline in physical capabilities and a disturbance of both postural control and daily living activities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of supervised versus home exercise programs on muscle strength, balance and functional activities in older participants. Forty older participants were equally assigned to a supervised exercise program (group-I) or a home exercise program (group-II). Each participant performed the exercise program for 35-45 minutes, two times per week for four months. Balance indices and isometric muscle strength were measured with the Biodex Balance System and Hand-Held Dynamometer. Functional activities were evaluated by the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and the timed get-up-and-go test (TUG). The mean values of the Biodex balance indices and the BBS improved significantly after both the supervised and home exercise programs ( P training programs significantly increased balance performance. The supervised program was superior to the home program in restoring functional activities and isometric muscle strength in older participants.

2000 energy balances and electricity profiles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-01-01

This is the eleventh issue of Energy Balances and Electricity Profiles published by the Statistics Division of the United Nations Secretariat. Like previous issues, this volume presents energy data for selected countries in a format which shows the overall picture of energy production, conversion and consumption for fuels utilised in the country. Such a publication is useful in assessing and analysing production and consumption patterns in detail on an internationally comparable basis. Since it began publishing energy balances, the Statistics Division has adopted the matrix type of overall energy balance that shows energy sources in the columns and energy flows in the rows. The format is described in detail in the technical report entitled Concepts and Methods in Energy Statistics, with Special Reference to Energy Accounts and Balances and is also discussed in the publication, Energy Statistics: A Manual for Developing Countries. The level of detail of this matrix structure takes into account the need for disaggregation of the energy sector and final demand, while at the same time, owing to the limitations in the quantity and quality of the currently available energy information, coverage has to be restricted to the main sectors only. Furthermore, it should be recognized that unlike national energy balances designed for individual countries' various specific needs, the energy balance format of the Statistics Division has to accommodate the whole spectrum of national energy data which it receives from national statistical offices and through official national publications. Inasmuch as information on electricity is generally available in greater detail than that for other energy forms, the Statistics Division decided to present special electricity profiles for an additional group of countries and areas, thereby covering at least part of their energy conversion and consumption activities. World energy data is published by the Statistics Division in the Energy

2002 energy balances and electricity profiles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-01-01

This is the twelfth issue of Energy Balances and Electricity Profiles published by the Statistics Division of the United Nations Secretariat. Like previous issues, this volume presents energy data for selected countries in a format which shows the overall picture of energy production, conversion and consumption for fuels utilised in the country. Such a publication is useful in assessing and analysing production and consumption patterns in detail on an internationally comparable basis. Since it began publishing energy balances, the Statistics Division has adopted the matrix type of overall energy balance that shows energy sources in the columns and energy flows in the rows. The format is described in detail in the technical report entitled Concepts and Methods in Energy Statistics, with Special Reference to Energy Accounts and Balances and is also discussed in the publication, Energy Statistics: A Manual for Developing Countries. The level of detail of this matrix structure takes into account the need for disaggregation of the energy sector and final demand, while at the same time, owing to the limitations in the quantity and quality of the currently available energy information, coverage has to be restricted to the main sectors only. Furthermore, it should be recognized that unlike national energy balances designed for individual countries' various specific needs, the energy balance format of the Statistics Division has to accommodate the whole spectrum of national energy data which it receives from national statistical offices and through official national publications. Inasmuch as information on electricity is generally available in greater detail than that for other energy forms, the Statistics Division decided to present special electricity profiles for an additional group of countries and areas, thereby covering at least part of their energy conversion and consumption activities. World energy data is published by the Statistics Division in the Energy

1998 energy balances and electricity profiles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-01-01

This is the tenth issue of Energy Balances and Electricity Profiles published by the Statistics Division of the United Nations Secretariat. Like previous issues, this volume presents energy data for selected countries in a format which shows the overall picture of energy production, conversion and consumption for fuels utilised in the country. Such a publication is useful in assessing and analysing production and consumption patterns in detail on an internationally comparable basis. Since it began publishing energy balances, the Statistics Division has adopted the matrix type of overall energy balance that shows energy sources in the columns and energy flows in the rows. The format is described in detail in the technical report entitled Concepts and Methods in Energy Statistics, with Special Reference to Energy Accounts and Balances and is also discussed in the publication, Energy Statistics: A Manual for Developing Countries. The level of detail of this matrix structure takes into account the need for disaggregation of the energy sector and final demand, while at the same time, owing to the limitations in the quantity and quality of the currently available energy information, coverage has to be restricted to the main sectors only. Furthermore, it should be recognized that unlike national energy balances designed for individual countries' various specific needs, the energy balance format of the Statistics Division has to accommodate the whole spectrum of national energy data which it receives from national statistical offices and through official national publications. Inasmuch as information on electricity is generally available in greater detail than that for other energy forms, the Statistics Division decided to present special electricity profiles for an additional group of countries and areas, thereby covering at least part of their energy conversion and consumption activities. World energy data is published by the Statistics Division in the Energy Statistics

[Influences of balancing-side interference on jaw function].

Science.gov (United States)

Baba, K

1991-03-01

The influences of experimental balancing-side interference on the jaw function were investigated on 6 subjects. A specially designed onlay was fabricated for the lower second molar, which acted as an artificial balancing-side interference in the lateral mandibular position. The subjects were asked to do maximum clenching, lateral gliding and gum chewing with and without the device. Electromyographic activity of the masseter and the anterior and posterior temporal muscles were measured and the related mandibular movement was simultaneously recorded during these tasks. Introduction of the experimental interference caused alteration in the muscle activity as follows: 1. When the subjects exerted maximum clenching efforts in the lateral mandibular position, the ratio of the temporal muscle activity on the working-side to the balancing-side decreased, while that of the masseter muscle remained unchanged. 2. There was a tendency for the activity in the working-side posterior temporal muscle to increase during gliding from intercuspation. The ratio of the temporal muscle activity on the working-side to the balancing-side decreased during gliding into intercuspation. 3. Prolongation of the occlusal phase associated with the increase of the muscle activity was observed during gum chewing on the side opposite to the interference. It was suggested that the balancing-side interference might provoke a specific muscle activity in the temporal muscles during parafunctional clenching or grinding.

Work-life balance: history, costs, and budgeting for balance.

Science.gov (United States)

Raja, Siva; Stein, Sharon L

2014-06-01

The concept and difficulties of work-life balance are not unique to surgeons, but professional responsibilities make maintaining a work-life balance difficult. Consequences of being exclusively career focused include burn out, physical, and mental ailments. In addition, physician burn out may hinder optimal patient care and incur significant costs on health care in general. Assessing current uses of time, allocating goals catered to an individual surgeon, and continual self-assessment may help balance time, and ideally will help prevent burn out.

Business-life balance and wellbeing: Exploring the lived experiences of women in a low-to-middle income country

Science.gov (United States)

Orjiakor, Charles T.; Enwereuzor, Ibeawuchi K.; Onyedibe, Christiana C.; Ugwu, Leonard I.

2016-01-01

Aim With most studies on work-life balance focused on employees, this study sets out to explore the everyday living of business women who trade on petty goods and earn very little in a low-to-middle income country (LMIC). We explore their conceptions of balance, how they manage intersecting roles, and how they cope with daily hassles and stress to maintain wellbeing. Background With the proportion of self-employed to employed people in Sub-Saharan LMICs being an inverse of the situation in Euro-American countries, there is a need to explore what balance could mean for the people in LMICs. Most studies in the work-life literature have explored how employees pursue balance and the various strategies that work for a specific group of people. Perhaps because work-life balance literature has largely sprung from advanced economies, little focus has been placed on how other societies, especially people in LMICs, navigate balance, given their unique milieu. Design Adopting the reflective life-world approach, we inquire into the daily lives of women in very small businesses. Method Twenty women who trade on a range of items and earn very little (gross daily sales of $0.41 to $62.98) were interviewed using a semi-structured guideline. Analysis was conducted using interpretative phenomenology. Result Conceptions of balance for the women incorporated the notions of satisfactory progress across roles, proper time apportionment to roles, conditional balance as well as harmony and/or synchrony across roles—a slight difference from the popular understandings. Their conception of business life roles was deemed much more integral. Negative physical and psychological experiences impacting health and wellbeing, identified as culminating as a result of both roles, were commonplace but were typically considered a normal part of living. Engagements in extra-social roles appeared to have a double-edged effect. Placing the family first, time management, and prioritizing were some of the

Business-life balance and wellbeing: Exploring the lived experiences of women in a low-to-middle income country

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dorothy I. Ugwu

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Aim: With most studies on work-life balance focused on employees, this study sets out to explore the everyday living of business women who trade on petty goods and earn very little in a low-to-middle income country (LMIC. We explore their conceptions of balance, how they manage intersecting roles, and how they cope with daily hassles and stress to maintain wellbeing. Background: With the proportion of self-employed to employed people in Sub-Saharan LMICs being an inverse of the situation in Euro-American countries, there is a need to explore what balance could mean for the people in LMICs. Most studies in the work-life literature have explored how employees pursue balance and the various strategies that work for a specific group of people. Perhaps because work-life balance literature has largely sprung from advanced economies, little focus has been placed on how other societies, especially people in LMICs, navigate balance, given their unique milieu. Design: Adopting the reflective life-world approach, we inquire into the daily lives of women in very small businesses. Method: Twenty women who trade on a range of items and earn very little (gross daily sales of $0.41 to $62.98 were interviewed using a semi-structured guideline. Analysis was conducted using interpretative phenomenology. Result: Conceptions of balance for the women incorporated the notions of satisfactory progress across roles, proper time apportionment to roles, conditional balance as well as harmony and/or synchrony across roles—a slight difference from the popular understandings. Their conception of business life roles was deemed much more integral. Negative physical and psychological experiences impacting health and wellbeing, identified as culminating as a result of both roles, were commonplace but were typically considered a normal part of living. Engagements in extra-social roles appeared to have a double-edged effect. Placing the family first, time management, and

Steering the osteoclast through the demineralization-collagenolysis balance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søe, Kent; Merrild, Ditte Marie Horslev; Delaissé, Jean-Marie

2013-01-01

are generated when collagen degradation is slower than demineralization, and trenches when collagen degradation is as fast as demineralization. Next we treated the osteoclasts with a low dose of a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor to slightly decrease the rate of demineralization, thereby allowing collagen......, forming a pit, and continues parallel to the bone surface, forming a trench. Importantly, we show that the progress of the osteoclast along this route depends on the balance between the rate of collagenolysis and demineralization. We propose that the osteocytes and bone lining cells surrounding...... the osteoclast may act on this balance to steer the osteoclast resorptive activity in order to give the excavations a specific shape....

Effects of Ving Tsun Chinese martial art training on musculoskeletal health, balance performance, and self-efficacy in community-dwelling older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Lip, Ryan W T; Fong, Shirley S M; Ng, Shamay S M; Liu, Karen P Y; Guo, X

2015-03-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Ving Tsun (VT) Chinese martial art training on radial bone strength, upper- and lower-limb muscular strength, shoulder joint mobility, balance performance, and self-efficacy in elderly participants. [Subjects and Methods] Twelve seniors voluntarily joined the VT training group, and twenty-seven seniors voluntarily joined the control group. The VT group received VT training for three months, while the control group received no training. The bone strength of the distal radius was assessed using an ultrasound bone sonometer. Muscular strength in the limbs was evaluated using a Jamar handgrip dynamometer and the five times sit-to-stand test. Shoulder joint mobility was examined using a goniometer. Balance performance and self-efficacy were evaluated using the Berg Balance Scale and the Chinese version of the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale, respectively. [Results] The results revealed a nonsignificant group-by-time interaction effect, group effect, and time effect for all outcome variables. However, general trends of maintenance or improvement in all outcome parameters were observed to a greater extent in the VT group than in the control group. [Conclusion] VT training might be a potential fall-prevention exercise that can be used to maintain general physique, balance, and confidence in the elderly population. A further randomized controlled trial is needed to confirm this postulation.

Nitrogen balance in patients with hemiparetic stroke during the subacute rehabilitation phase.

Science.gov (United States)

Wada, A; Kawakami, M; Otsuka, T; Aoki, H; Anzai, A; Yamada, Y; Liu, F; Otaka, E; Akaboshi, K; Liu, M

2017-06-01

In highly invasive diseases, metabolism commonly changes. Hypercatabolism is frequent in acute stroke, and nitrogen balance tends to be negative. However, there has been no study describing nitrogen balance in subacute and chronic stroke patients. The present study aimed to examine nitrogen balance in the subacute and chronic phases and to identify the factors related to it. Nitrogen balance was calculated from the collected urine of 56 patients with subacute stroke [mean (SD) 53.8 (18.4) days post-stroke] who were admitted for rehabilitation for their first-ever ischaemic or nonsurgical haemorrhagic stroke. In the first experiment, their nitrogen balance was measured during the rehabilitation phase, and factors (type, severity of hemiparesis, activities of daily living, dysphagia and malnutrition status) related to it were evaluated. The second experiment was performed to describe the time course of nitrogen balance in 31 consecutive patients, with assessments made at admission and at discharge. Nitrogen balance was positive in all patients in the subacute phase. A significant difference was seen in nitrogen balance between high and low fat-free mass in male patients. In the chronic phase, nitrogen balance was positive in 96% of the patients. There was no significant difference in nitrogen balance between discharge and admission. In the subacute and chronic phases of stroke, it was confirmed that hypercatabolism had resolved and that intensive rehabilitation is possible in the convalescent period of stroke. © 2017 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

Including spatial data in nutrient balance modelling on dairy farms

Science.gov (United States)

van Leeuwen, Maricke; van Middelaar, Corina; Stoof, Cathelijne; Oenema, Jouke; Stoorvogel, Jetse; de Boer, Imke

2017-04-01

The Annual Nutrient Cycle Assessment (ANCA) calculates the nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) balance at a dairy farm, while taking into account the subsequent nutrient cycles of the herd, manure, soil and crop components. Since January 2016, Dutch dairy farmers are required to use ANCA in order to increase understanding of nutrient flows and to minimize nutrient losses to the environment. A nutrient balance calculates the difference between nutrient inputs and outputs. Nutrients enter the farm via purchased feed, fertilizers, deposition and fixation by legumes (nitrogen), and leave the farm via milk, livestock, manure, and roughages. A positive balance indicates to which extent N and/or P are lost to the environment via gaseous emissions (N), leaching, run-off and accumulation in soil. A negative balance indicates that N and/or P are depleted from soil. ANCA was designed to calculate average nutrient flows on farm level (for the herd, manure, soil and crop components). ANCA was not designed to perform calculations of nutrient flows at the field level, as it uses averaged nutrient inputs and outputs across all fields, and it does not include field specific soil characteristics. Land management decisions, however, such as the level of N and P application, are typically taken at the field level given the specific crop and soil characteristics. Therefore the information that ANCA provides is likely not sufficient to support farmers' decisions on land management to minimize nutrient losses to the environment. This is particularly a problem when land management and soils vary between fields. For an accurate estimate of nutrient flows in a given farming system that can be used to optimize land management, the spatial scale of nutrient inputs and outputs (and thus the effect of land management and soil variation) could be essential. Our aim was to determine the effect of the spatial scale of nutrient inputs and outputs on modelled nutrient flows and nutrient use efficiencies

Avoid, Control, Succumb, or Balance: Engineering Students' Approaches to a Wicked Sustainability Problem

Science.gov (United States)

Lönngren, Johanna; Ingerman, Åke; Svanström, Magdalena

2017-08-01

Wicked sustainability problems (WSPs) are an important and particularly challenging type of problem. Science and engineering education can play an important role in preparing students to deal with such problems, but current educational practice may not adequately prepare students to do so. We address this gap by providing insights related to students' abilities to address WSPs. Specifically, we aim to (I) describe key constituents of engineering students' approaches to a WSP, (II) evaluate these approaches in relation to the normative context of education for sustainable development (ESD), and (III) identify relevant aspects of learning related to WSPs. Aim I is addressed through a phenomenographic study, while aims II and III are addressed by relating the results to research literature about human problem solving, sustainable development, and ESD. We describe four qualitatively different ways of approaching a specific WSP, as the outcome of the phenomenographic study: A. Simplify and avoid, B. Divide and control, C. Isolate and succumb, and D. Integrate and balance. We identify approach D as the most appropriate approach in the context of ESD, while A and C are not. On this basis, we identify three learning objectives related to students' abilities to address WSPs: learn to use a fully integrative approach, distinguish WSPs from tame and well-structured problems, and understand and consider the normative context of SD. Finally, we provide recommendations for how these learning objectives can be used to guide the design of science and engineering educational activities.

Performance enhancement using a balanced scorecard in a Patient-centered Medical Home.

Science.gov (United States)

Fields, Scott A; Cohen, Deborah

2011-01-01

Oregon Health & Science University Family Medicine implemented a balanced scorecard within our clinics that embraces the inherent tensions between care quality, financial productivity, and operational efficiency. This data-driven performance improvement process involved: (1) consensus-building around specific indicators to be measured, (2) developing and refining the balanced scorecard, and (3) using the balanced scorecard in the quality improvement process. Developing and implementing the balanced scorecard stimulated an important culture shift among clinics; practice members now actively use data to recognize successes, understand emerging problems, and make changes in response to these problems. Our experience shows how Patient-centered Medical Homes can be enhanced through use of information technology and evidence-based tools that support improved decision making and performance and help practices develop into learning organizations.

A multimodal assessment of balance in elderly and young adults

Science.gov (United States)

King, Gregory W.; Abreu, Eduardo L.; Cheng, An-Lin; Chertoff, Keyna K.; Brotto, Leticia; Kelly, Patricia J.; Brotto, Marco

2016-01-01

Falling is a significant health issue among elderly adults. Given the multifactorial nature of falls, effective balance and fall risk assessment must take into account factors from multiple sources. Here we investigate the relationship between fall risk and a diverse set of biochemical and biomechanical variables including: skeletal muscle-specific troponin T (sTnT), maximal strength measures derived from isometric grip and leg extension tasks, and postural sway captured from a force platform during a quiet stance task. These measures were performed in eight young and eleven elderly adults, along with estimates of fall risk derived from the Tinetti Balance Assessment. We observed age-related effects in all measurements, including a trend toward increased sTnT levels, increased postural sway, reduced upper and lower extremity strength, and reduced balance scores. We observed a negative correlation between balance scores and sTnT levels, suggesting its use as a biomarker for fall risk. We observed a significant positive correlation between balance scores and strength measures, adding support to the notion that muscle strength plays a significant role in postural control. We observed a significant negative correlation between balance scores and postural sway, suggesting that fall risk is associated with more loosely controlled center of mass regulation. PMID:26934319

Review of key Belotero Balance safety and efficacy trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Lorenc, Z Paul; Fagien, Steven; Flynn, Timothy C; Waldorf, Heidi A

2013-10-01

Belotero Balance is a novel highly cross-linked hyaluronic acid that uses cohesive polydensified matrix technology to achieve cohesive gel; improved adaptation by the dermis; and a soft, smooth fill. Several studies have now compared Belotero Balance to bovine collagen and other hyaluronic acids. Two pivotal studies demonstrated the noninferiority and superiority of Belotero Balance to bovine collagen. In the first study, more than half of the patients maintained optimal correction at 6 months on the Belotero-treated side of the face. The second of those two studies followed patients to week 96 and demonstrated that the effects of Belotero Balance in this long-term, open-label study persisted in the majority of subjects without repeated treatment for at least one interval of 48 weeks. The filler was well tolerated, with only one of 34 total adverse events (injection-site bruising) considered to be related to the study device. A third study compared the safety and efficacy of other hyaluronic acids (i.e., Juvéderm and Restylane) with Belotero Balance. In this study, the safety profiles of all three hyaluronic acids were generally favorable, with site-specific adverse events mild to moderate and comparable across each hyaluronic acid. Aesthetic results were also similar, although Belotero Balance resulted in greater evenness than Restylane at 4 weeks by one indicator used in the study. Finally, a 5-year retrospective safety review of 317 patients treated with Belotero Balance over a 5-year period revealed no severe adverse events in any patients, including the absence of persistent nodules or granulomas.

Impact of Balance Confidence on Daily Living Activities of Older People with Knee Osteoarthritis with Regard to Balance, Physical Function, Pain, and Quality of Life - A Preliminary Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Bobić Lucić, Lana; Grazio, Simeon

2018-01-01

The objective of this study was to explore the impact of balance confidence on different activities of daily living (ADL) in older people with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Forty-seven consecutive participants with knee OA were included in this cross-sectional study. They were divided according to the results of the Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale into a group with a low level of confidence in physical functioning (ABC balance measurements. Older people with knee OA who were less confident in their daily physical activities had more physical difficulties and a greater effect of pain on ADL, lower quality of life, and a higher physician's global assessment, but no differences were obtained in balance tests. In people with knee OA, decreased balance confidence is associated with more physical difficulties, an increased effect of pain on ADL, and lower quality of life. An improved awareness of decreased balance confidence may lead to more effective management of older people with knee OA by improving their mobility and QOL through rehabilitation. Furthermore, future research in that direction is warranted.

Changes in balance coordination and transfer to an unlearned balance task after slackline training: a self-organizing map analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Serrien, Ben; Hohenauer, Erich; Clijsen, Ron; Taube, Wolfgang; Baeyens, Jean-Pierre; Küng, Ursula

2017-11-01

How humans maintain balance and change postural control due to age, injury, immobility or training is one of the basic questions in motor control. One of the problems in understanding postural control is the large set of degrees of freedom in the human motor system. Therefore, a self-organizing map (SOM), a type of artificial neural network, was used in the present study to extract and visualize information about high-dimensional balance strategies before and after a 6-week slackline training intervention. Thirteen subjects performed a flamingo and slackline balance task before and after the training while full body kinematics were measured. Range of motion, velocity and frequency of the center of mass and joint angles from the pelvis, trunk and lower leg (45 variables) were calculated and subsequently analyzed with an SOM. Subjects increased their standing time significantly on the flamingo (average +2.93 s, Cohen's d = 1.04) and slackline (+9.55 s, d = 3.28) tasks, but the effect size was more than three times larger in the slackline. The SOM analysis, followed by a k-means clustering and marginal homogeneity test, showed that the balance coordination pattern was significantly different between pre- and post-test for the slackline task only (χ 2  = 82.247; p balance coordination on the slackline could be characterized by an increase in range of motion and a decrease in velocity and frequency in nearly all degrees of freedom simultaneously. The observation of low transfer of coordination strategies to the flamingo task adds further evidence for the task-specificity principle of balance training, meaning that slackline training alone will be insufficient to increase postural control in other challenging situations.

EFFECT OF NEUROMUSCULAR TRAINING ON BALANCE AMONG UNIVERSITY ATHLETES

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Mohansundar Sankaravel

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Background: Proprioceptive deficiency followed by lateral ankle sprain leads to poor balance is not uncommon. It has been linked with increased injury risk among young athletes. Introducing neuromuscular training programs for this have been believed as one of the means of injury prevention. Hence, this study was aimed to determine the effects of six weeks progressive neuromuscular training (PNM Training on static balance gains among the young athletes with a previous history of ankle sprains. Methods: This study was an experimental study design, with pre and post test method to determine the effects of PNM Training on static balance gains. All data were collected at university’s sports rehabilitation lab before and after six weeks of intervention period. There were 20 male and female volunteer young athletes (20.9 ± 0.85 years of age with a previous history of ankle sprain involving various sports were recruited from the University community. All the subjects were participated in a six week PNM Training that included stability, strength and power training. Outcome measures were collected by calculating the errors on balance error scoring system made by the athletes on static balance before and after the six weeks of intervention period. Static balance was tested in firm and foam surfaces and recorded accordingly. Results: The researchers found a significant decrease (2.40 ± 0.82 in total errors among the samples at the post test compared with their pre test (P >0.05. Conclusions: The study demonstrates that a PNM Training can improve the static balance on both the firm and foam surfaces among the young athletes with a previous history of ankle sprains.

Psychological balance in high level athletes: gender-based differences and sport-specific patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Schaal, Karine; Tafflet, Muriel; Nassif, Hala; Thibault, Valérie; Pichard, Capucine; Alcotte, Mathieu; Guillet, Thibaut; El Helou, Nour; Berthelot, Geoffroy; Simon, Serge; Toussaint, Jean-François

2011-05-04

Few epidemiological studies have focused on the psychological health of high level athletes. This study aimed to identify the principal psychological problems encountered within French high level athletes, and the variations in their prevalence based on sex and the sport practiced. Multivariate analyses were conducted on nationwide data obtained from the athletes' yearly psychological evaluations. A representative sample of 13% of the French athlete population was obtained. 17% of athletes have at least one ongoing or recent disorder, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) being the most prevalent (6%), followed by non-specific eating disorders (4.2%). Overall, 20.2% of women had at least one psychopathology, against 15.1% in men. This female predominance applied to anxiety and eating disorders, depression, sleep problems and self-harming behaviors. The highest rates of GAD appeared in aesthetic sports (16.7% vs. 6.8% in other sports for men and 38.9% vs. 10.3% for women); the lowest prevalence was found in high risk sports athletes (3.0% vs. 3.5%). Eating disorders are most common among women in racing sports (14% vs. 9%), but for men were found mostly in combat sports (7% vs. 4.8%). This study highlights important differences in psychopathology between male and female athletes, demonstrating that the many sex-based differences reported in the general population apply to elite athletes. While the prevalence of psychological problems is no higher than in the general population, the variations in psychopathology in different sports suggest that specific constraints could influence the development of some disorders.

Psychological balance in high level athletes: gender-based differences and sport-specific patterns.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karine Schaal

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: Few epidemiological studies have focused on the psychological health of high level athletes. This study aimed to identify the principal psychological problems encountered within French high level athletes, and the variations in their prevalence based on sex and the sport practiced. METHODS: Multivariate analyses were conducted on nationwide data obtained from the athletes' yearly psychological evaluations. RESULTS: A representative sample of 13% of the French athlete population was obtained. 17% of athletes have at least one ongoing or recent disorder, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD being the most prevalent (6%, followed by non-specific eating disorders (4.2%. Overall, 20.2% of women had at least one psychopathology, against 15.1% in men. This female predominance applied to anxiety and eating disorders, depression, sleep problems and self-harming behaviors. The highest rates of GAD appeared in aesthetic sports (16.7% vs. 6.8% in other sports for men and 38.9% vs. 10.3% for women; the lowest prevalence was found in high risk sports athletes (3.0% vs. 3.5%. Eating disorders are most common among women in racing sports (14% vs. 9%, but for men were found mostly in combat sports (7% vs. 4.8%. DISCUSSION: This study highlights important differences in psychopathology between male and female athletes, demonstrating that the many sex-based differences reported in the general population apply to elite athletes. While the prevalence of psychological problems is no higher than in the general population, the variations in psychopathology in different sports suggest that specific constraints could influence the development of some disorders.

Psychological Balance in High Level Athletes: Gender-Based Differences and Sport-Specific Patterns

Science.gov (United States)

Schaal, Karine; Tafflet, Muriel; Nassif, Hala; Thibault, Valérie; Pichard, Capucine; Alcotte, Mathieu; Guillet, Thibaut; El Helou, Nour; Berthelot, Geoffroy; Simon, Serge; Toussaint, Jean-François

2011-01-01

Objectives Few epidemiological studies have focused on the psychological health of high level athletes. This study aimed to identify the principal psychological problems encountered within French high level athletes, and the variations in their prevalence based on sex and the sport practiced. Methods Multivariate analyses were conducted on nationwide data obtained from the athletes' yearly psychological evaluations. Results A representative sample of 13% of the French athlete population was obtained. 17% of athletes have at least one ongoing or recent disorder, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) being the most prevalent (6%), followed by non-specific eating disorders (4.2%). Overall, 20.2% of women had at least one psychopathology, against 15.1% in men. This female predominance applied to anxiety and eating disorders, depression, sleep problems and self-harming behaviors. The highest rates of GAD appeared in aesthetic sports (16.7% vs. 6.8% in other sports for men and 38.9% vs. 10.3% for women); the lowest prevalence was found in high risk sports athletes (3.0% vs. 3.5%). Eating disorders are most common among women in racing sports (14% vs. 9%), but for men were found mostly in combat sports (7% vs. 4.8%). Discussion This study highlights important differences in psychopathology between male and female athletes, demonstrating that the many sex-based differences reported in the general population apply to elite athletes. While the prevalence of psychological problems is no higher than in the general population, the variations in psychopathology in different sports suggest that specific constraints could influence the development of some disorders. PMID:21573222

Work-life balance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roche, Pat

2011-03-15

Gay Renouf has opted for a work/life balance; with a chemistry degree she joined the Saskatchewan Research Council out of graduate school in 1986. She first worked on understanding surfactants in emulsions and then dealt more with petroleum engineering issues like pipeline specifications. She is looking at waterfloods in heavy and medium gravity pools and has discovered factors helping to produce heavy oil waterfloods. But all Renouf's life is not devoted to her work: she has been working part-time, spending her free time being a parent, training for marathons and being a running coach. Renouf believes that her passion for running is consistent with her work as a scientist.

Balancing Act

Science.gov (United States)

Part of being an Active, More Powerful You means finding balance in your daily life: taking on the Must-dos and finding time for some Should Dos and Want-to-Dos. Sometimes, emotions and commitments can come into play and upset the balance.

Lust-Balance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wouters, Cas

2007-01-01

The concept of the lust-balance refers to the social organization and accompanying social codes (ideals and practices) regarding the relationship between the longing for sexual gratification and the longing for enduring relational intimacy. It thus draws attention to the balance between emotive

Comparing the effects of hydrotherapy and land-based therapy on balance in patients with Parkinson's disease: a randomized controlled pilot study.

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Volpe, Daniele; Giantin, Maria Giulia; Maestri, Roberto; Frazzitta, Giuseppe

2014-12-01

Our aim was to evaluate the feasibility of a hydrotherapy treatment in patients with Parkinson's disease and the effectiveness of this treatment on balance parameters in comparison to a traditional land-based physical therapy. A randomized single-blind controlled trial. Outpatients. Thirty-four patients with Parkinson's disease in Hoehn-Yahr stage 2.5-3. Group 1 hydrotherapy treatment, group 2 land-based rehabilitation treatment. The two groups underwent the same rehabilitation period (60 minutes of treatment, five days a week for two months). The primary outcome measures were the centre of the pressure sway area recorded with open and closed eyes, using a stabilometric platform. Secondary outcome measures were Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale II and III, Timed Up and Go Test, Berg Balance Scale, Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale, Falls Efficacy Scale, Falls diary and Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-39. Hydrotherapy treatment proved to be feasible and safe. Patients in both groups had a significant improvement in all outcome variables. There was a better improvement in patients who underwent hydrotherapy than in patients treated with land-based therapy in the centre of pressure sway area closed eyes (mean SD change: 45.4 SD64.9 vs. 6.9 SD45.3, p = 0.05), Berg Balance Scale (51.2 SD3.1 vs. 6.0 SD3.1, p = 0.005), Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (16.8 SD10.6 vs. 4.1 SD5.4, p = 0.0001), Falls Efficacy Scale (-5.9 SD4.8 vs. -1.9 SD1.4, p = 0.003), Parkinson's Disease Quetionnaire-39 (-18.4 SD12.9 vs. -8.0 SD7.0, p = 0.006) and falls diary (-2.4 SD2.2 vs. -0.4 SD0.5, p = 0.001). Our study suggests that hydrotherapy may constitute a possible treatment for balance dysfunction in Parkinsonian patients with moderate stage of disease. © The Author(s) 2014.

Feasibility of sensory tongue stimulation combined with task-specific therapy in people with spinal cord injury: a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chisholm, Amanda E; Malik, Raza Naseem; Blouin, Jean-Sébastien; Borisoff, Jaimie; Forwell, Susan; Lam, Tania

2014-06-06

Previous evidence suggests the effects of task-specific therapy can be further enhanced when sensory stimulation is combined with motor practice. Sensory tongue stimulation is thought to facilitate activation of regions in the brain that are important for balance and gait. Improvements in balance and gait have significant implications for functional mobility for people with incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI). The aim of this case study was to evaluate the feasibility of a lab- and home-based program combining sensory tongue stimulation with balance and gait training on functional outcomes in people with iSCI. Two male participants (S1 and S2) with chronic motor iSCI completed 12 weeks of balance and gait training (3 lab and 2 home based sessions per week) combined with sensory tongue stimulation using the Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator (PoNS). Laboratory based training involved 20 minutes of standing balance with eyes closed and 30 minutes of body-weight support treadmill walking. Home based sessions consisted of balancing with eyes open and walking with parallel bars or a walker for up to 20 minutes each. Subjects continued daily at-home training for an additional 12 weeks as follow-up. Both subjects were able to complete a minimum of 83% of the training sessions. Standing balance with eyes closed increased from 0.2 to 4.0 minutes and 0.0 to 0.2 minutes for S1 and S2, respectively. Balance confidence also improved at follow-up after the home-based program. Over ground walking speed improved by 0.14 m/s for S1 and 0.07 m/s for S2, and skilled walking function improved by 60% and 21% for S1 and S2, respectively. Sensory tongue stimulation combined with task-specific training may be a feasible method for improving balance and gait in people with iSCI. Our findings warrant further controlled studies to determine the added benefits of sensory tongue stimulation to rehabilitation training.

A preliminary study of static and dynamic balance in sedentary obese young adults: the relationship between BMI, posture and postural balance.

Science.gov (United States)

do Nascimento, J A; Silva, C C; Dos Santos, H H; de Almeida Ferreira, J J; de Andrade, P R

2017-12-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the postural control of obese young adults with normal body mass index during different static (bipedic and unipedic support) and dynamic postural conditions (gait velocity and limits of stability) in order to compare the static and dynamic balance of these individuals. A cross-sectional quantitative study was carried out to evaluate static and dynamic balance in 25 sedentary individuals. The sample was divided into two groups, 10 in the normal-weight group (24.70 ± 3.89 years and 21.5 ± 1.66 kg m -2 ) and 15 in the obese group (26.80 ± 5.16 years and 35.66 ± 4.29 kg m -2 ). Postural evaluation was performed through visual inspection, and balance analyses were performed using the Timed Up & Go test (TUGT) and Balance System (Biodex). Descriptive analyses, Fisher's exact test and Mann Whitney U-tests were performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS - 20.0, Armonk, NY) software. Most of the obese volunteers presented postural alterations, such as head protrusion (47.6%), hyperkyphosis (46.7%) and hyperlordosis (26.7%). Medial-lateral dynamic displacement, risk of falls and mean time to perform the limits of stability test and TUGT were higher for obese subjects (P  0.05) for static balance tests for either bipedal or unipedal tasks. The disadvantage presented by the young obese subjects occurs in dynamic activities, representing worse balance and an increase in time needed to accomplish these activities. © 2017 World Obesity Federation.

Balance in scientific impact assessment: the EGU Awards Committe experience

Science.gov (United States)

Montanari, Alberto

2016-04-01

Evaluation of scientific impact is becoming an essential step all over the world for assigning academic positions, funding and recognition. Impact is generally assessed by means of objective bibliometric indicators which are frequently integrated with a subjective evaluation by one or more individuals. An essential requirement of impact assessment is to ensure balance across several potential discriminating factors, including gender, ethnics, culture, scientific field and many others. Scientific associations need to ensure balance in any step of their activity and in particular when electing their representatives, evaluating scientific contributions, reviewing papers and assigning awards. While ensuring balance is a strict necessity, how to get to target is still a matter of vivid debates. In fact, the context of science is very different with respect to the general context of society and the need for scientific associations to maintain confidentiality in their evaluation procedures makes the application of transparent procedures more complicated. This talk aims to present the experience and the efforts of the European Geosciences Union to ensure balance, with a particular focus on gender balance. Data and statistics will be presented in the attempt to provide constructive indications to get to the target of giving equal opportunities to researchers across gender, continents and ethnic groups. Science is a unifying discipline and balance will be vital to ensure that humans and our planet co-evolve sustainably.

Development of a simplified urban water balance model (WABILA).

Science.gov (United States)

Henrichs, M; Langner, J; Uhl, M

2016-01-01

During the last decade, water sensitive urban design (WSUD) has become more and more accepted. However, there is not any simple tool or option available to evaluate the influence of these measures on the local water balance. To counteract the impact of new settlements, planners focus on mitigating increases in runoff through installation of infiltration systems. This leads to an increasing non-natural groundwater recharge and decreased evapotranspiration. Simple software tools which evaluate or simulate the effect of WSUD on the local water balance are still needed. The authors developed a tool named WABILA (Wasserbilanz) that could support planners for optimal WSUD. WABILA is an easy-to-use planning tool that is based on simplified regression functions for established measures and land covers. Results show that WSUD has to be site-specific, based on climate conditions and the natural water balance.

Identifying Balance and Fall Risk in Community-Dwelling Older Women: The Effect of Executive Function on Postural Control

OpenAIRE

Muir-Hunter, Susan W.; Clark, Jennifer; McLean, Stephanie; Pedlow, Sam; Van Hemmen, Alysia; Montero Odasso, Manuel; Overend, Tom

2014-01-01

Purpose: The mechanisms linking cognition, balance function, and fall risk among older adults are not fully understood. An evaluation of the effect of cognition on balance tests commonly used in clinical practice to assess community-dwelling older adults could enhance the identification of at-risk individuals. The study aimed to determine (1) the association between cognition and clinical tests of balance and (2) the relationship between executive function (EF) and balance under single- and d...

Robot-Crawler: Statically Balanced Gaits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Parasuraman

2012-12-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a new statically balanced walking technique for a robot-crawler. The gait design and the control of the robot crawler aim to achieve stability while walking. This statically balanced gait has to be designed in a different fashion to a wheeled robot, as there are discrete changes in the support of the robot when its legs are lifted or placed on the ground. The stability of the robot depends on how the legs are positioned relative to the body and also on the sequence and timing with which the legs are lifted and placed. In order to reduce the risk of stability loss while walking, a measure for the robot stability (so-called stability margin is typically used in the gait and motion planning. In this paper different biological behaviours of four-legged animals are studied and mapped on a quad-legrobot-crawler. Experiments were carried out on the forward walking gaits of lizards and horses. Based on these results, the stability margins of different gaits are discussed and compared.

For which purposes do managers use the balanced scorecard?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wiersma, E.

2009-01-01

The accounting literature frequently publishes articles that establish the adoption rates of accounting information systems, such as the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) or Activity-Based Costing, and subsequently examines the factors that drive this adoption. However, much less is known about the specific

Comparison of direct and geodetic mass balances on a multi-annual time scale

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Fischer

2011-02-01

Full Text Available The geodetic mass balances of six Austrian glaciers over 19 periods between 1953 and 2006 are compared to the direct mass balances over the same periods. For two glaciers, Hintereisferner and Kesselwandferner, case studies showing possible reasons for discrepancies between the geodetic and the direct mass balance are presented. The mean annual geodetic mass balance for all periods is −0.5 m w.e. a⁻¹, the mean annual direct mass balance −0.4 m w.e. a⁻¹. The mean cumulative difference is −0.6 m w.e., the minimum −7.3 m w.e., and the maximum 5.6 m w.e. The accuracy of geodetic mass balance may depend on the accuracy of the DEMs, which ranges from 2 m w.e. for photogrammetric data to 0.02 m w.e. for airborne laser scanning (LiDAR data. Basal melt, seasonal snow cover, and density changes of the surface layer also contribute up to 0.7 m w.e. to the difference between the two methods over the investigated period of 10 yr. On Hintereisferner, the fraction of area covered by snow or firn has been changing within 1953–2006. The accumulation area is not identical with the firn area, and both are not coincident with areas of volume gain. Longer periods between the acquisition of the DEMs do not necessarily result in a higher accuracy of the geodetic mass balance. Trends in the difference between the direct and the geodetic data vary from glacier to glacier and can differ systematically for specific glaciers under specific types of climate forcing. Ultimately, geodetic and direct mass balance data are complementary, and great care must be taken when attempting to combine them.

Balance and Self-Efficacy of Balance in Children with CHARGE Syndrome

Science.gov (United States)

Haibach, Pamela S.; Lieberman, Lauren J.

2013-01-01

Introduction: Balance is a critical component of daily living, because it affects all movements and the ability to function independently. Children with CHARGE syndrome have sensory and motor impairments that could negatively affect their balance and postural control. The purpose of the study presented in this article was to assess the balance and…

The efficacy of treadmill training on balance dysfunction in individuals with chronic stroke: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Tally, Zachary; Boetefuer, Laura; Kauk, Courtney; Perez, Gabriela; Schrand, Lorraine; Hoder, Jeffrey

2017-10-01

Physical activity and exercise interventions are useful in facilitating the functional recovery of those with chronic stroke and, routinely, are gait-specific. While treadmill training has proven useful in gait performance recovery post-stroke, its efficacy on balance dysfunction has not been  systematically reviewed. The purpose of this systematic review was to determine the effect of treadmill training (TT) interventions on balance dysfunction in individuals with chronic stroke. A systematic literature search of PubMed, EMBASE, and CINAHL was performed. Eligible randomized controlled trials were published between 2007 and 2016. Selected trials investigated TT interventions in persons with chronic stroke and implemented at least one objective balance measure. Methodological quality was assessed using PEDro criteria. Eight studies met eligibility criteria and were included in the qualitative analysis. Studies differed in TT implementation and use of adjunctive treatments; however, all trials demonstrated improvements in balance measures that were as effective, if not more so, than conventional physical therapy treatments, including targeted balance training. This review recognized moderate evidence in favor of TT interventions in balance and stroke rehabilitation programs. With TT, intensity may be a more critical factor than specificity and may offer additional carryover to recovery parameters of postural control and balance, beyond gait performance. It is recommended that clinicians utilizing TT incorporate objective measures of balance to assess the potential for skill transference and improvements in balance. Higher quality studies and additional research are needed to denote critical parameters by which improvements in balance may be optimized.

Balanced sampling

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brus, D.J.

2015-01-01

In balanced sampling a linear relation between the soil property of interest and one or more covariates with known means is exploited in selecting the sampling locations. Recent developments make this sampling design attractive for statistical soil surveys. This paper introduces balanced sampling

The Narrow Ridge Balance Test : A measure for one-leg lateral balance control

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Curtze, Carolin; Postema, Klaas; Akkermans, Hilda W.; Otten, Bert; Hof, At L.

2010-01-01

The assessment of balance capacity for people with widely different balance abilities is an important issue in clinical practice We propose the narrow ridge balance test as a sensitive tool to assess one-leg balance capacity In this test participants are asked to perform single-leg stance on ridges

Pure animal phobia is more specific than other specific phobias: epidemiological evidence from the Zurich Study, the ZInEP and the PsyCoLaus.

Science.gov (United States)

Ajdacic-Gross, Vladeta; Rodgers, Stephanie; Müller, Mario; Hengartner, Michael P; Aleksandrowicz, Aleksandra; Kawohl, Wolfram; Heekeren, Karsten; Rössler, Wulf; Angst, Jules; Castelao, Enrique; Vandeleur, Caroline; Preisig, Martin

2016-09-01

Interest in subtypes of mental disorders is growing in parallel with continuing research progress in psychiatry. The aim of this study was to examine pure animal phobia in contrast to other specific phobias and a mixed subtype. Data from three representative Swiss community samples were analysed: PsyCoLaus (n = 3720), the ZInEP Epidemiology Survey (n = 1500) and the Zurich Study (n = 591). Pure animal phobia and mixed animal/other specific phobias consistently displayed a low age at onset of first symptoms (8-12 years) and clear preponderance of females (OR > 3). Meanwhile, other specific phobias started up to 10 years later and displayed almost a balanced sex ratio. Pure animal phobia showed no associations with any included risk factors and comorbid disorders, in contrast to numerous associations found in the mixed subtype and in other specific phobias. Across the whole range of epidemiological parameters examined in three different samples, pure animal phobia seems to represent a different entity compared to other specific phobias. The etiopathogenetic mechanisms and risk factors associated with pure animal phobias appear less clear than ever.

On Pell, Pell-Lucas, and balancing numbers.

Science.gov (United States)

Karadeniz Gözeri, Gül

2018-01-01

In this paper, we derive some identities on Pell, Pell-Lucas, and balancing numbers and the relationships between them. We also deduce some formulas on the sums, divisibility properties, perfect squares, Pythagorean triples involving these numbers. Moreover, we obtain the set of positive integer solutions of some specific Pell equations in terms of the integer sequences mentioned in the text.

Balance Assessment Practices and Use of Standardized Balance Measures Among Ontario Physical Therapists

Science.gov (United States)

Sibley, Kathryn M.; Straus, Sharon E.; Inness, Elizabeth L.; Salbach, Nancy M.

2011-01-01

Background Balance impairment is a significant problem for older adults, as it can influence daily functioning. Treating balance impairment in this population is a major focus of physical therapist practice. Objective The purpose of this study was to document current practices in clinical balance assessment and compare components of balance assessed and measures used across practice areas among physical therapists. Design This was a cross-sectional study. Methods A survey questionnaire was mailed to 1,000 practicing physical therapists in Ontario, Canada. Results Three hundred sixty-nine individuals completed the survey questionnaire. More than 80% of respondents reported that they regularly (more than 60% of the time) assessed postural alignment, static and dynamic stability, functional balance, and underlying motor systems. Underlying sensory systems, cognitive contributions to balance, and reactive control were regularly assessed by 59.6%, 55.0%, and 41.2% of the respondents, respectively. The standardized measures regularly used by the most respondents were the single-leg stance test (79.1%), the Berg Balance Scale (45.0%), and the Timed “Up & Go” Test (27.6%). There was considerable variation in the components of balance assessed and measures used by respondents treating individuals in the orthopedic, neurologic, geriatric, and general rehabilitation populations. Limitations The survey provides quantitative data about what is done to assess balance, but does not explain the factors influencing current practice. Conclusions Many important components of balance and standardized measures are regularly used by physical therapists to assess balance. Further research, however, is needed to understand the factors contributing to the relatively lower rates of assessing reactive control, the component of balance most directly responsible for avoiding a fall. PMID:21868613

Integrated model for line balancing with workstation inventory management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dilip Roy

2010-06-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we address the optimization of an integrated line balancing process with workstation inventory management. While doing so, we have studied the interconnection between line balancing and its conversion process. Almost each and every moderate to large manufacturing industry depends on a long and integrated supply chain, consisting of inbound logistic, conversion process and outbound logistic. In this sense an approach addresses a very general problem of integrated line balancing. Research works reported in the literature so far mainly deals with minimization of cost for inbound and outbound logistic subsystems. In most of the cases conversion process has been ignored. We suggest a generic approach for linking the balancing of the line of production in the conversion area with the customers’ rate of demand in the market and for configuring the related stock chambers. Thus, the main aim of this paper is to translate the underlying problem in the form of mixed nonlinear programming problem and design the optimum supply chain so that the total inventory cost and the cost of balancing loss of the conversion process is jointly minimized and ideal cycle time of the production process is determined along with ideal sizes of the stock chambers. A numerical example has been added to demonstrate the suitability of our approach.

Predictors of work life balance for women entrepreneurs in the North East Region of Romania

OpenAIRE

Dan Dumitru Ionescu; Alina Mariuca Ionescu

2015-01-01

The paper aims to investigate the predictors of work life balance of women entrepreneurs in the North East Region of Romania. It emphasizes features of interaction between professional and personal life in case of women and reviews main disturbance or enhancing factors that impact work life balance of women entrepreneurs. A sample of 50 female entrepreneurs from the North East Region of Romania was surveyed in order to assess their work life balance and the factors that correlate with it. The...

Theoretical study of the building principal of internal and external energy balances structures in diesel engine

OpenAIRE

Djallel ZEBBAR; Salaheddine ZEBBAR; Sidali HORR

2016-01-01

Distribution knowledge of the energy introduced into the combustion chamber is of great importance in the theory of internal combustion engines. This work aims to highlight the very complex relationship, often indistinguishable between internal and external energy balances components. The scrutiny of internal balance components has permitted to trace back up to the external balance. This can be easily established on a test bench equipped for the occasion. It will assess the perfection of ener...

Balance and flexibility.

Science.gov (United States)

2003-12-01

The 'work-life balance' and flexible working are currently key buzz terms in the NHS. Those looking for more information on these topics should visit Flexibility at www.flexibility.co.uk for a host of resources designed to support new ways of working, including information on flexible workers and flexible rostering, the legal balancing act for work-life balance and home working.

PENGUKURAN KINERJA PERBANKAN SYARIAH DENGAN PENDEKATAN BALANCE SCORECARD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nurul Huda

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of this research is to measure the performance of Islamic banking using balance scorecard. Performance of Islamic Banking is seen with the Balanced Scorecard is used there are four perspectives, namely: finance, banking / internal business perspective, learning and growth, however in this study used only three perspektif , minus the customer's perspective. The third perspective is transformed into the five components of performance measurement variable Banking. The result of this research is learning and growth perspective for shariah compliance, legal, and institution has a very good score. For fundraising, financing performance and services for Islamic banking shariah compliance perspective has a good score. From financial report and social legitimacy has a good scoreDOI: 10.15408/etk.v12i1.1900

Relationship between foot sensation and standing balance in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Citaker, Seyit; Gunduz, Arzu Guclu; Guclu, Meral Bosnak; Nazliel, Bijen; Irkec, Ceyla; Kaya, Defne

2011-06-01

The aims of the present study were to investigate the relationship between the foot sensations and standing balance in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and find out the sensation, which best predicts balance. Twenty-seven patients with MS (Expanded Disability Status Scale 1-3.5) and 10 healthy volunteers were included. Threshold of light touch-pressure, duration of vibration, and distance of two-point discrimination of the foot sole were assessed. Duration of static one-leg standing balance was measured. Light touch-pressure, vibration, two-point discrimination sensations of the foot sole, and duration of one-leg standing balance were decreased in patients with MS compared with controls (pbalance in patients with MS. In the multiple regression analysis conducted in the 27 MS patients, 47.6% of the variance in the duration of one-leg standing balance was explained by two-point discrimination sensation of the heel (R(2)=0.359, p=0.001) and vibration sensation of the first metatarsal head (R(2)=0.118, p=0.029). As the cutaneous receptors sensitivity decreases in the foot sole the standing balance impairs in patients with MS. Two-point discrimination sensation of the heel and vibration sensation of the first metatarsal head region are the best predictors of the static standing balance in patients with MS. Other factors which could be possible to predict balance and effects of sensorial training of foot on balance should be investigated. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.