Evaluation of macro and micronutrient elements content from soft drinks using principal component analysis and Kohonen self-organizing maps.

This study approaches the determination of nine elements from Brazilian carbonated soft drinks of several flavors and manufactures using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES). The concentrations of the elements varied as follows: (in µg L-1: Cu: 4.00-78.0; Fe: 74.0-506; Mn: 20.0-66.0; Zn: 104-584) and (in mg L-1: Ca: 4.81-16.2; K: 6.73-260; Na: 26.0-175; S: 1.43-5.41; P: 0.186-219). Principal component analysis has shown some tendencies to form two groups according to the drink flavor (orange and cola), but only cola presented a clear and complete separation. Using Kohonen maps, it was observed a tendency to form three flavor groups: (i) cola, (ii) orange and lemon, and (iii) guarana. However, this last tool proved to be more accurate in the groups' formation.

Effects of cervical manipulation on pain, grip force control, and upper extremity muscle activity: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: Individuals with neck pain experience disrupted grip force control when performing manipulative tasks. Manipulative physical therapy might decrease pain and change the activity of surrounding muscles; however, its effect on upper limb motor control remains undetermined. This study aims to analyze the effects of cervical manipulation on pressure pain threshold (PPT), upper extremity muscle activity along with grip force control in individuals with neck pain. METHODS: Thirty subjects with neck pain were instructed to grasp and lift an object before and after cervical (n = 15) or sham (n = 15) manipulation. The patients' PPT, electromyographic (EMG) activity of the upper extremity/scapular muscles, and grip force control were analyzed before and after one session of manipulation. RESULTS: No significant differences were found in the grip force control, PPT and EMG activity variables between groups. DISCUSSION: These results suggest that a single session of cervical manipulation may not modify upper limb motor control, more specifically grip force control and EMG activity, in patients with cervical pain. Future studies should investigate potential changes in grip force control in patients with different features of neck pain and/or by applying long-term treatment. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1b.

Delayed Compensatory Postural Adjustments After Lateral Perturbations Contribute to the Reduced Ability of Older Adults to Control Body Balance.

The goal of this study was to investigate the timing of compensatory postural adjustments in older adults during body perturbations in the mediolateral direction, circumstances that increase their risk of falls. The latencies of leg and trunk muscle activation to body perturbations at the shoulder level and variables of center of pressure excursion, which characterize postural stability, were analyzed in 40 older adults (nonfallers and fallers evenly split) and in 20 young participants. The older adults exhibited longer latencies of muscular activation in eight out of 15 postural muscles as compared with young participants; for three muscles, the latencies were longer for the older fallers than nonfallers. Simultaneously, the time for the center of pressure displacement reached its peak after the perturbation was significant longer in both groups of older adults. The observed delays in compensatory postural adjustments may affect the older adults' ability to prompt control body balance after postural disturbances and predispose them to falls.

Changes in Postural Control After a Ball-Kicking Balance Exercise in Individuals With Chronic Ankle Instability.

CONTEXT: Rehabilitation programs for patients with chronic ankle instability (CAI) generally involve balance-perturbation training (BPT). Anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) and compensatory postural adjustments (CPAs) are the primary strategies used to maintain equilibrium during body perturbations. Little is known, however, about how APAs and CPAs are modified to promote better postural control for individuals with CAI after BPT. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of BPT that involves kicking a ball on postural-control strategies in individuals with CAI. DESIGN: Randomized controlled clinical trial. SETTING: Laboratory. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: We randomly assigned 44 volunteers with CAI to either a training group (TG; 11 women, 11 men; age = 24 ± 4 years, height = 173.0 ± 9.8 cm, mass = 72.64 ± 11.98 kg) or control group (CG; 11 women, 11 men; age = 22 ± 3 years, height = 171.0 ± 9.7 cm, mass = 70.00 ± 11.03 kg). INTERVENTION(S): The TG performed a single 30-minute training session that involved kicking a ball while standing on 1 foot. The CG received no intervention. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): The primary outcome was the sum of the integrated electromyographic activity (∑∫EMG) of the lower extremity muscles in the supporting limb that were calculated during typical intervals for APAs and CPAs. A secondary outcome was center-of-pressure displacement during similar intervals. RESULTS: In the TG after training, the ∑∫EMG decreased in both dorsal and ventral muscles during compensatory adjustment (ie, the time interval that followed lower limb movement). During this interval, muscle activity (∑∫EMG) was less in the TG than in the CG. Consequently, center-of-pressure displacement increased during the task after training. CONCLUSIONS: A single session of ball-kicking BPT promoted changes in postural-control strategies in individuals with CAI. These results should stimulate new and more comprehensive studies to investigate the effect of this and other BPT techniques on postural control in patients with CAI.

Anticipatory and Compensatory Postural Adjustments in Response to External Lateral Shoulder Perturbations in Subjects with Parkinson's Disease.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the anticipatory (APA) and compensatory (CPA) postural adjustments in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) during lateral instability of posture. Twenty-six subjects (13 individuals with PD and 13 healthy matched controls) were exposed to predictable lateral postural perturbations. The electromyographic (EMG) activity of the lateral muscles and the displacement of the center of pressure (COP) were recorded during four time intervals that are typical for postural adjustments, i.e., immediately before (APA1, APA2) and after (CPA1 and CPA2) the postural disturbances. The magnitude of the activity of the lateral muscles in the group with PD was lower only during the CPA time intervals and not during the anticipatory adjustments (APAs). Despite this finding, subjects with PD exhibit smaller COP excursions before and after the disturbance, probably due to lack of flexibility and proprioceptive impairments. The results of this study suggest that postural instability in subjects with PD can be partially explained by decreased postural sway, before and after perturbations, and reduced muscular activity after body disturbances. Our findings can motivate new studies to investigate therapeutic interventions that optimize the use of postural adjustment strategies in subjects with PD.

Individuals with chronic ankle instability compensate for their ankle deficits using proximal musculature to maintain reduced postural sway while kicking a ball.

The aim of this study was to investigate anticipatory (APA), simultaneous (SPA) and compensatory (CPA) postural adjustments in individuals with and without chronic ankle instability (CAI) as they kicked a ball while standing in a single-leg stance on a stable and unstable surface. Electromyographic activity (EMG) of postural muscles and center of pressure (COP) displacements were calculated and their magnitudes analyzed during the postural adjustment intervals. Additionally, the COP area of sway was calculated over the duration of the whole task. The activities of postural muscles were also studied using principal component analysis (PCA) to identify between-group differences in patterns of muscle activation. The individuals with CAI showed reduced magnitude of EMG at the muscles around the ankle while around the hip the activity was increased. These were associated with a reduction in balance sway across the entire task, as compared with the control group. The PCA revealed that CAI participants assemble different sets of muscle activation to compensate for their ankle instability, primarily activating hip/spine muscles. These results set up potential investigations to examine whether balance control interventions enhance these adaptations or revert them to a normal pattern as well as if any of these changes proactively address recurrent ankle sprain conditions.

Multivariate Exploratory Analysis of Metals and Phosphorus Concentrations of Leachates Collected Monthly from a Municipal Sanitary Landfill.

Concentrations of 11 elements (P, Cu, Ni, Co, Pb, Ca, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cr and Al) were measured in leachate samples collected monthly from the municipal landfill in Jequié, Bahia, Brazil. P (0.943-23.8 mg L(-1)), Ca (19.90-129 mg L(-1)) and Fe (0.115-2.87 mg L(-1)) were found in the highest levels, while Cu (

Individuals with chronic ankle instability exhibit decreased postural sway while kicking in a single-leg stance.

Individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI) usually experience deficits in balance control, which increase displacement in the body's center of pressure (COP) when they balance on a single leg. Little is known, however, about whether or not these individuals use the strategies of postural adjustment properly, especially during functional tasks that may predispose them to ankle sprain. The aim of this study was to investigate anticipatory (APA) and compensatory (CPA) postural adjustments in individuals with and without CAI as they kick a ball while standing in a single-leg stance with their ankle in neutral and supinated positions. COP displacements were calculated and their magnitudes (range) analyzed during APA and CPA intervals and over the duration of the whole task, represented by the COP area of sway and mean velocity. The CAI group exhibited a significant decrease in CPA and area of sway over the whole task, relative to controls. These results suggest that the decreased balance sway could be caused by the need for further stabilization of the ankle in more unstable postures to prevent recurrent sprain. Our findings could help clinicians to better understand the strategies of postural adjustments in individuals with CAI, and may assist and motivate new investigations into balance control interventions in such individuals, as well as proactively address recurrent ankle sprain conditions.

Relationship between hand function and grip force control in women with hand osteoarthritis.

Hand osteoarthritis (OA) usually results in decreased strength and function of the hand and deficits in motor control. However, no data exists on the relationship among these symptomatological features of hand OA. Ten females with hand OA and ten matched, nondisabled control subjects participated in this study. The outcomes of the Moberg Pickup Test (MPUT) and other functional hand tests were correlated with the measures of grip force control obtained during the performance of a functional task of lifting and transporting a handheld object. Strong correlations existed between the MPUT and parameters of grip force control, such as latency (r = 0.85) and force at the moment of lift-off (r = 0.72), seen in these patients. The established strong correlation between the MPUT and parameters of grip force control might help researchers and clinicians better understand how deficits in controlling grip forces affect hand function in patients with hand OA.

Salivary alpha amylase and cortisol levels in children with global developmental delay and their relation with the expectation of dental care and behavior during the intervention.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the alpha-amylase (sAA) and cortisol levels in children with Global developmental delay (GDD) before and after dental treatment and its association with the children's behavior during treatment. The morning salivary cortisol levels and activity of sAA of 33 children with GDD were evaluated before and after dental treatment and were compared to 19 healthy children. The behavior of children with GDD during dental care was assessed by the Frankl scale. Children with GDD showed lower levels of sAA activity than healthy children, but this result was not significant. The salivary cortisol levels were similar between GDD and healthy children. GDD children showed increased levels of sAA (but not cortisol) prior to the dental treatment as compared to the post-treatment phase. GDD children who showed less favorable behavior during dental care had higher levels of sAA and salivary cortisol than GDD children with more favorable behavior, but only the sAA results were significant. In conclusion, GDD children show hyperactivity of the SNS-axis in anticipation of dental treatment which indicates the need for strategies to reduce their anxiety levels before and during dental care.

Grip force control in individuals with hand osteoarthritis.

Individuals with hand osteoarthritis (OA) experience pain and stiffness that could result in significant limitations in the performance of everyday activities involving upper extremities. The purpose of the study was to evaluate grip force control in individuals with hand OA during the lifting of an object. The study design used was a case-control study. Ten females with hand OA and a group of age-matched females performed two functional tasks: lifting an instrumented object vertically while the load was suddenly changed and lifting and placing the object on a shelf. Load Force Peak, Grip force at liftoff, Grip Force Peak, Time Lag, and Latency were measured and analyzed. Individuals with hand OA were able to modulate the magnitude and temporal parameters of grip force; however, they applied higher grip forces (at liftoff [p=0.002]; Grip Force Peak [p=0.039]) and demonstrated a longer Latency (p=0.015) to manipulate the instrumented object when compared with the control subjects. The Load Force Peak and Time Lag were not significantly different between the two groups. Detailed information about how individuals with hand OA perform prehension activities of daily living will help to better understand the limitations of grip force control in these individuals.

Art in the inclusion of children with special needs in dentistry.

The purpose of this study was to report the use of art and its segments as a source for inclusion of the children with special needs in dentistry. The application of the Art in social therapy activities and workshops was divided in modules: Session of Socialization, Complementary Workshops of Art and Activities, aiming at the cultural anamnesis and artistic preferences of the 313 participants, prior to their dental care treatment at CAOE (Center of Odontological Assistance to patients with special needs) FOA Unesp. According to preference of the participants that answered the questionnaires, the music and the painting are the artistic segments that proved to be most helpful in the activities of inclusion and adaptation. The authors concluded that the use of art in the adaptation and environmental inclusion of the patient, prior to dental procedures is favorable and efficient.