Leaning Back Research Articles

Women lean back when representing others in competitions

This study examined the role that being a ‘representative’ plays in competition behavior of women and men through a laboratory experiment where self-representing and other-representing individuals had to decide whether to enter a mix-gender tournament that involved performing in a male-stereotyped task. While self-representing men and women exhibited very similar performance and competitiveness behaviors, women ‘representatives’ leaned back. Controlling for differences in performance, female ‘representatives’ were less likely to enter into competitions than male ‘representatives’ and self-representing women. The leaning back of female ‘representatives’ from competition entry as compared to self-representing women is largely attributed to these women experiencing lower levels of confidence and being less likely to enter a competition when they guessed their performance to be less than the best. Furthermore, compared to male ‘representatives’, female ‘representatives’ were significantly less confident in their abilities, explaining the gender gap in competition entry amongst other-representing individuals.

Multistage approach for trajectory optimization for a wheeled inverted pendulum passing under an obstacle

AbstractA robotic system constructed as a wheeled inverted pendulum (WIP) serves as an impressive demonstrator, since this kind of system is inherently nonlinear, unstable, and nonminimum phase. These properties may pose several difficulties, when it comes to control and trajectory planning. This paper shows a method for deriving a highly dynamic trajectory compliant with the system dynamics by means of solving an optimal control problem (OCP) using multiple shooting. The assumed task includes that the WIP should pass a height-restricting barrier. This can be achieved by leaning back or forth, in order to reduce the overall height of the WIP. The constraints inherent to the definition of this trajectory are nonconvex due to the shape of the robot. The constraint functions have a local minimum in an infeasible region. This can cause problems when the initial guess is within this infeasible region. To overcome this, a multistage approach is proposed for this special OCP to evade the infeasible local minimum. After solving four stages of subsequent optimization problems, the optimal trajectory is obtained and can be used as feedforward for the real system.

IMPACTOS DO FORTALECIMENTO DO CENTRO ABDOMINAL SOBRE A APTIDÃO FÍSICA NA GINÁSTICA AERÓBICA

ABSTRACT Introduction: The requirements for physical and strength quality of athletes are getting higher and higher, following the advances in the development of modern competitive aerobics. The strengthening of the abdominal center in current exercises is focused only on the superficial musculature, and it is believed that specific strengthening training can impact the fitness of gymnasts. Objective: Analyze the impacts of strengthening the abdominal core on the physical fitness of aerobic gymnasts. Methods: Using the controlled experiment method, abdominal core strength training was added to the traditional training of aerobic gymnastics students, while the control group remained with traditional training methods. The assessment was performed before and after the intervention, and the fitness results were compared and discussed statistically. Results: The mean index of the leaning back activity score in the experimental group increased from 37.750 to 41.582; the index in the bridge activity in the experimental group increased from 6.421 to 16.053; the index in the hanging bridge activity in the experimental group increased from 7.484 to 12.474; the mean overall stability score of the students before and after the experiment increased from 93.090 to 98.148; the mean hip lift index was also changed from 7.046 to 9.676. Conclusion: It was observed that the need for mastery of abdominal core strength to complete aerobic movements of high complexity, where abdominal core strengthening has an important role in stabilizing the center of gravity, force distribution, and preventing fatigue after exercise. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment outcomes.

The Big Short's Incoherence, Documentary Aesthetics, and Use of Direct Address

<i>The Big Short</i>'s Incoherence, Documentary Aesthetics, and Use of Direct Address

Relationship between thigh muscle cross-sectional areas and single leg stand-up test in Japanese older women.

In older adults, the quantitative decline of the quadriceps femoris is associated with the augmentation of difficulty in the execution of a stand-up task. However, it is unclear whether the cross-sectional areas (CSAs) of individual thigh muscles differ between older adults who can stand up from a 40-cm-height chair on a single leg and those who cannot. To investigate this, the present study determined the CSAs of individual mid-thigh muscles in 67 Japanese women aged 60–77 years by using a magnetic resonance imaging method. Participants were asked to stand up from a 40-cm-height chair on a single leg, and those who could and could not stand up without leaning back and maintain a standing posture for 3 seconds on a single leg were allocated into the successful group (SG, n = 40) and unsuccessful group (USG, n = 27), respectively. Only the CSA of the adductors (sum of the adductor longus and adductor magnus) was significantly smaller in USG compared to SG. When CSA was expressed relative to the two-third power of body mass, the values for the four heads of the quadriceps femoris and biceps femoris long head, as well as the adductors, were significantly lower in USG than in SG. The current results indicate that in terms of the value relative to body mass, the reduced CSAs of the adductors and biceps femoris long head, as well as the four heads of the quadriceps femoris, are associated with the failure of attempts to stand up from a 40-cm-height chair on a single leg in older women. This may be due to the anatomical function of the two muscle groups, which contributes to hip extension movement involved in transitioning from a sitting position to a standing position during the stand-up task.

Coccydynia in postpartum women: A retrospective study of final results of extracorporeal shock wave treatment

Introduction: Postpartum coccydynia is pain that appears as soon as a sitting position is adopted after delivery. Coccyx morphology, body mass index, vaginal delivery, instrumental delivery, multiparity, female sex, mature age and short perineum in women with difficult delivery are risk factors. Coccydynia is pain around the coccygeal region, which is caused by sudden impact over the coccyx area from falling from height or traumatic injuries, prolonged sitting for a long time in a narrow space, leaning back while in a seated position leads to increased pressure on the coccyx, vaginal birth delivery etc. which results in pain and inflammatory changes around the surrounding ligaments and muscles. Most patients prefer the conservative treatment with non-invasive methods for coccydynia. In recent years (ESWT) is suggestive for the non-invasive treatment of many musculoskeletal conditions, including plantar fasciitis, epicondylitis and shoulder calcification and coccydynia. Aim and objectives: The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effects of ESWT on the outcomes of Coccydynia in postpartum women. Materials and methods: This study had a retrospective design from january 2018 to december 2021.The clinical data of 22 patients treated with ESWT were analysed and followed up at regular intervals of 1month, 3months, 6months. All the patients were referred from department of obstetrics &amp; gynaecology or an obstetrics &amp; gynaecology consultant to Orthocare, Vijayawada and department of orthopaedics, NRI general hospital, chinnakakani. We have given three sessions per week, preferably on the alternative days. The number of sessions per patient varies from 6 -10. Visual analog scale (vas) scores were noted at the initial consultation, at each session, and during the initial and final follow-up (at 6 months) examinations after the treatment. The 36-item short-form (sf-36) quality of life scale survey was conducted at the beginning and end of the treatment. Results: The mean VAS score was 9.6 (9–10) before the treatment and 3.4 (0–2) after the treatment (p &lt; 0.05). The VAS score decreased to ≤3 in 79.4% of patients. Compared with the preoperative SF-36 scores for physiological function, mental health, and social function, the postoperative scores were significantly improved. Conclusion: ESWT is a cost-effective treatment method with low rates of complications especially in breast feeding mothers where anti inflammatory analgesics are not a good choice to control the pain. In our study, ESWT provided effective pain control for chronic coccydynia. At least four sessions are needed to achieve a successful outcome.

Selective visual attention during public speaking in an immersive context.

It has recently become feasible to study selective visual attention to social cues in increasingly ecologically valid ways. In this secondary analysis, we examined gaze behavior in response to the actions of others in a social context. Participants (N = 84) were asked to give a 5-minute speech to a five-member audience that had been filmed in 360° video, displayed in a virtual reality headset containing a built-in eye tracker. Audience members were coached to make movements that would indicate interest or lack of interest (e.g., nodding vs. looking away). The goal of this paper was to analyze whether these actions influenced the speaker's gaze. We found that participants showed reliable evidence of gaze towards audience member actions in general, and towards audience member actions involving their phone specifically (compared with other actions like looking away or leaning back). However, there were no differences in gaze towards actions reflecting interest (like nodding) compared with actions reflecting lack of interest (like looking away). Participants were more likely to look away from audience member actions as well, but there were no specific actions that elicited looking away more or less. Taken together, these findings suggest that the actions of audience members are broadly influential in motivating gaze behaviors in a realistic, contextually embedded (public speaking) setting. Further research is needed to examine the ways in which these findings can be elucidated in more controlled laboratory environments as well as in the real world.

Three for the Road

Three for the Road Kwon Yeo-sun (bio) Translated by Ann Meejung Kim (bio) They had agreed to meet at the public parking lot at nine o'clock, but only at five minutes past did Kyu call Hun, saying they should push back the departure to ten minutes later. It was quite chilly, so Hun headed into the coffeehouse next to the parking lot. Sipping a hot cup of awful coffee, he stared absentmindedly at the parking lot embankment out of a large windowpane. The grey stones making up the embankment were remarkably identical, as if they had been rolled off a production line. But even aside from their size, something about the pattern on the surfaces struck him as weird and disproportionate. There were two lines running parallel to each other in an oblique vertical direction, with a small square placed on the left and an elongated oval on the right. Not just one but dozens of such ugly stones—each bearing a crude pattern worse than a child's doodle—made up the embankment, one stacked on top of another. The coffee tasted even worse as it cooled, and suddenly it occurred to Hun how peculiar Kyu's phrasing had been. Let's push back the departure to ten minutes from now. It was a simple one-way notice telling him that Kyu and Churan were going to be fifteen minutes late. But Kyu made it sound as if the married couple, the pubu, was somehow suggesting or reaching for a mutual agreement. That is, if Kyu and Churan could still be called a pubu at all. [End Page 299] Their car arrived at the parking lot entrance at eighteen minutes past nine. As usual, Churan was sitting behind the wheel and Kyu was in the passenger seat. As Hun opened the back door, Churan turned and said, Sorry we're late. Hun got into the backseat without saying anything. It's because Kyu had to go back in the house just as we were about to leave, Churan said. I forgot to turn off the coffeemaker, Kyu said. His hair in the back was squashed in clumps. Did you drink last night? Hun asked. No, I did not. He didn't, confirmed Churan, meeting Hun's eyes in the rearview mirror. It's because I didn't drink! And so I couldn't get to sleep! Kyu rubbed his eyes violently. Kyu explained he needed a strong cup of coffee to get going since he hadn't slept at all, and how he had meant to turn off the machine until Churan was suddenly everywhere searching for her shawl, which distracted him so much that he just forgot. Why do you always blame other people? Churan shot back. I'm not blaming other people. I'm just saying there's a reason, Kyu said. All right, let's just go. Churan started the car at Hun's urging. They skirted the city center and cruised along Kangbyŏnbuk-ro. The river—not yet frozen over—glistened by under the roadway. What should we do about breakfast, wondered Kyu, to which Churan replied that they shouldn't eat anything until they reached the restaurant. The restaurant? Hun asked. Kyu explained there was a restaurant in Wŏnju that was famous for samgyet'ang. The only fault of that place is that you won't be able to eat samgyet'ang anywhere else after dining there, he said. [End Page 300] A chicken is a chicken. How good could it be? Kyu turned around to face him. Just try to think of the taste of chicken. Don't imagine anything special. The taste of chicken? Exactly, the taste of chicken! It does exactly what chicken is supposed to do in soup! As Kyu turned back to face the front, his bloodshot eyes came into view. He's right about not having slept, Hun thought, leaning back into the seat and pulling a blanket from beside him over his knees. After passing the tollgate, the traffic was light, and they were able to drive comfortably at 120km per hour. As they were nearing Shin'gal Junction, Churan let out a...

Impairment of stability and gait in elderly patients of a social inpatient institution of the Kyrgyz Republic

Objectives to study the frequency of impairments of the ability to move in elderly patients care recipients of a social inpatient institution of the Kyrgyz Republic. Material and methods. We examined 88 inmates of a social inpatient institution, among them there were 47 (53,4%) men and 41 (46,6%) women aged 65 to 74 years. The average age was 71,96,4 years. Results. Disorders of general motor activity were observed in 62 (70,55,31%) patients. The violations of stability and walking parameters were more pronounced, they were found in 70 (79,55,04%) and 71 (80,76,31%) patients respectively. When assessing the parameters of stability, the disturbances were observed in all positions; mostly they manifested themselves during the tests for standing with closed eyes (46,64,27; р0,05) and when leaning back (44,33,83; р0,05). Conclusion. A comprehensive geriatric assessment to identify the main geriatric syndromes in elderly patients of residential social institution should become an integral part of the organization of medical care aimed at solving these problems and the subsequent mandatory correction of these disorders.

Sustainable Investing: A New Paradigm (Scene 1)

Eli is in his home office and is late logging on to a Zoom call. As Eli arrives, Sydney and Gil are already talking. The three have worked at the water utility for the past 20 years and each is in their late 40s. Since March 2020, social Zoom calls have been part of their weekly routine—usually held late on a Friday afternoon, often with adult beverages. When Eli joins, Gil is talking about helping his children with their remote schoolwork, and his cat has just photobombed the call. Eli: (under his breath) I hate that cat. Gil: Eli, you're not muted—I heard that. Eli: Whoops, sorry—it's just because I'm allergic to cats—you know that, buddy. Sydney: (a bit impatiently) All right, you two, I have something I want to talk about that I think is important to our utility work. Gil: (shaking his head) No! Our agreement is that we won't discuss work during our Friday Afternoon Club calls. Sydney: (calmly) I know, but this is about sustainability, something we all care about. Gil: Okay (sighs)—what is it? Sydney: Remember when we were just starting out and our 401(k) offered socially responsible mutual funds? Eli: Yes. They helped us (makes air-quotes) “avoid bad things” like tobacco and environmentally unfriendly companies. Gil: (nodding) And they always had lower returns. Sydney: That's right. Now there's a new strategy called sustainable investing. It's not about (mimics Eli and makes air-quotes) “avoiding bad things” but instead investing in companies that do good, sustainable things—the kind of things that (emphasis) also produce good returns. There is also a scoring rubric or framework to help evaluate the sustainability of these companies. Gil: (leaning back and patting his cat) Okay, what's this rubric? Sydney: It's ESG, which stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance. Companies are evaluated on each of these elements so investors can better understand a company's approach to each. Eli: (dismissively) ESG sounds like a triple-bottom-line analysis to me. TBL looks at environmental, social, and financial impacts of projects. Sydney: Sure—sounds similar, but not the same. TBL is a way to unbundle a benefit–cost analysis into those three elements. While it is helpful for evaluating a (emphasis) project's environmental, social, and financial balance, ESG is broader than a project. (Sydney looks straight into her camera) It's about the investment risk, or lack of risk, of a company—or in our case, our utility—not just a (emphasis) single project. Gil: If it focuses on organizational investment risk, then is it like Effective Utility Management? We use that concept all the time. Sydney: I think EUM practices could improve an ESG score because EUM focuses on managing effectively. There's a connection between the two, but they aren't the same. Eli: (now buying into the idea) It sounds like there has been a historical progression of sorts, as we all try to wrap our minds and arms around the issues of working in the environment, to better society, and to keep everything financially sound forever—you know—(emphasis) sustainable. ESG must be the next step. Sydney: That sounds right—all the past steps have contributed to where we are now. While TBL and EUM are still important, what intrigues me is that ESG represents a great opportunity to strengthen thinking around the linkages of water with the sustainability of the environment, society, and our utility governance. I think, if we do it right, our utility will be viewed as a better investment for lenders. That makes all the projects that we must do more possible. Gil: (with some urgency) Okay, I've got to go make the kids’ dinner—what's next? Sydney: Well, let's get smart on ESG—what do you say? Eli: (with his typical need to organize things) That sounds good. Next Friday, I can talk about the environmental part of the ESG. Sydney, you take the social, and Gil, you take the governance. Gil: (quickly) Got it! See ya! Scene 1 fades to black as Gil, Eli, and Sydney sign off. To be continued in next month's Last Drop.

Patern of Worker Fatigue for Standing Position of Shopkeeper

Work fatigue is a health and safety problemthat can be a trigger factor for accidents atwork. The purpose of this study was to analyzethe standing work position with work fatigueon the sales clerk (shop assistant) in the TradeShop, Sidoarjo. This type of research usesanalytic observational research, with a samplesize of 21 employees, with the technique oftaking through questionnaires and interviewsfor each employee in September, 2020. Thelevel of fatigue is analyzed using a percentage,with categories: 1 - ≤ 25 (Not Tired) , &gt; 25 - ≤50 (Less Tired),&gt; 50 - ≤ 75 (Tired), and&gt; 75 - ≤ 100 (Very Tired). The results showed thatthe level of fatigue felt by a sales assistant(shop assistant) with a standing work positionwas in the "Less Tired" category as many as 15employees with a percentage of 71%, "A littletired" as many as 6 employees with apercentage of 29%, while for the category"Tired. and Very Tired "not felt by allemployees, so the percentage is 0%.Suggestion, for standing position salesassistant, who is still experiencing a bit offatigue need a brief relaxation, by sitting for awhile or leaning back for a while

Hasselblad: Triptych

Hasselblad:Triptych Ananda Lima (bio) I There was Michele, and there was the girl. Michele held the door open. The girl carried an oversized backpack and wore frameless sunglasses with golden mirrored lenses. Michele could see a version of herself reflected on them, distorted, bathed in gold. A few strands of the girl's light brown hair swayed with the breeze and shaped themselves as a moving frame around her face. The girl twisted her backpack off, leaning back and bending her knees slightly, which made visible the slender tone of her thighs. Her movements seemed part of a practice that had to be learned, like martial arts. Like dancing. Michele's body sensed a vague recollection of that motion but felt more presently the smooth round brass door handle in her palm. In that bright outside light, the skin on the back of her hand looked dry and papery. Four sunspots formed a loose trail around her knuckles. Michele let her fingers slide off the doorknob. Her arms hung down limply as the girl embraced her. ________ Michele and the girl were at the kitchen table having tea. The girl held a caramel filled cookie with the tips of her long thin fingers. She frowned a little then smiled, brushing some crumbs from the corner of her mouth, incapable of making an ungainly gesture. Michele almost picked up a cookie, but stopped herself and sipped her tea. The girl talked about how Paris was for tourists and how she should have gone to Berlin instead. Then about a man, a lover, though she didn't call him that, with whom she had parted a few months ago. She had left him in Paris. Something in him had attracted her, she said, she didn't know what, maybe his crooked nose, or his broody mood, or the way he always looked irritated at her but could not resist her. But in the end, those things ceased to be amusing, she said. She'd been bored of his monologues and diatribes on the emptiness of the art they went to see in the museums, his saying "derivative" with those cutting British ts. And how possessive he was. So she decided to leave him one morning, just like that. "I hadn't closed the curtains after all the fighting the night before, and the sun woke me up," the girl said. "I looked at him while he slept." The girl looked out the window, and Michele followed her gaze as if they were both watching the boy resting his head on his pillow. "He was cute, but I was so sick of him. So much work." She sipped her tea, shaking her head slightly. "I had enough." She put her cookie down now and proceeded to talk about how she had disentangled herself from under his arm, afraid he would wake up, but his arm just flopped and settled comfortably on the mattress. "I thought he might be dead. I poked him, then put my finger under his nose and felt his breathing. God, I was relieved!" The pitch of her voice was higher now. She took another bite of her cookie and laughed. Michele laughed a little too, not knowing why, catching it from the girl like a yawn. She looked [End Page 187] so young right then. Her appearance alternated between a child and an adult, depending on the angle and expression. "I looked around the room, thought about my things in the closets… and felt lazy." She smiled. "He moved his arm again and I freaked. I was so happy he didn't wake up. I thought, this is it, here is my chance. I found my shorts, but couldn't find my shirt. So I grabbed his, and my camera bag, my wallet, my sunglasses and I was out. I went down that spiral staircase so fast. I felt dizzy." The girl giggled. "Downstairs, it was sunny and warm. I walked along the river for hours. I felt light. I felt, you know, free." Michele could trace the shape of the girl's feelings inside her, an outline somewhere in her chest, a path carved by a stream...

“Stories that go on and on”: Transformative Resilience against Gender Violence in Tishani Doshi’s Girls Are Coming out of the Woods

Tishani Doshi’s Girls Are Coming out of the Woods (2017) details the gender violences inflicted against women in India and the world to promote consciousness-raising, resistance, and subversion against interlocking systems of patriarchal power based on economy, ethnicity and gender. In this paper I firstly propose that Doshi promotes a transformative mode of resilience that guarantees socio-politic change rather than acceptance and submission. Secondly, I reflect on how Doshi’s description of the fear and gender violences systemically inflicted on women unveil counter-stories that exceed the portrayal of women as victims. Finally, I propose that Doshi’s presentation of resilient bodies embraces the interplanetary possibilities of creating constellations of co-resistance that allow the world to go forward instead of leaning back.

Finite element study of sitting configurations to reduce sacroiliac joint loads

Low back pain can be caused by prolonged sitting, originating in the sacroiliac joint (SIJ) in up to 30% of patients. The goal of this study was to develop a finite element model of the lower back and pelvis to study sitting configurations that could minimize the loads in the SIJ while sitting. The configurations were based on chair designs with geometries known to show some benefits according to literature: a 5° downward seat pan tilt and a 20° backrest recline. Both chairs were evaluated in neutral spine position with upright posture and 30° forward leaning configurations. A finite element model of the lumbar spine, pelvis and femurs was developed to compute the reaction forces at the SIJ. The intricate spinal geometry was simplified, and isotropic material properties were assumed for all components. The chair reaction forces were first computed analytically, then inputted as loads on the model. The results demonstrate that the improved sitting configuration reduced the loads in the SIJ compared to a conventional chair in both upright and forward leaning positions by 5.57 % body weight (BW) and 14.18 %BW, respectively. The proposed sitting configuration with a downward inclined seat pan and forward leaning back was shown to be an effective method to reduce SIJ loads.

An 8-thruster Remote Operated Vehicle

Abstract The utility model patent provides an observation-class underwater robot. This robot has a great underwater kinematic dexterity and reliability in direction control. The fuselage is divided into upper and lower layers. It can deflect certain angle in both horizontal and vertical direction, which improves it's flexibility a lot. This robot has 8 individually controlled propellers which can perform complex underwater motions such as leaning forward, leaning back and rolling. Meanwhile, this robot is equipped with sonar, DVL sensor and other sensors, which can detect the underwater surroundings precisely. This robot uses both motive seal and static seal, which serve a great leakproofness and make it easy for maintenance and assembling. In the electronic system aspect, this robot uses a modular design motherboard, the required control unit can be used only by directly inserting the template, which is simple, quick and easy to repair and check. ISoystick s 18V PowerKuOpical Supply Tansceiveri -Opl ivl Fiher Tthire1 lo I' ot ical Conver er.Elo' Tai cIerne ia I) ro i ISACompass Figlre1 ESC Bard 1

"Leaning in" and "leaning back": Exploring the spatiality of telephone counselling.

This paper explores telephone counsellors' experiences of the spatial dimensions of their work. Henri Lefebvre's spatial triad is applied to explore how counsellors conceive, perceive, and experience the spaces and places of this work. Three key findings are outlined: 1) the purpose built telephone counselling space is experienced as noisy and distracting; 2) counsellors engage in spatial practices to manage their depth of caller interaction; and 3) counsellors construct a mental place to foster intimacy with callers. These findings contribute to a novel conceptualisation of telephone counselling, raising implications for how it is performed and understood.

Identification of key events in baseball hitting using inertial measurement units

Quantification of baseball hitting mechanics under game conditions help players to become successful batters and prevent injuries. Inertial measurement units (IMUs) can measure motion without any spatial restriction and are thus becoming a popular tool to investigate sports biomechanics. Biomechanical analysis of hitting requires the accurate detection of key events including “foot-off” while leaning back (FOff), “foot-on” during forward swing (FOn), and ball impact. Ten male university baseball players hit a ball suspended on a T pole five times in kick-hitting and glide-hitting styles. Three IMUs were attached on mid-pelvis and on each hand to record acceleration and orientation data. The key events identified by the three IMUs were compared with those retrieved by an optical motion capture system with force platforms. The timings of the local peak acceleration of the pelvis in the direction of the pitcher that were recorded by the IMU closely matched those of FOff and FOn events detected by the ground reaction force. Root mean square error (RMSE) between each measurement for the FOff and FOn events were 0.024 and 0.031 s, respectively. The timing of the negative peak of acceleration in the proximal direction of the hands corresponded to the impact time determined by an optical motion capture system. RMSEs for the knob and barrel-side hand were 0.009 and 0.011 s, respectively. Our results demonstrate how IMUs can be useful for analyzing baseball hitting mechanics.

Modification of Strength Training Programs in Handball Players and its Influence on Power During the Competitive Period.

A high level of muscle power is necessary for the effective use of technique during handball competitions. The presented research concentrated on comparing the effectiveness of two training modes directed towards the development of muscle power – plyometric and traditional strength training. Furthermore, we evaluated whether resistance training performed twice a week was sufficient to guarantee an increase in muscle power of handball players. We also investigated whether strength training designed according to the “waving” model (one training session per week oriented towards the development of maximal strength and one towards the development of power) was sufficient to increase muscle power in handball players. The study included 28 professional handball players who were divided into 3 groups: Group 1 subjected to additional strength training (8 individuals), Group 2 subjected to traditional plyometric training (8 individuals) and Group 3 following standard training (12 individuals). Research was conducted at the beginning and at the end of the 1st round of competitions and consisted of the following measurements: CMJ (countermovement jump) and SJ (squat jump), a 10-s trial on a cycle-ergometer and ball-throwing velocity. Analysis of the results showed that both the plyometric and strength training programs induced a statistically significant increase in jumping height and generated power during the CMJ. The group subjected to additional strength training achieved greater increases in CMJ power than the group carrying out plyometric training, which in case of the CMJ peak power turned out to be statistically significant (p < 0.05). Different results were obtained when studying changes in the flight speed of the thrown ball; the group undergoing plyometric training registered minor increases (significant in the standing throw ), and there were decreases in the flight speed of the thrown ball (significant in the leaning back throw) in the group following the traditional strength training program.

Childrearing in Russian Language Tradition: A Motivational Analysis of Lexis

This article presents the results of an onomasiological analysis of standard Russian and dialect designations for childrearing, among which verbal lexis dominates. The notions of feeding, leaning back on the hands, touching, caring, helping someone maintain stability, and others are discussed.

A new methodology to re-educate muscle synergies observed during gait

Analysis of multiple electromyographic activities suggests that central and peripheral neurological structures modulate the relative amplitude and time course of specific muscle groups during gait. Following neurological insult such as stroke, spatiotemporal characteristics of the four muscular modules or synergies identified during gait (C1, C2, C3 and C4) are impaired. The objective of the present work is to develop a new methodology to recruit synergies involved in gait. The subject is seated with his trunk leaning back and his foot fixed on a multidirectional force transducer, interfaced to a laboratory computer. The centers of rotation of the hip, knee and ankle joints are determined to estimate the lengths of the different segments of the lower limb. In addition, the relative angles between these segments are measured using a goniometer. In order to recruit different muscle synergies during progressive effort, a visual feedback was provided to the subject allowing him to control the direction and magnitude of the static force vector exerted in the sagittal plane of the foot. By measuring the location of the center of pressure exerted and the direction of the force vector applied at the extremity of the lower limb, it is possible to calculate the different moments of force exerted at the hip, knee and ankle using morphometric values of the subject. Seven healthy subjects were asked to exert progressive static efforts in eight sagittal directions while the activities of eight muscles of the lower extremity were recorded using surface electrodes. The muscle synergies elicited in specific directions during these efforts were highly similar to three of the four modules previously identified during gait (C1, C2 and C4). It is suggested that this methodology can provide a basis to establish a training program re-educating muscle synergies of the lower limb that are specifically recruited during gait.