Effect of Knife Use and Overlapping Gloves on Finger Temperature of Poultry Slaughterhouse Workers.

Brazilian poultry slaughterhouses employ many workers, consequently exposing them to various ergonomic risks. This study aimed to analyze the effects of knife use and overlapping gloves on the finger temperatures of poultry slaughterhouse workers. Employees ( = 571) from seven Brazilian poultry slaughterhouses participated in this cross-sectional study.

Muscle Architecture and Maximal Strength between Male Practitioners of Functional Fitness Training and Strength Training.

Functional Fitness Training (FFT) is a very popular training method in recent years. However, the combination of aerobic and strength components of this training method raised the hypothesis of impaired strength and muscle structure when compared to Strength Training (ST). Thus, the study aimed to compare muscle architecture and strength between FFT and ST, and the relationship between muscle architecture and maximum strength performance.

Quadriceps Muscle Morphology Is an Important Determinant of Maximal Isometric and Crank Torques of Cyclists.

The aim of this study was to determine if quadriceps morphology [muscle volume (MV); cross-sectional area (CSA)], vastus lateralis (VL) muscle architecture, and muscle quality [echo intensity (ECHO)] can explain differences in knee extensor maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC), crank torque (CT) and time-to-exhaustion (TTE) in trained cyclists. Twenty male competitive cyclists performed a maximal incremental ramp to determine their maximal power output (PO). Muscle morphology (MV; CSA), muscle architecture of VL and muscle quality (ECHO) of both quadriceps muscles were assessed.

Usability and effects on gait of an optimized schoolchildren backpack.

Background: Backpacks used by children is a global concern, because may cause musculoskeletal discomforts and pain.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to test the usability and effects on gait kinematics wearing the Trunkpack versus a traditional backpack and no backpack.

Methods: Twenty-four children (9 to 11 years old) from a public school participated in this study.

Effect of elastic resistance training on functional capacity in older adults: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Purpose: This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the effects of Elastic Resistance Training (ERT) on functional capacity (FC) in older adults.

Methods: The databases used were Embase, Virtual Health Library, PubMed, SciElo, Scopus, SPORTS Discus, and Web of Science. Eligibility criteria: aged ≥ 60 years; both sexes; intervention of at least 8 weeks; structured ERT; comparator group that performed other types of training or without any intervention; at least one functional test measurement.

p-star models, mean-field random networks, and the heat hierarchy.

We consider the mean-field analog of the p-star model for homogeneous random networks, and we compare its behavior with that of the p-star model and its classical mean-field approximation in the thermodynamic regime. We show that the partition function of the mean-field model satisfies a sequence of partial differential equations known as the heat hierarchy, and the models connectance is obtained as a solution of a hierarchy of nonlinear viscous PDEs. In the thermodynamic limit, the leading-order solution develops singularities in the space of parameters that evolve as classical shocks regularized by a viscous term.

Influence of Trunk Position during Three Lunge Exercises on Muscular Activation in Trained Women.

The present study aimed to compare the activation of the lower lumbar erector spinae, gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, and rectus femoris in two trunk positions (straight, and inclined) during three lunge exercises (static, step-forwarding, and walking) in trained young women in a randomized crossover design. Twelve women (24 ± 3 years) were selected and performed the lunge exercise with an overload of 30% of body weight in six conditions to analyze muscle activation via surface electromyography signals. Higher activation in the erector spinae (%MVIC) were observed ( < 0.

The effect of different work-rest schedules on ergonomic risk in poultry slaughterhouse workers.

Background: Rest breaks are an organizational measure to reduce the high risk of upper limb work-related musculoskeletal disorders (UL-WMSDs) to which slaughterhouse workers are subject.

Objective: To analyze the effect of different work-rest schedules on ergonomic risk in poultry slaughterhouse workers.

Methods: A total of 36 repetitive tasks was selected in a Brazilian slaughterhouse.

Cutting force measurement: Hand tool instrumentation used in slaughterhouses - a systematic review.

Workers' intensive use of hand tool cutting in the meat packing industry is a risk factor for occupational health, mainly by mechanical compression of tissues in the upper limbs, which can cause Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs). This systematic review aimed to identify the characteristics and measured variables of instrumented knives and determine how they should be designed. The review process and article extractions occurred through an analysis of the (article) titles, keywords and abstracts, followed by reading the full texts by two reviewers independently.

Exertion Perception When Performing Cutting Tasks in Poultry Slaughterhouses: Risk Assessment of Developing Musculoskeletal Disorders.

Brazil is the leader in poultry meat exports, in which most products are in the form of cuts. This study analyzed the exertion perception of poultry slaughterhouses workers when performing cutting tasks, as well as the influence of knife sharpness on the risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders by Occupational Repetitive Action (OCRA) method. Participants ( = 101) from three slaughterhouses were asked to rate their perceived exertion on the Borg scale during the cutting task when the knife was well and poorly sharpened.

Acute effect of bodyweight-based strength training on blood pressure of hypertensive older adults: A randomized crossover clinical trial.

: Strength Training (ST) reduces the cardiovascular risk of hypertensive elderly people; however, there is a need for efficient and low-cost ST programs that aim to reduce blood pressure (BP) in elderly people with adherence and affectivity in this population. : Evaluate the acute effect on BP and satisfaction with the practice of bodyweight-based strength training (BWST) in hypertensive older adults. : Participants performed a BWST session and a control session (CS).

Thermodynamic limit and dispersive regularization in matrix models.

We show that Hermitian matrix models support the occurrence of a phase transition characterized by dispersive regularization of the order parameter near the critical point. Using the identification of the partition function with a solution of the reduction of the Toda hierarchy known as the Volterra system, we argue that the singularity is resolved by the onset of a multidimensional dispersive shock of the order parameter in the space of coupling constants. This analysis explains the origin and mechanism leading to the emergence of chaotic behaviors observed in M^{6} matrix models and extends its validity to even nonlinearity of arbitrary order.

Human factors related to the use of a personal computer: A case study.

The aim of this study was to determine and compare the ergonomic requirements in the use of desktop computers and laptops. For comparison, postures in the sagittal and transversal planes involved while performing a typing and editing task on a desktop and laptop computers were verified. Thus, a case study was conducted with a Brazilian male of medium height, who works around 20 hours per week in a computer.

Unraveling the Reaction Mechanisms Leading to Partial Fusion of Weakly Bound Nuclei.

Collisions between complex nuclei may give rise to their total or partial fusion. The latter case is found experimentally to gain importance when one of the colliding nuclei is weakly bound. It has been commonly assumed that the partial fusion mechanism is a two-step process, whose first step is the dissociation of the weakly bound nucleus, followed by the capture of one of the fragments.

Aquatic exercise and Far Infrared (FIR) modulates pain and blood cytokines in fibromyalgia patients: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study.

Fibromyalgia (FM) has an inflammatory component, as elevated serum levels of inflammatory biomarkers are associated with its diagnosis. Treatments decreased pain, body temperature, improved quality of life and reduced serum levels of IL-6 in both groups; however, these beneficial effects were more pronounced in aquatic exercise (AE) + Far-Infrared (FIR) group. The findings of the present study suggest that the association of AE to FIR increases the benefits of aquatic exercise in patients with FM.

Exact analysis of phase transitions in mean-field Potts models.

We construct the exact partition function of the Potts model on a complete graph subject to external fields with linear and nematic type couplings. The partition function is obtained as a solution to a linear diffusion equation and the free energy, in the thermodynamic limit, follows from its semiclassical limit. Analysis of singularities of the equations of state reveals the occurrence of phase transitions of nematic type at not zero external fields and allows for an interpretation of the phase transitions in terms of shock dynamics in the space of thermodynamic variables.

Effects of different strength training volumes and subsequent detraining on strength performance in aging adults.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the volume-dependence of upper-body strength performance improvement and the retention effects after detraining in aging adults. Eighteen healthy, untrained, middle-aged volunteers were randomized into two groups: low volume (LV), mean = 494 kg. and high volume (HV), mean = 686 kg.

Psychometric properties of a medium version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ II) for southern Brazil.

Background: The emerging frequency of Behavioural Mental Health Disorders among Brazilian workers and the recent legal demand for analysis of psychosocial risks in the workplace highlight the importance of standardizing measures to assess these risks as a way to allow identification and proper comparison among different populations.

Objective: To assess the psychometric properties of the COPSOQ II questionnaire medium version for southern Brazil, based on the Spanish medium-length version of COPSOQ-ISTAS21 II.

Methods: A sample of 426 workers from a university in southern Brazil answered the model under study online.

Association between perception of bodily discomfort and individual and work organisational factors in Brazilian slaughterhouse workers: a cross-sectional study.

Objective: Brazil is the world's second largest poultry meat producer and leading exporter. Many poultry processing tasks are physically demanding and involve factors that increase the risk of developing a work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WMSD). However, little is known about the assessment of bodily discomfort in these workers.

Puzzle of Complete Fusion Suppression in Weakly Bound Nuclei: A Trojan Horse Effect?

Experimental studies of nuclear collisions involving light weakly bound nuclei show a systematic suppression of the complete fusion cross section by ∼30% with respect to the expectation for tightly bound nuclei, at energies above the Coulomb barrier. Although it is widely accepted that the phenomenon is related to the weak binding of these nuclei, the origin of this suppression is not fully understood. Here, we present a novel approach that provides the complete fusion for weakly bound nuclei and relates its suppression to the competition between the different mechanisms contributing to the reaction cross section.

A low-cost and efficient participatory ergonomic intervention to reduce the burden of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in an industrially developing country: an experience report.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are the first cause of occupational illness in Brazil and the number of cases in the industrial sector has increased progressively in the last 6 years. In order to prevent WMSDs, workplace ergonomics interventions are frequently implemented worldwide. This article describes the implementation strategy of a participatory ergonomic intervention conducted in the quality control department of a medium-sized Brazilian garment company.

The Use of Personal Protective Equipment: Finger Temperatures and Thermal Sensation of Workers' Exposure to Cold Environment.

This study analyzed the finger temperatures of poultry slaughterhouse workers and its association with personal and organizational variables, bodily discomfort perception, and cold thermal sensation. The study included 143 poultry slaughterhouse workers. A thermograph was used to measure finger temperature and an interview to collect worker data.

Effects of Spatiotemporal Constraints and Age on the Interactions of Soccer Players when Competing for Ball Possession.

Although there are several descriptions of interpersonal coordination in soccer teams, little is known about how such coordination is influenced by space and time constraints. In this study, we analyzed variations in interpersonal coordination under different marking intensities and across different age groups. Marking intensity was manipulated by changing the players' game space and time of ball possession in a conditioned soccer game known as .

Estimating bone mineral content based on different types of muscle strength tests.

The aims of this pilot study were to verify which muscle strength tests better explain bone mineral content (BMC) of the femoral neck and lumbar spine and to develop predictive equations to estimate femoral neck and lumbar spine BMC. Twenty-nine subjects aged 56-76 years old (12 women and 17 men) participated in the study. Femoral neck and lumbar spine BMC was evaluated by Dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA).

Mixed Session Periodization as a New Approach for Strength, Power, Functional Performance, and Body Composition Enhancement in Aging Adults.

Berzerra, ES, Orssatto, LBR, Moura, BM, Willardson, JM, Simão, R, and Moro, ARP. Mixed session periodization as a new approach for strength, power, functional performance, and body composition enhancement in aging adults. J Strength Cond Res 32(10): 2795-2806, 2018-The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of mixed session periodization (MSP) vs.