O objetivo deste estudo foi comparar os efeitos de dois protocolos de intervenção para o treino de marcha robótica no Lokomat em indivíduos pós acidente vascular cerebral crônico. O primeiro protocolo foi estabelecido com a diminuição progressiva da velocidade da marcha e da assistência do robô durante o treino de marcha. O outro protocolo foi estabelecido com o aumento progressivo da velocidade da marcha e a diminuição progressiva da assistência do robô durante o treino de marcha. Este é um ensaio clínico duplo cego, controlado e randomizado realizado no Instituto de Reabilitação Lucy Montoro em São Paulo com indivíduos em regime de internação. Participaram deste estudo 18 individuos com apenas um episódio de acidente vascular cerebral crônico acima de 06 meses de lesão, classificados com escore 1-2 pela Escala de Deambulação Funcional EDF. Os participantes foram randomizados no grupo experimental (N= 10): com o protocolo da diminuição progressiva da velocidade da marcha e da assistência do robô e no grupo controle (N=08): com o protocolo do aumento progressivo da velocidade da marcha e a diminuição progressiva da assistência do robô. Cada sujeito realizou 30 sessões de treino de marcha robótica, 5 dias por semana, com duração de 30 minutos cada treino, por 6 semanas. As medidas de avaliação foram: Time Up and Go (TUG), teste de caminhada de 6 minutos (6M), teste de caminhada de 10 metros (10M), escala de equilíbrio de Berg (EEB), Fugl-Meyer de função motora de extremidade de membros inferiores (FMMI), Escala de Deambulação Funcional (EDF) e medida de independência funcional (MIF) com escore total e item locomoção. A análise estatística foi realizada com o teste MANOVA e Wilcoxon por meio da comparação dos dados inicias e finais e as diferenças entre os grupos. Posteriormente foi realizado um pós teste para comparar a diferença entre os grupos com aplicação do teste Anova e Ancova. Foram analisados 18 indivíduos e, ao final deste estudo, houve diferença estatistica do grupo experimental para as - 8 - mensurações EDF (p=0,004), TUG (p=0,03), 6M (p=0,04), EEB(p<0,0001), FMMI(p=0,02), MIF (p=0,01) e MIF item Locomoção (p=0,04). Já no grupo controle observou-se diferenças nas mensurações EEB (p=0,02), MIF (p= 0,0002) e MIF item Locomoção (p=0,04). Os resultados demostram que o grupo experimental pode mostrar maiores benefícios do que o grupo controle, porém estudos com maior número de participantes e diferentes instrumentos de avaliação são necessários para estabelecer evidências conclusivas para o treino de marcha robótica. Este estudo teve suporte de financiamento da Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior CAPES / The aim of this study was to compare the effects of two intervention protocols for robotic gait training in Lokomat with individuals chronic stroke: novel versus conventional protocol. The Novel protocol was established with the progressive decrease in gait velocity and assistance robot for gait training and the Conventional protocol was established with the progressive increase in gait velocity and the progressive decrease of robot assistance during gait training. This is a clinical double-blind, randomized controlled trial conducted at Lucy Montoro Rehabilitation Institute in São Paulo with inpatients. The study included 18 subjects with only one episode of chronic stroke above 06 months of injury, classified by the score 1-2 Functional Ambulation Category FAC. Subjects were randomized in the Novel group (N = 10) and Conventional group ( N = 08). Each subject performed 30 robotic gait training sessions, 5 days a week, lasting 30 minutes each training for 6 weeks. The initial and final evaluation measures were: Time Up and Go (TUG), 6-minute walk test (6MWT), 10 meter walk test (10MWT), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Fugl-Meyer motor function of the lower limbs (FM), Functional ambulation category (FAC) and Functional Independence Measure (FIM ) with total score and locomotion item. Statistical analysis was performed with the MANOVA and Wilcoxon test comparing the initial and final data and differences between groups, after this was performed a post-test comparing the difference between the groups with application of Anova and ANCOVA test. In all were analysed 18 individuals in this study, there was statistical difference in the Novel group for measurements: FAC (p = 0.004), TUG (p = 0.03) , 6MWT (p = 0.04) , BBS (p < 0.0001), FM (p = 0.02), MIF (p = 0.01) and MIF Locomotion item (p = 0.04). In the conventional group was observed differences in measurements: BBS (p = 0.02), MIF (p = 0.0002) and MIF Locomotion item (p = 0.04). The results show that the Novel group can show greater benefits than the Conventional group, but studies with larger numbers of participants and different - 10 - evaluation tools are needed to establish conclusive evidence for the robotic gait training . This study was funded support by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES

Background: Previous studies testing the association between the built environment and walking behaviour have been largely cross-sectional and have yielded mixed results. This study reports on a natural experiment in which changes to the built environment were implemented at a university campus in Hong Kong. Longitudinal data on walking behaviours were collected using surveys, one before and one after changes to the built environment, to test the influence of changes in the built environment on walking behaviour. / Experimental design: Changes to land use, campus bus services, pedestrian network, and population density were collected from campus maps, the university developmental office, and field surveys. Motivational data towards walking were collected at baseline in March 2012 (n=198) and after changes to the built environment from the same cohort of subjects in December 2012 (n=169) using a Theory of Planned behaviour (TPB) based questionnaire. Walking behaviours were objectively measured by a walking-oriented diary in the two points of survey. / Methods: Geographic information system (GIS) was used to map the changes to the built environment and walking behaviours. Walking outcomes were measured in terms of: i) walking distance, ii) destination-oriented walking, and iii) walked altitude range. Multivariate linear regression models were used to test for associations between changes to the built environment and walking behaviours. A walking accessibility measure that allows comparison of perception and reality of walking in this hilly community is developed by GIS. Structural equation modelling is used to test the causal relationship between the motivational factors, including the salient beliefs, attitude, perceived behaviour control (PBC), subjective norm (SN), intention, and walking outcomes. / Results: We found that i) changes to the built environment lead to changes in walking behaviours. Specifically, Greater pedestrian network connectivity predicted longer walking distances and an increased likelihood of walking as a means of transportation. The increased use of recreational (vs. work) buildings, largely located at mid-range altitudes, as well as increased population density predicted greater walking distances. Having a greater density of work buildings at lower altitudes deceased subjects’ walked altitude range, while having more bus services and a greater population density encouraged people to increase their walked altitude range; / ii) We developed a practical walking accessibility measure, which was used to visualize the geography of the difference between the perception and reality of walking in this hilly environment for use by urban planners and public health practitioners. We practically addressed the issues in calculating accessibility measures in the present context arise primarily from problems with data quality, three-dimensional pedestrian network modelling and the adequacy of accessibility methods for describing and predicting walking behaviour; and / ii) We found that PBC and attitude were the major determinants of intention, while SN did not exert a significant effect in prediction of intention and walking behaviour. Compared with the baseline survey, PBC has an increased effect on the intention in the follow-up survey. This study partially supports the proposed causal nature of the TPB as a framework for investigating the influence of changes to the built environment on walking behaviours. / 研究背景：现有建成环境与步行行为关系的研究以社区横向比较为主，很难得到一致结论。本论文利用一个建成环境的自然实验，跟踪同一批样本，在建成环境改变之前后，分别采集一次数据，以探索建成环境变化对步行行为的影响。 / 实验设计：建成环境变化发生在香港一所大学校园，研究者收集了包括土地利用及建筑功能、校园巴士服务、步行径、人口密度数据等变化数据。我们根据计划行为理论设计了问卷，进行了样本感知变化的对比研究；同时，利用修订的侧重于步行的出行日志，进行步行行为的数据采集。第一次数据采集在建成环境变化前的2012年3月进行，样本数量为198人；针对同一批样本的第二次数据采集在建成环境变化后的2012年12月进行，剩余169人参加。 / 方法：我们利用地理信息系统（GIS）客观度量建成环境并进行步行行为的地图绘制。步行行为的变化被量化为：i) 步行距离，ii) 以步行为主的出行所占的比例，iii) 步行所跨越的高程的变化（实验区为丘陵地貌）。通过多元线性回归模型，我们分析客观度量的建成环境变化对步行行为的影响。实验过程中，我们发现样本在步行出行选择时对丘陵地貌的感知存在空间差异，因此，我们利用GIS 建立了步行可达性模型，以度量这种感知与真实的差异。通过结构方程模型，我们分析了计划行为理论问卷所得的数据。 / 结果：我们发现i) 建成环境的改变导致了步行行为的改变。具体来讲，提高步行径的连接度，可以鼓励人们选择步行并增加他们的步行距离；建成环境中增加的生活功能的建筑，由于大多集中与校园中部，增加了样本的步行距离；人口密度的增加也提高了人们选择步行的可能性并增加了步行距离。影响样本步行所跨越高度变化的因素有在低海拔处新建的教学大楼、调整的巴士服务以及人口密度的变化。 / ii) 我们开发的步行可达性度量，以地图可视化的方式呈现了样本对丘陵地貌社区的感知与真实的空间差异。在此过程中，我们解决了针对步行行为的数据质量、三维步行径建模分析、以及实用可达性建模等问题。 / iii) 在计划行为理论模型的分析中，我们发现认知行为控制和态度是步行行为意向的决定因素，而行为主观规范的影响并不明显。相对于建成环境变化前，认知行为控制对行为意图的影响程度有所增加。该研究证明计划行为理论可以应用于建成环境变化对步行行为影响的研究中。 / Sun, Guibo = 建成环境变化对步行行为影响之探索 : 以发生在香港一所大学校园的自然实验为例 / 孙贵博. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2014. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 79-88). / Abstracts also in Chinese. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on 03, November, 2016). / Sun, Guibo. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only.

In this study, we analyzed elderly people in Thailand to identify the validity of suggested cutoff points of physical measures, handgrip strength, usual walking speed, and a composite score of both measures to predict functional limitations. Moreover, we examined whether these physical performance measures are accurate indicators of the investigated health outcomes. Methods: Using Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analysis, we investigated a sample of 8272 respondents aged 60 to 79 years. All data were based on the 2009 National Health Examination Survey (NHES IV) of Thailand. Results: For males aged 60 to 69 years, handgrip strength was used as an indicator of functional limitations. The cutoff point for disabilities in the activities of daily living (ADLs) was 29.5 kg, while in other limitations it ranged from 28.7 to 31.3 kg. In contrast, usual walking speed was able to indicate ADL disabilities at 0.7 m per second (m/s). As one might expect, the cutoff points for males aged 70 to 79 years were lower than for males in the 60 to 69 age group. For females, handgrip strength was able to indicate ADL disabilities at 16.5 kg for both the 60 to 69, and 70 to 79 age groups. Likewise, walking speed was indicative of ADL disabilities at 0.6 m/s for both age groups. Interestingly, the composite measure increases the ability to detect ADL disabilities in the younger group but not in the older group. The area under the curve (AUC) of cutoffs measuring the detection power of a diagnostic test was varied, ranging from 0.535 to 0.7386. Conclusions: The cutoff points of three measures varied according to sex and type of functional limitations. Our findings also showed that physical performance measures were useful for identifying people with an increased risk of functional limitations, particularly for ADL disabilities. However, although the AUC of the cutoffs of other functional limitations were relatively low, they should be considered with caution.

This thesis addresses the problem of generating smooth and efficiently executable locomotion trajectories for legged robots under contact constraints. In addition, we want the trajectories to have the property that small changes in the foot position generate small changes in the joint target path. The first part of this thesis explores methods to select poses for a legged robot that maximises the workspace reachability while maintaining stability and contact constraints. It also explores methods to select configurations based on a reduced-dimensional search of the configuration space. The second part analyses time scaling strategy which tries to minimize the execution time while obeying the velocity and acceleration constraints. These two parts effectively result in smooth feasible trajectories for legged robots. Experiments on the RoboSimian robot demonstrate the effectiveness and scalability of the strategies described for walking and climbing on a rock climbing wall.

A hipertensão arterial pulmonar é caracterizada pela elevação anormal dos níveis pressóricos do território arterial pulmonar com conseqüente falência da função ventricular direita. A doença é altamente incapacitante, conforme demonstrado pela limitação nos testes de avaliação funcional, como o teste de caminhada de seis minutos. Entretanto, o impacto da doença na qualidade de vida dos pacientes não é totalmente conhecido. O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar a qualidade de vida de pacientes com HAP através do questionário genérico SF-36, correlacionando os achados com os demais marcadores de gravidade da doença, assim como com a sobrevida. Os resultados mostraram que a QV apresenta forte correlação com TC6M e Classe Funcional e tem melhora significativa após tratamento específico. O Componente Físico do SF-36 teve significante associação com a sobrevida, permitindo concluir que a avaliação de qualidade de vida deve fazer parte da avaliação rotineira de pacientes com HAP / Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare but insidious disease characterized by progressive pulmonary vascular remodelling with increased pulmonary vascular resistance ultimately leading to right ventricular failure e progressive dyspnea, leading to profound functional limitations, how is demonstrated by the six minute walk test. However, there is limited information about quality of life (QoL) in patients with PAH. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of life of PAH patients with the SF-36 generic questionnaire and compare the scores with the surrogate markers and identify the prognostic implication of this assessment. The results showed there was a good correlation with six minute walk test and functional class and there was a significant improvement in QoL after specific treatment. The physical component summary (PCS) of the SF36 QoLQ was significantly related to survival. Conclusion is that QoL is a useful tool for routine evaluation of PAH patients once it correlates with other surrogate markers, reflects treatment effect and predicts survival

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 1981. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ENGINEERING. / Bibliography: leaves 75-77. / by Bradley L. Hunter. / M.S.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 1979. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ENGINEERING. / Bibliography: leaves 188-195. / Ph.D.

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 1980. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ENGINEERING. / Bibliography: leaves 121-122. / by Michael P. Shepley. / M.S.

Thesis (B.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 1981. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ENGINEERING. / Bibliography: leaves 91-92. / by Robert Gregory Clarke. / B.S.

A presente dissertação tem como objetivo analisar uma prática artística que, na contemporaneidade, vem ganhando ampla dimensão e recorrência: o ato de andar. As implicações do percurso e sua dimensão plástica são motes cruciais a esta análise, que busca, à luz de um recorte histórico, traçar as especificidades desse ato com base na análise de produções artísticas posteriores à década de 1960. Para entendimento dos distintos aspectos que o caminhante apresenta na arte contemporânea, são traçadas três aproximações que, paralela e independentemente, dão subsídios à análise proposta. A primeira delas, aborda a caminhada no contexto de um breve panorama histórico das produções artísticas, buscando qualificar dois momentoschaves para a diferenciação dos trabalhos que a tomam como mote: a caminhada como representação e a caminhada como ato. A segunda aproximação faz o levantamento do léxico que tem paulatinamente buscado qualificar a caminhada nas suas mais diferentes acepções. É desse léxico que emergem as principais considerações teóricas sobre as especificidades da caminhada como ato com implicações estéticas, tendo como base a deriva situacionista, a estética radicante de Nicolas Bourriaud e a abordagem fenomenológica de Thierry Davila sobre deslocamento. Por fim, a terceira aproximação apresenta um estudo de caso que consiste na análise da produção do artista de origem belga, radicado no México, Francis Alÿs. / This dissertation aims at analyzing an artistic practice that, in contemporaneity, has gained a vast extension and recurrence: the act of walking. The implications of the pathway and its aesthetic dimension are crucial mottos in the analysis that tries to outline this act\'s specificities, focusing on the artistic productions after the 1960\'s. To understand the distinct qualities that the walker pursues in contemporary art, three approaches are outlined; in parallel and independently, they subsidize the proposed analysis. The first deals with the insertion of the act of walking in a brief historical panorama of the artistic works, specifying two key-moments: walking as representation and walking as an act. The second approach presents an inventory of the lexicon that gradually qualifies the act of walking in its most various meanings. It is from this glossary that the main theoretical considerations about the specificities of walking as an act with aesthetical implications emerge from, based on the situationist dérive, on Nicolas Bourriaud\'s radicant aesthetics and on Thierry Davila\'s phenomenological approach on displacement. Lastly, the third approach presents a case study that has the analysis and interpretation of Belgian artist Francis Alÿs\' as its key element, an example of the artist as a contemporary drifter/wanderer and his insertion in and relation with the city.