Apesar das perdas provocadas pela sarcopenia, o sistema neuromuscular do idoso ainda mantém parte da sua plasticidade. No entanto, as adaptações promovidas pelos treinamentos de força (TF) e de potência (TP) não foram totalmente elucidadas, assim como se existem diferenças entre essas adaptações nessa população. Para responder tais questões, 43 idosos (63,8 ± 4,0 anos; 67,2 ±13,4kg e 160,2 ±8,4cm), inexperientes em treinamento com pesos e independentes participaram desse estudo. Os voluntários foram distribuídos em três grupos: GF (n= 14; 70 a 90% de 1RM), GP (n= 16; 30 a 50% de 1RM) e GC (n= 13, não treinou). Durante 16 semanas o GF e o GP realizaram duas sessões de treino semanalmente. Os resultados significantes foram: aumento de 42,7% em GF e 33,8% em GP no teste de 1RM (leg press) e 31% em GF e 25,4% em GP (chest press); aumento de 6% em GF e 3,6% em GP na ASTq; aumento de 22,4% em GF e 17,1% em GP na CVIM e uma diminuição de 28% em GF e 32% em GP no REM. Não houve diferenças significativas entre GF e GP nas variáveis analisadas. Nenhum dos grupos apresentou aumento no sinal eletromiográfico nem na TDF. Não houve alteração significativa na funcionalidade. Portanto, ainda que com características distintas, o TF e o TP são similares em relação às adaptações analisadas, equiparando-se como estratégias de treinamento eficazes no combate à sarcopenia e seus efeitos / In spite of sarcopenia-induced losses, elderly peoples neuromuscular system keeps its plasticity. However, strength and power training-induced adaptations have not been completely elucidated. It also unknown if these adaptations are related to elderly functionality. Fourty three healthy and independent old men and women (63.8 ± 4.0 yrs; 67.2 ±13.4kg e 160.2 ±8.4cm) with no resistance training experience volunteered for this study. Participants were randomly distributed into three groups: GF (n= 14; 70 - 90%-1RM), GP (n= 16; 30 - 50%-1RM) e GC (n= 13, no training). GF and GP trained twice a week for 16 weeks. Leg-press (42.7% in GF and 33.8% in GP) and chest-press 1-RM (31% in GF and 25.4% in GP), quadriceps cross sectional area (6% in GF and 3.6% in GP), maximal voluntary isometric contraction (22.4% in GF and 17.1% in GP) were significantly increased in both groups. Electromechanical delay decreased 28% in GF and 32% in GP. There were no significant differences between groups. EMG and rate of force development did not change throughout the training period. Only main effect of time was observed for the functional tests. These results suggest that even with different characteristics, both strength and power training induce similar neuromuscular adaptations. Thus, both training regimens are equally effective in preventing and treating sarcopenia

We consider the decomposition of a maximal monotone operator into the sum of an antisymmetric operator and the subdifferential of a proper lower semicontinuous convex function. This is a variant of the well-known decomposition of a matrix into its symmetric and antisymmetric part. We analyze in detail the case when the graph of the operator is a linear subspace. Equivalent conditions of monotonicity are also provided. We obtain several new results on auto-conjugate representations including an explicit formula that is built upon the proximal average of the associated Fitzpatrick function and its Fenchel conjugate. These results are new and they both extend and complement recent work by Penot, Simons and Zălinescu. A nonlinear example shows the importance of the linearity assumption. Finally, we consider the problem of computing the Fitzpatrick function of the sum, generalizing a recent result by Bauschke, Borwein and Wang on matrices to linear relations. / Graduate Studies, College of (Okanagan) / Graduate

De la pâte à dentifrice au moût de fermentation en passant par la peinture, le lit d’une rivière, le propergol d’un réacteur de fusée et le sang, les suspensions sont présentes dans de nombreux usages de notre vie courante. La maîtrise de leur mise en œuvre notamment nécessite la compréhension de leur comportement et constitue un des challenges de la recherche. Dans le présent travail de thèse, nous nous sommes intéressés au processus de sédimentation de suspensions concentrées de particules non-colloïdales et inertes dont la distribution de taille est mono, bi ou tri-disperse. Deux types de sédimentation ont été étudiés : la décantation et l’alimentation continue. L’objectif est de mener une étude expérimentale et dans une moindre mesure numérique pour caractériser de la façon la plus complète possible la sédimentation avec une attention particulière à la structure de l’écoulement et du dépôt, aux profils de concentration et à la détermination des modes de sédimentation. Les moyens expérimentaux utilisés sont les techniques usuelles de mesure bidimensionnelle (vélocimétrie laser et visualisation directe) qui autorisent l’acquisition de données d’intérêt pour des configurations où les particules évoluent dans le plan. Ces techniques laser ont été améliorées pour permettre le suivi simultané de populations de différentes particules et l’accès à des grandeurs diverses telles que le champ de vitesse de l’écoulement, la fraction volumique locale, et les vitesses des divers fronts de sédimentation. En parallèle, un outil numérique simple a été construit, utilisant la Dynamique Stokesienne et saisissant l’essentiel des phénomènes physiques mis en jeu menant à la modélisation des interactions hydrodynamiques. / From toothpaste to must of fermentation passing by painting, bed of a river, propellant of an rocket engine and blood, suspensions are present in many uses of our everyday life. The control of their implementation requires comprehension of their behavior and constitutes one of the challenges of nowadays research. In this work of thesis, we were interested in the sedimentation process of concentrated suspensions of non-colloidal and inert particles whose size distribution is mono, bi or tri-disperse. Two types of sedimentation were studied: decantation and thickening. The objective is to do an experimental and in a lesser way numerical study to characterize sedimentation the most completly possible with a detailed attention to flow and deposit structure, concentration profiles and determination of sedimentation modes. Used experimental means are the usual techniques of two-dimensional measurement (laser velocimetry and direct visualization) which authorize the data acquisition for configurations where particles evolve in the plan. These laser techniques were improved to simultaneously follow various particles populations and access to various outpouts such as velocities field, local volumic fraction, and velocities of various sedimentation fronts. A simple numerical tool was also built using Stokesian Dynamics and seizing the main part of the physical phenomena driving sedimentation leading to the modeling of the hydrodynamic interactions.

L’optimisation de la performance oblige l’athlète à répéter des séances d’entraînement à haute intensité de travail avec peu de récupération, ce qui génère une fatigue neuromusculaire qui peut être préjudiciable. Ainsi, dans le but de limiter ce phénomène et d’améliorer l’efficacité des séances d’entraînement, le choix d’une récupération adéquate s’impose.La récupération active est la méthode la plus connue et la plus efficace relatée dans la littérature. En effet, de nombreuses études démontrent son effet bénéfique sur la fatigue provoquée lors d’exercices globaux (types course ou pédalage). Cette modalité de récupération correspond à un exercice musculaire léger permettant une augmentation du flux sanguin périphérique et une élimination plus rapide des métabolites. A l’heure actuelle, peu d’études se sont intéressées à la récupération active appliquée de manière locale pour des exercices de renforcement de groupes musculaires spécifiques.L’objectif de ce travail était donc d’étudier la méthode la plus efficace, en termes de modalité et de moment d’application, pour récupérer la force maximale de l’athlète lors d’un exercice de renforcement musculaire. De plus, afin d’assurer une application de cette récupération active, spécifiquement sur les groupes musculaires souhaités, nous avons utilisé l’électromyostimulation (EMS).Nos différents résultats suggèrent qu’il n’est pas nécessaire d’appliquer une modalité particulière pour la récupération des exercices de renforcement musculaire réalisés à intensité maximale. En effet, la récupération active par EMS appliquée au cours d’une séance (entre les séries) ou après une séance ne montre pas de différence avec une récupération passive. De plus, l’application proximale ou distale de l’EMS n’a pas d’influence sur la cinétique de récupération. L’approche neuromusculaire de la fatigue, montre cependant, qu’il s’avère nécessaire d’analyser l’origine des perturbations engendrées par l’exercice, afin de choisir la modalité de récupération la mieux adaptée / The high frequency of resistance training sessions induces heavy strain and fatigue phenomenon, which could be prejudicial for subsequent performance. In this context, it appears necessary to apply proper recovery strategies in order to improve the athlete’s ability to regain an adequate working state for subsequent training.Active recovery is widely described in the literature as the most efficient method for this purpose. It consists in low-intensity exercises, which could improve metabolites washout by increasing peripheral blood flow. To our knowledge, active recovery is usually applied globally, with exercises involving the whole body (light pedalling or running) but little is known regarding a local application after analytical exercises such as strengthening exercise. The aim of our research was therefore to determine the most effective method to recover from resistance training session in terms of maximal strength performance. Among the active recovery modes, electromyostimulation (EMS) is of particular interest since it can be applied on specific muscles groups. Our results showed that active recovery using EMS applied during a session (between the sets) or after a session, did not demonstrate any difference as compared with passive recovery. Also, we demonstrated that EMS was not more efficient when applied distally. However, we highlighted that the investigation of neuromuscular parameters is necessary to better understand the origin of the fatigue induced by a specific exercise in order to apply the most appropriated recovery mode

L’objectif de ce travail de thèse était d’étudier, selon une approche intégrative, les facteurs intrinsèques et extrinsèques influençant les performances mécaniques et neuromusculaires lors d’exercices de sprint de courte durée sur ergocycle. La première étude a examiné l’effet du genre et le type d’exercice sur la reproductibilité des indices de la relation force-vitesse sur ergocycle. Les résultats ont révélé que la reproductibilité de la relation force-vitesse était plus élevée chez les hommes et au niveau des membres inférieurs comparativement respectivement aux femmes et aux membres supérieurs. La deuxième étude a investigué l’effet de deux charges (8,7 et 11% de la masse corporelle, BM) sur la reproductibilité des indices de puissance mécanique au court d’un test de Wingate. Les résultats ont révélé une reproductibilité comparable entre les deux charges. Cependant, la puissance était plus élevée à 11% BM. La troisième étude a comparé les indices de puissance de la relation force-vitesse et du test de Wingate selon l’aptitude anaérobie des sujets. Les résultats ont montré que la puissance maximale était sous-estimée lors des tests de Wingate réalisés contre des charges non optimales (8,7% BM) notamment chez les sujets sportifs. La quatrième étude a exploré l’effet du contexte émotionnel sur la performance neuromusculaire lors d’exercices de sprints répétés. Les résultats ont révélé un effet positif du contexte plaisant comparativement au contexte déplaisant sur la performance neuromusculaire. Ces résultats suggèrent que la motivation extrinsèque affecte, via la valence émotionnelle (plaisir-déplaisir), la performance lors des exercices maximaux de courte durée. / The aim of the present work was to study, using an integrative approach, the effects of intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence the mechanical and neuromuscular performances during sprint exercises on a cycle ergometer. The first study examined the effect of exercise and gender on the reliability of the mechanical measurements from the force-velocity tests. The results showed that the reliability of the force-velocity test was higher in men and lower limbs compared to women and upper limbs, respectively. The second study investigated the effect of two loads (8.7 and 11% of body mass, BM) on the reproducibility of mechanical power indices during a Wingate test. The results showed comparable reliability between the two loads. However, power output was significantly higher at 11% BM. The third study compared power indices computed from the force-velocity and Wingate tests among two groups of male subjects with different physical fitness. The results showed that the Wingate tests performed against non-optimal loads (8.7% BM) underestimated maximal power especially in powerful subjects. The fourth study investigated the effect of the emotional context on neuromuscular performance during repeated cycling sprints. The results revealed a positive effect of pleasant context on neuromuscular performance compared to the unpleasant context. These results suggest that extrinsic motivation affects via the emotional valence (pleasant-unpleasant) the performance during all-out exercises.

Ultraljud av halsartärer är en duplexultraljud undersökning som har en förmåga attavbilda samt mäta flödeshastigheten i halskärlen. Med undersökningen kaneventuella förändringar i form av plack, stenoser samt ocklusioner utredas ihalsens artärer. Arteria carotis interna (ICA) anses vara ett väsentligt kärl belägenanatomiskt posteriort om halsen med huvuduppgift att försörja hjärnan med blod.Stenoser i ICA kan leda till ett flertal allvarliga symptom såsom transistoriskischemisk attack, övergående blindhet samt stroke. Den dominerande orsaken tilldessa allvarliga symptom samt förändringar i kärlen är arterioskleros. För korrektbehandling för den drabbade patienten betraktas bedömningen av stenosgradenvara väldigt viktigt. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka sambandet mellanstenosgraden bedömd utifrån systolisk flödeshastighet i ICA och stenosgradberäknad med hastighetskvot mellan maximal systolisk flödeshastighet i ICA ochmaximal systolisk flödeshastighet i arteria carotis communis (CCA) samtslutdiastolisk flödeshastighet i ICA. Till studien inkluderades totalt 200 kärl(höger och vänster), av de användes 130 kärl. Parametrar som behövdes tillstudien var slutdiastoliska flödeshastighet i ICA samt maximal systoliskaflödeshastighet i ICA och CCA. Patienterna hade olika stenosgrader <40%->95%,i höger och vänster ICA. Hastighetskvoten ICA/CCA beräknades och användesför undersökning av sambandet med hjälp av statistiska analysmetoder. Resultatenav studien uppvisade att det föreligger ett signifikant samband mellanstenosgraden bedömd med maximal systolisk flödeshastighet i ICA ochstenosgraden bedömd med hastighetskvoten och slutdiastolisk flödeshastighet.Däremot så har hastighetskvoten ICA/CCA starkare överensstämmelse medstenosgraden bedömd med maximal systolisk flödeshastighet, jämfört med det förslutdiastolisk flödeshastighet. Slutsatsen är att hastighetskvoten kan användas fören säker bedömning av stenosgraden och bör med stor säkerhet återspeglastenosgraden i ICA. / Ultrasound of carotid arteries is a duplex ultrasonography that has the ability toimage as well as measure the flow rate in the vessels. With this analysis it ispossible to detect any changes in the shape of plaque, stenosis and occlusions incarotid arteries. Internal carotid artery (ICA) is considered to be an essentialvessel, supplies the anterior part of the brain with blood. Internal carotid stenosisleads to several severe symptoms such as transient ischemic attack, transientblindness and stroke. The main reason of these symptoms and changes in thevessels is atherosclerosis. Degree of stenosis is considered very important to givepatients the proper treatment. The aim of this study is to investigate therelationship between the degree of stenosis evaluated with maximum systolic flowrate in ICA and degree of stenosis evaluated with calculated flow rate ratio ICAand common carotid artery (CCA) and end diastolic flow rate in ICA. The studyincluded a total of 200 vessels (right and left), of which 130 vessels were used.Parameters needed for the study were vessels with stenosis degree of internalcarotid artery, end diastolic flow rate in ICA and maximum systolic flow rate inICA and CCA. The patients had different degrees of stenosis between <40% ->95% in the right and left ICA. The rate ratio ICA/CCA was calculated and used toinvestigate the relationship using statistical analysis methods. The results of thestudy showed that there is a strong and significant correlation between the degreeof stenosis assessed with maximum systolic flow rate in ICA and the degree ofstenosis assessed with the rate ratio and end diastolic flow rate. In contrast, therate ratio ICA/CCA has stronger compliance with the degree of stenosis assessedat maximum systolic flow rate, compared with that for end diastolic flow rate.This leads to the conclusion that the rate ratio can be used for a safe assessment ofthe degree of stenosis in ICA and should with great certainty reflect the degree ofstenosis in ICA.

Dans cette thèse, nous nous intéressons aux équations des gaz sans pression avec contrainte de congestion qui soulèvent encore de nombreuses questions. La stratégie que nous proposons repose sur des précédents travaux sur le mouvement de foule dans le cadre de l'espace de Wasserstein, et sur un modèle granulaire avec des collisions inélastiques.Elle consiste en l'étude d'un schéma discrétisé en temps dont les suites doivent approcher les solutions de ces équations.Le schéma se présente de la manière suivante : à chaque pas de temps, le champ des vitesses est projeté sur un ensemble lui permettant d'éviter les croisements entre particules, la densité est ensuite déplacée selon le nouveau champ des vitesses, puis est projetée sur l'ensemble des densités admissibles (inférieures à une valeur seuil donnée).Enfin, le champ des vitesses est mis à jour en tenant compte du parcours effectué par les particules. En dimension 1, les solutions calculées par le schéma coïncident avec les solutions connues pour ce système. En dimension 2, les solutions calculées respectent les propriétés connues des solutions des équations de gaz sans pression avec contrainte de congestion. De plus, on retrouve des similarités entres ces solutions et celles du modèle granulaire microscopique dans des cas où elles sont comparables. Par la suite, la discrétisation en espace pose des problèmes et a nécessité l'élaboration d'un nouveau schéma de discrétisation du coût Wasserstein quadratique. Cette méthode que nous avons baptisée méthode du balayage transverse consiste à calculer le coût en utilisant les flux de masses provenant d'une certaine cellule et traversant les hyperplans définis par les interfaces entre les cellules. / In this thesis, we consider the pressureless Euler equations with a congestion constraint.This system still raises many open questions and aside from its one-dimensional version,very little is known. The strategy that we propose relies on previous works of crowd motion models withcongestion in the framework of the Wasserstein space, and on a microscopic granularmodel with inelastic collisions. It consists of the study of a time-splitting scheme. The first step is about the projection of the current velocity field on a set, avoiding the factthat trajectories do not cross during the time step. Then the scheme moves the density with the new velocity field. This intermediate density may violate the congestion constraint. The third step projects it on the set of admissible densities. Finally, the velocity field is updated taking into account the positions of physical particles during the scheme. In the one-dimensional case, solutions computed by the algorithm matchwith the ones that we know for these equations. In the two-dimensional case, computed solutions respect some properties that can be expected to be verified by the solutions to these equations. In addition, we notice some similarities between solutions computed by the scheme and the ones of the granular model with inelastic collisions. Later, this scheme is discretized with respect to the space variable in the purpose of numerical computations of solutions. The resulting algorithm uses a new method to discretize the Wasserstein cost. This method, called Transverse Sweeping Method consists in expressing the cost using the mass flow from any cell and crossing hyperplanes defined by interfaces between cells.

Purpose: The purpose of our investigation was to compare repetition maximum (RM) to relative intensity using sets and repetitions (RISR) resistance training (RT) on measures of training load, vertical jump, and force production in well-trained lifters. Methods: Fifteen well-trained (isometric peak force= 4403.61+664.69 N, mean+SD) males underwent RT 3 d·wk-1 for 10-weeks in either an RM group (n=8) or RISR group (n=7). Weeks 8-10 consisted of a tapering period for both groups. The RM group achieved a relative maximum each day while the RISRgroup trained based on percentages. Testing at five time-points included unweighted ( Results: Moderate between-group effect sizes were observed for all SJ and CMJ conditions supporting the RISR group (g=0.76-1.07). A small between-group effect size supported RISR for allometrically-scaled isometric peak force (g=0.20). Large and moderate between-group effect sizes supported RISR for rate of force development from 0-50ms (g=1.25) and 0-100ms (g=0.89). Weekly volume load displacement was not different between groups (p>0.05), however training strain was statistically greater in the RM group (p<0.05). Conclusions: Overall, this study demonstrated that RISR training yielded greater improvements in vertical jump, rate of force development, and maximal strength compared to RM training, which may partly be explained by differences in the imposed training stress and the use of failure/non-failure training in a well-trained population.

The aim of this work is to present several new results concerning duality in scalar convex optimization, the formulation of sequential optimality conditions and some applications of the duality to the theory of maximal monotone operators. After recalling some properties of the classical generalized interiority notions which exist in the literature, we give some properties of the quasi interior and quasi-relative interior, respectively. By means of these notions we introduce several generalized interior-point regularity conditions which guarantee Fenchel duality. By using an approach due to Magnanti, we derive corresponding regularity conditions expressed via the quasi interior and quasi-relative interior which ensure Lagrange duality. These conditions have the advantage to be applicable in situations when other classical regularity conditions fail. Moreover, we notice that several duality results given in the literature on this topic have either superfluous or contradictory assumptions, the investigations we make offering in this sense an alternative. Necessary and sufficient sequential optimality conditions for a general convex optimization problem are established via perturbation theory. These results are applicable even in the absence of regularity conditions. In particular, we show that several results from the literature dealing with sequential optimality conditions are rediscovered and even improved. The second part of the thesis is devoted to applications of the duality theory to enlargements of maximal monotone operators in Banach spaces. After establishing a necessary and sufficient condition for a bivariate infimal convolution formula, by employing it we equivalently characterize the $\varepsilon$-enlargement of the sum of two maximal monotone operators. We generalize in this way a classical result concerning the formula for the $\varepsilon$-subdifferential of the sum of two proper, convex and lower semicontinuous functions. A characterization of fully enlargeable monotone operators is also provided, offering an answer to an open problem stated in the literature. Further, we give a regularity condition for the weak$^*$-closedness of the sum of the images of enlargements of two maximal monotone operators. The last part of this work deals with enlargements of positive sets in SSD spaces. It is shown that many results from the literature concerning enlargements of maximal monotone operators can be generalized to the setting of Banach SSD spaces.

Every graph G contains a minimum vertex-coloring with the property that at least one color class of the coloring is a maximal independent set (equivalently, a dominating set) in G. Among all such minimum vertex-colorings of the vertices of G, a coloring with the maximum number of color classes that are dominating sets in G is called a dominating-χ-coloring of G. The number of color classes that are dominating sets in a dominating-χ-coloring of G is defined to be the dominating-χ-color number of G. In this paper, we continue to investigate the dominating-χ-color number of a graph first defined and studied in [1].