The purposes of this study were to: 1) evaluate the effect of walking speed on gait, balance and cognitive task performance and 2) examine the effect of dual task (cognitive load) on gait balance and cognitive task performance. Twenty young healthy adults (24+6 years of age) were recruited and each participant walked on a motorised treadmill at two speeds(0.5m/s and 0.8m/s), first without performing cognitive tasks, then while performing three types of cognitive loaded tasks. The speed had a significant effect on average and coefficient of variation of temporal gait parameters (P<0.001), cognitive task performance (P<0.001) and center of pressure excursion (P<0.001). No statistically significant effect of speed was found ML trunk displacement. However, dual task (cognitive load) had significant effect on COV of temporal gait (P<0.001), cognition (P<0.001) and trunk motion (P<0.001). In conclusion, the speed and dual task had significant effect on locomotors rhythm, balance, and cognitive performances.

The relationship between the development of sitting postural control and of reaching during infancy has not been addressed in detail. It has recently been shown that trunk control develops starting with the head, then the upper trunk and subsequently the lower/pelvic regions. However, previous studies on infant reaching evaluated infants during supported supine or reclined sitting positions, failing to address the contributions of distinct regions of the trunk to reaching. This dissertation explores the relationship between the progression of trunk control and reaching performance in healthy infants. The effects of stabilizing the upper and lower regions of the trunk were assessed by providing vertical trunk fixation at two levels of support (thoracic and pelvic). Documentation of postural and reaching performance reflected how control of the free regions of the trunk modulated both behaviors. First, kinematic data were collected in infants aged 4-6 months who were grouped according to their sitting ability and extent of trunk control. Second, a longitudinal study was implemented in which kinematic and electromyographic recordings were collected bi-monthly from 2.5-8 months. Results from the cross-sectional study showed that postural stability and reaching kinematics of the two groups were similar when they received support at the thoracic level but differed when the support was limited to the pelvic level. Infants who were able to sit independently outperformed the infants who were unable to sit without help. These data were further expanded with the results obtained from the longitudinal study, showing that during the months prior to independent sitting, infant reaches were impoverished and were associated with a lack of postural stability when provided with pelvic, in comparison to thoracic, support. In addition, infants displayed inefficient muscle patterns in response to the instability. Differences between levels of support were not observed once infants acquired independent sitting. Taken together, these results offer detailed measures of the progression of trunk control and its relation to reaching. This raises important questions regarding whether this more specific approach may create the foundation for evaluating and improving trunk control in atypically developing populations. This dissertation includes previously published and unpublished co-authored material.

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems have gained popularity worldwide as a cost-effective alternative to more expensive urban rail systems, carrying around an estimated 33 million passengers each weekday (https://brtdata.org/ ). In South Africa, several BRT systems are either in the planning stage, detailed design, or construction, with only a few being operational (Ackerman, 2015). When planning BRT operations, planners need to decide when to use feeder or direct routes to supplement the trunk routes: this takes into consideration that trunk routes cannot be built to be within walking distance of large catchments of people. This research aims to explore the strengths and weaknesses of two BRT-based network types: trunk-feeder (buses operating inside and outside the BRT trunk corridor are segregated and operate independently) and direct (buses operating outside the trunk corridor can enter and leave it, providing additional services in the corridor). The Rea Vaya BRT system has both 'trunk-feeder' and 'direct' networks in operation and is used as a case study for this research. Rea Vaya routes have three classifications: trunk, complementary, and feeder routes. Trunk routes (T) use dedicated median-exclusive busways only. Complementary routes (C) use a combination of normal mixed traffic roads and dedicated median-exclusive busways. Feeder routes (F) start and end at Rea Vaya trunk stations using normal mixed traffic roads. The approach for the study is empirical and evidence based. The activities of the research are to: • develop a list of observable indicators to compare trunk-feeder and direct BRT networks; • collect data on indicators for trunk, feeder, and complementary routes; • analyse the data using different analytical tools; and • make direct versus trunk-feeder network recommendations for BRT systems in South African cities. Data collection is from four sources: station surveys, on-board surveys, ticketing information, and system data sourced from the operator. In this study, five key indicators (reliability, saturation, speed, load factor, & operating costs) are identified in guiding the comparative analysis. This led to the formulation of five hypotheses to be tested and make reasonable recommendations. According to analytical studies, the case for a trunk-feeder network rests on economies of density where it is cheaper per passenger to operate larger trunk buses on the main streets with high demand. For Rea Vaya, it is cheaper per passenger to operate trunk and feeder routes compared to the complementary routes. This saving is because of using larger vehicles (18m articulated buses) on the trunk corridor to achieve more capacity and costs are spread over a larger passenger number. However, the costs are highest for the trunk routes because of increased cycle times (and long routes), and increased fleet size requirements. From a cost perspective, trunk routes work best for densely populated areas but not over long distances. Literature suggests that the number of transfers that a trunk-feeder configuration require creates several operational inefficiencies and slower commercial speeds due to considerably higher dwell times (DTs). This is not entirely the case for Rea Vaya BRT system. While the trunk and feeder routes have longer dwell times than the complementary routes, the vehicle operating speeds for the trunk and feeder buses are higher than that of the complementary buses. The average vehicle operating speed for trunk buses is 30 km/h; for feeder buses, it is 25 km/h, and for complementary buses, it is 20 km/h. This is because the complementary buses are operated on major arterials with high levels of congestion before joining the trunk corridor. It can be concluded that the potential time savings of complementary routes through avoiding transfers does not materialise as it is more than offset by the slow vehicle speeds on mixed traffic routes. Overall, the results indicate a mixed view with regards to direct and trunk-feeder BRT networks in a South African context. While direct networks have an advantage of avoiding transfers, they are also found to be competitive in terms of headway reliability, maintaining low dwell times at the stations and having a high load factor (during peak only and consistent with the high peak to base ratio observed in South Africa). / Dissertation (MEng (Transport Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2021. / The BRT+ Centre of Excellence, funded by the Volvo Research and Educational Foundations (VREF), / Civil Engineering / MEng (Transport Engineering) / Unrestricted

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Bakgrund:Stroke är den vanligaste orsaken till neurologisk funktionsnedsättning i Sverige. Tiden efter insjuknandet i stroke delas in i tre återhämtningsfaser och patienter kan uppleva förbättringar under alla tre faser. Bålfunktion är grundläggande för gångförmåga och balans varför bålträning är en av flera fysioterapeutiska behandlingsmetoder vid rehabilitering av stroke. Viss tillförlitlighet finns avseende effekt av bålträning vid akut och subakut fas av stroke men den är oklar vid kronisk fas av stroke. Kunskapsläget behöver därför granskas och sammanställas.  Syfte: Att undersöka effekten av bålträning på gånghastighet och balans vid kronisk stroke.  Metod:Studiens design var en systematisk översikt där randomiserade kontrollerade studier inkluderades. Systematiska sökningar utfördes i databaserna PubMed, CINAHL och Web of Science samt kompletterande sökning i referenslista i Cochrane protokoll. Bedömning av artiklarnas kvalitet genomfördes enligt PEDro skalan och den sammanvägda tillförlitligheten granskades med modifierad förenklad GRADE. Resultat:Urvalsprocessen genererade tio artiklar, varav en artikel med låg kvalitet exkluderades från vidare granskning. En artikel bedömdes ha måttlig kvalitet och åtta artiklar bedömdes ha hög kvalitet enligt PEDro. Resultatet av granskningen visade på motstridiga resultat gällande effekter av bålträning på balans och gånghastighet samt en låg tillförlitlighet i den sammanvägda bedömningen. Konklusion:Utifrån denna systematiska översikt är det inte möjligt att fastställa bålträningens effekt på gånghastighet eller balans vid kronisk stroke. Översikten visar på motstridiga resultat samt låg tillförlitlighet i den sammanvägda bedömningen. Ytterligare forskning behövs för att fastställa bålträningens effekt på gånghastighet och balans vid kronisk stroke. / Background: Stroke is the most common cause of neurological disability in Sweden. Stroke is divided into different phases and improvements can occur several years after debut. Trunk function is fundamental for gait ability and balance, which is why trunk training is one of several physical therapy methods. Regarding the chronic phase of stroke, there is a need to compile state of evidence for trunk training. Purpose: To investigate the effect of trunk training on gait speed and balance in chronic stroke. Method: Literature review with randomized controlled trials included. Systematic searches were made in the databases PubMed, CINAHL and Web of Science and in the reference list of a Cochrane protocol. Quality assessment of the articles was done with PEDro and the combined reliability was examined with Modifierad förenklad GRADE. Results: The selection process generated ten articles, of which one low-quality article was excluded. one article were of moderate quality and eight of high quality. The results of the review showed conflicting results regarding the effects of trunk training on balance and walking speed, as well as a low reliability in the combined assessment.  Conclusion: Based on this systematic review, it is not possible to determine the effect of trunk training on walking speed or balance in chronic stroke. The overview shows conflicting results and low reliability in the combined assessment. Further research should determine the effect of trunk training on gait speed and balance in chronic stroke.

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The theme of this thesis is design of horizontal band saw and it deals with problems of existing machines on market. Main goal of work is to create effective design and solution of problematic parts, with emphasis on modernization of band saws, which ones processing raw tree trunks.

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Självkörande bussar har börjat implementeras i liten skala, samtidigt som forskning för störresjälvkörande bussar fortsätter, så hur kommer en implementering av självkörande bussar påStockholms innerstads stombussar påverka kollektivtrafiken? Detta kommer göras med hjälpav kapacitet samt utifrån tidigare undersökningar om trygghet. Studien utgår ifrån tvåutredningsalternativ där det ena utgår ifrån att bussen ska köra i eget körfält, och i det andraalternativet kan bussen dela väg med övriga trafikanter. Resultatet visar på att enimplementering av självkörande bussar ger en ökning i resenärer som använder sig avstombussarna i innerstan, medan kapaciteten är relativt oförändrad på bussen på grund avtätare avgångar. Det som är viktigt för att lyckas med implementeringen är att resenärernakänner sig säkra när de reser med bussen. / Autonomous buses have begun to be implemented on a small scale, at the same time asresearch for larger autonomous buses continues, so how will the implementation ofautonomous buses on Stockholm’s inner city trunk buses affect public transport? This will bedone with the help of capacity and based on previous surveys on security. The study isbased on two investigation alternatives. One of which is based on the bus driving on its ownlane, and in the other alternative the bus can share the lane with other passengers. Theresult show that the implementation of autonomous buses gives an increase in passengerwho use the trunk buses in the inner city, while the capacity of the bus is relativelyunchanged due to more frequent departures. What is important for the success of theimplementation is that the passengers feel safe when they travel by bus.

Although scoliosis is defined as a deviation of the spine in the frontal plane above 10ř according to Cobb, the spine is deformed in three planes. The chest is also affected at the same time. The most common type is idiopathic scoliosis, which has multifactorial etiopathogenesis. The thesis summarizes available information on kinesiology of the spine, classification of idiopathic scoliosis, its incidence, etiology, diagnostics, treatment and specific physiotherapeutic exercises. The practical part is devoted to assessing the symmetry of the patient's torso from the photographic documentation of the posture by SCODIAC 2.3. Indices evaluating hull asymmetry from the back or front (POTSI, ATSI) result from mathematical calculation. The smaller the number, the more symmetrical the posture. Correlation of POTSI index and Cobb angle is explored. 20 patients (18 girls and 2 boys) with idiopathic scoliosis up to 47ř according to Cobb aged between 7 to 18 years were selected for the study. All patients were subjected to anamnestic data collection, kinesiology analysis and a questionnaire. The results were statistically processed. SCODIAC software is one of the options offered to evaluate torso asymmetry and assess posture changes after therapy. It acts as a feedback for a physiotherapist and motivates...