Life Sciences Commons^™

A Method To Assess Response Inhibition During A Balance Recovery Step, Molly Rowley

Fall Student Research Symposium 2021

Background: Correlations between falls and executive function tests, particularly those tests emphasizing inhibitory control, suggests that the ability to suppress automatic, but unwanted action, is important in fall prevention. Response inhibition has been a topic of considerable interest in the cognitive neuroscience community for many decades, bringing with it, the development of techniques that could be used to inform assessment of reactive balance. Research question: Can we apply a method used in traditional cognitive testing - the stop signal task - to measure response inhibition in a speeded, balance recovery task? Methods: Twenty healthy, young adults completed a novel reactive …

Synthetic Hagfish Slime Mimetics: Mechanical Characterization, Hayden Johns, Spencer Walker

Fall Student Research Symposium 2021

Hagfish are ancient animals that eject a slime when attacked by predators. The slime that the hagfish emit is almost entirely composed of water but protein strands within the slime cause the slime to have incredible strength. However, these protein strands will be formed synthetically for the purposes of our experiment. To defend against foes, the Navy launches plastic ropes into the propellers of enemy warships in order to decrease the thrust of the motors. In a push to find a more biodegradable solution, the utilization of hagfish slime has shown great promise in stopping propellers.While we know that the …

Climate Change Impacts On Atmospheric Ammonia And Implications For Human Health, Casey Olson, Connor Snow, Bridger Jorgensen

Fall Student Research Symposium 2021

According to national data Cache Valley has the highest concentrations of atmospheric ammonia in the nation. This study aims to answer the questions of whether climate variables and events such as precipitation, averaged winds, geopotential height, and teleconnections can be used to predict the behavior of pollutants and how human biology is potentially affected. Data from the Utah Climate Center shows that the 3rd yearly quartile has the highest levels of airborne ammonia due to the high levels of fertilizer use and livestock emissions in the farming industry in Cache Valley. After data analysis, there seems to be a connection …

The Influence Of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation On Skill Acquisition In A Complex Motor Task, Nicholas Pudar, Milan Pantovic

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) applied over the motor cortex (M1) can improve performance in relatively simple motor tasks performed with the hand and arm. Only a few tDCS studies have examined complex, multi-joint tasks. The purpose of this study was to investigate the acute effects of (tDCS) on skill acquisition in a complex, multi-joint arm movement in healthy young adults. 22 right-handed adults were randomly assigned to a tDCS or SHAM group, performing the overhand throws to a target. After the baseline-test block, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was used to locate the first dorsal interosseus muscle (FDI). Motor evoked …

Evidence For The Use Of Dynamic Maximum Normalization Method Of Muscle Activation During Weight Back Squats, Eva Maddox, Hunter J. Bennett

College of Education & Professional Studies (Darden) Posters

The purpose of this study was to evaluate intra and inter-participant variability and reliability of muscle activations when analyzed using maximum voluntary isometric contractions (MVIC) and dynamic maximum (DMVC) normalization methods. Muscle activations were collected on twenty-seven participants (13 females, 14 males) performing one-repetition maximum (1RM) and submaximum (80%) back squats. Data from submaximum squats were normalized to MVICs and DMVCs. Data were compared using intra-class correlations over two testing days, variance ratio, and coefficients of variation. Mixed-model ANOVAs were used to elucidate the influence on intra- (method) and inter- (sex) subject variability. Reliability levels were good for rectus femoris …

Musculoskeletal Modeling Of The Pelvis And Lumbar Spine During Running, Ruth Higgins, Maryam Moeini, Hunter Bennett, Stacie Ringleb

College of Engineering & Technology (Batten) Posters

Musculoskeletal modeling provides an alternative to in-vivo characteristics that are difficult to directly measure for movements such as running, especially for trunk muscles and joints. The full-body-lumbar-spine (FBLS) model by Raabe and Chaudhari, 2016 is an OpenSim model created for simulations of jogging. The lifting full-body (LFB) model by Beaucage-Gauvreau et al., 2018 is an adaptation of the FBLS created for estimating spinal loads during lifting. PURPOSE: Determine validity of the FBLS and LFB models in simulating pelvis and lumbar spine kinematics during running. METHODS: Inverse Kinematics were executed using experimental data for the FBLS and LFB models. To …

The Influence Of Lumbopelvic Function On Perceived Ankle Function In Individuals With Chronic Ankle Instability, Sunghoon Chung, A. M. B. Suttmiller, K. R. Johnson, R. S. Mccann

College of Health Sciences Posters

Perceived functional impairments measured via patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are associated with reduced postural control ability in CAI patients. Furthermore, hip and trunk neuromuscular impairments are critical factors that can cause decreased postural stability in those with CAI. Identifying the relevance between reduced lumbopelvic function and impaired sensory-perceptual outcomes might direct clinicians to novel methods for CAI patients to improve postural control ability and perceived ankle function. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the relationship between tests of lumbopelvic function and PROs in individuals with CAI. Thirty-three individuals with CAI underwent assessment of transversus abdominis and lumbar multifidus …

Using Machine Learning To Quantify Transverse Plane Lumbopelvic Rhythm, Seth Higgins, Joshua Tome, Rumit Singh Kakar

College of Health Sciences Posters

Lumbopelvic rhythm illustrates the relative motion between the lumbar spine and pelvis during various activities and could be used as a biomarker for low back pain (LBP). Sagittal plane lumbopelvic rhythm has been extensively examined as a surrogate to measure low back pain risk factor, but trunk rotation, the second component of lifting is commonly missed. Since lumbopelvic rhythm are time series and not discrete variables, machine learning may be a viable solution in identifying clusters of patterns for healthy adults. PURPOSE: To categorize healthy lumbopelvic rhythm in the transverse plane using machine learning. METHODS: 80 adults with no history …

The Effect Of Concussion History On Lower Extremity Injury Risk In High School And Collegiate Athletes: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Vanessa Ramirez, Ryan Mccann, Eric Schussler, Jessica Martinez

College of Health Sciences Posters

Sport-related concussions are a prevalent injury that result in sensorimotor dysfunction and altered neuromuscular control. Individuals recovering from a concussion display decreased postural sway during balance assessment and may possess prolonged balance deficits after return-to-play (RTP). Athletes who are experiencing impairments following RTP after a concussion may be at increased risk of lower extremity (LE) injury. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies examining risk of LE musculoskeletal injury following a concussion in high school and collegiate athletes. An electronic database search of PubMed, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and SPORTDiscus was conducted on November …

Self-Selected Maximum But Not Jogging Speed Decreases With Age In Male And Female Runners, Heather Hamilton, Rumit Singh Kakar

College of Health Sciences Posters

Introduction: Running velocity decreases with age, likely resulting from physiological and musculoskeletal changes associated with aging. Females experience a more rapid decline in physical performance during middle age than males, therefore it is important to consider separate-sex analyses when studying running biomechanics and running-related injury. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between age and different running speeds separately for female and male runners.

Methods: Male (n=33) and female (n=46) runners (ages 18–65 years) ran at their self-selected JOG (long distance) and MAX (maximal running) pace on a treadmill. Running velocity was recorded. Simple linear regression was …

Trunk Kinematics Using Musculoskeletal Modeling During Range Of Motion Tasks, Maryam Moeini, Ruth M. Higgins, Hunter Bennett, Stacie Ringleb

College of Health Sciences Posters

A spine model can be used to predict post-spinal fusion motion needed to perform physical activities in individuals with scoliosis. Full body lumbar spine (FBLS) model (Raabi et al., 2016) allows for modeling lumbar spine and pelvis movement and was validated for jogging. However, like other existing adult spine models, FBLS model does not allow for a motion providing thoracic and spine. Purpose: To adapt the FBLS model for simulating thoracic, lumbar and pelvis motion during trunk rotation in all 3 planes of motion. Methods: Since T12-L1 in FBLS model is designed as a dependent joint (axial rotation analogous to …

Gas Measurement Device, Megan C. Frost, Weilue He

Michigan Tech Patents

A device including a first chamber, a second chamber, and a membrane permeable to neutral gases but impermeable to water that is positioned between the first chamber and the second chamber. The membrane includes a first layer including PVDF and PDMS, and the PVDF has a plurality of pores at least partially filled with at least some of the PDMS.

University Of Nebraska At Omaha Department Of Biomechanics Annual Report 2020-2021, Department Of Biomechanics, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Biomechanics Annual Report

This report contains:

A letter from the Director: Dr. Nick Stergiou

Articles about the Department of Biomechanics' reach

Articles on research that impacts the community

Article about the Movcentr Impact

Articles on how the department persevered and responded during the pandemic

Article on the people of UNO Biomechanics

Student Centered articles

and In the News.

Validity Of The Actigraph Gt9x Accelerometer Step-Count Function In Adults With Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction, Jonathan D. Kenyon, Hayley Billingsley, Natalie J. Bohmke, Danielle Kirkman, Salvatore Carbone, Youngdeok Kim

Graduate Research Posters

Low physical activity is associated with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Step-counts, a measure of physical activity, can be measured via accelerometry. To date, few studies have examined validity of accelerometer-derived step-counts in the adults with HFpEF.

PURPOSE To assess criterion validity of the Actigraph GT9X accelerometer step-count function in adults with HFpEF via ankle, waist, and wrist placement, compared with manually counted, directly observed steps.

METHODS Six adults with HFpEF (age: 57.2 ± 9.4 y; African American: 50%; females: 100%) completed a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) on a treadmill while wearing synchronized GT9X accelerometers on the ankle, …