Reproducibility of dynamometric and non-dynamometric trunk extensor muscle tests in patients with chronic low back pain

Poster (2009, September 09)

Background and Aims: Literature describes several dynamometric and non-dynamometric tests to assess trunk extensor muscle performances. In patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP), reproducibility of ... [more ▼]

Background and Aims: Literature describes several dynamometric and non-dynamometric tests to assess trunk extensor muscle performances. In patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP), reproducibility of such assessments remains understudied. The purpose of this study was to compare reproducibility of two dynamometric tests and of the widely used Sorensen test. Methods: 44 patients (22 men, 22 women; age range: 30-60 years) with CLBP (mean Roland-Morris disability scores reaching 6 ± 3.4) were randomized into two groups attending two assessment sessions. Group 1 (12 men and 12 women) underwent two tests (i.e. a maximal strength test (figure 1) and a static endurance test requiring to maintain as long as possible a torque of 50 percent of maximal strength previously determined (figure 2)) performed on a specific trunk extensor dynamometer (David Back). Group 2 (10 men and 10 women) was submitted to the non-dynamometric Sorensen test (lifting the upper trunk and maintaining the horizontal position) (figure 3). For both groups, tests were performed twice (spaced by 15 minutes) during the first session (intra-session reproducibility) and once during the second session (inter-session reproducibility) happening 2 to 7 days later. Results: Mean torques reached 2.67 ± 0.63 Nm/Kg (women) and 3.66 ± 0.75 Nm/Kg (men) for the strength test. Mean maintaining times were 83 ± 34 s for the endurance test and 99 ± 28 s for the Sorensen test. The Table presents coefficient of variations (CV) and limits of agreement (LOA) related to the intra-session and inter-session reproducibility. Conclusions: Reproducibility appeared satisfactory for the strength test, moderate for the Sorensen test and low for the dynamometric endurance test in patients with moderate CLBP. [less ▲]

Reproducibility of intra-abdominal pressure when lifting

in Scandinavian Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine (1988), 20(2), 83-8

Reproducibility of intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) variation was investigated in fifteen young male subjects when lifting three loads, 49, 98 and 147 N, with three speeds of movement, slow, fast and ... [more ▼]

Reproducibility of intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) variation was investigated in fifteen young male subjects when lifting three loads, 49, 98 and 147 N, with three speeds of movement, slow, fast and spontaneous, and starting from four standing postures: trunk erect, trunk forward flexed at 30, 60, and 90 degrees of dorsolumbar inclination. Each lift was replicated five times successively and the whole protocol was replicated at one a week interval. The intra-individual variability in IAP response was assessed using the standard deviation of each series of ten lifts. Results showed that variability of peak IAP increased with the load and with the lifting speed. This effect of speed was especially observed for light loads and in forward bending postures. Trunk posture had in itself no significant effect on IAP reproducibility. However, when the variations in the moment acting at lumbar level were taken into account by considering the IAP to moment ratio, the reproducibility of the response was not affected by the load but only by the trunk posture. Reproducibility was lower in the erect posture than in the three flexed positions. It is suggested that this difference relates to the importance in each posture of the moment acting at the shoulder with respect to the total moment acting at lumbar level. [less ▲]

Reproducibility of measurements of potential doubling time of tumor cells in the multicenter NCI protocol T92-0045

in British Journal of Cancer (1999), 79(2), 323-332

Summary We compared the flow cytometric measurement and analysis of the potential doubling time ( Tpot) between three centres involved in the National Cancer Institute (NCI) protocol T92-0045. The primary ... [more ▼]

Summary We compared the flow cytometric measurement and analysis of the potential doubling time ( Tpot) between three centres involved in the National Cancer Institute (NCI) protocol T92-0045. The primary purpose was to understand and minimize the variation within the measurement. A total of 102 specimens were selected at random from patients entered into the trial. Samples were prepared, stained, run and analysed in each centre and a single set of data analysed by all three centres. Analysis of the disc data set revealed that the measurement of labelling index (LI) was robust and reproducible. The estimation of duration of S-phase ( Ts) was subject to errors of profile interpretation, particularly DNA ploidy status, and analysis. The LI dominated the variation in Tpot such that the level of final agreement, after removal of outliers and ploidy agreement, reached correlation coefficients of 0.9. The sample data showed poor agreement within each of the components of the measurement. There was some improvement when ploidy was in agreement, but correlation coefficients failed to exceed values of 0.5 for Tpot. The data suggest that observer-associated analysis of Ts and tissue processing and tumour heterogeneity were the major causes of variability in the Tpot measurement. The first two aspects can be standardized and minimized, but heterogeneity will remain a problem with biopsy techniques. [less ▲]

Reproducible Testing of Distributed Software with Middleware Virtualization and Simulation

in Ur, Shmuel (Ed.) Proceedings of the 6th Workshop on Parallel And Distributed systems: Testing, Analysis, and Debugging (2008, June 20)

P2P Grids are Grids organized into P2P networks where participant exchange computing time so as to complete computational tasks. Evaluating the performance of scheduling algorithms enables one to deploy ... [more ▼]

P2P Grids are Grids organized into P2P networks where participant exchange computing time so as to complete computational tasks. Evaluating the performance of scheduling algorithms enables one to deploy those that are efficient. Performance is often evaluated experimentally or through simulation because these algorithms (typically heuristics) are too complex to model analytically. Testing the implementation of P2P Grid middleware before it is deployed is also important: Reproducing configurations or conditions that lead to unexpected outcomes is thus valuable. A P2P Grid environment exhibits multiple sources of failure and is typically dynamic and uncontrollable. Reproducing even basic behavior of Grid nodes in a controllable and repeatable manner is thus exceedingly difficult. Such lack of control over the environment is a major challenge in the software engineering of P2P Grid middleware. Simulators have been proposed to evaluate the performance of scheduling algorithms, but are often limited in scope, reusability and accuracy, i.e. they rely on simplified models. We introduce a software engineering pattern - that we call code once, deploy twice - to both reduce the distance between simulated and implemented algorithms and reproduce, at will, Grid configurations and environments: A simulator implementation of a Grid architecture is built by virtualizing its middleware implementation. An immediate benefit is that most of the code can be reused between both implementations; only communications between Grid nodes, multithreading within Grid nodes and actual task execution are coded differently. As a derived benefit, most of the code of the middleware can be tested within the controlled environment of the simulator, before it is deployed as-is. Another benefit is high simulation accuracy. We describe the implementation of a P2P Grid following the code once, deploy twice pattern, that we believe is also relevant to other Grid types (certainly Volunteer Grids and Desktop Grids, and possibly Globus-based Grids). [less ▲]

Reproductibilité, faux parfaits et contrefaçons: entre fétichisme artistique et gout esthétique

in Nouveaux Actes Sémiotiques (2007, January 31)

Ce travail analyse la relation entre le jugement esthétique qui catégorise quelque chose comme Kitsch et l’authenticité et/ou la reproductibilité des objets, c’est-à-dire leur histoire de production. J’ai ... [more ▼]

Ce travail analyse la relation entre le jugement esthétique qui catégorise quelque chose comme Kitsch et l’authenticité et/ou la reproductibilité des objets, c’est-à-dire leur histoire de production. J’ai analysé les procédures de « Kitschification » et les conditions à travers lesquelles se forment et se justifient certains jugements de goût à une certaine période et dans une certaine culture. En partant de la distinction du philosophe Nelson Goodman entre « arts autographiques » et « arts allographiques » j’ai pris en considération le cas du Parthénon de Nashville, monument qui se présente comme la reconstruction du Parthénon d’Athènes, et qui apparaît comme une œuvre plus parfaite et donc plus « originale » de l’original lui-même. Cette analyse démontre que le jugement de goût ne peut pas renvoyer à la simple configuration textuelle d’un objet et donc à ses caractéristiques morphologiques, et que le jugement de goût dépend par contre de l’insertion spatio-temporelle (intertextuelle et interculturelle) de l’objet pris en considération. Dans cet article j’ai également analysé les notions d’aura (Benjamin), de patine, outre celles d’autographie et d’allographie par rapport aux arts architectural et pictural. [less ▲]

Reproduction artificielle réussie de Labeo bicolor et de Labeo frenatus.

in Revue Française d'Aquariologie (1988), 15(2), 39-41

Reproduction chez nos poissons.

Book published by Nelles imprimeries Havaux - Fédération sportive des Pêcheurs Francophones (1996)

La reproduction des poissons de nos rivières : commentaire de film

Article for general public (1996)

Reproduction et régénération naturelle de l'iroko, Milicia excelsa (Welw.) C. C. Berg, au sud-est du Cameroun

Poster (2010, March)

Reproduction in the endangered African wild dog: basic physiology, reproductive suppression and possible benefits of artificial insemination

in Animal Reproduction Science (2012), 133