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The failure to develop analgesic drugs is attributed not only to the complex and diverse pathophysiology of pain in humans but also to the poor experimental design and poor preclinical assessment of pain. Although considerable efforts have been devoted to overcoming the relevant problems, many features of the behavioral pain assessment remain to be characterized. For example, a decreased locomotor activity as a common presentation of pain-like behavior has yet to be described. Studies on mice experimentally induced with carrageenan have provided opportunities to explore pain-related behaviors in automated home-cage monitoring. Through this approach, the locomotor activities of mice with carrageenan-induced inflammatory pain can be precisely and objectively captured. Here, we found that the mobile behaviors of mice reduced, and their immobility increased, indicating that carrageenan induction in mice caused a significant decrease in locomotor activity. These non-reflexive pain behaviors were strongly correlated with the reflexive pain behaviors measured via von Frey and plantar tests. Furthermore, the pharmacological intervention using indomethacin improved the locomotor activity of mice with carrageenan-induced pain. Thus, the analysis of the locomotor activity in automated home-cage monitoring is useful for studying the behavioral analgesia and the pharmacological screening of analgesic drugs. The combined evaluation of reflexive and non-reflexive pain behaviors enhances the translational utility of preclinical pain research in rodents.

The sequence pattern mining method aims to identify frequent sequences that exceed a user-specified support threshold. The present study uses the same approach based on sequential standards to estimate the heat stress of broilers from a resulting behavioural pattern. Experimental data were recorded in a climate chamber where the behaviour of broilers was recorded under thermoneutral (comfort) conditions, set as standard, and when exposed to thermal stress (cold and heat). The Generalised Sequential Patterns (GSP) algorithm was used to evaluate the heat stress of broilers in the third and fourth week of growth. The results indicated that the mining of pattern sequences is a useful and straightforward technique to estimate the welfare of broiler chickens, allowing the identification of temporal relations between thermal stress and the consequent behaviour of the broiler. Temperature 8 °C below the standard thermoneutral conditions showed that the broiler remained lying down most of the time, walking only to the drinker and feeder trough. Broilers exposed to temperatures 8 °C above the standard thermoneutral conditions () tend to decrease locomotor activities, showing lower welfare status.

Aim: The study was designed to investigate antioxidant, survivability, fecundity, and locomotor activity of Moringa oleifera leaf (MOL) extract in Drosophila melanogaster. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted at the Africa Centre of Excellence in phytomedicine Research and Development (ACEPRD), University of Jos, Nigeria, in August 2019 - March 2020. In the first place, in vitro analysis of the antioxidant activity of extracts of M. oleifera in various solvents (Aqueous, Methanol-Aqueous co-solvent (80 % v/v) and n-Hexane) were evaluated using DPPH (1,1-Diphenyl-2-Picrylhydrazyl) assay. Based on the in vitro result, the methanol extract with the best free radical scavenging activity was used in graded doses for conducting the in vivo studies, and the observations were recorded. Distilled water (1000 µL) was used alone in 10 g fly food (as negative control) or as a solvent to dissolve MOL extract or ascorbic acid (positive control) separately before mixing with the fly food. Statistical significance was taken at P2000 mg. Supplementation with MEMOL non-significantly (P>0.05) improved movement, significantly (P0.05) decreased, while malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration decreased significantly (P

Background: The aging process can increase the incidence of neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia. Dementia is characterized by a gradual loss of cognitive performance for locomotor activity in exploring new environments. Research on dementia in mice was carried out by administering d-galactose to induce mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis of neurons.Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine differences in locomotor activity in rats induced by oral d-galactose and intraperitoneal injection.Methods: An experimental study with a posttest control group design. The subjects were male Wistar rats aged 12-14 weeks with weighing 200-300gram obtained from the Animal Laboratory of the Pharmacology Unit of the Faculty of Medicine, Udayana University. The study was conducted for 8 weeks, from June to August 2019. A total of 20 rats induced d-galactose dose of 100 mg/kg/day orally and intraperitoneal injection. The use of animals was carried out after obtaining ethical clearance from the ethical committee of the Faculty of Medicine, Udayana University. Y maze test is conducted for 5 minutes at the end of week 8.Results: There was a decrease in locomotor activity in both groups. The average locomotor activity in the oral group was 6.5+0.268, and the injection group was 5.5+0.341. Bivariate analysis with unpaired t-test showed significant differences in locomotor activity between groups given oral d-galactose compared to the intraperitoneal injection group with p=0.034 (Conclusion: Alzheimer's dementia induced d-galactose mice to have a different locomotor activity after administration by oral or intraperitoneal injection of d-galactose. This study supports the results of previous studies that the administration of d-galactose can cause impaired locomotor activity.

Social environments are known to influence behavior. Moreover, within small social groups, dominant/subordinate relationships frequently emerge. Dominants can display aggressive behaviors towards subordinates and sustain priority access to resources. Herein, Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) were used, given that they establish hierarchies through frequent aggressive interactions. We apply a combination of different mathematical tools to provide a precise quantification of the effect of social environments and the consequence of dominance at an individual level on the temporal dynamics of behavior. Main results show that subordinates performed locomotion dynamics with stronger long-range positive correlations in comparison to birds that receive few or no aggressions from conspecifics (more random dynamics). Dominant birds and their subordinates also showed a high level of synchronization in the locomotor pattern, likely emerging from the lack of environmental opportunities to engage in independent behavior. Findings suggest that dominance can potentially modulate behavioral dynamics through synchronization of locomotor activities., Rocio S. Alcala, J. Martin Caliva et al. quantify and model the effect of social environments and individual dominance on temporal dynamics of behaviour in the Japanese quail. They show that dominance can decrease behavioural complexity due to higher levels of synchronization in locomotion.

Aloe vera (AV) has been used in folk medicine for thousands of years, which has led researchers to study its various health benefits. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of AV extract on the motor and exploratory activities in normal healthy rats. The open-field test (OFT) was used to provide a quantitative measurement of the animal motor and exploratory activities. The rats were weighed and randomly divided into three groups (six rats in each) identified as: control group (rats received distilled water (DW)), AV 10% group (rats received AV extract 10%), and AV 20% group (rats received AV extract 20%). All rats were administered DW or AV extracts by oral gavage once daily for 2 weeks at constant doses (2 ml/100 g body weight) among groups. The OFT was performed immediately after 2 weeks using LE8811 Actimeter PanLAB device. The results showed that oral consumption 10% and 20% of AV extract slightly reduced rats' global & locomotor activities, stereotyped movements, distance traveled, and time spent in the fast movements in the OFT. Interestingly, oral consumption 10% and 20% of AV extract completely abolished central rats' rearing activity (exploration) and slightly increased resting time. Additionally, oral consumption of 10% and 20% of AV extract markedly reduced central permanence time and number of entries to center of the arena. However, only oral consumption of 10% AV extract markedly reduced latency to first entry to center of the arena. Under our experimental conditions, these findings lead to the conclusion that AV extract possesses mild sedative and anxiolytic activities in concentration-dependent manner. Further studies are needed to assess these findings using different doses/concentrations of AV extract and other behavioral tests in rats.

Broiler productivity is dependent on a range of variables, among them, the rearing environment is a significant factor for proper well-being and productivity. Behavior indicates the bird’s initial response to an adverse environment and is capable of providing an indicator of well-being in real-time. The present study aims to identify and characterize the sequential pattern of broilers’ behavior when exposed to thermoneutral conditions (TNZ) and thermal stress (HS) by constant heat. The research was carried out in a climatic chamber with 18 broilers under thermoneutral conditions and heat stress for three consecutive days (at three different ages). The behavior database was first analyzed using one-way ANOVA, Tukey test by age, and Boxplot graphs, and then the sequence of the behaviors was evaluated using the generalized sequential pattern (GSP) algorithm. We were able to predict behavioral patterns at the different temperatures assessed from the behavioral sequences. Birds in HS were prostrate, identified by the shorter behavioral sequence, such as the {Lying down, Eating} pattern, unlike TNZ ({Lying down, Walking, Drinking, Walking, Lying down}), which indicates a tendency to increase behaviors (feeding and locomotor activities) that guarantee the better welfare of the birds. The sequence of behaviors ‘Lying down’ followed by ‘Lying laterally’ occurred only in HS, which represents a stressful thermal environment for the bird. Using the pattern mining sequences approach, we were able to identify temporal relationships between thermal stress and broiler behavior, confirming the need for further studies on the use of temporal behavior sequences in environmental controllers.

Corticospinal excitability and particularly the balance between cortical inhibitory and excitatory processes (assessed in a muscle using transcranial magnetic stimulation), are affected by neurodegenerative pathologies or following a stroke. Non-fatiguing conventional locomotor exercise, such as cycling or walking, decreases intracortical inhibition and/or increases intracortical facilitation. These modifications notably seem to be a consequence of neurotrophic factors (e.g., brain-derived neurotrophic factors) resulting from hemodynamic solicitation. Furthermore, it can be inferred from non-invasive brain and peripheral stimulation studies that repeated activation of neural networks can endogenously shape neuroplasticity. Such mechanisms could also occur following eccentric exercises (i.e., active lengthening of the muscle), during which motor-related cortical potential is of greater magnitude and lasts longer (assessed by electroencephalography) than during concentric exercises (i.e., muscle shortening). As single-joint eccentric exercise decreased short- and long-interval intracortical inhibition and increased intracortical facilitation (assessed by paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation immediately after), locomotor eccentric exercise may be even more potent by adding hemodynamic-related neuroplastic processes to endogenous processes. Besides, eccentric exercise is especially useful to develop relatively high force levels at low cardiorespiratory and perceived intensity, which can be a training goal in addition to inducing neuroplastic changes. Further studies are required to understand how neuroplasticity is 1) acutely influenced by locomotor exercise characteristics (e.g., intensity, duration), 2) modulated by an exercise-based rehabilitation program, 3) related to functional cognitive and motor outcomes relevant to pathological population.

Maternal separation (MS) plays a central role in developing physiology and psychology during the individual ontogeny process. MS is used to research the neurobiological mechanisms of mental disorders and early life stress. In this study, we investigated the effects of repeated MS and early handling (EH) on locomotor activity in an open-field test, a light–dark box test and an elevated plus-maze test of adolescent rats. The results showed that MS reduced locomotor activities in the open-field test, and increased anxiety-like behaviours in the light–dark box test and the elevated plus-maze test in adolescent rats. These tests indicated that early life stress caused by MS might induce anxiety-like behaviours during adolescence. However, compared with the control group, both the MS and EH groups showed conflicting anxiety levels. The results also suggested that females were more prone to showing anxiety-like behaviour compared with males when suffering from high-intensity stimulation. However, because of the low anxiety level associated with EH, the sex difference in behaviour was not significant. The present study provides novel insights into the effects of MS and EH on behaviour, which shows unique anxiety levels different in adolescent male and female rats.

This study examined the effects of two types of physical activities on stereotypic behaviors (SBs) and task engagement of young children with autism spectrum disorder. Locomotor activities and object manipulation activities were applied to three preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder. A multi-element design with a three-component test sequence (Morrison et al. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 44, 523–541, 2011) was used to identify changes in SBs and task engagement in the following three consecutive 5-min phases: pre-physical activity (pre-PA), physical activity (PA), and post-physical activity (post-PA). For the locomotor activity condition, all participants engaged in less SBs in post-PA compared to pre-PA, while increased SBs were observed in post-PA compared to pre-PA for the object manipulation activity condition. Positive effects of locomotor activities on task engagement were found, but the effects were clear to only one of the three participants.

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) early-life stage behavior has the potential for high-throughput screening of neurotoxic environmental contaminants. However, zebrafish embryo and larval behavioral assessments typically utilize linear analyses of mean activity that may not capture the complexity of the behavioral response. Here we tested the hypothesis that nonlinear mixed-modelling of zebrafish embryo and larval behavior provides a better assessment of the impact of chemicals and their mixtures. We demonstrate that zebrafish embryo photomotor responses (PMRs) and larval light/dark locomotor activities can be fit by asymmetric Lorentzian and Ricker-beta functions, respectively, which estimate the magnitude of activity (e.g., maximum and total activities) and temporal aspects (e.g., duration of the responses and its excitatory periods) characterizing early life-stage zebrafish behavior. We exposed zebrafish embryos and larvae to neuroactive chemicals, including isoproterenol, serotonin, and ethanol, as well as their mixtures, to assess the feasibility of using the nonlinear mixed-modelling to assess behavioral modulation. Exposure to chemicals led to distinct effects on specific behavioral characteristics, and interactive effects on temporal characteristics of the behavioral response that were overlooked by the linear analyses of mean activity. Overall, nonlinear mixed-modelling is a more comprehensive approach for screening the impact of chemicals and chemical mixtures on zebrafish behavior.

Different physical or chemical agents, such as noise or alcohol, can induce diverse behavioral and biochemical alterations. Considering the high probability of young people to undergo consecutive or simultaneous exposures, the aim of the present work was to investigate in an animal model if noise exposure at early adolescence could induce hippocampal-related behavioral changes that might be modified after alcohol intake. Male Wistar rats (28-days-old) were exposed to noise (95–97 dB, 2 h). Afterwards, animals were allowed to voluntarily drink alcohol (10% ethanol in tap water) for three consecutive days, using the two-bottle free choice paradigm. After that, hippocampal-related memory and anxiety-like behavior tests were performed. Results show that whereas noise-exposed rats presented deficits in habituation memory, those who drank alcohol exhibited impairments in associative memory and anxiety-like behaviors. In contrast, exposure to noise followed by alcohol intake showed increases in exploratory and locomotor activities as well as in anxiety-like behaviors, unlike what was observed using each agent separately. Finally, lower levels of alcohol intake were measured in these animals when compared with those that drank alcohol and were not exposed to noise. Present findings demonstrate that exposure to physical and chemical challenges during early adolescence might induce behavioral alterations that could differ depending on the schedule used, suggesting a high vulnerability of rat developing brain to these socially relevant agents. Fil: Miceli, M.. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina; Argentina Fil: Molina, Sonia Jazmín. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos; Argentina Fil: Forcada, A.. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina; Argentina Fil: Acosta, Gabriela Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas; Argentina Fil: Guelman, Laura Ruth. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos; Argentina

Kai-xin-san (KXS) is a famous Chinese medicinal formula applied for treating stress-related psychiatric diseases with the symptoms such as depression, forgetfulness and dizziness. In clinic, the composition ratio of KXS is always varied and KXS series formulae are created. Here, we aim to compare the anti-depressive effect of different ratios of KXS and reveal its action mechanism on regulation of neurotrophic factor system. Firstly, daily intra-gastric administration of chemically standardized extracts of KXS series formulae for seven days significantly alleviated the depressive symptoms of chronic unpredictable mild stressed mice displayed by enhanced sucrose consumptions and decreased immobile time of forced swimming coupled with increased locomotor activities. KXS might fulfill this effect by up-regulating the expressions of NGF, BDNF and Trk receptors in hippocampus, which were confirmed by the treatment of corresponding blockers tPA-stop and K252a. The ratio with higher amounts of Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma and Polygalae Radix exerted most profound effect on anti-depression and regulation enzymes in metabolic pathway of neurotrophic factors. These findings suggested that KXS was beneficial for enhancing supplies, up-regulating receptors, and restoring the dysfunction of metabolic pathway of neurotrophic factors, which might account for its anti-depression effect.

Zamzam water is well documented for plenty of medicinal value for curing illness. In the present study, the effects of perinatal consumption of Zamzam and normal drinking water by the pregnant mice on their offspring’s physical parameters, early sensory motor reflexes, locomotor activities, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in the homogenize brain tissue and blood parameters were compared. To achieve that; Zamzam water was given to female Swiss-Webster strain mice as the only source of drinking fluid and the control animals were administered plain tap water. Treatment started from the first day of pregnancy and continued until the postnatal day fifteen of delivery. All offspring were subjected to various tests. The rate of body weight gain remained relatively unaffected until the second week of weaning period, however; in the last week the offspring exposed to Zamzam water gained significant body weight as compared to their control offspring. Furthermore, the opening of eyes and appearance of body hairs in Zamzam exposed pups remained unaffected as compared to the controls. The sensory motor reflexes in Zamzam exposed pups after birth and during the first two weeks of weaning period were significantly increased. Locomotor Activity Test performed in the male and female offspring after weaning period showed a significant decrease in the male and increase in the female on most of the elements of this test due to Zamzam exposure. AChE activity in the homogenized brain tissue and blood parameters were unaffected as compared to the controls, the present Zamzam effects in the offspring are possibly via in utero action and/or via mother’s milk.

OBJECTIVE Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease for which there is no known cure. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a surgical treatment effective in reducing motor symptoms for PD patients. Previous work implicates DBS may directly influence motor cortex through stochastic antidromic spikes originating from the site of stimulation. Here we tested the hypothesis that direct randomized cortical stimulation is therapeutically effective in PD animal models. APPROACH As a proof-of-principle study, we utilized a multi-channel stimulating system to mimic the effects of stochastic antidromic activation on the motor cortex of rat, by delivering microcurrents randomized temporally and spatially, and assessed the efficacy in ameliorating motor symptoms in a rat PD model. MAIN RESULTS We found that different combinations of frequency, amplitude and pulse width of randomized electrical currents delivered to the motor cortex exerted different effects on Parkinsonian rats. Among these, some stimulus patterns, defined by specific ranges of pulse width and stimulation frequencies, were able to produce transient beneficial effect on locomotive ability assessed by open-field locomotor activities. These results indicate that, in principle, cortical stimulation could achieve therapeutic outcome in PD. SIGNIFICANCE Direct cortical simulation based on a randomized protocol could be a less invasive approach than standard DBS in treating Parkinsonism. More refined mode of stimulation to achieve long-lasting and more robust effect should be explored.

The tendons unite and transmit the strength of the muscles to the bones, allowing movement dexterity, the distribution of the strength of the limbs to the digits, and an improved muscle performance for a wide range of locomotor activities. Tissue differentiation and maturation of the structures involved in locomotion are completed during the juvenile stage; however, few studies have investigated the ontogenetic variation of the musculoskeletal-tendinous system. We ask whether all those integrated tissues and limb structures growth synchronically between them and along with body length. We examined the ontogenetic variation in selected muscles, tendons and bones of the forelimbs in seventy-seven specimens belonging to seven anuran species of different clades and of three age categories, and investigate the relative growth of the forelimb musculoskeletal-tendinous structures throughout ontogeny. Ten muscles and nine tendons and their respective large bones (humerus and radioulna) were removed intact, and their length was measured and analyzed through a multivariate approach of allometry. We obtained an allometry coefficient, which indicates how the coefficient departures from isometry as well as allometric trends. Our data suggest that along with the post-metamorphic ontogeny, muscles tend to elongate proportionally to bone length, with a positive allometric trend. On the contrary, tendons show a negative allometric growth trend. Only two species show different patterns: Rhinella granulosa and Physalaemus biligonigerus, with an isometric and positive growth of muscles and bones, and most tendons being isometric. Fil: Soliz, Mónica Elizabeth. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Cátedra de Anatomia Comparada; Argentina Fil: Tulli, María José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo; Argentina Fil: Abdala, Virginia Sara Luz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical; Argentina

This study was designed to determine the locomotor, escaping capability and fatty acids (FAs) composition of muscle Scylla olivacea mud crabs at different water velocities. Male and female immature S. olivacea were cultured at 0, 20, 40 and 60 cm/sin a recirculating marine aquaculture system. Increase in flow velocity increased the mean locomotor activity and escaping capability of the crabs. Significant differences were observed between sexes for both activities in all velocities tested (p < 0.05). Male and female crabs reared at the lowest flow velocity (0 cm/s) exhibited a mean of 13 and 55 locomotion per 15 minutes tested, respectively. Meanwhile, in the highest flow velocity (60 cm/s), male and female crabs exhibited 61 and 70 locomotion’s per 15 minutes. A total of 3111 locomotion were recorded during the entire experiment. An increase in the water velocities increased the mean escaping capability of the crabs. A total of 32 crabs attempted to escape during the flow velocity tests (0 cm/s; n = 3, 20 cm/s; n = 9, 40 cm/s; n = 11, and 60 cm/s; n = 9). The locomotor of crabs increased gradually and peaked at 40 cm/s (seeking for shelter). By contrast ≥ 40 cm/s the locomotor of crab decreased (defensive mode). For FAs analysis, total fatty acids (TFAs) content was found highest at 20 cm/s compared to other velocities. This study clearly show that the locomotor activities, escaping capabilities and FAs composition of S. olivacea were affected by water velocities under laboratory conditions.

Background Ambulatory individuals with lower-limb amputation perform a variety of locomotor activities, but the step count distribution of these activities is unknown. Objective To describe a novel method for activity monitoring and to use it to count steps taken while walking straight ahead on level ground, turning right and left, up and down stairs, and up and down ramps. Study design This is an observational study. Methods A portable instrument to record leg motion was placed on or inside the prosthetic pylon of 10 individuals with unilateral transtibial amputations. Participants first walked a defined course in a hospital environment to train and validate a machine learning algorithm for classifying locomotor activity. Participants were then free to pursue their usual activities while data were continuously collected over 1-2 d. Results Overall classification accuracy was 97.5% ± 1.5%. When participants were free to walk about their home, work, and community environments, 82.8% of all steps were in a straight line, 9.0% were turning steps, 4.8% were steps on stairs, and 3.6% were steps on ramps. Conclusion A novel activity monitoring method accurately classified the locomotion activities of individuals with lower-limb amputation. Nearly 1 in 5 of all steps taken involved turning or walking on stairs and ramps.

There are safety concerns as regards the consumption of Calabash chalk which is common practice in some localities in Africa and Asia. Calabash chalk contains lead (Pb) and arsenic which are believed to be harmful to the brain and responsible for cognitive dysfunction. It is possible that calabash chalk consumption may affect other neuronal activities in the body such as locomotion and social behaviour. Hence, this present research study investigated the effects of consumption of this diet on locomotion and social behaviour in mice. Forty-five Swiss white mice of mixed sex were randomly assigned into 3 groups of 15 mice each. Group 1 served as control, while groups 2 and 3 received low and high doses of calabash chalk diets respectively. Feeding lasted for 30 days and thereafter their locomotor and social behaviors were assessed. Their locomotor behaviour was assessed using the open field maze while their social behaviour was studied with the aid of nesting behaviour test. Results showed that the calabash chalk diet-fed mice had significantly reduced (p < 0.05) line crossing frequency compared to control. The nesting score of the calabash chalk diet-fed mice was significantly lower (p < 0.05) compared to control. In conclusion, consumption of calabash chalk impairs locomotion and social behaviour in mice.

Objectives The principle aim of the current study was to examine within-match patterns of locomotor efficiency in professional soccer, determined as the ratio between tri-axial accelerometer data (PlayerLoad™) and locomotor activities. Between match variability and determinants of PlayerLoad™ during match play were also assessed. Design A single cohort, observational study. Methods Tri-axial accelerometer data (PlayerLoad™) was recorded during 86 competitive soccer matches in 63 English championship players (574 match observations). Accelerometer data accumulated (PlayerLoad Vector Magnitude [PL VM ]) from the individual-component planes of PlayerLoad™ (anterior–posterior PlayerLoad™ [PL AP ], medial–lateral PlayerLoad™ [PL ML ] and vertical PlayerLoad™ [PL V ]), together with locomotor activity (Total Distance Covered [TDC]) were determined in 15-min segments. Locomotor efficiency was calculated using the ratio of PL VM and TDC (PlayerLoad™ per metre). The proportion of variance explaining the within-match trends in PL VM , PL AP , AP ML , AP v , and TDC was determined owing to matches, individual players, and positional role. Results PL VM , PL AP , AP ML , AP v and TDC reduced after the initial 15-min match period ( p = 0.001; η 2 = 0.22–0.43, large effects). PL:TDC increased in the last 15 min of each half ( p = 0.001; η 2 = 0.25, large effect). The variance in PL VM during soccer match-play was explained by individual players (63.9%; p = 0.001) and between-match variation (21.6%; p = 0.001), but not positional role (14.1%; p = 0.364). Conclusions Locomotor efficiency is lower during the latter stages of each half of competitive soccer match-play, a trend synonymous with observations of increased injury incidence and fatigue in these periods. Locomotor efficiency may be a valuable metric to identify fatigue and heightened injury risk during soccer training and match-play.

1.To understand both proximate and ultimate factors shaping vocal communication, it is fundamental to obtain reliable information of participating individuals on different levels: Firstly, it is necessary to separate and assign the individuals’ vocalisations. Secondly, the precise timing of vocal events needs to be retained. Thirdly, vocal behaviour should be recorded from undisturbed animals in meaningful settings. A growing number of studies used animal-attached microphones to tackle these issues, but the implications for the study species and the research question often receded into the background. Here we aim to initiate a discussion about the limitations, possible applications and the broader potential of such methods. 2.Using lightweight wireless microphone backpacks (0.75 g including customised leg-loop harness) combined with multi-channel recording equipment we captured vocal behaviour of small songbirds. We evaluated the effect of the devices at various levels, including an assessment of how vocal and locomotor activities were affected by initial device attachment and battery exchange. We compared our approach to existing studies and identified suitable research examples. 3.We acquired continuous vocalisation recordings of zebra finches, and unequivocally assigned them to interacting individuals, with system-based synchrony, irrespective of background noise. We found effects of initial backpack attachment and of battery replacement on vocal and locomotor activity, but they were minimised through the extended recording duration (ca. 16 days) that outlasted habituation effects (ca. 3 days). 4.This method provides the tools to integrate individual vocal communications into a group setting, while enabling animals to behave freely in undisturbed, structured and acoustically complex environments. By minimising the effects on the animals, the behaviour under study, and ultimately on the research question, this approach will revolutionize the ability to capture individual-level vocalisations in a variety of communication contexts, opening up many new opportunities to address novel research questions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Plantar pressure refers to the interfacial contact pressure between the foot and the supporting surface during daily locomotor activities. Information derived from plantar pressure measures is essential in gait and posture research for diagnosing patho-mechanics associated with the musculoskeletal diseases. In particular, it is compulsory to reduce the abnormally high plantar pressure in people with diabetes for the prevention and treatment of foot ulcerations in this population. In this study, a portable biofeedback-based gait training device is developed to advocate able-bodied subjects to adopt different movement patterns in walking to manipulate the plantar pressure distribution under the foot. Through the simultaneous detection of the plantar pressure pattern and the kinematics of the lower extremity joints, it was revealed that the unloading effects for the plantar site in particular to the lateral forefoot subareas were more abundant through biofeedback-assisted gait alterations than the self-awareness control for gait adjustment. In addition, the corresponding relationship between joint coordination and pressure redistribution pattern was obtained, which could potentially be used in gait retraining interventions to correct abnormal plantar pressure patterns in people with diabetes.

The objectives of this study were to; quantify positional differences in the activity profiles of Gaelic football players and to evaluate decrements in physical performance during a pre-season competition. Global positioning system (GPS) data was recorded from 36 players from 3 teams across 5 games. The relative distance covered in locomotor activities, peak speed, relative PlayerLoad™ (PL.min -1 )and heart rate responses were evaluated between playing positions and across match periods using a mixed model analysis. The mean relative distance of 92.4 ± 23.3 m.min -1 covered,comprised 28.4 ± 10.2 m.min -1 of high intensity running (m.min -1 ≥4.0 m.s -1 ) and 9.9 ± 3.9 m.min -1 of very high intensity running (m.min -1 ≥5.5 m.s -1 ). High intensity running and relative PlayerLoad™ (PL.min -1 ) was significantly higher in half-backs, midfielders and half-forwards compared to the full-backs, whereas only the half-backs and half-forwards displayed significantly greater values compared to full-forwards. When compared to the first 15 min (P1) of the game, analysis of pooled positional data revealed significant declines in; overall relative distance covered, jogging (≥2.0 - < 4.0 m.s -1 ), running (≥4.0

The aim of this study was to investigate differences in the physical (locomotor activities) and physiological (Banister&rsquo, s training impulse) in-season training load between starters and substitutes in a well-trained junior soccer team. Physical performance variables from the Polar Team Pro system were collected and analyzed from a sample of junior soccer players (N = 18, age = 15.7 &plusmn, 0.5 years, stature, 177.9 &plusmn, 4.6 cm, body mass, 67.1 &plusmn, 5.5 kg). The study analyzed a total of 10 matches and 38 training sessions during the 2018 season with linear mixed models. The players from the starting line-ups demonstrated significantly higher average weekly physical load compared to the non-starters with respect to all variables: distance (total, running, high-speed running, and sprint) [F (1, 573) &ge, 66, p &lt, 0.001, eta = 0.10], number of accelerations and sprints [F (1, 573) &ge, 0.001, eta = 0.10], as well as Banister&rsquo, s training impulse (TRIMP) [F (1, 569) = 10, p &lt, 0.001, eta = 0.02]. Evidence from this study indicates that a large amount of weekly accumulated high-speed running and sprint distances is related to match playing time. Therefore, weekly fitness-related adaptations in running at high speeds seem to favor the starters in a soccer team.

Background The body fat reduction has been a major health goal of obese individuals throughout the world and identifying functional foods that can assist in alleviatingthe excess body fat has been the objective of various studies. Objective The current study was investigated to evaluate the anti-obesity profile of Butea monosperma (BM) flower extract on the high-fat diet (HFD) induced obese rats. Material & methods CD and AD diet was fed for 40 days to induce obesity in Female albino rats. Three different doses of BM flower extract (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg, per oral) were administered every day to the drug treatment groups. The observations were made for body weight measured at every 5 day interval, various organs and body fat pad weights, body temperature, locomotor activities along with total cholesterol, triglyceridesand glucose levels were analyzed on the 39th and 40th day. Result BM flower extract 400 mg/kg (high dose) treated rats showed a significant decrease in body weight, total cholesterol, triglycerides levels, and glucose levels with marked elevation in locomotor activities and body temperatures. Conclusion The findings suggests that the supplemented BM flower extract in the CD and AD have normalized the weight gain parameters and can be a future herbal candidate for reversing obese individual to normal.

Foot plantar pressure is the pressure field that acts between the foot and the support surface during every day locomotor activities. Information derived from pressure measures is important in gait and posture research for diagnosing lower limb problems, footwear design, sport biomechanics, injury prevention and other applications. In this work we present an instrumented insole for prevention of plantar perforating disease in diabetic patients. The system contains an insole pressure distribution sensor in critical point of high risk to prevent ulcers, and a temperature / humidity sensors. All sensors for both feet communicate wirelessly and in real time with a mobile application through Bluetooth.

Background: Behavioral changes in animals reflect functional changes in their central nervous system. Neuroactive drugs that act on different neural pathways can induce specific behavioral responses; therefore, it is possible to infer the activities of neuroactive drugs by studying the behavioral changes induced by drugs of interest in animals. Methods: In this study, AB strain zebrafish larvae at 7 days post fertilization (dpf) were treated with different concentrations of drugs that act on different neural pathways. Changes in the swimming distances of zebrafish larvae under different illumination conditions and the differences in locomotor activities between light and dark conditions (lighting motor index) were analyzed. Results: Among the drugs studied, different concentrations of sulpiride had no effect on larval locomotor activity either under light or dark conditions. Progressively decreased spontaneous movements were observed in zebrafish larvae treated with increasing doses of MK-801 and valproic acid. With increasing concentrations of pentylenetetrazole and yohimbine, the spontaneous movement of larval zebrafish presented a bell-shaped response. When the illumination changed from light to dark, zebrafish larvae not treated with drugs demonstrated increased locomotor activities. However, high levels of yohimbine, pentylenetetrazole decreased the degree of change in the lighting motor index. Conclusions: In conclusion, drugs that affect different neural pathways exert different influences on the locomotor activities of zebrafish larvae. This study presents an initial effort to establish a framework that correlates the drug activities and the behavioral responses of zebrafish larvae under drug treatments, which may provide a potential identification of the pathways of novel drugs with neurological activities through their behavioral influences.