Local experience of laboratory activities in a BS physical therapy course: integrating sEMG and kinematics technology with active learning across six cohorts.

Introduction: Integrating technology and active learning methods into Laboratory activities would be a transformative educational experience to familiarize physical therapy (PT) students with STEM backgrounds and STEM-based new technologies. However, PT students struggle with technology and feel comfortable memorizing under expositive lectures. Thus, we described the difficulties, uncertainties, and advances observed by faculties on students and the perceptions about learning, satisfaction, and grades of students after implementing laboratory activities in a PT undergraduate course, which integrated surface-electromyography (sEMG) and kinematic technology combined with active learning methods. Methods: Six cohorts of PT students (n = 482) of a second-year PT course were included. The course had expositive lectures and seven laboratory activities. Students interpreted the evidence and addressed different motor control problems related to daily life movements. The difficulties, uncertainties, and advances observed by faculties on students, as well as the students' perceptions about learning, satisfaction with the course activities, and grades of students, were described. Results: The number of students indicating that the methodology was "always" or "almost always," promoting creative, analytical, or critical thinking was 70.5% [61.0-88.0%]. Satisfaction with the whole course was 97.0% [93.0-98.0%]. Laboratory grades were linearly associated to course grades with a regression coefficient of 0.53 and 0.43 R-squared (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Integrating sEMG and kinematics technology with active learning into laboratory activities enhances students' engagement and understanding of human movement. This approach holds promises to improve teaching-learning processes, which were observed consistently across the cohorts of students.

Alterations in skeletal muscle morphology and mechanics in juvenile male Sprague Dawley rats exposed to a high-fat high-sucrose diet.

Although once a health concern largely considered in adults, the obesity epidemic is now prevalent in pediatric populations. While detrimental effects on skeletal muscle function have been seen in adulthood, the effects of obesity on skeletal muscle function in childhood is not clearly understood. The purpose of this study was to determine if the consumption of a high-fat high-sucrose (HFS) diet, starting in the post-weaning period, leads to changes in skeletal muscle morphology and mechanics after 14 weeks on the HFS diet. Eighteen 3-week-old male CD-Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned to a HFS (C-HFS, n = 10) or standard chow diet (C-CHOW, n = 8). Outcome measures included: weekly energy intake, activity levels, oxygen consumption, body mass, body composition, metabolic profile, serum protein levels, and medial gastrocnemius gene expression, morphology, and mechanics. The main findings from this study were that C-HFS rats: (1) had a greater body mass and percent body fat than control rats; (2) showed early signs of metabolic syndrome; (3) demonstrated potential impairment in muscle remodeling; (4) produced lower relative muscle force; and (5) had a shift in the force-length relationship, indicating that the medial gastrocnemius had shorter muscle fiber lengths compared to those of C-CHOW rats. Based on the results of this study, we conclude that exposure to a HFS diet led to increased body mass, body fat percentage, and early signs of metabolic syndrome, resulting in functional deficits in MG of childhood rats.

Muscle Activity and Aerodynamic Voice Changes at Different Body Postures: A Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVE: Body posture is a commonly discussed component of voice training and therapy. However, body postures, postural changes, related posturing muscle monitoring, and the potential changes in voice production (eg, glottal aerodynamic changes, acoustic differences) have been inconsistently described in the literature, leaving room for free interpretation and possible misunderstandings. The primary purpose of this pilot study was to compare the magnitude of electromyographical activation of muscles involved in phonation-breathing functions and their changes due to four standardized body postures in experienced singers. Secondly, to identify which body posture produces greater changes in aerodynamic parameters, vocal pitch, and loudness. METHODS: Eight healthy adults with experience in singing voice performed a vocal task during different body postures commonly used in both voice training and therapy. A 3D-capture system was used to control and quantify the alignment of each posture. During the performances, surface electromyography (sEMG) was used to measure the muscular activity involved in the breathing/phonation and posture processes. A nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the sEMG activity of phonatory muscles and aerodynamic voice variables between postures. RESULTS: Our study did not reveal significant differences in sEMG activity, aerodynamic parameters, vocal pitch, and loudness among body postures during vocal task productions. However, the vocal pitch (in semitones) revealed significant differences in the unstable surface when compared to the upright posture, modified upright, and leaning postures. CONCLUSION: The body postures selected did not generate voice aerodynamic modifications of the voice nor in the levels of activation of muscles involved in the phonation-breathing process in individuals with experience in singing voice. Modifications of body posture as a tool for voice therapy should be further investigated, considering the population with voice problems and no voice training experience.

Percepción de los estudiantes de kinesiología sobre la incorporación de la metodología b-learning y uso de dispositivos móviles en el curso de análisis del movimiento / Kinesiology students' perception of the incorporation of the b-learning methodology and the use of mobile devices in the course of movement analysis

Introducción: el aumento del número de estudiantes en carreras de la salud hace necesario incluir nuevas metodologías de enseñanza-aprendizaje. La literatura avala el uso de las tecnologías de la información y comunicación (TICs) y el b-learning como recursos para abordar esta problemática. El propósito fue evaluar la percepción de los estudiantes universitarios de la carrera de kinesiología sobre la incorporación de TICs y b-learning en el curso Análisis del Movimiento. Material y Método: se aplicó un cuestionario a 94 estudiantes. Se determinó evidencia de validez de constructo a través de análisis confirmatorio de factores y confiabilidad mediante Alpha de Cronbach. Se estimó la mediana (Q1-Q3) de cada dimensión, determinando posibles diferencias mediante la prueba de Kruskal-Wallis. Resultados: se definió una encuesta con 5 dimensiones y 27 ítems. Los enunciados cargaron en las 5 dimensiones. El coeficiente de Alpha de Cronbach fue de α=0,83. Los resultados según la Mediana (Q1-Q3) por dimensión fueron: Percepción General de la Metodología 4,83 (4,67-5), Percepción de los materiales utilizados 4,75 (4,5-5), Percepción del Autoaprendizaje 4,09 (3,82-4,27), Interacción con los docentes y compañeros 4,75 (4,25-5), Evaluación 5 (4,67-5) y la nota global fue de 6 (6-7). Discusión: el cuestionario posee adecuada evidencia de validez y confiabilidad, hubo diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre dimensiones, especialmente en Percepción del Autoaprendizaje. Los estudiantes valoran positivamente la organización en los procesos de innovación en metodologías de enseñanza y evaluación, el uso de sistemas digitales como facilitadores de su aprendizaje y la oportunidad de aprendizaje autónomo.(AU)

Introduction: physiotherapy has systematically increased its students, being necessary to include new teaching and learning methodologies. The literature supports the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) and b-learning as resources to address this problem. The aim was to evaluate the perception of Physiotherapy students about the incorporation of ICTs and b-learning in the course of Movement Analysis. Methods: experts designed an instrument that applied to 94 students. The construct validity determined through a factor confirmatory analysis and reliability by Cronbach's Alpha. The median (Q1-Q3) of each dimension was estimated, determining the existence of possible differences through the Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: a survey with five categories and 27 items was defined and loaded in the five dimensions. The coefficient of Cronbach's alpha was α = 0.83. The results according to the Median (Q1-Q3) for the measure were: General Perception of the Methodology 4.83 (4.67-5), Perception of the materials used 4.75 (4.5-5), Perception of Self-Learning 4.09 (3.82-4.27), Interaction with teachers and classmates 4.75 (4.25-5), Evaluation 5 (4.67-5) and overall score was 6 (6-7). Discussion: the questionnaire has validity and reliability, statistical differences between measures were found, especially in the Perception of Self-Learning. The students valued positively the organization in the processes of innovation in teaching and evaluation methodologies, the use of digital systems as facilitators of their learning and the opportunity for autonomous learning.(AU)