Background: Static hamstring stretching exercises have been widely used to improve flexibility of the hamstring muscles. However, few studies have examined the influence of standing static hamstring stretching (e.g., jack-knife stretching) on movements of the lumbopelvic–hip complex. Objectives: To examine the short-term effects of jack-knife stretching on movements of the lumbopelvic–hip complex. Design: Case series. Methods: Fourteen participants with hamstring tightness (8 male, 6 female) were recruited. Participants performed jack-knife stretching for 150 s. Before and after stretching, participants performed the finger-to-floor distance (FFD), sit and reach (SRT), active knee extension (AKE), passive straight leg raising (PSLA), and active straight leg raising (ASLR) tests as well as pelvic tilt while standing to identify the effects of stretching. Results: There were significant improvements in the FFD, SRT, AKE, PSLA, and ASLR tests after stretching. However, pelvic tilt angle while standing did not significantly change. Conclusion: Jack-knife stretching can be a useful exercise to improve flexibility of the hamstring muscles, but not pelvic alignment while standing.

Background: Shoulder horizontal adduction (HA) is performed in many activities of daily living. The limited range of motion (LROM) of HA is affected by the tightness of the posterior deltoid, infraspinatus, teres major, and posterior capsule of glenohumeral joint. The LROM of shoulder HA contributes to excessive scapular abduction. Objects: The aim of this study is to compare the scapular abduction distance and three-dimensional displacement of the scapula during shoulder horizontal adduction between subjects with and without the LROM of shoulder HA. Methods: 24 subjects (12 people in LROM group and 12 people in normal ROM group) participated. Subjects with less than 115° of HA ROM were included in LROM group. Shoulder HA was performed 3 times for measuring scapular abduction distance and three-dimensional displacement of the scapula. Tape measure was used for measuring scapular abduction distance. Scapular abduction distance was normalized by dividing the scapular size. Polhemus Liberty was used for measuring the three-dimensional displacement of the scapula. Results: Normalized scapular abduction distance was significantly greater in LROM group than normal ROM group (p<.001). Three-dimensional displacement of the scapula during shoulder HA was greater in LROM group than normal ROM group (p<.05). Conclusion: LROM group had a greater scapular abduction and three-dimensional displacement of the scapula during shoulder HA compared to normal ROM group.

Male factor infertility or sub-fertility contributed half of all cases of infertility while the semen abnormality is the current topic of argument. Conventional analysis of semen showed poor correlation with fertility. Therefore, evaluation of current semen analysis method is necessary to improve standards of semen assessment. The goal of this study was to investigate that correlation between motion kinematic before and after capacitation and litter size in porcine. Sperm motility and kinematics were measure by computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA). The motility of spermatozoa was positively correlated with curvilinear velocity (VCL), average path velocity (VAP), and mean amplitude of head lateral displacement (ALH) (p<0.05). Where as VCL positively correlated with VSL, VAP and ALH (p<0.01). Straight-line velocity (VSL) was positively correlated with VAP and ALH (p<0.01). VAP was significantly positively correlated with ALH (p<0.01). Also, we found significant positive correlation among variation of VSL, VAP and ALH (p<0.05). No motility and kinematic parameter are correlated with litter size. However, litter size was significantly correlated with breed (p<0.05). Our results suggested that analysis of sperm motility and kinematics using CASA is questionable for prediction of litter size. However, it has some practical importance to evaluate semen commercially.

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of various discontinuous Percoll washing conditions on motile sperm recovery rate and motion kinematics. Frozen semen samples from 3 bulls (0.5 ml plastic straws, 6% glycerol in egg yolk-Tris-glycerol extender) were thawed in 37℃ water bath for 1 min. After thawing, the mixed semen samples were randomly allocated to 12 treatment groups. Briefly, the spermatozoa were centrifuged for three different time lengths (10, 20, and 30 min) at two gravities (300×g and 700×g) through two concentrations of discontinuous Percoll density gradient of 1 ml 90%: 1 ml 45% Percoll and 2 ml 90%: 2 ml 45% Percoll to remove extender, debris, and dead spermatozoa. Motile sperm recovery rate and motion kinematics were evaluated by computer assisted sperm analyzer using Makler counting chamber. Sperm motility (%) and motile sperm recovery rate showed similar pattern in all treatment groups. However, sperm motility (%) and motile sperm recovery rate were highest at 700×g for 30 min through a discontionous Percoll density gradient of 1 ml 90%: 1 ml 45% Percoll. There were no significant differences in motion kinematics after various Percoll washings. These results suggest that force of centrifugation, centrifugation time, and Percoll volume significantly affect motile sperm recovery rate.

Endocrine disruptors bind to hormone receptors on sperm membrane, therefore spermatozoa are potentially a useful model for examining estrogenic activities of endocrine disruptors. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of two xenoestrogenic compounds [genistein (Gen) and 4-tert-octylphenol (OP)] to those of two steroids [estrogen (E2) and progesterone (P4)] on boar sperm % motility and motion kinematics of in vitro. Porcine spermatozoa were incubated with various concentrations (0.001～100 μM) of each chemical for 15 or 30 min, and then assessed % motility and sperm motion kinematics using computer assisted sperm analyzer (CASA). Each chemical decreased sperm % motility, and OP decreased VSL and VAP compared with untreated control(p<0.05). E2 stimulated the motion kinematic changes except VCL. Moreover, Gen had effects on VCL and VAP alterations after 30 min incubation. In summary, since all chemicals studied effectively altered sperm % motility and motion kinematics, it was concluded that porcine spermatozoa could be a useful model for in vitro screening of potential endocrine disruptors.

This paper presents a method to optimize motion planning for industrial manipulators with redundancy. For optimal motion planning, first of all, particular inverse kinematic solution is needed to improve efficiency for manipulators with redundancy working in various environments. In this paper, we propose three kinds of methods for solving inverse kinematics problems; numerical and combined approach. Also, we introduce methods for optimal motion planning using potential function considering the order of priority. For efficient movement in industrial settings, this paper presents methods to plan motions by considering colliding obstacles, joint limits, and interference between whole arms. To confirm improved performance of robot applying the proposed algorithms, we use two kinds of robots with redundancy. One is a single arm robot with 7DOF and another is a dual arm robot with 15DOF which consists of left arm, right arm with each 7DOF, and a torso part with 1DOF. The proposed algorithms are verified through several numerical examples as well as by real implementation in robot controllers.