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November 17, 2009 Congratulations to graduate student Gina Many - a winning poster at Bioscience Day
Gina Many, a masters student in the Department of Kinesiology (advisor: Dr. James Hagberg) won third prize in the poster competition in the 2009 Bioscience Research & Technology Day held at the University of Maryland, November 12th. Gina presented her research poster on: "Low Volume/Moderate-Intensity Aerobic Training Improves Insulin Action in Obese Minority Adolescent Females." Her co-authors included Maria-Eugenia Hurtado, Joseph A. Houmard, Charles J. Tanner, Jung-Jung Park, Christopher F. Spurney, and Eric P. Hoffman (from Children's National Medical Center, Washington DC). Congratulations, Gina. ABSTRACT: The most pronounced declines in physical activity occur in early adolescence and are thought to significantly contribute to adolescent-onset obesity and type 2 diabetes. Washington DC youth are among the heaviest in the nation and are at increased risk of obesity-related complications due the large proportion of minorities (Black, Latino) and the obesogenic environment. The magnitude of aerobic training-induced improvements on type 2 diabetes risk factors have never been studied in this high-risk minority population, warranting a need for interventional assessments. PURPOSE: To examine the effects of two-months of low-volume/moderate-intensity aerobic training on insulin action in previously sedentary and obese (BMI 40 ± 1.93 kg/m2) minority adolescent females residing in Washington DC. METHODS: Black (B) and Latino (L) adolescents at high risk for insulin resistance were recruited through the local community. Inclusion criteria consisted of non-diabetic insulin resistance (OGTT); sedentary behavior; BMI-for-age >95th percentile; non-smoker; no history of chronic illness known to affect glucose metabolism; not pregnant or lactating. Subjects completed two-months of supervised aerobic training (~180 min/wk at 40-55% VO2peakR to expend ~1200 kcal/wk) after a one-month training ramp-up. Aerobic fitness (VO2peak), body composition (DEXA) and insulin sensitivity (SI from a FSIVGTT) were assessed before and after exercise training. RESULTS: S I improved ~37% (1.00 ± 0.15 to 1.37 ± 0.26 µUl-1min-1, p<0.05) in response to training (n=7; 5B/2L). There were no significant changes (p>0.05) in fasting insulin (21.67 ± 4.20 vs. 21.59 ± 3.82 µU/ml), fasting glucose (81.8 ± 2.33 vs. 79.53 ± 2.49 mg/dl) and AIRg (2.18 ± 0.63 vs. 1.54 ± 0.29 mU/mM). Improvements in insulin action were observed despite non-significant changes in BMI (40.16 ± 1.93 to 39.51 ± 2.03 kg/m2, p>0.05) and minimal reductions in total body fat percentage (45.42 ± 1.17 to 44.12 ± 0.91, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Initiation of a low-volume/moderate-intensity aerobic training program improved insulin action in this group of obese and insulin-resistant Washington DC adolescent minority females. Our findings are of public health relevance as they demonstrate the ability of aerobic training to enhance insulin action in this very high-risk population.
November 14, 2009 Dr. Shim gives keynote lecture at Baltimore Life Scientists Association
Dr. Jae Kun Shim gave a keynote lecture at the 2009 Baltimore Life Scientists Association at Johns Hopkins Medical Institution. Dr. Shim's talk was entitled, "Motor Synergies: The coordinative interactions of multi-effectors in redundant motor systems." [Abstract: This presentation will discuss the issue of motor redundancy and motor synergy in multi- finger actions. Specifically, the studies that have revealed some principles that might be employed by the Central Nervous System (CNS) to solve motor redundancy in multi-finger pressing and prehension tasks will be discussed. These principles include the hierarchical control of multi-finger actions and the principle of superposition of mechanical variables. This presentation will also touch on the changes or adaptations in multi-finger synergies through the process of aging, training, and practice. Previous studies have shown that aging is associated with decrease in synergistic actions of fingers during multi-finger pressing and prehension. Additionally, adaptations of the multi-finger system to training and practice also occur. It has been also shown that the CNS uses synergistic actions of individual fingers and decoupled control of mechanical variables during static multi-finger actions. These evidences support a hierarchical control of multi-finger system and the principle of superposition, which will be discussed in details.] Read More >
November 14, 2009 Dr. Palla-Kane gives a lecture in Brazil
Dr. Ana Palla-Kane gave a workshop and lecture on "Physical Education for All: Strategies in the United States to include students with disabilities in physical education" at the annual meeting of the Adapted Physical Activity Program (E-PROEFA). The conference was held at Sao Paulo State University, Rio Claro, Brazil. Dr. Palla-Kane is interested in studying the impact of diversity in the delivery of quality physical education, and she has studied physical education teachers' perceptions and attitudes toward teaching students with disabilities and with culturally-diverse backgrounds.
November 13, 2009 Eric Anson presents at GAIT 2010
Kinesiology graduate student Eric Anson will present his poster presentation, "VISUAL FEEDBACK TO IMPROVE POSTURAL CONTROL DURING LOCOMOTION IN THE HEALTHY ELDERLY" at GAIT 2010. Abstract: Introduction Visual biofeedback for rehabilitation of balance is well studied, with varied results depending on the outcome variable measured. Use of visual feedback for balance control during locomotion has not been reported. We developed a visual feedback system that provides center of mass position feedback while walking on a treadmill. Preliminary results indicate that in healthy young adults, visual feedback leads to reduced power at low frequencies of body sway compared to no-visual feedback conditions, suggesting that visual feedback is useful for improved control of body sway during locomotion. We demonstrate here that the same effect is not consistently preserved in healthy older adults. Methods Unilateral kinematic data for 3 healthy older adults was collected during locomotion trials on a treadmill at their comfortable speed, determined as the average of the slowest and fastest speeds reported as comfortable by each subject. Each subject completed five repetitions of two conditions: feedback or no-feedback. Power spectral densities were computed to characterize movement at all frequencies of motion. Results Preliminary results indicate few differences in the spectral power when comparing the feedback and no feedback conditions. Conclusion Reduction of sway variance when visual position feedback is available does not appear to be as robust in older adults compared to young adults. Training to improve use of visual information during locomotion could be an avenue for rehabilitation for older adults and individuals with balance disorders.
November 3, 2009 Russell Rosenberg presents at GAIT 2010
Kinesiology student Russell Rosenberg will present his poster presentation, "Visual Feedback During Locomotion" at GAIT 2010. Abstract: Visual feedback has been shown to reduce body sway during quiet standing. It is not known whether visual feedback can reduce body sway during the more complex task of walking. Here we investigate different types of visual feedback while walking on a treadmill. Three healthy young adults walked on a treadmill at 5 km/hr in front of a 52" TV screen while their center of mass (CoM) was tracked with stereoscopic webcams and displayed in real time as a cursor overlayed on a target. Each subject completed 5 trials under 3 conditions: FB-Small (5 inch circular target), FB-Big (10 inch circular target), and NFB (no feedback). During FB trials, subjects were instructed to maintain the cursor on the center of the target. During NFB trials, subjects were told to maintain a consistent position on the treadmill. Power spectral densities were calculated to determine the effect of feedback on different frequencies of body sway. Preliminary results showed reduced variability of body position when FB is provided. The reduction in variability was most evident at low frequencies of body sway. Minor differences in variability were observed between large and small targets. Visual feedback clearly reduces body sway variability during locomotion, primarily at frequencies well below the gait cycle frequency, suggesting that the feedback is influencing the control of upright posture while walking. Different targets sizes had only minor effects, indicating that the form of the feedback is not critical as long as it provides salient information about body position. Read More >
November 1, 2009 PESO raises $3.6K for the American Heart Association with "Hoops"
The Physical Education Student Organization (PESO) raised a record $3,600 for the American Heart Association with their annual Hoops for Heart event. Lindsay Rienks (PESO co-president)raised $1,029 which qualifed her to win the free trip to the AAHPERD national convention, held this year in Indianapolis. CONGRATULATIONS PESO - well done!
October 30, 2009 Kathleen Perret presents at GAIT 2010
Kinesiology student Kathleen Perret will present her poster presentation titled "Power Knee shows improved knee and ankle powers in step up task" at GAIT 2010. Abstract: Over 1000 amputations have occurred in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). For amputees, the Power Knee" (PK) could improve performance and prevent contralateral comorbidities such as osteoarthritis. The C-LegÒ (CLeg) is a commonly prescribed microprocessor prosthesis for OIF/OEF amputees. The CLeg shows increased performance over a mechanical leg in descending, but not ascending stairs. The PK is the first commercial attempt to restore muscle function by means of a motorized prosthetic knee joint. We hypothesized that PK users would demonstrate greater knee power during upward stepping than CLeg users. The subjects were a convenience sample of 7 U.S. Military members with traumatic unilateral transfemoral amputations. Subjects underwent 6 weeks of training for both the PK and CLeg followed by a "step up" assessment. Kinematics and kinetics for the lead leg were collected using motion capture analysis and instrumented force plates. When leading with the intact limb, both subject groups performed with similar kinetics and kinematics to controls. When leading with the affected limb, PK users showed greater peak ankle and knee powers than CLeg users. These values were closer to controls. These results suggest that the PK produces more power at the knee and ankle, allowing users to approach normal motion with their affected side. The ability for a prosthesis to ascend stairs with kinematic and kinetic qualities similar to that of an intact limb represents a critical performance improvement. This natural motion could limit comorbidities of prostheses, such as excessive wear on intact joints. Read More >
October 23, 2009 Lyndsey Wilson honored as a Phillip Merrill Scholar
Lyndsey Wilson, senior Kinesiological Sciences major, was honored as a University Phillip Merrill Scholar at the program's luncheon today. Merrill scholars identify and honor their K-12 and university faculty mentors. Lyndsey named her 4th grade teacher, Sean Conley, as the person who spearheaded her love of science. Here at the University of Maryland, Lyndsey selected Dr. Elizabeth Brown. For Lyndsey, it was Dr. Brown's deep compassion and caring for students that inspired her selection.
October 15, 2009 Dr. Contreras-Vidal gives research seminar at the National Rehabilitation Hospital (NRH) in Washington D.C.
Associate Professor Contreras-Vidal gave a talk entitled "Breaking the neural code: Non-invasive decoding of hand movement with applications to BCI/BMI research" at the National Rehabilitation Hospital, rated one of the Nation's top rehabilitation hospitals in US News & World Report. Dr. Contreras-Vidal's research on brain-machine interfaces will lead to the development of smart prosthetics for the physically-disabled or the neurologically-impaired.
October 10, 2009 Dr. Contreras-Vidal presents his research at the 14th Biennial Conference of the International Graphonomics Society
Dr. Jose Contreras-Vidal gave a talk entitled "Parkinson's Disease differentially affects adaptation to gradual as compared to sudden visuomotor distortions" at the recent International Graphonomics Society conference in Dijon, France. Dr. Contreras-Vidal's research team included his student Anusha Venkatakrishnan, and Dr. Jean Paul Banquet and Yves Burnod from INSERM in Paris, France. The authors have been invited to contribute a full-length manuscript for a Special Issue of Human Movement Sciences focusing on Advances in Graphonomics Read More >
October 1, 2009 Andy Luldow is awared the Goldhaber Travel Grant
The Graduate School has awarded Andy Ludlow a Goldhaber Travel Grant to attend and present a Keystone Symposia in Ashmore, QLN, Australia. Andy's poster " High levels of physical activity accelerate telomere shortening in Cast/ei J mice. " will be presented at the Telomere Biology and DNA Repair meeting. The Keystone Symposia aims to organize conferences that connect the scientific community and accelerate discoveries that benefit the entire world. Read More >
September 15, 2009 Dr. Thomas to give paper at UC-Berkeley
Dr. Damion Thomas, assistant professor in Kinesiology, is giving a talk, "Around the World: Problematizing the Harlem Globetrotters as Cold Warriors," at the international conference/workshop on "Mapping an Empire of American Sports: Expansion, Assimilation and Resistance from Global Perspectives" to be held the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley. The workshop organized jointly by the International Journal of the History of Sport, Routledge Press, the Bancroft Library, and Pennsylvania State University's Department of Kinesiology brings together sixteen leading scholars from around the world.
September 8, 2009 Dr. Elizabeth Brown is honored with the SPH Muriel R. Sloan Communitarian Award
Dr. Elizabeth Brown was honored by the School of Public Health with the Muriel R. Sloan Communitarian Award. This award is given to a faculty member who has made a significant contribution to the SPH's outreach. For over a decade, Dr. Brown has provided a quality physical activity program to the children of the UM faculty & staff as well as the surrounding communities. In addition, she employs young people as counselors to work in the camp. The Department of Kinesiology is proud of Dr. Brown's communitarian spirit and her accomplishment in receiving this award. She is pictured here with SPH Assembly Chair, Dr. Brad Hatfield and Dean Robert Gold.
September 8, 2009 Ms. Su Kogut wins the SPH Leda Amick Wilson Mentoring Award
Su Kogut, an instructor in the physical education teacher education program, was awarded the School of Public Health's Leda Amick Wilson Mentoring Award for her outstanding efforts in the Department of Kinesiology in mentoring the undergraduate physical education majors. Ms. Kogut, who has been a NASPE physical education teacher of the year as a public school teacher, has worked at the University of Maryland for the last 10 years dedicated to helping our undergraduate physical education majors become excellent teachers. Not surprisingly she brings the same kind of dedication and passion to the university as she did to her physical education classes in the public schools. She is pictured here with Dr. Brad Hatfield, chair of the SPH Assembly, who presented the award to Ms. Kogut.
September 7, 2009 Dr. John Jeka gives talk at ASU Center for Adaptive Neural Systems
Dr. John Jeka has been invited to give a seminar at Arizona State University's School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering's Center for Adaptive Neural Systems. Dr. Jeka will talk on "Multisensory Fusion and Human Balance Control." Read More >
September 5, 2009 Drs. Jeka and Kiemel awarded an NSF grant for work on the interaction of posture, locomotion and sensory information
NSF has awarded Dr. John Jeka & Dr. Tim Kiemel a 3-year grant to study "The interaction of posture, locomotion, and sensory information." This interdisciplinary project implements both experimental and sophisticated nonlinear techniques to study one of the most critical and fundamental activity of daily living - locomotion. Our living environment in structured to be compatible with the scale and manner with which humans move, illustrated by the limitations inherent to restructuring that environment for those who have lost mobility and are forced to navigate with assistive devices such as wheelchairs. A better understanding of how we interact with the environment for upright stability has implications for promoting human mobility and quality of life. Read More >
August 30, 2009 Kinesiology Graduate Program kicks off the new year with book discussion
In 2003, the Department of Kinesiology's graduate program opened the new year with a discussion of a "Book Club." Now seven years later, the tradition continues with former Harvard President Derek Bok's critique of higher education, "Our Underachieving Colleges." Graduate students and faculty read the book over the summer. After an opening lunch, the new and old graduate students and faculty break into small groups to discuss the book! This year's book discussion was particularly vigorous. See the School of Public Health Blog, the Healthy Turtle for more information. Read More >August 24, 2009 Dr. Jaime Schultz gives keynote lectures in New Zealand
Dr. Jaime Schultz delivered a series of three keynote speeches at the Sporting Traditions conference in Wellington, New Zealand. Sporting Traditions is the biennial conference of the Australian Society for Sport History. The conference theme this year was "The Cultural Paradigm: Reinvigorating Sport History?" Read More >
August 6, 2009 Kinesiology Major named ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Maryland midfielder Caitlyn McFadden and Kinesiology major completed a sweep of the major Atlantic Coast Conference women's lacrosse awards Tuesday when she was named the sport's ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Already the ACC Player of the Year and ACC tournament Most Valuable Player, McFadden maintained a 3.663 grade-point average as a kinesiology major. An All-Metro player at Notre Dame Prep, McFadden, 21, also was a Tewaaraton Trophy finalist and the Division I national Midfielder of the Year after helping the Terps to the Division I national semifinals in May. The ACC Women's Lacrosse All-Academic team also include another Kinesiology major, Laura Merrifield as well as two other School of Public Health majors (Katie Gallagher, PCH; Amanda Spinnenweber, FMST. - Well done all! Read More >
August 6, 2009 UMSTAR students give poster and oral presentations
The UMSTAR students gave a poster presentation where faculty and students were able to review their research and ask questions. This presentation format allowed for a thorough discussion. Following the poster presentation was an oral presentation where each student stood and explained their research with visual aides. UMSTAR is designed to give traditionally under-represented minority undergraduate students career development activities in the areas of the biomedical and behavioral aspects of cardiovascular disease. Funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health, the program hosts students for 10 weeks over two summers, immersing them in advanced research and preparing them to enter and complete graduate or medical school. To read more on this, go to the Health Turtle. Read More >
August 5, 2009 Physical Education Major Rennie Smith to be inducted into the Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame
Physical Education graduate (1955) Rennie Smith is to be inducted into the Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame October 2nd. Among his accomplishments, he was a player for the Terrapins from 1952 to 1955 and then continued as an assistant coach, going to three national championships. Click on the link below to see a complete description of his accomplishments in The Capital magazine. Read More >
August 3, 2009 Dr. Jose Contreras is elected to the Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Executive Committee
Congratulations to Dr. Jose (Pepe) Contreras-Vidal who was recently elected to the NACS (Neuroscience and Cognitive Science) Executive Committee. He joins Dr. Brad Hatfield on the committee. Kinesiology has a significant "foot print" in the NACS program. KNES has 6 faculty with NACS affiliations and 15 of their 49 doctoral students are in NACS. Read More >
July 26, 2009 Kinesiology faculty works with Blind Youth Slam
Dr. Ana Palla-Kane is working with students participating in the UM hosted Blind Youth Slam to show them the potential of Kinesiology as a science career. This week two hundred blind and low vision students from all across the country will attend this five-day adventure that will engage, inspire, and encourage the next generation of blind youth to consider careers falsely believed to be impossible for the blind. While staying in the the University's South Campus residences, and attending programs across campus, students will be mentored by blind role models during activities designed to build confidence and increase science literacy. Students will participate in workshops on topics like leadership and career preparation, social activities such as karaoke, recreational events, a talent show, and a field trip. Read More >
July 11, 2009 Dr. Jae Kun Shim honored by the ISB with Promising Young Scientist Award
Congratulations to Dr. Jae Kun Shim. It was announced at the closing ceremony of the International Society for Biomechanics (ISB) in Cape Town South Africa that he had won the ISB Promising Young Scientist Award . This makes the second award this year by the biomechanics community (the first the ASB Young Scientist Award) to recognize the excellence of Dr. Shim's research and scholarship. Read More >
July 11, 2009 Dr. Jeka and his graduate students present research at ISPGR
Dr. John Jeka and his graduate students, David Logan and Eric Anson, presented their research at the 19th annual conference of the International Society for Posture and Gait (ISPGR) in Bolognia, Italy. Following ISPGR, Dr. Jeka attended the Neuromorphics Cognition Engineering Telluride Conference in Colorado. Read More >
July 11, 2009 Department of Kinesiology co-hosts international conference on DCD
The Department of Kinesiology along with the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science at the University of Maryland, Baltimore co-hosted the VIII International Conference on Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Over 150 scientists from 24 countries presented papers on the mechanisms, assessment, and intervention strategies for children with DCD. Three graduate students (Melissa Pangelinan, Brad King, and Du Yue) along with three faculty (Jane Clark, Marcio Oliveira, and Florian Kagerer) presented papers at the conference. Read More >
