Abstract
Background and Purpose: The purpose of this study was to review the methods used to analyze the kinematics of upper limbs (ULs) of healthy and poststroke adults, namely specificities of sampling and motor tasks. Summary of review: A database of articles published in the last decade was compiled using the following search terms combinations: ("upper extremity" OR "upper limb" OR arm) AND (kinematics OR motion OR movement) AND (analysis OR assessment OR measurement). The articles included in this review (1) had the purpose to analyze objectively a three-dimension kinematics of ULs, (2) studied functional movements or activities of daily living (ADL) involving uppers limbs, and (3) studied healthy and/or poststroke adults. Fourteen articles were included (four studied a healthy sample, three analyzed poststroke patients, and seven examined both poststroke and healthy participants). Conclusion: Most of the recommended demographic and stroke information, such as some preexisting conditions to stroke, initial stroke severity, and stroke location, were not collected by all or most of the articles. Time poststroke onset was presented in all articles but showed great variability. Few articles identified anthropometric characteristics and adjusted task environment to them. Most of the samples were composed mainly by males and had a low mean age, which does not represent poststroke population. Most articles analyzed "functional movements", namely simulations of ADL. Implication of key findings: Future research should identify the recommended information to allow an adequate stratification. Acute phase after stroke, real ADL with different complexities, and ipsilesional UL should be studied.

Abstract
This study assesses in vivo and noninvasive human lower limb dynamic stiffness at different muscle stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) on maximum vertical jump (MVJ) with long, short and without countermovement. A small sample of n=6 healthy young adult male students of sports and physical education degree without past injuries, specific training or sports record were assessed after informed consent according to the world medical association declaration of Helsinki. Subjects were weighted (76.7 +/- 9.3) kg and their height measured (178.9 +/- 6.3) cm performing each three trials of MVJ namely squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ) and drop jump (DJ) from a step with 40 cm height. Ground reaction forces (GRF) were acquired during impulse phase with AMTI force plate BP2416-4000 CE and Mini Amp MAS-6 amplifier at 1000 Hz. Vertical acceleration (a(z)) of whole body center of gravity (BCG) obtained from resultant vertical ground reaction force (RFz) was time integrated twice for calculation of vertical displacement (Delta z) of BCG and dynamic stiffness obtained from slopes at different segmented subphases of RFz mass normalized RFz/m vs Delta z plot during impulse phase. Results of vertical dynamic stiffness during impulse phase point for inter-subject similarities at each type of MVJ and statistical significative differences (p<0.05) between SJ, CMJ and DJ with impact on MVJ optimization.

Abstract
Background and purpose: To review the methods used to analyze the kinematics of upper limbs (ULs) of healthy and poststroke adults, namely the motion capture systems and kinematic metrics. Summary of review: A database of articles published in the last decade was compiled using the following search terms combinations: ("upper extremity" OR "upper limb" OR arm) AND (kinematic OR motion OR movement) AND (analysis OR assessment OR measurement). The articles included in this review: (1) had the purpose to analyze objectively three-dimension kinematics of ULs, (2) studied functional movements or activities of daily living involving ULs, and (3) studied healthy and/or poststroke adults. Fourteen articles were included (four studied a healthy sample, three analyzed poststroke patients, and seven examined both poststroke and healthy participants). Conclusion: Most articles used optoelectronic systems with markers; however, the presentation of laboratory and task-specific errors is missing. Markerless systems, used in some studies, seem to be promising alternatives for implementation of kinematic analysis in hospitals and clinics, but the literature proving their validity is scarce. Most articles analyzed "joint kinematics" and "end-point kinematics," mainly related with reaching. The different stroke locations of the samples were not considered in their analysis and only three articles described their psychometric properties.

Abstract
This study presents and applies noninvasive subject specific validation of human whole-body (WB) center of mass (COM) kinematic from 3D anthropometric multibody model using dynamic data from ground reaction forces during impulse phase at standard maximum vertical jump (MVJ) with long countermovement (CM) on countermovement jump (CMJ) and short CM on drop jump (DJ) for comparison with MVJ without CM on squat jump (SJ), assessing lower limb CM contribution and muscle stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) at WB COM vertical impulse. A small group of n = 6 sports and physical education degree students with (21.5 ± 1.4) years old, without previous injuries, specific sport abilities or train were weighed (76.7 ± 9.3) kg and their height measured (1.79 ± 0.06) m. Adhesive reflective marks were attached at main upper and lower limb joints. Each subject performed a total of 3 trial at each MVJ, CMJ, DJ and SJ. During trial tests kinematics of anatomical points were registered with two JVC GR-VL9800 digital video cameras at 100 Hz and ground reaction forces with AMTI platform model BP2416-4000 CE operating at 1000 Hz. WB COM kinematics was determined using calibrated SIMI motion tracking of joint reflective marks and Dempster model selecting vertical WB COM displacement ?zk according to higher amplitude and research interest on MVJ WB COM movement for CM and SSC assessment. Dynamic of WB COM vertical displacement ?zd was determined from double time integration of COM vertical acceleration. Comparison of kinematic ?zk and dynamic ?zd was statistically tested on average and variance at each MVJ type, ?zk with ?zd and on root mean square-error (RMSE) during impulse phase. Results present similar variability of ?zk and ?zd at each MVJ p &gt; 0.05, with mean values discriminating CMJ different means p &lt; 0.05 from DJ and SJ with equal means p &gt; 0.05, pointing dynamic data as suitable for validation of WB COM movement from 3D anthropometric image as well as for detection of different RMSE at each type of MVJ, its influence on assessment of CM and SSC and improve accuracy on kinematic, dynamic measurements and models. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019.

Abstract
This study presents innovative analysis at the time, frequency and phase domain for lower limb joint angular coordination assessment at sagittal plane on human vertical countermovement (CM), comparing long CM on countermovement jump (CMJ) and short CM on drop jump (DJ) from 40 cm step with squat jump (SJ) in the absence of CM. Lower limb CM and muscle stretch-shortening cycle has been pointed as playing a key role on human gait efficiency as well as on run and jump performance with an open issue on objective and quantitative measures for lower limb joint angle coordination assessment at different CM in comparison with no CM condition. Case study is considered from subject specific with 20 years old, 84 kg of body mass and 1.84 m height, selected according to best performance criteria of maximum vertical jump height during CMJ, DJ and SJ from a small sample of n = 6 sports and physical education degree students with (21.5 ± 1.4) years old, (76.7 ± 9.3) kg mass and (1.79 ± 0.06) m height, with no previous injuries, specific sport abilities or training. Calibrated image system with two digital video cameras JVC GR-VL9800 operating at 100 Hz and direct linear transformation (DLT-11) was used along with Simi Motion System and Dempster adapted model with 14 segments to track 3D coordinates of joint marks and obtain joint angles, angular velocities and accelerations at sagittal plane by inverse kinematics. Entire signal analysis was implemented on complementary time, frequency and phase domains for lower limb joint angle coordination assessment at sagittal plane on human vertical jump for comparison of long, short and without CM condition. Comprehensive signal analysis allowed detection of distinct coordination at CMJ from DJ and SJ as well from untrained tested subjects to those reported on trained subjects namely with lower coordination at untrained subjects associated to inaptitude to potentiate short CM and thus presenting lower DJ performance than trained subjects. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019.

Abstract
Heart failure (HF) affects at least 26 million people worldwide and is considered a global pandemic. Almost 1 out of 4 hospitalised patients are re-hospitalised for HF within the 30-day post-discharge period. This can be avoided if changes to the hemodynamics of the HF patient's body are early detected. Bioimpedance Spectroscopy (BIS) is a method that allows the measurement and analysis of multi-frequency body complex impedance and can be used to detect changes to the HF patient's hemodynamics. This paper presents the calibration and validation process of a low-cost portable BIS system, as well as, the study of the best Cole parameter estimation methods. The BIS system was calibrated using a three reference circuit method and a Resistance-Capacitance-Inductance (RCL) meter as calibration system. After calibration, BIS impedance measurements of validation circuits presented an average phase error of 0.76 degrees and an average magnitude relative error of 0.6 % when compared with standard values. Regarding Cole parameters estimation, using the Impedance model and the Non-Linear Least Squares method for curve fitting, the relative errors were below 4 % when compared with the expected values.