Man-Machine Interface System for Neuromuscular Training and Evaluation Based on EMG and MMG Signals

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Patricia Fernández

2010-12-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the UVa-NTS (University of Valladolid Neuromuscular Training System, a multifunction and portable Neuromuscular Training System. The UVa-NTS is designed to analyze the voluntary control of severe neuromotor handicapped patients, their interactive response, and their adaptation to neuromuscular interface systems, such as neural prostheses or domotic applications. Thus, it is an excellent tool to evaluate the residual muscle capabilities in the handicapped. The UVa-NTS is composed of a custom signal conditioning front-end and a computer. The front-end electronics is described thoroughly as well as the overall features of the custom software implementation. The software system is composed of a set of graphical training tools and a processing core. The UVa-NTS works with two classes of neuromuscular signals: the classic myoelectric signals (MES and, as a novelty, the myomechanic signals (MMS. In order to evaluate the performance of the processing core, a complete analysis has been done to classify its efficiency and to check that it fulfils with the real-time constraints. Tests were performed both with healthy and selected impaired subjects. The adaptation was achieved rapidly, applying a predefined protocol for the UVa-NTS set of training tools. Fine voluntary control was demonstrated to be reached with the myoelectric signals. And the UVa-NTS demonstrated to provide a satisfactory voluntary control when applying the myomechanic signals.

Man-machine interface system for neuromuscular training and evaluation based on EMG and MMG signals.

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de la Rosa, Ramon; Alonso, Alonso; Carrera, Albano; Durán, Ramon; Fernández, Patricia

2010-01-01

This paper presents the UVa-NTS (University of Valladolid Neuromuscular Training System), a multifunction and portable Neuromuscular Training System. The UVa-NTS is designed to analyze the voluntary control of severe neuromotor handicapped patients, their interactive response, and their adaptation to neuromuscular interface systems, such as neural prostheses or domotic applications. Thus, it is an excellent tool to evaluate the residual muscle capabilities in the handicapped. The UVa-NTS is composed of a custom signal conditioning front-end and a computer. The front-end electronics is described thoroughly as well as the overall features of the custom software implementation. The software system is composed of a set of graphical training tools and a processing core. The UVa-NTS works with two classes of neuromuscular signals: the classic myoelectric signals (MES) and, as a novelty, the myomechanic signals (MMS). In order to evaluate the performance of the processing core, a complete analysis has been done to classify its efficiency and to check that it fulfils with the real-time constraints. Tests were performed both with healthy and selected impaired subjects. The adaptation was achieved rapidly, applying a predefined protocol for the UVa-NTS set of training tools. Fine voluntary control was demonstrated to be reached with the myoelectric signals. And the UVa-NTS demonstrated to provide a satisfactory voluntary control when applying the myomechanic signals.

Neuromuscular complications of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

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Kolb, Noah A; Trevino, Christopher R; Waheed, Waqar; Sobhani, Fatemeh; Landry, Kara K; Thomas, Alissa A; Hehir, Mike

2018-01-17

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICPI) therapy unleashes the body's natural immune system to fight cancer. ICPIs improve overall cancer survival, however, the unbridling of the immune system may induce a variety of immune-related adverse events. Neuromuscular immune complications are rare but they can be severe. Myasthenia gravis and inflammatory neuropathy are the most common neuromuscular adverse events but a variety of others including inflammatory myopathy are reported. The pathophysiologic mechanism of these autoimmune disorders may differ from that of non-ICPI-related immune diseases. Accordingly, while the optimal treatment for ICPI-related neuromuscular disorders generally follows a traditional paradigm, there are important novel considerations in selecting appropriate immunosuppressive therapy. This review presents 2 new cases, a summary of neuromuscular ICPI complications, and an approach to the diagnosis and treatment of these disorders. Muscle Nerve, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Neuromuscular adaptations predict functional disability independently of clinical pain and psychological factors in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain.

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Dubois, Jean-Daniel; Abboud, Jacques; St-Pierre, Charles; Piché, Mathieu; Descarreaux, Martin

2014-08-01

Patients with chronic low back pain exhibit characteristics such as clinical pain, psychological symptoms and neuromuscular adaptations. The purpose of this study was to determine the independent contribution of clinical pain, psychological factors and neuromuscular adaptations to disability in patients with chronic low back pain. Clinical pain intensity, pain catastrophizing, fear-avoidance beliefs, anxiety, neuromuscular adaptations to chronic pain and neuromuscular responses to experimental pain were assessed in 52 patients with chronic low back pain. Lumbar muscle electromyographic activity was assessed during a flexion-extension task (flexion relaxation phenomenon) to assess both chronic neuromuscular adaptations and neuromuscular responses to experimental pain during the task. Multiple regressions showed that independent predictors of disability included neuromuscular adaptations to chronic pain (β=0.25, p=0.006, sr(2)=0.06), neuromuscular responses to experimental pain (β=-0.24, p=0.011, sr(2)=0.05), clinical pain intensity (β=0.28, p=0.002, sr(2)=0.08) and psychological factors (β=0.58, ppain intensity and psychological factors, and contribute to inter-individual differences in patients' disability. This suggests that disability, in chronic low back pain patients, is determined by a combination of factors, including clinical pain, psychological factors and neuromuscular adaptations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neuromuscular Control Deficits and the Risk of Subsequent Injury after a Concussion: A Scoping Review.

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Howell, David R; Lynall, Robert C; Buckley, Thomas A; Herman, Daniel C

2018-05-01

An emerging area of research has identified that an increased risk of musculoskeletal injury may exist upon returning to sports after a sport-related concussion. The mechanisms underlying this recently discovered phenomenon, however, remain unknown. One theorized reason for this increased injury risk includes residual neuromuscular control deficits that remain impaired despite clinical recovery. Thus, the objectives of this review were: (1) to summarize the literature examining the relationship between concussion and risk of subsequent injury and (2) to summarize the literature for one mechanism with a theorized association with this increased injury risk, i.e., neuromuscular control deficits observed during gait after concussion under dual-task conditions. Two separate reviews were conducted consistent with both specified objectives. Studies published before 9 December, 2016 were identified using PubMed, Web of Science, and Academic Search Premier (EBSCOhost). Inclusion for the objective 1 search included dependent variables of quantitative measurements of musculoskeletal injury after concussion. Inclusion criteria for the objective 2 search included dependent variables pertaining to gait, dynamic balance control, and dual-task function. A total of 32 studies were included in the two reviews (objective 1 n = 10, objective 2 n = 22). According to a variety of study designs, athletes appear to have an increased risk of sustaining a musculoskeletal injury following a concussion. Furthermore, dual-task neuromuscular control deficits may continue to exist after patients report resolution of concussion symptoms, or perform normally on other clinical concussion tests. Therefore, musculoskeletal injury risk appears to increase following a concussion and persistent motor system and attentional deficits also seem to exist after a concussion. While not yet experimentally tested, these motor system and attentional deficits may contribute to the risk of sustaining a

Neuromuscular blockade in children Bloqueadores neuromusculares em crianças

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João Fernando Lourenço de Almeida

2000-06-01

Full Text Available Neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs have been widely used to control patients who need to be immobilized for some kind of medical intervention, such as an invasive procedure or synchronism with mechanical ventilation. The purpose of this monograph is to review the pharmacology of the NMBAs, to compare the main differences between the neuromuscular junction in neonates, infants, toddlers and adults, and moreover to discuss their indications in critically ill pediatric patients. Continuous improvement of knowledge about NMBAs pharmacology, adverse effects, and the many other remaining unanswered questions about neuromuscular junction and neuromuscular blockade in children is essential for the correct use of these drugs. Therefore, the indication of these agents in pediatrics is determined with extreme judiciousness. Computorized (Medline 1990-2000 and active search of articles were the mechanisms used in this review.Os bloqueadores neuromusculares têm sido amplamente utilizados para controlar pacientes que necessitem imobilidade para algum tipo de intervenção médica, desde a realização de procedimentos invasivos até a obtenção de sincronismo com a ventilação mecânica. O objetivo básico desta monografia é revisar a farmacologia dos principais bloqueadores neuromusculares, analisar as diferenças existentes na junção neuromuscular de neonatos, lactentes, pré-escolares e adultos, além de discutir suas indicações em pacientes criticamente enfermos internados em unidade de terapia intensiva pediátrica. Revisão computadorizada da literatura (Medline 1990-2000 associado a busca ativa de artigos compuseram o mecanismo de busca dos dados desta revisão.

Neuromuscular control and ankle instability.

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Gutierrez, Gregory M; Kaminski, Thomas W; Douex, Al T

2009-04-01

Lateral ankle sprains (LAS) are common injuries in athletics and daily activity. Although most are resolved with conservative treatment, others develop chronic ankle instability (AI)-a condition associated with persistent pain, weakness, and instability-both mechanical (such as ligamentous laxity) and functional (neuromuscular impairment with or without mechanical laxity). The predominant theory in AI is one of articular deafferentation from the injury, affecting closed-loop (feedback/reflexive) neuromuscular control, but recent research has called that theory into question. A considerable amount of attention has been directed toward understanding the underlying causes of this pathology; however, little is known concerning the neuromuscular mechanisms behind the development of AI. The purpose of this review is to summarize the available literature on neuromuscular control in uninjured individuals and individuals with AI. Based on available research and reasonable speculation, it seems that open-loop (feedforward/anticipatory) neuromuscular control may be more important for the maintenance of dynamic joint stability than closed-loop control systems that rely primarily on proprioception. Therefore, incorporating perturbation activities into patient rehabilitation schemes may be of some benefit in enhancing these open-loop control mechanisms. Despite the amount of research conducted in this area, analysis of individuals with AI during dynamic conditions is limited. Future work should aim to evaluate dynamic perturbations in individuals with AI, as well as subjects who have a history of at least one LAS and never experienced recurrent symptoms. These potential findings may help elucidate some compensatory mechanisms, or more appropriate neuromuscular control strategies after an LAS event, thus laying the groundwork for future intervention studies that can attempt to reduce the incidence and severity of acute and chronic lateral ankle injury.

Diagnostic histochemistry and clinical-pathological testings as molecular pathways to pathogenesis and treatment of the ageing neuromuscular system: a personal view.

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Engel, W King

2015-04-01

Ageing of the neuromuscular system in elderhood ingravescently contributes to slowness, weakness, falling and death, often accompanied by numbness and pain. This article is to put in perspective examples from a half-century of personal and team neuromuscular histochemical-pathological and clinical-pathological research, including a number of lucky and instructive accomplishments identifying new treatments and new diseases. A major focus currently is on some important, still enigmatic, aspects of the ageing neuromuscular system. It is also includes some of the newest references of others on various closely-related aspects of this ageing system. The article may help guide others in their molecular-based endeavors to identify paths leading to discovering new treatments and new pathogenic aspects. These are certainly needed - our ageing and unsteady constituents are steadily increasing. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Neuromuscular Diseases: Pathology and Molecular Pathogenesis. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Effect of salbutamol on neuromuscular function in endurance athletes.

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Decorte, Nicolas; Bachasson, Damien; Guinot, Michel; Flore, Patrice; Levy, Patrick; Verges, Samuel; Wuyam, Bernard

2013-10-01

The potential ergogenic effects of therapeutic inhaled salbutamol doses in endurance athletes have been controversially discussed for decades. We hypothesized that salbutamol inhalation may increase peripheral muscle contractility, reduce fatigability, and improve force recovery after a localized exercise in endurance athletes. Eleven healthy, nonasthmatic male athletes with high aerobic capacities were recruited to be compared in a double-blinded, randomized crossover study of two dose levels of salbutamol (200 and 800 μg) and a placebo administered by inhalation before a quadriceps fatigue test. Subjects performed an incremental exercise protocol consisting in sets of 10 intermittent isometric contractions starting at 20% of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) with 10% MVC increment until exhaustion. Femoral nerve magnetic stimulation was used during and after MVC to evaluate neuromuscular fatigue after each set, at task failure, and after 10 and 30 min of recovery. Initial MVC and evoked muscular responses were not modified with salbutamol (P > 0.05). The total number of submaximal contractions until task failure significantly differed between treatments (placebo, 72 ± 7; 200 µg, 78 ± 8; and 800 µg, 82 ± 7; P 0.05). Voluntary activation was unaffected by the fatiguing task and treatments (P > 0.05). Supratherapeutic inhaled doses of β2-agonists increased quadriceps endurance during an incremental and localized fatiguing task in healthy endurance-trained athletes without significant effect on neuromuscular fatigue. Further studies are needed to clarify the underlying mechanisms.

Neuromuscular disease classification system

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Sáez, Aurora; Acha, Begoña; Montero-Sánchez, Adoración; Rivas, Eloy; Escudero, Luis M.; Serrano, Carmen

2013-06-01

Diagnosis of neuromuscular diseases is based on subjective visual assessment of biopsies from patients by the pathologist specialist. A system for objective analysis and classification of muscular dystrophies and neurogenic atrophies through muscle biopsy images of fluorescence microscopy is presented. The procedure starts with an accurate segmentation of the muscle fibers using mathematical morphology and a watershed transform. A feature extraction step is carried out in two parts: 24 features that pathologists take into account to diagnose the diseases and 58 structural features that the human eye cannot see, based on the assumption that the biopsy is considered as a graph, where the nodes are represented by each fiber, and two nodes are connected if two fibers are adjacent. A feature selection using sequential forward selection and sequential backward selection methods, a classification using a Fuzzy ARTMAP neural network, and a study of grading the severity are performed on these two sets of features. A database consisting of 91 images was used: 71 images for the training step and 20 as the test. A classification error of 0% was obtained. It is concluded that the addition of features undetectable by the human visual inspection improves the categorization of atrophic patterns.

Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation of the motor cortex on prefrontal cortex activation during a neuromuscular fatigue task: an fNIRS study.

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Muthalib, Makii; Kan, Benjamin; Nosaka, Kazunori; Perrey, Stephane

2013-01-01

This study investigated whether manipulation of motor cortex excitability by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) modulates neuromuscular fatigue and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)-derived prefrontal cortex (PFC) activation. Fifteen healthy men (27.7 ± 8.4 years) underwent anodal (2 mA, 10 min) and sham (2 mA, first 30 s only) tDCS delivered to the scalp over the right motor cortex. Subjects initially performed a baseline sustained submaximal (30 % maximal voluntary isometric contraction, MVC) isometric contraction task (SSIT) of the left elbow flexors until task failure, which was followed 50 min later by either an anodal or sham treatment condition, then a subsequent posttreatment SSIT. Endurance time (ET), torque integral (TI), and fNIRS-derived contralateral PFC oxygenated (O2Hb) and deoxygenated (HHb) hemoglobin concentration changes were determined at task failure. Results indicated that during the baseline and posttreatment SSIT, there were no significant differences in TI and ET, and increases in fNIRS-derived PFC activation at task failure were observed similarly regardless of the tDCS conditions. This suggests that the PFC neuronal activation to maintain muscle force production was not modulated by anodal tDCS.

Neuromuscular and muscle-tendon system adaptations to isotonic and isokinetic eccentric exercise.

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Guilhem, G; Cornu, C; Guével, A

2010-06-01

To present the properties of an eccentric contraction and compare neuromuscular and muscle-tendon system adaptations induced by isotonic and isokinetic eccentric trainings. An eccentric muscle contraction is characterized by the production of muscle force associated to a lengthening of the muscle-tendon system. This muscle solicitation can cause micro lesions followed by a regeneration process of the muscle-tendon system. Eccentric exercise is commonly used in functional rehabilitation for its positive effect on collagen synthesis but also for resistance training to increase muscle strength and muscle mass in athletes. Indeed, eccentric training stimulates muscle hypertrophy, increases the fascicle pennation angle, fascicles length and neural activation, thus inducing greater strength gains than concentric or isometric training programs. Eccentric exercise is commonly performed either against a constant external load (isotonic) or at constant velocity (isokinetic), inducing different mechanical constraints. These different mechanical constraints could induce structural and neural adaptive strategies specific to each type of exercise. The literature tends to show that isotonic mode leads to a greater strength gain than isokinetic mode. This observation could be explained by a greater neuromuscular activation after IT training. However, the specific muscle adaptations induced by each mode remain difficult to determine due to the lack of standardized, comparative studies. 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Research highlights of partial neuromuscular disorders

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Cheng ZHANG

2014-05-01

Full Text Available In order to understand the latest progression on neuromuscular disorders for clinicians, this review screened and systemized the papers on neuromuscular disorders which were collected by PubMed from January 2013 to February 2014. This review also introduced the clinical diagnosis and treatment hightlights on glycogen storage disease type Ⅱ (GSD Ⅱ, Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA. The important references will be useful for clinicians. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-6731.2014.05.004

[Characteristics of neuromuscular scoliosis].

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Putzier, M; Groß, C; Zahn, R K; Pumberger, M; Strube, P

2016-06-01

Usually, neuromuscular scolioses become clinically symptomatic relatively early and are rapidly progressive even after the end of growth. Without sufficient treatment they lead to a severe reduction of quality of life, to a loss of the ability of walking, standing or sitting as well as to an impairment of the cardiopulmonary system resulting in an increased mortality. Therefore, an intensive interdisciplinary treatment by physio- and ergotherapists, internists, pediatricians, orthotists, and orthopedists is indispensable. In contrast to idiopathic scoliosis the treatment of patients with neuromuscular scoliosis with orthosis is controversially discussed, whereas physiotherapy is established and essential to prevent contractures and to maintain the residual sensorimotor function.Frequently, the surgical treatment of the scoliosis is indicated. It should be noted that only long-segment posterior correction and fusion of the whole deformity leads to a significant improvement of the quality of life as well as to a prevention of a progression of the scoliosis and the development of junctional problems. The surgical intervention is usually performed before the end of growth. A prolonged delay of surgical intervention does not result in an increased height but only in a deformity progression and is therefore not justifiable. In early onset neuromuscular scolioses guided-growth implants are used to guarantee the adequat development. Because of the high complication rates, further optimization of these implant systems with regard to efficiency and safety have to be addressed in future research.

Report on Adaptive Force, a specific neuromuscular function

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Marko Hoff

2015-08-01

Full Text Available In real life motions, as well as in sports, the adaptation of the neuromuscular systems to externally applied forces plays an important role. The term Adaptive Force (AF shall characterize the ability of the nerve-muscle-system to adapt to impacting external forces during isometric and eccentric muscle action. The focus in this paper is on the concept of this neuromuscular action, which is not yet described in this way. A measuring system was constructed and evaluated for this specific neuromuscular function, but only the main information of the evaluation of the measuring system and the preliminary reference values are mentioned here, while an article with detailed description will be published separately. This paper concentrates on the three following points: 1 What is the peculiarity of this neuromuscular function, introduced as AF? 2 Is the measuring system able to capture its specific characteristics and which phases of measurement occur? 3 It seems reasonable to discuss if AF can be distinguished and classified among the known force concepts. The article describes the measuring system and how it is able to capture special features of real life motions like submaximal intensities and the subjects’ option to react adequately on external varying forces. Furthermore, within one measurement the system records three different force qualities: the isometric submaximal Adaptive Force (AFiso, the maximal isometric Adaptive Force (AFisomax and the maximal eccentric Adaptive Force (AFeccmax. Each of these phases provide different and unique information on the nerve-muscle-system that are discussed in detail. Important, in terms of the Adaptive Force, seems to be the combination of conditional and coordinative abilities.

TEACHING NEUROMUSCULAR RELAXATION.

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NORRIS, JEANNE E.; STEINHAUS, ARTHUR H.

THIS STUDY ATTEMPTED TO FIND OUT WHETHER (1) THE METHODS FOR ATTAINING NEUROMUSCULAR RELAXATION THAT HAVE PROVED FRUITFUL IN THE ONE-TO-ONE RELATIONSHIP OF THE CLINIC CAN BE SUCCESSFULLY ADAPTED TO THE TEACHER-CLASS RELATIONSHIP OF THE CLASSROOM AND GYMNASIUM, AND (2) NEUROMUSCULAR RELAXATION CAN BE TAUGHT SUCCESSFULLY BY AN APPROPRIATELY TRAINED…

Stunted PFC activity during neuromuscular control under stress with obesity.

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Mehta, Ranjana K

2016-02-01

Obesity is an established risk factor for impaired cognition, which is primarily regulated by the prefrontal cortex (PFC). However, very little is known about the neural pathways that underlie obesity-related declines in neuromuscular control, particularly under stress. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of the PFC on neuromuscular control during handgrip exertions under stress with obesity. Twenty non-obese and obese young adults performed submaximal handgrip exertions in the absence and presence of a concurrent stressful task. Primary dependent measures included oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO2: a measure of PFC activity) and force fluctuations (an indicator of neuromuscular control). Higher HbO2 levels in the PFC were observed in the non-obese compared to the obese group (P = 0.009). In addition, higher HbO2 levels were observed in the stress compared to the control condition in the non-obese group; however, this trend was reversed in the obese group (P = 0.043). In general, force fluctuations increased by 26% in the stress when compared to the control condition (P = 0.001) and obesity was associated with 39% greater force fluctuation (P = 0.024). Finally, while not significant, obesity-related decrements in force fluctuations were magnified under stress (P = 0.063). The current study provides the first evidence that neuromuscular decrements with obesity were associated with impaired PFC activity and this relationship was augmented in stress conditions. These findings are important because they provide new information on obesity-specific changes in brain function associated with neuromuscular control since the knowledge previously focused largely on obesity-specific changes in peripheral muscle capacity.

Training the Antifragile Athlete: A Preliminary Analysis of Neuromuscular Training Effects on Muscle Activation Dynamics.

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Kiefer, Adam W; Myer, Gregory D

2015-10-01

Athletic injuries typically occur when the stable, emergent coordination between behavioral processes breaks down due to external noise, or variability. A physiological system that operates at an optimal point on a spectrum of rigidity and flexibility may be better prepared to handle extreme external variability, and the purpose of the current experiment was to examine whether targeted neuromuscular training resulted in changes to the rigidity and flexibility of the gluteal muscle tonus signal as measured with electromyography prior to the landing phase of a drop vertical jump task. 10 adolescent female athletes who participated in a targeted 10-week neuromuscular training program and 6 controls participated, and their tonus dynamics were examined with recurrence quantification analysis prior to training and after the 10-week program. The dependent measures, percent laminarity (%LAM) and percent determinism (%DET) were hypothesized to decrease following training, and were submitted to a one tailed mixed-model ANOVA. The training group exhibited a decrease in %LAM and %DET after training compared to pre-training and controls. The present findings indicate increased metaflexibility (i.e., greater intermittency and an increase in internal randomness) in tonus dynamics following neuromuscular training, and have important implications for the prevention of musculoskeletal injury in sport, specifically within the context of external noise and antifragility.

Neuromuscular asymmetries in the lower limbs of elite female youth basketball players and the application of the skillful limb model of comparison.

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Fort-Vanmeerhaeghe, Azahara; Montalvo, Alicia M; Sitjà-Rabert, Mercè; Kiefer, Adam W; Myer, Gregory D

2015-11-01

Compare the ability of commonly used comparison models to detect neuromuscular asymmetries. A secondary purpose was to determine which neuromuscular task(s) has the greatest sensitivity to identify asymmetries based on the ASI (asymmetry index) calculation. Elite female youth basketball players (N = 29, age = 15.7 ± 1.34 y) performed the single leg countermovement jump in vertical, horizontal, and lateral directions, the star excursion balance test in the anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral directions, and the sprint test with change of direction. Paired t-tests compared right and left limbs, the dominant (DL) and non-dominant (NDL) limbs, and the more/less skillful limbs. The coincident identification between the more skillful leg and the leg subjectively described as the DL was low for all of the tasks performed (35%-52%). There were significant differences between the more and less skillful legs for all tasks, while performances between the right and left limbs and DL and NDL differed significantly for only one task each. The largest ASI detected in this study was found in the vertical single leg countermovement jump (14.11%). The skillful limb model of comparison may be more useful than other models to detect neuromuscular asymmetries. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biomechanical and neuromuscular adaptations during the landing phase of a stepping-down task in patients with early or established knee osteoarthritis.

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Sanchez-Ramirez, Diana C; Malfait, Bart; Baert, Isabel; van der Leeden, Marike; van Dieën, Jaap; Lems, Willem F; Dekker, Joost; Luyten, Frank P; Verschueren, Sabine

2016-06-01

To compare the knee joint kinematics, kinetics and EMG activity patterns during a stepping-down task in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) with control subjects. 33 women with knee OA (early OA, n=14; established OA n=19) and 14 female control subjects performed a stepping-down task from a 20cm step. Knee joint kinematics, kinetics and EMG activity were recorded on the stepping-down leg during the loading phase. During the stepping-down task patients with established knee OA showed greater normalized medial hamstrings activity (p=0.034) and greater vastus lateralis-medial hamstrings co-contraction (p=0.012) than controls. Greater vastus medialis-medial hamstrings co-contraction was found in patients with established OA compared to control subjects (p=0.040) and to patients with early OA (p=0.023). Self-reported knee instability was reported in 7% and 32% of the patients with early and established OA, respectively. The greater EMG co-activity found in established OA might suggest a less efficient use of knee muscles or an attempt to compensate for greater knee laxity usually present in patients with established OA. In the early stage of the disease, the biomechanical and neuromuscular control of stepping-down is not altered compared to healthy controls. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hereditary neuromuscular diseases

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Oezsarlak, O. E-mail: ozkan.ozsarlak@uza.be; Schepens, E.; Parizel, P.M.; Goethem, J.W. van; Vanhoenacker, F.; Schepper, A.M. de; Martin, J.J

2001-12-01

This article presents the actual classification of neuromuscular diseases based on present expansion of our knowledge and understanding due to genetic developments. It summarizes the genetic and clinical presentations of each disorder together with CT findings, which we studied in a large group of patients with neuromuscular diseases. The muscular dystrophies as the largest and most common group of hereditary muscle diseases will be highlighted by giving detailed information about the role of CT and MRI in the differential diagnosis. The radiological features of neuromuscular diseases are atrophy, hypertrophy, pseudohypertrophy and fatty infiltration of muscles on a selective basis. Although the patterns and distribution of involvement are characteristic in some of the diseases, the definition of the type of disease based on CT scan only is not always possible.

The Influence of Robotic Assistance on Reducing Neuromuscular Effort and Fatigue during Extravehicular Activity Glove Use

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Madden, Kaci E.; Deshpande, Ashish D.; Peters, Benjamin J.; Rogers, Jonathan M.; Laske, Evan A.; McBryan, Emily R.

2017-01-01

The three-layered, pressurized space suit glove worn by Extravehicular Activity (EVA) crew members during missions commonly causes hand and forearm fatigue. The Spacesuit RoboGlove (SSRG), a Phase VI EVA space suit glove modified with robotic grasp-assist capabilities, has been developed to augment grip strength in order to improve endurance and reduce the risk of injury in astronauts. The overall goals of this study were to i) quantify the neuromuscular modulations that occur in response to wearing a conventional Phase VI space suit glove (SSG) during a fatiguing task, and ii) determine the efficacy of Spacesuit RoboGlove (SSRG) in reversing the adverse neuromuscular modulations and restoring altered muscular activity to barehanded levels. Six subjects performed a fatigue sequence consisting of repetitive dynamic-gripping interspersed with isometric grip-holds under three conditions: barehanded, wearing pressurized SSG, and wearing pressurized SSRG. Surface electromyography (sEMG) from six forearm muscles (flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS), flexor carpi radialis (FCR), flexor carpi ulnaris (FCU), extensor digitorum (ED), extensor carpi radialis longus (ECRL), and extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU)) and subjective fatigue ratings were collected during each condition. Trends in amplitude and spectral distributions of the sEMG signals were used to derive metrics quantifying neuromuscular effort and fatigue that were compared across the glove conditions. Results showed that by augmenting finger flexion, the SSRG successfully reduced the neuromuscular effort needed to close the fingers of the space suit glove in more than half of subjects during two types of tasks. However, the SSRG required more neuromuscular effort to extend the fingers compared to a conventional SSG in many subjects. Psychologically, the SSRG aided subjects in feeling less fatigued during short periods of intense work compared to the SSG. The results of this study reveal the promise of the SSRG as a

Improving Neuromuscular Monitoring and Reducing Residual Neuromuscular Blockade With E-Learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, Jakob Louis Demant; Mathiesen, Ole; Hägi-Pedersen, Daniel

2017-01-01

neuromuscular blockade in surgical patients at 6 Danish teaching hospitals. METHODS: In this interrupted time series study, we are collecting data repeatedly, in consecutive 3-week periods, before and after the intervention, and we will analyze the effect using segmented regression analysis. Anesthesia...... and an increased risk of respiratory complications. Use of an objective neuromuscular monitoring device may prevent residual block. Despite this, many anesthetists refrain from using the device. Efforts to increase the use of objective monitoring are time consuming and require the presence of expert personnel...... practice, and patient outcomes. The primary outcome is use of neuromuscular monitoring in patients according to the type of muscle relaxant received. Secondary outcomes include last recorded train-of-four value, administration of reversal agents, and time to discharge from the postanesthesia care unit...

The undesirable effects of neuromuscular blocking drugs

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Claudius, C; Garvey, L H; Viby-Mogensen, J

2009-01-01

Neuromuscular blocking drugs are designed to bind to the nicotinic receptor at the neuromuscular junction. However, they also interact with other acetylcholine receptors in the body. Binding to these receptors causes adverse effects that vary with the specificity for the cholinergic receptor...... in question. Moreover, all neuromuscular blocking drugs may cause hypersensitivity reactions. Often the symptoms are mild and self-limiting but massive histamine release can cause systematic reactions with circulatory and respiratory symptoms and signs. At the end of anaesthesia, no residual effect...... of a neuromuscular blocking drug should be present. However, the huge variability in response to neuromuscular blocking drugs makes it impossible to predict which patient will suffer postoperative residual curarization. This article discusses the undesirable effects of the currently available neuromuscular blocking...

Whole-body vibration does not influence knee joint neuromuscular function or proprioception.

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Hannah, R; Minshull, C; Folland, J P

2013-02-01

This study examined the acute effects of whole-body vibration (WBV) on knee joint position sense and indices of neuromuscular function, specifically strength, electromechanical delay and the rate of force development. Electromyography and electrically evoked contractions were used to investigate neural and contractile responses to WBV. Fourteen healthy males completed two treatment conditions on separate occasions: (1) 5 × 1 min of unilateral isometric squat exercise on a synchronous vibrating platform [30 Hz, 4 mm peak-to-peak amplitude] (WBV) and (2) a control condition (CON) of the same exercise without WBV. Knee joint position sense (joint angle replication task) and quadriceps neuromuscular function were assessed pre-, immediately-post and 1 h post-exercise. During maximum voluntary knee extensions, the peak force (PF(V)), electromechanical delay (EMD(V)), rate of force development (RFD(V)) and EMG of the quadriceps were measured. Twitch contractions of the knee extensors were electrically evoked to assess EMD(E) and RFD(E). The results showed no influence of WBV on knee joint position, EMD(V), PF(V) and RFD(V) during the initial 50, 100 or 150 ms of contraction. Similarly, electrically evoked neuromuscular function and neural activation remained unchanged following the vibration exercise. A single session of unilateral WBV did not influence any indices of thigh muscle neuromuscular performance or knee joint proprioception. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Neuromuscular control of scapula muscles during a voluntary task in subjects with Subacromial Impingement Syndrome

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, C M; Søgaard, Karen; Chreiteh, S S

2013-01-01

and time to activity onset. In spite of a tendency to higher activity among SIS 0.10-0.30 between-group differences were not significant neither in ratio of muscle activation 0.80-0.98 nor time to activity onset 0.53-0.98. The hypothesized between-group differences in neuromuscular activity of Trapezius...

Improving Neuromuscular Monitoring and Reducing Residual Neuromuscular Blockade With E-Learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, Jakob Louis Demant; Mathiesen, Ole; Hägi-Pedersen, Daniel

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Muscle relaxants facilitate endotracheal intubation under general anesthesia and improve surgical conditions. Residual neuromuscular blockade occurs when the patient is still partially paralyzed when awakened after surgery. The condition is associated with subjective discomfort and an......-learning module can increase anesthetists' use of neuromuscular monitoring. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02925143; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02925143 (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/6s50iTV2x)....

Improving Neuromuscular Monitoring and Reducing Residual Neuromuscular Blockade With E-Learning: Protocol for the Multicenter Interrupted Time Series INVERT Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomsen, Jakob Louis Demant; Mathiesen, Ole; Hägi-Pedersen, Daniel; Skovgaard, Lene Theil; Østergaard, Doris; Engbaek, Jens; Gätke, Mona Ring

2017-10-06

Muscle relaxants facilitate endotracheal intubation under general anesthesia and improve surgical conditions. Residual neuromuscular blockade occurs when the patient is still partially paralyzed when awakened after surgery. The condition is associated with subjective discomfort and an increased risk of respiratory complications. Use of an objective neuromuscular monitoring device may prevent residual block. Despite this, many anesthetists refrain from using the device. Efforts to increase the use of objective monitoring are time consuming and require the presence of expert personnel. A neuromuscular monitoring e-learning module might support consistent use of neuromuscular monitoring devices. The aim of the study is to assess the effect of a neuromuscular monitoring e-learning module on anesthesia staff's use of objective neuromuscular monitoring and the incidence of residual neuromuscular blockade in surgical patients at 6 Danish teaching hospitals. In this interrupted time series study, we are collecting data repeatedly, in consecutive 3-week periods, before and after the intervention, and we will analyze the effect using segmented regression analysis. Anesthesia departments in the Zealand Region of Denmark are included, and data from all patients receiving a muscle relaxant are collected from the anesthesia information management system MetaVision. We will assess the effect of the module on all levels of potential effect: staff's knowledge and skills, patient care practice, and patient outcomes. The primary outcome is use of neuromuscular monitoring in patients according to the type of muscle relaxant received. Secondary outcomes include last recorded train-of-four value, administration of reversal agents, and time to discharge from the postanesthesia care unit as well as a multiple-choice test to assess knowledge. The e-learning module was developed based on a needs assessment process, including focus group interviews, surveys, and expert opinions. The e

Bloqueio neuromuscular residual após o uso de rocurônio ou cisatracúrio Bloqueo neuromuscular residual después del uso de rocuronio o cisatracúrio Residual neuromuscular block after rocuronium or cisatracurium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruno Salomé de Morais

2005-12-01

Full Text Available JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: O bloqueio neuromuscular residual na sala de recuperação pós-anestésica (SRPA é um fenômeno que pode aumentar a morbidade pós-operatória, com incidência variando entre 0% e 93%. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a incidência do bloqueio neuromuscular residual na SRPA. MÉTODO: Foram estudados 93 pacientes submetidos à cirurgia geral com o uso de cisatracúrio ou rocurônio. Após a admissão na SRPA foi realizada a monitorização objetiva da função neuromuscular (aceleromiografia - TOF GUARD. O bloqueio neuromuscular residual foi definido como SQE JUSTIFICATIVA Y OBJETIVOS: El bloqueo neuromuscular residual en la sala de recuperación posanestésica (SRPA es un fenómeno que puede aumentar la morbidez posoperatoria, con incidencia variando entre 0% y 93%. La finalidad de este estudio fue evaluar la incidencia del bloqueo neuromuscular residual en la SRPA. MÉTODO: Fueron estudiados 93 pacientes sometidos a cirugía general con el uso de cisatracúrio o rocuronio. Después de la admisión en la SRPA fue realizada la monitorización objetiva de la función neuromuscular (aceleromiografia - TOF-GUARD. El bloqueo neuromuscular residual fue definido como TOF BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Residual neuromuscular block in the post-anesthetic recovery unit (PACU may increase postoperative morbidity from 0% to 93%. This study aimed at evaluating the incidence of residual neuromuscular block in the PACU. METHODS: Participated in this study 93 patients submitted to general anesthesia with cisatracurium or rocuronium. After PACU admission, neuromuscular function was objectively monitored (acceleromyography - TOF GUARD. Residual neuromuscular block was defined as TOF < 0.9. RESULTS: From 93 patients, 53 received cisatracurium and 40 rocuronium. Demographics, procedure length and the use of antagonists were comparable between groups. Residual neuromuscular block was 32% in subgroup C (cisatracurium and 30% in subgroup R

Sugammadex: A Review of Neuromuscular Blockade Reversal.

Science.gov (United States)

Keating, Gillian M

2016-07-01

Sugammadex (Bridion(®)) is a modified γ-cyclodextrin that reverses the effect of the steroidal nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents rocuronium and vecuronium. Intravenous sugammadex resulted in rapid, predictable recovery from moderate and deep neuromuscular blockade in patients undergoing surgery who received rocuronium or vecuronium. Recovery from moderate neuromuscular blockade was significantly faster with sugammadex 2 mg/kg than with neostigmine, and recovery from deep neuromuscular blockade was significantly faster with sugammadex 4 mg/kg than with neostigmine or spontaneous recovery. In addition, recovery from neuromuscular blockade was significantly faster when sugammadex 16 mg/kg was administered 3 min after rocuronium than when patients spontaneously recovered from succinylcholine. Sugammadex also demonstrated efficacy in various special patient populations, including patients with pulmonary disease, cardiac disease, hepatic dysfunction or myasthenia gravis and morbidly obese patients. Intravenous sugammadex was generally well tolerated. In conclusion, sugammadex is an important option for the rapid reversal of rocuronium- or vecuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade.

Neuromuscular Bandage: Neurophysiological Effects and the Role of Fascias

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Ximena María Villota Chicaíza

2014-05-01

Full Text Available During the last years, neuromuscular bandage, a therapeutic application created in 1979 by doctor Kenzo Kase has been introduced in the management of many disorders of the musculo-skeletal system and even more so in the treatment of neurological disorders; This therapeutic tool which consists of a self adhesive elastic bandage allows recovery of the injured party without diminishing its bodily function. According to the existing literature on the physiological effects of this therapeutic application in the body, you could say that there is consensus. However in this article the author wants to highlight the significant although little highlighted role played by the fas¬cias on the therapeutic effects of neuromuscular bandage, analyzing from a reflective perspective the analgesic, neuromechanical and circulatory effects, as fundamental effects of neuromuscular bandage and fascias in the same function, trying to bring a global understanding on the way they relate to all connective tissues, aspects that are of great importance for the proper evaluation of alterations and prescription of neuromuscular bandage

STATE-OF-THE-ART TASKS AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF PARALINGUISTIC SPEECH ANALYSIS SYSTEMS

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A. A. Karpov

2016-07-01

Full Text Available We present analytical survey of state-of-the-art actual tasks in the area of computational paralinguistics, as well as the recent achievements of automatic systems for paralinguistic analysis of conversational speech. Paralinguistics studies non-verbal aspects of human communication and speech such as: natural emotions, accents, psycho-physiological states, pronunciation features, speaker’s voice parameters, etc. We describe architecture of a baseline computer system for acoustical paralinguistic analysis, its main components and useful speech processing methods. We present some information on an International contest called Computational Paralinguistics Challenge (ComParE, which is held each year since 2009 in the framework of the International conference INTERSPEECH organized by the International Speech Communication Association. We present sub-challenges (tasks that were proposed at the ComParE Challenges in 2009-2016, and analyze winning computer systems for each sub-challenge and obtained results. The last completed ComParE-2015 Challenge was organized in September 2015 in Germany and proposed 3 sub-challenges: 1 Degree of Nativeness (DN sub-challenge, determination of nativeness degree of speakers based on acoustics; 2 Parkinson's Condition (PC sub-challenge, recognition of a degree of Parkinson’s condition based on speech analysis; 3 Eating Condition (EC sub-challenge, determination of the eating condition state during speaking or a dialogue, and classification of consumed food type (one of seven classes of food by the speaker. In the last sub-challenge (EC, the winner was a joint Turkish-Russian team consisting of the authors of the given paper. We have developed the most efficient computer-based system for detection and classification of the corresponding (EC acoustical paralinguistic events. The paper deals with the architecture of this system, its main modules and methods, as well as the description of used training and evaluation

Neuromuscular adaptations induced by adjacent joint training.

Science.gov (United States)

Ema, R; Saito, I; Akagi, R

2018-03-01

Effects of resistance training are well known to be specific to tasks that are involved during training. However, it remains unclear whether neuromuscular adaptations are induced after adjacent joint training. This study examined the effects of hip flexion training on maximal and explosive knee extension strength and neuromuscular performance of the rectus femoris (RF, hip flexor, and knee extensor) compared with the effects of knee extension training. Thirty-seven untrained young men were randomly assigned to hip flexion training, knee extension training, or a control group. Participants in the training groups completed 4 weeks of isometric hip flexion or knee extension training. Standardized differences in the mean change between the training groups and control group were interpreted as an effect size, and the substantial effect was assumed to be ≥0.20 of the between-participant standard deviation at baseline. Both types of training resulted in substantial increases in maximal (hip flexion training group: 6.2% ± 10.1%, effect size = 0.25; knee extension training group: 20.8% ± 9.9%, effect size = 1.11) and explosive isometric knee extension torques and muscle thickness of the RF in the proximal and distal regions. Improvements in strength were accompanied by substantial enhancements in voluntary activation, which was determined using the twitch interpolation technique and RF activation. Differences in training effects on explosive torques and neural variables between the two training groups were trivial. Our findings indicate that hip flexion training results in substantial neuromuscular adaptations during knee extensions similar to those induced by knee extension training. © 2017 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science In Sports Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Neuromuscular Disorders

Science.gov (United States)

... lead to twitching, cramps, aches and pains, and joint and movement problems. Sometimes it also affects heart function and your ability to breathe. Examples of neuromuscular disorders include Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Multiple sclerosis Myasthenia ...

Neuromuscular blockade in the elderly patient

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lee LA

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Luis A Lee, Vassilis Athanassoglou, Jaideep J Pandit Nuffield Department of Anaesthetics, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK Abstract: Neuromuscular blockade is a desirable or even essential component of general anesthesia for major surgical operations. As the population continues to age, and more operations are conducted in the elderly, due consideration must be given to neuromuscular blockade in these patients to avoid possible complications. This review considers the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of neuromuscular blockade that may be altered in the elderly. Compartment distribution, metabolism, and excretion of drugs may vary due to age-related changes in physiology, altering the duration of action with a need for reduced dosage (eg, aminosteroids. Other drugs (atracurium, cisatracurium have more reliable duration of action and should perhaps be considered for use in the elderly. The range of interpatient variability that neuromuscular blocking drugs may exhibit is then considered and drugs with a narrower range, such as cisatracurium, may produce more predictable, and inherently safer, outcomes. Ultimately, appropriate neuromuscular monitoring should be used to guide the administration of muscle relaxants so that the risk of residual neuromuscular blockade postoperatively can be minimized. The reliability of various monitoring is considered. This paper concludes with a review of the various reversal agents, namely, anticholinesterase drugs and sugammadex, and the alterations in dosing of these that should be considered for the elderly patient. Keywords: anesthesia, elderly, drugs, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics 

Dynamic Neuromuscular Control of the Lower Limbs in Response to Unexpected Single-Planar versus Multi-Planar Support Perturbations in Young, Active Adults.

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Malfait, Bart; Staes, Filip; de Vries, Aijse; Smeets, Annemie; Hawken, Malcolm; Robinson, Mark A; Vanrenterghem, Jos; Verschueren, Sabine

2015-01-01

An anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury involves a multi-planar injury mechanism. Nevertheless, unexpected multi-planar perturbations have not been used to screen athletes in the context of ACL injury prevention yet could reveal those more at risk. The objective of this study was to compare neuromuscular responses to multi-planar (MPP) and single-planar perturbations (SPP) during a stepping-down task. These results might serve as a basis for future implementation of external perturbations in ACL injury screening programs. Thirteen young adults performed a single leg stepping-down task in eight conditions (four MPP and four SPP with a specified amplitude and velocity). The amplitudes of vastus lateralis (VL), vastus medialis (VM), hamstrings lateralis (HL), hamstrings medialis (HM) EMG activity, medio-lateral and anterior-posterior centre of mass (COM) displacements, the peak knee flexion and abduction angles were compared between conditions using an one-way ANOVA. Number of stepping responses were monitored during all conditions. Significantly greater muscle activity levels were found in response to the more challenging MPP and SPP compared to the less challenging conditions (p neuromuscular activity were found between the MPP conditions and their equivalents in the SPP. Eighteen stepping responses were monitored in the SPP versus nine in the MPP indicating that the overall neuromuscular control was even more challenged during the SPP which was supported by greater COM displacements in the SPP. The more intense MPP and SPP evoked different neuromuscular responses resulting in greater muscle activity levels compared to small perturbations. Based on the results of COM displacements and based on the amount of stepping responses, dynamic neuromuscular control of the knee joint appeared less challenged during the MPP. Therefore, future work should investigate extensively if other neuromuscular differences (i.e. co-activation patterns and kinetics) exist between MPP

Ammonia modifies enteric neuromuscular transmission through glial γ-aminobutyric acid signaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Fried, David E; Watson, Ralph E; Robson, Simon C; Gulbransen, Brian D

2017-12-01

Impaired gut motility may contribute, at least in part, to the development of systemic hyperammonemia and systemic neurological disorders in inherited metabolic disorders, or in severe liver and renal disease. It is not known whether enteric neurotransmission regulates intestinal luminal and hence systemic ammonia levels by induced changes in motility. Here, we propose and test the hypothesis that ammonia acts through specific enteric circuits to influence gut motility. We tested our hypothesis by recording the effects of ammonia on neuromuscular transmission in tissue samples from mice, pigs, and humans and investigated specific mechanisms using novel mutant mice, selective drugs, cellular imaging, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Exogenous ammonia increased neurogenic contractions and decreased neurogenic relaxations in segments of mouse, pig, and human intestine. Enteric glial cells responded to ammonia with intracellular Ca 2+ responses. Inhibition of glutamine synthetase and the deletion of glial connexin-43 channels in hGFAP :: Cre ER T2+/- /connexin43 f/f mice potentiated the effects of ammonia on neuromuscular transmission. The effects of ammonia on neuromuscular transmission were blocked by GABA A receptor antagonists, and ammonia drove substantive GABA release as did the selective pharmacological activation of enteric glia in GFAP::hM3Dq transgenic mice. We propose a novel mechanism whereby local ammonia is operational through GABAergic glial signaling to influence enteric neuromuscular circuits that regulate intestinal motility. Therapeutic manipulation of these mechanisms may benefit a number of neurological, hepatic, and renal disorders manifesting hyperammonemia. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We propose that local circuits in the enteric nervous system sense and regulate intestinal ammonia. We show that ammonia modifies enteric neuromuscular transmission to increase motility in human, pig, and mouse intestine model systems. The mechanisms underlying the

Effect of a 6-week dynamic neuromuscular training programme on ankle joint function: A Case report.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Driscoll, Jeremiah; Kerin, Fearghal; Delahunt, Eamonn

2011-06-09

Ankle joint sprain and the subsequent development of chronic ankle instability (CAI) are commonly encountered by clinicians involved in the treatment and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries. It has recently been advocated that ankle joint post-sprain rehabilitation protocols should incorporate dynamic neuromuscular training to enhance ankle joint sensorimotor capabilities. To date no studies have reported on the effects of dynamic neuromuscular training on ankle joint positioning during landing from a jump, which has been reported as one of the primary injury mechanisms for ankle joint sprain. This case report details the effects of a 6-week dynamic neuromuscular training programme on ankle joint function in an athlete with CAI. The athlete took part in a progressive 6-week dynamic neuromuscular training programme which incorporated postural stability, strengthening, plyometric, and speed/agility drills. The outcome measures chosen to assess for interventional efficacy were: 1 Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT) scores, 2 Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) reach distances, 3 ankle joint plantar flexion during drop landing and drop vertical jumping, and 4 ground reaction forces (GRFs) during walking. CAIT and SEBT scores improved following participation in the programme. The angle of ankle joint plantar flexion decreased at the point of initial contact during the drop landing and drop vertical jumping tasks, indicating that the ankle joint was in a less vulnerable position upon landing following participation in the programme. Furthermore, GRFs were reduced whilst walking post-intervention. The 6-week dynamic neuromuscular training programme improved parameters of ankle joint sensorimotor control in an athlete with CAI. Further research is now required in a larger cohort of subjects to determine the effects of neuromuscular training on ankle joint injury risk factors.

The Functional Task Test (FTT): An Interdisciplinary Testing Protocol to Investigate the Factors Underlying Changes in Astronaut Functional Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Bloomberg, J. J.; Lawrence, E. L.; Arzeno, N. M.; Buxton, R. E.; Feiveson, A. H.; Kofman, I. S.; Lee, S. M. C.; Mulavara, A. P.; Peters, B. T.; Platts. S. H.;

The effect of 6-week combined agility-balance training on neuromuscular performance in basketball players.

Science.gov (United States)

Zemková, E; Hamar, D

2010-09-01

The study evaluates the effect of 6-week combined agility-balance training on neuromuscular performance in basketball players. Subjects divided into experimental (EG, n = 17) and control group (CG, n = 17) underwent a combined agility-balance training (in duration of 30 min) for a period of 6 weeks (4-5 sessions/week). Both groups performed reaction tasks similar to game-like situations, however EG on wobble boards and CG on stable surface. Prior to and after the training parameters of agility, balance, speed of step initiation, strength differentiation accuracy, and explosive power of lower limbs were evaluated. Postural stability was assessed under both static and dynamic conditions (wobble board) with eyes open and eyes closed, respectively. The velocity of the centre of pressure (COP) was registered at 100 Hz by means of posturography system FiTRO Sway check based on dynamometric platform. Using FiTRO Reaction check simple and multi-choice reaction times were measured. The same system was applied to evaluate the agility performance including reaction and movement task. Speed of step initiation was measured using FiTRO Dyne Premium. Jumping abilities were evaluated by means of FiTRO Jumper (10-seconds maximal jumps, Countermovement jump, Squat jump, Drop jump). Using the same system, the subject´s ability to match 50 % of their maximal height of the jump was evaluated. Results showed that a combined agility-balance training improved dynamic balance not only under visual control but also in eyes closed conditions. Training also increased run-out speed that likely contributed to better agility performance, reduced ground contact time during drop jump, and improved the ability to differentiate the force of muscle contraction during repeated jumps. However, such training has been found to be insufficient to improve both simple and multi-choice reaction time, and jumping performance. On the other hand, control group failed to show any significant improvement in

Kinship and interaction in neuromuscular pharmacology

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schiere, Sjouke

2006-01-01

The background of this thesis is presented in the introductory chapters and stafts with a brief history of neuromuscular relaxants. It is followed by a short description of the neuromuscular physiology and pharmacology in chapters 2 and 3, respectively. In chapter 4 the aim of the thesis is

Effect of a 6-week dynamic neuromuscular training programme on ankle joint function: A Case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O'Driscoll Jeremiah

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Ankle joint sprain and the subsequent development of chronic ankle instability (CAI are commonly encountered by clinicians involved in the treatment and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries. It has recently been advocated that ankle joint post-sprain rehabilitation protocols should incorporate dynamic neuromuscular training to enhance ankle joint sensorimotor capabilities. To date no studies have reported on the effects of dynamic neuromuscular training on ankle joint positioning during landing from a jump, which has been reported as one of the primary injury mechanisms for ankle joint sprain. This case report details the effects of a 6-week dynamic neuromuscular training programme on ankle joint function in an athlete with CAI. Methods The athlete took part in a progressive 6-week dynamic neuromuscular training programme which incorporated postural stability, strengthening, plyometric, and speed/agility drills. The outcome measures chosen to assess for interventional efficacy were: 1 Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT scores, 2 Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT reach distances, 3 ankle joint plantar flexion during drop landing and drop vertical jumping, and 4 ground reaction forces (GRFs during walking. Results CAIT and SEBT scores improved following participation in the programme. The angle of ankle joint plantar flexion decreased at the point of initial contact during the drop landing and drop vertical jumping tasks, indicating that the ankle joint was in a less vulnerable position upon landing following participation in the programme. Furthermore, GRFs were reduced whilst walking post-intervention. Conclusions The 6-week dynamic neuromuscular training programme improved parameters of ankle joint sensorimotor control in an athlete with CAI. Further research is now required in a larger cohort of subjects to determine the effects of neuromuscular training on ankle joint injury risk factors.

Effect of a 6-week dynamic neuromuscular training programme on ankle joint function: A Case report

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

O'Driscoll, Jeremiah

2011-06-09

Abstract Background Ankle joint sprain and the subsequent development of chronic ankle instability (CAI) are commonly encountered by clinicians involved in the treatment and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries. It has recently been advocated that ankle joint post-sprain rehabilitation protocols should incorporate dynamic neuromuscular training to enhance ankle joint sensorimotor capabilities. To date no studies have reported on the effects of dynamic neuromuscular training on ankle joint positioning during landing from a jump, which has been reported as one of the primary injury mechanisms for ankle joint sprain. This case report details the effects of a 6-week dynamic neuromuscular training programme on ankle joint function in an athlete with CAI. Methods The athlete took part in a progressive 6-week dynamic neuromuscular training programme which incorporated postural stability, strengthening, plyometric, and speed\\/agility drills. The outcome measures chosen to assess for interventional efficacy were: 1 Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT) scores, 2 Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) reach distances, 3 ankle joint plantar flexion during drop landing and drop vertical jumping, and 4 ground reaction forces (GRFs) during walking. Results CAIT and SEBT scores improved following participation in the programme. The angle of ankle joint plantar flexion decreased at the point of initial contact during the drop landing and drop vertical jumping tasks, indicating that the ankle joint was in a less vulnerable position upon landing following participation in the programme. Furthermore, GRFs were reduced whilst walking post-intervention. Conclusions The 6-week dynamic neuromuscular training programme improved parameters of ankle joint sensorimotor control in an athlete with CAI. Further research is now required in a larger cohort of subjects to determine the effects of neuromuscular training on ankle joint injury risk factors.

Neuromuscular Control and Coordination during Cycling

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Li

2004-01-01

The neuromuscular control aspect of cycling has been investigated through the effects of modifying posture and cadence. These studies show that changing posture has a more profound influence on neuromuscular coordination than does changing slope. Most of the changes with standing posture occur late in the downstroke: increased ankle and knee joint…

Fatiguing exercise intensity influences the relationship between parameters reflecting neuromuscular function and postural control variables.

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Sébastien Boyas

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of fatiguing exercise intensity on the nature and extent of fatigue-induced changes in neuromuscular function and postural stability in quiet standing. We also explored the contribution of selected neuromuscular mechanisms involved in force production to postural stability impairment observed following fatigue using an approach based on multivariate regressions. Eighteen young subjects performed 30-s postural trials on one leg with their eyes closed. Postural trials were performed before and after fatiguing exercises of different intensities: 25, 50 and 75% of maximal isometric plantarflexor torque. Fatiguing exercises consisted of sustaining a plantarflexor isometric contraction at the target intensity until task failure. Maximal isometric plantarflexor torque, electromyographic activity of plantarflexor and dorsiflexor muscles, activation level (twitch interpolation technique and twitch contractile properties of plantarflexors were used to characterize neuromuscular function. The 25% exercise was associated with greater central fatigue whereas the 50 and 75% exercises involved mostly peripheral fatigue. However, all fatiguing exercises induced similar alterations in postural stability, which was unexpected considering previous literature. Stepwise multiple regression analyses showed that fatigue-related changes in selected parameters related to neuromuscular function could explain more than half (0.51≤R(2≤0.82 of the changes in postural variables for the 25% exercise. On the other hand, regression models were less predictive (0.17≤R(2≤0.73 for the 50 and 75% exercises. This study suggests that fatiguing exercise intensity does not influence the extent of postural stability impairment, but does influence the type of fatigue induced and the neuromuscular function predictors explaining changes in postural variables.

A theoretical framework for understanding neuromuscular response to lower extremity joint injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Pietrosimone, Brian G; McLeod, Michelle M; Lepley, Adam S

2012-01-01

Neuromuscular alterations are common following lower extremity joint injury and often lead to decreased function and disability. These neuromuscular alterations manifest in inhibition or abnormal facilitation of the uninjured musculature surrounding an injured joint. Unfortunately, these neural alterations are poorly understood, which may affect clinical recognition and treatment of these injuries. Understanding how these neural alterations affect physical function may be important for proper clinical management of lower extremity joint injuries. Pertinent articles focusing on neuromuscular consequences and treatment of knee and ankle injuries were collected from peer-reviewed sources available on the Web of Science and Medline databases from 1975 through 2010. A theoretical model to illustrate potential relationships between neural alterations and clinical impairments was constructed from the current literature. Lower extremity joint injury affects upstream cortical and spinal reflexive excitability pathways as well as downstream muscle function and overall physical performance. Treatment targeting the central nervous system provides an alternate means of treating joint injury that may be effective for patients with neuromuscular alterations. Disability is common following joint injury. There is mounting evidence that alterations in the central nervous system may relate to clinical changes in biomechanics that may predispose patients to further injury, and novel clinical interventions that target neural alterations may improve therapeutic outcomes.

The effect of additional joint mobilization on neuromuscular performance in individuals with functional ankle instability.

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Shih, Yi-Fen; Yu, Hsiang-Ting; Chen, Wen-Yin; Liao, Kwong-Kum; Lin, Hsiu-Chen; Yang, Yea-Ru

2018-03-01

To examine the effects of joint mobilization and exercise training on neuromuscular performance in individuals with functional ankle instability (FAI). A cross-sectional study. Forty five subjects with FAI were randomized into three groups: control (CG, n = 15, 27.9 ± 6.6yr), training (TG, n = 15, 26.9 ± 5.8yr) and mobilization with training group (MTG, n = 15, 26.5 ± 4.8yr). Four weeks of neuromuscular training for TG; neuromuscular training and joint mobilization for MTG. Electromyography of the peroneus longus (PL), tibialis anterior (TA), and soleus (SOL) and the reaching distance of the Y balance test (YBT), dorsiflexion range of motion (DFROM), Cumberland ankle instability tool (CAIT), and global rating scale (GRS). Two-way repeated measures MANOVA were used with the significance level p Joint mobilization resulted in additional benefits on self-reported ankle instability severity, dorsiflexion mobility, and posterolateral balance performance in individuals with FAI, but its effects on general improvement, muscle activation, and other balance tasks remained uncertain. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biomechanical and neuromuscular characteristics of male athletes: implications for the development of anterior cruciate ligament injury prevention programs.

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Sugimoto, Dai; Alentorn-Geli, Eduard; Mendiguchía, Jurdan; Samuelsson, Kristian; Karlsson, Jon; Myer, Gregory D

2015-06-01

Prevention of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is likely the most effective strategy to reduce undesired health consequences including reconstruction surgery, long-term rehabilitation, and pre-mature osteoarthritis occurrence. A thorough understanding of mechanisms and risk factors of ACL injury is crucial to develop effective prevention programs, especially for biomechanical and neuromuscular modifiable risk factors. Historically, the available evidence regarding ACL risk factors has mainly involved female athletes or has compared male and female athletes without an intra-group comparison for male athletes. Therefore, the principal purpose of this article was to review existing evidence regarding the investigation of biomechanical and neuromuscular characteristics that may imply aberrant knee kinematics and kinetics that would place the male athlete at risk of ACL injury. Biomechanical evidence related to knee kinematics and kinetics was reviewed by different planes (sagittal and frontal/coronal), tasks (single-leg landing and cutting), situation (anticipated and unanticipated), foot positioning, playing surface, and fatigued status. Neuromuscular evidence potentially related to ACL injury was reviewed. Recommendations for prevention programs for ACL injuries in male athletes were developed based on the synthesis of the biomechanical and neuromuscular characteristics. The recommendations suggest performing exercises with multi-plane biomechanical components including single-leg maneuvers in dynamic movements, reaction to and decision making in unexpected situations, appropriate foot positioning, and consideration of playing surface condition, as well as enhancing neuromuscular aspects such as fatigue, proprioception, muscle activation, and inter-joint coordination.

Task analysis and support for problem solving tasks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bainbridge, L.

1987-01-01

This paper is concerned with Task Analysis as the basis for ergonomic design to reduce human error rates, rather than for predicting human error rates. Task Analysis techniques usually provide a set of categories for describing sub tasks, and a framework describing the relations between sub-tasks. Both the task type categories and their organisation have implications for optimum interface and training design. In this paper, the framework needed for considering the most complex tasks faced by operators in process industries is discussed such as fault management in unexpected situations, and what is likely to minimise human error in these circumstances. (author)

The effects of neuromuscular exercise on medial knee joint load post-arthroscopic partial medial meniscectomy: 'SCOPEX', a randomised control trial protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Michelle; Hinman, Rana S; Wrigley, Tim V; Roos, Ewa M; Hodges, Paul W; Staples, Margaret; Bennell, Kim L

2012-11-27

Meniscectomy is a risk factor for knee osteoarthritis, with increased medial joint loading a likely contributor to the development and progression of knee osteoarthritis in this group. Therefore, post-surgical rehabilitation or interventions that reduce medial knee joint loading have the potential to reduce the risk of developing or progressing osteoarthritis. The primary purpose of this randomised, assessor-blind controlled trial is to determine the effects of a home-based, physiotherapist-supervised neuromuscular exercise program on medial knee joint load during functional tasks in people who have recently undergone a partial medial meniscectomy. 62 people aged 30-50 years who have undergone an arthroscopic partial medial meniscectomy within the previous 3 to 12 months will be recruited and randomly assigned to a neuromuscular exercise or control group using concealed allocation. The neuromuscular exercise group will attend 8 supervised exercise sessions with a physiotherapist and will perform 6 exercises at home, at least 3 times per week for 12 weeks. The control group will not receive the neuromuscular training program. Blinded assessment will be performed at baseline and immediately following the 12-week intervention. The primary outcomes are change in the peak external knee adduction moment measured by 3-dimensional analysis during normal paced walking and one-leg rise. Secondary outcomes include the change in peak external knee adduction moment during fast pace walking and one-leg hop and change in the knee adduction moment impulse during walking, one-leg rise and one-leg hop, knee and hip muscle strength, electromyographic muscle activation patterns, objective measures of physical function, as well as self-reported measures of physical function and symptoms and additional biomechanical parameters. The findings from this trial will provide evidence regarding the effect of a home-based, physiotherapist-supervised neuromuscular exercise program on medial knee

Developmental and adult-specific processes contribute to de novo neuromuscular regeneration in the lizard tail.

Science.gov (United States)

Tokuyama, Minami A; Xu, Cindy; Fisher, Rebecca E; Wilson-Rawls, Jeanne; Kusumi, Kenro; Newbern, Jason M

2018-01-15

Peripheral nerves exhibit robust regenerative capabilities in response to selective injury among amniotes, but the regeneration of entire muscle groups following volumetric muscle loss is limited in birds and mammals. In contrast, lizards possess the remarkable ability to regenerate extensive de novo muscle after tail loss. However, the mechanisms underlying reformation of the entire neuromuscular system in the regenerating lizard tail are not completely understood. We have tested whether the regeneration of the peripheral nerve and neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) recapitulate processes observed during normal neuromuscular development in the green anole, Anolis carolinensis. Our data confirm robust axonal outgrowth during early stages of tail regeneration and subsequent NMJ formation within weeks of autotomy. Interestingly, NMJs are overproduced as evidenced by a persistent increase in NMJ density 120 and 250 days post autotomy (DPA). Substantial Myelin Basic Protein (MBP) expression could also be detected along regenerating nerves indicating that the ability of Schwann cells to myelinate newly formed axons remained intact. Overall, our data suggest that the mechanism of de novo nerve and NMJ reformation parallel, in part, those observed during neuromuscular development. However, the prolonged increase in NMJ number and aberrant muscle differentiation hint at processes specific to the adult response. An examination of the coordinated exchange between peripheral nerves, Schwann cells, and newly synthesized muscle of the regenerating neuromuscular system may assist in the identification of candidate molecules that promote neuromuscular recovery in organisms incapable of a robust regenerative response. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

LiVO/sub 3/-Li/sub 2/Mo(W)O/sub 4/ and NaVO/sub 3/-Na/sub 2/Cr(Mo)O/sub 4/ systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Belyaev, I N; Lupeiko, T G; Vyalikova, V I [Rostovskij-na-Donu Gosudarstvennyj Univ. (USSR)

1975-09-01

The systems LiVO/sub 3/-Li/sub 2/MoO/sub 4/, LiVO/sub 3/-Li/sub 2/WO/sub 4/, NaNO/sub 3/-Na/sub 2/CrO/sub 4/, NaNO/sub 3/-Na/sub 2/MoO/sub 4/ were studied with thermographic and partially visual polythermal methods of physical and chemical analyses. Except NaVO/sub 3/-Na/sub 2/MoO/sub 4/ all investigated systems are eutectic ones with limited solid solutions on the basis of some component; the eutectics melt at 542, 544, 550/sup 0/C and contain 25, 20 and 26% of Li/sub 2/MoO/sub 4/, Li/sub 2/WO/sub 4/ and Na/sub 2/CrO/sub 4/ respectively. The system NaNO/sub 3/-Na/sub 2/MoO/sub 4/ contains compound 18 NaVO/sub 3/.11Na/sub 2/MoO/sub 4/ congruently melting at 570/sup 0/C. Two eutectics of the system have melting points at 542 and 548/sup 0/C and contain 47 and 67% of Na/sub 2/MoO/sub 4/.

Neuromuscular blockade in cardiac surgery: An update for clinicians

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hemmerling Thomas

2008-01-01

Full Text Available There have been great advancements in cardiac surgery over the last two decades; the widespread use of off-pump aortocoronary bypass surgery, minimally invasive cardiac surgery, and robotic surgery have also changed the face of cardiac anaesthesia. The concept of "Fast-track anaesthesia" demands the use of nondepolarising neuromuscular blocking drugs with short duration of action, combining the ability to provide (if necessary sufficiently profound neuromuscular blockade during surgery and immediate re-establishment of normal neuromuscular transmission at the end of surgery. Postoperative residual muscle paralysis is one of the major hurdles for immediate or early extubation after cardiac surgery. Nondepolarising neuromuscular blocking drugs for cardiac surgery should therefore be easy to titrate, of rapid onset and short duration of action with a pathway of elimination independent from hepatic or renal dysfunction, and should equally not affect haemodynamic stability. The difference between repetitive bolus application and continuous infusion is outlined in this review, with the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic characteristics of vecuronium, pancuronium, rocuronium, and cisatracurium. Kinemyography and acceleromyography are the most important currently used neuromuscular monitoring methods. Whereas monitoring at the adductor pollicis muscle is appropriate at the end of surgery, monitoring of the corrugator supercilii muscle better reflects neuromuscular blockade at more central, profound muscles, such as the diaphragm, larynx, or thoraco-abdominal muscles. In conclusion, cisatracurium or rocuronium is recommended for neuromuscular blockade in modern cardiac surgery.

An intelligent system for monitoring and diagnosis of the CO{sub 2} capture process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Q.; Chan, C.W.; Tontiwachwuthikul, P. [University of Regina, Regina, SK (Canada). Faculty of Engineering

2011-07-15

Amine-based carbon dioxide capture has been widely considered as a feasible ideal technology for reducing large-scale CO{sub 2} emissions and mitigating global warming. The operation of amine-based CO{sub 2} capture is a complicated task, which involves monitoring over 100 process parameters and careful manipulation of numerous valves and pumps. The current research in the field of CO{sub 2} capture has emphasized the need for improving CO{sub 2} capture efficiency and enhancing plant performance. In the present study, artificial intelligence techniques were applied for developing a knowledge-based expert system that aims at effectively monitoring and controlling the CO{sub 2} capture process and thereby enhancing CO{sub 2} capture efficiency. In developing the system, the inferential modeling technique (IMT) was applied to analyze the domain knowledge and problem-solving techniques, and a knowledge base was developed on DeltaV Simulate. The expert system helps to enhance CO{sub 2} capture system performance and efficiency by reducing the time required for diagnosis and problem solving if abnormal conditions occur. The expert system can be used as a decision-support tool that helps inexperienced operators control the plant: it can be used also for training novice operators.

Closed-Loop Neuroprosthesis for Reach-to-Grasp Assistance: Combining Adaptive Multi-channel Neuromuscular Stimulation with a Multi-joint Arm Exoskeleton.

Science.gov (United States)

Grimm, Florian; Gharabaghi, Alireza

2016-01-01

Stroke patients with severe motor deficits cannot execute task-oriented rehabilitation exercises with their affected upper extremity. Advanced rehabilitation technology may support them in performing such reach-to-grasp movements. The challenge is, however, to provide assistance as needed, while maintaining the participants' commitment during the exercises. In this feasibility study, we introduced a closed-loop neuroprosthesis for reach-to-grasp assistance which combines adaptive multi-channel neuromuscular stimulation with a multi-joint arm exoskeleton. Eighteen severely affected chronic stroke patients were assisted by a gravity-compensating, seven-degree-of-freedom exoskeleton which was attached to the paretic arm for performing reach-to-grasp exercises resembling activities of daily living in a virtual environment. During the exercises, adaptive electrical stimulation was applied to seven different muscles of the upper extremity in a performance-dependent way to enhance the task-oriented movement trajectory. The stimulation intensity was individualized for each targeted muscle and remained subthreshold, i.e., induced no overt support. Closed-loop neuromuscular stimulation could be well integrated into the exoskeleton-based training, and increased the task-related range of motion (p = 0.0004) and movement velocity (p = 0.015), while preserving accuracy. The highest relative stimulation intensity was required to facilitate the grasping function. The facilitated range of motion correlated with the upper extremity Fugl-Meyer Assessment score of the patients (p = 0.028). Combining adaptive multi-channel neuromuscular stimulation with antigravity assistance amplifies the residual motor capabilities of severely affected stroke patients during rehabilitation exercises and may thus provide a customized training environment for patient-tailored support while preserving the participants' engagement.

Closed-Loop Neuroprosthesis for Reach-to-Grasp Assistance: Combining Adaptive Multi-channel Neuromuscular Stimulation with a Multi-joint Arm Exoskeleton

Science.gov (United States)

Grimm, Florian; Gharabaghi, Alireza

2016-01-01

Stroke patients with severe motor deficits cannot execute task-oriented rehabilitation exercises with their affected upper extremity. Advanced rehabilitation technology may support them in performing such reach-to-grasp movements. The challenge is, however, to provide assistance as needed, while maintaining the participants' commitment during the exercises. In this feasibility study, we introduced a closed-loop neuroprosthesis for reach-to-grasp assistance which combines adaptive multi-channel neuromuscular stimulation with a multi-joint arm exoskeleton. Eighteen severely affected chronic stroke patients were assisted by a gravity-compensating, seven-degree-of-freedom exoskeleton which was attached to the paretic arm for performing reach-to-grasp exercises resembling activities of daily living in a virtual environment. During the exercises, adaptive electrical stimulation was applied to seven different muscles of the upper extremity in a performance-dependent way to enhance the task-oriented movement trajectory. The stimulation intensity was individualized for each targeted muscle and remained subthreshold, i.e., induced no overt support. Closed-loop neuromuscular stimulation could be well integrated into the exoskeleton-based training, and increased the task-related range of motion (p = 0.0004) and movement velocity (p = 0.015), while preserving accuracy. The highest relative stimulation intensity was required to facilitate the grasping function. The facilitated range of motion correlated with the upper extremity Fugl-Meyer Assessment score of the patients (p = 0.028). Combining adaptive multi-channel neuromuscular stimulation with antigravity assistance amplifies the residual motor capabilities of severely affected stroke patients during rehabilitation exercises and may thus provide a customized training environment for patient-tailored support while preserving the participants' engagement. PMID:27445658

The neuro-muscular system in continuously swimming cercariae from Belarus. I Xiphidiocercariae.

Science.gov (United States)

Tolstenkov, Oleg O; Akimova, Ludmila N; Terenina, Nadezhda B; Gustafsson, Margaretha K S

2012-11-01

The neuromuscular system (NMS) in cercariae of Neoastiotrema trituri, Plagiorchis elegans, Omphalometra flexuosa, Skrjabinoeces similis and Prosthogonimus ovatus was studied with immunocytochemical methods and confocal scanning laser microscopy. The patterns of F-actin in the musculature, 5-HT immunoreactive (IR), FMRFamide-IR neuronal elements and α-tubulin-IR sensory receptors were investigated, and they were found to be rather similar in all the cercariae studied. Four species have seven paired 5-HT-IR neurons in the body, and P. elegans has eight. N. trituri has three 5-HT-IR neurons in each brain ganglion, while the other species have four. A high degree of conformity in the structure of the NMS was observed, probably reflecting the close phylogenetic relationship and the similar strategy of host finding.

Hybrid neuroprosthesis for the upper limb: combining brain-controlled neuromuscular stimulation with a multi-joint arm exoskeleton

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Florian Grimm

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Brain-machine interface-controlled (BMI neurofeedback training aims to modulate cortical physiology and is applied during neurorehabilitation to increase the responsiveness of the brain to subsequent physiotherapy. In a parallel line of research, robotic exoskeletons are used in goal-oriented rehabilitation exercises for patients with severe motor impairment to extend their range of motion and the intensity of training. Furthermore, neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES is applied in neurologically impaired patients to restore muscle strength by closing the sensorimotor loop. In this proof-of-principle study, we explored an integrated approach for providing assistance as needed to amplify the task-related range of motion and the movement-related brain modulation during rehabilitation exercises of severely impaired patients. For this purpose, we combined these three approaches (BMI, NMES, and exoskeleton in an integrated neuroprosthesis and studied the feasibility of this device in seven severely affected chronic stroke patients who performed wrist flexion and extension exercises while receiving feedback via a virtual environment. They were assisted by a gravity-compensating, seven degree-of-freedom exoskeleton which was attached to the paretic arm. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation was applied to the wrist extensor and flexor muscles during the exercises and was controlled by a hybrid BMI based on both sensorimotor cortical desynchronization (ERD and electromyography (EMG activity. The stimulation intensity was individualized for each targeted muscle and remained subthreshold, i.e. induced no overt support. The hybrid BMI controlled the stimulation significantly better than the offline analyzed ERD (p=0.028 or EMG (p=0.021 modality alone. Neuromuscular stimulation could be well integrated into the exoskeleton-based training and amplified both the task-related range of motion (p=0.009 and the movement-related brain modulation (p=0

The role of patient advocacy organisations in neuromuscular disease R&D - The case of the Dutch neuromuscular disease association VSN

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boon, W.P.C.; Broekgaarden, R.

2010-01-01

This article investigates to what extent patient advocacy organisations play a role in influencing R&D and policymaking for rare neuromuscular diseases. The Dutch neuromuscular disease organisation VSN is studied in depth. A brief history of the VSN is sketched along with the international

Integrated dry NO{sub x}/SO{sub 2} emissions control system: integrated system test report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smith, R.A.; Muzio, L.J. [Fossil Energy Research Corp., Laguna Hills, CA (United States); Hunt, T. [Public Service Co. of Colorado, Denver, CO (United States)

1997-04-01

The DOE sponsored Integrated Dry NO{sub x}/SO{sub 2} Emissions Control System Program, is a Clean Coal Technology III demonstration, being conducted by Public Service Company of Colorado. The test site is Arapahoe Generating Station Unit 4, a 100 MWe, down-fired utility boiler burning a low-sulfur Western coal. The project goal is to demonstrate up to 70 percent reductions in NO{sub x} and SO{sub 2} emissions through the integration of: (1) down-fired low NO{sub x} burners with overfire air; (2) Selective Non-Catalytic Reduction (SNCR) for additional NO{sub x} removal; and (3) Dry Sorbent Injection (DSI) and duct humidification for SO{sub 2} removal. This report documents the final phase of the test program, in which the overall performance of the integrated system was evaluated. Previous testing has shown that the goal of 70 percent NO{sub x} removal was easily achieved with the combination of low-NO{sub x} burners, overfire air, and urea-based SNCR. Similarly, the ability of the sodium-based DSI system to achieve 70 percent SO{sub 2} removal was also demonstrated previously. The integrated tests demonstrated the synergistic benefit of operating the SNCR and sodium-based DSI systems concurrently. With the automatic control system set to limit the NH{sub 3} emissions to less than 8 ppm, the NO{sub 2} emissions from the sodium-based DSI system were reduced by nominally 50 percent compared to operation with the DSI system alone. Comparably, the combined operation reduced NH{sub 3} emissions, as reflected by a higher urea injection rate for a fixed NH{sub 3} emission limit. With combined DSI and SNCR operation, an ammonia odor problem was encountered around the Unit 4 ash silo (this did not occur with the SNCR system operated alone at comparable NH{sub 3} slip levels). This odor problem is attributed to the sodium changing the rate at which NH{sub 3} is released from the ash when it is wetted for truck transport to the disposal site.

Medical back belt with integrated neuromuscular electrical stimulation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bottenberg, E. (Eliza); Brinks, G.J. (Ger); Hesse, J. (Jenny)

2014-01-01

The medical back belt with integrated neuromuscular electrical stimulation is anorthopedic device, which has two main functions. The first function is to stimulate the backmuscles by using a neuromuscular electrical stimulation device that releases regular,electrical impulses. The second function of

Theory of multichannel magnetic stimulation: toward functional neuromuscular rehabilitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruohonen, J; Ravazzani, P; Grandori, F; Ilmoniemi, R J

1999-06-01

Human excitable cells can be stimulated noninvasively with externally applied time-varying electromagnetic fields. The stimulation can be achieved either by directly driving current into the tissue (electrical stimulation) or by means of electro-magnetic induction (magnetic stimulation). While the electrical stimulation of the peripheral neuromuscular system has many beneficial applications, peripheral magnetic stimulation has so far only a few. This paper analyzes theoretically the use of multiple magnetic stimulation coils to better control the excitation and also to eventually mimic electrical stimulation. Multiple coils allow electronic spatial adjustment of the shape and location of the stimulus without moving the coils. The new properties may enable unforeseen uses for peripheral magnetic stimulation, e.g., in rehabilitation of patients with neuromuscular impairment.

The effects of neuromuscular exercise on medial knee joint load post-arthroscopic partial medial meniscectomy: ‘SCOPEX’ a randomised control trial protocol

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background Meniscectomy is a risk factor for knee osteoarthritis, with increased medial joint loading a likely contributor to the development and progression of knee osteoarthritis in this group. Therefore, post-surgical rehabilitation or interventions that reduce medial knee joint loading have the potential to reduce the risk of developing or progressing osteoarthritis. The primary purpose of this randomised, assessor-blind controlled trial is to determine the effects of a home-based, physiotherapist-supervised neuromuscular exercise program on medial knee joint load during functional tasks in people who have recently undergone a partial medial meniscectomy. Methods/design 62 people aged 30–50 years who have undergone an arthroscopic partial medial meniscectomy within the previous 3 to 12 months will be recruited and randomly assigned to a neuromuscular exercise or control group using concealed allocation. The neuromuscular exercise group will attend 8 supervised exercise sessions with a physiotherapist and will perform 6 exercises at home, at least 3 times per week for 12 weeks. The control group will not receive the neuromuscular training program. Blinded assessment will be performed at baseline and immediately following the 12-week intervention. The primary outcomes are change in the peak external knee adduction moment measured by 3-dimensional analysis during normal paced walking and one-leg rise. Secondary outcomes include the change in peak external knee adduction moment during fast pace walking and one-leg hop and change in the knee adduction moment impulse during walking, one-leg rise and one-leg hop, knee and hip muscle strength, electromyographic muscle activation patterns, objective measures of physical function, as well as self-reported measures of physical function and symptoms and additional biomechanical parameters. Discussion The findings from this trial will provide evidence regarding the effect of a home-based, physiotherapist

The effects of neuromuscular exercise on medial knee joint load post-arthroscopic partial medial meniscectomy: ‘SCOPEX’ a randomised control trial protocol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hall Michelle

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Meniscectomy is a risk factor for knee osteoarthritis, with increased medial joint loading a likely contributor to the development and progression of knee osteoarthritis in this group. Therefore, post-surgical rehabilitation or interventions that reduce medial knee joint loading have the potential to reduce the risk of developing or progressing osteoarthritis. The primary purpose of this randomised, assessor-blind controlled trial is to determine the effects of a home-based, physiotherapist-supervised neuromuscular exercise program on medial knee joint load during functional tasks in people who have recently undergone a partial medial meniscectomy. Methods/design 62 people aged 30–50 years who have undergone an arthroscopic partial medial meniscectomy within the previous 3 to 12 months will be recruited and randomly assigned to a neuromuscular exercise or control group using concealed allocation. The neuromuscular exercise group will attend 8 supervised exercise sessions with a physiotherapist and will perform 6 exercises at home, at least 3 times per week for 12 weeks. The control group will not receive the neuromuscular training program. Blinded assessment will be performed at baseline and immediately following the 12-week intervention. The primary outcomes are change in the peak external knee adduction moment measured by 3-dimensional analysis during normal paced walking and one-leg rise. Secondary outcomes include the change in peak external knee adduction moment during fast pace walking and one-leg hop and change in the knee adduction moment impulse during walking, one-leg rise and one-leg hop, knee and hip muscle strength, electromyographic muscle activation patterns, objective measures of physical function, as well as self-reported measures of physical function and symptoms and additional biomechanical parameters. Discussion The findings from this trial will provide evidence regarding the effect of a home

Fatty replacement of lower paraspinal muscles: normal and neuromuscular disorders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hader, H.; Gadoth, N.; Heifetz, H.

1983-01-01

The physiologic replacement of the lower paraspinal muscles by fat was evaluated in 157 patients undergoing computed tomography for reasons unrelated to abnormalities of the locomotor system. Five patients with neuromuscular disorders were similarly evaluated. The changes were graded according to severity at three spinal levels: lower thoracic-upper lumbar, midlumbar, and lumbosacral. The results were analyzed in relation to age and gender. It was found that fatty replacement of paraspinal muscles is a normal age-progressive phenomenon most prominent in females. It progresses down the spine, being most advanced in the lumbosacral region. The severest changes in the five patients with neuromuscular disorders (three with poliomyelitis and two with progressive muscular dystrophy) consisted of complete muscle group replacement by fat. In postpoliomyelitis atrophy, the distribution was typically asymmetric and sometimes lacked clinical correlation. In muscular dystrophy, fatty replacement was symmetric, showing relative sparing of the psoas and multifidus muscles. In patients with neuromuscular diseases, computed tomography of muscles may be helpful in planning a better rehabilitation regimen

Fatty replacement of lower paraspinal muscles: normal and neuromuscular disorders

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hader, H.; Gadoth, N.; Heifetz, H.

1983-11-01

The physiologic replacement of the lower paraspinal muscles by fat was evaluated in 157 patients undergoing computed tomography for reasons unrelated to abnormalities of the locomotor system. Five patients with neuromuscular disorders were similarly evaluated. The changes were graded according to severity at three spinal levels: lower thoracic-upper lumbar, midlumbar, and lumbosacral. The results were analyzed in relation to age and gender. It was found that fatty replacement of paraspinal muscles is a normal age-progressive phenomenon most prominent in females. It progresses down the spine, being most advanced in the lumbosacral region. The severest changes in the five patients with neuromuscular disorders (three with poliomyelitis and two with progressive muscular dystrophy) consisted of complete muscle group replacement by fat. In postpoliomyelitis atrophy, the distribution was typically asymmetric and sometimes lacked clinical correlation. In muscular dystrophy, fatty replacement was symmetric, showing relative sparing of the psoas and multifidus muscles. In patients with neuromuscular diseases, computed tomography of muscles may be helpful in planning a better rehabilitation regimen.

The Neuromuscular System

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hosman, R.J.A.W.; Abbink, D.A.; Cardullo, F.M.

2010-01-01

The aim of flight simulation is to create an environment for the pilot wherein he or she can perform the piloting task in such a way that the objective of the simulation, training or research, is reached. To simulate the flight environment in a simulator models describing the aircraft dynamic

What does the literature tell us about health workers' experiences of task-shifting projects in sub-Saharan Africa? A systematic, qualitative review.

Science.gov (United States)

Mijovic, Hana; McKnight, Jacob; English, Mike

2016-08-01

To review systematically, qualitative literature covering the implementation of task shifting in sub-Saharan Africa to address the growing interest in interventions of this kind. This review aims to distil the key practical findings to both guide a specific project aiming to improve the quality of neonatal care in Kenya and to contribute to the broader literature. Task-shifting programmes aim to improve access to healthcare by delegating specific tasks from higher to lower skilled health workers. Evidence suggests that task-shifting programmes in sub-Saharan Africa may improve patient outcomes, but they have also been criticised for providing fragmented, unsustainable services. This systematic review of qualitative literature summarises factors affecting implementation of task shifting and how such interventions in sub-Saharan Africa may have affected health workers' feelings about their own positions and their ability to provide care. Following literature search, a modified Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) framework was used to assess quality. Thereafter, analysis adopted a thematic synthesis approach. A systematic literature search identified qualitative studies examining task -shifting interventions in sub-Saharan Africa. Thematic synthesis was used to identify overarching themes arising from across the studies and infer how task-shifting interventions may impact on the health workers from whom tasks are being shifted. From the 230 studies screened, 13 met the inclusion criteria. Overarching themes identified showed that task shifting has been associated with jurisdictional debates linked to new cadres working beyond their scope of practice, and tension around compensation and career development for those taking on tasks that were being delegated. Based on the qualitative data available, it appears that task shifting may negatively impact the sense of agency and the ability to perform of health workers' from whom tasks are shifted. The potential

Prolongation of rapacuronium neuromuscular blockade by clindamycin and magnesium.

Science.gov (United States)

Sloan, Paul A; Rasul, Mazhar

2002-01-01

We report a prolonged neuromuscular block with the nondepolarizing muscle relaxant rapacuronium in the presence of clindamycin. Even when using "short-acting" muscle relaxants, the anesthesiologist must routinely monitor the neuromuscular function.

Direct and indirect measurement of neuromuscular fatigue in Canadian football players.

Science.gov (United States)

Clarke, Nick; Farthing, Jonathan P; Lanovaz, Joel L; Krentz, Joel R

2015-05-01

This study assessed the effects of a fatiguing game simulation (G-Sim) on the balance of collegiate Canadian football players. The purpose of the study was to evaluate postural control as a potential tool for monitoring neuromuscular fatigue (NMF) in collision-based team sports. Fifteen male Canadian football players were recruited (mean±SD: age 21.8±1.6 years, weight 97.6±14.7 kg). Indirect NMF measures (postural sway and countermovement jump (CMJ)) were performed 24 h before (TBase), immediately before (TPre) and after (TPost), and 24 h (T24) and 48 h after (T48) a Canadian football G-Sim. Peak isometric knee extensor torque of a maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and electrically evoked tetani at 20 Hz (P20) and 80 Hz (P80) were also recorded as direct NMF measures at TBase, TPre, TPost, and T48. At TPost, we observed significant declines in MVC, P20, and the MVC/P80 ratio (-15.3%, -15.7%, and -12.1%, respectively; n=12) along with reductions in CMJ takeoff velocity and peak power (-6.9% and -6.5%, respectively; n=12) and larger area of the center of pressure trajectory (95.2%; n=10) during a 60-s postural sway task. All variables were no longer different than baseline by T48. Acute neuromuscular impairment in this cohort is likely attributable to alterations in excitation-contraction coupling due to structural damage and central activation failure. Congruency between the direct and indirect measures of NMF suggests monitoring postural sway has the potential to identify both neuromuscular and somatosensory alterations induced by acute game-induced fatigue in collision-based team sports players.

Computed tomography (CT) in neuromuscular disorders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Novak, M.; Ambler, Z.

1997-01-01

For 24 patients with confirmed neuromuscular disorders, the clinical picture of the disease was complemented with CT examination. It is concluded, in accordance with the literature, that CT has a supplementary value as regards the extent and degree of disorder of the affected muscle groups. The basic pathological picture includes muscular atrophies, dystrophies, hypertrophies, and their combinations. The CT images are non-specific for the individual neuromuscular disorders and are of minor importance in the diagnostic process. 1 tab., 7 figs., 6 refs

Dexamethasone Does Not Inhibit Sugammadex Reversal After Rocuronium-Induced Neuromuscular Block.

Science.gov (United States)

Buonanno, Pasquale; Laiola, Anna; Palumbo, Chiara; Spinelli, Gianmario; Servillo, Giuseppe; Di Minno, Raffaele Maria; Cafiero, Tullio; Di Iorio, Carlo

2016-06-01

Sugammadex is a relatively new molecule that reverses neuromuscular block induced by rocuronium. The particular structure of sugammadex traps the cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene ring of rocuronium in its hydrophobic cavity. Dexamethasone shares the same steroidal structure with rocuronium. Studies in vitro have demonstrated that dexamethasone interacts with sugammadex, reducing its efficacy. In this study, we investigated the clinical relevance of this interaction and its influence on neuromuscular reversal. In this retrospective case-control study, we analyzed data from 45 patients divided into 3 groups: dexamethasone after induction group (15 patients) treated with 8 mg dexamethasone as an antiemetic drug shortly after induction of anesthesia; dexamethasone before reversal group (15 patients) treated with dexamethasone just before sugammadex injection; and control group (15 patients) treated with 8 mg ondansetron. All groups received 0.6 mg/kg rocuronium at induction, 0.15 mg/kg rocuronium at train-of-four ratio (TOF) 2 for neuromuscular relaxation, and 2 mg/kg sugammadex for reversal at the end of the procedure at TOF2. Neuromuscular relaxation was monitored with a TOF-Watch® system. The control group had a recovery time of 154 ± 54 seconds (mean ± SD), the dexamethasone after induction group 134 ± 55 seconds, and the dexamethasone before reversal group 131 ± 68 seconds. The differences among groups were not statistically significant (P = 0.5141). Our results show that the use of dexamethasone as an antiemetic drug for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting does not interfere with reversal of neuromuscular blockade with sugammadex in patients undergoing elective surgery with general anesthesia in contrast to in vitro studies that support this hypothesis.

Effects of napping on neuromuscular fatigue in myasthenia gravis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kassardjian, Charles D; Murray, Brian J; Kokokyi, Seint; Jewell, Dana; Barnett, Carolina; Bril, Vera; Katzberg, Hans D

2013-11-01

The relationship between sleep and neuromuscular fatigue is understood poorly. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of napping on quantitative measures of neuromuscular fatigue in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG). Eight patients with mild to moderate MG were recruited. Patients underwent maintenance of wakefulness tests (MWT) and multiple sleep latency tests (MSLT). The Quantitative Myasthenia Gravis Score (QMGS) was measured before nap and after each nap to examine the effects of napping and sleep on neuromuscular weakness. Results showed that QMGS improves only after naps where patients slept more than 5 min but not where patients did not sleep or slept less than 5 min. Daytime napping mitigates neuromuscular fatigue in patients with MG, especially if patients slept for more than 5 min. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Clinical applications of immunoglobulin in neuromuscular diseases: focus on inflammatory myopathies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paulo Victor Sgobbi de Souza

2014-12-01

Full Text Available During recent years, an increasing number of neuromuscular diseases have been recognized either to be caused primarily by autoimmune mechanisms, or to have important autoimmune components. The involved pathophysiological mechanisms and clinical manifestations have been better recognized and many of these disorders are potentially treatable by immunosuppression or by immunomodulation with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg. IVIg has been tried in a variety of immune-mediated neurological diseases, being target of widespread use in central and peripheral nervous systems diseases. Objective To give an overview of the main topics regarding the mechanism of action and different therapeutic uses of IVIg in neurological practice, mainly in neuromuscular diseases.

Feedback Control of arm movements using Neuro-Muscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES combined with a lockable, passive exoskeleton for gravity compensation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian eKlauer

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Within the European project MUNDUS, an assistive framework was developed for the support of arm and hand functions during daily life activities in severely impaired people. Potential users of this system are patients with high-level spinal cord injury and neurodegenerative neuromuscular diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Friedreich ataxia, and multiple sclerosis. This contribution aims at designing a feedback control system for Neuro-Muscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES to enable reaching functions in people with no residual voluntary control of the arm due to upper motor neuron lesions after spinal cord injury. NMES is applied to the deltoids and the biceps muscles and integrated with a three degrees of freedom (DoFs passive exoskeleton, which partially compensates gravitational forces and allows to lock each DOF. The user is able to choose the target hand position and to trigger actions using an eyetracker system. The target position is selected by using the eyetracker and determined by a marker-based tracking system using Microsoft Kinect. A central controller, i.e. a finite state machine, issues a sequence of basic movement commands to the real-time arm controller. The NMES control algorithm sequentially controls each joint angle while locking the other DoFs. Daily activities, such as drinking, brushing hair, pushing an alarm button, etc., can be supported by the system. The robust and easily tunable control approach was evaluated with five healthy subjects during a drinking task. Subjects were asked to remain passive and to allow NMES to induce the movements. In all of them, the controller was able to perform the task, and a mean hand positioning error of less than five centimeters was achieved. The average total time duration for moving the hand from a rest position to a drinking cup, for moving the cup to the mouth and back, and for finally returning the arm to the rest position was 71 seconds.

Task A. Study of large P/sub T/ direct photon production at the ISR. Task B. Direct photon production at the tevatron (E-706). Task C. Search for fractional charge particles in semiconductors. Progress report, June 1, 1983-May 31, 1984

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cleland, W.E.; Coon, D.D.; Engels, E. Jr.; Shepard, P.F.; Thompson, J.A.

1984-01-01

Task A is the Pitt contingent of the Axial Field Spectrometer Collaboration, performing experiment R807/808 at CERN. The experiment has studied several topics related to study of high P/sub T/ phenomena such as production of jets at high E/sub T/ and a comparison of their properties with jets seen in e + e - . We are working primarily on those aspects of the experiment involving reactions with photons in the final state. We are completing an analysis of prompt photons and pions produced at 11 0 in the center of mass, from data taken in 1982. Presently, new data are being taken with two large NaI arrays in place. With these data, we are studying low P/sub T/ (20 to 200 MeV/c) photon production as well as prompt photons in the range 1.5 < P/sub T/ < 4 GeV/c. For the 1.5 - 4 GeV/c data we plan to compare single photon production in pp and anti pp collisions. Task B is the Pitt contingent of the E706 collaboration, which is studying prompt photon production in πp and pp collisions at the Tevatron. The major contribution of the Pitt effort to the experiment is the provision of the array of semiconductor detectors required for the charged particle spectrometer to be used in the study of correlated hadronic jets. Task C is the search for fractional charge in semiconductors. Although the physics goals of this experiment are removed from those of the other tasks, the technical overlap with task B is extremely important. The construction and testing of semiconductor detectors requires specialized semiconductor physics knowledge and instrumentation, both of which are being developed concurrently by these two tasks. 109 references

Neuromuscular control of prey capture in frogs.

OpenAIRE

Nishikawa, K C

1999-01-01

While retaining a feeding apparatus that is surprisingly conservative morphologically, frogs as a group exhibit great variability in the biomechanics of tongue protraction during prey capture, which in turn is related to differences in neuromuscular control. In this paper, I address the following three questions. (1) How do frog tongues differ biomechanically? (2) What anatomical and physiological differences are responsible? (3) How is biomechanics related to mechanisms of neuromuscular cont...

Pressure-induced instability of magnetic order in Kondo-lattice system. Neutron diffraction study of the pseudo-binary alloy system Ce(Ru sub 0 sub . sub 9 sub 0 Rh sub 0 sub . sub 1 sub 0) sub 2 (Si sub 1 sub - sub y Ge sub y) sub 2

CERN Document Server

Watanabe, K; Kanadani, C; Taniguchi, T; Kawarazaki, S; Uwatoko, Y; Kadowaki, H

2003-01-01

Neutron diffraction experiments have been carried out to study the nature of the magnetic order of the pseudo-binary alloy system Ce(Ru sub 0 sub . sub 9 sub 0 Rh sub 0 sub . sub 1 sub 0) sub 2 (Si sub 1 sub - sub y Ge sub y) sub 2. Response of the ordered atomic magnetic moment, mu, the transition temperature, T sub N , and the magnitude of the magnetic modulation vector, q, to the chemical pressure and also to the applied hydrostatic pressure, P, were examined at low temperatures. When y changes, all of mu, T sub N and q show a sudden alteration of the manner of the y-dependence at around y - 0.08. The P-dependence of q shows quite different features for different y's of 0.0, 0.2 and 0.25. On the basis of these observations the possibility of a pressure-induced alternation of the magnetic regime of the order is discussed. (author)

The neuro-muscular system in cercaria with different patterns of locomotion.

Science.gov (United States)

Tolstenkov, Oleg O; Prokofiev, Vladimir V; Terenina, Nadezhda B; Gustafsson, Margaretha K S

2011-05-01

The neuro-muscular system (NMS) of cercariae with different swimming patterns was studied with immunocytochemical methods and confocal scanning laser microscopy. Specimens of the continuously swimming Cercaria parvicaudata, Maritrema subdolum and Himasthla elongata were compared with specimens of the intermittently swimming Cryptocotyle lingua and the attached Podocotyle atomon. The patterns of F-actin in the musculature, 5-HT immunoreactive (-IR), FMRFamide-IR neuronal elements, α-tubulin-IR elements in the nervous and sensory systems and DAPI-stained nuclei were investigated. The general plan of the NMS was similar in all cercariae studied. No major structural differences in the patterns of muscle fibres were observed. However, in the tail of C. lingua, transverse muscle fibres connecting the bands of longitudinal muscles were found. No major structural differences in the 5-HT- or FMRFamide-IR nervous systems were observed. The number of 5-HT-IR neurones in the cercarial bodies varied between 12 and 14. The number and distribution of the α-tubulin-IR processes on the cercarial bodies and tails differed from each other. The relation between the number and structure of the α-tubulin-IR processes and the host finding strategy of the cercariae is discussed. A detailed schematic picture of the NMS in the tails of C. lingua and M. subdolum is presented.

Identification and Simulation as Tools for Measurement of Neuromuscular Properties

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Kearney, R

2001-01-01

Quantitative, objective methods for the evaluation of neuromuscular properties are required for the diagnosis of neuromuscular disorders and the evaluation of the effectiveness of treatment and rehabilitation...

Neuromuscular prehabilitation to prevent osteoarthritis after a traumatic joint injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Tenforde, Adam S; Shull, Pete B; Fredericson, Michael

2012-05-01

Post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) is a process resulting from direct forces applied to a joint that cause injury and degenerative changes. An estimated 12% of all symptomatic osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip, knee, and ankle can be attributed to a post-traumatic cause. Neuromuscular prehabilitation is the process of improving neuromuscular function to prevent development of PTOA after an initial traumatic joint injury. Prehabilitation strategies include restoration of normative movement patterns that have been altered as the result of traumatic injury, along with neuromuscular exercises and gait retraining to prevent the development of OA after an injury occurs. A review of the current literature shows that no studies have been performed to evaluate methods of neuromuscular prehabilitation to prevent PTOA after a joint injury. Instead, current research has focused on management strategies after knee injuries, the value of exercise in the management of OA, and neuromuscular exercises after total knee arthroplasty. Recent work in gait retraining that alters knee joint loading holds promise for preventing the development of PTOA after joint trauma. Future research should evaluate methods of neuromuscular prehabilitation strategies in relationship to the outcome of PTOA after joint injury. Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Simulation of CO<sub>2sub> Storage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McNabb, W. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Myers, K. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2015-10-26

This report is a compilation of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s (LLNL) accomplishments on CO<sub>2sub> storage simulation and modeling research, performed for the US-­China Clean Energy Research Center (CERC). Within the CERC project management structure, this work is referred to as Subtask 6.4.a Simulation and Modeling. The task falls under CERC’s Advanced Coal Technology Consortium (ACTC) Research Theme 6—CO<sub>2sub> Sequestration Capacity and Near-­Term Opportunities. The goals of the task were to develop new CO<sub>2sub> sequestration simulation approaches and tools, then apply them to CO<sub>2sub> storage projects in the U.S. and China. Work on this task paused when funding was redirected to CERC’s other efforts. Two sections of this report provide valuable snapshot of LLNL’s progress when funding was curtailed: 1) Section 5.2.2 is a 14-­page presentation written January 8, 2013; and 2) Section 5.1.3 is a progress report from the first quarter of Fiscal year 2013.

Neuromuscular diseases: Diagnosis and management.

Science.gov (United States)

Mary, P; Servais, L; Vialle, R

2018-02-01

Neuromuscular diseases (NMDs) affect the peripheral nervous system, which includes the motor neurons and sensory neurons; the muscle itself; or the neuromuscular junction. Thus, the term NMDs encompasses a vast array of different syndromes. Some of these syndromes are of direct relevance to paediatric orthopaedic surgeons, either because the presenting manifestation is a functional sign (e.g., toe-walking) or deformity (e.g., pes cavus or scoliosis) suggesting a need for orthopaedic attention or because orthopaedic abnormalities requiring treatment develop during the course of a known NMD. The main NMDs relevant to the orthopaedic surgeon are infantile spinal muscular atrophy (a motor neuron disease), peripheral neuropathies (chiefly, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease), congenital muscular dystrophies, progressive muscular dystrophies, and Steinert myotonic dystrophy (or myotonic dystrophy type 1). Muscle weakness is a symptom shared by all these conditions. The paediatric orthopaedic surgeon must be familiar, not only with the musculoskeletal system, but also with many other domains (particularly respiratory and cardiac function and nutrition) that may interfere with the treatment and require preoperative management. Good knowledge of the natural history of each NMD is essential to ensure optimal timing of the therapeutic interventions, which must be performed under the best possible conditions in these usually frail patients. Timing is particularly crucial for the treatment of spinal deformities due to paraspinal muscle hypotonia during growth: depending on the disease and natural history, the treatment may involve non-operative methods or growing rods, followed by spinal fusion. A multidisciplinary approach is always required. Finally, the survival gains achieved in recent years increasingly require attention to preparing for adult life, to orthopaedic problems requiring treatment before the patient leaves the paediatric environment, and to the transition towards the

Transport properties of the LiNi{sub 1-y}Co{sub y}O{sub 2} system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Molenda, J.; Wilk, P.; Marzec, J. [Department of Solid State Chemistry, Stanislaw Staszic University of Mining and Metallurgy, Al. A. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Cracow (Poland)

1999-04-15

In this paper results are presented concerning structure, electrical conductivity and thermoelectric power measurements of the LiNi{sub 1-y}Co{sub y}O{sub 2} system. It has been stated that holes are dominating carriers. It has been also found that cobalt worsens the transport properties of the LiNi{sub 1-y}Co{sub y}O{sub 2} system

Neuromuscular ultrasound of cranial nerves.

Science.gov (United States)

Tawfik, Eman A; Walker, Francis O; Cartwright, Michael S

2015-04-01

Ultrasound of cranial nerves is a novel subdomain of neuromuscular ultrasound (NMUS) which may provide additional value in the assessment of cranial nerves in different neuromuscular disorders. Whilst NMUS of peripheral nerves has been studied, NMUS of cranial nerves is considered in its initial stage of research, thus, there is a need to summarize the research results achieved to date. Detailed scanning protocols, which assist in mastery of the techniques, are briefly mentioned in the few reference textbooks available in the field. This review article focuses on ultrasound scanning techniques of the 4 accessible cranial nerves: optic, facial, vagus and spinal accessory nerves. The relevant literatures and potential future applications are discussed.

Real-time multi-task operators support system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang He; Peng Minjun; Wang Hao; Cheng Shouyu

2005-01-01

The development in computer software and hardware technology and information processing as well as the accumulation in the design and feedback from Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) operation created a good opportunity to develop an integrated Operator Support System. The Real-time Multi-task Operator Support System (RMOSS) has been built to support the operator's decision making process during normal and abnormal operations. RMOSS consists of five system subtasks such as Data Collection and Validation Task (DCVT), Operation Monitoring Task (OMT), Fault Diagnostic Task (FDT), Operation Guideline Task (OGT) and Human Machine Interface Task (HMIT). RMOSS uses rule-based expert system and Artificial Neural Network (ANN). The rule-based expert system is used to identify the predefined events in static conditions and track the operation guideline through data processing. In dynamic status, Back-Propagation Neural Network is adopted for fault diagnosis, which is trained with the Genetic Algorithm. Embedded real-time operation system VxWorks and its integrated environment Tornado II are used as the RMOSS software cross-development. VxGUI is used to design HMI. All of the task programs are designed in C language. The task tests and function evaluation of RMOSS have been done in one real-time full scope simulator. Evaluation results show that each task of RMOSS is capable of accomplishing its functions. (authors)

Task planning systems with natural language interface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kambayashi, Shaw; Uenaka, Junji

1989-12-01

In this report, a natural language analyzer and two different task planning systems are described. In 1988, we have introduced a Japanese language analyzer named CS-PARSER for the input interface of the task planning system in the Human Acts Simulation Program (HASP). For the purpose of a high speed analysis, we have modified a dictionary system of the CS-PARSER by using C language description. It is found that the new dictionary system is very useful for a high speed analysis and an efficient maintenance of the dictionary. For the study of the task planning problem, we have modified a story generating system named Micro TALE-SPIN to generate a story written in Japanese sentences. We have also constructed a planning system with natural language interface by using the CS-PARSER. Task planning processes and related knowledge bases of these systems are explained. A concept design for a new task planning system will be also discussed from evaluations of above mentioned systems. (author)

Lumbopelvic flexibility modulates neuromuscular responses during trunk flexion-extension.

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez-Zuriaga, Daniel; Artacho-Pérez, Carla; Biviá-Roig, Gemma

2016-06-01

Various stimuli such as the flexibility of lumbopelvic structures influence the neuromuscular responses of the trunk musculature, leading to different load sharing strategies and reflex muscle responses from the afferents of lumbopelvic mechanoreceptors. This link between flexibility and neuromuscular response has been poorly studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between lumbopelvic flexibility and neuromuscular responses of the erector spinae, hamstring and abdominal muscles during trunk flexion-extension. Lumbopelvic movement patterns were measured in 29 healthy women, who were separated into two groups according to their flexibility during trunk flexion-extension. The electromyographic responses of erector spinae, rectus abdominis and biceps femoris were also recorded. Subjects with greater lumbar flexibility had significantly less pelvic flexibility and vice versa. Subjects with greater pelvic flexibility had a higher rate of relaxation and lower levels of hamstring activation during maximal trunk flexion. The neuromuscular response patterns of the hamstrings seem partially modulated by pelvic flexibility. Not so with the lumbar erector spinae and lumbar flexibility, despite the assertions of some previous studies. The results of this study improve our knowledge of the relationships between trunk joint flexibility and neuromuscular responses, a relationship which may play a role in low back pain. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recent advances in neuromuscular block during anesthesia [version 1; referees: 4 approved

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martijn Boon

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Muscle relaxation is a routine part of anesthesia and has important advantages. However, the lingering effects of muscle relaxants in the postoperative period have historically been associated with postoperative adverse events. Neuromuscular reversal, together with neuromuscular monitoring, is a recognized strategy to reduce the rate of postoperative residual relaxation but has only marginally improved outcome in the past few decades. Sugammadex, a novel reversal agent with unique encapsulating properties, has changed the landscape of neuromuscular reversal and opened up new opportunities to improve patient care. By quickly and completely reversing any depth of neuromuscular block, it may reduce the rate of residual relaxation and improve respiratory recovery. In addition, sugammadex has made the use of deep neuromuscular block possible during surgery. Deep neuromuscular block may improve surgical working conditions and allow for a reduction in insufflation pressures during selected laparoscopic procedures. However, whether and how this may impact outcomes is not well established.

Recent achievements in restorative neurology: Progressive neuromuscular diseases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dimitrijevic, M.R.; Kakulas, B.A.; Vrbova, G.

1986-01-01

This book contains 27 chapters. Some of the chapter titles are: Computed Tomography of Muscles in Neuromuscular Disease; Mapping the Genes for Muscular Dystrophy; Trophic Factors and Motor Neuron Development; Size of Motor Units and Firing Rate in Muscular Dystrophy; Restorative Possibilities in Relation to the Pathology of Progressive Neuromuscular Disease; and An Approach to the Pathogenesis of some Congenital Myopathies

Development of mathematical model of H{sub 2}O-HNO{sub 3}-UO{sub 2}(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}-TBP-Diluent System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ochkin, A.; Gladilov, D.; Nekhaevskiy, S.; Merkushkin, A. [D. Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia, 9 Miusskay Sqr., Moscow, 125047 (Russian Federation)

2016-07-01

The nuclear fuel reprocessing is based on the PUREX process. Usually 30% TBP in hydrocarbon diluents is applied, then the composition of the organic phase can be expressed as H{sub 2}O-HNO{sub 3}-UO{sub 2}(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}-Pu(NO{sub 3}){sub 4}-TBP-diluent. The mathematical model of H{sub 2}O-HNO{sub 3}-UO{sub 2}(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}-TBP-dodecane system has been elaborated. Mole fractions and volume ones and rational activity coefficients have been used in order to create the system of equations on the base of mass action law. The method for calculating activity coefficients was provided. The formation constants of uranyl nitrate di-solvate and mono-solvate and di-solvate of acid have been determined. Interaction between uranyl nitrate di-solvate and dodecane and between TBP and dodecane was taken into account. Activity coefficients of nitric acid and uranyl nitrate in mixed solutions were considered. Errors of adequacy have been determined for the systems containing 30% and 12% TBP concentrations.

Neuromuscular Manifestations of West Nile Virus Infection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Arturo eLeis

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The most common neuromuscular manifestation of West Nile virus (WNV infection is a poliomyelitis syndrome with asymmetric paralysis variably involving one (monoparesis to four limbs (quadriparesis, with or without brainstem involvement and respiratory failure. This syndrome of acute flaccid paralysis may occur without overt fever or meningoencephalitis. Although involvement of anterior horn cells in the spinal cord and motor neurons in the brainstem are the major sites of pathology responsible for neuromuscular signs, inflammation also may involve skeletal or cardiac muscle (myositis, myocarditis, motor axons (polyradiculitis, peripheral nerve (Guillain-Barré syndrome, brachial plexopathy. In addition, involvement of spinal sympathetic neurons and ganglia provides a plausible explanation for autonomic instability seen in some patients. Many patients also experience prolonged subjective generalized weakness and disabling fatigue. Despite recent evidence that WNV may persist long term in the central nervous system or periphery in animals, the evidence in humans is controversial. WNV persistence would be of great concern in immunosuppressed patients or in those with prolonged or recurrent symptoms. Support for the contention that WNV can lead to autoimmune disease arises from reports of patients presenting with various neuromuscular diseases that presumably involve autoimmune mechanisms (GBS, other demyelinating neu¬ropathies, myasthenia gravis, brachial plexopathies, stiff-person syndrome, and delayed or recurrent symptoms. Although there is no specific treatment or vaccine currently approved in humans, and the standard remains supportive care, drugs that can alter the cascade of immunobiochemical events leading to neuronal death may be potentially useful (high-dose corticosteroids, interferon preparations, and intravenous immune globulin containing WNV-specific antibodies. Human experience with these agents seems promising based on anecdotal

Design of low-cost general purpose microcontroller based neuromuscular stimulator.

Science.gov (United States)

Koçer, S; Rahmi Canal, M; Güler, I

2000-04-01

In this study, a general purpose, low-cost, programmable, portable and high performance stimulator is designed and implemented. For this purpose, a microcontroller is used in the design of the stimulator. The duty cycle and amplitude of the designed system can be controlled using a keyboard. The performance test of the system has shown that the results are reliable. The overall system can be used as the neuromuscular stimulator under safe conditions.

Interaction of antibiotics on pipecuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade.

Science.gov (United States)

de Gouw, N E; Crul, J F; Vandermeersch, E; Mulier, J P; van Egmond, J; Van Aken, H

1993-01-01

To measure the interaction of two antibiotics (clindamycin and colistin) on neuromuscular blockade induced by pipecuronium bromide (a new long-acting, steroidal, nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking drug). Prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Inpatient gynecologic and gastroenterologic service at a university medical center. Three groups of 20 ASA physical status I and II patients with normal kidney and liver function, taking no medication, and undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia. Anesthesia was induced with propofol and alfentanil intravenously (IV) and maintained with a propofol infusion and 60% nitrous oxide in oxygen. Pipecuronium bromide 50 micrograms/kg was administered after reaching a stable baseline of single-twitch response. At 25% recovery of pipecuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade, patients received one of two antibiotics, clindamycin 300 mg or colistin 1 million IU, or a placebo. The recovery index (RI, defined as time from 25% to 75% recovery of neuromuscular blockade) was measured using the single-twitch response of the adductor pollicis muscle with supramaximal stimulation of the ulnar nerve at the wrist. RI after administration of an antibiotic (given at 25% recovery) was measured and compared with RI of the control group using Student's unpaired t-test. Statistical analyses of the results showed a significant prolongation of the recovery time (from 25% to 75% recovery) of 40 minutes for colistin. When this type of antibiotic is used during anesthesia with pipercuronium as a muscle relaxant, one must be aware of a significant prolongation of an already long-acting neuromuscular blockade and (although not observed in this study) possible problems in antagonism.

An anterior cruciate ligament injury does not affect the neuromuscular function of the non-injured leg except for dynamic balance and voluntary quadriceps activation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zult, Tjerk; Gokeler, Alli; van Raay, Jos J A M; Brouwer, Reinoud W; Zijdewind, Inge; Hortobágyi, Tibor

2017-01-01

The function of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) patients' non-injured leg is relevant in light of the high incidence of secondary ACL injuries on the contralateral side. However, the non-injured leg's function has only been examined for a selected number of neuromuscular outcomes and often without appropriate control groups. We measured a broad array of neuromuscular functions between legs of ACL patients and compared outcomes to age, sex, and physical activity matched controls. Thirty-two ACL-deficient patients (208 ± 145 days post-injury) and active and less-active controls (N = 20 each) participated in the study. We measured single- and multi-joint neuromuscular function in both legs in each group and expressed the overall neuromuscular function in each leg by calculating a mean z-score across all neuromuscular measures. A group by leg MANOVA and ANOVA were performed to examine group and leg differences for the selected outcomes. After an ACL injury, duration (-4.3 h/week) and level (Tegner activity score of -3.9) of sports activity decreased and was comparable to less-active controls. ACL patients showed bilateral impairments in the star excursion balance test compared to both control groups (P ≤ 0.004) and for central activation ratio compared to active controls (P ≤ 0.002). There were between-leg differences within each group for maximal quadriceps and hamstring strength, voluntary quadriceps activation, star excursion balance test performance, and single-leg hop distance (all P joint proprioception, and static balance. Overall neuromuscular function (mean z-score) did not differ between groups, but ACL patients' non-injured leg displayed better neuromuscular function than the injured leg (P neuromuscular deficits despite reductions in physical activity after injury. Therapists can use the non-injured leg as a reference to assess the injured leg's function for tasks measured in the present study, excluding dynamic balance and quadriceps

The relative frequency of common neuromuscular diagnoses in a reference center

OpenAIRE

Cotta, Ana; Paim, Júlia Filardi; Carvalho, Elmano; da-Cunha-Júnior, Antonio Lopes; Navarro, Monica M.; Valicek, Jaquelin; Menezes, Miriam Melo; Nunes, Simone Vilela; Xavier-Neto, Rafael; Baptista Junior, Sidney; Lima, Luciano Romero; Takata, Reinaldo Issao; Vargas, Antonio Pedro

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT The diagnostic procedure in neuromuscular patients is complex. Knowledge of the relative frequency of neuromuscular diseases within the investigated population is important to allow the neurologist to perform the most appropriate diagnostic tests. Objective: To report the relative frequency of common neuromuscular diagnoses in a reference center. Methods: A 17-year chart review of patients with suspicion of myopathy. Results: Among 3,412 examinations, 1,603 (46.98%) yielded confir...

Phase relationships in the area of the beta aluminate of the system K{sub 2}O-MgO-AL{sub 2}O{sub 3}; Phasenbeziehungen im Bereich der Beta-Aluminate des Systems K{sub 2}O-MgO-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kroon, P de

1996-12-01

The aim of this work was to be able to make statements about the thermodynamic stability of K-{beta}``-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} in the pseudo-binary system K{sub 2}O-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and in the pseudo-ternary system K{sub 2}O-MgO-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} relative to the adjacent phases of KAlO{sub 2} {alpha}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, MgAl{sub 2}O{sub 4} and K-{beta}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}. (orig./MM) [Deutsch] Ziel dieser Arbeit war es, Aussagen ueber die thermodynamische Stabilitaet von K-{beta}``-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} im pseudobinaeren System K{sub 2}O-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} und im pseudoternaeren System K{sub 2}O-MgO-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} relativ zu den benachbarten Phasen KAlO{sub 2}, {alpha}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, MgAl{sub 2}O{sub 4} und K-{beta}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} machen zu koennen. (orig./MM)

BioNLP Shared Task--The Bacteria Track.

Science.gov (United States)

Bossy, Robert; Jourde, Julien; Manine, Alain-Pierre; Veber, Philippe; Alphonse, Erick; van de Guchte, Maarten; Bessières, Philippe; Nédellec, Claire

2012-06-26

We present the BioNLP 2011 Shared Task Bacteria Track, the first Information Extraction challenge entirely dedicated to bacteria. It includes three tasks that cover different levels of biological knowledge. The Bacteria Gene Renaming supporting task is aimed at extracting gene renaming and gene name synonymy in PubMed abstracts. The Bacteria Gene Interaction is a gene/protein interaction extraction task from individual sentences. The interactions have been categorized into ten different sub-types, thus giving a detailed account of genetic regulations at the molecular level. Finally, the Bacteria Biotopes task focuses on the localization and environment of bacteria mentioned in textbook articles. We describe the process of creation for the three corpora, including document acquisition and manual annotation, as well as the metrics used to evaluate the participants' submissions. Three teams submitted to the Bacteria Gene Renaming task; the best team achieved an F-score of 87%. For the Bacteria Gene Interaction task, the only participant's score had reached a global F-score of 77%, although the system efficiency varies significantly from one sub-type to another. Three teams submitted to the Bacteria Biotopes task with very different approaches; the best team achieved an F-score of 45%. However, the detailed study of the participating systems efficiency reveals the strengths and weaknesses of each participating system. The three tasks of the Bacteria Track offer participants a chance to address a wide range of issues in Information Extraction, including entity recognition, semantic typing and coreference resolution. We found common trends in the most efficient systems: the systematic use of syntactic dependencies and machine learning. Nevertheless, the originality of the Bacteria Biotopes task encouraged the use of interesting novel methods and techniques, such as term compositionality, scopes wider than the sentence.

A case series of re-establishment of neuromuscular block with rocuronium after sugammadex reversal.

Science.gov (United States)

Iwasaki, Hajime; Sasakawa, Tomoki; Takahoko, Kenichi; Takagi, Shunichi; Nakatsuka, Hideki; Suzuki, Takahiro; Iwasaki, Hiroshi

2016-06-01

We report the use of rocuronium to re-establish neuromuscular block after reversal with sugammadex. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the dose of rocuronium needed to re-establish neuromuscular block and the time interval between sugammadex administration and re-administration of rocuronium. Patients who required re-establishment of neuromuscular block within 12 h after the reversal of rocuronium-induced neuromuscular block with sugammadex were included. After inducing general anesthesia and placing the neuromuscular monitor, the protocol to re-establish neuromuscular block was as follows. An initial rocuronium dose of 0.6 mg/kg was followed by additional 0.3 mg/kg doses every 2 min until train-of-four responses were abolished. A total of 11 patients were enrolled in this study. Intervals between sugammadex and second rocuronium were 12-465 min. Total dose of rocuronium needed to re-establish neuromuscular block was 0.6-1.2 mg/kg. 0.6 mg/kg rocuronium re-established neuromuscular block in all patients who received initial sugammadex more than 3 h previously. However, when the interval between sugammadex and second rocuronium was less than 2 h, more than 0.6 mg/kg rocuronium was necessary to re-establish neuromuscular block.

The value transformation of health care: Impact on neuromuscular and electrodiagnostic medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Narayanaswami, Pushpa; Suk, Millie; Jones, Lyell K

2017-10-01

Beginning in 2017, most physicians who participate in Medicare are subject to the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA), the milestone legislation that signals the US health care system's transition from volume-based to value-based care. Here we review emerging trends in development of value-based healthcare systems in the US. MACRA and the resulting Quality Payment Program create 2 participation pathways, the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and the Advanced Alternative Payment Model (AAPM) pathway. Although there are several program incentives for AAPM participation, to date there have been few AAPM options for specialists. MIPS and its widening bonus and penalty window will likely be the primary participation pathway in the early years of the program. Value-based payment has the potential to reshape health care delivery in the United States, with implications for neuromuscular and electrodiagnostic (EDX) specialists. Meaningful quality measures are required for neuromuscular and EDX specialists. Muscle Nerve 56: 679-683, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation of the cricothyroid muscle in patients with suspected superior laryngeal nerve weakness.

Science.gov (United States)

Guzman, Marco; Rubin, Adam; Cox, Paul; Landini, Fernando; Jackson-Menaldi, Cristina

2014-03-01

In this retrospective case study, we report the apparent clinical effectiveness of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) in combination with voice therapy (VT) for rehabilitating dysphonia secondary to suspected superior laryngeal nerve (SLN) weakness in two female patients. Both patients failed or plateaued with traditional VT but had significant improvement with the addition of NMES of the cricothyroid muscle and SLN using a VitalStim unit. Stimulation was provided simultaneously with voice exercises based on musical phonatory tasks. Both acoustic analysis and endoscopic evaluation demonstrated important improvements after treatment. In the first patient, the major change was obtained within the primo passaggio region; specifically, a decrease in voice breaks was demonstrated. In the second patient, an improvement in voice quality (less breathiness) and vocal range were the most important findings. Additionally, each patient reported a significant improvement in their voice complaints. Neuromuscular laryngeal electrical stimulation in combination with vocal exercises might be a useful tool to improve voice quality in patients with SLN injury. Copyright © 2014 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Imaging of respiratory muscles in neuromuscular disease: A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Harlaar, L; Ciet, P; van der Ploeg, A T; Brusse, E; van der Beek, N A M E; Wielopolski, P A; de Bruijne, M; Tiddens, H A W M; van Doorn, P A

2018-03-01

Respiratory muscle weakness frequently occurs in patients with neuromuscular disease. Measuring respiratory function with standard pulmonary function tests provides information about the contribution of all respiratory muscles, the lungs and airways. Imaging potentially enables the study of different respiratory muscles, including the diaphragm, separately. In this review, we provide an overview of imaging techniques used to study respiratory muscles in neuromuscular disease. We identified 26 studies which included a total of 573 patients with neuromuscular disease. Imaging of respiratory muscles was divided into static and dynamic techniques. Static techniques comprise chest radiography, B-mode (brightness mode) ultrasound, CT and MRI, and are used to assess the position and thickness of the diaphragm and the other respiratory muscles. Dynamic techniques include fluoroscopy, M-mode (motion mode) ultrasound and MRI, used to assess diaphragm motion in one or more directions. We discuss how these imaging techniques relate with spirometric values and whether these can be used to study the contribution of the different respiratory muscles in patients with neuromuscular disease. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Nature of active centers of catalytic system of VOCl/sub 3/ - Al(C/sub 2/H/sub 5/)/sub 2/Cl

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dubnikova, I L; Meshkova, I N [AN SSSR, Moscow. Inst. Khimicheskoj Fiziki

1977-05-01

To investigate the nature of the active sites of the catalyst VOCl/sub 3/-Al(C/sub 2/H/sub 5/)/sub 2/Cl during olefine polymerization, the following factors have been studied: composition and catalytic activity of homogeneous and heterogeneous components of the system, valent state of vanadium entering into the composition of the catalytic sites, effect of an organoaluminium component on the catalytic activity of the system, and the properties of the polymeric products being formed. It has been shown that the catalytic sites of the system VOCl/sub 3/-Al(C/sub 4/H/sub 5/)/sub 2/Cl are located, predominantly, in the heterogeneus phase of the catalyst. A conclusion has been made that heterogeneous catalytic sites are bimetal complexes of alkyl derivatives of vanadium trichloride and aluminuim alkylchlorides and that polycentral mechanism of catalysis of olefine polymerization in the presence of VOCl/sub 3/-Al(C/sub 2/H/sub 5/)/sub 2/Cl is caused by two types of active vanadium-aluminium complexes differing in the nature of an organoaluminium component.

Total hip arthroplasty in patients with neuromuscular imbalance.

Science.gov (United States)

Konan, S; Duncan, C P

2018-01-01

Patients with neuromuscular imbalance who require total hip arthroplasty (THA) present particular technical problems due to altered anatomy, abnormal bone stock, muscular imbalance and problems of rehabilitation. In this systematic review, we studied articles dealing with THA in patients with neuromuscular imbalance, published before April 2017. We recorded the demographics of the patients and the type of neuromuscular pathology, the indication for surgery, surgical approach, concomitant soft-tissue releases, the type of implant and bearing, pain and functional outcome as well as complications and survival. Recent advances in THA technology allow for successful outcomes in these patients. Our review suggests excellent benefits for pain relief and good functional outcome might be expected with a modest risk of complication. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2018;100-B(1 Supple A):17-21. ©2018 The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery.

Neuromuscular function during a forward lunge in meniscectomized patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thorlund, Jonas Bloch; Damgaard, Jacob; Roos, Ewa M.

2012-01-01

This study aimed to investigate differences in knee joint kinematics, ground reaction force kinetics and neuromuscular activity including muscle coactivation, and medial versus lateral muscle activity during a forward lunge between the operated and contralateral legs of meniscectomized patients....... Such differences may represent early changes in neuromuscular function potentially contributing to the development of knee osteoarthritis....

Systems of Na/sup +/NO/sub 3/, Na/sub 2/SO/sub 4/, RbNO/sub 3/, Rb/sub 2/SO/sub 4/-H/sub 2/O and NaNO/sub 3/, Na/sub 2/SO/sub 4/, CsNO/sub 3/, Cs/sub 2/SO/sub 4/-H/sub 2/O at 25 and 75 deg C

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Poletaev, I F; Krasnenkova, L V

1975-08-01

Quaternary Na/sup +/, Rb/sup +///NO/sub 3/-, SO/sub 4//sup 2 -/-H/sub 2/O and Nsub(+), Cs/sup +///NO/sub 3/-, SO/sub 4//sup 2 -/-H/sub 2/O mutual systems have been studied isothermally. The following six fields of crystallization have been revealed in these systems at 25 deg C: Cs/sub 2/SO/sub 4/, Na/sub 2/SO/sub 4/, Na/sub 2/SO/sub 4/x10H/sub 2/O, NaNO/sub 3/xNa/sub 2/SO/sub 4/x2H/sub 2/O, NaNO/sub 3/, and CsNO/sub 3/.

AOI [3] High-Temperature Nano-Derived Micro-H<sub>2sub> and - H<sub>2sub>S Sensors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sabolsky, Edward M. [West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, WV (United States)

2014-08-01

The emissions from coal-fired power plants remain a significant concern for air quality. This environmental challenge must be overcome by controlling the emission of sulfur dioxide (SO<sub>2sub>) and hydrogen sulfide (H<sub>2sub>S) throughout the entire coal combustion process. One of the processes which could specifically benefit from robust, low cost, and high temperature compatible gas sensors is the coal gasification process which converts coal and/or biomass into syngas. Hydrogen (H<sub>2sub>), carbon monoxide (CO) and sulfur compounds make up 33%, 43% and 2% of syngas, respectively. Therefore, development of a high temperature (>500°C) chemical sensor for in-situ monitoring of H<sub>2sub>, H<sub>2sub>S and SO2<sub>2sub> levels during coal gasification is strongly desired. The selective detection of SO<sub>2sub>/H>2sub>S in the presence of H<sub>2sub>, is a formidable task for a sensor designer. In order to ensure effective operation of these chemical sensors, the sensor system must inexpensively function within harsh temperature and chemical environment. Currently available sensing approaches, which are based on gas chromatography, electrochemistry, and IR-spectroscopy, do not satisfy the required cost and performance targets. This work focused on the development microsensors that can be applied to this application. In order to develop the high- temperature compatible microsensor, this work addressed various issues related to sensor stability, selectivity, and miniaturization. In the research project entitled “High-Temperature Nano-Derived Micro-H<sub>2sub> and -H<sub>2sub>S Sensors”, the team worked to develop micro-scale, chemical sensors and sensor arrays composed of nano-derived, metal-oxide composite materials to detect gases like H<sub>2sub>, SO<sub>2sub>, and H<sub>2sub>S within high-temperature environments (>500°C). The research was completed in collaboration with NexTech Materials, Ltd. (Lewis Center, Ohio). Nex

A structural transformation and its effect on the physical properties of the V-substituted Bi sub 2 Sr sub 2 Ca sub 2 Cu sub 3 O sub 1 sub 0 sub + sub y system

CERN Document Server

Yakinci, M E

1997-01-01

Systematic substitution of V in the Bi sub 2 sub - subdelta V subdelta Sr sub 2 Ca sub 2 Cu sub 3 O sub 1 sub 0 sub + sub y system (delta=0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1) was carried out in order to determine the effect of V ions on the phase formation and on the physical properties of the BSCCO 2223 system. The most interesting observation was structural transformation of the system from tetragonal to orthorhombic after delta=0.6. A solid solubility limit for V was also found to exist. Resistivity and susceptibility studies have shown that high-T sub c superconductivity exists up to delta=0.6 and that the semiconducting-to-metallic transition or fully semiconducting behaviour occurs after this limit. A fractionally small but very-high-T sub c transition at around 210 K was also observed, but it was not reproducible. Among the V-substituted samples the best electrical properties were obtained for delta=0.2; T sub c and T sub o were found to be 112 K and 92 K, respectively, the calculated value of J sub c was foun...

Pharmacokinetic studies of neuromuscular blocking agents: Good Clinical Research Practice (GCRP)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Viby-Mogensen, J.; Østergaard, D.; Donati, F.

2000-01-01

Good Clinical Research Practice (GCRP), neuromuscular blocking agents, pharmacokinetics, pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling, population pharmacokinetics, statistics, study design......Good Clinical Research Practice (GCRP), neuromuscular blocking agents, pharmacokinetics, pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling, population pharmacokinetics, statistics, study design...

The role of proprioception and neuromuscular stability in carpal instabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Hagert, E; Lluch, A; Rein, S

2016-01-01

Carpal stability has traditionally been defined as dependent on the articular congruity of joint surfaces, the static stability maintained by intact ligaments, and the dynamic stability caused by muscle contractions resulting in a compression of joint surfaces. In the past decade, a fourth factor in carpal stability has been proposed, involving the neuromuscular and proprioceptive control of joints. The proprioception of the wrist originates from afferent signals elicited by sensory end organs (mechanoreceptors) in ligaments and joint capsules that elicit spinal reflexes for immediate joint stability, as well as higher order neuromuscular influx to the cerebellum and sensorimotor cortices for planning and executing joint control. The aim of this review is to provide an understanding of the role of proprioception and neuromuscular control in carpal instabilities by delineating the sensory innervation and the neuromuscular control of the carpus, as well as descriptions of clinical applications of proprioception in carpal instabilities. © The Author(s) 2015.

MeB/sub 5/O/sub 8/(Me-Li, Na, K, NH/sub 4/)-H/sub 2/NCONHCOCH/sub 3/-H/sub 2/O system at 25 deg C

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skvortsov, V G; Fedorov, Yu A; Molodkin, A K; Tsekhanskij, R S

1986-06-01

Using the methods of isothermal solubility, densi- and refractometry, systems MB/sub 5/O/sub 8/ (M-Li, Na, K, NH/sub 4/)-acetylcarbamide - H/sub 2/O at 25 deg C have been studied. It is ascertained, that the systems investigated are of simple eutonic type.

Time course and dimensions of postural control changes following neuromuscular training in youth field hockey athletes.

Science.gov (United States)

Zech, Astrid; Klahn, Philipp; Hoeft, Jon; zu Eulenburg, Christine; Steib, Simon

2014-02-01

Injury prevention effects of neuromuscular training have been partly attributed to postural control adaptations. Uncertainty exists regarding the magnitude of these adaptations and on how they can be adequately monitored. The objective was to determine the time course of neuromuscular training effects on functional, dynamic and static balance measures. Thirty youth (14.9 ± 3 years) field hockey athletes were randomised to an intervention or control group. The intervention included a 20-min neuromuscular warm-up program performed twice weekly for 10 weeks. Balance assessments were performed at baseline, week three, week six and post-intervention. They included the star excursion balance test (SEBT), balance error scoring system (BESS), jump-landing time to stabilization (TTS) and center of pressure (COP) sway velocity during single-leg standing. No baseline differences were found between groups in demographic data and balance measures. Adherence was at 86%. All balance measures except the medial-lateral TTS improved significantly over time (p controls (31.8 ± 22.1%). There were no significant group by time interactions in the SEBT, TTS and COP sway velocity. Neuromuscular training was effective in improving postural control in youth team athletes. However, this effect was not reflected in all balance measures suggesting that the neuromuscular training did not influence all dimensions of postural control. Further studies are needed to confirm the potential of specific warm-up programs to improve postural control.

Classification of EMG signals using PSO optimized SVM for diagnosis of neuromuscular disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Subasi, Abdulhamit

2013-06-01

Support vector machine (SVM) is an extensively used machine learning method with many biomedical signal classification applications. In this study, a novel PSO-SVM model has been proposed that hybridized the particle swarm optimization (PSO) and SVM to improve the EMG signal classification accuracy. This optimization mechanism involves kernel parameter setting in the SVM training procedure, which significantly influences the classification accuracy. The experiments were conducted on the basis of EMG signal to classify into normal, neurogenic or myopathic. In the proposed method the EMG signals were decomposed into the frequency sub-bands using discrete wavelet transform (DWT) and a set of statistical features were extracted from these sub-bands to represent the distribution of wavelet coefficients. The obtained results obviously validate the superiority of the SVM method compared to conventional machine learning methods, and suggest that further significant enhancements in terms of classification accuracy can be achieved by the proposed PSO-SVM classification system. The PSO-SVM yielded an overall accuracy of 97.41% on 1200 EMG signals selected from 27 subject records against 96.75%, 95.17% and 94.08% for the SVM, the k-NN and the RBF classifiers, respectively. PSO-SVM is developed as an efficient tool so that various SVMs can be used conveniently as the core of PSO-SVM for diagnosis of neuromuscular disorders. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Palliative care in neuromuscular diseases

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Visser, Marianne; Oliver, David J.

2017-01-01

Purpose of review Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problem associated with life-threatening illness. Neuromuscular disorders (NMDs) are characterized by progressive muscle weakness, leading to pronounced and incapacitating

BIOLOGY OF SOME NEUROMUSCULAR DISORDERS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gerta Vrbova

2004-12-01

Full Text Available In order to understand and possibly interfere/ treat neuromuscular disorders it is important to analyze the biological events that may be causing the disability. We illustrate such attempts on two examples of genetically determined neuromuscular diseases: 1 Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD, and 2 Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA.DMD is an x-linked hereditary muscle disease that leads to progressive muscle weakness. The altered gene in DMD affects dystrophin, a muscle membrane associated proteine. Attempts were made to replace the deficient or missing gene/ protein into muscles of Duchenne children. Two main strategies were explored: 1 Myoblast and stem cell transfer and 2 Gene delivery. The possible use of methods other than the introduction of the missing gene for dystrophin into muscle fibres are based on the knowledge about the adaptive potential of muscle to different functional demands and the ability of the muscle to express a new set of genes in response to such stimuli. Stretch or overload is now known to lead to changes of gene expression in normal muscle, and the success of muscle stretch in the management of Duchenne boys is most likely to be due to such adaptive changes. Electrical stimulation of muscles is also a powerful stimulus for inducing the expression of new genes and this method too has produced beneficial effects on the progress of the disease in mice and men.SMA is a heterogeneous group of hereditary neuromuscular disorders where the loss of lower motoneurones leads to progressive weakness and muscle atrophy. The disease subdivides into 3 forms according to the severity of the symptoms and age of onset. All three forms of SMA have been mapped to chromosome 5q11.2-13.2. Clinical features of all these forms of SMA include hypotonia shortly after birth, symmetrical muscle weakness and atrophy, finger tremor, areflexia or hyporeflexia and later contractures. In patients with SMA 1 and 2 the development of all parts of the motor

Effects of neuromuscular training on knee joint stability after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Science.gov (United States)

Shim, Jae-Kwang; Choi, Ho-Suk; Shin, Jun-Ho

2015-12-01

[Purpose] This study examined the effects of neuromuscular training on knee joint stability after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects were 16 adults who underwent arthroscopic anterior cruciate reconstruction and neuromuscular training. The Lysholm scale was used to assess functional disorders on the affected knee joint. A KT-2000 arthrometer was used to measure anterior displacement of the tibia against the femur. Surface electromyography was used to detect the muscle activation of the vastus medialis oblique, vastus lateralis, biceps femoris, and semitendinosus before and after neuromuscular training. [Results] There was significant relaxation in tibial anterior displacement of the affected and sound sides in the supine position before neuromuscular training. Furthermore, the difference in the tibial anterior displacement of the affected knee joints in the standing position was reduced after neuromuscular training. Moreover, the variation of the muscle activation evoked higher muscle activation of the vastus medialis oblique, vastus lateralis, biceps femoris, and semitendinosus. [Conclusion] Neuromuscular training may improve functional joint stability in patients with orthopedic musculoskeletal injuries in the postoperative period.

Integrated dry NO{sub x}/SO{sub 2} emissions control system performance summary

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hunt, T. [Public Service Company of Colorado, Denver, CO (United States); Muzio, L.J.; Smith, R. [Fossil Energy Research Corp., Laguna Hills, CA (United States); Jones, D. [NOELL, Inc., Long Beach, CA (United States); Hebb, J.L. [Dept. of Energy, Pittsburgh, PA (United States); Stallings, J. [Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States)

1997-12-31

The Integrated Dry NO{sub x}/SO{sub 2} Emissions Control System was installed at Public Service Company of Colorado`s Arapahoe 4 generating station in 1992 in cooperation with the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). This full-scale 100 MWe demonstration combines low-NO{sub x} burners, overfire, air, and selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR) for NO{sub x} control and dry sorbent injection (DSI) with or without humidification for SO{sub 2} control. Operation and testing of the Integrated Dry NO{sub x}/SO{sub 2} Emissions Control System began in August 1992 and will continue through 1996. Results of the NO{sub x} control technologies show that the original system goal of 70% NO{sub x} removal has been easily met and the combustion and SNCR systems can achieve NO{sub x} removals of up to 80% at full load. Duct injection of commercial calcium hydroxide has achieved a maximum SO{sub 2} removal of nearly 40% while humidifying the flue gas to a 20 F approach to saturation. Sodium-based dry sorbent injection has provided SO{sub 2} removal of over 70% without the occurrence of a visible NO{sub 2} plume. Recent test work has improved SNCR performance at low loads and has demonstrated that combined dry sodium injection and SNCR yields both lower NO{sub 2} levels and NH{sub 3} slip than either technology alone.

Surgical Space Conditions During Low-Pressure Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy with Deep Versus Moderate Neuromuscular Blockade

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Staehr-Rye, Anne K; Rasmussen, Lars S.; Rosenberg, Jacob

2014-01-01

: In this assessor-blinded study, 48 patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy were administered rocuronium for neuromuscular blockade and randomized to either deep neuromuscular blockade (rocuronium bolus plus infusion maintaining a posttetanic count 0-1) or moderate neuromuscular blockade...... (rocuronium repeat bolus only for inadequate surgical conditions with spontaneous recovery of neuromuscular function). Patients received anesthesia with propofol, remifentanil, and rocuronium. The primary outcome was the proportion of procedures with optimal surgical space conditions (assessed by the surgeon...

Neuromuscular exercise as treatment of degenerative knee disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ageberg, Eva; Roos, Ewa M.

2015-01-01

Exercise is recommended as first-line treatment of degenerative knee disease. Our hypothesis is that neuromuscular exercise is feasible and at least as effective as tradionally used strength or aerobic training, but aims to more closely target the sensorimotor deficiencies and functional...... instability associated with the degenerative knee disease than traditionally used training methods.SUMMARY FOR TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGECurrent data suggests that the effect from neuromuscular exercise on pain and function is comparable to the effects seen from other forms of exercise....

Task oriented evaluation system for maintenance robots

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asame, Hajime; Endo, Isao; Kotosaka, Shin-ya; Takata, Shozo; Hiraoka, Hiroyuki; Kohda, Takehisa; Matsumoto, Akihiro; Yamagishi, Kiichiro.

1994-01-01

The adaptability evaluation of maintenance robots to autonomous plants has been discussed. In this paper, a new concept of autonomous plant with maintenance robots are introduced, and a framework of autonomous maintenance system is proposed. Then, task-oriented evaluation of robot arms is discussed for evaluating their adaptability to maintenance tasks, and a new criterion called operability is proposed for adaptability evaluation. The task-oriented evaluation system is implemented and applied to structural design of robot arms. Using genetic algorithm, an optimal structure adaptable to a pump disassembly task is obtained. (author)

Thermodynamic assessment of the LiF–ThF{sub 4}–PuF{sub 3}–UF{sub 4} system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Capelli, E. [European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Transuranium Elements, P.O. Box 2340, 76125 Karlsruhe (Germany); Department of Radiation Science and Technology, Faculty of Applied Physics, Delft University of Technology, Delft 2629JB (Netherlands); Beneš, O., E-mail: ondrej.benes@ec.europa.eu [European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Transuranium Elements, P.O. Box 2340, 76125 Karlsruhe (Germany); Konings, R.J.M. [European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Transuranium Elements, P.O. Box 2340, 76125 Karlsruhe (Germany); Department of Radiation Science and Technology, Faculty of Applied Physics, Delft University of Technology, Delft 2629JB (Netherlands)

2015-07-15

The LiF–ThF{sub 4}–PuF{sub 3}–UF{sub 4} system is the reference salt mixture considered for the Molten Salt Fast Reactor (MSFR) concept started with PuF{sub 3}. In order to obtain the complete thermodynamic description of this quaternary system, two binary systems (ThF{sub 4}–PuF{sub 3} and UF{sub 4}–PuF{sub 3}) and two ternary systems (LiF–ThF{sub 4}–PuF{sub 3} and LiF–UF{sub 4}–PuF{sub 3}) have been assessed for the first time. The similarities between CeF{sub 3}/PuF{sub 3} and ThF{sub 4}/UF{sub 4} compounds have been taken into account for the presented optimization as well as in the experimental measurements performed, which have confirmed the temperatures predicted by the model. Moreover, the experimental results and the thermodynamic database developed have been used to identify potential compositions for the MSFR fuel and to evaluate the influence of partial substitution of ThF{sub 4} by UF{sub 4} in the salt.

Hybrid Neuroprosthesis for the Upper Limb: Combining Brain-Controlled Neuromuscular Stimulation with a Multi-Joint Arm Exoskeleton.

Science.gov (United States)

Grimm, Florian; Walter, Armin; Spüler, Martin; Naros, Georgios; Rosenstiel, Wolfgang; Gharabaghi, Alireza

2016-01-01

Brain-machine interface-controlled (BMI) neurofeedback training aims to modulate cortical physiology and is applied during neurorehabilitation to increase the responsiveness of the brain to subsequent physiotherapy. In a parallel line of research, robotic exoskeletons are used in goal-oriented rehabilitation exercises for patients with severe motor impairment to extend their range of motion (ROM) and the intensity of training. Furthermore, neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is applied in neurologically impaired patients to restore muscle strength by closing the sensorimotor loop. In this proof-of-principle study, we explored an integrated approach for providing assistance as needed to amplify the task-related ROM and the movement-related brain modulation during rehabilitation exercises of severely impaired patients. For this purpose, we combined these three approaches (BMI, NMES, and exoskeleton) in an integrated neuroprosthesis and studied the feasibility of this device in seven severely affected chronic stroke patients who performed wrist flexion and extension exercises while receiving feedback via a virtual environment. They were assisted by a gravity-compensating, seven degree-of-freedom exoskeleton which was attached to the paretic arm. NMES was applied to the wrist extensor and flexor muscles during the exercises and was controlled by a hybrid BMI based on both sensorimotor cortical desynchronization (ERD) and electromyography (EMG) activity. The stimulation intensity was individualized for each targeted muscle and remained subthreshold, i.e., induced no overt support. The hybrid BMI controlled the stimulation significantly better than the offline analyzed ERD (p = 0.028) or EMG (p = 0.021) modality alone. Neuromuscular stimulation could be well integrated into the exoskeleton-based training and amplified both the task-related ROM (p = 0.009) and the movement-related brain modulation (p = 0.019). Combining a hybrid BMI with neuromuscular stimulation

Hybrid Neuroprosthesis for the Upper Limb: Combining Brain-Controlled Neuromuscular Stimulation with a Multi-Joint Arm Exoskeleton

Science.gov (United States)

Grimm, Florian; Walter, Armin; Spüler, Martin; Naros, Georgios; Rosenstiel, Wolfgang; Gharabaghi, Alireza

2016-01-01

Brain-machine interface-controlled (BMI) neurofeedback training aims to modulate cortical physiology and is applied during neurorehabilitation to increase the responsiveness of the brain to subsequent physiotherapy. In a parallel line of research, robotic exoskeletons are used in goal-oriented rehabilitation exercises for patients with severe motor impairment to extend their range of motion (ROM) and the intensity of training. Furthermore, neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is applied in neurologically impaired patients to restore muscle strength by closing the sensorimotor loop. In this proof-of-principle study, we explored an integrated approach for providing assistance as needed to amplify the task-related ROM and the movement-related brain modulation during rehabilitation exercises of severely impaired patients. For this purpose, we combined these three approaches (BMI, NMES, and exoskeleton) in an integrated neuroprosthesis and studied the feasibility of this device in seven severely affected chronic stroke patients who performed wrist flexion and extension exercises while receiving feedback via a virtual environment. They were assisted by a gravity-compensating, seven degree-of-freedom exoskeleton which was attached to the paretic arm. NMES was applied to the wrist extensor and flexor muscles during the exercises and was controlled by a hybrid BMI based on both sensorimotor cortical desynchronization (ERD) and electromyography (EMG) activity. The stimulation intensity was individualized for each targeted muscle and remained subthreshold, i.e., induced no overt support. The hybrid BMI controlled the stimulation significantly better than the offline analyzed ERD (p = 0.028) or EMG (p = 0.021) modality alone. Neuromuscular stimulation could be well integrated into the exoskeleton-based training and amplified both the task-related ROM (p = 0.009) and the movement-related brain modulation (p = 0.019). Combining a hybrid BMI with neuromuscular stimulation

Vocational perspectives and neuromuscular disorders

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Andries, F.; Wevers, C. W.; Wintzen, A. R.; Busch, H. F.; Höweler, C. J.; de Jager, A. E.; Padberg, G. W.; de Visser, M.; Wokke, J. H.

1997-01-01

The present study analyses the actual occupational situation, vocational handicaps and past labour career of a group of about 1000 Dutch patients suffering from a neuromuscular disorder (NMD). On the basis of the likelihood of a substantial employment history and sufficient numbers of patients, four

Vocational perspectives and neuromuscular disorders

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Andries, F; Wevers, CWJ; Wintzen, AR; Busch, HFM; Howeler, CJ; deJager, AEJ; Padberg, GW; deVisser, M; Wokke, JHJ

The present study analyses the actual occupational situation, vocational handicaps and past labour career of a group of about 1000 Dutch patients suffering from a neuromuscular disorder (NMD). On the basis of the likelihood of a substantial employment history and sufficient numbers of patients, four

Neuromuscular adaptations to training, injury and passive interventions: implications for running economy.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonacci, Jason; Chapman, Andrew; Blanch, Peter; Vicenzino, Bill

2009-01-01

Performance in endurance sports such as running, cycling and triathlon has long been investigated from a physiological perspective. A strong relationship between running economy and distance running performance is well established in the literature. From this established base, improvements in running economy have traditionally been achieved through endurance training. More recently, research has demonstrated short-term resistance and plyometric training has resulted in enhanced running economy. This improvement in running economy has been hypothesized to be a result of enhanced neuromuscular characteristics such as improved muscle power development and more efficient use of stored elastic energy during running. Changes in indirect measures of neuromuscular control (i.e. stance phase contact times, maximal forward jumps) have been used to support this hypothesis. These results suggest that neuromuscular adaptations in response to training (i.e. neuromuscular learning effects) are an important contributor to enhancements in running economy. However, there is no direct evidence to suggest that these adaptations translate into more efficient muscle recruitment patterns during running. Optimization of training and run performance may be facilitated through direct investigation of muscle recruitment patterns before and after training interventions. There is emerging evidence that demonstrates neuromuscular adaptations during running and cycling vary with training status. Highly trained runners and cyclists display more refined patterns of muscle recruitment than their novice counterparts. In contrast, interference with motor learning and neuromuscular adaptation may occur as a result of ongoing multidiscipline training (e.g. triathlon). In the sport of triathlon, impairments in running economy are frequently observed after cycling. This impairment is related mainly to physiological stress, but an alteration in lower limb muscle coordination during running after cycling

Task shifting in HIV/AIDS: opportunities, challenges and proposed actions for sub-Saharan Africa.

OpenAIRE

Zachariah, R; Ford, N; Philips, M; Lynch, S; Massaquoi, M; Janssens, V; Harries, A D

2009-01-01

Sub-Saharan Africa is facing a crisis in human health resources due to a critical shortage of health workers. The shortage is compounded by a high burden of infectious diseases; emigration of trained professionals; difficult working conditions and low motivation. In particular, the burden of HIV/AIDS has led to the concept of task shifting being increasingly promoted as a way of rapidly expanding human resource capacity. This refers to the delegation of medical and health service responsibili...

Emerging modalities in dysphagia rehabilitation: neuromuscular electrical stimulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Huckabee, Maggie-Lee; Doeltgen, Sebastian

2007-10-12

The aim of this review article is to advise the New Zealand medical community about the application of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) as a treatment for pharyngeal swallowing impairment (dysphagia). NMES in this field of rehabilitation medicine has quickly emerged as a widely used method overseas but has been accompanied by significant controversy. Basic information is provided about the physiologic background of electrical stimulation. The literature reviewed in this manuscript was derived through a computer-assisted search using the biomedical database Medline to identify all relevant articles published until from the initiation of the databases up to January 2007. The reviewers used the following search strategy: [(deglutition disorders OR dysphagia) AND (neuromuscular electrical stimulation OR NMES)]. In addition, the technique of reference tracing was used and very recently published studies known to the authors but not yet included in the database systems were included. This review elucidates not only the substantive potential benefit of this treatment, but also potential key concerns for patient safety and long term outcome. The discussion within the clinical and research communities, especially around the commercially available VitalStim stimulator, is objectively explained.

Autosomal-dominant non-autoimmune hyperthyroidism presenting with neuromuscular symptoms.

Science.gov (United States)

Elgadi, Aziz; Arvidsson, C-G; Janson, Annika; Marcus, Claude; Costagliola, Sabine; Norgren, Svante

2005-08-01

Neuromuscular presentations are common in thyroid disease, although the mechanism is unclear. In the present study, we investigated the pathogenesis in a boy with autosomal-dominant hyperthyroidism presenting with neuromuscular symptoms. The TSHr gene was investigated by direct sequencing. Functional properties of the mutant TSHr were investigated during transient expression in COS-7 cells. Family members were investigated by clinical and biochemical examinations. Sequence analysis revealed a previously reported heterozygous missense mutation Glycine 431 for Serine in the first transmembrane segment, leading to an increased specific constitutive activity. Three additional affected family members carried the same mutation. There was no indication of autoimmune disorder. All symptoms disappeared upon treatment with thacapzol and L-thyroxine and subsequent subtotal thyroidectomy. The data imply that neuromuscular symptoms can be caused by excessive thyroid hormone levels rather than by autoimmunity.

Glass formation and properties of glasses in V/sub 2/O/sub 5/-B/sub 2/O/sub 3/-P/sub 2/O/sub 5/ system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sedmale, G P; Vajvad, Ya A; Arkhipova, S E; Laukmanis, L A

1987-01-01

The glass formation in the system V/sub 2/O/sub 5/-B/sub 2/O/sub 3/-P/sub 2/O/sub 5/ and the properties of the obtained glasses have been studied by methods including that of the mathematical design and the treatment of the obtained data on ECM. The glass formation region is limited by the molar content of V/sub 2/O/sub 5/ 30-80%, B/sub 2/O/sub 3/ 0-45%, P/sub 2/O/sub 5/ 20-65%. The chemical stability data show that at the molar content of V/sub 2/O/sub 5/ 45-50% the transfer of vanadium from the state of the modificator to the glass-forming agent takes place. For the studied glasses the electron mechanism of conductivity is the dominating one.

[Respiratory treatments in neuromuscular disease].

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez Carrasco, C; Cols Roig, M; Salcedo Posadas, A; Sardon Prado, O; Asensio de la Cruz, O; Torrent Vernetta, A

2014-10-01

In a previous article, a review was presented of the respiratory pathophysiology of the patient with neuromuscular disease, as well as their clinical evaluation and the major complications causing pulmonary deterioration. This article presents the respiratory treatments required to preserve lung function in neuromuscular disease as long as possible, as well as in special situations (respiratory infections, spinal curvature surgery, etc.). Special emphasis is made on the use of non-invasive ventilation, which is changing the natural history of many of these diseases. The increase in survival and life expectancy of these children means that they can continue their clinical care in adult units. The transition from pediatric care must be an active, timely and progressive process. It may be slightly stressful for the patient before the adaptation to this new environment, with multidisciplinary care always being maintained. Copyright © 2013 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Neuromuscular Exercise Post Partial Medial Meniscectomy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hall, Michelle; Hinman, Rana S; Wrigley, Tim V

2015-01-01

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of a 12-week, home-based, physiotherapist-guided neuromuscular exercise program on the knee adduction moment (an indicator of mediolateral knee load distribution) in people with a medial arthroscopic partial meniscectomy within the past 3-12 months. METHODS......: An assessor-blinded, randomised controlled trial including people aged 30-50 years with no to mild pain following medial arthroscopic partial meniscectomy was conducted. Participants were randomly allocated to either a 12-week neuromuscular exercise program that targeted neutral lower limb alignment...... or a control group with no exercise. The exercise program included eight individual sessions with one of seven physiotherapists in private clinics, together with home exercises. Primary outcomes were the peak external knee adduction moment during normal pace walking and during a one-leg sit-to-stand. Secondary...

Phase diagrams of novel Tl{sub 4}SnSe{sub 4}–TlSbSe{sub 2}–Tl{sub 2}SnSe{sub 3} quasi-ternary system following DTA and X-ray diffraction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barchiy, I.E.; Tatzkar, A.R. [Department of Chemistry, Uzhgorod National University, Pidgirna St., 46, Uzhgorod 88000 (Ukraine); Fedorchuk, A.O. [Department of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry, Lviv National University of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnologies, Pekarska St., 50, Lviv 79010 (Ukraine); Plucinski, K., E-mail: kpluc2006@wp.pl [Electronics Department, Military University Technology, Warsaw, Kaliskiego 2, Warsaw 00-908 (Poland)

2016-06-25

Phase relation in the Tl{sub 4}SnSe{sub 4}–TlSbSe{sub 2}–Tl{sub 2}SnSe{sub 3} quasiternary system were studied by the DTA and X-ray diffraction in combination with mathematical modeling. The phase diagrams of the Tl{sub 4}SnSe{sub 4}–TlSbSe{sub 2} and Tl{sub 2}SnSe{sub 3}–TlSbSe{sub 2} systems, the perspective views of the phase interaction in the ternary system, the liquidus surface projection, the isothermal section at 423 K were built for the first time. The Tl{sub 4}SnSe{sub 4}–TlSbSe{sub 2}–Tl{sub 2}SnSe{sub 3} system is of the invariant eutectic type and is characterized by the formation of limited solid solutions following initial ternary compounds. New complex compounds are not formed. - Highlights: • Two Tl{sub 4}SnSe{sub 4}–TlSbSe{sub 2},Tl{sub 2}SnSe{sub 3}–TlSbSe{sub 2} systems were explored. • Invariant processes in the ternary system were determined. • New complex compounds were not observed in ternary system.

Simulation of Coupled Processes of Flow, Transport, and Storage of CO<sub>2sub> in Saline Aquifers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Yu-Shu [Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States); Chen, Zizhong [Univ. of California, Riverside, CA (United States); Kazemi, Hossein [Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States); Yin, Xiaolong [Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States); Pruess, Karsten [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Oldenburg, Curt [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Winterfeld, Philip [Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States); Zhang, Ronglei [Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States)

2014-09-30

the former, we matched a one-dimensional consolidation problem and a two-dimensional simulation of the Mandel-Cryer effect. For the latter, we obtained a good match of temperature and gas saturation profiles, and surface uplift, after injection of hot fluid into a model of a caldera structure. In task, “Incorporation of Geochemical Reactions of Selected Important Species,” we developed a novel mathematical model of THMC processes in porous and fractured saline aquifers, simulating geo-chemical reactions associated with CO<sub>2sub> sequestration in saline aquifers. Two computational frameworks, sequentially coupled and fully coupled, were used to simulate the reactions and transport. We verified capabilities of the THMC model to treat complex THMC processes during CO<sub>2sub> sequestration by analytical solutions and we constructed reactive transport models to analyze the THMC process quantitatively. Three of these are 1D reactive transport under chemical equilibrium, a batch reaction model with equilibrium chemical reactions, and a THMC model with CO<sub>2sub> dissolution. In task “Study of Instability in CO<sub>2sub> Dissolution-Diffusion-Convection Processes,” We reviewed literature related to the study of density driven convective flows and on the instability of CO<sub>2sub> dissolution-diffusion-convection processes. We ran simulations that model the density-driven flow instability that would occur during CO<sub>2sub> sequestration. CO<sub>2sub> diffused through the top of the system and dissolved in the aqueous phase there, increasing its density. Density fingers formed along the top boundary, and coalesced into a few prominent ones, causing convective flow that forced the fluid to the system bottom. These simulations were in two and three dimensions. We ran additional simulations of convective mixing with density contrast caused by variable dissolved CO<sub>2sub> concentration in saline water, modeled after laboratory experiments in

Classification of neuromuscular blocking agents in a new neuromuscular preparation of the chick in vitro

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Riezen, H. van

1968-01-01

A neuromuscular preparation of the chick is described: 1. 1. The sciatic nerve-tibilis anterior muscle preparation of the 2–10 days old chick fulfils all criteria of an assay preparation and differentiates between curare-like and decamethonium-like agents. 2. 2. The preparation responds to

New crystals of the CsHSO{sub 4}–CsH{sub 2}PO{sub 4}–H{sub 2}O system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Makarova, I. P., E-mail: makarova@crys.ras.ru; Grebenev, V. V.; Komornikov, V. A.; Selezneva, E. V. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Shubnikov Institute of Crystallography, Federal Scientific Research Centre “Crystallography and Photonics,” (Russian Federation)

2016-11-15

Cs{sub 6}H(HSO{sub 4}){sub 3}(H{sub 2}PO{sub 4}){sub 4} crystals, grown for the first time based on an analysis of the phase diagram of the CsHSO{sub 4}–CsH{sub 2}PO{sub 4}–H{sub 2}O ternary system, have been investigated by structural analysis using synchrotron radiation. The atomic structure of the crystals is determined and its specific features are analyzed.

Effects of sugammadex on incidence of postoperative residual neuromuscular blockade

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brueckmann, B; Sasaki, N; Grobara, P

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate whether reversal of rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade with sugammadex reduced the incidence of residual blockade and facilitated operating room discharge readiness. METHODS: Adult patients undergoing abdominal surgery received rocuronium, followed...... by randomized allocation to sugammadex (2 or 4 mg kg(-1)) or usual care (neostigmine/glycopyrrolate, dosing per usual care practice) for reversal of neuromuscular blockade. Timing of reversal agent administration was based on the providers' clinical judgement. Primary endpoint was the presence of residual...... measured at PACU entry. Zero out of 74 sugammadex patients and 33 out of 76 (43.4%) usual care patients had TOF-Watch® SX-assessed residual neuromuscular blockade at PACU admission (odds ratio 0.0, 95% CI [0-0.06], P

Thermal analysis and prediction of phase equilibria in the TiO{sub 2}-Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3} system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lopez-Martinez, Jaqueline, E-mail: jacky-411@hotmail.com [Metallurgy and Materials Department, Instituto Politecnico Nacional-ESIQIE, Apdo. P. 118-431, 07051 Mexico D.F (Mexico); Romero-Serrano, Antonio, E-mail: romeroipn@hotmail.com [Metallurgy and Materials Department, Instituto Politecnico Nacional-ESIQIE, Apdo. P. 118-431, 07051 Mexico D.F (Mexico); Hernandez-Ramirez, Aurelio, E-mail: aurelioh@hotmail.com [Metallurgy and Materials Department, Instituto Politecnico Nacional-ESIQIE, Apdo. P. 118-431, 07051 Mexico D.F (Mexico); Zeifert, Beatriz, E-mail: bzeifert@yahoo.com [Metallurgy and Materials Department, Instituto Politecnico Nacional-ESIQIE, Apdo. P. 118-431, 07051 Mexico D.F (Mexico); Gomez-Yanez, Carlos, E-mail: cgomezy@ipn.mx [Metallurgy and Materials Department, Instituto Politecnico Nacional-ESIQIE, Apdo. P. 118-431, 07051 Mexico D.F (Mexico); Martinez-Sanchez, Roberto, E-mail: roberto.martinez@cimav.edu.mx [CIMAV, Av. Miguel de Cervantes 120, Chihuahua C.P.31109 (Mexico)

2011-03-20

A thermodynamic study on the TiO{sub 2}-Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3} system was carried out using differential thermal analysis (DTA) and X-Ray diffraction (XRD) techniques covering the composition range from 65 to 90 mol% Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}. From the XRD results the only two intermediate compounds in the Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3} rich region were Bi{sub 4}Ti{sub 3}O{sub 12} and Bi{sub 12}TiO{sub 20}. The Bi{sub 4}Ti{sub 3}O{sub 12} phase presents the well known plate-like morphology. The experimentally determined phase transition temperatures with DTA technique were compared with thermodynamic calculated results and good agreement was obtained. The DTA results also showed that the limit of the peritectic reaction between liquid and Bi{sub 4}Ti{sub 3}O{sub 12} occurs approximately at 90 mol% Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}. The phase diagram of the TiO{sub 2}-Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3} system was calculated using a quasichemical model for the liquid phase. The thermodynamic properties of the intermediate compounds were estimated from the data of TiO{sub 2} and Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3} pure solids. In this manner, data for this binary system have been analysed and represented with a small adjustable parameter for the liquid phase.

Task management in the new ATLAS production system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De, K; Golubkov, D; Klimentov, A; Potekhin, M; Vaniachine, A

2014-01-01

This document describes the design of the new Production System of the ATLAS experiment at the LHC [1]. The Production System is the top level workflow manager which translates physicists' needs for production level processing and analysis into actual workflows executed across over a hundred Grid sites used globally by ATLAS. As the production workload increased in volume and complexity in recent years (the ATLAS production tasks count is above one million, with each task containing hundreds or thousands of jobs) there is a need to upgrade the Production System to meet the challenging requirements of the next LHC run while minimizing the operating costs. In the new design, the main subsystems are the Database Engine for Tasks (DEFT) and the Job Execution and Definition Interface (JEDI). Based on users' requests, DEFT manages inter-dependent groups of tasks (Meta-Tasks) and generates corresponding data processing workflows. The JEDI component then dynamically translates the task definitions from DEFT into actual workload jobs executed in the PanDA Workload Management System [2]. We present the requirements, design parameters, basics of the object model and concrete solutions utilized in building the new Production System and its components.

Functional Dissociation of Latency-Variable, Stimulus- and Response-Locked Target P3 Sub-components in Task-Switching.

Science.gov (United States)

Brydges, Christopher R; Barceló, Francisco

2018-01-01

Cognitive control warrants efficient task performance in dynamic and changing environments through adjustments in executive attention, stimulus and response selection. The well-known P300 component of the human event-related potential (ERP) has long been proposed to index "context-updating"-critical for cognitive control-in simple target detection tasks. However, task switching ERP studies have revealed both target P3 (300-350 ms) and later sustained P3-like potentials (400-1,200 ms) to first targets ensuing transition cues, although it remains unclear whether these target P3-like potentials also reflect context updating operations. To address this question, we applied novel single-trial EEG analyses-residue iteration decomposition (RIDE)-in order to disentangle target P3 sub-components in a sample of 22 young adults while they either repeated or switched (updated) task rules. The rationale was to revise the context updating hypothesis of P300 elicitation in the light of new evidence suggesting that "the context" consists of not only the sensory units of stimulation, but also associated motor units, and intermediate low- and high-order sensorimotor units, all of which may need to be dynamically updated on a trial by trial basis. The results showed functionally distinct target P3-like potentials in stimulus-locked, response-locked, and intermediate RIDE component clusters overlying parietal and frontal regions, implying multiple functionally distinct, though temporarily overlapping context updating operations. These findings support a reformulated version of the context updating hypothesis, and reveal a rich family of distinct target P3-like sub-components during the reactive control of target detection in task-switching, plausibly indexing the complex and dynamic workings of frontoparietal cortical networks subserving cognitive control.

Understanding the Effects of Long-duration Space Flight on Astronant Functional Task Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Bloomberg, Jacob J.; Batson, Crystal D.; Buxton, Roxanne E.; Feiveson, Al H.; Kofman, Igor S.; Lee, Stuart M. C.; Miller, Chris A.; Mulavara, Ajitkumar P.; Peters, Brian T.; Phillips, Tiffany;

Moessbauer study in the glass system PbO. 2B/sub 2/O/sub 3/. Fe/sub 2/O/sub 3/

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sekhon, S S; Kamal, R [Punjabi Univ., Patiala (India). Dept. of Physics

1978-05-01

The Moessbauer technique has been employed to study the structure and crystallite formation in the glass system PbO.2B/sub 2/O/sub 3/ containing upto 30 wt% Fe/sub 2/O/sub 3/. Like alkali borate glasses, this glass system also exhibits a broadened quadrupole doublet and iron ions are present in Fe/sup 3 +/ state. Above about 20 wt%, the crystallites of magnetically ordered states have been identified. Susceptibility variation with concentration suggests the formation of a superparamagnetic state.

Reversal of profound rocuronium neuromuscular blockade by sugammadex in anesthetized rhesus monkeys.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boer, H.D. de; Egmond, J. van; Pol, F. van de; Bom, A.; Booij, L.H.D.J.

2006-01-01

BACKGROUND: Reversal of neuromuscular blockade can be accomplished by chemical encapsulation of rocuronium by sugammadex, a synthetic gamma-cyclodextrin derivative. The current study determined the feasibility of reversal of rocuronium-induced profound neuromuscular blockade with sugammadex in the

Electrical resistivity of the Kondo system Ce{sub 1-x}La{sub x}Pt{sub 2}Si{sub 2}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bouziane, K.; Du Plessis, P. de V [f-Electron Magnetism and Heavy-Fermion Physics Programme, Department of Physics, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, PO Wits 2050, Johannesburg (South Africa)

1999-04-19

The electrical resistivities of the Kondo system Ce{sub 1-x}La{sub x}Pt{sub 2}Si{sub 2} (0 {<=} x {<=} 1) are reported. It is observed that the resistivities of the alloy samples are reduced considerably as a result of annealing the samples. The results furthermore indicate the evolution from dense Kondo behaviour to single-ion incoherent Kondo scattering as x is increased. The resistivity in the dense Kondo regime shows a maximum which drops from T{sub max}=62 K for CePt{sub 2}Si{sub 2} to T{sub max}=36 K for x=0.2. Using the relationship T{sub max} {proportional_to} T{sub K} {proportional_to} exp(-1/JN(E{sub F})) where T{sub K} is the Kondo temperature, J is the exchange integral and N(E{sub F}) is the density of states at the Fermi level E{sub F}, and the experimentally observed values of T{sub max}(X) leads to vertical bar JN(E{sub F})vertical bar {sub 0} = 0.0645 {+-} 0.0004. (author)

FUNCTIONS OF A NEUROMUSCULAR CENTRE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janez Zidar

2004-12-01

Full Text Available Main functions of a neuromuscular (NM centre are making diagnosis, treatment and counselling. Some other functions, e. g. forming a register and epidemiological endeavours, could be added. All these activities are expected to be achieved by multidisciplinary approach with the idea that members use the same guidelines and share the same knowledge.NM diseases affect lower levels of the nervous system that is motor units (motor cells in the brainstem and spinal cord, nerve roots, cranial and peripheral nerves, neuromuscular junction, and muscles. There are many such diseases; a few are more common others are rare.Rational approach in making a diagnosis can be divided into several steps. The process begins with a person with clinical symptoms and signs which raise the suspicion of NM disease. The first step is the description of the predominant pattern of muscular wasting and weakness (e. g. limb-girdle, distal, ocular, facio-scapulo-humeral. Each of these syndromes require a differential diagnosis within the motor unit territory what is achieved by means of EMG and muscle biopsy. The latter is even more important to define the nature of the abnormality. Disease nature can also be determined biochemically and, as NM disorders are commonly genetically determined, at the molecular genetic level. Treatment modalities include drugs (causative and symptomatic and other measures such as promoting and maintaining good general health, preventing skeletal deformities, physiotherapy, orthoses, surgery, and prevention of respiratory and cardiac functions. Counselling is mainly by social workers that focus on the practical aspects of coping with illness and disability and by genetic counsellors who gave advise on family planning.

Dengue-associated neuromuscular complications

OpenAIRE

Ravindra Kumar Garg; Hardeep Singh Malhotra; Amita Jain; Kiran Preet Malhotra

2015-01-01

Dengue is associated with many neurological dysfunctions. Up to 4% of dengue patients may develop neuromuscular complications. Muscle involvement can manifest with myalgias, myositis, rhabdomyolysis and hypokalemic paralysis. Diffuse myalgia is the most characteristic neurological symptom of dengue fever. Dengue-associated myositis can be of varying severity ranging from self-limiting muscle involvement to severe dengue myositis. Dengue-associated hypokalemic paralysis often has a rapidly evo...

Sub-channel/system coupled code development and its application to SCWR-FQT loop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, X.J.; Cheng, X.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A coupled code is developed for SCWR accident simulation. • The feasibility of the code is shown by application to SCWR-FQT loop. • Some measures are selected by sensitivity analysis. • The peak cladding temperature can be reduced effectively by the proposed measures. - Abstract: In the frame of Super-Critical Reactor In Pipe Test Preparation (SCRIPT) project in China, one of the challenge tasks is to predict the transient performance of SuperCritical Water Reactor-Fuel Qualification Test (SCWR-FQT) loop under some accident conditions. Several thermal–hydraulic codes (system code, sub-channel code) are selected to perform the safety analysis. However, the system code cannot simulate the local behavior of the test bundle, and the sub-channel code is incapable of calculating the whole system behavior of the test loop. Therefore, to combine the merits of both codes, and minimizes their shortcomings, a coupled sub-channel and system code system is developed in this paper. Both of the sub-channel code COBRA-SC and system code ATHLET-SC are adapted to transient analysis of SCWR. Two codes are coupled by data transfer and data adaptation at the interface. In the new developed coupled code, the whole system behavior including safety system characteristic is analyzed by system code ATHLET-SC, whereas the local thermal–hydraulic parameters are predicted by the sub-channel code COBRA-SC. The codes are utilized to get the local thermal–hydraulic parameters in the SCWR-FQT fuel bundle under some accident case (e.g. a flow blockage during LOCA). Some measures to mitigate the accident consequence are proposed by the sensitivity study and trialed to demonstrate their effectiveness in the coupled simulation. The results indicate that the new developed code has good feasibility to transient analysis of supercritical water-cooled test. And the peak cladding temperature caused by blockage in the fuel bundle can be reduced effectively by the safety measures

Sub-channel/system coupled code development and its application to SCWR-FQT loop

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, X.J., E-mail: xiaojingliu@sjtu.edu.cn [School of Nuclear Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dong Chuan Road, Shanghai 200240 (China); Cheng, X. [Institute of Fusion and Reactor Technology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Vincenz-Prießnitz-Str. 3, 76131 Karlsruhe (Germany)

2015-04-15

Highlights: • A coupled code is developed for SCWR accident simulation. • The feasibility of the code is shown by application to SCWR-FQT loop. • Some measures are selected by sensitivity analysis. • The peak cladding temperature can be reduced effectively by the proposed measures. - Abstract: In the frame of Super-Critical Reactor In Pipe Test Preparation (SCRIPT) project in China, one of the challenge tasks is to predict the transient performance of SuperCritical Water Reactor-Fuel Qualification Test (SCWR-FQT) loop under some accident conditions. Several thermal–hydraulic codes (system code, sub-channel code) are selected to perform the safety analysis. However, the system code cannot simulate the local behavior of the test bundle, and the sub-channel code is incapable of calculating the whole system behavior of the test loop. Therefore, to combine the merits of both codes, and minimizes their shortcomings, a coupled sub-channel and system code system is developed in this paper. Both of the sub-channel code COBRA-SC and system code ATHLET-SC are adapted to transient analysis of SCWR. Two codes are coupled by data transfer and data adaptation at the interface. In the new developed coupled code, the whole system behavior including safety system characteristic is analyzed by system code ATHLET-SC, whereas the local thermal–hydraulic parameters are predicted by the sub-channel code COBRA-SC. The codes are utilized to get the local thermal–hydraulic parameters in the SCWR-FQT fuel bundle under some accident case (e.g. a flow blockage during LOCA). Some measures to mitigate the accident consequence are proposed by the sensitivity study and trialed to demonstrate their effectiveness in the coupled simulation. The results indicate that the new developed code has good feasibility to transient analysis of supercritical water-cooled test. And the peak cladding temperature caused by blockage in the fuel bundle can be reduced effectively by the safety measures

Profile of sugammadex for reversal of neuromuscular blockade in the elderly: current perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carron M

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Michele Carron, Francesco Bertoncello, Giovanna Ieppariello Department of Medicine, Anesthesiology, and Intensive Care, University of Padova, Padua, Italy Abstract: The number of elderly patients is increasing worldwide. This will have a significant impact on the practice of anesthesia in future decades. Anesthesiologists must provide care for an increasing number of elderly patients, who have an elevated risk of perioperative morbidity and mortality. Complications related to postoperative residual neuromuscular blockade, such as muscle weakness, airway obstruction, hypoxemia, atelectasis, pneumonia, and acute respiratory failure, are more frequent in older than in younger patients. Therefore, neuromuscular blockade in the elderly should be carefully monitored and completely reversed before awakening patients at the end of anesthesia. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are traditionally used for reversal of neuromuscular blockade. Although the risk of residual neuromuscular blockade is reduced by reversal with neostigmine, it continues to complicate the postoperative course. Sugammadex represents an innovative approach to reversal of neuromuscular blockade induced by aminosteroid neuromuscular-blocking agents, particularly rocuronium, with useful applications in clinical practice. However, aging is associated with certain changes in the pharmacokinetics of sugammadex, and to date there has been no thorough evaluation of the use of sugammadex in elderly patients. The aim of this review was to perform an analysis of the use of sugammadex in older adults based on the current literature. Major issues surrounding the physiologic and pharmacologic effects of aging in elderly patients and how these may impact the routine use of sugammadex in elderly patients are discussed. Keywords: sugammadex, aging, elderly, neuromuscular blockade, rocuronium, anesthesia, safety

Characterization of cervical neuromuscular response to head-neck perturbation in active young adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Alsalaheen, Bara; Bean, Ryan; Almeida, Andrea; Eckner, James; Lorincz, Matthew

2018-04-01

The majority of studies examining the role of cervical muscles on head-neck kinematics focused on musculoskeletal attributes (e.g. strength). Cervical neuromuscular response to perturbation may represent a divergent construct that has not been examined under various perturbation conditions. This study examined the association between cervical musculoskeletal attributes and cervical neuromuscular response of the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) to perturbation. Furthermore, this study examined the effect of anticipation and preload on the SCM neuromuscular response. Nineteen participants completed measurement of SCM muscle size, cervical flexion maximal voluntary isometric contraction, and the neuromuscular response of the SCM to cervical perturbation. Cervical perturbation was delivered by dropping a 1.59 kg mass from a loading apparatus. The impulsive load was delivered under four conditions: (1) Anticipated perturbation with no preload (A-NP), (2) Unanticipated perturbation with no preload (U-NP), (3) Anticipated perturbation with preload (A-P), and (4) Unanticipated perturbation with preload (U-P). None of the cervical musculoskeletal attributes were correlated with the SCM cervical neuromuscular response. This study demonstrated significant effect of preloading and anticipation on baseline EMG amplitude and EMG onset latency for the SCM. Furthermore, there was a significant effect of preloading on average EMG response amplitude for the SCM. The findings of this study indicate that cervical neuromuscular response of the SCM is different from musculoskeletal attributes and is influenced by perturbation conditions. These findings provide conceptual support to examine the neuromuscular response of the SCM in mitigating head-neck kinematics. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimental determination and modeling of the solubility phase diagram of the ternary system (Li{sub 2}SO{sub 4} + K{sub 2}SO{sub 4} + H{sub 2}O) at 288.15 K

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Shiqiang, E-mail: wangshiqiang@tust.edu.cn [Tianjin Key Laboratory of Marine Resources and Chemistry, College of Marine Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457 (China); Guo, Yafei [Tianjin Key Laboratory of Marine Resources and Chemistry, College of Marine Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457 (China); Li, Dongchan [Engineering Research Center of Seawater Utilization Technology of Ministry of Education, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300130 (China); Tang, Peng; Deng, Tianlong [Tianjin Key Laboratory of Marine Resources and Chemistry, College of Marine Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457 (China)

2015-02-10

Highlights: • Solubility of the ternary system Li{sub 2}SO{sub 4} + K{sub 2}SO{sub 4} + H{sub 2}O at 288.15 K has been measured. • Phase diagram of this system was simulated and calculated by a thermodynamic model. • Li{sub 2}SO{sub 4}·K{sub 2}SO{sub 4} belongs to the incongruent double salt in this system. • Solution density was calculated using empirical equation. - Abstract: The solubility and density in the thermodynamic phase equilibria ternary system (Li{sub 2}SO{sub 4} + K{sub 2}SO{sub 4} + H{sub 2}O) at 288.15 K and 0.1 MPa were investigated experimentally with the method of isothermal dissolution equilibrium. This system at 288.15 K consists of two invariant points, three univariant isothermal dissolution curves; and three crystallization regions. The salt Li{sub 2}SO{sub 4}·K{sub 2}SO{sub 4} belongs to the incongruent double salt, and no solid solution was found. Based on the Pitzer model and its extended Harvie–Weare (HW) model, the mixing ion-interaction parameters of θ{sub Li,K}, ψ{sub Li,K,SO4} at 288.15 K and the solubility equilibrium constants K{sub sp} of solid phases Li{sub 2}SO{sub 4}·H{sub 2}O and Li{sub 2}SO{sub 4}·K{sub 2}SO{sub 4}, which are not reported in the literature were acquired. A comparison between the calculated and experimental results at 288.15 K for the ternary system shows that the calculated solubilities obtained with the extended HW model agree well with experimental data.

Ação neuro-muscular do veneno crotálico: dados preliminares Neuromuscular action of crotalid venom: preliminar data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Dorvalina Silva

1996-03-01

Full Text Available Estudamos 6 pacientes, 2 cães e um coelho com intoxicação crotálica. Avaliamos a condução nervosa periférica sensitiva e motora, a transmissão neuromuscular e eletromiografias. As biópsias de músculo foram processadas por histoquímica. Os 6 pacientes apresentaram mononeuropatia sensitiva no nervo periférico adjacente ao local da inoculação do veneno e encontramos evidências histoquímicas de miopatia mitocondrial. Os defeitos da transmissão neuromuscular foram mínimos. A maioria dos autores admite que veneno crotálico determina síndrome miastênica. Nossos achados indicam que ptose palpebral, facies miastênico e fraqueza muscular observados após acidente crotálico, correspondem provavelmente a miopatia mitocondrial, muitas vezes transitória e reversível.We studied 6 patients and 2 dogs that have been bitten by South American rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus and one rabbit inoculated with crotalid venom. We analized sensory and motor peripheral nerve conduction, repetitive stimulation for studying neuromuscular transmission and electromyographies. Muscle biopsies were processed by histochemistry. All patients had peripheral mononeuropathy of the closest sensitive nerve to the area of snakebite. The neuromuscular transmission alterations were minimal. Muscle histochemistry of 4 patients, 2 dogs and 1 rabbit showed findings of mitochondrial myopathy. The majority of authors admit that crotalid venom causes myastenic syndrome. Our findings suggest that palpebral ptosis, myastenic facies and muscular weakness observed after crotalid poisoning are, probably, due to transient and reversible mitochondrial myopathy. As far as we know, this is the first report on the ability of the venom of this rattlesnake to cause local sensitive mononeuropathy and the first muscle histochemistry showing mitochondrial myopathy in humans poisoned by crotalid venom.

A Dutch guideline for the treatment of scoliosis in neuromuscular disorders

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Titarsolej PJ

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Children with neuromuscular disorders with a progressive muscle weakness such as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and Spinal Muscular Atrophy frequently develop a progressive scoliosis. A severe scoliosis compromises respiratory function and makes sitting more difficult. Spinal surgery is considered the primary treatment option for correcting severe scoliosis in neuromuscular disorders. Surgery in this population requires a multidisciplinary approach, careful planning, dedicated surgical procedures, and specialized after care. Methods The guideline is based on scientific evidence and expert opinions. A multidisciplinary working group representing experts from all relevant specialties performed the research. A literature search was conducted to collect scientific evidence in answer to specific questions posed by the working group. Literature was classified according to the level of evidence. Results For most aspects of the treatment scientific evidence is scarce and only low level cohort studies were found. Nevertheless, a high degree of consensus was reached about the management of patients with scoliosis in neuromuscular disorders. This was translated into a set of recommendations, which are now officially accepted as a general guideline in the Netherlands. Conclusion In order to optimize the treatment for scoliosis in neuromuscular disorders a Dutch guideline has been composed. This evidence-based, multidisciplinary guideline addresses conservative treatment, the preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative care of scoliosis in neuromuscular disorders.

Equilibrium diagram of KPO{sub 3}-Y(PO{sub 3}){sub 3} system, chemical preparation and characterization of KY(PO{sub 3}){sub 4}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jouini, Anis; Ferid, Mokhtar; Trabelsi-Ayadi, Malika

2003-04-17

Microdifferential thermal analysis ({mu}-DTA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and infrared (IR) spectroscopy were used for the first time to investigate the liquidus and solidus relations in the KPO{sub 3}-Y(PO{sub 3}){sub 3} system. The only compound observed within the system was KY(PO{sub 3}){sub 4} melting incongruently at 1033 K. An eutectic appears at 13.5 mol% Y(PO{sub 3}){sub 3} at 935 K, the peritectic occurs at 1033 K and the phase transition for potassium polyphosphate KPO{sub 3} was observed at 725 K. Three monoclinic allotropic phases of the single crystals were obtained. KY(PO{sub 3}){sub 4} polyphosphate has the P2{sub 1} space group with lattice parameters: a=7.183(4) A, b=8.351(6) A, c=7.983(3) A, {beta}=91.75(3) deg. and Z=2 is isostructural with KNd(PO{sub 3}){sub 4}. The second allotropic form of KY(PO{sub 3}){sub 4} belongs to the P2{sub 1}/n space group with lattice parameters: a=10.835(3) A, b=9.003(2) A, c=10.314(1) A, {beta}=106.09(7) deg. and Z=4 and is isostructural with TlNd(PO{sub 3}){sub 4}. The IR absorption spectra of the two forms show a chain polyphosphates structure. The last modification of KYP{sub 4}O{sub 12} crystallizes in the C2/c space group with lattice parameters: a=7.825(3) A, b=12.537(4) A, c=10.584(2) A, {beta}=110.22(7) deg. and Z=4 is isostructural with RbNdP{sub 4}O{sub 12} and contains cyclic anions. The methods of chemical preparations, the determination of crystallographic data and IR spectra for these compounds are reported.

Magnetic properties of the Kagome staircase mixed system (Co{sub x}Ni{sub 1-x}){sub 3}V{sub 2}O{sub 8}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qureshi, Navid

2008-09-26

The orthooxovanadates of the 3d transition metals M{sub 3}V{sub 2}O{sub 8}, known as Kagome staircase systems, reveal interesting magnetic properties due to their crystal structure. Although these compounds are isostructural for M=Co,Ni,Mn,Cu, they differ considerably with respect to their magnetic phase transitions and magnetic structures. As the magnetic ions are situated on corners of cornersharing triangles, geometric frustration plays an important role in this system. This is not only confined to the fact, that the antiferromagnetic structures exhibit reduced magnetic moments, but apparently also to the ferromagnetic structure of Co{sub 3}V{sub 2}O{sub 8}, which exhibits a strongly reduced Co moment of 1.54 Bohr magnetons. Within this work precisely this ferromagnetic structure has been investigated in detail and it could be shown that the relatively weak magnetic moment does not result from frustration, but is a consequence of the strong hybridization effects between the cobalt and oxygen orbitals. The pronounced covalent character of this Co ion leads to the fact that due to the charge transfer the oxygen ions significantly contribute to the bulk magnetization when applying an external magnetic field. The second part of the presented work deals with the systematic investigation of the mixed system (Co{sub x}Ni{sub 1-x})3V{sub 2}O{sub 8}. A detailed magnetic phase diagram could be drawn, in which the temperature and composition dependent magnetic phase transitions have been pinpointed. Furthermore, an interesting magnetic structure of a chosen composition of x=0.5 has been observed, which differs considerably from those of the end members. (orig.)

The Effect of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation on Learning Fine Motor Skills: A Preliminary Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Reza Shahabi Kaseb

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Preparation of neuromuscular system prior to performing motor skills affects the learning of motor skills. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF on limb coordination and accuracy in dart throwing skill. Methods: Thirty two male students were randomly selected as study sample. Based on the pretest scores, the participants were divided into three groups: experimental (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, first control (without warm-up, and second control (specific warm-up. During the acquisition phase, the participants first performed the preparation training related to their own group, then all groups performed the exercise program of dart throwing consisting of 6 blocks of 9 trials in 4 training sessions. Finally, 20 days following the last exercise session, the subjects took the retention and transfer tests. Results: The results of one-way ANOVA test for coordination variable in acquisition test showed no significant difference between the groups, while there was a statistically significant difference between groups regarding coordination variable in retention and transfer tests. Furthermore, the results of one-way ANOVA for the accuracy variable in acquisition and retention tests showed no statistically significant difference between the three groups, while there was a statistically significant difference between groups for accuracy variable in transfer test. Conclusion: It seems that proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, as a preparation method before performance, can enhance the efficacy of training to better learn the coordination pattern of fine motor skills.

Magnetic ground state of Ti{sub 1-x}Sc{sub x}Fe{sub 2} system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saoudi, M.; Deportes, J.; Ouladdiaf, B. E-mail: ouladdiaf@ill.fr

2001-06-01

The magnetic ground states of the Laves phases Ti{sub 1-x}Sc{sub x}Fe{sub 2} system have been investigated by means of powder neutron diffraction and magnetisation techniques. For x=0.23, a transition is observed from a collinear ferromagnet along the c-axis to a canted one at T{sub f}=200 K. For x=0.27, 0.3, 0.33, an additional first-order transition is observed at T{sub t1}{approx}120 K accompanied by a large magnetovolume anomaly associated to a jump of the magnetic moment of the Fe atoms at the 2a site. The magnetic moment instability in a frustrated lattice should be considered to interpret this transition, although most of the other magnetic states can be discussed within Moriya's theory for itinerant electron systems with competing ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations.

Lab-Scale CO{sub 2} Capture Studies and Selection of most Promising Sorbent. CAPHIGAS Project Tasks Report. Years 2010-2011; Estudios de Captura de CO{sub 2} a Escala de Laboratorio y Seleccion del Adsorbente mas Prometedor Informe de Tareas del Proyecto CAPHIGAS. Anualidades 2010-2011

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marono, M.; Torreiro, Y.

2012-07-01

In this report the main activities carried out within the CAPHIGAS Project, ref. ENE2009-08002 financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation for the first two years are reported. The aim of the project is the development of a hybrid system WGS-adsorbent-membrane for the separation of CO{sub 2} with H{sub 2} production and this report summarises the most relevant results obtained on tasks L-1 and L-2 which refer to the selection, characterisation and study at laboratory scale of different sorbent materials to select those more promising for the hybrid system proposed. (Author) 55 refs.

Thermodynamic assessment of the LiF–NaF–BeF{sub 2}–ThF{sub 4}–UF{sub 4} system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Capelli, E.; Beneš, O., E-mail: ondrej.benes@ec.europa.eu; Konings, R.J.M.

2014-06-01

The present study describes the full thermodynamic assessment of the LiF–NaF–BeF{sub 2}–ThF{sub 4}–UF{sub 4} system which is one of the key systems considered for a molten salt reactor fuel. The work is an extension of the previously assessed LiF–NaF–ThF{sub 4}–UF{sub 4} system with addition of BeF{sub 2} which is characterized by very low neutron capture cross section and a relatively low melting point. To extend the database the binary BeF{sub 2}–ThF{sub 4} and BeF{sub 2}–UF{sub 4} systems were optimized and the novel data were used for the thermodynamic assessment of BeF{sub 2} containing ternary systems for which experimental data exist in the literature. The obtained database is used to optimize the molten salt reactor fuel composition and to assess its properties with the emphasis on the melting behaviour.

Localised task-dependent motor-unit recruitment in the masseter.

Science.gov (United States)

Schindler, H J; Hellmann, D; Giannakopoulos, N N; Eiglsperger, U; van Dijk, J P; Lapatki, B G

2014-07-01

Localised motor-unit (MU) recruitment in the masseter was analysed in this study. We investigated whether differential activation behaviour, which has already been reported for distant masseter regions, can also be detected in small muscle subvolumes at the level of single MUs. Two bipolar fine-wire electrodes and an intra-oral 3D bite-force transmitter were used to record intra-muscular electromyograms (EMG) resulting from controlled bite-forces of 10 healthy human subjects (mean age 24.1 ± 1.2 years). Two-hundred and seventeen decomposed MUs were organised into localised MU task groups with different (P < 0.001) force-direction-specific behaviour. Proportions of MUs involved in one, two, three or four examined tasks were 46%, 31%, 18% and 5%, respectively. This study provides evidence of the ability of the neuromuscular system to modify the mechanical output of small masseter subvolumes by differential control of adjacent MUs belonging to distinct task groups. Localised differential activation behaviour of the masseter may be the crucial factor enabling highly flexible and efficient adjustment of the muscle activity in response to complex local biomechanical needs, for example, continually varying bite-forces during the demanding masticatory process. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Integrating Robot Task Planning into Off-Line Programming Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sun, Hongyan; Kroszynski, Uri

1988-01-01

a system architecture for integrated robot task planning. It identifies and describes the components considered necessary for implementation. The focus is on functionality of these elements as well as on the information flow. A pilot implementation of such an integrated system architecture for a robot......The addition of robot task planning in off-line programming systems aims at improving the capability of current state-of-the-art commercially available off-line programming systems, by integrating modeling, task planning, programming and simulation together under one platform. This article proposes...... assembly task is discussed....

Energy storage systems having an electrode comprising Li.sub.xS.sub.y

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Jie; Zhang, Jiguang; Graff, Gordon L.; Liu, Jun; Wang, Wei; Zheng, Jianming; Xu, Wu; Shao, Yuyan; Yang, Zhenguo

2016-08-02

Improved lithium-sulfur energy storage systems can utilizes Li.sub.xS.sub.y as a component in an electrode of the system. For example, the energy storage system can include a first electrode current collector, a second electrode current collector, and an ion-permeable separator separating the first and second electrode current collectors. A second electrode is arranged between the second electrode current collector and the separator. A first electrode is arranged between the first electrode current collector and the separator and comprises a first condensed-phase fluid comprising Li.sub.xS.sub.y. The energy storage system can be arranged such that the first electrode functions as a positive or a negative electrode.

Chemical encapsulation of rocuronium by synthetic cyclodextrin derivatives: reversal of neuromuscular block in anaesthetized Rhesus monkeys.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boer, H.D. de; Egmond, J. van; Pol, F. van de; Bom, A.; Booij, L.H.D.J.

2006-01-01

BACKGROUND: At present, reversal of neuromuscular block induced by steroidal neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) is achieved by administration of cholinesterase inhibitors. Chemical encapsulation of steroidal NMBAs, such as rocuronium, by a cyclodextrin is a new concept in neuromuscular block

Neuromuscular transmission: new concepts and agents.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boer, H.D. de

2009-01-01

Sugammadex is the first selective relaxant binding agent which was originally designed to reverse the steroidal NMB drug rocuronium. The results of recent studies demonstrate that sugammadex is effective for reversal of rocuronium and vecuronium-induced neuromuscular block without apparent

Surface composition of Cd{sub 1–x}Fe(Mn){sub x}Te{sub 1–y}Se{sub y} systems exposed to air

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bundaleski, Nenad [University of Belgrade–Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, P.O. Box 522, 11001 Belgrade (Serbia); Universidade Nova de Lisboa–Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Quinta da Torre, 2829–516 Caparica (Portugal); Radisavljević, Ivana, E-mail: iva@vin.bg.ac.rs [University of Belgrade–Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, P.O. Box 522, 11001 Belgrade (Serbia); Trigueiro, João [Universidade Nova de Lisboa–Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Quinta da Torre, 2829–516 Caparica (Portugal); Tolstogouzov, Alexander [Universidade Nova de Lisboa–Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Quinta da Torre, 2829–516 Caparica (Portugal); Ryazan State Radio Engineering University, Gagarin 59/1, 390005 Ryazan (Russian Federation); Rakočević, Zlatko; Medić, Mirjana [University of Belgrade–Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, P.O. Box 522, 11001 Belgrade (Serbia); Teodoro, Orlando M.N.D. [Universidade Nova de Lisboa–Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Quinta da Torre, 2829–516 Caparica (Portugal); Romčević, Nebojša [University of Belgrade–Institute of Physics, Pregrevica 118, 11000 Belgrade (Serbia); Ivanović, Nenad [University of Belgrade–Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, P.O. Box 522, 11001 Belgrade (Serbia)

2017-03-01

Using X–ray induced Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Time–of–Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry and Atomic Force Microscopy we have investigated elemental composition, structure and oxidation process taking place at the surfaces of polycrystalline Cd{sub 0.99}Fe{sub 0.01}Te{sub 0.97}Se{sub 0.03} and Cd{sub 0.95}Mn{sub 0.05}Te{sub 0.97}Se{sub 0.03} systems stored in ambient conditions. The surface oxidation destroys the native CdTe matrix and provokes substantial atomic rearrangement in the first few atomic layers. The near–surface region of both systems is enriched in Cd and to some extent Te–deficient, but the surface structure, morphology and the native oxide composition are all found to be considerably different. In Cd{sub 0.99}Fe{sub 0.01}Te{sub 0.97}Se{sub 0.03} system both Fe and Se dopants diffuse into the bulk and oxidation of its surface results in formation of a thin CdTeO{sub 3} layer which covers the CdTe matrix. In Cd{sub 0.95}Mn{sub 0.05}Te{sub 0.97}Se{sub 0.03} system oxygen–rich atmosphere triggers Mn and Se out–diffusion and the nonuniform oxide layer predominantly consists of MnO and a small amount of Te–oxide which both lay underneath a thin layer of metallic Cd segregated at the top of the surface. - Highlights: • Nature of the CdFe(Mn)TeSe surfaces exposed to air is substantially different. • Near–surface region is enriched in Cd and to some extent Te–deficient. • Presence of Mn drastically changes the surface oxidation conditions. • The surface oxidation in ambient conditions undergoes different mechanisms. • Oxygen triggers Mn out–diffusion, while Fe diffuses into the bulk.

Systems and methods for an integrated electrical sub-system powered by wind energy

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yan [Ballston Lake, NY; Garces, Luis Jose [Niskayuna, NY

2008-06-24

Various embodiments relate to systems and methods related to an integrated electrically-powered sub-system and wind power system including a wind power source, an electrically-powered sub-system coupled to and at least partially powered by the wind power source, the electrically-powered sub-system being coupled to the wind power source through power converters, and a supervisory controller coupled to the wind power source and the electrically-powered sub-system to monitor and manage the integrated electrically-powered sub-system and wind power system.

The relative frequency of common neuromuscular diagnoses in a reference center.

Science.gov (United States)

Cotta, Ana; Paim, Júlia Filardi; Carvalho, Elmano; da-Cunha-Júnior, Antonio Lopes; Navarro, Monica M; Valicek, Jaquelin; Menezes, Miriam Melo; Nunes, Simone Vilela; Xavier-Neto, Rafael; Baptista, Sidney; Lima, Luciano Romero; Takata, Reinaldo Issao; Vargas, Antonio Pedro

2017-11-01

The diagnostic procedure in neuromuscular patients is complex. Knowledge of the relative frequency of neuromuscular diseases within the investigated population is important to allow the neurologist to perform the most appropriate diagnostic tests. To report the relative frequency of common neuromuscular diagnoses in a reference center. A 17-year chart review of patients with suspicion of myopathy. Among 3,412 examinations, 1,603 (46.98%) yielded confirmatory results: 782 (48.78%) underwent molecular studies, and 821 (51.21%) had muscle biopsies. The most frequent diagnoses were: dystrophinopathy 460 (28.70%), mitochondriopathy 330 (20.59%), spinal muscular atrophy 158 (9.86%), limb girdle muscular dystrophy 157 (9.79%), Steinert myotonic dystrophy 138 (8.61%), facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy 99 (6.17%), and other diagnoses 261 (16.28%). Using the presently-available diagnostic techniques in this service, a specific limb girdle muscular dystrophy subtype diagnosis was reached in 61% of the patients. A neuromuscular-appropriate diagnosis is important for genetic counseling, rehabilitation orientation, and early treatment of respiratory and cardiac complications.

The relative frequency of common neuromuscular diagnoses in a reference center

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Cotta

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The diagnostic procedure in neuromuscular patients is complex. Knowledge of the relative frequency of neuromuscular diseases within the investigated population is important to allow the neurologist to perform the most appropriate diagnostic tests. Objective: To report the relative frequency of common neuromuscular diagnoses in a reference center. Methods: A 17-year chart review of patients with suspicion of myopathy. Results: Among 3,412 examinations, 1,603 (46.98% yielded confirmatory results: 782 (48.78% underwent molecular studies, and 821 (51.21% had muscle biopsies. The most frequent diagnoses were: dystrophinopathy 460 (28.70%, mitochondriopathy 330 (20.59%, spinal muscular atrophy 158 (9.86%, limb girdle muscular dystrophy 157 (9.79%, Steinert myotonic dystrophy 138 (8.61%, facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy 99 (6.17%, and other diagnoses 261 (16.28%. Conclusion: Using the presently-available diagnostic techniques in this service, a specific limb girdle muscular dystrophy subtype diagnosis was reached in 61% of the patients. A neuromuscular-appropriate diagnosis is important for genetic counseling, rehabilitation orientation, and early treatment of respiratory and cardiac complications.

Profile of sugammadex for reversal of neuromuscular blockade in the elderly: current perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Carron, Michele; Bertoncello, Francesco; Ieppariello, Giovanna

2018-01-01

The number of elderly patients is increasing worldwide. This will have a significant impact on the practice of anesthesia in future decades. Anesthesiologists must provide care for an increasing number of elderly patients, who have an elevated risk of perioperative morbidity and mortality. Complications related to postoperative residual neuromuscular blockade, such as muscle weakness, airway obstruction, hypoxemia, atelectasis, pneumonia, and acute respiratory failure, are more frequent in older than in younger patients. Therefore, neuromuscular blockade in the elderly should be carefully monitored and completely reversed before awakening patients at the end of anesthesia. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are traditionally used for reversal of neuromuscular blockade. Although the risk of residual neuromuscular blockade is reduced by reversal with neostigmine, it continues to complicate the postoperative course. Sugammadex represents an innovative approach to reversal of neuromuscular blockade induced by aminosteroid neuromuscular-blocking agents, particularly rocuronium, with useful applications in clinical practice. However, aging is associated with certain changes in the pharmacokinetics of sugammadex, and to date there has been no thorough evaluation of the use of sugammadex in elderly patients. The aim of this review was to perform an analysis of the use of sugammadex in older adults based on the current literature. Major issues surrounding the physiologic and pharmacologic effects of aging in elderly patients and how these may impact the routine use of sugammadex in elderly patients are discussed.

Heimdall System for MSSS Sensor Tasking

Science.gov (United States)

Herz, A.; Jones, B.; Herz, E.; George, D.; Axelrad, P.; Gehly, S.

In Norse Mythology, Heimdall uses his foreknowledge and keen eyesight to keep watch for disaster from his home near the Rainbow Bridge. Orbit Logic and the Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research (CCAR) at the University of Colorado (CU) have developed the Heimdall System to schedule observations of known and uncharacterized objects and search for new objects from the Maui Space Surveillance Site. Heimdall addresses the current need for automated and optimized SSA sensor tasking driven by factors associated with improved space object catalog maintenance. Orbit Logic and CU developed an initial baseline prototype SSA sensor tasking capability for select sensors at the Maui Space Surveillance Site (MSSS) using STK and STK Scheduler, and then added a new Track Prioritization Component for FiSST-inspired computations for predicted Information Gain and Probability of Detection, and a new SSA-specific Figure-of-Merit (FOM) for optimized SSA sensor tasking. While the baseline prototype addresses automation and some of the multi-sensor tasking optimization, the SSA-improved prototype addresses all of the key elements required for improved tasking leading to enhanced object catalog maintenance. The Heimdall proof-of-concept was demonstrated for MSSS SSA sensor tasking for a 24 hour period to attempt observations of all operational satellites in the unclassified NORAD catalog, observe a small set of high priority GEO targets every 30 minutes, make a sky survey of the GEO belt region accessible to MSSS sensors, and observe particular GEO regions that have a high probability of finding new objects with any excess sensor time. This Heimdall prototype software paves the way for further R&D that will integrate this technology into the MSSS systems for operational scheduling, improve the software's scalability, and further tune and enhance schedule optimization. The Heimdall software for SSA sensor tasking provides greatly improved performance over manual tasking, improved

Hypoeutectic melting in the UO{sub 2-x}-Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3} system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Journeau, Christophe, E-mail: christophe.journeau@cea.fr [CEA, DEN, SMTA, LPMA, Cadarache, F13108 St Paul lez Durance (France); Fouquart, Pascal [CEA, DEN, SMTA, LPMA, Cadarache, F13108 St Paul lez Durance (France); Domenger, Renaud; Allegri, Patrick [CEA, DEN, SGCS, LMAC, Marcoule, F30207 Bagnols sur Cèze (France)

2017-05-15

Gadolinium is one of the best neutron absorber materials and its use can be considered as a sacrificial material in a Sodium Fast Reactor core catcher in view of preventing recriticallity. A series of experiments have been conducted in the VITI induction-heated facility to study the melting in the UO{sub 2-x}-Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3} system with 60–87 mol% gadolinia. These experiments have indicated that the eutectic composition is around 92 mol% Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3} – 8 mol% UO{sub 2-x} and that the liquidus line is close to that of Popov et al. [Atom. Energ. 110 (2011) pp. 221–229] phase diagram. - Highlights: •Melting/Solidification experiments with UO{sub 2-x} and Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3} in reducing environment. •Eutectic composition around 92 mol% Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3}-8 mol% UO{sub 2-x}. •UO{sub 2-x} - Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3} liquidus line seems close to that of the pseudobinary phase diagram proposed by Popov et al. •Results will support the assessment of Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3} as a sacrificial material to mitigate criticality risk in SFR core catchers.

Neuromuscular fatigue and recovery profiles in individuals with intellectual disability

OpenAIRE

Borji , Rihab; Zghal , Firas; Zarrouk , Nidhal; Martin , Vincent; Sahli , Sonia; Rebai , Haithem

2017-01-01

International audience; Purpose: This study aimed to explore neuromuscular fatigue and recovery profiles in individuals with intellectual disability (ID) after exhausting submaximal contraction.Methods: Ten men with ID were compared to 10 men without ID. The evaluation of neuromuscular function consisted in brief (3 s) isometric maximal voluntary contraction (IMVC) of the knee extension superimposed with electrical nerve stimulation before, immediately after, and during 33 min after an exhaus...

Thermal analysis of chalcogenide glasses of the system (As/sub/2Se/sub/3)/sub/(1-x):(Tl/sub/2Se)/sub/x

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majid, C.A.

1987-01-01

In this paper differential thermal analysis (DTA) measurements of chalcogenide glasses of the system (As/sub/2Se/sub/3)/sub/(1-x): (Tl/sub/2Se)/sub/x, with x=0, 0.125, 0.25 and 0.50 are reported. The glass-forming tendencies of these materials have been calculated. The glass-forming tendency of As/sub/2Se/sub/3 has been found to be the highest among the member glasses of this family of chalcogenides. It was found that the glass-forming tendency of As/sub/2Se/sub/3 decreasing gradually at the Tl/sub/2/Se concentration increases. Tl/sub/2Se additions lower the glass transition temperature T/sub/q and the area under the endothermic peak for glass transition temperature, suggesting a tendency for relatively weaker bonding and hence less stability of Tl-rich glass compositions. These studies show that Tl/sub/2Se concentrations result in glasses with progressively higher crystallization tendencies. (author)

Anomalous magnetoelastic behaviour near morphotropic phase boundary in ferromagnetic Tb{sub 1-x}Nd{sub x}Co{sub 2} system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Murtaza, Adil; Yang, Sen, E-mail: yang.sen@mail.xjtu.edu.cn; Zhou, Chao; Chang, Tieyan; Chen, Kaiyun; Tian, Fanghua; Song, Xiaoping [School of Science, MOE Key Laboratory for Nonequilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behaviour of Materials, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); Suchomel, Matthrew R.; Ren, Y. [X-Ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439 (United States)

2016-08-01

In this work, we report a morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) involved ferromagnetic system Tb{sub 1-x}Nd{sub x}Co{sub 2} and reveal the corresponding structural and magnetoelastic properties of this system. With high resolution synchrotron X-ray diffractometry, the crystal structure of the TbCo{sub 2}-rich side is detected to be rhombohedral and that of NdCo{sub 2}-rich side is tetragonal below their respective Curie temperatures T{sub C}. The MPB composition Tb{sub 0.35}Nd{sub 0.65}Co{sub 2} corresponds to the coexistence of the rhombohedral phase (R-phase) and tetragonal phase (T-phase). Contrary to previously reported MPB involved ferromagnetic systems, the MPB composition of Tb{sub 0.35}Nd{sub 0.65}Co{sub 2} shows minimum magnetization which can be understood as compensation of sublattice moments between the R-phase and the T-phase. Furthermore, magnetostriction of Tb{sub 1-x}Nd{sub x}Co{sub 2} decreases with increasing Nd concentration until x = 0.8 and then increases in the negative direction with further increasing Nd concentration; the optimum point for magnetoelastic properties lies towards the rhombohedral phase. Our work not only shows an anomalous type of ferromagnetic MPB but also provides an effective way to design functional materials.

Lattice parameters values and phase diagram for the Cu{sub 2}Zn{sub 1-z}Fe{sub z}GeSe{sub 4} alloy system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Caldera, D. [Centro de Estudios de Semiconductores, Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Los Andes, Merida 5101 (Venezuela); Quintero, M. [Centro de Estudios de Semiconductores, Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Los Andes, Merida 5101 (Venezuela)], E-mail: mquinter@ula.ve; Morocoima, M.; Quintero, E.; Grima, P.; Marchan, N.; Moreno, E.; Bocaranda, P. [Centro de Estudios de Semiconductores, Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Los Andes, Merida 5101 (Venezuela); Delgado, G.E. [Laboratorio de Cristalografia, Departamento de Quimica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Los Andes, Merida 5101 (Venezuela); Mora, A.E.; Briceno, J.M.; Fernandez, J.L. [Laboratorio de Analisis Quimico y Estructura de Materiales, Departamento de Fisica, Universidad de Los Andes, Merida 5101 (Venezuela)

2008-06-12

X-ray powder diffraction and differential thermal analysis (DTA) measurements were made on polycrystalline samples of the Cu{sub 2}Zn{sub 1-z}Fe{sub z}GeSe{sub 4} alloy system. The diffraction patterns were used to show the equilibrium conditions and to estimate crystalline parameter values. It was found that, at room temperature, a single phase solid solution with the tetragonal stannite {alpha} structure (I4-bar2m) occurs across the whole composition range. The DTA thermograms were used to construct the phase diagram of the Cu{sub 2}Zn{sub 1-z}Fe{sub z}GeSe{sub 4} alloy system. It was confirmed that the Cu{sub 2}ZnGeSe{sub 4} compound melts incongruently. It was observed that undercooling effects occur for samples with z > 0.9.

Efficacy and safety of sugammadex versus neostigmine in reversing neuromuscular blockade in adults

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hristovska, Ana-Marija; Duch, Patricia; Allingstrup, Mikkel

2017-01-01

, and undesirable autonomic responses. Sugammadex is a selective relaxant-binding agent specifically developed for rapid reversal of non-depolarizing neuromuscular blockade induced by rocuronium. Its potential clinical benefits include fast and predictable reversal of any degree of block, increased patient safety......, reduced incidence of residual block on recovery, and more efficient use of healthcare resources. OBJECTIVES: The main objective of this review was to compare the efficacy and safety of sugammadex versus neostigmine in reversing neuromuscular blockade caused by non-depolarizing neuromuscular agents......-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents for an elective in-patient or day-case surgical procedure. We included all trials comparing sugammadex versus neostigmine that reported recovery times or adverse events. We included any dose of sugammadex and neostigmine and any time point of study drug administration. DATA...

Neuromuscular Activity of Micrurus laticollaris (Squamata: Elapidae Venom in Vitro

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alejandro Carbajal-Saucedo

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In this work, we have examined the neuromuscular activity of Micrurus laticollaris (Mexican coral snake venom (MLV in vertebrate isolated nerve-muscle preparations. In chick biventer cervicis preparations, the MLV induced an irreversible concentration- and time-dependent (1–30 µg/mL neuromuscular blockade, with 50% blockade occurring between 8 and 30 min. Muscle contractures evoked by exogenous acetylcholine were completely abolished by MLV, whereas those of KCl were also significantly altered (86% ± 11%, 53% ± 11%, 89% ± 5% and 89% ± 7% for one, three, 10 and 30 µg of venom/mL, respectively; n = 4; p < 0.05. In mouse phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparations, MLV (1–10 µg/mL promoted a slight increase in the amplitude of twitch-tension (3 µg/mL, followed by neuromuscular blockade (n = 4; the highest concentration caused complete inhibition of the twitches (time for 50% blockade = 26 ± 3 min, without exhibiting a previous neuromuscular facilitation. The venom (3 µg/mL induced a biphasic modulation in the frequency of miniature end-plate potentials (MEPPs/min, causing a significant increase after 15 min, followed by a decrease after 60 min (from 17 ± 1.4 (basal to 28 ± 2.5 (t15 and 12 ± 2 (t60. The membrane resting potential of mouse diaphragm preparations pre-exposed or not to d-tubocurarine (5 µg/mL was also significantly less negative with MLV (10 µg/mL. Together, these results indicate that M. laticollaris venom induces neuromuscular blockade by a combination of pre- and post-synaptic activities.

Sugammadex Improves Neuromuscular Function in Patients ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2018-02-23

Feb 23, 2018 ... aminoglycosides), history of allergy to neuromuscular blocking agents, opioids or other drugs, and alcohol and drug dependence. Patients were divided into two ... titration microcalorimetry investigated the likelihood of the formation of complexes between sugammadex and other steroidal and nonsteroidal ...

Joint angle affects volitional and magnetically-evoked neuromuscular performance differentially.

Science.gov (United States)

Minshull, C; Rees, D; Gleeson, N P

2011-08-01

This study examined the volitional and magnetically-evoked neuromuscular performance of the quadriceps femoris at functional knee joint angles adjacent to full extension. Indices of volitional and magnetically-evoked neuromuscular performance (N=15 healthy males, 23.5 ± 2.9 years, 71.5 ± 5.4 kg, 176.5 ± 5.5 cm) were obtained at 25°, 35° and 45° of knee flexion. Results showed that volitional and magnetically-evoked peak force (PF(V) and P(T)F(E), respectively) and electromechanical delay (EMD(V) and EMD(E), respectively) were enhanced by increased knee flexion. However, greater relative improvements in volitional compared to evoked indices of neuromuscular performance were observed with increasing flexion from 25° to 45° (e.g. EMD(V), EMD(E): 36% vs. 11% improvement, respectively; F([2,14])=6.8, pjoint positions. These findings suggest that the extent of the relative differential between volitional and evoked neuromuscular performance capabilities is joint angle-specific and not correlated with performance capabilities at adjacent angles, but tends to be smaller with increased flexion. As such, effective prediction of volitional from evoked performance capabilities at both analogous and adjacent knee joint positions would lack robustness. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

RE/H{sub 2} Production Micro-System Based on Standard Alkaline Electrolytic Technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moschetto, A.; Tina, G.M. [UNICT DIEES University of Catania - Electric, Electronic and Systemcs Department, Viale A. Doria, 5 - 95125 Catania, (Italy); Ferraro, M.; Briguglio, N.; Antonucci, V. [CNR ITAE, National Council of Research - Advanced Energy Technology Institute, Via Salita S. Lucia, 5 - 98128 Messina, (Italy)

2006-07-01

This paper presents the first task of a more comprehensive research project focused on the development of micro-scale (1-20 kW) Renewable Hydrogen (RE/H{sub 2}) production systems oriented to carry on a wide campaign of educational and demonstration projects. The paper proposes to rely on low-cost and rugged 'standard' alkaline electrolytic technology, well suited for decentralized hydrogen production, but requiring a certain R and D effort to get technical competitiveness. An electrolyser test facility has been designed and carried out. Then performance assessment of a commercial electrolyser and its sub-systems has been accomplished. First experimental results stated that the unit under test gets an average production efficiency of 51%, versus a stack (cell) efficiency of about 62%, while the aged AC/DC power converter, to be removed or replaced to adapt the unit to DC link with renewables, requires more than 16% of the incoming power. (authors)

Pilot testing of a membrane system for postcombustion CO<sub>2sub> capture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Merkel, Tim [Membrane Technology And Research, Incorporated, Newark, CA (United States); Kniep, Jay [Membrane Technology And Research, Incorporated, Newark, CA (United States); Wei, Xiaotong [Membrane Technology And Research, Incorporated, Newark, CA (United States); Carlisle, Trevor [Membrane Technology And Research, Incorporated, Newark, CA (United States); White, Steve [Membrane Technology And Research, Incorporated, Newark, CA (United States); Pande, Saurabh [Membrane Technology And Research, Incorporated, Newark, CA (United States); Fulton, Don [Membrane Technology And Research, Incorporated, Newark, CA (United States); Watson, Robert [Membrane Technology And Research, Incorporated, Newark, CA (United States); Hoffman, Thomas [Membrane Technology And Research, Incorporated, Newark, CA (United States); Freeman, Brice [Membrane Technology And Research, Incorporated, Newark, CA (United States); Baker, Richard [Membrane Technology And Research, Incorporated, Newark, CA (United States)

2015-09-30

This final report summarizes work conducted for the U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory (DOE) to scale up an efficient post-combustion CO<sub>2sub> capture membrane process to the small pilot test stage (award number DE-FE0005795). The primary goal of this research program was to design, fabricate, and operate a membrane CO<sub>2sub> capture system to treat coal-derived flue gas containing 20 tonnes CO<sub>2sub>/day (20 TPD). Membrane Technology and Research (MTR) conducted this project in collaboration with Babcock and Wilcox (B&W), the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), WorleyParsons (WP), the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC), Enerkem (EK), and the National Carbon Capture Center (NCCC). In addition to the small pilot design, build and slipstream testing at NCCC, other project efforts included laboratory membrane and module development at MTR, validation field testing on a 1 TPD membrane system at NCCC, boiler modeling and testing at B&W, a techno-economic analysis (TEA) by EPRI/WP, a case study of the membrane technology applied to a ~20 MWe power plant by ISTC, and an industrial CO<sub>2sub> capture test at an Enerkem waste-to-biofuel facility. The 20 TPD small pilot membrane system built in this project successfully completed over 1,000 hours of operation treating flue gas at NCCC. The Polaris™ membranes used on this system demonstrated stable performance, and when combined with over 10,000 hours of operation at NCCC on a 1 TPD system, the risk associated with uncertainty in the durability of postcombustion capture membranes has been greatly reduced. Moreover, next-generation Polaris membranes with higher performance and lower cost were validation tested on the 1 TPD system. The 20 TPD system also demonstrated successful operation of a new low-pressure-drop sweep module that will reduce parasitic energy losses at full scale by as much as 10 MWe. In modeling and pilot boiler testing, B&W confirmed the

Integrated graphical user interface for the back-end software sub-system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Badescu, E.; Caprini, M.

2001-01-01

, Java IDL). Finally Java IDL was chosen, having as main advantage the independence of CORBA implementation. The IGUI reads the list of partitions from the Inter Process Communication (IPC) server and the user can select one of them. In interaction with the Resource Manager server the type of the access control is decided. The run control and data-flow configurations are read from the configuration database. The information about the sub-systems or components status (run control status, lists of Process Manager agents and processes, Data-Flow modules statistics) is read from the Information Service (IS) or is automatically obtained using the IS notification mechanism. The run parameters can be set by the user and are stored in the Information Service server. Through the IGUI the user can send commands to the Run Control main components (DAQ Supervisor and Root Controller). The user can send commands to the MRS (to change the filter or subscription criteria, to set the log control). The IGUI can be a client of the Process Manager, allowing to start auxiliary processes (monitoring tasks, bookkeeping tasks, etc). IGUI is designed as a Java application (JFrame). On the left side of the frame the Main Commands and below some major Run Parameters are displayed, such as run and event numbers. On the right side can be chosen different Panels: Run Parameter panel, showing all the run parameters and allowing user to set them; Run Control panel (tree and status for each controller with the possibility to send commands to a particular controller); DAQ Supervisor panel (DAQ Supervisor expert commands); Process Manager panel (list of PMG agents and processes); MRS panel; Data Flow panel (data flow configuration and parameters). Other panels could be added, displaying the status of other DAQ components or sub-systems. On the bottom of the main frame there is a MRS message display panel, showing all the received MRS messages. (authors)

Structural and Magnetothermal Properties of Compounds: Yb<sub>5sub>Si_xGe>4-xsub>,Sm>5sub>Si_xGe>4-xsub>, EuO, and Eu<sub>3sub>O>4sub>

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahn, Kyunghan [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

2007-01-01

The family of R<sub>5sub>Si_xGe>4-xsub> alloys demonstrates a variety of unique physical phenomena related to magneto-structural transitions associated with reversible breaking and reforming of specific bonds that can be controlled by numerous external parameters such as chemical composition, magnetic field, temperature, and pressure. Therefore, R<sub>5sub>Si_xGe>4-xsub> systems have been extensively studied to uncover the mechanism of the extraordinary magneto-responsive properties including the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) and colossal magnetostriction, as well as giant magnetocaloric effect (GMCE). Until now, more than a half of possible R<sub>5sub>Si_xGe>4-xsub> pseudobinary systems have been completely or partially investigated with respect to their crystallography and phase relationships (R = La, Pr, Nd, Gd, Tb, Dy, Er, Lu, Y). Still, there are other R<sub>5sub>Si_xGe>4-xsub> systems (R = Ce, Sm, Ho, Tm, and Yb) that are not studied yet. Here, we report on phase relationships and structural, magnetic, and thermodynamic properties in the Yb<sub>5sub>Si_xGe>4-xsub>and Sm<sub>5sub>Si_xGe>4-xsub> pseudobinary systems, which may exhibit mixed valence states. The crystallography, phase relationships, and physical properties of Yb<sub>5sub>Si_xGe>4-xsub> alloys with 0 ≤ x ≤ 4 have been examined by using single crystal and powder x-ray diffraction at room temperature, and dc magnetization and heat capacity measurements between 1.8 K and 400 K in magnetic fields ranging from 0 to 7 T. Unlike the majority of R<sub>5sub>Si_xGe>4-xsub> systems studied to date, where R is the rare earth metal, all Yb-based germanide-silicides with the 5:4 stoichiometry crystallize in the same Gd<sub>5sub>Si>4sub>-type structure. The magnetic properties of Yb<sub>5sub>Si_xGe>4-xsub> materials are nearly composition

Diagnosis and management of adult hereditary cardio-neuromuscular disorders: A model for the multidisciplinary care of complex genetic disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Sommerville, R Brian; Vincenti, Margherita Guzzi; Winborn, Kathleen; Casey, Anne; Stitziel, Nathan O; Connolly, Anne M; Mann, Douglas L

2017-01-01

Genetic disorders that disrupt the structure and function of the cardiovascular system and the peripheral nervous system are common enough to be encountered in routine cardiovascular practice. Although often these patients are diagnosed in childhood and come to the cardiologist fully characterized, some patients with hereditary neuromuscular disease may not manifest until adulthood and will present initially to the adult cardiologist for an evaluation of an abnormal ECG, unexplained syncope, LV hypertrophy, and or a dilated cardiomyopathy of unknown cause. Cardiologists are often ill-equipped to manage these patients due to lack of training and exposure as well as the complete absence of practice guidelines to aid in the diagnosis and management of these disorders. Here, we review three key neuromuscular diseases that affect the cardiovascular system in adults (myotonic dystrophy type 1, Friedreich ataxia, and Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy), with an emphasis on their clinical presentation, genetic and molecular pathogenesis, and recent important research on medical and interventional treatments. We also advocate the development of interdisciplinary cardio-neuromuscular clinics to optimize the care for these patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Retaining the equilibrium point hypothesis as an abstract description of the neuromuscular system.

Science.gov (United States)

Tresilian, J R

1999-01-01

The lambda version of the equilibrium point (EP) hypothesis for motor control is examined in light of recent criticisms of its various instantiations. Four important assumptions that have formed the basis for recent criticism are analyzed: First, the assumption that intact muscles possess invariant force-length characteristics (ICs). Second, that these ICs are of the same form in agonist-antagonist pairs. Third, that muscle control is monoparametric and that the control parameter, lambda, can be given a neurophysiological interpretation. Fourth, that reflex loop time delays and the known, asymmetric, nonlinear mechanical properties of muscles can be ignored. Mechanical and neurophysiological investigations of the neuromuscular system suggests that none of these assumptions is likely to be correct. This has been taken to mean that the EP hypothesis is oversimplified and a new approach is needed. It is argued that such an approach can be provided without rejecting the EP hypothesis, rather to regard it as an input-output description of muscle and associated segmental circuits. The operation of the segmental circuitry can be interpreted as having the function, at least in part, of compensating for a variety of nonlinearities and asymmetries such that the overall system implements the lambda-EP model equations.

Magnetic fluctuations on TR{sub 3}Ba{sub 5}Cu{sub 8}O{sub δ} (TR=Ho, Y and Yb) superconducting system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Supelano, G.I., E-mail: ivan.supelano@uptc.edu.co [Grupo de Superficies Electroquímica y Corrosión, Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia (Colombia); Sarmiento Santos, A. [Grupo de Superficies Electroquímica y Corrosión, Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia (Colombia); Parra Vargas, C.A. [Grupo de Física de Materiales, Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia (Colombia)

2014-12-15

In this work, we report the production of TR{sub 3}Ba{sub 5}Cu{sub 8}O{sub δ} (TR=Ho, Y and Yb) superconducting system using a usual solid state reaction method. The irreversibility line and the analysis of magnetization fluctuations for TR{sub 3}Ba{sub 5}Cu{sub 8}O{sub δ} (TR=Ho, Y and Yb) system were investigated. The curves of magnetization ZFC–FC were measured in magnetic fields of the 100–4000 Oe to obtain the values for T{sup ⁎} and T{sub C} temperatures. The penetration depth and the coherence length parameters as a function of the applied magnetic field were obtained. The data of the magnetization excess ΔM(T, H) was analyzed from the curves of magnetization as a function of logarithm of applied field for different values of temperature in the corresponding range. The Bulavskii, Ledvij and Kogan theory was employed for this purpose which considers fluctuations effects in the free energy and into the equilibrium magnetization.

Synthesis and crystallographic study of the compounds in the system Cs{sub 2}O - Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} - SiO{sub 2}; Synthese et etude cristallographique des composes du systeme Cs{sub 2}O - Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} - SiO{sub 2}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Langlet, G [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1969-05-01

A study has been made on the preparation, structure and thermal evolution of some definite compounds in the system: Cs{sub 2}O - Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} - SiO{sub 2}. Precise details are given about the structure of the following compounds: CsAlO{sub 2}, RbAlO{sub 2}, KAlO{sub 2} and NaAlO{sub 2}; CsAlO{sub 2}, 2 H{sub 2}O; Cs{sub 2}O, 11 Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}; Cs{sub 2}O, 2 SiO{sub 2}; Cs{sub 2}O, 4 SiO{sub 2} and Rb{sub 2}O, 4 SiO{sub 2}; CsAlSiO{sub 4}; CsAlSi{sub 2}O{sub 6}; Cs{sub 4}Ge{sub 11}O{sub 24} and Rb{sub 4}Ge{sub 11}O{sub 24}. The long term purpose of this work was to find a compound which would be insoluble, refractory and at the same time able to contain radioactive isotopes of cesium and thus suitable as radiation sources. The knowledge of the properties and structure of aluminates, silicates and aluminosilicates is a necessary stage before the elaboration of ceramic caesium sources. The compound which seems quite convenient for this use, Cs{sub 2}AlSi{sub 2}O{sub 6}, is closely related to the natural mineral 'pollucite', and offers interesting properties. (author) [French] Ce travail constitue une etude de la preparation, de la structure et de l'evolution thermique des composes definis du systeme: Cs{sub 2}O - Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} - SiO{sub 2} et de quelques homologues. Des precisions sont donnees sur la structure des composes suivants: CsAlO{sub 2}, RbAlO{sub 2}, KAlO{sub 2} et NaAlO{sub 2}; CsAlO{sub 2}, 2 H{sub 2}O; Cs{sub 2}O, 11 Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}; Cs{sub 2}O, 2 SiO{sub 2}; Cs{sub 2}O, 4 SiO{sub 2} et Rb{sub 2}O, 4 SiO{sub 2}; CsAlSiO{sub 4}; CsAlSi{sub 2}O{sub 6}; Cs{sub 4}Ge{sub 11}O{sub 24} et Rb{sub 4}Ge{sub 11}O{sub 24}. Le but a long terme de cette etude consistait a obtenir un compose a la fois refractaire et insoluble, susceptible de contenir un isotope radioactif du caesium, et d'etre utilise comme source de rayonnement. La connaissance des proprietes et de la structure des aluminates, silicates et aluminosilicates represente une etape necessaire

Postoperative effects of neuromuscular exercise prior to hip or knee arthroplasty

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Villadsen, Allan; Overgaard, Søren; Holsgaard-Larsen, Anders

2014-01-01

neuromuscular exercise prior to total joint arthroplasty (TJA) of the hip or knee did not confer additional benefits 3 months postoperatively compared with TJA alone. However, the intervention group experienced a statistically significant short-term benefit in ADL and pain, suggesting an earlier onset......OBJECTIVE: To investigate the postoperative efficacy of a supervised programme of neuromuscular exercise prior to hip or knee arthroplasty. METHODS: In this assessor-blinded randomised controlled trial, we included 165 patients scheduled for hip or knee arthroplasty due to severe osteoarthritis (OA......). An 8-week preoperative neuromuscular supervised exercise programme was delivered twice a week for 1 h as adjunct treatment to the standard arthroplasty procedure and compared with the standard arthroplasty procedure alone. The primary outcome was self-reported physical function measured...

New chalcogenide glasses in the CdTe-AgI-As{sub 2}Te{sub 3} system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kassem, M. [Univ. Picardie Jules Verne, F-80000 Amiens (France); Le Coq, D., E-mail: david.lecoq@univ-littoral.fr [Univ. Lille Nord de France, F-59000 Lille (France); ULCO, LPCA, EA 4493, F-59140 Dunkerque (France); Boidin, R.; Bychkov, E. [Univ. Lille Nord de France, F-59000 Lille (France); ULCO, LPCA, EA 4493, F-59140 Dunkerque (France)

2012-02-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Determination of the glass-forming region in the pseudo-ternary CdTe-AgI-As{sub 2}Te{sub 3} system. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Characterization of macroscopic properties of the new CdTe-AgI-As{sub 2}Te{sub 3} glasses. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Characterization of the total conductivity of CdTe-AgI-As{sub 2}Te{sub 3} glasses. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Comparison between the selenide and telluride equivalent systems. -- Abstract: Chalcogenide glasses in the pseudo-ternary CdTe-AgI-As{sub 2}Te{sub 3} system were synthesized and the glass-forming range was determined. The maximum content of CdTe in this glass system was found to be equal to 15 mol.%. The macroscopic characterizations of samples have consisted in Differential Scanning Calorimetry, density, and X-ray diffraction measurements. The cadmium telluride addition does not generate any significant change in the glass transition temperature but the resistance of binary AgI-As{sub 2}Te{sub 3} glasses towards crystallisation is estimated to be decreasing on the base of {Delta}T = T{sub x} - T{sub g} parameter. The total electrical conductivity {sigma} was measured by complex impedance spectroscopy. First, the CdTe additions in the (AgI){sub 0.5}(As{sub 2}Te{sub 3}){sub 0.5} host glass, (CdTe){sub x}(AgI){sub 0.5-x/2}(As{sub 2}Te{sub 3}){sub 0.5-x/2} lead to a conductivity decrease at x {<=} 0.05. Then, the behaviour is reversed at 0.05 {<=} x {<=} 0.15. The obtained results are discussed by comparison with the equivalent selenide system.

Repetitive Daily Point of Choice Prompts and Occupational Sit-Stand Transfers, Concentration and Neuromuscular Performance in Office Workers: An RCT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lars Donath

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Objective: Prolonged office sitting time adversely affects neuromuscular and cardiovascular health parameters. As a consequence, the present study investigated the effects of prompting the use of height-adjustable working desk (HAWD on occupational sitting and standing time, neuromuscular outcomes and concentration in office workers. Methods: A single-blinded randomized controlled trial (RCT with parallel group design was conducted. Thirty-eight office workers were supplied with HAWDs and randomly assigned (Strata: physical activity (PA, BMI, gender, workload to a prompt (INT or non-prompt (CON group. INT received three daily screen-based prompts within 12 weeks. CON was only instructed once concerning the benefits of using HAWDs prior to the start of the study. Sitting and standing times were objectively assessed as primary outcomes for one entire working week using the ActiGraph wGT3X-BT at baseline (pre, after 6 (mid and 12 weeks (post. Concentration (d2-test, postural sway during upright stance (under single, dual and triple task and lower limb strength endurance (heel-rise were collected as secondary outcomes. Results: With large but not statistically significant within group effects from pre to post, INT increased weekly standing time at work by 9% (p = 0.22, d = 0.8 representing an increase from 7.2 h (4.8 to 9.7 (6.6 h (p = 0.07. Concentration and neuromuscular performance did not change from pre to post testing (0.23 < p < 0.95; 0.001 < ηp² < 0.05. Conclusion: Low-frequent and low cost screen-based point of choice prompts (3 per day within 12 weeks already result in notable increases of occupational standing time of approx. daily 30 min. These stimuli, however, did not relevantly affect neuromuscular outcomes.

Manejo de longo prazo em crianças com transtornos neuromusculares Long-term management of children with neuromuscular disorders

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eugen-Matthias Strehle

2009-10-01

inherited myopathies and neuropathies. A patient cohort (n = 200 was evaluated using descriptive statistics. SUMMARY PF THE FINDINGS: Duchenne muscular dystrophy accounted for almost half of the diagnoses, followed by spinal muscular atrophy (12%, Becker muscular dystrophy and myotonic dystrophy (7% each. Sixteen patients (9% had an unknown myopathy. CONCLUSIONS: As with other chronic illnesses, these patients should be regularly reviewed by health professionals from an early age to increase life expectancy and improve quality of life. It is useful for physicians to take a structured approach when looking after children with neuromuscular disorders and to monitor all affected organ systems.

Task Management in the New ATLAS Production System

CERN Document Server

De, K; The ATLAS collaboration; Klimentov, A; Potekhin, M; Vaniachine, A

2013-01-01

The ATLAS Production System is the top level workflow manager which translates physicists' needs for production level processing into actual workflows executed across about a hundred processing sites used globally by ATLAS. As the production workload increased in volume and complexity in recent years (the ATLAS production tasks count is above one million, with each task containing hundreds or thousands of jobs) there is a need to upgrade the Production System to meet the challenging requirements of the next LHC run while minimizing the operating costs. Providing a front-end and a management layer for petascale data processing and analysis, the new Production System contains generic subsystems that can be used in a wider range of applications. The main subsystems are the Database Engine for Tasks (DEFT) and the Job Execution and Definition Interface (JEDI). Based on users' requests, the DEFT subsystem manages inter-dependent groups of tasks (Meta-Tasks) and generates corresponding data processing workflows. Th...

Task Management in the New ATLAS Production System

CERN Document Server

De, K; The ATLAS collaboration; Klimentov, A; Potekhin, M; Vaniachine, A

2014-01-01

The ATLAS Production System is the top level workflow manager which translates physicists' needs for production level processing into actual workflows executed across about a hundred processing sites used globally by ATLAS. As the production workload increased in volume and complexity in recent years (the ATLAS production tasks count is above one million, with each task containing hundreds or thousands of jobs) there is a need to upgrade the Production System to meet the challenging requirements of the next LHC run while minimizing the operating costs. Providing a front-end and a management layer for petascale data processing and analysis, the new Production System contains generic subsystems that can be used in a wider range of applications. The main subsystems are the Database Engine for Tasks (DEFT) and the Job Execution and Definition Interface (JEDI). Based on users' requests, the DEFT subsystem manages inter-dependent groups of tasks (Meta-Tasks) and generates corresponding data processing workflows. Th...

Automatic Generation of Safe Handlers for Multi-Task Systems

OpenAIRE

Rutten , Éric; Marchand , Hervé

2004-01-01

We are interested in the programming of real-time control systems, such as in robotic, automotive or avionic systems. They are designed with multiple tasks, each with multiple modes. It is complex to design task handlers that control the switching of activities in order to insure safety properties of the global system. We propose a model of tasks in terms of transition systems, designed especially with the purpose of applying existing discrete controller synthesis techniques. This provides us...

Studies of the effects of TiCl{sub 3} in LiBH{sub 4}/CaH{sub 2}/TiCl{sub 3} reversible hydrogen storage system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu Dongan [Ford Motor Company, Research and Advanced Engineering, MD 1170/RIC, Dearborn, MI 48121 (United States); Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, 1023 H. H. Dow Building 2350 Hayward Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2125 (United States); Yang Jun, E-mail: jyang27@ford.com [Ford Motor Company, Research and Advanced Engineering, MD 1170/RIC, Dearborn, MI 48121 (United States); Ni Jun [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, 1023 H. H. Dow Building 2350 Hayward Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2125 (United States); Drews, Andy [Ford Motor Company, Research and Advanced Engineering, MD 1170/RIC, Dearborn, MI 48121 (United States)

2012-02-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We systematically studied the effects of TiCl{sub 3} in LiBH{sub 4}/CaH{sub 2}/TiCl{sub 3} hydrogen storage system. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer It is found that adding 0.25 TiCl{sub 3} produces fully reversible hydrogen absorption and desorption and a lower desorption temperature. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer LiCl experiences four different states, i.e. 'formed-solid solution-molten solution-precipitation', in the whole desorption process of the system. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The incorporation of LiCl into LiBH{sub 4} forms more viscous molten LiBH{sub 4}{center_dot}LiCl, leading to fast kinetics. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The precipitation and re-incorporation of LiCl into LiBH{sub 4} lead to a fully reversible complex hydrogen storage system. - Abstract: In the present study, the effects of TiCl{sub 3} on desorption kinetics, absorption/desorption reversibility, and related phase transformation processes in LiBH{sub 4}/CaH{sub 2}/TiCl{sub 3} hydrogen storage system was studied systematically by varying its concentration (x = 0, 0.05, 0.15 and 0.25). The results show that LiCl forms during ball milling of 6LiBH{sub 4}/CaH{sub 2}/xTiCl{sub 3} and that as temperature increases, o-LiBH{sub 4} transforms into h-LiBH{sub 4}, into which LiCl incorporates, forming solid solution of LiBH{sub 4}{center_dot}LiCl, which melts above 280 Degree-Sign C. Molten LiBH{sub 4}{center_dot}LiCl is more viscous than molten LiBH{sub 4}, preventing the clustering of LiBH{sub 4} and the accompanied agglomeration of CaH{sub 2}, and thus preserving the nano-sized phase arrangement formed during ball milling. Above 350 Degree-Sign C, the molten solution LiBH{sub 4}{center_dot}LiCl further reacts with CaH{sub 2}, precipitating LiCl. The main hydrogen desorption reaction is between molten LiBH{sub 4}{center_dot}LiCl and CaH{sub 2} and not between molten LiBH{sub 4} and CaH{sub 2}. This alters the hydrogen reaction thermodynamics and

Conservative management of neuromuscular scoliosis: personal experience and review of literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Kotwicki, Tomasz; Jozwiak, Marek

2008-01-01

The principles of conservative management of neuromuscular scoliosis in childhood and adolescence are presented. Analysis of personal experience and literature review. The topic is discussed separately for patients with flaccid or spastic paresis. These demonstrate that conservative management might be proposed for patients with neuromuscular scoliosis in many clinical situations. In spastic disorders, it maintains the symmetry around the hip joints. Bracing is technically difficult and often is not tolerated well by cerebral palsy children. In patients with flaccid paresis, the fitting and the use of brace is easier than in spastic patients. The flexibility of the spinal curvature is more important. Functional benefits of conservative management of neuromuscular scoliosis comprise stable sitting, easier use of upper limbs, discharge of the abdomen from the collapsing trunk, increased diaphragm excursion, and, not always, prevention of curve progression. Specific natural history and multiple medical problems associated with the disease make the treatment of children with neuromuscular scoliosis an extremely complex issue, best addressed when a team approach is applied. Continuously improving techniques of conservative management, comprising bracing and physiotherapy, together with correctly timed surgery incorporated in the process of rehabilitation, provide the optimal care for patients.

S-nitrosoglutathione reductase deficiency-induced S-nitrosylation results in neuromuscular dysfunction.

Science.gov (United States)

Montagna, Costanza; Di Giacomo, Giuseppina; Rizza, Salvatore; Cardaci, Simone; Ferraro, Elisabetta; Grumati, Paolo; De Zio, Daniela; Maiani, Emiliano; Muscoli, Carolina; Lauro, Filomena; Ilari, Sara; Bernardini, Sergio; Cannata, Stefano; Gargioli, Cesare; Ciriolo, Maria R; Cecconi, Francesco; Bonaldo, Paolo; Filomeni, Giuseppe

2014-08-01

Nitric oxide (NO) production is implicated in muscle contraction, growth and atrophy, and in the onset of neuropathy. However, many aspects of the mechanism of action of NO are not yet clarified, mainly regarding its role in muscle wasting. Notably, whether NO production-associated neuromuscular atrophy depends on tyrosine nitration or S-nitrosothiols (SNOs) formation is still a matter of debate. Here, we aim at assessing this issue by characterizing the neuromuscular phenotype of S-nitrosoglutathione reductase-null (GSNOR-KO) mice that maintain the capability to produce NO, but are unable to reduce SNOs. We demonstrate that, without any sign of protein nitration, young GSNOR-KO mice show neuromuscular atrophy due to loss of muscle mass, reduced fiber size, and neuropathic behavior. In particular, GSNOR-KO mice show a significant decrease in nerve axon number, with the myelin sheath appearing disorganized and reduced, leading to a dramatic development of a neuropathic phenotype. Mitochondria appear fragmented and depolarized in GSNOR-KO myofibers and myotubes, conditions that are reverted by N-acetylcysteine treatment. Nevertheless, although atrogene transcription is induced, and bulk autophagy activated, no removal of damaged mitochondria is observed. These events, alongside basal increase of apoptotic markers, contribute to persistence of a neuropathic and myopathic state. Our study provides the first evidence that GSNOR deficiency, which affects exclusively SNOs reduction without altering nitrotyrosine levels, results in a clinically relevant neuromuscular phenotype. These findings provide novel insights into the involvement of GSNOR and S-nitrosylation in neuromuscular atrophy and neuropathic pain that are associated with pathological states; for example, diabetes and cancer.

The Li–Si–(O)–N system revisited: Structural characterization of Li{sub 21}Si{sub 3}N{sub 11} and Li{sub 7}SiN{sub 3}O

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Casas-Cabanas, M. [CIC energiGUNE, Parque Tecnológico de Álava, Albert Einstein 48, ED.CIC, 01510 Miñano (Spain); Santner, H. [Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (CSIC) Campus UAB, 08193 Bellaterra, Catalonia (Spain); Palacín, M.R., E-mail: rosa.palacin@icmab.es [Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (CSIC) Campus UAB, 08193 Bellaterra, Catalonia (Spain)

2014-05-01

A systematic study of the Li–Si–(O)–N system is presented. The synthetic conditions to prepare Li{sub 2}SiN{sub 2}, Li{sub 5}SiN{sub 3}, Li{sub 18}Si{sub 3}N{sub 10}, Li{sub 21}Si{sub 3}N{sub 11} and Li{sub 7}SiN{sub 3}O are described and the structure of the last two compounds has been solved for the first time. While Li{sub 21}Si{sub 3}N{sub 11} crystallizes as a superstructure of the anti-fluorite structure with Li and Si ordering, Li{sub 7}SiN{sub 3}O exhibits the anti-fluorite structure with both anion and cation disorder. - Graphical abstract: A systematic study of the Li–Si–(O)–N system is presented. Li{sub 21}Si{sub 3}N{sub 11} crystallizes as a superstructure of the anti-fluorite structure with Li and Si ordering, Li{sub 7}SiN{sub 3}O exhibits the anti-fluorite structure with both anion and cation disorder. - Highlights: • Li{sub 2}SiN{sub 2}, Li{sub 5}SiN{sub 3}, Li{sub 18}Si{sub 3}N{sub 10}, Li{sub 21}Si{sub 3}N{sub 11} and Li{sub 7}SiN{sub 3}O are prepared. • The structures of Li{sub 21}Si{sub 3}N{sub 11} and Li{sub 7}SiN{sub 3}O are presented. • Li{sub 21}Si{sub 3}N{sub 11} exhibits an anti-fluorite superstructure with Li and Si ordering.

Vibronic intensities for Er{sup 3+} in Cs{sub 2} NaErCl{sub 6}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Acevedo, R.; Navarro, G. [Departamento de Quimica Basica, Facultad de Ciencias Fisicas y Matematicas, Universidad de Chile, Beauchef 850, Casilla 2777, Santiago (Chile); Meruane, T. [Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias y Educacion, Av. Jose Pedro Alessandri 774, Casilla 147-C Santiago (Chile)

2001-07-01

In this current study, we have undertaken vibronic intensity calculations for the absorptions (({sup 4}I{sub 15/2}) {gamma}{sub k}) {yields} (({sup 4}I{sub 13/2}) {gamma}{sub l}) of the Er{sup 3+} in the Cs{sub 2}NaErCl{sub 6} elpasolite type system. This system is extremely complicated to handle from both a theoretical and an experimental viewpoints. This theoretical work shows that over an energy range of about 400 cm{sup -1}, a substantial amount of transitions are likely to take place (about 100 transitions; twenty five of them are magnetic dipole allowed and seventy five are vibronically allowed). It is then a formidable task to identify and assign all of these transitions in a non-ambiguous way. Also the experimental evidence available for these absorptions is related to a total of about twenty lines in the luminescence spectrum of this system. The spectrum itself is very challenging and the superposition of spectral features is most likely to occur. A careful analysis of the calculated vibronic intensities and overall oscillator strengths for the various transitions indicates that the current model used is both flexible and appropriate to deal with this kind of systems. In a forthcoming paper, we will examine the rather unusual high intensity associated with the (({sup 4}I{sub 15/2}) {gamma}{sub k}) {yields} (({sup 4}S{sub 3/2}) {gamma}{sub l}) excitations. (Author)

Phase diagram of the CsH/sub 2/AsO/sub 4/-CsH /SUB 0. 1/ D /SUB 1. 9/ AsO/sub 4/ System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rakhimov, K.; Karapetyan, F.S.; Kozhenkov, V.Y.; Polyakov, Y.A.; Zhigarnovskii, B.M.

1986-05-01

The authors determined the melting point of dueterated cesium hydrogen arsenate of composition CsH /SUB 0.1/ D /SUB 1.9/ AsO/sub 4/ melts. Specimens for investigation of the system were prepared by fusion of appropriate amounts of CsH/sub 2/AsO/sub 4/ and CsH /SUB 0.1/ D /SUB 1.9/ AsO/sub 4/ in sealed quartz ampuls. In addition, the unit-cell parameters of the phases of the specimens practically did not differ from the corresponding parameters of the starting products over the entire range of concentrations.

Preliminary Studies of Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3} Cleaning from Na-CO{sub 2} Interaction in S-CO{sub 2} Power Cycle coupled to SFR System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jung, Hwa-Young; Lee, Jeong Ik [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Wi, Myung-Hwan [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Ahn, Hong Joo [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2014-10-15

Once the flow channel is plugged, to replace the plugged channel, the whole system operation should be stopped or a bypass system is necessary.. Therefore, finding a material which can clean up the solid reaction products from Na-CO{sub 2} interaction and the contaminated system with little or no impact on economics can be a valuable research. Hence, a screening process of selecting candidate materials was adopted to find a potential substance which can act as a cleaning agent in the previous study. It is essential to ensure the system economics as well as safety of SFR coupled with S-CO{sub 2} Brayton power conversion system. For this reason, the experiment was conducted to see the possibility of reaction between each selected potential substance and Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3}, which is the major product of the reaction. Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3} does not melt before 856 .deg. C This study was performed with the collaboration of Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) and Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). Liquid sodium and CO{sub 2} gas would react then produce the solid reaction products when the pressure boundary of sodium-CO{sub 2} heat exchanger fails. The solid reaction products are possible to plug the narrow flow channel of PCHE and this concerns the system economics. Thus, it is necessary to search a method for cleaning the solid reaction products which is mainly Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3}. From the preliminary study, some sodium-based compounds were selected and the mixtures of several sodium-based compounds with Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3} were thermally analyzed by the TG/DTA studies. Unfortunately, the selected sodium-based compounds, NaBrO{sub 3}, NaClO{sub 3} and NaBF{sub 4}, decomposed before 600 .deg. C and did not react with Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3}. In the near future, further research will be performed to search other compounds for cleaning the solid reaction products.

Video game-based neuromuscular electrical stimulation system for calf muscle training: a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sayenko, D G; Masani, K; Milosevic, M; Robinson, M F; Vette, A H; McConville, K M V; Popovic, M R

2011-03-01

A video game-based training system was designed to integrate neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and visual feedback as a means to improve strength and endurance of the lower leg muscles, and to increase the range of motion (ROM) of the ankle joints. The system allowed the participants to perform isotonic concentric and isometric contractions in both the plantarflexors and dorsiflexors using NMES. In the proposed system, the contractions were performed against exterior resistance, and the angle of the ankle joints was used as the control input to the video game. To test the practicality of the proposed system, an individual with chronic complete spinal cord injury (SCI) participated in the study. The system provided a progressive overload for the trained muscles, which is a prerequisite for successful muscle training. The participant indicated that he enjoyed the video game-based training and that he would like to continue the treatment. The results show that the training resulted in a significant improvement of the strength and endurance of the paralyzed lower leg muscles, and in an increased ROM of the ankle joints. Video game-based training programs might be effective in motivating participants to train more frequently and adhere to otherwise tedious training protocols. It is expected that such training will not only improve the properties of their muscles but also decrease the severity and frequency of secondary complications that result from SCI. Copyright © 2010 IPEM. All rights reserved.

Dosimetric and thermoluminescent characteristics of sintered samples based on Li{sub 2}OAl{sub 2}O{sub 3}nSiO{sub 2} systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cogollo P, R.; Salcedo Q, J. [Universidad de Cordoba, Materials and Applied Physics Group, Carrera 6 No. 76-103, Monteria, Cordoba (Colombia); Gutierrez F, O., E-mail: rafaelcogollo@correo.unicordoba.edu.co [Metropolitan Technological Institute, Alquimia Group, Calle 54 No. 30-01, Medellin (Colombia)

2013-10-01

This work describes the thermoluminescent (Tl) characteristics of lithium aluminosilicates, Li{sub 2}OAl{sub 2}O{sub 3}nSiO{sub 2}, for its possible use as Tl dosimeter for low doses. The sinterized tablets of Li{sub 2}OAl{sub 2}O{sub 3}nSiO{sub 2} were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), and irradiated at different doses using a Theratron 780 C-{sup 60}Co unit in air at room temperature. The Rasheedy's technique was used for the kinetic trap parameters determination. The XRD results show a mixture of two phases of 64% {beta}-spodumene and 36% {beta}-eucryptite in the sinterized tablets. Tl analysis indicates that in these systems, recombination processes prevail, and that these systems can be used successfully as Tl dosimeters for therapeutic dose ranges. (Author)

System of Sr(NO sub 2 ) sub 2 -Sr(OH) sub 2 -H sub 2 O at 25 deg C. Sistema Sr(NO sub 2 ) sub 2 -H sub 2 O pri 25 grad C

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Popova, T B; Berdyukova, V A; Khutsistova, F M [Kalmytskij Gosudarstvennyj Univ., Ehlista (USSR) Rostovskij-na-Donu Gosudarstvennyj Univ., Rostov-na-Donu (USSR)

1990-02-01

Sr(NO{sub 2}){sub 2}-Sr(OH){sub 2}-H{sub 2}O system was investigated by the methods of solubility, density, viscosity, electric conductivity and refractometry. It was established that its compoments form the compound 4Sr(NO{sub 2}){sub 2}xSr(OH){sub 2}x8H{sub 2}O. The compound was separated from solution; its density, decomposition temperature were determined; IR spectra and X-ray patterns of prepared and initial compounds were obtained.

Neuromuscular Activity and Knee Kinematics in Adolescents with Patellofemoral Pain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rathleff, Michael Skovdal; Samani, Afshin; Olesen, Jens L

2013-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the neuromuscular control of the knee during stair descent among female adolescents with patellofemoral pain (PFP) and to report its association with self-reported clinical status assessed by the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS).......This study aimed to investigate the neuromuscular control of the knee during stair descent among female adolescents with patellofemoral pain (PFP) and to report its association with self-reported clinical status assessed by the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS)....

Deep Neuromuscular Blockade Improves Laparoscopic Surgical Conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rosenberg, Jacob; Herring, W Joseph; Blobner, Manfred

2017-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Sustained deep neuromuscular blockade (NMB) during laparoscopic surgery may facilitate optimal surgical conditions. This exploratory study assessed whether deep NMB improves surgical conditions and, in doing so, allows use of lower insufflation pressures during laparoscopic cholecys...

Fatigue in neuromuscular disorders: Focus on Guillain-Barré syndrome and Pompe disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J.M. de Vries (Juna); M.L.C. Hagemans (Marloes); J.B.J. Bussmann (Hans); A.T. van der Ploeg (Ans); P.A. van Doorn (Pieter)

2010-01-01

textabstractFatigue accounts for an important part of the burden experienced by patients with neuromuscular disorders. Substantial high prevalence rates of fatigue are reported in a wide range of neuromuscular disorders, such as Guillain-Barré syndrome and Pompe disease. Fatigue can be subdivided

Reversal of rocuronium-induced profound neuromuscular block by sugammadex in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boer, H.D. de; Egmond, J. van; Booij, L.H.D.J.; Driessen, J.J.

2009-01-01

A case is reported in which a child with Duchenne muscular dystrophy received a dose of sugammadex to reverse a rocuronium-induced profound neuromuscular block. Sugammadex is the first selective relaxant binding agent and reverses rocuronium- and vecuronium-induced neuromuscular block. A fast and

Solution based synthesis of mixed-phase materials in the Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3}–Li{sub 4}SiO{sub 4} system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hanaor, Dorian A.H., E-mail: dorian.hanaor@sydney.edu.au [School of Civil Engineering, University of Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia); Kolb, Matthias H.H. [Institute for Applied Materials, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76021 (Germany); Gan, Yixiang [School of Civil Engineering, University of Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia); Kamlah, Marc; Knitter, Regina [Institute for Applied Materials, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76021 (Germany)

2015-01-15

Highlights: • Investigation of phase stability in the quasi-binary Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3}–Li{sub 4}SiO{sub 4} system. • Sol-based syntheses of mixed phase materials from organometallic precursors. • LiCl based synthesis results in greater lithium deficiency than LiOH synthesis. • The Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3}–Li{sub 4}SiO{sub 4} quasi binary system appears to exhibit monotectic behaviour. • Mixed phase materials show liquid formation from melting of silicate material at 1100 °C. - Abstract: As candidate tritium breeder materials for use in the ITER helium cooled pebble bed, ceramic multiphasic compounds lying in the region of the quasi-binary lithium metatitanate–lithium orthosilicate system may exhibit mechanical and physical advantages relative to single phase materials. Here we present an organometallic solution-based synthesis procedure for the low-temperature fabrication of compounds in the Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3}–Li{sub 4}SiO{sub 4} region and investigate phase stability and transformations through temperature varied X-ray diffraction and scanning calorimetry. Results demonstrate that the metatitanate and metasilicate phases Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} and Li{sub 2}SiO{sub 3} readily crystallise in nanocrystalline form at temperatures below 180 °C. Lithium deficiency in the region of 5% results from Li sublimation from Li{sub 4}SiO{sub 4} and/or from excess Li incorporation in the metatitanate phase and brings about a stoichiometry shift, with product compounds exhibiting mixed lithium orthosilicate/metasilicate content towards the Si rich region and predominantly Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} content towards the Ti rich region. Above 1150 °C the transformation of monoclinic to cubic γ-Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} disordered solid-solution occurs while the melting of silicate phases indicates a likely monotectic type system with a solidus line in the region 1050–1100 °C. Synthesis procedures involving a lithium chloride precursor are not likely to be a viable option for

The immediate effect of neuromuscular joint facilitation on the rotation of the tibia during walking.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Desheng; Huang, Qiuchen; Huo, Ming; Hiiragi, Yukinobu; Maruyama, Hitoshi

2017-01-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to investigate the change in tibial rotation during walking among young adults after neuromuscular joint facilitation therapy. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects were twelve healthy young people (6 males, 6 females). A neuromuscular joint facilitation intervention and nonintervention were performed. The interventions were performed one after the other, separated by a 1-week interval. The order of the interventions was completely randomized. The rotation of the tibia during walking was evaluated before and after treatment. [Results] The neuromuscular joint facilitation group demonstrated increased lateral rotation of the tibia in the overall gait cycle and stance phase, and decreased medial rotation of the tibia in the overall gait cycle, stance phase, and swing phase after the neuromuscular joint facilitation intervention. In the control group, there were no significant differences. [Conclusion] These results suggest neuromuscular joint facilitation intervention has an immediate effect on the rotational function of the knee.

A Comparative Study of Sagittal Balance in Patients with Neuromuscular Scoliosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paulo Alvim Borges

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: Spinopelvic alignment has been associated with improved quality of life in patients with vertebral deformities, and it helps to compensate for imbalances in gait. Although surgical treatment of scoliosis in patients with neuromuscular spinal deformities promotes correction of coronal scoliotic deformities, it remains poorly established whether this results in large changes in sagittal balance parameters in this specific population. The objective of this study is to compare these parameters before and after the current procedure under the hypothesis is that there is no significant modification. METHODS: Sampling included all records of patients with neuromuscular scoliosis with adequate radiographic records treated at Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology of Clinics Hospital of University of São Paulo (IOT-HCFMUSP from January 2009 to December 2013. Parameters analyzed were incidence, sacral inclination, pelvic tilt, lumbar lordosis, thoracic kyphosis, spinosacral angle, spinal inclination and spinopelvic inclination obtained using the iSite-Philips digital display system with Surgimap and a validated method for digital measurements of scoliosis radiographs. Comparison between the pre- and post-operative conditions involved means and standard deviations and the t-test. RESULTS: Based on 101 medical records only, 16 patients met the inclusion criteria for this study, including 7 males and 9 females, with an age range of 9-20 and a mean age of 12.9±3.06; 14 were diagnosed with cerebral palsy. No significant differences were found between pre and postoperative parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Despite correction of coronal scoliotic deformity in patients with neuromuscular deformities, there were no changes in spinopelvic alignment parameters in the group studied.

Task-oriented control of Single-Master Multi-Slave Manipulator System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kosuge, Kazuhiro; Ishikawa, Jun; Furuta, Katsuhisa; Hariki, Kazuo; Sakai, Masaru.

1994-01-01

A master-slave manipulator system, in general, consists of a master arm manipulated by a human and a slave arm used for real tasks. Some tasks, such as manipulation of a heavy object, etc., require two or more slave arms operated simultaneously. A Single-Master Multi-Slave Manipulator System consists of a master arm with six degrees of freedom and two or more slave arms, each of which has six or more degrees of freedom. In this system, a master arm controls the task-oriented variables using Virtual Internal Model (VIM) based on the concept of 'Task-Oriented Control'. VIM is a reference model driven by sensory information and used to describe the desired relation between the motion of a master arm and task-oriented variables. The motion of slave arms are controlled based on the task oriented variables generated by VIM and tailors the system to meet specific tasks. A single-master multi-slave manipulator system, having two slave arms, is experimentally developed and illustrates the concept. (author)

Neuromuscular dose-response studies: determining sample size.

Science.gov (United States)

Kopman, A F; Lien, C A; Naguib, M

2011-02-01

Investigators planning dose-response studies of neuromuscular blockers have rarely used a priori power analysis to determine the minimal sample size their protocols require. Institutional Review Boards and peer-reviewed journals now generally ask for this information. This study outlines a proposed method for meeting these requirements. The slopes of the dose-response relationships of eight neuromuscular blocking agents were determined using regression analysis. These values were substituted for γ in the Hill equation. When this is done, the coefficient of variation (COV) around the mean value of the ED₅₀ for each drug is easily calculated. Using these values, we performed an a priori one-sample two-tailed t-test of the means to determine the required sample size when the allowable error in the ED₅₀ was varied from ±10-20%. The COV averaged 22% (range 15-27%). We used a COV value of 25% in determining the sample size. If the allowable error in finding the mean ED₅₀ is ±15%, a sample size of 24 is needed to achieve a power of 80%. Increasing 'accuracy' beyond this point requires increasing greater sample sizes (e.g. an 'n' of 37 for a ±12% error). On the basis of the results of this retrospective analysis, a total sample size of not less than 24 subjects should be adequate for determining a neuromuscular blocking drug's clinical potency with a reasonable degree of assurance.

Task-specific shell for scheduling problems, ARES[sub TM]/SCH. Scheduling mondai muke task tokka shell ARES[sub TM]/SCH

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kojima, S; Narimatsu, K [Toshiba Corp., Tokyo (Japan)

1994-08-01

An Expert System (ES) Shell (developed by Toshiba Corp.) which applies to the scheduling of production plan and operation plan is introduced. It describes that this tool is equipped with flowchart editor and constraint condition editor which mention the knowledge related to scheduling method, and that the former expresses scheduling procedure knowledge in the form of flowchart by combining basic tasks prepared beforehand, and the latter expresses constraint conditions which should be satisfied by the schedule, and knowledge related to the priority order which should be considered in-between in the form of IF-THEN Rule which is very close to Japanese. In addition, the knowledge is equipped with knowledge debugging system which conducts debugging while executing the knowledge. It adds that by using this tool, the manhour required for the development and maintenance of ES can be reduced considerably. 2 refs., 3 figs.

Neuromuscular fatigue during high-intensity intermittent exercise in individuals with intellectual disability.

Science.gov (United States)

Borji, Rihab; Sahli, Sonia; Zarrouk, Nidhal; Zghal, Firas; Rebai, Haithem

2013-12-01

This study examined neuromuscular fatigue after high-intensity intermittent exercise in 10 men with mild intellectual disability (ID) in comparison with 10 controls. Both groups performed three maximal voluntary contractions (MVC) of knee extension with 5 min in-between. The highest level achieved was selected as reference MVC. The fatiguing exercise consists of five sets with a maximal number of flexion-extension cycles at 80% of the one maximal repetition (1RM) for the right leg at 90° with 90 s rest interval between sets. The MVC was tested again after the last set. Peak force and electromyography (EMG) signals were measured during the MVC tests. Root Mean Square (RMS) and Median Frequency (MF) were calculated. Neuromuscular efficiency (NME) was calculated as the ratio of peak force to the RMS. Before exercise, individuals with ID had a lower MVC (psport train ID individuals, they should consider this nervous system weakness. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Alternative NF-κB Isoforms in the Drosophila Neuromuscular Junction and Brain.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bo Zhou

Full Text Available The Drosophila NF-κB protein Dorsal is expressed at the larval neuromuscular junction, where its expression appears unrelated to known Dorsal functions in embryonic patterning and innate immunity. Using confocal microscopy with domain-specific antisera, we demonstrate that larval muscle expresses only the B isoform of Dorsal, which arises by intron retention. We find that Dorsal B interacts with and stabilizes Cactus at the neuromuscular junction, but exhibits Cactus independent localization and an absence of detectable nuclear translocation. We further find that the Dorsal-related immune factor Dif encodes a B isoform, reflecting a conservation of B domains across a range of insect NF-κB proteins. Carrying out mutagenesis of the Dif locus via a site-specific recombineering approach, we demonstrate that Dif B is the major, if not sole, Dif isoform in the mushroom bodies of the larval brain. The Dorsal and Dif B isoforms thus share a specific association with nervous system tissues as well as an alternative protein structure.

Mitochondrial DNA triplication and punctual mutations in patients with mitochondrial neuromuscular disorders

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mkaouar-Rebai, Emna, E-mail: emna.mkaouar@gmail.com [Département des Sciences de la Vie, Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, Université de Sfax (Tunisia); Felhi, Rahma; Tabebi, Mouna [Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire Humaine, Faculté de Médecine de Sfax, Université de Sfax (Tunisia); Alila-Fersi, Olfa; Chamkha, Imen [Département des Sciences de la Vie, Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, Université de Sfax (Tunisia); Maalej, Marwa; Ammar, Marwa [Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire Humaine, Faculté de Médecine de Sfax, Université de Sfax (Tunisia); Kammoun, Fatma [Service de pédiatrie, C.H.U. Hedi Chaker de Sfax (Tunisia); Keskes, Leila [Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire Humaine, Faculté de Médecine de Sfax, Université de Sfax (Tunisia); Hachicha, Mongia [Service de pédiatrie, C.H.U. Hedi Chaker de Sfax (Tunisia); Fakhfakh, Faiza, E-mail: faiza.fakhfakh02@gmail.com [Département des Sciences de la Vie, Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, Université de Sfax (Tunisia)

2016-04-29

Mitochondrial diseases are a heterogeneous group of disorders caused by the impairment of the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation system which have been associated with various mutations of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and nuclear gene mutations. The clinical phenotypes are very diverse and the spectrum is still expanding. As brain and muscle are highly dependent on OXPHOS, consequently, neurological disorders and myopathy are common features of mtDNA mutations. Mutations in mtDNA can be classified into three categories: large-scale rearrangements, point mutations in tRNA or rRNA genes and point mutations in protein coding genes. In the present report, we screened mitochondrial genes of complex I, III, IV and V in 2 patients with mitochondrial neuromuscular disorders. The results showed the presence the pathogenic heteroplasmic m.9157G>A variation (A211T) in the MT-ATP6 gene in the first patient. We also reported the first case of triplication of 9 bp in the mitochondrial NC7 region in Africa and Tunisia, in association with the novel m.14924T>C in the MT-CYB gene in the second patient with mitochondrial neuromuscular disorder. - Highlights: • We reported 2 patients with mitochondrial neuromuscular disorders. • The heteroplasmic MT-ATP6 9157G>A variation was reported. • A triplication of 9 bp in the mitochondrial NC7 region was detected. • The m.14924T>C transition (S60P) in the MT-CYB gene was found.

Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF): Its Mechanisms and Effects on Range of Motion and Muscular Function

Science.gov (United States)

Hindle, Kayla B.; Whitcomb, Tyler J.; Briggs, Wyatt O.; Hong, Junggi

2012-01-01

Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) is common practice for increasing range of motion, though little research has been done to evaluate theories behind it. The purpose of this study was to review possible mechanisms, proposed theories, and physiological changes that occur due to proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation techniques. Four theoretical mechanisms were identified: autogenic inhibition, reciprocal inhibition, stress relaxation, and the gate control theory. The studies suggest that a combination of these four mechanisms enhance range of motion. When completed prior to exercise, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation decreases performance in maximal effort exercises. When this stretching technique is performed consistently and post exercise, it increases athletic performance, along with range of motion. Little investigation has been done regarding the theoretical mechanisms of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, though four mechanisms were identified from the literature. As stated, the main goal of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation is to increase range of motion and performance. Studies found both of these to be true when completed under the correct conditions. These mechanisms were found to be plausible; however, further investigation needs to be conducted. All four mechanisms behind the stretching technique explain the reasoning behind the increase in range of motion, as well as in strength and athletic performance. Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation shows potential benefits if performed correctly and consistently. PMID:23487249

Neuromuscular disease and respiratory physiology in children: putting lung function into perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Fauroux, Brigitte; Khirani, Sonia

2014-08-01

Neuromuscular diseases represent a heterogeneous group of disorders of the muscle, nerve or neuromuscular junction. The respiratory muscles are rarely spared in neuromuscular diseases even if the type of muscle involvement, severity and time course greatly varies among the different diseases. Diagnosis of respiratory muscle weakness is crucial because of the importance of respiratory morbidity and mortality. Presently, routine respiratory evaluation is based on non-invasive volitional tests, such as the measurement of lung volumes, spirometry and the maximal static pressures, which may be difficult or impossible to obtain in some young children. Other tools or parameters are thus needed to assess the respiratory muscle weakness and its consequences in young children. The measurement of oesogastric pressures can be helpful as they allow the diagnosis and quantification of paradoxical breathing, as well as the assessment of the strength of the inspiratory and expiratory muscles by means of the oesophageal pressure during a maximal sniff and of the gastric pressure during a maximal cough. Sleep assessment should also be part of the respiratory evaluation of children with neuromuscular disease with at least the recording of nocturnal gas exchange if polysomnography is not possible or unavailable. This improvement in the assessment of respiratory muscle performance may increase our understanding of the respiratory pathophysiology of the different neuromuscular diseases, improve patient care, and guide research and innovative therapies by identifying and validating respiratory parameters. © 2014 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.

Rocuronium-induced neuromuscular block and sugammadex in pediatric patient with duchenne muscular dystrophy

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Ji Eun; Chun, Hea Rim

2017-01-01

Abstract Introduction: Anesthetic management of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is complicated because these patients are more sensitive to nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) and are vulnerable to postoperative complications, such as postoperative residual curarization and respiratory failure. Sugammadex is a new reversal agent for aminosteroidal NMBAs, but its safety in children is controversial. Clinical features: An 11-year-old boy with DMD underwent general anesthesia for a percutaneous nephrolithotomy. We used rocuronium bromide and sugammadex to reverse the deep neuromuscular block. Reversal of neuromuscular block was done 15 minutes after administration of 2 mg/kg of sugammadex. The patient's recovery from anesthesia was uneventful, and he was discharged to the postoperative recovery ward. Conclusion: A delayed recovery was achieved, but no adverse events were observed, such as recurarization or hypersensitivity to sugammadex. We report safe use of 2 mg/kg of sugammadex to reverse a deep neuromuscular block in a child with DMD. PMID:28353578

Neuromuscular findings in thyroid dysfunction: a prospective clinical and electrodiagnostic study

Science.gov (United States)

Duyff, R.; Van den Bosch, J.; Laman, D; van Loon, B.-J. P.; Linssen, W.

2000-01-01

OBJECTIVES—To evaluate neuromuscular signs and symptoms in patients with newly diagnosed hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.
METHODS—A prospective cohort study was performed in adult patients with newly diagnosed thyroid dysfunction. Patients were evaluated clinically with hand held dynamometry and with electrodiagnosis. The clinical features of weakness and sensory signs and the biochemical data were evaluated during treatment.
RESULTS—In hypothyroid patients 79% had neuromuscular complaints, 38% had clinical weakness (manual muscle strength testing) in one or more muscle groups, 42% had signs of sensorimotor axonal neuropathy, and 29% had carpal tunnel syndrome. Serum creatine kinase did not correlate with weakness. After 1 year of treatment 13% of the patients still had weakness. In hyperthyroid patients 67% had neuromuscular symptoms, 62% had clinical weakness in at least one muscle group that correlated with FT4 concentrations, but not with serum CK. Nineteen per cent of the patients had sensory-motor axonal neuropathy and 0% had carpal tunnel syndrome. The neuromuscular signs developed rapidly, early in the course of the disorder and were severe, but resolved rapidly and completely during treatment (average time 3.6months).
CONCLUSIONS—Neuromuscular symptoms and signs were present in most patients. About 40% of the hypothyroid patients and 20% of the hyperthyroid patients had predominantly sensory signs of a sensorimotor axonal neuropathy early in the course of thyroid disease. Weakness in hyperthyroidism evolved rapidly at an early stage of the disorder and resolved completely during treatment, suggesting a functional muscle disorder. Hand held dynamometry is sensitive for the detection of weakness and for the clinical evaluation of treatment effects. Weakness in hypothyroidism is more difficult to treat, suggesting myopathy.

 PMID:10811699

Exercise Therapy in Spinobulbar Muscular Atrophy and Other Neuromuscular Disorders

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dahlqvist, Julia Rebecka; Vissing, John

2016-01-01

There is no curative treatment for most neuromuscular disorders. Exercise, as a treatment for these diseases, has therefore received growing attention. When executed properly, exercise can maintain and improve health and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes. In persons...... in patients with neuromuscular diseases associated with weakness and wasting. We review studies that have investigated different types of exercise in both myopathies and motor neuron diseases, with particular emphasis on training of persons affected by spinobulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA). Finally, we provide...

Sintering behaviour and phase relationships of Si[sub 3]N[sub 4] ceramics in the Si[sub 3]N[sub 4]-SiO[sub 2]-MgO-Y[sub 2]O[sub 3] system. Sinterverhalten und Phasenbeziehungen von Si[sub 3]N[sub 4]-Keramiken im System Si[sub 3]N[sub 4]-SiO[sub 2]-MgO-Y[sub 2]O[sub 3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mahoney, F.M.

1992-10-12

The aim of this work is the investigation of the sintering or crystallisation behaviour of Si[sub 3]N[sub 4] ceramics depending on the additive composition in the Si[sub 3]N[sub 4]-SiO[sub 2]-MgO-Y[sub 2]O[sub 3] system. With regard to the complicated manufacturing process of sintered and heat-treated Si[sub 3]N[sub 4] ceramics, one should first determine which additive compositions make complete compression possible. The effect of the composition on the volume and the viscosity of the melting phase should be cleared up, where determining the Si[sub 3]N[sub 4] solubility relative to the additive composition is of special importance. The phase relationships between Si[sub 3]N[sub 4] and the possible crystalline secondary phases should be determined for the crystallisation behaviour. Due to the very fine distribution of only a 5-15% proportion of additive in conventional Si[sub 3]N[sub 4] samples, a characterisation of the secondary phases is difficult to carry out with X-ray or REM/EDX analysis. Therefore, experiments with oxy-nitridic model samples were carried out in this work, which have the same phase relationships as conventional Si[sub 3]N[sub 4] compositions, but with an appreciably higher proportion of additive. The possibility of transferring the results of the model samples were tested on examples of three Si[sub 3]N[sub 4] ceramics. (orig.)

Systems Li[sub 2]B[sub 4]O[sub 7] (Na[sub 2]B[sub 4]O[sub 7], K[sub 2]B[sub 4]O[sub 7])-N[sub 2]H[sub 3]H[sub 4]OH-H[sub 2]O at 25 deg C. Sistemy Li[sub 2]B[sub 4]O[sub 7] (Na[sub 2]B[sub 4]O[sub 7], K[sub 2]B[sub 4]O[sub 7])-N[sub 2]H[sub 3]H[sub 4]OH-H[sub 2]O pri 25 grad S

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skvortsov, V G; Sadetdinov, Sh V; Akimov, V M; Mitrasov, Yu N; Petrova, O V; Klopov, Yu N [Chuvashskij Gosudarstvennyj Pedagogicheskij Inst., Cheboksary (Russian Federation) Universitet Druzhby Narodov, Moscow (Russian Federation)

1994-02-01

Phase equilibriums in the Li[sub 2]B[sub 4]O[sub 7] (Na[sub 2]B[sub 4]O[sub 7], K[sub 2]B[sub 4]O[sub 7])-N[sub 2]H[sub 3]H[sub 4]OH-H[sub 2]O systems were investigated by methods of isothermal solubility, refractometry and PH-metry at 25 deg C for the first time. Lithium and sodium tetraborates was established to form phases of changed composition mM[sub 2]B[sub 4]O[sub 7][center dot]nN[sub 2]H[sub 3]C[sub 2]H[sub 4]OH[center dot]XH[sub 2]O, where M=Li, Na with hydrazine ethanol. K[sub 2]B[sub 4]O[sub 7][center dot]4H[sub 2]O precipitates in solid phase in the case of potassium salt. Formation of isomorphous mixtures was supported by X-ray diffraction and IR spectroscopy methods.

Sugammadex given for rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade in infants: a retrospectıve study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ozmete, Ozlem; Bali, Cagla; Cok, Oya Yalcin; Turk, Hatice Evren Eker; Ozyilkan, Nesrın Bozdogan; Civi, Soner; Aribogan, Anıs

2016-12-01

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of sugammadex in reversing profound neuromuscular block induced by rocuronium in infant patients. Retrospective observational study. University teaching hospital. Twenty-six infants (2-12 months of age; 3-11 kg) with an American Society of Anesthesiologists classification I, II, or III who were scheduled to undergo neurosurgical procedures were included in the study. Anesthesia was induced with 5 mg/kg thiopental, 1 μg/kg fentanyl and 0.6 mg/kg rocuronium. Sevoflurane was administered to all patients after intubation. The neuromuscular block was monitored with acceleromyography using train-of-four (TOF) stimuli. Patients received additional doses of rocuronium to maintain a deep block during surgery. If profound neuromuscular block (TOF, 0) persisted at the end of the surgery, 3mg/kg sugammadex was administered. The demographic data, surgeries, and anesthetic agents were recorded. The time from sugammadex administration to recovery of neuromuscular function (TOF ratio, >0.9) and complications during and after extubation were also recorded. Twenty-six infants who had a deep neuromuscular block (TOF, 0) at the end of surgery received 3 mg/kg sugammadex. The mean recovery time of the T4/T1 ratio of 0.9 was 112 seconds. No clinical evidence of recurarization or residual curarization was observed. The efficacy and safety of sugammadex were confirmed in infant surgical patients for reversal of deep neuromuscular block induced by rocuronium. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Demand Response as a System Reliability Resource

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eto, Joseph H. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Environmental Energy Technologies Division; Lewis, Nancy Jo [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Environmental Energy Technologies Division; Watson, David [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Environmental Energy Technologies Division; Kiliccote, Sila [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Environmental Energy Technologies Division; Auslander, David [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Paprotny, Igor [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Makarov, Yuri [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2012-12-31

The Demand Response as a System Reliability Resource project consists of six technical tasks: • Task 2.1. Test Plan and Conduct Tests: Contingency Reserves Demand Response (DR) Demonstration—a pioneering demonstration of how existing utility load-management assets can provide an important electricity system reliability resource known as contingency reserve. • Task 2.2. Participation in Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) IntelliGrid—technical assistance to the EPRI IntelliGrid team in developing use cases and other high-level requirements for the architecture. • Task 2.3. Research, Development, and Demonstration (RD&D) Planning for Demand Response Technology Development—technical support to the Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) Program on five topics: Sub-task 1. PIER Smart Grid RD&D Planning Document; Sub-task 2. System Dynamics of Programmable Controllable Thermostats; Sub-task 3. California Independent System Operator (California ISO) DR Use Cases; Sub-task 4. California ISO Telemetry Requirements; and Sub-task 5. Design of a Building Load Data Storage Platform. • Task 2.4. Time Value of Demand Response—research that will enable California ISO to take better account of the speed of the resources that it deploys to ensure compliance with reliability rules for frequency control. • Task 2.5. System Integration and Market Research: Southern California Edison (SCE)—research and technical support for efforts led by SCE to conduct demand response pilot demonstrations to provide a contingency reserve service (known as non-spinning reserve) through a targeted sub-population of aggregated residential and small commercial customers enrolled in SCE’s traditional air conditioning (AC) load cycling program, the Summer Discount Plan. • Task 2.6. Demonstrate Demand Response Technologies: Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E)—research and technical support for efforts led by PG&E to conduct a demand response pilot demonstration to provide non

Elbow joint position sense after neuromuscular training with handheld vibration.

Science.gov (United States)

Tripp, Brady L; Faust, Donald; Jacobs, Patrick

2009-01-01

Clinicians use neuromuscular control exercises to enhance joint position sense (JPS); however, because standardizing such exercises is difficult, validations of their use are limited. To evaluate the acute effects of a neuromuscular training exercise with a handheld vibrating dumbbell on elbow JPS acuity. Crossover study. University athletic training research laboratory. Thirty-one healthy, college-aged volunteers (16 men, 15 women, age = 23 + or - 3 years, height = 173 + or - 8 cm, mass = 76 + or - 14 kg). We measured and trained elbow JPS using an electromagnetic tracking device that provided auditory and visual biofeedback. For JPS testing, participants held a dumbbell and actively identified the target elbow flexion angle (90 degrees ) using the software-generated biofeedback, followed by 3 repositioning trials without feedback. Each neuromuscular training protocol included 3 exercises during which participants held a 2.55-kg dumbbell vibrating at 15, 5, or 0 Hz and used software-generated biofeedback to locate and maintain the target elbow flexion angle for 15 seconds. We calculated absolute (accuracy) and variable (variability) errors using the differences between target and reproduced angles. Training protocols using 15-Hz vibration enhanced accuracy and decreased variability of elbow JPS (P or = .200). Our results suggest these neuromuscular control exercises, which included low-magnitude, low-frequency handheld vibration, may enhance elbow JPS. Future researchers should examine vibration of various durations and frequencies, should include injured participants and functional multijoint and multiplanar measures, and should examine long-term effects of training protocols on JPS and injury.

The effects of neuromuscular exercise on medial knee joint load post-arthroscopic partial medial meniscectomy: 'SCOPEX', a randomised control trial protocol

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hall, Michelle; Hinman, Rana S; Wrigley, Tim V

2012-01-01

Meniscectomy is a risk factor for knee osteoarthritis, with increased medial joint loading a likely contributor to the development and progression of knee osteoarthritis in this group. Therefore, post-surgical rehabilitation or interventions that reduce medial knee joint loading have the potential...... to reduce the risk of developing or progressing osteoarthritis. The primary purpose of this randomised, assessor-blind controlled trial is to determine the effects of a home-based, physiotherapist-supervised neuromuscular exercise program on medial knee joint load during functional tasks in people who have...

Orthotic management of instability of the knee related to neuromuscular and central nervous system disorders: systematic review, qualitative study, survey and costing analysis.

OpenAIRE

O'Connor, Joanne; McCaughan, Dorothy; McDaid, Catriona; Booth, Alison; Fayter, Debra; Rodriguez-Lopez, Roccio; Bowers, Roy; Dyson, Lisa; Iglesias, Cynthia P; Lalor, Simon; O'Connor, Rory J; Phillips, Margaret; Ramdharry, Gita

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: \\ud \\ud Patients who have knee instability that is associated with neuromuscular disease (NMD) and central nervous system (CNS) conditions can be treated using orthoses, such as knee-ankle-foot orthoses (KAFOs).\\ud \\ud OBJECTIVES: \\ud \\ud To assess existing evidence on the effectiveness of orthoses; patient perspectives; types of orthotic devices prescribed in the UK NHS; and associated costs.\\ud \\ud METHODS: \\ud \\ud Qualitative study of views of orthoses users - a qualitative in-...

Injection of a soluble fragment of neural agrin (NT-1654 considerably improves the muscle pathology caused by the disassembly of the neuromuscular junction.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefan Hettwer

Full Text Available Treatment of neuromuscular diseases is still an unsolved problem. Evidence over the last years strongly indicates the involvement of malformation and dysfunction of neuromuscular junctions in the development of such medical conditions. Stabilization of NMJs thus seems to be a promising approach to attenuate the disease progression of muscle wasting diseases. An important pathway for the formation and maintenance of NMJs is the agrin/Lrp4/MuSK pathway. Here we demonstrate that the agrin biologic NT-1654 is capable of activating the agrin/Lrp4/MuSK system in vivo, leading to an almost full reversal of the sarcopenia-like phenotype in neurotrypsin-overexpressing (SARCO mice. We also show that injection of NT-1654 accelerates muscle re-innervation after nerve crush. This report demonstrates that a systemically administered agrin fragment has the potential to counteract the symptoms of neuromuscular disorders.

EM study of crystallography and phase relationships in the Be/sub 3/N/sub 2/--BeSiN/sub 2/ system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shaw, T.M.

1977-12-01

Transmission electron microscopy and diffraction have been used to examine structural aspects of phases along the BeSiN/sub 2/-Be/sub 3/N/sub 2/ tie line of the Be-Si-O-N system. Electron diffraction experiments are found to substantiate previous x-ray evidence for the derived structures of BeSiN/sub 2/, ..beta.. Be/sub 3/N/sub 2/, ..cap alpha.. Be/sub 3/N/sub 2/ and the presence of a number of long period superstructures at intermediate compositions. Real space observations using direct fringe and structure imaging techniques have been made and are in agreement with the 15R polytype structure derived from x-ray diffraction data. In addition, these observations indicate that beryllium atoms are preferentially sited in cubic stacked layers, allowing the polytype structures to be described as a coherent intergrowth of layers of the BeSiN/sub 2/ and ..beta.. Be/sub 3/N/sub 2/ structure. Further observations made on a non stoichiometric BeSiN/sub 2/ sample suggests that alternatively the polytypes may be described in terms of a regularly faulted BeSiN/sub 2/ structure. Each fault changes the coordination of tetrahedral sites from base sharing to edge sharing in the fault, allowing excess beryllium atoms to be accommodated in the close packed nitrogen lattice. For larger deviations from the BeSiN/sub 2/ stoichiometric composition a higher density of faults occur which interact to form ordered arrangements and the observed polytype structures. The present observations establish that polytypism in the Be-Si-N system is related to the general phenomenon of crystallographic shear as observed in other complex oxide and ceramic systems. It is suggested that similar faulting may account for the polytype structures in other Sialon systems.

Phase relations in the quasi-binary Cu{sub 2}GeS{sub 3}-ZnS and quasi-ternary Cu{sub 2}S-Zn(Cd)S-GeS{sub 2} systems and crystal structure of Cu{sub 2}ZnGeS{sub 4}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parasyuk, O.V. [Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Volyn State University, Voli Ave 13, 43009 Lutsk (Ukraine)]. E-mail: oleg@lab.univer.lutsk.ua; Piskach, L.V. [Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Volyn State University, Voli Ave 13, 43009 Lutsk (Ukraine); Romanyuk, Y.E. [Advanced Photonics Laboratory, Institute of Imaging and Applied Optics, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne (Switzerland); Olekseyuk, I.D. [Department of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Volyn State University, Voli Ave 13, 43009 Lutsk (Ukraine); Zaremba, V.I. [Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, 6 Kyryla and Mefodiya Str., 79005 L' viv (Ukraine); Pekhnyo, V.I. [V.I. Vernadskii Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences, Palladina Ave 32-34, 03680 Kiev (Ukraine)

2005-07-19

The isothermal section of the Cu{sub 2}S-Zn(Cd)S-GeS{sub 2} systems at 670K was constructed using X-ray diffraction analysis. At this temperature, two quaternary intermediate phases, Cu{sub 2}CdGeS{sub 4} and {approx}Cu{sub 8}CdGeS{sub 7}, exist in the Cu{sub 2}S-CdS-GeS{sub 2} system, and only one phase, Cu{sub 2}ZnGeS{sub 4}, exists in the Cu{sub 2}S-ZnS-GeS{sub 2} system. The phase diagram of the Cu{sub 2}GeS{sub 3}-ZnS system was constructed using differential-thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction, and the existence of Cu{sub 2}ZnGeS{sub 4} has been confirmed. It forms incongruently at 1359K. Powder X-ray diffraction was used to refine the crystal structure of Cu{sub 2}ZnGeS{sub 4}, which crystallizes in the tetragonal stannite-type structure at 670K (space group I4-bar 2m, a=0.534127(9)nm, c=1.05090(2)nm, R{sub I}=0.0477). The possibility of the formation of quaternary compounds in the quasi-ternary systems A{sup I}{sub 2}X-B{sup II}X-C{sup IV}X{sub 2}, where A{sup I}-Cu, Ag; B{sup II}-Zn, Cd, Hg; C{sup IV}-Si, Ge, Sn and X-S, Se, Te is discussed.

Sugammadex as a reversal agent for neuromuscular block: an evidence-based review

Science.gov (United States)

Schaller, Stefan Josef; Fink, Heidrun

2013-01-01

Sugammadex is the first clinical representative of a new class of drugs called selective relaxant binding agents. It has revolutionized the way anesthesiologists think about drug reversal. Sugammadex selectively binds rocuronium or vecuronium, thereby reversing their neuromuscular blocking action. Due to its 1:1 binding of rocuronium or vecuronium, it is able to reverse any depth of neuromuscular block. So far, it has been approved for use in adult patients and for pediatric patients over 2 years. Since its approval in Europe, Japan, and Australia, further insight on its use in special patient populations and specific diseases have become available. Due to its pharmacodynamic profile, sugammadex, in combination with rocuronium, may have the potential to displace succinylcholine as the “gold standard” muscle relaxant for rapid sequence induction. The use of rocuronium or vecuronium, with the potential of reverse of their action with sugammadex, seems to be safe in patients with impaired neuromuscular transmission, ie, neuromuscular diseases, including myasthenia gravis. Data from long-term use of sugammadex is not yet available. Evidence suggesting an economic advantage of using sugammadex and justifying its relatively high cost for an anesthesia-related drug, is missing. PMID:24098155

High pressure structural investigation on alluaudites Na{sub 2}Fe{sub 3}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}-Na{sub 2}FeMn{sub 2}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3} system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gao, Jing [Key Laboratory of Orogenic Belts and Crustal Evolution, MOE, School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Huang, Weifeng [College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Qin, Shan [Key Laboratory of Orogenic Belts and Crustal Evolution, MOE, School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Wu, Xiang, E-mail: wuxiang@cug.edu.cn [State key laboratory of geological processes and mineral resources, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074 (China)

2017-03-15

Alluaudites are promising electrochemical materials benefited from the open structure. Structural variations of alluaudites Na{sub 2}M{sub 3}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3} (M{sub 3}=Fe{sub 3}, Fe{sub 2}Mn and FeMn{sub 2}) system have been studied by synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction combined with diamond anvil cell technique up to ~10 GPa at room temperature. No phase transition is observed. The excellent structural stability is mainly due to the flexible framework plus strong covalent P-O bond. Mn{sup 2+} instead of Fe can be described as Na{sup +}+2Fe{sup 2+}→Mn{sup 2+}+Fe{sup 3+}+□ where □ represents a lattice vacancy. The replacement of Fe with larger Mn{sup 2+} is equivalent to applying negative chemical pressure to the material. And it causes a more compressible b-axis, lattice expansion, structural compressibility and intensifies the core/electron-electron interactions of Fe. External pressure effect produces anisotropic lattice shrinkage. Structural considerations related to these variations and promising application prospects are discussed. - Graphical abstract: Figure 1 The crystal structure of alluaudites Na{sub 2}M{sub 3}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3} (M{sub 3}=Fe{sub 3}, Fe{sub 2}Mn and FeMn{sub 2}) projected along the c-axis. Alluaudites adopt a flexible framework plus strong covalent P-O bond, which contribute to excellent structural stability up to ~10 GPa. Mn{sup 2+} instead of Fe can be described as Na{sup ++}2Fe{sup 2+}→Mn{sup 2+}+Fe{sup 3+}+□ where □ represents a lattice vacancy, and it is equivalent to applying negative chemical pressure to the host. The substitution causes a more compressible b-axis, lattice expansion, structural compressibility and intensifies the core/electron-electron interactions of Fe.

Architectural properties of the neuromuscular compartments in selected forearm skeletal muscles.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, An-Tang; Liu, Ben-Li; Lu, Li-Xuan; Chen, Gang; Yu, Da-Zhi; Zhu, Lie; Guo, Rong; Dang, Rui-Shan; Jiang, Hua

2014-07-01

The purposes f this study were to (i) explore the possibility of splitting the selected forearm muscles into separate compartments in human subjects; (ii) quantify the architectural properties of each neuromuscular compartment; and (iii) discuss the implication of these properties in split tendon transfer procedures. Twenty upper limbs from 10 fresh human cadavers were used in this study. Ten limbs of five cadavers were used for intramuscular nerve study by modified Sihler's staining technique, which confirmed the neuromuscular compartments. The other 10 limbs were included for architectural analysis of neuromuscular compartments. The architectural features of the compartments including muscle weight, muscle length, fiber length, pennation angle, and sarcomere length were determined. Physiological cross-sectional area and fiber length/muscle length ratio were calculated. Five of the selected forearm muscles were ideal candidates for splitting, including flexor carpi ulnaris, flexor carpi radials, extensor carpi radialis brevis, extensor carpi ulnaris and pronator teres. The humeral head of pronator teres contained the longest fiber length (6.23 ± 0.31 cm), and the radial compartment of extensor carpi ulnaris contained the shortest (2.90 ± 0.28 cm). The ulnar compartment of flexor carpi ulnaris had the largest physiological cross-sectional area (5.17 ± 0.59 cm(2)), and the ulnar head of pronator teres had the smallest (0.67 ± 0.06 cm(2)). Fiber length/muscle length ratios of the neuromuscular compartments were relatively low (average 0.27 ± 0.09, range 0.18-0.39) except for the ulnar head of pronator teres, which had the highest one (0.72 ± 0.05). Using modified Sihler's technique, this research demonstrated that each compartment of these selected forearm muscles has its own neurovascular supply after being split along its central tendon. Data of the architectural properties of each neuromuscular compartment provide insight into the 'design' of their

Architectural properties of the neuromuscular compartments in selected forearm skeletal muscles

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, An-Tang; Liu, Ben-Li; Lu, Li-Xuan; Chen, Gang; Yu, Da-Zhi; Zhu, Lie; Guo, Rong; Dang, Rui-Shan; Jiang, Hua

2014-01-01

The purposes f this study were to (i) explore the possibility of splitting the selected forearm muscles into separate compartments in human subjects; (ii) quantify the architectural properties of each neuromuscular compartment; and (iii) discuss the implication of these properties in split tendon transfer procedures. Twenty upper limbs from 10 fresh human cadavers were used in this study. Ten limbs of five cadavers were used for intramuscular nerve study by modified Sihler's staining technique, which confirmed the neuromuscular compartments. The other 10 limbs were included for architectural analysis of neuromuscular compartments. The architectural features of the compartments including muscle weight, muscle length, fiber length, pennation angle, and sarcomere length were determined. Physiological cross-sectional area and fiber length/muscle length ratio were calculated. Five of the selected forearm muscles were ideal candidates for splitting, including flexor carpi ulnaris, flexor carpi radials, extensor carpi radialis brevis, extensor carpi ulnaris and pronator teres. The humeral head of pronator teres contained the longest fiber length (6.23 ± 0.31 cm), and the radial compartment of extensor carpi ulnaris contained the shortest (2.90 ± 0.28 cm). The ulnar compartment of flexor carpi ulnaris had the largest physiological cross-sectional area (5.17 ± 0.59 cm2), and the ulnar head of pronator teres had the smallest (0.67 ± 0.06 cm2). Fiber length/muscle length ratios of the neuromuscular compartments were relatively low (average 0.27 ± 0.09, range 0.18–0.39) except for the ulnar head of pronator teres, which had the highest one (0.72 ± 0.05). Using modified Sihler's technique, this research demonstrated that each compartment of these selected forearm muscles has its own neurovascular supply after being split along its central tendon. Data of the architectural properties of each neuromuscular compartment provide insight into the ‘design’ of their

Electrophysiological study in neuromuscular junction disorders

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ajith Cherian

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This review is on ultrastructure and subcellular physiology at normal and abnormal neuromuscular junctions. The clinical and electrophysiological findings in myasthenia gravis, Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS, congenital myasthenic syndromes, and botulinum intoxication are discussed. Single fiber electromyography (SFEMG helps to explain the basis of testing neuromuscular junction function by repetitive nerve stimulation (RNS. SFEMG requires skill and patience and its availability is limited to a few centers. For RNS supramaximal stimulation is essential and so is display of the whole waveform of each muscle response at maximum amplitude. The amplitudes of the negative phase of the first and fourth responses are measured from baseline to negative peak, and the percent change of the fourth response compared with the first represents the decrement or increment. A decrement greater than 10% is accepted as abnormal and smooth progression of response amplitude train and reproducibility form the crux. In suspected LEMS the effect of fast rates of stimulation should be determined after RNS response to slow rates of stimulation. Caution is required to avoid misinterpretation of potentiation and pseudofacilitation.

Reversal of rocuronium-induced neuromuscular block by the selective relaxant binding agent sugammadex: a dose-finding and safety study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sorgenfrei, Iben F; Norrild, Kathrine; Larsen, Per Bo

2006-01-01

Sugammadex (Org 25969) forms a complex with steroidal neuromuscular blocking agents, thereby reversing neuromuscular block. This study investigated the dose-response relation, safety, and pharmacokinetics of sugammadex to reverse rocuronium-induced block.......Sugammadex (Org 25969) forms a complex with steroidal neuromuscular blocking agents, thereby reversing neuromuscular block. This study investigated the dose-response relation, safety, and pharmacokinetics of sugammadex to reverse rocuronium-induced block....

Etiology and Recovery of Neuromuscular Fatigue following Competitive Soccer Match-Play

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Callum G. Brownstein

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Aim: Previous research into the etiology of neuromuscular fatigue following competitive soccer match-play has primarily focused on peripheral perturbations, with limited research assessing central nervous system function in the days post-match. The aim of the present study was to examine the contribution and time-course of recovery of central and peripheral factors toward neuromuscular fatigue following competitive soccer match-play.Methods: Sixteen male semi-professional soccer players completed a 90-min soccer match. Pre-, post- and at 24, 48, and 72 h participants completed a battery of neuromuscular, physical, and perceptual tests. Maximal voluntary contraction force (MVC and twitch responses to electrical (femoral nerve and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS of the motor cortex during isometric knee-extension and at rest were measured to assess central nervous system (voluntary activation, VA and muscle contractile (potentiated twitch force, Qtw, pot function. Electromyography responses of the rectus femoris to single- and paired-pulse TMS were used to assess corticospinal excitability and short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI, respectively. Fatigue and perceptions of muscle soreness were assessed via visual analog scales, and physical function was assessed through measures of jump (countermovement jump height and reactive strength index and sprint performance.Results: Competitive match-play elicited significant post-match declines in MVC force (−14%, P < 0.001 that persisted for 48 h (−4%, P = 0.01, before recovering by 72 h post-exercise. VA (motor point stimulation was reduced immediately post-match (−8%, P < 0.001, and remained depressed at 24 h (−5%, P = 0.01 before recovering by 48 h post-exercise. Qtw,pot was reduced post-match (−14%, P < 0.001, remained depressed at 24 h (−6%, P = 0.01, before recovering by 48 h post-exercise. No changes were evident in corticospinal excitability or SICI. Jump performance

Experiment with expert system guidance of an engineering analysis task

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ransom, V.H.; Fink, R.K.; Callow, R.A.

1986-01-01

An experiment is being conducted in which expert systems are used to guide the performance of an engineering analysis task. The task chosen for experimentation is the application of a large thermal hydraulic transient simulation computer code. The expectation from this work is that the expert system will result in an improved analytical result with a reduction in the amount of human labor and expertise required. The code associated functions of model formulation, data input, code execution, and analysis of the computed output have all been identified as candidate tasks that could benefit from the use of expert systems. Expert system modules have been built for the model building and data input task. Initial results include the observation that human expectations of an intelligent environment rapidly escalate and structured or stylized tasks that are tolerated in the unaided system are frustrating within the intelligent environment

Task-Oriented Spoken Dialog System for Second-Language Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Oh-Woog; Kim, Young-Kil; Lee, Yunkeun

2016-01-01

This paper introduces a Dialog-Based Computer Assisted second-Language Learning (DB-CALL) system using task-oriented dialogue processing technology. The system promotes dialogue with a second-language learner for a specific task, such as purchasing tour tickets, ordering food, passing through immigration, etc. The dialog system plays a role of a…

[Impact of a quality assurance program on the use of neuromuscular monitoring and reversal of muscle relaxants].

Science.gov (United States)

Motamed, C; Bourgain, J-L

2009-04-01

As part of a quality assurance in the anaesthesia department, this study was designed to enhance the rate of neuromuscular blockade monitoring for patients receiving muscle relaxant during anaesthesia. After approval of our local ethical committee, we assessed 200 computerized anaesthesia records in which neuromuscular relaxants were used. The following data were collected: demographic characteristics, durations of anaesthesia and surgery, use of neuromuscular monitoring, reversal agents and the quality of neuromuscular monitoring. The results were discussed with all anaesthesia providers of the department and an internal guideline was elaborated with the endpoint that all patients having muscle relaxants should have quantitative neuromuscular monitoring. Six months later, another assessment of 200 consecutive records collected the same data to check the efficiency of the elaborated guideline. The monitoring rate was of 67% at the first assessment and increased to 94% (passessment and was stable at the second assessment (50%). The rate of patients not monitored and not reversed decreased from 5 to 2% (pquality assurance program systematic quantitative monitoring of neuromuscular blockade can be significantly increased.

Sub-assembly accident protection instrumentation systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vaughan, G.J.; Lunt, A.R.W.; Evans, N.J.; Lawrence, L.A.J.

1982-01-01

The possibility of an incident in a sub-assembly progressing to the stage at which the whole core may be at hazard has to be guarded against. It is proposed that for CDFR specific instrumentation will be provided to protect against this incident. Three such systems are described, these are: Acoustic Boiling Noise Detection, Burst Pin Detection and Individual Sub-Assembly Thermocouple (ISAT) monitoring. In the ISAT case, multiplexers and microprocessors are employed, using novel techniques to ensure failure-to-safety. The role of these systems and the implementation of them in the reactor design are also considered. It is concluded that sufficient protection can be provided for both core and breeder sub-assemblies

Neuroleptics as therapeutic compounds stabilizing neuromuscular transmission in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Patten, Shunmoogum A; Aggad, Dina; Martinez, Jose; Tremblay, Elsa; Petrillo, Janet; Armstrong, Gary Ab; La Fontaine, Alexandre; Maios, Claudia; Liao, Meijiang; Ciura, Sorana; Wen, Xiao-Yan; Rafuse, Victor; Ichida, Justin; Zinman, Lorne; Julien, Jean-Pierre; Kabashi, Edor; Robitaille, Richard; Korngut, Lawrence; Parker, J Alexander; Drapeau, Pierre

2017-11-16

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressing, fatal disorder with no effective treatment. We used simple genetic models of ALS to screen phenotypically for potential therapeutic compounds. We screened libraries of compounds in C. elegans, validated hits in zebrafish, and tested the most potent molecule in mice and in a small clinical trial. We identified a class of neuroleptics that restored motility in C. elegans and in zebrafish, and the most potent was pimozide, which blocked T-type Ca2+ channels in these simple models and stabilized neuromuscular transmission in zebrafish and enhanced it in mice. Finally, a short randomized controlled trial of sporadic ALS subjects demonstrated stabilization of motility and evidence of target engagement at the neuromuscular junction. Simple genetic models are, thus, useful in identifying promising compounds for the treatment of ALS, such as neuroleptics, which may stabilize neuromuscular transmission and prolong survival in this disease.

Effects of neuromuscular joint facilitation on bridging exercises with respect to deep muscle changes.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Bin; Huang, QiuChen; Zheng, Tao; Huo, Ming; Maruyama, Hitoshi

2015-05-01

[Purpose] This study examined the effects of neuromuscular joint facilitation on bridging exercises by assessing the cross-sectional area of the multifidus muscle and thickness of the musculus transversus abdominis. [Subjects] Twelve healthy men. [Methods] Four exercises were evaluated: (a) supine resting, (b) bridging resistance exercise involving posterior pelvic tilting, (c) bridging resistance exercise involving anterior pelvic tilting, and (d) bridging resistance exercise involving neuromuscular joint facilitation. The cross-sectional area of the multifidus muscle and thickness of the musculus transversus abdominis were measured during each exercise. [Results] The cross-sectional area of the multifidus muscle and thickness of the musculus transversus abdominis were significantly greater in the neuromuscular joint facilitation group than the others. [Conclusion] Neuromuscular joint facilitation intervention improves the function of deep muscles such as the multifidus muscle and musculus transversus abdominis. Therefore, it can be recommended for application in clinical treatments such as that for back pain.

Síndrome de Tako-Tsubo em decorrência de bloqueio neuromuscular residual: relato de caso Síndrome de Tako-Tsubo como consecuencia de bloqueo neuromuscular residual: relato de caso Tako-Tsubo syndrome secondary to residual neuromuscular blockade: case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcos Guilherme Cunha Cruvinel

2008-12-01

Full Text Available JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: A síndrome de Tako-Tsubo é uma complicação pós-operatória rara, com mortalidade em torno de 5%. O objetivo deste relato é apresentar o bloqueio neuromuscular residual como fator desencadeante da referida síndrome, discutir sobre a mesma e alertar sobre o bloqueio neuromuscular residual. RELATO DO CASO: Paciente do sexo feminino, 61 anos, estado físico ASA I, submetida à anestesia geral associada a bloqueio paravertebral cervical para reparo artroscópico de lesão de manguito rotator. Após extubação foi evidenciado bloqueio neuromuscular residual por meio do exame clínico. Na sala de recuperação pós-anestésica evoluiu com sonolência, taquicardia, hipertensão arterial e acidose respiratória grave. Após a reintubação, evoluiu com parada cardíaca em atividade elétrica sem pulso, revertida com adrenalina e massagem cardíaca externa. Apresentou no pós-operatório elevação de segmento ST, aumento de troponina e acinesia de segmento médio-apical de ventrículo esquerdo com fração de ejeção estimada em 30%. A cineangiocoronariografia mostrou coronárias isentas de ateromatose significativa e grave comprometimento da função sistólica com acinesia inferior e ântero-septo-apical com hipercontratilidade compensatória de suas porções basais. Com o tratamento instituído houve recuperação funcional completa. CONCLUSÕES: O bloqueio neuromuscular residual associado à paralisia diafragmática e possível atelectasia pulmonar levando a insuficiência respiratória, hipercapnia e descarga adrenérgica foram os fatores desencadeantes da síndrome de Tako-Tsubo com sua grave repercussão clínica.JUSTIFICATIVA Y OBJETIVOS: El Síndrome de Tako-Tsubo es una complicación postoperatoria rara con una mortalidad en torno de un 5%. El objetivo de este relato es presentar el bloqueo neuromuscular residual como factor desencadenante del referido síndrome, discutir sobre él y alertar sobre el bloqueo

Bloqueio neuromuscular prolongado após administração de mivacúrio: relato de caso Bloqueo neuromuscular prolongado después de administración de mivacúrio: relato de caso Prolonged neuromuscular block after mivacurium: case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karina Bernardi Pimenta

2005-10-01

Full Text Available JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: Com a introdução de novos fármacos com ação de curta duração, houve aumento do número de procedimentos realizados em caráter ambulatorial. O mivacúrio com duração de ação entre 15 e 30 minutos e metabolismo enzimático tornou-se opção de bloqueador neuromuscular para estes procedimentos. O relato de caso tem como objetivo chamar a atenção para a ocorrência de bloqueio neuromuscular prolongado após administração do mivacúrio e as condutas que foram adotadas. RELATO DO CASO: Descreve-se um caso de paciente programado para procedimento de curta duração em regime ambulatorial e que apresentou bloqueio neuromuscular prolongado após administração do mivacúrio. O diagnóstico foi posteriormente confirmado pela demonstração de níveis reduzidos de atividade da colinestesterase plasmática. CONCLUSÕES: A investigação laboratorial pré-operatória, mesmo incluindo a dosagem da atividade da colinesterase, não previne a possibilidade do bloqueio neuromuscular prolongado devido à possibilidade de alteração qualitativa da atividade da enzima, não existindo recomendação para investigação sistemática. Ocorrendo esta complicação, deve-se sedar o paciente e manter ventilação mecânica até a completa recuperação da força muscular e realizar exames laboratoriais para o diagnóstico definitivo. É de responsabilidade do anestesiologista a coleta de amostra sangüínea para realização de testes quantitativos e qualitativos da colinesterase plasmática. Paciente e familiares devem ser orientados quanto à importância da investigação para classificação da variante atípica da colinesterase plasmática e suas implicações anestésicas.JUSTIFICATIVA Y OBJETIVOS: Con la introducción de nuevos fármacos con acción de corta duración, hubo aumento del número de procedimientos realizados en carácter ambulatorial. El mivacúrio con duración de acción entre 15 y 30 minutos y

Sorption properties and reversibility of Ti(IV) and Nb(V)-fluoride doped-Ca(BH{sub 4}){sub 2}-MgH{sub 2} system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bonatto Minella, Christian, E-mail: christian.minella@kit.edu [Institute for Metallic Materials, IFW Dresden, Helmholtzstrasse 20, D-01069 Dresden (Germany); Technische Universität Dresden, D-01062 Dresden (Germany); Garroni, Sebastiano [Dipartimento di Chimica e Farmacia, Universitá di Sassari and INSTM, Via Vienna 2, I-07100 Sassari (Italy); Pistidda, Claudio [Institute of Materials Research, Materials Technology, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Zentrum für Material- und Küstenforschung GmbH, Max Planck Str. 1, D-21502 Geesthacht (Germany); Baró, Maria Dolors [Departament de Física, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Bellaterra (Spain); Gutfleisch, Oliver [Materials Science, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Str. 16, 64287 Darmstadt (Germany); Klassen, Thomas; Dornheim, Martin [Institute of Materials Research, Materials Technology, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Zentrum für Material- und Küstenforschung GmbH, Max Planck Str. 1, D-21502 Geesthacht (Germany)

2015-02-15

Highlights: • Faster desorption reaction for doped materials vs. the pure composite system. • Kinetic improvement concerning re-hydrogenation reaction showed by the addition of NbF{sub 5}. • Full characterization of the de-hydrogenation reaction pathway by means of both SR-PXD and {sup 11}B{"1H} MAS-NMR. • Study of the evolution of the chemical state of the additives upon both milling and sorption reactions. - Abstract: In the last decade, alkaline and alkaline earth metal tetrahydroborates have been the focuses of the research due to their high gravimetric and volumetric hydrogen densities. Among them, Ca(BH{sub 4}){sub 2} and the Ca(BH{sub 4}){sub 2} + MgH{sub 2} reactive hydride composites (RHC), were calculated to have the ideal thermodynamic properties which fall within the optimal range for mobile applications. In this study, the addition of NbF{sub 5} or TiF{sub 4} to the Ca(BH{sub 4}){sub 2} + MgH{sub 2} reactive hydride composite system was attempted aiming to obtain a full reversible system with the simultaneous suppression of CaB{sub 12}H{sub 12}. Structural characterization of the specimens was performed by means of in-situ Synchrotron Radiation Powder X-ray diffraction (SR-PXD) and {sup 11}B{"1H} Solid State Magic Angle Spinning-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (MAS-NMR). The evolution of the chemical state of the Nb- and Ti-based additives was monitored by X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES). The addition of NbF{sub 5} or TiF{sub 4} to the Ca(BH{sub 4}){sub 2} + MgH{sub 2} system have not suppressed completely the formation of CaB{sub 12}H{sub 12} and only a slight improvement concerning the reversible reaction was displayed just in the case of Nb-doped composite material.

The implementation of quantitative electromyographic neuromuscular monitoring in an academic anesthesia department.

Science.gov (United States)

Todd, Michael M; Hindman, Bradley J; King, Brian J

2014-08-01

Although experts agree on the importance of quantitative neuromuscular blockade monitoring, particularly for managing reversal, such monitoring is not in widespread use. We describe the processes and results of our departmental experience with the introduction of such quantitative monitoring. In mid-2010, the senior authors became concerned about the management of nondepolarizing neuromuscular blockers (NMB) by providers within the department, based on personal observations and on a review of a departmental quality assurance/adverse event database. This review indicated the occurrence of 2 to 4 reintubations/year in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) that were deemed to be probably or possibly related to inadequate reversal. In response, quantitative blockade equipment (Datex-Omeda ElectroSensor™ EMG system) was installed in all our main operating rooms in January 2011. This introduction was accompanied by an extensive educational effort. Adoption of the system was slow; by mid-2011, the quantitative system was being used in system. In the initial (August 2011) PACU survey of 96 patients receiving nondepolarizing NMBs, 31% had a TOF ratio of ≤0.9, 17% had a ratio of ≤0.8, and 4 patients (4%) had ratios of ≤0.5. A record review showed that the quantitative monitoring system had been used to monitor reversal in only 51% of these patients, and 23% of patients had no evidence of any monitoring, including qualitative TOF assessment. By December of 2012 (after 2 interim PACU monitoring surveys), a fourth survey showed 15% of 101 monitored patients had a TOF ratio ≤0.9, and only 5% had ratios ≤0.8. (P system was present in 83% of cases (P < 0.05 vs August 2011). A final survey in July 2013 showed nearly identical values to those from December 2012. The lowest TOF ratio observed in any patient not receiving a nondepolarizing NMB was 0.92. There were no changes in the patterns of either rocuronium or neostigmine use over the duration of the project (through

The Role of Neuromuscular Changes in Aging and Knee Osteoarthritis on Dynamic Postural Control

Science.gov (United States)

Takacs, Judit; Carpenter, Mark G.; Garland, S. Jayne; Hunt, Michael A.

2013-01-01

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic joint condition, with 30% of those over the age of 75 exhibiting severe radiographic disease. Nearly 50% of those with knee OA have experienced a fall in the past year. Falls are a considerable public health concern, with a high risk of serious injury and a significant socioeconomic impact. The ability to defend against a fall relies on adequate dynamic postural control, and alterations in dynamic postural control are seen with normal aging. Neuromuscular changes associated with aging may be responsible for some of these alterations in dynamic postural control. Even greater neuromuscular deficits, which may impact dynamic postural control and the ability to defend against a fall, are seen in people with knee OA. There is little evidence to date on how knee OA affects the ability to respond to and defend against falls and the neuromuscular changes that contribute to balance deficits. As a result, this review will: summarize the key characteristics of postural responses to an external perturbation, highlight the changes in dynamic postural control seen with normal aging, review the neuromuscular changes associated with aging that have known and possible effects on dynamic postural control, and summarize the neuromuscular changes and balance problems in knee OA. Future research to better understand the role of neuromuscular changes in knee OA and their effect on dynamic postural control will be suggested. Such an understanding is critical to the successful creation and implementation of fall prevention and treatment programs, in order to reduce the excessive risk of falling in knee OA. PMID:23696951

What occupant kinematics and neuromuscular responses tell us about whiplash injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Siegmund, Gunter P

2011-12-01

Literature-based review. To review the published data on occupant kinematic and neuromuscular responses during low-speed impacts and analyze how these data inform our understanding of whiplash injury. A stereotypical kinematic and neuromuscular response has been observed in human subjects exposed to rear-end impacts. Combined with various models of injury, these response data have been used to develop anti-whiplash seats that prevent whiplash injury in many, but not all, individuals exposed to a rear-end crash. Synthesis of the literature. Understanding of the occupant kinematics and neuromuscular responses, combined with data from various seat-related interventions, have shown that differential motion between the superior and inferior ends of the cervical spine is responsible for many whiplash injuries. The number of whiplash injuries not prevented by current anti-whiplash seats suggests than further work remains, possibly related to designing seats that respond dynamically to the occupant and collision properties. Neck muscles alter the head and neck kinematics during the interval in which injury likely occurs, even in initially relaxed occupants. It remains unclear whether muscle activation mitigates or exacerbates whiplash injury. If muscle activation mitigates injury, then advance warning could be used to help occupant tense their muscles before impact. Alternatively, if muscle activation exacerbates whiplash injury, then a loud preimpact sound that uncouples the startle and postural components of the muscle response could reduce peak muscle activation during a whiplash exposure. Our improved understanding of whiplash injury has led to anti-whiplash seats that have prevented many whiplash injuries. Further work remains to optimize these and possibly other systems to further reduce the number of whiplash injuries.

Redox homeostasis and age‐related deficits in neuromuscular integrity and function

Science.gov (United States)

Lightfoot, Adam P.; Earl, Kate E.; Stofanko, Martin; McDonagh, Brian

2017-01-01

Abstract Skeletal muscle is a major site of metabolic activity and is the most abundant tissue in the human body. Age‐related muscle atrophy (sarcopenia) and weakness, characterized by progressive loss of lean muscle mass and function, is a major contributor to morbidity and has a profound effect on the quality of life of older people. With a continuously growing older population (estimated 2 billion of people aged >60 by 2050), demand for medical and social care due to functional deficits, associated with neuromuscular ageing, will inevitably increase. Despite the importance of this ‘epidemic’ problem, the primary biochemical and molecular mechanisms underlying age‐related deficits in neuromuscular integrity and function have not been fully determined. Skeletal muscle generates reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) from a variety of subcellular sources, and age‐associated oxidative damage has been suggested to be a major factor contributing to the initiation and progression of muscle atrophy inherent with ageing. RONS can modulate a variety of intracellular signal transduction processes, and disruption of these events over time due to altered redox control has been proposed as an underlying mechanism of ageing. The role of oxidants in ageing has been extensively examined in different model organisms that have undergone genetic manipulations with inconsistent findings. Transgenic and knockout rodent studies have provided insight into the function of RONS regulatory systems in neuromuscular ageing. This review summarizes almost 30 years of research in the field of redox homeostasis and muscle ageing, providing a detailed discussion of the experimental approaches that have been undertaken in murine models to examine the role of redox regulation in age‐related muscle atrophy and weakness. PMID:28744984

Magnetization and ESR studies of La{sub 0.67}(Ca{sub 1−x}Mg{sub x}){sub 0.33}MnO{sub 3} systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sendil Kumar, A., E-mail: sendilphy@gmail.com [School of Physics, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500 046 (India); Ravinder Reddy, K [School of Engineering Sciences & Technology, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500 046 (India); Bhatnagar, Anil K. [School of Physics, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500 046 (India); School of Engineering Sciences & Technology, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500 046 (India)

2015-08-05

Highlights: • Mg substitution reduces the ferromagnetic strength. • Inhomogeneous broadening is due to phase separation. • Griffiths phase existence is probed. - Abstract: Magnetization studies and line shape analysis on Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) spectra of La{sub 0.67}(Ca{sub 1−x}Mg{sub x}){sub 0.33}MnO{sub 3} are carried out. In paramagnetic phase well above T{sub c}, the ESR spectra are single Lorentzian but below and near T{sup ∗}{sub ΔHPP}, (T{sup ∗}{sub ΔHPP} is temperature at which line width is minimum) inhomogeneous broadening with asymmetry in the signal is observed due to phase separation. The resonance field below T{sup ∗}{sub ΔHPP} decreases with decreasing temperature. Above T{sub c} the intensity of the ESR spectra obeys the thermally activated model (Arrhenius behavior). Substitution of Mg weakens the ferromagnetic interaction and evolution of change in lineshape near T{sub c} is an evidence of Griffiths phase (coexistence of paramagnetic and ferromagnetic) in Mg doped LCMO system.

Electronic conductivity in glasses of the TeO sub 2 -V sub 2 O sub 5 -MoO sub 3 system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lebrun, N.; Levy, M; Souquet, J.L. (URA D1213-E.N.S.E.E.G., Saint Martin d' Heres (France). Laboratoire d' Ionique et d' Electrochimie du Solide)

1990-08-01

Conductivity and redox potential on glasses of the TeO{sub 2}-V{sub 2}O{sub 5}-MoO{sub 3} system have been measured. For temperatures between 20 to 200 pC, the electronic conductivity proceed by an activated mechanism. Variations of the pre-exponential factor interpreted by the small polaron theory indicate that only the vanadium ions are involved in the conduction mechanism. Cyclic voltamperometry measurements performed on TeO{sub 2}V{sub 2}O{sub 4}-MoO{sub 3} glasses as working electrode show that at 1 V difference between the V{sup +V}/V{sup +IV} and Mo{sup +I}/Mo{sup +V} redox potentials exists in the glassy material. This correspondend to an energy gap which may be to large to allow the electron transition from vanadium to molybdenum ions. (author). 13 refs.; 4 figs.; 1 tab.

Sport-specific functional movement can simulate aspects of neuromuscular fatigue occurring in team sports.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilke, Jan; Fleckenstein, Johannes; Krause, Frieder; Vogt, Lutz; Banzer, Winfried

2016-06-01

Fatigue protocols have been used over the years to examine muscular exhaustion. As an alternative to approaches in laboratory settings, functional agility protocols claiming to mimic the multifaceted loads of athletic activity have been proposed. This study aimed to examine the effects of a functional agility short-term fatigue protocol (FAST-FP) on neuromuscular function. Twenty-eight healthy sports students (15 males, aged 24.3 ± 2.4 years) completed the FAST-FP, which consists of four components: three counter-movement jumps (90% of individual maximum), a 20-s bout of step-ups, three bodyweight squats and an agility run. Tasks were repeated until the participants no longer achieved the required jump height in two consecutive sets. Outcomes (pre-post) encompassed subjective exhaustion (visual analogue scale [VAS]), maximum isometric voluntary force of the knee extensors (MIVF), reactive strength index (RSI), mean power frequency (MPF, measured using surface electromyography) and maximum knee range of motion (ROM). Post-intervention, VAS (+54 mm) increased significantly, while MIVF (-6.1%), RSI (-10.7%) and MPF (-4.1%) were reduced (p  0.05). The FAST-FP induces small-to-moderate impairments in neuromuscular function and considerable self-perceived fatigue. Current evidence on exhaustion developing in team sports suggests that this magnitude of fatigue is similar. The protocol might thus be valuable in the evaluation of treatments counteracting post-match fatigue in team sports.

Tai Chi and vestibular rehabilitation improve vestibulopathic gait via different neuromuscular mechanisms: Preliminary report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Parker Stephen W

2005-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Vestibular rehabilitation (VR is a well-accepted exercise program intended to remedy balance impairment caused by damage to the peripheral vestibular system. Alternative therapies, such as Tai Chi (TC, have recently gained popularity as a treatment for balance impairment. Although VR and TC can benefit people with vestibulopathy, the degree to which gait improvements may be related to neuromuscular adaptations of the lower extremities for the two different therapies are unknown. Methods We examined the relationship between lower extremity neuromuscular function and trunk control in 36 older adults with vestibulopathy, randomized to 10 weeks of either VR or TC exercise. Time-distance measures (gait speed, step length, stance duration and step width, lower extremity sagittal plane mechanical energy expenditures (MEE, and trunk sagittal and frontal plane kinematics (peak and range of linear and angular velocity, were measured. Results Although gait time-distance measures were improved in both groups following treatment, no significant between-groups differences were observed for the MEE and trunk kinematic measures. Significant within groups changes, however, were observed. The TC group significantly increased ankle MEE contribution and decreased hip MEE contribution to total leg MEE, while no significant changes were found within the VR group. The TC group exhibited a positive relationship between change in leg MEE and change in trunk velocity peak and range, while the VR group exhibited a negative relationship. Conclusion Gait function improved in both groups consistent with expectations of the interventions. Differences in each group's response to therapy appear to suggest that improved gait function may be due to different neuromuscular adaptations resulting from the different interventions. The TC group's improvements were associated with reorganized lower extremity neuromuscular patterns, which appear to promote a faster

IEA PVPS Task 3. Use of photovoltaic systems in stand-alone and island applications. 'Swiss participation'; IEA PVPS Task 3. Use of photovoltaic systems in stand-alone and island applications. 'Participation Suisse'

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Villoz, M. [Dynatex SA, Morges (Switzerland)

2004-07-01

This report describes the work done during five years of the second phase of Task 3 of the photovoltaic power systems programme of the International Energy Agency (IEA-PVPS). Task 3 activities were concentrated on stand-alone photovoltaic systems with the main effort on improving the quality and reducing the cost of these systems. The work was divided in 2 sub-tasks whose first one was concentrated on quality insurance schemes and second one on technical recommendations coming from practical experience. Twelve original reports have been published covering topics that can be sorted in 4 categories: the first one is dedicated on quality issues with a review of existing standards in the participating countries and a double paper giving quality assurance recommendations on project management and examples of applying these rules in practical cases. The second category dwelled on photovoltaic systems with papers on charge controllers, on lightning protection and monitoring of systems. The third category presents interesting studies on the storage of energy which remains the main subject where improvements should be made in order to lower the cost of energy; four papers describe the management and the test procedures of lead-acid batteries, how to choose a lead-acid battery and finally are there alternatives to lead-acid batteries for the storage of photovoltaic electricity. The last category worked on loads and users of renewable energy and gives a large amount of experience with loads, how to choose them and how the energy can be better used through demand side management. (author)

Effects of sugammadex on incidence of postoperative residual neuromuscular blockade: a randomized, controlled study.

Science.gov (United States)

Brueckmann, B; Sasaki, N; Grobara, P; Li, M K; Woo, T; de Bie, J; Maktabi, M; Lee, J; Kwo, J; Pino, R; Sabouri, A S; McGovern, F; Staehr-Rye, A K; Eikermann, M

2015-11-01

This study aimed to investigate whether reversal of rocuronium-induced neuromuscular blockade with sugammadex reduced the incidence of residual blockade and facilitated operating room discharge readiness. Adult patients undergoing abdominal surgery received rocuronium, followed by randomized allocation to sugammadex (2 or 4 mg kg(-1)) or usual care (neostigmine/glycopyrrolate, dosing per usual care practice) for reversal of neuromuscular blockade. Timing of reversal agent administration was based on the providers' clinical judgement. Primary endpoint was the presence of residual neuromuscular blockade at PACU admission, defined as a train-of-four (TOF) ratio sugammadex patients and 33 out of 76 (43.4%) usual care patients had TOF-Watch SX-assessed residual neuromuscular blockade at PACU admission (odds ratio 0.0, 95% CI [0-0.06], Psugammadex vs usual care (14.7 vs. 18.6 min respectively; P=0.02). After abdominal surgery, sugammadex reversal eliminated residual neuromuscular blockade in the PACU, and shortened the time from start of study medication administration to the time the patient was ready for discharge from the operating room. Clinicaltrials.gov:NCT01479764. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Journal of Anaesthesia. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Intelligent Engine Systems Work Element 1.3: Sub System Health Management

Science.gov (United States)

Ashby, Malcolm; Simpson, Jeffrey; Singh, Anant; Ferguson, Emily; Frontera, mark

2005-01-01

The objectives of this program were to develop health monitoring systems and physics-based fault detection models for engine sub-systems including the start, lubrication, and fuel. These models will ultimately be used to provide more effective sub-system fault identification and isolation to reduce engine maintenance costs and engine down-time. Additionally, the bearing sub-system health is addressed in this program through identification of sensing requirements, a review of available technologies and a demonstration of a demonstration of a conceptual monitoring system for a differential roller bearing. This report is divided into four sections; one for each of the subtasks. The start system subtask is documented in section 2.0, the oil system is covered in section 3.0, bearing in section 4.0, and the fuel system is presented in section 5.0.

(Solid + liquid) isothermal evaporation phase equilibria in the aqueous ternary system (Li{sub 2}SO{sub 4} + MgSO{sub 4} + H{sub 2}O) at T = 308.15 K

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang Shiqiang [Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining 810008 (China); Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039 (China); Deng Tianlong [Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining 810008 (China); College of Materials, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chengdu University Technology, Chengdu 610059 (China)], E-mail: dtl@cdut.edu.cn

2008-06-15

The solubility and the density in the aqueous ternary system (Li{sub 2}SO{sub 4} + MgSO{sub 4} + H{sub 2}O) at T = 308.15 K were determined by the isothermal evaporation. Our experimental results permitted the construction of the phase diagram and the plot of density against composition. It was found that there is one eutectic point for (Li{sub 2}SO{sub 4} . H{sub 2}O + MgSO{sub 4} . 7H{sub 2}O), two univariant curves, and two crystallization regions corresponding to lithium sulphate monohydrate (Li{sub 2}SO{sub 4} . H{sub 2}O) and epsomite (MgSO{sub 4} . 7H{sub 2}O). The system belongs to a simple co-saturated type, and neither double salts nor solid solution was found. Based on the Pitzer ion-interaction model and its extended HW models of aqueous electrolyte solution, the solubility of the ternary system at T = 308.15 K has been calculated. The predicted solubility agrees well with the experimental values.

NMR Studies of the Vanadium Spin Dynamics and Spin Structure in LiV<sub>2sub>O>4sub>, CaV<sub>2sub>O>4sub>, and (Li<sub>xV>1-xsub>)>3sub>BO>5sub> (x ≈ 0.33, 0.40)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zong, Xiaopeng [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

2007-01-01

Strong electron correlation is believed to be an essential and unifying factor in diverse properties of condensed matter systems. Ground states that can arise due to electron correlation effects include Mott insulators, heavy fermion, ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism, spin glasses, and high-temperature superconductivity. The electronic systems in transition metal oxide compounds are often highly correlated. In this thesis, the author presents experimental studies on three strongly correlated vanadium oxide compounds: LiV<sub>2sub>O>4sub>, (Li<sub>xV>1-xsub>)>3sub>BO>5sub>, and CaV<sub>2sub>O>4sub>, which have completely different ground states.

Solid state reaction studies in Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}–TiO{sub 2} system by diffusion couple method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ren, Zhongshan [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Metallurgy, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China); School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China); Hu, Xiaojun, E-mail: huxiaojun@ustb.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Metallurgy, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China); School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China); Xue, Xiangxin [School of Materials and Metallurgy, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110006 (China); Chou, Kuochih [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Metallurgy, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China); School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China)

2013-12-15

Highlights: •The solid state reactions of Fe2O3-TiO2 system was studied by the diffusion couple method. •Different products were formed by diffusion, and the FeTiO3 was more stable phase. •The inter-diffusion coefficients and diffusion activation energy were estimated. -- Abstract: The solid state reactions in Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}–TiO{sub 2} system has been studied by diffusion couple experiments at 1323–1473 K, in which the oxygen partial pressure was controlled by the CO–CO{sub 2} gas mixture. The XRD analysis was used to confirm the phases of the inter-compound, and the concentration profiles were determined by electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). Based on the concentration profile of Ti, the inter-diffusion coefficients in Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} phase, which were both temperature and concentration of Ti ions dependent, were calculated by the modified Boltzmann–Matano method. According to the relation between the thickness of diffusion layer and temperature, the diffusion coefficient of the Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}–TiO{sub 2} system was obtained. According to the Arrhenius equation, the estimated diffusion activation energy was about 282.1 ± 18.8 kJ mol{sup −1}.

Study on CO{sub 2} Recovery System Design in Supercritical CO{sub 2} Cycle for SFR Application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Min Seok; Jung, Hwa-Young; Lee, Jeong Ik [KAIST, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

As a part of Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (SFR) development in Korea, the supercritical CO{sub 2} (S-CO{sub 2}) Brayton cycle is considered as an alternative power conversion system to eliminate sodium-water reaction (SWR) when the current conventional steam Rankine cycle is utilized with SFR. The parasitic loss caused by the leakage flow should be minimized since this greatly influences the cycle efficiency. Thus, a simple model for estimating the critical flow in a turbo-machinery seal was developed to predict the leakage flow rate and calculate the required total mass of working fluid in a S-CO{sub 2} power system to minimize the parasitic loss. In this work, study on CO{sub 2} recovery system design was conducted by finding the suitable recovery point with the developed simple CO{sub 2} critical flow model and sensitivity analysis was performed on the power system performance with respect to multiple CO{sub 2} recovery process options. The study of a CO{sub 2} recovery system design was conducted to minimize the thermal efficiency losses caused by CO{sub 2} inventory recovery system. For the first step, the configuration of a seal was selected. A labyrinth seal has suitable features for the S-CO{sub 2} power cycle application. Then, thermal efficiency losses with different CO{sub 2} leak rate and recovery point were evaluated. To calculate the leak rate in turbo-machinery by using the developed CO{sub 2} critical flow model, the conditions of storage tank is set to be closer to the recovery point. After modifying the critical flow model appropriately, total mass flow rate of leakage flow was calculated. Finally, the CO{sub 2} recovery system design work was performed to minimize the loss of thermal efficiency. The suggested system is not only simple and intuitive but also has relatively very low additional work loss from the compressor than other considered systems. When each leak rate is set to the conventional leakage rate of 1 kg/s per seal, the minimum and

Lattice parameters values and phase diagram for the Cu{sub 2}Zn{sub 1−z}Mn{sub z}GeSe{sub 4} alloy system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Caldera, D. [Centro de Estudios de Semiconductores, Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida 5101 (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of); Quintero, M., E-mail: mquinter@ula.ve [Centro de Estudios de Semiconductores, Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida 5101 (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of); Morocoima, M.; Moreno, E.; Quintero, E.; Grima-Gallardo, P.; Bocaranda, P. [Centro de Estudios de Semiconductores, Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida 5101 (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of); Henao, J.A.; Macías, M.A. [Grupo de Investigación en Química Estructural (GIQUE), Facultad de Ciencias, Escuela de Química, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Apartado aéreo 678, Bucaramanga (Colombia); Briceño, J.M.; Mora, A.E. [Laboratorio de Análisis Químico y Estructura de Materiales, Departamento de Física, Universidad de Los Andes, Mérida 5101 (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of)

2014-11-25

Highlights: • The samples were annealed at 500 °C for 1 month. • Samples in the ranges 0 < z < 0.375 had the tetragonal stannite α structure (I4{sup ¯}2m). • For 0.725 < z ⩽ 1 the wurtz–stannite δ structure (Pmn2{sub 1}). • Undercooling effects occur for samples in the range 0.725 < z < 0.925. - Abstract: The T(z) phase diagram of the Cu{sub 2}Zn{sub 1−z}Mn{sub z}GeSe{sub 4} alloy system is obtained from X-ray diffraction and differential thermal analysis DTA. At room temperature, the X-ray diffraction data showed that samples in the ranges 0 < z < 0.375 had the tetragonal stannite α structure (I4{sup ¯}2m), while for 0.725 < z ⩽ 1 the wurtz–stannite δ structure (Pmn2{sub 1}). The α and δ fields are separated by a relative wide three-phase field (α + δ + MnSe{sub 2}). The DTA thermograms were used to construct the phase diagram of the Cu{sub 2}Zn{sub 1−z}Mn{sub z}GeSe{sub 4} alloy system. It was confirmed that the Cu{sub 2}ZnGeSe{sub 4} and Cu{sub 2}MnGeSe{sub 4} compounds melt incongruently. It was observed that undercooling effects occur for samples in the range 0.725 < z < 0.925.

Neuromuscular dentistry: Occlusal diseases and posture.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Mohd Toseef; Verma, Sanjeev Kumar; Maheshwari, Sandhya; Zahid, Syed Naved; Chaudhary, Prabhat K

2013-01-01

Neuromuscular dentistry has been a controversial topic in the field of dentistry and still remains debatable. The issue of good occlusion and sound health has been repeatedly discussed. Sometimes we get complains of sensitive teeth and sometimes of tired facial muscles on getting up in the morning. Owing to the intimate relation of masticatory apparatus with the cranium and cervico-scapular muscular system, the disorders in any system, draw attention from concerned clinicians involved in management, to develop an integrated treatment protocol for the suffering patients. There may be patients reporting to the dental clinics after an occlusal restoration or extraction, having pain in or around the temporomandibular joint, headache or neck pain. Although their esthetic demands must not be undermined during the course of treatment plan, whenever dental treatment of any sort is planned, occlusion/bite should be given prime importance. Very few dentist are able to diagnose the occlusal disease and of those who diagnose many people resort to aggressive treatment modalities. This paper aims to report the signs of occlusal disease, and discuss their association with TMDs and posture.

Structure and electrical conduction of the system La sub(1-x)Ca sub(x)FeO sub(3-. cap alpha. )

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hombo, Jukichi; Urabe, Noriake [Kumamoto Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Engineering; Hiroshige, Gota; Hamada, Kotaro

1982-08-01

Perovskite phases in the system, La sub(1-x)Ca sub(x)FeO sub(3-..cap alpha..) were prepared with La/sub 2/O/sub 3/, CaCO/sub 3/, and Fe/sub 2/O/sub 3/ by firing in air and in vacuo. The compositions of samples fired in vacuo and in air are represented as La sub(1-x)Ca sub(x)FeO sub(3-x 2) and La sub(1-x)Ca sub(x)Fe sub(1-y)sup(3+)Fe sub(y)sup(4+)O sub(3-x/2+y/2), respectively. That is, samples fired in vacuo contain some oxygen vacancies and no tetravalent iron; in contrast, samples fired in air contain both oxygen vacancies and tetravalent iron in the structures. The electrical conductivities of these synthesized oxides depended extensively upon the content of tetravalent iron. For instance, the conductivity of the sample x = 0.6 fired in air was larger by 10/sup 6/ than that of the sample fired in vacuo. In this system, except for the two terminal compositions of x = 0 and x = 1.0, the values of activation energy for conduction are considerably small, and from the results of thermo-electromotive force measurement, the charge carrier was positive. Furthermore, the conductivity increased somewhat with time during the conductivity measurement by the direct-current method. These facts suggest that the electric conduction would not be ionic but electronic. The electrical conduction would then be carried out by the so-called hopping mechanism by which the positive charge is transferred.

Sleep Extension before Sleep Loss: Effects on Performance and Neuromuscular Function.

Science.gov (United States)

Arnal, Pierrick J; Lapole, Thomas; Erblang, Mégane; Guillard, Mathias; Bourrilhon, Cyprien; Léger, Damien; Chennaoui, Mounir; Millet, Guillaume Y

2016-08-01

This study aimed to investigate the effects of six nights of sleep extension on motor performance and associated neuromuscular function before and after one night of total sleep deprivation (TSD). Twelve healthy men participated in two experimental conditions (randomized crossover design): extended sleep (EXT, 9.8 ± 0.1 h time in bed) and habitual sleep (HAB, 8.2 ± 0.1 h time in bed). In each condition, subjects performed six nights of either EXT or HAB at home followed by an assessment of motor performance and neuromuscular function at baseline (D0) and after one night of TSD, i.e., 34-37 h of continuous wakefulness (D1). Maximal voluntary contractions with superimposed femoral nerve electrical and transcranial magnetic stimulations and stimulations on relaxed muscles were investigated before and after submaximal isometric knee extensor exercises performed until task failure. Time to exhaustion was longer in EXT compared with HAB (+3.9% ± 7.7% and +8.1% ± 12.3% at D0 and D1, respectively). Performance at D1 decreased from D0 similarly between conditions (-7.2% ± 5.6% and -3.7% ± 7.3% in HAB and EXT, respectively). At D1, the RPE during exercise was lower in EXT compared with HAB (-7.2% ± 7.5%) with no difference at D0. No difference was observed in voluntary activation between the two conditions. Six nights of sleep extension improved sustained contraction time to exhaustion, and this result cannot be explained by smaller reductions in voluntary activation, measured by both nerve and transcranial magnetic stimulation. The beneficial effect on motor performance in the EXT condition was likely due to reduced RPE after TSD.

Neuromuscular signs associated with acute hypophosphatemia in a dog.

Science.gov (United States)

Claus, Kimberly N; Day, Thomas K; Wolf, Christina

2015-01-01

The purpose of this report was to describe the successful recognition and management of neuromuscular dysfunction secondary to severe, acute hypophosphatemia in an adult dog with a 2 day history of vomiting, anorexia, and abdominal pain. Radiographs were suggestive of a foreign body obstruction, and surgery was recommended. Resection and anastomosis of the distal duodenum and proximal jejunum was performed. The dog recovered uneventfully, but approximately 36 hr postoperatively, he was found to have significant weakness and muscle tremors that were accompanied by hyperthermia. The only significant abnormality on a serum biochemical profile was a phosphorous level of 0.26 mmol/L. Within 6 hr of initiating phosphorous supplementation, the patient fully recovered and had no residual signs of neuromuscular dysfunction. Signs of neurologic dysfunction secondary to hypophosphatemia are commonly recognized in human patients. Reports of patients with severe muscle weakness, some of which necessitate ventilation due to weakening of muscles of respiration, are common throughout the literature. Less commonly, tremors are noted. This is the first known report of neuromuscular signs recognized and rapidly corrected in a dog. Although it is likely to be uncommon, hypophosphatemia should be recognized as a differential diagnosis in patients with tremors and/or muscle weakness.

Effects of aquatic balance training and detraining on neuromuscular performance and balance in healthy middle aged male

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Abbasi

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Since disorders in neuromuscular performance and imbalance are the main cause of fallingamong the middle aged, their aspects including rehabilitation of balance are the main concern theresearchers attend to them. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of eight weeks aquaticbalance training (ABT and detraining on neuromuscular performance and balance in healthy middle agedmale.Materials and Methods: Thirty adult male subjects were randomized into two groups of ABT and control(n=15 per group. Berg balance scale, Timed Up and Go and 5-Chair stand tests, as they are indicators ofbalance and neuromuscular performance in older subjects, were taken as pretest and post-test and after four,six, and eight weeks of detraining as well. The ABT consisted of the sessions that lasted one hour, threetimes a week, for eight weeks.Results: Results showed that neuromuscular performance and balance improved significantly in ABTgroup (P 0.05.Conclusion: ABT can affect neuromuscular performance and balance in healthy middle aged male, andreduce the probability of falling among them. Moreover, the effects of these training are persistent afterdetraining periods. Hence, ABT can be recommended as an effective neuromuscular and balance training inhealthy middle aged male

Crystallization of Zr<sub>2sub>Pd_xCu>1-xsub> and Zr<sub>2sub>Ni_xCu>1-xsub> Metallic Glass

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Min [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

2008-01-01

One interesting aspect of rretallic glasses is the numerous instances of the deviation of the phase selection from the amorphous state to thermodynamically stable phases during the crystallization process. Their devitrification pathways allow us to study the relationship between the original amorphous structure and their crystalline counter parts. Among the various factors of phase selections, size and electronic effects have been most extensively studied. Elucidating the phase selection process of a glassy alloy will be helpful to fill in the puzzle of the changes from disordered to ordered structures. In this thesis, Two model Zr<sub>2sub>Pd_xCu>1-xsub> and Zr<sub>2sub>Ni_xCu>1-xsub> (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1) glassy systems were investigated since: (1) All of the samples can be made into a homogenous metallic glass; (2) The atomic radii differ from Pd to Cu is by 11%, while Ni has nearly the identical atomic size compare to Cu. Moreover, Pd and Ni differ by only one valence electron from Cu. Thus, these systems are ideal to test the idea of the effects of electronic structure and size factors; (3) The small number of components in these pseudo binary systems readily lend themselves to theoretical modeling. Using high temperature X-ray diffraction (HTXRD) and thermal analysis, topological, size, electronic, bond and chemical distribution factors on crystallization selections in Zr<sub>2sub>Pd_xCu>1-xsub> and Zr<sub>2sub>Ni_xCu>1-xsub> metallic glass have been explored. All Zr<sub>2sub>Pd_xCu>1-xsub> compositions share the same Cu11b phase with different pathways of meta-stable, icosahedral quasicrystalline phase (i-phase), and C16 phase formations. The quasicrystal phase formation is topologically related to the increasing icosahedral short range order (SRO) with Pd content in Zr<sub>2sub>Pd_xCu>1-xsub> system. Meta-stable C16 phase is competitive with

Neuromuscular junction formation between human stem cell-derived motoneurons and human skeletal muscle in a defined system.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Xiufang; Gonzalez, Mercedes; Stancescu, Maria; Vandenburgh, Herman H; Hickman, James J

2011-12-01

Functional in vitro models composed of human cells will constitute an important platform in the next generation of system biology and drug discovery. This study reports a novel human-based in vitro Neuromuscular Junction (NMJ) system developed in a defined serum-free medium and on a patternable non-biological surface. The motoneurons and skeletal muscles were derived from fetal spinal stem cells and skeletal muscle stem cells. The motoneurons and skeletal myotubes were completely differentiated in the co-culture based on morphological analysis and electrophysiology. NMJ formation was demonstrated by phase contrast microscopy, immunocytochemistry and the observation of motoneuron-induced muscle contractions utilizing time-lapse recordings and their subsequent quenching by d-Tubocurarine. Generally, functional human based systems would eliminate the issue of species variability during the drug development process and its derivation from stem cells bypasses the restrictions inherent with utilization of primary human tissue. This defined human-based NMJ system is one of the first steps in creating functional in vitro systems and will play an important role in understanding NMJ development, in developing high information content drug screens and as test beds in preclinical studies for spinal or muscular diseases/injuries such as muscular dystrophy, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and spinal cord repair. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neuromuscular junction formation between human stem-cell-derived motoneurons and rat skeletal muscle in a defined system.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Xiufang; Das, Mainak; Rumsey, John; Gonzalez, Mercedes; Stancescu, Maria; Hickman, James

2010-12-01

To date, the coculture of motoneurons (MNs) and skeletal muscle in a defined in vitro system has only been described in one study and that was between rat MNs and rat skeletal muscle. No in vitro studies have demonstrated human MN to rat muscle synapse formation, although numerous studies have attempted to implant human stem cells into rat models to determine if they could be of therapeutic use in disease or spinal injury models, although with little evidence of neuromuscular junction (NMJ) formation. In this report, MNs differentiated from human spinal cord stem cells, together with rat skeletal myotubes, were used to build a coculture system to demonstrate that NMJ formation between human MNs and rat skeletal muscles is possible. The culture was characterized by morphology, immunocytochemistry, and electrophysiology, while NMJ formation was demonstrated by immunocytochemistry and videography. This defined system provides a highly controlled reproducible model for studying the formation, regulation, maintenance, and repair of NMJs. The in vitro coculture system developed here will be an important model system to study NMJ development, the physiological and functional mechanism of synaptic transmission, and NMJ- or synapse-related disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, as well as for drug screening and therapy design.

A new approach to anesthesia management in myasthenia gravis: reversal of neuromuscular blockade by sugammadex.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boer, H.D. de; Egmond, J. van; Driessen, J.J.; Booij, L.H.D.J.

2010-01-01

A neuromuscular blocking drug (NMBD) induced neuromuscular blockade (NMB) in patients with myasthenia gravis usually dissipates either spontaneously or by administration of neostigmine. We administered sugammadex to a patient with myasthenia gravis to reverse a rocuronium-induced profound NMB. NMBDs

Acute neuromuscular weakness associated with dengue infection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harmanjit Singh Hira

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Dengue infections may present with neurological complications. Whether these are due to neuromuscular disease or electrolyte imbalance is unclear. Materials and Methods: Eighty-eight patients of dengue fever required hospitalization during epidemic in year 2010. Twelve of them presented with acute neuromuscular weakness. We enrolled them for study. Diagnosis of dengue infection based on clinical profile of patients, positive serum IgM ELISA, NS1 antigen, and sero-typing. Complete hemogram, kidney and liver functions, serum electrolytes, and creatine phosphokinase (CPK were tested. In addition, two patients underwent nerve conduction velocity (NCV test and electromyography. Results: Twelve patients were included in the present study. Their age was between 18 and 34 years. Fever, myalgia, and motor weakness of limbs were most common presenting symptoms. Motor weakness developed on 2 nd to 4 th day of illness in 11 of 12 patients. In one patient, it developed on 10 th day of illness. Ten of 12 showed hypokalemia. One was of Guillain-Barré syndrome and other suffered from myositis; they underwent NCV and electromyography. Serum CPK and SGOT raised in 8 out of 12 patients. CPK of patient of myositis was 5098 IU. All of 12 patients had thrombocytopenia. WBC was in normal range. Dengue virus was isolated in three patients, and it was of serotype 1. CSF was normal in all. Within 24 hours, those with hypokalemia recovered by potassium correction. Conclusions: It was concluded that the dengue virus infection led to acute neuromuscular weakness because of hypokalemia, myositis, and Guillain-Barré syndrome. It was suggested to look for presence of hypokalemia in such patients.

Effects of intensive physical rehabilitation on neuromuscular adaptations in adults with poststroke hemiparesis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Lars L; Zeeman, Peter; Jørgensen, Jørgen R

2011-01-01

consisting of isokinetic muscle strength, neuromuscular activation measured with electromyography (EMG), electrically evoked muscle twitch contractile properties, and gait performance (10-m Walk Test and 6-min Walk Test). After the 12-week conditioning program, knee extensor and flexor strength increased...... the effect of intensive physical rehabilitation on neuromuscular and functional adaptations in outpatients suffering from hemiparesis after stroke. A within-subject repeated-measures design with the paretic leg as the experimental leg and the nonparetic leg as the control leg was used. Eleven outpatients...... observed in the nonparetic control leg. Gait performance increased 52-68%. In conclusion, intensive physical rehabilitation after stroke leads to clinically relevant neuromuscular improvements, leading to increased voluntary strength during a wide range of contraction modes and velocities, and improved...

Neuromuscular Responses to Simulated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Fights

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Corrêa da Silva Bruno Victor

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate the neuromuscular performance responses following successive Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ fights. Twenty-three BJJ athletes (age: 26.3 ± 6.3 years; body mass: 79.4 ± 9.7 kg; body height: 1.80 ± 0.1 m undertook 3 simulated BJJ fights (10 min duration each separated by 15 min of rest. Neuromuscular performance was measured by the bench press throw (BPT and vertical counter movement jump (VCMJ tests, assessed before the 1st fight (Pre and after the last one (Post. Blood lactate (LA was measured at Pre, 1 min Post, and 15 min Post fights. Paired t-tests were employed in order to compare the BPT and VCMJ results. One-way ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc tests were utilized to compare LA responses. The results revealed a significant (p < 0.05 increase in VCMJ performance (40.8 ± 5.5 cm Pre vs. 42.0 ± 5.8 cm Post, but no significant changes in the BPT (814 ± 167 W Pre vs. 835 ± 213 W Post were observed. LA concentration increased significantly (p < 0.05 at Post, both in the 1st min and the 15th min of recovery. We concluded that successive simulated BJJ fights demanded considerable anaerobic contribution of ATP supply, reinforcing the high-intensity intermittent nature of the sport. Nevertheless, no negative impact on acute neuromuscular performance (power was observed.

The effects of neuromuscular training on knee joint motor control during sidecutting in female elite soccer and handball players.

Science.gov (United States)

Zebis, Mette K; Bencke, Jesper; Andersen, Lars L; Døssing, Simon; Alkjaer, Tine; Magnusson, S Peter; Kjaer, Michael; Aagaard, Per

2008-07-01

The project aimed to implement neuromuscular training during a full soccer and handball league season and to experimentally analyze the neuromuscular adaptation mechanisms elicited by this training during a standardized sidecutting maneuver known to be associated with non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. The players were tested before and after 1 season without implementation of the prophylactic training and subsequently before and after a full season with the implementation of prophylactic training. A total of 12 female elite soccer players and 8 female elite team handball players aged 26 +/- 3 years at the start of the study. The subjects participated in a specific neuromuscular training program previously shown to reduce non-contact ACL injury. Neuromuscular activity at the knee joint, joint angles at the hip and knee, and ground reaction forces were recorded during a sidecutting maneuver. Neuromuscular activity in the prelanding phase was obtained 10 and 50 ms before foot strike on a force plate and at 10 and 50 ms after foot strike on a force plate. Neuromuscular training markedly increased before activity and landing activity electromyography (EMG) of the semitendinosus (P Neuromuscular training increased EMG activity for the medial hamstring muscles, thereby decreasing the risk of dynamic valgus. This observed neuromuscular adaptation during sidecutting could potentially reduce the risk for non-contact ACL injury.

Modelling of the solid state electrochromic system WO/sub 3//HSbO/sub 3/ x 2H/sub 2/O/Ni(OH)/sub 2/

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lagzdons, J L; Bajars, G E; Lusis, A R [AN Litovskoj SSR, Vilnyus. Inst. Fiziki Poluprovodnikov

1984-08-16

The problem of compatibility of electrochromic materials (ECM) with the solid electrolyte and the selection of solid electrolytes has been studied by means of modelling. The model electrochromic system (ECS) containing cathodically coloring ECM (WO/sub 3/), anodically coloring ECM (Ni(OH)/sub 2/), and a solid proton electrolyte (HSbO/sub 3/ x 2H/sub 2/O), as well as ECS containing H/sub x/WO/sub 3/ as counterelectrode has been investigated by the aid of cyclic voltammograms. Results show the compatibility of both the cathodic (WO/sub 3/) and anodic (Ni(OH)/sub 2/) ECM with solid proton electrolyte. Effective electrochromic devices can be worked out on their basis.

A framework for cognitive task analysis in systems design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rasmussen, J.

1985-08-01

The present rapid development if advanced information technology and its use for support of operators of complex technical systems are changing the content of task analysis towards the analysis of mental activities in decision making. Automation removes the humans from routine tasks, and operators are left with disturbance control and critical diagnostic tasks, for which computers are suitable for support, if it is possible to match the computer strategies and interface formats dynamically to the requirements of the current task by means of an analysis of the cognitive task. Such a cognitive task analysis will not aim at a description of the information processes suited for particular control situations. It will rather aim at an analysis in order to identify the requirements to be considered along various dimensions of the decision tasks, in order to give the user - i.e. a decision maker - the freedom to adapt his performance to system requirements in a way which matches his process resources and subjective preferences. To serve this purpose, a number of analyses at various levels are needed to relate the control requirements of the system to the information processes and to the processing resources offered by computers and humans. The paper discusses the cognitive task analysis in terms of the following domains: The problem domain, which is a representation of the functional properties of the system giving a consistent framework for identification of the control requirements of the system; the decision sequences required for typical situations; the mental strategies and heuristics which are effective and acceptable for the different decision functions; and the cognitive control mechanisms used, depending upon the level of skill which can/will be applied. Finally, the end-users' criteria for choice of mental strategies in the actual situation are considered, and the need for development of criteria for judging the ultimate user acceptance of computer support is

[Neuromuscular disease: respiratory clinical assessment and follow-up].

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez Carrasco, C; Villa Asensi, J R; Luna Paredes, M C; Osona Rodríguez de Torres, F B; Peña Zarza, J A; Larramona Carrera, H; Costa Colomer, J

2014-10-01

Patients with neuromuscular disease are an important group at risk of frequently suffering acute or chronic respiratory failure, which is their main cause of death. They require follow-up by a pediatric respiratory medicine specialist from birth or diagnosis in order to confirm the diagnosis and treat any respiratory complications within a multidisciplinary context. The ventilatory support and the cough assistance have improved the quality of life and long-term survival for many of these patients. In this paper, the authors review the pathophysiology, respiratory function evaluation, sleep disorders, and the most frequent respiratory complications in neuromuscular diseases. The various treatments used, from a respiratory medicine point of view, will be analyzed in a next paper. Copyright © 2013 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Uncommon potential hysteresis in the Li/Li{sub 2x}VO(H{sub 2-x}PO{sub 4}){sub 2} (0 {<=} x {<=} 2) system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dubarry, M. [Institut des Materiaux Jean Rouxel, 2 rue de la Houssiniere, BP32229, 44322 Nantes Cedex 3 (France); Gaubicher, J. [Institut des Materiaux Jean Rouxel, 2 rue de la Houssiniere, BP32229, 44322 Nantes Cedex 3 (France)], E-mail: joel.gaubicher@cnrs-imn.fr; Guyomard, D. [Institut des Materiaux Jean Rouxel, 2 rue de la Houssiniere, BP32229, 44322 Nantes Cedex 3 (France); Wallez, G.; Quarton, M. [Laboratoire de Cristallochimie du Solide, Universite Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris VI, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05 (France); Baehtz, C. [Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron HASYLAB, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg (Germany)

2008-05-20

Physical and electrochemical investigations of vanadium phosphates, Li{sub 2x}VO(H{sub 2-x}PO{sub 4}){sub 2} (0 < x < 2), have been undertaken. H{sup +}/Li{sup +} ionic exchange from VO(H{sub 2}PO{sub 4}){sub 2} to Li{sub 2}VO(HPO{sub 4}){sub 2} leads to grain decrepitation. Further ionic exchange toward formation of Li{sub 4}VO(PO{sub 4}){sub 2} lowers the symmetry. As inferred from potentiodynamic cycling correlated to ex situ and in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD), the system Li/Li{sub 4}VO(PO{sub 4}){sub 2} shows several phase transformations that are associated with thermodynamical potential hysteresis that span from roughly 15 mV to more than 1.8 V. Small hysteresis are associated with topotactic reactions and with V{sup V}/V{sup IV} and V{sup III}/V{sup II} redox couples. Large potential hysteresis values (>1 V) were observed when oxidation of V{sup III} to V{sup IV} is involved.

Order-disorder transition and electrical conductivity of the brownmillerite solid-solutions system Ba sub 2 (In, M) sub 2 O sub 5 (M=Ga, Al)

CERN Document Server

Yamamura, H; Kakinuma, K; Mori, T; Haneda, H

1999-01-01

The brownmillerite solid-solution systems Ba sub 2 (In sub 1 sub - sub x M sub x) sub 2 O sub 5 (M=Ga, Al) were investigated by means of high-temperature X-ray diffraction (XRD), dilatometry, and electrical-conductivity measurements. XRD showed that the Ba sub 2 (In sub 1 sub - sub x Ga sub x) sub 2 O sub 5 system had orthorhombic symmetry in the composition range 0.0<=x<=0.2 and cubic symmetry in the range 0.3<=x. The Al system also changed to cubic symmetry from orthorhombic symmetry in the range 0.2<=x. While the orthorhombic phase showed an order-disorder transition in the electrical conductivity measurements, the transition temperature decreased with increasing the M content. The order-disorder transition temperature and the crystal-structure transition temperature were very different. Such a transition was not observed in the cubic phases, and their electrical conductivity were fairly low compared to those of the disordered cubic phase after the transition due to the heating process. These p...

Structure and electrical conduction of the system La sub(1-x)Ca sub(x)FeO sub(3-α)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hombo, Jukichi; Urabe, Noriake; Hiroshige, Gota; Hamada, Kotaro.

1982-01-01

Perovskite phases in the system, La sub(1-x)Ca sub(x)FeO sub(3-α) were prepared with La 2 O 3 , CaCO 3 , and Fe 2 O 3 by firing in air and in vacuo. The compositions of samples fired in vacuo and in air are represented as La sub(1-x)Ca sub(x)FeO sub(3-x 2) and La sub(1-x)Ca sub(x)Fe sub(1-y)sup(3+)Fe sub(y)sup(4+)O sub(3-x/2+y/2), respectively. That is, samples fired in vacuo contain some oxygen vacancies and no tetravalent iron; in contrast, samples fired in air contain both oxygen vacancies and tetravalent iron in the structures. The electrical conductivities of these synthesized oxides depended extensively upon the content of tetravalent iron. For instance, the conductivity of the sample x = 0.6 fired in air was larger by 10 6 than that of the sample fired in vacuo. In this system, except for the two terminal compositions of x = 0 and x = 1.0, the values of activation energy for conduction are considerably small, and from the results of thermo-electromotive force measurement, the charge carrier was positive. Furthermore, the conductivity increased somewhat with time during the conductivity measurement by the direct-current method. These facts suggest that the electrical conducted would not be ionic but electronic. The electrical conduction would then be carried out by the so-called hopping mechanism by which the positive charge is transferred. (author)

Effects of hole doping on the electronic transport properties of PrBa sub 1 sub . sub 8 Sr sub 0 sub . sub 2 Cu sub 3 O sub y and PrSr sub 2 Cu sub 2 sub . sub 7 Mo sub 0 sub . sub 3 O sub y

CERN Document Server

Yang, C F; Zhang, H

2002-01-01

We investigate the effect of Ca doping on the electronic transport properties and superconductivity of Pr sub 1 sub - sub x Ca sub x Ba sub 1 sub . sub 8 Sr sub 0 sub . sub 2 Cu sub 3 O sub y and Pr sub 1 sub - sub x Ca sub x Sr sub 2 Cu sub 2 sub . sub 7 Mo sub 0 sub . sub 3 O sub y systems. It is found that when PrBa sub 2 Cu sub 3 O sub y (Pr123) is in a highly localized state, the Ca doping mainly decreases the 4f-2p hybridized states and thus releases the holes into the CuO sub 2 planes. Whereas when Pr123 is in a less localized state, the Ca doping not only introduces holes into the CuO sub 2 planes, but also induces dramatic charge transfer. Our results suggest that only when the hole concentration in both the CuO chain and the CuO sub 2 planes reaches a proper value, can the superconductivity be restored in the Pr123 system.

Genetics of Pediatric-Onset Motor Neuron and Neuromuscular Diseases

Science.gov (United States)

2015-08-24

Spinal Muscular Atrophy; Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease; Muscular Dystrophy; Spinal Muscular Atrophy With Respiratory Distress 1; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis; Motor Neuron Disease; Neuromuscular Disease; Peroneal Muscular Atrophy; Fragile X Syndrome

Task Delegation Based Access Control Models for Workflow Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Gaaloul, Khaled; Charoy, François

e-Government organisations are facilitated and conducted using workflow management systems. Role-based access control (RBAC) is recognised as an efficient access control model for large organisations. The application of RBAC in workflow systems cannot, however, grant permissions to users dynamically while business processes are being executed. We currently observe a move away from predefined strict workflow modelling towards approaches supporting flexibility on the organisational level. One specific approach is that of task delegation. Task delegation is a mechanism that supports organisational flexibility, and ensures delegation of authority in access control systems. In this paper, we propose a Task-oriented Access Control (TAC) model based on RBAC to address these requirements. We aim to reason about task from organisational perspectives and resources perspectives to analyse and specify authorisation constraints. Moreover, we present a fine grained access control protocol to support delegation based on the TAC model.

Propiocepción y control neuromuscular en el fútblo infantil

OpenAIRE

Zarza, Cristían

2014-01-01

En el fútbol profesional la escasa utilización de la pierna no hábil hace que muchas situaciones de juego no se resuelvan eficazmente, además de predisponer a la aparición de lesiones. El presente estudio se concentró en determinar la influencia del entrenamiento propioceptivo y del control neuromuscular en las cualidades físicas y técnicas del miembro no hábil. Objetivo: Indagar el nivel propioceptivo y de control neuromuscular del miembro inferior no hábil en chicos que re...

Neuromuscular interactions around the knee in children, adults and elderly

Science.gov (United States)

Kellis, Eleftherios; Mademli, Lida; Patikas, Dimitrios; Kofotolis, Nikolaos

2014-01-01

Although injury and neuromuscular activation patterns may be common for all individuals, there are certain factors which differentiate neuromuscular activity responses between children, adults and elderly. The purpose of this study is to review recent evidence on age differences in neural activation and muscle balances around the knee when performing single joint movements. Particularly, current evidence indicates that there are some interesting similarities in the neuromuscular mechanisms by which children or the elderly differ compared with adults. Both children and elderly display a lower absolute muscle strength capacity than adults which cannot fully be explained by differences in muscle mass. Quadriceps activation failure is a common symptom of all knee injuries, irrespective of age but it is likely that its effect is more evident in children or adults. While one might expect that antagonist co-activation would differ between age categories, it appears that this is not the case. Although hamstring: quadriceps ratio levels are altered after knee injury, it is not clear whether this is an age specific response. Finally, evidence suggests that both children and the elderly display less stiffness of the quadriceps muscle-tendon unit than adults which affects their knee joint function. PMID:25232523

CT in neuromuscular disorders: A comparison of CT and histology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vliet, A.M. van der; Thijssen, H.O.M.; Merx, J.L.; Joosten, E.

1988-01-01

The value of CT-examination of the muscles compared to histology was studied in a retrospective analysis of 30 patients with clinical suspicion of neuromuscular disorder. In the evaluation of the CT-results descriptive criteria were used. The histologic diagnosis came from needle-biopsies taken from the quadriceps muscle. Considering the whole group of neuromuscular disorders, CT has an overall accuracy of 84.8%, a positive predictive value of 95.5% and a negative predictive value of 63.6%. This makes the use of CT as a diagnostic tool in neuromuscular disorders a reliable examination technique. In patients with a polymyositis there is even a 100% correlation between CT findings and biopsy results. Discrepancy between the biopsy results is remarkable of the quadriceps muscle and the CT findings: The number of abnormal histological findings is twice the number of abnormal CT findings. Using the more proximal gluteal region as a biopsy site would have decreased this discrepancy and would therefore have given a better correlation between CT and histology. The choice of protocol in determining the levels to be scanned is of great importance in achieving good reproducability in follow-up CT examinations. (orig.)

Recent advances in antisense oligonucleotide therapy in genetic neuromuscular diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ashok Verma

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Genetic neuromuscular diseases are caused by defective expression of nuclear or mitochondrial genes. Mutant genes may reduce expression of wild-type proteins, and strategies to activate expression of the wild-type proteins might provide therapeutic benefits. Also, a toxic mutant protein may cause cell death, and strategies that reduce mutant gene expression may provide therapeutic benefit. Synthetic antisense oligonucleotide (ASO can recognize cellular RNA and control gene expression. In recent years, advances in ASO chemistry, creation of designer ASO molecules to enhance their safety and target delivery, and scientific controlled clinical trials to ascertain their therapeutic safety and efficacy have led to an era of plausible application of ASO technology to treat currently incurable neuromuscular diseases. Over the past 1 year, for the first time, the United States Food and Drug Administration has approved two ASO therapies in genetic neuromuscular diseases. This overview summarizes the recent advances in ASO technology, evolution and use of synthetic ASOs as a therapeutic platform, and the mechanism of ASO action by exon-skipping in Duchenne muscular dystrophy and exon-inclusion in spinal muscular atrophy, with comments on their advantages and limitations.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis of neuromuscular diseases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schalke, B.C.G.; Rohkamm, R.; Kaiser, W.

1990-01-01

In the last few years imaging procedures became also important in the diagnosis of neuromuscular diseases. We examined more than 150 patients with different neuromuscular diseases with MRI. Conventional diagnostic procedures like EMG, muscle biopsy can not be replaced by imaging procedures. MRI gives the chance to get additional diagnostic informations. It is possible to determine exact distribution and intensity of pathological changes in the muscle. Inflammatory muscle diseases can be differrentiated by T1/T2 values from atrophic/dystrophic diseases. The resolving power is very high and allows the exact detection of affected areas even in a single muscle. This can help to reduce false negative muscle biopsies. This is very useful in children and young adults. MRI can be used for the early detection of genetic myopathies and neuropathies. MRI allows to examine all muscles, including the heart, bone artefacts are absent. Heart muscle involvement in neuromuscular diseases can directly be shown by this method without any risk for the patient. In addition P-spectroscopy can be done for better understanding of pathogenesis, especially if the exact distribution of pathological changes is known. (author)

Functional Task Test: 3. Skeletal Muscle Performance Adaptations to Space Flight

Science.gov (United States)

Ryder, Jeffrey W.; Wickwire, P. J.; Buxton, R. E.; Bloomberg, J. J.; Ploutz-Snyder, L.

2011-01-01

The functional task test is a multi-disciplinary study investigating how space-flight induced changes to physiological systems impacts functional task performance. Impairment of neuromuscular function would be expected to negatively affect functional performance of crewmembers following exposure to microgravity. This presentation reports the results for muscle performance testing in crewmembers. Functional task performance will be presented in the abstract "Functional Task Test 1: sensory motor adaptations associated with postflight alternations in astronaut functional task performance." METHODS: Muscle performance measures were obtained in crewmembers before and after short-duration space flight aboard the Space Shuttle and long-duration International Space Station (ISS) missions. The battery of muscle performance tests included leg press and bench press measures of isometric force, isotonic power and total work. Knee extension was used for the measurement of central activation and maximal isometric force. Upper and lower body force steadiness control were measured on the bench press and knee extension machine, respectively. Tests were implemented 60 and 30 days before launch, on landing day (Shuttle crew only), and 6, 10 and 30 days after landing. Seven Space Shuttle crew and four ISS crew have completed the muscle performance testing to date. RESULTS: Preliminary results for Space Shuttle crew reveal significant reductions in the leg press performance metrics of maximal isometric force, power and total work on R+0 (pperformance metrics were observed in returning Shuttle crew and these adaptations are likely contributors to impaired functional tasks that are ambulatory in nature (See abstract Functional Task Test: 1). Interestingly, no significant changes in central activation capacity were detected. Therefore, impairments in muscle function in response to short-duration space flight are likely myocellular rather than neuromotor in nature.

The Tl{sub 2}S–PbS–SiS{sub 2} system and the crystal and electronic structure of quaternary chalcogenide Tl{sub 2}PbSiS{sub 4}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mozolyuk, M.Y.; Piskach, L.V. [Department of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, Lesya Ukrainka Eastern European National University, 13 Voli Avenue, 43025, Lutsk (Ukraine); Fedorchuk, A.O. [Department of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry, Lviv National University of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnologies, 50 Pekarska Street, 79010, Lviv (Ukraine); Olekseyuk, I.D.; Parasyuk, O.V. [Department of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, Lesya Ukrainka Eastern European National University, 13 Voli Avenue, 43025, Lutsk (Ukraine); Khyzhun, O.Y., E-mail: khyzhun@ipms.kiev.ua [Frantsevych Institute for Problems of Materials Science, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 3 Krzhyzhanivsky Street, 03142, Kyiv (Ukraine)

2017-07-01

Chalcogenides of the quasi-ternary system Tl{sub 2}S–PbS–SiS{sub 2} were synthesized in the evacuated silica ampoules by the melting and annealing technique. Phase equilibria in the system was investigated by XRD method. Isothermal section of the system was studied, and two intermediate quaternary phases were discovered to exist (Tl{sub 2}PbSiS{sub 4}, ∼Tl{sub 2}PbSi{sub 3}S{sub 8}). The quasi-binary section Tl{sub 2}SiS{sub 3}–PbS was investigated by DTA. Its phase diagram was constructed, and it was established that the equimolar compound melts incongruently at 818 K. The crystal structure of the quaternary compound Tl{sub 2}PbSiS{sub 4} was determined by X-ray powder diffraction. It crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2{sub 1}/a with the unit-cell parameters a = 8.8141(4), b = 9.0150(5), c = 10.4383(5) Å, and β = 94.490(4)° (Tl{sub 2}PbGeS{sub 4} structure type). Reliability factors calculated in the isotropic approximation were found to be R{sub I} = 0.0564 and R{sub P} = 0.1070. The Tl{sub 2}PbSiS{sub 4} single crystal was tested with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In particular, the XPS core-level and valence-band spectra were recorded for pristine and Ar{sup +}-ion bombarded surfaces of Tl{sub 2}PbSiS{sub 4}. The Tl{sub 2}PbSiS{sub 4} single crystal was found to be rather stable with respect to Ar{sup +}-ion irradiation. We have also measured the X-ray emission band depicting the energy distribution of mainly the S 3p states and compared it on a common energy scale with the XPS valence-band spectrum of the Tl{sub 2}PbSiS{sub 4} crystal. The above comparison indicates that the S 3p states contribute substantively in the upper portion of the valence band of Tl{sub 2}PbSiS{sub 4}, with their significant contributions in other portions of the valence-band region. - Highlights: • Chalcogenides of the quasi-ternary system Tl{sub 2}S–PbS–SiS{sub 2} were synthesized. • Two intermediate quaternary phases were discovered to exist (Tl{sub

Phase separation, crystallization and polyamorphism in the Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skinner, Lawrie B; Barnes, Adrian C [H H Wills Physics Laboratory, Royal Fort, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TL (United Kingdom); Salmon, Philip S [Department of Physics, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY (United Kingdom); Crichton, Wilson A [European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 6 rue Jules Horowitz, BP 220, Grenoble Cedex, F-38043 (France)], E-mail: a.c.barnes@bristol.ac.uk

2008-05-21

A detailed study of glass formation from aerodynamically levitated liquids in the (Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}){sub x}(Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}){sub 1-x} system for the composition range 0.21{<=}x{<=}0.41 was undertaken by using pyrometric, optical imaging and x-ray diffraction methods. Homogeneous and clear single-phase glasses were produced over the composition range 0.27{<=}x{<=}0.33. For Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}-rich compositions (0.33{<=}x{<=}0.375), cloudy materials were produced which contain inclusions of crystalline yttrium aluminium garnet (YAG) of diameter up to 40 {mu}m in a glassy matrix. For Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}-poor compositions around x = 0.24, cloudy materials were also produced, but it was not possible to deduce whether this resulted from (i) sub-micron inclusions of a nano-crystalline or glassy material in a glassy matrix or (ii) a glass formed by spinodal decomposition. For x = 0.21, however, the sample cloudiness results from crystallization into at least two phases comprising yttrium aluminium perovskite and alumina. The associated pyrometric cooling curve shows slow recalescence events with a continuous and slow evolution of excess heat which contrasts with the sharp recalescence events observed for the crystallization of YAG at compositions near x = 0.375. The materials that are the most likely candidates for demonstrating homogeneous nucleation of a second liquid phase occur around x = 0.25, which corresponds to the limit for formation of a continuous random network of corner-shared AlO{sub 4} tetrahedra.

New techniques in the tissue diagnosis of gastrointestinal neuromuscular diseases

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Charles H Knowles; Joanne E Martin

2009-01-01

Gastrointestinal neuromuscular diseases are a clinically heterogeneous group of disorders of children and adults in which symptoms are presumed or proven to arise as a result of neuromuscular (including interstitial cell of Cajal) dysfunction. Common to most of these diseases are symptoms of impaired motor activity which manifest as slowed or obstructed transit with or without evidence of transient or persistent radiological visceral dilatation. A variety of histopathological techniques and allied investigations are being increasingly applied to tissue biopsies from such patients. This review outlines some of the more recent advances in this field, particularly in the most contentious area of small bowel disease manifesting as intestinal pseudo-obstruction.

Ferromagnetic glass ceramics and glass fibers based on the composition of SiO{sub 2}-CaO-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-B{sub 2}O{sub 3}-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} glass system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Jianan, E-mail: lja@qlu.edu.cn; Zhu, Chaofeng; Zhang, Meimei; Zhang, Yanfei; Yang, Xuena

2017-03-15

Ferromagnetic glass-ceramics and glass fibers were obtained by the melt-method from the glass system SiO{sub 2}-CaO-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-B{sub 2}O{sub 3}-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} without performing any nucleation and crystallization heat treatments. Glass-ceramics and glass fibers were characterized by x-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, magnetic measurements, and thermal expansion instrument. The influence of alumina content on the spontaneous crystallization of magnetite, magnetism properties and thermal expansion performances in glass were investigated. We examined the crystallization behavior of the glasses and found that the spontaneous crystallization capacity of magnetite and magnetism properties in base glass increases with increasing the content of alumina. The ferromagnetic glass fibers containing magnetite nano-crystals are also obtained. - Highlights: • Magnetite nano-crystals are formed spontaneously in the investigated glass systems. • The crystallization behavior of the glasses with the alumina content is examined. • Ferromagnetic glass fibers containing magnetite nano-crystals are obtained.

Multi-task feature learning by using trace norm regularization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiangmei Zhang

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Multi-task learning can extract the correlation of multiple related machine learning problems to improve performance. This paper considers applying the multi-task learning method to learn a single task. We propose a new learning approach, which employs the mixture of expert model to divide a learning task into several related sub-tasks, and then uses the trace norm regularization to extract common feature representation of these sub-tasks. A nonlinear extension of this approach by using kernel is also provided. Experiments conducted on both simulated and real data sets demonstrate the advantage of the proposed approach.

Neuromuscular performance in the hip joint of elderly fallers and non-fallers.

Science.gov (United States)

Morcelli, Mary Hellen; LaRoche, Dain Patrick; Crozara, Luciano Fernandes; Marques, Nise Ribeiro; Hallal, Camilla Zamfolini; Rossi, Denise Martineli; Gonçalves, Mauro; Navega, Marcelo Tavella

2016-06-01

Low strength and neuromuscular activation of the lower limbs have been associated with falls making it an important predictor of functional status in the elderly. To compare the rate of neuromuscular activation, rate of torque development, peak torque and reaction time between young and elderly fallers and non-fallers for hip flexion and extension. We evaluated 44 elderly people who were divided into two groups: elderly fallers (n = 20) and elderly non-fallers (n = 24); and 18 young people. The subjects performed three isometric hip flexion and extension contractions. Electromyography data were collected for the rectus femoris, gluteus maximus and biceps femoris muscles. The elderly had 49 % lower peak torque and 68 % lower rate of torque development for hip extension, 28 % lower rate of neuromuscular activation for gluteus maximus and 38 % lower rate of neuromuscular activation for biceps femoris than the young (p neuromuscular for rectus femoris than the young (p < 0.05). The elderly fallers showed consistent trend toward a lower rate of torque development than elderly non-fallers for hip extension at 50 ms (29 %, p = 0.298, d = 0.76) and 100 ms (26 %, p = 0.452, d = 0.68).The motor time was 30 % slower for gluteus maximus, 42 % slower for rectus femoris and 50 % slower for biceps femoris in the elderly than in the young. Impaired capacity of the elderly, especially fallers, may be explained by neural and morphological aspects of the muscles. The process of senescence affects the muscle function of the hip flexion and extension, and falls may be related to lower rate of torque development and slower motor time of biceps femoris.

Effects of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation During Hemodialysis on Peripheral Muscle Strength and Exercise Capacity: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Brüggemann, Ana Karla; Mello, Carolina Luana; Dal Pont, Tarcila; Hizume Kunzler, Deborah; Martins, Daniel Fernandes; Bobinski, Franciane; Pereira Yamaguti, Wellington; Paulin, Elaine

2017-05-01

To evaluate the effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation of high and low frequency and intensity, performed during hemodialysis, on physical function and inflammation markers in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Randomized clinical trial. Hemodialysis clinic. Patients with CKD (N=51) were randomized into blocks of 4 using opaque sealed envelopes. They were divided into a group of high frequency and intensity neuromuscular electrical stimulation and a group of low frequency and intensity neuromuscular electrical stimulation. The high frequency and intensity neuromuscular electrical stimulation group was submitted to neuromuscular electrical stimulation at a frequency of 50Hz and a medium intensity of 72.90mA, and the low frequency and intensity neuromuscular electrical stimulation group used a frequency of 5Hz and a medium intensity of 13.85mA, 3 times per week for 1 hour, during 12 sessions. Peripheral muscle strength, exercise capacity, levels of muscle trophism marker (insulin growth factor 1) and levels of proinflammatory (tumor necrosis factor α) and anti-inflammatory (interleukin 10) cytokines. The high frequency and intensity neuromuscular electrical stimulation group showed a significant increase in right peripheral muscle strength (155.35±65.32Nm initial vs 161.60±68.73Nm final; P=.01) and left peripheral muscle strength (156.60±66.51Nm initial vs 164.10±69.76Nm final; P=.02) after the training, which did not occur in the low frequency and intensity neuromuscular electrical stimulation group for both right muscle strength (109.40±32.08Nm initial vs 112.65±38.44Nm final; P=.50) and left muscle strength (113.65±37.79Nm initial vs 116.15±43.01Nm final; P=.61). The 6-minute walk test distance (6MWTD) increased in both groups: high frequency and intensity neuromuscular electrical stimulation group (435.55±95.81m initial vs 457.25±90.64m final; P=.02) and low frequency and intensity neuromuscular electrical stimulation group (403.80�

Effect of surface treatment of thermoelectric materials on the properties of thermoelements made from solid solutions of Bi/sub 2/Te/sub 3/-Bi/sub 2/Se/sub 3/ and Bi/sub 2/Te/sub 3/-Sb/sub 2/Te/sub 3/ systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alieva, T.D.; Abdinov, D.Sh.; Salaev, Eh.Yu.

1981-10-01

Effect of surface treatment technology of samples of solid solutions of Ei/sub 2/Te/sub 3/-Bi/sub 2/Se/sub 3/ and Bi/sub 2/Te/sub 3/-Sb/sub 2/Te/sub 3/ systems on their thermoelectric efficiency is studied. Branches of thermoelements have been produced with the help of electroerosion or mechanical cutting of monocrystal ingots of semiconducting solid Bi/sub 2/Te/sub 3/-base solutions. It is shown that in case of the treatment of side surfaces of branches of thermoelements produced of monocrystals of Bi/sub 2/Te/sub 3/ base solid solutions their thermoelectrical efficiency grows considerably. Maximum growth of efficiency (approximately 20%) is observed during mechanical grinding of branches surfaces with diamond paste with the following chemical or electrochemical etching.

A sub-Kelvin cryogen-free EPR system.

Science.gov (United States)

Melhuish, Simon J; Stott, Chloe; Ariciu, Ana-Maria; Martinis, Lorenzo; McCulloch, Mark; Piccirillo, Lucio; Collison, David; Tuna, Floriana; Winpenny, Richard

2017-09-01

We present an EPR instrument built for operation at Q band below 1K. Our cryogen-free Dewar integrates with a commercial electro-magnet and bridge. A description of the cryogenic and RF systems is given, along with the adaptations to the standard EPR experiment for operation at sub-Kelvin temperatures. As a first experiment, the EPR spectra of powdered Cr 12 O 9 (OH) 3 [Formula: see text] were measured. The sub-Kelvin EPR spectra agree well with predictions, and the performance of the sub-Kelvin system at 5K is compared to that of a commercial spectrometer. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessment of bone density in patients with scoliosis neuromuscular secondary to cerebral palsy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Charbel Jacob Júnior

2014-09-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To evaluate bone mineral density in patients with neuromuscular scoliosis secondary to spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy. METHODS: A prospective descriptive study in which, in addition to bone densitometry, the anthropometric data of the patients were assessed. As inclusion criterion we adopted patients with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, wheelchair users, aged between 10 and 20 years and with neuromuscular scoliosis. RESULTS: We evaluated 31 patients, 20 female, whose average age was 14.2 years. The mean bone density was -3.2 standard deviation (Z-score, with mean biceps circumference of 19.4 cm, calf circumference 18.6 cm and BMI of 13.6 kg/m². CONCLUSION: There is a high incidence of osteoporosis in patients with neuromuscular scoliosis secondary to spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy.

Developing maximal neuromuscular power: Part 1--biological basis of maximal power production.

Science.gov (United States)

Cormie, Prue; McGuigan, Michael R; Newton, Robert U

2011-01-01

This series of reviews focuses on the most important neuromuscular function in many sport performances, the ability to generate maximal muscular power. Part 1 focuses on the factors that affect maximal power production, while part 2, which will follow in a forthcoming edition of Sports Medicine, explores the practical application of these findings by reviewing the scientific literature relevant to the development of training programmes that most effectively enhance maximal power production. The ability of the neuromuscular system to generate maximal power is affected by a range of interrelated factors. Maximal muscular power is defined and limited by the force-velocity relationship and affected by the length-tension relationship. The ability to generate maximal power is influenced by the type of muscle action involved and, in particular, the time available to develop force, storage and utilization of elastic energy, interactions of contractile and elastic elements, potentiation of contractile and elastic filaments as well as stretch reflexes. Furthermore, maximal power production is influenced by morphological factors including fibre type contribution to whole muscle area, muscle architectural features and tendon properties as well as neural factors including motor unit recruitment, firing frequency, synchronization and inter-muscular coordination. In addition, acute changes in the muscle environment (i.e. alterations resulting from fatigue, changes in hormone milieu and muscle temperature) impact the ability to generate maximal power. Resistance training has been shown to impact each of these neuromuscular factors in quite specific ways. Therefore, an understanding of the biological basis of maximal power production is essential for developing training programmes that effectively enhance maximal power production in the human.

Schwann Cells in Neuromuscular Junction Formation and Maintenance.

Science.gov (United States)

Barik, Arnab; Li, Lei; Sathyamurthy, Anupama; Xiong, Wen-Cheng; Mei, Lin

2016-09-21

The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is a tripartite synapse that is formed by motor nerve terminals, postjunctional muscle membranes, and terminal Schwann cells (TSCs) that cover the nerve-muscle contact. NMJ formation requires intimate communications among the three different components. Unlike nerve-muscle interaction, which has been well characterized, less is known about the role of SCs in NMJ formation and maintenance. We show that SCs in mice lead nerve terminals to prepatterned AChRs. Ablating SCs at E8.5 (i.e., prior nerve arrival at the clusters) had little effect on aneural AChR clusters at E13.5, suggesting that SCs may not be necessary for aneural clusters. SC ablation at E12.5, a time when phrenic nerves approach muscle fibers, resulted in smaller and fewer nerve-induced AChR clusters; however, SC ablation at E15.5 reduced AChR cluster size but had no effect on cluster density, suggesting that SCs are involved in AChR cluster maturation. Miniature endplate potential amplitude, but not frequency, was reduced when SCs were ablated at E15.5, suggesting that postsynaptic alterations may occur ahead of presynaptic deficits. Finally, ablation of SCs at P30, after NMJ maturation, led to NMJ fragmentation and neuromuscular transmission deficits. Miniature endplate potential amplitude was reduced 3 d after SC ablation, but both amplitude and frequency were reduced 6 d after. Together, these results indicate that SCs are not only required for NMJ formation, but also necessary for its maintenance; and postsynaptic function and structure appeared to be more sensitive to SC ablation. Neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) are critical for survival and daily functioning. Defects in NMJ formation during development or maintenance in adulthood result in debilitating neuromuscular disorders. The role of Schwann cells (SCs) in NMJ formation and maintenance was not well understood. We genetically ablated SCs during development and after NMJ formation to investigate the consequences

Estimated critical conditions for UO[sub 2]F[sub 2]--H[sub 2]O systems in fully water-reflected spherical geometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jordan, W.C.; Turner, J.C.

1992-12-01

The purpose of this report is to document reference calculations performed using the SCALE-4.0 code system to determine the critical parameters of UO[sub 2]F[sub 2]-H[sub 2]O spheres. The calculations are an extension of those documented in ORNL/CSD/TM-284. Specifically, the data for low-enriched UO[sub 2]F[sub 2]-H[sub 2]O spheres have been extended to highly enriched uranium. These calculations, together with those reported in ORNL/CSD/TM-284, provide a consistent set of critical parameters (k[sub [infinity

Gradual nerve elongation affects nerve cell bodies and neuro-muscular junctions.

Science.gov (United States)

Kazuo Ikeda, K I; Masaki Matsuda, M M; Daisuke Yamauchi, D Y; Katsuro Tomita, K T; Shigenori Tanaka, S T

2005-07-01

The purpose of this study is to clarify the reactions of the neuro-muscular junction and nerve cell body to gradual nerve elongation. The sciatic nerves of Japanese white rabbits were lengthened by 30 mm in increments of 0.8 mm/day, 2.0 mm/day and 4.0 mm/day. A scanning electron microscopic examination showed no degenerative change at the neuro-muscular junction, even eight weeks after elongation in the 4-mm group. Hence, neuro-muscular junction is not critical for predicting damage from gradual nerve elongation. There were no axon reaction cells in the 0.8-mm group, a small amount in the 2-mm group, and a large amount in the 4-mm group. The rate of growth associated protein-43 positive nerve cells was significant in the 4-mm group. Hence, the safe speed for nerve cells appeared to be 0.8-mm/day, critical speed to be 2.0-mm/day, and dangerous speed to be 4.0-mm/day in this elongation model.

Do exercises used in injury prevention programmes modify cutting task biomechanics? A systematic review with meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Pappas, Evangelos; Nightingale, Elizabeth J; Simic, Milena; Ford, Kevin R; Hewett, Timothy E; Myer, Gregory D

2015-05-01

Some injury prevention programmes aim to reduce the risk of ACL rupture. Although the most common athletic task leading to ACL rupture is cutting, there is currently no consensus on how injury prevention programmes influence cutting task biomechanics. To systematically review and synthesise the scientific literature regarding the influence of injury prevention programme exercises on cutting task biomechanics. The three largest databases (Medline, EMBASE and CINAHL) were searched for studies that investigated the effect of injury prevention programmes on cutting task biomechanics. When possible meta-analyses were performed. Seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Across all studies, a total of 100 participants received exercises that are part of ACL injury prevention programmes and 76 participants served in control groups. Most studies evaluated variables associated with the quadriceps dominance theory. The meta-analysis revealed decreased lateral hamstrings electromyography activity (p ≤ 0.05) while single studies revealed decreased quadriceps and increased medial hamstrings activity and decreased peak knee flexion moment. Findings from single studies reported that ACL injury prevention exercises reduce neuromuscular deficits (knee valgus moment, lateral trunk leaning) associated with the ligament and trunk dominance theories, respectively. The programmes we analysed appear most effective when they emphasise individualised biomechanical technique correction and target postpubertal women. The exercises used in injury prevention programmes have the potential to improve cutting task biomechanics by ameliorating neuromuscular deficits linked to ACL rupture, especially when they emphasise individualised biomechanical technique correction and target postpubertal female athletes. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Formation and microstructure of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-YAG eutectic ceramics by phase transformation from metastable system to equilibrium system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nagira, Tomoya; Yasuda, Hideyuki; Yoshiya, Masato [Department of Adaptive Machine Systems, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 (Japan)], E-mail: nagira@ams.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp

2009-05-01

Unidirectionally solidified Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-YAG(Y{sub 3}Al{sub 5}O{sub 12}: yttrium-aluminum-garnet) eutectic ceramic composites have been recognized as encouraging heat-resistance materials because of the superior mechanical properties at high temperatures. In addition to the excellent mechanical properties at high temperatures, some interesting solidification phenomena have been reported in the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} system. The Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-YAG equilibrium eutectic at 2099 K and the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-YAP metastable eutectic at 1975 K exist in the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} system. The heating the metastable eutectic up to temperatures above the metastable eutectic temperature produced the undercooled melt. Solidification in the equilibrium path accompanied the melting of the metastable eutectic. The solidification process using undercooled melt resulted in the fine and uniform eutectic structure. In this study, the effect of the initial Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-YAP particles size on the undercooled melt formation was examined. The Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-YAP particles with diameters more than several {mu}m resulted in the transformation through the undercooled melt. EBSD analysis showed that the domains of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} grains with same crystallographic orientation were observed and that their domain size depended on the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-YAP particles size. On the other hand, for the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-YAP particles with a diameter of 500 nm, the each Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} grain with diameter of about 1 {mu}m had the different crystallographic orientations, which suggested that the transformation from metastable eutectic to equilibrium eutectic occurred in the solid state. The increase in the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-YAP free surface area suppressed the undercooled melt formation.

The Drosophila wings apart gene anchors a novel, evolutionarily conserved pathway of neuromuscular development.

Science.gov (United States)

Morriss, Ginny R; Jaramillo, Carmelita T; Mikolajczak, Crystal M; Duong, Sandy; Jaramillo, Maryann S; Cripps, Richard M

2013-11-01

wings apart (wap) is a recessive, semilethal gene located on the X chromosome in Drosophila melanogaster, which is required for normal wing-vein patterning. We show that the wap mutation also results in loss of the adult jump muscle. We use complementation mapping and gene-specific RNA interference to localize the wap locus to the proximal X chromosome. We identify the annotated gene CG14614 as the gene affected by the wap mutation, since one wap allele contains a non-sense mutation in CG14614, and a genomic fragment containing only CG14614 rescues the jump-muscle phenotypes of two wap mutant alleles. The wap gene lies centromere-proximal to touch-insensitive larva B and centromere-distal to CG14619, which is tentatively assigned as the gene affected in introverted mutants. In mutant wap animals, founder cell precursors for the jump muscle are specified early in development, but are later lost. Through tissue-specific knockdowns, we demonstrate that wap function is required in both the musculature and the nervous system for normal jump-muscle formation. wap/CG14614 is homologous to vertebrate wdr68, DDB1 and CUL4 associated factor 7, which also are expressed in neuromuscular tissues. Thus, our findings provide insight into mechanisms of neuromuscular development in higher animals and facilitate the understanding of neuromuscular diseases that may result from mis-expression of muscle-specific or neuron-specific genes.

An adaptive neuromuscular controller for assistive lower-limb exoskeletons : A preliminary study on subjects with spinal cord injury

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wu, Amy R.; Dzeladini, Florin; Brug, Tycho J.H.; Tamburella, Federica; Tagliamonte, Nevio L.; Van Asseldonk, Edwin H.F.; van der Kooij, H.; Ijspeert, Auke J.

2017-01-01

Versatility is important for a wearable exoskeleton controller to be responsive to both the user and the environment. These characteristics are especially important for subjects with spinal cord injury (SCI), where active recruitment of their own neuromuscular system could promote motor recovery.

An adaptive neuromuscular controller for assistive lower-limb exoskeletons : A preliminary study on subjects with spinal cord injury

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wu, Amy R.; Dzeladini, Florin; Brug, Tycho J.H.; Tamburella, Federica; Tagliamonte, Nevio L.; Van Asseldonk, Edwin H.F.; Van Der Kooij, Herman; IJspeert, Auke Jan

2017-01-01

Versatility is important for a wearable exoskeleton controller to be responsive to both the user and the environment. These characteristics are especially important for subjects with spinal cord injury (SCI), where active recruitment of their own neuromuscular system could promote motor recovery.

Mechanochemically driven nonequilibrium processes in MNH{sub 2}-CaH{sub 2} systems (M = Li or Na)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dolotko, Oleksandr; Zhang Haiqiao [Ames Laboratory, US Department of Energy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011-3020 (United States); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011-2030 (United States); Li Sa; Jena, Puru [Department of Physics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284 (United States); Pecharsky, Vitalij, E-mail: vitkp@ameslab.go [Ames Laboratory, US Department of Energy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011-3020 (United States); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011-2030 (United States)

2010-09-10

Mechanochemical transformations of lithium and sodium amides with calcium hydride have been investigated using gas volumetric analysis, X-ray powder diffraction, and residual gas analysis. The overall mechanochemical transformations are equimolar, and they proceed as the following solid state reaction: MNH{sub 2} + CaH{sub 2} {yields} CaNH + MH + H{sub 2}, where M = Li or Na. The transformation kinetics of the lithium containing system is markedly faster compared to the system with sodium. The difference in the rates of solid state transformations, and therefore, in hydrogen release kinetics can be explained by difference in mobility of lithium and sodium atoms. Total energies and enthalpies of formation for different reaction products during the dehydrogenation of CaH{sub 2}-MNH{sub 2} mixtures were calculated using density functional theory. Compared to thermochemical transformations, which proceed in accordance with thermodynamic equilibrium, reactions induced by mechanical energy drive the MNH{sub 2}-CaH{sub 2} systems to nonequilibrium configurations with different final products.

DECOVALEX II PROJECT Technical Report - Task 2C

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jing, L.; Stephansson, O.; Chijimatzu, M.; Tsang, C.F.

1999-05-01

The DECOVALEX II project is an international co-operative research project supported by a number of national radioactive waste management organizations of different countries. The project studied four tasks: Task 1: numerical simulation of the RCF3 pump test at Sellafield, UK; Task 2: numerical simulation of the in situ T-H-M experiment at Kamaishi Mine, Japan; Task 3: monitoring of current development in rock fracture research; and Task 4: report on treatment of T-H-M processes in Performance Assessment works for nuclear waste repositories. The project started in 1995 and is scheduled to be finalised in March, 1999. This report concerns the Task 2 of the DECOVALEX H project. Task 2 of the DECOVALEX II project is the numerical modelling of the in-situ T-H-M experiment of a fractured rock - buffer - heater system at Kamaishi Mine, Japan. The experiment was carried out inside a test pit drilled in the floor of a 5 x 7 m alcove excavated near an existing drift at the 550 m level. The test pit has a circular cross section of diameter 1.7 m and a depth of 5 m, filled with bentonite which contains an electric heater. Four research teams studied Task 2 with different computational models. The task is divided into three sub-tasks: Task 2A, Task 2B and Task 2C. Task 2A was defined as a blind prediction to the coupled hydro-mechanical behaviour of the fractured rocks due to the excavation of the test pit. The calibration of the numerical models against measured results of pore pressures, flow rates and rock deformation before filling up of the test pit formed Task 2B. These two sub-tasks were performed to establish well calibrated fields of hydraulic conductivity and mechanical deformability of the fractured rocks at the test site. They were necessary for further simulations on interactions between the rock and buffer materials during heating experiments, as required for Task 2C, with a higher level of confidence on rock mass models. Presented in this report is the

DECOVALEX II PROJECT Technical Report - Task 2C

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jing, L.; Stephansson, O. [Royal Inst. of Tech., Stockholm (Sweden). Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering; Boergesson, L. [Clay Technology AB, IDEON Research Center, Lund (Sweden); Chijimatzu, M. [Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Inst., Ibaraki (Japan). Waste Management and Fuel Cycle Research Center; Kautsky, F. [Swedish Nuclear Power Inspectorate (SKI), Stockholm (Sweden); Tsang, C.F. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (United States). Earth Science Div.

1999-05-01

The DECOVALEX II project is an international co-operative research project supported by a number of national radioactive waste management organizations of different countries. The project studied four tasks: Task 1: numerical simulation of the RCF3 pump test at Sellafield, UK; Task 2: numerical simulation of the in situ T-H-M experiment at Kamaishi Mine, Japan; Task 3: monitoring of current development in rock fracture research; and Task 4: report on treatment ofT-H-M processes in Performance Assessment works for nuclear waste repositories. The project started in 1995 and is scheduled to be finalised in March, 1999. This report concerns the Task 2 of the DECOVALEX H project. Task 2 of the DECOVALEX II project is the numerical modelling of the in-situ T-H-M experiment of a fractured rock - buffer - heater system at Kamaishi Mine, Japan. The experiment was carried out inside a test pit drilled in the floor of a 5 x 7 m alcove excavated near an existing drift at the 550 m level. The test pit has a circular cross section of diameter 1.7 m and a depth of 5 m, filled with bentonite which contains an electric heater. Four research teams studied Task 2 with different computational models. The task is divided into three sub-tasks: Task 2A, Task 2B and Task 2C. Task 2A was defined as a blind prediction to the coupled hydro-mechanical behaviour of the fractured rocks due to the excavation of the test pit. The calibration of the numerical models against measured results of pore pressures, flow rates and rock deformation before filling up of the test pit formed Task 2B. These two sub-tasks were performed to establish well calibrated fields of hydraulic conductivity and mechanical deformability of the fractured rocks at the test site. They were necessary for further simulations on interactions between the rock and buffer materials during heating experiments, as required for Task 2C, with a higher level of confidence on rock mass models. Presented in this report is the definition

Perovskite phases in the systems Asup(II)O-UO/sub 3/. 1. Tetragonal perovskite Ba/sub 2/Basub(7/8)vacantsub(1/8)UO/sub 5/sub(7/8)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Griffiths, A J; Kemmler-Sack, S [Tuebingen Univ. (Germany, F.R.)

1979-10-01

The new tetragonal compound Ba/sub 2/Basub(7/8)vacantsub(1/8)UO/sub 5/sub(7/8) (a = 2 x 6.31/sub 2/ A; c = 2 x 8.76/sub 7/ A) has been found besides Ba/sub 3/UO/sub 6/ (triclinic) in the BaO-UO/sub 3/ system. It crystallizes with a superstructure of perovskite type. The differences in properties between Ba/sub 3/UO/sub 6/ and Ba/sub 2/Basub(7/8)vacantsub(1/8) UO/sub 5/sub(7/8) are discussed.

Rapid synthesis of acetylcholine receptors at neuromuscular junctions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramsay, D A; Drachman, D B; Pestronk, A

1988-10-11

The rate of acetylcholine receptor (AChR) degradation in mature, innervated mammalian neuromuscular junctions has recently been shown to be biphasic; up to 20% are rapidly turned over (RTOs; half life less than 1 day) whereas the remainder are lost more slowly ('stable' AChRs; half life 10-12 days). In order to maintain normal junctional receptor density, synthesis and insertion of AChRs should presumably be sufficiently rapid to replace both the RTOs and the stable receptors. We have tested this prediction by blocking pre-existing AChRs in the mouse sternomastoid muscle with alpha-bungarotoxin (alpha-BuTx), and monitoring the subsequent appearance of 'new' junctional AChRs at intervals of 3 h to 20 days by labeling them with 125I-alpha-BuTx. The results show that new receptors were initially inserted rapidly (16% at 24 h and 28% at 48 h). The rate of increase of 'new' 125I-alpha-BuTx binding sites gradually slowed down during the remainder of the time period studied. Control observations excluded possible artifacts of the experimental procedure including incomplete blockade of AChRs, dissociation of toxin-receptor complexes, or experimentally induced alteration of receptor synthesis. The present demonstration of rapid synthesis and incorporation of AChRs at innervated neuromuscular junctions provides support for the concept of a subpopulation of rapidly turned over AChRs. The RTOs may serve as precursors for the larger population of stable receptors and have an important role in the metabolism of the neuromuscular synapse.

Robotics/Automated Systems Task Analysis and Description of Required Job Competencies Report. Task Analysis and Description of Required Job Competencies of Robotics/Automated Systems Technicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Hull, Daniel M.; Lovett, James E.

This task analysis report for the Robotics/Automated Systems Technician (RAST) curriculum project first provides a RAST job description. It then discusses the task analysis, including the identification of tasks, the grouping of tasks according to major areas of specialty, and the comparison of the competencies to existing or new courses to…

Estimated Critical Conditions for UO(Sub 2)F(Sub 2)-H(Sub 2)O Systems in Fully Water-Reflected Spherical Geometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jordan, W.C.

1992-01-01

The purpose of this report is to document reference calculations performed using the SCALE-4.0 code system to determine the critical parameters of UO{sub 2}F{sub 2}-H{sub 2}O spheres. The calculations are an extension of those documented in ORNL/CSD/TM-284. Specifically, the data for low-enriched UO{sub 2}F{sub 2}-H{sub 2}O spheres have been extended to highly enriched uranium. These calculations, together with those reported in ORNL/CSD/TM-284, provide a consistent set of critical parameters (k{sub {infinity}}, volume, mass, mass of water) for UO{sub 2}F{sub 2} and water over the full range of enrichment and moderation ratio.

Estimated critical conditions for UO{sub 2}F{sub 2}--H{sub 2}O systems in fully water-reflected spherical geometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jordan, W.C.; Turner, J.C.

1992-12-01

The purpose of this report is to document reference calculations performed using the SCALE-4.0 code system to determine the critical parameters of UO{sub 2}F{sub 2}-H{sub 2}O spheres. The calculations are an extension of those documented in ORNL/CSD/TM-284. Specifically, the data for low-enriched UO{sub 2}F{sub 2}-H{sub 2}O spheres have been extended to highly enriched uranium. These calculations, together with those reported in ORNL/CSD/TM-284, provide a consistent set of critical parameters (k{sub {infinity}}, volume, mass, mass of water) for UO{sub 2}F{sub 2} and water over the full range of enrichment and moderation ratio.

Transitions between localized and itinerant antiferromagnetism in the Ce(Pb,In) sub 3 and Ce(Pb,Tl) sub 3 systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rahman, S; Timlin, J; Crow, J E; Mihalisin, T; Schlottmann, P [Temple Univ., Philadelphia, PA (United States)

1990-01-01

CePb{sub 3} is an itinerant heavy fermion antiferromagnetic displaying an incommensurate magnetic structure and an extremely small ordered moment. CeIn{sub 3} and CeTl{sub 3}, on the other hand are well-localized, simple antiferromagnets with the full moments expected for crystal field doublet Ce{sup 3+} ion systems. The authors have performed specific heat, sysceptibility and resistivity measurements for both the Ce(Pb,In){sub 3} and Ce(Pb,Tl){sub 3} systems. These systems remain cubic Cu{sub 3}Au structures across the entire series. They display extremely interesting T{sub N} behavior which suggests that a continuous transition from itinerant to localized antiferromagnetic behavior occurs for the Ce(Pb,Tl){sub 3} system. In the Ce (Pb,In){sub 3} system both types of antiferromagnetism are present but they are separated by a concentration range ({approximately}10-40% Pb) over which antiferromagnetism does not exist. The behavior of these systems cannot be accounted for by a Kondo necklace approach that neglects the coherence of a heavy fermion lattice and resulting itinerant antiferromagnetism.

Partial neuromuscular blockade in humans enhances muscle blood flow during exercise independently of muscle oxygen uptake and acetylcholine receptor blockade

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hellsten, Ylva; Krustrup, Peter; Iaia, F Marcello

2009-01-01

This study examined the role of acetylcholine for skeletal muscle blood flow during exercise by use of the competitive neuromuscular blocking agent cisatracurium in combination with the acetylcholine receptor blocker glycopyrrone. Nine healthy male subjects performed a 10-min bout of one-legged k......This study examined the role of acetylcholine for skeletal muscle blood flow during exercise by use of the competitive neuromuscular blocking agent cisatracurium in combination with the acetylcholine receptor blocker glycopyrrone. Nine healthy male subjects performed a 10-min bout of one...... conductance during exercise, events that are not associated with either acetylcholine or an increased oxygen demand. The results do not support an essential role for acetylcholine, released form the neuromuscular junction, in exercise hyperaemia or for the enhanced blood flow during neuromuscular blockade....... The enhanced exercise hyperemia during partial neuromuscular blockade may be related to a greater recruitment of fast-twitch muscle fibres. Key words: blood flow, neuromuscular blockade, exercise, skeletal muscle....

Dysfunction of the neuromuscular junction in spinal muscular atrophy types 2 and 3.

Science.gov (United States)

Wadman, Renske I; Vrancken, Alexander F J E; van den Berg, Leonard H; van der Pol, W Ludo

2012-11-13

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is pathologically characterized by degeneration of anterior horn cells. Recent observations in animal models of SMA and muscle tissue from patients with SMA suggest additional abnormalities in the development and maturation of the neuromuscular junction. We therefore evaluated neuromuscular junction function in SMA with repetitive nerve stimulation. In this case-control study, repetitive nerve stimulation was performed in 35 patients with SMA types 2, 3, and 4, 20 healthy controls, and 5 controls with motor neuron disease. Pathologic decremental responses (>10%) during 3-Hz repetitive nerve stimulation were observed in 17 of 35 patients (49%) with SMA types 2 and 3, but not in healthy controls or controls with motor neuron disease. None of the patients or controls had an abnormal incremental response of >60%. The presence of an abnormal decremental response was not specific for the type of SMA, nor was it associated with compound muscle action potential amplitude, clinical scores, or disease duration. Two of 4 patients with SMA type 3 who tried pyridostigmine reported increased stamina. These data suggest dysfunction of the neuromuscular junction in patients with SMA types 2 and 3. Therefore, drugs that facilitate neuromuscular transmission are candidate drugs for evaluation in carefully designed, placebo-controlled, clinical trials.

NMR study of glasses in the PbO-B/sub 2/O/sub 3/-PbF/sub 2/-AlF/sub 3/ system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vopilov, V.A.; Bogdanov, V.L.; Buznik, V.M.; Karapetyan, A.K.; Matsulev, A.N.

1986-01-01

The NMR method has been successfully used in the study of the structure of oxide glasses and in lithium glasses. Using steady-state and pulse methods of B-11 and F-19 NMR, the authors have studied borate glasses in the PbO-B/sub 2/O/sub 3/-PbF/sub 2/-AlF/sub 3/ system. Lead fluoride was added to the composition of the experimental glasses. A small amount of PbF2 has a weak effect on the electrical conductivity, and it is only in the specimen with the maximum values of the PbF/sub 2/ concentration that conductivity becomes significant. In glasses of the PbO X B/sub 2/O/sub 3/ X AlF/sub 3/ compositions, there is an exchange of the oxygen and fluoride modifier anions and as a result the F ions are incorporated into the first coordination sphere of the lead cations.

Neutron structural studies of La{sub 3.5-x-y}(Y){sub y}Ba{sub 3.5-x}Ca{sub 2x}Cu{sub 7}O{sub z} (x = y = 0.0 and 0.5) system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Subbarao, M V; Kulkarni, R G [Department of Physics, Saurashtra University, Rajkot (India); Rajagopal, H; Sequeira, A S [Solid State Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai (India)

1997-07-01

By mixing equal amounts of La{sub 4-x}Ca{sub x}Ba{sub 3}Cu{sub 7}O{sub z} and La{sub 3}Ba{sub 4-x} Ca{sub x}Cu{sub 7}O{sub z} in the proportion of 1 : 1, a series of superconductors part of La replaced by Y with the nominal composition of La{sub 3.5-x-y}(Y){sub y} Ba{sub 3.-5-x}Ca{sub 2x}Cu{sub 7}O{sub z} (LYCP) have been prepared. Two samples with x = y = 0.0 (A) and x = y = 0.5 (B) characterized by x-ray diffraction display tetragonal triple perovskite structure. In order to investigate the effect of substituents (Ca/Y) on structure of this system, neutron diffraction measurements have been carried out at 300 K and {lambda}{sub n}=1.216A at Dhruva reactor.

Neutron diffraction study of structural transformations in ternary systems of HgSe sub 1 sub - sub x S sub x mercury chalcogenides at high pressure

CERN Document Server

Voronin, V I; Berger, I F; Glazkov, V P; Kozlenko, D P; Savenko, B N; Tikhomirov, S V

2001-01-01

The structure of the ternary systems of the HgSe sub 1 sub - sub x S sub x mercury chalcogenides is studied at high pressures up to 35 kbar. It is established that by increase in the pressure in the HgSe sub 1 sub - sub x S sub x there takes place the transition from the sphalerite type cubic structure to the cinnabar type hexagonal structure, which is accompanied by the jump-like change in the elementary cell volume and interatomic distances. The parameters of the elementary cell and positional parameters of the Hg and Se/S for the hexagonal phase of high pressure are determined. The existence of the two-phase state in the area of the phase transformation is determined

Phenobarbital influence on neuromuscular block produced by rocuronium in rats Influência do fenobarbital no bloqueio neuromuscular produzido pelo rocurônio em ratos

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angélica de Fátima de Assunção Braga

2008-08-01

Full Text Available PURPOSE: To evaluate in vitro and in vivo neuromuscular blockade produced by rocuronium in rats treated with Phenobarbital and to determine cytochrome P450 and cytochrome b5 concentrations in hepatic microsomes. METHODS: Thirty rats were included in the study and distributed into 6 groups of 5 animals each. Rats were treated for seven days with phenobarbital (20 mg/kg and the following parameters were evaluated: 1 the amplitude of muscle response in the preparation of rats exposed to phenobarbital; 2 rocuronium effect on rat preparation exposed or not to phenobarbital; 3 concentrations of cytochrome P450 and cytochrome b5 in hepatic microsomes isolated from rats exposed or not to phenobarbital. The concentration and dose of rocuronium used in vitro and in vivo experiments were 4 µg/mL and 0,6 mg/kg, respectively. RESULTS: Phenobarbital in vitro and in vivo did not alter the amplitude of muscle response. The neuromuscular blockade in vitro produced by rocuronium was significantly different (p=0.019 between exposed (20% and not exposed (60% rats; the blockade in vivo was significantly greater (p=0.0081 in treated rats (93.4%. The enzymatic concentrations were significantly greater in rats exposed to phenobarbital. CONCLUSIONS: Phenobarbital alone did not compromise neuromuscular transmission. It produced enzymatic induction, and neuromuscular blockade in vivo produced by rocuronium was potentiated by phenobarbital.OBJETIVO: Avaliar in vitro e in vivo o bloqueio neuromuscular produzido pelo rocurônio em ratos tratados com fenobarbital e determinar as concentrações de citocromo P450 e b5 em microssomos hepáticos. MÉTODOS: Trinta ratos foram incluídos no estudo e distribuídos em seis grupos de cinco animais cada. Ratos foram tratados por sete dias com fenobarbital (20 mg/kg e avaliou-se: 1 amplitude das respostas musculares em preparação de ratos expostos ao fenobarbital; 2 o efeito do rocurônio em preparações de ratos expostos ou n

System structure and cognitive ability as predictors of performance in dynamic system control tasks

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Jan Hundertmark

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In dynamic system control, cognitive mechanisms and abilities underlying performance may vary depending on the nature of the task. We therefore investigated the effects of system structure and its interaction with cognitive abilities on system control performance. A sample of 127 university students completed a series of different system control tasks that were manipulated in terms of system size and recurrent feedback, either with or without a cognitive load manipulation. Cognitive abilities assessed included reasoning ability, working memory capacity, and cognitive reflection. System size and recurrent feedback affected overall performance as expected. Overall, the results support that cognitive ability is a good predictor of performance in dynamic system control tasks but predictiveness is reduced when the system structure contains recurrent feedback. We discuss this finding from a cognitive processing perspective as well as its implications for individual differences research in dynamic systems.

Selection of an industrial natural-gas-fired advanced turbine system - Task 3A

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Holloway, G.M.

1997-05-01

TASK OBJECTIVES: Identify a gas-fueled turbine and steam system which will meet the program goals for efficiency - and emissions. TECHNICAL GOALS AND REQUIREMENTS: Goals for the Advanced Turbine System Program (ATS) where outlined in the statement of work for five basic categories: Cycle Efficiency - System heat rate to have a 15% improvement over 1991 vintage systems being offered to the market. Environmental No post-combustion devices while meeting the following parameter targets: (1) Nitrous Oxide (NO{sub x}) emissions to equal 8 parts per million dry (ppmd) with 15% oxygen. (2) Carbon monoxide (CO) and unburned hydrocarbon (UHC) emissions to equal 20 parts per million(ppmd) each. Cost of electricity to be 10 percent less when compared to similar 1991 systems. Fuel Flexibility Have to ability to burn coal or coal derived fuels without extensive redesign. Reliability, Availability, Maintainability Reliability, availability and maintainability must be comparable to modern advanced power generation systems. For all cycle and system studies, analyses were done for the following engine system ambient conditions: Temperature - 59F; Altitude - Sea Level; Humidity - 60%. For the 1991 reference system, GE Aircraft Engines used its LM6OOO engine product offering for comparison of the Industrial System parameters developed under this program.

Ionic conductivity of the lithium titanium phosphate (Li/sub 1+x/M/sub x/Ti/sub 2-x/(PO/sub 4/)/sub 3/, M=Al, Sc, Y, and La) systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aono, H.; Sugimoto, E.; Sadaaka, Y.; Imanaka, N.; Adachi, G.Y.

1989-01-01

High lithium ionic conductivity was obtained in Li/sub 1+X/M/sub X/Ti/sub 2-X/(PO/sub 4/)/sub 3/ (M=Al, Sc, Y, and La) systems. Lithium titanium phosphate, LiTi/sub 2/(PO/sub 4/)/sub 3/, is composed of both TiO/sub 6/ octahedra and PO/sub 4/ tetrahedra, which are linked by corners to form a three dimensional network, with a space group R3-barC. Some workers have already described that the conductivity increased considerably if Ti/sup 4+/ in LiTi/sub 2/(PO/sub 4/)/sub 3/ was substituted by slightly larger cations such as Ga/sup 3+/(1),Sc/sup 3+/(2), and In/sup 3+/(3,4). These results are similar to each other because of their close ionic radii. In this communication, substitution effects of Ti/sup 4+/ in LiTi/sub 2/(PO/sub 4/)/sub 3/ by various ions (Al/sup 3+/, Sc/sup 3+/, Y/sup 3+/, and La/sup 3+/) on their conductivities are reported

Effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation, laser therapy and LED therapy on the masticatory system and the impact on sleep variables in cerebral palsy patients: a randomized, five arms clinical trial

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Giannasi Lilian

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Few studies demonstrate effectiveness of therapies for oral rehabilitation of patients with cerebral palsy (CP, given the difficulties in chewing, swallowing and speech, besides the intellectual, sensory and social limitations. Due to upper airway obstruction, they are also vulnerable to sleep disorders. This study aims to assess the sleep variables, through polysomnography, and masticatory dynamics, using electromiography, before and after neuromuscular electrical stimulation, associated or not with low power laser (Gallium Arsenide- Aluminun, =780 nm and LED (= 660 nm irradiation in CP patients. Methods/design 50 patients with CP, both gender, aged between 19 and 60 years will be enrolled in this study. The inclusion criteria are: voluntary participation, patient with hemiparesis, quadriparesis or diparetic CP, with ability to understand and respond to verbal commands. The exclusion criteria are: patients undergoing/underwent orthodontic, functional maxillary orthopedic or botulinum toxin treatment. Polysomnographic and surface electromyographic exams on masseter, temporalis and suprahyoid will be carry out in all sample. Questionnaire assessing oral characteristics will be applied. The sample will be divided into 5 treatment groups: Group 1: neuromuscular electrical stimulation; Group 2: laser therapy; Group 3: LED therapy; Group 4: neuromuscular electrical stimulation and laser therapy and Group 5: neuromuscular electrical stimulation and LED therapy. All patients will be treated during 8 consecutive weeks. After treatment, polysomnographic and electromiographic exams will be collected again. Discussion This paper describes a five arm clinical trial assessing the examination of sleep quality and masticatory function in patients with CP under non-invasive therapies. Trial registration The protocol for this study is registered with the Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials - ReBEC RBR-994XFS Descriptors Cerebral Palsy

Effects of noxious stimulation and pain expectations on neuromuscular control of the spine in patients with chronic low back pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Henchoz, Yves; Tétreau, Charles; Abboud, Jacques; Piché, Mathieu; Descarreaux, Martin

2013-10-01

Alterations of the neuromuscular control of the lumbar spine have been reported in patients with chronic low back pain (LBP). During trunk flexion and extension tasks, the reduced myoelectric activity of the low back extensor musculature observed during full trunk flexion is typically absent in patients with chronic LBP. To determine whether pain expectations could modulate neuromuscular responses to experimental LBP to a higher extent in patients with chronic LBP compared with controls. A cross-sectional, case-control study. Twenty-two patients with nonspecific chronic LBP and 22 age- and sex-matched control participants. Trunk flexion-extension tasks were performed under three experimental conditions: innocuous heat, noxious stimulation with low pain expectation, and noxious stimulation with high pain expectation. Noxious stimulations were delivered using a contact heat thermode applied on the skin of the lumbar region (L4-L5), whereas low or high pain expectations were induced by verbal and visual instructions. Surface electromyography of erector spinae at L2-L3 and L4-L5, as well as lumbopelvic kinematic variables were collected during the tasks. Pain was evaluated using a numerical rating scale. Pain catastrophizing, disability, anxiety, and fear-avoidance beliefs were measured using validated questionnaires. Two-way mixed analysis of variance revealed that pain was significantly different among the three experimental conditions (F2,84=317.5; plow back extensor musculature during full trunk flexion was observed in the high compared with low pain expectations condition at the L2-L3 level (F2,84=9.5; ppain catastrophizing in patients with chronic LBP (r=0.54; p=.012). Repeated exposure to pain appears to generate rigid and less variable patterns of muscle activation in patients with chronic LBP, which attenuate their response to pain expectations. Patients with high levels of pain catastrophizing show higher myoelectric activity of lumbar muscles in full flexion

Force-field compensation in a manual tracking task.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valentina Squeri

2010-06-01

Full Text Available This study addresses force/movement control in a dynamic "hybrid" task: the master sub-task is continuous manual tracking of a target moving along an eight-shaped Lissajous figure, with the tracking error as the primary performance index; the slave sub-task is compensation of a disturbing curl viscous field, compatibly with the primary performance index. The two sub-tasks are correlated because the lateral force the subject must exert on the eight-shape must be proportional to the longitudinal movement speed in order to perform a good tracking. The results confirm that visuo-manual tracking is characterized by an intermittent control mechanism, in agreement with previous work; the novel finding is that the overall control patterns are not altered by the presence of a large deviating force field, if compared with the undisturbed condition. It is also found that the control of interaction-forces is achieved by a combination of arm stiffness properties and direct force control, as suggested by the systematic lateral deviation of the trajectories from the nominal path and the comparison between perturbed trials and catch trials. The coordination of the two sub-tasks is quickly learnt after the activation of the deviating force field and is achieved by a combination of force and the stiffness components (about 80% vs. 20%, which is a function of the implicit accuracy of the tracking task.

MRI in neuromuscular disorders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fischmann, Arne

2014-01-01

Neuromuscular disorders are caused by damage of the skeletal muscles or supplying nerves, in many cases due to a genetic defect, resulting in progressive disability, loss of ambulation and often a reduced life expectancy. Previously only supportive care and steroids were available as treatments, but several novel therapies are under development or in clinical trial phase. Muscle imaging can detect specific patterns of involvement and facilitate diagnosis and guide genetic testing. Quantitative MRT can be used to monitor disease progression either to monitor treatment or as a surrogate parameter for clinical trails. Novel imaging sequences can provide insights into disease pathology and muscle metabolism. (orig.)

Evaluation of modular robot system for maintenance tasks in hot cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pagala, Prithvi Sekhar, E-mail: ps.pagala@upm.es [Centre for Automation and Robotics UPM-CSIC (Spain); Ferre, Manuel, E-mail: m.ferre@upm.es [Centre for Automation and Robotics UPM-CSIC (Spain); Orona, Luis, E-mail: l.orona@gsi.de [GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung (Germany)

2014-10-15

Highlights: •Modular robot deployment inside hot cell for remote manipulation evaluated. •Flexible and adaptable system for variety of tasks presented. •Uses in large workspaces and evolving requirements shown. -- Abstract: This work assesses the use of a modular robot system to perform maintenance and inspection tasks such as, remote flexible inspection, manipulation and cooperation with deployed systems inside the hot cell. A flexible modular solution for the inclusion in maintenance operations is presented. The proposed heterogeneous modular robotic system is evaluated using simulations of the prototype across selected robot configuration to perform tasks. Results obtained show the advantages and ability of the modular robot to perform the necessary tasks as well as its ability to adapt and evolve depending on the need. The simulation test case inside hot cell shows modular robot configuration, a two modular arm to perform tele-operation tasks in the workspace and a wheeled platform for inspection collaborating to perform tasks. The advantage of using re-configurable modular robot over conventional robot platforms is shown.

Residual neuromuscular block as a risk factor for critical respiratory events in the post anesthesia care unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Norton, M; Xará, D; Parente, D; Barbosa, M; Abelha, F J

2013-04-01

Residual neuromuscular block is an important postoperative complication associated to the use of neuromuscular blocking drugs. The purpose of this study was to access the incidence of residual neuromuscular block in a post-anesthesia care unit and to evaluate its association with critical respiratory events. Prospective cohort study was conducted in a Post Anesthetic Care Unit (PACU) for a period of 3 weeks. Two hundred two adult patients who submitted to scheduled non-cardiac and non-intracranial surgery were eligible to the study. The primary outcome variable was residual neuromuscular block after arrival to PACU that was defined as train-of-four ratio <0.9 and objectively quantified using acceleromyography. Demographic data, perioperative variables, lengths of hospital and recovery room stay and critical respiratory events were recorded. Inadequate emergence was classified in its different forms according to the Richmond agitation and sedation scale 10 min after admission to the recovery room. Residual neuromuscular block incidence in the post-anesthesia care unit was 29.7% (95% confidence interval: 23.4, 36.1). Patients with residual neuromuscular block had more frequently overall critical respiratory events (51% versus 16%, P<0.001), airway obstruction (10% versus 2%, P=0.029), mild-moderate hypoxemia (23% versus 4%, P<0.001), severe hypoxemia (7% versus 1%, P=0.033), respiratory failure (8% versus 1%, P=0.031), inability to breathe deeply (38% versus 12%, P<0.001) and muscular weakness (16% versus 1%, P<0.001). Residual neuromuscular block was more common after high-risk surgery (53% versus 33%, P=0.011) and was more often associated with post-operative hypoactive emergence as defined by the Richmond Agitation and Sedation Scale (21% versus 6%, P=0.001). This study suggests that residual neuromuscular block is common in the PACU and is associated with more frequent critical respiratory events. Copyright © 2012 Sociedad Española de Anestesiología, Reanimaci

High Efficiency Solar-based Catalytic Structure for CO<sub>2sub> Reforming

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Menkara, Hisham [PhosphorTech Corporation, Kennesaw, GA (United States)

2013-09-30

Throughout this project, we developed and optimized various photocatalyst structures for CO<sub>2sub> reforming into hydrocarbon fuels and various commodity chemical products. We also built several closed-loop and continuous fixed-bed photocatalytic reactor system prototypes for a larger-scale demonstration of CO<sub>2sub> reforming into hydrocarbons, mainly methane and formic acid. The results achieved have indicated that with each type of reactor and structure, high reforming yields can be obtained by refining the structural and operational conditions of the reactor, as well as by using various sacrificial agents (hole scavengers). We have also demonstrated, for the first time, that an aqueous solution containing acid whey (a common bio waste) is a highly effective hole scavenger for a solar-based photocatalytic reactor system and can help reform CO<sub>2sub> into several products at once. The optimization tasks performed throughout the project have resulted in efficiency increase in our conventional reactors from an initial 0.02% to about 0.25%, which is 10X higher than our original project goal. When acid whey was used as a sacrificial agent, the achieved energy efficiency for formic acid alone was ~0.4%, which is 16X that of our original project goal and higher than anything ever reported for a solar-based photocatalytic reactor. Therefore, by carefully selecting sacrificial agents, it should be possible to reach energy efficiency in the range of the photosynthetic efficiency of typical crop and biofuel plants (1-3%).

Crystallization study of amorphous system Fe[sub 84-x]W[sub x]B[sub 16] (x = 3; 5)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Novakova, A.A.; Sidorova, G.V.; Kiseleva, T.Yu.; Szasz, A. (Dept. of Physics, State Univ., Moscow (Russia) Inst. of Metallurgy, Academy of Science, Moscow (Russia) Eoetvoes Univ., Budapest (Hungary))

1992-10-01

A complex study of the crystallization process of the amorphous system was carried out by Moessbauer spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and DTA. Alloy samples crystallized at 600deg C contain the following phases: [alpha]-Fe, Fe[sub 3]B and solid solution (Fe, W)[sub 3]B. (orig.).

Photochemical Degradation of Dimethyl Phthalate by Fe(III)/tartrate/H{sub 2}O{sub 2} System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feng, Xianghua; Ding, Shimin; Xie, Faping [Yangtze Normal Univ., Fuling (China)

2012-11-15

Photochemical degradation of dimethyl phthalate (DMP) in Fe(III)/tartrate/H{sub 2}O{sub 2} system was investigated utilizing fluorescent lamps as the primary light source. Effects of initial pH, light source, and initial concentration of each reactant on DMP photodegradation was examined. The results show that the system was able to effectively photodegrade DMP utilizing visible light. Fluorescent lamp, halide lamp, UV lamp and sunlight could all be used as the light sources. The optimal pH ranged among 3.0-4.0 for the system. Increases of the initial concentrations of Fe(III) and H{sub 2}O{sub 2} accelerated the photodegradation of DMP, whereas excessively high initial tartrate concentration resulted in the decrease of photodegradation efficiency and rate of DMP.

Diagnostic value of CT scanning in neuromuscular diseases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bulcke, J.A.L.; Leuven Univ.; Herpels, V.

1983-01-01

The diagnosis of myopathies has become easier since the CT technique is available. In this article the possibilities of CT for diagnostic procedures of neuromuscular diseases are pointed out. Density measurements increase differentiation of atrophy or hypertrophy of muscles as well as other pathological changes. (orig.)

Comparison of the Effect of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) often demonstrate poor hand function due to spasticity. Thus spasticity in the wrist and finger flexors poses a great deal of functional limitations. This study was therefore designed to compare the effectiveness of Cryotherapy and Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) on spasticity ...

The H{sup +}{sub 3} + H{sub 2} isotopic system. Origin of deuterium astrochemistry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hugo, Edouard Jean-Marie

2008-07-01

Dense cold molecular clouds reckoned to be stellar nurseries are the scene of an extreme molecular deuteration. Despite the cosmic D/H ratio of {proportional_to}10{sup -5}, molecular species in prestellar cores are observed to contain nearly as much deuterium as hydrogen. This astonishing deuterium enrichment promoted by low temperatures is the work of H{sup +}{sub 3}. It is the key species which unlocks the deuterium from its HD reservoir via reactions like H{sup +}{sub 3}+HD {r_reversible} H{sub 2}D{sup +}+H{sub 2} and drags it further to other species in successive reactions. For this reason, the H{sup +}{sub 3}+H{sub 2} isotopic system is outstandingly critical for the astrochemistry of cold environments. However, its understanding is yet incomplete and insufficient. This thesis thus focuses on the H{sup +}{sub 3}+H{sub 2} isotopic system from a theoretical, experimental and astronomical point of view giving a particular look into the role of nuclear spins. As a first step, the stringent nuclear spin selection rules in associative, dissociative and reactive collisions are investigated. This purely theoretical study zooms into the details of the nuclear spin wavefunctions and shows that their permutation symmetry representation is necessary and sufficient, contrary to their angular momentum representation. Additionally, a new deterministic interpretation of nuclear spins in chemical reactions is proposed. Based on these considerations, a complete set of state-to-state rate coefficients for all H{sup +}{sub 3} + H{sub 2} isotopic variants is calculated using a microcanonical model leaned on phase space theory. An experimental study is conducted in parallel with a 22-pole ion trap apparatus in order to inspect the influences of temperature and H{sub 2} ortho-to-para ratio. The good overall agreement between experimental and theoretical results supports the validity and utility of the calculated set of rate coefficients. Furthermore, the potentiality of the 22-pole

Neuromuscular function of the quadriceps muscle during isometric maximal, submaximal and submaximal fatiguing voluntary contractions in knee osteoarthrosis patients.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anett Mau-Moeller

Full Text Available Knee osteoarthrosis (KOA is commonly associated with a dysfunction of the quadriceps muscle which contributes to alterations in motor performance. The underlying neuromuscular mechanisms of muscle dysfunction are not fully understood. The main objective of this study was to analyze how KOA affects neuromuscular function of the quadriceps muscle during different contraction intensities.The following parameters were assessed in 20 patients and 20 healthy controls: (i joint position sense, i.e. position control (mean absolute error, MAE at 30° and 50° of knee flexion, (ii simple reaction time task performance, (iii isometric maximal voluntary torque (IMVT and root mean square of the EMG signal (RMS-EMG, (iv torque control, i.e. accuracy (MAE, absolute fluctuation (standard deviation, SD, relative fluctuation (coefficient of variation, CV and periodicity (mean frequency, MNF of the torque signal at 20%, 40% and 60% IMVT, (v EMG-torque relationship at 20%, 40% and 60% IMVT and (vi performance fatigability, i.e. time to task failure (TTF at 40% IMVT.Compared to the control group, the KOA group displayed: (i significantly higher MAE of the angle signal at 30° (99.3%; P = 0.027 and 50° (147.9%; P < 0.001, (ii no significant differences in reaction time, (iii significantly lower IMVT (-41.6%; P = 0.001 and tendentially lower RMS-EMG of the rectus femoris (-33.7%; P = 0.054, (iv tendentially higher MAE of the torque signal at 20% IMVT (65.9%; P = 0.068, significantly lower SD of the torque signal at all three torque levels and greater MNF at 60% IMVT (44.8%; P = 0.018, (v significantly increased RMS-EMG of the vastus lateralis at 20% (70.8%; P = 0.003 and 40% IMVT (33.3%; P = 0.034, significantly lower RMS-EMG of the biceps femoris at 20% (-63.6%; P = 0.044 and 40% IMVT (-41.3%; P = 0.028 and tendentially lower at 60% IMVT (-24.3%; P = 0.075 and (vi significantly shorter TTF (-51.1%; P = 0.049.KOA is not only associated with a deterioration of IMVT

Chemiluminescence of the Ce{sup 3+}* ions, and the {sup 1}ГђЕѕ{sub 2} and ({sup 1}ГђЕѕ{sub 2}){sub 2} molecular species of oxygen induced by active surface of the (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}Ce(NO{sub 3}){sub 6} crystals at reduction of Ce{sup 4+} to Ce{sup 3+} by water in heterogeneous system «(NH{sub 4}){sub 2}Ce(NO{sub 3}){sub 6}-C{sub 6}H{sub 6}-H{sub 2}O»

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bulgakov, Ramil G., E-mail: profbulgakov@yandex.ru [Laboratory of Negative Ions Mass Spectrometry, Institute of Molecule and Crystal Physics, Ufa Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 71, Oktyabrya Prosp., 450054 Ufa (Russian Federation); Gazeeva, Dilara R., E-mail: galimovdi@mail.ru [Laboratory of High Energy Chemistry and Catalysis, Institute of Petrochemistry and Catalysis Russian Academy of Sciences, 141 Prosp. Oktyabrya, 450075 Ufa (Russian Federation); Galimov, Dim I. [Laboratory of High Energy Chemistry and Catalysis, Institute of Petrochemistry and Catalysis Russian Academy of Sciences, 141 Prosp. Oktyabrya, 450075 Ufa (Russian Federation)

2017-03-15

We have discovered an unusual new chemiluminescence (CL) in the title system, which is different from other known CL by unusual combination of various in nature emitters, namely, electronically excited state of the Ce{sup 3+}* ion (λ{sub max}=335 nm), singlet oxygen {sup 1}ГђЕѕ{sub 2} (emission near 1270 nm) and its dimer ({sup 1}ГђЕѕ{sub 2}){sub 2} (λ{sub max}=490, 645, 715 nm). The Ce{sup 3+}* ions and oxygen emitters {sup 1}O{sub 2} and ({sup 1}O{sub 2}){sub 2} are generated in the reaction of Ce{sup 4+} with water and hydrogen peroxide, respectively. CL is generated only in a heterogeneous system «(NH{sub 4}){sub 2}Ce(NO{sub 3}){sub 6}-C{sub 6}H{sub 6}-H{sub 2}O» and completely absent in a homogeneous solution (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}Ce(NO{sub 3}){sub 6} in water containing benzene. This is due to the fact that the redox processes and CL in the «(NH{sub 4}){sub 2}Ce(NO{sub 3}){sub 6}-C{sub 6}H{sub 6}-H{sub 2}O» system are induced by active surface of the (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}Ce(NO{sub 3}){sub 6} crystals. It is through the action of the active surface of the (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}Ce(NO{sub 3}){sub 6} crystals is carried out population of such a high energy level of 5d{sup 1} excited state of Ce{sup 3+}* ion (λ{sub max}=353 nm, 3.7 eV). Discovered CL is the first example of an experimental registration of the Ce{sup 3+}* ion emission in a chemical reaction, because formation of Ce{sup 3+}* ion previously assumed to be in a great many works on the study of CL in reactions of Ce{sup 4+} compounds with various reducing agents, including the reaction with water, initiated by light or catalysts. Possible mechanism generation of new CL in the system under study has been proposed in the paper. - Highlights: • A new chemiluminescence (CL) in the (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}Ce(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}-C{sub 6}H{sub 6}-H{sub 2}O system was discovered. • The emission of the Ce{sup 3+}* ion as a CL emitter has been registered for the first time. • Other emitters of this CL are

Studies on the Ln/sub 2/O/sub 3/ (Ln: rare-earth elements)-SrO-V/sub 2/O/sub 3/ system, 1. Phase diagrams at 1400/sup 0/C

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shin-ike, T [Osaka Dental Coll., Hirakata (Japan); Adachi, G; Shiokawa, J

1980-11-01

Rare-earth oxides Ln/sub 2/O/sub 3/ (Ln : Nd, Eu or Er), strontium oxide SrO and vanadium oxide V/sub 2/O/sub 3/ were mixed in a given molecular ratio, heated at 1400/sup 0/C in vacuum. The products were examined by an x-ray diffraction method to study the phase relations of the ternary systems. On heating, part of the trivalent vanadium was oxidized to the tetravalent state by atmospheric oxygen. In this experimental condition, the following ternary-phase solid solutions were identified: perovskite type Nd sub(1-x)Sr sub(x)VO sub(3-0.1x) (x > 0.3. cubic, x < 0.3: orthorhombic) and Eu sub(1-x)Sr sub(x)VO sub(3-0.1x) (x > 0.4: cubic, x < 0.4: orthorhombic), K/sub 2/NiF/sub 4/ type SrO.Nd sub(1-x)Sr sub(x)VO sub(3-0.1x) (x > 0.3) and SrO.Eu sub(1-x)Sr sub(x)VO sub(3-0.1x) (x > 0.4) and Eu/sub 3/Ti/sub 2/O/sub 7/ type SrO.2Nd sub(1-x)Sr sub(x)VO sub(3-0.1x) (x > 0.3) and SrO.2Eu sub(1-x)Sr sub(x)VO sub(3-0.1x) (x > 0.4). For the Er/sub 2/O/sub 3/-SrO-V/sub 2/O/sub 3/ system, only a mixture of Er/sub 2/O/sub 3/, SrVO sub(2.9), ErVO/sub 3/, SrO and V/sub 2/O/sub 3/ was obtained.

Electrical resistivity of the pseudo-binary system Ce(Fe sub(1-x)Alsub(x))sub(2)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takeushi, A.Y.; Cunha, S.F. da.

1983-01-01

The electrical and magnetic properties of the Laves phase system Ce(Fe sub(1-x) Al sub(x)) 2 for x 2 is destroyed and that a spin glass phase leads to a minimum in the total resistivity with T sub(2 min) proportional to x. The freezing temperature T sub(f) are always smaller than T sub(2 min) and it appears a negative coefficient of the AT sup(3/2) dependence below T sub(f). The minimum in dp/dt is well correlated with T sub(f). (Author) [pt

Modeling of Task Planning for Multirobot System Using Reputation Mechanism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhiguo Shi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Modeling of task planning for multirobot system is developed from two parts: task decomposition and task allocation. In the part of task decomposition, the conditions and processes of decomposition are elaborated. In the part of task allocation, the collaboration strategy, the framework of reputation mechanism, and three types of reputations are defined in detail, which include robot individual reputation, robot group reputation, and robot direct reputation. A time calibration function and a group calibration function are designed to improve the effectiveness of the proposed method and proved that they have the characteristics of time attenuation, historical experience related, and newly joined robot reward. Tasks attempt to be assigned to the robot with higher overall reputation, which can help to increase the success rate of the mandate implementation, thereby reducing the time of task recovery and redistribution. Player/Stage is used as the simulation platform, and three biped-robots are established as the experimental apparatus. The experimental results of task planning are compared with the other allocation methods. Simulation and experiment results illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method for multi-robot collaboration system.

Sugammadex, a new reversal agent for neuromuscular block induced by rocuronium in the anaesthetized Rhesus monkey.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boer, H.D. de; Egmond, J. van; Pol, F. van de; Bom, A.; Booij, L.H.D.J.

2006-01-01

BACKGROUND: Binding of the steroidal molecule of rocuronium by a cyclodextrin is a new concept for reversal of neuromuscular block. The present study evaluated the ability of Sugammadex Org 25969, a synthetic gamma-cyclodextrin derivative, to reverse constant neuromuscular block of about 90% induced

Anti-GM2 gangliosides IgM paraprotein induces neuromuscular block without neuromuscular damage.

Science.gov (United States)

Santafé, Manel M; Sabaté, M Mar; Garcia, Neus; Ortiz, Nico; Lanuza, M Angel; Tomàs, Josep

2008-11-15

We analyzed the effect on the mouse neuromuscular synapses of a human monoclonal IgM, which binds specifically to gangliosides with the common epitope [GalNAc beta 1-4Gal(3-2 alpha NeuAc)beta 1-]. We focused on the role of the complement. Evoked neurotransmission was partially blocked by IgM both acutely (1 h) and chronically (10 days). Transmission electron microscopy shows important nerve terminal growth and retraction remodelling though axonal injury can be ruled out. Synapses did not show mouse C5b-9 immunofluorescence and were only immunolabelled when human complement was added. Therefore, the IgM-induced synaptic changes occur without complement-mediated membrane attack.

Lean premixed flames for low NO{sub x} combustors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sojka, P.; Tseng, L.; Bryjak, J. [Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States)] [and others

1995-10-01

Gas turbines are being used throughout the world to generate electricity. Due to increasing fuel costs and environmental concerns, gas turbines must meet stringent performance requirements, demonstrating high thermal efficiencies and low pollutant emissions. In order for U.S. manufactured gas turbines to stay competitive, their NO{sub x} levels must be below 10 ppm and their thermal efficiencies should approach 60%. Current technology is being stretched to achieve these goals. The twin goals of high efficiency and low NO{sub x} emissions require extending the operating range of current gas turbines. Higher efficiency requires operation at higher pressures and temperatures. Lower NO{sub x} emissions requires lower flame temperatures. Lower flame temperatures can be achieved through partially to fully pre-mixed combustion. However, increased performance and lower emissions result in a set of competing goals. In order to achieve a successful compromise between high efficiency and low NO{sub x} emissions, advanced design tools must be developed. One key design tool is a computationally efficient, high pressure, turbulent flow, combustion model capable of predicting pollutant formation in an actual gas turbine. Its development is the goal of this program. Achieving this goal requires completion of three tasks. The first task is to develop a reduced chemical kinetics model describing N{sub O}x formation in natural gas-air systems. The second task is to develop a computationally efficient model that describes turbulence-chemistry interactions. The third task is to incorporate the reduced chemical kinetics and turbulence-chemistry interaction models into a commercially available flow solver and compare its predictions with experimental data obtained under carefully controlled conditions so that the accuracy of model predictions can be evaluated.