scholarly journals Development of A Medical Device for Quantitative Physical Therapies

2008 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hansong Zeng ◽  
Furqan Haq ◽  
Thomas Best ◽  
Sudha Agarwal ◽  
Tim Butterfield ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Device ◽  
Muscle Blood Flow ◽  
Stress Hormones ◽  
Muscle Tension ◽  
Force Sensor ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Lower Limbs ◽  
Fundamental Study ◽  
Physical Therapies

Physical therapies using mechanical loadings are widely used for improving and recovering the physical activities of human tissues. It is generally accepted that such therapies promote health and well-being by many mechanisms, including fastening muscle blood flow, parasympathetic activity, releasing relaxation hormones and inhibiting muscle tension, neuromuscular excitability and stress hormones. Nonetheless, most of current research in this area is based on statistics and thus qualitative, preventing the in-depth study of the effectiveness of these therapies. It is partially due to the lack of appropriate tools for quantitative loading and in situ tissue evaluation. To address this, we developed a medical device that resembles the mechanical motions and loadings that occur in massage therapies by applying combinations of compressive and shear loadings to the subject tissues. This device consists of a loading wheel, a force sensor, a pneumatic actuator, a control system and a data acquisition system. In this work, mechanical forces were applied to the lower limbs of rabbits with controllable magnitudes, frequencies and durations. The changes of mechanical properties of the subjects, including the compliance and the viscosity, were in situ measured as a function of the loading dose, and correlated to the results from biomolecular assay. This device can quickly identify the optimal sets of loading parameters which lead to high effectiveness, and thus provide guidance to practitioners to design their therapies. It is also expected to shed light on the fundamental study of biomechanical forces in regulation of the physiologic conditions of cells and tissues.

Biomechanical Device Towards Quantitative Massage

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hansong Zeng ◽  
Yi Zhao ◽  
Timothy Butterfield ◽  
Sudha Agarwal ◽  
Haq Furqan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Response ◽  
Muscle Blood Flow ◽  
Stress Hormones ◽  
Muscle Tension ◽  
Peak Torque ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mechanical Forces ◽  
Loading Conditions ◽  
Tissue Surface ◽  
Compressive Loads

Massage therapies are widely employed for improving and recovering tissue functions and physical activities. It is generally believed that such therapies would promote health and well-being by many possible mechanisms, including fastening muscle blood flow, parasympathetic activity, releasing relaxation hormones and inhibiting muscle tension, neuromuscular excitability and stress hormones. Nonetheless, most of current research is based on statistics and thus qualitative, preventing the in-depth study of the effectiveness. This is partially due to the lack of appropriate tools for quantitative loading and in situ assessment of tissue performance. To address this, we develop a biomechanical device to mimic massage therapies by applying controllable mechanical forces to animal tissues during cyclic mechanical motions. The device can apply compressive loads normal to the tissue surface and generate lengthwise motion along the tissue surface. Mechanical forces are applied with controllable magnitudes, frequencies and durations. Tissue mechanical response is recorded and correlated to the loading parameters. The changes of bulk tissue compliance and viscoelastic properties under various loading conditions are evaluated. The improvement of tissue functions and inhibition of muscle inflammation are examined. The results show that the peak torque production increased after massage, which suggests the recovery of muscle functions. A reduced number of infiltrating leukocytes is also observed in the subject muscle fibers after massage. Findings of this study suggest that the biomechanical device offers a quantitative analysis of massage actions, which will help to determine the optimal range of loading conditions required for safe and effective use of massage therapies.

Influence of training following bilateral stenosis of the femoral artery in rats

1986 ◽  
Vol 250 (6) ◽  
pp. H1050-H1059 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. M. Mathien ◽  
R. L. Terjung
Keyword(s):  
Blood Flow ◽  
Exercise Tolerance ◽  
Fiber Type ◽  
Muscle Blood Flow ◽  
Muscle Tension ◽  
Muscle Performance ◽  
Dramatic Improvement ◽  
Hindlimb Muscle

The influence of training on muscle performance in situ, exercise tolerance in vivo, and muscle blood flow, was assessed in rats in which femoral arteries were previously surgically constricted to severely limit active hyperemia but not to restrict normal resting blood flow (BF). Muscle BF to the different fiber type sections of the gastrocnemius plantaris soleus muscle group was determined during in situ stimulation (15 and 30 tetani/min) using 15-microns microspheres after 0, 1, 2, 3, and 5 wk (n = 5-6/wk) of daily treadmill training. Surgical stenosis was performed 48 h prior to the initiation of training. The ability of the hindlimb muscle of sedentary stenosed animals to maintain tension in situ improved from an extensive deficit to normal at 3 wk during relatively mild contractions (15 tetani/min) but not at 5 wk during 30 tetani/min. Although BF improved to normal at 15 tetani/min, a large BF deficit remained at 30 tetani/min. Exercise tolerance during running increased approximately twofold in duration. In contrast, trained stenosed animals demonstrated normal muscle tension in situ by 2 wk during 15 tetani/min and at 5 wk during 30 tetani/min. Exercise tolerance during running increased in duration (approximately fivefold) and intensity (approximately twofold). Although BF to the entire contracting muscle mass was not different between trained and sedentary stenosed animals, its distribution within the gastrocnemius was more homogenous (P less than 0.001). This was probably due to adaptations within the fast-twitch white muscle section and could have contributed to the dramatic improvement in muscle function and exercise tolerance exhibited by the trained stenosed animals.

An Engineering Approach for Quantitative Analysis of the Lengthwise Strokes in Massage Therapies

2008 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hansong Zeng ◽  
Timothy A. Butterfield ◽  
Sudha Agarwal ◽  
Furqan Haq ◽  
Thomas M. Best ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Analysis ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Soft Tissues ◽  
Mechanical Load ◽  
Stress Hormones ◽  
Muscle Tension ◽  
Zealand White Rabbit ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Tissue Compliance ◽  
Effective Use

Massage therapies are widely used for improving and restoring the function of human tissues. It is generally accepted that such therapies promote human health and well-being by several possible mechanisms, including increase in blood flow and parasympathetic activity, release of relaxation hormones, and inhibition of muscle tension, neuromuscular excitability, and stress hormones. Nonetheless, most of the purported beneficial/adverse effects of massage are based on anecdotal experiences, providing little insight on its effectiveness or the mechanisms underlying its usefulness. Furthermore, most studies to date have not quantitatively demonstrated the efficacy of massage on human health. This might be due to the lack of appropriate tools necessary for the application of quantitatively controlled loading and for the evaluation of the subsequent responses. To address this issue, we developed a device that applies compression in lengthwise strokes to the soft tissues of the New Zealand white rabbit, thereby mimicking the rubbing and effleurage techniques of massage. This device permits control of the magnitude and frequency of mechanical load applied to the rabbit’s hind limb for various durations. The measurement of tissue compliance and the viscoelastic properties as a function of loading parameters was also demonstrated. Findings of this study suggest that this device offers a quantitative analysis of the applied loads on the tissue to determine an optimal range of loading conditions required for the safe and effective use of massage therapies.

SenCity – Evaluating Users’ Experiences of Intelligent Lighting for Well-Being in Smart Cities

2018 ◽  
pp. 60-67
Author(s):  
Henrika Pihlajaniemi ◽  
Anna Luusua ◽  
Eveliina Juntunen
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Smart City ◽  
Smart Cities ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Evaluation Methods ◽  
Data Analyses ◽  
Sense Of Security ◽  
System Data

This paper presents the evaluation of usersХ experiences in three intelligent lighting pilots in Finland. Two of the case studies are related to the use of intelligent lighting in different kinds of traffic areas, having emphasis on aspects of visibility, traffic and movement safety, and sense of security. The last case study presents a more complex view to the experience of intelligent lighting in smart city contexts. The evaluation methods, tailored to each pilot context, include questionnaires, an urban dashboard, in-situ interviews and observations, evaluation probes, and system data analyses. The applicability of the selected and tested methods is discussed reflecting the process and achieved results.

Feasibility study of technology-enabled prevention intervention for children and families (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikki Theofanopoulou ◽  
Katherine Isbister ◽  
Julian Edbrooke-Childs ◽  
Petr Slovák
Keyword(s):  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Digital Camera ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Object A ◽  
Intervention Delivery ◽  
Parents And Children

BACKGROUND A common challenge within psychiatry and prevention science more broadly is the lack of effective, engaging, and scale-able mechanisms to deliver psycho-social interventions for children, especially beyond in-person therapeutic or school-based contexts. Although digital technology has the potential to address these issues, existing research on technology-enabled interventions for families remains limited. OBJECTIVE The aim of this pilot study was to examine the feasibility of in-situ deployments of a low-cost, bespoke prototype, which has been designed to support children’s in-the-moment emotion regulation efforts. This prototype instantiates a novel intervention model that aims to address the existing limitations by delivering the intervention through an interactive object (a ‘smart toy’) sent home with the child, without any prior training necessary for either the child or their carer. This pilot study examined (i) engagement and acceptability of the device in the homes during 1 week deployments; and (ii) qualitative indicators of emotion regulation effects, as reported by parents and children. METHODS In this qualitative study, ten families (altogether 11 children aged 6-10 years) were recruited from three under-privileged communities in the UK. The RA visited participants in their homes to give children the ‘smart toy’ and conduct a semi-structured interview with at least one parent from each family. Children were given the prototype, a discovery book, and a simple digital camera to keep at home for 7-8 days, after which we interviewed each child and their parent about their experience. Thematic analysis guided the identification and organisation of common themes and patterns across the dataset. In addition, the prototypes automatically logged every interaction with the toy throughout the week-long deployments. RESULTS Across all 10 families, parents and children reported that the ‘smart toy’ was incorporated into children’s emotion regulation practices and engaged with naturally in moments children wanted to relax or calm down. Data suggests that children interacted with the toy throughout the duration of the deployment, found the experience enjoyable, and all requested to keep the toy longer. Child emotional connection to the toy—caring for its ‘well-being’—appears to have driven this strong engagement. Parents reported satisfaction with and acceptability of the toy. CONCLUSIONS This is the first known study investigation of the use of object-enabled intervention delivery to support emotion regulation in-situ. The strong engagement and qualitative indications of effects are promising – children were able to use the prototype without any training and incorporated it into their emotion regulation practices during daily challenges. Future work is needed to extend this indicative data with efficacy studies examining the psychological efficacy of the proposed intervention. More broadly, our findings suggest the potential of a technology-enabled shift in how prevention interventions are designed and delivered: empowering children and parents through ‘child-led, situated interventions’, where participants learn through actionable support directly within family life, as opposed to didactic in-person workshops and a subsequent skills application.

scholarly journals Methacholine causes reflex bronchoconstriction

1999 ◽  
Vol 86 (1) ◽  
pp. 294-297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth M. Wagner ◽  
David B. Jacoby
Keyword(s):  
Smooth Muscle ◽  
Airway Smooth Muscle ◽  
Bronchial Artery ◽  
Muscle Tension ◽  
Reflex Response ◽  
Resistance Change ◽  
Bilateral Vagotomy ◽  
Airways Resistance ◽  
Lower Airways

To determine whether methacholine causes vagally mediated reflex constriction of airway smooth muscle, we administered methacholine to sheep either via the bronchial artery or as an aerosol via tracheostomy into the lower airways. We then measured the contraction of an isolated, in situ segment of trachealis smooth muscle and determined the effect of vagotomy on the trachealis response. Administering methacholine to the subcarinal airways via the bronchial artery (0.5–10.0 μg/ml) caused dose-dependent bronchoconstriction and contraction of the tracheal segment. At the highest methacholine concentration delivered, trachealis smooth muscle tension increased an average of 186% over baseline. Aerosolized methacholine (5–7 breaths of 100 mg/ml) increased trachealis tension by 58% and airways resistance by 183%. As the bronchial circulation in the sheep does not supply the trachea, we postulated that the trachealis contraction was caused by a reflex response to methacholine in the lower airways. Bilateral vagotomy essentially eliminated the trachealis response and the airways resistance change after lower airways challenge (either via the bronchial artery or via aerosol) with methacholine. We conclude that 1) methacholine causes a substantial reflex contraction of airway smooth muscle and 2) the assumption may not be valid that a response to methacholine in humans or experimental animals represents solely the direct effect on smooth muscle.

scholarly journals Quantification of assembly forces during creation of head-neck taper junction considering soft tissue bearing: a biomechanical study

Arthroplasty ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Toni Wendler ◽  
Torsten Prietzel ◽  
Robert Möbius ◽  
Jean-Pierre Fischer ◽  
Andreas Roth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soft Tissue ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Soft Tissues ◽  
Force Sensor ◽  
Biomechanical Study ◽  
Measuring System ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Head Neck

Abstract Background All current total hip arthroplasty (THA) systems are modular in design. Only during the operation femoral head and stem get connected by a Morse taper junction. The junction is realized by hammer blows from the surgeon. Decisive for the junction strength is the maximum force acting once in the direction of the neck axis, which is mainly influenced by the applied impulse and surrounding soft tissues. This leads to large differences in assembly forces between the surgeries. This study aimed to quantify the assembly forces of different surgeons under influence of surrounding soft tissue. Methods First, a measuring system, consisting of a prosthesis and a hammer, was developed. Both components are equipped with a piezoelectric force sensor. Initially, in situ experiments on human cadavers were carried out using this system in order to determine the actual assembly forces and to characterize the influence of human soft tissues. Afterwards, an in vitro model in the form of an artificial femur (Sawbones Europe AB, Malmo, Sweden) with implanted measuring stem embedded in gelatine was developed. The gelatine mixture was chosen in such a way that assembly forces applied to the model corresponded to those in situ. A study involving 31 surgeons was carried out on the aforementioned in vitro model, in which the assembly forces were determined. Results A model was developed, with the influence of human soft tissues being taken into account. The assembly forces measured on the in vitro model were, on average, 2037.2 N ± 724.9 N, ranging from 822.5 N to 3835.2 N. The comparison among the surgeons showed no significant differences in sex (P = 0.09), work experience (P = 0.71) and number of THAs performed per year (P = 0.69). Conclusions All measured assembly forces were below 4 kN, which is recommended in the literature. This could lead to increased corrosion following fretting in the head-neck interface. In addition, there was a very wide range of assembly forces among the surgeons, although other influencing factors such as different implant sizes or materials were not taken into account. To ensure optimal assembly force, the impaction should be standardized, e.g., by using an appropriate surgical instrument.

Muscle maximal O2 uptake at constant O2 delivery with and without CO in the blood

1990 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 830-836 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. C. Hogan ◽  
D. E. Bebout ◽  
A. T. Gray ◽  
P. D. Wagner ◽  
J. B. West ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Flow ◽  
Muscle Blood Flow ◽  
Hemoglobin Concentration ◽  
O2 Uptake ◽  
Isometric Twitch ◽  
O2 Delivery ◽  
Arterial Po2 ◽  
O2 Dissociation Curve ◽  
Total Hemoglobin Concentration

In the present study we investigated the effects of carboxyhemoglobinemia (HbCO) on muscle maximal O2 uptake (VO2max) during hypoxia. O2 uptake (VO2) was measured in isolated in situ canine gastrocnemius (n = 12) working maximally (isometric twitch contractions at 5 Hz for 3 min). The muscles were pump perfused at identical blood flow, arterial PO2 (PaO2) and total hemoglobin concentration [( Hb]) with blood containing either 1% (control) or 30% HbCO. In both conditions PaO2 was set at 30 Torr, which produced the same arterial O2 contents, and muscle blood flow was set at 120 ml.100 g-1.min-1, so that O2 delivery in both conditions was the same. To minimize CO diffusion into the tissues, perfusion with HbCO-containing blood was limited to the time of the contraction period. VO2max was 8.8 +/- 0.6 (SE) ml.min-1.100 g-1 (n = 12) with hypoxemia alone and was reduced by 26% to 6.5 +/- 0.4 ml.min-1.100 g-1 when HbCO was present (n = 12; P less than 0.01). In both cases, mean muscle effluent venous PO2 (PVO2) was the same (16 +/- 1 Torr). Because PaO2 and PVO2 were the same for both conditions, the mean capillary PO2 (estimate of mean O2 driving pressure) was probably not much different for the two conditions, even though the O2 dissociation curve was shifted to the left by HbCO. Consequently the blood-to-mitochondria O2 diffusive conductance was likely reduced by HbCO.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

scholarly journals An approach to assess stress in response to drive hunts using cortisol levels of wild boar (Sus scrofa)

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Justine Güldenpfennig ◽  
Marion Schmicke ◽  
Martina Hoedemaker ◽  
Ursula Siebert ◽  
Oliver Keuling
Keyword(s):  
Wild Boar ◽  
Stress Hormones ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Group Living ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Lower Saxony ◽  
Cortisol Levels ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Effect Of Age

AbstractHunting can easily be linked to stress in wildlife. Drive hunts performed two to three times in one area during the respective hunting period, are thought to decrease the pressure hunting places on wildlife. Nevertheless, the expression of cortisol—one of the main mammalian stress hormones—is considered to have negative impacts on animals’ well-being if expressed excessively, which may occur during some (especially repeated) hunting events. We explored the effect of drive hunts on cortisol levels in wild boar in Lower Saxony, Germany, compared these cortisol levels to reference values given by a similar study, and investigated the effect of age, sex, and pregnancy. Blood collected from wild boar shot on drive hunts was analysed using a radioimmunoassay. As expected, we observed elevated cortisol levels in all samples, however, we still found significant differences between age groups and sexes, as well as an influence of pregnancy on cortisol levels. The effect of drive hunts on cortisol levels appears to be weaker than predicted, while the effects of other variables, such as sex, are distinct. Only half of the evaluated samples showed explicitly increased cortisol levels and no significant differences were found between sampling months and locations. Group living animals and pregnant females showed significantly higher cortisol levels. The impact of hunting is measurable but is masked by natural effects such as pregnancy. Thus, we need more information on stress levels in game species.

Blood flow distribution in working in situ canine muscle during blood flow reduction

1996 ◽  
Vol 80 (6) ◽  
pp. 1978-1983 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. S. Kurdak ◽  
B. Grassi ◽  
P. D. Wagner ◽  
M. C. Hogan
Keyword(s):  
Blood Flow ◽  
Muscle Blood Flow ◽  
Flow Distribution ◽  
Blood Flow Distribution ◽  
Strong Negative Correlation ◽  
Flow Heterogeneity ◽  
Blood Flow Reduction ◽  
Blood Flow Heterogeneity

The purpose of this study was to determine whether reduction in apparent muscle O2 diffusing capacity (Dmo2) calculated during reduced blood flow conditions in maximally working muscle is a reflection of alterations in blood flow distribution. Isolated dog gastrocnemius muscle (n = 6) was stimulated for 3 min to achieve peak O2 uptake (VO2) at two levels of blood flow (controlled by pump perfusion): control (C) conditions at normal perfusion pressure (blood flow = 111 +/- 10 ml.100 g-1.min-1) and reduced blood flow treatment [ischemia (I); 52 +/- 6 ml.100 g-1.min-1]. In addition, maximal vasodilation was achieved by adenosine (A) infusion (10(-2)M) at both levels of blood flow, so that each muscle was subjected randomly to a total of four conditions (C, CA, I, and IA; each separated by 45 min of rest). Muscle blood flow distribution was measured with 15-microns-diameter colored microspheres. A numerical integration technique was used to calculate Dmo2 for each treatment with use of a model that calculates O2 loss along a capillary on the basis of Fick's law of diffusion. Peak VO2 was reduced significantly (P < 0.01) with ischemia and was unchanged by adenosine infusion at either flow rate (10.6 +/- 0.9, 9.7 +/- 1.0, 6.7 +/- 0.2, and 5.9 +/- 0.8 ml.100 g-1.min-1 for C, CA, I, and IA, respectively). Dmo2 was significantly lower by 30-35% (P < 0.01) when flow was reduced (except for CA vs. I; 0.23 +/- 0.03, 0.20 +/- 0.02, 0.16 +/- 0.01, and 0.13 +/- 0.01 ml.100 g-1.min-1.Torr-1 for C, CA, I, and IA, respectively). As expressed by the coefficient of variation (0.45 +/- 0.04, 0.47 +/- 0.04, 0.55 +/- 0.03, and 0.53 +/- 0.04 for C, CA, I, and IA, respectively), blood flow heterogeneity per se was not significantly different among the four conditions when examined by analysis of variance. However, there was a strong negative correlation (r = 0.89, P < 0.05) between Dmo2 and blood flow heterogeneity among the four conditions, suggesting that blood flow redistribution (likely a result of a decrease in the number of perfused capillaries) becomes an increasingly important factor in the determination of Dmo2 as blood flow is diminished.

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