Contraction Pattern Research Articles

The evolution of NLRC3 subfamily genes in Sebastidae teleost fishes

BackgroundWith more than 36,000 valid fish species, teleost fishes constitute the most species-rich vertebrate clade and exhibit extensive genetic and phenotypic variation, including diverse immune defense strategies. NLRC3 subfamily genes, which are specific to fishes, play vital roles in the immune system of teleosts. The evolution of teleosts has been impacted by several whole-genome duplication (WGD) events, which might be a key reason for the expansions of the NLRC3 subfamily, but detailed knowledge of NLRC3 subfamily evolution in the family Sebastidae is still limited.ResultsPhylogenetic inference of NLRC3 subfamily protein sequences were conducted to evaluate the orthology of NLRC3 subfamily genes in black rockfish (Sebastes schlegilii), 13 other fish species from the families Sebastidae, Serranidae, Gasterosteidae and Cyclopteridae, and three species of high vertebrates (bird, reptile and amphibian). WGD analyses were used to estimate expansions and contractions of the NLRC3 subfamily, and patterns of expression of NLRC3 subfamily genes in black rockfish following bacterial infections were used to investigate the functional roles of these genes in the traditional and mucosal immune system of the Sebastidae. Different patterns of gene expansions and contractions were observed in 17 fish and other species examined, and one and two whole-genome duplication events were observed in two members of family Sebastidae (black rockfish and honeycomb rockfish, Sebastes umbrosus), respectively. Subsequently, 179 copy numbers of NLRC3 genes were found in black rockfish and 166 in honeycomb rockfish. Phylogenetic analyses corroborated the conservation and evolution of NLRC3 orthologues between Sebastidae and other fish species. Finally, differential expression analyses provided evidence of the immune roles of NLRC3 genes in black rockfish during bacterial infections and gene ontology analysis also indicated other functional roles.ConclusionsWe hypothesize that NLRC3 genes have evolved a variety of different functions, in addition to their role in the immune response, as a result of whole genome duplication events during teleost diversification. Importantly, this study had underscored the importance of sampling across taxonomic groups, to better understand the evolutionary patterns of the innate immunity system on which complex immunological novelties arose. Moreover, the results in this study could extend current knowledge of the plasticity of the immune system.

Isolated cardiac muscle contracting against a real-time model of systemic and pulmonary cardiovascular loads.

Isolated cardiac tissues allow a direct assessment of cardiac muscle function and enable precise control of experimental loading conditions. However, current experimental methods do not expose isolated tissues to the same contraction pattern and cardiovascular loads naturally experienced by the heart. In this study, we implement a computational model of systemic-pulmonary impedance that is solved in real time and imposed on contracting isolated rat muscle tissues. This systemic-pulmonary model represents the cardiovascular system as a lumped-parameter, closed-loop circuit. The tissues performed force-length work-loop contractions where the model output informed both the shortening and restretch phases of each work-loop. We compared the muscle mechanics and energetics associated with work-loops driven by the systemic-pulmonary model with that of a model-based loading method that only accounts for shortening. We obtained results that show simultaneous changes of afterload and preload or end-diastolic length of the muscle, as compared with the static, user-defined preload as in the conventional loading method. This feature allows assessment of muscle work output, heat output, and efficiency of contraction as functions of end-diastolic length. The results reveal the behavior of cardiac muscle as a pump source to achieve load-dependent work and efficiency outputs over a wider range of loads. This study offers potential applications of the model to investigate cardiac muscle response to hemodynamic coupling between systemic and pulmonary circulations in an in vitro setting.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We present the use of a "closed-loop" model of systemic and pulmonary circulations to apply, for the first time, real-time model-calculated preload and afterload to isolated cardiac muscle preparations. This method extends current experimental protocols where only afterload has been considered. The extension to include preload provides the opportunity to investigate ventricular muscle response to hemodynamic coupling and as a pump source across a wider range of cardiovascular loads.

Eccentric Contraction Enhances Healing of the Bone-Tendon Interface After Rotator Cuff Repair in Mice

Background: Various muscle contraction modalities have differing effects on the musculoskeletal system. To understand the magnitude of these effects, the authors investigated the effects of eccentric and concentric contractions on the bone-tendon interface after rotator cuff repair in mice. Hypothesis: Eccentric contraction promotes healing of the bone-tendon interface after rotator cuff repair in mice better than other muscle contraction patterns. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: The authors performed acute supraspinatus tendon repair of the right shoulder in 104 C57BL/6 mice. Animals were randomized into 4 groups postoperatively: control group (Con group), horizontal running group (Horz group), +15° uphill running group (Up group), and −15° downhill running group (Down group), with 26 animals in each group. At 4 and 8 weeks postoperatively, the authors removed the eyeball, collected blood samples, and extracted the supraspinatus tendon–humerus complex for histological, immunological, bone morphological, and biomechanical tests. Results: At 4 and 8 weeks postoperatively, the Down group exhibited a better collagen cell arrangement and fibrocartilage layer than the other 3 groups. At 4 weeks postoperatively, anti-inflammatory macrophages (M2 macrophages) were observed at the repair site in all groups except for the Con group. At 8 weeks postoperatively, M2 macrophages were withdrawn from the tendon site in all groups. The transforming growth factor β1 concentration in the Down group was greater than that in the other 3 groups at 4 weeks postoperatively, and it was higher than that in the Con group at 8 weeks postoperatively. The bone volume fraction, number of trabeculae, and thickness of trabeculae at the repair site in the Down group, as well as the ultimate strength and failure load in the biomechanical tests, were greater than those in the other 3 groups at 8 weeks postoperatively. Conclusion: Eccentric contraction promotes healing of the bone-tendon interface after rotator cuff repair in mice better than other muscle contraction patterns. Clinical Relevance: After clinical rotator cuff repair, patients can be rehabilitated by eccentric training to speed up the functional recovery of the shoulder joint.

Direct investigation of cell contraction signal networks by light-based perturbation methods.

Cell contraction plays an important role in many physiological and pathophysiological processes. This includes functions in skeletal, heart, and smooth muscle cells, which lead to highly coordinated contractions of multicellular assemblies, and functions in non-muscle cells, which are often highly localized in subcellular regions and transient in time. While the regulatory processes that control cell contraction in muscle cells are well understood, much less is known about cell contraction in non-muscle cells. In this review, we focus on the mechanisms that control cell contraction in space and time in non-muscle cells, and how they can be investigated by light-based methods. The review particularly focusses on signal networks and cytoskeletal components that together control subcellular contraction patterns to perform functions on the level of cells and tissues, such as directional migration and multicellular rearrangements during development. Key features of light-based methods that enable highly local and fast perturbations are highlighted, and how experimental strategies can capitalize on these features to uncover causal relationships in the complex signal networks that control cell contraction.

Traversable wormholes with static spherical symmetry and their stability in higher-curvature gravity

The solutions of traversable wormholes and their geometries are investigated in higher-curvature gravity with boundary terms for each case under the presence of anisotropic, isotropic and barotropic fluids in detail. For each case, the effective energy-momentum tensor violates the null energy condition throughout the wormhole throat. The null and weak energy conditions are also analyzed for ordinary matters. The regions that physically viable wormhole solutions can exist are explicitly shown. Furthermore, it is found that the range of the viable regions exhibits an alternating pattern of expansion and contraction. The present analyses can reveal the regions in which traversable wormholes can be constructed for anisotropic, isotropic and barotropic fluids cases with incorporating realistic matter contents, leading to fundamental physics insights into the feasible construction of wormholes in higher-curvature gravity with boundary term. The main achievements of this work, in contrast to previous studies, are its thorough investigation of traversable wormholes within the framework of higher-curvature gravity with boundary terms, its extensive consideration of various fluid types, and the explicit identification of regions where stable wormhole solutions can exist.

Influence of Breathing Modes and Facial Growth Patterns on Electromyographic Fatigue of Masticatory Muscles in Children.

Introduction Changes in breathing patterns affect the harmonious development of the structures of the craniofacial system, leading to changes in posture, occlusion, and facial growth patterns. However, little is known about how these changes influence the muscle contraction patterns, either at rest or while functioning, and either in a normal or unbalanced condition. Objective To study the masseter and anterior temporal muscles fatigue during mastication in nasal- and mouth-breathing children, also considering their facial growth patterns. Methods: A total of 70 children aged 6 to 12 years old who met the study criteria were assessed. Speech-language-hearing, otorhinolaryngologic, and cephalometric assessments were performed to divide them into groups. In the electromyographic assessment, the children were asked to chew gum following a metronome until they felt fatigued. The median frequency of the muscles was analyzed at 15, 30, 45, and 60 seconds of mastication. The reported time of fatigue perception was recorded. The data were analyzed with analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the Kruskal-Wallis and the Mann-Whitney U tests. Results There were no median frequency decrease patterns nor differences in the myoelectric manifestations and reported time of fatigue between the groups. Conclusion The masticatory muscles did not reveal fatigue in the electromyographic analysis; however, the fatigue time was reported, despite the absence of physiological fatigue. The breathing mode, the facial growth pattern, and the association between them did not interfere with the behavior of the median frequency of the electromyographic signal and the fatigue time perception.

Unraveling Functional Dysphagia: A Game-Changing Automated Machine-Learning Diagnostic Approach

(1) Background: Dysphagia affects around 16% of the US population. Diagnostic tests like X-ray barium swallow and endoscopy are used initially to diagnose the cause of dysphagia, followed by high-resolution esophageal manometry (HRM). If the above tests are normal, the patient is classified as functional dysphagia (FD), suggesting esophageal sensory dysfunction. HRM records only the contraction phase of peristalsis, not the distension phase. We investigated the utilization of esophageal distension–contraction patterns for the automatic classification of FD, using artificial intelligent shallow learners. (2) Methods: Studies were performed in 30 healthy subjects and 30 patients with FD. Custom-built software (Dplots 1.0) was used to extract relevant esophageal distension–contraction features. Next, we used multiple shallow learners, namely support vector machines, random forest, K-nearest neighbors, and logistic regression, to determine which had the best performance in terms of accuracy, precision, and recall. (3) Results: In the proximal segment, LR produced the best results, with accuracy of 91.7% and precision of 92.86%, using only distension features. In the distal segment, random forest produced accuracy of 90.5% and precision of 91.1% using both pressure and distension features. (4) Conclusions: Findings emphasize the crucial role of abnormality in the distension phase of peristalsis in FD patients.

Effects of whole-body vibration training in static and dynamic semi-squat patterns on the lower limb muscle activity

The decline in physical function and the deterioration of the neuromusculoskeletal system in older people can easily lead to reduced muscle strength and slower mobility in the joints of the lower limbs, increasing the incidence of chronic diseases such as muscle wasting disorders, osteoporosis, debilitation and fall and fracture. It may also affect the quality of life and functional independence of older people, and in serious cases, even directly threaten their health. This study was conducted to determine the differences in lower limb muscle activation characteristics between static semi-squat (SSS) and dynamic semi-squat (DSS) training in middle-aged and old women at different frequencies and amplitudes and to explore a personalized whole-body vibration (WBV) training instruction program suitable for them. Fifteen healthy middle-aged and old women (60.8 ± 4.18 years old) were recruited for SSS and DSS WBV training. Their muscle activity of the rectus femoris (RF), vastus medialis (VM), vastus lateralis (VL), biceps femoris (BF) and gastrocnemius (GS) were calculated using the BTS FreeEMG300 wireless surface electromyography (EMG), which participants were completed that the two different contraction patterns of squats on WBV training. The knee flexion was maintained at 45° while the subjects were performing the SSS training, while during the DSS training, the knee flexion fluctuates between 10° and 45°. The SSS exercise requires the subject to remain stationary in the squatting position and the DSS to be performed at a rhythm of 4 s/repetition, with 2 s of squatting, 1 s of standing up, and 1 s intervals. The vibration frequencies and amplitudes were changed to the WBV training intensity, and the vibration frequencies were set to 0 Hz, 30 Hz and 40 Hz, and the amplitudes were set to 0 mm, 2 mm and 4 mm. Each subject is randomised to participate in WBV training with 5 combinations of frequency and amplitude in both static and dynamic semi-squat patterns. These were 0 Hz 0 mm, 30 Hz 2 mm, 30 Hz 4 mm, 40 Hz 2 mm, 40 Hz 4 mm for the static and dynamic demi-squat patterns of WBV training. A two-way repeated measures ANOVA was applied to compare the changes in surface EMG of the lower limb muscles in different modes of SSS and DSS with WBV training. (1) Our results showed significantly interaction effects in the frequency × amplitude of root mean square (EMGrms) in GS (P < 0.05), while no significant differences were observed in the interaction effects of SSS/DSS patterns, frequencies and amplitude of RF, VM, VL and BF (P > 0.05). (2) Comparisons between groups showed that the EMGrms of the RF were significantly higher for the DSS than the SSS (P < 0.05). Additionally, the EMGrms of VL and BF at 30 Hz and 40 Hz were greater than 0 Hz (P < 0.05). Also, The EMGrms at 4 mm for the VM, VL and BF were significantly higher than 0 mm, the EMGrms at 4 mm for the VM and VL were significantly higher than 2 mm (P < 0.05), and the EMGrms at 2 mm of VL and BF were significantly higher than 0 mm (P < 0.05). (3) The results showed that WBV stimulation significantly increased the EMGrms of the GS in the SSS compared with the vibration free semi-squat alone (P < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences between WBV training protocols for SSS patterns with different frequencies and amplitudes (frequencies and amplitudes not were 0 Hz and 0 mm) (P > 0.05). Comparison of EMGrms for WBV training of the GS in DSS patterns showed that 40 Hz/4 mm was significantly higher than 0 Hz/0 mm (P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference between the remaining vibration conditions (P > 0.05). WBV training for DSS can significantly improve the activation of the RF compared to SSS pattern. Compared with no vibration, WBV could significantly improv the activity of the lower limb muscles. Additionally, an increase in amplitude from 2 to 4 mm could significantly improve VM and VL activation, while no significant improvement on lower limb muscle activation was observed for increasing vibration frequency from 30 to 40 Hz.

Stratified pathways to Italy's "latest-late" transition to adulthood.

During the last few decades, Western societies have undergone substantial social and demographic changes, and the transition to adulthood progressively moved from an early, contracted, and simple pattern to a late, protracted, and complex one. These trends have been extensively analyzed under the Second Demographic Transition framework, emphasizing the role of individual agency and ideational change. A growing parallel literature underlines social stratification, the gender revolution, and contextual opportunities as driving forces. This paper builds on this emerging literature to analyze trends of the transition to adulthood in Italy, a salient social and demographic context among the "lowest-low" fertility countries. Drawing from the European Social Survey 2018 data, I use Sequence Analysis to compute a taxonomy of ideal types of transition to adulthood and analyze their evolution across cohorts. These analyses show that the emergence of a late and protracted transition to adulthood, associated with "lowest-low" fertility levels, is stratified by gender and socioeconomic background. This study contributes to the growing literature on the social stratification of life course trajectories and the relevance of contextual opportunities and constraints by analyzing the transition to adulthood in a low-opportunity context from a longitudinal, stratified perspective.

Development of a New Wearable Device for the Characterization of Hand Tremor.

Rest tremor (RT) is observed in subjects with Parkinson's disease (PD) and Essential Tremor (ET). Electromyography (EMG) studies have shown that PD subjects exhibit alternating contractions of antagonistic muscles involved in tremors, while the contraction pattern of antagonistic muscles is synchronous in ET subjects. Therefore, the RT pattern can be used as a potential biomarker for differentiating PD from ET subjects. In this study, we developed a new wearable device and method for differentiating alternating from a synchronous RT pattern using inertial data. The novelty of our approach relies on the fact that the evaluation of synchronous or alternating tremor patterns using inertial sensors has never been described so far, and current approaches to evaluate the tremor patterns are based on surface EMG, which may be difficult to carry out for non-specialized operators. This new device, named "RT-Ring", is based on a six-axis inertial measurement unit and a Bluetooth Low-Energy microprocessor, and can be worn on a finger of the tremulous hand. A mobile app guides the operator through the whole acquisition process of inertial data from the hand with RT, and the prediction of tremor patterns is performed on a remote server through machine learning (ML) models. We used two decision tree-based algorithms, XGBoost and Random Forest, which were trained on features extracted from inertial data and achieved a classification accuracy of 92% and 89%, respectively, in differentiating alternating from synchronous tremor segments in the validation set. Finally, the classification response (alternating or synchronous RT pattern) is shown to the operator on the mobile app within a few seconds. This study is the first to demonstrate that different electromyographic tremor patterns have their counterparts in terms of rhythmic movement features, thus making inertial data suitable for predicting the muscular contraction pattern of tremors.

(Invited) inkjet-Printed Soft Electronic Devices and Sensors for Wearable Health Monitoring Applications

Stretchable electronic devices and sensors built on thin elastomer substrates may find a wide range of applications in wearable health monitoring devices owing to their ability to conformably adapt to human skin for long-term and comfortable wearing. In this talk, I will present our work on developing intrinsically-stretchable electronic materials that are formulated as electronic inks and patterend using a highly scalable and low-cost inkjet printing process. A variety of soft sensors including silver nanoparticle based ultrasensitive resistive strain sensor and pressure sensor, porous elastomer dielectric based capacitive pressure sensor, and multimodal sensor that can differentiate pressure, strain, and temperature stimuli have all been demonstrated on ultrathin polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate by printing. These devices have been used in applications including motion and gesture tracking, voice recognition, arterial pulse waveform and photoplethysmogram monitoring. In addition, I will also report our work on the development of a unique porous PDMS sponge electrode as a gel-free dry interface for motion-artifact tolerant recording of electrophysiological signals. The porous structure of the soft electrode significantly increases the effective contact area and lowers the electrode-skin impedance, which result in improved signal-to-noise ratio. Compared to commercial rigid electrodes, the soft and thin form factor also makes the spongy electrode well-suited for long-term recording of high quality biopotential signals including electrocardiogram (ECG) and electromyography (EMG) on ambulatory patients. As a demonstration of its clinical usage with a focus on maternal and fetal health monitoring, I will show an array of such soft electrodes integrated on a printed patch of textile-based interconnections, and used for recording and spatiotemporal mapping of the uterine contraction patterns from patients in active labor.

Computerised Cardiotocography Analysis for the Automated Detection of Fetal Compromise during Labour: A Review.

The measurement and analysis of fetal heart rate (FHR) and uterine contraction (UC) patterns, known as cardiotocography (CTG), is a key technology for detecting fetal compromise during labour. This technology is commonly used by clinicians to make decisions on the mode of delivery to minimise adverse outcomes. A range of computerised CTG analysis techniques have been proposed to overcome the limitations of manual clinician interpretation. While these automated techniques can potentially improve patient outcomes, their adoption into clinical practice remains limited. This review provides an overview of current FHR and UC monitoring technologies, public and private CTG datasets, pre-processing steps, and classification algorithms used in automated approaches for fetal compromise detection. It aims to highlight challenges inhibiting the translation of automated CTG analysis methods from research to clinical application and provide recommendations to overcome them.

Three-dimensional echocardiographic evaluation of longitudinal and non-longitudinal components of right ventricular contraction: results from the World Alliance of Societies of Echocardiography study.

Right ventricular (RV) functional assessment is mainly limited to its longitudinal contraction. Dedicated three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) software enabled the separate assessment of the non-longitudinal components of RV ejection fraction (EF). The aims of this study were (i) to establish normal values for RV 3D-derived longitudinal, radial, and anteroposterior EF (LEF, REF, and AEF, respectively) and their relative contributions to global RVEF, (ii) to calculate 3D RV strain normal values, and (iii) to determine sex-, age-, and race-related differences in these parameters in a large group of normal subjects (WASE study). 3DE RV wide-angle datasets from 1043 prospectively enrolled healthy adult subjects were analysed to generate a 3D mesh model of the RV cavity (TomTec). Dedicated software (ReVISION) was used to analyse RV motion along the three main anatomical planes. The EF values corresponding to each plane were identified as LEF, REF, and AEF. Relative contributions were determined by dividing each EF component by the global RVEF. RV strain analysis included longitudinal, circumferential, and global area strains (GLS, GCS, and GAS, respectively). Results were categorized by sex, age (18-40, 41-65, and >65 years), and race. Absolute REF, AEF, LEF, and global RVEF were higher in women than in men (P < 0.001). With aging, both sexes exhibited a decline in all components of longitudinal shortening (P < 0.001), which was partially compensated in elderly women by an increase in radial contraction. Black subjects showed lower RVEF and GAS values compared with white and Asian subjects of the same sex (P < 0.001), and black men showed significantly higher RV radial but lower longitudinal contributions to global RVEF compared with Asian and white men. 3DE evaluation of the non-longitudinal components of RV contraction provides additional information regarding RV physiology, including sex-, age-, and race-related differences in RV contraction patterns that may prove useful in disease states involving the right ventricle.

Lymphatic Vascular Insufficiency and Focal Edema in Early Stages of Noncancer-Related Lymphedema.

Introduction: Lymph flows along the lymphatics due to spontaneous contraction. However, injury and inflammation may deteriorate lymphatic' s endothelial and muscle cells and valves. In consequence, lymphatic vessels (LVs) become insufficient. Their contraction strength and rate slow down, and then lymph flow stops. Our study aimed to investigate the changes in lymph flow in early lymphedema cases. Methods and Results: In 36 patients with unilateral lymphedema stages 0 and I, we performed indocyanine green (ICG) lymphography, lymphoscintigraphy, skin water concentration, and stiffness measurement. We compared lymph flow velocity, LVs' appearance, contraction pattern, and rate between swollen and healthy limbs. ICG lymphography revealed (1) slower lymph flow after 3 minutes of foot movement; in lower calf level, lymphatics are seen in 22 (61.1%) swollen limbs compared with 36 (100%) healthy limbs (p < 0.0001); (2) dye spots in the foot (47.1%) and calves (13.9%) in swollen limbs; (3) dilated foot (41.7%) and calves' lymphatics (52.8%); (4) different patterns of lymphatics contractility with slower contractions rate and (5) higher fluorescent intensity in edema limbs. There was higher skin water concentration at foot and ankle level and higher skin stiffness in the foot. Conclusions: Our studies have shown the distortion in lymphatic function as dilatation, slower lymph flow, slower contraction rate, presence of areas with occluded lymphatics (dermal backflow in foot and calves-focal edema), and higher skin water concentration in these regions in limbs with early lymphedema. ICG lymphography can be used for the early detection of LV insufficiency, which allows early prophylactic implementation.

Right ventricular contraction patterns in healthy children using three-dimensional echocardiography.

The right ventricle (RV) has complex geometry and function, with motion along three separate axes-longitudinal, radial, and anteroposterior. Quantitative assessment of RV function by two-dimension echocardiography (2DE) has been limited as a consequence of this complexity, whereas newer three dimensional (3D) analysis offers the potential for more comprehensive assessment of the contributors to RV function. The aims of this study were to quantify the longitudinal, radial and anteroposterior components of global RV function using 3D echocardiography in a cohort of healthy children and to examine maturational changes in these parameters. Three-dimensional contours of the RV were generated from a cohort of healthy pediatric patients with structurally normal hearts at two centers. Traditional 2D and 3D echo characteristics were recorded. Using offline analysis of 3D datasets, RV motion was decomposed into three components, and ejection fractions (EF) were calculated (longitudinal-LEF; radial-REF; and anteroposterior-AEF). The individual decomposed EF values were indexed against the global RVEF. Strain values were calculated as well. Data from 166 subjects were included in the analysis; median age was 13.5 years (range 0 to 17.4 years). Overall, AEF was greater than REF and LEF (29.2 ± 6.2% vs. 25.1 ± 7.2% and 25.7 ± 6.0%, respectively; p < 0.001). This remained true when indexed to overall EF (49.8 ± 8.7% vs. 43.3 ± 11.6% and 44.4 ± 10%, respectively; p < 0.001). Age-related differences were present for global RVEF, REF, and all components of RV strain. In healthy children, anteroposterior shortening is the dominant component of RV contraction. Evaluation of 3D parameters of the RV in children is feasible and enhances the overall understanding of RV function, which may allow improvements in recognition of dysfunction and assessment of treatment effects in the future.

Terms and Conditions: An Exploration of IP Contract Patterns in the German Biotechnology Industry

Terms and Conditions: An Exploration of IP Contract Patterns in the German Biotechnology Industry

Clinical and functional relevance of right ventricular contraction patterns in pulmonary hypertension

The right ventricle has a complex contraction pattern of uncertain clinical relevance. We aimed to assess the relationship between right ventricular (RV) contraction pattern and RV-pulmonary arterial (PA) coupling defined by the gold-standard pressure-volume loop-derived ratio of end-systolic/arterial elastance (Ees/Ea). Prospectively enrolled patients with suspected or confirmed pulmonary hypertension underwent three-dimensional echocardiography, standard right heart catheterization, and RV conductance catheterization. RV-PA uncoupling was categorized as severe (Ees/Ea < 0.8), moderate (Ees/Ea 0.8-1.29), and none/mild (Ees/Ea ≥ 1.3). Clinical severity was determined from hemodynamics using a truncated version of the 2022 European Society of Cardiology/European Respiratory Society risk stratification scheme. Fifty-three patients were included, 23 with no/mild, 24 with moderate, and 6 with severe uncoupling. Longitudinal shortening was decreased in patients with moderate vs no/mild uncoupling (p<0.001) and intermediate vs low hemodynamic risk (p<0.001), discriminating low risk from intermediate/high risk with an optimal threshold of 18% (sensitivity 80%, specificity 87%). Anteroposterior shortening was impaired in patients with severe vs moderate uncoupling (p=0.033), low vs intermediate risk (p=0.018), and high vs intermediate risk (p=0.010), discriminating high risk from intermediate/low risk with an optimal threshold of 15% (sensitivity 100%, specificity 83%). Left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic volume was decreased in patients with severe uncoupling (p=0.035 vs no/mild uncoupling). Early RV-PA uncoupling is associated with reduced longitudinal function, whereas advanced RV-PA uncoupling is associated with reduced anteroposterior movement and LV preload, all in a risk-related fashion. GOV: NCT04663217.

Understanding Platysma Muscle Contraction Pattern and Its Relationship to Platysmal Banding: A Real-Time Ultrasound Study.

Addressing neck contouring with surgical and nonsurgical aesthetic procedures includes understanding the origin of platysmal banding. A theory was postulated to explain this phenomenon by isometric vs isotonic muscular contraction patterns. However, no scientific proof had been provided to date for its correctness. The aim of this study was to confirm the correctness of the platysmal banding theory based on isometric vs isotonic muscular contractions. Eighty platysma muscles from 40 volunteers (15 males and 25 females) were investigated (mean age 41.8; SD 15.2 years; mean BMI of 22.2; SD 2.3 kg/m2). Real-time ultrasound imaging was utilized to measure the increase in local muscle thickness inside and outside of a platysmal band as well as platysma mobility. Within a platysmal band, the local thickness of the muscle increases during muscular contractions by 0.33 mm (37.9%; P < .001). Outside of a platysmal band the thickness of the platysma muscle decreased by 0.13 mm (20.3%; P < .001). It was identified that within a platysmal band no gliding was detectable, whereas outside of a band an average muscle gliding of 2.76 mm was observed. The results confirm the correctness of the isometric vs isotonic platysma muscle contraction pattern theory: isotonic muscle contraction (gliding without increase in tension and therefore in muscle thickness) vs isometric muscle contraction (no gliding but increase in tension and therefore in muscle thickness). These 2 types of contraction patterns occur within the platysma simultaneously and are an indicator for zones of adhesion in the neck to guide surgical and nonsurgical aesthetic procedures.

Assessing Quadriceps Muscle Contraction Using a Novel Surface Mechanomyography Sensor during Two Neuromuscular Control Screening Tasks.

Electromyography (EMG) is the clinical standard for capturing muscle activation data to gain insight into neuromuscular control, yet challenges surrounding data analysis limit its use during dynamic tasks. Surface mechanomyography (sMMG) sensors are novel wearable devices that measure the physical output of muscle excursion during contraction, which may offer potential easy application to assess neuromuscular control. This study aimed to investigate sMMG detection of the timing patterns of muscle contraction compared to EMG. Fifteen healthy participants (mean age = 31.7 ± 9.1 y; eight males and seven females) were donned with EMG and sMMG sensors on their right quadriceps for simultaneous data capture during bilateral deep squats, and a subset performed three sets of repeated unilateral partial squats. No significant difference in the total duration of contraction was detected by EMG and sMMG during bilateral (p = 0.822) and partial (p = 0.246) squats. sMMG and EMG timing did not differ significantly for eccentric (p = 0.414) and concentric (p = 0.462) phases of muscle contraction during bilateral squats. The sMMG magnitude of quadriceps excursion demonstrated excellent intra-session retest reliability for bilateral (ICC3,1 = 0.962 mm) and partial (ICC3,1 = 0.936 mm, n = 10) squats. The sMMG sensors accurately and consistently provided key quadriceps muscle performance metrics during two physical activities commonly used to assess neuromuscular control for injury prevention, rehabilitation, and exercise training.

O-267 Uterine contractility in women with adenomyosis differs significantly from healthy control women - the waves study

Abstract Study question Description of uterine contractility characteristics in adenomyosis patients compared to healthy controls and according to degree of dysmenorrhoea measured by quantitative 2D transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS). Summary answer Women with adenomyosis show differences in uterine contraction patterns (frequency, amplitude, velocity, and contraction coordination) compared to healthy controls and depending on degree of dysmenorrhoea. What is known already The natural contraction pattern of the uterus changes throughout the menstrual cycle in response to cyclic changes in hormones. In abnormal uteri, such as adenomyotic uteri, this response may be different. Adenomyosis can cause dysmenorrhoea, menorrhagia, dyspareunia, and subfertility. These symptoms could be explained by different contraction patterns of the uterus, however, this has not yet been objectively quantified due to the absence of a suitable measurement tool. Recently, speckle-tracking and strain analysis of 2D TVUS was used to assess differences in contraction coordination, frequency, velocity, and direction, depending on the phase of the menstrual cycle in healthy women. Study design, size, duration This study is part of an ongoing multi-centre prospective observational cohort study investigating uterine contractility in TVUS recordings. Our study includes the TVUS recordings of 31 women with adenomyosis and 106 women with healthy uteri. Patients were included in 3 centres from 2017 to 2023 (Netherlands, Greece, Italy). Participants/materials, setting, methods 31 women with sonographic suspicion of adenomyosis and 106 women with healthy uteri with natural menstrual cycles were included. Uterine contraction frequency, amplitude, velocity, and coordination were assessed by applying a dedicated speckle tracking and strain analysis to 2-4-minute TVUS recordings in midsagittal section. Degree of dysmenorrhoea was measured according to visual analogue score (VAS). Women with suspicion of adenomyosis were compared to women with healthy uteri according to the phase of their menstrual cycle. Main results and the role of chance Age, BMI, parity and uterus volume were significantly higher in the women with adenomyosis compared to the healthy controls (p &amp;lt; 0.05). Uterine contractility differed between women with adenomyosis and healthy controls during the periovulatory phase, revealing lower frequency (1.50±0.25 vs. 1.75±0.35, p = 0.031), higher amplitude (0.076±0.039 vs. 0.046±0.018, p = 0.001), and lower velocity (0.64±0.18 vs. 0.84±0.22, p = 0.020) of uterine contractions in the group with adenomyosis patients. In the late luteal phase, women with adenomyosis showed higher amplitude (0.050±0.02 vs. 0.035±0.01, p = 0.039) and lower velocity (0.51±0.11 vs. 0.72±0.16, p = 0.032) than the healthy controls. During menstruation, women with adenomyosis showed a trend towards higher contraction amplitude (0.044± 0.01 vs. 0.037±0.01, p = 0.051) compared to healthy controls. During the menstrual, periovulatory and late luteal phase, women with adenomyosis showed reduced contraction coordination (p = 0.047, p = 0.015 and p = 0.011, respectively) compared to healthy controls. Increased dysmenorrhoea (VAS score) in overall adenomyosis patients was associated with lower contraction velocity (p = 0.043) and a tendency towards lower frequency (p = 0.160) and higher amplitude (p = 0.154). Limitations, reasons for caution No sub-analysis was done to assess effects of additional adenomyosis characteristics (i.e. adenomyosis severity, adenomyosis type, adenomyosis location). Women with extensive adenomyosis were not included due to impossibility to perform analysis of ultrasound images. Women with adenomyosis were older, had higher BMI and larger uterus volumes than healthy controls. Wider implications of the findings Uterine contractility differs between patients with adenomyosis versus healthy women throughout the menstrual cycle. More dysmenorrhoea in adenomyosis patients was also associated with a different contractility pattern. This suggests an aetiological mechanism for the clinical presentation of adenomyosis (i.e. dysmenorrhoea and subfertility) and presents potential therapeutic markers. Trial registration number NL52466.100.15