Coordination Disturbances Research Articles

Automated quantitative analysis to assess motor function in different rat models of impaired coordination and ataxia

BackgroundAn objective and automated method for assessing alterations in gait and motor coordination in different animal models is important for proper gait analysis. The CatWalk system has been used in pain research, ischemia, arthritis, spinal cord injury and some animal models for neurodegenerative diseases. New methodOur goals were to obtain a comprehensive gait analysis of three different rat models and to identify which motor coordination parameters are affected and are the most suitable and sensitive to describe and detect ataxia with a secondary focus on possible training effects. ResultsBoth static and dynamic parameters showed significant differences in all three models: enriched housed rats show higher walking and swing speed and longer stride length, ethanol-induced ataxia affects mainly the hind part of the body, and the SCA17 rats show coordination disturbances. Coordination changes were revealed only in the case of the ethanol-induced ataxia and the SCA17 rat model. Although training affected some gait parameters, it did not obscure group differences when those were present. Comparison with existing methodsTo our knowledge, a comparative gait assessment in rats with enriched housing conditions, ethanol-induced ataxia and SCA17 has not been presented before. ConclusionsThere is no gold standard for the use of CatWalk. Dependent on the specific effects expected, the protocol can be adjusted. By including all sessions in the analysis, any training effect should be detectable and the development of the performance over the sessions can provide insight in effects attributed to intervention, treatment or injury.

Coordinate-to-Operator feedback: Properties, features, outlooks

Consideration was given to the problem of control of the dynamic plants operating under uncertainty and, in particular, under unmeasurable external disturbances of the coordinate and operator types. Under the assumption of rapidly varying parametric disturbances, complexity of this problem grows appreciably. In this case, the question of constructing efficient control algorithms still falls far short of solution. A brief review of the existing methods of control of the dynamic plants subjected to various disturbances was given. For the case of control plants operating under rapidly changing parametric disturbances, attention was focused on an approach relying on the binarity principle and enabling introduction of new feedback types such as the coordinate-to-operator feedback which in turn enables one to design controllers ensuring low sensitivity of the closed-loop plants to the coordinate and parametric disturbances varying with an arbitrary rapid speed. The potentialities of this approach were illustrated by way of example of the problem of control of an uncertain second-order dynamic plant.

Microarray Analysis of Crohnʼs Disease and Correlation With Traditional Clinical and Histologic Features

Introduction: As a T cell-mediated disease of the gastrointestinal epithelium, Crohn's disease (CD) is likely to share pathogenic elements with other T cell-mediated inflammatory diseases. Recently we showed that ulcerative colitis (UC) manifested large-scale molecular disturbances that correlated with endoscopic and histologic features(IBD 20: 2353, 2014). We hypothesized that ileal CD would manifest similar disturbance. Methods: We studied 27 patients in 31 biopsies with ileal CD, characterizing the clinical, endoscopic and histological features and defined the mRNA phenotype using microarray analysis of ileal biopsies. We measured the expression of pathogenesis-based transcript sets (PBTs) previously published for ulcerative colitis representing effector T cells, macrophages, IFNG effects, and parenchymal injury-repair response and dedifferentiation (table 1). The molecular features were then correlated with conventional assessments including clinical features (modified Harvey Bradshaw index(HBI), simple endoscopic score for CD(SES-CD), c-reactive protein, albumin) and histologic features (lamina propria neutrophilic and lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate, crypt abscess, ulcers present and crypt architectural distortion). Results: CD ileal biopsies arranged by injury-repair score (IRRAT) manifested coordinate transcript changes with IFNG-induced transcripts (GRIT), macrophage transcripts (QCMAT), and injury-repair transcripts increasing while parenchymal transcripts (PT) decreased (figure 1). Lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate was significantly correlated with IRRAT (P=0.005) and negatively correlated with parenchymal transcript expression (P=0.01). Neutrophilic lamina propria infiltrate (p=0.03) and number of ulcers (p=0.03) also correlated with IRRAT. No significant correlation was seen between the molecular features and the HBI (P=0.5), SES-CD(P=0.8) or CRP (0.2).Figure 1Table 1: Pathogenesis-based transcript sets (PBTs)Conclusion: The molecular phenotype of CD manifests a large-scale coordinate disturbance similar to that in UC and other T cell-mediated diseases, reflecting changes in inflammatory cells and parenchymal elements and correlating with histologic assessment, especially the lymphoplasmacytic and neutrophilic lamina propria infiltrate, but not with the clinical and endoscopic features. This raises further questions about our clinical and endoscopic assessments of CD. Novel molecular systems for quantitating and staging the disease elements in the tissues in CD may add a significant new dimension to patient management beyond our current standards.

A Mouse With Two Optical Sensors That Eliminates Coordinate Disturbance During Skilled Strokes

A Mouse With Two Optical Sensors That Eliminates Coordinate Disturbance During Skilled Strokes

Intraoperative Motor Symptoms during Brain Tumor Resection in the Supplementary Motor Area (SMA) without Positive Mapping during Awake Surgery.

Awake surgery could be a useful modality for lesions locating in close proximity to the eloquent areas including primary motor cortex and pyramidal tract. In case with supplementary motor area (SMA) lesion, we often encounter with intraoperative motor symptoms during awake surgery even in area without positive mapping. Although the usual recovery of the SMA syndrome has been well documented, rare cases with permanent deficits could be encountered in the clinical setting. It has been difficult to evaluate during surgery whether the intraoperative motor symptoms lead to postoperative permanent deficits. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the intraoperative motor symptoms could be reversible, further to provide useful information for making decision to continue surgical procedure of tumor resection. Eight consecutive patients (from July 2012 to June 2014, six men and two women, aged 33–63 years) with neoplastic lesions around the SMA underwent an awake surgery. Using a retrospective analysis of intraoperative video records, intraoperative motor symptoms during tumor resection were investigated. In continuous functional monitoring during resection of SMA tumor under awake conditions, the following motor symptoms were observed during resection of the region without positive mapping: delayed motor weakness, delay of movement initiation, slowness of movement, difficulty in dual task response, and coordination disturbance. In seven patients hemiparesis observed immediately after surgery recovered to preoperative level within 6 weeks. During awake surgery for SMA tumors, the above-mentioned motor symptoms could occur in area without positive mapping and might be predictors for reversible SMA syndrome.

Combined Exposure to Hypercapnia and Hypoxia Provides Its Maximum Neuroprotective Effect During Focal Ischemic Injury in the Brain

In the present research, we compared the neuroprotective efficiency of combined and isolated exposure to hypoxia and hypercapnia preceding focal cerebral ischemic injury in rats. The study was conducted to verify the hypothesis of a possible increase in normobaric hypoxia (NbH; 90 mm Hg) efficiency when combined with permissive hypercapnia (PH; 50 mm Hg). The rats from the test groups were subjected to a 15-fold exposure to NbH (90 mm Hg) and/or PH (50 mm Hg). After the 15th exposure, cerebral ischemic injury was induced by photochemical thrombosis. Seventy-two hours later, neurologic deficit was determined on the Neurological Severity Score scale and by the rotarod test, and the volume of cerebral infarction was measured after focal photochemical thrombosis. The neurologic deficit decreased most efficiently in rats that underwent PH and hypercapnic hypoxia (HH) exposure, whereas NbH had no impact on the neurologic status of the animals. On the contrary, motor coordination disturbances were minimal during exposure to hypoxia and HH. All respiratory interventions reduced the cerebral ischemic infarction volume in rats. The smallest infarction volumes were registered in the area of photochemical thrombosis in rats from the hypercapnic-hypoxic impact group, whereas exposure to NbH or PH did not show any cross difference. The impact of PH has greater neuroprotective potential compared with NbH. Thus, we can assume that hypercapnia is a predominant factor in providing neuroprotection in combination with hypoxia.

Molecular patterns in human ulcerative colitis and correlation with response to infliximab.

As a T cell-mediated disease of the colonic epithelium, ulcerative colitis (UC) is likely to share pathogenic elements with other T cell-mediated inflammatory diseases. Recently, microarray analysis revealed large-scale molecular changes in T cell-mediated rejection of kidney and heart transplants. We hypothesized that similar disturbances might be operating in UC and could provide insights into responsiveness to therapy. We studied 56 colon biopsies from patients with colitis characterizing the clinical and histological features and using microarrays to define the messenger RNA phenotype. We expressed the microarray results using previously defined pathogenesis-based transcript sets. We also studied 48 published microarray files from human colon biopsies downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, classified by response to infliximab therapy, to examine whether the molecular measurements derived from our studies correlated with nonresponsiveness to treatment. UC biopsies manifested coordinate transcript changes resembling rejecting transplants, with effector T cell, IFNG-induced, macrophage, and injury transcripts increasing while parenchymal transcripts decreased. The disturbance in gene expression, summarized as principal component 1 (PC1), correlated with conventional clinical and histologic assessments. When assessed in microarray results from published studies, the disturbance (PC1) predicted response to infliximab: patients with intense disturbance did not achieve clinical response, although quantitative improvement was seen even in many clinical nonresponders. Similar changes were seen in Crohn's colitis. The molecular phenotype of UC manifests a large-scale coordinate disturbance reflecting changes in inflammatory cells and parenchymal elements that correlates with conventional features and predicts response to infliximab.

A Mouse With Two Optical Sensors That Eliminates Coordinate Disturbance During Skilled Strokes

The computer mouse is rarely used for drawing due to its body-fixed coordinate system, which creates a stroke that differs from the user’s original hand movement. In this study, we resolve this problem by implementing a new mouse called StereoMouse, which eliminates the rotational disturbance of the coordinate system in real-time. StereoMouse is a special mouse with two optical sensors, and its coordinate orientation at the beginning of a stroke is maintained throughout the movement by measuring and compensating for the angular deviation estimated from those sensors. The drawing performance of StereoMouse was measured by means of having users perform the task of repeatedly drawing a basic shape. The results of this experiment showed that StereoMouse eliminated the horizontal drift typically observed in a stroke drawn by a normal mouse. Consequently, StereoMouse allowed the users to draw shapes at a 10.6% faster mean speed with a 10.4% shorter travel time than a normal mouse would. Furthermore, StereoMouse showed 37.1% lower chance of making incorrect gesture input than the normal mouse.

Central nervous system effects and chemical composition of two subspecies of Agastache mexicana; an ethnomedicine of Mexico

Ethnopharmacological relevanceAgastache mexicana subspecies mexicana (Amm) and xolocotziana (Amx) are used in Mexican traditional medicine to relief cultural affiliation syndromes known as “susto” or “espanto”, for “nervous” condition, and as a sleep aid. Despite its intensive use, neuropharmacological studies are scarce, and the chemical composition of the aqueous extracts has not been described. Aims of the study are: (1) To analyze the chemical composition of aqueous extracts from aerial parts of Amm and Amx. (2) To evaluate the anxiolytic-like, sedative, antidepressant-like effects. (3) Analyze the general toxic effects of different doses. Materials and methodsAnxiolytic-like and sedative effects were measured in the avoidance exploratory behavior, burying behavior and the hole-board tests. The antidepressant-like actions were studied in the forced swimming and tail suspension tests. Finally, general activity and motor coordination disturbances were evaluated in the open field, inverted screen and rota-rod tests. The acute toxicity of Amm and Amx was determined by calculating their LD50 (mean lethal dose). The chemical analyses were performed employing chromatographic, photometric and HPLC–ESI-MS techniques. ResultsLow doses of Amm and Amx (0.1σ1.0mg/kg) induced anxiolytic-like actions; while higher doses (over 10mg/kg) induced sedation and reduced the locomotor activity, exerting a general inhibition in the central nervous system (CNS). ConclusionsResults support the use of Amm and Amx in traditional medicine as tranquilizers and sleep inducers. Additionally, this paper contributes to the knowledge of the chemical composition of the aqueous extracts of these plants.

Autonomous robotic capture of non-cooperative target using visual servoing and motion predictive control

This paper presents a framework for autonomous capture operation of a non-cooperative mobile target in a 3-dimensional workspace using a robotic manipulator with visual servoing. The visual servoing with an eye-in-hand configuration is based on motion predictive control using Kalman filter for the on-line state and parameter estimation of the target. A transitional decision making process is developed to guide the robotic manipulator between the different phases of the capture operation by employing a custom metric that translates visual misalignments between the end-effector and the target into a guidance measurement. These phases include the target acquisition and approach stage and the alignment and capture phase. Experiments have been carried out on a custom designed and built robotic manipulator with 6 degrees of freedom. The objective is to evaluate the performance of the proposed motion predictive control scheme for the autonomous capturing task and to demonstrate the robustness of the proposed control scheme in the presence of noise and unexpected disturbances in vision system, sensory-motor coordination and constraints for the execution in real environments. Experimental results of the visual servoing control scheme integrated with the motion predictive Kalman filter indicate the feasibility and applicability of the proposed control scheme. It shows that when the target motion is properly predicted, the tracking and capture performance has been improved significantly.

Disruption of bimanual movement by unilateral subcortical electrostimulation

Cortical areas involved in bimanual coordination have been regularly studied by functional neuroimaging and electroencephalography. However, the subcortical connectivity underlying this complex function has received less attention. Here, we used the technique of direct electrostimulation in awake patients who underwent surgery for brain glioma, with the goal to investigate the white matter pathways subserving bimanual coordination. Eight patients were operated under local anesthesia for a frontal low-grade glioma. Intraoperative subcortical electrostimulation mapping was used to search interference with bimanual coordination. The corresponding stimulation sites were reported on brain MRI. All patients presented a complete arrest of the movement of both hands during unilateral subcortical stimulation of the white matter underneath the dorsal premotor cortex and the posterior part of the supplementary motor area, rostrally to the corticospinal tract, until the caudate nucleus and the anterior arm of the internal capsule. No movement deficits, especially no disturbances of bimanual coordination, were observed 3 months after surgery. This is the first evidence of bilateral negative motor responses elicited by unilateral subcortical stimulation. Such findings support the existence of a bilateral cortico-subcortical network connecting the premotor cortices, basal ganglia, and spinal cord, involved in the control of bimanual coordination. A better understanding of this modulatory motor circuit may have important implications in fundamental neurosciences as well as in brain surgery.

Absence of Effect of Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure on the Esophageal Phase of Nutritive Swallowing in Newborn Lambs

It is presently recommended that oral feeding be started in premature infants as soon as possible, often at an age at which nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) is still required for ventilatory support. Our previous data showed that application of nCPAP up to 10 cmH2O in full-term lambs had no deleterious effect on cardiorespiratory safety, feeding efficiency, or on nutritive swallowing-breathing coordination. Besides fear of swallowing-breathing coordination disturbances, esophageal motility disruption by nCPAP could be a reason to delay oral feeding. To our knowledge, no study has focused on the effects of nCPAP on esophageal motility in the neonatal period. The aim of the present study was therefore to further assess the effects of nCPAP on oral feeding by assessing its effects on the esophageal phase of nutritive swallowing (nutritive esophagodeglutition). Six full-term lambs, ages 2 to 3 days, underwent esophageal multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH monitoring. Lambs were bottle-fed under 2 randomized conditions, namely spontaneous breathing and nCPAP 6 cmH(2)O. Beyond confirmation of unaltered feeding efficiency, analysis of multiple variables measured by impedance monitoring revealed that nCPAP 6 does not alter nutritive esophagodeglutition in any way (nCPAP vs spontaneous breathing, P > 0.1 for all variables). offering further support to neonatologists pleading for initiation of oral feeding in infants still on nCPAP, the present results set the foundations for similar clinical studies in preterm human infants to confirm the absence of effects of nCPAP on nutritive swallowing.

Hydroalcoholic extract of Urtica circularis: A neuropharmacological profile

Context: The genus Urtica has been known since ancient times. It has known to be useful for the treatment of different human ailments.Objective: The present work evaluated the neuropharmacological effects of a hydroalcoholic extract of Urtica circularis (Hicken) Sorarú (Urticaceae).Materials and method: The effect on central nervous system of U. circularis hydroalcoholic extract (from leaves and stems) administered by the intraperitoneal route in mice was evaluated by several tests: Pentobarbital- and midazolam-induced hypnosis, open field, hole board, elevated plus-maze and forced swimming. Phytochemical analysis was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography.Results: A total of 300 mg/kg i.p. of the extract produced a significant prolongation of pentobarbital- (40 mg/kg i.p.; 60.1 min versus 25.4 min) and midazolam- (50 mg/kg i.v.; 53.4 min versus 25.1 min) induced sleeping time. The extract’s administration caused a marked reduction of the head-dipping response (DE50: 373 mg/kg i.p.) in the hole-board test. Urtica circularis extract (DE50: 46 mg/kg i.p.) reduced the spontaneous locomotor activity in the open field test. Flumazenil and atropine significantly antagonized the extract’s effect on the locomotor activity. No motor coordination disturbance was observed in the rota rod test at any doses. In the forced swimming test, the extract did not produce any change in the immobility time and it had no significant effects in elevated plus maze test. The phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of chlorogenic acid, vanillic acid, caffeic acid, vicenin-2, p-cumaric acid, ferulic acid, vitexin and isovitexin.Conclusion: This study revealed that U. circularis hydroalcoholic extract possesses sedative activity, facilitating GABAergic and cholinergic transmission.

Neuroprotective Effects of Individual or Combined Exposure to Hypoxia and Hypercapnia in the Experiment

We studied the effects of hypoxic, hypercapnic, and hypercapnic-hypoxic exposures on brain tolerance to ischemia. All respiratory training modes had a neuroprotective effect, but the most pronounced effect was observed after exposure to hypercapnic hypoxia. Experimental stroke in rats preliminary exposed to hypercapnic hypoxia was associated with minimal neurological deficit and motor coordination disturbances in comparison with training modes.

High-precision control of nonstationary aircrafts by roll angle

Control algorithms ensuring high-precision control of an object under coordinate and parametric disturbances and noises are designed. This problem is solved by introducing an additional adaptive control loop synthesized on the basis of adaptive system theory with reference models. Several ways of simplifying the proposed adaptive algorithm are considered.

Management of the Detrusor Sphincter Dyssynergia

Detrusor sphincter dyssynergia (DSD) is a disturbance of the normal synergistic coordination between bladder contraction and external urethral sphincter muscles relaxation during voiding. In patients with neurogenic bladder, the urethral sphincter muscle contracts during voiding instead of completely relaxing. This results in alteration of the normal flow and rising of the bladder pressure. The voiding dysfunction and the subsequent dysfunction of the emptying phase of micturition represent a high risk of complications for patients with neurogenic bladder, in relation with high intra-vesical pressure and lack of complete bladder emptying such as: lithiasis, urinary tract infection (UTI), vesico-ureteral reflux, hydronephrosis, and renal failure. Therefore, management of DSD requires a multidisciplinary and careful follow-up to prevent complications. Various physicians should be involved including surgeon, rehabilitation physician, neurologist. Treatment of DSD is a moving field with new emerging approaches and therapies such as botulinum toxin, urethral stent, and promising pharmacological treatment. Therapeutics are often highly specific and should be individually tailored, but with always the same aim: to prevent complications which can impact quality of life, and life expectancy of patients. Here we propose a therapeutic approach to DSD, based on a review of the recent literature and our personal experience. At the end, we try to summarize recommendations for managing DSD in neurogenic bladder.

Assessing postural asymmetry with a podoscope in infants with Central Coordination Disturbance

The aim of this study was to digitally evaluate the incidence and severity of postural asymmetry in infants with Central Coordination Disturbance (CCD) by using a computer-aided podoscope (PodoBaby) from CQ Elektronik System. A sample of 120 infants aged from 3 months (± 1 week) to 6 months (± 1 week) took part in the study, of which 60 were diagnosed with CCD by a neurologist using Vojta's method and the remaining half healthy, non-afflicted infants. The relationships between Vojta's method, as a subjective clinical diagnostic tool for assessing the functional performance of infants with CCD, and the postural asymmetry results recorded with the podoscope, were also defined. Each infant was placed on the podoscope and photographed underneath in two positions: first lying on their back and then on their stomach. A symmetry index was used to calculate body asymmetry, i.e., the percent difference of abnormal body posture by favoring one side of the body to the other. The results confirmed that postural asymmetry assessed by the PodoBaby was in line with the earlier clinical diagnosis using Vojta's method. Statistically significant differences in postural asymmetry were also found between the healthy infants and infants with CCD. In addition, significant relationships were demonstrated in the magnitude and direction of asymmetry in the stomach and back positions.

Anticonvulsant potential of ethanol extracts and their solvent partitioned fractions from Flemingia strobilifera root.

Background:Flemingia strobilifera (FS) R.Br. (Fabaceae) is an important medicinal plant. In wealth of India it has been reported that roots of FS are used by santals in epilepsy, hysteria, insomnia, and to relieve pain. In Burma also the roots of F. strobilifera are used to treat epilepsy.Objective:To investigate anticonvulsant potential of 95% ethanol extract and four subsequent fractions (petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and aqueous fractions of the roots of FS against pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) and maximal electroshock (MES) induced convulsions.Material and Methods:All the fractions and crude ethanol extract were administered (i.e., 200, 400, 600 mg/kg, p.o.) for 7 days and at the end of the treatment convulsions were induced experimentally using pentylenetetrazole and Maximal electroshock Test. Diazepam and phenytoin (4 mg/kg, i.p. and 20 mg/kg, i.p., respectively) were used as reference anticonvulsant drugs against experimentally induced convulsions. The latency of tonic convulsions and the numbers of animals protected from tonic convulsions were noted.Results:High doses (200 and 300 mg/kg, p.o.) of ethyl acetate fraction and 95% ethanol crude extract (400 and 600 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly reduced the duration of seizure induced by maximal electroshock (MES). The same dose also protected from pentylenetetrzole-induced tonic seizures and significantly delayed the onset of tonic seizures. However, pet, ether, chloroform, and aqueous fraction at any of the doses used (i.e., 100, 200, 300 mg/kg, p.o.) did not show any significant effect on PTZ and MES induced convulsions. The treatment with crude ethanolic extract and ethyl acetate fraction caused signs of central nervous system depressant action in the locomotor activity test, confirmed by the potentiation of sodium pentobarbital sleeping time. Both did not cause disturbance in motor coordination assessed by rotarod test.Conclusion:The data suggest that crude ethanol extract and ethyl acetate fraction of roots of Flemingia strobilifera have a central nervous system depressant action and behave as a potential anticonvulsant. It may produce its anticonvulsant effect via non-specific mechanism since it reduced the duration of seizures produced by maximal electroshock as well as delayed the latency of seizures produced by pentylenetetrazole.

STRUCTURAL SYNTHESIS OF COMBINED ROBUST CONTROL SYSTEM WITH EXTERNAL COORDINATE DISTURBANCES

The paper is devoted to actual problem of precision and disturbance resistant control systems. The basic approaches to design of the combined robust control systems are considered. The basic concepts of the structural -synthesis of the combined system and the optimization criterion taking into consideration the sensitivity functions by the reference signal, parametrical structured and external coordinate disturbances are defined. The expression for the transfer function of the generalized system is obtained. The possibilities of its representation in the space of states are shown. The obtained results may be used in the area of the wide class control systems.

Reversible Leukoencephalopathy After Oral Methotrexate: Figure 1.

To the Editor: Central nervous system (CNS) white-matter changes have been reported after high-dose intrathecal or intravenous methotrexate (MTX) chemotherapy1,2. We describe reversible brain lesions following the use of oral MTX. A 59-year-old woman developed leukoencephalopathy strictly localized in the cerebellum after treatment with oral MTX 25 mg/week for 4 years. She was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) 10 years earlier and initially did well, receiving sulfasalazine 1000 mg twice a day and diclofenac 75 mg twice a day. After a flare of RA disease 4 years ago, sulfasalazine was stopped and MTX 25 mg oral once a week was initiated. While she took MTX, no signs of arthritis were present. The last 6 months she complained of fatigue and subtle coordination disturbances during tennis and skiing and was referred to the neurology outpatient clinic. She reported having fallen from her bicycle several times recently and also had slurred speech for several minutes after drinking 2 glasses of wine. She complained of mood swings and increased agitation at times. In addition to MTX 25 mg once a week, she used folic acid 2.5 mg/day and diclofenac 75 mg twice a day. General and neurological examinations were … Address correspondence to Dr. Koppen, Haga Hospital - Neurology, Leywqeg 275, The Hague, Zuid Holland 2545 CH, The Netherlands. E-mail: h.koppen{at}hagaziekenhuis.nl