Proximal Body Parts Research Articles

Kinematic Effects of the Target on the Velocity of Taekwon-Do Roundhouse Kicks.

The phenomena of target kinematic effects under different striking conditions and applying different techniques constitute one of the fields of research for sports biomechanics. However, the influence of some kinematic variables which change under different strike conditions for specific parts of the lower limb remains unknown. The aim of this study was to extend the knowledge on how targets of different shapes or the lack of a physical target would affect maximal velocity registered by a marker placed on the foot, knee and hip during the execution of a roundhouse kick. In total, 15 adult males were included in this study. All participants were taekwon-do elite athletes. The displacement of markers placed on the lateral side of the foot, knee and hip during movement execution was registered by a stereophotogrammetry apparatus. Participants performed taekwon-do roundhouse kicks for three target types (into the air, a table tennis ball and a training shield) applying either a sport or a traditional style. The highest maximal velocity was obtained for kicking into the training shield. When applying the sport style, the highest maximal velocity of foot markers for the executed kicks was registered. Kicking into air resulted in higher velocities for proximal body parts than kicking into a tennis ball, but the effect was reversed for the foot marker. In conclusion, a large resistance target is suitable for athletes’ motor preparation as it allows the highest maximum velocity to be reached. Small non-resistant targets are recommended for technical training.

A RARE CASE OF ACUTE MESENTEROAXIAL GASTRIC VOLVULUS WITH SPLENIC INFARCT

Gastric volvulus is an uncommon clinical entity seen in both adults and pediatric patients. It occurs when the stomach is rotated atleast 180 degrees along its longitudinal or transverse axes. Gastric volvulus may present acutely or may present with intermittent, recurrent and chronic symptoms. In acute presentation, there is risk of strangulation of stomach leading to necrosis , perforation and shock. Hence, prompt diagnosis and treatment of acute gastric volvulus helps to decrease morbidity and mortality. We encountered a case of a 20 year old male patient who presented to the emergency department with acute onset of abdominal pain and distension. Following Contrast Enhanced Computed Tomography and upper GI endoscopy a diagnosis of acute strangulated gastric volvulus with eventeration of left hemidiaphragm was made and patient was posted for emergency laparotomy. Intraoperative ndings included mesenteroaxial volvulus of the stomach with transmural necrosis of the fundus and proximal part of body of stomach along the greater curvature with eventeration of left hemidiaphragm and superior displacement of spleen with infarct of lower part of spleen

Assessment and Rating of Motor Cerebellar Ataxias With the Kinect v2 Depth Sensor: Extending Our Appraisal.

Current assessment of patients with cerebellar disorders is based on conventional neurological examination that is dependent on subjective judgements. Quantitative measurement of cerebellar ataxias (CAs) is essential for assessment of evidence-based treatments and the monitoring of the progress or recovery of diseases. It may provide us a useful tool to navigate future treatments for ataxia. We developed a Kinect v2. sensor system with a novel algorithm to measure and evaluate movements for two tests of Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA): the nose-finger test and gait. For the nose-finger test, we evaluated and compared accuracy, regularities and smoothness in the movements of the index finger and the proximal limbs between cerebellar patients and control subjects. For the task of walking, we evaluated and compared stability between the two groups. The precision of the system for evaluation of movements was smaller than 2 mm. For the nose-finger test, the mildly affected patients tended to show more instability than the control subjects. For a severely affected patient, our system quantified the instability of movements of the index finger using kinematic parameters, such as fluctuations and average speed. The average speed appears to be the most sensitive parameter that contrasts between patients with CAs and control subjects. Furthermore, our system also detected the adventitious movements of more proximal body parts, such as the elbow, shoulder and head. Assessment of walking was possible only in patients with mild CAs. They demonstrated large sways and compensatory wide stances. These parameters appeared to show higher accuracy than SARA. This examiner-independent device measures movements of the points of interest of SARA more accurately than eye and further provides additional information about the ataxic movements (e.g., the adventitious movements of the elbow, shoulder and head in the nose-finger test and the wide-based walking with large oscillation in the gait task), which is out of the scope of SARA. Our new system enables more accurate scoring of SARA and further provides additional information that is not currently evaluated with SARA. Therefore, it provides an easier, more accurate and more systematic description of CAs.

Small fiber neuropathy

Despite the fact that small fiber neuropathy (SFN) has already been studied for 30 years, it remains one of the most mysterious diseases that are extremely difficult to diagnose and cure. The prevalence of SFN is 52.95 per 100,000 population; diabetes mellitus is considered to be the most frequent cause of this disease. Chronic neuropathic pain syndrome, temperature sensation abnormalities, and vegetative disorders develop as a result of damage to fine myelinated Аδ- and unmyelinated C fibers. The disease mainly spreads in the upward direction: from feet to the proximal body parts and arms; primary axonal damage takes place. Although SFN is believed to be one of the most “benign” neuropathy types as it does not affect the large sensory and motor fibers, it significantly decreases patients’ quality of life.

Proximal-type epithelioid sarcoma: a new case report and literature review

Proximal-type epithelioid sarcoma is a rare soft tissue neoplasm which arises from the more proximal part of body and occurs more often in young people; the definite diagnosis depends mainly on the pathological examination; early detection and complete excision remain the foundation of treatment. Due to its aggressive behavior, high capacity of recurrence and the great ability to metastasize, a careful clinical long-term monitoring is required. We report a new case of a 20 years old girl, presented with proximal-type epithelioid sarcoma in her right scapular region, confirmed by pathological examination and removed surgically without recurrence or metastasis at eighteen months of follow-up.

The Prevalence and Classification of the Cystoduodenal Ligament.

Variant patterns of peritoneal folds could be formed due to the complex nature of the embryology of the peritoneum and the gastrointestinal tract. When uncommon peritoneal folds are formed, they could influence aberrant formation of surrounding gastrointestinal structures and create spaces that may harbour peritoneal fluids in cases of infection or malignant tumor. One of such variant peritoneal folds is the cystoduodenal ligament which is a doubled peritoneal membrane attaching the gallbladder to the duodenum. Yet no study was found that had reported the frequency of occurrence of the cystoduodenal ligament. The current study determined the prevalence of the cystoduodenal ligament in forty adult cadavers. The ligament was reported in 35% of cases. The ligament was further classified as types I and II. Type I cystoduodenal ligament was attached partially to the gallbladder (neck and proximal part of body) while type II was attached to the entire extent of the gallbladder. Type I occurrence was found in 44% and type II was found in 56% of the occasions of cystoduodenal ligament formation. It is concluded that the cystoduodenal ligament could be commonly found, it possesses important vascular structures, and it could affect the shape of the gallbladder. Surgeons, radiologists, and anatomists should be kept abreast of these findings.

Closing the wounds: one hundred and twenty five years of regenerative biology in the ascidian Ciona intestinalis.

This year marks the 125th anniversary of the beginning of regeneration research in the ascidian Ciona intestinalis. A brief note was published in 1891, reporting the regeneration of the Ciona neural complex and siphons. This launched an active period of Ciona regeneration research culminating in the demonstration of partial body regeneration: the ability of proximal body parts to regenerate distal ones, but not vice versa. In a process resembling regeneration, wounds in the siphon tube were discovered to result in the formation of an ectopic siphon. Ciona regeneration research then lapsed into a period of relative inactivity after the purported demonstration of the inheritance of acquired characters using siphon regeneration as a model. Around the turn of the present century, Ciona regeneration research experienced a new blossoming. The current studies established the morphological and physiological integrity of the regeneration process and its resemblance to ontogeny. They also determined some of the cell types responsible for tissue and organ replacement and their sources in the body. Finally, they showed that regenerative capacity is reduced with age. Many other aspects of regeneration now can be studied at the mechanistic level because of the extensive molecular tools available in Ciona.

Proximal-Type Epithelioid Sarcoma of the Scrotum

Proximal-type epithelioid sarcoma is an uncommon but aggressive soft-tissue malignancy involving proximal body parts especially perineum and genitalia of adult patients. This entity is a variant form of the conventional epithelioid sarcoma, which is frequently encountered at extremities of adolescents or young adults. The authors present a case of proximal-type epithelioid sarcoma of the scrotum with comprehensive staging and monitoring with PET/CT.

Relative importance of different surface regions for thermal comfort in humans

In a previous study, we investigated the contribution of the surface of the face, chest, abdomen, and thigh to thermal comfort by applying local temperature stimulation during whole-body exposure to mild heat or cold. In hot conditions, humans prefer a cool face, and in cold they prefer a warm abdomen. In this study, we extended investigation of regional differences in thermal comfort to the neck, hand, soles, abdomen (Experiment 1), the upper and lower back, upper arm, and abdomen (Experiment 2). The methodology was similar to that used in the previous study. To compare the results of each experiment, we utilized the abdomen as the reference area in these experiments. Thermal comfort feelings were not particularly strong for the limbs and extremities, in spite of the fact that changes in skin temperature induced by local temperature stimulation of the limbs and extremities were always larger than changes that were induced in the more proximal body parts. For the trunk areas, a significant difference in thermal comfort was not observed among the abdomen, and upper and lower back. An exception involved local cooling during whole-body mild cold exposure, wherein the most dominant preference was for a warmer temperature of the abdomen. As for the neck and abdomen, clear differences were observed during local cooling, while no significant difference was observed during local warming. We combined the results for the current and the previous study, and characterized regional differences in thermal comfort and thermal preference for the whole-body surface.

Remote online ergonomic assessment in the office environment as compared to face-to-face ergonomic assessment.

remote online ergonomic assessment in the office environment as compared to face-to-face ergonomic assessment and examination of the applicability of remote online ergonomic assessment to office workers. 40 employees from a large Israeli hi-tech company were ergonomically assessed per the University of California computer usage checklist, according to the two assessment types (face-to-face and remote). An additional Ergonomist "assessor 2" examined the credibility of the process. Research hypothesis 1 was verified: 21 out of 22 questions (95.45%) from the checklist indicated compatibility between "assessor 1" to the "Gold Standard" at an 80% level. Research hypothesis 2: examining the credibility between the assessors with regard to remote assessment. This hypothesis was partially verified, the correlation between the assessors was measured at 0.54. Research hypothesis 3: examining the extent of deviation of natural posture between distal body parts assessment (distant from the center of the body) and proximal body parts (close to the center of the body). This hypothesis was clearly verified. It has been proven that there is statistical significance between the results. The current research has proved that there is an additional method to assess musculoskeletal disorders risk factors remotely online at office environment.

FMRI reflects functional connectivity of human somatosensory cortex

Unilateral sensory stimulation reliably elicits contralateral somatotopic activation of primary (SI) and secondary (SII) somatosensory cortex. There is an ongoing debate about the occurrence and nature of concomitant ipsilateral SI and SII activation. Here we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in healthy human subjects with unilateral tactile stimulation of fingers and lips, to compare somatosensory activation patterns from distal and proximal body parts. We hypothesized that fMRI in humans should reflect the functional connectivity of somatosensory cortex as predicted by animal studies. We show that both unilateral finger and lip stimulations activate contra- and ipsilateral SI and SII cortices with high detection frequency. Correlations of BOLD-signals to the applied hemodynamic reference function were significantly higher in contralateral as compared to ipsilateral SI and SII cortices for both finger and lip stimulation, reflecting strong contribution of contralateral thalamocortical input. Furthermore, BOLD-signal correlations were higher in SI than in SII activations on the contralateral but not on the ipsilateral side. While these asymmetries within and across hemispheres were consistent for finger and lip stimulations, indicating analogous underlying organizing principles, they were less prominent for lip stimulation. Somatotopic organization was detected in SI but not in SII representations of fingers and lips. These results qualitatively and quantitatively support the prevalent concepts of anatomical and functional connectivity in the somatosensory system and therefore may allow interpretation of sensory evoked fMRI signals in terms of normal human brain function. Thus, the assessment of human somatosensory function with fMRI may permit in the future investigations of pathological conditions.

Progressive plastic changes in the hand representation of the primary motor cortex parallel incomplete recovery from a unilateral section of the corticospinal tract at cervical level in monkeys

After a sub-total hemisection of the cervical cord at level C7/C8 in monkeys, a paralysis of the homolateral hand is rapidly followed by an incomplete recovery of manual dexterity, reaching a plateau after about 40–50 days, whose extent appears related to the size of the lesion. During a few days after the lesion, the hand representation in the contralateral motor cortex disappeared, replaced by representations of either face or more proximal body parts. Later, however, following a time course (about 40 days) consistent with the functional recovery, progressive plastic changes in the contralateral motor cortex took place, as demonstrated by a progressive reappearance of digit movements elicited by intracortical microstimulation. These progressive plastic changes, which parallel the functional recovery, correspond to a reinstallation of a hand representation, though substantially diminished in size as compared to pre-lesion. Regarding the functional recovery, the motor cortex (including the reestablished hand area) contralateral to the unilateral cervical cord lesion played a crucial role in reestablishing control on finger movements, as assessed by reversible inactivation experiments. In contrast, the motor cortex ipsilateral to the cervical cord lesion, with largely intact projections to the spinal cord, did not contribute significantly to the recovered movements by the affected hand. These observations indicate that the CS fibers spared by the lesion are not sufficient, at least in their pre-lesion condition, to control the motoneurones innervating the digit muscles and that the pathways conveying signals from the contralateral M1 underwent reorganization.

Five topographically organized fields in the somatosensory cortex of the flying fox: microelectrode maps, myeloarchitecture, and cortical modules.

Five somatosensory fields were defined in the grey-headed flying fox by using microelectrode mapping procedures. These fields are: the primary somatosensory area, SI or area 3b; a field caudal to area 3b, area 1/2; the second somatosensory area, SII; the parietal ventral area, PV; and the ventral somatosensory area, VS. A large number of closely spaced electrode penetrations recording multiunit activity revealed that each of these fields had a complete somatotopic representation. Microelectrode maps of somatosensory fields were related to architecture in cortex that had been flattened, cut parallel to the cortical surface, and stained for myelin. Receptive field size and some neural properties of individual fields were directly compared. Area 3b was the largest field identified and its topography was similar to that described in many other mammals. Neurons in 3b were highly responsive to cutaneous stimulation of peripheral body parts and had relatively small receptive fields. The myeloarchitecture revealed patches of dense myelination surrounded by thin zones of lightly myelinated cortex. Microelectrode recordings showed that myelin-dense and sparse zones in 3b were related to neurons that responded consistently or habituated to repetitive stimulation respectively. In cortex caudal to 3b, and protruding into 3b, a complete representation of the body surface adjacent to much of the caudal boundary of 3b was defined. Neurons in this area habituated rapidly to repetitive stimulation. We termed this caudal field area 1/2 because it had properties of both area 1 and area 2 of primates. In cortex caudolateral to 3b and lateral to area 1/2 (cortex traditionally defined as SII) we describe three separate representations of the body surface coextensive with distinct myeloarchitectonic appearances. The second somatosensory area, SII, shared a congruent border with 3b at the representation of the nose. In SII, the overall orientation of the body representation was erect. The lips were represented rostrolaterally, the digits were represented laterally, and the toes were caudolateral to the digits. The trunk was represented caudally and the head was represented medially. A second complete representation, PV, had an inverted body representation with respect to SII and bordered SII at the representation of the distal limbs. The proximal body parts were represented rostrolaterally in PV. Finally, caudal to both SII and PV, an additional representation, VS, shared a congruent border with the distal hindlimb representation of both SII and PV. VS had a crude topography, and receptive fields of neurons in VS were relatively large. Many neurons in VS responded to both somatosensory and auditory stimulation.

Uneven densities of corticopontine neurons in the somatosensory cortex: a quantitative experimental study in the cat

By use of large injections in the pontine nuclei of wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase conjugate, the distribution of corticopontine cells in the primary somatosensory cortex (SI) was mapped quantitatively. The borders of the cytoarchitectonic areas 3a, 3b, 1 and 2, together constituting SI, were determined cyto- and myeloarchitectonically. Flat maps showing the distribution of labelled cells in SI were constructed. All labelled cells were confined to lamina V, and present in deep as well as superficial parts of this lamina. The size spectrum of the corticopontine cells seemed to encompass the whole range, from the smallest to the largest seen in lamina V of SI in thionin stained sections. Average densities of labelled corticopontine cells in SI varied from 114 to 248 per mm2 in different cases. No significant differences appear to exist between average densities in areas 3a, 3b, 1 and 2. However, densities vary consistently from medial to lateral within SI. When comparing this pattern with the physiological maps showing the somatotopical organization of SI, it appears that regions representing the trunk and proximal parts of the extremities have higher densities of corticopontine neurons than regions representing distal parts of the extremities and the face. The latter parts of SI have in common a much larger magnification factor than the former, that is, the volume of cortex devoted to a certain area in the periphery is much larger in e.g. the SI face region than in the trunk region. It thus would appear that the over-representation of the face and distal extremities in terms of cortical volume devoted to them, is not upheld in terms of number of corticopontine neurons. Although apparently not paralleled in other connections of SI, the uneven densities of corticopontine projections from SI are very similar to what has been described previously in the corticopontine projections from visual areas 17, 18, and 19, where regions with the largest magnification factors have the lowest densities of corticopontine neurons. On the basis of these findings we suggest that sensory information from proximal body parts and peripheral parts of the visual field is relatively more important for the cerebellum, with its main function in movement control, than it is for parts of the brain engaged in more direct analysis of sensory messages.

Nociceptive neurons in rat superior colliculus: response properties, topography, and functional implications.

1. Extracellular recordings were made from single superior colliculus neurons in urethane-anesthetized rats in response to mechanical and/or thermal stimulation of the skin. In addition to those activated by low-threshold (LT) tactile stimuli, many neurons responded preferentially, or solely, to noxious stimuli. Two functionally defined subtypes of nociceptive neurons were distinguished: wide-dynamic-range (WDR) neurons, which responded optimally to noxious stimuli but also to innocuous stimuli; and nociceptive-specific (NS) neurons, which responded solely to frankly noxious stimuli. The thermal thresholds were 42-45 degrees C, and the stimulus-response relationships were positively accelerating power functions with exponents of 2.9 (WDR) and 3.1 (NS). 2. WDR neurons also responded to cooling of the skin to temperatures below 24 degrees C. Like noxious heat responses, cold responses were monotonically graded as the intensity of the cold stimulus was increased. Thus the temperature sensitivity of thermal-sensitive neurons in the superior colliculus appeared to be tuned to detect large deviations from ambient skin temperature in either direction once threshold is reached. 3. LT neurons were somatotopically organized, with the head and forelimbs rostral and the trunk and hindlimbs caudal. The limbs were generally represented further lateral in the structure, whereas more proximal body parts were more medial. Nevertheless, there was extensive overlap of body parts especially in areas of transition. Thus, a "block-to-block" or "area-to-area" rather than a "point-to-point" representation of the body surface was evident. 4. The nociceptive representation did not violate the general LT somatotopy but neither was it coextensive. Virtually all nociceptive neurons had trigeminal receptive fields and were thus heavily represented in the rostral superior colliculus, where the LT face representation was also located. No nociceptive neurons were present in the caudal one-third of the structure. A general dorsal-to-ventral segregation of somatosensory neurons also was noted, so that in a given electrode penetration, LT neurons usually were the most superficial, WDR neurons were just below these, and NS neurons were deepest of all. 5. The presence of overlapping LT and nociceptive trigeminal representations in the superior colliculus seems particularly adaptive in view of the fact that rodents use their vibrissae for exploring their environment and thus put rostral body parts at risk during such behaviors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Somatotopic organization of the second somatosensory area (SII) in the cerebral cortex of the mouse.

The somatotopic organization of the parietal cortex of barbiturate-anesthetized, adult mice was studied using tungsten microelectrodes. A complete representation of the contralateral face and body occupying approximately 4.0-4.5 mm2 was found immediately posterior and lateral to the representation of the face in the first somatosensory area (SI). Within this second somatosensory area (SII), the following findings were made: A relatively large region is devoted to representations of the paws and face, especially the sinus hairs associated with the anterior upper lip and mystacial vibrissae. Receptive fields on these body regions are among the smallest found in SII, though larger than corresponding receptive fields in SI. In particular, vibrissae receptive fields always include at least several adjacent whiskers, and paw receptive fields always include at least two adjacent digits. In regions representing proximal body parts, receptive fields are considerably larger, may include both contralateral and ipsilateral limb or trunk surfaces, and sometimes include the entire body and face. Responses to both somatosensory and auditory stimulation were consistently found in the body (i.e., trunk and limb) representation, but rarely found in the face region. The face is represented most anteriorly, and the hindlimb and tail most posteriorly. Forepaw and hindpaw digits and anterior aspects of the face (e.g., perioral sinus hairs and the incisors) are represented laterally, while the back, caudal head, and mystacial vibrissae are represented medially. Within SII, therefore, a "musculus" can be viewed as having an upright body orientation with the face area bordering the face representation within SI. By comparison with SI, SII is characterized by a less pronounced layer IV, which is of irregular thickness and packing density, and by less uniformity in the layering of pyramidal cells in lamina V. In addition, SII is generally thicker from pia to white matter than SI. These results are in general accord with earlier findings from evoked potential studies in mice, but are at variance with recent reports in mice and rats that the mystacial vibrissae have only a minimal, or no, representation within SII. Indeed, the present findings suggest that the representation of the whiskers in SII may have a specialized function paralleling that in SI.

Projections of mechanoreceptive fields to cuneate-gracile and spinal trigeminal nuclear regions in sheep

Neural unit discharges, in response to mechanical stimulation of peripheral body tissues, were mapped using tungsten microelectrodes in medullas of sheep anesthetized with dial-urethane. It was determined that somatic sensory afferents from the sheep's body terminate in the cuneate-gracile and spinal trigeminal nuclear regions of the medulla in a somatotopic pattern that is similar to that of the receptors at the periphery but distorted in size and shape. The pattern of somatotopic organization was largely reiterative at successice rostrocaudal levels. In the relatively small cuneate-gracile nuclear complex, projections from the rear half of the body were confined to a small region near the midline (the gracile portion). Responses from the front half of the body were found over a larger, more lateral region (the cuneate portion). In this cuneate-gracile nuclear complex, distal body regions were represented dorsally, and proximal body parts, ventrally. The relatively large spinal trigeminal nucleus received projections from the face with the dorsal face regions represented ventrally in the nucleus, and the ventral face parts dorsally. Projections from the neck and ear were located between the cuneate-gracile and spinal trigeminal cellular regions.