Intracortical Microstimulation Maps of Motor, Somatosensory, and Posterior Parietal Cortex in Tree Shrews (Tupaia belangeri) Reveal Complex Movement Representations.

PubMed

Baldwin, Mary K L; Cooke, Dylan F; Krubitzer, Leah

2017-02-01

Long-train intracortical microstimulation (LT-ICMS) is a popular method for studying the organization of motor and posterior parietal cortex (PPC) in mammals. In primates, LT-ICMS evokes both multijoint and multiple-body-part movements in primary motor, premotor, and PPC. In rodents, LT-ICMS evokes complex movements of a single limb in motor cortex. Unfortunately, very little is known about motor/PPC organization in other mammals. Tree shrews are closely related to both primates and rodents and could provide insights into the evolution of complex movement domains in primates. The present study investigated the extent of cortex in which movements could be evoked with ICMS and the characteristics of movements elicited using both short train (ST) and LT-ICMS in tree shrews. We demonstrate that LT-ICMS and ST-ICMS maps are similar, with the movements elicited with ST-ICMS being truncated versions of those elicited with LT-ICMS. In addition, LT-ICMS-evoked complex movements within motor cortex similar to those in rodents. More complex movements involving multiple body parts such as the hand and mouth were also elicited in motor cortex and PPC, as in primates. Our results suggest that complex movement networks present in PPC and motor cortex were present in mammals prior to the emergence of primates. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Sensorimotor restriction affects complex movement topography and reachable space in the rat motor cortex.

PubMed

Budri, Mirco; Lodi, Enrico; Franchi, Gianfranco

2014-01-01

Long-duration intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) studies with 500 ms of current pulses suggest that the forelimb area of the motor cortex is organized into several spatially distinct functional zones that organize movements into complex sequences. Here we studied how sensorimotor restriction modifies the extent of functional zones, complex movements, and reachable space representation in the rat forelimb M1. Sensorimotor restriction was achieved by means of whole-forelimb casting of 30 days duration. Long-duration ICMS was carried out 12 h and 14 days after cast removal. Evoked movements were measured using a high-resolution 3D optical system. Long-term cast caused: (i) a reduction in the number of sites where complex forelimb movement could be evoked; (ii) a shrinkage of functional zones but no change in their center of gravity; (iii) a reduction in movement with proximal/distal coactivation; (iv) a reduction in maximal velocity, trajectory and vector length of movement, but no changes in latency or duration; (v) a large restriction of reachable space. Fourteen days of forelimb freedom after casting caused: (i) a recovery of the number of sites where complex forelimb movement could be evoked; (ii) a recovery of functional zone extent and movement with proximal/distal coactivation; (iii) an increase in movement kinematics, but only partial restoration of control rat values; (iv) a slight increase in reachability parameters, but these remained far below baseline values. We pose the hypothesis that specific aspects of complex movement may be stored within parallel motor cortex re-entrant systems.

Sensorimotor restriction affects complex movement topography and reachable space in the rat motor cortex

PubMed Central

Budri, Mirco; Lodi, Enrico; Franchi, Gianfranco

2014-01-01

Long-duration intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) studies with 500 ms of current pulses suggest that the forelimb area of the motor cortex is organized into several spatially distinct functional zones that organize movements into complex sequences. Here we studied how sensorimotor restriction modifies the extent of functional zones, complex movements, and reachable space representation in the rat forelimb M1. Sensorimotor restriction was achieved by means of whole-forelimb casting of 30 days duration. Long-duration ICMS was carried out 12 h and 14 days after cast removal. Evoked movements were measured using a high-resolution 3D optical system. Long-term cast caused: (i) a reduction in the number of sites where complex forelimb movement could be evoked; (ii) a shrinkage of functional zones but no change in their center of gravity; (iii) a reduction in movement with proximal/distal coactivation; (iv) a reduction in maximal velocity, trajectory and vector length of movement, but no changes in latency or duration; (v) a large restriction of reachable space. Fourteen days of forelimb freedom after casting caused: (i) a recovery of the number of sites where complex forelimb movement could be evoked; (ii) a recovery of functional zone extent and movement with proximal/distal coactivation; (iii) an increase in movement kinematics, but only partial restoration of control rat values; (iv) a slight increase in reachability parameters, but these remained far below baseline values. We pose the hypothesis that specific aspects of complex movement may be stored within parallel motor cortex re-entrant systems. PMID:25565987

Distinct cortical circuit mechanisms for complex forelimb movement and motor map topography.

PubMed

Harrison, Thomas C; Ayling, Oliver G S; Murphy, Timothy H

2012-04-26

Cortical motor maps are the basis of voluntary movement, but they have proven difficult to understand in the context of their underlying neuronal circuits. We applied light-based motor mapping of Channelrhodopsin-2 mice to reveal a functional subdivision of the forelimb motor cortex based on the direction of movement evoked by brief (10 ms) pulses. Prolonged trains of electrical or optogenetic stimulation (100-500 ms) targeted to anterior or posterior subregions of motor cortex evoked reproducible complex movements of the forelimb to distinct positions in space. Blocking excitatory cortical synaptic transmission did not abolish basic motor map topography, but the site-specific expression of complex movements was lost. Our data suggest that the topography of movement maps arises from their segregated output projections, whereas complex movements evoked by prolonged stimulation require intracortical synaptic transmission. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A review of the properties and limitations of the Ashworth and modified Ashworth Scales as measures of spasticity.

PubMed

Pandyan, A D; Johnson, G R; Price, C I; Curless, R H; Barnes, M P; Rodgers, H

1999-10-01

The Ashworth Scale and the modified Ashworth Scale are the primary clinical measures of spast city. A prerequisite for using any scale is a knowledge of its characteristics and limitations, as these will play a part in analysing and interpreting the data. Despite the current emphasis on treating spasticity, clinicians rarely measure it. To determine the validity and the reliability of the Ashworth and modified Ashworth Scales. A theoretical analysis following a structured literature review (key words: Ashworth; Spasticity; Measurement) of 40 papers selected from the BIDS-EMBASE, First Search and Medline databases. The application of both scales would suggest that confusion exists on their characteristics and limitations as measures of spasticity. Resistance to passive movement is a complex measure that will be influenced by many factors, only one of which could be spasticity. The Ashworth Scale (AS) can be used as an ordinal level measure of resistance to passive movement, but not spasticity. The modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) will need to be treated as a nominal level measure of resistance to passive movement until the ambiguity between the '1' and '1+' grades is resolved. The reliability of the scales is better in the upper limb. The AS may be more reliable than the MAS. There is a need to standardize methods to apply these scales in clinical practice and research.

Moving in time: Bayesian causal inference explains movement coordination to auditory beats

PubMed Central

Elliott, Mark T.; Wing, Alan M.; Welchman, Andrew E.

2014-01-01

Many everyday skilled actions depend on moving in time with signals that are embedded in complex auditory streams (e.g. musical performance, dancing or simply holding a conversation). Such behaviour is apparently effortless; however, it is not known how humans combine auditory signals to support movement production and coordination. Here, we test how participants synchronize their movements when there are potentially conflicting auditory targets to guide their actions. Participants tapped their fingers in time with two simultaneously presented metronomes of equal tempo, but differing in phase and temporal regularity. Synchronization therefore depended on integrating the two timing cues into a single-event estimate or treating the cues as independent and thereby selecting one signal over the other. We show that a Bayesian inference process explains the situations in which participants choose to integrate or separate signals, and predicts motor timing errors. Simulations of this causal inference process demonstrate that this model provides a better description of the data than other plausible models. Our findings suggest that humans exploit a Bayesian inference process to control movement timing in situations where the origin of auditory signals needs to be resolved. PMID:24850915

Japanese Leigh syndrome case treated with EPI-743.

PubMed

Kouga, Takeshi; Takagi, Mariko; Miyauchi, Akihiko; Shimbo, Hiroko; Iai, Mizue; Yamashita, Sumimasa; Murayama, Kei; Klein, Matthew B; Miller, Guy; Goto, Tomohide; Osaka, Hitoshi

2018-02-01

Leigh syndrome is a mitochondrial disease caused by respiratory chain deficiency, and there are no proven effective therapies. EPI-743 is a potent cellular oxidative stress protectant and results of clinical trials for mitochondrial diseases are accumulating. At 5months, a girl presented with the scarce eye movement and diminished muscle tone. She was diagnosed with Leigh encephalopathy from blood and cerebrospinal fluid lactate elevation and MRI findings. Sequence analysis for mitochondrial DNA revealed a T10158C mutation in the mitochondrial encoded ND3 gene in complex I. At 8months, succinate was prescribed expected to restore the electron transport chain system. After that her condition got worse and succinate was discontinued. Subsequent administration of EPI-743 improved her eye movement, fine motor movements of the extremities, and bowel movement. She is now 5years old. Although brain atrophy has progressed, she has still respiratory free time. Our patient showed visible improvement with EPI-743 treatment and the only patient surviving after 4years. There is a possibility that EPI-743 is modifying the natural course of the syndrome. Copyright © 2017 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessing randomness and complexity in human motion trajectories through analysis of symbolic sequences

PubMed Central

Peng, Zhen; Genewein, Tim; Braun, Daniel A.

2014-01-01

Complexity is a hallmark of intelligent behavior consisting both of regular patterns and random variation. To quantitatively assess the complexity and randomness of human motion, we designed a motor task in which we translated subjects' motion trajectories into strings of symbol sequences. In the first part of the experiment participants were asked to perform self-paced movements to create repetitive patterns, copy pre-specified letter sequences, and generate random movements. To investigate whether the degree of randomness can be manipulated, in the second part of the experiment participants were asked to perform unpredictable movements in the context of a pursuit game, where they received feedback from an online Bayesian predictor guessing their next move. We analyzed symbol sequences representing subjects' motion trajectories with five common complexity measures: predictability, compressibility, approximate entropy, Lempel-Ziv complexity, as well as effective measure complexity. We found that subjects' self-created patterns were the most complex, followed by drawing movements of letters and self-paced random motion. We also found that participants could change the randomness of their behavior depending on context and feedback. Our results suggest that humans can adjust both complexity and regularity in different movement types and contexts and that this can be assessed with information-theoretic measures of the symbolic sequences generated from movement trajectories. PMID:24744716

Prevalence of neuroleptic-induced movement disorders in chronic schizophrenia inpatients.

PubMed

Janno, Sven; Holi, Matti; Tuisku, Katinka; Wahlbeck, Kristian

2004-01-01

Since most of the world's schizophrenia patients are treated with conventional antipsychotics, the authors evaluated various methods for establishing the prevalence of neuroleptic-induced movement disorders in these patients. DSM-IV criteria and established score thresholds on a movement disorder rating scale were used to identify cases of neuroleptic-induced movement disorder in a representative Estonian patient sample of 99 chronic institutionalized schizophrenia patients, 18-65 years old, treated with conventional neuroleptics (79.8%) or clozapine (20.2%). Neuroleptic-induced movement disorders according to DSM-IV criteria were found in 61.6% of the group: 31.3% had neuroleptic-induced akathisia, 23.2% had neuroleptic-induced parkinsonism, and 32.3% had neuroleptic-induced tardive dyskinesia. Prevalence rates for akathisia and tardive dyskinesia were similar when either DSM-IV criteria or rating scale scores were used, but the prevalence rate for parkinsonism was much lower per DSM-IV criteria than according to rating scale score. Nearly two-thirds of chronic schizophrenia patients suffered from a neuroleptic-induced movement disorder. Globally, extrapyramidal adverse effects still impose a huge burden on the majority of neuroleptic-treated individuals with schizophrenia. The discrepancy between the standard identification methods for neuroleptic-induced movement disorder indicate the need for further research.

Revisiting the Corticomotor Plasticity in Low Back Pain: Challenges and Perspectives

PubMed Central

Massé-Alarie, Hugo; Schneider, Cyril

2016-01-01

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a recurrent debilitating condition that costs billions to society. Refractoriness to conventional treatment, lack of improvement, and associated movement disorders could be related to the extensive brain plasticity present in this condition, especially in the sensorimotor cortices. This narrative review on corticomotor plasticity in CLBP will try to delineate how interventions such as training and neuromodulation can improve the condition. The review recommends subgrouping classification in CLBP owing to brain plasticity markers with a view of better understanding and treating this complex condition. PMID:27618123

Absent movement-related cortical potentials in children with primary motor stereotypies.

PubMed

Houdayer, Elise; Walthall, Jessica; Belluscio, Beth A; Vorbach, Sherry; Singer, Harvey S; Hallett, Mark

2014-08-01

The underlying pathophysiologic mechanism for complex motor stereotypies in children is unknown, with hypotheses ranging from an arousal to a motor control disorder. Movement-related cortical potentials (MRCPs), representing the activation of cerebral areas involved in the generation of movements, precede and accompany self-initiated voluntary movements. The goal of this study was to compare cerebral activity associated with stereotypies to that seen with voluntary movements in children with primary complex motor stereotypies. Electroencephalographic (EEG) activity synchronized with video recording was recorded in 10 children diagnosed with primary motor stereotypies and 7 controls. EEG activity related to stereotypies and self-paced arm movements were analyzed for presence or absence of early or late MRCP, a steep negativity beginning about 1 second before the onset of a voluntary movement. Early MRCPs preceded self-paced arm movements in 8 of 10 children with motor stereotypies and in 6 of 7 controls. Observed MRCPs did not differ between groups. No MRCP was identified before the appearance of a complex motor stereotypy. Unlike voluntary movements, stereotypies are not preceded by MRCPs. This indicates that premotor areas are likely not involved in the preparation of these complex movements and suggests that stereotypies are initiated by mechanisms different from voluntary movements. Further studies are required to determine the site of the motor control abnormality within cortico-striatal-thalamo-cortical pathways and to identify whether similar findings would be found in children with secondary stereotypies. © 2013 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Applying Movement Ecology to Marine Animals with Complex Life Cycles.

PubMed

Allen, Richard M; Metaxas, Anna; Snelgrove, Paul V R

2018-01-03

Marine animals with complex life cycles may move passively or actively for fertilization, dispersal, predator avoidance, resource acquisition, and migration, and over scales from micrometers to thousands of kilometers. This diversity has catalyzed idiosyncratic and unfocused research, creating unsound paradigms regarding the role of movement in ecology and evolution. The emerging movement ecology paradigm offers a framework to consolidate movement research independent of taxon, life-history stage, scale, or discipline. This review applies the framework to movement among life-history stages in marine animals with complex life cycles to consolidate marine movement research and offer insights for scientists working in aquatic and terrestrial realms. Irrespective of data collection or simulation strategy, breaking each life-history stage down into the fundamental units of movement allows each unit to be studied independently or interactively with other units. Understanding these underlying mechanisms of movement within each life-history stage can then be used to construct lifetime movement paths. These paths can allow further investigation of the relative contributions and interdependencies of steps and phases across a lifetime and how these paths influence larger research topics, such as population-level movements.

Applying Movement Ecology to Marine Animals with Complex Life Cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, Richard M.; Metaxas, Anna; Snelgrove, Paul V. R.

2018-01-01

Marine animals with complex life cycles may move passively or actively for fertilization, dispersal, predator avoidance, resource acquisition, and migration, and over scales from micrometers to thousands of kilometers. This diversity has catalyzed idiosyncratic and unfocused research, creating unsound paradigms regarding the role of movement in ecology and evolution. The emerging movement ecology paradigm offers a framework to consolidate movement research independent of taxon, life-history stage, scale, or discipline. This review applies the framework to movement among life-history stages in marine animals with complex life cycles to consolidate marine movement research and offer insights for scientists working in aquatic and terrestrial realms. Irrespective of data collection or simulation strategy, breaking each life-history stage down into the fundamental units of movement allows each unit to be studied independently or interactively with other units. Understanding these underlying mechanisms of movement within each life-history stage can then be used to construct lifetime movement paths. These paths can allow further investigation of the relative contributions and interdependencies of steps and phases across a lifetime and how these paths influence larger research topics, such as population-level movements.

[Epidemiology, treatment and results of proximal humeral fractures: experience of a district hospital in a sports- and tourism area].

PubMed

Sonderegger, J; Simmen, H-P

2003-02-01

The epidemiology, therapy and results of proximal humeral fractures in a touristic area were investigated and our concept for treatment presented. Between 1.1.1999 and 30.04.2000 adult patients with proximal humeral fractures were included, the fractures classified (Codman/Neer and AO) and results determined after an average of 9 months. 62 adults were treated. 59 (95 %) had an accident during leisure time, mainly skiing accidents (52 %). 7 patients (11 %) had an associated luxation of the shoulder. 51 (82 %) were treated conservatively, 11 (18 %) operatively with a T-plate. The conservatively treated had to wear a Gilchrist-cast for an average of 29 (operatively 13) days, started passive movement after 20 (operatively 9) days, and active movement after 44 (operatively 45) days. The 32 employed (52 %) were not able to work for 46 days on average. Overall, 52 patients (84 %) were totally or mostly satisfied with the result. 5 among the 13 patients (38.5 %) with 3- or 4-part-fractures, and 4 among the 11 operated patients (36.4 %) were not satisfied with the result. Proximal humeral fractures are common skiing injuries, they need a long and intensive treatment and are economically expensive. The Codman/Neer and AO-classifications are equal. The results for simple, mainly conservatively treated fractures (Codman/Neer 1, 2A, 2-part) are good. Complex, mainly operatively treated fractures (Codman/Neer 3- and 4-part) have a much poorer prognosis. Diagnostically the computed tomography with 3-D-reconstruction is recommended for a better representation of the fracture and a safer choice of the therapeutical strategy.

Absent movement-related cortical potentials in children with primary motor stereotypies

PubMed Central

Houdayer, Elise; Walthall, Jessica; Belluscio, Beth A.; Vorbach, Sherry; Singer, Harvey S.; Hallett, Mark

2013-01-01

Background The underlying pathophysiologic mechanism for complex motor stereotypies in children is unknown with hypotheses ranging from an arousal to a motor control disorder. Movement-related cortical potentials (MRCPs), representing the activation of cerebral areas involved in the generation of movements, precede and accompany self-initiated voluntary movements. The goal of this study was to compare cerebral activity associated with stereotypies to that seen with voluntary movements in children with primary complex motor stereotypies. Methods Electroencephalographic (EEG) activity synchronized with video recording was recorded in 10 children diagnosed with primary motor stereotypies and 7 controls. EEG activity related to stereotypies and self-paced arm movements were analyzed for presence or absence of early or late MRCP, a steep negativity beginning about one second before the onset of a voluntary movement. Results Early MRCPs preceded self-paced arm movements in 8 out of 10 children with motor stereotypies and in 6 out of 7 controls. Observed MRCPs did not differ between groups. No MRCP was identified before the appearance of a complex motor stereotypy. Conclusions Unlike voluntary movements, stereotypies are not preceded by MRCPs. This indicates that premotor areas are likely not involved in the preparation of these complex movements and suggests that stereotypies are initiated by mechanisms different from voluntary movements. Further studies are required to determine the site of the motor control abnormality within cortico-striatal-thalamo-cortical pathways and to identify whether similar findings would be found in children with secondary stereotypies. PMID:24259275

Movement Sonification: Effects on Motor Learning beyond Rhythmic Adjustments.

PubMed

Effenberg, Alfred O; Fehse, Ursula; Schmitz, Gerd; Krueger, Bjoern; Mechling, Heinz

2016-01-01

Motor learning is based on motor perception and emergent perceptual-motor representations. A lot of behavioral research is related to single perceptual modalities but during last two decades the contribution of multimodal perception on motor behavior was discovered more and more. A growing number of studies indicates an enhanced impact of multimodal stimuli on motor perception, motor control and motor learning in terms of better precision and higher reliability of the related actions. Behavioral research is supported by neurophysiological data, revealing that multisensory integration supports motor control and learning. But the overwhelming part of both research lines is dedicated to basic research. Besides research in the domains of music, dance and motor rehabilitation, there is almost no evidence for enhanced effectiveness of multisensory information on learning of gross motor skills. To reduce this gap, movement sonification is used here in applied research on motor learning in sports. Based on the current knowledge on the multimodal organization of the perceptual system, we generate additional real-time movement information being suitable for integration with perceptual feedback streams of visual and proprioceptive modality. With ongoing training, synchronously processed auditory information should be initially integrated into the emerging internal models, enhancing the efficacy of motor learning. This is achieved by a direct mapping of kinematic and dynamic motion parameters to electronic sounds, resulting in continuous auditory and convergent audiovisual or audio-proprioceptive stimulus arrays. In sharp contrast to other approaches using acoustic information as error-feedback in motor learning settings, we try to generate additional movement information suitable for acceleration and enhancement of adequate sensorimotor representations and processible below the level of consciousness. In the experimental setting, participants were asked to learn a closed motor skill (technique acquisition of indoor rowing). One group was treated with visual information and two groups with audiovisual information (sonification vs. natural sounds). For all three groups learning became evident and remained stable. Participants treated with additional movement sonification showed better performance compared to both other groups. Results indicate that movement sonification enhances motor learning of a complex gross motor skill-even exceeding usually expected acoustic rhythmic effects on motor learning.

Movement Sonification: Effects on Motor Learning beyond Rhythmic Adjustments

PubMed Central

Effenberg, Alfred O.; Fehse, Ursula; Schmitz, Gerd; Krueger, Bjoern; Mechling, Heinz

2016-01-01

Motor learning is based on motor perception and emergent perceptual-motor representations. A lot of behavioral research is related to single perceptual modalities but during last two decades the contribution of multimodal perception on motor behavior was discovered more and more. A growing number of studies indicates an enhanced impact of multimodal stimuli on motor perception, motor control and motor learning in terms of better precision and higher reliability of the related actions. Behavioral research is supported by neurophysiological data, revealing that multisensory integration supports motor control and learning. But the overwhelming part of both research lines is dedicated to basic research. Besides research in the domains of music, dance and motor rehabilitation, there is almost no evidence for enhanced effectiveness of multisensory information on learning of gross motor skills. To reduce this gap, movement sonification is used here in applied research on motor learning in sports. Based on the current knowledge on the multimodal organization of the perceptual system, we generate additional real-time movement information being suitable for integration with perceptual feedback streams of visual and proprioceptive modality. With ongoing training, synchronously processed auditory information should be initially integrated into the emerging internal models, enhancing the efficacy of motor learning. This is achieved by a direct mapping of kinematic and dynamic motion parameters to electronic sounds, resulting in continuous auditory and convergent audiovisual or audio-proprioceptive stimulus arrays. In sharp contrast to other approaches using acoustic information as error-feedback in motor learning settings, we try to generate additional movement information suitable for acceleration and enhancement of adequate sensorimotor representations and processible below the level of consciousness. In the experimental setting, participants were asked to learn a closed motor skill (technique acquisition of indoor rowing). One group was treated with visual information and two groups with audiovisual information (sonification vs. natural sounds). For all three groups learning became evident and remained stable. Participants treated with additional movement sonification showed better performance compared to both other groups. Results indicate that movement sonification enhances motor learning of a complex gross motor skill—even exceeding usually expected acoustic rhythmic effects on motor learning. PMID:27303255

Inhibition during response preparation is sensitive to response complexity

PubMed Central

Saks, Dylan; Hoang, Timothy; Ivry, Richard B.

2015-01-01

Motor system excitability is transiently suppressed during the preparation of movement. This preparatory inhibition is hypothesized to facilitate response selection and initiation. Given that demands on selection and initiation processes increase with movement complexity, we hypothesized that complexity would influence preparatory inhibition. To test this hypothesis, we probed corticospinal excitability during a delayed-response task in which participants were cued to prepare right- or left-hand movements of varying complexity. Single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation was applied over right primary motor cortex to elicit motor evoked potentials (MEPs) from the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) of the left hand. MEP suppression was greater during the preparation of responses involving coordination of the FDI and adductor digiti minimi relative to easier responses involving only the FDI, independent of which hand was cued to respond. In contrast, this increased inhibition was absent when the complex responses required sequential movements of the two muscles. Moreover, complexity did not influence the level of inhibition when the response hand was fixed for the trial block, regardless of whether the complex responses were performed simultaneously or sequentially. These results suggest that preparatory inhibition contributes to response selection, possibly by suppressing extraneous movements when responses involve the simultaneous coordination of multiple effectors. PMID:25717168

Diminished embryonic movements of developing embryo by direct exposure of sidestream whole smoke solutions.

PubMed

Ejaz, Sohail; Woong, Lim Chae

2006-02-01

Embryonic movements (EM) are considered to be the first sign of life and cigarette smoking during pregnancy has been linked to affect EM. Exposure to sidestream smoke, produced from the emissions of a smoldering cigarette, may result in poor pregnancy outcome and increased risk of serious perinatal morbidity and mortality. In this study, the chicken embryo bioassay was used to systematically assess the effects of short-term exposure to sidestream whole smoke solutions (SSWSS) on EM, recorded in real time by a video camera for 60 min and each EM was counted for every 3-min interval. Application of different types of SSWSS to the embryos caused significant changes in all types of EM from 15 to 18 min of recording time. Extensive reduction (P<0.001) and some time complete stoppage of swing-like movements and whole-body movements were observed in almost all treated embryos. Our data clearly link between exposure of SSWSS and substantial decrease in EM. It is unclear whether nicotine and/or other ingredients present in sidestream smoke are responsible for these alterations in EM. This article provides an outline of the relevance of SSWSS on EM for evolutionary developmental biology and this assay can be used to investigate the complex mixtures with regard to their effects on EM.

Development of motor speed and associated movements from 5 to 18 years.

PubMed

Gasser, Theo; Rousson, Valentin; Caflisch, Jon; Jenni, Oskar G

2010-03-01

To study the development of motor speed and associated movements in participants aged 5 to 18 years for age, sex, and laterality. Ten motor tasks of the Zurich Neuromotor Assessment (repetitive and alternating movements of hands and feet, repetitive and sequential finger movements, the pegboard, static and dynamic balance, diadochokinesis) were administered to 593 right-handed participants (286 males, 307 females). A strong improvement with age was observed in motor speed from age 5 to 10, followed by a levelling-off between 12 and 18 years. Simple tasks and the pegboard matured early and complex tasks later. Simple tasks showed no associated movements beyond early childhood; in complex tasks associated movements persisted until early adulthood. The two sexes differed only marginally in speed, but markedly in associated movements. A significant laterality (p<0.001) in speed was found for all tasks except for static balance; the pegboard was most lateralized, and sequential finger movements least. Associated movements were lateralized only for a few complex tasks. We also noted a substantial interindividual variability. Motor speed and associated movements improve strongly in childhood, weakly in adolescence, and are both of developmental relevance. Because they correlate weakly, they provide complementary information.

Long-Distance Wh-Movement and Long-Distance Wh-Movement Avoidance in L2 English: Evidence from French and Bulgarian Speakers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slavkov, Nikolay

2015-01-01

This article investigates spoken productions of complex questions with long-distance wh-movement in the L2 English of speakers whose first language is (Canadian) French or Bulgarian. Long-distance wh-movement is of interest as it can be argued that it poses difficulty in acquisition due to its syntactic complexity and related high processing load.…

Monoclonal antibodies reactive with secreted-excreted products from the amphids and the cuticle surface of Globodera pallida affect nematode movement and delay invasion of potato roots.

PubMed

Fioretti, L; Porter, A; Haydock, P J; Curtis, R

2002-12-19

This paper describes Excreted-secreted proteins (ES) proteins that were immunolocalised in the cuticle, amphids and subventral glands of second stage juveniles of the two species of potato cyst nematodes (Globodera pallida and Globodera rostochiensis). Monoclonal antibodies reactive with these ES proteins were used in a bioassay to investigate their effect on nematode movement and on their ability to invade potato roots. Antibodies recognising the nematode cuticle surface and the amphids affected nematode movement and delayed nematode penetration of roots. These effects were temporary, since the nematodes were able to recover and infect potato roots. Movement of second stage juveniles treated with the antibodies was impaired for the first 30 min after inoculation: the juveniles remained close to the point of introduction and moved slowly and abnormally. They recovered normal movement after 1-2 h, possibly because the turnover rate of the secreted proteins meant that they were no longer blocked by the monoclonal antibodies. No effect was observed on second stage juveniles treated with an antibody reactive with secretions from the oesophageal glands. Nematodes treated with antibodies reactive with the nematode cuticle surface were notably more affected than those treated with other antibodies; nematodes failed to recover movement when in continuous contact with the antibodies. It is possible that the physical presence of the antibodies on the nematode surface affected their motility. Nematodes treated with antibodies reactive with secretions from the amphids were temporarily unable to move towards potato roots and their exploratory behaviour was greatly affected by the antibody treatment. Whether these antibodies were able to inhibit temporarily the function of the amphids or this effect was due to physical presence of the antibodies blocking the amphidial pore remains to be determined.

Use of Movement Imagery in Neurorehabilitation: Researching Effects of a Complex Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Braun, Susy M.; Wade, Derick T.; Beurskens, Anna J. H. M.

2011-01-01

Since the beginning of the new millennium, the use of mental practice and movement imagery within several medical professions in rehabilitation and therapy has received an increased attention. Before this introduction in healthcare, the use of movement imagery was mainly researched in sports science. Mental practice is a complex intervention. When…

Responses of Purkinje cells in the oculomotor vermis of monkeys during smooth pursuit eye movements and saccades: comparison with floccular complex.

PubMed

Raghavan, Ramanujan T; Lisberger, Stephen G

2017-08-01

We recorded the responses of Purkinje cells in the oculomotor vermis during smooth pursuit and saccadic eye movements. Our goal was to characterize the responses in the vermis using approaches that would allow direct comparisons with responses of Purkinje cells in another cerebellar area for pursuit, the floccular complex. Simple-spike firing of vermis Purkinje cells is direction selective during both pursuit and saccades, but the preferred directions are sufficiently independent so that downstream circuits could decode signals to drive pursuit and saccades separately. Complex spikes also were direction selective during pursuit, and almost all Purkinje cells showed a peak in the probability of complex spikes during the initiation of pursuit in at least one direction. Unlike the floccular complex, the preferred directions for simple spikes and complex spikes were not opposite. The kinematics of smooth eye movement described the simple-spike responses of vermis Purkinje cells well. Sensitivities were similar to those in the floccular complex for eye position and considerably lower for eye velocity and acceleration. The kinematic relations were quite different for saccades vs. pursuit, supporting the idea that the contributions from the vermis to each kind of movement could contribute independently in downstream areas. Finally, neither the complex-spike nor the simple-spike responses of vermis Purkinje cells were appropriate to support direction learning in pursuit. Complex spikes were not triggered reliably by an instructive change in target direction; simple-spike responses showed very small amounts of learning. We conclude that the vermis plays a different role in pursuit eye movements compared with the floccular complex. NEW & NOTEWORTHY The midline oculomotor cerebellum plays a different role in smooth pursuit eye movements compared with the lateral, floccular complex and appears to be much less involved in direction learning in pursuit. The output from the oculomotor vermis during pursuit lies along a null-axis for saccades and vice versa. Thus the vermis can play independent roles in the two kinds of eye movement. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

Cross-slope Movement Patterns in Landslides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petley, D.; Murphy, W.; Bulmer, M. H.; Keefer, D.

2002-12-01

There is growing evidence that there is a significant element of cross-slope movement in many large landslide systems. These movements may result in changing states of stress between landslide blocks that can establish complex displacement patterns. Such motions, which are not considered in traditional two-dimensional limit-equilibrium analyses, are important in the investigation of a variety of landslide types, such as those triggered by earthquakes. In addition, these movements may introduce considerable errors into the interpretation of strain patterns as derived from InSAR studies. Finally, even traditional interpretation techniques may lead to the amount of total displacement being underestimated. These observations suggest that a three dimensional form of analysis may be more appropriate for large landslide complexes. The significance of such cross-slope movements are being investigated using a detailed investigation of the Lishan landslide complex in Central Taiwan. This landslide system, which was reactivated in 1990 related to the construction of a hotel. The total recorded movements have been approximately 1.5 m over an area of sliding that is estimated to be 450 m wide and 200 m long. Extensive damage has been caused to roads and buildings within the town. Remediation work has resulted largely in the stabilization of the landslide complex. Detailed geomorphological mapping has revealed that the landslide complex is composed of two main components. The first, immediately upslope of the hotel construction site, is a relatively shallow earthflow. The second, which has formed a large headscarp upslope from the main road in the centre of the town, is a deeper translational slide. Both appear to have been reactivations of previous failures. While the displacement patterns of the earthflow indicate a relatively simple downslope movement, the vectors derived from kinematic analysis of surface features have indicated that the movement of the deeper-seated landslide was more complex. Though the dominant movement vector is downslope, there is evidence to suggest that there has been a cross-slope component of motion that corresponds to the bedding orientation.

Accuracy of Dolphin visual treatment objective (VTO) prediction software on class III patients treated with maxillary advancement and mandibular setback.

PubMed

Peterman, Robert J; Jiang, Shuying; Johe, Rene; Mukherjee, Padma M

2016-12-01

Dolphin® visual treatment objective (VTO) prediction software is routinely utilized by orthodontists during the treatment planning of orthognathic cases to help predict post-surgical soft tissue changes. Although surgical soft tissue prediction is considered to be a vital tool, its accuracy is not well understood in tow-jaw surgical procedures. The objective of this study was to quantify the accuracy of Dolphin Imaging's VTO soft tissue prediction software on class III patients treated with maxillary advancement and mandibular setback and to validate the efficacy of the software in such complex cases. This retrospective study analyzed the records of 14 patients treated with comprehensive orthodontics in conjunction with two-jaw orthognathic surgery. Pre- and post-treatment radiographs were traced and superimposed to determine the actual skeletal movements achieved in surgery. This information was then used to simulate surgery in the software and generate a final soft tissue patient profile prediction. Prediction images were then compared to the actual post-treatment profile photos to determine differences. Dolphin Imaging's software was determined to be accurate within an error range of +/- 2 mm in the X-axis at most landmarks. The lower lip predictions were most inaccurate. Clinically, the observed error suggests that the VTO may be used for demonstration and communication with a patient or consulting practitioner. However, Dolphin should not be useful for precise treatment planning of surgical movements. This program should be used with caution to prevent unrealistic patient expectations and dissatisfaction.

Final Report: Contractor Readiness Assessment (CRA) for TREAT Fuel Movement and Control Rod Drives Isolation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rowsell, David Leon

This report documents the Contractor Readiness Assessment (CRA) for TREAT Fuel Movement and Control Rod Drives Isolation. The review followed the approved Plan of Action (POA) and Implementation Plan (IP) using the identified core requirements. The activity was limited scope focusing on the control rod drives functional isolation and fuel element movement. The purpose of this review is to ensure the facility's readiness to move fuel elements thus supporting inspection and functionally isolate the control rod drives to maintain the required shutdown margin.

Considering Valproate as a Risk Factor for Rapid Exacerbation of Complex Movement Disorder in Progressed Stages of Late-Infantile CLN2 Disease.

PubMed

Johannsen, Jessika; Nickel, Miriam; Schulz, Angela; Denecke, Jonas

2016-06-01

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2 (CLN2 disease, OMIM 204500) is a rare autosomal-recessive lysosomal storage disorder. It is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders in childhood. Symptoms include epilepsy, rapid motor and language regression, dementia, visual loss, and a complex movement disorder in later stages of the disease. We report on two children with genetically confirmed late-infantile CLN2 disease who developed a severe exacerbation of their complex movement disorder leading to hyperthermia, hyper-CK-emia and decreased level of consciousness over several weeks despite different therapeutic approaches. Both patients were on long-term antiepileptic treatment with valproate and only after the withdrawal of valproate, the movement disorder disappeared and level of consciousness improved. These observations emphasize that valproate has to be considered as a possible risk factor in patients in later stages of late-infantile CLN2 disease who develop a rapidly progressive complex movement disorder. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Live cell imaging of mitochondrial movement along actin cables in budding yeast.

PubMed

Fehrenbacher, Kammy L; Yang, Hyeong-Cheol; Gay, Anna Card; Huckaba, Thomas M; Pon, Liza A

2004-11-23

Mitochondrial inheritance is essential for cell division. In budding yeast, mitochondrial movement from mother to daughter requires (1) actin cables, F-actin bundles that undergo retrograde movement during elongation from buds into mother cells; (2) the mitochore, a mitochondrial protein complex implicated in linking mitochondria to actin cables; and (3) Arp2/3 complex-mediated force generation on mitochondria. We observed three new classes of mitochondrial motility: anterograde movement at velocities of 0.2-0.33 microm/s, retrograde movement at velocities of 0.26-0.51 microm/s, and no net anterograde or retrograde movement. In all cases, motile mitochondria were associated with actin cables undergoing retrograde flow at velocities of 0.18-0.62 microm/s. Destabilization of actin cables or mutations of the mitochore blocked all mitochondrial movements. In contrast, mutations in the Arp2/3 complex affected anterograde but not retrograde mitochondrial movements. Actin cables are required for movement of mitochondria, secretory vesicles, mRNA, and spindle alignment elements in yeast. We provide the first direct evidence that one of the proposed cargos use actin cables as tracks. In the case of mitochondrial inheritance, anterograde movement drives transfer of the organelle from mothers to buds, while retrograde movement contributes to retention of the organelle in mother cells. Interaction of mitochondria with actin cables is required for anterograde and retrograde movement. In contrast, force generation on mitochondria is required only for anterograde movement. Finally, we propose a novel mechanism in which actin cables serve as "conveyor belts" that drive retrograde organelle movement.

Alteration of the fast excitatory postsynaptic current by barium in voltage-clamped amphibian sympathetic ganglion cells.

PubMed Central

Connor, E. A.; Parsons, R. L.

1984-01-01

Barium-induced alterations in fast excitatory postsynaptic currents (e.p.s.cs) have been studied in voltage-clamped bullfrog sympathetic ganglion B cells. In the presence of 2-8 mM barium, e.p.s.c. decay was prolonged and in many cells the e.p.s.c. decay phase deviated from a single exponential function. The decay phase in these cases was more accurately described as the sum of two exponential functions. The frequency of occurrence of a complex decay increased both with increasing barium concentration and with hyperpolarization. Miniature e.p.s.c. decay also was prolonged in barium-treated cells. E.p.s.c. amplitude was not markedly affected by barium (2-8 mM) in cells voltage-clamped to -50 mV whereas at -90 mV there was a progressive increase in peak size with increasing barium concentration. In control cells the e.p.s.c.-voltage relationship was linear between -20 and -100 mV; however, this relationship became progressively non-linear with membrane hyperpolarization in barium-treated cells. The e.p.s.c. reversal potential was shifted to a more negative value in the presence of barium. There was a voltage-dependent increase in charge movement during the e.p.s.c. in barium-treated cells which was not present in control cells. We conclude that the voltage-dependent alteration in e.p.s.c. decay time course, peak amplitude and charge movement in barium-treated cells is due to a direct postsynaptic action of barium on the kinetics of receptor-channel gating in postganglionic sympathetic neurones. PMID:6333261

The Efficacy of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing in Children and Adults Who Have Experienced Complex Childhood Trauma: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.

PubMed

Chen, Runsen; Gillespie, Amy; Zhao, Yanhui; Xi, Yingjun; Ren, Yanping; McLean, Loyola

2018-01-01

Background: Survivors of complex childhood trauma (CT) such as sexual abuse show poorer outcomes compared to single event trauma survivors. A growing number of studies investigate Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but no systematic reviews have focused on EMDR treatment for CT as an intervention for both adults and children. This study therefore systematically reviewed all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effect of EMDR on PTSD symptoms in adults and children exposed to CT. Methods: Databases including PubMed, Web of Science, and PsycINFO were searched in October 2017. Randomized controlled trials which recruited adult and children with experience of CT, which compared EMDR to alternative treatments or control conditions, and which measured PTSD symptoms were included. Study methodology quality was evaluated with Platinum Standard scale. Results: Six eligible RCTs of 251 participants were included in this systematic review. The results indicated that EMDR was associated with reductions in PTSD symptoms, depression and/or anxiety both post-treatment and at follow-up compared with all other alternative therapies (cognitive behavior therapy, individual/group therapy and fluoxetine) and control treatment (pill placebo, active listening, EMDR delayed treatment, and treatment as usual). However, studies suffered from significant heterogeneity in study populations, length of EMDR treatment, length of follow-up, comparison groups, and outcome measures. One study had a high risk of bias. Discussion: This systematic review suggests that there is growing evidence to support the clinical efficacy of EMDR in treating CT in both children and adults. However, conclusions are limited by the small number of heterogenous trials. Further RCTs with standardized methodologies, as well as studies addressing real world challenges in treating CT are required.

The Efficacy of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing in Children and Adults Who Have Experienced Complex Childhood Trauma: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

PubMed Central

Chen, Runsen; Gillespie, Amy; Zhao, Yanhui; Xi, Yingjun; Ren, Yanping; McLean, Loyola

2018-01-01

Background: Survivors of complex childhood trauma (CT) such as sexual abuse show poorer outcomes compared to single event trauma survivors. A growing number of studies investigate Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but no systematic reviews have focused on EMDR treatment for CT as an intervention for both adults and children. This study therefore systematically reviewed all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effect of EMDR on PTSD symptoms in adults and children exposed to CT. Methods: Databases including PubMed, Web of Science, and PsycINFO were searched in October 2017. Randomized controlled trials which recruited adult and children with experience of CT, which compared EMDR to alternative treatments or control conditions, and which measured PTSD symptoms were included. Study methodology quality was evaluated with Platinum Standard scale. Results: Six eligible RCTs of 251 participants were included in this systematic review. The results indicated that EMDR was associated with reductions in PTSD symptoms, depression and/or anxiety both post-treatment and at follow-up compared with all other alternative therapies (cognitive behavior therapy, individual/group therapy and fluoxetine) and control treatment (pill placebo, active listening, EMDR delayed treatment, and treatment as usual). However, studies suffered from significant heterogeneity in study populations, length of EMDR treatment, length of follow-up, comparison groups, and outcome measures. One study had a high risk of bias. Discussion: This systematic review suggests that there is growing evidence to support the clinical efficacy of EMDR in treating CT in both children and adults. However, conclusions are limited by the small number of heterogenous trials. Further RCTs with standardized methodologies, as well as studies addressing real world challenges in treating CT are required. PMID:29695993

Different mechanisms may generate sustained hypertonic and rhythmic bursting muscle activity in idiopathic dystonia.

PubMed

Liu, Xuguang; Yianni, John; Wang, Shouyan; Bain, Peter G; Stein, John F; Aziz, Tipu Z

2006-03-01

Despite that deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the globus pallidus internus (GPi) is emerging as the favored intervention for patients with medically intractable dystonia, the pathophysiological mechanisms of dystonia are largely unclear. In eight patients with primary dystonia who were treated with bilateral chronic pallidal stimulation, we correlated symptom-related electromyogram (EMG) activity of the most affected muscles with the local field potentials (LFPs) recorded from the globus pallidus electrodes. In 5 dystonic patients with mobile involuntary movements, rhythmic EMG bursts in the contralateral muscles were coherent with the oscillations in the pallidal LFPs at the burst frequency. In contrast, no significant coherence was seen between EMG and LFPs either for the sustained activity separated out from the compound EMGs in those 5 cases, or in the EMGs in 3 other cases without mobile involuntary movements and rhythmic EMG bursts. In comparison with the resting condition, in both active and passive movements, significant modulation in the GPi LFPs was seen in the range of 8-16 Hz. The finding of significant coherence between GPi oscillations and rhythmic EMG bursts but not sustained tonic EMG activity suggests that the synchronized pallidal activity may be directly related to the rhythmic involuntary movements. In contrast, the sustained hypertonic muscle activity may be represented by less synchronized activity in the pallidum. Thus, the pallidum may play different roles in generating different components of the dystonic symptom complex.

Using emergent order to shape a space society

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graps, Amara L.

1993-01-01

A fast-growing movement in the scientific community is reshaping the way that we view the world around us. The short-hand name for this movement is 'chaos'. Chaos is a science of the global, nonlinear nature of systems. The center of this set of ideas is that simple, deterministic systems can breed complexity. Systems as complex as the human body, ecology, the mind or a human society. While it is true that simple laws can breed complexity, the other side is that complex systems can breed order. It is the latter that I will focus on in this paper. In the past, nonlinear was nearly synonymous with unsolvable because no general analytic solutions exist. Mathematically, an essential difference exists between linear and nonlinear systems. For linear systems, you just break up the complicated system into many simple pieces and patch together the separated solutions for each piece to form a solution to the full problem. In contrast, solutions to a nonlinear system cannot be added to form a new solution. The system must be treated in its full complexity. While it is true that no general analytical approach exists for reducing a complex system such as a society, it can be modeled. The technical involves a mathematical construct called phase space. In this space stable structures can appear which I use as analogies for the stable structures that appear in a complex system such as an ecology, the mind or a society. The common denominator in all of these systems is that they rely on a process called feedback loops. Feedback loops link the microscopic (individual) parts to the macroscopic (global) parts. The key, then, in shaping a space society, is in effectively using feedback loops. This paper will illustrate how one can model a space society by using methods that chaoticists have developed over the last hundred years. And I will show that common threads exist in the modeling of biological, economical, philosophical, and sociological systems.

On the complexity of classical guitar playing: functional adaptations to task constraints.

PubMed

Heijink, Hank; Meulenbroek, Ruud G J

2002-12-01

The authors performed a behavioral study of the complexity of left-hand finger movements in classical guitar playing. Six professional guitarists played movement sequences in a fixed tempo. Left-hand finger movements were recorded in 3 dimensions, and the guitar sound was recorded synchronously. Assuming that performers prefer to avoid extreme joint angles when moving, the authors hypothesized 3 complexity factors. The results showed differential effects of the complexity factors on the performance measures and on participants' judgments of complexity. The results demonstrated that keeping the joints in the middle of their range is an important principle in guitar playing, and players exploit the available tolerance in timing and placement of the left-hand fingers to control the acoustic output variability.

Complex impairment of IA muscle proprioceptors following traumatic or neurotoxic injury.

PubMed

Vincent, Jacob A; Nardelli, Paul; Gabriel, Hanna M; Deardorff, Adam S; Cope, Timothy C

2015-08-01

The health of primary sensory afferents supplying muscle has to be a first consideration in assessing deficits in proprioception and related motor functions. Here we discuss the role of a particular proprioceptor, the IA muscle spindle proprioceptor in causing movement disorders in response to either regeneration of a sectioned peripheral nerve or damage from neurotoxic chemotherapy. For each condition, there is a single preferred and widely repeated explanation for disability of movements associated with proprioceptive function. We present a mix of published and preliminary findings from our laboratory, largely from in vivo electrophysiological study of treated rats to demonstrate newly discovered IA afferent defects that seem likely to make important contributions to movement disorders. First, we argue that reconnection of regenerated IA afferents with inappropriate targets, although often repeated as the reason for lost stretch-reflex contraction, is not a complete explanation. We present evidence that despite successful recovery of stretch-evoked sensory signaling, peripherally regenerated IA afferents retract synapses made with motoneurons in the spinal cord. Second, we point to evidence that movement disability suffered by human subjects months after discontinuation of oxaliplatin (OX) chemotherapy for some is not accompanied by peripheral neuropathy, which is the acknowledged primary cause of disability. Our studies of OX-treated rats suggest a novel additional explanation in showing the loss of sustained repetitive firing of IA afferents during static muscle stretch. Newly extended investigation reproduces this effect in normal rats with drugs that block Na(+) channels apparently involved in encoding static IA afferent firing. Overall, these findings highlight multiplicity in IA afferent deficits that must be taken into account in understanding proprioceptive disability, and that present new avenues and possible advantages for developing effective treatment. Extending the study of IA afferent deficits yielded the additional benefit of elucidating normal processes in IA afferent mechanosensory function. © 2015 Anatomical Society.

Can we identify others' intentions from seeing their movements? Comment on "Seeing mental states: An experimental strategy for measuring the observability of other minds" by Cristina Becchio et al.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Curioni, Arianna; Sebanz, Natalie; Knoblich, Günther

2018-03-01

In their review, Becchio and colleagues describe the 'unobservability principle' and the 'direct social perception thesis' as two competing accounts of how people identify others' intentions [4]. The former treats intentions as private information that is hidden within individual minds. The latter treats intentions as public information that can be directly perceived from observed movements. The authors propose a new method for quantifying cues to intention from human movement, providing support for the 'direct social perception thesis' in the domain of instrumental actions. Without doubt this new approach is valuable in establishing whether there is a dissociation between the presence of movement cues in the perceptual input and people's ability to make use of these cues for identifying intentions. It is also valuable in identifying movement parameters that could be crucial for improving the planning of instrumental actions in robotic agents so that their movements become better identifiable for human observers.

Modal interactions due to friction in the nonlinear vibration response of the "Harmony" test structure: Experiments and simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Claeys, M.; Sinou, J.-J.; Lambelin, J.-P.; Todeschini, R.

2016-08-01

The nonlinear vibration response of an assembly with friction joints - named "Harmony" - is studied both experimentally and numerically. The experimental results exhibit a softening effect and an increase of dissipation with excitation level. Modal interactions due to friction are also evidenced. The numerical methodology proposed groups together well-known structural dynamic methods, including finite elements, substructuring, Harmonic Balance and continuation methods. On the one hand, the application of this methodology proves its capacity to treat a complex system where several friction movements occur at the same time. On the other hand, the main contribution of this paper is the experimental and numerical study of evidence of modal interactions due to friction. The simulation methodology succeeds in reproducing complex form of dynamic behavior such as these modal interactions.

Biotensegrity and myofascial chains: A global approach to an integrated kinetic chain.

PubMed

Dischiavi, S L; Wright, A A; Hegedus, E J; Bleakley, C M

2018-01-01

Human movement is a complex orchestration of events involving many different body systems. Understanding how these systems interact during musculoskeletal movements can directly inform a variety of research fields including: injury etiology, injury prevention and therapeutic exercise prescription. Traditionally scientists have examined human movement through a reductionist lens whereby movements are broken down and observed in isolation. The process of reductionism fails to capture the interconnected complexities and the dynamic interactions found within complex systems such as human movement. An emerging idea is that human movement may be better understood using a holistic philosophy. In this regard, the properties of a given system cannot be determined or explained by its components alone, rather, it is the complexity of the system as a whole, that determines how the individual component parts behave. This paper hypothesizes that human movement can be better understood through holism; and provides available observational evidence in musculoskeletal science, which help to frame human movement as a globally interconnected complex system. Central to this, is biotensegrity, a concept where the bones of the skeletal system are postulated to be held together by the resting muscle tone of numerous viscoelastic muscular chains in a tension dependent manner. The design of a biotensegrity system suggests that when human movement occurs, the entire musculoskeletal system constantly adjusts during this movement causing global patterns to occur. This idea further supported by recent anatomical evidence suggesting that the muscles of the human body can no longer by viewed as independent anatomical structures that simply connect one bone to another bone. Rather, the body consists of numerous muscles connected in series, and end to end, which span the entire musculoskeletal system, creating long polyarticular viscoelastic myofascial muscle chains. Although theoretical, the concept of the human body being connected by these muscular chains, within a biotensegrity design, could be a potential underpinning theory for analyzing human movement in a more holistic manner. Indeed, preliminary research has now used the concept of myofascial pathways to enhance musculoskeletal examination, and provides a vivid example of how range of motion at a peripheral joint, is dependent upon the positioning of the entire body, offering supportive evidence that the body's kinetic chain is globally interconnected. Theoretical models that introduce a complex systems approach should be welcomed by the movement science field in an attempt to help explain clinical questions that have been resistant to a linear model. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hyperkinetic movement disorder in a child treated by globus pallidus stimulation.

PubMed

Sato, Ken; Nakagawa, Eiji; Saito, Yoshiaki; Komaki, Hirofumi; Sakuma, Hiroshi; Sugai, Kenji; Sasaki, Masayuki; Kaido, Takanobu; Nakama, Hideyuki; Otsuki, Taisuke

2009-06-01

We report herein the case of a 9-year-old girl with life-threatening hyperkinetic involuntary movement of unknown etiology. Medical treatment was ineffective for her stereotypy and choreoathetotic/ballistic movements, but bilateral stimulation of the globus pallidus immediately alleviated these symptoms. Pallidal deep-brain stimulation may be considered the therapy of choice for children with intractable hyperkinetic movement disorders.

The effect of muscle fatigue and low back pain on lumbar movement variability and complexity.

PubMed

Bauer, C M; Rast, F M; Ernst, M J; Meichtry, A; Kool, J; Rissanen, S M; Suni, J H; Kankaanpää, M

2017-04-01

Changes in movement variability and complexity may reflect an adaptation strategy to fatigue. One unresolved question is whether this adaptation is hampered by the presence of low back pain (LBP). This study investigated if changes in movement variability and complexity after fatigue are influenced by the presence of LBP. It is hypothesised that pain free people and people suffering from LBP differ in their response to fatigue. The effect of an isometric endurance test on lumbar movement was tested in 27 pain free participants and 59 participants suffering from LBP. Movement variability and complexity were quantified with %determinism and sample entropy of lumbar angular displacement and velocity. Generalized linear models were fitted for each outcome. Bayesian estimation of the group-fatigue effect with 95% highest posterior density intervals (95%HPDI) was performed. After fatiguing %determinism decreased and sample entropy increased in the pain free group, compared to the LBP group. The corresponding group-fatigue effects were 3.7 (95%HPDI: 2.3-7.1) and -1.4 (95%HPDI: -2.7 to -0.1). These effects manifested in angular velocity, but not in angular displacement. The effects indicate that pain free participants showed more complex and less predictable lumbar movement with a lower degree of structure in its variability following fatigue while participants suffering from LBP did not. This may be physiological responses to avoid overload of fatigued tissue, increase endurance, or a consequence of reduced movement control caused by fatigue. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Functional and physiological effects of treadmill training induced by buspirone, carbidopa, and L-DOPA in clenbuterol-treated paraplegic mice.

PubMed

Ung, Roth-Visal; Rouleau, Pascal; Guertin, Pierre A

2012-05-01

Chronic spinal cord injury may be complicated by weight loss, muscle atrophy, and bone loss. The authors identified a combination pharmacotherapy using buspirone, carbidopa, and L-DOPA (BCD) that elicits bouts of locomotor-like movements in spinal cord-transected (Tx) mice. They then evaluated the effects of 8 weeks of treadmill training in Tx mice that received BCD or BCD + clenbuterol, a monoaminergic agent with anabolic properties, on locomotor function, muscle atrophy, adipose tissue loss, and bone density measures. Induced locomotor movement, adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and femoral bone properties were compared in unoperated control mice, operated controls (untreated, untrained Tx mice), and 2 groups of treated, trained Tx mice (Tx + BCD, Tx + BCD + clenbuterol) that also received training. BCD- and BCD + clenbuterol-treated mice showed comparable levels of locomotor movements that significantly improved over time. Soleus muscle mass and soleus and extensor digitorum longus cross-sectional area significantly increased in both groups of BCD-treated mice, with greater effects in BCD + clenbuterol-treated animals. Fiber type conversion, adipose tissues, bone mineral density, and content were reduced in all Tx groups compared with unoperated control mice. These findings suggest that locomotor movement and muscle properties can be restored to near-normal levels after several weeks of BCD treatment, regular training, and clenbuterol in completely paraplegic animals.

Multi-segmental movement patterns reflect juggling complexity and skill level.

PubMed

Zago, Matteo; Pacifici, Ilaria; Lovecchio, Nicola; Galli, Manuela; Federolf, Peter Andreas; Sforza, Chiarella

2017-08-01

The juggling action of six experts and six intermediates jugglers was recorded with a motion capture system and decomposed into its fundamental components through Principal Component Analysis. The aim was to quantify trends in movement dimensionality, multi-segmental patterns and rhythmicity as a function of proficiency level and task complexity. Dimensionality was quantified in terms of Residual Variance, while the Relative Amplitude was introduced to account for individual differences in movement components. We observed that: experience-related modifications in multi-segmental actions exist, such as the progressive reduction of error-correction movements, especially in complex task condition. The systematic identification of motor patterns sensitive to the acquisition of specific experience could accelerate the learning process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Class III malocclusion with complex problems of lateral open bite and severe crowding successfully treated with miniscrew anchorage and lingual orthodontic brackets.

PubMed

Yanagita, Takeshi; Kuroda, Shingo; Takano-Yamamoto, Teruko; Yamashiro, Takashi

2011-05-01

In this article, we report the successful use of miniscrews in a patient with an Angle Class III malocclusion, lateral open bite, midline deviation, and severe crowding. Simultaneously resolving such problems with conventional Class III treatment is difficult. In this case, the treatment procedure was even more challenging because the patient preferred to have lingual brackets on the maxillary teeth. As a result, miniscrews were used to facilitate significant asymmetric tooth movement in the posterior and downward directions; this contributed to the camouflage of the skeletal mandibular protrusion together with complete resolution of the severe crowding and lateral open bite. Analysis of the jaw motion showed that irregularities in chewing movement were also resolved, and a stable occlusion was achieved. Improvements in the facial profile and dental arches remained stable at the 18-month follow-up. Copyright © 2011 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Meaning of leprosy for people who have experienced treatment during the sulfonic and multidrug therapy periods 1

PubMed Central

Santos, Karen da Silva; Fortuna, Cinira Magali; Santana, Fabiana Ribeiro; Gonçalves, Marlene Fagundes Carvalho; Marciano, Franciele Maia; Matumoto, Silvia

2015-01-01

Abstract Objective: to analyze the meanings of leprosy for people treated during the sulfonic and multidrug therapy periods. Method: qualitative nature study based on the Vigotski's historical-cultural approach, which guided the production and analysis of data. It included eight respondents who have had leprosy and were submitted to sulfonic and multidrug therapy treatments. The participants are also members of the Movement for Reintegration of People Affected by Leprosy. Results: the meanings were organized into three meaning cores: spots on the body: something is out of order; leprosy or hanseniasis? and leprosy from the inclusion in the Movement for Reintegration of People Affected by Leprosy. Conclusion: the meanings of leprosy for people submitted to both regimens point to a complex construction thereof, indicating differences and similarities in both treatments. Health professionals may contribute to the change of the meanings, since these are socially constructed and the changes are continuous. PMID:26444163

Effectiveness of low level laser therapy for treating male infertility

PubMed Central

Vladimirovich Moskvin, Sergey; Ivanovich Apolikhin, Oleg

2018-01-01

In half of the cases, the infertility of the couple is due to the disorder of the male fertility. The leading factors that cause male infertility are urogenital infections, disorders of the immune system, testicular and prostate pathology, as well as endocrine disorders. Low level laser therapy (LLLT) is a very effective physical therapy method, used in many areas of medicine, including obstetrics and gynaecology, andrology and urology; and it is recommended as an integral part of the complex treatment of infertility. The literature review showed that LLLT is beneficial in treating male infertility. Laser can significantly improve the survival, motility and speed of movement of spermatozoa. Laser therapy of patients with prostatitis and vesiculitis can eliminate infiltrative-exudative changes, improve reproductive and copulatory functions. Local illumination of red (635 nm) and infrared (904 nm) spectra should be combined with intravenous laser blood illumination (ILBI) of red (635 nm) and ultraviolet (UV) (365 nm) spectra. PMID:29806585

Biomechanical behavior of muscle-tendon complex during dynamic human movements.

PubMed

Fukashiro, Senshi; Hay, Dean C; Nagano, Akinori

2006-05-01

This paper reviews the research findings regarding the force and length changes of the muscle-tendon complex during dynamic human movements, especially those using ultrasonography and computer simulation. The use of ultrasonography demonstrated that the tendinous structures of the muscle-tendon complex are compliant enough to influence the biomechanical behavior (length change, shortening velocity, and so on) of fascicles substantially. It was discussed that the fascicles are a force generator rather than a work generator; the tendinous structures function not only as an energy re-distributor but also as a power amplifier, and the interaction between fascicles and tendinous structures is essential for generating higher joint power outputs during the late pushoff phase in human vertical jumping. This phenomenon could be explained based on the force-length/velocity relationships of each element (contractile and series elastic elements) in the muscle-tendon complex during movements. Through computer simulation using a Hill-type muscle-tendon complex model, the benefit of making a countermovement was examined in relation to the compliance of the muscle-tendon complex and the length ratio between the contractile and series elastic elements. Also, the integral roles of the series elastic element were simulated in a cyclic human heel-raise exercise. It was suggested that the storage and reutilization of elastic energy by the tendinous structures play an important role in enhancing work output and movement efficiency in many sorts of human movements.

Genital Autocleaning in the Male Cricket Gryllus bimaculatus (2): Rhythmic Movements of the Genitalia and Their Motor Control.

PubMed

Kumashiro, Mikihiko; Sakai, Masaki

2016-12-01

Three types of genital movement, their neural controls, and functional roles were investigated to gain a better understanding of the mechanism underlying autocleaning in the male cricket. The membrane complex consisting of the median pouch and genital chamber floor shows peculiar undulation that is composed of two types of movements: a right-left large shift and small crease-like movements. The large shift was caused by contraction of a pair of muscles (MPA) located anterior to the median pouch, while the crease-like movements were caused by numerous muscle fibers extending over the membrane complex. The MPA and muscle fibers were each innervated by efferent neurons in the terminal abdominal ganglion. Experiments with artificial dirt mimicking a foreign object revealed that the crease-like movements were responsible for dirt transport, while the large shift participated in sweeping the dirt into the lateral pouch as a trash container. On the other hand, the dorsal pouch serving as a template for the spermatophore showed a jerky bending movement. Simultaneous monitoring of the membrane complex and dorsal pouch activities suggested that their movements cooperate to enable the efficient evacuation of waste in the dorsal pouch. Based on the results, we conclude that genital autocleaning supports the production of the spermatophore.

Acute movement disorders in the medical setting.

PubMed

Zawar, Ifrah; Caro, Mario A; Feldman, Lara; Jimenez, Xavier F

2016-07-01

Objective Psychosomatic medicine psychiatrists are often tasked with the evaluation and treatment of complex neuropsychiatric states which may be motoric in phenotype. Little energy has been dedicated to understanding acute movement disorders in the hospital environment. Method Recognizing the importance of frontal-subcortical (corticostriatothalamocortical) circuitry and basal ganglia structures, we present a case series of acute movement disorder phenotypes resulting from underlying medical conditions, commonly-administered medications, or the interaction of both. We organize these scenarios into neurodegenerative disorders, primary psychiatric disorders, neuroinflammation, and polypharmacy, demonstrating a clinical example of each followed by background references on a variety of clinical states and medications contributing to acute movement disorders. In addition, we offer visual illustration of implicated neurocircuitry as well as proposed neurotransmitter imbalances involving glutamate, gamma aminobutyric acid, and dopamine. Furthermore, we review the various clinical syndromes and medications involved in the development of acute movement disorders. Results Acute movement disorder's involve complex interactions between frontal-subcortical circuits and acute events. Given the complexity of interactions, psychopharmacological considerations become critical, as some treatments may alleviate acute movement disorders while others will exacerbate them. Conclusion Integrating underlying medical conditions and acutely administered (or discontinued) pharmacological agents offers an interactional, neuromedical approach to acute movement disorders that is critical to the work of psychosomatic medicine.

Observations and Measurements of Wing Parameters of the Selected Beetle Species and the Design of a Mechanism Structure Implementing a Complex Wing Movement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geisler, T.

2016-12-01

Beetle wings perform a flapping movement, consisting of the rotation relative to the two axes. This paper presents the results of observations and measurements of wings operating parameters in different planes of some beetle species. High speed photos and videos were used. The concept of the mechanism performing a complex wing movement was proposed and developed.

Entropic Movement Complexity Reflects Subjective Creativity Rankings of Visualized Hand Motion Trajectories

PubMed Central

Peng, Zhen; Braun, Daniel A.

2015-01-01

In a previous study we have shown that human motion trajectories can be characterized by translating continuous trajectories into symbol sequences with well-defined complexity measures. Here we test the hypothesis that the motion complexity individuals generate in their movements might be correlated to the degree of creativity assigned by a human observer to the visualized motion trajectories. We asked participants to generate 55 novel hand movement patterns in virtual reality, where each pattern had to be repeated 10 times in a row to ensure reproducibility. This allowed us to estimate a probability distribution over trajectories for each pattern. We assessed motion complexity not only by the previously proposed complexity measures on symbolic sequences, but we also propose two novel complexity measures that can be directly applied to the distributions over trajectories based on the frameworks of Gaussian Processes and Probabilistic Movement Primitives. In contrast to previous studies, these new methods allow computing complexities of individual motion patterns from very few sample trajectories. We compared the different complexity measures to how a group of independent jurors rank ordered the recorded motion trajectories according to their personal creativity judgment. We found three entropic complexity measures that correlate significantly with human creativity judgment and discuss differences between the measures. We also test whether these complexity measures correlate with individual creativity in divergent thinking tasks, but do not find any consistent correlation. Our results suggest that entropic complexity measures of hand motion may reveal domain-specific individual differences in kinesthetic creativity. PMID:26733896

Dynamics and regulation of nuclear import and nuclear movements of HIV-1 complexes

PubMed Central

Burdick, Ryan C.; Chen, Jianbo; Sastri, Jaya; Hu, Wei-Shau

2017-01-01

The dynamics and regulation of HIV-1 nuclear import and its intranuclear movements after import have not been studied. To elucidate these essential HIV-1 post-entry events, we labeled viral complexes with two fluorescently tagged virion-incorporated proteins (APOBEC3F or integrase), and analyzed the HIV-1 dynamics of nuclear envelope (NE) docking, nuclear import, and intranuclear movements in living cells. We observed that HIV-1 complexes exhibit unusually long NE residence times (1.5±1.6 hrs) compared to most cellular cargos, which are imported into the nuclei within milliseconds. Furthermore, nuclear import requires HIV-1 capsid (CA) and nuclear pore protein Nup358, and results in significant loss of CA, indicating that one of the viral core uncoating steps occurs during nuclear import. Our results showed that the CA-Cyclophilin A interaction regulates the dynamics of nuclear import by delaying the time of NE docking as well as transport through the nuclear pore, but blocking reverse transcription has no effect on the kinetics of nuclear import. We also visualized the translocation of viral complexes docked at the NE into the nucleus and analyzed their nuclear movements and determined that viral complexes exhibited a brief fast phase (<9 min), followed by a long slow phase lasting several hours. A comparison of the movement of viral complexes to those of proviral transcription sites supports the hypothesis that HIV-1 complexes quickly tether to chromatin at or near their sites of integration in both wild-type cells and cells in which LEDGF/p75 was deleted using CRISPR/cas9, indicating that the tethering interactions do not require LEDGF/p75. These studies provide novel insights into the dynamics of viral complex-NE association, regulation of nuclear import, viral core uncoating, and intranuclear movements that precede integration site selection. PMID:28827840

Evaluating Treatment and Generalization Patterns of Two Theoretically Motivated Sentence Comprehension Therapies.

PubMed

Des Roches, Carrie A; Vallila-Rohter, Sofia; Villard, Sarah; Tripodis, Yorghos; Caplan, David; Kiran, Swathi

2016-12-01

The current study examined treatment outcomes and generalization patterns following 2 sentence comprehension therapies: object manipulation (OM) and sentence-to-picture matching (SPM). Findings were interpreted within the framework of specific deficit and resource reduction accounts, which were extended in order to examine the nature of generalization following treatment of sentence comprehension deficits in aphasia. Forty-eight individuals with aphasia were enrolled in 1 of 8 potential treatment assignments that varied by task (OM, SPM), complexity of trained sentences (complex, simple), and syntactic movement (noun phrase, wh-movement). Comprehension of trained and untrained sentences was probed before and after treatment using stimuli that differed from the treatment stimuli. Linear mixed-model analyses demonstrated that, although both OM and SPM treatments were effective, OM resulted in greater improvement than SPM. Analyses of covariance revealed main effects of complexity in generalization; generalization from complex to simple linguistically related sentences was observed both across task and across movement. Results are consistent with the complexity account of treatment efficacy, as generalization effects were consistently observed from complex to simpler structures. Furthermore, results provide support for resource reduction accounts that suggest that generalization can extend across linguistic boundaries, such as across movement type.

Cannabidiol as a Promising Strategy to Treat and Prevent Movement Disorders?

PubMed Central

Peres, Fernanda F.; Lima, Alvaro C.; Hallak, Jaime E. C.; Crippa, José A.; Silva, Regina H.; Abílio, Vanessa C.

2018-01-01

Movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease and dyskinesia are highly debilitating conditions linked to oxidative stress and neurodegeneration. When available, the pharmacological therapies for these disorders are still mainly symptomatic, do not benefit all patients and induce severe side effects. Cannabidiol is a non-psychotomimetic compound from Cannabis sativa that presents antipsychotic, anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects. Although the studies that investigate the effects of this compound on movement disorders are surprisingly few, cannabidiol emerges as a promising compound to treat and/or prevent them. Here, we review these clinical and pre-clinical studies and draw attention to the potential of cannabidiol in this field. PMID:29867488

The coeruleus/subcoeruleus complex in idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder.

PubMed

Ehrminger, Mickael; Latimier, Alice; Pyatigorskaya, Nadya; Garcia-Lorenzo, Daniel; Leu-Semenescu, Smaranda; Vidailhet, Marie; Lehericy, Stéphane; Arnulf, Isabelle

2016-04-01

Idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder is characterized by nocturnal violence, increased muscle tone during rapid eye movement sleep and the lack of any other neurological disease. However, idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder can precede parkinsonism and dementia by several years. Using 3 T magnetic resonance imaging and neuromelanin-sensitive sequences, we previously found that the signal intensity was reduced in the locus coeruleus/subcoeruleus area of patients with Parkinson's disease and rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder. Here, we studied the integrity of the locus coeruleus/subcoeruleus complex with neuromelanin-sensitive imaging in 21 patients with idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder and compared the results with those from 21 age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers. All subjects underwent a clinical examination, motor, cognitive, autonomous, psychological, olfactory and colour vision tests, and rapid eye movement sleep characterization using video-polysomnography and 3 T magnetic resonance imaging. The patients more frequently had preclinical markers of alpha-synucleinopathies, including constipation, olfactory deficits, orthostatic hypotension, and subtle motor impairment. Using neuromelanin-sensitive imaging, reduced signal intensity was identified in the locus coeruleus/subcoeruleus complex of the patients with idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour. The mean sensitivity of the visual analyses of the signal performed by neuroradiologists who were blind to the clinical diagnoses was 82.5%, and the specificity was 81% for the identification of idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour. The results confirm that this complex is affected in idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour (to the same degree as it is affected in Parkinson's disease). Neuromelanin-sensitive imaging provides an early marker of non-dopaminergic alpha-synucleinopathy that can be detected on an individual basis. © The Author (2016). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Modulations of mirroring activity by desire for social connection and relevance of movement

PubMed Central

Sharer, Elizabeth A.; Bargh, John A.; Pineda, Jaime A.

2014-01-01

Mirroring neurons fire both when an individual moves and observes another move in kind. This simulation of others’ movements is thought to effortlessly and ubiquitously support empathetic connection and social understanding. However, at times this could be maladaptive. How could a boxer mirror a losing opponent’s expressions of fatigue, feeling his weariness, precisely when strength is required? Clearly, the boxer must emotionally disconnect from his opponent and those expressions of fatigue must become irrelevant and not mirrored. But, movements that inform of his opponent’s intentions to deliver an incoming blow are quite relevant and still should require mirroring. We tested these dimensions of emotional connectedness and relevance of movement in an electroencephalography experiment, where participants’ desires to socially connect with a confederate were manipulated. Before manipulation, all participants mirrored the confederate’s purely kinematic (a hand opening and closing) and goal-directed (a hand opening and closing around a token that the participant desired) hand movements. After manipulation, unfairly treated subjects ceased to mirror the purely kinematic movements but continued to mirror goal-relevant movements. Those treated fairly continued to mirror all movements. The results suggest that social mirroring can be adaptive in order to meet the demands of a varied social environment. PMID:24194581

A Low-Cost Hand Trainer Device Based On Microcontroller Platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabor, Muhammad Akmal Mohammad; Thamrin, Norashikin M.

2018-03-01

Conventionally, the rehabilitation equipment used in the hospital or recovery center to treat and train the muscle of the stroke patient is implementing the pneumatic or compressed air machine. The main problem caused by this equipment is that the arrangement of the machine is quite complex and the position of it has been locked and fixed, which can cause uncomfortable feeling to the patients throughout the recovery session. Furthermore, the harsh movement from the machine could harm the patient as it does not allow flexibility movement and the use of pneumatic actuator has increased the gripping force towards the patient which could hurt them. Therefore, the main aim of this paper is to propose the development of the Bionic Hand Trainer based on Arduino platform, for a low-cost solution for rehabilitation machine as well as allows flexibility and smooth hand movement for the patients during the healing process. The scope of this work is to replicate the structure of the hand only at the fingers structure that is the phalanges part, which inclusive the proximal, intermediate and distal of the fingers. In order to do this, a hand glove is designed by equipping with flex sensors at every finger and connected them to the Arduino platform. The movement of the hand will motorize the movement of the dummy hand that has been controlled by the servo motors, which have been equipped along the phalanges part. As a result, the bending flex sensors due to the movement of the fingers has doubled up the rotation of the servo motors to mimic this movement at the dummy hand. The voltage output from the bending sensors are ranging from 0 volt to 5 volts, which are suitable for low-cost hand trainer device implementation. Through this system, the patient will have the power to control their gripping operation slowly without having a painful force from the external actuators throughout the rehabilitation process.

Bioassays to evaluate non-contact spatial repellency, contact irritancy, and acute toxicity of permethrin-treated clothing against nymphal Ixodes scapularis ticks.

PubMed

Eisen, Lars; Rose, Dominic; Prose, Robert; Breuner, Nicole E; Dolan, Marc C; Thompson, Karen; Connally, Neeta

2017-10-01

Summer-weight clothing articles impregnated with permethrin are available as a personal protective measure against human-biting ticks in the United States. However, very few studies have addressed the impact of contact with summer-weight permethrin-treated textiles on tick vigor and behavior. Our aim was to generate new knowledge of how permethrin-treated textiles impact nymphal Ixodes scapularis ticks, the primary vectors in the eastern United States of the causative agents of Lyme disease, human anaplasmosis, and human babesiosis. We developed a series of bioassays designed to: (i) clarify whether permethrin-treated textiles impact ticks through non-contact spatial repellency or contact irritancy; (ii) evaluate the ability of ticks to remain in contact with vertically oriented permethrin-treated textiles, mimicking contact with treated clothing on arms or legs; and (iii) determine the impact of timed exposure to permethrin-treated textiles on the ability of ticks to move and orient toward a human finger stimulus, thus demonstrating normal behavior. Our results indicate that permethrin-treated textiles provide minimal non-contact spatial repellency but strong contact irritancy against ticks, manifesting as a "hot-foot" effect and resulting in ticks actively dislodging from contact with vertically oriented treated textile. Preliminary data suggest that the contact irritancy hot-foot response may be weaker for field-collected nymphs as compared with laboratory-reared nymphs placed upon permethrin-treated textile. We also demonstrate that contact with permethrin-treated textiles negatively impacts the vigor and behavior of nymphal ticks for >24h, with outcomes ranging from complete lack of movement to impaired movement and unwillingness of ticks displaying normal movement to ascend onto a human finger. The protective effect of summer-weight permethrin-treated clothing against tick bites merits further study. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Dance expertise modulates visual sensitivity to complex biological movements.

PubMed

Orlandi, Andrea; Zani, Alberto; Proverbio, Alice Mado

2017-09-01

Motor resonance processes that occur when observing an individual perform an action may be modulated by acquired visuomotor expertise. We used the event-related potential (EEG/ERP) technique to investigate the ability to automatically recognize a subtle difference between very similar novel contemporary dance movements. Twelve professional dancers and twelve non-dancers were shown 212 pairs of videos of complex whole-body movements that lasted 3s. The second of each pair was the repetition of the previous movement or a slight variation of it (deviance). The participants were engaged in a secondary attentional task. Modulation of a larger centro-parietal N400 effect and a reduction of the Late Positivity amplitude (repetition suppression effect) were identified in response to deviant stimuli only in the dancers. Source reconstruction (swLORETA) showed activations in biological motion, body and face processing related areas, and fronto-parietal and limbic systems. The current findings provide evidence that acquired dance expertise modifies the ability to visually code whole-body complex movements. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder symptomatic of a brain stem cavernoma.

PubMed

Felix, Sandra; Thobois, Stephane; Peter-Derex, Laure

2016-04-01

A 75-year-old man complained of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), difficulty falling asleep and nocturnal agitation during sleep. Restless legs syndrome (RLS) was diagnosed and treated. Because of persistent EDS, snoring and nycturia, a nocturnal polysomnography (PSG) was performed. PSG showed high sleep fragmentation related to a moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Continuous positive airway pressure treatment (CPAP) was proposed. Because of the persistence of abnormal nocturnal behaviours, characterized by screaming, punching and falling out of bed, a video-PSG with CPAP treatment was performed. The recording showed typical chin electromyography (EMG) activity increase associated with violent movements during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, suggesting REM sleep behaviour disorders (RBD). Clinical neurological examination found no parkinsonian syndrome, no dysautonomic sign and no neurological focal sign. Dopamine transporter imaging [123I-FP-CIT single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)] did not find any presynaptic dopaminergic pathways degeneration. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed a vascular lesion suggestive of cavernoma located in the pons. The present case illustrates the complexity of sleep disturbance diagnosis with a possible entanglement of aetiologies responsible for nocturnal agitation, and confirms that an isolated pons cavernoma should be considered among the rare causes of RBD. © 2016 European Sleep Research Society.

Badass gullies: Fluvio-mass-movement gully complexes in New Zealand's East Coast region, and potential for remediation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marden, Michael; Fuller, Ian C.; Herzig, Alexander; Betts, Harley D.

2018-04-01

This paper reviews gully erosion in the East Coast region of New Zealand's North Island and conceptualises fluvio-mass-movement gully complexes as badass gully systems. Tectonic setting and lithological control, with steep slopes and a climate influenced by tropical cyclones, predispose hill country in the East Coast region to gully erosion. The clearance of indigenous forest since the late 1800s has dramatically increased catchment erosion and paved the way for development of large-scale fluvio-mass-movement gully complexes. These features are a composite of fluvial and mass movement processes. They are conceptualised as 'badass' by not conforming to any existing gully model and by generating disproportionate results in East Coast catchment sediment cascades. Their remediation is discussed, but their nature means that prevention is better than a cure.

A musculoskeletal model of the elbow joint complex

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gonzalez, Roger V.; Barr, Ronald E.; Abraham, Lawrence D.

1993-01-01

This paper describes a musculoskeletal model that represents human elbow flexion-extension and forearm pronation-supination. Musculotendon parameters and the skeletal geometry were determined for the musculoskeletal model in the analysis of ballistic elbow joint complex movements. The key objective was to develop a computational model, guided by optimal control, to investigate the relationship among patterns of muscle excitation, individual muscle forces, and movement kinematics. The model was verified using experimental kinematic, torque, and electromyographic data from volunteer subjects performing both isometric and ballistic elbow joint complex movements. In general, the model predicted kinematic and muscle excitation patterns similar to what was experimentally measured.

Balance Problems

MedlinePlus

... need a hearing test, blood tests, or imaging studies of your head and brain. Other possible tests look at your eye movements, and how your body responds to movement. In some cases, treating the illness that is causing the disorder ...

The Freshman Year Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, John N.

1986-01-01

The movement to enhance the freshman year experience by changing the way institutions treat, welcome, assimilate, support, and inform freshman students is discussed and illustrated. The potential importance of the movement to admissions officers and registrars is emphasized. (MSE)

Fostering Social Cognition through an Imitation- and Synchronization-Based Dance/Movement Intervention in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Controlled Proof-of-Concept Study.

PubMed

Koehne, Svenja; Behrends, Andrea; Fairhurst, Merle T; Dziobek, Isabel

2016-01-01

Since social cognition is impaired in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), this study aimed at establishing the efficacy of a newly developed imitation- and synchronization-based dance/movement intervention (SI-DMI) in fostering emotion inference and empathic feelings (emotional reaction to feelings of others) in adults with high-functioning ASD. Fifty-five adults with ASD (IQ ≥85) who were blinded to the aim of the study were assigned to receive either 10 weeks of a dance/movement intervention focusing on interpersonal movement imitation and synchronization (SI-DMI, n = 27) or a control movement intervention (CMI, n = 24) focusing on individual motor coordination (2 participants from each group declined before baseline testing). The primary outcome measure was the objective Multifaceted Empathy Test targeting emotion inference and empathic feelings. Secondary outcomes were scores on the self-rated Interpersonal Reactivity Index. The well-established automatic imitation task and synchronization finger-tapping task were used to quantify effects on imitation and synchronization functions, complemented by the more naturalistic Assessment of Spontaneous Interaction in Movement. Intention-to-treat analyses revealed that from baseline to 3 months, patients treated with SI-DMI showed a significantly larger improvement in emotion inference (d = 0.58), but not empathic feelings, than those treated with CMI (d = -0.04). On the close generalization level, SI-DMI increased synchronization skills and imitation tendencies, as well as whole-body imitation/synchronization and movement reciprocity/dialogue, compared to CMI. SI-DMI can be successful in promoting emotion inference in adults with ASD and warrants further investigation. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Evaluating Treatment and Generalization Patterns of Two Theoretically Motivated Sentence Comprehension Therapies

PubMed Central

Des Roches, Carrie A.; Vallila-Rohter, Sofia; Villard, Sarah; Tripodis, Yorghos; Caplan, David

2016-01-01

Purpose The current study examined treatment outcomes and generalization patterns following 2 sentence comprehension therapies: object manipulation (OM) and sentence-to-picture matching (SPM). Findings were interpreted within the framework of specific deficit and resource reduction accounts, which were extended in order to examine the nature of generalization following treatment of sentence comprehension deficits in aphasia. Method Forty-eight individuals with aphasia were enrolled in 1 of 8 potential treatment assignments that varied by task (OM, SPM), complexity of trained sentences (complex, simple), and syntactic movement (noun phrase, wh-movement). Comprehension of trained and untrained sentences was probed before and after treatment using stimuli that differed from the treatment stimuli. Results Linear mixed-model analyses demonstrated that, although both OM and SPM treatments were effective, OM resulted in greater improvement than SPM. Analyses of covariance revealed main effects of complexity in generalization; generalization from complex to simple linguistically related sentences was observed both across task and across movement. Conclusions Results are consistent with the complexity account of treatment efficacy, as generalization effects were consistently observed from complex to simpler structures. Furthermore, results provide support for resource reduction accounts that suggest that generalization can extend across linguistic boundaries, such as across movement type. PMID:27997950

SU-E-T-603: Analysis of Optical Tracked Head Inter-Fraction Movements Within Masks to Access Intracranial Immobilization Techniques in Proton Therapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hsi, W; Zeidan, O

2014-06-01

Purpose: We present a quantitative methodology utilizing an optical tracking system for monitoring head inter-fraction movements within brain masks to assess the effectiveness of two intracranial immobilization techniques. Methods and Materials: A 3-point-tracking method was developed to measure the mask location for a treatment field at each fraction. Measured displacement of mask location to its location at first fraction is equivalent to the head movement within the mask. Head movements for each of treatment fields were measured over about 10 fractions at each patient for seven patients; five treated in supine and two treated in prone. The Q-fix Base-of-Skull headmore » frame was used in supine while the CIVCO uni-frame baseplate was used in prone. Displacements of recoded couch position of each field post imaging at each fraction were extracted for those seven patients. Standard deviation (S.D.) of head movements and couch displacements was scored for statistical analysis. Results: The accuracy of 3PtTrack method was within 1.0 mm by phantom measurements. Patterns of head movement and couch displacement were similar for patients treated in either supine or prone. In superior-inferior direction, mean value of scored standard deviations over seven patients were 1.6 mm and 3.4 mm for the head movement and the couch displacement, respectively. The result indicated that the head movement combined with a loose fixation between the mask-to-head frame results large couch displacements for each patient, and also large variation between patients. However, the head movement is the main cause for the couch displacement with similar magnitude of around 1.0 mm in anterior-posterior and lateral directions. Conclusions: Optical-tracking methodology independently quantifying head movements could improve immobilization devices by correctly acting on causes for head motions within mask. A confidence in the quality of intracranial immobilization techniques could be more efficient by eliminating the need for frequent imaging.« less

Approximate Entropy Values Demonstrate Impaired Neuromotor Control of Spontaneous Leg Activity in Infants with Myelomeningocele

PubMed Central

Smith, Beth A.; Teulier, Caroline; Sansom, Jennifer; Stergiou, Nicholas; Ulrich, Beverly D.

2012-01-01

Purpose One obstacle to providing early intervention to infants with myelomeningocele (MMC) is the challenge of quantifying impaired neuromotor control of movements early in life. Methods We used the nonlinear analysis tool Approximate Entropy (ApEn) to analyze periodicity and complexity of supine spontaneous lower extremity movements of infants with MMC and typical development (TD) at 1, 3, 6 and 9 months of age. Results Movements of infants with MMC were more regular and repeatable (lower ApEn values) than movements of infants with TD indicating less adaptive and flexible movement patterns. For both groups ApEn values decreased with age, and the movements of infants with MMC were less complex than movements of infants with TD. Further, for infants with MMC, lesion level and age of walking onset correlated negatively with ApEn values. Conclusions Our study begins to demonstrate the feasibility of ApEn to identify impaired neuromotor control in infants with MMC. PMID:21829116

Temporal eye movement strategies during naturalistic viewing

PubMed Central

Wang, Helena X.; Freeman, Jeremy; Merriam, Elisha P.; Hasson, Uri; Heeger, David J.

2011-01-01

The deployment of eye movements to complex spatiotemporal stimuli likely involves a variety of cognitive factors. However, eye movements to movies are surprisingly reliable both within and across observers. We exploited and manipulated that reliability to characterize observers’ temporal viewing strategies. Introducing cuts and scrambling the temporal order of the resulting clips systematically changed eye movement reliability. We developed a computational model that exhibited this behavior and provided an excellent fit to the measured eye movement reliability. The model assumed that observers searched for, found, and tracked a point-of-interest, and that this process reset when there was a cut. The model did not require that eye movements depend on temporal context in any other way, and it managed to describe eye movements consistently across different observers and two movie sequences. Thus, we found no evidence for the integration of information over long time scales (greater than a second). The results are consistent with the idea that observers employ a simple tracking strategy even while viewing complex, engaging naturalistic stimuli. PMID:22262911

Four-dimensional modeling of recent vertical movements in the area of the southern California uplift

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vanicek, Petr; Elliot, Michael R.; Castle, Robert O.

1979-01-01

This paper describes an analytical technique that utilizes scattered geodetic relevelings and tide-gauge records to portray Recent vertical crustal movements that may have been characterized by spasmodic changes in velocity. The technique is based on the fitting of a time-varying algebraic surface of prescribed degree to the geodetic data treated as tilt elements and to tide-gauge readings treated as point movements. Desired variations in time can be selected as any combination of powers of vertical movement velocity and episodic events. The state of the modeled vertical displacement can be shown for any number of dates for visual display. Statistical confidence limits of the modeled displacements, derived from the density of measurements in both space and time, line length, and accuracy of input data, are also provided. The capabilities of the technique are demonstrated on selected data from the region of the southern California uplift. 

Modulations of mirroring activity by desire for social connection and relevance of movement.

PubMed

Aragón, Oriana R; Sharer, Elizabeth A; Bargh, John A; Pineda, Jaime A

2014-11-01

Mirroring neurons fire both when an individual moves and observes another move in kind. This simulation of others' movements is thought to effortlessly and ubiquitously support empathetic connection and social understanding. However, at times this could be maladaptive. How could a boxer mirror a losing opponent's expressions of fatigue, feeling his weariness, precisely when strength is required? Clearly, the boxer must emotionally disconnect from his opponent and those expressions of fatigue must become irrelevant and not mirrored. But, movements that inform of his opponent's intentions to deliver an incoming blow are quite relevant and still should require mirroring. We tested these dimensions of emotional connectedness and relevance of movement in an electroencephalography experiment, where participants' desires to socially connect with a confederate were manipulated. Before manipulation, all participants mirrored the confederate's purely kinematic (a hand opening and closing) and goal-directed (a hand opening and closing around a token that the participant desired) hand movements. After manipulation, unfairly treated subjects ceased to mirror the purely kinematic movements but continued to mirror goal-relevant movements. Those treated fairly continued to mirror all movements. The results suggest that social mirroring can be adaptive in order to meet the demands of a varied social environment. © The Author (2013). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Dance recognition system using lower body movement.

PubMed

Simpson, Travis T; Wiesner, Susan L; Bennett, Bradford C

2014-02-01

The current means of locating specific movements in film necessitate hours of viewing, making the task of conducting research into movement characteristics and patterns tedious and difficult. This is particularly problematic for the research and analysis of complex movement systems such as sports and dance. While some systems have been developed to manually annotate film, to date no automated way of identifying complex, full body movement exists. With pattern recognition technology and knowledge of joint locations, automatically describing filmed movement using computer software is possible. This study used various forms of lower body kinematic analysis to identify codified dance movements. We created an algorithm that compares an unknown move with a specified start and stop against known dance moves. Our recognition method consists of classification and template correlation using a database of model moves. This system was optimized to include nearly 90 dance and Tai Chi Chuan movements, producing accurate name identification in over 97% of trials. In addition, the program had the capability to provide a kinematic description of either matched or unmatched moves obtained from classification recognition.

Implementation of Fractal Dimension and Self-Organizing Map to Detect Toxic Effects of Toluene on Movement Tracks of Daphnia magna.

PubMed

Liu, Yuedan; Xia, Chunlei; Fan, Zhongya; Wu, Renren; Chen, Xianglin; Liu, Zuoyi

2018-01-01

Movement behaviors of an indicator species, Daphnia magna , in response to contaminants have been implemented to monitor environmental disturbances. Complexity in movement tracks of Daphnia magna was characterized by use of fractal dimension and self-organizing map. The individual movement tracks of D. magna were continuously recorded for 24 hours before and after treatments with toluene at the concentration of 10 mg/L, respectively. The general complexity in movement tracks (10 minutes) was characterized by fractal dimension. Results showed that average fractal dimension of movement tracks was decreased from 1.62 to 1.22 after treatments. The instantaneous movement parameters of movement segments in 5 s were input into the self-organizing map to investigate the swimming pattern changes under stresses of toluene. Abnormal behaviors of D. magna are more frequently observed after treatments than before treatments. Computational methods in ecological informatics could be utilized to obtain the useful information in behavioral data of D. magna and would be further applied as an in situ monitoring tool in water environment.

Area 18 of the cat: the first step in processing visual movement information.

PubMed

Orban, G A

1977-01-01

In cats, responses of area 18 neurons to different moving patterns were measured. The influence of three movement parameters--direction, angular velocity, and amplitude of movement--were tested. The results indicate that in area 18 no ideal movement detector exists, but that simple and complex cells each perform complementary operations of primary visual areas, i.e. analysis and detection of movement.

Sensitivity to Angular and Radial Source Movements as a Function of Acoustic Complexity in Normal and Impaired Hearing

PubMed Central

Grimm, Giso; Hohmann, Volker; Laugesen, Søren; Neher, Tobias

2017-01-01

In contrast to static sounds, spatially dynamic sounds have received little attention in psychoacoustic research so far. This holds true especially for acoustically complex (reverberant, multisource) conditions and impaired hearing. The current study therefore investigated the influence of reverberation and the number of concurrent sound sources on source movement detection in young normal-hearing (YNH) and elderly hearing-impaired (EHI) listeners. A listening environment based on natural environmental sounds was simulated using virtual acoustics and rendered over headphones. Both near-far (‘radial’) and left-right (‘angular’) movements of a frontal target source were considered. The acoustic complexity was varied by adding static lateral distractor sound sources as well as reverberation. Acoustic analyses confirmed the expected changes in stimulus features that are thought to underlie radial and angular source movements under anechoic conditions and suggested a special role of monaural spectral changes under reverberant conditions. Analyses of the detection thresholds showed that, with the exception of the single-source scenarios, the EHI group was less sensitive to source movements than the YNH group, despite adequate stimulus audibility. Adding static sound sources clearly impaired the detectability of angular source movements for the EHI (but not the YNH) group. Reverberation, on the other hand, clearly impaired radial source movement detection for the EHI (but not the YNH) listeners. These results illustrate the feasibility of studying factors related to auditory movement perception with the help of the developed test setup. PMID:28675088

Sensitivity to Angular and Radial Source Movements as a Function of Acoustic Complexity in Normal and Impaired Hearing.

PubMed

Lundbeck, Micha; Grimm, Giso; Hohmann, Volker; Laugesen, Søren; Neher, Tobias

2017-01-01

In contrast to static sounds, spatially dynamic sounds have received little attention in psychoacoustic research so far. This holds true especially for acoustically complex (reverberant, multisource) conditions and impaired hearing. The current study therefore investigated the influence of reverberation and the number of concurrent sound sources on source movement detection in young normal-hearing (YNH) and elderly hearing-impaired (EHI) listeners. A listening environment based on natural environmental sounds was simulated using virtual acoustics and rendered over headphones. Both near-far ('radial') and left-right ('angular') movements of a frontal target source were considered. The acoustic complexity was varied by adding static lateral distractor sound sources as well as reverberation. Acoustic analyses confirmed the expected changes in stimulus features that are thought to underlie radial and angular source movements under anechoic conditions and suggested a special role of monaural spectral changes under reverberant conditions. Analyses of the detection thresholds showed that, with the exception of the single-source scenarios, the EHI group was less sensitive to source movements than the YNH group, despite adequate stimulus audibility. Adding static sound sources clearly impaired the detectability of angular source movements for the EHI (but not the YNH) group. Reverberation, on the other hand, clearly impaired radial source movement detection for the EHI (but not the YNH) listeners. These results illustrate the feasibility of studying factors related to auditory movement perception with the help of the developed test setup.

Success rates of a skeletal anchorage system in orthodontics: A retrospective analysis.

PubMed

Lam, Raymond; Goonewardene, Mithran S; Allan, Brent P; Sugawara, Junji

2018-01-01

To evaluate the premise that skeletal anchorage with SAS miniplates are highly successful and predictable for a range of complex orthodontic movements. This retrospective cross-sectional analysis consisted of 421 bone plates placed by one clinician in 163 patients (95 female, 68 male, mean age 29.4 years ± 12.02). Simple descriptive statistics were performed for a wide range of malocclusions and desired movements to obtain success, complication, and failure rates. The success rate of skeletal anchorage system miniplates was 98.6%, where approximately 40% of cases experienced mild complications. The most common complication was soft tissue inflammation, which was amenable to focused oral hygiene and antiseptic rinses. Infection occurred in approximately 15% of patients where there was a statistically significant correlation with poor oral hygiene. The most common movements were distalization and intrusion of teeth. More than a third of the cases involved complex movements in more than one plane of space. The success rate of skeletal anchorage system miniplates is high and predictable for a wide range of complex orthodontic movements.

Ecopedagogy: A Movement between Critical Dialogue and Complexity: Proposal for a Categories System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norat, María de los Ángeles Vilches; Herrería, Alfonso Fernández; Rodríguez, Francisco Miguel Martínez

2016-01-01

This qualitative research has been undertaken with the purpose of developing an integrated system of categories based on ecopedagogy. Founded on the critical pedagogy of Paulo Freire, this movement moves towards complex thinking and holism. Its theoretical bases are set on principles of sustainability, biosensibility, ethics of care and global…

Open Education and the Open Science Economy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peters, Michael A.

2009-01-01

Openness as a complex code word for a variety of digital trends and movements has emerged as an alternative mode of "social production" based on the growing and overlapping complexities of open source, open access, open archiving, open publishing, and open science. This paper argues that the openness movement with its reinforcing structure of…

International Parkinson and movement disorder society evidence-based medicine review: Update on treatments for the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Fox, Susan H; Katzenschlager, Regina; Lim, Shen-Yang; Barton, Brandon; de Bie, Rob M A; Seppi, Klaus; Coelho, Miguel; Sampaio, Cristina

2018-03-23

The objective of this review was to update evidence-based medicine recommendations for treating motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). The Movement Disorder Society Evidence-Based Medicine Committee recommendations for treatments of PD were first published in 2002 and updated in 2011, and we continued the review to December 31, 2016. Level I studies of interventions for motor symptoms were reviewed. Criteria for inclusion and quality scoring were as previously reported. Five clinical indications were considered, and conclusions regarding the implications for clinical practice are reported. A total of 143 new studies qualified. There are no clinically useful interventions to prevent/delay disease progression. For monotherapy of early PD, nonergot dopamine agonists, oral levodopa preparations, selegiline, and rasagiline are clinically useful. For adjunct therapy in early/stable PD, nonergot dopamine agonists, rasagiline, and zonisamide are clinically useful. For adjunct therapy in optimized PD for general or specific motor symptoms including gait, rivastigmine is possibly useful and physiotherapy is clinically useful; exercise-based movement strategy training and formalized patterned exercises are possibly useful. There are no new studies and no changes in the conclusions for the prevention/delay of motor complications. For treating motor fluctuations, most nonergot dopamine agonists, pergolide, levodopa ER, levodopa intestinal infusion, entacapone, opicapone, rasagiline, zonisamide, safinamide, and bilateral STN and GPi DBS are clinically useful. For dyskinesia, amantadine, clozapine, and bilateral STN DBS and GPi DBS are clinically useful. The options for treating PD symptoms continues to expand. These recommendations allow the treating physician to determine which intervention to recommend to an individual patient. © 2018 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. © 2018 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Effect of lead (Pb) on the systemic movement of RNA viruses in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum var. Turkish).

PubMed

Alkhatib, Rami; Creamer, Rebecca; Lartey, Robert T; Ghoshroy, Soumitra

2011-08-01

Effect of various lead (Pb) concentrations on the systemic movement of RNA viruses was examined in tobacco plants. Prior to inoculation, plants were grown hydroponically for 6 days in Hoagland's solution supplemented with five concentrations of lead nitrate [Pb(NO(3))(2)]: 0.0 (control), 10, 15, 50, and 100 μM. Four different RNA viruses with different cell-to-cell movement mechanisms were used. Two weeks after inoculation lower and upper leaves of each treatment were harvested and examined for the presence of viral coat protein. In plants inoculated with Tobacco mosaic virus, Potato virus X, and Tobacco etch virus, TEM images and western blot assays confirmed the presence of viral coat proteins in the upper leaves of all lead treatments. However, in plants inoculated with Turnip vein-clearing virus (TVCV), no signs of viral particles were detected in the upper leaves of plants treated with 10 μM or 15 μM lead nitrate. In contrast, plants treated with high concentrations of lead nitrate (50 μM or 100 μM) showed viral particles in their upper leaves. In plants treated with 10 μM or 15 μM lead nitrate, callose accumulation was the same as in control plants. This suggests that non-toxic concentrations of lead nitrate may trigger the production of putative cellular factors in addition to callose that interfere with the TVCV systemic movement. In contrast, plants treated with 100 μM lead nitrate showed less callose as compared to control plants, facilitating the systemic movement of TVCV.

Postero-medial approach for complex tibial plateau injuries with a postero-medial or postero-lateral shear fragment.

PubMed

Berber, Reshid; Lewis, Charlotte P; Copas, David; Forward, Daren P; Moran, Christopher G

2014-04-01

This study demonstrates the utility of a modified postero-medial surgical approach to the knee in treating a series of patients with complex tibial plateau injuries with associated postero-medial and postero-lateral shear fractures. Posterior coronal shear fractures are underappreciated and their clinical relevance has recently been characterised. Less-invasive surgery and indirect reduction techniques are inadequate for treating these coronal plane fractures. Our approach includes an inverted 'L'-shaped incision situated within the posterior flexor knee crease, followed by the retraction or incision of the medial head of the gastrocnemius tendon, while protecting the neurovascular structures. This provides a more extensile exposure, as far as the postero-lateral corner, than previously described. Our case series included eight females and eight males. The average age was 53 years. The majority of these injuries were sustained through high-energy trauma. All patients' fractures were classified as Schatzker grade 4, or above, with a postero-medial split depression. Eight patients had associated postero-lateral corner fractures. Two were open, two had vascular compromise and one had neurological injury. The average time to surgery was 6.4 days (range 0-12), operative time 142 min (range 76-300) and length of stay 17 days (range 7-46). A total of 11 patients were treated using the postero-medial approach alone and in five the treatment was combined with an antero-lateral approach. Two patients suffered a reduced range of movement requiring manipulation and physiotherapy, and three patients had a 5-degree fixed flexion deformity. Two patients developed superficial wound infections treated with antibiotics alone. Anatomical reduction and fracture union was achieved in 15 patients. These are complex fractures to treat, and our modified posterior approach allows direct reduction and optimal positioning of plates to act as buttress devices. It can be extended across the midline to the postero-lateral corner and also allows excellent exposure of the popliteal vessels should concurrent vascular repair be required. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

7 CFR 301.81-4 - Interstate movement of regulated articles from quarantined areas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Imported Fire Ant Quarantine and Regulations § 301.81-4 Interstate movement of regulated articles from... inaccessible to the imported fire ant, or in locations that have been treated in accordance with the methods...

Chemotaxis in densely populated tissue determines germinal center anatomy and cell motility: a new paradigm for the development of complex tissues.

PubMed

Hawkins, Jared B; Jones, Mark T; Plassmann, Paul E; Thorley-Lawson, David A

2011-01-01

Germinal centers (GCs) are complex dynamic structures that form within lymph nodes as an essential process in the humoral immune response. They represent a paradigm for studying the regulation of cell movement in the development of complex anatomical structures. We have developed a simulation of a modified cyclic re-entry model of GC dynamics which successfully employs chemotaxis to recapitulate the anatomy of the primary follicle and the development of a mature GC, including correctly structured mantle, dark and light zones. We then show that correct single cell movement dynamics (including persistent random walk and inter-zonal crossing) arise from this simulation as purely emergent properties. The major insight of our study is that chemotaxis can only achieve this when constrained by the known biological properties that cells are incompressible, exist in a densely packed environment, and must therefore compete for space. It is this interplay of chemotaxis and competition for limited space that generates all the complex and biologically accurate behaviors described here. Thus, from a single simple mechanism that is well documented in the biological literature, we can explain both higher level structure and single cell movement behaviors. To our knowledge this is the first GC model that is able to recapitulate both correctly detailed anatomy and single cell movement. This mechanism may have wide application for modeling other biological systems where cells undergo complex patterns of movement to produce defined anatomical structures with sharp tissue boundaries.

Detecting seasonal landslide movement within the Cascade landslide complex (Washington) using time-series SAR imagery

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hu, Xie; Wang, Teng; Pierson, Thomas C.; Lu, Zhong; Kim, Jin-Woo; Cecere, Thomas H.

2016-01-01

Detection of slow or limited landslide movement within broad areas of forested terrain has long been problematic, particularly for the Cascade landslide complex (Washington) located along the Columbia River Gorge. Although parts of the landslide complex have been found reactivated in recent years, the timing and magnitude of motion have not been systematically monitored or interpreted. Here we apply novel time-series strategies to study the spatial distribution and temporal behavior of the landslide movement between 2007 and 2011 using InSAR images from two overlapping L-band ALOS PALSAR-1 satellite tracks. Our results show that the reactivated part has moved approximately 700 mm downslope during the 4-year observation period, while other parts of the landslide complex have generally remained stable. However, we also detect about 300 mm of seasonal downslope creep in a terrain block upslope of the Cascade landslide complex—terrain previously thought to be stable. The temporal oscillation of the seasonal movement can be correlated with precipitation, implying that seasonal movement here is hydrology-driven. The seasonal movement also has a frequency similar to GPS-derived regional ground oscillations due to mass loading by stored rainfall and subsequent rebound but with much smaller magnitude, suggesting different hydrological loading effects. From the time-series amplitude information on terrain upslope of the headscarp, we also re-evaluate the incipient motion related to the 2008 Greenleaf Basin rock avalanche, not previously recognized by traditional SAR/InSAR methods. The approach used in this study can be used to identify active landslides in forested terrain, to track the seasonal movement of landslides, and to identify previously unknown landslide hazards.

Cerebellar Modulation of Cortically Evoked Complex Movements in Rats.

PubMed

Viaro, Riccardo; Bonazzi, Laura; Maggiolini, Emma; Franchi, Gianfranco

2017-07-01

Intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) delivered to the motor cortex (M1) via long- or short-train duration (long- or short-duration ICMS) can evoke coordinated complex movements or muscle twitches, respectively. The role of subcortical cerebellar input in M1 output, in terms of long- and short-duration ICMS-evoked movement and motor skill performance, was evaluated in rats with bilateral lesion of the deep cerebellar nuclei. After the lesion, distal forelimb movements were seldom observed, and almost 30% of proximal forelimb movements failed to match criteria defining the movement class observed under control conditions. The classifiable movements could be evoked in different cortical regions with respect to control and many kinematic variables were strongly affected. Furthermore, movement endpoints within the rat's workspace shrunk closer to the body, while performance in the reaching/grasping task worsened. Surprisingly, neither the threshold current values for evoking movements nor the overall size of forelimb movement representation changed with respect to controls in either long- or short-duration ICMS. We therefore conclude that cerebellar input via the motor thalamus is crucial for expressing the basic functional features of the motor cortex. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Swedish PE Teachers' Understandings of Legitimate Movement in a Criterion-Referenced Grading System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Svennberg, Lena

2017-01-01

Background: Physical Education (PE) has been associated with a multi-activity model in which movement is related to sport discourses and sport techniques. However, as in many international contexts, the Swedish national PE syllabus calls for a wider and more inclusive concept of movement. Complex movement adapted to different settings is valued,…

Effective treatment of dyssynergic defecation using sacral neuromodulation in a patient with cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Chan, Daniel K; Barker, Matthew A

2015-01-01

Dyssynergic defecation is a complex bowel problem that leads to chronic constipation and abdominal pain. Management is often challenging owing to the incoordination of multiple pelvic floor muscles involved in normal defecation. We report a case of dyssynergic defecatory dysfunction in a patient with cerebral palsy treated with sacral neuromodulation. At presentation, Sitz marker study and magnetic resonance defecography showed evidence of chronic functional constipation. Anorectal manometry, rectal anal inhibitory reflex, and rectal sensation study showed intact reflex and decreased first sensation of lower canal at 50 mL. After stage 2 of InterStim implant placement, bowel habits improved to once- to twice-daily soft solid bowel movements from no regular solid bowel movements. Fecal incontinence improved from daily liquid and small solid loss to no stool leakage. In patients with systemic medical problems contributing to defecatory dysfunction and bowel incontinence, such as cerebral palsy, sacral neuromodulation was found to provide significant relief of bowel symptoms in addition to associated abdominal pain. As a result of intervention, the patient reported significant improvement in quality of life and less limitations due to dyssynergic defecation.

Computer modeling and simulation of human movement. Applications in sport and rehabilitation.

PubMed

Neptune, R R

2000-05-01

Computer modeling and simulation of human movement plays an increasingly important role in sport and rehabilitation, with applications ranging from sport equipment design to understanding pathologic gait. The complex dynamic interactions within the musculoskeletal and neuromuscular systems make analyzing human movement with existing experimental techniques difficult but computer modeling and simulation allows for the identification of these complex interactions and causal relationships between input and output variables. This article provides an overview of computer modeling and simulation and presents an example application in the field of rehabilitation.

7 CFR 301.81-4 - Interstate movement of regulated articles from quarantined areas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Imported Fire Ant Quarantine and Regulations § 301.81-4 Interstate movement of regulated articles from... inaccessible to the imported fire ant, or in locations that have been treated in accordance with part 305 of...

7 CFR 301.81-4 - Interstate movement of regulated articles from quarantined areas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Imported Fire Ant Quarantine and Regulations § 301.81-4 Interstate movement of regulated articles from... inaccessible to the imported fire ant, or in locations that have been treated in accordance with part 305 of...

7 CFR 301.81-4 - Interstate movement of regulated articles from quarantined areas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Imported Fire Ant Quarantine and Regulations § 301.81-4 Interstate movement of regulated articles from... inaccessible to the imported fire ant, or in locations that have been treated in accordance with part 305 of...

7 CFR 301.81-4 - Interstate movement of regulated articles from quarantined areas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Imported Fire Ant Quarantine and Regulations § 301.81-4 Interstate movement of regulated articles from... inaccessible to the imported fire ant, or in locations that have been treated in accordance with part 305 of...

Chronic arthritis of the hip joint: an unusual complication of an inadequately treated fistula-in-ano

PubMed Central

Raghunath, Rajat; Varghese, Gigi; Simon, Betty

2014-01-01

We report a case of chronic arthritis of the right hip joint in an otherwise healthy young male athlete as a complication of inadequately treated anal fistula. A young male athlete presented with symptoms of right hip pain and difficulty in walking and intermittent fever for 2 months. He had a history of perianal abscess drainage. On examination he was found to have a tender right hip joint with severe restriction of movements. He was also found to have a partially drained right ischiorectal abscess. X-ray and MRI of the hip joint revealed chronic arthritis of the right hip joint, which was communicating with a complex fistula-in-ano. He underwent a diversion sigmoid colostomy and right ischiorectal abscess drainage along with appropriate antibiotics with a plan for definitive hip joint procedure later. He was lost to follow-up and succumbed to severe perianal sepsis within a few months. PMID:25414226

Aesthetic and functional outcomes using a multiloop edgewise archwire for camouflage orthodontic treatment of a severe Class III open bite malocclusion.

PubMed

Marañón-Vásquez, Guido Artemio; Soldevilla Galarza, Luciano Carlos; Tolentino Solis, Freddy Antonio; Wilson, Cliff; Romano, Fábio Lourenço

2017-09-01

Occasionally, orthodontists will be challenged to treat malocclusions and skeletal disharmonies, which by their complexity one might think that the only treatment alternative is the surgical-orthodontic approach. A male patient, aged 17 years old, was diagnosed with a skeletal Class III malocclusion, anterior open bite and negative overjet. An unpleasant profile was the patient's 'chief complaint' showing interest in facial aesthetics improvement. Nevertheless, the patient and his parents strongly preferred a non-surgical treatment approach. He was treated with a multiloop edgewise archwire to facilitate uprighting and distal en-masse movement of lower teeth, correct the Class III open bite malocclusion, change the inclination of the occlusal plane and obtain the consequent morphological-functional adaptation of the mandible. The Class III malocclusion was corrected and satisfactory changes in the patient's profile were obtained. Active treatment was completed in 2 years, and facial result remained stable at 2 years 6 months after debonding.

Lexical and Post-Lexical Complexity Effects on Eye Movements in Reading

PubMed Central

Warren, Tessa; Reichle, Erik D.; Patson, Nikole D.

2011-01-01

The current study investigated how a post-lexical complexity manipulation followed by a lexical complexity manipulation affects eye movements during reading. Both manipulations caused disruption in all measures on the manipulated words, but the patterns of spill-over differed. Critically, the effects of the two kinds of manipulations did not interact, and there was no evidence that post-lexical processing difficulty delayed lexical processing on the next word (c.f. Henderson & Ferreira, 1990). This suggests that post-lexical processing of one word and lexical processing of the next can proceed independently and likely in parallel. This finding is consistent with the assumptions of the E-Z Reader model of eye movement control in reading (Reichle, Warren, & McConnell, 2009). PMID:21603125

Orthodontic tooth movement and root resorption in ovariectomized rats treated by systemic administration of zoledronic acid.

PubMed

Sirisoontorn, Irin; Hotokezaka, Hitoshi; Hashimoto, Megumi; Gonzales, Carmen; Luppanapornlarp, Suwannee; Darendeliler, M Ali; Yoshida, Noriaki

2012-05-01

The effect of zoledronic acid, a potent and novel bisphosphonate, on tooth movement and orthodontically induced root resorption in osteoporotic animals systemically treated with zoledronic acid as similarly used in postmenopausal patients has not been elucidated. Therefore, this study was undertaken. Fifteen 10-week-old female Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups: ovariectomy, ovariectomy + zoledronic acid, and control. Only the ovariectomy and ovariectomy + zoledronic acid groups underwent ovariectomies. Two weeks after the ovariectomy, zoledronic acid was administered only to the ovariectomy + zoledronic acid group. Four weeks after the ovariectomy, 25-g nickel-titanium closed-coil springs were applied to observe tooth movement and orthodontically induced root resorption. There were significant differences in the amounts of tooth movement and orthodontically induced root resorption between the ovariectomy and the control groups, and also between the ovariectomy and the ovariectomy + zoledronic acid groups. There was no statistically significant difference in tooth movement and orthodontically induced root resorption between the ovariectomy + zoledronic acid and the control groups. Zoledronic acid inhibited significantly more tooth movement and significantly reduced the severity of orthodontically induced root resorption in the ovariectomized rats. The ovariectomy + zoledronic acid group showed almost the same results as did the control group in both tooth movement and orthodontically induced root resorption. Zoledronic acid inhibits excessive orthodontic tooth movement and also reduces the risk of severe orthodontically induced root resorption in ovariectomized rats. Copyright © 2012 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Complex movement disorders at disease onset in childhood narcolepsy with cataplexy

PubMed Central

Pizza, Fabio; Palaia, Vincenzo; Franceschini, Christian; Poli, Francesca; Moghadam, Keivan K.; Cortelli, Pietro; Nobili, Lino; Bruni, Oliviero; Dauvilliers, Yves; Lin, Ling; Edwards, Mark J.; Mignot, Emmanuel; Bhatia, Kailash P.

2011-01-01

Narcolepsy with cataplexy is characterized by daytime sleepiness, cataplexy (sudden loss of bilateral muscle tone triggered by emotions), sleep paralysis, hypnagogic hallucinations and disturbed nocturnal sleep. Narcolepsy with cataplexy is most often associated with human leucocyte antigen-DQB1*0602 and is caused by the loss of hypocretin-producing neurons in the hypothalamus of likely autoimmune aetiology. Noting that children with narcolepsy often display complex abnormal motor behaviours close to disease onset that do not meet the classical definition of cataplexy, we systematically analysed motor features in 39 children with narcolepsy with cataplexy in comparison with 25 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. We found that patients with narcolepsy with cataplexy displayed a complex array of ‘negative’ (hypotonia) and ‘active’ (ranging from perioral movements to dyskinetic–dystonic movements or stereotypies) motor disturbances. ‘Active’ and ‘negative’ motor scores correlated positively with the presence of hypotonic features at neurological examination and negatively with disease duration, whereas ‘negative’ motor scores also correlated negatively with age at disease onset. These observations suggest that paediatric narcolepsy with cataplexy often co-occurs with a complex movement disorder at disease onset, a phenomenon that may vanish later in the course of the disease. Further studies are warranted to assess clinical course and whether the associated movement disorder is also caused by hypocretin deficiency or by additional neurochemical abnormalities. PMID:21930661

[The P300-based brain-computer interface: presentation of the complex "flash + movement" stimuli].

PubMed

Ganin, I P; Kaplan, A Ia

2014-01-01

The P300 based brain-computer interface requires the detection of P300 wave of brain event-related potentials. Most of its users learn the BCI control in several minutes and after the short classifier training they can type a text on the computer screen or assemble an image of separate fragments in simple BCI-based video games. Nevertheless, insufficient attractiveness for users and conservative stimuli organization in this BCI may restrict its integration into real information processes control. At the same time initial movement of object (motion-onset stimuli) may be an independent factor that induces P300 wave. In current work we checked the hypothesis that complex "flash + movement" stimuli together with drastic and compact stimuli organization on the computer screen may be much more attractive for user while operating in P300 BCI. In 20 subjects research we showed the effectiveness of our interface. Both accuracy and P300 amplitude were higher for flashing stimuli and complex "flash + movement" stimuli compared to motion-onset stimuli. N200 amplitude was maximal for flashing stimuli, while for "flash + movement" stimuli and motion-onset stimuli it was only a half of it. Similar BCI with complex stimuli may be embedded into compact control systems requiring high level of user attention under impact of negative external effects obstructing the BCI control.

Moving Forward: Advances in the Treatment of Movement Disorders with Deep Brain Stimulation

PubMed Central

Schiefer, Terry K.; Matsumoto, Joseph Y.; Lee, Kendall H.

2011-01-01

The modern era of stereotactic and functional neurosurgery has ushered in state of the art technologies for the treatment of movement disorders, particularly Parkinson’s disease (PD), tremor, and dystonia. After years of experience with various surgical therapies, the eventual shortcomings of both medical and surgical treatments, and several serendipitous discoveries, deep brain stimulation (DBS) has risen to the forefront as a highly effective, safe, and reversible treatment for these conditions. Idiopathic advanced PD can be treated with thalamic, globus pallidus internus (GPi), or subthalamic nucleus (STN) DBS. Thalamic DBS primarily relieves tremor while GPi and STN DBS alleviate a wide range of Parkinsonian symptoms. Thalamic DBS is also used in the treatment of other types of tremor, particularly essential tremor, with excellent results. Both primary and various types of secondary dystonia can be treated very effectively with GPi DBS. The variety of anatomical targets for these movement disorders is indicative of the network-level dysfunction mediating these movement disturbances. Despite an increasing understanding of the clinical benefits of DBS, little is known about how DBS can create such wide sweeping neuromodulatory effects. The key to improving this therapeutic modality and discovering new ways to treat these and other neurologic conditions lies in better understanding the intricacies of DBS. Here we review the history and pertinent clinical data for DBS treatment of PD, tremor, and dystonia. While multiple regions of the brain have been targeted for DBS in the treatment of these movement disorders, this review article focuses on those that are most commonly used in current clinical practice. Our search criteria for PubMed included combinations of the following terms: DBS, neuromodulation, movement disorders, PD, tremor, dystonia, and history. Dates were not restricted. PMID:22084629

Multiple forms of rhythmic movements in an adolescent boy with rhythmic movement disorder.

PubMed

Su, Changjun; Miao, Jianting; Liu, Yu; Liu, Rui; Lei, Gesheng; Zhang, Wei; Yang, Ting; Li, Zhuyi

2009-12-01

Rhythmic movement disorder (RMD) refers to a group of stereotyped, repetitive movements involving large muscles, usually occurring prior to the onset of sleep and persisting into sleep. RMD more commonly exhibits only one or two forms of rhythmic movements (RM) in most reported cases. However, multiple RM forms of RMD occurring in a patient in the same night have rarely been reported. In this report, we present the unique case of a 15-year-old boy with RMD affected by multiple forms of RM in the same night, including four known forms (i.e., body rocking, head banging, leg rolling, and rhythmic feet movements) and two new kinds of RM (bilateral rhythmic arm rocking and rhythmic hands movements). Two video-polysomnographic recordings were performed in this patient before starting pharmacologic treatment and after long-term oral clonazepam treatment (1.0mg nightly for 3 months). The characteristics of RMD with multiple RM forms and the effectiveness of clonazepam on the RM episodes and polysomnographic findings observed in our patient are discussed. This report raises the fact that a patient with RMD may present with multiple complex rhythmic movements disrupting sleep, which emphasizes that better understanding of the clinical features of complex rhythmic movements during sleep in primary care settings is essential for early clinical diagnosis and optimal management.

Measurements of jaw movements and TMJ pain intensity in patients treated with GaAlAs laser.

PubMed

Mazzetto, Marcelo Oliveira; Hotta, Takami Hirono; Pizzo, Renata Campi de Andrade

2010-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on the improvement of the mandibular movements and painful symptoms in individuals with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Forty patients were randomly divided into two groups (n=20): Group 1 received the effective dose (GaAlAs laser λ 830 nm, 40 mW, 5J/cm²) and Group 2 received the placebo application (0 J/cm²), in continuous mode on the affected condyle lateral pole: superior, anterior, posterior, and posterior-inferior, twice a week during 4 weeks. Four evaluations were performed: E1 (before laser application), E2 (right after the last application), E3 (one week after the last application) and E4 (30 days after the last application). The Kruskal-Wallis test showed significant more improvements (p<0.01) in painful symptoms in the treated group than in the placebo group. A significant improvement in the range of mandibular movements was observed when the results were compared between the groups at E4. Laser application can be a supportive therapy in the treatment of TMD, since it resulted in the immediate decrease of painful symptoms and increased range of mandibular movements in the treated group. The same results were not observed in the placebo group.

Nonsomatotopic organization of the higher motor centers in octopus.

PubMed

Zullo, Letizia; Sumbre, German; Agnisola, Claudio; Flash, Tamar; Hochner, Binyamin

2009-10-13

Hyperredundant limbs with a virtually unlimited number of degrees of freedom (DOFs) pose a challenge for both biological and computational systems of motor control. In the flexible arms of the octopus, simplification strategies have evolved to reduce the number of controlled DOFs. Motor control in the octopus nervous system is hierarchically organized. A relatively small central brain integrates a huge amount of visual and tactile information from the large optic lobes and the peripheral nervous system of the arms and issues commands to lower motor centers controlling the elaborated neuromuscular system of the arms. This unique organization raises new questions on the organization of the octopus brain and whether and how it represents the rich movement repertoire. We developed a method of brain microstimulation in freely behaving animals and stimulated the higher motor centers-the basal lobes-thus inducing discrete and complex sets of movements. As stimulation strength increased, complex movements were recruited from basic components shared by different types of movement. We found no stimulation site where movements of a single arm or body part could be elicited. Discrete and complex components have no central topographical organization but are distributed over wide regions.

Refractory status epilepticus complicated by drug-induced involuntary movements.

PubMed

Nair, Pradeep Pankajakshan; Wadwekar, Vaibhav; Murgai, Aditya; Narayan, Sunil K

2014-02-11

New onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE) is a neurological emergency and difficult to treat condition. We report a case of involuntary movements resulting from thiopentone sodium infusion during the management of refractory status epilepticus. A young woman was admitted with fever and NORSE in the neurology intensive care unit. In addition to supportive measures, she was treated with intravenous lorazepam, phenytoin sodium, sodium valproate, midazolam and thiopentone sodium. While on thiopentone sodium, she developed involuntary twitches involving her upper limbs and face with EEG showing no evidence of ongoing status epilepticus. Because of the temporal relationship with thiopentone infusion, we tapered the dose of thiopentone sodium, which resulted in the disappearance of the movements. The patient recovered well with no recurrence of the seizures during the hospital stay.

Muscle function in COPD: a complex interplay

PubMed Central

Donaldson, Anna V; Maddocks, Matthew; Martolini, Dario; Polkey, Michael I; Man, William D-C

2012-01-01

The skeletal muscles play an essential role in life, providing the mechanical basis for respiration and movement. Skeletal muscle dysfunction is prevalent in all stages of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and significantly influences symptoms, functional capacity, health related quality of life, health resource usage and even mortality. Furthermore, in contrast to the lungs, the skeletal muscles are potentially remedial with existing therapy, namely exercise-training. This review summarizes clinical and laboratory observations of the respiratory and peripheral skeletal muscles (in particular the diaphragm and quadriceps), and current understanding of the underlying etiological processes. As further progress is made in the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of skeletal muscle dysfunction, new pharmacological therapies are likely to emerge to treat this important extra-pulmonary manifestation of COPD. PMID:22973093

What is the animal doing? Tools for exploring behavioural structure in animal movements.

PubMed

Gurarie, Eliezer; Bracis, Chloe; Delgado, Maria; Meckley, Trevor D; Kojola, Ilpo; Wagner, C Michael

2016-01-01

Movement data provide a window - often our only window - into the cognitive, social and biological processes that underlie the behavioural ecology of animals in the wild. Robust methods for identifying and interpreting distinct modes of movement behaviour are of great importance, but complicated by the fact that movement data are complex, multivariate and dependent. Many different approaches to exploratory analysis of movement have been developed to answer similar questions, and practitioners are often at a loss for how to choose an appropriate tool for a specific question. We apply and compare four methodological approaches: first passage time (FPT), Bayesian partitioning of Markov models (BPMM), behavioural change point analysis (BCPA) and a fitted multistate random walk (MRW) to three simulated tracks and two animal trajectories - a sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) tracked for 12 h and a wolf (Canis lupus) tracked for 1 year. The simulations - in which, respectively, velocity, tortuosity and spatial bias change - highlight the sensitivity of all methods to model misspecification. Methods that do not account for autocorrelation in the movement variables lead to spurious change points, while methods that do not account for spatial bias completely miss changes in orientation. When applied to the animal data, the methods broadly agree on the structure of the movement behaviours. Important discrepancies, however, reflect differences in the assumptions and nature of the outputs. Important trade-offs are between the strength of the a priori assumptions (low in BCPA, high in MRW), complexity of output (high in the BCPA, low in the BPMM and MRW) and explanatory potential (highest in the MRW). The animal track analysis suggests some general principles for the exploratory analysis of movement data, including ways to exploit the strengths of the various methods. We argue for close and detailed exploratory analysis of movement before fitting complex movement models. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2015 British Ecological Society.

The Propagation of Movement Variability in Time: A Methodological Approach for Discrete Movements with Multiple Degrees of Freedom.

PubMed

Krüger, Melanie; Straube, Andreas; Eggert, Thomas

2017-01-01

In recent years, theory-building in motor neuroscience and our understanding of the synergistic control of the redundant human motor system has significantly profited from the emergence of a range of different mathematical approaches to analyze the structure of movement variability. Approaches such as the Uncontrolled Manifold method or the Noise-Tolerance-Covariance decomposition method allow to detect and interpret changes in movement coordination due to e.g., learning, external task constraints or disease, by analyzing the structure of within-subject, inter-trial movement variability. Whereas, for cyclical movements (e.g., locomotion), mathematical approaches exist to investigate the propagation of movement variability in time (e.g., time series analysis), similar approaches are missing for discrete, goal-directed movements, such as reaching. Here, we propose canonical correlation analysis as a suitable method to analyze the propagation of within-subject variability across different time points during the execution of discrete movements. While similar analyses have already been applied for discrete movements with only one degree of freedom (DoF; e.g., Pearson's product-moment correlation), canonical correlation analysis allows to evaluate the coupling of inter-trial variability across different time points along the movement trajectory for multiple DoF-effector systems, such as the arm. The theoretical analysis is illustrated by empirical data from a study on reaching movements under normal and disturbed proprioception. The results show increased movement duration, decreased movement amplitude, as well as altered movement coordination under ischemia, which results in a reduced complexity of movement control. Movement endpoint variability is not increased under ischemia. This suggests that healthy adults are able to immediately and efficiently adjust the control of complex reaching movements to compensate for the loss of proprioceptive information. Further, it is shown that, by using canonical correlation analysis, alterations in movement coordination that indicate changes in the control strategy concerning the use of motor redundancy can be detected, which represents an important methodical advance in the context of neuromechanics.

Development and evaluation of a musculoskeletal model of the elbow joint complex

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gonzalez, Roger V.; Hutchins, E. L.; Barr, Ronald E.; Abraham, Lawrence D.

1993-01-01

This paper describes the development and evaluation of a musculoskeletal model that represents human elbow flexion-extension and forearm pronation-supination. The length, velocity, and moment arm for each of the eight musculotendon actuators were based on skeletal anatomy and position. Musculotendon parameters were determined for each actuator and verified by comparing analytical torque-angle curves with experimental joint torque data. The parameters and skeletal geometry were also utilized in the musculoskeletal model for the analysis of ballistic elbow joint complex movements. The key objective was to develop a computational model, guided by parameterized optimal control, to investigate the relationship among patterns of muscle excitation, individual muscle forces, and movement kinematics. The model was verified using experimental kinematic, torque, and electromyographic data from volunteer subjects performing ballistic elbow joint complex movements.

Understanding Activist Leadership Effort in the Movement Opposing Drinking and Driving

PubMed Central

Dorius, Cassandra R.; McCarthy, John D.

2012-01-01

Why do some social movement leaders work harder than others? And, how does gender affect the patterns we uncover? Utilizing historical case study evidence of local chapters in the emerging movement opposing drinking and driving we are able to develop and test theoretical expectations about predictors of weekly effort among MADD and RID leaders. Taken together, our model explains 45 percent of the variation in leadership effort. We find bureaucratic complexity and victim support activities are more powerful predictors of effort than are individual leader characteristics, although all are important. Further analysis reveals that gender almost wholly conditions the strong effect of bureaucratic complexity on leadership effort so that increasingly complex chapter structures are associated with substantial increases in work hours for women but not men. PMID:22993454

The Competency-Based Movement in Student Affairs: Implications for Curriculum and Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eaton, Paul William

2016-01-01

This article examines the limitations and possibilities of the emerging competency-based movement in student affairs. Using complexity theory and postmodern educational theory as guiding frameworks, examination of the competency-based movement will raise questions about overapplication of competencies in graduate preparation programs and…

Contact Irritancy and Toxicity of Permethrin-Treated Clothing for Ixodes scapularis, Amblyomma americanum, and Dermacentor variabilis Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae).

PubMed

Prose, Robert; Breuner, Nicole E; Johnson, Tammi L; Eisen, Rebecca J; Eisen, Lars

2018-05-24

Clothing treated with the pyrethroid permethrin is available in the United States as consumer products to prevent tick bites. We used tick bioassays to quantify contact irritancy and toxicity of permethrin-treated clothing for three important tick vectors of human pathogens: the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say (Acari: Ixodidae); the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (L.) (Acari: Ixodidae); and the American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis (Say) (Acari: Ixodidae). We first demonstrated that field-collected I. scapularis nymphs from Minnesota were as susceptible as laboratory-reared nymphs to a permethrin-treated textile. Field ticks examined in bioassays on the same day they were collected displayed contact irritancy by actively dislodging from a vertically oriented permethrin-treated textile, and a forced 1-min exposure resulted in all ticks being unable to move normally, thus posing no more than minimal risk of biting, 1 h after contact with the treated textile. Moreover, we documented lack of normal movement for laboratory-reared I. scapularis nymphs by 1 h after contact for 1 min with a wide range of permethrin-treated clothing, including garments made from cotton, synthetic materials, and blends. A comparison of the impact of a permethrin-treated textile across tick species and life stages revealed the strongest effect on I. scapularis nymphs (0% with normal movement 1 h after a 1-min exposure), followed by A. americanum nymphs (14.0%), I. scapularis females (38.0%), D. variabilis females (82.0%), and A. americanum females (98.0%). Loss of normal movement for all ticks 1 h after contact with the permethrin-treated textile required exposures of 1 min for I. scapularis nymphs, 2 min for A. americanum nymphs, and 5 min for female I. scapularis, D. variabilis, and A. americanum ticks. We conclude that use of permethrin-treated clothing shows promise to prevent bites by medically important ticks. Further research needs are discussed.

Mutations in the mitochondrial cysteinyl-tRNA synthase gene, CARS2, lead to a severe epileptic encephalopathy and complex movement disorder.

PubMed

Coughlin, Curtis R; Scharer, Gunter H; Friederich, Marisa W; Yu, Hung-Chun; Geiger, Elizabeth A; Creadon-Swindell, Geralyn; Collins, Abigail E; Vanlander, Arnaud V; Coster, Rudy Van; Powell, Christopher A; Swanson, Michael A; Minczuk, Michal; Van Hove, Johan L K; Shaikh, Tamim H

2015-08-01

Mitochondrial disease is often suspected in cases of severe epileptic encephalopathy especially when a complex movement disorder, liver involvement and progressive developmental regression are present. Although mutations in either mitochondrial DNA or POLG are often present, other nuclear defects in mitochondrial DNA replication and protein translation have been associated with a severe epileptic encephalopathy. We identified a proband with an epileptic encephalopathy, complex movement disorder and a combined mitochondrial respiratory chain enzyme deficiency. The child presented with neurological regression, complex movement disorder and intractable seizures. A combined deficiency of mitochondrial complexes I, III and IV was noted in liver tissue, along with increased mitochondrial DNA content in skeletal muscle. Incomplete assembly of complex V, using blue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic analysis and complex I, using western blotting, suggested a disorder of mitochondrial transcription or translation. Exome sequencing identified compound heterozygous mutations in CARS2, a mitochondrial aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase. Both mutations affect highly conserved amino acids located within the functional ligase domain of the cysteinyl-tRNA synthase. A specific decrease in the amount of charged mt-tRNA(Cys) was detected in patient fibroblasts compared with controls. Retroviral transfection of the wild-type CARS2 into patient skin fibroblasts led to the correction of the incomplete assembly of complex V, providing functional evidence for the role of CARS2 mutations in disease aetiology. Our findings indicate that mutations in CARS2 result in a mitochondrial translational defect as seen in individuals with mitochondrial epileptic encephalopathy. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Neural processing of emotions in traumatized children treated with Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy: a hdEEG study

PubMed Central

Trentini, Cristina; Pagani, Marco; Fania, Piercarlo; Speranza, Anna Maria; Nicolais, Giampaolo; Sibilia, Alessandra; Inguscio, Lucio; Verardo, Anna Rita; Fernandez, Isabel; Ammaniti, Massimo

2015-01-01

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy has been proven efficacious in restoring affective regulation in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients. However, its effectiveness on emotion processing in children with complex trauma has yet to be explored. High density electroencephalography (hdEEG) was used to investigate the effects of EMDR on brain responses to adults’ emotions on children with histories of early maltreatment. Ten school-aged children were examined before (T0) and within one month after the conclusion of EMDR (T1). hdEEGs were recorded while children passively viewed angry, afraid, happy, and neutral faces. Clinical scales were administered at the same time. Correlation analyses were performed to detect brain regions whose activity was linked to children’s traumatic symptom-related and emotional-adaptive problem scores. In all four conditions, hdEEG showed similar significantly higher activity on the right medial prefrontal and fronto-temporal limbic regions at T0, shifting toward the left medial and superior temporal regions at T1. Moreover, significant correlations were found between clinical scales and the same regions whose activity significantly differed between pre- and post-treatment. These preliminary results demonstrate that, after EMDR, children suffering from complex trauma show increased activity in areas implicated in high-order cognitive processing when passively viewing pictures of emotional expressions. These changes are associated with the decrease of depressive and traumatic symptoms, and with the improvement of emotional-adaptive functioning over time. PMID:26594183

Motor functions of the basal ganglia.

PubMed

Phillips, J G; Bradshaw, J L; Iansek, R; Chiu, E

1993-01-01

A study of movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease can provide an indication of the motor functions of the basal ganglia. Basal-ganglia diseases affect voluntary movement and can cause involuntary movement. Deficits are often manifested during the coordination of fine multi-joint movements (e.g., handwriting). The disturbances of motor control (e.g. akinesia, bradykinesia) caused by basal-ganglia disorders are illustrated. Data suggest that the basal ganglia play an important role in the automatic execution of serially ordered complex movements.

Prechtl's Assessment of General Movements: A Diagnostic Tool for the Functional Assessment of the Young Nervous System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Einspieler, Christa; Prechtl, Heinz F. R.

2005-01-01

General movements (GMs) are part of the spontaneous movement repertoire and are present from early fetal life onwards until the end of the first half a year of life. GMs are complex, occur frequently, and last long enough to be observed properly. They involve the whole body in a variable sequence of arm, leg, neck, and trunk movements. They wax…

Can fitness and movement quality prevent back injury in elite task force police officers? A 5-year longitudinal study.

PubMed

McGill, Stuart; Frost, David; Lam, Thomas; Finlay, Tim; Darby, Kevin; Cannon, Jordan

2015-01-01

Elite police work has bursts of intense physically demanding work requiring high levels of fitness, or capacity, and movement competency; which are assumed to increase one's injury resilience. The purpose of this study was to follow members of an elite police force (N = 53) to test whether back injuries (N = 14) could be predicted from measures of fitness and movement quality. Measures of torso endurance, relative and absolute strength, hip ROM and movement quality using the Functional Movement Screen(TM) and other dynamic movement tests were obtained from every officer at baseline. When variables were grouped and considered holistically, rather than individually, back injury could be predicted. Seven variables best predicted those who would suffer a back injury (64% sensitivity and 95% specificity for an overall concordance of 87%). Overall, the ability to predict back injury was not high, suggesting that there is more complexity to this relationship than is explained with the variables tested here. Practitioner Summary: Members of elite police forces have exposure to intense physically demanding work. Increased levels of fitness and movement competency have been assumed to increase injury resilience. However, complexity in the interactions between exposure, movement competency, training, fitness and injury may occlude the true relationship between these variables.

MOVEMENT BEHAVIOR AND MOTOR LEARNING. SECOND EDITION.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CRATTY, BRYANT J.

TO BRING TOGETHER DATA RELEVANT TO THE UNDERSTANDING OF HUMAN MOVEMENT WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO LEARNING, THE TEXT SURVEYS THE CONCERN OF SEVERAL DISCIPLINES WITH MOTOR BEHAVIOR AND LEARNING. WORDS AND DEFINITIONS ARE ESTABLISHED, AND THE EVOLUTION OF THE HUMAN ACTION SYSTEM IS DISCUSSED. A CONSIDERATION OF PERCEPTION TREATS THE PROCESS OF…

Ants determine their next move at rest: motor planning and causality in complex systems.

PubMed

Hunt, Edmund R; Baddeley, Roland J; Worley, Alan; Sendova-Franks, Ana B; Franks, Nigel R

2016-01-01

To find useful work to do for their colony, individual eusocial animals have to move, somehow staying attentive to relevant social information. Recent research on individual Temnothorax albipennis ants moving inside their colony's nest found a power-law relationship between a movement's duration and its average speed; and a universal speed profile for movements showing that they mostly fluctuate around a constant average speed. From this predictability it was inferred that movement durations are somehow determined before the movement itself. Here, we find similar results in lone T. albipennis ants exploring a large arena outside the nest, both when the arena is clean and when it contains chemical information left by previous nest-mates. This implies that these movement characteristics originate from the same individual neural and/or physiological mechanism(s), operating without immediate regard to social influences. However, the presence of pheromones and/or other cues was found to affect the inter-event speed correlations. Hence we suggest that ants' motor planning results in intermittent response to the social environment: movement duration is adjusted in response to social information only between movements, not during them. This environmentally flexible, intermittently responsive movement behaviour points towards a spatially allocated division of labour in this species. It also prompts more general questions on collective animal movement and the role of intermittent causation from higher to lower organizational levels in the stability of complex systems.

Idiosyncratic characteristics of saccadic eye movements when viewing different visual environments.

PubMed

Andrews, T J; Coppola, D M

1999-08-01

Eye position was recorded in different viewing conditions to assess whether the temporal and spatial characteristics of saccadic eye movements in different individuals are idiosyncratic. Our aim was to determine the degree to which oculomotor control is based on endogenous factors. A total of 15 naive subjects viewed five visual environments: (1) The absence of visual stimulation (i.e. a dark room); (2) a repetitive visual environment (i.e. simple textured patterns); (3) a complex natural scene; (4) a visual search task; and (5) reading text. Although differences in visual environment had significant effects on eye movements, idiosyncrasies were also apparent. For example, the mean fixation duration and size of an individual's saccadic eye movements when passively viewing a complex natural scene covaried significantly with those same parameters in the absence of visual stimulation and in a repetitive visual environment. In contrast, an individual's spatio-temporal characteristics of eye movements during active tasks such as reading text or visual search covaried together, but did not correlate with the pattern of eye movements detected when viewing a natural scene, simple patterns or in the dark. These idiosyncratic patterns of eye movements in normal viewing reveal an endogenous influence on oculomotor control. The independent covariance of eye movements during different visual tasks shows that saccadic eye movements during active tasks like reading or visual search differ from those engaged during the passive inspection of visual scenes.

Power-law scaling for macroscopic entropy and microscopic complexity: Evidence from human movement and posture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, S. Lee; Bodfish, James W.; Newell, Karl M.

2006-03-01

We investigated the relationship between macroscopic entropy and microscopic complexity of the dynamics of body rocking and sitting still across adults with stereotyped movement disorder and mental retardation (profound and severe) against controls matched for age, height, and weight. This analysis was performed through the examination of center of pressure (COP) motion on the mediolateral (side-to-side) and anteroposterior (fore-aft) dimensions and the entropy of the relative phase between the two dimensions of motion. Intentional body rocking and stereotypical body rocking possessed similar slopes for their respective frequency spectra, but differences were revealed during maintenance of sitting postures. The dynamics of sitting in the control group produced lower spectral slopes and higher complexity (approximate entropy). In the controls, the higher complexity found on each dimension of motion was related to a weaker coupling between dimensions. Information entropy of the relative phase between the two dimensions of COP motion and irregularity (complexity) of their respective motions fitted a power-law function, revealing a relationship between macroscopic entropy and microscopic complexity across both groups and behaviors. This power-law relation affords the postulation that the organization of movement and posture dynamics occurs as a fractal process.

Efficacy of botulinum toxin in treating myofascial pain in bruxers: a controlled placebo pilot study.

PubMed

Guarda-Nardini, Luca; Manfredini, Daniele; Salamone, Milena; Salmaso, Luigi; Tonello, Stefano; Ferronato, Giuseppe

2008-04-01

The present investigation is a preliminary double-blind, controlled placebo, randomized clinical trial with a six month follow-up period. The study aimed to assess the efficacy of type A botulinum toxin (Botox, Allergan, Inc. Irvine, CA) to treat myofascial pain symptoms and to reduce muscle hyperactivity in bruxers. Twenty patients (ten males, ten females; age range 25-45) with a clinical diagnosis of bruxism and myofascial pain of the masticatory muscles were enrolled in a double-blind, controlled placebo, randomized clinical trial, with a treatment group (ten subjects treated with botulinum toxin injections- BTX-A) and a control group (ten subjects treated with saline placebo injections). A number of objective and subjective clinical parameters (pain at rest and during chewing; mastication efficiency; maximum nonassisted and assisted mouth opening, protrusive and laterotrusive movements; functional limitation during usual jaw movements; subjective efficacy of the treatment; tolerance of the treatment) were assessed at baseline time and at one week, one month, and six months follow-up appointments. Descriptive analysis showed that improvements in both objective (range of mandibular movements) and subjective (pain at rest; pain during chewing) clinical outcome variables were higher in the Botox treated group than in the placebo treated subjects. Patients treated with BTX-A had a higher subjective improvement in their perception of treatment efficacy than the placebo subjects. Differences were not significant in some cases due to the small sample size. Results from the present study supported the efficacy of BTX-A to reduce myofascial pain symptoms in bruxers, and provided pilot data which need to be confirmed by further research using larger samples.

Facilitation of information processing in the primary somatosensory area in the ball rotation task.

PubMed

Wasaka, Toshiaki; Kida, Tetsuo; Kakigi, Ryusuke

2017-11-14

Somatosensory input to the brain is known to be modulated during voluntary movement. It has been demonstrated that the response in the primary somatosensory cortex (SI) is generally gated during simple movement of the corresponding body part. This study investigated sensorimotor integration in the SI during manual movement using a motor task combining movement complexity and object manipulation. While the amplitude of M20 and M30 generated in the SI showed a significant reduction during manual movement, the subsequent component (M38) was significantly higher in the motor task than in the stationary condition. Especially, that in the ball rotation task showed a significant enhancement compared with those in the ball grasping and stone and paper tasks. Although sensorimotor integration in the SI generally has an inhibitory effect on information processing, here we found facilitation. Since the ball rotation task seems to be increasing the demand for somatosensory information to control the complex movements and operate two balls in the palm, it may have resulted in an enhancement of M38 generated in the SI.

Radio ultrasound observations of the fetotoxic effects in sheep from ingestion of Conium maculatum (poison-hemlock).

PubMed

Panter, K E; Bunch, T D; Keeler, R F; Sisson, D V

1988-01-01

Fetal movement in pregnant ewes gavaged with Conium maculatum (poison-hemlock) was reduced significantly, but temporarily. Fetal movement was observed by radio ultrasound at 45, 54 and 60 days of gestation in control ewes and on days 45, 54, and 60 of gestation immediately before and 1 hour following poison-hemlock feeding in treated ewes. Fetal movement was significantly reduced (P less than 0.01) 1 hour after poison-hemlock administration, but returned to normal within 18 hours post treatment. At parturition seven of eleven lambs born to seven treated ewes had varying degrees of front limb abnormalities. Modest to moderate flexure of the carpal joints, some lateral deviation in the front limbs at the pastern joint and kinked tails were observed. These malformations were transient and resolved spontaneously by 8 weeks after lambing.

Clinical assessment of adventitious movements.

PubMed

Brasić, J R; Barnett, J Y; Sheitman, B B; Lafargue, R T; Ahn, S C

1998-12-01

Many procedures with variable validity and reliability have been developed in research settings to evaluate adventitious movements and related phenomena in specific populations, e.g., people with schizophrenia treated with dopamine antagonists, but these only provide global assessments or rate specific movements. A battery for rating individuals with possible movements disorders in a comprehensive way in clinical settings is needed so a protocol to assess briefly and thoroughly potential movement disorders was videotaped for five prepubertal boys with autistic disorder and severe mental retardation in a clinical trial. Utilizing a Movement Assessment Battery, four raters independently scored videotapes of 10-16 movements assessments of each of the five subjects. Experienced raters attained agreement of 59% to 100% on ratings of tardive dyskinesia and 48% to 100% on tics. Hindrances to reliability included poor quality of some tapes, high activity of subjects, and fatigue of raters.

Coupled, circumferential motions of the cell wall synthesis machinery and MreB filaments in B. subtilis.

PubMed

Garner, Ethan C; Bernard, Remi; Wang, Wenqin; Zhuang, Xiaowei; Rudner, David Z; Mitchison, Tim

2011-07-08

Rod-shaped bacteria elongate by the action of cell wall synthesis complexes linked to underlying dynamic MreB filaments. To understand how the movements of these filaments relate to cell wall synthesis, we characterized the dynamics of MreB and the cell wall elongation machinery using high-precision particle tracking in Bacillus subtilis. We found that MreB and the elongation machinery moved circumferentially around the cell, perpendicular to its length, with nearby synthesis complexes and MreB filaments moving independently in both directions. Inhibition of cell wall synthesis by various methods blocked the movement of MreB. Thus, bacteria elongate by the uncoordinated, circumferential movements of synthetic complexes that insert radial hoops of new peptidoglycan during their transit, possibly driving the motion of the underlying MreB filaments.

Analyzing the tradeoff between electrical complexity and accuracy in patient-specific computational models of deep brain stimulation.

PubMed

Howell, Bryan; McIntyre, Cameron C

2016-06-01

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an adjunctive therapy that is effective in treating movement disorders and shows promise for treating psychiatric disorders. Computational models of DBS have begun to be utilized as tools to optimize the therapy. Despite advancements in the anatomical accuracy of these models, there is still uncertainty as to what level of electrical complexity is adequate for modeling the electric field in the brain and the subsequent neural response to the stimulation. We used magnetic resonance images to create an image-based computational model of subthalamic DBS. The complexity of the volume conductor model was increased by incrementally including heterogeneity, anisotropy, and dielectric dispersion in the electrical properties of the brain. We quantified changes in the load of the electrode, the electric potential distribution, and stimulation thresholds of descending corticofugal (DCF) axon models. Incorporation of heterogeneity altered the electric potentials and subsequent stimulation thresholds, but to a lesser degree than incorporation of anisotropy. Additionally, the results were sensitive to the choice of method for defining anisotropy, with stimulation thresholds of DCF axons changing by as much as 190%. Typical approaches for defining anisotropy underestimate the expected load of the stimulation electrode, which led to underestimation of the extent of stimulation. More accurate predictions of the electrode load were achieved with alternative approaches for defining anisotropy. The effects of dielectric dispersion were small compared to the effects of heterogeneity and anisotropy. The results of this study help delineate the level of detail that is required to accurately model electric fields generated by DBS electrodes.

Analyzing the tradeoff between electrical complexity and accuracy in patient-specific computational models of deep brain stimulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howell, Bryan; McIntyre, Cameron C.

2016-06-01

Objective. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an adjunctive therapy that is effective in treating movement disorders and shows promise for treating psychiatric disorders. Computational models of DBS have begun to be utilized as tools to optimize the therapy. Despite advancements in the anatomical accuracy of these models, there is still uncertainty as to what level of electrical complexity is adequate for modeling the electric field in the brain and the subsequent neural response to the stimulation. Approach. We used magnetic resonance images to create an image-based computational model of subthalamic DBS. The complexity of the volume conductor model was increased by incrementally including heterogeneity, anisotropy, and dielectric dispersion in the electrical properties of the brain. We quantified changes in the load of the electrode, the electric potential distribution, and stimulation thresholds of descending corticofugal (DCF) axon models. Main results. Incorporation of heterogeneity altered the electric potentials and subsequent stimulation thresholds, but to a lesser degree than incorporation of anisotropy. Additionally, the results were sensitive to the choice of method for defining anisotropy, with stimulation thresholds of DCF axons changing by as much as 190%. Typical approaches for defining anisotropy underestimate the expected load of the stimulation electrode, which led to underestimation of the extent of stimulation. More accurate predictions of the electrode load were achieved with alternative approaches for defining anisotropy. The effects of dielectric dispersion were small compared to the effects of heterogeneity and anisotropy. Significance. The results of this study help delineate the level of detail that is required to accurately model electric fields generated by DBS electrodes.

The Calcium-Sensing Receptor and Integrins in Cellular Differentiation and Migration

PubMed Central

Tharmalingam, Sujeenthar; Hampson, David R.

2016-01-01

The calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) is a widely expressed homodimeric G-protein coupled receptor structurally related to the metabotropic glutamate receptors and GPRC6A. In addition to its well characterized role in maintaining calcium homeostasis and regulating parathyroid hormone release, evidence has accumulated linking the CaSR with cellular differentiation and migration, brain development, stem cell engraftment, wound healing, and tumor growth and metastasis. Elevated expression of the CaSR in aggressive metastatic tumors has been suggested as a potential novel prognostic marker for predicting metastasis, especially to bone tissue where extracellular calcium concentrations may be sufficiently high to activate the receptor. Recent evidence supports a model whereby CaSR-mediated activation of integrins promotes cellular migration. Integrins are single transmembrane spanning heterodimeric adhesion receptors that mediate cell migration by binding to extracellular matrix proteins. The CaSR has been shown to form signaling complexes with the integrins to facilitate both the movement and differentiation of cells, such as neurons during normal brain development and tumor cells under pathological circumstances. Thus, CaSR/integrin complexes may function as a universal cell migration or homing complex. Manipulation of this complex may be of potential interest for treating metastatic cancers, and for developmental disorders pertaining to aberrant neuronal migration. PMID:27303307

Plans and Section Views of DSM Treated Sections

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-02-01

The effectiveness of Deep Soil Mixing (DSM) treatment method was evaluated in terms of reducing heave movements of underlying expansive soils. Several binder types were used to treat expansive soils and these methods are considered in a laboratory in...

Formation of virions is strictly required for turnip yellows virus long-distance movement in plants.

PubMed

Hipper, Clémence; Monsion, Baptiste; Bortolamiol-Bécet, Diane; Ziegler-Graff, Véronique; Brault, Véronique

2014-02-01

Viral genomic RNA of the Turnip yellows virus (TuYV; genus Polerovirus; family Luteoviridae) is protected in virions formed by the major capsid protein (CP) and the minor component, the readthrough (RT*) protein. Long-distance transport, used commonly by viruses to systemically infect host plants, occurs in phloem sieve elements and two viral forms of transport have been described: virions and ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes. With regard to poleroviruses, virions have always been presumed to be the long-distance transport form, but the potential role of RNP complexes has not been investigated. Here, we examined the requirement of virions for polerovirus systemic movement by analysing CP-targeted mutants that were unable to form viral particles. We confirmed that TuYV mutants that cannot encapsidate into virions are not able to reach systemic leaves. To completely discard the possibility that the introduced mutations in CP simply blocked the formation or the movement of RNP complexes, we tested in trans complementation of TuYV CP mutants by providing WT CP expressed in transgenic plants. WT CP was able to facilitate systemic movement of TuYV CP mutants and this observation was always correlated with the formation of virions. This demonstrated clearly that virus particles are essential for polerovirus systemic movement.

Physiological modules for generating discrete and rhythmic movements: component analysis of EMG signals.

PubMed

Bengoetxea, Ana; Leurs, Françoise; Hoellinger, Thomas; Cebolla, Ana Maria; Dan, Bernard; Cheron, Guy; McIntyre, Joseph

2014-01-01

A central question in Neuroscience is that of how the nervous system generates the spatiotemporal commands needed to realize complex gestures, such as handwriting. A key postulate is that the central nervous system (CNS) builds up complex movements from a set of simpler motor primitives or control modules. In this study we examined the control modules underlying the generation of muscle activations when performing different types of movement: discrete, point-to-point movements in eight different directions and continuous figure-eight movements in both the normal, upright orientation and rotated 90°. To test for the effects of biomechanical constraints, movements were performed in the frontal-parallel or sagittal planes, corresponding to two different nominal flexion/abduction postures of the shoulder. In all cases we measured limb kinematics and surface electromyographic activity (EMG) signals for seven different muscles acting around the shoulder. We first performed principal component analysis (PCA) of the EMG signals on a movement-by-movement basis. We found a surprisingly consistent pattern of muscle groupings across movement types and movement planes, although we could detect systematic differences between the PCs derived from movements performed in each shoulder posture and between the principal components associated with the different orientations of the figure. Unexpectedly we found no systematic differences between the figure eights and the point-to-point movements. The first three principal components could be associated with a general co-contraction of all seven muscles plus two patterns of reciprocal activation. From these results, we surmise that both "discrete-rhythmic movements" such as the figure eight, and discrete point-to-point movement may be constructed from three different fundamental modules, one regulating the impedance of the limb over the time span of the movement and two others operating to generate movement, one aligned with the vertical and the other aligned with the horizontal.

Handwriting Movement Analyses for Monitoring Drug-Induced Motor Side Effects in Schizophrenia Patients Treated with Risperidone

PubMed Central

Caligiuri, Michael P.; Teulings, Hans-Leo; Dean, Charles E.; Niculescu, Alexander B.; Lohr, James

2009-01-01

Epidemiologic studies indicate that nearly 60% of schizophrenia (SZ) patients treated with conventional antipsychotic drugs develop extrapyramidal side effects (EPS) such as parkinsonism and tardive dyskinesia. Although the prevalence of EPS has decreased due to the newer antipsychotics, EPS continue to limit the effectiveness of these medicines. Ongoing monitoring of EPS is likely to improve treatment outcome or compliance and reduce the frequency of re-hospitalization. A quantitative analysis of handwriting kinematics was used to evaluate effects of antipsychotic medication type and dose in schizophrenia patients. Twenty-seven schizophrenia patients treated with risperidone, six schizophrenia patients who received no antipsychotic medication and 46 healthy comparison participants were enrolled. Participants performed a 20-minute handwriting task consisting of loops of various sizes and a sentence. Data were captured and analyzed using MovAlyzeR software. Results indicated that risperidone-treated participants exhibited significantly more dysfluent handwriting movements than either healthy or untreated SZ participants. Risperidone-treated participants exhibited lower movement velocities during production of simple loops compared to unmedicated patients. Handwriting dysfluency during sentence writing increased with dose. A 3-factor model consisting of kinematic variables derived from sentence writing accounted for 83% (r = .91) of the variability in medication dose. In contrast, we found no association between observer-based EPS severity ratings and medication dose. These findings support the importance of handwriting-based measures to monitor EPS in medicated schizophrenia patients. PMID:19692133

Focal status epilepticus and progressive dyskinesia: A novel phenotype for glycine receptor antibody-mediated neurological disease in children.

PubMed

Chan, D W S; Thomas, T; Lim, M; Ling, S; Woodhall, M; Vincent, A

2017-03-01

Antibody-associated disorders of the central nervous system are increasingly recognised in adults and children. Some are known to be paraneoplastic, whereas in others an infective trigger is postulated. They include disorders associated with antibodies to N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR), voltage-gated potassium channel-complexes (VGKC-complex), GABA B receptor or glycine receptor (GlyR). With antibodies to NMDAR or VGKC-complexes, distinct clinical patterns are well characterised, but as more antibodies are discovered, the spectra of associated disorders are evolving. GlyR antibodies have been detected in patients with progressive encephalopathy with rigidity and myoclonus (PERM), or stiff man syndrome, both rare but disabling conditions. We report a case of a young child with focal seizures and progressive dyskinesia in whom GlyR antibodies were detected. Anticonvulsants and immunotherapy were effective in treating both the seizures and movement disorder with good neurological outcome and with a decline in the patient's serum GlyR-Ab titres. Glycine receptor antibodies are associated with focal status epilepticus and seizures, encephalopathy and progressive dyskinesia and should be evaluated in autoimmune encephalitis. Copyright © 2016 European Paediatric Neurology Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Patient movement characteristics and the impact on CBCT image quality and interpretability.

PubMed

Spin-Neto, Rubens; Costa, Cláudio; Salgado, Daniela Mra; Zambrana, Nataly Rm; Gotfredsen, Erik; Wenzel, Ann

2018-01-01

To assess the impact of patient movement characteristics and metal/radiopaque materials in the field-of-view (FOV) on CBCT image quality and interpretability. 162 CBCT examinations were performed in 134 consecutive (i.e. prospective data collection) patients (age average: 27.2 years; range: 9-73). An accelerometer-gyroscope system registered patient's head position during examination. The threshold for movement definition was set at ≥0.5-mm movement distance based on accelerometer-gyroscope recording. Movement complexity was defined as uniplanar/multiplanar. Three observers scored independently: presence of stripe (i.e. streak) artefacts (absent/"enamel stripes"/"metal stripes"/"movement stripes"), overall unsharpness (absent/present) and image interpretability (interpretable/not interpretable). Kappa statistics assessed interobserver agreement. χ 2 tests analysed whether movement distance, movement complexity and metal/radiopaque material in the FOV affected image quality and image interpretability. Relevant risk factors (p ≤ 0.20) were entered into a multivariate logistic regression analysis with "not interpretable" as the outcome. Interobserver agreement for image interpretability was good (average = 0.65). Movement distance and presence of metal/radiopaque materials significantly affected image quality and interpretability. There were 22-28 cases, in which the observers stated the image was not interpretable. Small movements (i.e. <3 mm) did not significantly affect image interpretability. For movements ≥ 3 mm, the risk that a case was scored as "not interpretable" was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased [OR 3.2-11.3; 95% CI (0.70-65.47)]. Metal/radiopaque material was also a significant (p ≤ 0.05) risk factor (OR 3.61-5.05). Patient movement ≥3 mm and metal/radiopaque material in the FOV significantly affected CBCT image quality and interpretability.

Hybrid external fixation in high-energy elbow fractures: a modular system with a promising future.

PubMed

Lerner, A; Stahl, S; Stein, H

2000-12-01

Severe, high-energy, periarticular elbow injuries producing a "floating joint" are a major surgical challenge. Their reconstruction and rehabilitation are not well documented. Therefore, the following reports our experience with treating such injuries caused by war wounds. Seven adults with compound open peri- and intra-articular elbow fractures were treated in hybrid ring tubular fixation frames. After debridement, bone stabilization, and neurovascular reconstructions, early controlled daily movements were started in the affected joint. These seven patients had together seven humeral, five radial, and six ulnar fractures. All fractures united at a median time of 180 days. No deep infection developed. The functional end results assessed by the Khalfayan functional score were excellent in two, good in one, and fair in four of these severely mangled upper extremities. None was amputated. The Mangled Extremity Severity Score has been shown to be unable to provide a reliable assessment for severe high-energy limb injuries surgically managed with the modular hybrid thin wire tubular external fixation system. This hybrid system is a very useful addition to the surgical armamentarium of orthopedic trauma surgeons. It both allows complex surgical reconstructions and reduces the incidence of deep infections in these heavily contaminated injuries. The hybrid circular (thin wire) external fixation system is very modular and may provide secure skeletal stabilization even in cases of severely comminuted juxta-articular fractures on both sides of the elbow joint (floating elbow) with severe damage to soft tissues. This fixation system allows individual fixation of forearm bone fractures, thus allowing the preservation of pronation-supination movements.

Effects of External Loads on Human Head Movement Control Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nam, M. H.; Choi, O. M.

1984-01-01

The central and reflexive control strategies underlying movements were elucidated by studying the effects of external loads on human head movement control systems. Some experimental results are presented on dynamic changes weigh the addition of aviation helmet (SPH4) and lead weights (6 kg). Intended time-optimal movements, their dynamics and electromyographic activity of neck muscles in normal movements, and also in movements made with external weights applied to the head were measured. It was observed that, when the external loads were added, the subject went through complex adapting processes and the head movement trajectory and its derivatives reached steady conditions only after transient adapting period. The steady adapted state was reached after 15 to 20 seconds (i.e., 5 to 6 movements).

Feeding & Motor Functioning: Start at the Hips to Get to the Lips

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donato, Jessica; Fox, Cathy; Mormon, Johnnie; Mormon, Mike

2008-01-01

Swallowing is one of the most complex movement patterns that people must use accurately throughout the day and night from the time they are born. These movement patterns are very closely integrated with breathing and movement of food through the aerodigestive tract. Malalignment or dysfunction in any part of these integrated patterns and systems…

Practice Changes the Usage of Moment Components in Executing a Multijoint Task

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kadota, Koji; Matsuo, Tomoyuki; Hashizume, Ken; Tezuka, Kazushi

2004-01-01

In this article, the authors examined changes in the usage of muscular and motion-dependent moments during the long-term practice of a complex, multijoint movement. Seven participants practiced a cyclic movement of the upper limbs until their joint angular movements conformed to those of an expert. The motions of the participants were digitally…

Physiological modules for generating discrete and rhythmic movements: component analysis of EMG signals

PubMed Central

Bengoetxea, Ana; Leurs, Françoise; Hoellinger, Thomas; Cebolla, Ana Maria; Dan, Bernard; Cheron, Guy; McIntyre, Joseph

2015-01-01

A central question in Neuroscience is that of how the nervous system generates the spatiotemporal commands needed to realize complex gestures, such as handwriting. A key postulate is that the central nervous system (CNS) builds up complex movements from a set of simpler motor primitives or control modules. In this study we examined the control modules underlying the generation of muscle activations when performing different types of movement: discrete, point-to-point movements in eight different directions and continuous figure-eight movements in both the normal, upright orientation and rotated 90°. To test for the effects of biomechanical constraints, movements were performed in the frontal-parallel or sagittal planes, corresponding to two different nominal flexion/abduction postures of the shoulder. In all cases we measured limb kinematics and surface electromyographic activity (EMG) signals for seven different muscles acting around the shoulder. We first performed principal component analysis (PCA) of the EMG signals on a movement-by-movement basis. We found a surprisingly consistent pattern of muscle groupings across movement types and movement planes, although we could detect systematic differences between the PCs derived from movements performed in each shoulder posture and between the principal components associated with the different orientations of the figure. Unexpectedly we found no systematic differences between the figure eights and the point-to-point movements. The first three principal components could be associated with a general co-contraction of all seven muscles plus two patterns of reciprocal activation. From these results, we surmise that both “discrete-rhythmic movements” such as the figure eight, and discrete point-to-point movement may be constructed from three different fundamental modules, one regulating the impedance of the limb over the time span of the movement and two others operating to generate movement, one aligned with the vertical and the other aligned with the horizontal. PMID:25620928

Fundamental Movement Skills and Physical Activity among Children with and without Cerebral Palsy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Capio, Catherine M.; Sit, Cindy H. P.; Abernethy, Bruce; Masters, Rich S. W.

2012-01-01

Fundamental movement skills (FMS) proficiency is believed to influence children's physical activity (PA), with those more proficient tending to be more active. Children with cerebral palsy (CP), who represent the largest diagnostic group treated in pediatric rehabilitation, have been found to be less active than typically developing children. This…

The History of the Democratic Adult Education Movement in Spain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliver, Esther; Tellado, Itxaso; Yuste, Montserrat; Larena-Fernández, Rosa

2016-01-01

Background/Context: Traditional adult education in Spain treated the learner as a mere object that could be shaped by the educator. Although current practices of the democratic adult education movement in Spain reveals a completely opposite standpoint on adult education, there has been little analysis of the several influences converging and…

SU-G-TeP3-07: On the Development of Mechano-Biological Assessment of Leukemia Cells Using Optical Tweezers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brost, E; Brooks, J; Piepenburg, J

Purpose: Patients with BCR-ABL (Ph +ve) acute lymphoblastic leukemia are at very high risk of relapse and mortality. In line with the NIH mission to understand the physical and biological processes, we seek to report mechano-biological method to assessment and distinguish treated/untreated leukemia cells. Methods: BCR-ABL leukemia cell populations and silica microspheres were trapped in a 100x magnification optical trapping system (λ=660 nm, 70 mW). Light refracted through the trapped sample was collected in the back focal plane by a quadrant detector to measure the positions of individual cells. The sample was driven at a known frequency and amplitude withmore » a flexure translation stage, and the target’s response was recorded. The measured response was calibrated using the known driving parameters, and information about cell movements due to mechano-biological effects was extracted. Two leukemia cell populations were tested: a control group and a group treated with 2 Gy. Results: The mechano-biological movements of 10 microspheres, control cells, and treated cells were tracked over a ∼30 minute window at 1 minute intervals. The microsphere population did not see significant change in mechano-biological movements over the testing interval and remained constant. The control cell population saw a two-fold rise in activity that peaked around 1200 seconds, then dropped off sharply. The treated cell population saw a two-fold rise in activity that peaked at 400 seconds, and dropped off slowly. Conclusion: The investigated technique allows for direct measurement the movements of a trapped object due to mechano-biological effects such as thermal and extracellular motion. When testing microspheres, the mechano-biological activity remained constant over time due to the lack of biological factors. In both the control and treated cell populations, the mechano-biological activity was increased, possibly due to mitochondrial activation. This extra activity decreased over time, possibly due to cellular damage from trapping radiation.« less

Insulin-like growth factor-1 enhances rat skeletal muscle charge movement and L-type Ca2+ channel gene expression

PubMed Central

Wang, Zhong-Min; Laura Messi, María; Renganathan, Muthukrishnan; Delbono, Osvaldo

1999-01-01

We investigated whether insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), an endogenous potent activator of skeletal muscle proliferation and differentiation, enhances L-type Ca2+ channel gene expression resulting in increased functional voltage sensors in single skeletal muscle cells. Charge movement and inward Ca2+ current were recorded in primary cultured rat myoballs using the whole-cell configuration of the patch-clamp technique. Ca2+ current and maximum charge movement (Qmax) were potentiated in cells treated with IGF-1 without significant changes in their voltage dependence. Peak Ca2+ current in control and IGF-1-treated cells was -7·8 ± 0·44 and -10·5 ± 0·37 pA pF−1, respectively (P < 0·01), whilst Qmax was 12·9 ± 0·4 and 22·0 ± 0·3 nC μF−1, respectively (P < 0·01). The number of L-type Ca2+ channels was found to increase in the same preparation. The maximum binding capacity (Bmax) of the high-affinity radioligand [3H]PN200-110 in control and IGF-1-treated cells was 1·21 ± 0·25 and 3·15 ± 0·5 pmol (mg protein)−1, respectively (P < 0·01). No significant change in the dissociation constant for [3H]PN200-110 was found. Antisense RNA amplification showed a significant increase in the level of mRNA encoding the L-type Ca2+ channel α1-subunit in IGF-1-treated cells. This study demonstrates that IGF-1 regulates charge movement and the level of L-type Ca2+ channel α1-subunits through activation of gene expression in skeletal muscle cells. PMID:10087334

Where attention falls: Increased risk of falls from the converging impact of cortical cholinergic and midbrain dopamine loss on striatal function.

PubMed

Sarter, Martin; Albin, Roger L; Kucinski, Aaron; Lustig, Cindy

2014-07-01

Falls are a major source of hospitalization, long-term institutionalization, and death in older adults and patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Limited attentional resources are a major risk factor for falls. In this review, we specify cognitive-behavioral mechanisms that produce falls and map these mechanisms onto a model of multi-system degeneration. Results from PET studies in PD fallers and findings from a recently developed animal model support the hypothesis that falls result from interactions between loss of basal forebrain cholinergic projections to the cortex and striatal dopamine loss. Striatal dopamine loss produces inefficient, low-vigor gait, posture control, and movement. Cortical cholinergic deafferentation impairs a wide range of attentional processes, including monitoring of gait, posture and complex movements. Cholinergic cell loss reveals the full impact of striatal dopamine loss on motor performance, reflecting loss of compensatory attentional supervision of movement. Dysregulation of dorsomedial striatal circuitry is an essential, albeit not exclusive, mediator of falls in this dual-system model. Because cholinergic neuromodulatory activity influences cortical circuitry primarily via stimulation of α4β2* nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, and because agonists at these receptors are known to benefit attentional processes in animals and humans, treating PD fallers with such agonists, as an adjunct to dopaminergic treatment, is predicted to reduce falls. Falls are an informative behavioral endpoint to study attentional-motor integration by striatal circuitry. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

On the Use of Dance as a Rehabilitation Approach for Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Single Case Study.

PubMed

Morán Pascual, Patricia; Mortes Roselló, Esther; Domingo Jacinto, Amparo; Belda Lois, Juan Manuel; Bermejo, Ignacio; Medina, Enric; Barberà Guillem, Ricard

2015-01-01

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is the most common motor disability in childhood. It is a group of permanent disorders that affect child development causing disorders of movement and posture and activity limitations. The impairment of psychomotor skills of children with Cerebral Palsy is attributed to a permanent alteration occurred in non-progressive brain development of the fetus or nursing infant. Some motor related symptoms can be treated using proper physical therapy. However, one of the biggest problems of the usual physical therapy is adherence to therapy. Ballet can be an alternative or a complement to physiotherapy, with the added attraction of not being part of a to therapy, but a fun activity with the extra reward associated with the realization of an artistic activity. For some years the ballet is used as therapeutically valuable for both children with cerebral palsy: Intensive ballet training can generate changes in the sensorimotor cortex. Ballet is characterized by a complex process of movements that have to be in a musical rhythm (hence have to be precise), in which there is an overall coordination of the muscles. It is also a highly motivating and rewarding activity that allows many children with CP sharing the activities of their peers without special needs. Objective measurements of the Full Port de Bras movement has been chosen as an index of improvement. The results shows progressive improvements of the execution in a single case.

Where attention falls: Increased risk of falls from the converging impact of cortical cholinergic and midbrain dopamine loss on striatal function

PubMed Central

Sarter, Martin; Albin, Roger L.; Kucinski, Aaron; Lustig, Cindy

2015-01-01

Falls are a major source of hospitalization, long-term institutionalization, and death in older adults and patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Limited attentional resources are a major risk factor for falls. In this review, we specify cognitive–behavioral mechanisms that produce falls and map these mechanisms onto a model of multi-system degeneration. Results from PET studies in PD fallers and findings from a recently developed animal model support the hypothesis that falls result from interactions between loss of basal forebrain cholinergic projections to the cortex and striatal dopamine loss. Striatal dopamine loss produces inefficient, low-vigor gait, posture control, and movement. Cortical cholinergic deafferentation impairs a wide range of attentional processes, including monitoring of gait, posture and complex movements. Cholinergic cell loss reveals the full impact of striatal dopamine loss on motor performance, reflecting loss of compensatory attentional supervision of movement. Dysregulation of dorsomedial striatal circuitry is an essential, albeit not exclusive, mediator of falls in this dual-system model. Because cholinergic neuromodulatory activity influences cortical circuitry primarily via stimulation of α4β2* nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, and because agonists at these receptors are known to benefit attentional processes in animals and humans, treating PD fallers with such agonists, as an adjunct to dopaminergic treatment, is predicted to reduce falls. Falls are an informative behavioral endpoint to study attentional–motor integration by striatal circuitry. PMID:24805070

Platysmal myoclonus in subclinical hyperthyroidism.

PubMed

Teoh, Hock-Luen; Lim, Erle Chuen-Hian

2005-08-01

Hyperthyroidism is associated with various movement disorders, such as chorea and tremors. We report on a young Chinese woman with an unusual presentation of myoclonus, involving both platysmal muscles, in association with subclinical hyperthyroidism. The myoclonus was preceded by symptoms of hyperthyroidism, namely weight loss, menstrual disturbances, and heat intolerance. The movements abated with clonazepam and hyperthyroidism was treated with carbimazole. The myoclonus recurred briefly when she stopped taking clonazepam, but she has since remained well and euthyroid. Copyright 2005 Movement Disorder Society

Significance of vestibular and proprioceptive afferentation in the regulation of human posture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gurfinkel, V. S.

1980-01-01

Viewpoints on the vertical human posture and the relation between postural adaptation during voluntary movements and the guarantee of stable locomotor movements are examined. Various complex sensory systems are discussed.

[Anatomo-functional aspects and diagnostic algorithm (of the upper limb pathologies secondary to repeated trauma)].

PubMed

Bazzini, G

2001-01-01

The epidemiology of work-related musculo-skeletal pathologies of the upper limbs has become significantly relevant in the last years, and a sharp increasing trend can be observed. This paper mainly focuses on the chronic inflammatory and degenerative conditions, which are more complex and difficult to accurately diagnose and treat. A synthesis of the diagnostic picture of the different types, involving the joints, muscles and tendons, and peripheral nerves is provided, with mention of the sensitivity and specificity of the main diagnostic tests. The possible entrapments of the radial, median and ulnar nerves are described in detail. Finally, a brief critical review on the principal movements of the upper limbs which are responsible of the onset of such conditions is presented.

Whole-Genome Sequencing for Optimized Patient Management

PubMed Central

Bainbridge, Matthew N.; Wiszniewski, Wojciech; Murdock, David R.; Friedman, Jennifer; Gonzaga-Jauregui, Claudia; Newsham, Irene; Reid, Jeffrey G.; Fink, John K.; Morgan, Margaret B.; Gingras, Marie-Claude; Muzny, Donna M.; Hoang, Linh D.; Yousaf, Shahed; Lupski, James R.; Gibbs, Richard A.

2012-01-01

Whole-genome sequencing of patient DNA can facilitate diagnosis of a disease, but its potential for guiding treatment has been under-realized. We interrogated the complete genome sequences of a 14-year-old fraternal twin pair diagnosed with dopa (3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine)–responsive dystonia (DRD; Mendelian Inheritance in Man #128230). DRD is a genetically heterogeneous and clinically complex movement disorder that is usually treated with l-dopa, a precursor of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Whole-genome sequencing identified compound heterozygous mutations in the SPR gene encoding sepiapterin reductase. Disruption of SPR causes a decrease in tetrahydrobiopterin, a cofactor required for the hydroxylase enzymes that synthesize the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin. Supplementation of l-dopa therapy with 5-hydroxytryptophan, a serotonin precursor, resulted in clinical improvements in both twins. PMID:21677200

Effectiveness of the homeopathic preparation Zeel compared with carprofen in dogs with osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Neumann, Stephan; Stolt, Pelle; Braun, Gabriele; Hellmann, Klaus; Reinhart, Erich

2011-01-01

The authors compared the symptomatic effectiveness of a complex homeopathic preparation Zeel (1-3 tablets orally per day depending on body weight) to carprofen (4 mg/kg body weight) in dogs (n=68) aged >1 yr diagnosed with osteoarthritis in a multicenter, prospective, observational open-label cohort study in 12 German veterinary clinics. The active treatment period was 56 days. Symptomatic effectiveness, lameness, stiffness of movements, and pain on palpation were evaluated by treating veterinarians and owners. Clinical signs of osteoarthritis improved significantly (P<0.05) at all time points (days 1, 28, and 56) with both therapies. At the end of the treatment period, effectiveness was comparable in both groups. Both treatment regimens were well tolerated with only three treatment-related adverse events, all in the carprofen group.

Ipsilateral Closed Clavicle and Scapular spine Fracture with Acromioclavicular Joint Disruption.

PubMed

Kembhavi, Raghavendra S; James, Boblee

2015-01-01

Injuries around shoulder and clavicle are quite common. Injuries involving lateral end of clavicle involving acromioclavicular joints are commoner injuries. In this rare injury, we report about a case involving clavicle and scapular spine fracture with acromioclavicular disruption which has never been described in English literature as per our knowledge. A patient with closed clavicle and scapular spine fracture with acromioclavicular joint disruption was treated with open reduction and internal fixation of clavicle and scapular spine as a staged procedures. Six months post operatively, patient had excellent functional recovery with near full range of movements. Though rare complex injury, clavicle fracture with scapular spine fracture with acromioclavicular disruption, when managed properly with good physiotherapy protocol post operatively will result in good clinical and functional outcome.

Oral splint for temporomandibular joint disorders with revolutionary fluid system

PubMed Central

Srivastava, Rahul; Jyoti, Bhuvan; Devi, Parvathi

2013-01-01

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) diseases and disorders refer to a complex and poorly understood set of conditions, manifested by pain in the area of the jaw and associated muscles and limitations in the ability to make the normal movements of speech, facial expression, eating, chewing, and swallowing. The conventional soft occlusal splint therapy is a much safer and effective mode of a conservative line of therapy in comparison to the surgical therapy for temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD). The purpose of this article is to review the Aqualizer™, an hydrostatic oral splint, as accurate, effective treatment and differential diagnostic tool in TMD that allow treating the patient's pain quickly and accurately saving valuable treatment time. The review article has been prepared doing a literature review from the world-wide web and pubmed/medline. PMID:24019797

Cold Flow Propulsion Test Complex Pulse Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McDougal, Kris

2016-01-01

When the propellants in a liquid rocket engine burn, the rocket not only launches and moves in space, it causes forces that interact with the vehicle itself. When these interactions occur under specific conditions, the vehicle's structures and components can become unstable. One instability of primary concern is termed pogo (named after the movement of a pogo stick), in which the oscillations (cycling movements) cause large loads, or pressure, against the vehicle, tanks, feedlines, and engine. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has developed a unique test technology to understand and quantify the complex fluid movements and forces in a liquid rocket engine that contribute strongly to both engine and integrated vehicle performance and stability. This new test technology was established in the MSFC Cold Flow Propulsion Test Complex to allow injection and measurement of scaled propellant flows and measurement of the resulting forces at multiple locations throughout the engine.

Static Electricity-Responsive Supramolecular Assembly.

PubMed

Jintoku, Hirokuni; Ihara, Hirotaka; Matsuzawa, Yoko; Kihara, Hideyuki

2017-12-01

Stimuli-responsive materials can convert between molecular scale and macroscopic scale phenomena. Two macroscopic static electricity-responsive phenomena based on nanoscale supramolecular assemblies of a zinc porphyrin derivative are presented. One example involves the movement of supramolecular assemblies in response to static electricity. The assembly of a pyridine (Py) complex of the above-mentioned derivative in cyclohexane is drawn to a positively charged material, whereas the assembly of a 3,5-dimethylpyridine complex is drawn to a negatively charged material. The second phenomenon involves the movement of a non-polar solvent in response to static electrical stimulation. A cyclohexane solution containing a small quantity of the Py-complexed assembly exhibited a strong movement response towards negatively charged materials. Based on spectroscopic measurements and electron microscope observations, it was revealed that the assembled formation generates the observed response to static electricity. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The effects of combined application of transcranial magnetic stimulation and language training on children with language retardation.

PubMed

Qiu, Aizhen; Li, Xinjian; Yang, Zhongxiu; Li, Zhilin; Wang, Jiping; Yuan, Huanxia; Jin, Xin

2016-10-28

The objective of the present manuscript was to explore the effects of combined application of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and language training on children with language retardation. Forty-five children with language retardation were selected as subjects and randomly divided into the treatment group with 24 patients and the control group with 21 patients. The control group was treated with traditional language training, while the treatment group was treated with TMS combined with language training. According to Gesell pediatric neuropsychological development schedules, the development quotient of children in the two groups were observed and compared before and after two courses of treatment. The evaluation of mouth movement was conducted with Dr. Speech supervised by East China Normal University. Development quotient scores and mouth movement evaluation scores of all Gesell parameters of children in the two groups after treatment were significantly higher than those before treatment (P<0.05). The body movement ability, linguistic competence, development quotient scores, and mouth movement evaluation scores in the treatment group after treatment were higher than those of the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The combined application of TMS and language training can effectively improve linguistic competence, action ability, and mouth movement in children with language retardation.

Articulatory Control in Childhood Apraxia of Speech in a Novel Word-Learning Task.

PubMed

Case, Julie; Grigos, Maria I

2016-12-01

Articulatory control and speech production accuracy were examined in children with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) and typically developing (TD) controls within a novel word-learning task to better understand the influence of planning and programming deficits in the production of unfamiliar words. Participants included 16 children between the ages of 5 and 6 years (8 CAS, 8 TD). Short- and long-term changes in lip and jaw movement, consonant and vowel accuracy, and token-to-token consistency were measured for 2 novel words that differed in articulatory complexity. Children with CAS displayed short- and long-term changes in consonant accuracy and consistency. Lip and jaw movements did not change over time. Jaw movement duration was longer in children with CAS than in TD controls. Movement stability differed between low- and high-complexity words in both groups. Children with CAS displayed a learning effect for consonant accuracy and consistency. Lack of change in movement stability may indicate that children with CAS require additional practice to demonstrate changes in speech motor control, even within production of novel word targets with greater consonant and vowel accuracy and consistency. The longer movement duration observed in children with CAS is believed to give children additional time to plan and program movements within a novel skill.

From classic motor imagery to complex movement intention decoding: The noninvasive Graz-BCI approach.

PubMed

Müller-Putz, G R; Schwarz, A; Pereira, J; Ofner, P

2016-01-01

In this chapter, we give an overview of the Graz-BCI research, from the classic motor imagery detection to complex movement intentions decoding. We start by describing the classic motor imagery approach, its application in tetraplegic end users, and the significant improvements achieved using coadaptive brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). These strategies have the drawback of not mirroring the way one plans a movement. To achieve a more natural control-and to reduce the training time-the movements decoded by the BCI need to be closely related to the user's intention. Within this natural control, we focus on the kinematic level, where movement direction and hand position or velocity can be decoded from noninvasive recordings. First, we review movement execution decoding studies, where we describe the decoding algorithms, their performance, and associated features. Second, we describe the major findings in movement imagination decoding, where we emphasize the importance of estimating the sources of the discriminative features. Third, we introduce movement target decoding, which could allow the determination of the target without knowing the exact movement-by-movement details. Aside from the kinematic level, we also address the goal level, which contains relevant information on the upcoming action. Focusing on hand-object interaction and action context dependency, we discuss the possible impact of some recent neurophysiological findings in the future of BCI control. Ideally, the goal and the kinematic decoding would allow an appropriate matching of the BCI to the end users' needs, overcoming the limitations of the classic motor imagery approach. © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The pursuit of better diagnostic performance: a human factors perspective.

PubMed

Henriksen, Kerm; Brady, Jeff

2013-10-01

Despite the relatively slow start in treating diagnostic error as an amenable research topic at the beginning of the patient safety movement, interest has steadily increased over the past few years in the form of solicitations for research, regularly scheduled conferences, an expanding literature and even a new professional society. Yet improving diagnostic performance increasingly is recognised as a multifaceted challenge. With the aid of a human factors perspective, this paper addresses a few of these challenges, including questions that focus on who owns the problem, treating cognitive and system shortcomings as separate issues, why knowledge in the head is not enough, and what we are learning from health information technology (IT) and the use of checklists. To encourage empirical testing of interventions that aim to improve diagnostic performance, a systems engineering approach making use of rapid-cycle prototyping and simulation is proposed. To gain a fuller understanding of the complexity of the sociotechnical space where diagnostic work is performed, a final note calls for the formation of substantive partnerships with those in disciplines beyond the clinical domain.

Movement Timing and Invariance Arise from Several Geometries

PubMed Central

Bennequin, Daniel; Fuchs, Ronit; Berthoz, Alain; Flash, Tamar

2009-01-01

Human movements show several prominent features; movement duration is nearly independent of movement size (the isochrony principle), instantaneous speed depends on movement curvature (captured by the 2/3 power law), and complex movements are composed of simpler elements (movement compositionality). No existing theory can successfully account for all of these features, and the nature of the underlying motion primitives is still unknown. Also unknown is how the brain selects movement duration. Here we present a new theory of movement timing based on geometrical invariance. We propose that movement duration and compositionality arise from cooperation among Euclidian, equi-affine and full affine geometries. Each geometry posses a canonical measure of distance along curves, an invariant arc-length parameter. We suggest that for continuous movements, the actual movement duration reflects a particular tensorial mixture of these canonical parameters. Near geometrical singularities, specific combinations are selected to compensate for time expansion or compression in individual parameters. The theory was mathematically formulated using Cartan's moving frame method. Its predictions were tested on three data sets: drawings of elliptical curves, locomotion and drawing trajectories of complex figural forms (cloverleaves, lemniscates and limaçons, with varying ratios between the sizes of the large versus the small loops). Our theory accounted well for the kinematic and temporal features of these movements, in most cases better than the constrained Minimum Jerk model, even when taking into account the number of estimated free parameters. During both drawing and locomotion equi-affine geometry was the most dominant geometry, with affine geometry second most important during drawing; Euclidian geometry was second most important during locomotion. We further discuss the implications of this theory: the origin of the dominance of equi-affine geometry, the possibility that the brain uses different mixtures of these geometries to encode movement duration and speed, and the ontogeny of such representations. PMID:19593380

Movement pattern recognition in basketball free-throw shooting.

PubMed

Schmidt, Andrea

2012-04-01

The purpose of the present study was to analyze the movement patterns of free-throw shooters in basketball at different skill levels. There were two points of interest. First, to explore what information can be drawn from the movement pattern and second, to examine the methodological possibilities of pattern analysis. To this end, several qualitative and quantitative methods were employed. The resulting data were converged in a triangulation. Using a special kind of ANN named Dynamically Controlled Networks (DyCoN), a 'complex feature' consisting of several isolated features (angle displacements and velocities of the articulations of the kinematic chain) was calculated. This 'complex feature' was displayed by a trajectory combining several neurons of the network, reflecting the devolution of the twelve angle measures over the time course of each shooting action. In further network analyses individual characteristics were detected, as well as movement phases. Throwing patterns were successfully classified and the stability and variability of the realized pattern were established. The movement patterns found were clearly individually shaped as well as formed by the skill level. The triangulation confirmed the individual movement organizations. Finally, a high stability of the network methods was documented. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Ecological correlates of fish movement in a network of Virginia streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Albanese, B.; Angermeier, P.L.; Dorai-Raj, S.

2004-01-01

Identifying factors that influence fish movement is a key step in predicting how populations respond to environmental change. Using mark-recapture (four species) and trap capture (eight species) data, we examined relationships between three attributes of movement and 15 ecological variables. The probability of emigrating from a reach was positively related to intermittency (one species) and body size (one species) and negatively related to distance from the mainstem creek (two species) and habitat complexity (one species). The number of fish moving upstream through traps was positively related to increases in flow (five species), day length (three species), and water temperature (two species); the number moving through downstream traps was positively associated with increases in flow (three species). Distance moved was greater for fish moving through unsuitable reaches (one species). Floods have a pervasive effect on fish movement, and human activities that affect flows will have widespread implications. The importance of other factors varies interspecifically, which may translate into variation in persistence and colonization rates. For example, species that exhibit reach fidelity in complex habitats may increase movement if habitats are homogenized. These species may suffer population declines because of the cost of increased movement and may ultimately be replaced by ecological generalists.

Inhibition of polar calcium movement and gravitropism in roots treated with auxin-transport inhibitors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, J. S.; Mulkey, T. J.; Evans, M. L.

1984-01-01

Primary roots of maize (Zea mays L.) and pea (Pisum sativum L.) exhibit strong positive gravitropism. In both species, gravistimulation induces polar movement of calcium across the root tip from the upper side to the lower side. Roots of onion (Allium cepa L.) are not responsive to gravity and gravistimulation induces little or no polar movement of calcium across the root tip. Treatment of maize or pea roots with inhibitors of auxin transport (morphactin, naphthylphthalamic acid, 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid) prevents both gravitropism and gravity-induced polar movement of calcium across the root tip. The results indicate that calcium movement and auxin movement are closely linked in roots and that gravity-induced redistribution of calcium across the root cap may play an important role in the development of gravitropic curvature.

Focal dystonia of right hand with mirror movements upon use of left arm.

PubMed

Rana, Abdul Qayyum; Athar, Aysha

2013-05-01

Dystonia is a movement disorder characterized by sustained muscle contractions, causing twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal postures of affected body parts. Here, we present a novel case of focal dystonia of a 51 years old right-handed woman who had developed difficulty in writing and performing fine motor tasks. Due to a discomfort in her right hand at use, she started using her left hand instead and noticed inconsistent mirror movements in her right hand upon use of left hand. She was treated with trihexyphenidyl which allowed her right hand to function better, though writing still remained a problem.

A new feature extraction method and classification of early stage Parkinsonian rats with and without DBS treatment.

PubMed

Iravani, B; Towhidkhah, F; Roghani, M

2014-12-01

Parkinson Disease (PD) is one of the most common neural disorders worldwide. Different treatments such as medication and deep brain stimulation (DBS) have been proposed to minimize and control Parkinson's symptoms. DBS has been recognized as an effective approach to decrease most movement disorders of PD. In this study, a new method is proposed for feature extraction and separation of treated and untreated Parkinsonan rats. For this purpose, unilateral intrastriatal 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA, 12.5 μg/5 μl of saline-ascorbate)-lesioned rats were treated with DBS. We performed a behavioral experiment and video tracked traveled trajectories of rats. Then, we investigated the effect of deep brain stimulation of subthalamus nucleus on their behavioral movements. Time, frequency and chaotic features of traveled trajectories were extracted. These features provide the ability to quantify the behavioral movements of Parkinsonian rats. The results showed that the traveled trajectories of untreated were more convoluted with the different time/frequency response. Compared to the traditional features used before to quantify the animals' behavior, the new features improved classification accuracy up to 80 % for untreated and treated rats.

Alp7/TACC recruits kinesin-8–PP1 to the Ndc80 kinetochore protein for timely mitotic progression and chromosome movement

PubMed Central

Tang, Ngang Heok; Toda, Takashi

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Upon establishment of proper kinetochore–microtubule attachment, the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) must be silenced to allow onset of anaphase, which is when sister chromatids segregate equally to two daughter cells. However, how proper kinetochore–microtubule attachment leads to timely anaphase onset remains elusive. Furthermore, the molecular mechanisms of chromosome movement during anaphase A remain unclear. In this study, we show that the fission yeast Alp7/TACC protein recruits a protein complex consisting of the kinesin-8 (Klp5–Klp6) and protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) to the kinetochore upon kinetochore–microtubule attachment. Accumulation of this complex at the kinetochore, on the one hand, facilitates SAC inactivation through PP1, and, on the other hand, accelerates polewards chromosome movement driven by the Klp5–Klp6 motor. We identified an alp7 mutant that had specific defects in binding to the Klp5–Klp6–PP1 complex but with normal localisation to the microtubule and kinetochore. Consistent with our proposition, this mutant shows delayed anaphase onset and decelerated chromosome movement during anaphase A. We propose that the recruitment of kinesin-8–PP1 to the kinetochore through Alp7/TACC interaction plays a crucial role in regulation of timely mitotic progression and chromosome movement during anaphase A. PMID:25472718

Effects of fish movement assumptions on the design of a marine protected area to protect an overfished stock.

PubMed

Cornejo-Donoso, Jorge; Einarsson, Baldvin; Birnir, Bjorn; Gaines, Steven D

2017-01-01

Marine Protected Areas (MPA) are important management tools shown to protect marine organisms, restore biomass, and increase fisheries yields. While MPAs have been successful in meeting these goals for many relatively sedentary species, highly mobile organisms may get few benefits from this type of spatial protection due to their frequent movement outside the protected area. The use of a large MPA can compensate for extensive movement, but testing this empirically is challenging, as it requires both large areas and sufficient time series to draw conclusions. To overcome this limitation, MPA models have been used to identify designs and predict potential outcomes, but these simulations are highly sensitive to the assumptions describing the organism's movements. Due to recent improvements in computational simulations, it is now possible to include very complex movement assumptions in MPA models (e.g. Individual Based Model). These have renewed interest in MPA simulations, which implicitly assume that increasing the detail in fish movement overcomes the sensitivity to the movement assumptions. Nevertheless, a systematic comparison of the designs and outcomes obtained under different movement assumptions has not been done. In this paper, we use an individual based model, interconnected to population and fishing fleet models, to explore the value of increasing the detail of the movement assumptions using four scenarios of increasing behavioral complexity: a) random, diffusive movement, b) aggregations, c) aggregations that respond to environmental forcing (e.g. sea surface temperature), and d) aggregations that respond to environmental forcing and are transported by currents. We then compare these models to determine how the assumptions affect MPA design, and therefore the effective protection of the stocks. Our results show that the optimal MPA size to maximize fisheries benefits increases as movement complexity increases from ~10% for the diffusive assumption to ~30% when full environment forcing was used. We also found that in cases of limited understanding of the movement dynamics of a species, simplified assumptions can be used to provide a guide for the minimum MPA size needed to effectively protect the stock. However, using oversimplified assumptions can produce suboptimal designs and lead to a density underestimation of ca. 30%; therefore, the main value of detailed movement dynamics is to provide more reliable MPA design and predicted outcomes. Large MPAs can be effective in recovering overfished stocks, protect pelagic fish and provide significant increases in fisheries yields. Our models provide a means to empirically test this spatial management tool, which theoretical evidence consistently suggests as an effective alternative to managing highly mobile pelagic stocks.

Whole body pointing movements in transient microgravity: preliminary results.

PubMed

Tagliabue, Michele; Pedrocchi, Alessandra; Gower, Valerio; Ferrigno, Giancarlo; Pozzo, Thierry

2004-07-01

The aim of the present study is a better comprehension of strategies of motor coordination during complex movements. In this field of research microgravity represent a unique experimental condition for the investigation of the role of equilibrium control in movement planning. Namely, here we focus on two important issues: the centre of mass control and the endpoint trajectory. Preliminary results of the center of mass position and the finger path curvature during pointing movements performed under normal and transient microgravity conditions are presented.

Classification of Posture in Poststroke Upper Limb Spasticity: A Potential Decision Tool for Botulinum Toxin A Treatment?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hefter, Harald; Jost, Wolfgang H.; Reissig, Andrea; Zakine, Benjamin; Bakheit, Abdel Magid; Wissel, Jorg

2012-01-01

A significant percentage of patients suffering from a stroke involving motor-relevant central nervous system regions will develop a spastic movement disorder. Hyperactivity of different muscle combinations forces the limbs affected into abnormal postures or movement patterns. As muscular hyperactivity can effectively and safely be treated with…

Authentically Happy School Psychologists: Applications of Positive Psychology for Enhancing Professional Satisfaction and Fulfillment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, David N.; Nickerson, Amanda B.; Chafouleas, Sandra M.; Osborne, Kristina M.

2008-01-01

There has recently been a growing movement within psychology toward placing a greater emphasis on building strengths and competencies rather than merely treating deficits and disorders. This movement, known as positive psychology, focuses on the scientific study of optimal human functioning and the variables that promote positive human emotions,…

Colonic migrating motor complexes are inhibited in acute tri-nitro benzene sulphonic acid colitis.

PubMed

Hofma, Ben R; Wardill, Hannah R; Mavrangelos, Chris; Campaniello, Melissa A; Dimasi, David; Bowen, Joanne M; Smid, Scott D; Bonder, Claudine S; Beckett, Elizabeth A; Hughes, Patrick A

2018-01-01

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is characterized by overt inflammation of the intestine and is typically accompanied by symptoms of bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramping. The Colonic Migrating Motor Complex (CMMC) directs the movement of colonic luminal contents over long distances. The tri-nitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBS) model of colitis causes inflammatory damage to enteric nerves, however it remains to be determined whether these changes translate to functional outcomes in CMMC activity. We aimed to visualize innate immune cell infiltration into the colon using two-photon laser scanning intra-vital microscopy, and to determine whether CMMC activity is altered in the tri-nitro benzene sulphonic (TNBS) model of colitis. Epithelial barrier permeability was compared between TNBS treated and healthy control mice in-vitro and in-vivo. Innate immune activation was determined by ELISA, flow cytometry and by 2-photon intravital microscopy. The effects of TNBS treatment and IL-1β on CMMC function were determined using a specialized organ bath. TNBS colitis increased epithelial barrier permeability in-vitro and in-vivo. Colonic IL-1β concentrations, colonic and systemic CD11b+ cell infiltration, and the number of migrating CD11b+ cells on colonic blood vessels were all increased in TNBS treated mice relative to controls. CMMC frequency and amplitude were inhibited in the distal and mid colon of TNBS treated mice. CMMC activity was not altered by superfusion with IL-1β. TNBS colitis damages the epithelial barrier and increases innate immune cell activation in the colon and systemically. Innate cell migration into the colon is readily identifiable by two-photon intra-vital microscopy. CMMC are inhibited by inflammation, but this is not due to direct effects of IL-1β.

Adaptive Variability in Skilled Human Movements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kudo, Kazutoshi; Ohtsuki, Tatsuyuki

Human movements are produced in variable external/internal environments. Because of this variability, the same motor command can result in quite different movement patterns. Therefore, to produce skilled movements humans must coordinate the variability, not try to exclude it. In addition, because human movements are produced in redundant and complex systems, a combination of variability should be observed in different anatomical/physiological levels. In this paper, we introduce our research about human movement variability that shows remarkable coordination among components, and between organism and environment. We also introduce nonlinear dynamical models that can describe a variety of movements as a self-organization of a dynamical system, because the dynamical systems approach is a major candidate to understand the principle underlying organization of varying systems with huge degrees-of-freedom.

Emergence of oropharyngeal, laryngeal and swallowing activity in the developing fetal upper aerodigestive tract: an ultrasound evaluation.

PubMed

Miller, Jeri L; Sonies, Barbara C; Macedonia, Christian

2003-02-01

The developing fetal upper aerodigestive system provides the structural support for respiratory and ingestive functions necessary to sustain life at birth. This study investigated prenatal development of upper aerodigestive anatomy and the association of emerging functions as predictors of postnatal feeding skills. Biometric measures of oral, lingual, pharyngeal and laryngeal structures were obtained in fetuses 15-38 weeks gestational age using a four-plane sonographic technique. Accompanying ingestive behaviors were tallied across development. The data from 62 healthy controls were compared to seven cases at risk for postnatal feeding and swallowing dysfunction (Type II Arnold Chiari Malformation, trisomy 18, polyhydramnios, intrauterine growth restriction, Brachmann-de Lange Syndrome). Significant (p<0.001) linear regressions occurred in pharyngeal and lingual growth across gestation while ingestive behavior such as suckling emerged in a sequence of basic to complex movement patterns. Jaw and lip movements progressed from simple mouth opening to repetitive open-close movements important for postnatal suckling. Lingual movements increased in complexity from simple forward thrusting and cupping to anterior-posterior motions necessary for successful suckling at term. Laryngeal movements varied from shallow flutter-like movements along the lumen to more complex and complete adduction-abduction patterns. Fetal swallowing primarily occurred in the presence of concomitant oral-facial stimulatory activity. Significant variations (p<0.01) in the form and function of the ingestive system occurred in comparisons of gestational age-matched controls to at-risk cases. We postulate that prenatal developmental indices of emerging aerodigestive skills may guide postnatal decisions for feeding readiness and, ultimately, advance the care of the premature, medically fragile neonate.

Human-Derived Disturbance Estimation and Compensation (DEC) Method Lends Itself to a Modular Sensorimotor Control in a Humanoid Robot.

PubMed

Lippi, Vittorio; Mergner, Thomas

2017-01-01

The high complexity of the human posture and movement control system represents challenges for diagnosis, therapy, and rehabilitation of neurological patients. We envisage that engineering-inspired, model-based approaches will help to deal with the high complexity of the human posture control system. Since the methods of system identification and parameter estimation are limited to systems with only a few DoF, our laboratory proposes a heuristic approach that step-by-step increases complexity when creating a hypothetical human-derived control systems in humanoid robots. This system is then compared with the human control in the same test bed, a posture control laboratory. The human-derived control builds upon the identified disturbance estimation and compensation (DEC) mechanism, whose main principle is to support execution of commanded poses or movements by compensating for external or self-produced disturbances such as gravity effects. In previous robotic implementation, up to 3 interconnected DEC control modules were used in modular control architectures separately for the sagittal plane or the frontal body plane and successfully passed balancing and movement tests. In this study we hypothesized that conflict-free movement coordination between the robot's sagittal and frontal body planes emerges simply from the physical embodiment, not necessarily requiring a full body control. Experiments were performed in the 14 DoF robot Lucy Posturob (i) demonstrating that the mechanical coupling from the robot's body suffices to coordinate the controls in the two planes when the robot produces movements and balancing responses in the intermediate plane, (ii) providing quantitative characterization of the interaction dynamics between body planes including frequency response functions (FRFs), as they are used in human postural control analysis, and (iii) witnessing postural and control stability when all DoFs are challenged together with the emergence of inter-segmental coordination in squatting movements. These findings represent an important step toward controlling in the robot in future more complex sensorimotor functions such as walking.

Human-Derived Disturbance Estimation and Compensation (DEC) Method Lends Itself to a Modular Sensorimotor Control in a Humanoid Robot

PubMed Central

Lippi, Vittorio; Mergner, Thomas

2017-01-01

The high complexity of the human posture and movement control system represents challenges for diagnosis, therapy, and rehabilitation of neurological patients. We envisage that engineering-inspired, model-based approaches will help to deal with the high complexity of the human posture control system. Since the methods of system identification and parameter estimation are limited to systems with only a few DoF, our laboratory proposes a heuristic approach that step-by-step increases complexity when creating a hypothetical human-derived control systems in humanoid robots. This system is then compared with the human control in the same test bed, a posture control laboratory. The human-derived control builds upon the identified disturbance estimation and compensation (DEC) mechanism, whose main principle is to support execution of commanded poses or movements by compensating for external or self-produced disturbances such as gravity effects. In previous robotic implementation, up to 3 interconnected DEC control modules were used in modular control architectures separately for the sagittal plane or the frontal body plane and successfully passed balancing and movement tests. In this study we hypothesized that conflict-free movement coordination between the robot's sagittal and frontal body planes emerges simply from the physical embodiment, not necessarily requiring a full body control. Experiments were performed in the 14 DoF robot Lucy Posturob (i) demonstrating that the mechanical coupling from the robot's body suffices to coordinate the controls in the two planes when the robot produces movements and balancing responses in the intermediate plane, (ii) providing quantitative characterization of the interaction dynamics between body planes including frequency response functions (FRFs), as they are used in human postural control analysis, and (iii) witnessing postural and control stability when all DoFs are challenged together with the emergence of inter-segmental coordination in squatting movements. These findings represent an important step toward controlling in the robot in future more complex sensorimotor functions such as walking. PMID:28951719

Event-related brain potentials preceding speech and nonspeech oral movements of varying complexity.

PubMed

Wohlert, A B

1993-10-01

Cortical preparation for movement is reflected in the readiness potential (RP) waveform preceding voluntary limb movements. In the case of oral movements, the RP may be affected by the complexity or linguistic nature of the tasks. In this experiment, EEG potentials before a nonspeech task (lip pursing), a speech-like task (lip rounding), and single word production were recorded from scalp electrodes placed at the cranial vertex (Cz) and over the left and right motor strips (C3' and C4'). Seven right-handed female subjects produced at least 70 repetitions of the three tasks, in each of five repeated sessions. EEG records were averaged with respect to EMG onset at the lip. The word task, as opposed to the other tasks, was associated with greater negative amplitude in the RP waveform at the vertex site. Differences between the waveforms recorded at the right- and left-hemisphere sites were insignificant. Although intersubject variability was high, individuals had relatively stable patterns of response across sessions. Results suggest that the RP recorded at the vertex site is sensitive to changes in task complexity. The RP did not reflect lateralized activity indicative of hemispheric dominance.

Galactic Behavior for the Outer B Ring

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-11-01

Keeping a close watch on the outer portion of Saturn B ring, NASA Cassini spacecraft records the complex inward and outward movement of the edge of the ring. This ring movement resembles the suspected behavior of spiral disk galaxies.

Identification of a major polypeptide of the nuclear pore complex

PubMed Central

1982-01-01

The nuclear pore complex is a prominent structural component of the nuclear envelope that appears to regulate nucleoplasmic molecular movement. Up to now, none of its polypeptides have been defined. To identify possible pore complex proteins, we fractionated rat liver nuclear envelopes and microsomal membranes with strong protein perturbants into peripheral and intrinsic membrane proteins, and compared these fractions on SDS gels. From this analysis, we identified a prominent 190-kilodalton intrinsic membrane polypeptide that occurs specifically in nuclear envelopes. Lectin binding studies indicate that this polypeptide (gp 190) is the major nuclear envelope glycoprotein. Upon treatment of nuclear envelopes with Triton X-100, gp 190 remains associated with a protein substructure of the nuclear envelope consisting of pore complexes and nuclear lamina. We prepared monospecific antibodies to gp 190 for immunocytochemical localization. Immunofluorescence staining of tissue culture cells suggests that gp 190 occurs exclusively in the nucleus during interphase. This polypeptide becomes dispersed throughout the cell in mitotic prophase when the nuclear envelope is disassembled, and subsequently returns to the nuclear surfaces during telophase when the nuclear envelope is reconstructed. Immunoferritin labeling of Triton-treated rat liver nuclei demonstrates that gp 190 occurs exclusively in the nuclear pore complex, in the regions of the cytoplasmic (and possibly nucleoplasmic) pore complex annuli. A polypeptide that cross-reacts with gp 190 is present in diverse vertebrate species, as shown by antibody labeling of nitrocellulose SDS gel transfers. On the basis of its biochemical characteristics, we suggest that gp 190 may be involved in anchoring the pore complex to nuclear envelope membranes. PMID:7153248

Influence of generalized complexity of a musical event on subjective time estimation.

PubMed

Bueno, José Lino Oliveira; Firmino, Erico Artioli; Engelman, Arno

2002-04-01

This study examined the variations in the apparent duration of music events produced by differences in their generalized compositional complexity. Stimuli were the first 90 sec. of Gustav Mahler's 3rd Movement of Symphony No. 2 (low complexity) and the first 90 sec. of Luciano Bério's 3rd Movement of Symphony for Eight Voices and Orchestra (high complexity). Bério's symphony is another "reading" of Mahler's. On the compositional base of Mahler's symphony, Bério explored complexity in several musical elements--temporal (i.e., rhythm), nontemporal (i.e., pitch, orchestral and vocal timbre, texture, density), and verbal (i.e., text, words, phonemes). These two somewhat differently filled durations were reproduced by 10 women and 6 men with a stopwatch under the prospective paradigm. Analysis showed that the more generalized complexity of the musical event was followed by greater subjective estimation of the duration of this 90-sec. symphonic excerpt.

Discerning measures of conscious brain processes associated with superior early motor performance: Capacity, coactivation, and character.

PubMed

van Duijn, Tina; Buszard, Tim; Hoskens, Merel C J; Masters, Rich S W

2017-01-01

This study explored the relationship between working memory (WM) capacity, corticocortical communication (EEG coherence), and propensity for conscious control of movement during the performance of a complex far-aiming task. We were specifically interested in the role of these variables in predicting motor performance by novices. Forty-eight participants completed (a) an assessment of WM capacity (an adapted Rotation Span task), (b) a questionnaire that assessed the propensity to consciously control movement (the Movement Specific Reinvestment Scale), and (c) a hockey push-pass task. The hockey push-pass task was performed in a single task (movement only) condition and a combined task (movement plus decision) condition. Electroencephalography (EEG) was used to examine brain activity during the single task. WM capacity best predicted single task performance. WM capacity in combination with T8-Fz coherence (between the visuospatial and motor regions of the brain) best predicted combined task performance. We discuss the implied roles of visuospatial information processing capacity, neural coactivation, and propensity for conscious processing during performance of complex motor tasks. © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Substances of abuse and movement disorders: complex interactions and comorbidities

PubMed Central

Deik, Andres; Saunders-Pullman, Rachel; Luciano, Marta San

2014-01-01

The relationship between movement disorders and substance abuse which we previously reviewed are updated. We examine these relationships bidirectionally with focus on drugs of abuse which cause movement disorders, as well as primary movement disorders that are associated with use and abuse of alcohol and dopaminergic medications. First, we review the movement disorders that may develop from the acute use or withdrawal of frequent drugs of abuse, including alcohol, cocaine, heroin, amphetamine and methcathinone. We then comment on the interaction between alcoholism and alcohol-responsive movement disorders, such as essential tremor and myoclonus-dystonia. Lastly, we discuss the potential for abuse of antiparkinsonian dopaminergic agents in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). PMID:23030352

The Study of Cobb Angular Velocity in Cervical Spine during Dynamic Extension-Flexion.

PubMed

Ren, Dong; Hu, Zhihao; Yuan, Wen

2016-04-01

A kinematic study of cervical spine. The aim of the study was to confirm the interesting manifestation observed in the dynamic images of the cervical spine movement from full-extension to full-flexion. To further explore the fine motion of total process of cervical spine movement with the new concept of Cobb angular velocity (CAV). Traditionally range of motion (ROM) is used to describe the cervical spine movement from extension to flexion. It is performed with only end position radiographs. However, these radiographs fail to explain how the elaborate movement happens. The dynamic images of the cervical spine movement from full-extension to full-flexion of 12 asymptomatic subjects were collected. After transforming these dynamic images to static lateral radiographs, we overlapped C7 cervical vertebrae of each subject and divided the total process of cervical spine movement into five equal partitions. Finally, CAV values from C2/3 to C6/7 were measured and analyzed. A broken line graph was created based on the data of CAV values. A simple motion process was observed in C2/3 and C3/4 segments. The motion processes of C4/5 and C5/6 segments exhibited a more complex track of "N" and "W" than the other segments. The peak CAV values of C4/5 and C5/6 were significantly greater than the other segments. From C2/3 to C6/7, the peak CAV value appeared in sequence. The intervertebral movements of cervical spine did not take a uniform motion form when the cervical spine moved from full-extension to full-flexion. From C2/3 to C6/7, the peak CAV value appeared in order. The C4/5 and C5/6 segments exhibited more complex kinematic characteristics in sagittal movement. This leads to C4/5 and C5/6 more vulnerable to injury and degeneration. We had a hypothesis that there was a positive correlation between injury/degeneration and complexity of intervertebral movement in the view of CAV. N/A.

Reducing nutrient movement in manure-treated, tile-drained fields

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Loss of nutrients from cropped soil represents an economic loss to producers and a threat to environmental quality. In this study, we monitored water, nutrient, and sediment in tile drainage from agricultural fields treated with manure in western Minnesota. Phosphorus results will be presented here....

Convergence of marine megafauna movement patterns in coastal and open oceans.

PubMed

Sequeira, A M M; Rodríguez, J P; Eguíluz, V M; Harcourt, R; Hindell, M; Sims, D W; Duarte, C M; Costa, D P; Fernández-Gracia, J; Ferreira, L C; Hays, G C; Heupel, M R; Meekan, M G; Aven, A; Bailleul, F; Baylis, A M M; Berumen, M L; Braun, C D; Burns, J; Caley, M J; Campbell, R; Carmichael, R H; Clua, E; Einoder, L D; Friedlaender, Ari; Goebel, M E; Goldsworthy, S D; Guinet, C; Gunn, J; Hamer, D; Hammerschlag, N; Hammill, M; Hückstädt, L A; Humphries, N E; Lea, M-A; Lowther, A; Mackay, A; McHuron, E; McKenzie, J; McLeay, L; McMahon, C R; Mengersen, K; Muelbert, M M C; Pagano, A M; Page, B; Queiroz, N; Robinson, P W; Shaffer, S A; Shivji, M; Skomal, G B; Thorrold, S R; Villegas-Amtmann, S; Weise, M; Wells, R; Wetherbee, B; Wiebkin, A; Wienecke, B; Thums, M

2018-03-20

The extent of increasing anthropogenic impacts on large marine vertebrates partly depends on the animals' movement patterns. Effective conservation requires identification of the key drivers of movement including intrinsic properties and extrinsic constraints associated with the dynamic nature of the environments the animals inhabit. However, the relative importance of intrinsic versus extrinsic factors remains elusive. We analyze a global dataset of ∼2.8 million locations from >2,600 tracked individuals across 50 marine vertebrates evolutionarily separated by millions of years and using different locomotion modes (fly, swim, walk/paddle). Strikingly, movement patterns show a remarkable convergence, being strongly conserved across species and independent of body length and mass, despite these traits ranging over 10 orders of magnitude among the species studied. This represents a fundamental difference between marine and terrestrial vertebrates not previously identified, likely linked to the reduced costs of locomotion in water. Movement patterns were primarily explained by the interaction between species-specific traits and the habitat(s) they move through, resulting in complex movement patterns when moving close to coasts compared with more predictable patterns when moving in open oceans. This distinct difference may be associated with greater complexity within coastal microhabitats, highlighting a critical role of preferred habitat in shaping marine vertebrate global movements. Efforts to develop understanding of the characteristics of vertebrate movement should consider the habitat(s) through which they move to identify how movement patterns will alter with forecasted severe ocean changes, such as reduced Arctic sea ice cover, sea level rise, and declining oxygen content.

KinG Is a Plant-Specific Kinesin That Regulates Both Intra- and Intercellular Movement of SHORT-ROOT.

PubMed

Spiegelman, Ziv; Lee, Chin-Mei; Gallagher, Kimberly L

2018-01-01

Both endogenous plant proteins and viral movement proteins associate with microtubules to promote their movement through plasmodesmata. The association of viral movement proteins with microtubules facilitates the formation of virus-associated replication complexes, which are required for the amplification and subsequent spread of the virus. However, the role of microtubules in the intercellular movement of plant proteins is less clear. Here we show that the SHORT-ROOT (SHR) protein, which moves between cells in the root to regulate root radial patterning, interacts with a type-14 kinesin, KINESIN G (KinG). KinG is a calponin homology domain kinesin that directly interacts with the SHR-binding protein SIEL (SHR-INTERACING EMBRYONIC LETHAL) and localizes to both microtubules and actin. Since SIEL and SHR associate with endosomes, we suggest that KinG serves as a linker between SIEL, SHR, and the plant cytoskeleton. Loss of KinG function results in a decrease in the intercellular movement of SHR and an increase in the sensitivity of SHR movement to treatment with oryzalin. Examination of SHR and KinG localization and dynamics in live cells suggests that KinG is a nonmotile kinesin that promotes the pausing of SHR-associated endosomes. We suggest a model in which interaction of KinG with SHR allows for the formation of stable movement complexes that facilitate the cell-to-cell transport of SHR. © 2018 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

Three-dimensional lumbar segment movement characteristics during paediatric cerebral palsy gait.

PubMed

Kiernan, D; Malone, A; O'Brien, T; Simms, C K

2017-03-01

Kinematic analysis of the trunk during cerebral palsy (CP) gait has been well described. In contrast, movement of the lumbar spine is generally ignored. This is most likely due to the complex nature of the spine. As an alternative to using complex sensor protocols, this study modelled the lumbar region as a single segment and investigated characteristic patterns of movement during CP gait. In addition, the impact of functional level of impairment and the relationship with lower lumbar spinal loading were examined. Fifty-two children with CP (26 GMFCS I and 26 GMFCS II) and 26 controls were recruited. A full barefoot 3-dimensional kinematic and kinetic analysis were conducted. Lumbar segment movement demonstrated increased forward flexion for CP children. This movement became more pronounced according to GMFCS level with GMFCS II children demonstrating increases of up to 8°. In addition, a moderate correlation was present between lumbar flexion/extension and L5/S1 sagittal moments (r=0.427 in the global frame and r=0.448 with respect to the pelvis, p<0.01). Children with CP demonstrated increased movement of the lumbar region compared to TD, with movement becoming more excessive as GMFCS level increased. Excessive forward flexion and loading at the lumbar spine were linked. However, the moderate correlation suggests other contributors to increased loading were present. In conclusion, this study is a first step at identifying how lumbar segment movement is altered during CP gait. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Eye movements show similar adaptations in temporal coordination to movement planning conditions in both people with and without cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Payne, Alexander R; Plimmer, Beryl; McDaid, Andrew; Davies, T Claire

2017-05-01

The effects of cerebral palsy on movement planning for simple reaching tasks are not well understood. Movement planning is complex and entails many processes which could be affected. This study specifically sought to evaluate integrating task information, decoupling movements, and adjusting to altered mapping. For a reaching task, the asynchrony between the eye onset and the hand onset was measured across different movement planning conditions for participants with and without cerebral palsy. Previous research shows people without cerebral palsy vary this temporal coordination for different planning conditions. Our measurements show similar adaptations in temporal coordination for groups with and without cerebral palsy, to three of the four variations in planning condition tested. However, movement durations were still longer for the participants with cerebral palsy. Hence for simple goal-directed reaching, movement execution problems appear to limit activity more than movement planning deficits.

[Movement disorders is psychiatric diseases].

PubMed

Hidasi, Zoltan; Salacz, Pal; Csibri, Eva

2014-12-01

Movement disorders are common in psychiatry. The movement disorder can either be the symptom of a psychiatric disorder, can share a common aetiological factor with it, or can be the consequence of psychopharmacological therapy. Most common features include tic, stereotypy, compulsion, akathisia, dyskinesias, tremor, hypokinesia and disturbances of posture and gait. We discuss characteristics and clinical importance of these features. Movement disorders are frequently present in mood disorders, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, catatonia, Tourette-disorder and psychogenic movement disorder, leading to differential-diagnostic and therapeutical difficulties in everyday practice. Movement disorders due to psychopharmacotherapy can be classified as early-onset, late-onset and tardive. Frequent psychiatric comorbidity is found in primary movement disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, Wilson's disease, Huntington's disease, diffuse Lewy-body disorder. Complex neuropsychiatric approach is effective concerning overlapping clinical features and spectrums of disorders in terms of movement disorders and psychiatric diseases.

Issues in Designing Assessments of Historical Thinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ercikan, Kadriye; Seixas, Peter

2015-01-01

Similar to educators in mathematics, science, and reading, history educators around the world have mobilized curricular reform movements toward including complex thinking in history education, advancing historical thinking, developing historical consciousness, and teaching competence in historical sense making. These reform movements, including…

On State Complexes and Special Cube Complexes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Valerie J.

2009-01-01

This thesis presents the first steps toward a classification of non-positively curved cube complexes called state complexes. A "state complex" is a configuration space for a "reconfigurable system," i.e., an abstract system in which local movements occur in some discrete manner. Reconfigurable systems can be used to describe, for example,…

Computational approaches to motor learning by imitation.

PubMed Central

Schaal, Stefan; Ijspeert, Auke; Billard, Aude

2003-01-01

Movement imitation requires a complex set of mechanisms that map an observed movement of a teacher onto one's own movement apparatus. Relevant problems include movement recognition, pose estimation, pose tracking, body correspondence, coordinate transformation from external to egocentric space, matching of observed against previously learned movement, resolution of redundant degrees-of-freedom that are unconstrained by the observation, suitable movement representations for imitation, modularization of motor control, etc. All of these topics by themselves are active research problems in computational and neurobiological sciences, such that their combination into a complete imitation system remains a daunting undertaking-indeed, one could argue that we need to understand the complete perception-action loop. As a strategy to untangle the complexity of imitation, this paper will examine imitation purely from a computational point of view, i.e. we will review statistical and mathematical approaches that have been suggested for tackling parts of the imitation problem, and discuss their merits, disadvantages and underlying principles. Given the focus on action recognition of other contributions in this special issue, this paper will primarily emphasize the motor side of imitation, assuming that a perceptual system has already identified important features of a demonstrated movement and created their corresponding spatial information. Based on the formalization of motor control in terms of control policies and their associated performance criteria, useful taxonomies of imitation learning can be generated that clarify different approaches and future research directions. PMID:12689379

Evidence of embodied social competence during conversation in high functioning children with autism spectrum disorder

PubMed Central

Fitzpatrick, Paula; Roulier, Stephanie; Duncan, Amie; Richardson, Michael J.; Schmidt, R. C.

2018-01-01

Even high functioning children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) exhibit impairments that affect their ability to carry out and maintain effective social interactions in multiple contexts. One aspect of subtle nonverbal communication that might play a role in this impairment is the whole-body motor coordination that naturally arises between people during conversation. The current study aimed to measure the time-dependent, coordinated whole-body movements between children with ASD and a clinician during a conversational exchange using tools of nonlinear dynamics. Given the influence that subtle interpersonal coordination has on social interaction feelings, we expected there to be important associations between the dynamic motor movement measures introduced in the current study and the measures used traditionally to categorize ASD impairment (ADOS-2, joint attention and theory of mind). The study found that children with ASD coordinated their bodily movements with a clinician, that these movements were complex and that the complexity of the children’s movements matched that of the clinician’s movements. Importantly, the degree of this bodily coordination was related to higher social cognitive ability. This suggests children with ASD are embodying some degree of social competence during conversations. This study demonstrates the importance of further investigating the subtle but important bodily movement coordination that occurs during social interaction in children with ASD. PMID:29505608

Approximate entropy of human respiratory movement during eye-closed waking and different sleep stages.

PubMed

Burioka, Naoto; Cornélissen, Germaine; Halberg, Franz; Kaplan, Daniel T; Suyama, Hisashi; Sako, Takanori; Shimizu, Eiji

2003-01-01

The breath-to-breath variability of respiratory parameters changes with sleep stage. This study investigates any alteration in the approximate entropy (ApEn) of respiratory movement as a gauge of complexity in respiration, by stage of consciousness, in the light of putative brain interactions. Eight healthy men, who were between the ages of 23 and 29 years, were investigated. The signals of chest wall movement and EEG were recorded from 10:30 PM to 6:00 AM. After analog-to-digital conversion, the ApEn of respiratory movement (3 min) and EEG (20 s) were computed. Surrogate data were tested for nonlinearity in the original time series. The most impressive reduction in the ApEn of respiratory movement was associated with stage IV sleep, when the ApEn of the EEG was also statistically significantly decreased. A statistically significant linear relation is found between the ApEn of both variables. Surrogate data indicated that respiratory movement had nonlinear properties during all stages of consciousness that were investigated. Respiratory movement and EEG signals are more regular during stage IV sleep than during other stages of consciousness. The change in complexity described by the ApEn of respiration depends in part on the ApEn of the EEG, suggesting the involvement of nonlinear dynamic processes in the coordination between brain and lungs.

Using diel movement behavior to infer foraging strategies related to ecological and social factors in elephants.

PubMed

Polansky, Leo; Douglas-Hamilton, Iain; Wittemyer, George

2013-01-01

Adaptive movement behaviors allow individuals to respond to fluctuations in resource quality and distribution in order to maintain fitness. Classically, studies of the interaction between ecological conditions and movement behavior have focused on such metrics as travel distance, velocity, home range size or patch occupancy time as the salient metrics of behavior. Driven by the emergence of very regular high frequency data, more recently the importance of interpreting the autocorrelation structure of movement as a behavioral metric has become apparent. Studying movement of a free ranging African savannah elephant population, we evaluated how two movement metrics, diel displacement (DD) and movement predictability (MP - the degree of autocorrelated movement activity at diel time scales), changed in response to variation in resource availability as measured by the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index. We were able to capitalize on long term (multi-year) yet high resolution (hourly) global positioning system tracking datasets, the sample size of which allows robust analysis of complex models. We use optimal foraging theory predictions as a framework to interpret our results, in particular contrasting the behaviors across changes in social rank and resource availability to infer which movement behaviors at diel time scales may be optimal in this highly social species. Both DD and MP increased with increasing forage availability, irrespective of rank, reflecting increased energy expenditure and movement predictability during time periods of overall high resource availability. However, significant interactions between forage availability and social rank indicated a stronger response in DD, and a weaker response in MP, with increasing social status. Relative to high ranking individuals, low ranking individuals expended more energy and exhibited less behavioral movement autocorrelation during lower forage availability conditions, likely reflecting sub-optimal movement behavior. Beyond situations of contest competition, rank status appears to influence the extent to which individuals can modify their movement strategies across periods with differing forage availability. Large-scale spatiotemporal resource complexity not only impacts fine scale movement and optimal foraging strategies directly, but likely impacts rates of inter- and intra-specific interactions and competition resulting in socially based movement responses to ecological dynamics.

Valbenazine for the treatment of tardive dyskinesia.

PubMed

Seeberger, Lauren C; Hauser, Robert A

2017-08-01

Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a hyperkinetic movement disorder that may result from treatment with antipsychotics or other dopamine receptor blocking agents. Underlying pathophysiology is incompletely understood but since the 1970s dopamine depleting agents have been used to reduce involuntary movements. The search for safe, effective treatments for TD is ongoing. Valbenazine, a novel VMAT2 inhibitor, has recently been FDA approved for treatment of TD. Areas covered: An overview of TD, unmet medical needs and current treatment guidelines are presented. The background, chemistry and clinical development of valbenazine to treat TD is detailed. A competitive market is developing as the treatment gap is identified and potential therapies are discussed in context of a broader market overview. Expert opinion: Antipsychotic use is growing among adults and children in the U.S. Consequently, prevalence of TD is expected to rise. Cessation of antipsychotics is often not possible as the psychiatric condition may deteriorate. Increasing doses of an antipsychotic to suppress involuntary movements is not sustainable long term as underlying TD worsens and movements typically recur. There were no FDA approved treatments for TD. The approval of valbenazine to treat TD is a critical step in addressing this gap in neurologic care.

Cannabinoid antagonist SLV326 induces convulsive seizures and changes in the interictal EEG in rats

PubMed Central

de Bruin, Natasja; Heijink, Liesbeth; Kruse, Chris; Vinogradova, Lyudmila; Lüttjohann, Annika; van Luijtelaar, Gilles; van Rijn, Clementina M.

2017-01-01

Cannabinoid CB1 antagonists have been investigated for possible treatment of e.g. obesity-related disorders. However, clinical application was halted due to their symptoms of anxiety and depression. In addition to these adverse effects, we have shown earlier that chronic treatment with the CB1 antagonist rimonabant may induce EEG-confirmed convulsive seizures. In a regulatory repeat-dose toxicity study violent episodes of “muscle spasms” were observed in Wistar rats, daily dosed with the CB1 receptor antagonist SLV326 during 5 months. The aim of the present follow-up study was to investigate whether these violent movements were of an epileptic origin. In selected SLV326-treated and control animals, EEG and behavior were monitored for 24 hours. 25% of SLV326 treated animals showed 1 to 21 EEG-confirmed generalized convulsive seizures, whereas controls were seizure-free. The behavioral seizures were typical for a limbic origin. Moreover, interictal spikes were found in 38% of treated animals. The frequency spectrum of the interictal EEG of the treated rats showed a lower theta peak frequency, as well as lower gamma power compared to the controls. These frequency changes were state-dependent: they were only found during high locomotor activity. It is concluded that long term blockade of the endogenous cannabinoid system can provoke limbic seizures in otherwise healthy rats. Additionally, SLV326 alters the frequency spectrum of the EEG when rats are highly active, suggesting effects on complex behavior and cognition. PMID:28151935

Generating human-like movements on an anthropomorphic robot using an interior point method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costa e Silva, E.; Araújo, J. P.; Machado, D.; Costa, M. F.; Erlhagen, W.; Bicho, E.

2013-10-01

In previous work we have presented a model for generating human-like arm and hand movements on an anthropomorphic robot involved in human-robot collaboration tasks. This model was inspired by the Posture-Based Motion-Planning Model of human movements. Numerical results and simulations for reach-to-grasp movements with two different grip types have been presented previously. In this paper we extend our model in order to address the generation of more complex movement sequences which are challenged by scenarios cluttered with obstacles. The numerical results were obtained using the IPOPT solver, which was integrated in our MATLAB simulator of an anthropomorphic robot.

Movement Experiences for Preschool Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herkowitz, Jacqueline

1977-01-01

Through movement, children learn to orient themselves in space, defining for themselves such conceptions as up and down, right and left, through, around and inside; the integration of motor and sensory experiences may well be the foundation upon which complex cognitive skills are built. (JD)

Metal Complexation in Xylem Fluid 1

PubMed Central

White, Michael C.; Chaney, Rufus L.; Decker, A. Morris

1981-01-01

The capacity of ligands in xylem fluid to form metal complexes was tested with a series of in vitro experiments using paper electrophoresis and radiographs. The xylem fluid was collected hourly for 8 hours from soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) plants grown in normal and Zn-phytotoxic nutrient solutions. Metal complexation was assayed by anodic or reduced cathodic movement of radionuclides (63Ni, 65Zn, 109Cd, 54Mn) that were presumed to have formed negatively charged complexes. Electrophoretic migration of Ni, Zn, Cd, and Mn added to xylem exudate and spotted on KCl- or KNO3-wetted paper showed that stable Ni, Zn, and Cd metal complexes were formed by exudate ligands. No anodic Mn complexes were observed in this test system. Solution pH, plant species, exudate collection time, and Zn phytotoxicity all affected the amount of metal complex formed in exudate. As the pH increased, there was increased anodic metal movement. Soybean exudate generally bound more of each metal than did tomato exudate. Metal binding usually decreased with increasing exudate collection time, and less metal was bound by the high-Zn exudate. Ni, Zn, Cd, and Mn in exudate added to exudate-wetted paper demonstrated the effect of ligand concentration on stable metal complex formation. Complexes for each metal were demonstratable with this method. Cathodic metal movement increased with time of exudate collection, and it was greater in the high-Zn exudate than in the normal-Zn exudate. A model study illustrated the effect of ligand concentration on metal complex stability in the electrophoretic field. Higher ligand (citric acid) concentrations increased the stability for all metals tested. Images PMID:16661666

Processive motions of MreB micro-filaments coordinate cell wall growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garner, Ethan

2012-02-01

Rod-shaped bacteria elongate by the action of cell-wall synthesis complexes linked to underlying dynamic MreB filaments, but how these proteins function to allow continued elongation as a rod remains unknown. To understand how the movement of these filaments relates to cell wall synthesis, we characterized the dynamics of MreB and the cell wall elongation machinery using high-resolution particle tracking in Bacillus subtilis. We found that both MreB and the elongation machinery move in linear paths across the cell, moving at similar rates (˜20nm / second) and angles to the cell body, suggesting they function as single complexes. These proteins move circumferentially around the cell, principally perpendicular to its length. We find that the motions of these complexes are independent, as they can pause and reverse,and also as nearby complexes move independently in both directions across one surface of the cell. Inhibition of cell wall synthesis with antibiotics or depletions in the cell wall synthesis machinery blocked MreB movement, suggesting that the cell wall synthetic machinery is the motor in this system. We propose that bacteria elongate by the uncoordinated, circumferential movements of synthetic complexes that span the plasma membrane and insert radial hoops of new peptidoglycan during their transit.

Investigating the causes of wrap-up effects: evidence from eye movements and E-Z Reader.

PubMed

Warren, Tessa; White, Sarah J; Reichle, Erik D

2009-04-01

Wrap-up effects in reading have traditionally been thought to reflect increased processing associated with intra- and inter-clause integration (Just, M. A. & Carpenter, P. A. (1980). A theory of reading: From eye fixations to comprehension. Psychological Review,87(4), 329-354; Rayner, K., Kambe, G., & Duffy, S. A. (2000). The effect of clause wrap-up on eye movements during reading. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology,53A(4), 1061-1080; cf. Hirotani, M., Frazier, L., & Rayner, K. (2006). Punctuation and intonation effects on clause and sentence wrap-up: Evidence from eye movements. Journal of Memory and Language,54, 425-443). We report an eye-tracking experiment with a strong manipulation of integrative complexity at a critical word that was either sentence-final, ended a comma-marked clause, or was not comma-marked. Although both complexity and punctuation had reliable effects, they did not interact in any eye-movement measure. These results as well as simulations using the E-Z Reader model of eye-movement control (Reichle, E. D., Warren, T., & McConnell, K. (2009). Using E-Z Reader to model the effects of higher-level language processing on eye movements during reading. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review,16(1), 1-20) suggest that traditional accounts of clause wrap-up are incomplete.

Complex movement patterns of greenback flounder (Rhombosolea tapirina) in the Murray River estuary and Coorong, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Earl, Jason; Fowler, Anthony J.; Ye, Qifeng; Dittmann, Sabine

2017-04-01

The greenback flounder Rhombosolea tapirina is a commercially-important flatfish species in southern Australia and New Zealand, whose population dynamics are poorly understood. Acoustic telemetry was used to assess movement patterns and area use for R. tapirina in the Murray River estuary and Coorong, South Australia. Twenty fish (221-313 mm total length) equipped with acoustic transmitters were monitored for up to seven months during a period of high freshwater inflow. Fish were detected over a large part of the system, but showed a strong preference for brackish and near-marine conditions in the inner estuary. Tagged fish exhibited complex movement patterns that differed among individuals, including: (1) within estuary movements; (2) dispersal from the estuary to the sea; and (3) return migrations between the estuary and the sea. A diurnal shift in fine-scale area use was observed in the part of the estuary where residency was highest, with individuals occupying deeper habitats during the day and shallower areas during the night. The results demonstrate the individualistic and often highly transient behaviour of this species and its ability to undertake regular movements over the spatial scale of 10s of km. Understanding such movement patterns can improve effective management of estuarine flatfish populations and ecosystems.

How young adults with autism spectrum disorder watch and interpret pragmatically complex scenes.

PubMed

Lönnqvist, Linda; Loukusa, Soile; Hurtig, Tuula; Mäkinen, Leena; Siipo, Antti; Väyrynen, Eero; Palo, Pertti; Laukka, Seppo; Mämmelä, Laura; Mattila, Marja-Leena; Ebeling, Hanna

2017-11-01

The aim of the current study was to investigate subtle characteristics of social perception and interpretation in high-functioning individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), and to study the relation between watching and interpreting. As a novelty, we used an approach that combined moment-by-moment eye tracking and verbal assessment. Sixteen young adults with ASD and 16 neurotypical control participants watched a video depicting a complex communication situation while their eye movements were tracked. The participants also completed a verbal task with questions related to the pragmatic content of the video. We compared verbal task scores and eye movements between groups, and assessed correlations between task performance and eye movements. Individuals with ASD had more difficulty than the controls in interpreting the video, and during two short moments there were significant group differences in eye movements. Additionally, we found significant correlations between verbal task scores and moment-level eye movement in the ASD group, but not among the controls. We concluded that participants with ASD had slight difficulties in understanding the pragmatic content of the video stimulus and attending to social cues, and that the connection between pragmatic understanding and eye movements was more pronounced for participants with ASD than for neurotypical participants.

Electroencephalography(EEG)-based instinctive brain-control of a quadruped locomotion robot.

PubMed

Jia, Wenchuan; Huang, Dandan; Luo, Xin; Pu, Huayan; Chen, Xuedong; Bai, Ou

2012-01-01

Artificial intelligence and bionic control have been applied in electroencephalography (EEG)-based robot system, to execute complex brain-control task. Nevertheless, due to technical limitations of the EEG decoding, the brain-computer interface (BCI) protocol is often complex, and the mapping between the EEG signal and the practical instructions lack of logic associated, which restrict the user's actual use. This paper presents a strategy that can be used to control a quadruped locomotion robot by user's instinctive action, based on five kinds of movement related neurophysiological signal. In actual use, the user drives or imagines the limbs/wrists action to generate EEG signal to adjust the real movement of the robot according to his/her own motor reflex of the robot locomotion. This method is easy for real use, as the user generates the brain-control signal through the instinctive reaction. By adopting the behavioral control of learning and evolution based on the proposed strategy, complex movement task may be realized by instinctive brain-control.

Explicitly represented polygon wall boundary model for the explicit MPS method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitsume, Naoto; Yoshimura, Shinobu; Murotani, Kohei; Yamada, Tomonori

2015-05-01

This study presents an accurate and robust boundary model, the explicitly represented polygon (ERP) wall boundary model, to treat arbitrarily shaped wall boundaries in the explicit moving particle simulation (E-MPS) method, which is a mesh-free particle method for strong form partial differential equations. The ERP model expresses wall boundaries as polygons, which are explicitly represented without using the distance function. These are derived so that for viscous fluids, and with less computational cost, they satisfy the Neumann boundary condition for the pressure and the slip/no-slip condition on the wall surface. The proposed model is verified and validated by comparing computed results with the theoretical solution, results obtained by other models, and experimental results. Two simulations with complex boundary movements are conducted to demonstrate the applicability of the E-MPS method to the ERP model.

Nevada Applied Ecology Group publications. [Bibliography of radioecological studies at NTS with special reference to plutonium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

White, M.G.; Pfuderer, H.A.

This bibliography serves as a guide to the environmental studies sponsored by the Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG) at the Department of Energy Nevada Test Site nuclear weapons complex. The NAEG is part of the Nevada Operations Office of the United States Department of Energy. The references included in the bibliography reflect the interests of the NAEG (e.g., hazard evaluation of the nuclear safety-shot sites). The objectives of the NAEG plutonium studies at the Nevada Test Site were defined as follows: (1) delineate locations of contamination; (2) determine concentrations in ecosystem components; (3) quantify rates of movements among ecosystem components;more » (4) evaluate radiological hazards of plutonium; (5) identify areas which need to be cleaned up or treated; and (6) develop techniques for cleanup or treatment.« less

Zoledronic acid and alendronate sodium and the implications in orthodontic movement.

PubMed

Franzoni, J S; Soares, F M P; Zaniboni, E; Vedovello Filho, M; Santamaria, M P; Dos Santos, G M T; Esquisatto, M A M; Felonato, M; Mendonca, F A S; Franzini, C M; Santamaria, M

2017-08-01

To evaluate orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) in rats treated with two types of bisphosphonates (BPs), alendronate sodium (A) and zoledronic acid (Z). In all, 15 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups. Group OTM+A: orthodontic tooth movement and subcutaneous administration of alendronate sodium (2.5 mg/kg); Group OTM+Z: orthodontic tooth movement and subcutaneous administration of zoledronic acid (0.02 mg/kg), and Group OTM: orthodontic tooth movement and subcutaneous injection of saline. The BPs were administered once a day during 25 days before OTM started and during 10 days of OTM. The left upper first molar was moved with a stainless-steel closed coil spring which delivered an initial force of 0.4N. OTM was measured with a digital caliper comparing the moved and the contralateral side. The histomorphometric analysis counted the number of osteoclasts, inflammatory cells, blood vessels and fibroblasts (n/10 4  m 2 ) in periodontal ligament (PDL) of the distobuccal root. A reduction of 58.3% of OTM was found in Group OTM+A and 99.6% in Group OTM+Z, when compared with Group OTM. There was a significant decrease of osteoclasts and inflammatory cells in BP-treated groups. Blood vessels and fibroblastic cells decreased mainly in Group OTM+Z. Alendronate sodium and zoledronic acid have similar effects on the periodontal tissue during orthodontic treatment in rats. Especially, zoledronic acid can affect orthodontic tooth movement. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Unravelling the complex MRI pattern in glutaric aciduria type I using statistical models-a cohort study in 180 patients.

PubMed

Garbade, Sven F; Greenberg, Cheryl R; Demirkol, Mübeccel; Gökçay, Gülden; Ribes, Antonia; Campistol, Jaume; Burlina, Alberto B; Burgard, Peter; Kölker, Stefan

2014-09-01

Glutaric aciduria type I (GA-I) is a cerebral organic aciduria caused by inherited deficiency of glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase and is characterized biochemically by an accumulation of putatively neurotoxic dicarboxylic metabolites. The majority of untreated patients develops a complex movement disorder with predominant dystonia during age 3-36 months. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have demonstrated striatal and extrastriatal abnormalities. The major aim of this study was to elucidate the complex neuroradiological pattern of patients with GA-I and to associate the MRI findings with the severity of predominant neurological symptoms. In 180 patients, detailed information about the neurological presentation and brain region-specific MRI abnormalities were obtained via a standardized questionnaire. Patients with a movement disorder had more often MRI abnormalities in putamen, caudate, cortex, ventricles and external CSF spaces than patients without or with minor neurological symptoms. Putaminal MRI changes and strongly dilated ventricles were identified as the most reliable predictors of a movement disorder. In contrast, abnormalities in globus pallidus were not clearly associated with a movement disorder. Caudate and putamen as well as cortex, ventricles and external CSF spaces clearly collocalized on a two-dimensional map demonstrating statistical similarity and suggesting the same underlying pathomechanism. This study demonstrates that complex statistical methods are useful to decipher the age-dependent and region-specific MRI patterns of rare neurometabolic diseases and that these methods are helpful to elucidate the clinical relevance of specific MRI findings.

Neuroplastic Sensorimotor Resting State Network Reorganization in Children With Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy Treated With Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy.

PubMed

Manning, Kathryn Y; Menon, Ravi S; Gorter, Jan Willem; Mesterman, Ronit; Campbell, Craig; Switzer, Lauren; Fehlings, Darcy

2016-02-01

Using resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we aim to understand the neurologic basis of improved function in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy treated with constraint-induced movement therapy. Eleven children including 4 untreated comparison subjects diagnosed with hemiplegic cerebral palsy were recruited from 3 clinical centers. MRI and clinical data were gathered at baseline and 1 month for both groups, and 6 months later for the case group only. After constraint therapy, the sensorimotor resting state network became more bilateral, with balanced contributions from each hemisphere, which was sustained 6 months later. Sensorimotor resting state network reorganization after therapy was correlated with a change in the Quality of Upper Extremity Skills Test score at 1 month (r = 0.79, P = .06), and Canadian Occupational Performance Measure scores at 6 months (r = 0.82, P = .05). This clinically correlated resting state network reorganization provides further evidence of the neuroplastic mechanisms underlying constraint-induced movement therapy. © The Author(s) 2015.

Neurological consequences of vitamin B12 deficiency and its treatment.

PubMed

Chalouhi, Christel; Faesch, Sabine; Anthoine-Milhomme, Marie-Constance; Fulla, Yvonne; Dulac, Olivier; Chéron, Gérard

2008-08-01

In developed countries, the vitamin B12 deficiency usually occurs in children exclusively breast-fed, whose mothers are vegetarians, causing low stores of vitamin B12. Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency appear during the second trimester of life and include failure to thrive, lethargy, hypotonia, and arrest or regression of developmental skills. A megaloblastic anemia can be present. One half of the infants exhibit abnormal movements before the start of treatment with intramuscular cobalamin, which disappear 1 or 2 days after. More rarely, movement disorders appear a few days after treatment, whereas neurological symptoms are improving. These abnormal movements can last for 2 to 6 weeks. If not treated, vitamin B12 deficiency can cause lasting neurodisability. Therefore, efforts should be directed to preventing deficiency in pregnant and breast-feeding women on vegan diets and their infants by giving them vitamin B12 supplements. When preventive supplementation has failed, one should recognize and treat quickly an infant presenting with failure to thrive and delayed development.

Dance movement therapy for dementia.

PubMed

Karkou, Vicky; Meekums, Bonnie

2017-02-03

Dementia is a collective name for different degenerative brain syndromes which, according to Alzheimer's Disease International, affects approximately 35.6 million people worldwide. The latest NICE guideline for dementia highlights the value of diverse treatment options for the different stages and symptoms of dementia including non-pharmacological treatments. Relevant literature also argues for the value of interventions that acknowledge the complexity of the condition and address the person as a whole, including their physical, emotional, social and cognitive processes. At the same time, there is growing literature that highlights the capacity of the arts and embodied practices to address this complexity. Dance movement therapy is an embodied psychological intervention that can address complexity and thus, may be useful for people with dementia, but its effectiveness remains unclear. To assess the effects of dance movement therapy on behavioural, social, cognitive and emotional symptoms of people with dementia in comparison to no treatment, standard care or any other treatment. Also, to compare different forms of dance movement therapy (e.g. Laban-based dance movement therapy, Chacian dance movement therapy or Authentic Movement). Searches took place up to March 2016 through ALOIS, Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement's Specialized Register, which covers CENTRAL, a number of major healthcare databases and trial registers, and grey literature sources. We checked bibliographies of relevant studies and reviews, and contacted professional associations, educational programmes and experts from around the world. We considered randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in any language, including cross-over design and cluster-RCTs for inclusion. Studies considered had to include people with dementia, in any age group and in any setting, with interventions delivered by a dance movement therapy practitioner who (i) had received formal training (ii) was a dance movement therapist in training or (iii) was otherwise recognised as a dance movement therapist in the country in which the study was conducted. The two review authors independently reviewed studies on an abstract/title level and again after reading the full paper, and we independently evaluated methodological quality. Of the 102 studies identified through electronic searches and personal communication, after de-duplication we screened 80 at title/abstract level. We then reviewed 19 full papers, none of which met the inclusion criteria. Although three studies mentioned dance movement therapy as their intervention, they were excluded because they were not delivered by a qualified dance movement therapy practitioner. As a result, no studies were included in this review. Trials of high methodological quality, large sample sizes and clarity in the way the intervention is put together and delivered are needed to assess whether dance movement therapy is an effective intervention for dementia.

Botulinum toxin for the treatment of motor imbalance in obstetrical brachial plexus palsy.

PubMed

Arad, Ehud; Stephens, Derek; Curtis, Christine G; Clarke, Howard M

2013-06-01

Residual muscle imbalance is a common problem affecting obstetrical brachial plexus palsy patients. The goal of this study was to examine the efficacy of botulinum toxin type A (Botox) in improving this muscle imbalance. The authors retrospectively reviewed obstetrical brachial plexus palsy patients treated with Botox for muscle imbalance as an isolated procedure. Outcomes were the change in Active Movement Scale scores from pre-Botox scores to scores at 1 month after Botox and 1 year after Botox. Twenty-seven patients were included, 19 treated for shoulder imbalance and eight treated for elbow imbalance. Active Movement Scale scores (mean±SD) for shoulder external rotation improved from 0.6±1.0 before Botox to 2.6±2.14 (p<0.01) at 1 month after Botox, and declined to 1.3±1.2 (p<0.01) at 1 year after Botox. Scores for elbow flexion were 3.3±2.1 before Botox, unchanged at 4.4±1.8 (p=0.07) 1 month after Botox, and improved to 5.8±0.5 (p<0.01) at 1 year after Botox. Scores for elbow supination were 2.9±1.7 before Botox and 3.4±1.5 (p=0.2) at 1 month after Botox, and improved to 3.9±2.0 (p<0.01) at 1 year after Botox. Botox for shoulder movement imbalance produces improvement in external rotation that is not sufficiently sustained over time to be of clinical benefit. However, Botox for elbow movement imbalance produces a sustained and clinically useful improvement. Therapeutic, IV.

Negotiating Cesar: Cesar Chavez in the Chicano Movement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mariscal, Jorge

2004-01-01

The complex and often contradictory relationship between Cesar Chavez and the various sectors of the Chicano movement during the crucial period of the American war in Vietnam are traced. A wide range of discursive and ideological elements taken from the moment achieves are described.

Real-time prediction of hand trajectory by ensembles of cortical neurons in primates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wessberg, Johan; Stambaugh, Christopher R.; Kralik, Jerald D.; Beck, Pamela D.; Laubach, Mark; Chapin, John K.; Kim, Jung; Biggs, S. James; Srinivasan, Mandayam A.; Nicolelis, Miguel A. L.

2000-11-01

Signals derived from the rat motor cortex can be used for controlling one-dimensional movements of a robot arm. It remains unknown, however, whether real-time processing of cortical signals can be employed to reproduce, in a robotic device, the kind of complex arm movements used by primates to reach objects in space. Here we recorded the simultaneous activity of large populations of neurons, distributed in the premotor, primary motor and posterior parietal cortical areas, as non-human primates performed two distinct motor tasks. Accurate real-time predictions of one- and three-dimensional arm movement trajectories were obtained by applying both linear and nonlinear algorithms to cortical neuronal ensemble activity recorded from each animal. In addition, cortically derived signals were successfully used for real-time control of robotic devices, both locally and through the Internet. These results suggest that long-term control of complex prosthetic robot arm movements can be achieved by simple real-time transformations of neuronal population signals derived from multiple cortical areas in primates.

Tracking transcription factor mobility and interaction in Arabidopsis roots with fluorescence correlation spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Clark, Natalie M; Hinde, Elizabeth; Winter, Cara M; Fisher, Adam P; Crosti, Giuseppe; Blilou, Ikram; Gratton, Enrico; Benfey, Philip N; Sozzani, Rosangela

2016-01-01

To understand complex regulatory processes in multicellular organisms, it is critical to be able to quantitatively analyze protein movement and protein-protein interactions in time and space. During Arabidopsis development, the intercellular movement of SHORTROOT (SHR) and subsequent interaction with its downstream target SCARECROW (SCR) control root patterning and cell fate specification. However, quantitative information about the spatio-temporal dynamics of SHR movement and SHR-SCR interaction is currently unavailable. Here, we quantify parameters including SHR mobility, oligomeric state, and association with SCR using a combination of Fluorescent Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS) techniques. We then incorporate these parameters into a mathematical model of SHR and SCR, which shows that SHR reaches a steady state in minutes, while SCR and the SHR-SCR complex reach a steady-state between 18 and 24 hr. Our model reveals the timing of SHR and SCR dynamics and allows us to understand how protein movement and protein-protein stoichiometry contribute to development. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.14770.001 PMID:27288545

The monoamine reuptake inhibitor BTS 74 398 fails to evoke established dyskinesia but does not synergise with levodopa in MPTP-treated primates.

PubMed

Hansard, Matthew J; Smith, Lance A; Jackson, Michael J; Cheetham, Sharon C; Jenner, Peter

2004-01-01

Long-term treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) with levodopa (L-dopa) induces dyskinesia that, once established, is provoked by each dose of L-dopa or a dopamine (DA) agonist. In contrast, monoamine reuptake inhibitors may reverse motor deficits in 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-treated primates without provoking established involuntary movements. We now examine whether the potent monoamine reuptake blocker BTS 74 398 induces established dyskinesia in MPTP-treated common marmosets primed previously with L-dopa and whether co-administration of BTS 74 398 with L-dopa potentiates motor behaviour and dyskinesia induced by acute L-dopa treatment. Administration of BTS 74 398 (2.5, 5.0, or 10.0 mg/kg, p.o.) in MPTP-treated common marmosets increased locomotor activity and reduced motor disability in a dose-related manner but did not provoke involuntary movements. BTS 74 398 (2.5, 5.0, or 10.0 mg/kg p.o.) co-administered with a threshold dose of L-dopa (2.5 mg/kg p.o.) did not evoke a motor response or induce dyskinesia. Similarly, concomitant administration of BTS 74 398 (5.0 mg/kg p.o.) with a submaximal L-dopa dose (12.5 mg/kg p.o.) did not potentiate the motor response produced by L-dopa alone and there was no alteration in the dyskinesia provoked by L-dopa challenge. BTS 74 398 reverses motor abnormalities in MPTP-treated marmosets without evoking established dyskinesia but no additive improvement occurs when administered in combination with L-dopa. The lack of synergy with L-dopa may suggest different sites of drug action. Copyright 2003 Movement Disorder Society

Neurobiology of Sleep and Sleep Treatment Response in PTSD

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-10-01

have been proposed to treat PTSD-related nightmares, including hypnosis, lucid dreaming , eye movement desensitization and repro- desensitization, and...For instance, positive case reports and case series are available in the literature for lucid dreaming ,104 hypnosis,105 eye movement...ihl RO. LUCid dreaming as a treatment for recurrent nightmares Psychother Psychosom 1997;66( 1 )5CJ-5 lOS. Kingsbury SJ. Bllef hypnotic treatment of

The fundamentals of adaptive grid movement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eiseman, Peter R.

1990-01-01

Basic grid point movement schemes are studied. The schemes are referred to as adaptive grids. Weight functions and equidistribution in one dimension are treated. The specification of coefficients in the linear weight, attraction to a given grid or a curve, and evolutionary forces are considered. Curve by curve and finite volume methods are described. The temporal coupling of partial differential equations solvers and grid generators was discussed.

Reconstitution of actin-based motility of Listeria and Shigella using pure proteins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loisel, Thomas P.; Boujemaa, Rajaa; Pantaloni, Dominique; Carlier, Marie-France

1999-10-01

Actin polymerization is essential for cell locomotion and is thought to generate the force responsible for cellular protrusions. The Arp2/3 complex is required to stimulate actin assembly at the leading edge in response to signalling. The bacteria Listeria and Shigella bypass the signalling pathway and harness the Arp2/3 complex to induce actin assembly and to propel themselves in living cells. However, the Arp2/3 complex alone is insufficient to promote movement. Here we have used pure components of the actin cytoskeleton to reconstitute sustained movement in Listeria and Shigella in vitro. Actin-based propulsion is driven by the free energy released by ATP hydrolysis linked to actin polymerization, and does not require myosin. In addition to actin and activated Arp2/3 complex, actin depolymerizing factor (ADF, or cofilin) and capping protein are also required for motility as they maintain a high steady-state level of G-actin, which controls the rate of unidirectional growth of actin filaments at the surface of the bacterium. The movement is more effective when profilin, α-actinin and VASP (for Listeria) are also included. These results have implications for our understanding of the mechanism of actin-based motility in cells.

Deep Reinforcement Learning of Cell Movement in the Early Stage of C. elegans Embryogenesis.

PubMed

Wang, Zi; Wang, Dali; Li, Chengcheng; Xu, Yichi; Li, Husheng; Bao, Zhirong

2018-04-25

Cell movement in the early phase of C. elegans development is regulated by a highly complex process in which a set of rules and connections are formulated at distinct scales. Previous efforts have demonstrated that agent-based, multi-scale modeling systems can integrate physical and biological rules and provide new avenues to study developmental systems. However, the application of these systems to model cell movement is still challenging and requires a comprehensive understanding of regulatory networks at the right scales. Recent developments in deep learning and reinforcement learning provide an unprecedented opportunity to explore cell movement using 3D time-lapse microscopy images. We present a deep reinforcement learning approach within an agent-based modeling system to characterize cell movement in the embryonic development of C. elegans. Our modeling system captures the complexity of cell movement patterns in the embryo and overcomes the local optimization problem encountered by traditional rule-based, agent-based modeling that uses greedy algorithms. We tested our model with two real developmental processes: the anterior movement of the Cpaaa cell via intercalation and the rearrangement of the superficial left-right asymmetry. In the first case, the model results suggested that Cpaaa's intercalation is an active directional cell movement caused by the continuous effects from a longer distance (farther than the length of two adjacent cells), as opposed to a passive movement caused by neighbor cell movements. In the second case, a leader-follower mechanism well explained the collective cell movement pattern in the asymmetry rearrangement. These results showed that our approach to introduce deep reinforcement learning into agent-based modeling can test regulatory mechanisms by exploring cell migration paths in a reverse engineering perspective. This model opens new doors to explore the large datasets generated by live imaging. Source code is available at https://github.com/zwang84/drl4cellmovement. dwang7@utk.edu, baoz@mskcc.org. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Electrophysiological evidence of functional integration between the language and motor systems in the brain: a study of the speech Bereitschaftspotential.

PubMed

McArdle, J J; Mari, Z; Pursley, R H; Schulz, G M; Braun, A R

2009-02-01

We investigated whether the Bereitschaftspotential (BP), an event related potential believed to reflect motor planning, would be modulated by language-related parameters prior to speech. We anticipated that articulatory complexity would produce effects on the BP distribution similar to those demonstrated for complex limb movements. We also hypothesized that lexical semantic operations would independently impact the BP. Eighteen participants performed 3 speech tasks designed to differentiate lexical semantic and articulatory contributions to the BP. EEG epochs were time-locked to the earliest source of speech movement per trial. Lip movements were assessed using EMG recordings. Doppler imaging was used to determine the onset of tongue movement during speech, providing a means of identification and elimination of potential artifact. Compared to simple repetition, complex articulations produced an anterior shift in the maximum midline BP. Tasks requiring lexical search and selection augmented these effects and independently elicited a left lateralized asymmetry in the frontal distribution. The findings indicate that the BP is significantly modulated by linguistic processing, suggesting that the premotor system might play a role in lexical access. These novel findings support the notion that the motor systems may play a significant role in the formulation of language.

GLUT1 deficiency syndrome as a cause of encephalopathy that includes cognitive disability, treatment-resistant infantile epilepsy and a complex movement disorder.

PubMed

Graham, John M

2012-05-01

Glucose transporter-1 (GLUT1) deficiency syndrome is caused by heterozygous mutations in the SLC2A1 gene, resulting in impaired glucose transport into the brain. It is characterized by a low glucose concentration in the cerebrospinal fluid (hypoglycorrhachia) in the absence of hypoglycemia, in combination with low to normal lactate in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). It often results in treatment-resistant infantile epilepsy with progressive developmental disabilities and a complex movement disorder. Recognizing GLUT1 deficiency syndrome is important, since initiation of a ketogenic diet can reduce the frequency of seizures and the severity of the movement disorder. There can be a considerable delay in diagnosing GLUT1 deficiency syndrome, and this point is illustrated by the natural history of this disorder in a 21-year-old woman with severe, progressive neurological disabilities. Her encephalopathy consisted of treatment-resistant seizures, a complex movement disorder, progressive intellectual disability, and deceleration of her head growth after late infancy. Focused evaluation at age 21 revealed GLUT1 deficiency caused by a novel heterozygous missence mutation in exon 7 (c.938C > A; p.Ser313Try) in SLC2A1 as the cause for her disabilities. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Complex versus simple ankle movement training in stroke using telerehabilitation: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Deng, Huiqiong; Durfee, William K; Nuckley, David J; Rheude, Brandon S; Severson, Amy E; Skluzacek, Katie M; Spindler, Kristen K; Davey, Cynthia S; Carey, James R

2012-02-01

Telerehabilitation allows rehabilitative training to continue remotely after discharge from acute care and can include complex tasks known to create rich conditions for neural change. The purposes of this study were: (1) to explore the feasibility of using telerehabilitation to improve ankle dorsiflexion during the swing phase of gait in people with stroke and (2) to compare complex versus simple movements of the ankle in promoting behavioral change and brain reorganization. This study was a pilot randomized controlled trial. Training was done in the participant's home. Testing was done in separate research labs involving functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and multi-camera gait analysis. Sixteen participants with chronic stroke and impaired ankle dorsiflexion were assigned randomly to receive 4 weeks of telerehabilitation of the paretic ankle. Participants received either computerized complex movement training (track group) or simple movement training (move group). Behavioral changes were measured with the 10-m walk test and gait analysis using a motion capture system. Brain reorganization was measured with ankle tracking during fMRI. Dorsiflexion during gait was significantly larger in the track group compared with the move group. For fMRI, although the volume, percent volume, and intensity of cortical activation failed to show significant changes, the frequency count of the number of participants showing an increase versus a decrease in these values from pretest to posttest measurements was significantly different between the 2 groups, with the track group decreasing and the move group increasing. Limitations of this study were that no follow-up test was conducted and that a small sample size was used. The results suggest that telerehabilitation, emphasizing complex task training with the paretic limb, is feasible and can be effective in promoting further dorsiflexion in people with chronic stroke.

Primary complex motor stereotypies in older children and adolescents: clinical features and longitudinal follow-up.

PubMed

Oakley, Christopher; Mahone, E Mark; Morris-Berry, Christina; Kline, Tina; Singer, Harvey S

2015-04-01

Complex motor stereotypies are rhythmic, repetitive, fixed, and purposeless movements that stop with distraction. Once believed to occur only in children with autism spectrum or other developmental disorders, their presence in otherwise typically developing children (primary) has been well-established. In primary complex motor stereotypies, little information is available about the long-term outcome of these movements or existing comorbidities. Forty-nine healthy participants (31 boys), ages 9 to 20 years with primary complex motor stereotypies who were previously diagnosed at a pediatric movements disorder clinic, were identified from medical records. Parents or the young adult (if older than age 18), completed a telephone interview evaluating family history, outcome, and comorbidities including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety, and tics/Tourette syndrome. Standardized questionnaires assessing attention-deficit hyperactivity, obsessive compulsive disorder, and anxiety were used to validate parent report of comorbidities. Stereotypy onset occurred before age 3 years in 98%. In all but one individual, stereotypies persisted at the time of phone follow-up (follow-up range: 6.8-20.3 years). Positive family history of complex motor stereotypies was identified in 39%. Most participants (92%) had concern for at least one comorbid disorder, including parent-/patient-reported clinically elevated levels of anxiety (73%), attention-deficit hyperactivity (63%), obsessive compulsive disorder (35%), and tics/Tourette syndrome (22%). Primary motor stereotypies typically begin in early childhood and, although reduced in frequency and duration, persist at least through the teenage years. Repetitive movements are associated with a variety of comorbidities that often have a greater functional impact than the stereotypic behavior. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections: an overview.

PubMed

Esposito, S; Bianchini, S; Baggi, E; Fattizzo, M; Rigante, D

2014-12-01

The acronym PANDAS (pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections) has been used to describe a syndrome characterized by various obsessions, compulsions, tics, hyperactivity, motor stereotypies, and paroxysmal movement disorders that are correlated with prior infection by group A beta-hemolytic Streptococcus pyogenes (GABHS) infections. Five clinical criteria can be used to diagnose PANDAS: (1) the presence of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and/or any other tic disorders; (2) prepuberal onset (between 3 years of age and the start of puberty); (3) abrupt onset and relapsing-remitting symptom course; (4) a distinct association with GABHS infection; and (5) association with neurological abnormalities during exacerbations (adventitious movements or motoric hyperactivity). The exact pathogenesis of PANDAS remains unclear, and several theories that focus on multiple etiologic or contributive factors have emerged. PANDAS appears to be a neurobiological disorder that potentially complicates GABHS infections in genetically susceptible individuals. The current standard of care for PANDAS patients remains symptomatic, and cognitive behavioral therapy, such as exposure and response prevention, combined with family counseling and psychoeducation, should be the first approach for treating PANDAS. This review examines current theories of PANDAS pathogenesis, identifies possible treatments for managing this complex condition, and highlights areas for future research. Moving forward, developing more standardized diagnostic criteria and identifying specific laboratory markers to facilitate PANDAS diagnoses are crucial.

A computational method for optimizing fuel treatment locations

Treesearch

Mark A. Finney

2006-01-01

Modeling and experiments have suggested that spatial fuel treatment patterns can influence the movement of large fires. On simple theoretical landscapes consisting of two fuel types (treated and untreated) optimal patterns can be analytically derived that disrupt fire growth efficiently (i.e. with less area treated than random patterns). Although conceptually simple,...

77 FR 59709 - Citrus Greening and Asian Citrus Psyllid; Quarantine and Interstate Movement Regulations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-01

... area quarantined only for ACP, if, among other conditions, the article was treated with methyl bromide... application, followed by an APHIS-approved foliar spray; with methyl bromide; or with irradiation. We intended... fumigated with methyl bromide, it did not authorize nursery stock to be treated with irradiation. We are...

76 FR 23449 - Citrus Canker, Citrus Greening, and Asian Citrus Psyllid; Interstate Movement of Regulated...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-27

... conditions, the articles are treated with methyl bromide and shipped in a container that has been sealed with... of any regulated article, including citrus nursery stock, provided that: The article is treated with methyl bromide in accordance with 7 CFR part 305. That part contains our phytosanitary treatment...

The neuropsychiatry of hyperkinetic movement disorders: insights from neuroimaging into the neural circuit bases of dysfunction.

PubMed

Hayhow, Bradleigh D; Hassan, Islam; Looi, Jeffrey C L; Gaillard, Francesco; Velakoulis, Dennis; Walterfang, Mark

2013-01-01

Movement disorders, particularly those associated with basal ganglia disease, have a high rate of comorbid neuropsychiatric illness. We consider the pathophysiological basis of the comorbidity between movement disorders and neuropsychiatric illness by 1) reviewing the epidemiology of neuropsychiatric illness in a range of hyperkinetic movement disorders, and 2) correlating findings to evidence from studies that have utilized modern neuroimaging techniques to investigate these disorders. In addition to diseases classically associated with basal ganglia pathology, such as Huntington disease, Wilson disease, the neuroacanthocytoses, and diseases of brain iron accumulation, we include diseases associated with pathology of subcortical white matter tracts, brain stem nuclei, and the cerebellum, such as metachromatic leukodystrophy, dentatorubropallidoluysian atrophy, and the spinocerebellar ataxias. Neuropsychiatric symptoms are integral to a thorough phenomenological account of hyperkinetic movement disorders. Drawing on modern theories of cortico-subcortical circuits, we argue that these disorders can be conceptualized as disorders of complex subcortical networks with distinct functional architectures. Damage to any component of these complex information-processing networks can have variable and often profound consequences for the function of more remote neural structures, creating a diverse but nonetheless rational pattern of clinical symptomatology.

EYE MOVEMENT RECORDING AND NONLINEAR DYNAMICS ANALYSIS – THE CASE OF SACCADES#

PubMed Central

Aştefănoaei, Corina; Pretegiani, Elena; Optican, L.M.; Creangă, Dorina; Rufa, Alessandra

2015-01-01

Evidence of a chaotic behavioral trend in eye movement dynamics was examined in the case of a saccadic temporal series collected from a healthy human subject. Saccades are highvelocity eye movements of very short duration, their recording being relatively accessible, so that the resulting data series could be studied computationally for understanding the neural processing in a motor system. The aim of this study was to assess the complexity degree in the eye movement dynamics. To do this we analyzed the saccadic temporal series recorded with an infrared camera eye tracker from a healthy human subject in a special experimental arrangement which provides continuous records of eye position, both saccades (eye shifting movements) and fixations (focusing over regions of interest, with rapid, small fluctuations). The semi-quantitative approach used in this paper in studying the eye functioning from the viewpoint of non-linear dynamics was accomplished by some computational tests (power spectrum, portrait in the state space and its fractal dimension, Hurst exponent and largest Lyapunov exponent) derived from chaos theory. A high complexity dynamical trend was found. Lyapunov largest exponent test suggested bi-stability of cellular membrane resting potential during saccadic experiment. PMID:25698889

Examining age-related movement representations for sequential (fine-motor) finger movements.

PubMed

Gabbard, Carl; Caçola, Priscila; Bobbio, Tatiana

2011-12-01

Theory suggests that imagined and executed movement planning relies on internal models for action. Using a chronometry paradigm to compare the movement duration of imagined and executed movements, we tested children aged 7-11 years and adults on their ability to perform sequential finger movements. Underscoring this tactic was our desire to gain a better understanding of the age-related ability to create internal models for action requiring fine-motor movements. The task required number recognition and ordering and was presented in three levels of complexity. Results for movement duration indicated that 7-year-olds and adults were different from the other groups with no statistical distinction between 9- and 11-year-olds. Correlation analysis indicated a significant relationship between imagined and executed actions. These results are the first to document the increasing convergence between imagined and executed movements in the context of fine-motor behavior; a finding that adds to our understanding of action representation in children. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Contact Burn with Blister Formation in Children Treated with Sennosides.

PubMed

Cogley, Kimberly; Echevarria, Andrea; Correa, Catalina; De la Torre-Mondragón, Luis

2017-03-01

Eight children treated for severe constipation with sennosides unexpectedly developed contact burns with blisters secondary to the use of these laxatives. All patients wore diapers, and the injuries occurred overnight. To avoid this side effect, we recommend that patients treated with sennosides, especially those in diapers, receive the medication at a time that allows for bowel movements to occur during the day and not overnight. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Nutritional Noise: Community Literacies and the Movement against Foods Labeled as "Natural"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trauth, Erin

2015-01-01

In the face of the $44 billion market--and rising--for foods labeled as "natural" (despite any formal regulatory oversight on the use of this term), this article examines multiple complex layers of community literacies and movements involving foods labeled as "natural," including an increasing availability of…

Eye Movement Analysis of Information Processing under Different Testing Conditions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dillon, Ronna F.

1985-01-01

Undergraduates were given complex figural analogies items, and eye movements were observed under three types of feedback: (1) elaborate feedback; (2) subjects verbalized their thinking and application of rules; and (3) no feedback. Both feedback conditions enhanced the rule-governed information processing during inductive reasoning. (Author/GDC)

ESTIMATION OF INFILTRATION RATE IN THE VADOSE ZONE: COMPILATION OF SIMPLE MATHEMATICAL MODELS - VOLUME I

EPA Science Inventory

The unsaturated or vadose zone provides a complex system for the simulation of water movement and contaminant transport and fate. Numerous models are available for performing simulations related to the movement of water. There exists extensive documentation of these models. Ho...

Teaching High-Accuracy Global Positioning System to Undergraduates Using Online Processing Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Guoquan

2013-01-01

High-accuracy Global Positioning System (GPS) has become an important geoscientific tool used to measure ground motions associated with plate movements, glacial movements, volcanoes, active faults, landslides, subsidence, slow earthquake events, as well as large earthquakes. Complex calculations are required in order to achieve high-precision…

Sensory Narratives: Capturing Embodiment in Narratives of Movement, Sport, Leisure and Health

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunter, Lisa; Emerald, Elke

2016-01-01

Narrative research has been employed by many researchers in the field of physical culture (including movement, play, dance, sport, leisure, physical pursuits, physical activity, physical education and health). From our storied worlds, narrative research reveals complex embodied and emplaced social phenomena within this field. However, there are…

Oral-Motor and Motor-Speech Characteristics of Children with Autism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Lynn

1998-01-01

This study compared the oral-motor and motor-speech characteristics of four young children with autism and four nonautistic children. Three tasks requiring oral motor movements, simple syllable productions, and complex syllable productions were utilized. Significant differences were found in scores on the oral-motor movements and the…

Geographic range size and extinction risk assessment in nomadic species.

PubMed

Runge, Claire A; Tulloch, Ayesha; Hammill, Edd; Possingham, Hugh P; Fuller, Richard A

2015-06-01

Geographic range size is often conceptualized as a fixed attribute of a species and treated as such for the purposes of quantification of extinction risk; species occupying smaller geographic ranges are assumed to have a higher risk of extinction, all else being equal. However many species are mobile, and their movements range from relatively predictable to-and-fro migrations to complex irregular movements shown by nomadic species. These movements can lead to substantial temporary expansion and contraction of geographic ranges, potentially to levels which may pose an extinction risk. By linking occurrence data with environmental conditions at the time of observations of nomadic species, we modeled the dynamic distributions of 43 arid-zone nomadic bird species across the Australian continent for each month over 11 years and calculated minimum range size and extent of fluctuation in geographic range size from these models. There was enormous variability in predicted spatial distribution over time; 10 species varied in estimated geographic range size by more than an order of magnitude, and 2 species varied by >2 orders of magnitude. During times of poor environmental conditions, several species not currently classified as globally threatened contracted their ranges to very small areas, despite their normally large geographic range size. This finding raises questions about the adequacy of conventional assessments of extinction risk based on static geographic range size (e.g., IUCN Red Listing). Climate change is predicted to affect the pattern of resource fluctuations across much of the southern hemisphere, where nomadism is the dominant form of animal movement, so it is critical we begin to understand the consequences of this for accurate threat assessment of nomadic species. Our approach provides a tool for discovering spatial dynamics in highly mobile species and can be used to unlock valuable information for improved extinction risk assessment and conservation planning. © 2014 The Authors. Conservation Biology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc., on behalf of the Society for Conservation Biology.

Noninvasive analysis of human neck muscle function

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Conley, M. S.; Meyer, R. A.; Bloomberg, J. J.; Feeback, D. L.; Dudley, G. A.

1995-01-01

STUDY DESIGN. Muscle use evoked by exercise was determined by quantifying shifts in signal relaxation times of T2-weighted magnetic resonance images. Images were collected at rest and after exercise at each of two intensities (moderate and intense) for each of four head movements: 1) extension, 2) flexion, 3) rotation, and 4) lateral flexion. OBJECTIVE. This study examined the intensity and pattern of neck muscle use evoked by various movements of the head. The results will help elucidate the pathophysiology, and thus methods for treating disorders of the cervical musculoskeletal system. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA. Exercise-induced contrast shifts in T2 has been shown to indicate muscle use during the activity. The noninvasive nature of magnetic resonance imaging appears to make it an ideal approach for studying the function of the complex neuromuscular system of the neck. METHODS. The extent of T2 increase was examined to gauge how intensely nine different neck muscles or muscle pairs were used in seven subjects. The absolute and relative cross-sectional area of muscle showing a shift in signal relaxation was assessed to infer the pattern of use among and within individual neck muscles or muscle pairs. RESULTS. Signal relaxation increased with exercise intensity for each head movement. The absolute and relative cross-sectional area of muscle showing a shift in signal relaxation also increased with exercise load. Neck muscles or muscle pairs extensively used to perform each head movement were: extension--semispinalis capitis and cervicis and splenius capitis; flexion--sternocleidomastoid and longus capitis and colli; rotation--splenius capitis, levator scapulae, scalenus, semispinalis capitis ipsilateral to the rotation, and sternocleidomastoid contralateral; and lateral flexion--sternocleidomastoid CONCLUSION. The results of this study, in part, agree with the purported functions of neck muscles derived from anatomic location. This also was true for the few selected muscles that have been examined in human electromyographic studies. Neck muscle function and morphology can be studied at a detailed level using exercise-induced shifts in magnetic resonance images.

Dissemination Of Evidence-Based CBT Intervention Components: Online Self-Administered Training For Providers Treating Military Deployment-Related PTSD

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-08-01

eye movement desensitization and reprocessing ( EMDR ), fluoxetine, and pill placebo in the treatment of posttraumatic...stress disorder: treatment effects and long-term maintenance. J Clin Psychiatry;68(1):37-46. 2007. 5. Shapiro F. Eye movement desensitization and ... reprocessing : Basic principles, protocols, and procedures (2nd edition). New York: Guilford Press. 2001. 6. Monson CM, Schnurr PP, Resick

Quantifying Postural Control during Exergaming Using Multivariate Whole-Body Movement Data: A Self-Organizing Maps Approach

PubMed Central

van Diest, Mike; Stegenga, Jan; Wörtche, Heinrich J.; Roerdink, Jos B. T. M; Verkerke, Gijsbertus J.; Lamoth, Claudine J. C.

2015-01-01

Background Exergames are becoming an increasingly popular tool for training balance ability, thereby preventing falls in older adults. Automatic, real time, assessment of the user’s balance control offers opportunities in terms of providing targeted feedback and dynamically adjusting the gameplay to the individual user, yet algorithms for quantification of balance control remain to be developed. The aim of the present study was to identify movement patterns, and variability therein, of young and older adults playing a custom-made weight-shifting (ice-skating) exergame. Methods Twenty older adults and twenty young adults played a weight-shifting exergame under five conditions of varying complexity, while multi-segmental whole-body movement data were captured using Kinect. Movement coordination patterns expressed during gameplay were identified using Self Organizing Maps (SOM), an artificial neural network, and variability in these patterns was quantified by computing Total Trajectory Variability (TTvar). Additionally a k Nearest Neighbor (kNN) classifier was trained to discriminate between young and older adults based on the SOM features. Results Results showed that TTvar was significantly higher in older adults than in young adults, when playing the exergame under complex task conditions. The kNN classifier showed a classification accuracy of 65.8%. Conclusions Older adults display more variable sway behavior than young adults, when playing the exergame under complex task conditions. The SOM features characterizing movement patterns expressed during exergaming allow for discriminating between young and older adults with limited accuracy. Our findings contribute to the development of algorithms for quantification of balance ability during home-based exergaming for balance training. PMID:26230655

Quantifying Postural Control during Exergaming Using Multivariate Whole-Body Movement Data: A Self-Organizing Maps Approach.

PubMed

van Diest, Mike; Stegenga, Jan; Wörtche, Heinrich J; Roerdink, Jos B T M; Verkerke, Gijsbertus J; Lamoth, Claudine J C

2015-01-01

Exergames are becoming an increasingly popular tool for training balance ability, thereby preventing falls in older adults. Automatic, real time, assessment of the user's balance control offers opportunities in terms of providing targeted feedback and dynamically adjusting the gameplay to the individual user, yet algorithms for quantification of balance control remain to be developed. The aim of the present study was to identify movement patterns, and variability therein, of young and older adults playing a custom-made weight-shifting (ice-skating) exergame. Twenty older adults and twenty young adults played a weight-shifting exergame under five conditions of varying complexity, while multi-segmental whole-body movement data were captured using Kinect. Movement coordination patterns expressed during gameplay were identified using Self Organizing Maps (SOM), an artificial neural network, and variability in these patterns was quantified by computing Total Trajectory Variability (TTvar). Additionally a k Nearest Neighbor (kNN) classifier was trained to discriminate between young and older adults based on the SOM features. Results showed that TTvar was significantly higher in older adults than in young adults, when playing the exergame under complex task conditions. The kNN classifier showed a classification accuracy of 65.8%. Older adults display more variable sway behavior than young adults, when playing the exergame under complex task conditions. The SOM features characterizing movement patterns expressed during exergaming allow for discriminating between young and older adults with limited accuracy. Our findings contribute to the development of algorithms for quantification of balance ability during home-based exergaming for balance training.

Longitudinal observation of basic mandibular movements: report of a case.

PubMed

Hayasaki, H; Okamoto, A; Nakata, S; Yamasaki, Y; Nakata, M

2003-01-01

Sound development of mandibular function during childhood is indispensable to establishing healthy function in adults. To examine this developmental process, longitudinal recordings of basic mandibular movements were done using an optoelectronic analysis. Mandibular movements were recorded on five separate occasions in one boy, from an age of six years and five months to 14 years and five months. The incisor pathways during protrusion and lateral excursion were initially shallow, with more anterior than inferior movement, but as he grew the amount of inferior movement and the amount of rotation both increased. Similarly, at his first recording there was very little hinge-like rotation during mouth closing, but rotation increased markedly after eruption of his permanent second molars. These findings suggest that mandibular movements change from being relatively simple with more translation in younger children to more complex movements with more rotation once the permanent dentition is established.

Using an Artificial Neural Bypass to Restore Cortical Control of Rhythmic Movements in a Human with Quadriplegia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Gaurav; Friedenberg, David A.; Annetta, Nicholas; Glenn, Bradley; Bockbrader, Marcie; Majstorovic, Connor; Domas, Stephanie; Mysiw, W. Jerry; Rezai, Ali; Bouton, Chad

2016-09-01

Neuroprosthetic technology has been used to restore cortical control of discrete (non-rhythmic) hand movements in a paralyzed person. However, cortical control of rhythmic movements which originate in the brain but are coordinated by Central Pattern Generator (CPG) neural networks in the spinal cord has not been demonstrated previously. Here we show a demonstration of an artificial neural bypass technology that decodes cortical activity and emulates spinal cord CPG function allowing volitional rhythmic hand movement. The technology uses a combination of signals recorded from the brain, machine-learning algorithms to decode the signals, a numerical model of CPG network, and a neuromuscular electrical stimulation system to evoke rhythmic movements. Using the neural bypass, a quadriplegic participant was able to initiate, sustain, and switch between rhythmic and discrete finger movements, using his thoughts alone. These results have implications in advancing neuroprosthetic technology to restore complex movements in people living with paralysis.

Illusory movement perception improves motor control for prosthetic hands

PubMed Central

Marasco, Paul D.; Hebert, Jacqueline S.; Sensinger, Jon W.; Shell, Courtney E.; Schofield, Jonathon S.; Thumser, Zachary C.; Nataraj, Raviraj; Beckler, Dylan T.; Dawson, Michael R.; Blustein, Dan H.; Gill, Satinder; Mensh, Brett D.; Granja-Vazquez, Rafael; Newcomb, Madeline D.; Carey, Jason P.; Orzell, Beth M.

2018-01-01

To effortlessly complete an intentional movement, the brain needs feedback from the body regarding the movement’s progress. This largely non-conscious kinesthetic sense helps the brain to learn relationships between motor commands and outcomes to correct movement errors. Prosthetic systems for restoring function have predominantly focused on controlling motorized joint movement. Without the kinesthetic sense, however, these devices do not become intuitively controllable. Here we report a method for endowing human amputees with a kinesthetic perception of dexterous robotic hands. Vibrating the muscles used for prosthetic control via a neural-machine interface produced the illusory perception of complex grip movements. Within minutes, three amputees integrated this kinesthetic feedback and improved movement control. Combining intent, kinesthesia, and vision instilled participants with a sense of agency over the robotic movements. This feedback approach for closed-loop control opens a pathway to seamless integration of minds and machines. PMID:29540617

Clinical identification of the simple sleep-related movement disorders.

PubMed

Walters, Arthur S

2007-04-01

Simple sleep-related movement disorders must be distinguished from daytime movement disorders that persist during sleep, sleep-related epilepsy, and parasomnias, which are generally characterized by activity that appears to be simultaneously complex, goal-directed, and purposeful but is outside the conscious awareness of the patient and, therefore, inappropriate. Once it is determined that the patient has a simple sleep-related movement disorder, the part of the body affected by the movement and the age of the patient give clues as to which sleep-related movement disorder is present. In some cases, all-night polysomnography with accompanying video may be necessary to make the diagnosis. Hypnic jerks (ie, sleep starts), bruxism, rhythmic movement disorder (ie, head banging/body rocking), and nocturnal leg cramps are discussed in addition to less well-appreciated disorders such as benign sleep myoclonus of infancy, excessive fragmentary myoclonus, and hypnagogic foot tremor/alternating leg muscle activation.

Methodological Aspects of Cognitive Rehabilitation with Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

PubMed Central

Zarghi, Afsaneh; Zali, Alireza; Tehranidost, Mehdi

2013-01-01

A variety of nervous system components such as medulla, pons, midbrain, cerebellum, basal ganglia, parietal, frontal and occipital lobes have role in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) processes. The eye movement is done simultaneously for attracting client's attention to an external stimulus while concentrating on a certain internal subject. Eye movement guided by therapist is the most common attention stimulus. The role of eye movement has been documented previously in relation with cognitive processing mechanisms. A series of systemic experiments have shown that the eyes’ spontaneous movement is associated with emotional and cognitive changes and results in decreased excitement, flexibility in attention, memory processing, and enhanced semantic recalling. Eye movement also decreases the memory's image clarity and the accompanying excitement. By using EMDR, we can reach some parts of memory which were inaccessible before and also emotionally intolerable. Various researches emphasize on the effectiveness of EMDR in treating and curing phobias, pains, and dependent personality disorders. Consequently, due to the involvement of multiple neural system components, this palliative method of treatment can also help to rehabilitate the neuro-cognitive system. PMID:25337334

Decision Modeling in Sleep Apnea: The Critical Roles of Pretest Probability, Cost of Untreated Obstructive Sleep Apnea, and Time Horizon.

PubMed

Moro, Marilyn; Westover, M Brandon; Kelly, Jessica; Bianchi, Matt T

2016-03-01

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, and treatment with positive airway pressure (PAP) is cost-effective. However, the optimal diagnostic strategy remains a subject of debate. Prior modeling studies have not consistently supported the widely held assumption that home sleep testing (HST) is cost-effective. We modeled four strategies: (1) treat no one; (2) treat everyone empirically; (3) treat those testing positive during in-laboratory polysomnography (PSG) via in-laboratory titration; and (4) treat those testing positive during HST with auto-PAP. The population was assumed to lack independent reasons for in-laboratory PSG (such as insomnia, periodic limb movements in sleep, complex apnea). We considered the third-party payer perspective, via both standard (quality-adjusted) and pure cost methods. The preferred strategy depended on three key factors: pretest probability of OSA, cost of untreated OSA, and time horizon. At low prevalence and low cost of untreated OSA, the treat no one strategy was favored, whereas empiric treatment was favored for high prevalence and high cost of untreated OSA. In-laboratory backup for failures in the at-home strategy increased the preference for the at-home strategy. Without laboratory backup in the at-home arm, the in-laboratory strategy was increasingly preferred at longer time horizons. Using a model framework that captures a broad range of clinical possibilities, the optimal diagnostic approach to uncomplicated OSA depends on pretest probability, cost of untreated OSA, and time horizon. Estimating each of these critical factors remains a challenge warranting further investigation. © 2016 American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

One-leg hop kinematics 20 years following anterior cruciate ligament rupture: Data revisited using functional data analysis.

PubMed

Hébert-Losier, Kim; Pini, Alessia; Vantini, Simone; Strandberg, Johan; Abramowicz, Konrad; Schelin, Lina; Häger, Charlotte K

2015-12-01

Despite interventions, anterior cruciate ligament ruptures can cause long-term deficits. To assist in identifying and treating deficiencies, 3D-motion analysis is used for objectivizing data. Conventional statistics are commonly employed to analyze kinematics, reducing continuous data series to discrete variables. Conversely, functional data analysis considers the entire data series. Here, we employ functional data analysis to examine and compare the entire time-domain of knee-kinematic curves from one-leg hops between and within three groups. All subjects (n=95) were part of a long-term follow-up study involving anterior cruciate ligament ruptures treated ~20 years ago conservatively with physiotherapy only or with reconstructive surgery and physiotherapy, and matched knee-healthy controls. Between-group differences (injured leg, treated groups; non-dominant leg, controls) were identified during the take-off and landing phases, and in the sagittal (flexion/extension) rather than coronal (abduction/adduction) and transverse (internal/external) planes. Overall, surgical and control groups demonstrated comparable knee-kinematic curves. However, compared to controls, the physiotherapy-only group exhibited less flexion during the take-off (0-55% of the normalized phase) and landing (44-73%) phase. Between-leg differences were absent in controls and the surgically treated group, but observed during the flight (4-22%, injured leg>flexion) and the landing (57-85%, injured leg

Edaravone Injection

MedlinePlus

Edaravone injection is used to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease; a condition in which the nerves that control muscle movement slowly die, causing the muscles to shrink and ...

Effect of coniine on the developing chick embryo.

PubMed

Forsyth, C S; Frank, A A; Watrous, B J; Bohn, A A

1994-04-01

Coniine, an alkaloid from Conium maculatum (poison hemlock), has been shown to be teratogenic in livestock. The major teratogenic outcome is arthrogryposis, presumably due to nicotinic receptor blockade. However, coniine has failed to produce arthrogryposis in rats or mice and is only weakly teratogenic in rabbits. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the effects of coniine and nicotine in the developing chick. Concentrations of coniine and nicotine sulfate were 0.015%, 0.03%, 0.075%, 0.15%, 0.75%, 1.5%, 3%, and 6% and 1%, 5%, and 10%, respectively. Both compounds caused deformations and lethality in a dose-dependent manner. All concentrations of nicotine sulfate caused some lethality but a no effect level for coniine lethality was 0.75%. The deformations caused by both coniine and nicotine sulfate were excessive flexion or extension of one or more toes. No histopathological alterations or differences in bone formation were seen in the limbs or toes of any chicks from any group; however, extensive cranial hemorrhage occurred in all nicotine sulfate-treated chicks. There was a statistically significant (P < or = 0.01) decrease in movement in coniine and nicotine sulfate treated chicks as determined by ultrasound. Control chicks were in motion an average of 33.67% of the time, while coniine-treated chicks were only moving 8.95% of a 5-min interval, and no movement was observed for nicotine sulfate treated chicks. In summary, the chick embryo provides a reliable and simple experimental animal model of coniine-induced arthrogryposis. Data from this model support a mechanism involving nicotinic receptor blockade with subsequent decreased fetal movement.

A zebrafish model of manganism reveals reversible and treatable symptoms that are independent of neurotoxicity

PubMed Central

Bakthavatsalam, Subha; Das Sharma, Shreya; Sonawane, Mahendra; Thirumalai, Vatsala; Datta, Ankona

2014-01-01

Manganese (manganese ion; referred to as Mn) is essential for neuronal function, yet it is toxic at high concentrations. Environmental and occupational exposure to high concentrations of Mn causes manganism, a well-defined movement disorder in humans, with symptoms resembling Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, manganism is distinct from PD and the neural basis of its pathology is poorly understood. To address this issue, we generated a zebrafish model of manganism by incubating larvae in rearing medium containing Mn. We find that Mn-treated zebrafish larvae exhibit specific postural and locomotor defects. Larvae begin to float on their sides, show a curved spine and swim in circles. We discovered that treatment with Mn causes postural defects by interfering with mechanotransduction at the neuromasts. Furthermore, we find that the circling locomotion could be caused by long-duration bursting in the motor neurons, which can lead to long-duration tail bends in the Mn-treated larvae. Mn-treated larvae also exhibited fewer startle movements. Additionally, we show that the intensity of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity is reversibly reduced after Mn-treatment. This led us to propose that reduced dopamine neuromodulation drives the changes in startle movements. To test this, when we supplied an external source of dopamine to Mn-treated larvae, the larvae exhibited a normal number of startle swims. Taken together, these results indicate that Mn interferes with neuronal function at the sensory, motor and modulatory levels, and open avenues for therapeutically targeted studies on the zebrafish model of manganism. PMID:25261567

Maximum entropy perception-action space: a Bayesian model of eye movement selection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colas, Francis; Bessière, Pierre; Girard, Benoît

2011-03-01

In this article, we investigate the issue of the selection of eye movements in a free-eye Multiple Object Tracking task. We propose a Bayesian model of retinotopic maps with a complex logarithmic mapping. This model is structured in two parts: a representation of the visual scene, and a decision model based on the representation. We compare different decision models based on different features of the representation and we show that taking into account uncertainty helps predict the eye movements of subjects recorded in a psychophysics experiment. Finally, based on experimental data, we postulate that the complex logarithmic mapping has a functional relevance, as the density of objects in this space in more uniform than expected. This may indicate that the representation space and control strategies are such that the object density is of maximum entropy.

Creosote movement from treated wood immersed in fresh water

Treesearch

Sung-Mo Kang; Jeffrey J. Morrell; John Simonsen; Stan Lebow

2005-01-01

Creosote has a long history of successful use as a wood preservative, but polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in this preservative have raised environmental concerns, particularly when creosote-treated wood is used in aquatic environments. A number of models have been developed to predict the risk of creosote use in aquatic environments, but one limitation of these models...

Movement-related phase locking in the delta-theta frequency band.

PubMed

Popovych, S; Rosjat, N; Toth, T I; Wang, B A; Liu, L; Abdollahi, R O; Viswanathan, S; Grefkes, C; Fink, G R; Daun, S

2016-10-01

Movements result from a complex interplay of multiple brain regions. These regions are assembled into distinct functional networks depending on the specific properties of the action. However, the nature and details of the dynamics of this complex assembly process are unknown. In this study, we sought to identify key markers of the neural processes underlying the preparation and execution of motor actions that always occur irrespective of differences in movement initiation, hence the specific neural processes and functional networks involved. To this end, EEG activity was continuously recorded from 18 right-handed healthy participants while they performed a simple motor task consisting of button presses with the left or right index finger. The movement was performed either in response to a visual cue or at a self-chosen, i.e., non-cued point in time. Despite these substantial differences in movement initiation, dynamic properties of the EEG signals common to both conditions could be identified using time-frequency and phase locking analysis of the EEG data. In both conditions, a significant phase locking effect was observed that started prior to the movement onset in the δ-θ frequency band (2-7Hz), and that was strongest at the electrodes nearest to the contralateral motor region (M1). This phase locking effect did not have a counterpart in the corresponding power spectra (i.e., amplitudes), or in the event-related potentials. Our finding suggests that phase locking in the δ-θ frequency band is a ubiquitous movement-related signal independent of how the actual movement has been initiated. We therefore suggest that phase-locked neural oscillations in the motor cortex are a prerequisite for the preparation and execution of motor actions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Brook trout movement in response to temperature, flow, and thermal refugia within a complex Appalachian riverscape

USGS Publications Warehouse

Petty, J. Todd; Hansbarger, Jeff L.; Huntsman, Brock M.; Mazik, Patricia M.

2012-01-01

We quantified movements of brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis and brown trout Salmo trutta in a complex riverscape characterized by a large, open-canopy main stem and a small, closed-canopy tributary in eastern West Virginia, USA. Our objectives were to quantify the overall rate of trout movement and relate movement behaviors to variation in streamflow, water temperature, and access to coldwater refugia. The study area experienced extremely high seasonal, yearly, and among-stream variability in water temperature and flow. The relative mobility of brook trout within the upper Shavers Fork watershed varied significantly depending on whether individuals resided within the larger main stem or the smaller tributary. The movement rate of trout inhabiting the main stem during summer months (50 m/d) was an order of magnitude higher than that of tributary fish (2 m/d). Movement rates of main-stem-resident brook trout during summer were correlated with the maximum water temperature experienced by the fish and with the fish's initial distance from a known coldwater source. For main-stem trout, use of microhabitats closer to cover was higher during extremely warm periods than during cooler periods; use of microhabitats closer to cover during warm periods was also greater for main-stem trout than for tributary inhabitants. Main-stem-resident trout were never observed in water exceeding 19.5°C. Our study provides some of the first data on brook trout movements in a large Appalachian river system and underscores the importance of managing trout fisheries in a riverscape context. Brook trout conservation in this region will depend on restoration and protection of coldwater refugia in larger river main stems as well as removal of barriers to trout movement near tributary and main-stem confluences.

Simple models for studying complex spatiotemporal patterns of animal behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tyutyunov, Yuri V.; Titova, Lyudmila I.

2017-06-01

Minimal mathematical models able to explain complex patterns of animal behavior are essential parts of simulation systems describing large-scale spatiotemporal dynamics of trophic communities, particularly those with wide-ranging species, such as occur in pelagic environments. We present results obtained with three different modelling approaches: (i) an individual-based model of animal spatial behavior; (ii) a continuous taxis-diffusion-reaction system of partial-difference equations; (iii) a 'hybrid' approach combining the individual-based algorithm of organism movements with explicit description of decay and diffusion of the movement stimuli. Though the models are based on extremely simple rules, they all allow description of spatial movements of animals in a predator-prey system within a closed habitat, reproducing some typical patterns of the pursuit-evasion behavior observed in natural populations. In all three models, at each spatial position the animal movements are determined by local conditions only, so the pattern of collective behavior emerges due to self-organization. The movement velocities of animals are proportional to the density gradients of specific cues emitted by individuals of the antagonistic species (pheromones, exometabolites or mechanical waves of the media, e.g., sound). These cues play a role of taxis stimuli: prey attract predators, while predators repel prey. Depending on the nature and the properties of the movement stimulus we propose using either a simplified individual-based model, a continuous taxis pursuit-evasion system, or a little more detailed 'hybrid' approach that combines simulation of the individual movements with the continuous model describing diffusion and decay of the stimuli in an explicit way. These can be used to improve movement models for many species, including large marine predators.

A Relationship Between Visual Complexity and Aesthetic Appraisal of Car Front Images: An Eye-Tracker Study.

PubMed

Chassy, Philippe; Lindell, Trym A E; Jones, Jessica A; Paramei, Galina V

2015-01-01

Image aesthetic pleasure (AP) is conjectured to be related to image visual complexity (VC). The aim of the present study was to investigate whether (a) two image attributes, AP and VC, are reflected in eye-movement parameters; and (b) subjective measures of AP and VC are related. Participants (N=26) explored car front images (M=50) while their eye movements were recorded. Following image exposure (10 seconds), its VC and AP were rated. Fixation count was found to positively correlate with the subjective VC and its objective proxy, JPEG compression size, suggesting that this eye-movement parameter can be considered an objective behavioral measure of VC. AP, in comparison, positively correlated with average dwelling time. Subjective measures of AP and VC were related too, following an inverted U-shape function best-fit by a quadratic equation. In addition, AP was found to be modulated by car prestige. Our findings reveal a close relationship between subjective and objective measures of complexity and aesthetic appraisal, which is interpreted within a prototype-based theory framework. © The Author(s) 2015.

Activity of daily living for Morquio A syndrome.

PubMed

Yasuda, Eriko; Suzuki, Yasuyuki; Shimada, Tsutomu; Sawamoto, Kazuki; Mackenzie, William G; Theroux, Mary C; Pizarro, Christian; Xie, Li; Miller, Freeman; Rahman, Tariq; Kecskemethy, Heidi H; Nagao, Kyoko; Morlet, Thierry; Shaffer, Thomas H; Chinen, Yasutsugu; Yabe, Hiromasa; Tanaka, Akemi; Shintaku, Haruo; Orii, Kenji E; Orii, Koji O; Mason, Robert W; Montaño, Adriana M; Fukao, Toshiyuki; Orii, Tadao; Tomatsu, Shunji

2016-06-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity of daily living (ADL) and surgical interventions in patients with mucopolysaccharidosis IVA (MPS IVA). The factor(s) that affect ADL are age, clinical phenotypes, surgical interventions, therapeutic effect, and body mass index. The ADL questionnaire comprises three domains: "Movement," "Movement with cognition," and "Cognition." Each domain has four subcategories rated on a 5-point scale based on the level of assistance. The questionnaire was collected from 145 healthy controls and 82 patients with MPS IVA. The patient cohort consisted of 63 severe and 17 attenuated phenotypes (2 were undefined); 4 patients treated with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), 33 patients treated with enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) for more than a year, and 45 untreated patients. MPS IVA patients show a decline in ADL scores after 10years of age. Patients with a severe phenotype have a lower ADL score than healthy control subjects, and lower scores than patients with an attenuated phenotype in domains of "Movement" and "Movement with cognition." Patients, who underwent HSCT and were followed up for over 10years, had higher ADL scores and fewer surgical interventions than untreated patients. ADL scores for ERT patients (2.5years follow-up on average) were similar with the-age-matched controls below 10years of age, but declined in older patients. Surgical frequency was higher for severe phenotypic patients than attenuated ones. Surgical frequency for patients treated with ERT was not decreased compared to untreated patients. In conclusion, we have shown the utility of the proposed ADL questionnaire and frequency of surgical interventions in patients with MPS IVA to evaluate the clinical severity and therapeutic efficacy compared with age-matched controls. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Illusory movement perception improves motor control for prosthetic hands.

PubMed

Marasco, Paul D; Hebert, Jacqueline S; Sensinger, Jon W; Shell, Courtney E; Schofield, Jonathon S; Thumser, Zachary C; Nataraj, Raviraj; Beckler, Dylan T; Dawson, Michael R; Blustein, Dan H; Gill, Satinder; Mensh, Brett D; Granja-Vazquez, Rafael; Newcomb, Madeline D; Carey, Jason P; Orzell, Beth M

2018-03-14

To effortlessly complete an intentional movement, the brain needs feedback from the body regarding the movement's progress. This largely nonconscious kinesthetic sense helps the brain to learn relationships between motor commands and outcomes to correct movement errors. Prosthetic systems for restoring function have predominantly focused on controlling motorized joint movement. Without the kinesthetic sense, however, these devices do not become intuitively controllable. We report a method for endowing human amputees with a kinesthetic perception of dexterous robotic hands. Vibrating the muscles used for prosthetic control via a neural-machine interface produced the illusory perception of complex grip movements. Within minutes, three amputees integrated this kinesthetic feedback and improved movement control. Combining intent, kinesthesia, and vision instilled participants with a sense of agency over the robotic movements. This feedback approach for closed-loop control opens a pathway to seamless integration of minds and machines. Copyright © 2018 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

Intrinsic movement variability at work. How long is the path from motor control to design engineering?

PubMed

Gaudez, C; Gilles, M A; Savin, J

2016-03-01

For several years, increasing numbers of studies have highlighted the existence of movement variability. Before that, it was neglected in movement analysis and it is still almost completely ignored in workstation design. This article reviews motor control theories and factors influencing movement execution, and indicates how intrinsic movement variability is part of task completion. These background clarifications should help ergonomists and workstation designers to gain a better understanding of these concepts, which can then be used to improve design tools. We also question which techniques--kinematics, kinetics or muscular activity--and descriptors are most appropriate for describing intrinsic movement variability and for integration into design tools. By this way, simulations generated by designers for workstation design should be closer to the real movements performed by workers. This review emphasises the complexity of identifying, describing and processing intrinsic movement variability in occupational activities. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Discovering loose group movement patterns from animal trajectories

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wang, Yuwei; Luo, Ze; Xiong, Yan; Prosser, Diann J.; Newman, Scott H.; Takekawa, John Y.; Yan, Baoping

2015-01-01

The technical advances of positioning technologies enable us to track animal movements at finer spatial and temporal scales, and further help to discover a variety of complex interactive relationships. In this paper, considering the loose gathering characteristics of the real-life groups' members during the movements, we propose two kinds of loose group movement patterns and corresponding discovery algorithms. Firstly, we propose the weakly consistent group movement pattern which allows the gathering of a part of the members and individual temporary leave from the whole during the movements. To tolerate the high dispersion of the group at some moments (i.e. to adapt the discontinuity of the group's gatherings), we further scheme the weakly consistent and continuous group movement pattern. The extensive experimental analysis and comparison with the real and synthetic data shows that the group pattern discovery algorithms proposed in this paper are similar to the the real-life frequent divergences of the members during the movements, can discover more complete memberships, and have considerable performance.

Methods for simulation-based analysis of fluid-structure interaction.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barone, Matthew Franklin; Payne, Jeffrey L.

2005-10-01

Methods for analysis of fluid-structure interaction using high fidelity simulations are critically reviewed. First, a literature review of modern numerical techniques for simulation of aeroelastic phenomena is presented. The review focuses on methods contained within the arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) framework for coupling computational fluid dynamics codes to computational structural mechanics codes. The review treats mesh movement algorithms, the role of the geometric conservation law, time advancement schemes, wetted surface interface strategies, and some representative applications. The complexity and computational expense of coupled Navier-Stokes/structural dynamics simulations points to the need for reduced order modeling to facilitate parametric analysis. The proper orthogonalmore » decomposition (POD)/Galerkin projection approach for building a reduced order model (ROM) is presented, along with ideas for extension of the methodology to allow construction of ROMs based on data generated from ALE simulations.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chien, Ellen Y.T.; Liu, Wei; Zhao, Qiang

Dopamine modulates movement, cognition, and emotion through activation of dopamine G protein-coupled receptors in the brain. The crystal structure of the human dopamine D3 receptor (D3R) in complex with the small molecule D2R/D3R-specific antagonist eticlopride reveals important features of the ligand binding pocket and extracellular loops. On the intracellular side of the receptor, a locked conformation of the ionic lock and two distinctly different conformations of intracellular loop 2 are observed. Docking of R-22, a D3R-selective antagonist, reveals an extracellular extension of the eticlopride binding site that comprises a second binding pocket for the aryl amide of R-22, which differsmore » between the highly homologous D2R and D3R. This difference provides direction to the design of D3R-selective agents for treating drug abuse and other neuropsychiatric indications.« less

The pathoanatomy and arthroscopic management of femoroacetabular impingement

PubMed Central

Tibor, L. M.; Leunig, M.

2012-01-01

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) causes pain and chondrolabral damage via mechanical overload during movement of the hip. It is caused by many different types of pathoanatomy, including the cam ‘bump’, decreased head–neck offset, acetabular retroversion, global acetabular overcoverage, prominent anterior–inferior iliac spine, slipped capital femoral epiphysis, and the sequelae of childhood Perthes’ disease. Both evolutionary and developmental factors may cause FAI. Prevalence studies show that anatomic variations that cause FAI are common in the asymptomatic population. Young athletes may be predisposed to FAI because of the stress on the physis during development. Other factors, including the soft tissues, may also influence symptoms and chondrolabral damage. FAI and the resultant chondrolabral pathology are often treated arthroscopically. Although the results are favourable, morphologies can be complex, patient expectations are high and the surgery is challenging. The long-term outcomes of hip arthroscopy are still forthcoming and it is unknown if treatment of FAI will prevent arthrosis. PMID:23610655

Benign positional vertigo - aftercare

MedlinePlus

Vertigo - positional - aftercare; Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo - aftercare; BPPV - aftercare; Dizziness - positional vertigo ... Your health care provider may have treated your vertigo with the Epley maneuver . These are head movements ...

An investigation into the relationship between vigabatrin, movement disorders, and brain magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities in children with infantile spasms.

PubMed

Fong, Choong Yi; Osborne, John P; Edwards, Stuart W; Hemingway, Cheryl; Hancock, Eleanor; Johnson, Anthony L; Kennedy, Colin R; Kneen, Rachel; Likeman, Marcus; Lux, Andrew L; Mordekar, Santosh R; Murugan, Velayutham; Newton, Richard W; Pike, Michael; Quinn, Michael; Spinty, Stefan; Vassallo, Grace; Verity, Christopher M; Whitney, Andrea; O'Callaghan, Finbar J K

2013-09-01

We aimed to investigate the relationship between movement disorders, changes on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and vigabatrin therapy in children with infantile spasms. Retrospective review and brain MRI analysis of children enrolled in the International Collaborative Infantile Spasms Study (ICISS) who developed a movement disorder on vigabatrin therapy. Comparisons were made with controls within ICISS who had no movement disorder. Ten of 124 infants had a movement disorder and in eight it had developed on vigabatrin therapy. Two had a movement disorder that resolved on dose-reduction of vigabatrin, one had improvement on withdrawing vigabatrin, two had resolution without any dose change, and in three it persisted despite vigabatrin withdrawal. The typical brain MRI changes associated with vigabatrin therapy were noted in two infants. Ten control infants were identified. Typical MRI changes noted with vigabatrin were noted in three controls. It is possible that in two out of eight cases, vigabatrin was associated with the development of a movement disorder. In six out of eight cases a causal relationship was less plausible. The majority of infants treated with vigabatrin did not develop a movement disorder. MRI changes associated with vigabatrin do not appear to be specifically related to the movement disorder. © 2013 Mac Keith Press.

Abscisic acid triggers whole-plant and fruit-specific mechanisms to increase fruit calcium uptake and prevent blossom end rot development in tomato fruit.

PubMed

de Freitas, Sergio Tonetto; Shackel, Kenneth A; Mitcham, Elizabeth J

2011-05-01

Calcium (Ca) uptake into fruit and leaves is dependent on xylemic water movement, and hence presumably driven by transpiration and growth. High leaf transpiration is thought to restrict Ca movement to low-transpiring tomato fruit, which may increase fruit susceptibility to the Ca-deficiency disorder, blossom end rot (BER). The objective of this study was to analyse the effect of reduced leaf transpiration in abscisic acid (ABA)-treated plants on fruit and leaf Ca uptake and BER development. Tomato cultivars Ace 55 (Vf) and AB2 were grown in a greenhouse environment under Ca-deficit conditions and plants were treated weekly after pollination with water (control) or 500 mg l(-1) ABA. BER incidence was completely prevented in the ABA-treated plants and reached values of 30-45% in the water-treated controls. ABA-treated plants had higher stem water potential, lower leaf stomatal conductance, and lower whole-plant water loss than water-treated plants. ABA treatment increased total tissue and apoplastic water-soluble Ca concentrations in the fruit, and decreased Ca concentrations in leaves. In ABA-treated plants, fruit had a higher number of Safranin-O-stained xylem vessels at early stages of growth and development. ABA treatment reduced the phloem/xylem ratio of fruit sap uptake. The results indicate that ABA prevents BER development by increasing fruit Ca uptake, possibly by a combination of whole-plant and fruit-specific mechanisms.

Validation of inertial measurement units with an optoelectronic system for whole-body motion analysis.

PubMed

Robert-Lachaine, Xavier; Mecheri, Hakim; Larue, Christian; Plamondon, André

2017-04-01

The potential of inertial measurement units (IMUs) for ergonomics applications appears promising. However, previous IMUs validation studies have been incomplete regarding aspects of joints analysed, complexity of movements and duration of trials. The objective was to determine the technological error and biomechanical model differences between IMUs and an optoelectronic system and evaluate the effect of task complexity and duration. Whole-body kinematics from 12 participants was recorded simultaneously with a full-body Xsens system where an Optotrak cluster was fixed on every IMU. Short functional movements and long manual material handling tasks were performed and joint angles were compared between the two systems. The differences attributed to the biomechanical model showed significantly greater (P ≤ .001) RMSE than the technological error. RMSE was systematically higher (P ≤ .001) for the long complex task with a mean on all joints of 2.8° compared to 1.2° during short functional movements. Definition of local coordinate systems based on anatomical landmarks or single posture was the most influent difference between the two systems. Additionally, IMUs accuracy was affected by the complexity and duration of the tasks. Nevertheless, technological error remained under 5° RMSE during handling tasks, which shows potential to track workers during their daily labour.

The use of surface monitoring data for the interpretation of landslide movement patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petley, D. N.; Mantovani, F.; Bulmer, M. H.; Zannoni, A.

2005-03-01

The Tessina landslide is a large, seasonally active slope failure located on the southern slopes of Mt. Teverone, in the Alpago valley of NE Italy, consisting of a complex system that has developed in Tertiary Flysch deposits. The landslide, which first became active in 1960, threatens two villages and is hence subject to detailed monitoring, with high quality data being collected using piezometers, inclinometers, extensometers, and through the use of a highly innovative, automated Electronic Distance Measurement (EDM) system, which surveys the location of a large number of reflector targets once every 6 h. These systems form the basis of a warning system that protects the villages, but they also provide a very valuable insight into the patterns of movement of the landslide. In this paper, analysis is presented of the movement of the landslide, concentrating on the EDM dataset, which provides a remarkable record of surface displacement patterns. It is proposed that four distinct movement patterns can be established, which correspond closely to independently defined morphological assessments of the landslide complex. Any given block of material transitions through the four phases of movement as it progresses down the landslide, with the style of movement being controlled primarily by the groundwater conditions. The analysis is augmented with modelling of the landslide, undertaken using the Itasca FLAC code. The modelling suggests that different landslide patterns are observed for different parts of the landslide, primarily as a result of variations in the groundwater conditions. The model suggests that when a movement event occurs, displacements occur initially at the toe of the landslide, then retrogress upslope.

Involvement of the primary motor cortex in controlling movements executed with the ipsilateral hand differs between left- and right-handers.

PubMed

van den Berg, Femke E; Swinnen, Stephan P; Wenderoth, Nicole

2011-11-01

Unimanual motor tasks, specifically movements that are complex or require high forces, activate not only the contralateral primary motor cortex (M1) but evoke also ipsilateral M1 activity. This involvement of ipsilateral M1 is asymmetric, such that the left M1 is more involved in motor control with the left hand than the right M1 in movements with the right hand. This suggests that the left hemisphere is specialized for movement control of either hand, although previous experiments tested mostly right-handed participants. In contrast, research on hemispheric asymmetries of ipsilateral M1 involvement in left-handed participants is relatively scarce. In the present study, left- and right-handed participants performed complex unimanual movements, whereas TMS was used to disrupt the activity of ipsilateral M1 in accordance with a "virtual lesion" approach. For right-handed participants, more disruptions were induced when TMS was applied over the dominant (left) M1. For left-handed participants, two subgroups could be distinguished, such that one group showed more disruptions when TMS was applied over the nondominant (left) M1, whereas the other subgroup showed more disruptions when the dominant (right) M1 was stimulated. This indicates that functional asymmetries of M1 involvement during ipsilateral movements are influenced by both hand dominance as well as left hemisphere specialization. We propose that the functional asymmetries in ipsilateral M1 involvement during unimanual movements are primarily attributable to asymmetries in the higher-order areas, although the contribution of transcallosal pathways and ipsilateral projections cannot be completely ruled out.

Similarities between GCS and human motor cortex: complex movement coordination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodríguez, Jose A.; Macias, Rosa; Molgo, Jordi; Guerra, Dailos

2014-07-01

The "Gran Telescopio de Canarias" (GTC1) is an optical-infrared 10-meter segmented mirror telescope at the ORM observatory in Canary Islands (Spain). The GTC control system (GCS), the brain of the telescope, is is a distributed object & component oriented system based on RT-CORBA and it is responsible for the management and operation of the telescope, including its instrumentation. On the other hand, the Human motor cortex (HMC) is a region of the cerebrum responsible for the coordination of planning, control, and executing voluntary movements. If we analyze both systems, as far as the movement control of their mechanisms and body parts is concerned, we can find extraordinary similarities in their architectures. Both are structured in layers, and their functionalities are comparable from the movement conception until the movement action itself: In the GCS we can enumerate the Sequencer high level components, the Coordination libraries, the Control Kit library and the Device Driver library as the subsystems involved in the telescope movement control. If we look at the motor cortex, we can also enumerate the primary motor cortex, the secondary motor cortices, which include the posterior parietal cortex, the premotor cortex, and the supplementary motor area (SMA), the motor units, the sensory organs and the basal ganglia. From all these components/areas we will analyze in depth the several subcortical regions, of the the motor cortex, that are involved in organizing motor programs for complex movements and the GCS coordination framework, which is composed by a set of classes that allow to the high level components to transparently control a group of mechanisms simultaneously.

A Biologically Realistic Cortical Model of Eye Movement Control in Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heinzle, Jakob; Hepp, Klaus; Martin, Kevan A. C.

2010-01-01

Reading is a highly complex task involving a precise integration of vision, attention, saccadic eye movements, and high-level language processing. Although there is a long history of psychological research in reading, it is only recently that imaging studies have identified some neural correlates of reading. Thus, the underlying neural mechanisms…

Science Fiction as Social Movement: Ideology and Resource Mobilization in Cultural Production and Reproduction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, William C.

The paper examines science fiction literature as a product and part of the social consciousness of the modern capitalist world order. This world order is seen as emphasizing science, technology, movement, growth, urbanization, industrialization, complex organization, and progress. The document is organized into two sections. The first section…

Posture and Movement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

Session TP3 includes short reports on: (1) Modification of Goal-Directed Arm Movements During Inflight Adaptation to Microgravity; (2) Quantitative Analysis of Motion control in Long Term Microgravity; (3) Does the Centre of Gravity Remain the Stabilised Reference during Complex Human Postural Equilibrium Tasks in Weightlessness?; and (4) Arm End-Point Trajectories Under Normal and Microgravity Environments.

The Community College Baccalaureate Movement: Cutting-Edge Dissertation Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hrabak, Michael R.

2009-01-01

In this review of dissertations, the researcher presents summaries of 10 of the most recent and cutting-edge dissertations focusing on the ever-growing and complex field of the community college baccalaureate movement. These studies focus on the gamut of specific legislation, case studies of particular programs and schools, financing of such…

Wealth inequality: The physics basis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bejan, A.; Errera, M. R.

2017-03-01

"Inequality" is a common observation about us, as members of society. In this article, we unify physics with economics by showing that the distribution of wealth is related proportionally to the movement of all the streams of a live society. The hierarchical distribution of wealth on the earth happens naturally. Hierarchy is unavoidable, with staying power, and difficult to efface. We illustrate this with two architectures, river basins and the movement of freight. The physical flow architecture that emerges is hierarchical on the surface of the earth and in everything that flows inside the live human bodies, the movement of humans and their belongings, and the engines that drive the movement. The nonuniform distribution of wealth becomes more accentuated as the economy becomes more developed, i.e., as its flow architecture becomes more complex for the purpose of covering smaller and smaller interstices of the overall (fixed) territory. It takes a relatively modest complexity for the nonuniformity in the distribution of wealth to be evident. This theory also predicts the Lorenz-type distribution of income inequality, which was adopted empirically for a century.

A review of network analysis terminology and its application to foot-and-mouth disease modelling and policy development.

PubMed

Dubé, C; Ribble, C; Kelton, D; McNab, B

2009-04-01

Livestock movements are important in spreading infectious diseases and many countries have developed regulations that require farmers to report livestock movements to authorities. This has led to the availability of large amounts of data for analysis and inclusion in computer simulation models developed to support policy formulation. Social network analysis has become increasingly popular to study and characterize the networks resulting from the movement of livestock from farm-to-farm and through other types of livestock operations. Network analysis is a powerful tool that allows one to study the relationships created among these operations, providing information on the role that they play in acquiring and spreading infectious diseases, information that is not readily available from more traditional livestock movement studies. Recent advances in the study of real-world complex networks are now being applied to veterinary epidemiology and infectious disease modelling and control. A review of the principles of network analysis and of the relevance of various complex network theories to infectious disease modelling and control is presented in this paper.

Identification of host factors potentially involved in RTM-mediated resistance during potyvirus long distance movement.

PubMed

Sofer, Luc; Cabanillas, Daniel Garcia; Gayral, Mathieu; Téplier, Rachèle; Pouzoulet, Jérôme; Ducousso, Marie; Dufin, Laurène; Bréhélin, Claire; Ziegler-Graff, Véronique; Brault, Véronique; Revers, Frédéric

2017-07-01

The long distance movement of potyviruses is a poorly understood step of the viral cycle. Only factors inhibiting this process, referred to as "Restricted TEV Movement" (RTM), have been identified in Arabidopsis thaliana. On the virus side, the potyvirus coat protein (CP) displays determinants required for long-distance movement and for RTM-based resistance breaking. However, the potyvirus CP was previously shown not to interact with the RTM proteins. We undertook the identification of Arabidopsis factors which directly interact with either the RTM proteins or the CP of lettuce mosaic virus (LMV). An Arabidopsis cDNA library generated from companion cells was screened with LMV CP and RTM proteins using the yeast two-hybrid system. Fourteen interacting proteins were identified. Two of them were shown to interact with CP and the RTM proteins suggesting that a multiprotein complex could be formed between the RTM proteins and virions or viral ribonucleoprotein complexes. Co-localization experiments in Nicotiana benthamiana showed that most of the viral and cellular protein pairs co-localized at the periphery of chloroplasts which suggests a putative role for plastids in this process.

Trihexyphenidyl for acute life-threatening episodes due to a dystonic movement disorder in Rett syndrome.

PubMed

Gika, Artemis D; Hughes, Elaine; Goyal, Sushma; Sparkes, Matthew; Lin, Jean-Pierre

2010-02-15

In Rett syndrome (RS), acute life-threatening episodes (ALTEs) are usually attributed to epilepsy or autonomic dysfunction but they can represent a movement disorder (MD). We describe three girls with RS who experienced ALTEs from an early age. These were long considered epileptic until video-EEG in Patients 1 and 3 revealed their non-epileptic nature. A primary dystonic mechanism was suspected and Patients 1 and 2 were treated with Trihexyphenidyl with significantly reduced frequency of the ALTEs. Patient 3 died before Trihexyphenidyl was tried. Trihexyphenidyl in RS patients with similar presentations can modify the dystonia and prevent ALTEs. (c) 2009 Movement Disorder Society.

Clinical success, political failure?

PubMed

Neilson, Jacqueline

2004-01-01

ABSTRACT This paper argues that the dominant language used by the domestic violence movement to conceptualize relationship violence inadequately captures the psychological complexities involved in abusive lesbian relationships. As a corrective, a language based on feminist and psychoanalytic concepts is presented. Against the backdrop of this language, the author reflects on the lived experience of lesbian clients who have come to therapy for relationship violence. It is concluded that a language based on the ethos of postmodern feminism and neo-Kleinian concepts and technique more appropriately addresses the complexities involved in abusive lesbian relationships within a therapeutic context than the polemical language of the domestic violence movement.

Analysis of the dentin-pulp complex in teeth submitted to orthodontic movement in rats

PubMed Central

MASSARO, Camila da Siveira; CONSOLARO, Renata Bianco; SANTAMARIA, Milton; CONSOLARO, Maria Fernanda Martins-Ortiz; CONSOLARO, Alberto

2009-01-01

ABSTRACT In order to microscopically analyze the pulpal effects of orthodontic movement, 49 maxillary first molars of rats were submitted to orthodontic appliance composed of a closed coil spring anchored to the maxillary incisors, placed for the achievement of mesial movement. Material and Methods: Ten animals were used as the control group and were not submitted to orthodontic force; the other animals were divided into groups according to the study period of tooth movement, namely 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 days. The investigation of pulp and periodontal changes included hyalinization, fibrosis, reactive dentin and vascular congestion. Statistical evaluation was performed between control and experimental groups and between periods of observation using non-parametric chi-square, Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn tests. Results: There was no statistically significant difference concerning pulpal changes between control and experimental groups nor between periods of observation. The control group, at 3 and 5 days, revealed greater hyalinization of the periodontal ligament (p<0.05), whereas root resorption was significantly greater at 5 and 7 days (p<0.05). Conclusion: No morphological change from the effect of induced tooth movement could be found in the dentin-pulp complex. In addition, no inflammatory or pulp degeneration, detectable in optical microscopy, was found in experimental groups. PMID:21499653

Planning Ahead: Object-Directed Sequential Actions Decoded from Human Frontoparietal and Occipitotemporal Networks

PubMed Central

Gallivan, Jason P.; Johnsrude, Ingrid S.; Randall Flanagan, J.

2016-01-01

Object-manipulation tasks (e.g., drinking from a cup) typically involve sequencing together a series of distinct motor acts (e.g., reaching toward, grasping, lifting, and transporting the cup) in order to accomplish some overarching goal (e.g., quenching thirst). Although several studies in humans have investigated the neural mechanisms supporting the planning of visually guided movements directed toward objects (such as reaching or pointing), only a handful have examined how manipulatory sequences of actions—those that occur after an object has been grasped—are planned and represented in the brain. Here, using event-related functional MRI and pattern decoding methods, we investigated the neural basis of real-object manipulation using a delayed-movement task in which participants first prepared and then executed different object-directed action sequences that varied either in their complexity or final spatial goals. Consistent with previous reports of preparatory brain activity in non-human primates, we found that activity patterns in several frontoparietal areas reliably predicted entire action sequences in advance of movement. Notably, we found that similar sequence-related information could also be decoded from pre-movement signals in object- and body-selective occipitotemporal cortex (OTC). These findings suggest that both frontoparietal and occipitotemporal circuits are engaged in transforming object-related information into complex, goal-directed movements. PMID:25576538

CUE: counterfeit-resistant usable eye movement-based authentication via oculomotor plant characteristics and complex eye movement patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komogortsev, Oleg V.; Karpov, Alexey; Holland, Corey D.

2012-06-01

The widespread use of computers throughout modern society introduces the necessity for usable and counterfeit-resistant authentication methods to ensure secure access to personal resources such as bank accounts, e-mail, and social media. Current authentication methods require tedious memorization of lengthy pass phrases, are often prone to shouldersurfing, and may be easily replicated (either by counterfeiting parts of the human body or by guessing an authentication token based on readily available information). This paper describes preliminary work toward a counterfeit-resistant usable eye movement-based (CUE) authentication method. CUE does not require any passwords (improving the memorability aspect of the authentication system), and aims to provide high resistance to spoofing and shoulder-surfing by employing the combined biometric capabilities of two behavioral biometric traits: 1) oculomotor plant characteristics (OPC) which represent the internal, non-visible, anatomical structure of the eye; 2) complex eye movement patterns (CEM) which represent the strategies employed by the brain to guide visual attention. Both OPC and CEM are extracted from the eye movement signal provided by an eye tracking system. Preliminary results indicate that the fusion of OPC and CEM traits is capable of providing a 30% reduction in authentication error when compared to the authentication accuracy of individual traits.

The Organization of Movement in Slime Mold Plasmodia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stewart, Peter A.

1963-04-22

At first sight, the noncellular slime mold plasmodia appear to be ideal organisms in which to study protoplasmic movement. They are large, easily manipulated, and display high speed protoplasmic streaming. After some experience with them, however, one is likely to become discouraged by the complexity and lability of their movement patterns. While the streaming movements necessarily follow the laws of hydrodynamics, it has not so far been possible to explain them satisfactorily in terms of any simple mechanism. The characteristics of plasmodial streaming which lead to confusion and frustration are outlined below as a substitute for direct observations and cine-photographicmore » records.« less

[The Strategic Organization of Skill

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberts, Ralph

1996-01-01

Eye-movement software was developed in addition to several studies that focused on expert-novice differences in the acquisition and organization of skill. These studies focused on how increasingly complex strategies utilize and incorporate visual look-ahead to calibrate action. Software for collecting, calibrating, and scoring eye-movements was refined and updated. Some new algorithms were developed for analyzing corneal-reflection eye movement data that detect the location of saccadic eye movements in space and time. Two full-scale studies were carried out which examined how experts use foveal and peripheral vision to acquire information about upcoming environmental circumstances in order to plan future action(s) accordingly.

Sensori-Motor Learning with Movement Sonification: Perspectives from Recent Interdisciplinary Studies.

PubMed

Bevilacqua, Frédéric; Boyer, Eric O; Françoise, Jules; Houix, Olivier; Susini, Patrick; Roby-Brami, Agnès; Hanneton, Sylvain

2016-01-01

This article reports on an interdisciplinary research project on movement sonification for sensori-motor learning. First, we describe different research fields which have contributed to movement sonification, from music technology including gesture-controlled sound synthesis, sonic interaction design, to research on sensori-motor learning with auditory-feedback. In particular, we propose to distinguish between sound-oriented tasks and movement-oriented tasks in experiments involving interactive sound feedback. We describe several research questions and recently published results on movement control, learning and perception. In particular, we studied the effect of the auditory feedback on movements considering several cases: from experiments on pointing and visuo-motor tracking to more complex tasks where interactive sound feedback can guide movements, or cases of sensory substitution where the auditory feedback can inform on object shapes. We also developed specific methodologies and technologies for designing the sonic feedback and movement sonification. We conclude with a discussion on key future research challenges in sensori-motor learning with movement sonification. We also point out toward promising applications such as rehabilitation, sport training or product design.

Nicotine Reduces Antipsychotic-Induced Orofacial Dyskinesia in Rats

PubMed Central

Bordia, Tanuja; McIntosh, J. Michael

2012-01-01

Antipsychotics are an important class of drugs for the management of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. They act by blocking dopamine receptors; however, because these receptors are present throughout the brain, prolonged antipsychotic use also leads to serious side effects. These include tardive dyskinesia, repetitive abnormal involuntary movements of the face and limbs for which there is little treatment. In this study, we investigated whether nicotine administration could reduce tardive dyskinesia because nicotine attenuates other drug-induced abnormal movements. We used a well established model of tardive dyskinesia in which rats injected with the commonly used antipsychotic haloperidol develop vacuous chewing movements (VCMs) that resemble human orofacial dyskinesias. Rats were first administered nicotine (minipump; 2 mg/kg per day). Two weeks later, they were given haloperidol (1 mg/kg s.c.) once daily. Nicotine treatment reduced haloperidol-induced VCMs by ∼20% after 5 weeks, with a significant ∼60% decline after 13 weeks. There was no worsening of haloperidol-induced catalepsy. To understand the molecular basis for this improvement, we measured the striatal dopamine transporter and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). Both haloperidol and nicotine treatment decreased the transporter and α6β2* nAChRs (the asterisk indicates the possible presence of other nicotinic subunits in the receptor complex) when given alone, with no further decline with combined drug treatment. By contrast, nicotine alone increased, while haloperidol reduced α4β2* nAChRs in both vehicle and haloperidol-treated rats. These data suggest that molecular mechanisms other than those directly linked to the transporter and nAChRs underlie the nicotine-mediated improvement in haloperidol-induced VCMs in rats. The present results are the first to suggest that nicotine may be useful for improving the tardive dyskinesia associated with antipsychotic use. PMID:22144565

USING THE SELECTIVE FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT ASSESSMENT AND REGIONAL INTERDEPENDENCE THEORY TO GUIDE TREATMENT OF AN ATHLETE WITH BACK PAIN: A CASE REPORT.

PubMed

Goshtigian, Gabriella R; Swanson, Brian T

2016-08-01

Despite the multidirectional quality of human movement, common measurement procedures used in physical therapy examination are often uni-planar and lack the ability to assess functional complexities involved in daily activities. Currently, there is no widely accepted, validated standard to assess movement quality. The Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) is one possible system to objectively assess complex functional movements. The purpose of this case report is to illustrate the application of the SFMA as a guide to the examination, evaluation, and management of a patient with non-specific low back pain (LBP). An adolescent male athlete with LBP was evaluated using the SFMA. It was determined that the patient had mobility limitations remote to the site of pain (thoracic spine and hips) which therapists hypothesized were leading to compensatory hypermobility at the lumbar spine. Guided by the SFMA, initial interventions focused on local (lumbar) symptom management, progressing to remote mobility deficits, and then addressing the local stability deficit. All movement patterns became functional/non-painful except the right upper extremity medial rotation-extension pattern. At discharge, the patient demonstrated increased soft tissue extensibility of hip musculature and joint mobility of the thoracic spine along with normalization of lumbopelvic motor control. Improvements in pain exceeded minimal clinically important differences, from 2-7/10 on a verbal analog scale at initial exam to 0-2/10 at discharge. Developing and progressing a plan of care for an otherwise healthy and active adolescent with non-specific LBP can be challenging. Human movement is a collaborative effort of muscle groups that are interdependent; the use of a movement-based assessment model can help identify weak links affecting overall function. The SFMA helped guide therapists to dysfunctional movements not seen with more conventional examination procedures. Level 4.

Heat sterilization of ash (Fraxinus spp.) firewood : heat-treating options, temperature monitoring and thermal verification

Treesearch

Xiping Wang; Richard Bergman; T. Mace

2010-01-01

Because of the potential risk associated with moving emerald ash borer (EAB)-infested firewood, the interstate movement of all hardwood firewood in the USA is currently restricted under the Federal quarantine. Communities and firewood producers are now faced with decisions on how to treat their firewood for interstate commerce. The new US Federal regulations for heat...

Influences of Sentence Length and Syntactic Complexity on the Speech Motor Control of Children Who Stutter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacPherson, Megan K.; Smith, Anne

2013-01-01

Purpose: To investigate the potential effects of increased sentence length and syntactic complexity on the speech motor control of children who stutter (CWS). Method: Participants repeated sentences of varied length and syntactic complexity. Kinematic measures of articulatory coordination variability and movement duration during perceptually…

The hierarchy of stability and predictability in orthognathic surgery with rigid fixation: an update and extension.

PubMed

Proffit, William R; Turvey, Timothy A; Phillips, Ceib

2007-04-30

A hierarchy of stability exists among the types of surgical movements that are possible with orthognathic surgery. This report updates the hierarchy, focusing on comparison of the stability of procedures when rigid fixation is used. Two procedures not previously placed in the hierarchy now are included: correction of asymmetry is stable with rigid fixation and repositioning of the chin also is very stable. During the first post-surgical year, surgical movements in patients treated for Class II/long face problems tend to be more stable than those treated for Class III problems. Clinically relevant changes (more than 2 mm) occur in a surprisingly large percentage of orthognathic surgery patients from one to five years post-treatment, after surgical healing is complete. During the first post-surgical year, patients treated for Class II/long face problems are more stable than those treated for Class III problems; from one to five years post-treatment, some patients in both groups experience skeletal change, but the Class III patients then are more stable than the Class II/long face patients. Fewer patients exhibit long-term changes in the dental occlusion than skeletal changes, because the dentition usually adapts to the skeletal change.

Characterization of Two Classes of Small Molecule Inhibitors of Arp2/3 Complex

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nolen, B.; Tomasevic, N; Russell, A

2009-01-01

Polymerization of actin filaments directed by the actin-related protein (Arp)2/3 complex supports many types of cellular movements. However, questions remain regarding the relative contributions of Arp2/3 complex versus other mechanisms of actin filament nucleation to processes such as path finding by neuronal growth cones; this is because of the lack of simple methods to inhibit Arp2/3 complex reversibly in living cells. Here we describe two classes of small molecules that bind to different sites on the Arp2/3 complex and inhibit its ability to nucleate actin filaments. CK-0944636 binds between Arp2 and Arp3, where it appears to block movement of Arp2more » and Arp3 into their active conformation. CK-0993548 inserts into the hydrophobic core of Arp3 and alters its conformation. Both classes of compounds inhibit formation of actin filament comet tails by Listeria and podosomes by monocytes. Two inhibitors with different mechanisms of action provide a powerful approach for studying the Arp2/3 complex in living cells.« less

Audible sonar images generated with proprioception for target analysis.

PubMed

Kuc, Roman B

2017-05-01

Some blind humans have demonstrated the ability to detect and classify objects with echolocation using palatal clicks. An audible-sonar robot mimics human click emissions, binaural hearing, and head movements to extract interaural time and level differences from target echoes. Targets of various complexity are examined by transverse displacements of the sonar and by target pose rotations that model movements performed by the blind. Controlled sonar movements executed by the robot provide data that model proprioception information available to blind humans for examining targets from various aspects. The audible sonar uses this sonar location and orientation information to form two-dimensional target images that are similar to medical diagnostic ultrasound tomograms. Simple targets, such as single round and square posts, produce distinguishable and recognizable images. More complex targets configured with several simple objects generate diffraction effects and multiple reflections that produce image artifacts. The presentation illustrates the capabilities and limitations of target classification from audible sonar images.

Clustered functional MRI of overt speech production.

PubMed

Sörös, Peter; Sokoloff, Lisa Guttman; Bose, Arpita; McIntosh, Anthony R; Graham, Simon J; Stuss, Donald T

2006-08-01

To investigate the neural network of overt speech production, event-related fMRI was performed in 9 young healthy adult volunteers. A clustered image acquisition technique was chosen to minimize speech-related movement artifacts. Functional images were acquired during the production of oral movements and of speech of increasing complexity (isolated vowel as well as monosyllabic and trisyllabic utterances). This imaging technique and behavioral task enabled depiction of the articulo-phonologic network of speech production from the supplementary motor area at the cranial end to the red nucleus at the caudal end. Speaking a single vowel and performing simple oral movements involved very similar activation of the cortical and subcortical motor systems. More complex, polysyllabic utterances were associated with additional activation in the bilateral cerebellum, reflecting increased demand on speech motor control, and additional activation in the bilateral temporal cortex, reflecting the stronger involvement of phonologic processing.

Molecular propulsion: chemical sensing and chemotaxis of DNA driven by RNA polymerase.

PubMed

Yu, Hua; Jo, Kyubong; Kounovsky, Kristy L; de Pablo, Juan J; Schwartz, David C

2009-04-29

Living cells sense extracellular signals and direct their movements in response to stimuli in environment. Such autonomous movement allows these machines to sample chemical change over a distance, leading to chemotaxis. Synthetic catalytic rods have been reported to chemotax toward hydrogen peroxide fuel. Nevertheless individualized autonomous control of movement of a population of biomolecules under physiological conditions has not been demonstrated. Here we show the first experimental evidence that a molecular complex consisting of a DNA template and associating RNA polymerases (RNAPs) displays chemokinetic motion driven by transcription substrates nucleoside triphosphates (NTPs). Furthermore this molecular complex exhibits a biased migration into a concentration gradient of NTPs, resembling chemotaxis. We describe this behavior as "Molecular Propulsion", in which RNAP transcriptional actions deform DNA template conformation engendering measurable enhancement of motility. Our results provide new opportunities for designing and directing nanomachines by imposing external triggers within an experimental system.

A comparative study of primary and secondary stereotypies.

PubMed

Ghosh, Debabrata; Rajan, Prashant V; Erenberg, Gerald

2013-12-01

This study compares primary stereotypies (repetitive, self-stimulating, and seemingly nonsensical movements that can occur within typically developing children) and secondary stereotypies (those occurring within autistic or mentally retarded children). Utilizing a retrospective chart review from 1995 to 2010, the current study compares primary and secondary stereotypies by the application of a classification system that organizes the movement by its type (motor only, phonic only, mixed) and complexity. In addition, it investigates other parameters associated with the movements such as duration, frequency, age, functional impairment, and progression. The sample group consisted of 28 primary and 28 secondary cases. Primary stereotypies were predominantly motor, simple, of shorter duration, and of less frequency, whereas secondary stereotypies had more vocalization, complexity, longer durations, and higher frequencies. Moreover, functional impairment due to stereotypies was noted in 3 primary and 7 secondary cases, and worsening of stereotypies was noted in 70% of primary versus 44% of secondary cases.

The Efficacy of Movement Representation Techniques for Treatment of Limb Pain--A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Thieme, Holm; Morkisch, Nadine; Rietz, Christian; Dohle, Christian; Borgetto, Bernhard

2016-02-01

Relatively new evidence suggests that movement representation techniques (ie, therapies that use the observation and/or imagination of normal pain-free movements, such as mirror therapy, motor imagery, or movement and/or action observation) might be effective in reduction of some types of limb pain. To summarize the evidence regarding the efficacy of those techniques, a systematic review with meta-analysis was performed. We searched Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, AMED, PsychINFO, Physiotherapy Evidence Database, and OT-seeker up to August 2014 and hand-searched further relevant resources for randomized controlled trials that studied the efficacy of movement representation techniques in reduction of limb pain. The outcomes of interest were pain, disability, and quality of life. Study selection and data extraction were performed by 2 reviewers independently. We included 15 trials on the effects of mirror therapy, (graded) motor imagery, and action observation in patients with complex regional pain syndrome, phantom limb pain, poststroke pain, and nonpathological (acute) pain. Overall, movement representation techniques were found to be effective in reduction of pain (standardized mean difference [SMD] = -.82, 95% confidence interval [CI], -1.32 to -.31, P = .001) and disability (SMD = .72, 95% CI, .22-1.22, P = .004) and showed a positive but nonsignificant effect on quality of life (SMD = 2.61, 85% CI, -3.32 to 8.54, P = .39). Especially mirror therapy and graded motor imagery should be considered for the treatment of patients with complex regional pain syndrome. Furthermore, the results indicate that motor imagery could be considered as a potential effective treatment in patients with acute pain after trauma and surgery. To date, there is no evidence for a pain reducing effect of movement representation techniques in patients with phantom limb pain and poststroke pain other than complex regional pain syndrome. In this systematic review we synthesize the evidence for the efficacy of movement representation techniques (ie, motor imagery, mirror therapy, or action observation) for treatment of limb pain. Our findings suggest effective pain reduction in some types of limb pain. Further research should address specific questions on the optimal type and dose of therapy. Copyright © 2016 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

GAPDH-A Recruits a Plant Virus Movement Protein to Cortical Virus Replication Complexes to Facilitate Viral Cell-to-Cell Movement

PubMed Central

Kaido, Masanori; Abe, Kazutomo; Mine, Akira; Hyodo, Kiwamu; Taniguchi, Takako; Taniguchi, Hisaaki; Mise, Kazuyuki; Okuno, Tetsuro

2014-01-01

The formation of virus movement protein (MP)-containing punctate structures on the cortical endoplasmic reticulum is required for efficient intercellular movement of Red clover necrotic mosaic virus (RCNMV), a bipartite positive-strand RNA plant virus. We found that these cortical punctate structures constitute a viral replication complex (VRC) in addition to the previously reported aggregate structures that formed adjacent to the nucleus. We identified host proteins that interacted with RCNMV MP in virus-infected Nicotiana benthamiana leaves using a tandem affinity purification method followed by mass spectrometry. One of these host proteins was glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase-A (NbGAPDH-A), which is a component of the Calvin-Benson cycle in chloroplasts. Virus-induced gene silencing of NbGAPDH-A reduced RCNMV multiplication in the inoculated leaves, but not in the single cells, thereby suggesting that GAPDH-A plays a positive role in cell-to-cell movement of RCNMV. The fusion protein of NbGAPDH-A and green fluorescent protein localized exclusively to the chloroplasts. In the presence of RCNMV RNA1, however, the protein localized to the cortical VRC as well as the chloroplasts. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation assay and GST pulldown assay confirmed in vivo and in vitro interactions, respectively, between the MP and NbGAPDH-A. Furthermore, gene silencing of NbGAPDH-A inhibited MP localization to the cortical VRC. We discuss the possible roles of NbGAPDH-A in the RCNMV movement process. PMID:25411849

Information processing in the hemisphere of the cerebellar cortex for control of wrist movement

PubMed Central

Tomatsu, Saeka; Ishikawa, Takahiro; Tsunoda, Yoshiaki; Lee, Jongho; Hoffman, Donna S.

2015-01-01

A region of cerebellar lobules V and VI makes strong loop connections with the primary motor (M1) and premotor (PM) cortical areas and is assumed to play essential roles in limb motor control. To examine its functional role, we compared the activities of its input, intermediate, and output elements, i.e., mossy fibers (MFs), Golgi cells (GoCs), and Purkinje cells (PCs), in three monkeys performing wrist movements in two different forearm postures. The results revealed distinct steps of information processing. First, MF activities displayed temporal and directional properties that were remarkably similar to those of M1/PM neurons, suggesting that MFs relay near copies of outputs from these motor areas. Second, all GoCs had a stereotyped pattern of activity independent of movement direction or forearm posture. Instead, GoC activity resembled an average of all MF activities. Therefore, inhibitory GoCs appear to provide a filtering function that passes only prominently modulated MF inputs to granule cells. Third, PCs displayed highly complex spatiotemporal patterns of activity, with coordinate frames distinct from those of MF inputs and directional tuning that changed abruptly before movement onset. The complexity of PC activities may reflect rapidly changing properties of the peripheral motor apparatus during movement. Overall, the cerebellar cortex appears to transform a representation of outputs from M1/PM into different movement representations in a posture-dependent manner and could work as part of a forward model that predicts the state of the peripheral motor apparatus. PMID:26467515

Postural Coordination during Socio-motor Improvisation

PubMed Central

Gueugnon, Mathieu; Salesse, Robin N.; Coste, Alexandre; Zhao, Zhong; Bardy, Benoît G.; Marin, Ludovic

2016-01-01

Human interaction often relies on socio-motor improvisation. Creating unprepared movements during social interaction is not a random process but relies on rules of synchronization. These situations do not only involve people to be coordinated, but also require the adjustment of their posture in order to maintain balance and support movements. The present study investigated posture in such a context. More precisely, we first evaluated the impact of amplitude and complexity of arm movements on posture in solo situation. Then, we assessed the impact of interpersonal coordination on posture using the mirror game in which dyads performed improvised and synchronized movements (i.e., duo situation). Posture was measured through ankle-hip coordination in medio-lateral and antero-posterior directions (ML and AP respectively). Our results revealed the spontaneous emergence of in-phase pattern in ML direction and antiphase pattern in AP direction for solo and duo situations. These two patterns respectively refer to the simultaneous flexion/extension of the ankles and the hips in the same or opposite direction. It suggests different functional roles of postural coordination patterns in each direction, with in-phase supporting task performance in ML (dynamical stability) and antiphase supporting postural control in AP (mechanical stability). Although amplitude of movement did not influence posture, movement complexity disturbed postural stability in both directions. Conversely, interpersonal coordination promoted postural stability in ML but not in AP direction. These results are discussed in terms of the difference in coupling strength between ankle-hip coordination and interpersonal coordination. PMID:27547193

Postural Coordination during Socio-motor Improvisation.

PubMed

Gueugnon, Mathieu; Salesse, Robin N; Coste, Alexandre; Zhao, Zhong; Bardy, Benoît G; Marin, Ludovic

2016-01-01

Human interaction often relies on socio-motor improvisation. Creating unprepared movements during social interaction is not a random process but relies on rules of synchronization. These situations do not only involve people to be coordinated, but also require the adjustment of their posture in order to maintain balance and support movements. The present study investigated posture in such a context. More precisely, we first evaluated the impact of amplitude and complexity of arm movements on posture in solo situation. Then, we assessed the impact of interpersonal coordination on posture using the mirror game in which dyads performed improvised and synchronized movements (i.e., duo situation). Posture was measured through ankle-hip coordination in medio-lateral and antero-posterior directions (ML and AP respectively). Our results revealed the spontaneous emergence of in-phase pattern in ML direction and antiphase pattern in AP direction for solo and duo situations. These two patterns respectively refer to the simultaneous flexion/extension of the ankles and the hips in the same or opposite direction. It suggests different functional roles of postural coordination patterns in each direction, with in-phase supporting task performance in ML (dynamical stability) and antiphase supporting postural control in AP (mechanical stability). Although amplitude of movement did not influence posture, movement complexity disturbed postural stability in both directions. Conversely, interpersonal coordination promoted postural stability in ML but not in AP direction. These results are discussed in terms of the difference in coupling strength between ankle-hip coordination and interpersonal coordination.

[Kim Pil Soon, a great doctor].

PubMed

Park, H W

1998-01-01

Kim Pil Soon was born at Sorae Village of Hwang Hye Province, the birth place of the Protestantism in Korea. He was brought up under the strong influence of Christianity and received modern education at Pae Chae School according to the recommendation of Rev. Underwood. In 1899, Kim Pil Soon, who had been working at Je Joon Won as an assistant and interpreter of Dr. Sharrocks, was employed by Dr. Avison to help prepare medical textbooks and was asked to participate in the medical education. He acquired medical knowledge through his work of translating various medical texts, which enabled him to teach other medical students. He participated in the administration of the Hospital, taking charge of the provision of meals for in-patients as well as directing the construction of Severance Hospital buildings. His experience of treating soldiers wounded during the turmoil of the forced dismission of the Korean Army by the Japanese led him to reflect seriously on Korea's fate in peril. In addition, he became a member of Sinmin Society, a secret political association, to engage in the independence movement. In 1908, Kim Pil Soon graduated from Severance Hospital Medical School as one of the first seven graduates. On graduation, he was appointed as a professor and took the charge of school affairs in 1910. At first, he worked as an assistant physician of ward and surgery, then he took the responsibility of the outpatient clinic in 1911. But suddenly, in December 1911, he exiled to China to escape from the Japanese police who was in pursuit of him on account of his involvement in the so-called 105-Person Affair, a fabricated affair served as a pretext for the persecution of the independence movement. He continued the independence movement in the form of an ideal village movement and in the training of the Independence Army. In 1919, however, he was poisoned to death in a mysterious way. Kim Pil Soon dedicated himself to the independence movement that demanded personal sacrifice: giving up his prospective career as a doctor, professor, and hospital administrator. He no longer remained as an ordinary clinician who treats only diseased persons, but transformed himself to the Great Doctor, a time-old ideal type of doctor in the East Asian countries who treats and cures the diseased nation, by dedicating himself to the independence movement.

Combining InSAR and GPS to Determine Transient Movement and Thickness of a Seasonally Active Low-Gradient Translational Landslide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Xie; Lu, Zhong; Pierson, Thomas C.; Kramer, Rebecca; George, David L.

2018-02-01

The combined application of continuous Global Positioning System data (high temporal resolution) with spaceborne interferometric synthetic aperture radar data (high spatial resolution) can reveal much more about the complexity of large landslide movement than is possible with geodetic measurements tied to only a few specific measurement sites. This approach is applied to an 4 km2 reactivated translational landslide in the Columbia River Gorge (Washington State), which moves mainly during the winter rainy season. Results reveal the complex three-dimensional shape of the landslide mass, how onset of sliding relates to cumulative rainfall, how surface velocity during sliding varies with location on the topographically complex landslide surface, and how the ground surface subsides slightly in weeks prior to downslope sliding.

Combining InSAR and GPS to determine transient movement and thickness of a seasonally active low-gradient translational landslide

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hu, Xie; Lu, Zhong; Pierson, Thomas C.; Kramer, Rebecca; George, David L.

2018-01-01

The combined application of continuous Global Positioning System data (high temporal resolution) with spaceborne interferometric synthetic aperture radar data (high spatial resolution) can reveal much more about the complexity of large landslide movement than is possible with geodetic measurements tied to only a few specific measurement sites. This approach is applied to an ~4 km2 reactivated translational landslide in the Columbia River Gorge (Washington State), which moves mainly during the winter rainy season. Results reveal the complex three-dimensional shape of the landslide mass, how onset of sliding relates to cumulative rainfall, how surface velocity during sliding varies with location on the topographically complex landslide surface, and how the ground surface subsides slightly in weeks prior to downslope sliding.

Psychogenic Movement Disorders

PubMed Central

Morgante, Francesca; Edwards, Mark J.; Espay, Alberto J.

2013-01-01

Purpose of Review This review describes the main clinical features of psychogenic (functional) movement disorders and reports recent advances in diagnosis, pathophysiology, and treatment. Recent Findings The terminology and definition of patients with psychogenic movement disorders remain subjects of controversy; the term “functional” has been used more frequently in the literature in recent years regarding the neurobiological substrate underpinning these disorders. Correct diagnosis of psychogenic movement disorders should rely not on the exclusion of organic disorders or the sole presence of psychological factors but on the observation or elicitation of clinical features related to the specific movement disorder (ie, a positive or inclusionary rather than exclusionary diagnosis). Sudden onset, spontaneous remissions, and variability over time or during clinical examination are useful “red flags” suggestive of a psychogenic movement disorder. Imaging studies have demonstrated impaired connectivity between limbic and motor areas involved in movement programming and hypoactivity of a brain region that compares expected data with actual sensory data occurring during voluntary movement. Treatment of psychogenic movement disorders begins with ensuring the patient’s acceptance of the diagnosis during the initial debriefing and includes nonpharmacologic (cognitive-behavioral therapy, physiotherapy) and pharmacologic options. Summary Psychogenic movement disorders represent a challenging disorder for neurologists to diagnose and treat. Recent advances have increased understanding of the neurobiological mechanism of psychogenic movement disorders. Treatment with cognitive strategies and physical rehabilitation can benefit some patients. As short duration of disease correlates with better prognosis, early diagnosis and initiation of treatment are critical. PMID:24092294

Normal sensorimotor plasticity in complex regional pain syndrome with fixed posture of the hand.

PubMed

Morgante, Francesca; Naro, Antonino; Terranova, Carmen; Russo, Margherita; Rizzo, Vincenzo; Risitano, Giovanni; Girlanda, Paolo; Quartarone, Angelo

2017-01-01

Movement disorders associated with complex regional pain syndrome type I have been a subject of controversy over the last 10 years regarding their nature and pathophysiology, with an intense debate about the functional (psychogenic) nature of this disorder. The aim of this study was to test sensorimotor plasticity and cortical excitability in patients with complex regional pain syndrome type I who developed a fixed posture of the hand. Ten patients with complex regional pain syndrome type I in the right upper limb and a fixed posture of the hand (disease duration less than 24 months) and 10 age-matched healthy subjects were enrolled. The following parameters of corticospinal excitability were recorded from the abductor pollicis brevis muscle of both hands by transcranial magnetic stimulation: resting and active motor thresholds, short-interval intracortical inhibition and facilitation, cortical silent period, and short- and long-latency afferent inhibition. Sensorimotor plasticity was tested using the paired associative stimulation protocol. Short-interval intracortical inhibition and long-latency afferent inhibition were reduced only in the affected right hand of patients compared with control subjects. Sensorimotor plasticity was comparable to normal subjects, with a preserved topographic specificity. Our data support the view that motor disorder in complex regional pain syndrome type I is not associated with abnormal sensorimotor plasticity, and it shares pathophysiological abnormalities with functional (psychogenic) dystonia rather than with idiopathic dystonia. © 2016 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. © 2016 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Comparing the production of complex sentences in Persian patients with post-stroke aphasia and non-damaged people with normal speaking.

PubMed

Mehri, Azar; Ghorbani, Askar; Darzi, Ali; Jalaie, Shohreh; Ashayeri, Hassan

2016-01-05

Cerebrovascular disease leading to stroke is the most common cause of aphasia. Speakers with agrammatic non-fluent aphasia have difficulties in production of movement-derived sentences such as passive sentences, topicalized constituents, and Wh-questions. To assess the production of complex sentences, some passive, topicalized and focused sentences were designed for patients with non-fluent Persian aphasic. Afterwards, patients' performance in sentence production was tested and compared with healthy non-damaged subjects. In this cross sectional study, a task was designed to assess the different types of sentences (active, passive, topicalized and focused) adapted to Persian structures. Seven Persian patients with post-stroke non-fluent agrammatic aphasia (5 men and 2 women) and seven healthy non-damaged subjects participated in this study. The computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed that all the patients had a single left hemisphere lesion involved middle cerebral artery (MCA), Broca`s area and in its white matter. In addition, based on Bedside version of Persian Western Aphasia Battery (P-WAB-1), all of them were diagnosed with moderate Broca aphasia. Then, the production task of Persian complex sentences was administered. There was a significant difference between four types of sentences in patients with aphasia [Degree of freedom (df) = 3, P < 0.001]. All the patients showed worse performance than the healthy participants in all the four types of sentence production (P < 0.050). In general, it is concluded that topicalized and focused sentences as non-canonical complex sentences in Persian are very difficult to produce for patients with agrammatic non-fluent aphasia. It seems that sentences with A-movement are simpler for the patients than sentences involving A`-movement; since they include shorter movements in compare to topicalized and focused sentences.

Physiological characterization of the hematophagy of Ornithodoros rostratus (Acari: Argasidae) on live hosts.

PubMed

Costa, Gabriel Cerqueira Alves; Soares, Adriana Coelho; Pereira, Marcos Horácio; Gontijo, Nelder Figueiredo; Sant'Anna, Maurício Roberto Viana; Araujo, Ricardo Nascimento

2016-11-15

Ornithodoros rostratus is an argasid tick and its importance is based on its hematophagy and the resulting transmission of pathogens such as Rickettsia rickettsii and Coxiella burnetii to its vertebrate hosts. In the face of a lack of physiological studies related to hematophagy in argasid ticks, this paper aims to identify and characterize the events that occur throughout the feeding by O. rostratus on live hosts. Electrical signals and alterations on the feeding site were monitored using intravital microscopy and electromyography. The analyses allowed for the characterization of four distinct events: suction, salivation, chelicerae movements and inactivity. Feeding was divided into two distinct phases: (1) penetration of mouthparts (when only salivation and chelicerae movements occurred) and the formation of the feeding pool (salivation and chelicerae movements with the first signs of suction) and (2) engorgement, during which chelicerae movements ceased and blood intake took place in feeding complexes (salivation followed by suction). Variations in patterns of the electrical signals, suction frequency and salivation showed four distinct sub-phases: (2a) suction with electrical signals of irregular shape, increased suction frequency and decreased salivation frequency throughout blood feeding; (2b) suction with electrical signals of symmetrical shape, high suction rates (3.8 Hz on average) and feeding complexes lasting for 7.7 s; (2c) suction with electrical signals of irregular shape, high suction frequency and feeding complex lasting 11.5 s; and (2d) electrical signals with no profile and the longest feeding complexes (14.5 s). Blood feeding ended with the withdrawal of the mouthparts from the host's skin. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Complex Versus Simple Ankle Movement Training in Stroke Using Telerehabilitation: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Deng, Huiqiong; Durfee, William K.; Nuckley, David J.; Rheude, Brandon S.; Severson, Amy E.; Skluzacek, Katie M.; Spindler, Kristen K.; Davey, Cynthia S.

2012-01-01

Background Telerehabilitation allows rehabilitative training to continue remotely after discharge from acute care and can include complex tasks known to create rich conditions for neural change. Objectives The purposes of this study were: (1) to explore the feasibility of using telerehabilitation to improve ankle dorsiflexion during the swing phase of gait in people with stroke and (2) to compare complex versus simple movements of the ankle in promoting behavioral change and brain reorganization. Design This study was a pilot randomized controlled trial. Setting Training was done in the participant's home. Testing was done in separate research labs involving functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and multi-camera gait analysis. Patients Sixteen participants with chronic stroke and impaired ankle dorsiflexion were assigned randomly to receive 4 weeks of telerehabilitation of the paretic ankle. Intervention Participants received either computerized complex movement training (track group) or simple movement training (move group). Measurements Behavioral changes were measured with the 10-m walk test and gait analysis using a motion capture system. Brain reorganization was measured with ankle tracking during fMRI. Results Dorsiflexion during gait was significantly larger in the track group compared with the move group. For fMRI, although the volume, percent volume, and intensity of cortical activation failed to show significant changes, the frequency count of the number of participants showing an increase versus a decrease in these values from pretest to posttest measurements was significantly different between the 2 groups, with the track group decreasing and the move group increasing. Limitations Limitations of this study were that no follow-up test was conducted and that a small sample size was used. Conclusions The results suggest that telerehabilitation, emphasizing complex task training with the paretic limb, is feasible and can be effective in promoting further dorsiflexion in people with chronic stroke. PMID:22095209

Selective Effects of Motor Expertise in Mental Body Rotation Tasks: Comparing Object-Based and Perspective Transformations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steggemann, Yvonne; Engbert, Kai; Weigelt, Matthias

2011-01-01

Brain imaging studies provide strong evidence for the involvement of the human mirror system during the observation of complex movements, depending on the individual's motor expertise. Here, we ask the question whether motor expertise not only affects perception while observing movements, but also benefits perception while solving mental rotation…

Building a Social Movement for Education in England: Responses to Richard Hatcher

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Richard; Little, Gawain

2016-01-01

In "FORUM" 57(3), 2015, Richard Hatcher outlined how it was necessary to build a social movement against government education policy and in support of an alternative reform agenda. We, the editors, believe this is an important, and complex, debate. As a contribution to developing further discussion around Richard's ideas we present two…

Eye Movement Behaviour during Reading of Japanese Sentences: Effects of Word Length and Visual Complexity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Sarah J.; Hirotani, Masako; Liversedge, Simon P.

2012-01-01

Two experiments are presented that examine how the visual characteristics of Japanese words influence eye movement behaviour during reading. In Experiment 1, reading behaviour was compared for words comprising either one or two kanji characters. The one-character words were significantly less likely to be fixated on first-pass, and had…

LF "Wh"-Movement and Its Locality Constraints in Child Japanese

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sugisaki, Koji

2012-01-01

In natural languages, the mapping from surface form to meaning is often quite complex, and hence the acquisition of the phenomena at the boundary between syntax and semantics has been one of the central issues in current acquisition research. This study addresses the issue of whether children have adult-like knowledge of LF "wh"-movement and its…

The Power of Associations Social Media and Social Movements: Facebook in the Interactions of Social Movement Organizations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baron, Luis Fernando

2013-01-01

There are many indications that social mobilization and political participation have been transformed by Information Communication Technologies (ICT), and, more recently, by Social Media. In spite of many studies which have attempted to grapple with their interrelationship, we still know little about the degree and complexity of those…

Posthuman Literacies: Young Children Moving in Time, Place and More-Than-Human Worlds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hackett, Abigail; Somerville, Margaret

2017-01-01

This paper examines the potential of posthumanism to enable a reconceptualisation of young children's literacies from the starting point of movement and sound in the more-than-human world. We propose movement as a communicative practice that always occurs as a more complex entanglement of relations within more-than-human worlds. Through our…

Movement Disorders Induced by the "Atypical" Antipsychotic Aripiprazole.

PubMed

Selfani, Karim; Soland, Valérie L; Chouinard, Sylvain; Huot, Philippe

2017-01-01

Aripiprazole is an antipsychotic that acts as a partial agonist at dopamine D2 receptors. Because of its partial agonist activity, it was believed that aripiprazole would be less susceptible than typical antipsychotics to induce extrapyramidal side effects. However, a few case-reports and case-series detailing aripiprazole-induced movement disorders have been published, suggesting that aripiprazole-induced movement disorders may arise. Here, we seek to report further cases of aripiprazole-induced movement disorders to raise the awareness of clinicians on this adverse effect. Patients referred to the André-Barbeau Movement Disorder clinic treated with aripiprazole were enrolled in this study. Their charts were retrospectively reviewed and data regarding past psychiatric history, past antipsychotic medication, duration of aripiprazole treatment, daily dose of aripiprazole administered, and resulting movement disorders were collected. We report 14 cases of parkinsonism, tardive dyskinesia and akathisia induced by aripiprazole. Some of these, mostly the parkinsonian phenotype, abated spontaneously following drug discontinuation, whereas others, mostly related to tardive phenomena, persisted after aripiprazole was discontinued, and required treatment. This case-series adds to the existing literature that suggests that movement disorders may arise following treatment with aripiprazole. Clinicians should be aware of this potential side effect when prescribing aripiprazole to patients.

Hypnosis and movement disorders: State of the art and perspectives.

PubMed

Flamand-Roze, C; Célestin-Lhopiteau, I; Roze, E

Hypnosis might represent an interesting complementary therapeutic approach to movement disorders, as it takes into account not only symptoms, but also well-being, and empowers patients to take a more active role in their treatment. Our review of the literature on the use of hypnosis to treat movement disorders was done by systematically searching the PubMed database for reports published between 1984 and November 2015. The following variables were extracted from each selected paper: study design; sample size; type of movement disorder; hypnotic procedure; treatment duration; and efficacy. Thirteen papers were selected for detailed analysis. Most concerned tremor in Parkinson's disease and tics in Gilles de la Tourette syndrome. Although promising, the data were insufficient to allow conclusions to be drawn on the efficacy of hypnosis in movement disorders or to recommend its use in this setting. Well-designed studies taking into account some specific methodological challenges are needed to determine the possible therapeutic utility of hypnosis in movement disorders. In addition to the potential benefits for such patients, hypnosis might also be useful for studying the neuroanatomical and functional underpinnings of normal and abnormal movements. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Using an Artificial Neural Bypass to Restore Cortical Control of Rhythmic Movements in a Human with Quadriplegia

PubMed Central

Sharma, Gaurav; Friedenberg, David A.; Annetta, Nicholas; Glenn, Bradley; Bockbrader, Marcie; Majstorovic, Connor; Domas, Stephanie; Mysiw, W. Jerry; Rezai, Ali; Bouton, Chad

2016-01-01

Neuroprosthetic technology has been used to restore cortical control of discrete (non-rhythmic) hand movements in a paralyzed person. However, cortical control of rhythmic movements which originate in the brain but are coordinated by Central Pattern Generator (CPG) neural networks in the spinal cord has not been demonstrated previously. Here we show a demonstration of an artificial neural bypass technology that decodes cortical activity and emulates spinal cord CPG function allowing volitional rhythmic hand movement. The technology uses a combination of signals recorded from the brain, machine-learning algorithms to decode the signals, a numerical model of CPG network, and a neuromuscular electrical stimulation system to evoke rhythmic movements. Using the neural bypass, a quadriplegic participant was able to initiate, sustain, and switch between rhythmic and discrete finger movements, using his thoughts alone. These results have implications in advancing neuroprosthetic technology to restore complex movements in people living with paralysis. PMID:27658585

Spontaneous reverse movement of mRNA-bound tRNA through the ribosome.

PubMed

Konevega, Andrey L; Fischer, Niels; Semenkov, Yuri P; Stark, Holger; Wintermeyer, Wolfgang; Rodnina, Marina V

2007-04-01

During the translocation step of protein synthesis, a complex of two transfer RNAs bound to messenger RNA (tRNA-mRNA) moves through the ribosome. The reaction is promoted by an elongation factor, called EF-G in bacteria, which, powered by GTP hydrolysis, induces an open, unlocked conformation of the ribosome that allows for spontaneous tRNA-mRNA movement. Here we show that, in the absence of EF-G, there is spontaneous backward movement, or retrotranslocation, of two tRNAs bound to mRNA. Retrotranslocation is driven by the gain in affinity when a cognate E-site tRNA moves into the P site, which compensates the affinity loss accompanying the movement of peptidyl-tRNA from the P to the A site. These results lend support to the diffusion model of tRNA movement during translocation. In the cell, tRNA movement is biased in the forward direction by EF-G, which acts as a Brownian ratchet and prevents backward movement.

Integrating individual movement behaviour into dispersal functions.

PubMed

Heinz, Simone K; Wissel, Christian; Conradt, Larissa; Frank, Karin

2007-04-21

Dispersal functions are an important tool for integrating dispersal into complex models of population and metapopulation dynamics. Most approaches in the literature are very simple, with the dispersal functions containing only one or two parameters which summarise all the effects of movement behaviour as for example different movement patterns or different perceptual abilities. The summarising nature of these parameters makes assessing the effect of one particular behavioural aspect difficult. We present a way of integrating movement behavioural parameters into a particular dispersal function in a simple way. Using a spatial individual-based simulation model for simulating different movement behaviours, we derive fitting functions for the functional relationship between the parameters of the dispersal function and several details of movement behaviour. This is done for three different movement patterns (loops, Archimedean spirals, random walk). Additionally, we provide measures which characterise the shape of the dispersal function and are interpretable in terms of landscape connectivity. This allows an ecological interpretation of the relationships found.

Paraneoplastic autoimmune movement disorders.

PubMed

Lim, Thien Thien

2017-11-01

To provide an overview of paraneoplastic autoimmune disorders presenting with various movement disorders. The spectrum of paraneoplastic autoimmune disorders has been expanding with the discovery of new antibodies against cell surface and intracellular antigens. Many of these paraneoplastic autoimmune disorders manifest as a form of movement disorder. With the discovery of new neuronal antibodies, an increasing number of idiopathic or neurodegenerative movement disorders are now being reclassified as immune-mediated movement disorders. These include anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis which may present with orolingual facial dyskinesia and stereotyped movements, CRMP-5 IgG presenting with chorea, anti-Yo paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration presenting with ataxia, anti-VGKC complex (Caspr2 antibodies) neuromyotonia, opsoclonus-myoclonus-ataxia syndrome, and muscle rigidity and episodic spasms (amphiphysin, glutamic acid decarboxylase, glycine receptor, GABA(A)-receptor associated protein antibodies) in stiff-person syndrome. Movement disorders may be a presentation for paraneoplastic autoimmune disorders. Recognition of these disorders and their common phenomenology is important because it may lead to the discovery of an occult malignancy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sensorimotor integration for functional recovery and the Bobath approach.

PubMed

Levin, Mindy F; Panturin, Elia

2011-04-01

Bobath therapy is used to treat patients with neurological disorders. Bobath practitioners use hands-on approaches to elicit and reestablish typical movement patterns through therapist-controlled sensorimotor experiences within the context of task accomplishment. One aspect of Bobath practice, the recovery of sensorimotor function, is reviewed within the framework of current motor control theories. We focus on the role of sensory information in movement production, the relationship between posture and movement and concepts related to motor recovery and compensation with respect to this therapeutic approach. We suggest that a major barrier to the evaluation of the therapeutic effectiveness of the Bobath concept is the lack of a unified framework for both experimental identification and treatment of neurological motor deficits. More conclusive analysis of therapeutic effectiveness requires the development of specific outcomes that measure movement quality.

Fear of movement and avoidance behaviour toward physical activity in chronic-fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia: state of the art and implications for clinical practice.

PubMed

Nijs, Jo; Roussel, Nathalie; Van Oosterwijck, Jessica; De Kooning, Margot; Ickmans, Kelly; Struyf, Filip; Meeus, Mira; Lundberg, Mari

2013-08-01

Severe exacerbation of symptoms following physical activity is characteristic for chronic-fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia (FM). These exacerbations make it understandable for people with CFS and FM to develop fear of performing body movement or physical activity and consequently avoidance behaviour toward physical activity. The aims of this article were to review what measures are available for measuring fear of movement and avoidance behaviour, the prevalence fear of movement and avoidance behaviour toward physical activity and the therapeutic options with fear of movement and avoidance behaviour toward physical activity in patients with CFS and FM. The review revealed that fear of movement and avoidance behaviour toward physical activity is highly prevalent in both the CFS and FM population, and it is related to various clinical characteristics of CFS and FM, including symptom severity and self-reported quality of life and disability. It appears to be crucial for treatment (success) to identify CFS and FM patients displaying fear of movement and avoidance behaviour toward physical activity. Individually tailored cognitive behavioural therapy plus exercise training, depending on the patient's classification as avoiding or persisting, appears to be the most promising strategy for treating fear of movement and avoidance behaviour toward physical activity in patients with CFS and FM.

Speech and language adverse effects after thalamotomy and deep brain stimulation in patients with movement disorders: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Alomar, Soha; King, Nicolas K K; Tam, Joseph; Bari, Ausaf A; Hamani, Clement; Lozano, Andres M

2017-01-01

The thalamus has been a surgical target for the treatment of various movement disorders. Commonly used therapeutic modalities include ablative and nonablative procedures. A major clinical side effect of thalamic surgery is the appearance of speech problems. This review summarizes the data on the development of speech problems after thalamic surgery. A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed using nine databases, including Medline, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. We also checked for articles by searching citing and cited articles. We retrieved studies between 1960 and September 2014. Of a total of 2,320 patients, 19.8% (confidence interval: 14.8-25.9) had speech difficulty after thalamotomy. Speech difficulty occurred in 15% (confidence interval: 9.8-22.2) of those treated with a unilaterally and 40.6% (confidence interval: 29.5-52.8) of those treated bilaterally. Speech impairment was noticed 2- to 3-fold more commonly after left-sided procedures (40.7% vs. 15.2%). Of the 572 patients that underwent DBS, 19.4% (confidence interval: 13.1-27.8) experienced speech difficulty. Subgroup analysis revealed that this complication occurs in 10.2% (confidence interval: 7.4-13.9) of patients treated unilaterally and 34.6% (confidence interval: 21.6-50.4) treated bilaterally. After thalamotomy, the risk was higher in Parkinson's patients compared to patients with essential tremor: 19.8% versus 4.5% in the unilateral group and 42.5% versus 13.9% in the bilateral group. After DBS, this rate was higher in essential tremor patients. Both lesioning and stimulation thalamic surgery produce adverse effects on speech. Left-sided and bilateral procedures are approximately 3-fold more likely to cause speech difficulty. This effect was higher after thalamotomy compared to DBS. In the thalamotomy group, the risk was higher in Parkinson's patients, whereas in the DBS group it was higher in patients with essential tremor. Understanding the pathophysiology of speech disturbance after thalamic procedures is a priority. © 2017 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. © 2016 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Class III camouflage treatment: what are the limits?

PubMed

Burns, Nikia R; Musich, David R; Martin, Chris; Razmus, Thomas; Gunel, Erdogan; Ngan, Peter

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the skeletal, dental, and soft-tissue changes in response to camouflage Class III treatment. Thirty patients (average age, 12.4 + or - 1.0 years) with skeletal Class III malocclusions who completed comprehensive nonextraction orthodontic treatment were studied. Skeletal, dental, and soft-tissue changes were determined by using published cephalometric analyses. The quality of orthodontic treatment was standardized by registering the peer assessment rating index on the pretreatment and posttreatment study models. The change in the level of gingival attachment with treatment was determined on the study casts. The results were compared with a group of untreated subjects. Data were analyzed with repeated measures analysis and paired t tests. The average change in the Wits appraisal was greater in the treated group (1.2 + or - 0.1 mm) than in the control group (-0.5 + or - 0.3 mm). The average peer assessment rating index score improved from 33.5 to 4.1. No significant differences were found for the level of gingival attachments between the treatment and control groups. The sagittal jaw relationship (ANB angle) did not improve with camouflage treatment. A wide range of tooth movements compensated for the skeletal changes in both groups. The upper and lower limits for incisal movement to compensate for Class III skeletal changes were 120 degrees to the sella-nasion line and 80 degrees to the mandibular plane, respectively. Greater increases in the angle of convexity were found in the treated group, indicating improved facial profiles. Greater increases in length of the upper lip were found in the treated group, corresponding to the changes in the hard tissues with treatment. Significant dental and soft-tissue changes can be expected in young Class III patients treated with camouflage orthodontic tooth movement. A wide range of skeletal dysplasias can be camouflaged with tooth movement without deleterious effects to the periodontium. However, proper diagnosis and realistic treatment objectives are necessary to prevent undesirable sequelae. Copyright 2010 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chronic Ampakine Treatments Stimulate Dendritic Growth and Promote Learning in Middle-Aged Rats.

PubMed

Lauterborn, Julie C; Palmer, Linda C; Jia, Yousheng; Pham, Danielle T; Hou, Bowen; Wang, Weisheng; Trieu, Brian H; Cox, Conor D; Kantorovich, Svetlana; Gall, Christine M; Lynch, Gary

2016-02-03

Positive allosteric modulators of AMPA-type glutamate receptors (ampakines) have been shown to rescue synaptic plasticity and reduce neuropathology in rodent models of cognitive disorders. Here we tested whether chronic ampakine treatment offsets age-related dendritic retraction in middle-aged (MA) rats. Starting at 10 months of age, rats were housed in an enriched environment and given daily treatment with a short half-life ampakine or vehicle for 3 months. Dendritic branching and spine measures were collected from 3D reconstructions of Lucifer yellow-filled CA1 pyramidal cells. There was a substantial loss of secondary branches, relative to enriched 2.5-month-old rats, in apical and basal dendritic fields of vehicle-treated, but not ampakine-treated, 13-month-old rats. Baseline synaptic responses in CA1 were only subtly different between the two MA groups, but long-term potentiation was greater in ampakine-treated rats. Unsupervised learning of a complex environment was used to assess treatment effects on behavior. Vehicle- and drug-treated rats behaved similarly during a first 30 min session in the novel environment but differed markedly on subsequent measures of long-term memory. Markov sequence analysis uncovered a clear increase in the predictability of serial movements between behavioral sessions 2 and 3 in the ampakine, but not vehicle, group. These results show that a surprising degree of dendritic retraction occurs by middle age and that this can be mostly offset by pharmacological treatments without evidence for unwanted side effects. The functional consequences of rescue were prominent with regard to memory but also extended to self-organization of behavior. Brain aging is characterized by a progressive loss of dendritic arbors and the emergence of impairments to learning-related synaptic plasticity. The present studies show that dendritic losses are evident by middle age despite housing in an enriched environment and can be mostly reversed by long-term, oral administration of a positive allosteric modulator of AMPA-type glutamate receptors. Dendritic recovery was accompanied by improvements to both synaptic plasticity and the encoding of long-term memory of a novel, complex environment. Because the short half-life compound had no evident negative effects, the results suggest a plausible strategy for treating age-related neuronal deterioration. Copyright © 2016 the authors 0270-6474/16/361636-11$15.00/0.

Chronic Ampakine Treatments Stimulate Dendritic Growth and Promote Learning in Middle-Aged Rats

PubMed Central

Lauterborn, Julie C.; Palmer, Linda C.; Jia, Yousheng; Pham, Danielle T.; Hou, Bowen; Wang, Weisheng; Trieu, Brian H.; Cox, Conor D.; Kantorovich, Svetlana

2016-01-01

Positive allosteric modulators of AMPA-type glutamate receptors (ampakines) have been shown to rescue synaptic plasticity and reduce neuropathology in rodent models of cognitive disorders. Here we tested whether chronic ampakine treatment offsets age-related dendritic retraction in middle-aged (MA) rats. Starting at 10 months of age, rats were housed in an enriched environment and given daily treatment with a short half-life ampakine or vehicle for 3 months. Dendritic branching and spine measures were collected from 3D reconstructions of Lucifer yellow-filled CA1 pyramidal cells. There was a substantial loss of secondary branches, relative to enriched 2.5-month-old rats, in apical and basal dendritic fields of vehicle-treated, but not ampakine-treated, 13-month-old rats. Baseline synaptic responses in CA1 were only subtly different between the two MA groups, but long-term potentiation was greater in ampakine-treated rats. Unsupervised learning of a complex environment was used to assess treatment effects on behavior. Vehicle- and drug-treated rats behaved similarly during a first 30 min session in the novel environment but differed markedly on subsequent measures of long-term memory. Markov sequence analysis uncovered a clear increase in the predictability of serial movements between behavioral sessions 2 and 3 in the ampakine, but not vehicle, group. These results show that a surprising degree of dendritic retraction occurs by middle age and that this can be mostly offset by pharmacological treatments without evidence for unwanted side effects. The functional consequences of rescue were prominent with regard to memory but also extended to self-organization of behavior. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Brain aging is characterized by a progressive loss of dendritic arbors and the emergence of impairments to learning-related synaptic plasticity. The present studies show that dendritic losses are evident by middle age despite housing in an enriched environment and can be mostly reversed by long-term, oral administration of a positive allosteric modulator of AMPA-type glutamate receptors. Dendritic recovery was accompanied by improvements to both synaptic plasticity and the encoding of long-term memory of a novel, complex environment. Because the short half-life compound had no evident negative effects, the results suggest a plausible strategy for treating age-related neuronal deterioration. PMID:26843645

Dissociation predicts treatment response in eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing for posttraumatic stress disorder.

PubMed

Bae, Hwallip; Kim, Daeho; Park, Yong Chon

2016-01-01

Using clinical data from a specialized trauma clinic, this study investigated pretreatment clinical factors predicting response to eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) among adult patients diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Participants were evaluated using the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Dissociative Experiences Scale before treatment and were reassessed using the CAPS after treatment and at 6-month follow-up. A total of 69 patients underwent an average of 4 sessions of EMDR, and 60 (87%) completed the posttreatment evaluation, including 8 participants who terminated treatment prematurely. Intent-to-treat analysis revealed that 39 (65%) of the 60 patients were classified as responders and 21 (35%) as nonresponders when response was defined as more than a 30% decrease in total CAPS score. The nonresponders had higher levels of dissociation (depersonalization and derealization) and numbing symptoms, but other PTSD symptoms, such as avoidance, hyperarousal, and intrusion, were not significantly different. The number of psychiatric comorbidities was also associated with treatment nonresponse. The final logistic regression model yielded 2 significant variables: dissociation (p < .001) and more than 2 comorbidities compared to none (p < .05). These results indicate that complex symptom patterns in PTSD may predict treatment response and support the inclusion of the dissociative subtype of PTSD in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition.

Understanding the Impact of Expertise in Joint and Solo-Improvisation.

PubMed

Issartel, Johann; Gueugnon, Mathieu; Marin, Ludovic

2017-01-01

Joint-improvisation is not only an open-ended creative action that two or more people perform together in the context of an artistic performance (e.g., theatre, music or dance). Joint-improvisation also takes place in daily life activities when humans take part in collective performance such as toddlers at play or adults engaged in a conversation. In the context of this article, joint-improvisation has been looked at from a social motor coordination perspective. In the literature, the nature of the social motor coordination characteristics of joint-improvisation for either the creative aspect or daily life features of this motor performance remains unclear. Additionally, both solo-improvisation and joint-improvisation need to be studied conjointly to establish the influence of the social element of improvisation in the emergence of multi-agent motor coordination. In order to better understand those two types of improvisation, we compared three level of expertise - novice, intermediate and professional in dance improvisation to identify movement characteristics for each of the groups. Pairs of the same level were asked to improvise together. Each individual was also asked to perform an improvisation on his/her own. We found that each of the three groups present specific movement organization with movement complexity increasing with the level of expertise. Experts performed shorter movement duration in conjunction with an increase range of movement. The direct comparison of individual and paired Conditions highlighted that the joint-improvisation reduced the complexity of the movement organization and those for all three levels while maintaining the differences between the groups. This direct comparison amongst those three distinct groups provides an original insight onto the nature of movement patterns in joint-improvisation situation. Overall, it reveals the role of both individual and collective properties in the emergence of social coordination.

Understanding the Impact of Expertise in Joint and Solo-Improvisation

PubMed Central

Issartel, Johann; Gueugnon, Mathieu; Marin, Ludovic

2017-01-01

Joint-improvisation is not only an open-ended creative action that two or more people perform together in the context of an artistic performance (e.g., theatre, music or dance). Joint-improvisation also takes place in daily life activities when humans take part in collective performance such as toddlers at play or adults engaged in a conversation. In the context of this article, joint-improvisation has been looked at from a social motor coordination perspective. In the literature, the nature of the social motor coordination characteristics of joint-improvisation for either the creative aspect or daily life features of this motor performance remains unclear. Additionally, both solo-improvisation and joint-improvisation need to be studied conjointly to establish the influence of the social element of improvisation in the emergence of multi-agent motor coordination. In order to better understand those two types of improvisation, we compared three level of expertise – novice, intermediate and professional in dance improvisation to identify movement characteristics for each of the groups. Pairs of the same level were asked to improvise together. Each individual was also asked to perform an improvisation on his/her own. We found that each of the three groups present specific movement organization with movement complexity increasing with the level of expertise. Experts performed shorter movement duration in conjunction with an increase range of movement. The direct comparison of individual and paired Conditions highlighted that the joint-improvisation reduced the complexity of the movement organization and those for all three levels while maintaining the differences between the groups. This direct comparison amongst those three distinct groups provides an original insight onto the nature of movement patterns in joint-improvisation situation. Overall, it reveals the role of both individual and collective properties in the emergence of social coordination. PMID:28713301

Auditory rhythmic cueing in movement rehabilitation: findings and possible mechanisms

PubMed Central

Schaefer, Rebecca S.

2014-01-01

Moving to music is intuitive and spontaneous, and music is widely used to support movement, most commonly during exercise. Auditory cues are increasingly also used in the rehabilitation of disordered movement, by aligning actions to sounds such as a metronome or music. Here, the effect of rhythmic auditory cueing on movement is discussed and representative findings of cued movement rehabilitation are considered for several movement disorders, specifically post-stroke motor impairment, Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease. There are multiple explanations for the efficacy of cued movement practice. Potentially relevant, non-mutually exclusive mechanisms include the acceleration of learning; qualitatively different motor learning owing to an auditory context; effects of increased temporal skills through rhythmic practices and motivational aspects of musical rhythm. Further considerations of rehabilitation paradigm efficacy focus on specific movement disorders, intervention methods and complexity of the auditory cues. Although clinical interventions using rhythmic auditory cueing do not show consistently positive results, it is argued that internal mechanisms of temporal prediction and tracking are crucial, and further research may inform rehabilitation practice to increase intervention efficacy. PMID:25385780

Pupil movements to light and accommodative stimulation - A comparative study.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Semmlow, J.; Stark, L.

1973-01-01

Isolation and definition of specific response components in pupil reflexes through comparison of the dynamic features of light-induced and accommodation-induced pupil movements. A quantitative analysis of the behavior of the complex nonlinear pupil responses reveals the presence of two independent nonlinear characteristics: a range-dependent gain and a direction dependence or movement asymmetry. These nonlinear properties are attributed to motor processes because they are observable in pupil responses to both light and accommodation stimuli. The possible mechanisms and consequences of these pupil response characteristics are quantitatively defined and discussed.

A Call for a Multifaceted Approach to Language Learning Motivation Research: Combining Complexity, Humanistic, and Critical Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pigott, Julian

2012-01-01

In this paper I give an overview of recent developments in the L2 motivation field, in particular the movement away from quantitative, questionnaire-based methodologies toward smaller-scale qualitative studies incorporating concepts from complexity theory. While complexity theory provides useful concepts for exploring motivation in new ways, it…

[The complex approach to the rehabilitation of post-stroke patients with movement disorders in the early rehabilitation period].

PubMed

Khabirov, F A; Khaĭbullin, T I; Grigor'eva, O V

2011-01-01

We studied 110 patients, aged 34-71 years, in the early rehabilitation period after stroke who were admitted to a rehabilitation neurologic department of Kazan. The rehabilitation approach was based on the combination of several methods: kinesitherapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation and cerebrolysin treatment. This complex reanimation allowed to achieve the marked functional restoration of movement abilities in many cases that was correlated with the normalization of brain bioelectric activity (the increase of alpha-rhythm spectral power, the decrease of slow-wave EEG components). The combined use of these three methods was more effective than a combination of any two of them.

Single molecule tracking fluorescence microscopy in mitochondria reveals highly dynamic but confined movement of Tom40

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuzmenko, Anton; Tankov, Stoyan; English, Brian P.; Tarassov, Ivan; Tenson, Tanel; Kamenski, Piotr; Elf, Johan; Hauryliuk, Vasili

2011-12-01

Tom40 is an integral protein of the mitochondrial outer membrane, which as the central component of the Translocase of the Outer Membrane (TOM) complex forms a channel for protein import. We characterize the diffusion properties of individual Tom40 molecules fused to the photoconvertable fluorescent protein Dendra2 with millisecond temporal resolution. By imaging individual Tom40 molecules in intact isolated yeast mitochondria using photoactivated localization microscopy with sub-diffraction limited spatial precision, we demonstrate that Tom40 movement in the outer mitochondrial membrane is highly dynamic but confined in nature, suggesting anchoring of the TOM complex as a whole.

Low-Cost Robotic Assessment of Visuo-Motor Deficits in Alzheimer's Disease.

PubMed

Bartoli, Eleonora; Caso, Francesca; Magnani, Giuseppe; Baud-Bovy, Gabriel

2017-07-01

A low-cost robotic interface was used to assess the visuo-motor performance of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Twenty AD patients and twenty age-matched controls participated in this work. The battery of tests included simple reaction times, position tracking, and stabilization tasks performed with both hands. The regularity, velocity, visual and haptic feedback were manipulated to vary movement complexity. Reaction times and movement tracking error were analyzed. Results show a marked group effect on a subset of conditions, in particular when the patients could not rely on the visual feedback of hand movement. The visuo-motor performance correlated with the measures of global cognitive functioning and with different memory-related abilities. Our results support the hypothesis that the ability to recall and use visuo-spatial associations might underlie the impairment in complex motor behavior that has been reported in AD patients. Importantly, the patients had preserved learning effects across sessions, which might relate to visuo-motor deficits being less evident in every-day life and clinical assessments. This robotic assessment, lasting less than 1 h, provides detailed information about the integrity of visuo-motor abilities. The data can aid the understanding of the complex pattern of deficits that characterizes this pervasive disease.

Influence of social presence on eye movements in visual search tasks.

PubMed

Liu, Na; Yu, Ruifeng

2017-12-01

This study employed an eye-tracking technique to investigate the influence of social presence on eye movements in visual search tasks. A total of 20 male subjects performed visual search tasks in a 2 (target presence: present vs. absent) × 2 (task complexity: complex vs. simple) × 2 (social presence: alone vs. a human audience) within-subject experiment. Results indicated that the presence of an audience could evoke a social facilitation effect on response time in visual search tasks. Compared with working alone, the participants made fewer and shorter fixations, larger saccades and shorter scan path in simple search tasks and more and longer fixations, smaller saccades and longer scan path in complex search tasks when working with an audience. The saccade velocity and pupil diameter in the audience-present condition were larger than those in the working-alone condition. No significant change in target fixation number was observed between two social presence conditions. Practitioner Summary: This study employed an eye-tracking technique to examine the influence of social presence on eye movements in visual search tasks. Results clarified the variation mechanism and characteristics of oculomotor scanning induced by social presence in visual search.

Children’s looking preference for biological motion may be related to an affinity for mathematical chaos

PubMed Central

Haworth, Joshua L.; Kyvelidou, Anastasia; Fisher, Wayne; Stergiou, Nicholas

2015-01-01

Recognition of biological motion is pervasive in early child development. Further, viewing the movement behavior of others is a primary component of a child’s acquisition of complex, robust movement repertoires, through imitation and real-time coordinated action. We theorize that inherent to biological movements are particular qualities of mathematical chaos and complexity. We further posit that this character affords the rich and complex inter-dynamics throughout early motor development. Specifically, we explored whether children’s preference for biological motion may be related to an affinity for mathematical chaos. Cross recurrence quantification analysis (cRQA) was used to investigate the coordination of gaze and posture with various temporal structures (periodic, chaotic, and aperiodic) of the motion of an oscillating visual stimulus. Children appear to competently perceive and respond to chaotic motion, both in rate (cRQA-percent determinism) and duration (cRQA-maxline) of coordination. We interpret this to indicate that children not only recognize chaotic motion structures, but also have a preference for coordination with them. Further, stratification of our sample (by age) uncovers the suggestion that this preference may become refined with age. PMID:25852600

A fuzzy logic control in adjustable autonomy of a multi-agent system for an automated elderly movement monitoring application.

PubMed

Mostafa, Salama A; Mustapha, Aida; Mohammed, Mazin Abed; Ahmad, Mohd Sharifuddin; Mahmoud, Moamin A

2018-04-01

Autonomous agents are being widely used in many systems, such as ambient assisted-living systems, to perform tasks on behalf of humans. However, these systems usually operate in complex environments that entail uncertain, highly dynamic, or irregular workload. In such environments, autonomous agents tend to make decisions that lead to undesirable outcomes. In this paper, we propose a fuzzy-logic-based adjustable autonomy (FLAA) model to manage the autonomy of multi-agent systems that are operating in complex environments. This model aims to facilitate the autonomy management of agents and help them make competent autonomous decisions. The FLAA model employs fuzzy logic to quantitatively measure and distribute autonomy among several agents based on their performance. We implement and test this model in the Automated Elderly Movements Monitoring (AEMM-Care) system, which uses agents to monitor the daily movement activities of elderly users and perform fall detection and prevention tasks in a complex environment. The test results show that the FLAA model improves the accuracy and performance of these agents in detecting and preventing falls. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Peer Collaboration: The Case for Treating the Dyad as the Unit of Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tudge, Jonathan

In a study of peer collaboration among children, the case is made for treating the dyad, rather than the individual, as the unit of analysis. Subjects included 154 children aged 5 to 9 years from a broad range of social classes. Children worked in 14 problems (representing 6 types of problems) predicting the movement of a balance beam. Children…

Influence of attention alternation on movement-related cortical potentials in healthy individuals and stroke patients.

PubMed

Aliakbaryhosseinabadi, Susan; Kostic, Vladimir; Pavlovic, Aleksandra; Radovanovic, Sasa; Nlandu Kamavuako, Ernest; Jiang, Ning; Petrini, Laura; Dremstrup, Kim; Farina, Dario; Mrachacz-Kersting, Natalie

2017-01-01

In this study, we analyzed the influence of artificially imposed attention variations using the auditory oddball paradigm on the cortical activity associated to motor preparation/execution. EEG signals from Cz and its surrounding channels were recorded during three sets of ankle dorsiflexion movements. Each set was interspersed with either a complex or a simple auditory oddball task for healthy participants and a complex auditory oddball task for stroke patients. The amplitude of the movement-related cortical potentials (MRCPs) decreased with the complex oddball paradigm, while MRCP variability increased. Both oddball paradigms increased the detection latency significantly (p<0.05) and the complex paradigm decreased the true positive rate (TPR) (p=0.04). In patients, the negativity of the MRCP decreased while pre-phase variability increased, and the detection latency and accuracy deteriorated with attention diversion. Attention diversion has a significant influence on MRCP features and detection parameters, although these changes were counteracted by the application of the laplacian method. Brain-computer interfaces for neuromodulation that use the MRCP as the control signal are robust to changes in attention. However, attention must be monitored since it plays a key role in plasticity induction. Here we demonstrate that this can be achieved using the single channel Cz. Copyright © 2016 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Action observation versus motor imagery in learning a complex motor task: a short review of literature and a kinematics study.

PubMed

Gatti, R; Tettamanti, A; Gough, P M; Riboldi, E; Marinoni, L; Buccino, G

2013-04-12

Both motor imagery and action observation have been shown to play a role in learning or re-learning complex motor tasks. According to a well accepted view they share a common neurophysiological basis in the mirror neuron system. Neurons within this system discharge when individuals perform a specific action and when they look at another individual performing the same or a motorically related action. In the present paper, after a short review of literature on the role of action observation and motor imagery in motor learning, we report the results of a kinematics study where we directly compared motor imagery and action observation in learning a novel complex motor task. This involved movement of the right hand and foot in the same angular direction (in-phase movement), while at the same time moving the left hand and foot in an opposite angular direction (anti-phase movement), all at a frequency of 1Hz. Motor learning was assessed through kinematics recording of wrists and ankles. The results showed that action observation is better than motor imagery as a strategy for learning a novel complex motor task, at least in the fast early phase of motor learning. We forward that these results may have important implications in educational activities, sport training and neurorehabilitation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Deep-Brain Stimulation for Basal Ganglia Disorders.

PubMed

Wichmann, Thomas; Delong, Mahlon R

2011-07-01

The realization that medications used to treat movement disorders and psychiatric conditions of basal ganglia origin have significant shortcomings, as well as advances in the understanding of the functional organization of the brain, has led to a renaissance in functional neurosurgery, and particularly the use of deep brain stimulation (DBS). Movement disorders are now routinely being treated with DBS of 'motor' portions of the basal ganglia output nuclei, specifically the subthalamic nucleus and the internal pallidal segment. These procedures are highly effective and generally safe. Use of DBS is also being explored in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders, with targeting of the 'limbic' basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuitry. The results of these procedures are also encouraging, but many unanswered questions remain in this emerging field. This review summarizes the scientific rationale and practical aspects of using DBS for neurologic and neuropsychiatric disorders.

Psychosocial factors associated with change in pain and disability outcomes in chronic low back pain patients treated by physiotherapist: A systematic review.

PubMed

Alhowimel, Ahmed; AlOtaibi, Mazyad; Radford, Kathryn; Coulson, Neil

2018-01-01

Almost 80% of people have low back pain at least once in their life. Clinical guidelines emphasize the use of conservative physiotherapy and the importance of staying active. While the psychological factors predicting poor recovery following surgical intervention are understood, the psychosocial factors associated with poor outcomes following physiotherapy have yet to be identified. Electronic searches of PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO and EBSCO were conducted using terms relating to psychosocial factors, chronic low back pain, disability and physiotherapy. Papers examining the relationship between psychosocial factors and pain and disability outcomes following physiotherapy were included. Two reviewers selected, appraised and extracted studies independently. In total, 10 observational studies were identified that suggested an association between fear of movement, depression, self-efficacy and catastrophizing in modifying pain and disability outcomes following physiotherapy. Although limited by methodological shortcomings of included studies, and heterogeneity of physiotherapy interventions and measures of disability and psychosocial outcomes, the findings are consistent with other research in the context of back pain and physiotherapy, which suggest an association between psychosocial factors, including fear of movement, catastrophizing and self-efficacy and pain and disability outcomes in chronic low back pain patients treated by physiotherapist. However, a direct relationship cannot be concluded from this study. Findings suggest an association between psychosocial factors, including fear of movement, catastrophizing and self-efficacy and pain and disability outcomes in chronic low back pain patients treated by physiotherapist, which warrants further study.

On the Characterization of Revisitation Patterns in Complex Human Dynamics - A Data Science Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barbosa Filho, Hugo Serrano

When it comes to visitation patterns, humans beings are extremely regular and predictable, with recurrent activities responsible for most of our movements. In recent years, we have seen scientists attempt to model and explain human dynamics and in particular human movement. Akin to other human behaviors, traveling patterns evolve from the convolution between internal and external factors. A better understanding on the mechanisms responsible for transforming and incorporating individual events into regular patterns is of fundamental importance. Many aspects of our complex lives are affected by human movements such as disease spread and epidemics modeling, city planning, wireless network development, and disaster relief, to name a few. Given the myriad of applications, it is clear that a complete understanding of how people move in space can lead to considerable benefits to our society. In most of the recent works, scientists have focused on the idea that people movements are biased towards frequently-visited locations. According to them, human movement is based on a exploration/exploitation dichotomy in which individuals choose new locations (exploration) or return to frequently-visited locations (exploitation). In this dissertation we present some of our contributions to the field, such as the presence of a recency effect in human mobility and Web browsing behaviors as well as the Returner vs. Explorers dichotomy in Web browsing trajectories.

Integration deficiencies associated with continuous limb movement sequences in Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Park, Jin-Hoon; Stelmach, George E

2009-11-01

The present study examined the extent to which Parkinson's disease (PD) influences integration of continuous limb movement sequences. Eight patients with idiopathic PD and 8 age-matched normal subjects were instructed to perform repetitive sequential aiming movements to specified targets under three-accuracy constraints: 1) low accuracy (W = 7 cm) - minimal accuracy constraint, 2) high accuracy (W = 0.64 cm) - maximum accuracy constraint, and 3) mixed accuracy constraint - one target of high accuracy and another target of low accuracy. The characteristic of sequential movements in the low accuracy condition was mostly cyclical, whereas in the high accuracy condition it was discrete in both groups. When the accuracy constraint was mixed, the sequential movements were executed by assembling discrete and cyclical movements in both groups, suggesting that for PD patients the capability to combine discrete and cyclical movements to meet a task requirement appears to be intact. However, such functional linkage was not as pronounced as was in normal subjects. Close examination of movement from the mixed accuracy condition revealed marked movement hesitations in the vicinity of the large target in PD patients, resulting in a bias toward discrete movement. These results suggest that PD patients may have deficits in ongoing planning and organizing processes during movement execution when the tasks require to assemble various accuracy requirements into more complex movement sequences.

"The Spiral Model for the Development of Coordination": A Learning Model Based on Eshkol-Wachman Movement Notation (EWMN)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Dor, Nira

2006-01-01

The objective of this study is to present "The Spiral Model for the Development of Coordination" (SMDC), a learning model that reflects the complexity and possibilities embodied in the learning of movement notation Eshkol-Wachman (EWMN), an Israeli invention. This model constituted the infrastructure for a comprehensive study that examined the…

Exploring "Knowings" in Human Movement: The Practical Knowledge of Pole-Vaulters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nyberg, Gunn

2014-01-01

The aim of this paper is to explore and develop ways to describe what there is to know, from the perspective of the one who knows, when knowing how to carry out a complex movement. The paper will challenge the distinction between mental and physical skills, drawing on theories of tacit knowing (Polanyi, 1969), knowing how (Ryle, 1949) and…

Visual Data Mining: An Exploratory Approach to Analyzing Temporal Patterns of Eye Movements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yu, Chen; Yurovsky, Daniel; Xu, Tian

2012-01-01

Infant eye movements are an important behavioral resource to understand early human development and learning. But the complexity and amount of gaze data recorded from state-of-the-art eye-tracking systems also pose a challenge: how does one make sense of such dense data? Toward this goal, this article describes an interactive approach based on…

Early and Late Processes in Syllogistic Reasoning: Evidence from Eye-Movements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Espino, Orlando; Santamaria, Carlos; Meseguer, Enrique; Carreiras, Manuel

2005-01-01

An eye-movement monitoring experiment was carried out to examine the effects of the difficulty of the problem (simple versus complex problems) and the type of figure (figure 1 or figure 4) on the time course of processing categorical syllogisms. The results showed that the course of influence for these two factors is different. We found early…

A Comparative Study of the Writing/Spelling Performances of "Normal," Dyslexic, and Dysgraphic Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sovik, Nils; Arntzen, Oddvar

1986-01-01

General movement/feedback theory and a "two-routes" theoretical model were tested on 24 normal, 24 dyslexic, and 24 dysgraphic children. Familiarity of the test items and complexity and length of required movement pattern played an important role in the writing/spelling performance of the nine-year-old subjects defined as dyslexic or dysgraphic.…

Selected sleep disorders: restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movement disorder, sleep apnea syndrome, and narcolepsy.

PubMed

Erman, Milton K

2006-12-01

Sleep disorders, including restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movement disorder, sleep apnea syndrome, and narcolepsy, are prevalent medical conditions, likely to be seen by practicing psychiatrists. Awareness of these conditions and their presentations, pathophysiology, and treatment allows psychiatrists to treat these conditions where appropriate, to minimize complications and health consequences associated with delayed diagnosis, and to reduce the burden of disease that these conditions may place on patients already experiencing primary psychiatric disorders.

Large-strain, multiform movements from designable electrothermal actuators based on large highly anisotropic carbon nanotube sheets.

PubMed

Li, Qingwei; Liu, Changhong; Lin, Yuan-Hua; Liu, Liang; Jiang, Kaili; Fan, Shoushan

2015-01-27

Many electroactive polymer (EAP) actuators use diverse configurations of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as pliable electrodes to realize discontinuous, agile movements, for CNTs are conductive and flexible. However, the reported CNT-based EAP actuators could only accomplish simple, monotonous actions. Few actuators were extended to complex devices because efficiently preparing a large-area CNT electrode was difficult, and complex electrode design has not been carried out. In this work, we successfully prepared large-area CNT paper (buckypaper, BP) through an efficient approach. The BP is highly anisotropic, strong, and suitable as flexible electrodes. By means of artful graphic design and processing on BP, we fabricated various functional BP electrodes and developed a series of BP-polymer electrothermal actuators (ETAs). The prepared ETAs can realize various controllable movements, such as large-stain bending (>180°), helical curling (∼ 630°), or even bionic actuations (imitating human-hand actions). These functional and interesting movements benefit from flexible electrode design and the anisotropy of BP material. Owing to the advantages of low driving voltage (20-200 V), electrolyte-free and long service life (over 10000 times), we think the ETAs will have great potential applications in the actuator field.

Dancing your moves away: How memory retrieval shapes complex motor action.

PubMed

Tempel, Tobias; Loran, Igor; Frings, Christian

2015-09-01

Human memory is subject to continuous change. Besides the accumulation of contents as a consequence of encoding new information, the accessing of memory influences later accessibility. The authors investigated how retrieval-related memory-shaping processes affect intentionally acquired complex motion patterns. Dance figures served as the material to be learned. The authors found that selectively retrieving a subset of dance moves facilitated later recall of the retrieved dance figures, whereas figures that were related to these but that did not receive selective practice suffered from forgetting. These opposing effects were shown in experiments with different designs involving either the learning of only 1 set of body movements or 2 sets of movements categorized into 2 dances. A 3rd experiment showed that selective restudy also entailed a recall benefit for restudied dance figures but did not induce forgetting for related nonrestudied dance figures. The results suggest that motor programs representing the motion patterns in a format closely corresponding to parameters of movement execution were affected. The reported experiments demonstrate how retrieval determines motor memory plasticity and emphasize the importance of separating restudy and retrieval practice when teaching people new movements. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Dr Samuel Johnson's movement disorder.

PubMed Central

Murray, T J

1979-01-01

Dr Samuel Johnson was noted by his friends to have almost constant tics and gesticulations, which startled those who met him for the first time. He also made noises and whistling sounds; he made repeated sounds and words and irregular or blowing respiratory noises. Further, he often carried out pronounced compulsive acts, such as touching posts, measuring his footsteps on leaving a room, and performing peculiar complex gestures and steps before crossing a threshold. His symptoms of (a) involuntary muscle jerking movements and complex motor acts, (b) involuntary vocalisation, and (c) compulsive actions constitute the symptom complex of Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (Tourette's syndrome), from which Johnson suffered most of his life. This syndrome is of increasing interest recently because it responds to haloperidol, and because there are new insights into a possible biochemical basis for the tics, vocalisations, and compulsions. PMID:380753

Intrinsic dimensionality predicts the saliency of natural dynamic scenes.

PubMed

Vig, Eleonora; Dorr, Michael; Martinetz, Thomas; Barth, Erhardt

2012-06-01

Since visual attention-based computer vision applications have gained popularity, ever more complex, biologically inspired models seem to be needed to predict salient locations (or interest points) in naturalistic scenes. In this paper, we explore how far one can go in predicting eye movements by using only basic signal processing, such as image representations derived from efficient coding principles, and machine learning. To this end, we gradually increase the complexity of a model from simple single-scale saliency maps computed on grayscale videos to spatiotemporal multiscale and multispectral representations. Using a large collection of eye movements on high-resolution videos, supervised learning techniques fine-tune the free parameters whose addition is inevitable with increasing complexity. The proposed model, although very simple, demonstrates significant improvement in predicting salient locations in naturalistic videos over four selected baseline models and two distinct data labeling scenarios.

Fear of movement modulates the feedforward motor control of the affected limb in complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS): A single-case study.

PubMed

Osumi, Michihiro; Sumitani, Masahiko; Otake, Yuko; Morioka, Shu

2018-01-01

Pain-related fear can exacerbate physical disability and pathological pain in complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) patients. We conducted a kinematic analysis of grasping movements with a pediatric patient suffering from CRPS in an upper limb to investigate how pain-related fear affects motor control. Using a three-dimensional measurement system, we recorded the patient's movement while grasping three vertical bars of different diameters (thin, middle, thick) with the affected and intact hands. We analyzed the maximum grasp distance between the thumb and the index finger (MGD), the peak velocity of the grasp movement (PV), and the time required for the finger opening phase (TOP) and closing phase (TCP). Consequently, the MGD and PV of grasp movements in the affected hand were significantly smaller than those of the intact hand when grasping the middle and thick bars. This might reflect pain-related fear against visual information of the target size which evokes sensation of difficulty in opening fingers widely to grasp the middle and thick bars. Although MGD and PV increased with target size, the TOP was longer in the affected hand when grasping the thick bar. These findings indicate that pain-related fear impairs motor commands that are sent to the musculoskeletal system, subsequently disrupting executed movements and their sensory feedback. Using kinematic analysis, we objectively demonstrated that pain-related fear affects the process of sending motor commands towards the musculoskeletal system in the CRPS-affected hand, providing a possible explanatory model of pathological pain. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lateral occipitotemporal cortex (LOTC) activity is greatest while viewing dance compared to visualization and movement: learning and expertise effects.

PubMed

Di Nota, Paula M; Levkov, Gabriella; Bar, Rachel; DeSouza, Joseph F X

2016-07-01

The lateral occipitotemporal cortex (LOTC) is comprised of subregions selectively activated by images of human bodies (extrastriate body area, EBA), objects (lateral occipital complex, LO), and motion (MT+). However, their role in motor imagery and movement processing is unclear, as are the influences of learning and expertise on its recruitment. The purpose of our study was to examine putative changes in LOTC activation during action processing following motor learning of novel choreography in professional ballet dancers. Subjects were scanned with functional magnetic resonance imaging up to four times over 34 weeks and performed four tasks: viewing and visualizing a newly learned ballet dance, visualizing a dance that was not being learned, and movement of the foot. EBA, LO, and MT+ were activated most while viewing dance compared to visualization and movement. Significant increases in activation were observed over time in left LO only during visualization of the unlearned dance, and all subregions were activated bilaterally during the viewing task after 34 weeks of performance, suggesting learning-induced plasticity. Finally, we provide novel evidence for modulation of EBA with dance experience during the motor task, with significant activation elicited in a comparison group of novice dancers only. These results provide a composite of LOTC activation during action processing of newly learned ballet choreography and movement of the foot. The role of these areas is confirmed as primarily subserving observation of complex sequences of whole-body movement, with new evidence for modification by experience and over the course of real world ballet learning.

The audiovisual structure of onomatopoeias: An intrusion of real-world physics in lexical creation.

PubMed

Taitz, Alan; Assaneo, M Florencia; Elisei, Natalia; Trípodi, Mónica; Cohen, Laurent; Sitt, Jacobo D; Trevisan, Marcos A

2018-01-01

Sound-symbolic word classes are found in different cultures and languages worldwide. These words are continuously produced to code complex information about events. Here we explore the capacity of creative language to transport complex multisensory information in a controlled experiment, where our participants improvised onomatopoeias from noisy moving objects in audio, visual and audiovisual formats. We found that consonants communicate movement types (slide, hit or ring) mainly through the manner of articulation in the vocal tract. Vowels communicate shapes in visual stimuli (spiky or rounded) and sound frequencies in auditory stimuli through the configuration of the lips and tongue. A machine learning model was trained to classify movement types and used to validate generalizations of our results across formats. We implemented the classifier with a list of cross-linguistic onomatopoeias simple actions were correctly classified, while different aspects were selected to build onomatopoeias of complex actions. These results show how the different aspects of complex sensory information are coded and how they interact in the creation of novel onomatopoeias.

Tonic and phasic phenomena underlying eye movements during sleep in the cat

PubMed Central

Márquez-Ruiz, Javier; Escudero, Miguel

2008-01-01

Mammalian sleep is not a homogenous state, and different variables have traditionally been used to distinguish different periods during sleep. Of these variables, eye movement is one of the most paradigmatic, and has been used to differentiate between the so-called rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM (NREM) sleep periods. Despite this, eye movements during sleep are poorly understood, and the behaviour of the oculomotor system remains almost unknown. In the present work, we recorded binocular eye movements during the sleep–wake cycle of adult cats by the scleral search-coil technique. During alertness, eye movements consisted of conjugated saccades and eye fixations. During NREM sleep, eye movements were slow and mostly unconjugated. The two eyes moved upwardly and in the abducting direction, producing a tonic divergence and elevation of the visual axis. During the transition period between NREM and REM sleep, rapid monocular eye movements of low amplitude in the abducting direction occurred in coincidence with ponto-geniculo-occipital waves. Along REM sleep, the eyes tended to maintain a tonic convergence and depression, broken by high-frequency bursts of complex rapid eye movements. In the horizontal plane, each eye movement in the burst comprised two consecutive movements in opposite directions, which were more evident in the eye that performed the abducting movements. In the vertical plane, rapid eye movements were always upward. Comparisons of the characteristics of eye movements during the sleep–wake cycle reveal the uniqueness of eye movements during sleep, and the noteworthy existence of tonic and phasic phenomena in the oculomotor system, not observed until now. PMID:18499729

Tonic and phasic phenomena underlying eye movements during sleep in the cat.

PubMed

Márquez-Ruiz, Javier; Escudero, Miguel

2008-07-15

Mammalian sleep is not a homogenous state, and different variables have traditionally been used to distinguish different periods during sleep. Of these variables, eye movement is one of the most paradigmatic, and has been used to differentiate between the so-called rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM (NREM) sleep periods. Despite this, eye movements during sleep are poorly understood, and the behaviour of the oculomotor system remains almost unknown. In the present work, we recorded binocular eye movements during the sleep-wake cycle of adult cats by the scleral search-coil technique. During alertness, eye movements consisted of conjugated saccades and eye fixations. During NREM sleep, eye movements were slow and mostly unconjugated. The two eyes moved upwardly and in the abducting direction, producing a tonic divergence and elevation of the visual axis. During the transition period between NREM and REM sleep, rapid monocular eye movements of low amplitude in the abducting direction occurred in coincidence with ponto-geniculo-occipital waves. Along REM sleep, the eyes tended to maintain a tonic convergence and depression, broken by high-frequency bursts of complex rapid eye movements. In the horizontal plane, each eye movement in the burst comprised two consecutive movements in opposite directions, which were more evident in the eye that performed the abducting movements. In the vertical plane, rapid eye movements were always upward. Comparisons of the characteristics of eye movements during the sleep-wake cycle reveal the uniqueness of eye movements during sleep, and the noteworthy existence of tonic and phasic phenomena in the oculomotor system, not observed until now.

Time-Series Analysis of Embodied Interaction: Movement Variability and Complexity Matching As Dyadic Properties

PubMed Central

Zapata-Fonseca, Leonardo; Dotov, Dobromir; Fossion, Ruben; Froese, Tom

2016-01-01

There is a growing consensus that a fuller understanding of social cognition depends on more systematic studies of real-time social interaction. Such studies require methods that can deal with the complex dynamics taking place at multiple interdependent temporal and spatial scales, spanning sub-personal, personal, and dyadic levels of analysis. We demonstrate the value of adopting an extended multi-scale approach by re-analyzing movement time-series generated in a study of embodied dyadic interaction in a minimal virtual reality environment (a perceptual crossing experiment). Reduced movement variability revealed an interdependence between social awareness and social coordination that cannot be accounted for by either subjective or objective factors alone: it picks out interactions in which subjective and objective conditions are convergent (i.e., elevated coordination is perceived as clearly social, and impaired coordination is perceived as socially ambiguous). This finding is consistent with the claim that interpersonal interaction can be partially constitutive of direct social perception. Clustering statistics (Allan Factor) of salient events revealed fractal scaling. Complexity matching defined as the similarity between these scaling laws was significantly more pronounced in pairs of participants as compared to surrogate dyads. This further highlights the multi-scale and distributed character of social interaction and extends previous complexity matching results from dyadic conversation to non-verbal social interaction dynamics. Trials with successful joint interaction were also associated with an increase in local coordination. Consequently, a local coordination pattern emerges on the background of complex dyadic interactions in the PCE task and makes joint successful performance possible. PMID:28018274

Fractal Interfaces for Stimulating and Recording Neural Implants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watterson, William James

From investigating movement in an insect to deciphering cognition in a human brain to treating Parkinson's disease, hearing loss, or even blindness, electronic implants are an essential tool for understanding the brain and treating neural diseases. Currently, the stimulating and recording resolution of these implants remains low. For instance, they can record all the neuron activity associated with movement in an insect, but are quite far from recording, at an individual neuron resolution, the large volumes of brain tissue associated with cognition. Likewise, there is remarkable success in the cochlear implant restoring hearing due to the relatively simple anatomy of the auditory nerves, but are failing to restore vision to the blind due to poor signal fidelity and transmission in stimulating the more complex anatomy of the visual nerves. The critically important research needed to improve the resolution of these implants is to optimize the neuron-electrode interface. This thesis explores geometrical and material modifications to both stimulating and recording electrodes which can improve the neuron-electrode interface. First, we introduce a fractal electrode geometry which radically improves the restored visual acuity achieved by retinal implants and leads to safe, long-term operation of the implant. Next, we demonstrate excellent neuron survival and neurite outgrowth on carbon nanotube electrodes, thus providing a safe biomaterial which forms a strong connection between the electrode and neurons. Additional preliminary evidence suggests carbon nanotubes patterned into a fractal geometry will provide further benefits in improving the electrode-neuron interface. Finally, we propose a novel implant based off field effect transistor technology which utilizes an interconnecting fractal network of semiconducting carbon nanotubes to record from thousands of neurons simutaneously at an individual neuron resolution. Taken together, these improvements have the potential to radically improve our understanding of the brain and our ability to restore function to patients of neural diseases.

The hierarchy of stability and predictability in orthognathic surgery with rigid fixation: an update and extension

PubMed Central

Proffit, William R; Turvey, Timothy A; Phillips, Ceib

2007-01-01

A hierarchy of stability exists among the types of surgical movements that are possible with orthognathic surgery. This report updates the hierarchy, focusing on comparison of the stability of procedures when rigid fixation is used. Two procedures not previously placed in the hierarchy now are included: correction of asymmetry is stable with rigid fixation and repositioning of the chin also is very stable. During the first post-surgical year, surgical movements in patients treated for Class II/long face problems tend to be more stable than those treated for Class III problems. Clinically relevant changes (more than 2 mm) occur in a surprisingly large percentage of orthognathic surgery patients from one to five years post-treatment, after surgical healing is complete. During the first post-surgical year, patients treated for Class II/long face problems are more stable than those treated for Class III problems; from one to five years post-treatment, some patients in both groups experience skeletal change, but the Class III patients then are more stable than the Class II/long face patients. Fewer patients exhibit long-term changes in the dental occlusion than skeletal changes, because the dentition usually adapts to the skeletal change. PMID:17470277

Influence of simulated Quinclorac drift on the accumulation and movement of herbicide in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) plants.

PubMed

Lovelace, Michael L; Hoagland, Robert E; Talbert, Ronald E; Scherder, Eric F

2009-07-22

Quinclorac (3,7-dichloro-8-quinolinecarboxylic acid) is a herbicide commonly used in rice, and its drift has been suspected of causing injury to off-target tomato fields throughout Arkansas. Studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of single and multiple simulated quinclorac drift applications on tomato plant growth and development. Residues extracted from tomato plants treated with 0.42 g of ai ha(-1) were below the detection limit of liquid chromatography-double mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. Quinclorac residue levels and half-lives in tomato tissue increased as the application rate and number of applications increased. From 3 to 72 h after (14)C-quinclorac treatment of plants, most of the absorbed (14)C was retained in the treated leaf, and translocations of (14)C out of the treated leaf of vegetative and flowering tomato plant tissues were similar. Of the (14)C that translocated out of the treated leaf, the greatest movement was acropetally. The flower cluster contained 1% of the total absorbed (14)C, which suggests the potential for quinclorac translocation into tomato fruit. More extensive research will be required to understand the impact that quinclorac may have on tomato production in the area.

Path integral learning of multidimensional movement trajectories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

André, João; Santos, Cristina; Costa, Lino

2013-10-01

This paper explores the use of Path Integral Methods, particularly several variants of the recent Path Integral Policy Improvement (PI2) algorithm in multidimensional movement parametrized policy learning. We rely on Dynamic Movement Primitives (DMPs) to codify discrete and rhythmic trajectories, and apply the PI2-CMA and PIBB methods in the learning of optimal policy parameters, according to different cost functions that inherently encode movement objectives. Additionally we merge both of these variants and propose the PIBB-CMA algorithm, comparing all of them with the vanilla version of PI2. From the obtained results we conclude that PIBB-CMA surpasses all other methods in terms of convergence speed and iterative final cost, which leads to an increased interest in its application to more complex robotic problems.

Repeatedly pairing vagus nerve stimulation with a movement reorganizes primary motor cortex.

PubMed

Porter, Benjamin A; Khodaparast, Navid; Fayyaz, Tabbassum; Cheung, Ryan J; Ahmed, Syed S; Vrana, William A; Rennaker, Robert L; Kilgard, Michael P

2012-10-01

Although sensory and motor systems support different functions, both systems exhibit experience-dependent cortical plasticity under similar conditions. If mechanisms regulating cortical plasticity are common to sensory and motor cortices, then methods generating plasticity in sensory cortex should be effective in motor cortex. Repeatedly pairing a tone with a brief period of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) increases the proportion of primary auditory cortex responding to the paired tone (Engineer ND, Riley JR, Seale JD, Vrana WA, Shetake J, Sudanagunta SP, Borland MS, Kilgard MP. 2011. Reversing pathological neural activity using targeted plasticity. Nature. 470:101-104). In this study, we predicted that repeatedly pairing VNS with a specific movement would result in an increased representation of that movement in primary motor cortex. To test this hypothesis, we paired VNS with movements of the distal or proximal forelimb in 2 groups of rats. After 5 days of VNS movement pairing, intracranial microstimulation was used to quantify the organization of primary motor cortex. Larger cortical areas were associated with movements paired with VNS. Rats receiving identical motor training without VNS pairing did not exhibit motor cortex map plasticity. These results suggest that pairing VNS with specific events may act as a general method for increasing cortical representations of those events. VNS movement pairing could provide a new approach for treating disorders associated with abnormal movement representations.

Investigating the effect of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) on postoperative pain intensity in adolescents undergoing surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Maroufi, Mohsen; Zamani, Shahla; Izadikhah, Zahra; Marofi, Maryam; O'Connor, Peter

2016-09-01

To investigate the efficacy of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing for postoperative pain management in adolescents. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is an inexpensive, non-pharmacological intervention that has successfully been used to treat chronic pain. It holds promise in the treatment of acute, postsurgical pain based on its purported effects on the brain and nervous system. A randomized controlled trial was used. Fifty-six adolescent surgical patients aged between 12-18 years were allocated to gender-balanced Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (treatment) or non-Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (control) groups. Pain was measured using the Wong-Baker FACES(®) Pain Rating Scale (WBFS) before and after the intervention (or non-intervention for the control group). A Wilcoxon signed-rank test demonstrated that the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing group experienced a significant reduction in pain intensity after treatment intervention, whereas the control group did not. Additionally, a Mann-Whitney U-test showed that, while there was no significant difference between the two groups at time 1, there was a significant difference in pain intensity between the two groups at time 2, with the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing group experiencing lower levels of pain. These results suggest that Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing may be an effective treatment modality for postoperative pain. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Effects of Modified Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy in Acute Subcortical Cerebral Infarction.

PubMed

Yu, Changshen; Wang, Wanjun; Zhang, Yue; Wang, Yizhao; Hou, Weijia; Liu, Shoufeng; Gao, Chunlin; Wang, Chen; Mo, Lidong; Wu, Jialing

2017-01-01

Background : Constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) promotes upper extremity recovery post stroke, however, it is difficult to implement clinically due to its high resource demand and safety of the restraint. Therefore, we propose that modified CIMT (mCIMT) be used to treat individuals with acute subcortical infarction. Objective : To evaluate the therapeutic effects of mCIMT in patients with acute subcortical infarction, and investigate the possible mechanisms underlying the effect. Methods : The role of mCIMT was investigated in 26 individuals experiencing subcortical infarction in the preceding 14 days. Patients were randomly assigned to either mCIMT or standard therapy. mCIMT group was treated daily for 3 h over 10 consecutive working days, using a mitt on the unaffected arm for up to 30% of waking hours. The control group was treated with an equal dose of occupational therapy and physical therapy. During the 3-month follow-up, the motor functions of the affected limb were assessed by the Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) and Motor Activity Log (MAL). Altered cortical excitability was assessed via transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Results : Treatment significantly improved the movement in the mCIMT group compared with the control group. The mean WMF score was significantly higher in the mCIMT group compared with the control group. Further, the appearance of motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) were significantly higher in the mCIMT group compared with the baseline data. A significant change in ipsilesional silent period (SP) occurred in the mCIMT group compared with the control group. However, we found no difference between two groups in motor function or electrophysiological parameters after 3 months of follow-up. Conclusions : mCIMT resulted in significant functional changes in timed movement immediately following treatment in patients with acute subcortical infarction. Further, early mCIMT improved ipsilesional cortical excitability. However, no long-term effects were seen.

A cortical-spinal prosthesis for targeted limb movement in paralyzed primate avatars

PubMed Central

Shanechi, Maryam M.; Hu, Rollin C.; Williams, Ziv M.

2014-01-01

Motor paralysis is among the most disabling aspects of injury to the central nervous system. Here we develop and test a target-based cortical-spinal neural prosthesis that employs neural activity recorded from pre-motor neurons to control limb movements in functionally paralyzed primate avatars. Given the complexity by which muscle contractions are naturally controlled, we approach the problem of eliciting goal-directed limb movement in paralyzed animals by focusing on the intended targets of movement rather than their intermediate trajectories. We then match this information in real-time with spinal cord and muscle stimulation parameters that produce free planar limb movements to those intended target locations. We demonstrate that both the decoded activities of pre-motor populations and their adaptive responses can be used, after brief training, to effectively direct an avatar’s limb to distinct targets variably displayed on a screen. These findings advance the future possibility of reconstituting targeted limb movement in paralyzed subjects. PMID:24549394

Evolution of Mass Movements near Epicentre of Wenchuan Earthquake, the First Eight Years

PubMed Central

Zhang, Shuai; Zhang, Limin; Lacasse, Suzanne; Nadim, Farrokh

2016-01-01

It is increasingly clear that landslides represent a major cause of economic costs and deaths in earthquakes in mountains. In the Wenchuan earthquake case, post-seismic cascading landslides continue to represent a major problem eight years on. Failure to anticipate the impact of cascading landslides could lead to unexpected losses of human lives and properties. Previous studies tended to focus on separate landslide processes, with little attention paid to the quantification of long-term evolution of multiple processes or the evolution of mass movements. The very active mass movements near the epicentre of the Wenchuan earthquake provided us a unique opportunity to understand the complex processes of the evolving cascading landslides after a strong earthquake. This study budgets the mass movements on the hillslopes and in the channels in the first eight years since the Wenchuan earthquake and verify a conservation in mass movements. A system illustrating the evolution and interactions of mass movement after a strong earthquake is proposed. PMID:27824077

Aging in movement representations for sequential finger movements: a comparison between young-, middle-aged, and older adults.

PubMed

Caçola, Priscila; Roberson, Jerroed; Gabbard, Carl

2013-06-01

Studies show that as we enter older adulthood (>64years), our ability to mentally represent action in the form of using motor imagery declines. Using a chronometry paradigm to compare the movement duration of imagined and executed movements, we tested young-, middle-aged, and older adults on their ability to perform sequential finger (fine-motor) movements. The task required number recognition and ordering and was presented in three levels of complexity. Results for movement duration indicated no differences between young- and middle-aged adults, however both performed faster than the older group. In regard to the association between imagined and executed actions, correlation analyses indicated that values for all groups were positive and moderate (r's .80,.76,.70). In summary, whereas the older adults were significantly slower in processing actions than their younger counterparts, the ability to mentally represent their actions was similar. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The analysis of the influence of fractal structure of stimuli on fractal dynamics in fixational eye movements and EEG signal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Namazi, Hamidreza; Kulish, Vladimir V.; Akrami, Amin

2016-05-01

One of the major challenges in vision research is to analyze the effect of visual stimuli on human vision. However, no relationship has been yet discovered between the structure of the visual stimulus, and the structure of fixational eye movements. This study reveals the plasticity of human fixational eye movements in relation to the ‘complex’ visual stimulus. We demonstrated that the fractal temporal structure of visual dynamics shifts towards the fractal dynamics of the visual stimulus (image). The results showed that images with higher complexity (higher fractality) cause fixational eye movements with lower fractality. Considering the brain, as the main part of nervous system that is engaged in eye movements, we analyzed the governed Electroencephalogram (EEG) signal during fixation. We have found out that there is a coupling between fractality of image, EEG and fixational eye movements. The capability observed in this research can be further investigated and applied for treatment of different vision disorders.

Pursuit Eye Movements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krauzlis, Rich; Stone, Leland; Null, Cynthia H. (Technical Monitor)

1998-01-01

When viewing objects, primates use a combination of saccadic and pursuit eye movements to stabilize the retinal image of the object of regard within the high-acuity region near the fovea. Although these movements involve widespread regions of the nervous system, they mix seamlessly in normal behavior. Saccades are discrete movements that quickly direct the eyes toward a visual target, thereby translating the image of the target from an eccentric retinal location to the fovea. In contrast, pursuit is a continuous movement that slowly rotates the eyes to compensate for the motion of the visual target, minimizing the blur that can compromise visual acuity. While other mammalian species can generate smooth optokinetic eye movements - which track the motion of the entire visual surround - only primates can smoothly pursue a single small element within a complex visual scene, regardless of the motion elsewhere on the retina. This ability likely reflects the greater ability of primates to segment the visual scene, to identify individual visual objects, and to select a target of interest.

Hand Grasping Synergies As Biometrics.

PubMed

Patel, Vrajeshri; Thukral, Poojita; Burns, Martin K; Florescu, Ionut; Chandramouli, Rajarathnam; Vinjamuri, Ramana

2017-01-01

Recently, the need for more secure identity verification systems has driven researchers to explore other sources of biometrics. This includes iris patterns, palm print, hand geometry, facial recognition, and movement patterns (hand motion, gait, and eye movements). Identity verification systems may benefit from the complexity of human movement that integrates multiple levels of control (neural, muscular, and kinematic). Using principal component analysis, we extracted spatiotemporal hand synergies (movement synergies) from an object grasping dataset to explore their use as a potential biometric. These movement synergies are in the form of joint angular velocity profiles of 10 joints. We explored the effect of joint type, digit, number of objects, and grasp type. In its best configuration, movement synergies achieved an equal error rate of 8.19%. While movement synergies can be integrated into an identity verification system with motion capture ability, we also explored a camera-ready version of hand synergies-postural synergies. In this proof of concept system, postural synergies performed well, but only when specific postures were chosen. Based on these results, hand synergies show promise as a potential biometric that can be combined with other hand-based biometrics for improved security.

Complexity in the spatial utilization of rangelands: Pastoral mobility in the horn of Africa

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Extensive movement is a key strategy for pastoralists to ensure adequate forage intake for livestock while distributing grazing pressure throughout the landscape. However, the complexity of pastoral mobility was overgeneralized in previous research, which often leads to sedentarization-oriented poli...

Groundwater Site Characterization: A Systems Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolf, Frederick

1994-01-01

Groundwater remedial actions are highly complex projects. During the past 10 years, many remedial actions have begun, but very few have been successfully completed. This paper describes the complexity of groundwater remediation and offers an alternative management approach involving systems movement successfully utilized at a site in the…

Mammalian energetics. Instantaneous energetics of puma kills reveal advantage of felid sneak attacks.

PubMed

Williams, Terrie M; Wolfe, Lisa; Davis, Tracy; Kendall, Traci; Richter, Beau; Wang, Yiwei; Bryce, Caleb; Elkaim, Gabriel Hugh; Wilmers, Christopher C

2014-10-03

Pumas (Puma concolor) live in diverse, often rugged, complex habitats. The energy they expend for hunting must account for this complexity but is difficult to measure for this and other large, cryptic carnivores. We developed and deployed a physiological SMART (species movement, acceleration, and radio tracking) collar that used accelerometry to continuously monitor energetics, movements, and behavior of free-ranging pumas. This felid species displayed marked individuality in predatory activities, ranging from low-cost sit-and-wait behaviors to constant movements with energetic costs averaging 2.3 times those predicted for running mammals. Pumas reduce these costs by remaining cryptic and precisely matching maximum pouncing force (overall dynamic body acceleration = 5.3 to 16.1g) to prey size. Such instantaneous energetics help to explain why most felids stalk and pounce, and their analysis represents a powerful approach for accurately forecasting resource demands required for survival by large, mobile predators. Copyright © 2014, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

A mathematical tool to generate complex whole body motor tasks and test hypotheses on underlying motor planning.

PubMed

Tagliabue, Michele; Pedrocchi, Alessandra; Pozzo, Thierry; Ferrigno, Giancarlo

2008-01-01

In spite of the complexity of human motor behavior, difficulties in mathematical modeling have restricted to rather simple movements attempts to identify the motor planning criterion used by the central nervous system. This paper presents a novel-simulation technique able to predict the "desired trajectory" corresponding to a wide range of kinematic and kinetic optimality criteria for tasks involving many degrees of freedom and the coordination between goal achievement and balance maintenance. Employment of proper time discretization, inverse dynamic methods and constrained optimization technique are combined. The application of this simulator to a planar whole body pointing movement shows its effectiveness in managing system nonlinearities and instability as well as in ensuring the anatomo-physiological feasibility of predicted motor plans. In addition, the simulator's capability to simultaneously optimize competing movement aspects represents an interesting opportunity for the motor control community, in which the coexistence of several controlled variables has been hypothesized.

Perspectives on the rapid eye movement sleep switch in rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder.

PubMed

Ramaligam, Vetrivelan; Chen, Michael C; Saper, Clifford B; Lu, Jun

2013-08-01

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep in mammals is associated with wakelike cortical and hippocampal activation and concurrent postural muscle atonia. Research during the past 5 decades has revealed the details of the neural circuitry regulating REM sleep and muscle atonia during this state. REM-active glutamatergic neurons in the sublaterodorsal nucleus (SLD) of the dorsal pons are critical for generation for REM sleep atonia. Descending projections from SLD glutamatergic neurons activate inhibitory premotor neurons in the ventromedial medulla (VMM) and in the spinal cord to antagonize the glutamatergic supraspinal inputs on the motor neurons during REM sleep. REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) consists of simple behaviors (i.e., twitching, jerking) and complex behaviors (i.e., defensive behavior, talking). Animal research has lead to the hypothesis that complex behaviors in RBD are due to SLD pathology, while simple behaviors of RBD may be due to less severe SLD pathology or dysfunction of the VMM, ventral pons, or spinal cord. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Homogenization of Large-Scale Movement Models in Ecology

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garlick, M.J.; Powell, J.A.; Hooten, M.B.; McFarlane, L.R.

2011-01-01

A difficulty in using diffusion models to predict large scale animal population dispersal is that individuals move differently based on local information (as opposed to gradients) in differing habitat types. This can be accommodated by using ecological diffusion. However, real environments are often spatially complex, limiting application of a direct approach. Homogenization for partial differential equations has long been applied to Fickian diffusion (in which average individual movement is organized along gradients of habitat and population density). We derive a homogenization procedure for ecological diffusion and apply it to a simple model for chronic wasting disease in mule deer. Homogenization allows us to determine the impact of small scale (10-100 m) habitat variability on large scale (10-100 km) movement. The procedure generates asymptotic equations for solutions on the large scale with parameters defined by small-scale variation. The simplicity of this homogenization procedure is striking when compared to the multi-dimensional homogenization procedure for Fickian diffusion,and the method will be equally straightforward for more complex models. ?? 2010 Society for Mathematical Biology.

Muscle activity during the golf swing.

PubMed

McHardy, A; Pollard, H

2005-11-01

In the right hands, the golf swing is a motion that inspires looks of awe from the public. It is a complex movement of the whole body to generate power to a golf ball to propel the ball great distances with accuracy. This movement relies on the coordinated sequence of muscle activation to produce a fluid and reproducible movement. This paper reviews the literature on golf swing related muscle activity. The phases of this activity are discussed with a view to assisting the practitioner in understanding the swing. Such understanding may help in the management of the injured golfer.

Paroxysmal myoclonic dystonia with vocalisations: new entity or variant of preexisting syndromes?

PubMed Central

Feinberg, T E; Shapiro, A K; Shapiro, E

1986-01-01

From among 1377 patients with movement disorders, four patients had an unusual movement disorder characterised by paroxysmal bursts of involuntary, regular, repetitive, rhythmic, bilateral, coordinated, simultaneous, stereotypic myoclonus and vocalisations, often associated with tonic symptoms, interference with voluntary functioning, presence of hyperactivity, attention and learning disabilities, and resistance to treatment with haloperidol and other drugs. This symptom complex may represent a new disease entity, referred to here as paroxysmal myoclonic dystonia with vocalisations or a variant or combination of other movement disorders such as Gilles de la Tourette, myoclonic, or dystonic syndromes. PMID:3457101

Diaphragm breathing movement measurement using ultrasound and radiographic imaging: a concurrent validity.

PubMed

Noh, Dong K; Lee, Jae J; You, Joshua H

2014-01-01

Recent ultrasound imaging evidence asserts that the diaphragm is an important multifunctional muscle to control breathing as well as stabilize the core and posture in humans. However, the validity and accuracy of ultrasound for the measurement of dynamic diaphragm movements during breathing and functional core activities have not been determined. The specific aim of this study was to validate the accuracy of ultrasound imaging measurements of diaphragm movements by concurrently comparing these measurements to the gold standard of radiographic imaging measurements. A total of 14 asymptomatic adults (9 males, 5 females; mean age =28.4 ± 3.0 years) were recruited to participate in the study. Ultrasound and radiographic images were used concurrently to determine diaphragm movement (inspiration, expiration, and excursion) during tidal breathing. Pearson correlation analysis showed strong correlations, ranging from r=0.78 to r=0.83, between ultrasound and radiographic imaging measurements of the diaphragm during inhalation, exhalation, and excursion. These findings suggest that ultrasound imaging measurement is useful to accurately evaluate diaphragm movements during tidal breathing. Clinically, ultrasound imaging measurements can be used to diagnose and treat diaphragm movement impairments in individuals with neuromuscular disorders including spinal cord injuries, stroke, and multiple sclerosis.

On the barn owl's visual pre-attack behavior: I. Structure of head movements and motion patterns.

PubMed

Ohayon, Shay; van der Willigen, Robert F; Wagner, Hermann; Katsman, Igor; Rivlin, Ehud

2006-09-01

Barn owls exhibit a rich repertoire of head movements before taking off for prey capture. These movements occur mainly at light levels that allow for the visual detection of prey. To investigate these movements and their functional relevance, we filmed the pre-attack behavior of barn owls. Off-line image analysis enabled reconstruction of all six degrees of freedom of head movements. Three categories of head movements were observed: fixations, head translations and head rotations. The observed rotations contained a translational component. Head rotations did not follow Listing's law, but could be well described by a second-order surface, which indicated that they are in close agreement with Donder's law. Head translations did not contain any significant rotational components. Translations were further segmented into straight-line and curved paths. Translations along an axis perpendicular to the line of sight were similar to peering movements observed in other animals. We suggest that these basic motion elements (fixations, head rotations, translations along a straight line, and translation along a curved trajectory) may be combined to form longer and more complex behavior. We speculate that these head movements mainly underlie estimation of distance during prey capture.

Maternal perception of fetal movements in the third trimester: A qualitative description.

PubMed

Bradford, Billie; Maude, Robyn

2017-12-26

Decreased fetal movements is a common reason for unscheduled antenatal assessment and is associated with adverse pregnancy outcome. Fetal movement counting has not been proven to reduce stillbirths in high-quality studies. The aim was to explore a qualitative account of fetal movements in the third trimester as perceived by pregnant women themselves. Using qualitative descriptive methodology, interviews were conducted with 19 women experiencing an uncomplicated first pregnancy, at two timepoints in their third trimester. Interview transcripts were later analysed using qualitative content analysis. Pregnant women described a sustained increase in strength, frequency and variation in types of fetal movements from quickening until 28-32 weeks. Patterns of fetal movement were consistently described as involving increased movement later in the day and as having an inverse relationship to the women's own activity and rest. At term, the most notable feature was increased strength. Kicking and jolting movements decreased whilst pushing and rolling movements increased. Maternal descriptions of fetal activity in this study were consistent with other qualitative studies and with ultrasound studies of fetal development. Pregnant women observe a complex range of fetal movement patterns, actions and responses that are likely to be consistent with normal development. Maternal perception of a qualitative change in fetal movements may be clinically important and should take precedence over any numeric definition of decreased fetal movement. Midwives may inform women that it is normal to perceive more fetal movement in the evening and increasingly strong movements as pregnancy advances. Copyright © 2017 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ankle joint movements are encoded by both cutaneous and muscle afferents in humans.

PubMed

Aimonetti, Jean-Marc; Roll, Jean-Pierre; Hospod, Valérie; Ribot-Ciscar, Edith

2012-08-01

We analyzed the cutaneous encoding of two-dimensional movements by investigating the coding of movement velocity for differently oriented straight-line movements and the coding of complex trajectories describing cursive letters. The cutaneous feedback was then compared with that of the underlying muscle afferents previously recorded during the same "writing-like" movements. The unitary activity of 43 type II cutaneous afferents was recorded in the common peroneal nerve in healthy subjects during imposed ankle movements. These movements consisted first of ramp-and-hold movements imposed at two different and close velocities in seven directions and secondly of "writing-like" movements. In both cases, the responses were analyzed using the neuronal population vector model. The results show that movement velocity encoding depended on the direction of the ongoing movement. Discriminating between two velocities therefore involved processing the activity of afferent populations located in the various skin areas surrounding the moving joint, as shown by the statistically significant difference observed in the amplitude of the sum vectors. Secondly, "writing-like" movements induced cutaneous neuronal patterns of activity, which were reproducible and specific to each trajectory. Lastly, the "cutaneous neuronal trajectories," built by adding the sum vectors tip-to-tail, nearly matched both the movement trajectories and the "muscle neuronal trajectories," built from previously recorded muscle afferents. It was concluded that type II cutaneous and the underlying muscle afferents show similar encoding properties of two-dimensional movement parameters. This similarity is discussed in relation to a central gating process that would for instance increase the gain of cutaneous inputs when muscle information is altered by the fusimotor drive.

Development of Foundational Movement Skills: A Conceptual Model for Physical Activity Across the Lifespan.

PubMed

Hulteen, Ryan M; Morgan, Philip J; Barnett, Lisa M; Stodden, David F; Lubans, David R

2018-03-09

Evidence supports a positive association between competence in fundamental movement skills (e.g., kicking, jumping) and physical activity in young people. Whilst important, fundamental movement skills do not reflect the broad diversity of skills utilized in physical activity pursuits across the lifespan. Debate surrounds the question of what are the most salient skills to be learned which facilitate physical activity participation across the lifespan. In this paper, it is proposed that the term 'fundamental movement skills' be replaced with 'foundational movement skills'. The term 'foundational movement skills' better reflects the broad range of movement forms that increase in complexity and specificity and can be applied in a variety of settings. Thus, 'foundational movement skills' includes both traditionally conceptualized 'fundamental' movement skills and other skills (e.g., bodyweight squat, cycling, swimming strokes) that support physical activity engagement across the lifespan. A proposed conceptual model outlines how foundational movement skill competency can provide a direct or indirect pathway, via specialized movement skills, to a lifetime of physical activity. Foundational movement skill development is hypothesized to vary according to culture and/or geographical location. Further, skill development may be hindered or enhanced by physical (i.e., fitness, weight status) and psychological (i.e., perceived competence, self-efficacy) attributes. This conceptual model may advance the application of motor development principles within the public health domain. Additionally, it promotes the continued development of human movement in the context of how it leads to skillful performance and how movement skill development supports and maintains a lifetime of physical activity engagement.

Proceedings of the workshop on Cerebellum, Basal Ganglia and Cortical Connections Unmasked in Health and Disorder held in Brno, Czech Republic, October 17th, 2013.

PubMed

Bareš, Martin; Apps, Richard; Kikinis, Zora; Timmann, Dagmar; Oz, Gulin; Ashe, James J; Loft, Michaela; Koutsikou, Stella; Cerminara, Nadia; Bushara, Khalaf O; Kašpárek, Tomáš

2015-04-01

The proceedings of the workshop synthesize the experimental, preclinical, and clinical data suggesting that the cerebellum, basal ganglia (BG), and their connections play an important role in pathophysiology of various movement disorders (like Parkinson's disease and atypical parkinsonian syndromes) or neurodevelopmental disorders (like autism). The contributions from individual distinguished speakers cover the neuroanatomical research of complex networks, neuroimaging data showing that the cerebellum and BG are connected to a wide range of other central nervous system structures involved in movement control. Especially, the cerebellum plays a more complex role in how the brain functions than previously thought.

Identifying Anxiety Through Tracked Head Movements in a Virtual Classroom.

PubMed

Won, Andrea Stevenson; Perone, Brian; Friend, Michelle; Bailenson, Jeremy N

2016-06-01

Virtual reality allows the controlled simulation of complex social settings, such as classrooms, and thus provides an opportunity to test a range of theories in the social sciences in a way that is both naturalistic and controlled. Importantly, virtual environments also allow the body movements of participants in the virtual world to be tracked and recorded. In the following article, we discuss how tracked head movements were correlated with participants' reports of anxiety in a simulation of a classroom. Participants who reported a high sense of awareness of and concern about the other virtual people in the room showed different patterns of head movement (more lateral head movement, indicating scanning behavior) from those who reported a low level of concern. We discuss the implications of this research for understanding nonverbal behavior associated with anxiety and for the design of online educational systems.

Characteristics of traffic flow at nonsignalized T-shaped intersection with U-turn movements.

PubMed

Fan, Hong-Qiang; Jia, Bin; Li, Xin-Gang; Tian, Jun-Fang; Yan, Xue-Dong

2013-01-01

Most nonsignalized T-shaped intersections permit U-turn movements, which make the traffic conditions of intersection complex. In this paper, a new cellular automaton (CA) model is proposed to characterize the traffic flow at the intersection of this type. In present CA model, new rules are designed to avoid the conflicts among different directional vehicles and eliminate the gridlock. Two kinds of performance measures (i.e., flux and average control delay) for intersection are compared. The impacts of U-turn movements are analyzed under different initial conditions. Simulation results demonstrate that (i) the average control delay is more practical than flux in measuring the performance of intersection, (ii) U-turn movements increase the range and degree of high congestion, and (iii) U-turn movements on the different direction of main road have asymmetrical influences on the traffic conditions of intersection.

Experimental evidence for inherent Lévy search behaviour in foraging animals

PubMed Central

Kölzsch, Andrea; Alzate, Adriana; Bartumeus, Frederic; de Jager, Monique; Weerman, Ellen J.; Hengeveld, Geerten M.; Naguib, Marc; Nolet, Bart A.; van de Koppel, Johan

2015-01-01

Recently, Lévy walks have been put forward as a new paradigm for animal search and many cases have been made for its presence in nature. However, it remains debated whether Lévy walks are an inherent behavioural strategy or emerge from the animal reacting to its habitat. Here, we demonstrate signatures of Lévy behaviour in the search movement of mud snails (Hydrobia ulvae) based on a novel, direct assessment of movement properties in an experimental set-up using different food distributions. Our experimental data uncovered clusters of small movement steps alternating with long moves independent of food encounter and landscape complexity. Moreover, size distributions of these clusters followed truncated power laws. These two findings are characteristic signatures of mechanisms underlying inherent Lévy-like movement. Thus, our study provides clear experimental evidence that such multi-scale movement is an inherent behaviour rather than resulting from the animal interacting with its environment. PMID:25904671

Mechanisms of collective cell movement lacking a leading or free front edge in vivo.

PubMed

Uechi, Hiroyuki; Kuranaga, Erina

2017-08-01

Collective cell movement is one of the strategies for achieving the complex shapes of tissues and organs. In this process, multiple cells within a group held together by cell-cell adhesion acquire mobility and move together in the same direction. In some well-studied models of collective cell movement, the mobility depends strongly on traction generated at the leading edge by cells located at the front. However, recent advances in live-imaging techniques have led to the discovery of other types of collective cell movement lacking a leading edge or even a free edge at the front, in a diverse array of morphological events, including tubule elongation, epithelial sheet extension, and tissue rotation. We herein review some of the developmental events that are organized by collective cell movement and attempt to elucidate the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms, which include membrane protrusions, guidance cues, cell intercalation, and planer cell polarity, or chirality pathways.

Anticipatory activity in primary motor cortex codes memorized movement sequences.

PubMed

Lu, Xiaofeng; Ashe, James

2005-03-24

Movement sequences, defined both by the component movements and by the serial order in which they are produced, are fundamental building blocks of motor behavior. The serial order of sequence production is strongly encoded in medial motor areas. It is not known to what extent sequences are further elaborated or encoded in primary motor cortex. Here, we describe cells in the primary motor cortex of the monkey that show anticipatory activity exclusively related to a specific memorized sequence of upcoming movements. In addition, the injection of muscimol, a GABA agonist, into motor cortex resulted in an increase in the error rate during sequence production, without concomitant effects on nonsequenced motor performance. Our results challenge the role of medial motor areas in the control of well-practiced movement sequences and suggest that motor cortex contains a complete apparatus for the planning and production of this complex behavior.

Laban Movement Analysis towards Behavior Patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos, Luís; Dias, Jorge

This work presents a study about the use of Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) as a robust tool to describe human basic behavior patterns, to be applied in human-machine interaction. LMA is a language used to describe and annotate dancing movements and is divided in components [1]: Body, Space, Shape and Effort. Despite its general framework is widely used in physical and mental therapy [2], it has found little application in the engineering domain. Rett J. [3] proposed to implement LMA using Bayesian Networks. However LMA component models have not yet been fully implemented. A study on how to approach behavior using LMA is presented. Behavior is a complex feature and movement chain, but we believe that most basic behavior primitives can be discretized in simple features. Correctly identifying Laban parameters and the movements the authors feel that good patterns can be found within a specific set of basic behavior semantics.

Intersegmental Eye-Head-Body Interactions during Complex Whole Body Movements

PubMed Central

von Laßberg, Christoph; Beykirch, Karl A.; Mohler, Betty J.; Bülthoff, Heinrich H.

2014-01-01

Using state-of-the-art technology, interactions of eye, head and intersegmental body movements were analyzed for the first time during multiple twisting somersaults of high-level gymnasts. With this aim, we used a unique combination of a 16-channel infrared kinemetric system; a three-dimensional video kinemetric system; wireless electromyography; and a specialized wireless sport-video-oculography system, which was able to capture and calculate precise oculomotor data under conditions of rapid multiaxial acceleration. All data were synchronized and integrated in a multimodal software tool for three-dimensional analysis. During specific phases of the recorded movements, a previously unknown eye-head-body interaction was observed. The phenomenon was marked by a prolonged and complete suppression of gaze-stabilizing eye movements, in favor of a tight coupling with the head, spine and joint movements of the gymnasts. Potential reasons for these observations are discussed with regard to earlier findings and integrated within a functional model. PMID:24763143

A Hopping Mechanism for Cargo Transport by Molecular Motors on Crowded Microtubules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldman, Carla

2010-05-01

Most models designed to study the bidirectional movement of cargos as they are driven by molecular motors rely on the idea that motors of different polarities can be coordinated by external agents if arranged into a motor-cargo complex to perform the necessary work Gross, Hither and yon: a review of bidirectional microtubule-based transport (Gross in Phys. Biol. 1:R1-R11, 2004). Although these models have provided us with important insights into these phenomena, there are still many unanswered questions regarding the mechanisms through which the movement of the complex takes place on crowded microtubules. For example (i) how does cargo-binding affect motor motility? and in connection with that - (ii) how does the presence of other motors (and also other cargos) on the microtubule affect the motility of the motor-cargo complex? We discuss these questions from a different perspective. The movement of a cargo is conceived here as a hopping process resulting from the transference of cargo between neighboring motors. In the light of this, we examine the conditions under which cargo might display bidirectional movement even if directed by motors of a single polarity. The global properties of the model in the long-time regime are obtained by mapping the dynamics of the collection of interacting motors and cargos into an asymmetric simple exclusion process (ASEP) which can be resolved using the matrix ansatz introduced by Derrida (Derrida and Evans in Nonequilibrium Statistical Mechanics in One Dimension, pp. 277-304, 1997; Derrida et al. in J. Phys. A 26:1493-1517, 1993).

An MR-compatible gyroscope-based arm movement tracking system.

PubMed

Shirinbayan, S Iman; Rieger, Jochem W

2017-03-15

Functional magnetic resonance imaging is well suited to link neural population activation with movement parameters of complex natural arm movements. However, currently existing MR-compatible arm tracking devices are not constructed to measure arm joint movement parameters of unrestricted movements. Therefore, to date most research focuses on simple arm movements or includes very little knowledge about the actual movement kinematics. We developed a low cost gyroscope-based arm movement tracking system (GAMTS) that features MR-compatibility. The system consists of dual-axis analogue gyroscopes that measure rotations of upper and lower arm joints. After MR artifact reduction, the rotation angles of the individual arm joints are calculated and used to animate a realistic arm model that is implemented in the OpenSim platform. The OpenSim platform can then provide the kinematics of any point on the arm model. In order to demonstrate the capabilities of the system, we first assessed the quality of reconstructed wrist movements in a low-noise environment where typical MR-related problems are absent and finally, we validated the reconstruction in the MR environment. The system provides the kinematics of the whole arm when natural unrestricted arm movements are performed inside the MR-scanner. The GAMTS is reliably capable of reconstructing the kinematics of trajectories and the reconstruction error is small in comparison with the movement induced variation of speed, displacement, and rotation. Moreover, the system can be used to probe brain areas for their correlation with movement kinematics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

75 FR 76020 - Prospective Grant of Exclusive License: Devices for Treating Dysphagia and Dysphonia

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-07

... patents and patent applications intended for licensure disclose or cover a system, device and method for... device allows the patient coordinate muscular movement with a button press to permit volitional...

Modularity and hierarchical organization of action programs in children's acquisition of graphic skills.

PubMed

Manoel, Edison de J; Dantas, Luiz; Gimenez, Roberto; de Oliveira, Dalton Lustosa

2011-10-01

The organization of actions is based on modules in memory as a result of practice, easing the demand of performing more complex actions. If this modularization occurs, the elements of the module must remain invariant in new tasks. To test this hypothesis, 35 children, age 10 yr., practiced a graphic criterion task on a digital tablet and completed a complex graphic task enclosing the previous one. Total movement and pause times to draw the figure indicated skill acquisition. A module was identified by the variability of relative timing, pause time, and sequencing. Total movement to perform the criterion task did not increase significantly when it was embedded in the more complex task. Modularity was evidenced by the stability of relative timing and pause time and sequencing. The spatial position of new elements did not perturb the module, so the grammar of action may still have been forming.

Structure of the Rigor Actin-Tropomyosin-Myosin Complex

PubMed Central

Behrmann, Elmar; Müller, Mirco; Penczek, Pawel A.; Mannherz, Hans Georg; Manstein, Dietmar J.; Raunser, Stefan

2014-01-01

The interaction of myosin with actin filaments is the central feature of muscle contraction and cargo movement along actin filaments of the cytoskeleton. Myosin converts the chemical energy stored in ATP into force and movement along actin filaments. Myosin binding to actin induces conformational changes that are coupled to the nucleotide-binding pocket and amplified by a specialized region of the motor domain for efficient force generation. Tropomyosin plays a key role in regulating the productive interaction between myosins and actin. Here, we report the 8 Å resolution structure of the actin-tropomyosin-myosin complex determined by cryo electron microscopy. The pseudo-atomic model of the complex obtained from fitting crystal structures into the map defines the large actin-myosin-tropomyosin interface and the molecular interactions between the proteins in detail and allows us to propose a structural model for tropomyosin dependent myosin binding to actin and actin-induced nucleotide release from myosin. PMID:22817895

Deep-Brain Stimulation for Basal Ganglia Disorders

PubMed Central

Wichmann, Thomas; DeLong, Mahlon R.

2011-01-01

The realization that medications used to treat movement disorders and psychiatric conditions of basal ganglia origin have significant shortcomings, as well as advances in the understanding of the functional organization of the brain, has led to a renaissance in functional neurosurgery, and particularly the use of deep brain stimulation (DBS). Movement disorders are now routinely being treated with DBS of ‘motor’ portions of the basal ganglia output nuclei, specifically the subthalamic nucleus and the internal pallidal segment. These procedures are highly effective and generally safe. Use of DBS is also being explored in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders, with targeting of the ‘limbic’ basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuitry. The results of these procedures are also encouraging, but many unanswered questions remain in this emerging field. This review summarizes the scientific rationale and practical aspects of using DBS for neurologic and neuropsychiatric disorders. PMID:21804953

Scientific resistance to research, training and utilization of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy in treating post-war disorders.

PubMed

Russell, Mark C

2008-12-01

In this study, Barber's [(1961). Resistance by scientists to scientific discovery. Science, 134, 596-602] analysis of scientists' resistance to discoveries is examined in relation to an 18-year controversy between the dominant cognitive-behavioral paradigm or zeitgeist and its chief rival - eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) in treating trauma-related disorders. Reasons for persistent opposition to training, utilization and research into an identified 'evidence-based treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder' (EBT-PTSD) within US military and veterans' agencies closely parallels Barber's description of resistance based upon socio-cultural factors and scientific bias versus genuine scientific skepticism. The implications of sustained resistance to EMDR for combat veterans and other trauma sufferers are discussed. A unified or super-ordinate goal is offered to reverse negative trends impacting current and future mental healthcare of military personnel, veterans and other trauma survivors, and to bridge the scientific impasse.

[Bilateral Pallidotomy for Tardive Dystonia:A Case Report].

PubMed

Kohara, Kotaro; Taira, Takaomi; Horisawa, Shiro; Hanada, Tomoko; Kawamata, Takakazu

2017-11-01

Tardive dystonia is a movement disorder related to the use of dopamine-receptor-blocking drugs. Several reports have shown that deep brain stimulation of the globus pallidus internus(GPi-DBS)is effective in treating tardive dystonia. However, a few reports demonstrated the efficacy of ablation of the GPi(pallidotomy). We herein report a case of tardive dystonia successfully treated with bilateral pallidotomy. A 32-year-old man developed severe tardive dystonia 10 years after the chronic use of antipsychotic drugs. Withdrawal of the drugs and botulinum toxin injections were ineffective. The patient underwent bilateral pallidotomy for tardive dystonia because of rejection of the implanted DBS devices. Significant improvement was observed, with a 95% decrease in the Burke-Fahn-Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale(BFMDRS)movement score, and no severe adverse events occurred. Symptomatic relief persisted for nine months. Pallidotomy is a feasible and efficacious procedure for tardive dystonia treatment without the use of hardware implantations.

Osseous outgrowth on the buccal maxilla associated with piezosurgery-assisted en-masse retraction: A case series.

PubMed

Tunçer, Nilüfer İrem; Arman-Özçırpıcı, Ayça; Oduncuoğlu, Bahar Füsun; Kantarcı, Alpdoğan

2018-01-01

Piezoelectric surgery is a novel surgical approach used in orthodontic treatment for rapid tooth movement. This paper presents a case series wherein osseous outgrowths were observed in response to piezosurgery-assisted en-masse retraction. Sixteen patients requiring upper premolar extractions were treated with miniscrew-supported en-masse retraction and received minimally invasive decortication via piezosurgery. Computed tomography (CT) of the maxillary anterior region was performed to investigate the nature of the outgrowths. In 8 of the 16 patients, hemispheric or disc-shaped osseous outgrowths were observed on the sites where piezosurgery was performed during retraction. CT images revealed that these outgrowths were alveolar bone. This case series presents a previously unreported osseous response to piezosurgery-assisted tooth movement during orthodontic treatment. The response is mostly transient and is observed in 50% of the treated patients, suggesting a bone turnover that can be assessed clinically and radiographically.

Osseous outgrowth on the buccal maxilla associated with piezosurgery-assisted en-masse retraction: A case series

PubMed Central

Arman-Özçırpıcı, Ayça; Oduncuoğlu, Bahar Füsun; Kantarcı, Alpdoğan

2018-01-01

Piezoelectric surgery is a novel surgical approach used in orthodontic treatment for rapid tooth movement. This paper presents a case series wherein osseous outgrowths were observed in response to piezosurgery-assisted en-masse retraction. Sixteen patients requiring upper premolar extractions were treated with miniscrew-supported en-masse retraction and received minimally invasive decortication via piezosurgery. Computed tomography (CT) of the maxillary anterior region was performed to investigate the nature of the outgrowths. In 8 of the 16 patients, hemispheric or disc-shaped osseous outgrowths were observed on the sites where piezosurgery was performed during retraction. CT images revealed that these outgrowths were alveolar bone. This case series presents a previously unreported osseous response to piezosurgery-assisted tooth movement during orthodontic treatment. The response is mostly transient and is observed in 50% of the treated patients, suggesting a bone turnover that can be assessed clinically and radiographically. PMID:29291189

Temporal predictive mechanisms modulate motor reaction time during initiation and inhibition of speech and hand movement.

PubMed

Johari, Karim; Behroozmand, Roozbeh

2017-08-01

Skilled movement is mediated by motor commands executed with extremely fine temporal precision. The question of how the brain incorporates temporal information to perform motor actions has remained unanswered. This study investigated the effect of stimulus temporal predictability on response timing of speech and hand movement. Subjects performed a randomized vowel vocalization or button press task in two counterbalanced blocks in response to temporally-predictable and unpredictable visual cues. Results indicated that speech and hand reaction time was decreased for predictable compared with unpredictable stimuli. This finding suggests that a temporal predictive code is established to capture temporal dynamics of sensory cues in order to produce faster movements in responses to predictable stimuli. In addition, results revealed a main effect of modality, indicating faster hand movement compared with speech. We suggest that this effect is accounted for by the inherent complexity of speech production compared with hand movement. Lastly, we found that movement inhibition was faster than initiation for both hand and speech, suggesting that movement initiation requires a longer processing time to coordinate activities across multiple regions in the brain. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms of temporal information processing during initiation and inhibition of speech and hand movement. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The human movement system: our professional identity.

PubMed

Sahrmann, Shirley A

2014-07-01

The 2013 House of Delegates of the American Physical Therapy Association adopted a vision statement that addresses the role of physical therapy in transforming society through optimizing movement. The accompanying guidelines address the movement system as key to achieving this vision. The profession has incorporated movement in position statements and documents since the early 1980s, but movement as a physiological system has not been addressed. Clearly, those health care professions identified with a system of the body are more easily recognized for their expertise and role in preventing, diagnosing, and treating dysfunctions of the system than health professions identified with intervention but not a system. This perspective article provides a brief history of how leaders in the profession have advocated for clear identification of a body of knowledge. The reasons are discussed for why movement can be considered a physiological system, as are the advantages of promoting the system rather than just movement. In many ways, a focus on movement is more restrictive than incorporating the concept of the movement system. Promotion of the movement system also provides a logical context for the diagnoses made by physical therapists. In addition, there is growing evidence, particularly in relation to musculoskeletal conditions, that the focus is enlarging from pathoanatomy to pathokinesiology, further emphasizing the timeliness of promoting the role of movement as a system. Discussion also addresses musculoskeletal conditions as lifestyle issues in the same way that general health has been demonstrated to be clearly related to lifestyle. The suggestion is made that the profession should be addressing kinesiopathologic conditions and not just pathokinesiologic conditions, as would be in keeping with the physical therapist's role in prevention and as a life-span practitioner. © 2014 American Physical Therapy Association.

How does a scanning ribosomal particle move along the 5'-untranslated region of eukaryotic mRNA? Brownian Ratchet model.

PubMed

Spirin, Alexander S

2009-11-17

A model of the ATP-dependent unidirectional movement of the 43S ribosomal initiation complex (=40S ribosomal subunit + eIF1 + eIF1A + eIF2.GTP.Met-tRNA(i) + eIF3) during scanning of the 5'-untranslated region of eukaryotic mRNA is proposed. The model is based on the principles of molecular Brownian ratchet machines and explains several enigmatic data concerning the scanning complex. In this model, the one-dimensional diffusion of the ribosomal initiation complex along the mRNA chain is rectified into the net-unidirectional 5'-to-3' movement by the Feynman ratchet-and-pawl mechanism. The proposed mechanism is organized by the heterotrimeric protein eIF4F (=eIF4A + eIF4E + eIF4G), attached to the scanning ribosomal particle via eIF3, and the RNA-binding protein eIF4B that is postulated to play the role of the pawl. The energy for the useful work of the ratchet-and-pawl mechanism is supplied from ATP hydrolysis induced by the eIF4A subunit: ATP binding and its hydrolysis alternately change the affinities of eIF4A for eIF4B and for mRNA, resulting in the restriction of backward diffusional sliding of the 43S ribosomal complex along the mRNA chain, while stochastic movements ahead are allowed.

Modeling Cognitive Strategies during Complex Task Performing Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mazman, Sacide Guzin; Altun, Arif

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine individuals' computer based complex task performing processes and strategies in order to determine the reasons of failure by cognitive task analysis method and cued retrospective think aloud with eye movement data. Study group was five senior students from Computer Education and Instructional Technologies…

Attention Guidance in Learning from a Complex Animation: Seeing Is Understanding?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Koning, Bjorn B.; Tabbers, Huib K.; Rikers, Remy M. J. P.; Paas, Fred

2010-01-01

To examine how visual attentional resources are allocated when learning from a complex animation about the cardiovascular system, eye movements were registered in the absence and presence of visual cues. Cognitive processing was assessed using cued retrospective reporting, whereas comprehension and transfer tests measured the quality of the…

Mutual and asynchronous anticipation and action in sports as globally competitive and locally coordinative dynamics

PubMed Central

Fujii, Keisuke; Isaka, Tadao; Kouzaki, Motoki; Yamamoto, Yuji

2015-01-01

Humans interact by changing their actions, perceiving other’s actions and executing solutions in conflicting situations. Using oscillator models, nonlinear dynamics have been considered for describing these complex human movements as an emergence of self-organisation. However, these frameworks cannot explain the hierarchical structures of complex behaviours between conflicting inter-agent and adapting intra-agent systems, especially in sport competitions wherein mutually quick decision making and execution are required. Here we adopt a hybrid multiscale approach to model an attack-and-defend game during which both players predict the opponent’s movement and move with a delay. From both simulated and measured data, one synchronous outcome between two-agent (i.e. successful defence) can be described as one attractor. In contrast, the other coordination-breaking outcome (i.e. successful attack) cannot be explained using gradient dynamics because the asymmetric interaction cannot always assume a conserved physical quantity. Instead, we provide the asymmetric and asynchronous hierarchical dynamical models to discuss two-agent competition. Our framework suggests that possessing information about an opponent and oneself in local-coordinative and global-competitive scale enables us to gain a deeper understanding of sports competitions. We anticipate developments in the scientific fields of complex movement adapting to such uncontrolled environments. PMID:26538452

Mutual and asynchronous anticipation and action in sports as globally competitive and locally coordinative dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujii, Keisuke; Isaka, Tadao; Kouzaki, Motoki; Yamamoto, Yuji

2015-11-01

Humans interact by changing their actions, perceiving other’s actions and executing solutions in conflicting situations. Using oscillator models, nonlinear dynamics have been considered for describing these complex human movements as an emergence of self-organisation. However, these frameworks cannot explain the hierarchical structures of complex behaviours between conflicting inter-agent and adapting intra-agent systems, especially in sport competitions wherein mutually quick decision making and execution are required. Here we adopt a hybrid multiscale approach to model an attack-and-defend game during which both players predict the opponent’s movement and move with a delay. From both simulated and measured data, one synchronous outcome between two-agent (i.e. successful defence) can be described as one attractor. In contrast, the other coordination-breaking outcome (i.e. successful attack) cannot be explained using gradient dynamics because the asymmetric interaction cannot always assume a conserved physical quantity. Instead, we provide the asymmetric and asynchronous hierarchical dynamical models to discuss two-agent competition. Our framework suggests that possessing information about an opponent and oneself in local-coordinative and global-competitive scale enables us to gain a deeper understanding of sports competitions. We anticipate developments in the scientific fields of complex movement adapting to such uncontrolled environments.

Conscious motor processing and movement self-consciousness: two dimensions of personality that influence laparoscopic training.

PubMed

Malhotra, Neha; Poolton, Jamie M; Wilson, Mark R; Fan, Joe K M; Masters, Rich S W

2014-01-01

Identifying personality factors that account for individual differences in surgical training and performance has practical implications for surgical education. Movement-specific reinvestment is a potentially relevant personality factor that has a moderating effect on laparoscopic performance under time pressure. Movement-specific reinvestment has 2 dimensions, which represent an individual's propensity to consciously control movements (conscious motor processing) or to consciously monitor their 'style' of movement (movement self-consciousness). This study aimed at investigating the moderating effects of the 2 dimensions of movement-specific reinvestment in the learning and updating (cross-handed technique) of laparoscopic skills. Medical students completed the Movement-Specific Reinvestment Scale, a psychometric assessment tool that evaluates the conscious motor processing and movement self-consciousness dimensions of movement-specific reinvestment. They were then trained to a criterion level of proficiency on a fundamental laparoscopic skills task and were tested on a novel cross-handed technique. Completion times were recorded for early-learning, late-learning, and cross-handed trials. Propensity for movement self-consciousness but not conscious motor processing was a significant predictor of task completion times both early (p = 0.036) and late (p = 0.002) in learning, but completion times during the cross-handed trials were predicted by the propensity for conscious motor processing (p = 0.04) rather than movement self-consciousness (p = 0.21). Higher propensity for movement self-consciousness is associated with slower performance times on novel and well-practiced laparoscopic tasks. For complex surgical techniques, however, conscious motor processing plays a more influential role in performance than movement self-consciousness. The findings imply that these 2 dimensions of movement-specific reinvestment have a differential influence in the learning and updating of laparoscopic skills. Copyright © 2014 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Does the nervous system use equilibrium-point control to guide single and multiple joint movements?

PubMed

Bizzi, E; Hogan, N; Mussa-Ivaldi, F A; Giszter, S

1992-12-01

The hypothesis that the central nervous system (CNS) generates movement as a shift of the limb's equilibrium posture has been corroborated experimentally in studies involving single- and multijoint motions. Posture may be controlled through the choice of muscle length-tension curve that set agonist-antagonist torque-angle curves determining an equilibrium position for the limb and the stiffness about the joints. Arm trajectories seem to be generated through a control signal defining a series of equilibrium postures. The equilibrium-point hypothesis drastically simplifies the requisite computations for multijoint movements and mechanical interactions with complex dynamic objects in the environment. Because the neuromuscular system is springlike, the instantaneous difference between the arm's actual position and the equilibrium position specified by the neural activity can generate the requisite torques, avoiding the complex "inverse dynamic" problem of computing the torques at the joints. The hypothesis provides a simple, unified description of posture and movement as well as contact control task performance, in which the limb must exert force stably and do work on objects in the environment. The latter is a surprisingly difficult problem, as robotic experience has shown. The prior evidence for the hypothesis came mainly from psychophysical and behavioral experiments. Our recent work has shown that microstimulation of the frog spinal cord's premotoneural network produces leg movements to various positions in the frog's motor space. The hypothesis can now be investigated in the neurophysiological machinery of the spinal cord.

Comprehensive investigation of submarine slide zones and mass movements at the northern continental slope of South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Hongjun; Liang, Jin; Gong, Yuehua

2018-02-01

Multi-beam bathymetry and seismic sequence surveys in the northern slope of the South China Sea reveal detailed geomorphology and seismic stratigraphy characteristics of canyons, gullies, and mass movements. Modern canyons and gullies are roughly elongated NNW-SSW with U-shaped cross sections at water depths of 400-1000 m. Mass movements include slide complexes, slide scars, and debris/turbidity flows. Slide complexes and slide scars are oriented in the NE-SW direction and cover an area of about 1790 and 926 km2, respectively. The debris/turbidity flows developed along the lower slope. A detailed facies analysis suggests that four seismic facies exist, and the late Cenozoic stratigraphy above the acoustic basement can be roughly subdivided into three sequences separated by regional unconformities in the study area. The occurrence of gas hydrates is marked by seismic velocity anomalies, bottom-simulating reflectors, gas chimneys, and pockmarks in the study area. Seismic observations suggest that modern canyons and mass movements formed around the transition between the last glacial period and the current interglacial period. The possible existence and dissociation of gas hydrates and the regional tectonic setting may trigger instability and mass movements on the seafloor. Canyons may be the final result of gas hydrate dissociation. Our study aims to contribute new information that is applicable to engineering construction required for deep-water petroleum exploration and gas hydrate surveys along any marginal sea.

Effects of diphenhydramine on human eye movements.

PubMed

Hopfenbeck, J R; Cowley, D S; Radant, A; Greenblatt, D J; Roy-Byrne, P P

1995-04-01

Peak saccadic eye movement velocity (SEV) and average smooth pursuit gain (SP) are reduced in a dose-dependent manner by diazepam and provide reliable, quantitative measures of benzodiazepine agonist effects. To evaluate the specificity of these eye movement effects for agents acting at the central GABA-benzodiazepine receptor complex and the role of sedation in benzodiazepine effects, we studied eye movement effects of diphenhydramine, a sedating drug which does not act at the GABA-benzodiazepine receptor complex. Ten healthy males, aged 19-28 years, with no history of axis I psychiatric disorders or substance abuse, received 50 mg/70 kg intravenous diphenhydramine or a similar volume of saline on separate days 1 week apart. SEV, saccade latency and accuracy, SP, self-rated sedation, and short-term memory were assessed at baseline and at 5, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 min after drug administration. Compared with placebo, diphenhydramine produced significant SEV slowing, and increases in saccade latency and self-rated sedation. There was no significant effect of diphenhydramine on smooth pursuit gain, saccade accuracy, or short-term memory. These results suggest that, like diazepam, diphenhydramine causes sedation, SEV slowing, and an increase in saccade latency. Since the degree of diphenhydramine-induced sedation was not correlated with changes in SEV or saccade latency, slowing of saccadic eye movements is unlikely to be attributable to sedation alone. Unlike diazepam, diphenhydramine does not impair smooth pursuit gain, saccadic accuracy, or memory. Different neurotransmitter systems may influence the neural pathways involved in SEV and smooth pursuit again.

Motor expertise modulates the unconscious processing of human body postures.

PubMed

Güldenpenning, Iris; Koester, Dirk; Kunde, Wilfried; Weigelt, Matthias; Schack, Thomas

2011-09-01

Little is known about the cognitive background of unconscious visuomotor control of complex sports movements. Therefore, we investigated the extent to which novices and skilled high-jump athletes are able to identify visually presented body postures of the high jump unconsciously. We also asked whether or not the manner of processing differs (qualitatively or quantitatively) between these groups as a function of their motor expertise. A priming experiment with not consciously perceivable stimuli was designed to determine whether subliminal priming of movement phases (same vs. different movement phases) or temporal order (i.e. natural vs. reversed movement order) affects target processing. Participants had to decide which phase of the high jump (approach vs. flight phase) a target photograph was taken from. We found a main effect of temporal order for skilled athletes, that is, faster reaction times for prime-target pairs that reflected the natural movement order as opposed to the reversed movement order. This result indicates that temporal-order information pertaining to the domain of expertise plays a critical role in athletes' perceptual capacities. For novices, data analyses revealed an interaction between temporal order and movement phases. That is, only the reversed movement order of flight-approach pictures increased processing time. Taken together, the results suggest that the structure of cognitive movement representation modulates unconscious processing of movement pictures and points to a functional role of motor representations in visual perception.

Complex responses to movement-based disease control: when livestock trading helps.

PubMed

Prentice, Jamie C; Marion, Glenn; Hutchings, Michael R; McNeilly, Tom N; Matthews, Louise

2017-01-01

Livestock disease controls are often linked to movements between farms, for example, via quarantine and pre- or post-movement testing. Designing effective controls, therefore, benefits from accurate assessment of herd-to-herd transmission. Household models of human infections make use of R * , the number of groups infected by an initial infected group, which is a metapopulation level analogue of the basic reproduction number R 0 that provides a better characterization of disease spread in a metapopulation. However, existing approaches to calculate R * do not account for individual movements between locations which means we lack suitable tools for livestock systems. We address this gap using next-generation matrix approaches to capture movements explicitly and introduce novel tools to calculate R * in any populations coupled by individual movements. We show that depletion of infectives in the source group, which hastens its recovery, is a phenomenon with important implications for design and efficacy of movement-based controls. Underpinning our results is the observation that R * peaks at intermediate livestock movement rates. Consequently, under movement-based controls, infection could be controlled at high movement rates but persist at intermediate rates. Thus, once control schemes are present in a livestock system, a reduction in movements can counterintuitively lead to increased disease prevalence. We illustrate our results using four important livestock diseases (bovine viral diarrhoea, bovine herpes virus, Johne's disease and Escherichia coli O157) that each persist across different movement rate ranges with the consequence that a change in livestock movements could help control one disease, but exacerbate another. © 2017 The Authors.

Surround Inhibition in the Primary Motor Cortex is Task-specifically Modulated in Non-professional Musicians but not in Healthy Controls During Real Piano Playing.

PubMed

Márquez, Gonzalo; Keller, Martin; Lundbye-Jensen, Jesper; Taube, Wolfgang

2018-03-01

Research has indicated that at the onset of a finger movement, unwanted contractions of adjacent muscles are prevented by inhibiting the cortical areas representing these muscles. This so-called surround inhibition (SI) seems relevant for the performance of selective finger movements but may not be necessary for tasks involving functional coupling between different finger muscles. Therefore, the present study compared SI between isolated finger movement and complex selective finger movements while playing a three-finger sequence on the piano in nine non-professional musicians and 10 untrained control participants. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was applied to the contralateral motor cortex to assess SI in the first dorsal interosseous (FDI), abductor pollicis brevis (APB) and abductor digiti minimi (ADM) during the movement preparation and the late phasic phases. The results reveal stronger SI during the preparation phase than during the phasic phase (30.6% vs. 10.7%; P < 0.05) in the isolated-finger condition in both musicians and controls. Results also show higher SI in musicians during the preparation phase of the isolated finger condition compared to the preparation phase of the three-finger sequence (40% vs. 15%; P < 0.05). However, the control group did not show this task-specific modulation of SI (isolated: 25% vs. sequence: 25%; P > 0.05). Thus, musicians were able to modulate SI between conditions whereas control participants revealed constant levels of SI. Therefore, it may be assumed that long-term training as observed in skilled musicians is accompanied by task-specific effects on SI modulation potentially relating to the ability to perform selective and complex finger movements. Copyright © 2018 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of exercise intervention on improving fundamental movement skills and motor coordination in overweight/obese children and adolescents: A systematic review.

PubMed

Han, Ahreum; Fu, Allan; Cobley, Stephen; Sanders, Ross H

2018-01-01

Childhood obesity is negatively associated with fundamental movement skill and motor coordination, which in turn constrains physical activity participation and adherence thereby forming a 'vicious cycle'. However, developing motor skill and coordination in childhood could help to break the vicious cycle to reduce childhood obesity. The objective of this systematic review was to determine the effectiveness of exercise and physical activity interventions on improving fundamental movement skill and motor coordination in overweight/obese children and adolescents. A systematic review with quality assessment. A comprehensive systematic search was conducted from MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE without date restriction for randomized control trials, interventions or longitudinal studies of movement skill/motor skill/motor coordination in overweight/obese participants between 0-18 years of age. A total of 3944 publications were screened, and 17 published studies were included. Altogether 38 tests for locomotor, object-control, balance and complex task tests were examined in selected studies, with 33 reporting increases after interventions, while only five tests indicated no change. The evidence strongly suggests that exercise/physical activity interventions were effective in improving locomotor skill, object-control skill and complex tasks in overweight/obese peers. However, the results for balance were equivocal. Results from existing studies suggest overweight/obese peers have lower levels of fundamental movement skill than their healthy weight peers. However, exercise/physical activity interventions are effective in improving their skills. To maximize skill improvement, we recommend focused fundamental movement skill and motor coordination activities for skill development. These progressions in interventions may help break the vicious cycle of childhood obesity. Copyright © 2017 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Distributed recurrent neural forward models with synaptic adaptation and CPG-based control for complex behaviors of walking robots

PubMed Central

Dasgupta, Sakyasingha; Goldschmidt, Dennis; Wörgötter, Florentin; Manoonpong, Poramate

2015-01-01

Walking animals, like stick insects, cockroaches or ants, demonstrate a fascinating range of locomotive abilities and complex behaviors. The locomotive behaviors can consist of a variety of walking patterns along with adaptation that allow the animals to deal with changes in environmental conditions, like uneven terrains, gaps, obstacles etc. Biological study has revealed that such complex behaviors are a result of a combination of biomechanics and neural mechanism thus representing the true nature of embodied interactions. While the biomechanics helps maintain flexibility and sustain a variety of movements, the neural mechanisms generate movements while making appropriate predictions crucial for achieving adaptation. Such predictions or planning ahead can be achieved by way of internal models that are grounded in the overall behavior of the animal. Inspired by these findings, we present here, an artificial bio-inspired walking system which effectively combines biomechanics (in terms of the body and leg structures) with the underlying neural mechanisms. The neural mechanisms consist of (1) central pattern generator based control for generating basic rhythmic patterns and coordinated movements, (2) distributed (at each leg) recurrent neural network based adaptive forward models with efference copies as internal models for sensory predictions and instantaneous state estimations, and (3) searching and elevation control for adapting the movement of an individual leg to deal with different environmental conditions. Using simulations we show that this bio-inspired approach with adaptive internal models allows the walking robot to perform complex locomotive behaviors as observed in insects, including walking on undulated terrains, crossing large gaps, leg damage adaptations, as well as climbing over high obstacles. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the newly developed recurrent network based approach to online forward models outperforms the adaptive neuron forward models, which have hitherto been the state of the art, to model a subset of similar walking behaviors in walking robots. PMID:26441629

Long-term outcome of deep brain stimulation in fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome.

PubMed

Weiss, Daniel; Mielke, Carina; Wächter, Tobias; Bender, Benjamin; Liscic, Rajka M; Scholten, Marlieke; Naros, Georgios; Plewnia, Christian; Gharabaghi, Alireza; Krüger, Rejko

2015-03-01

Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) presents as complex movement disorder including tremor and cerebellar ataxia. The efficacy and safety of deep brain stimulation of the nucleus ventralis intermedius of the thalamus in atypical tremor syndromes like FXTAS remains to be determined. Here, we report the long-term outcome of three male genetically confirmed FXTAS patients treated with bilateral neurostimulation of the nucleus ventralis intermedius for up to four years. All patients demonstrated sustained improvement of both tremor and ataxia - the latter included improvement of intention tremor and axial tremor. Kinematic gait analyses further demonstrated a regularization of the gait cycle. Initial improvements of hand functional disability were not sustained and reached the preoperative level of impairment within one to two years from surgery. Our data on patients with a genetic cause of tremor show favorable outcome and may contribute to improved patient stratification for neurostimulation therapy in the future. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of nonylphenol on gene expression in Atlantic salmon smolts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robertson, Laura S.; McCormick, Stephen D.

2012-01-01

The parr–smolt transformation in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) is a complex developmental process that culminates in the ability to migrate to and live in seawater. Exposure to environmental contaminants like nonylphenol can disrupt smolt development and may be a contributing factor in salmon population declines. We used GRASP 16K cDNA microarrays to investigate the effects of nonylphenol on gene expression in Atlantic salmon smolts. Nonylphenol exposure reduced gill Na+/K+-ATPase activity and plasma cortisol and triiodothyronine levels. Transcriptional responses were examined in gill, liver, olfactory rosettes, hypothalamus, and pituitary. Expression of 124 features was significantly altered in the liver of fish exposed to nonylphenol; little to no transcriptional effects were observed in other tissues. mRNA abundance of genes involved in protein biosynthesis, folding, modification, transport and catabolism; nucleosome assembly, cell cycle, cell differentiation, microtubule-based movement, electron transport, and response to stress increased in nonylphenol-treated fish. This study expands our understanding of the effect of nonylphenol on smolting and provides potential targets for development of biomarkers.

Predictable internal brain dynamics in EEG and its relation to conscious states

PubMed Central

Yoo, Jaewook; Kwon, Jaerock; Choe, Yoonsuck

2014-01-01

Consciousness is a complex and multi-faceted phenomenon defying scientific explanation. Part of the reason why this is the case is due to its subjective nature. In our previous computational experiments, to avoid such a subjective trap, we took a strategy to investigate objective necessary conditions of consciousness. Our basic hypothesis was that predictive internal dynamics serves as such a condition. This is in line with theories of consciousness that treat retention (memory), protention (anticipation), and primary impression as the tripartite temporal structure of consciousness. To test our hypothesis, we analyzed publicly available sleep and awake electroencephalogram (EEG) data. Our results show that EEG signals from awake or rapid eye movement (REM) sleep states have more predictable dynamics compared to those from slow-wave sleep (SWS). Since awakeness and REM sleep are associated with conscious states and SWS with unconscious or less consciousness states, these results support our hypothesis. The results suggest an intricate relationship among prediction, consciousness, and time, with potential applications to time perception and neurorobotics. PMID:24917813

Decision Modeling in Sleep Apnea: The Critical Roles of Pretest Probability, Cost of Untreated Obstructive Sleep Apnea, and Time Horizon

PubMed Central

Moro, Marilyn; Westover, M. Brandon; Kelly, Jessica; Bianchi, Matt T.

2016-01-01

Study Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, and treatment with positive airway pressure (PAP) is cost-effective. However, the optimal diagnostic strategy remains a subject of debate. Prior modeling studies have not consistently supported the widely held assumption that home sleep testing (HST) is cost-effective. Methods: We modeled four strategies: (1) treat no one; (2) treat everyone empirically; (3) treat those testing positive during in-laboratory polysomnography (PSG) via in-laboratory titration; and (4) treat those testing positive during HST with auto-PAP. The population was assumed to lack independent reasons for in-laboratory PSG (such as insomnia, periodic limb movements in sleep, complex apnea). We considered the third-party payer perspective, via both standard (quality-adjusted) and pure cost methods. Results: The preferred strategy depended on three key factors: pretest probability of OSA, cost of untreated OSA, and time horizon. At low prevalence and low cost of untreated OSA, the treat no one strategy was favored, whereas empiric treatment was favored for high prevalence and high cost of untreated OSA. In-laboratory backup for failures in the at-home strategy increased the preference for the at-home strategy. Without laboratory backup in the at-home arm, the in-laboratory strategy was increasingly preferred at longer time horizons. Conclusion: Using a model framework that captures a broad range of clinical possibilities, the optimal diagnostic approach to uncomplicated OSA depends on pretest probability, cost of untreated OSA, and time horizon. Estimating each of these critical factors remains a challenge warranting further investigation. Citation: Moro M, Westover MB, Kelly J, Bianchi MT. Decision modeling in sleep apnea: the critical roles of pretest probability, cost of untreated obstructive sleep apnea, and time horizon. J Clin Sleep Med 2016;12(3):409–418. PMID:26518699

Paediatric autoimmune encephalopathies: clinical features, laboratory investigations and outcomes in patients with or without antibodies to known central nervous system autoantigens

PubMed Central

Hacohen, Yael; Wright, Sukhvir; Waters, Patrick; Agrawal, Shakti; Carr, Lucinda; Cross, Helen; De Sousa, Carlos; DeVile, Catherine; Fallon, Penny; Gupta, Rajat; Hedderly, Tammy; Hughes, Elaine; Kerr, Tim; Lascelles, Karine; Lin, Jean-Pierre; Philip, Sunny; Pohl, Keith; Prabahkar, Prab; Smith, Martin; Williams, Ruth; Clarke, Antonia; Hemingway, Cheryl; Wassmer, Evangeline; Vincent, Angela; Lim, Ming J

2013-01-01

Objective To report the clinical and investigative features of children with a clinical diagnosis of probable autoimmune encephalopathy, both with and without antibodies to central nervous system antigens. Method Patients with encephalopathy plus one or more of neuropsychiatric symptoms, seizures, movement disorder or cognitive dysfunction, were identified from 111 paediatric serum samples referred from five tertiary paediatric neurology centres to Oxford for antibody testing in 2007–2010. A blinded clinical review panel identified 48 patients with a diagnosis of probable autoimmune encephalitis whose features are described. All samples were tested/retested for antibodies to N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR), VGKC-complex, LGI1, CASPR2 and contactin-2, GlyR, D1R, D2R, AMPAR, GABA(B)R and glutamic acid decarboxylase. Results Seizures (83%), behavioural change (63%), confusion (50%), movement disorder (38%) and hallucinations (25%) were common. 52% required intensive care support for seizure control or profound encephalopathy. An acute infective organism (15%) or abnormal cerebrospinal fluid (32%), EEG (70%) or MRI (37%) abnormalities were found. One 14-year-old girl had an ovarian teratoma. Serum antibodies were detected in 21/48 (44%) patients: NMDAR 13/48 (27%), VGKC-complex 7/48(15%) and GlyR 1/48(2%). Antibody negative patients shared similar clinical features to those who had specific antibodies detected. 18/34 patients (52%) who received immunotherapy made a complete recovery compared to 4/14 (28%) who were not treated; reductions in modified Rankin Scale for children scores were more common following immunotherapies. Antibody status did not appear to influence the treatment effect. Conclusions Our study outlines the common clinical and paraclinical features of children and adolescents with probable autoimmune encephalopathies. These patients, irrespective of positivity for the known antibody targets, appeared to benefit from immunotherapies and further antibody targets may be defined in the future. PMID:23175854

Beyondism: Raymond B. Cattell and the new eugenics.

PubMed

Mehler, B

1997-01-01

A significant confusion has arisen out of the mass of work done on the history of eugenics in the last two decades. Early scholars of the subject treated eugenics as a marginalized or obsolete movement of the radical right. Subsequent research has shown that eugenic ideas were adopted in diverse national settings by very different groups, including--among others--liberals, communists and Catholics, as well as radical rightists. This complexity is sometimes taken to mean that eugenic has no special ideological associations, that it is historically and potentially a beast of a thousand heads. It is not. Although people of varied ideological commitments have been attracted to eugenics, ideologues of the radical right, and above all interwar fascists, have been uniquely and centrally involved in its development. Fascism and the radical right are also complex entities, but for all the heterogeneity of both eugenics and fascism, the special historical relationship between the two cannot be ignored. This relationship is exemplified in the work of the influential psychologist, Raymond B. Cattell. Cattell was an early supporter of German national socialism and his work should be understood in the context of interwar fascism. The new religious movement that he founded, 'Beyondism', is a neo-fascist contrivance. Cattell now promulgates ideas that he formulated within a demimonde of radical eugenists and neo-fascists that includes such as associates as Revilo Oliver, Roger Pearson, Wilmot Robertson and Robert K. Graham. These ideas and Cattell's role in the history of eugenics deserve deeper analysis than they have hitherto received. Far from being of merely antiquarian interest, his work currently encourages the propagation of radical eugenist ideology. It is unconscionable for scholars to permit these ideas to go unchallenged, and indeed honored and emulated by a new generation of ideologues and academicians whose work helps to dignify the most destructive political ideas of the twentieth century.

Treating TMJ: Less Is Often Best | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

MedlinePlus

... TMJ? Temporomandibular joint and muscle disorders, commonly called TMJ, are a group of painful conditions affecting the muscles controlling jaw movement. Injury plays a role in some TMJ problems, but for many people, symptoms start without ...

Continuous-time discrete-space models for animal movement

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hanks, Ephraim M.; Hooten, Mevin B.; Alldredge, Mat W.

2015-01-01

The processes influencing animal movement and resource selection are complex and varied. Past efforts to model behavioral changes over time used Bayesian statistical models with variable parameter space, such as reversible-jump Markov chain Monte Carlo approaches, which are computationally demanding and inaccessible to many practitioners. We present a continuous-time discrete-space (CTDS) model of animal movement that can be fit using standard generalized linear modeling (GLM) methods. This CTDS approach allows for the joint modeling of location-based as well as directional drivers of movement. Changing behavior over time is modeled using a varying-coefficient framework which maintains the computational simplicity of a GLM approach, and variable selection is accomplished using a group lasso penalty. We apply our approach to a study of two mountain lions (Puma concolor) in Colorado, USA.

Motor set in Parkinson's disease.

PubMed Central

Robertson, C; Flowers, K A

1990-01-01

Three experiments employing a five-choice button-pressing task tested the ability of Parkinsonian patients to learn and generate sequences of movement, and to switch between alternative sequences at will. It was found that patients could learn and generate individual patterns of movement normally, even complex ones involving an incompatible stimulus-response relationship. They had difficulty, however, in maintaining a sequence if two different ones had been learnt and subjects were required to switch spontaneously from one to the other within a trial. Providing external cues at the start of each sequence to guide the ordering of movements improved the stability of patients' performance. Most errors in sequencing consisted of reverting to the alternative pattern of movement. Parkinsonian subjects thus show an impairment in motor set similar to that found previously in cognitive activity. Images PMID:2391523

Using Complexity and Network Concepts to Inform Healthcare Knowledge Translation

PubMed Central

Kitson, Alison; Brook, Alan; Harvey, Gill; Jordan, Zoe; Marshall, Rhianon; O’Shea, Rebekah; Wilson, David

2018-01-01

Many representations of the movement of healthcare knowledge through society exist, and multiple models for the translation of evidence into policy and practice have been articulated. Most are linear or cyclical and very few come close to reflecting the dense and intricate relationships, systems and politics of organizations and the processes required to enact sustainable improvements. We illustrate how using complexity and network concepts can better inform knowledge translation (KT) and argue that changing the way we think and talk about KT could enhance the creation and movement of knowledge throughout those systems needing to develop and utilise it. From our theoretical refinement, we propose that KT is a complex network composed of five interdependent sub-networks, or clusters, of key processes (problem identification [PI], knowledge creation [KC], knowledge synthesis [KS], implementation [I], and evaluation [E]) that interact dynamically in different ways at different times across one or more sectors (community; health; government; education; research for example). We call this the KT Complexity Network, defined as a network that optimises the effective, appropriate and timely creation and movement of knowledge to those who need it in order to improve what they do. Activation within and throughout any one of these processes and systems depends upon the agents promoting the change, successfully working across and between multiple systems and clusters. The case is presented for moving to a way of thinking about KT using complexity and network concepts. This extends the thinking that is developing around integrated KT approaches. There are a number of policy and practice implications that need to be considered in light of this shift in thinking. PMID:29524952

Social network analysis of Equidae movements and its application to risk-based surveillance and to control of spread of potential Equidae diseases.

PubMed

Sánchez-Matamoros, A; Martínez-López, B; Sánchez-Vizcaíno, F; Sánchez-Vizcaíno, J M

2013-10-01

Movements of animals and animal products are one of the most important ways of disease introduction and spread between regions and countries. Maybe one of the most complex animal species in terms of diversity of uses, nature and extent of movements are equidae, for which animal movement records are usually not available. The study presented here is the first characterization of a complete and reliable network of equidae movements in Castile and Leon, which is one of the most important equidae production regions of Spain. Social network analysis and space-time cluster analysis were used to describe the contact patterns of the equidae network and to identify the most important premises, areas and time periods for potential disease introduction or spread into the region. The studied network was complex, with very heterogeneous types of premises and diverse nature and extent of the movements compared with other livestock species, which have important implications for prevention and control of equidae diseases. Centrality measures revealed that production and reproduction farms and centres of livestock competition were the most important type of premises in the studied network. Cluster analyses allowed to identify seventeen significant spatio-temporal clusters of premises at high risk of dispatching or receiving equidae, which formed four interconnected compartments. These clusters were mainly located in the north-west region and in the second part of the year. The results of this study may be useful to design risk-based surveillance and control programmes of equidae diseases and increase the speed of detection and control of potential secondary outbreaks in future epidemics. Consequently, these results will help to minimize the great economic and sanitary impact of equidae diseases. The analytical approach used here may be easily extended to characterize the equidae movement patterns in other countries and regions of the world. © 2012 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Hunting for the beat in the body: on period and phase locking in music-induced movement.

PubMed

Burger, Birgitta; Thompson, Marc R; Luck, Geoff; Saarikallio, Suvi H; Toiviainen, Petri

2014-01-01

Music has the capacity to induce movement in humans. Such responses during music listening are usually spontaneous and range from tapping to full-body dancing. However, it is still unclear how humans embody musical structures to facilitate entrainment. This paper describes two experiments, one dealing with period locking to different metrical levels in full-body movement and its relationships to beat- and rhythm-related musical characteristics, and the other dealing with phase locking in the more constrained condition of sideways swaying motions. Expected in Experiment 1 was that music with clear and strong beat structures would facilitate more period-locked movement. Experiment 2 was assumed to yield a common phase relationship between participants' swaying movements and the musical beat. In both experiments optical motion capture was used to record participants' movements. In Experiment 1 a window-based period-locking probability index related to four metrical levels was established, based on acceleration data in three dimensions. Subsequent correlations between this index and musical characteristics of the stimuli revealed pulse clarity to be related to periodic movement at the tactus level, and low frequency flux to mediolateral and anteroposterior movement at both tactus and bar levels. At faster tempi higher metrical levels became more apparent in participants' movement. Experiment 2 showed that about half of the participants showed a stable phase relationship between movement and beat, with superior-inferior movement most often being synchronized to the tactus level, whereas mediolateral movement was rather synchronized to the bar level. However, the relationship between movement phase and beat locations was not consistent between participants, as the beat locations occurred at different phase angles of their movements. The results imply that entrainment to music is a complex phenomenon, involving the whole body and occurring at different metrical levels.

Anomalous Putamen Volume in Children with Complex Motor Stereotypies

PubMed Central

Mahone, E. Mark; Crocetti, Deana; Tochen, Laura; Kline, Tina; Mostofsky, Stewart H.; Singer, Harvey S.

2016-01-01

Introduction Complex motor stereotypies in children are repetitive, rhythmic movements that have a predictable pattern and location, seem purposeful, but serve no obvious function, tend to be prolonged, and stop with distraction, e.g., arm/hand flapping, waving. They occur in both “primary” (otherwise typically developing) and secondary conditions. These movements are best defined as habitual behaviors and therefore pathophysiologically hypothesized to reside in premotor to posterior putamen circuits. This study sought to clarify the underlying neurobiological abnormality in children with primary complex motor stereotypies using structural neuroimaging, emphasizing brain regions hypothesized to underlie these atypical behaviors. Methods High-resolution anatomical MRI images, acquired at 3.0T, were analyzed in children ages 8–12 years (20 with primary complex motor stereotypies, 20 typically developing). Frontal lobe sub-regions and striatal structures were delineated for analysis. Results Significant reductions (p=0.045) in the stereotypies group were identified in total putamen volume, but not caudate, nucleus accumbens or frontal sub-regions. There were no group differences in total cerebral volume. Conclusion Findings of a smaller putamen provide preliminary evidence suggesting the potential involvement of the habitual pathway as the underlying anatomical site in primary complex motor stereotypies. PMID:27751663

Structural complexity, movement bias, and metapopulation extinction risk in dendritic ecological networks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Campbell Grant, Evan H.

2011-01-01

Spatial complexity in metacommunities can be separated into 3 main components: size (i.e., number of habitat patches), spatial arrangement of habitat patches (network topology), and diversity of habitat patch types. Much attention has been paid to lattice-type networks, such as patch-based metapopulations, but interest in understanding ecological networks of alternative geometries is building. Dendritic ecological networks (DENs) include some increasingly threatened ecological systems, such as caves and streams. The restrictive architecture of dendritic ecological networks might have overriding implications for species persistence. I used a modeling approach to investigate how number and spatial arrangement of habitat patches influence metapopulation extinction risk in 2 DENs of different size and topology. Metapopulation persistence was higher in larger networks, but this relationship was mediated by network topology and the dispersal pathways used to navigate the network. Larger networks, especially those with greater topological complexity, generally had lower extinction risk than smaller and less-complex networks, but dispersal bias and magnitude affected the shape of this relationship. Applying these general results to real systems will require empirical data on the movement behavior of organisms and will improve our understanding of the implications of network complexity on population and community patterns and processes.

Early results of a simple distraction dynamic external fixator in management of comminuted intra-articular fractures of base of middle phalanx.

PubMed

Mansha, Muhammad; Miranda, Sanjay

2013-12-01

Treatment for comminuted fracture dislocations of the proximal interphalangeal joint (pilon injuries) remains a challenge. We present our short term results of twelve pilon fracture dislocations treated by closed reduction and application of a distraction dynamic external fixator. The aim of the study was to assess the clinical outcomes and compare them to the original description by Hynes and Giddins. A cohort of 12 consecutive patients with pilon fracture of the proximal interphalangeal joint (comminuted fracture of the base of middle phalanx, longitudinally unstable with joint subluxation), were treated with this method over the study period. Data was collected by an independent observer at last follow-up appointment in the clinic. The outcome measures recorded were; level of residual pain, arc of motion, X-ray appearance, return to work and satisfaction with the procedure. The study group comprises of 7 male and 5 female patients at a mean age of 38.1 years (range 21-70 years). The average range of movement achieved was 13-87° at a mean follow-up of 16.4 weeks (Range 12-42 weeks). Early return to work, good pain relief and high level of patient satisfaction were achieved. No serious complication was noted during this period. We used the construct with slight modification of the original description and we feel this modification may help to reduce the pin site infection. We found the results reproducible and based on our experience we recommend this technique to treat these complex intra-articular fractures of base of middle phalanx.

Clinician burnout and satisfaction with resources in caring for complex patients.

PubMed

Whitebird, Robin R; Solberg, Leif I; Crain, A Lauren; Rossom, Rebecca C; Beck, Arne; Neely, Claire; Dreskin, Mark; Coleman, Karen J

To describe primary care clinicians' self-reported satisfaction, burnout and barriers for treating complex patients. We conducted a survey of 1554 primary care clinicians in 172 primary care clinics in 18 health care systems across 8 states prior to the implementation of a collaborative model of care for patients with depression and diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease. Of the clinicians who responded to the survey (n=709; 46%), we found that a substantial minority (31%) were experiencing burnout that was associated with lower career satisfaction (P<.0001) and lower satisfaction with resources to treat complex patients (P<.0001). Less than 50% of clinicians rated their ability to treat complex patients as very good to excellent with 21% rating their ability as fair to poor. The majority of clinicians (72%) thought that a collaborative model of care would be very helpful for treating complex patients. Burnout remains a problem for primary care clinicians and is associated with low job satisfaction and low satisfaction with resources to treat complex patients. A collaborative care model for patients with mental and physical health problems may provide the resources needed to improve the quality of care for these patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A little elastic for a better performance: kinesiotaping of the motor effector modulates neural mechanisms for rhythmic movements.

PubMed

Bravi, Riccardo; Quarta, Eros; Cohen, Erez J; Gottard, Anna; Minciacchi, Diego

2014-01-01

A rhythmic motor performance is brought about by an integration of timing information with movements. Investigations on the millisecond time scale distinguish two forms of time control, event-based timing and emergent timing. While event-based timing asserts the existence of a central internal timekeeper for the control of repetitive movements, the emergent timing perspective claims that timing emerges from dynamic control of nontemporal movements parameters. We have recently demonstrated that the precision of an isochronous performance, defined as performance of repeated movements having a uniform duration, was insensible to auditory stimuli of various characteristics (Bravi et al., 2014). Such finding has led us to investigate whether the application of an elastic therapeutic tape (Kinesio® Tex taping; KTT) used for treating athletic injuries and a variety of physical disorders, is able to reduce the timing variability of repetitive rhythmic movement. Young healthy subjects, tested with and without KTT, have participated in sessions in which sets of repeated isochronous wrist's flexion-extensions (IWFEs) were performed under various auditory conditions and during their recall. Kinematics was recorded and temporal parameters were extracted and analyzed. Our results show that the application of KTT decreases the variability of rhythmic movements by a 2-fold effect: on the one hand KTT provides extra proprioceptive information activating cutaneous mechanoreceptors, on the other KTT biases toward the emergent timing thus modulating the processes for rhythmic movements. Therefore, KTT appears able to render movements less audio dependent by relieving, at least partially, the central structures from time control and making available more resources for an augmented performance.

Labor-Force Dynamics at Older Ages: Movements Into Self-Employment for Workers and Nonworkers.

PubMed

Zissimopoulos, Julie M; Karoly, Lynn A

2009-01-01

Labor-market transitions toward the latter parts of workers' careers can be complex, with movement between jobs and classes of work and in and out of retirement. The authors analyzed factors associated with the labor-market transitions of older workers to self-employment from unemployment or disability, retirement, or wage and salary work using rich panel data from seven waves of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). They found evidence that (prior) job characteristics and liquidity constraints are important predictors of movements to self-employment for workers and nonworkers, while risk aversion is a significant predictor only for workers.

Ribosomal Translocation: One Step Closer to the Molecular Mechanism

PubMed Central

Shoji, Shinichiro; Walker, Sarah E.; Fredrick, Kurt

2010-01-01

Protein synthesis occurs in ribosomes, the targets of numerous antibiotics. How these large and complex machines read and move along mRNA have proven to be challenging questions. In this Review, we focus on translocation, the last step of the elongation cycle in which movement of tRNA and mRNA is catalyzed by elongation factor G. Translocation entails large-scale movements of the tRNAs and conformational changes in the ribosome that require numerous tertiary contacts to be disrupted and reformed. We highlight recent progress toward elucidating the molecular basis of translocation and how various antibiotics influence tRNA–mRNA movement. PMID:19173642

Surface functions during mitosis. III. Quantitative analysis of ligand- receptor movement into the cleavage furrow: diffusion vs. flow

PubMed Central

1982-01-01

The surface distribution of concanavalin A (Con A) bound to cell membrane receptors varies dramatically as a function of mitotic phase. The lectin is distributed diffusely on cells labeled and observed between mid-prophase and early anaphase, whereas cells observed in late anaphase or telophase demonstrate a marked accumulation of Con A- receptor complexes over the developing cleavage furrow (Berlin, Oliver, and Walter. 1978. Cell. 15:327-341). In this report, we first use a system based on video intensification fluorescence microscopy to describe the simultaneous changes in cell shape and in lectin-receptor complex topography during progression of single cells through the mitotic cycle. The video analysis establishes that fluorescein succinyl Con A (F-S Con A)-receptor complex redistribution begins coincident with the first appearance of the cleavage furrow and is essentially complete within 2-3 min. This remarkable redistribution of surface fluorescence occurs during only a modest change in cell shape from a sphere to a belted cylinder. It reflects the translocation of complexes and not the accumulation of excess labeled membrane in the cleavage furrow: first, bound fluorescent cholera toxin which faithfully outlines the plasma membrane is not accumulated in the cleavage furrow, and, second, electron microscopy of peroxidase-Con A labeled cells undergoing cleavage shows that there is a high linear density of lectin within the furrow while Con A is virtually eliminated from the poles. The rate of surface movement of F-S Con A was quantitated by photon counting during a repetitive series of laser-excited fluorescence scans across dividing cells. Results were analyzed in terms of two alternative models of movement: a flow model in which complexes moved unidirectionally at constant velocity, and a diffusion model in which complexes could diffuse freely but were trapped at the cleavage furrow. According to these models, the observed rates of accumulation were attainable at either an effective flow velocity of approximately 1 micron/min, or an effective diffusion coefficient of approximately 10(- 9) cm2/s. However, in separate experiments the lectin-receptor diffusion rate measured directly by the method of fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) on metaphase cells was only approximately 10(-10) cm2/s. Most importantly, photobleaching experiments during the actual period of F-S Con A accumulation showed that lectin-receptor movement during cleavage occurs unidirectionally. These results rule out diffusion and make a process of oriented flow of ligand-receptor complexes the most likely mechanism for ligand-receptor accumulation in the cleavage furrow. PMID:7119007

Move-tecture: A Conceptual Framework for Designing Movement in Architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yilmaz, Irem

2017-10-01

Along with the technological improvements in our age, it is now possible for the movement to become one of the basic components of the architectural space. Accordingly, architectural construction of movement changes both our architectural production practices and our understanding of architectural space. However, existing design concepts and approaches are insufficient to discuss and understand this change. In this respect, this study aims to form a conceptual framework on the relationship of architecture and movement. In this sense, the conceptualization of move-tecture is developed to research on the architectural construction of movement and the potentials of spatial creation through architecturally constructed movement. Move-tecture, is a conceptualization that treats movement as a basic component of spatial creation. It presents the framework of a qualitative categorization on the design of moving architectural structures. However, this categorization is a flexible one that can evolve in the direction of the expanding possibilities of the architectural design and the changing living conditions. With this understanding, six categories have been defined within the context of the article: Topological Organization, Choreographic Formation, Kinetic Structuring, Corporeal Constitution, Technological Configuration and Interactional Patterning. In line with these categories, a multifaceted perspective on the moving architectural structures is promoted. It is aimed that such an understanding constitutes a new initiative in the design practices carried out in this area and provides a conceptual basis for the discussions to be developed.

Treatment of Parkinson's disease could be regulated by movement sensors: subcutaneous infusion of varying apomorphine doses according to the intensity of motor activity.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Molinero, Alejandro; Pérez-Martínez, David A; Català, Andreu; Cabestany, Joan; Yuste, Antonio

2009-04-01

Most recent therapeutic solutions to treat Parkinson's disease seek continuous administration of dopaminergic agonists, as for example rigotine patches or apomorphine infusion pumps. Such drug-delivery devices are aimed at preventing fluctuations in drug plasma levels, which could cause certain symptoms such as wearing-off periods or dyskinesia. However, we postulate that drug plasma levels should not keep constant, but rather adjust to the varying intensity of the different user's activities. The rationale behind this is that the drug amount appropriate to treat a patient at rest is lower than that required to treat the same patient when engaged in physical activity. We propose dynamic real-time dose adjustment, so that the doses increase as the patient starts performing physical activity, thus preventing off periods such as "freeze" phenomenon, and the doses reduce during the resting periods, thus preventing adverse effects. Small portable movement sensors are currently available, which detect the amount and type of activity in a continuous way. Combining such technology with infusion pumps to produce modified pumps capable of adjusting the infusion rate to the user's activity, seems to be feasible in the short-term.

Mobilization with movement and kinesiotaping compared with a supervised exercise program for painful shoulder: results of a clinical trial.

PubMed

Djordjevic, Olivera C; Vukicevic, Danijela; Katunac, Ljiljana; Jovic, Stevan

2012-07-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of Mobilization with Movement (MWM) and kinesiotaping (KT) techniques with a supervised exercise program in participants with patients with shoulder pain. Twenty subjects with shoulder pain were included if subjects were diagnosed by the referring physician with either rotator cuff lesion with impingement syndrome or impingement shoulder syndrome. Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups after clinical and radiologic assessment: group 1 was treated with MWM and KT techniques, whereas group 2 was treated with a supervised exercise program. The main outcome measures were active pain-free shoulder abduction and flexion tested on days 0, 5, and 10. Improvement in active pain-free shoulder range of motion was significantly higher in the group treated with MWM and KT. Repeated-measures analysis of variance indicated significant effects of treatment, time, and treatment×time interaction. This study suggests that MWM and KT may be an effective and useful treatment in range of motion augmentation of subjects with rotator cuff lesion and impingement syndrome or impingement shoulder syndrome. Copyright © 2012 National University of Health Sciences. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparing an annual and daily time-step model for predicting field-scale P loss

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Several models with varying degrees of complexity are available for describing P movement through the landscape. The complexity of these models is dependent on the amount of data required by the model, the number of model parameters needed to be estimated, the theoretical rigor of the governing equa...

Gene flow in complex landscapes: Testing multiple hypotheses with causal modeling

Treesearch

Samuel A. Cushman; Kevin S. McKelvey; Jim Hayden; Michael K. Schwartz

2006-01-01

Predicting population-level effects of landscape change depends on identifying factors that influence population connectivity in complex landscapes. However, most putative movement corridors and barriers have not been based on empirical data. In this study, we identify factors that influence connectivity by comparing patterns of genetic similarity among 146 black bears...

Movement of Individuals with Complex Epilepsy from an Institution into the Community: Seizure Control and Functional Outcomes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Litzinger, M. J.; And Others

1993-01-01

This examination of the successful community placement of 15 medically fragile individuals with profound mental retardation and complex epilepsy found that simplification of anticonvulsants, early intervention for seizures, and improved staff education resulted in fewer seizures, decreases in emergency room visits for status seizures and…

Somatics in Action: How "I Feel Three-Dimensional and Real" Improves Dance Education and Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kearns, Lauren W.

2010-01-01

The contemporary dance world, both in academic and professional settings, asks dancers to consistently engage with increasingly complex conceptual and physical dance work. Dancers in both settings must assimilate complex movement patterns, combine the technical nuances of multiple genres, reflect upon and critically assess their dancing, and…

Impediments to Increasing Diversity in Post-Secondary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Carol Siri

2007-01-01

Due to the increasing complexity in the financial aid process and the movement of available financial aid up the economic scale, poor people and minorities have less access to college, including engineering programs. Some impediments are lack of access to knowledge about college, increasing complexity and up-front costs in the application process…

Dance choreography is coordinated with song repertoire in a complex avian display.

PubMed

Dalziell, Anastasia H; Peters, Richard A; Cockburn, Andrew; Dorland, Alexandra D; Maisey, Alex C; Magrath, Robert D

2013-06-17

All human cultures have music and dance, and the two activities are so closely integrated that many languages use just one word to describe both. Recent research points to a deep cognitive connection between music and dance-like movements in humans, fueling speculation that music and dance have coevolved and prompting the need for studies of audiovisual displays in other animals. However, little is known about how nonhuman animals integrate acoustic and movement display components. One striking property of human displays is that performers coordinate dance with music by matching types of dance movements with types of music, as when dancers waltz to waltz music. Here, we show that a bird also temporally coordinates a repertoire of song types with a repertoire of dance-like movements. During displays, male superb lyrebirds (Menura novaehollandiae) sing four different song types, matching each with a unique set of movements and delivering song and dance types in a predictable sequence. Crucially, display movements are both unnecessary for the production of sound and voluntary, because males sometimes sing without dancing. Thus, the coordination of independently produced repertoires of acoustic and movement signals is not a uniquely human trait. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Consensus on core phenomena and statements describing Basic Body Awareness Therapy within the movement awareness domain in physiotherapy.

PubMed

Skjaerven, L H; Mattsson, M; Catalan-Matamoros, D; Parker, A; Gard, G; Gyllensten, A Lundvik

2018-02-26

Physiotherapists are facing complex health challenges in the treatment of persons suffering from long-lasting musculoskeletal disorders and mental health problems. Basic Body Awareness Therapy (BBAT) is a physiotherapy approach within the movement awareness domain developed to bridge physical, mental, and relational health challenges. The purpose of this study was to reach a consensus on core phenomena and statements describing BBAT. A consensus-building process was conducted using the nominal group technique (NGT). Twenty-one BBAT experts from 10 European countries participated in a concentrated weekend workshop of 20 hours. All participants signed informed consent. Participants reached a consensus on 138 core phenomena, clustered in three overarching categories: clinical core, historical roots, and research and evaluation phenomena. Of the 106 clinical core phenomena, the participants agreed on three categories of phenomena: movement quality, movement awareness practice, and movement awareness therapy and pedagogy. Furthermore, the participants reached 100 percent consensus on 16 of 30 statements describing BBAT. This study provides a consensus on core phenomena and statements describing BBAT. The data reveal phenomena implemented when promoting movement quality through movement awareness. Data provide clarity in some aspects of the vocabulary as fundamental theory. Further reearch will be developed.

Understanding movement data and movement processes: current and emerging directions.

PubMed

Schick, Robert S; Loarie, Scott R; Colchero, Fernando; Best, Benjamin D; Boustany, Andre; Conde, Dalia A; Halpin, Patrick N; Joppa, Lucas N; McClellan, Catherine M; Clark, James S

2008-12-01

Animal movement has been the focus on much theoretical and empirical work in ecology over the last 25 years. By studying the causes and consequences of individual movement, ecologists have gained greater insight into the behavior of individuals and the spatial dynamics of populations at increasingly higher levels of organization. In particular, ecologists have focused on the interaction between individuals and their environment in an effort to understand future impacts from habitat loss and climate change. Tools to examine this interaction have included: fractal analysis, first passage time, Lévy flights, multi-behavioral analysis, hidden markov models, and state-space models. Concurrent with the development of movement models has been an increase in the sophistication and availability of hierarchical bayesian models. In this review we bring these two threads together by using hierarchical structures as a framework for reviewing individual models. We synthesize emerging themes in movement ecology, and propose a new hierarchical model for animal movement that builds on these emerging themes. This model moves away from traditional random walks, and instead focuses inference on how moving animals with complex behavior interact with their landscape and make choices about its suitability.

Feature Interactions Enable Decoding of Sensorimotor Transformations for Goal-Directed Movement

PubMed Central

Barany, Deborah A.; Della-Maggiore, Valeria; Viswanathan, Shivakumar; Cieslak, Matthew

2014-01-01

Neurophysiology and neuroimaging evidence shows that the brain represents multiple environmental and body-related features to compute transformations from sensory input to motor output. However, it is unclear how these features interact during goal-directed movement. To investigate this issue, we examined the representations of sensory and motor features of human hand movements within the left-hemisphere motor network. In a rapid event-related fMRI design, we measured cortical activity as participants performed right-handed movements at the wrist, with either of two postures and two amplitudes, to move a cursor to targets at different locations. Using a multivoxel analysis technique with rigorous generalization tests, we reliably distinguished representations of task-related features (primarily target location, movement direction, and posture) in multiple regions. In particular, we identified an interaction between target location and movement direction in the superior parietal lobule, which may underlie a transformation from the location of the target in space to a movement vector. In addition, we found an influence of posture on primary motor, premotor, and parietal regions. Together, these results reveal the complex interactions between different sensory and motor features that drive the computation of sensorimotor transformations. PMID:24828640

Sparse Coding of Natural Human Motion Yields Eigenmotions Consistent Across People

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomik, Andreas; Faisal, A. Aldo

2015-03-01

Providing a precise mathematical description of the structure of natural human movement is a challenging problem. We use a data-driven approach to seek a generative model of movement capturing the underlying simplicity of spatial and temporal structure of behaviour observed in daily life. In perception, the analysis of natural scenes has shown that sparse codes of such scenes are information theoretic efficient descriptors with direct neuronal correlates. Translating from perception to action, we identify a generative model of movement generation by the human motor system. Using wearable full-hand motion capture, we measure the digit movement of the human hand in daily life. We learn a dictionary of ``eigenmotions'' which we use for sparse encoding of the movement data. We show that the dictionaries are generally well preserved across subjects with small deviations accounting for individuality of the person and variability in tasks. Further, the dictionary elements represent motions which can naturally describe hand movements. Our findings suggest the motor system can compose complex movement behaviours out of the spatially and temporally sparse activation of ``eigenmotion'' neurons, and is consistent with data on grasp-type specificity of specialised neurons in the premotor cortex. Andreas is supported by the Luxemburg Research Fund (1229297).

Auditory reafferences: the influence of real-time feedback on movement control.

PubMed

Kennel, Christian; Streese, Lukas; Pizzera, Alexandra; Justen, Christoph; Hohmann, Tanja; Raab, Markus

2015-01-01

Auditory reafferences are real-time auditory products created by a person's own movements. Whereas the interdependency of action and perception is generally well studied, the auditory feedback channel and the influence of perceptual processes during movement execution remain largely unconsidered. We argue that movements have a rhythmic character that is closely connected to sound, making it possible to manipulate auditory reafferences online to understand their role in motor control. We examined if step sounds, occurring as a by-product of running, have an influence on the performance of a complex movement task. Twenty participants completed a hurdling task in three auditory feedback conditions: a control condition with normal auditory feedback, a white noise condition in which sound was masked, and a delayed auditory feedback condition. Overall time and kinematic data were collected. Results show that delayed auditory feedback led to a significantly slower overall time and changed kinematic parameters. Our findings complement previous investigations in a natural movement situation with non-artificial auditory cues. Our results support the existing theoretical understanding of action-perception coupling and hold potential for applied work, where naturally occurring movement sounds can be implemented in the motor learning processes.

Automated Tracking and Quantification of Autistic Behavioral Symptoms Using Microsoft Kinect.

PubMed

Kang, Joon Young; Kim, Ryunhyung; Kim, Hyunsun; Kang, Yeonjune; Hahn, Susan; Fu, Zhengrui; Khalid, Mamoon I; Schenck, Enja; Thesen, Thomas

2016-01-01

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has risen significantly in the last ten years, and today, roughly 1 in 68 children has been diagnosed. One hallmark set of symptoms in this disorder are stereotypical motor movements. These repetitive movements may include spinning, body-rocking, or hand-flapping, amongst others. Despite the growing number of individuals affected by autism, an effective, accurate method of automatically quantifying such movements remains unavailable. This has negative implications for assessing the outcome of ASD intervention and drug studies. Here we present a novel approach to detecting autistic symptoms using the Microsoft Kinect v.2 to objectively and automatically quantify autistic body movements. The Kinect camera was used to film 12 actors performing three separate stereotypical motor movements each. Visual Gesture Builder (VGB) was implemented to analyze the skeletal structures in these recordings using a machine learning approach. In addition, movement detection was hard-coded in Matlab. Manual grading was used to confirm the validity and reliability of VGB and Matlab analysis. We found that both methods were able to detect autistic body movements with high probability. The machine learning approach yielded highest detection rates, supporting its use in automatically quantifying complex autistic behaviors with multi-dimensional input.

Hand Grasping Synergies As Biometrics

PubMed Central

Patel, Vrajeshri; Thukral, Poojita; Burns, Martin K.; Florescu, Ionut; Chandramouli, Rajarathnam; Vinjamuri, Ramana

2017-01-01

Recently, the need for more secure identity verification systems has driven researchers to explore other sources of biometrics. This includes iris patterns, palm print, hand geometry, facial recognition, and movement patterns (hand motion, gait, and eye movements). Identity verification systems may benefit from the complexity of human movement that integrates multiple levels of control (neural, muscular, and kinematic). Using principal component analysis, we extracted spatiotemporal hand synergies (movement synergies) from an object grasping dataset to explore their use as a potential biometric. These movement synergies are in the form of joint angular velocity profiles of 10 joints. We explored the effect of joint type, digit, number of objects, and grasp type. In its best configuration, movement synergies achieved an equal error rate of 8.19%. While movement synergies can be integrated into an identity verification system with motion capture ability, we also explored a camera-ready version of hand synergies—postural synergies. In this proof of concept system, postural synergies performed well, but only when specific postures were chosen. Based on these results, hand synergies show promise as a potential biometric that can be combined with other hand-based biometrics for improved security. PMID:28512630

Eye movements reflect and shape strategies in fraction comparison.

PubMed

Ischebeck, Anja; Weilharter, Marina; Körner, Christof

2016-01-01

The comparison of fractions is a difficult task that can often be facilitated by separately comparing components (numerators and denominators) of the fractions--that is, by applying so-called component-based strategies. The usefulness of such strategies depends on the type of fraction pair to be compared. We investigated the temporal organization and the flexibility of strategy deployment in fraction comparison by evaluating sequences of eye movements in 20 young adults. We found that component-based strategies could account for the response times and the overall number of fixations observed for the different fraction pairs. The analysis of eye movement sequences showed that the initial eye movements in a trial were characterized by stereotypical scanning patterns indicative of an exploratory phase that served to establish the kind of fraction pair presented. Eye movements that followed this phase adapted to the particular type of fraction pair and indicated the deployment of specific comparison strategies. These results demonstrate that participants employ eye movements systematically to support strategy use in fraction comparison. Participants showed a remarkable flexibility to adapt to the most efficient strategy on a trial-by-trial basis. Our results confirm the value of eye movement measurements in the exploration of strategic adaptation in complex tasks.

From single steps to mass migration: the problem of scale in the movement ecology of the Serengeti wildebeest.

PubMed

Torney, Colin J; Hopcraft, J Grant C; Morrison, Thomas A; Couzin, Iain D; Levin, Simon A

2018-05-19

A central question in ecology is how to link processes that occur over different scales. The daily interactions of individual organisms ultimately determine community dynamics, population fluctuations and the functioning of entire ecosystems. Observations of these multiscale ecological processes are constrained by various technological, biological or logistical issues, and there are often vast discrepancies between the scale at which observation is possible and the scale of the question of interest. Animal movement is characterized by processes that act over multiple spatial and temporal scales. Second-by-second decisions accumulate to produce annual movement patterns. Individuals influence, and are influenced by, collective movement decisions, which then govern the spatial distribution of populations and the connectivity of meta-populations. While the field of movement ecology is experiencing unprecedented growth in the availability of movement data, there remain challenges in integrating observations with questions of ecological interest. In this article, we present the major challenges of addressing these issues within the context of the Serengeti wildebeest migration, a keystone ecological phenomena that crosses multiple scales of space, time and biological complexity.This article is part of the theme issue 'Collective movement ecology'. © 2018 The Author(s).

Intense imagery movements: a common and distinct paediatric subgroup of motor stereotypies.

PubMed

Robinson, Sally; Woods, Martin; Cardona, Francesco; Baglioni, Valentina; Hedderly, Tammy

2014-12-01

The aim of this article is to describe a subgroup of children who presented with stereotyped movements in the context of episodes of intense imagery. This is of relevance to current discussions regarding the clinical usefulness of diagnosing motor stereotypies during development. The sample consisted of 10 children (nine males, one female; mean age 8y 6mo [SD 2y 5mo], range 6-15y). Referrals were from acute paediatricians, neurologists, and tertiary epilepsy services. Children were assessed by multidisciplinary teams with expertise in paediatric movement disorders. Stereotypies presented as paroxysmal complex movements involving upper and lower limbs. Imagery themes typically included computer games (60%), cartoons/films (40%), and fantasy scenes (30%). Comorbid developmental difficulties were reported for 80% of children. Brain imaging and electrophysiological investigations had been conducted for 50% of the children before referral to the clinic. The descriptive term 'intense imagery movements' (IIM) was applied if (after interview) the children reported engaging in acts of imagery while performing stereotyped movements. We believe these children may form a common and discrete stereotypy subgroup, with the concept of IIM being clinically useful to ensure the accurate diagnosis and clinical management of this paediatric movement disorder. © 2014 Mac Keith Press.

AEROMEDICAL EVACUATION: CLINICALLY PREPARING AIR FORCE FLIGHT NURSES

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-10

AU/ACSC/2016 AIR COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE AIR UNIVERSITY AEROMEDICAL EVACUATION: CLINICALLY PREPARING AIR FORCE FLIGHT NURSES by Michael...15 Figure 6: Patient Movement Visibility……………………………………………………..……16 Figure 7: Clinical Flight Nursing Qualification Criteria...treating each patient’s malady. Flight nurses ensure patients receive safe transport and are treated with dignity. For military members required

Movement and degradation of indaziflam in a Pecan Orchrad

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shukla, M. K.; Gonzalez, A.; Ashigh, J.

2015-12-01

Indaziflam is a new preemergence herbicide to control annual grass and broadleaf weeds in orchards. Currently there is limited information on its dissipation under field conditions. This study was conducted in a pecan orchard where some trees showed sporadic injury symptoms about four months after applying indaziflam. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the movement of indaziflam due to flood irrigation and determine the rates of degradation of indaziflam. Soil samples were collected at 0-15, 15-30 and 30-46 cm depth 26, 63, 90 and 126 days after treating impacted and unimpacted areas with 0, 36.5 and 73.1 g a.i. ha-1. Indaziflam was detected in soil samples collected at each depth from areas treated with 0, 36.5 and 73.1 g a.i. ha-1 suggesting that indaziflam moved both horizontally and vertically. Average half-life of indaziflam was obtained as 40±11 days and indaziflam concentrations consistently decreased with increasing soil depth and time. Indaziflam concentrations were greater in the unimpacted area than in the impacted area and mass recoveries were greater in plots treated with 36.5 g a.i. ha-1 compared with those treated with 73.1 g a.i. ha-1. This is the first field study to evaluate the indaziflam dissipation in future, phytotoxic effects of indaziflam should be studied under field conditions.

Effect of corticosteroids on orthodontic tooth movement in a rabbit model.

PubMed

Abtahi, M; Shafaee, H; Saghravania, N; Peel, S; Giddon, D; Sohrabi, K

2014-01-01

While there are a growing number of studies on the effects of medications on orthodontic tooth movement (OTM), only few studies have investigated the role of corticosteroids, despite their widespread use. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effects of triamcinolone acetonide injection on OTM in a rabbit model. Sixteen one-month old rabbits were randomly divided into two groups: Eight rabbits had triamcinolone acetonide (1 mg/kg/day) administered IM daily for 21 days (test group) while the remaining eight rabbits received no drug (control group). The rabbits in both groups had a tube bonded to the upper central incisors and a stainless steel helical spring was inserted in tube slot to apply 50 cN distal force. After 3 weeks, the rabbits were sacrificed and the distance between mesial corners of incisors was measured The incisors are associated tissue was processed for histology and the apical and cervical area of the roots evaluated. An observer who was blind to the study groups evaluated the specimens. All appliance-treated incisors in test and control groups showed evidence of tooth movement. The distance between the incisors was significantly greater in the triamcinolone acetonide treated group compared to the control group (P < 0.001). Histological examination revealed an increased number of resorption lacunae and decreased number of cuboidal osteoblastic cells around the apical and cervical area of the Incisor roots in the test compared to the control group (P < 0.01). Treatment with triamcinolone acetonide is associated with increased tooth movement in rabbits via increased resorptive activity in the alveolar bone.

Effects of Online Augmented Kinematic and Perceptual Feedback on Treatment of Speech Movements in Apraxia of Speech

PubMed Central

McNeil, M.R.; Katz, W.F.; Fossett, T.R.D.; Garst, D.M.; Szuminsky, N.J.; Carter, G.; Lim, K.Y.

2010-01-01

Apraxia of speech (AOS) is a motor speech disorder characterized by disturbed spatial and temporal parameters of movement. Research on motor learning suggests that augmented feedback may provide a beneficial effect for training movement. This study examined the effects of the presence and frequency of online augmented visual kinematic feedback (AVKF) and clinician-provided perceptual feedback on speech accuracy in 2 adults with acquired AOS. Within a single-subject multiple-baseline design, AVKF was provided using electromagnetic midsagittal articulography (EMA) in 2 feedback conditions (50 or 100%). Articulator placement was specified for speech motor targets (SMTs). Treated and baselined SMTs were in the initial or final position of single-syllable words, in varying consonant-vowel or vowel-consonant contexts. SMTs were selected based on each participant's pre-assessed erred productions. Productions were digitally recorded and online perceptual judgments of accuracy (including segment and intersegment distortions) were made. Inter- and intra-judge reliability for perceptual accuracy was high. Results measured by visual inspection and effect size revealed positive acquisition and generalization effects for both participants. Generalization occurred across vowel contexts and to untreated probes. Results of the frequency manipulation were confounded by presentation order. Maintenance of learned and generalized effects were demonstrated for 1 participant. These data provide support for the role of augmented feedback in treating speech movements that result in perceptually accurate speech production. Future investigations will explore the independent contributions of each feedback type (i.e. kinematic and perceptual) in producing efficient and effective training of SMTs in persons with AOS. PMID:20424468

BORC Functions Upstream of Kinesins 1 and 3 to Coordinate Regional Movement of Lysosomes along Different Microtubule Tracks.

PubMed

Guardia, Carlos M; Farías, Ginny G; Jia, Rui; Pu, Jing; Bonifacino, Juan S

2016-11-15

The multiple functions of lysosomes are critically dependent on their ability to undergo bidirectional movement along microtubules between the center and the periphery of the cell. Centrifugal and centripetal movement of lysosomes is mediated by kinesin and dynein motors, respectively. We recently described a multi-subunit complex named BORC that recruits the small GTPase Arl8 to lysosomes to promote their kinesin-dependent movement toward the cell periphery. Here, we show that BORC and Arl8 function upstream of two structurally distinct kinesin types: kinesin-1 (KIF5B) and kinesin-3 (KIF1Bβ and KIF1A). Remarkably, KIF5B preferentially moves lysosomes on perinuclear tracks enriched in acetylated α-tubulin, whereas KIF1Bβ and KIF1A drive lysosome movement on more rectilinear, peripheral tracks enriched in tyrosinated α-tubulin. These findings establish BORC as a master regulator of lysosome positioning through coupling to different kinesins and microtubule tracks. Common regulation by BORC enables coordinate control of lysosome movement in different regions of the cell. Published by Elsevier Inc.

BORC Functions Upstream of Kinesins 1 and 3 to Coordinate Regional Movement of Lysosomes Along Different Microtubule Tracks

PubMed Central

Guardia, Carlos M.; Farías, Ginny G.; Jia, Rui; Pu, Jing; Bonifacino, Juan S.

2016-01-01

Summary The multiple functions of lysosomes are critically dependent on their ability to undergo bidirectional movement along microtubules between the center and the periphery of the cell. Centrifugal and centripetal movement of lysosomes is mediated by kinesin and dynein motors, respectively. We recently described a multisubunit complex named BORC that recruits the small GTPase Arl8 to lysosomes to promote their kinesin-dependent movement toward the cell periphery. Here we show that BORC and Arl8 function upstream of two structurally distinct kinesin types: kinesin-1 (KIF5B) and kinesin-3 (KIF1Bβ and KIF1A). Remarkably, KIF5B preferentially moves lysosomes on perinuclear tracks enriched in acetylated α-tubulin, whereas KIF1Bβ and KIF1A drive lysosome movement on more rectilinear, peripheral tracks enriched in tyrosinated α-tubulin. These findings establish BORC as a master regulator of lysosome positioning through coupling to different kinesins and microtubule tracks. Common regulation by BORC enables coordinate control of lysosome movement in different regions of the cell. PMID:27851960

Molecular Dynamics Studies of Proton Transport in Hydrogenase and Hydrogenase Mimics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ginovska-Pangovska, Bojana; Raugei, Simone; Shaw, Wendy J.

2016-08-02

Protons are used throughout the biological world for a number of functions, from charge balance to energy carriers. Metalloenzymes use protons as energy carriers and control proton movement both temporally and spatially. Despite the interest and need for controlled proton movement in other systems, the scientific community has not been able to develop extensive general rules for developing synthetic proton pathways. In part this is due to the challenging nature of studying these large and complex molecules experimentally, although experiments have gleaned extensive critical insight. While computational methods are also challenging because of the large size of the molecules, theymore » have been critical in advancing our knowledge of proton movement through pathways, but even further, they have advanced our knowledge in how protonation and proton movement is correlated with large and small scale molecular motions and electron movement. These studies often complement experimental studies but provide insight and depth simply not possible in many cases in the absence of theory. In this chapter, we will discuss advances and methods used in understanding proton movement in hydrogenases.« less

Effect of micro lesions of the basal ganglia on ballistic movements in patients with deep brain stimulation.

PubMed

Singh, Arun; Mehrkens, Jan H; Bötzel, Kai

2012-03-15

Bradykinesia and hypokinesia are the prominent symptoms of substantia nigra degeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD). In segmental dystonia, movements of not affected limbs are not impaired. Here we studied the impact of the mere implantation of stimulation electrodes on the performance of fast movements in these two groups. We investigated 9 PD patients with subthalamic electrodes and 9 patients with segmental dystonia with electrodes in the globus pallidus internum. Patients were studied on the first postoperative day without electrical stimulation of the electrodes. Subjects had to perform boxing movements with either touching the target or stopping the fist in front of the target. PD subjects performed significantly faster movements in the touch-task only as compared to dystonic patients. No difference was seen in the stopping task. In conclusion, our findings suggest that a small subthalamic lesion in individuals with PD specifically reverses bradykinesia during simple ballistic movements (touch) but not during complex ones requiring more pre-programming (no-touch paradigm). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Method of Menu Selection by Gaze Movement Using AC EOG Signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanoh, Shin'ichiro; Futami, Ryoko; Yoshinobu, Tatsuo; Hoshimiya, Nozomu

A method to detect the direction and the distance of voluntary eye gaze movement from EOG (electrooculogram) signals was proposed and tested. In this method, AC-amplified vertical and horizontal transient EOG signals were classified into 8-class directions and 2-class distances of voluntary eye gaze movements. A horizontal and a vertical EOGs during eye gaze movement at each sampling time were treated as a two-dimensional vector, and the center of gravity of the sample vectors whose norms were more than 80% of the maximum norm was used as a feature vector to be classified. By the classification using the k-nearest neighbor algorithm, it was shown that the averaged correct detection rates on each subject were 98.9%, 98.7%, 94.4%, respectively. This method can avoid strict EOG-based eye tracking which requires DC amplification of very small signal. It would be useful to develop robust human interfacing systems based on menu selection for severely paralyzed patients.

Recovery of facial expressions using functional electrical stimulation after full-face transplantation.

PubMed

Topçu, Çağdaş; Uysal, Hilmi; Özkan, Ömer; Özkan, Özlenen; Polat, Övünç; Bedeloğlu, Merve; Akgül, Arzu; Döğer, Ela Naz; Sever, Refik; Çolak, Ömer Halil

2018-03-06

We assessed the recovery of 2 face transplantation patients with measures of complexity during neuromuscular rehabilitation. Cognitive rehabilitation methods and functional electrical stimulation were used to improve facial emotional expressions of full-face transplantation patients for 5 months. Rehabilitation and analyses were conducted at approximately 3 years after full facial transplantation in the patient group. We report complexity analysis of surface electromyography signals of these two patients in comparison to the results of 10 healthy individuals. Facial surface electromyography data were collected during 6 basic emotional expressions and 4 primary facial movements from 2 full-face transplantation patients and 10 healthy individuals to determine a strategy of functional electrical stimulation and understand the mechanisms of rehabilitation. A new personalized rehabilitation technique was developed using the wavelet packet method. Rehabilitation sessions were applied twice a month for 5 months. Subsequently, motor and functional progress was assessed by comparing the fuzzy entropy of surface electromyography data against the results obtained from patients before rehabilitation and the mean results obtained from 10 healthy subjects. At the end of personalized rehabilitation, the patient group showed improvements in their facial symmetry and their ability to perform basic facial expressions and primary facial movements. Similarity in the pattern of fuzzy entropy for facial expressions between the patient group and healthy individuals increased. Synkinesis was detected during primary facial movements in the patient group, and one patient showed synkinesis during the happiness expression. Synkinesis in the lower face region of one of the patients was eliminated for the lid tightening movement. The recovery of emotional expressions after personalized rehabilitation was satisfactory to the patients. The assessment with complexity analysis of sEMG data can be used for developing new neurorehabilitation techniques and detecting synkinesis after full-face transplantation.

Mechanism of ubiquinol oxidation by the bc(1) complex: role of the iron sulfur protein and its mobility.

PubMed

Crofts, A R; Guergova-Kuras, M; Huang, L; Kuras, R; Zhang, Z; Berry, E A

1999-11-30

Native structures of ubihydroquinone:cytochrome c oxidoreductase (bc(1) complex) from different sources, and structures with inhibitors in place, show a 16-22 A displacement of the [2Fe-2S] cluster and the position of the C-terminal extrinsic domain of the iron sulfur protein. None of the structures shows a static configuration that would allow catalysis of all partial reactions of quinol oxidation. We have suggested that the different conformations reflect a movement of the subunit necessary for catalysis. The displacement from an interface with cytochrome c(1) in native crystals to an interface with cytochrome b is induced by stigmatellin or 5-n-undecyl-6-hydroxy-4,7-dioxobenzothiazole (UHDBT) and involves ligand formation between His-161 of the [2Fe-2S] binding cluster and the inhibitor. The movement is a rotational displacement, so that the same conserved docking surface on the iron sulfur protein interacts with cytochrome c(1) and with cytochrome b. The mobile extrinsic domain retains essentially the same tertiary structure, and the anchoring N-terminal tail remains in the same position. The movement occurs through an extension of a helical segment in the short linking span. We report details of the protein structure for the two main configurations in the chicken heart mitochondrial complex and discuss insights into mechanism provided by the structures and by mutant strains in which the docking at the cytochrome b interface is impaired. The movement of the iron sulfur protein represents a novel mechanism of electron transfer, in which a tethered mobile head allows electron transfer through a distance without the entropic loss from free diffusion.

Evidence of Impaired Proprioception in Chronic, Idiopathic Neck Pain: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Leake, Hayley B.; Chalmers, K. Jane; Moseley, G. Lorimer

2016-01-01

Background Despite common use of proprioceptive retraining interventions in people with chronic, idiopathic neck pain, evidence that proprioceptive dysfunction exists in this population is lacking. Determining whether proprioceptive dysfunction exists in people with chronic neck pain has clear implications for treatment prescription. Purpose The aim of this study was to synthesize and critically appraise all evidence evaluating proprioceptive dysfunction in people with chronic, idiopathic neck pain by completing a systematic review and meta-analysis. Data Sources MEDLINE, CINAHL, PubMed, Allied and Complementary Medicine, EMBASE, Academic Search Premier, Scopus, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), and Cochrane Collaboration databases were searched. Study Selection All published studies that compared neck proprioception (joint position sense) between a chronic, idiopathic neck pain sample and asymptomatic controls were included. Data Extraction Two independent reviewers extracted relevant population and proprioception data and assessed methodological quality using a modified Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement. Data Synthesis Thirteen studies were included in the present review. Meta-analysis on 10 studies demonstrated that people with chronic neck pain perform significantly worse on head-to-neutral repositioning tests, with a moderate standardized mean difference of 0.44 (95% confidence interval=0.25, 0.63). Two studies evaluated head repositioning using trunk movement (no active head movement thus hypothesized to remove vestibular input) and showed conflicting results. Three studies evaluated complex or postural repositioning tests; postural repositioning was no different between groups, and complex movement tests were impaired only in participants with chronic neck pain if error was continuously evaluated throughout the movement. Limitations A paucity of studies evaluating complex or postural repositioning tests does not permit any solid conclusions about them. Conclusions People with chronic, idiopathic neck pain are worse than asymptomatic controls at head-to-neutral repositioning tests. PMID:26472296

Infrared Thermography Sensor for Temperature and Speed Measurement of Moving Material.

PubMed

Usamentiaga, Rubén; García, Daniel Fernando

2017-05-18

Infrared thermography offers significant advantages in monitoring the temperature of objects over time, but crucial aspects need to be addressed. Movements between the infrared camera and the inspected material seriously affect the accuracy of the calculated temperature. These movements can be the consequence of solid objects that are moved, molten metal poured, material on a conveyor belt, or just vibrations. This work proposes a solution for monitoring the temperature of material in these scenarios. In this work both real movements and vibrations are treated equally, proposing a unified solution for both problems. The three key steps of the proposed procedure are image rectification, motion estimation and motion compensation. Image rectification calculates a front-parallel projection of the image that simplifies the estimation and compensation of the movement. Motion estimation describes the movement using a mathematical model, and estimates the coefficients using robust methods adapted to infrared images. Motion is finally compensated for in order to produce the correct temperature time history of the monitored material regardless of the movement. The result is a robust sensor for temperature of moving material that can also be used to measure the speed of the material. Different experiments are carried out to validate the proposed method in laboratory and real environments. Results show excellent performance.

Infrared Thermography Sensor for Temperature and Speed Measurement of Moving Material

PubMed Central

Usamentiaga, Rubén; García, Daniel Fernando

2017-01-01

Infrared thermography offers significant advantages in monitoring the temperature of objects over time, but crucial aspects need to be addressed. Movements between the infrared camera and the inspected material seriously affect the accuracy of the calculated temperature. These movements can be the consequence of solid objects that are moved, molten metal poured, material on a conveyor belt, or just vibrations. This work proposes a solution for monitoring the temperature of material in these scenarios. In this work both real movements and vibrations are treated equally, proposing a unified solution for both problems. The three key steps of the proposed procedure are image rectification, motion estimation and motion compensation. Image rectification calculates a front-parallel projection of the image that simplifies the estimation and compensation of the movement. Motion estimation describes the movement using a mathematical model, and estimates the coefficients using robust methods adapted to infrared images. Motion is finally compensated for in order to produce the correct temperature time history of the monitored material regardless of the movement. The result is a robust sensor for temperature of moving material that can also be used to measure the speed of the material. Different experiments are carried out to validate the proposed method in laboratory and real environments. Results show excellent performance. PMID:28524110

Deciding Which Way to Go: How Do Insects Alter Movements to Negotiate Barriers?

PubMed Central

Ritzmann, Roy E.; Harley, Cynthia M.; Daltorio, Kathryn A.; Tietz, Brian R.; Pollack, Alan J.; Bender, John A.; Guo, Peiyuan; Horomanski, Audra L.; Kathman, Nicholas D.; Nieuwoudt, Claudia; Brown, Amy E.; Quinn, Roger D.

2012-01-01

Animals must routinely deal with barriers as they move through their natural environment. These challenges require directed changes in leg movements and posture performed in the context of ever changing internal and external conditions. In particular, cockroaches use a combination of tactile and visual information to evaluate objects in their path in order to effectively guide their movements in complex terrain. When encountering a large block, the insect uses its antennae to evaluate the object’s height then rears upward accordingly before climbing. A shelf presents a choice between climbing and tunneling that depends on how the antennae strike the shelf; tapping from above yields climbing, while tapping from below causes tunneling. However, ambient light conditions detected by the ocelli can bias that decision. Similarly, in a T-maze turning is determined by antennal contact but influenced by visual cues. These multi-sensory behaviors led us to look at the central complex as a center for sensori-motor integration within the insect brain. Visual and antennal tactile cues are processed within the central complex and, in tethered preparations, several central complex units changed firing rates in tandem with or prior to altered step frequency or turning, while stimulation through the implanted electrodes evoked these same behavioral changes. To further test for a central complex role in these decisions, we examined behavioral effects of brain lesions. Electrolytic lesions in restricted regions of the central complex generated site specific behavioral deficits. Similar changes were also found in reversible effects of procaine injections in the brain. Finally, we are examining these kinds of decisions made in a large arena that more closely matches the conditions under which cockroaches forage. Overall, our studies suggest that CC circuits may indeed influence the descending commands associated with navigational decisions, thereby making them more context dependent. PMID:22783160

Gender differences in locomotor and stereotypic behavior associated with l-carnitine treatment in mice.

PubMed

Benvenga, Salvatore; Itri, Elenora; Hauser, Peter; De Tolla, Louis; Yu, Sui-Foh; Testa, Giuseppe; Pappalardo, Maria Angela; Trimarchi, Francesco; Amato, Antonino

2011-02-01

The carnitines exert neuroprotective and neuromodulatory actions, and carnitine supplementation increases locomotor activity (LMA) in experimental animals. We measured 13 indexes of LMA and 3 indexes of stereotypic activity (STA) in adult male and female caged mice. In a randomized 4-week trial, 10 males and 10 females received 50 mg/kg body weight PO l-carnitine, and another 10 males and 10 females received placebo. Compared with placebo-treated females, placebo-treated males had a greater number of stereotypies (NSTs), stereotypy counts (STCs), stereotypy time (STT), and right front time (RFT), but smaller total distance traveled (TDT), margin distance (MD), number of vertical movements (NVMs), and left rear time (LRT). Compared with placebo-treated males, carnitine-treated males had greater horizontal activity (HA), movement time (MT), NVM, STT, TDT, STC, MD, LRT, and clockwise revolutions (CRs), but smaller left front time (LFT) and RFT. Compared with placebo-treated females, carnitine-treated females had greater NST, STC, STT, LFT, and RFT, but smaller NM, HA, NVM, VA, MT, anticlockwise revolutions (ACRs), CR, TDT, and MD; right rear time (RRT) remained statistically insignificant across all comparisons. In summary, l-carnitine caused gender differences to persist for STC, diminish for NST and STT, disappear for LRT and NVM, change in the opposite direction for TDT and MD, appear de novo for HA, VA, NM, MT, and LFT, and remain absent for RRT and ACR. Some indexes of LMA and STA are sexually dimorphic in adult mice, and l-carnitine differentially maintains, diminishes/cancels, inverts, or creates the sexual dimorphism of particular indexes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc. All rights reserved.

Increased water resistance of paper treated with amylose-fatty ammonium salt inclusion complexes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Amylose inclusion complexes were prepared from high amylose corn starch and the HCl salts of hexadecylamine and octadecylamine. Solutions of the complexes were applied to paper at concentrations of 2-4%. After the treated papers were dried, sodium hydroxide solution was applied to convert the adsorb...