STS-57 MS2 Sherlock dons EMU upper torso with technicians' help at JSC's WETF

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

STS-57 Mission Specialist 2 (MS2) Nancy J. Sherlock, wearing the liquid cooling and ventilation garment (LCVG) and an extravehicular mobility unit (EMU) lower torso, squats under the EMU upper torso and prepares to raise her arms into the sleeves. Technicians stand on either side of Sherlock and are ready to assist her in donning the upper torso. When fully suited the platform Sherlock is on will be lowered into the 25 foot deep pool located in JSC's Weightless Environment Training Facility (WETF) Bldg 29. During the underwater simulation, Sherlock will practice extravehicular activity (EVA) procedures.

49 CFR 572.125 - Upper and lower torso assemblies and torso flexion test procedure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... of the dummy, the pull cable, and the load cell as shown in Figure N5. (7) Apply a tension force in the midsagittal plane to the pull cable as shown in Figure N5 at any upper torso deflection rate... determine the stiffness effects of the lumbar spine (drawing 127-3002), including cable (drawing 127-8095...

Acceptance tests of various upper torso restraints.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1971-03-01

The study demonstrates that people can be motivated to utilize and, in fact, eagerly accept the use of upper torso restraint equipment for the prevention of head and chest injuries induced by flailing during crash decelerations, provided that specifi...

49 CFR 572.175 - Upper and lower torso assemblies and torso flexion test procedure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

.../lower torso assembly is as follows: (1) Torque the lumbar cable (drawing 420-4130) (incorporated by... threaded attachment holes. Tighten the mountings so that the test material is rigidly affixed to the test...

49 CFR 572.175 - Upper and lower torso assemblies and torso flexion test procedure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

.../lower torso assembly is as follows: (1) Torque the lumbar cable (drawing 420-4130) (incorporated by... threaded attachment holes. Tighten the mountings so that the test material is rigidly affixed to the test...

49 CFR 572.175 - Upper and lower torso assemblies and torso flexion test procedure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

.../lower torso assembly is as follows: (1) Torque the lumbar cable (drawing 420-4130) (incorporated by... threaded attachment holes. Tighten the mountings so that the test material is rigidly affixed to the test...

Upper torso and pelvis linear velocity during the downswing of elite golfers

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background During a golf swing, analysis of the movement in upper torso and pelvis is a key step to determine a motion control strategy for accurate and consistent shots. However, a majority of previous studies that have evaluated this movement limited their analysis only to the rotational movement of segments, and translational motions were not examined. Therefore, in this study, correlations between translational motions in the 3 axes, which occur between the upper torso and pelvis, were also examined. Methods The experiments were carried out with 14 male pro-golfers (age: 29 ± 8 years, career: 8.2 ± 4.8years) who registered in the Korea Professional Golf Association (KPGA). Six infrared cameras (VICON; Oxford Metrics, Oxford, UK) and SB-Clinc software (SWINGBANK Ltd, Korea) were used to collect optical marker trajectories. The center of mass (CoM) of each segment was calculated based on kinematic principal. In addition, peak value of CoM velocity and the time that each peak occurred in each segment during downswing was calculated. Also, using cross-correlation analysis, the degree of coupling and time lags of peak values occurred between and within segments (pelvis and upper torso) were investigated. Results As a result, a high coupling strength between upper torso and pelvis with an average correlation coefficient = 0.86 was observed, and the coupling between segments was higher than that within segments (correlation coefficient = 0.81 and 0.77, respectively). Conclusions Such a high coupling at the upper torso and pelvis can be used to reduce the degree of motion control in the central nervous system and maintain consistent patterns in the movement. The result of this study provides important information for the development of optimal golf swing movement control strategies in the future. PMID:23398693

Upper torso and pelvis linear velocity during the downswing of elite golfers.

PubMed

Beak, Seung-Hui; Choi, Ahnryul; Choi, Seung-Wook; Oh, Seung Eel; Mun, Joung Hwan; Yang, Heegoo; Sim, Taeyong; Song, Hae-Ryong

2013-02-11

During a golf swing, analysis of the movement in upper torso and pelvis is a key step to determine a motion control strategy for accurate and consistent shots. However, a majority of previous studies that have evaluated this movement limited their analysis only to the rotational movement of segments, and translational motions were not examined. Therefore, in this study, correlations between translational motions in the 3 axes, which occur between the upper torso and pelvis, were also examined. The experiments were carried out with 14 male pro-golfers (age: 29 ± 8 years, career: 8.2 ± 4.8years) who registered in the Korea Professional Golf Association (KPGA). Six infrared cameras (VICON; Oxford Metrics, Oxford, UK) and SB-Clinc software (SWINGBANK Ltd, Korea) were used to collect optical marker trajectories. The center of mass (CoM) of each segment was calculated based on kinematic principal. In addition, peak value of CoM velocity and the time that each peak occurred in each segment during downswing was calculated. Also, using cross-correlation analysis, the degree of coupling and time lags of peak values occurred between and within segments (pelvis and upper torso) were investigated. As a result, a high coupling strength between upper torso and pelvis with an average correlation coefficient = 0.86 was observed, and the coupling between segments was higher than that within segments (correlation coefficient = 0.81 and 0.77, respectively). Such a high coupling at the upper torso and pelvis can be used to reduce the degree of motion control in the central nervous system and maintain consistent patterns in the movement. The result of this study provides important information for the development of optimal golf swing movement control strategies in the future.

Spacesuit Soft Upper Torso Sizing Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graziosi, David; Splawn, Keith

2011-01-01

The passive sizing system consists of a series of low-profile pulleys attached to the front and back of the shoulder bearings on a spacesuit soft upper torso (SUT), textile cord or stainless steel cable, and a modified commercial ratchet mechanism. The cord/cable is routed through the pulleys and attached to the ratchet mechanism mounted on the front of the spacesuit within reach of the suited subject. Upon actuating the ratchet mechanism, the shoulder bearing breadth is changed, providing variable upper torso sizing. The active system consists of a series of pressurizable nastic cells embedded into the fabric layers of a spacesuit SUT. These cells are integrated to the front and back of the SUT and are connected to an air source with a variable regulator. When inflated, the nastic cells provide a change in the overall shoulder bearing breadth of the spacesuit and thus, torso sizing. The research focused on the development of a high-performance sizing and actuation system. This technology has application as a suit-sizing mechanism to allow easier suit entry and more accurate suit fit with fewer torso sizes than the existing EMU (Extravehicular Mobility Unit) suit system. This advanced SUT will support NASA s Advanced EMU Evolutionary Concept of a two-sizes-fit-all upper torso for replacement of the current EMU hard upper torso (HUT). Both the passive and nastic sizing system approaches provide astronauts with real-time upper torso sizing, which translates into a more comfortable suit, providing enhanced fit resulting in improved crewmember performance during extravehicular activity. These systems will also benefit NASA by reducing flight logistics as well as overall suit system cost. The nastic sizing system approach provides additional structural redundancy over existing SUT designs by embedding additional coated fabric and uncoated fabric layers. Two sizing systems were selected to build into a prototype SUT: one active and one passive. From manned testing, it was found that both systems offer good solutions to sizing a SUT to fit a crewmember. This new system provided improved suit don/doff over existing spacesuit designs as well as providing better fit at suit operational pressure resulting in improved comfort and mobility. It was found that a SUT with a sizing system may solve several problems that have plagued existing HUT designs, and that a SUT with a sizing system may be a viable option for advanced suit architectures.

49 CFR 572.197 - Abdomen.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... vertical orientation. (4) Push the dummy at the knees and at mid-sternum of the upper torso with just sufficient horizontally oriented force towards the seat back until the back of the upper torso is in contact with the seat back. (5) While maintaining the dummy's position as specified in paragraph (b)(3) and (4...

49 CFR 572.196 - Thorax without arm.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... orientation. (4) Push the dummy at the knees and at mid-sternum of the upper torso with just sufficient horizontally oriented force towards the seat back until the back of the upper torso is in contact with the seat back. (5) While maintaining the dummy's position as specified in paragraphs (b)(3) and (4) of this...

49 CFR 572.198 - Pelvis acetabulum.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... the dummy is in vertical orientation. (4) Push the dummy at the knees and at mid-sternum of the upper torso with just sufficient horizontally oriented force towards the seat back until the back of the upper torso is in contact with the seat back. (5) While maintaining the dummy's position as specified in...

49 CFR 572.195 - Thorax with arm.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... dummy is in vertical orientation. (4) Push the dummy at the knees and at mid-sternum of the upper torso with just sufficient horizontally oriented force towards the seat back until the back of the upper torso is in contact with the seat back. (5) While maintaining the dummy's position as specified in...

Estimation of regional cutaneous cold sensitivity by analysis of the gasping response.

PubMed

Burke, W E; Mekjavić, I B

1991-11-01

Regional cutaneous sensitivity to cooling was assessed in males by separately immersing four discrete skin regions in cold water (15 degrees C) during head-out immersion. The response measured was gasping at the onset of immersion; the gasping response appears to be the result of a nonthermoregulatory neurogenic drive from cutaneous cold receptors. Subjects of similar body proportions wore a neoprene "dry" suit modified to allow exposure to the water of either the arms, upper torso, lower torso, or legs, while keeping the unexposed skin regions thermoneutral. Each subject was immersed to the sternal notch in all four conditions of partial exposure plus one condition of whole body exposure. The five cold water conditions were matched by control immersions in lukewarm (34 degrees C) water, and trials were randomized. The magnitude of the gasping response was determined by mouth occlusion pressure (P0.1). For each subject, P0.1 values for the 1st min of immersion were integrated, and control trial values, although minimal, were subtracted from their cold water counterpart to account for any gasping due to the experimental design. Results were averaged and showed that the highest P0.1 values were elicited from whole body exposure, followed in descending order by exposures of the upper torso, legs, lower torso, and arms. Correction of the P0.1 response for differences in exposed surface area (A) and cooling stimulus (delta T) between regions gave a cold sensitivity index [CSI, P0.1/(A.delta T)] for each region and showed that the index for the upper torso was significantly higher than that for the arms or legs; no significant difference was observed between the indexes for the upper and lower torso.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Pressure-constrained, reduced-DOF, interconnected parallel manipulators with applications to space suit design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobs, Shane Earl

This dissertation presents the concept of a Morphing Upper Torso, an innovative pressure suit design that incorporates robotic elements to enable a resizable, highly mobile and easy to don/doff spacesuit. The torso is modeled as a system of interconnected, pressure-constrained, reduced-DOF, wire-actuated parallel manipulators, that enable the dimensions of the suit to be reconfigured to match the wearer. The kinematics, dynamics and control of wire-actuated manipulators are derived and simulated, along with the Jacobian transforms, which relate the total twist vector of the system to the vector of actuator velocities. Tools are developed that allow calculation of the workspace for both single and interconnected reduced-DOF robots of this type, using knowledge of the link lengths. The forward kinematics and statics equations are combined and solved to produce the pose of the platforms along with the link tensions. These tools allow analysis of the full Morphing Upper Torso design, in which the back hatch of a rear-entry torso is interconnected with the waist ring, helmet ring and two scye bearings. Half-scale and full-scale experimental models are used along with analytical models to examine the feasibility of this novel space suit concept. The analytical and experimental results demonstrate that the torso could be expanded to facilitate donning and doffng, and then contracted to match different wearer's body dimensions. Using the system of interconnected parallel manipulators, suit components can be accurately repositioned to different desired configurations. The demonstrated feasibility of the Morphing Upper Torso concept makes it an exciting candidate for inclusion in a future planetary suit architecture.

49 CFR 571.208a - Optional test procedures for vehicles manufactured between January 27, 2004 and August 31, 2004.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... S16.3.3.1.9 and S16.3.3.1.10. S16.3.5.4 Remove all slack from the lap belt. Pull the upper torso... device, introduce the maximum amount of slack into the upper torso belt that is recommended by the..., place the Type 2 manual belt around the test dummy and fasten the latch. Remove all slack from the lap...

20. NBS SUIT LAB. TABLE WITH MISCELLANEOUS SUIT PARTS AND ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

20. NBS SUIT LAB. TABLE WITH MISCELLANEOUS SUIT PARTS AND TERRY WEST, A SPACE SUIT ASSEMBLY TECHNICIAN LOGGING SUIT PART DATA. PARTS ON THE TABLE ARE A HARD UPPER TORSO (HUT) (REAR LEFT), FULL HELMET (FRONT LEFT), TWO HELMETS WITHOUT PROTECTIVE VISORS, A PAIR OF GLOVES, AND A BACKPACK WITHOUT VOLUMETRIC COVER (REAR RIGHT). THE BACKPACK ATTACHES TO THE HUT TO MAKE-UP THE UPPER TORSO COMPONENTS OF THE SUIT. - Marshall Space Flight Center, Neutral Buoyancy Simulator Facility, Rideout Road, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

A structural comparison of female-male and female-female mounting in Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata).

PubMed

Ottenheimer Carrier, Lydia; Leca, Jean-Baptiste; Pellis, Sergio; Vasey, Paul L

2015-10-01

In certain populations, female Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) mount both males and females. Vasey (2007) proposed that female-female sexual mounting in Japanese macaques may be a neutral evolutionary by-product of a purported adaptation, namely, female-male mounting. In this study, we aim to further examine the proposed link between female-male and female-female mounting in Japanese macaques by comparing the structural characteristics that define both forms of mounting. We do so using Eshkol-Wachman Movement Notation (EWMN), a globographic reference system that can be used to describe the position of body segments. No significant differences were observed in the female mounters' positioning of eight different body segments (i.e., lower torso, mid-torso, upper torso, upper arm, lower arm, upper leg, lower leg, and foot) during female-male and female-female mounting. This finding lends support to the conclusion that female-female and female-male mounting are structurally, and thus, evolutionarily, related. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

49 CFR 572.135 - Upper and lower torso assemblies and torso flexion test procedure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... orientation angle may not exceed 20 degrees. (8) Attach the pull cable and the load cell as shown in Figure O4. (9) Apply a tension force in the midsagittal plane to the pull cable as shown in Figure O4 at any...

An analysis of a discrete complex skill using Bernstein's stages of learning.

PubMed

Smith, D R; McCabe, D R; Wilkerson, J D

2001-08-01

The purpose of this study was to provide quantitative data about changes in coordination after practicing a racquetball forehand drive serve. Novice women (N = 10) were videotaped before and after 10 min. of practicing a racquetball forehand drive serve on Day 1, and after 10-min. practice sessions on consecutive Days 2 through 5. The PEAK5 Motion Measurement System was used to evaluate the following dependent variables: (a) range of motion of the wrist, elbow, upper torso, and pelvis from backswing to ball contact: (b) racket head velocity at ball contact; and (c) coordination. Coordination was evaluated based on analysis of the angular velocity graphs of each performance to assess sequencing and timing of the segmental contributions. Shared positive contribution was assessed between adjacent 2-segment combinations: pelvis-torso and elbow-wrist. A repeated-measures analysis of variance indicated racket velocity, pelvic rotation, and upper torso rotation significantly increased over the 5 days of practice. Although participants increased their pelvic and torso ranges of motion and racket velocity, improvement in coordination was not documented.

An eight-week golf-specific exercise program improves physical characteristics, swing mechanics, and golf performance in recreational golfers.

PubMed

Lephart, Scott M; Smoliga, James M; Myers, Joseph B; Sell, Timothy C; Tsai, Yung-Shen

2007-08-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of an 8-week golf-specific exercise program on physical characteristics, swing mechanics, and golf performance. Fifteen trained male golfers (47.2 +/- 11.4 years, 178.8 +/- 5.8 cm, 86.7 +/- 9.0 kg, and 12.1 +/- 6.4 U.S. Golf Association handicap) were recruited. Trained golfers was defined operationally as golfers who play a round of golf at least 2-3 times per week and practice at the driving range at least 2-3 times per week during the regular golf season. Subjects performed a golf-specific conditioning program 3-4 times per week for 8 weeks during the off-season in order to enhance physical characteristics. Pre- and posttraining testing of participants included assessments of strength (torso, shoulder, and hip), flexibility, balance, swing mechanics, and golf performance. Following training, torso rotational strength and hip abduction strength were improved significantly (p < 0.05). Torso, shoulder, and hip flexibility improved significantly in all flexibility measurements taken (p < 0.05). Balance was improved significantly in 3 of 12 measurements, with the remainder of the variables demonstrating a nonsignificant trend for improvement. The magnitude of upper-torso axial rotation was decreased at the acceleration (p = 0.015) and impact points (p =0.043), and the magnitude of pelvis axial rotation was decreased at the top (p = 0.031) and acceleration points (p = 0.036). Upper-torso axial rotational velocity was increased significantly at the acceleration point of the golf swing (p = 0.009). Subjects increased average club velocity (p = 0.001), ball velocity (p = 0.001), carry distance (p = 0.001), and total distance (p = 0.001). These results indicate that a golf-specific exercise program improves strength, flexibility, and balance in golfers. These improvements result in increased upper-torso axial rotational velocity, which results in increased club head velocity, ball velocity, and driving distance.

Augmentation of blood circulation to the fingers by warming distant body areas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koscheyev, V. S.; Leon, G. R.; Paul, S.; Tranchida, D.; Linder, I. V.

2000-01-01

Future activities in space will require greater periods of time in extreme environments in which the body periphery will be vulnerable to chilling. Maintaining the hands and fingers in comfortable conditions enhances finger flexibility and dexterity, and thus effects better work performance. We have evaluated the efficacy of promoting heat transfer and release by the extremities by increasing the blood flow to the periphery from more distant parts of the body. The experimental garment paradigm developed by the investigators was used to manipulate the temperature of different body areas. Six subjects, two females and four males, were evaluated in a stage-1 baseline condition, with the inlet temperature of the circulating water in the liquid cooling/warming garment (LCWG) at 33 degrees C. At stage 2 the total LCWG water inlet temperature was cooled to 8 degrees C, and at stage 3 the inlet water temperature in specific segments of the LCWG was warmed (according to protocol) to 45 degrees C, while the inlet temperature in the rest of the LCWG was maintained at 8 degrees C. The following four body-area-warming conditions were studied in separate sessions: (1) head, (2) upper torso/arm, (3) upper torso/arm/head, and (4) legs/feet. Skin temperature, heat flux and blood perfusion of the fingers, and subjective perception of thermal sensations and overall physical comfort were assessed. Finger temperature (T(fing)) analyses showed a statistically significant condition x stage interaction. Post-hoc comparisons (T(fing)) indicated that at stage 3, the upper torso/arm/head warming condition was significantly different from the head, upper torso/arm and legs/feet conditions, showing an increase in T(fing). There was a significant increase in blood perfusion in the fingers at stage 3 in all conditions. Subjective perception of hand warmth, and overall physical comfort level significantly increased in the stage 3 upper torso/arm/head condition. The findings indicate that physiological methods to enhance heat transfer by the blood to the periphery within protective clothing provide an additional tool for increasing total and local human comfort in extreme environments.

77 FR 19155 - Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages; Incorporation by Reference

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-30

... representative of a human form than the upper torso and pelvic body blocks. As noted in the docketed test reports... anchorage system during compliance tests of anchorage strength. The device represents a human torso and... proposing this amendment because the devices are significantly easier to use than the current body blocks...

Therapeutically equivalent pharmacokinetic profile across three application sites for AG200-15, a novel low-estrogen dose contraceptive patch.

PubMed

Stanczyk, Frank Z; Archer, David F; Rubin, Arkady; Foegh, Marie

2013-06-01

AG200-15 Agile Patch (AP) is a novel 7-day contraceptive patch providing ethinyl estradiol (EE) exposure comparable to low-dose combination oral contraceptives. This study determined whether application of the AP to three different anatomical sites (lower abdomen, buttock and upper torso) influences the pharmacokinetic profile of EE and levonorgestrel (LNG). In this open-label, three-period, crossover study, 24 subjects were randomized to one of six treatment sequences; each included application of patch to abdomen, buttock and upper torso, with the AP worn on one site for 7 days. After a 7-day washout, a new patch was applied to the next anatomical site. Multiple blood samples were collected up to 240 h after patch application. For plasma EE levels, median time to maximum drug concentration (Tmax, 24-48 h) and mean maximum concentration (Cmax, 47.9-61.5 pg/mL) were similar among application sites. Compared with lower abdomen, EE exposure was higher (16%-30%) at buttock and upper torso (15%-22%). For plasma LNG levels, median Tmax (72-120 h) and mean Cmax (1436-1589 pg/mL) were similar across application sites. Compared with lower abdomen, LNG exposure was higher at buttock (1%-7%) and upper torso (16%-17%). No serious adverse events (AEs) or AE-related discontinuations occurred. The most common treatment-emergent AEs were nausea, application site pruritus and headache, with frequencies comparable across anatomical sites. Absorption from the abdomen was slightly lower versus other sites; however, exposure to EE and LNG for all sites was therapeutically equivalent. The AP was well tolerated at all three anatomical sites. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Torso and Bowing Arm Three-Dimensional Joint Kinematics of Elite Cellists: Clinical and Pedagogical Implications for Practice.

PubMed

Hopper, Luke; Chan, Cliffton; Wijsman, Suzanne; Ackland, Timothy; Visentin, Peter; Alderson, Jacqueline

2017-06-01

Elite cello playing requires complex and refined motor control. Cellists are prone to right shoulder and thoracolumbar injuries. Research informing injury management of cellists and cello pedagogy is limited. The aims of this study were to quantify the torso, right shoulder, and elbow joint movement used by elite cellists while performing a fundamental playing task, a C major scale, under two volume conditions. An eight degrees of freedom upper limb biomechanical model was applied to 3D motion capture data of the torso, upper arm, and forearm for 31 cellists with a mean experience of 19.4 yrs (SD 9.1). Two-factor ANOVA compared the joint positions between the four cello strings and two volume conditions. Significant (p<0.05) effects were found for either the string and/or volume conditions across all torso, shoulder, and elbow joint degrees of freedom. The torso was consistently positioned in left rotation from 5.0° (SD 5.6) at the beginning of the scale, increasing to 16.3° (5.5) at its apogee. The greatest mean shoulder flexion, internal rotation, and abduction joint angles were observed when playing at the tip of the bow on the top string (A): 107.2° (11.6), 59.1° (7.1), and -76.9° (15.7), respectively, during loud playing. Elite cellists use specific movement patterns to achieve string crossings and volume regulation during fundamental playing tasks. Implications of the static left-rotated torso posture and high degrees of combined shoulder flexion and internal rotation can be used to inform clinical and pedagogical practices.

Complex torso reconstruction with human acellular dermal matrix: long-term clinical follow-up.

PubMed

Nemeth, Nicole L; Butler, Charles E

2009-01-01

Although reports have demonstrated good early outcomes with human acellular dermal matrix even when used for complex, contaminated defects, no long-term outcomes have been reported. The authors reviewed the long-term outcomes of 13 patients who had complex torso reconstructions that included human acellular dermal matrix. All patients were at increased risk for mesh-related complications. Eight patients died as a result of progression of their oncologic disease at a mean of 258 days postoperatively. The mean follow-up for the remaining five patients was 43.7 months. Six patients had early complications (none were human acellular dermal matrix-related) and were reported on previously. Two patients had developed complications since the initial report. One patient developed a flap donor-site seroma remote from the reconstruction site, and another developed a recurrent ventral hernia. No patients have required additional surgery for human acellular dermal matrix-related complications. This follow-up report indicates that human acellular dermal matrix repair of large, complex torso defects can result in good long-term outcomes even when patients are at high risk for mesh-related complications.

Material Models for the Human Torso Finite Element Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-04-04

material characterizations drawn from current literature. Biofidelity of the ARL torso was determined by comparing peak force, force-displacement, peak...Flesh simulation. The soft tissue mesh in the upper neck was highly distorted at 21.2 ms (right) compared to the original mesh (left...a realistic response with results comparable to physical experiments to support future efforts to evaluate BABT. 2. Methods 2.1 Review of

The influence of breast support on torso, pelvis and arm kinematics during a five kilometer treadmill run.

PubMed

Milligan, Alexandra; Mills, Chris; Corbett, Jo; Scurr, Joanna

2015-08-01

Many women wear sports bras due to positive benefits associated with these garments (i.e. reduction in breast movement and breast pain), however the effects these garments have on upper body running kinematics has not been investigated. Ten female participants (32 DD or 34 D) completed two five kilometer treadmill runs (9 km h(-1)), once in a low and once in a high breast support. The range of motion (ROM) and peak torso, pelvis, and upper arm Cardan joint angles were calculated over five gait cycles during a five kilometer run. Peak torso yaw, peak rotation of the pelvis, peak pelvis obliquity, ROM in rotation of the pelvis, and ROM in upper arm extension were significant, but marginally reduced when participants ran in the high breast support. The running kinematics reported in the high breast support condition more closely align with economical running kinematics previously defined in the literature, therefore, running in a high breast support may be more beneficial to female runners, with a high breast support advocated for middle distance runners. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Involvement of upper torso stress amplification, tissue compression and distortion in the pathogenesis of keloids.

PubMed

Bux, Shamin; Madaree, Anil

2012-03-01

Keloids are benign tumours composed of fibrous tissue produced during excessive tissue repair triggered by minor injury, trauma or surgical incision. Although it is recognized that keloids have a propensity to form in the upper torso of the body, the predisposing factors responsible for this have not been investigated. It is crucial that the aetiopathoical factors implicated in keloid formation be established to provide guidelines for well-informed more successful treatment. We compared keloid-prone and keloid-protected skin, identified pertinent morphological differences and explored how inherent structural characteristics and intrinsic factors may promote keloid formation. It was determined that keloid prone areas were covered with high tension skin that had low stretch and a low elastic modulus when compared with skin in keloid protected areas where the skin was lax with a high elastic modulus and low pre-stress level. Factors contributing to elevated internal stress in keloid susceptible skin were the protrusion of hard connective tissue such as bony prominences or cartilage into the dermis of skin as well as inherent skin characteristics such as the bundled arrangement of collagen in the reticular dermis, the existent high tension, the low elastic modulus, low stretch ability, contractile forces exerted by wound healing fibroblastic cells and external forces. Stress promotes keloid formation by causing dermal distortion and compression which subsequently stimulate proliferation and enhanced protein synthesis in wound healing fibroblastic cells. The strain caused by stress also compresses and occludes microvessels causing ischaemic effects and reperfusion injury which stimulate growth when blood rich in growth factors returns to the tissue. The growth promoting effects of increased internal stress, primarily, and growth factors released by reperfusing blood, manifest in keloid formation. Other inherent skin characteristics promoting keloid growth during the late stages of wound healing in the upper torso are the thinner epidermis, the presence of vellus hairs, the absence of protective immunoglobulin A (IgA), and the thick fragile quality of upper torso skin. As it is not known why there is a predilection for keloids to form in the upper torso of the body, this hypothesis implicating and associating inherent morphological characteristics and elevated stress in the aetiopathogenesis of keloids is of potential value in terms of prevention, management and treatment of these enigmatic tumours. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

External Versus Two Different Internal Foci of Attention in Long-Distance Throwing.

PubMed

Oki, Yuta; Kokubu, Masahiro; Nakagomi, Shiro

2018-02-01

The present study examined the influence of attentional focus on performance during a long-distance throwing task. Twelve participants executed three maximum-effort, long-distance baseball throwing attempts in three focus conditions: internal focus on wrist flexion (wrist internal focus), internal focus on the separation between pelvis and upper torso orientations (torso internal focus), and external focus on the ball path (external focus). Compared with the external focus and torso internal focus conditions, performance was poorer in the wrist internal focus condition. Performances were not different in the torso internal and external focus conditions. In addition, attentional focus affected the release angle of the ball but not its initial velocity. Our results reveal that the body part targeted for internal focus of attention and the forcefulness of the motor activity can be as important to motor performance as whether the attention is internal or external.

49 CFR 572.15 - General description.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Assembly SA 103C 030 Torso Assembly SA 103C 041 Upper Arm Assembly Left SA 103C 042 Upper Arm Assembly Right SA 103C 051 Forearm Hand Assembly Left SA 103C 052 Forearm Hand Assembly Right SA 103C 061Upper Leg Assembly Left SA 103C 062 Upper Leg Assembly Right SA 103C 071 Lower Leg Assembly Left SA 103C 072...

49 CFR 572.15 - General description.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Assembly SA 103C 030 Torso Assembly SA 103C 041 Upper Arm Assembly Left SA 103C 042 Upper Arm Assembly Right SA 103C 051 Forearm Hand Assembly Left SA 103C 052 Forearm Hand Assembly Right SA 103C 061Upper Leg Assembly Left SA 103C 062 Upper Leg Assembly Right SA 103C 071 Lower Leg Assembly Left SA 103C 072...

49 CFR 572.15 - General description.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Assembly SA 103C 030 Torso Assembly SA 103C 041 Upper Arm Assembly Left SA 103C 042 Upper Arm Assembly Right SA 103C 051 Forearm Hand Assembly Left SA 103C 052 Forearm Hand Assembly Right SA 103C 061Upper Leg Assembly Left SA 103C 062 Upper Leg Assembly Right SA 103C 071 Lower Leg Assembly Left SA 103C 072...

49 CFR 572.15 - General description.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Assembly SA 103C 030 Torso Assembly SA 103C 041 Upper Arm Assembly Left SA 103C 042 Upper Arm Assembly Right SA 103C 051 Forearm Hand Assembly Left SA 103C 052 Forearm Hand Assembly Right SA 103C 061Upper Leg Assembly Left SA 103C 062 Upper Leg Assembly Right SA 103C 071 Lower Leg Assembly Left SA 103C 072...

Comparison of upper extremity kinematics in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy using anterior and posterior walkers.

PubMed

Strifling, Kelly M B; Lu, Na; Wang, Mei; Cao, Kevin; Ackman, Jeffrey D; Klein, John P; Schwab, Jeffrey P; Harris, Gerald F

2008-10-01

This prospective study analyzes the upper extremity kinematics of 10 children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy using anterior and posterior walkers. Although both types of walkers are commonly prescribed by clinicians, no quantitative data comparing the two in regards to upper extremity motion has been published. The study methodology included testing of each subject with both types of walkers in a motion analysis laboratory after an acclimation period of at least 1 month. Overall results showed that statistically, both walkers are relatively similar. With both anterior and posterior walkers, the shoulders were extended, elbows flexed, and wrists extended. Energy expenditure, walking speed and stride length was also similar with both walker types. Several differences were also noted although not statistically significant. Anterior torso tilt was reduced with the posterior walker and shoulder extension and elbow flexion were increased. Outcomes analysis indicated that differences in upper extremity torso and joint motion were not dependent on spasticity or hand dominance. These findings may help to build an understanding of upper extremity motion in walker-assisted gait and potentially to improve walker prescription.

Improper trunk rotation sequence is associated with increased maximal shoulder external rotation angle and shoulder joint force in high school baseball pitchers.

PubMed

Oyama, Sakiko; Yu, Bing; Blackburn, J Troy; Padua, Darin A; Li, Li; Myers, Joseph B

2014-09-01

In a properly coordinated throwing motion, peak pelvic rotation velocity is reached before peak upper torso rotation velocity, so that angular momentum can be transferred effectively from the proximal (pelvis) to distal (upper torso) segment. However, the effects of trunk rotation sequence on pitching biomechanics and performance have not been investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of trunk rotation sequence on ball speed and on upper extremity biomechanics that are linked to injuries in high school baseball pitchers. The hypothesis was that pitchers with improper trunk rotation sequence would demonstrate lower ball velocity and greater stress to the joint. Descriptive laboratory study. Three-dimensional pitching kinematics data were captured from 72 high school pitchers. Subjects were considered to have proper or improper trunk rotation sequences when the peak pelvic rotation velocity was reached either before or after the peak upper torso rotation velocity beyond the margin of error (±3.7% of the time from stride-foot contact to ball release). Maximal shoulder external rotation angle, elbow extension angle at ball release, peak shoulder proximal force, shoulder internal rotation moment, and elbow varus moment were compared between groups using independent t tests (α < 0.05). Pitchers with improper trunk rotation sequences (n = 33) demonstrated greater maximal shoulder external rotation angle (mean difference, 7.2° ± 2.9°, P = .016) and greater shoulder proximal force (mean difference, 9.2% ± 3.9% body weight, P = .021) compared with those with proper trunk rotation sequences (n = 22). No other variables differed significantly different between groups. High school baseball pitchers who demonstrated improper trunk rotation sequences demonstrated greater maximal shoulder external rotation angle and shoulder proximal force compared with pitchers with proper trunk rotation sequences. Improper sequencing of the trunk and torso alter upper extremity joint loading in ways that may influence injury risk. As such, exercises that reinforce the use of a proper trunk rotation sequence during the pitching motion may reduce the stress placed on the structures around the shoulder joint and lead to the prevention of injuries. © 2014 The Author(s).

Investigation of Aircrew Protection During Emergency Escape at Dynamic Pressures up to 1600 Q.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-05-01

Speed Ejections 14 4 Torso Airflow Stagnation Fence Arm Restraints 16 5 Upper Torso Support Restraint Garment 21 6 Multiaxial Pelvis Restraint 22 7...aircraft. Designs, such as the pelvis and leg elevating (PALE) seats, fixed reclined seats, or pressurized vests, are viable concepts for high sustained...final comment on direct energy transfer from the lower legs to the ai rmass involves aerodynamic asymmetry of the booted foot. Such asymmetry could lead

Computer Simulation of an Aircraft Seat and Occupant in a Crash Environment. Volume 2. Program SOM-LA (Seat/Occupant Model - Light Aircraft) User Manual

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-03-01

349A9 3 Figure A-8. Program SOM-LA body segment dimensions. _ t m • •m v m--, • v_ ,• W:•---:x:--:’ ,•-•• •--" ..- • % ’"•Z>L r -L.J :•":’. 7=- 2 J7.ŗZ...offset from the mid-saggital plane, and the anterior offset of the major upper body segment (lower torso, upper torso, and head) center of masses from... body rotation) energy-absorbing scat model. (See figure A-lI for a detailed de- scription of the parameters.) FORMAT AND EXAMPLE: 2 3 4 6 6 7 1 0123 4

49 CFR 572.181 - General description.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... assembly Drawing number Head Assembly 175-1000 Neck Assembly Test/Cert 175-2000 Neck Bracket Including..., dated February 2008. (c) Weights of body segments (head, neck, upper and lower torso, arms and upper and... the convenience of the user, the added and revised text is set forth as follows: § 572.181 General...

Rotational biomechanics of the elite golf swing: benchmarks for amateurs.

PubMed

Meister, David W; Ladd, Amy L; Butler, Erin E; Zhao, Betty; Rogers, Andrew P; Ray, Conrad J; Rose, Jessica

2011-08-01

The purpose of this study was to determine biomechanical factors that may influence golf swing power generation. Three-dimensional kinematics and kinetics were examined in 10 professional and 5 amateur male golfers. Upper-torso rotation, pelvic rotation, X-factor (relative hip-shoulder rotation), O-factor (pelvic obliquity), S-factor (shoulder obliquity), and normalized free moment were assessed in relation to clubhead speed at impact (CSI). Among professional golfers, results revealed that peak free moment per kilogram, peak X-factor, and peak S-factor were highly consistent, with coefficients of variation of 6.8%, 7.4%, and 8.4%, respectively. Downswing was initiated by reversal of pelvic rotation, followed by reversal of upper-torso rotation. Peak X-factor preceded peak free moment in all swings for all golfers, and occurred during initial downswing. Peak free moment per kilogram, X-factor at impact, peak X-factor, and peak upper-torso rotation were highly correlated to CSI (median correlation coefficients of 0.943, 0.943, 0.900, and 0.900, respectively). Benchmark curves revealed kinematic and kinetic temporal and spatial differences of amateurs compared with professional golfers. For amateurs, the number of factors that fell outside 1-2 standard deviations of professional means increased with handicap. This study identified biomechanical factors highly correlated to golf swing power generation and may provide a basis for strategic training and injury prevention.

Motorized dirt bike injuries in children.

PubMed

Ramakrishnaiah, Raghu H; Shah, Chetan; Parnell-Beasley, Donna; Greenberg, Bruce S

2013-04-01

The number of dirt bike injuries in children in the United States is increasing and poses a public health problem. The purpose of our study was to identify the imaging patterns of dirt bike injuries in children and associations with morbidity and mortality. The study included 85 children (83 boys, 2 girls) <18 year of age (mean age 12.3 years, standard deviation 3 years) with dirt bike injury treated at a tertiary care pediatric hospital. Imaging studies and hospital medical records were reviewed. Outcomes were classified into the following categories: short-term disability, long-term disability or no follow-up available. Imaging studies were reviewed for head, torso, and extremity injuries. One-tailed z test for two proportions was used to determine significant differences between various proportions. Chi-square test with Yates correction was used to determine the significance of long-term disability with injury type. Long bone fractures were the most common injuries. Lower extremity fractures accounted for 79% of extremity fractures and were significantly more common than upper extremity fractures (p = 0.001). Head injuries included fractures (n = 9), brain contusion (n = 5), and meningeal hemorrhage (n = 2). Head injury was associated with long-term disability (p < 0.0001). All torso injuries were solitary. Long-term disability was associated with head injuries but not with torso or extremity injuries. Lower extremity injuries were significantly more common than upper extremity injuries. Torso solid organ injuries were uniformly solitary. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Robonaut 2 - Building a Robot on the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Diftler, Myron; Badger, Julia; Joyce, Charles; Potter, Elliott; Pike, Leah

2015-01-01

In 2010, the Robonaut Project embarked on a multi-phase mission to perform technology demonstrations on-board the International Space Station (ISS), showcasing state of the art robotics technologies through the use of Robonaut 2 (R2). This phased approach implements a strategy that allows for the use of ISS as a test bed during early development to both demonstrate capability and test technology while still making advancements in the earth based laboratories for future testing and operations in space. While R2 was performing experimental trials onboard the ISS during the first phase, engineers were actively designing for Phase 2, Intra-Vehicular Activity (IVA) Mobility, that utilizes a set of zero-g climbing legs outfitted with grippers to grasp handrails and seat tracks. In addition to affixing the new climbing legs to the existing R2 torso, it became clear that upgrades to the torso to both physically accommodate the climbing legs and to expand processing power and capabilities of the robot were required. In addition to these upgrades, a new safety architecture was also implemented in order to account for the expanded capabilities of the robot. The IVA climbing legs not only needed to attach structurally to the R2 torso on ISS, but also required power and data connections that did not exist in the upper body. The climbing legs were outfitted with a blind mate adapter and coarse alignment guides for easy installation, but the upper body required extensive rewiring to accommodate the power and data connections. This was achieved by mounting a custom adapter plate to the torso and routing the additional wiring through the waist joint to connect to the new set of processors. In addition to the power and data channels, the integrated unit also required updated electronics boards, additional sensors and updated processors to accommodate a new operating system, software platform, and custom control system. In order to perform the unprecedented task of building a robot in space, extensive practice sessions and meticulous procedures were required. Since crew training time is at a premium, the R2 team took a skills-based training approach to ensure the astronauts were proficient with a basic skill set while refining the detailed procedures over several practice sessions and simulations. In addition to the crew activities, meticulous ground procedures were required in order to upgrade firmware on the upper body motor drivers. The new firmware for the IVA mobility unit needed to be deployed using the old software system. This also provided an opportunity to upgrade the upper body joints with new software and allowed for limited insight into the success of the updates. Complete verification that the updated firmware was successfully loaded was not confirmed until the rewiring of the upper body torso was complete.

Kinetic analysis of the function of the upper body for elite race walkers during official men 20 km walking race.

PubMed

Hoga-Miura, Koji; Ae, Michiyoshi; Fujii, Norihisa; Yokozawa, Toshiharu

2016-10-01

This study investigated the function of the upper extremities of elite race walkers during official 20 km races, focusing on the angular momentum about the vertical axis and other parameters of the upper extremities. Sixteen walkers were analysed using the three-dimensional direct linear transformation method during three official men's 20 km walking races. The subjects, included participants at the Olympics and World Championships, who finished without disqualification and had not been disqualified during the two years prior to or following the races analysed in the present study. The angular momenta of the upper and lower body were counterbalanced as in running and normal walking. The momentum of the upper body was mainly generated by the upper extremities. The joint force moment of the right shoulder and the joint torque at the left shoulder just before right toe-off were significantly correlated with the walking speed. These were counterbalanced by other moments and torques to the torso torque, which worked to obtain a large mechanical energy flow from the recovery leg to the support leg in the final phase of the support phase. Therefore, a function of the shoulder torque was to counterbalance the torso torque to gain a fast walking speed with substantial mechanical energy flow.

49 CFR 572.194 - Shoulder.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

..., while the midsagittal plane of the dummy is in vertical orientation. (4) Push the dummy at the knees and... back until the back of the upper torso is in contact with the seat back. (5) While maintaining the...

Removal of metabolic heat from man working in a protective suit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shitzer, A.; Chato, J. C.; Hertig, B. A.

1972-01-01

A water cooled garment was constructed and used to study the characteristics of independent regional cooling of the body in contrast to the current practice of uniform cooling. The cooling pads in the garment were grouped to provide independent control of water inlet temperatures and flow rates to six regions: head, upper torso, lower torso, arms, thighs, and lower legs. Experiments with and without the cooling suit were conducted with five test subjects standing and walking on a treadmill on selected schedules. Steady state and, to a lesser extent, transient characteristics were obtained.

RM-10A robotic manipulator system

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

White, J.R.; Coughlan, J.B.; Harvey, H.W.

1988-01-01

The REMOTE RM-10A is a man-replacement manipulator system that has been developed specifically for use in radioactive and other hazardous environments. It can be teleoperated, with man-in-the-loop, for unstructured tasks or programmed to perform routine tasks automatically much like robots in the automated manufacturing industry. The RM-10A is a servomanipulator utilizing a closed-loop, microprocessor-based control system. The system consists of a slave assembly, master control station, and interconnecting cabling. The slave assembly is the part of the system that enters the hostile environment. It is man-like is size and configuration with two identical arms attached to a torso structure. Eachmore » arm attaches to the torso using two captive screws and two guide pins. The guide pins position and stabilize an arm during removal and reinstallation and also align the two electrical connectors located in the arm support plate and torso. These features allow easy remote replacement of an arm, and commonality of the arms allow interchangeability. The water-resistant slave assembly is equipped with gaskets and O-ring seals in the torso and arm and camera assemblies. In addition, each slave arm's elbow, wrist, and tong are protected by replaceable polyurethane boots. An upper camera assembly, consisting of a color television (TV) camera, 6:1 zoom lens, and a pan/tilt unit, mount to the torso to provide remote viewing capability.« less

Detailed Anatomical and Electrophysiological Models of Human Atria and Torso for the Simulation of Atrial Activation

PubMed Central

Ferrer, Ana; Sebastián, Rafael; Sánchez-Quintana, Damián; Rodríguez, José F.; Godoy, Eduardo J.; Martínez, Laura; Saiz, Javier

2015-01-01

Atrial arrhythmias, and specifically atrial fibrillation (AF), induce rapid and irregular activation patterns that appear on the torso surface as abnormal P-waves in electrocardiograms and body surface potential maps (BSPM). In recent years both P-waves and the BSPM have been used to identify the mechanisms underlying AF, such as localizing ectopic foci or high-frequency rotors. However, the relationship between the activation of the different areas of the atria and the characteristics of the BSPM and P-wave signals are still far from being completely understood. In this work we developed a multi-scale framework, which combines a highly-detailed 3D atrial model and a torso model to study the relationship between atrial activation and surface signals in sinus rhythm. Using this multi scale model, it was revealed that the best places for recording P-waves are the frontal upper right and the frontal and rear left quadrants of the torso. Our results also suggest that only nine regions (of the twenty-one structures in which the atrial surface was divided) make a significant contribution to the BSPM and determine the main P-wave characteristics. PMID:26523732

Placement of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators in paediatric and congenital heart defect patients: a pipeline for model generation and simulation prediction of optimal configurations

PubMed Central

Rantner, Lukas J; Vadakkumpadan, Fijoy; Spevak, Philip J; Crosson, Jane E; Trayanova, Natalia A

2013-01-01

There is currently no reliable way of predicting the optimal implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) placement in paediatric and congenital heart defect (CHD) patients. This study aimed to: (1) develop a new image processing pipeline for constructing patient-specific heart–torso models from clinical magnetic resonance images (MRIs); (2) use the pipeline to determine the optimal ICD configuration in a paediatric tricuspid valve atresia patient; (3) establish whether the widely used criterion of shock-induced extracellular potential (Φe) gradients ≥5 V cm−1 in ≥95% of ventricular volume predicts defibrillation success. A biophysically detailed heart–torso model was generated from patient MRIs. Because transvenous access was impossible, three subcutaneous and three epicardial lead placement sites were identified along with five ICD scan locations. Ventricular fibrillation was induced, and defibrillation shocks were applied from 11 ICD configurations to determine defibrillation thresholds (DFTs). Two configurations with epicardial leads resulted in the lowest DFTs overall and were thus considered optimal. Three configurations shared the lowest DFT among subcutaneous lead ICDs. The Φe gradient criterion was an inadequate predictor of defibrillation success, as defibrillation failed in numerous instances even when 100% of the myocardium experienced such gradients. In conclusion, we have developed a new image processing pipeline and applied it to a CHD patient to construct the first active heart–torso model from clinical MRIs. PMID:23798492

Biomechanics of volunteers subject to loading by a motorized shoulder belt tensioner.

PubMed

Good, Craig A; Viano, David C; Ronsky, Janet L

2008-04-15

A biomechanical study using human volunteers. Motorized shoulder belt tensioning is a new seatbelt technology that is likely to be incorporated into future vehicles. The objective of this study was to characterize the upper torso biomechanics of 3 sizes of adult volunteers (5th percentile female, 50th percentile male, and 95th percentile male) subjected to motorized shoulder belt tensioning in the static environment. There is a lack of volunteer data concerning the biomechanics of occupants subject to motorized precrash shoulder belt tensioning. Studies of torso repositioning by the air force for ejection seats are much too aggressive to be relevant to motorized systems. Low-level motorized shoulder belt tensioning is well tolerated by vehicle occupants but optimized performance by occupant size is unknown. Nineteen male and 6 female subjects were instrumented in a fixture designed to support the occupant leaning forward and apply seatbelt tension. The subjects were 5th percentile females, 50th percentile males, and 95th percentile males. Reflective markers were placed on the subjects to monitor torso kinematics during tensioning. Changes in spinal curvature were small during shoulder belt tensioning and the angular motion of the torso originated within 4.2 cm of the pelvis-femur junction or H-point. Torso repositioning and retraction timing was found to be: 54.3 degrees in 0.78 seconds for the 5th percentile female, 57.6 degrees in 0.95 seconds for the 50th percentile male, and 42.2 degrees in 0.92 seconds for the 95th percentile male. Occupant size has a significant effect on retraction time to reposition the torso during shoulder belt tensioning. Larger vehicle occupants require more time because of a slower retraction velocity. The results are sufficiently simple that a lumped-mass model can predict tensioning kinetics.

Hopkins in the A/L

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-12-18

View of Mike Hopkins, Expedition 38 Flight Engineer (FE), during remove and replace (R&R) of Hard Upper Torso (HUT) of Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU), in the airlock (A/L) during preparation for EVA-24. Photo was taken during Expedition 38. Image was released by astronaut on Twitter.

Combat Injury Coding: A Review and Reconfiguration

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

the clavicle , scapula, and pelvic girdle were grouped with the torso where they are anatomically located rather than in the upper and lower extremities...incomplete return to previous cognitive state Clavicle or scapula fracture, unilateral Burns, second or third degree, hand, wrist, elbow or shoulder

The MATROSHKA experiment: results and comparison from extravehicular activity (MTR-1) and intravehicular activity (MTR-2A/2B) exposure.

PubMed

Berger, Thomas; Bilski, Paweł; Hajek, Michael; Puchalska, Monika; Reitz, Günther

2013-12-01

Astronauts working and living in space are exposed to considerably higher doses and different qualities of ionizing radiation than people on Earth. The multilateral MATROSHKA (MTR) experiment, coordinated by the German Aerospace Center, represents the most comprehensive effort to date in radiation protection dosimetry in space using an anthropomorphic upper-torso phantom used for radiotherapy treatment planning. The anthropomorphic upper-torso phantom maps the radiation distribution as a simulated human body installed outside (MTR-1) and inside different compartments (MTR-2A: Pirs; MTR-2B: Zvezda) of the Russian Segment of the International Space Station. Thermoluminescence dosimeters arranged in a 2.54 cm orthogonal grid, at the site of vital organs and on the surface of the phantom allow for visualization of the absorbed dose distribution with superior spatial resolution. These results should help improve the estimation of radiation risks for long-term human space exploration and support benchmarking of radiation transport codes.

49 CFR 572.194 - Shoulder.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Shoulder. 572.194 Section 572.194 Transportation..., Small Adult Female § 572.194 Shoulder. (a) The shoulder structure is part of the upper torso assembly shown in drawing 180-3000. For the shoulder impact test, the dummy is tested as a complete assembly...

49 CFR 572.194 - Shoulder.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Shoulder. 572.194 Section 572.194 Transportation..., Small Adult Female § 572.194 Shoulder. (a) The shoulder structure is part of the upper torso assembly shown in drawing 180-3000. For the shoulder impact test, the dummy is tested as a complete assembly...

49 CFR 572.194 - Shoulder.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Shoulder. 572.194 Section 572.194 Transportation..., Small Adult Female § 572.194 Shoulder. (a) The shoulder structure is part of the upper torso assembly shown in drawing 180-3000. For the shoulder impact test, the dummy is tested as a complete assembly...

49 CFR 572.194 - Shoulder.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Shoulder. 572.194 Section 572.194 Transportation..., Small Adult Female § 572.194 Shoulder. (a) The shoulder structure is part of the upper torso assembly shown in drawing 180-3000. For the shoulder impact test, the dummy is tested as a complete assembly...

19. NBS SUIT LAB. STORAGE SHELF WITH LIQUID COOLING VENTILATION ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

19. NBS SUIT LAB. STORAGE SHELF WITH LIQUID COOLING VENTILATION GARMENT (LCVG), SUIT GLOVES, WAIST INSERTS, UPPER AND LOWER ARMS (LEFT, FROM TOP TO BOTTOM), LOWER TORSO ASSEMBLIES (LTA) (MIDDLE RIGHT TO LOWER RIGHT). - Marshall Space Flight Center, Neutral Buoyancy Simulator Facility, Rideout Road, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

Extravehicular Activity (EVA) 101: Constellation EVA Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jordan, Nicole C.

2007-01-01

A viewgraph presentation on Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Systems is shown. The topics include: 1) Why do we need space suits? 2) Protection From the Environment; 3) Primary Life Support System (PLSS); 4) Thermal Control; 5) Communications; 6) Helmet and Extravehicular Visor Assy; 7) Hard Upper Torso (HUT) and Arm Assy; 8) Display and Controls Module (DCM); 9) Gloves; 10) Lower Torso Assembly (LTA); 11) What Size Do You Need?; 12) Boot and Sizing Insert; 13) Boot Heel Clip and Foot Restraint; 14) Advanced and Crew Escape Suit; 15) Nominal & Off-Nominal Landing; 16) Gemini Program (mid-1960s); 17) Apollo EVA on Service Module; 18) A Bold Vision for Space Exploration, Authorized by Congress; 19) EVA System Missions; 20) Configurations; 21) Reduced Gravity Program; and 22) Other Opportunities.

14 CFR 25.562 - Emergency landing dynamic conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

...— (1) Proper use is made of seats, safety belts, and shoulder harnesses provided for in the design; and... likelihood of the upper torso restraint system (where installed) moving off the occupant's shoulder, and with... shoulder during the impact. (4) The lap safety belt must remain on the occupant's pelvis during the impact...

14 CFR 25.562 - Emergency landing dynamic conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

...— (1) Proper use is made of seats, safety belts, and shoulder harnesses provided for in the design; and... likelihood of the upper torso restraint system (where installed) moving off the occupant's shoulder, and with... shoulder during the impact. (4) The lap safety belt must remain on the occupant's pelvis during the impact...

14 CFR 25.562 - Emergency landing dynamic conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

...— (1) Proper use is made of seats, safety belts, and shoulder harnesses provided for in the design; and... likelihood of the upper torso restraint system (where installed) moving off the occupant's shoulder, and with... shoulder during the impact. (4) The lap safety belt must remain on the occupant's pelvis during the impact...

14 CFR 25.562 - Emergency landing dynamic conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

...— (1) Proper use is made of seats, safety belts, and shoulder harnesses provided for in the design; and... likelihood of the upper torso restraint system (where installed) moving off the occupant's shoulder, and with... shoulder during the impact. (4) The lap safety belt must remain on the occupant's pelvis during the impact...

49 CFR 572.196 - Thorax without arm.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Thorax without arm. 572.196 Section 572.196... Dummy, Small Adult Female § 572.196 Thorax without arm. (a) The thorax is part of the upper torso... (drawing 180-0000) with the arm (180-6000) on the impacted side removed. The dummy's thorax is equipped...

49 CFR 572.196 - Thorax without arm.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Thorax without arm. 572.196 Section 572.196... Test Dummy, Small Adult Female § 572.196 Thorax without arm. (a) The thorax is part of the upper torso... (drawing 180-0000) with the arm (180-6000) on the impacted side removed. The dummy's thorax is equipped...

49 CFR 572.196 - Thorax without arm.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Thorax without arm. 572.196 Section 572.196... Dummy, Small Adult Female § 572.196 Thorax without arm. (a) The thorax is part of the upper torso... (drawing 180-0000) with the arm (180-6000) on the impacted side removed. The dummy's thorax is equipped...

49 CFR 572.196 - Thorax without arm.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Thorax without arm. 572.196 Section 572.196... Test Dummy, Small Adult Female § 572.196 Thorax without arm. (a) The thorax is part of the upper torso... (drawing 180-0000) with the arm (180-6000) on the impacted side removed. The dummy's thorax is equipped...

Effects of underestimating the kinematics of trunk rotation on simultaneous reaching movements: predictions of a biomechanical model

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Rotation of the torso while reaching produces torques (e.g., Coriolis torque) that deviate the arm from its planned trajectory. To ensure an accurate reaching movement, the brain may take these perturbing torques into account during movement planning or, alternatively, it may correct hand trajectory during movement execution. Irrespective of the process selected, it is expected that an underestimation of trunk rotation would likely induce inaccurate shoulder and elbow torques, resulting in hand deviation. Nonetheless, it is still undetermined to what extent a small error in the perception of trunk rotations, translating into an inappropriate selection of motor commands, would affect reaching accuracy. Methods To investigate, we adapted a biomechanical model (J Neurophysiol 89: 276-289, 2003) to predict the consequences of underestimating trunk rotations on right hand reaching movements performed during either clockwise or counter clockwise torso rotations. Results The results revealed that regardless of the degree to which the torso rotation was underestimated, the amplitude of hand deviation was much larger for counter clockwise rotations than for clockwise rotations. This was attributed to the fact that the Coriolis and centripetal joint torques were acting in the same direction during counter clockwise rotation yet in opposite directions during clockwise rotations, effectively cancelling each other out. Conclusions These findings suggest that in order to anticipate and compensate for the interaction torques generated during torso rotation while reaching, the brain must have an accurate prediction of torso rotation kinematics. The present study proposes that when designing upper limb prostheses controllers, adding a sensor to monitor trunk kinematics may improve prostheses control and performance. PMID:23758968

14 CFR 27.785 - Seats, berths, litters, safety belts, and harnesses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... head injury by a safety belt plus a shoulder harness that will prevent the head from contacting any injurious object except as provided for in § 27.562(c)(5). A shoulder harness (upper torso restraint), in... serious injury in an emergency landing as a result of the static inertial load factors specified in § 27...

14 CFR 27.785 - Seats, berths, litters, safety belts, and harnesses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... head injury by a safety belt plus a shoulder harness that will prevent the head from contacting any injurious object except as provided for in § 27.562(c)(5). A shoulder harness (upper torso restraint), in... serious injury in an emergency landing as a result of the static inertial load factors specified in § 27...

14 CFR 27.785 - Seats, berths, litters, safety belts, and harnesses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... head injury by a safety belt plus a shoulder harness that will prevent the head from contacting any injurious object except as provided for in § 27.562(c)(5). A shoulder harness (upper torso restraint), in... serious injury in an emergency landing as a result of the static inertial load factors specified in § 27...

14 CFR 27.785 - Seats, berths, litters, safety belts, and harnesses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... head injury by a safety belt plus a shoulder harness that will prevent the head from contacting any injurious object except as provided for in § 27.562(c)(5). A shoulder harness (upper torso restraint), in... serious injury in an emergency landing as a result of the static inertial load factors specified in § 27...

49 CFR 572.185 - Thorax (upper torso) assembly.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... impactor at contact with the thorax. The non-struck side arm is oriented vertically, pointing downward. The...); (iv) The impactor is guided, if needed, so that at contact with the thorax its longitudinal axis is... rib not less than 37 mm and not greater than 44 mm. (ii) The impactor force shall be computed as the...

49 CFR 572.185 - Thorax (upper torso) assembly.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... impactor at contact with the thorax. The non-struck side arm is oriented vertically, pointing downward. The...); (iv) The impactor is guided, if needed, so that at contact with the thorax its longitudinal axis is... rib not less than 37 mm and not greater than 44 mm. (ii) The impactor force shall be computed as the...

49 CFR 572.185 - Thorax (upper torso) assembly.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... impactor at contact with the thorax. The non-struck side arm is oriented vertically, pointing downward. The...); (iv) The impactor is guided, if needed, so that at contact with the thorax its longitudinal axis is... rib not less than 37 mm and not greater than 44 mm. (ii) The impactor force shall be computed as the...

49 CFR 572.185 - Thorax (upper torso) assembly.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... impactor at contact with the thorax. The non-struck side arm is oriented vertically, pointing downward. The...); (iv) The impactor is guided, if needed, so that at contact with the thorax its longitudinal axis is... rib not less than 37 mm and not greater than 44 mm. (ii) The impactor force shall be computed as the...

49 CFR 572.185 - Thorax (upper torso) assembly.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... impactor at contact with the thorax. The non-struck side arm is oriented vertically, pointing downward. The...); (iv) The impactor is guided, if needed, so that at contact with the thorax its longitudinal axis is... rib not less than 37 mm and not greater than 44 mm. (ii) The impactor force shall be computed as the...

Evaluation of Parallel and Fan-Beam Data Acquisition Geometries and Strategies for Myocardial SPECT Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qi, Yujin; Tsui, B. M. W.; Gilland, K. L.; Frey, E. C.; Gullberg, G. T.

2004-06-01

This study evaluates myocardial SPECT images obtained from parallel-hole (PH) and fan-beam (FB) collimator geometries using both circular-orbit (CO) and noncircular-orbit (NCO) acquisitions. A newly developed 4-D NURBS-based cardiac-torso (NCAT) phantom was used to simulate the /sup 99m/Tc-sestamibi uptakes in human torso with myocardial defects in the left ventricular (LV) wall. Two phantoms were generated to simulate patients with thick and thin body builds. Projection data including the effects of attenuation, collimator-detector response and scatter were generated using SIMSET Monte Carlo simulations. A large number of photon histories were generated such that the projection data were close to noise free. Poisson noise fluctuations were then added to simulate the count densities found in clinical data. Noise-free and noisy projection data were reconstructed using the iterative OS-EM reconstruction algorithm with attenuation compensation. The reconstructed images from noisy projection data show that the noise levels are lower for the FB as compared to the PH collimator due to increase in detected counts. The NCO acquisition method provides slightly better resolution and small improvement in defect contrast as compared to the CO acquisition method in noise-free reconstructed images. Despite lower projection counts the NCO shows the same noise level as the CO in the attenuation corrected reconstruction images. The results from the channelized Hotelling observer (CHO) study show that FB collimator is superior to PH collimator in myocardial defect detection, but the NCO shows no statistical significant difference from the CO for either PH or FB collimator. In conclusion, our results indicate that data acquisition using NCO makes a very small improvement in the resolution over CO for myocardial SPECT imaging. This small improvement does not make a significant difference on myocardial defect detection. However, an FB collimator provides better defect detection than a PH collimator with similar spatial resolution for myocardial SPECT imaging.

The effect of asymmetrical body orientation during simulated forward falls on the distal upper extremity impact response of healthy people.

PubMed

Burkhart, Timothy A; Brydges, Evan; Stefanczyk, Jennifer; Andrews, David M

2017-04-01

The occurrence of distal upper extremity injuries resulting from forward falls (approximately 165,000 per year) has remained relatively constant for over 20years. Previous work has provided valuable insight into fall arrest strategies, but only symmetric falls in body postures that do not represent actual fall scenarios closely have been evaluated. This study quantified the effect of asymmetric loading and body postures on distal upper extremity response to simulated forward falls. Twenty participants were suspended from the Propelled Upper Limb fall ARest Impact System (PULARIS) in different torso and leg postures relative to the ground and to the sagittal plane (0°, 30° and 45°). When released from PULARIS (hands 10cm above surface, velocity 1m/s), participants landed on two force platforms, one for each hand. Right forearm impact response was measured with distal (radial styloid) and proximal (olecranon) tri-axial accelerometers and bipolar EMG from seven muscles. Overall, the relative height of the torso and legs had little effect on the forces, or forearm response variables. Muscle activation patterns consistently increased from the start to the peak activation levels after impact for all muscles, followed by a rapid decline after peak. The impact forces and accelerations suggest that the distal upper extremity is loaded more medial-laterally during asymmetric falls than symmetric falls. Altering the direction of the impact force in this way (volar-dorsal to medial-lateral) may help reduce distal extremity injuries caused when landing occurs symmetrically in the sagittal plane as it has been shown that volar-dorsal forces increase the risk of injury. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Validation of Body Volume Acquisition by Using Elliptical Zone Method.

PubMed

Chiu, C-Y; Pease, D L; Fawkner, S; Sanders, R H

2016-12-01

The elliptical zone method (E-Zone) can be used to obtain reliable body volume data including total body volume and segmental volumes with inexpensive and portable equipment. The purpose of this research was to assess the accuracy of body volume data obtained from E-Zone by comparing them with those acquired from the 3D photonic scanning method (3DPS). 17 male participants with diverse somatotypes were recruited. Each participant was scanned twice on the same day by a 3D whole-body scanner and photographed twice for the E-Zone analysis. The body volume data acquired from 3DPS was regarded as the reference against which the accuracy of the E-Zone was assessed. The relative technical error of measurement (TEM) of total body volume estimations was around 3% for E-Zone. E-Zone can estimate the segmental volumes of upper torso, lower torso, thigh, shank, upper arm and lower arm accurately (relative TEM<10%) but the accuracy for small segments including the neck, hand and foot were poor. In summary, E-Zone provides a reliable, inexpensive, portable, and simple method to obtain reasonable estimates of total body volume and to indicate segmental volume distribution. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Motion analysis of throwing Boccia balls in children with cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Huang, Po-Chang; Pan, Po-Jung; Ou, Yu-Chih; Yu, Yi-Chen; Tsai, Yung-Shen

2014-02-01

Boccia is a sport suitable for children with cerebral palsy (CP). Throwing Boccia balls requires upper extremity and torso coordination. This study investigated the differences between children with CP and normally developed children regarding throwing patterns of Boccia balls. Thirteen children with bilateral spastic CP and 20 normally developed children participated in this study. The tests in this study were a pediatric reach test and throwing of Boccia balls. A 3D electromagnetic motion tracking system and a force plate were synchronized to record and analyze biomechanical parameters of throwing Boccia balls. The results of the pediatric reach test for participants with CP were significantly worse than those for normally developed participants. The 2 groups of participants did not significantly differ regarding the distance between a thrown Boccia ball and a target ball (jack). Participants with CP demonstrated significantly longer movement duration, smaller amplitude of elbow movement, greater amplitudes of shoulder abduction and flexion, slower maximal velocity of torso flexion and the linear velocity of moving the wrist joint forward, faster maximal velocity of head flexion, and smaller sway ratio compared with normally developed participants when throwing Boccia balls. Participants with CP seemed to mainly use head and shoulder movements to bring the Boccia balls forward with limited torso movement. Normally developed participants brought the Boccia ball forward with faster torso and greater elbow movement while stabilizing head and shoulder movements. Nevertheless, participants with CP did not demonstrate significantly worse performance in the throwing accuracy of Boccia balls. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of excessive contralateral trunk tilt on pitching biomechanics and performance in high school baseball pitchers.

PubMed

Oyama, Sakiko; Yu, Bing; Blackburn, J Troy; Padua, Darin A; Li, Li; Myers, Joseph B

2013-10-01

There is a growing number of pitching-related upper extremity injuries among young baseball pitchers; however, there is a lack of data on the identification of injury prevention strategies, particularly the prevention of injuries through the instruction/modification of technique. The identification of technical parameters that are associated with increased joint loading is needed. To investigate the effects of excessive contralateral trunk tilt, a common technique identifiable by video observation, on pitching biomechanics and performance in high school baseball pitchers. The hypothesis was that this strategy is associated with greater joint loading and poor pitching performance. Descriptive laboratory study; Level of evidence, 3. The 3-dimensional pitching biomechanics, ball speed, and frontal view of the pitching technique from 72 high school baseball pitchers were captured on video and analyzed. The videos were reviewed to determine if the pitcher's trunk was excessively contralaterally tilted at the instant of maximal shoulder external rotation by examining whether the side of the pitcher's head ipsilateral to the throwing limb deviated by more than a head width from a vertical line passing through the pitcher's stride foot ankle. Upper extremity kinetics and upper extremity/trunk kinematics between pitchers with and without excessive contralateral trunk tilt were compared using independent t tests. Compared with pitchers who did not demonstrate excessive contralateral trunk tilt, those with excessive contralateral trunk tilt pitched at a higher ball speed (mean, 32.6 ± 2.2 vs 31.1 ± 2.9 m/s, respectively; P = .019) and experienced a greater elbow proximal force (mean, 103.9 ± 12.7 vs 93.2 ± 13.9 %weight, respectively; P = .001), shoulder proximal force (mean, 104.8 ± 14.1 vs 94.3 ± 15.5 %weight, respectively; P = .004), elbow varus moment (mean, 4.29 ± 0.73 vs 3.84 ± 0.8 %height*weight, respectively; P = .017), and shoulder internal rotation moment (mean, 4.21 ± 0.71 vs 3.75 ± 0.78 %height*weight, respectively; P = .011). Pitchers with excessive contralateral trunk tilt demonstrated less upper torso flexion at stride foot contact, less upper torso rotation, and greater upper torso contralateral flexion at maximal shoulder external rotation and ball release (P < .05). Excessive contralateral trunk tilt is a strategy that is associated with higher ball speeds and increased joint loading. Pitching with excessive contralateral trunk tilt, which can be identified through screening of the pitching technique, is associated with a benefit in performance and increased joint loading. Future study is warranted to determine if this strategy should be encouraged or discouraged by baseball coaches.

PREVENTION OF FACIAL TRAUMA IN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENTS

PubMed Central

Nahum, Alan

1963-01-01

Automobiles do not protect passengers from the forces generated in traffic accidents. Although some compensatory protection can be provided by restraining devices, seat belts are not enough and must be supplemented by upper torso restraints. Cars should be designed with a view to better protection of passengers against injury from striking against hard surfaces or protuberances. ImagesFigure 1.Figure 1.Figure 1. PMID:14084686

Multiple superficial basal cell carcinomata--topical imiquimod versus curette and cryotherapy.

PubMed

Dixon, Anthony J

2005-01-01

Superficial basal cell carcinoma can be successfully managed by means other than surgical excision. Nonexcisional approaches include topical imiquimod, and curette and cryotherapy (C&C). This article discusses the management of an insulin dependent diabetic man aged 52 years presenting with 17 torso basal cell carcinomas (BCCs); mostly superficial BCCs (SBCCs). Half were treated with topical imiquimod. The remaining lesions were treated with curette and cryotherapy. All lesions resolved with proven histologic clearance. The patient considered C&C caused him less discomfort and disruption. He developed a late secondary infection in some sites treated with imiquimod. At 12 months there was no evidence of recurrence though new nodular BCCs and SBCCs had developed elsewhere on his upper torso. He has elected to have future SBCCs managed with C&C. While excisional surgery remains the benchmark management for nonmelanoma skin cancer, topical imiquimod and C&C are important options for treating SBCCs.

Experimental investigation of biodynamic human body models subjected to whole-body vibration during a vehicle ride.

PubMed

Taskin, Yener; Hacioglu, Yuksel; Ortes, Faruk; Karabulut, Derya; Arslan, Yunus Ziya

2018-02-06

In this study, responses of biodynamic human body models to whole-body vibration during a vehicle ride were investigated. Accelerations were acquired from three different body parts, such as the head, upper torso and lower torso, of 10 seated passengers during a car ride while two different road conditions were considered. The same multipurpose vehicle was used during all experiments. Additionally, by two widely used biodynamic models in the literature, a set of simulations were run to obtain theoretical accelerations of the models and were compared with those obtained experimentally. To sustain a quantified comparison between experimental and theoretical approaches, the root mean square acceleration and acceleration spectral density were calculated. Time and frequency responses of the models demonstrated that neither of the models showed the best prediction performance of the human body behaviour in all cases, indicating that further models are required for better prediction of the human body responses.

Quantitative assessment of human body shape using Fourier analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friess, Martin; Rohlf, F. J.; Hsiao, Hongwei

2004-04-01

Fall protection harnesses are commonly used to reduce the number and severity of injuries. Increasing the efficiency of harness design requires the size and shape variation of the user population to be assessed as detailed and as accurately as possible. In light of the unsatisfactory performance of traditional anthropometry with respect to such assessments, we propose the use of 3D laser surface scans of whole bodies and the statistical analysis of elliptic Fourier coefficients. Ninety-eight male and female adults were scanned. Key features of each torso were extracted as a 3D curve along front, back and the thighs. A 3D extension of Elliptic Fourier analysis4 was used to quantify their shape through multivariate statistics. Shape change as a function of size (allometry) was predicted by regressing the coefficients onto stature, weight and hip circumference. Upper and lower limits of torso shape variation were determined and can be used to redefine the design of the harness that will fit most individual body shapes. Observed allometric changes are used for adjustments to the harness shape in each size. Finally, the estimated outline data were used as templates for a free-form deformation of the complete torso surface using NURBS models (non-uniform rational B-splines).

Regulation and Entrainment in Human-Robot Interaction

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-01-01

applications for domestic, health care related, or entertainment based robots motivate the development of robots that can socially interact with, learn...picture shows WE-3RII, an expressive face robot developed at Waseda University. The middle right picture shows Robita, an upper-torso robot also... developed at Waseda University to track speaking turns. The far right picture shows our expressive robot, Kismet, developed at MIT. The two leftmost photos

Investigation of the Human Response to Upper Torso Retraction with Weighted Helmets

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-01

coverage of each test. The Kodak system is capable of recording high-speed motion up to a rate of 1000 frames per second. For this study , the video...the measured center-of-gravity (CG) of the worst- case test helmet fell outside the current limits and no injuries were observed, it can be stated...8 Figure 7. T-test Cases 1-9 (0 lb Added Helmet Weight

Comparison of trunk kinematics in trunk training exercises and throwing.

PubMed

Stodden, David F; Campbell, Brian M; Moyer, Todd M

2008-01-01

Strength and conditioning professionals, as well as coaches, have emphasized the importance of training the trunk and the benefits it may have on sport performance and reducing the potential for injury. However, no data on the efficacy of trunk training support such claims. The purpose of this study was to examine the maximum differential trunk rotation and maximum angular velocities of the pelvis and upper torso of participants while they performed 4 trunk exercises (seated band rotations, cross-overs, medicine ball throws, and twisters) and compare these trunk exercise kinematics with the trunk kinematics demonstrated in actual throwing performance. Nine NCAA Division I baseball players participated in this study. Each participant's trunk kinematics was analyzed while he performed 5 repetitions of each exercise in both dominant and nondominant rotational directions. Results indicated maximum differentiated rotation in all 4 trunk exercises was similar to maximum differentiated rotation (approximately 50-60 degrees) demonstrated in throwing performance. Maximum angular velocities of the pelvis and upper torso in the trunk exercises were appreciably slower (approximately 50% or less) than the angular velocities demonstrated during throwing performance. Incorporating trunk training exercises that demonstrate sufficient trunk ranges of motion and velocities into a strength and conditioning program may help to increase ball velocity and/or decrease the risk injury.

Facts about Upper and Lower Limb Reduction Defects

MedlinePlus

... its normal size or is missing. What We Know About Upper and Lower Limb Reduction Defects How ... and productive lives. What We Still Do Not Know About Upper and Lower Limb Reduction Defects What ...

Preliminary Testing of a Pressurized Space Suit and Candidate Fabrics Under Simulated Mars Dust Storm and Dust Devil Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaier, James R.; deLeon, Pablo G.; Lee, Pascal; McCue, Terry R.; Hodgson, Edward W.; Thrasher, Jeff

2010-01-01

In August 2009 YAP Films (Toronto) received permission from all entities involved to create a documentary film illustrating what it might be like to be on the surface of Mars in a space suit during a dust storm or in a dust devil. The science consultants on this project utilized this opportunity to collect data which could be helpful to assess the durability of current space suit construction to the Martian environment. The NDX?1 prototype planetary space suit developed at the University of North Dakota was used in this study. The suit features a hard upper torso garment, and a soft lower torso and boots assembly. On top of that, a nylon-cotton outer layer is used to protect the suit from dust. Unmanned tests were carried out in the Martian Surface Wind Tunnel (MARSWIT) at the NASA Ames Research Center, with the suit pressurized to 10 kPa gauge. These tests blasted the space suit upper torso and helmet, and a collection of nine candidate outer layer fabrics, with wind-borne simulant for five different 10 minute tests under both terrestrial and Martian surface pressures. The infiltration of the dust through the outer fabric of the space suit was photographically documented. The nine fabric samples were analyzed under light and electron microscopes for abrasion damage. Manned tests were carried out at Showbiz Studios (Van Nuys, CA) with the pressure maintained at 20?2 kPa gauge. A large fan-created vortex lifted Martian dust simulant (Fullers Earth or JSC Mars?1) off of the floor, and one of the authors (Lee) wearing the NDX?1 space suit walked through it to judge both subjectively and objectively how the suit performed under these conditions. Both the procedures to scale the tests to Martian conditions and the results of the infiltration and abrasion studies will be discussed.

Preliminary Testing of a Pressurized Space Suit and Candidate Fabrics Under Simulated Mars Dust Storm and Dust Devil Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaier, James R.; deLeon, Pablo G.; Lee, Pascal; McCue, Terry R.; Hodgson, Edward W.; Thrasher, Jeff

2010-01-01

In August 2009 YAP Films (Toronto) received permission from all entities involved to create a documentary film illustrating what it might be like to be on the surface of Mars in a space suit during a dust storm or in a dust devil. The science consultants on this project utilized this opportunity to collect data which could be helpful to assess the durability of current space suit construction to the Martian environment. The NDX-1 prototype planetary space suit developed at the University of North Dakota was used in this study. The suit features a hard upper torso garment, and a soft lower torso and boots assembly. On top of that, a nylon-cotton outer layer is used to protect the suit from dust. Unmanned tests were carried out in the Martian Surface Wind Tunnel (MARSWIT) at the NASA Ames Research Center, with the suit pressurized to 10 kPa gauge. These tests blasted the space suit upper torso and helmet, and a collection of nine candidate outer layer fabrics, with wind-borne simulant for five different 10 min tests under both terrestrial and Martian surface pressures. The infiltration of the dust through the outer fabric of the space suit was photographically documented. The nine fabric samples were analyzed under light and electron microscopes for abrasion damage. Manned tests were carried out at Showbiz Studios (Van Nuys, California) with the pressure maintained at 20 2 kPa gauge. A large fan-created vortex lifted Martian dust simulant (Fullers Earth or JSC Mars-1) off of the floor, and one of the authors (Lee) wearing the NDX-1 space suit walked through it to judge both subjectively and objectively how the suit performed under these conditions. Both the procedures to scale the tests to Martian conditions and the results of the infiltration and abrasion studies will be discussed.

The effect of over-commitment and reward on trapezius muscle activity and shoulder, head, neck, and torso postures during computer use in the field

PubMed Central

Bruno Garza, Jennifer L.; Eijckelhof, Belinda H.W.; Huysmans, Maaike A.; Catalano, Paul J.; Katz, Jeffrey N.; Johnson, Peter W.; van Dieen, Jaap H.; van der Beek, Allard J.; Dennerlein, Jack T.

2015-01-01

Background Because of reported associations of psychosocial factors and computer related musculoskeletal symptoms, we investigated the effects of a workplace psychosocial factor, reward, in the presence of over-commitment, on trapezius muscle activity and shoulder, head, neck, and torso postures during computer use. Methods We measured 120 office workers across four groups (lowest/highest reward/over-commitment), performing their own computer work at their own workstations over a 2 hour period. Results Median trapezius muscle activity (p=0.04) and median neck flexion (p=0.03) were largest for participants reporting simultaneously low reward and high over-commitment. No differences were observed for other muscle activities or postures. Conclusions These data suggest that the interaction of reward and over-commitment can affect upper extremity muscle activity and postures during computer use in the real work environment. This finding aligns with the hypothesized biomechanical pathway connecting workplace psychosocial factors and musculoskeletal symptoms of the neck and shoulder. PMID:23818000

Assessment of Suited Reach Envelope in an Underwater Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Han; Benson, Elizabeth; Bernal, Yaritza; Jarvis, Sarah; Meginnis, Ian; Rajulu, Sudhakar

2017-01-01

Predicting the performance of a crewmember in an extravehicular activity (EVA) space suit presents unique challenges. The kinematic patterns of suited motions are difficult to reproduce in gravity. Additionally, 3-D suited kinematics have been practically and technically difficult to quantify in an underwater environment, in which crewmembers are commonly trained and assessed for performance. The goal of this study is to develop a hardware and software system to predictively evaluate the kinematic mobility of suited crewmembers, by measuring the 3-D reach envelope of the suit in an underwater environment. This work is ultimately aimed at developing quantitative metrics to compare the mobility of the existing Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) to newly developed space suit, such as the Z-2. The EMU has been extensively used at NASA since 1981 for EVA outside the Space Shuttle and International Space Station. The Z-2 suit is NASA's newest prototype space suit. The suit is comprised of new upper torso and lower torso architectures, which were designed to improve test subject mobility.

DoD Military Injury Prevention Priorities Working Group: Leading Injuries, Causes and Mitigation Recommendations

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-02-01

Based upon conservative estimates, lower extremity overuse injuries (e.g. pain , inflammation, and stress fractures) alone resulted in over three million...Injury Freq 1 Lower Extremity Overuse ( Pain , inflammation, & stress fractures) 3,803,512 34.5% 240,796 2 Torso Overuse ( Pain , inflammation, & stress...fractures) 2,165,562 19.6% 154,683 3 Upper Extremity Overuse ( Pain , inflammation, & stress fractures) 1,314,330 11.9% 93,750 4 Unspecified Location

Space Life Sciences Directorate's Position on the Physiological Effects of Exposing the Crewmemeber to Low-Voltage Electrical Hazards During Extravehicular Activity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hamilton, Douglas; Kramer, Leonard; Mikatarian, Ron; Polk, James; Duncan, Michael; Koontz, Steven

2010-01-01

The models predict that, for low voltage exposures in the space suit, physiologically active current could be conducted across the crew member causing catastrophic hazards. Future work with Naval Health Research Center Detachment Directed Energy Bio-effects Laboratory is being proposed to analyze additional current paths across the human torso and upper limbs. These models may need to be verified with human studies.

Preliminary Rotary Wing Full Spectrum Crashworthiness Criteria

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

6.2.1 Injury Risk Due to Occupant Loads Cervical forces and moments are to be used to evaluate injury to the head/neck, torso acceleration is used to...injury) for dynamic neck tension (lifting forces) at the occipital condyles (C0-C1, upper neck) and cervical vertebrae (C7-T1, lower neck) are defined...Neck Compression and Shear Force Limits The maximum acceptable cervical compression and shear force limits are defined in the following table

Obesity in trauma patients: correlations of body mass index with outcomes, injury patterns, and complications.

PubMed

Evans, David C; Stawicki, Stanislaw P A; Davido, H Tracy; Eiferman, Daniel

2011-08-01

Current understanding of the effects of obesity on trauma patients is incomplete. We hypothesized that among older trauma patients, obese patients differ from nonobese patients in injury patterns, complications, and mortality. Patients older than 45 years old presenting to a Level I trauma center were included in this retrospective database analysis (n = 461). Body mass index (BMI) groups were defined as underweight less than 18.5 kg/m(2), normal 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m(2), overweight 25.0 to 29.9 kg/m(2), or obese greater than 30 kg/m(2). Injury patterns, complications, and outcomes were analyzed using univariate analyses, multivariate logistic regression, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Higher BMI is associated with a higher incidence of torso injury and proximal upper extremity injuries in blunt trauma (n = 410). All other injury patterns and complications (except anemia) were similar between BMI groups. The underweight (BMI less than 18.5 kg/m(2)) group had significantly lower 90-day survival than other groups (P < 0.05). BMI is not a predictor of morbidity or mortality in multivariate analysis. Among older blunt trauma patients, increasing BMI is associated with higher rates of torso and proximal upper extremity injuries. Our study suggests that obesity is not an independent risk factor for complications or mortality after trauma in older patients. Conversely, underweight trauma patients had a lower 90-day survival.

Quantifying torso deformity in scoliosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ajemba, Peter O.; Kumar, Anish; Durdle, Nelson G.; Raso, V. James

2006-03-01

Scoliosis affects the alignment of the spine and the shape of the torso. Most scoliosis patients and their families are more concerned about the effect of scoliosis on the torso than its effect on the spine. There is a need to develop robust techniques for quantifying torso deformity based on full torso scans. In this paper, deformation indices obtained from orthogonal maps of full torso scans are used to quantify torso deformity in scoliosis. 'Orthogonal maps' are obtained by applying orthogonal transforms to 3D surface maps. (An 'orthogonal transform' maps a cylindrical coordinate system to a Cartesian coordinate system.) The technique was tested on 361 deformed computer models of the human torso and on 22 scans of volunteers (8 normal and 14 scoliosis). Deformation indices from the orthogonal maps correctly classified up to 95% of the volunteers with a specificity of 1.00 and a sensitivity of 0.91. In addition to classifying scoliosis, the system gives a visual representation of the entire torso in one view and is viable for use in a clinical environment for managing scoliosis.

Associations between timing in the baseball pitch and shoulder kinetics, elbow kinetics, and ball speed.

PubMed

Urbin, M A; Fleisig, Glenn S; Abebe, Asheber; Andrews, James R

2013-02-01

A baseball pitcher's ability to maximize ball speed while avoiding shoulder and elbow injuries is an important determinant of a successful career. Pitching injuries are attributed to microtrauma brought about by the repetitive stress of high-magnitude shoulder and elbow kinetics. Over a number of pitches, variations in timing peak angular velocities of trunk segment rotations will be significantly associated with ball speed and upper extremity kinetic parameters. Descriptive laboratory study. Kinematic and kinetic data were derived from 9 to 15 fastball pitches performed by 16 active, healthy collegiate (n = 8) and professional (n = 8) pitchers via 3-dimensional motion capture (240 Hz). Each pitch was decomposed into 4 phases corresponding to the time between peak angular velocities of sequential body segment rotations. Four mixed models were used to evaluate which phases varied significantly in relation to ball speed, peak shoulder proximal force, peak shoulder internal rotation torque, and peak elbow varus torque. Mixed-model parameter coefficient estimates were used to quantify the influence of these variations in timing on ball speed and upper extremity kinetics. All 4 mixed models were significant (P < .05). The time from stride-foot contact to peak pelvis angular velocity varied significantly in relation to all upper extremity kinetic parameters and ball speed. Increased time in this phase correlated with decreases in all parameters. Decreased ball speed also correlated with increased time between peak upper torso and elbow extension angular velocities. Decreased shoulder proximal force also correlated with increased time between peak pelvis and upper torso angular velocities. There are specific phases that vary in relation to ball speed and upper extremity kinetic parameters, reinforcing the importance of effectively and consistently timing segmental interactions. For the specific interactions that varied significantly, increased phase times were associated with decreased kinetics and ball speed. Although increased time within specific phases correlates with decreases in the magnitude of upper extremity kinetics linked to overuse injuries, it also correlates with decreased ball speed. Based on these findings, it may appear that minimizing the risk of injury (ie, decreased kinetics) and maximizing performance quality (ie, increased ball speed) are incompatible with one another. However, there may be an optimal balance in timing that is effective for satisfying both outcomes.

An International Survey of Shock and Vibration Technology

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-03-01

Rept. No. APL- UW -7615, RPR-24.4, (Aug. 1976). PB-269 585/6GA. 4-21 29. Angiola, A.J. and Chen, T.C., "An Applied Statistical Approach to Highway Noise...pp 27-42, (June 1975). 61. Wilkinson, T.L., ’Vibrational Loading of Mechanically Fastened Wood Joints’, Forest Products Lab., Madison , WI, Rept. No...Joints using a lumped param- eter model of the upper torso and head. The main objective was to predict lumbar intervertebral joint deformations. Smith

Advanced Techniques in Crash Impact Protection and Emergency Egress from Air Transport Aircraft

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-06-01

4.5.1 Integrated Upper Torso Restraint 70 4.5.1.1 NASA Ames Integrated System 71 4.5.1.2 Chrysler Corporate System 74 4.5.2 Y-Yoke Inertia Reel...3. International Husky Corporation /Boeing future concept lifting-body air freighter [Aviation Week, 1974 (32)] 4 4. Possible configuration of...39 24. Demonstration of passenger donning Schjeldahl "S" model "safety" hood in Chrysler Corporation Gulfstream. This smoke hood is presently in use

STS-45 MS Foale dons EMU with technicians' help in JSC's WETF Bldg 29

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

STS-45 Atlantis, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104, Mission Specialist (MS) C. Michael Foale stands on a platform as technicians help him don his extravehicular mobility unit (EMU). The technicians are preparing to connect the EMU upper and lower torsos at the waist ring. When fully suited, Foale will be lowered into a nearby 25 ft deep pool for an underwater simulation of contingency extravehicular activity (EVA) procedures. The pool is located in JSC's Weightless Environment Training Facility (WETF) Bldg 29.

Traces across the body: influence of music-dance synchrony on the observation of dance.

PubMed

Woolhouse, Matthew Harold; Lai, Rosemary

2014-01-01

In previous studies investigating entrainment and person perception, synchronized movements were found to enhance memory for incidental person attributes. Although this effect is robust, including in dance, the process by which it is actuated are less well understood. In this study, two hypotheses are investigated: that enhanced memory for person attributes is the result of (1) increased gaze time between in-tempo dancers; and/or (2) greater attentional focus between in-tempo dancers. To explore these possible mechanisms in the context of observing dance, an eye-tracking study was conducted in which subjects watched videos of pairs of laterally positioned dancers; only one of the dancers was synchronized with the music, the other being asynchronous. The results were consistent with the first hypothesis-music-dance synchrony gives rise to increased visual inspection times. In addition, there was a preference for upper-body fixations over lower-body fixations across both synchronous and asynchronous conditions. A subsequent, single-dancer eye-tracking study investigated fixations across different body regions, including head, torso, legs and feet. Significantly greater dwell times were recorded for head than torso and legs; feet attracted significantly less dwell time than any other body region. Lastly, the study sought to identify dance gestures responsible for torso- and head-directed fixations. Specifically we asked whether there are features in dance that are specially designed to direct an observer's gaze towards the face-the main "communicative portal" with respect to the transmission of intent, affect and empathy.

Traces across the body: influence of music-dance synchrony on the observation of dance

PubMed Central

Woolhouse, Matthew Harold; Lai, Rosemary

2014-01-01

In previous studies investigating entrainment and person perception, synchronized movements were found to enhance memory for incidental person attributes. Although this effect is robust, including in dance, the process by which it is actuated are less well understood. In this study, two hypotheses are investigated: that enhanced memory for person attributes is the result of (1) increased gaze time between in-tempo dancers; and/or (2) greater attentional focus between in-tempo dancers. To explore these possible mechanisms in the context of observing dance, an eye-tracking study was conducted in which subjects watched videos of pairs of laterally positioned dancers; only one of the dancers was synchronized with the music, the other being asynchronous. The results were consistent with the first hypothesis—music-dance synchrony gives rise to increased visual inspection times. In addition, there was a preference for upper-body fixations over lower-body fixations across both synchronous and asynchronous conditions. A subsequent, single-dancer eye-tracking study investigated fixations across different body regions, including head, torso, legs and feet. Significantly greater dwell times were recorded for head than torso and legs; feet attracted significantly less dwell time than any other body region. Lastly, the study sought to identify dance gestures responsible for torso- and head-directed fixations. Specifically we asked whether there are features in dance that are specially designed to direct an observer’s gaze towards the face—the main “communicative portal” with respect to the transmission of intent, affect and empathy. PMID:25520641

Endoscopic vacuum therapy for various defects of the upper gastrointestinal tract.

PubMed

Kuehn, Florian; Loske, Gunnar; Schiffmann, Leif; Gock, Michael; Klar, Ernst

2017-09-01

Postoperative, iatrogenic or spontaneous upper gastrointestinal defects result in significant morbidity and mortality of the patients. In the last few years, endoscopic vacuum therapy (EVT) has been recognized as a new promising method for repairing upper gastrointestinal defects of different etiology. However, probably due to insufficient data and no commercially available system for EVT of the upper gastrointestinal tract, until the end of 2014, covering of esophageal defects with self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) were still the mainstay of endoscopic therapy. The aim of this article is to review the data available about EVT for various upper gastrointestinal defects. A selective literature search was conducted in Medline and PubMed (2007-2016), taking into account all the published case series and case reports reporting on the use of EVT in the management of upper gastrointestinal defects. EVT works through intracorporal application of negative pressure at the defect zone with an electronic controlled vacuum device along a polyurethane sponge drainage. This results in closure of the esophageal defect and internal drainage of the septic focus, simultaneously. Compared to stenting, EVT enables regular viewing of wound conditions with control of the septic focus and adjustment of therapy. Moreover, endoscopical negative pressure is applicable in all esophageal regions (cricopharygeal, tubular, gastroesophageal junction) and in anastomotic anatomic variants. EVT can be used solely as a definite treatment or as a complimentary therapy combined with operative revision. In total, there are published data of more than 200 patients with upper gastrointestinal defects treated with EVT, showing succes rates from 70-100%. The available data indicate that EVT is feasible, safe and effective with good short-term and long-term clinical outcomes in the damage control of upper GI-tract leaks. Still, a prospective multi-center study has to be conducted to proof the definite benefit of EVT for patients with esophageal defects.

Shoulder and hip joints for hard space suits and the like

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vykukal, H. C.

1986-01-01

For use in hard space suits and the like, a joint between the torso covering and the upper arm covering (i.e., shoulder) or between the torso covering and upper leg covering (i.e., hip) is disclosed. Each joint has an outer covering and a inner covering. The outer covering has plural perferably truncated toroidal sections decreasing in size proceeding outwardly. In one embodiment at each joint there are two bearings, the first larger than the second. The outer race of the larger bearing is attached to the outer edge of the smaller end of each section and the inner race of the larger bearing is attached to the end wall. The inner race of the smaller bearing is attached to the end wall. The outer race of the smaller bearing is attached to the larger end of the next section. Each bearing hask appropriate seals. Between each section is a rubber ring for the comfort of the wearer. Such rubber rings have radial flanges attached to the inner races of two adjacent bearings. Matching semicircular grooves are formed in the abutting overlapping surfaces. Bellows-like inner walls are also provided for each section fixed at one end to an inner cylindrical flange and, at the opposite end, to an end wall. Each outer section may rotate 360 deg relative to the next outer section, whereas the bellows sections do not rotate, but rather expand or contract locally as the rigid sections rotate relative to each other.

Mountain biking injuries: an update.

PubMed

Kronisch, Robert L; Pfeiffer, Ronald P

2002-01-01

This article reviews the available literature regarding injuries in off-road bicyclists. Recent progress in injury research has allowed the description of several patterns of injury in this sport. Mountain biking remains popular, particularly among young males, although sales and participation figures have decreased in the last several years. Competition in downhill racing has increased, while cross-country racing has decreased somewhat in popularity. Recreational riders comprise the largest segment of participants, but little is known about the demographics and injury epidemiology of noncompetitive mountain cyclists. Most mountain bikers participating in surveys reported a history of previous injuries, but prospective studies conducted at mountain bike races have found injury rates of <1%. The most common mechanism of injury involves a forward fall over the handlebars, usually while riding downhill, which can result in direct trauma to the head, torso and upper extremities. A variety of factors can be associated with this type of fall, including trail surface irregularities, mechanical failures and loss of control. In mountain bike racing the risk of injury may be higher for women than men. Minor injuries such as abrasions and contusions occur frequently, but are usually of little consequence. Fractures usually involve the torso or upper extremities, and shoulder injuries are common. Head and face injuries are not always prevented by current helmet designs. Fatal injuries are rare but have been reported. Improvements in safety equipment, rider training and racecourse design are suggested injury prevention measures. The authors encourage continued research in this sport.

Efficacy of side air bags in reducing driver deaths in driver-side collisions.

PubMed

Braver, Elisa R; Kyrychenko, Sergey Y

2004-03-15

Side air bags, a relatively new technology designed to protect the head and/or torso in side-impact collisions, are becoming increasingly common in automobiles. Their efficacy in preventing US driver deaths among cars struck on the near (driver's) side was examined using data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System and the General Estimates System. Risk ratios for driver death per nearside collision during 1999-2001 were computed for head/torso and torso-only side air bags in cars from model years 1997-2002, relative to cars without side air bags. Confounding was addressed by adjusting nearside risk ratios for front- and rear-impact mortality, which is unaffected by side air bags. Risk ratios were 0.55 (95% confidence interval: 0.43, 0.71) for head/torso air bags and 0.89 (95% confidence interval: 0.79, 1.01) for torso-only air bags. Risk was reduced when cars with head/torso air bags were struck by cars/minivans (significant) or pickup trucks/sport utility vehicles (nonsignificant). Risk was reduced in two-vehicle collisions and among male drivers and drivers aged 16-64 years. Protective effects associated with torso-only air bags were observed in single-vehicle crashes and among male and 16- to 64-year-old drivers. Head/torso side air bags appear to be very effective in reducing nearside driver deaths, whereas torso-only air bags appear less protective.

Next-Generation MKIII Lightweight HUT/Hatch Assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCarthy, Mike; Toscano, Ralph

2013-01-01

The MK III (H-1) carbon-graphite/ epoxy Hard Upper Torso (HUT)/Hatch assembly was designed, fabricated, and tested in the early 1990s. The spacesuit represented an 8.3 psi (˜58 kPa) technology demonstrator model of a zero prebreathe suit. The basic torso shell, brief, and hip areas of the suit were composed of a carbon-graphite/epoxy composite lay-up. In its current configuration, the suit weighs approximately 120 lb (˜54 kg). However, since future planetary suits will be designed to operate at 0.26 bar (˜26 kPa), it was felt that the suit's re-designed weight could be reduced to 79 lb (˜35 kg) with the incorporation of lightweight structural materials. Many robust, lightweight structures based on the technologies of advanced honeycomb materials, revolutionary new composite laminates, metal matrix composites, and recent breakthroughs in fullerene fillers and nanotechnology lend themselves well to applications requiring materials that are both light and strong. The major problem involves the reduction in weight of the HUT/ Hatch assembly for use in lunar and/or planetary applications, while at the same time maintaining a robust structural design. The technical objective is to research, design, and develop manufacturing methods that support fa b rica - tion of a lightweight HUT/Hatch assembly using advanced material and geometric redesign as necessary. Additionally, the lightweight HUT/Hatch assembly will interface directly with current MK III hardware. Using the new operating pressure and current MK III (H-1) interfaces as a starting block, it is planned to maximize HUT/Hatch assembly weight reduction through material selection and geometric redesign. A hard upper torso shell structure with rear-entry closure and corresponding hatch will be fabricated. The lightweight HUT/Hatch assembly will retrofit and interface with existing MK III (H-1) hardware elements, providing NASA with immediate "plug-andplay" capability. NASA crewmembers will have a lightweight, robust, life-support system that will minimize fatigue during extraterrestrial surface sojourns. Its unique feature is the utilization of a new and innovative family of materials used by the aerospace industry, which at the time of this reporting has not been used for the proposed application.

Automated scoring system of standard uptake value for torso FDG-PET images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hara, Takeshi; Kobayashi, Tatsunori; Kawai, Kazunao; Zhou, Xiangrong; Itoh, Satoshi; Katafuchi, Tetsuro; Fujita, Hiroshi

2008-03-01

The purpose of this work was to develop an automated method to calculate the score of SUV for torso region on FDG-PET scans. The three dimensional distributions for the mean and the standard deviation values of SUV were stored in each volume to score the SUV in corresponding pixel position within unknown scans. The modeling methods is based on SPM approach using correction technique of Euler characteristic and Resel (Resolution element). We employed 197 nor-mal cases (male: 143, female: 54) to assemble the normal metabolism distribution of FDG. The physique were registered each other in a rectangular parallelepiped shape using affine transformation and Thin-Plate-Spline technique. The regions of the three organs were determined based on semi-automated procedure. Seventy-three abnormal spots were used to estimate the effectiveness of the scoring methods. As a result, the score images correctly represented that the scores for normal cases were between zeros to plus/minus 2 SD. Most of the scores of abnormal spots associated with cancer were lager than the upper of the SUV interval of normal organs.

Refinement of Optimal Work Envelope for Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA) Suit Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaramillo, Marcos A.; Angermiller, Bonnie L.; Morency, Richard M.; Rajululu, Sudhakar L.

2008-01-01

The purpose of the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Work Envelope study is to determine and revise the work envelope defined in NSTS 07700 "System Description and Design Data - Extravehicular Activities" [1], arising from an action item as a result of the Shoulder Injury Tiger Team findings. The aim of this study is to determine a common work envelope that will encompass a majority of the crew population while minimizing the possibility of shoulder and upper arm injuries. There will be approximately two phases of testing: arm sweep analysis to be performed in the Anthropometry and Biomechanics Facility (ABF), and torso lean testing to be performed on the Precision Air Bearing Facility (PABF). NSTS 07700 defines the preferred work envelope arm reach in terms of maximum reach, and defines the preferred work envelope torso flexibility of a crewmember to be a net 45 degree backwards lean [1]. This test served two functions: to investigate the validity of the standard discussed in NSTS 07700, and to provide recommendations to update this standard if necessary.

Scripting human animations in a virtual environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldsby, Michael E.; Pandya, Abhilash K.; Maida, James C.

1994-01-01

The current deficiencies of virtual environment (VE) are well known: annoying lag time in drawing the current view, drastically simplified environments to reduce that time lag, low resolution and narrow field of view. Animation scripting is an application of VE technology which can be carried out successfully despite these deficiencies. The final product is a smoothly moving high resolution animation displaying detailed models. In this system, the user is represented by a human computer model with the same body proportions. Using magnetic tracking, the motions of the model's upper torso, head and arms are controlled by the user's movements (18 degrees of freedom). The model's lower torso and global position and orientation are controlled by a spaceball and keypad (12 degrees of freedom). Using this system human motion scripts can be extracted from the user's movements while immersed in a simplified virtual environment. Recorded data is used to define key frames; motion is interpolated between them and post processing adds a more detailed environment. The result is a considerable savings in time and a much more natural-looking movement of a human figure in a smooth and seamless animation.

Active Surveillance of Birth Defects Among US Department of Defense Beneficiaries: A Feasibility Study

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-05-01

cleft palate / lip , upper alimentary, male reproductive, and urinary tract birth defects than the active surveillance database. Prevalence for the...the passive CEIS surveillance contained a smaller number of cleft palate / lip , upper alimentary, male reproductive, and urinary tract birth defects...Cardiovascular 33 29 8 63 Respiratory 4 3 0 4 Cleft palate / lip 12 4 3 14 Upper alimentary

Understanding 3D human torso shape via manifold clustering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Sheng; Li, Peng; Fu, Yun

2013-05-01

Discovering the variations in human torso shape plays a key role in many design-oriented applications, such as suit designing. With recent advances in 3D surface imaging technologies, people can obtain 3D human torso data that provide more information than traditional measurements. However, how to find different human shapes from 3D torso data is still an open problem. In this paper, we propose to use spectral clustering approach on torso manifold to address this problem. We first represent high-dimensional torso data in a low-dimensional space using manifold learning algorithm. Then the spectral clustering method is performed to get several disjoint clusters. Experimental results show that the clusters discovered by our approach can describe the discrepancies in both genders and human shapes, and our approach achieves better performance than the compared clustering method.

Coordinated three-dimensional motion of the head and torso by dynamic neural networks.

PubMed

Kim, J; Hemami, H

1998-01-01

The problem of trajectory tracking control of a three dimensional (3D) model of the human upper torso and head is considered. The torso and the head are modeled as two rigid bodies connected at one point, and the Newton-Euler method is used to derive the nonlinear differential equations that govern the motion of the system. The two-link system is driven by six pairs of muscle like actuators that possess physiologically inspired alpha like and gamma like inputs, and spindle like and Golgi tendon organ like outputs. These outputs are utilized as reflex feedback for stability and stiffness control, in a long loop feedback for the purpose of estimating the state of the system (somesthesis), and as part of the input to the controller. Ideal delays of different duration are included in the feedforward and feedback paths of the system to emulate such delays encountered in physiological systems. Dynamical neural networks are trained to learn effective control of the desired maneuvers of the system. The feasibility of the controller is demonstrated by computer simulation of the successful execution of the desired maneuvers. This work demonstrates the capabilities of neural circuits in controlling highly nonlinear systems with multidelays in their feedforward and feedback paths. The ultimate long range goal of this research is toward understanding the working of the central nervous system in controlling movement. It is an interdisciplinary effort relying on mechanics, biomechanics, neuroscience, system theory, physiology and anatomy, and its short range relevance to rehabilitation must be noted.

A teaching phantom for sonographers.

PubMed

Zagzebski, J A; Madsen, E L; Frank, G R

1991-01-01

An anthropomorphic torso section phantom is described that is intended for use during initial stages of ultrasonographer training. The phantom represents a section of the upper abdomen, with simulated ribs, liver, kidney with fat pad, gallbladder, aorta, and bowel gas. Positioned in the liver are ten simulated soft tissue masses, which produce a variety of typical echographic patterns. All simulated soft tissue components are formed of tissue-mimicking materials that match their corresponding tissue counterparts in terms of speed of sound, ultrasonic attenuation, and density. Construction details are presented and examples of images are shown.

Reconstruction of two separate defects in the upper extremity using anterolateral thigh chimeric flap.

PubMed

Peng, Feng; Chen, Lin; Han, Dong; Xiao, Chenwei; Bao, Qiyuan; Wang, Tao

2013-11-01

We presented our experience on the use of anterolateral thigh (ALT) chimeric flap to reconstruct two separate defects in upper extremity. From December 2009 to August 2012, we used this ALT chimeric flap to reconstruct two separate defects in upper extremity on five patients (mean age: 36.6 years; range: 15 ∼ 47 years). The locations of defect were palm and fingers in four patients and forearm in the other patient. The sizes of defect ranged from 4.5 × 1.5 cm to 20 × 10 cm. A minimum of two separate perforator vessels in the flap were identified. The skin paddle was then split between the two perforators to shape two separate paddles with a common vascular supply. There were no cases of flap failure or re-exploration. Four donor sites were directly closed and one was covered by a skin graft. Donor-site morbidity was negligible. The ALT chimeric flap provides customized cover for two separate defects in upper extremity. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Difference in dummy responses in matched side impact tests of vehicles with and without side airbags.

PubMed

Viano, David C; Parenteau, Chantal S

2016-07-03

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) high-hooded side impacts were analyzed for matched vehicle tests with and without side airbags. The comparison provides a measure of the effectiveness of side airbags in reducing biomechanical responses for near-side occupants struck by trucks, SUVs, and vans at 50 km/h. The IIHS moving deformable barrier (MDB) uses a high-hooded barrier face. It weighs 1,500 kg and impacts the driver side perpendicular to the vehicle at 50 km/h. SID IIs dummies are placed in the driver and left second-row seats. They represent fifth percentile female occupants. IIHS tests were reviewed for matches with one test with a side airbag and another without it in 2003-2007 model year (MY) vehicles. Four side airbag systems were evaluated: (1) curtain and torso side airbags, (2) head and torso side airbag, (3) curtain side airbag, and (4) torso side airbag. There were 24 matched IIHS vehicle tests: 13 with and without a curtain and torso side airbags, 4 with and without a head and torso side airbag, 5 with and without a side curtain airbag, and 2 with and without a torso airbag. The head, chest, and pelvis responses were compared for each match and the average difference was determined across all matches for a type of side airbag. The average reduction in head injury criterion (HIC) was 68 ± 16% (P < .001) with curtain and torso side airbags compared to the HIC without side airbags. The average HIC was 296 with curtain and torso side airbags and 1,199 without them. The viscous response (VC) was reduced 54 ± 19% (P < .005) with curtain and torso side airbags. The combined acetabulum and ilium force (7 ± 15%) and pelvic acceleration (-2 ± 17%) were essentially similar in the matched tests. The head and torso side airbag reduced HIC by 42 ± 30% (P < .1) and VC by 32 ± 26% compared to vehicles without a side airbag. The average HIC was 397 with the side head and torso airbag compared to 729 without it. The curtain airbag and torso airbag only showed lower head responses but essentially no difference in the chest and pelvis responses. The curtain and torso side airbags effectively reduced biomechanical responses for the head and chest in 50 km/h side impacts with a high-hooded deformable barrier. The reductions in the IIHS tests are directionally the same as estimated fatality reductions in field crashes reported by NHTSA for side airbags.

Heat loss regulation: role of appendages and torso in the deer mouse and the white rabbit.

PubMed

Conley, K E; Porter, W P

1985-01-01

Thermal conductance was subdivided into the component conductances of the appendages and torso using a heat transfer analysis for the deer mouse, Peromyscus maniculatus, and the white rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus. Our analysis was based on laboratory measurements of skin temperature and respiratory gas exchange made between air temperatures of 8 and 34 degrees C for the deer mouse, and from published data for the white rabbit. Two series conductances to heat transfer for each appendage and torso were evaluated: internal (hin), for blood flow and tissue conduction to the skin surface, and external (hex), for heat loss from the skin surface to the environment. These two series conductances were represented in a single, total conductance (htot). The limit to htot was set by hex and was reached by the torso htot of both animals. The increase in torso htot observed with air temperature for the mouse suggests that a pilomotor change in fur depth occurred. A control of htot below the limit set by hex was achieved by the hin of each appendage. Elevation of mouse thermal conductance (C) resulted from increases in feet, tail, and torso htot. In contrast, the rabbit showed no change in torso htot between 5 and 30 degrees C and ear htot exclusively increased C over these air temperatures. We suggest that the hyperthermia reported for the rabbit at 35 degrees C resulted from C reaching the physical limit set by torso and near hex. Thus the ear alone adjusted rabbit C, whereas the feet, tail, and the torso contributed to the adjustment of mouse C.

Identification of temporal pathomechanical factors during the tennis serve.

PubMed

Martin, Caroline; Kulpa, Richard; Ropars, Mickaël; Delamarche, Paul; Bideau, Benoit

2013-11-01

The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to measure the effects of temporal parameters on both ball velocity and upper limb joint kinetics to identify pathomechanical factors during the tennis serve and (b) to validate these pathomechanical factors by comparing injured and noninjured players. The serves of expert tennis players were recorded with an optoelectronic motion capture system. These experts were then followed during two seasons to identify overuse injuries of the upper limb. Correlation coefficients assessed the relationships between temporal parameters, ball velocity, and peaks of upper limb joint kinetics to identify pathomechanical factors. Temporal parameters and ball velocity were compared between injured and noninjured groups. Temporal pathomechanical factors were identified. The timings of peak angular velocities of pelvis longitudinal rotation, upper torso longitudinal rotation, trunk sagittal rotation, and trunk transverse rotation and the duration between instants of shoulder horizontal adduction and external rotation were significantly related to upper limb joint kinetics and ball velocity. Injured players demonstrated later timings of trunk rotations, improper differences in time between instants of shoulder horizontal adduction and external rotation, lower ball velocities, and higher joint kinetics. The findings of this study imply that improper temporal mechanics during the tennis serve can decrease ball velocity, increase upper limb joint kinetics, and thus possibly increase overuse injuries of the upper limb.

LARM PKM solutions for torso design in humanoid robots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ceccarelli, Marco

2014-12-01

Human-like torso features are essential in humanoid robots. In this paper problems for design and operation of solutions for a robotic torso are discussed by referring to experiences and designs that have been developed at Laboratory of Robotics and Mechatronics (LARM) in Cassino, Italy. A new solution is presented with conceptual views as waist-trunk structure that makes a proper partition of the performance for walking and arm operations as sustained by a torso.

Effect of torso flexion on the lumbar torso extensor muscle sagittal plane moment arms.

PubMed

Jorgensen, Michael J; Marras, William S; Gupta, Purnendu; Waters, Thomas R

2003-01-01

Accurate anatomical inputs for biomechanical models are necessary for valid estimates of internal loading. The magnitude of the moment arm of the lumbar erector muscle group is known to vary as a function of such variables as gender. Anatomical evidence indicates that the moment arms decrease during torso flexion. However, moment arm estimates in biomechanical models that account for individual variability have been derived from imaging studies from supine postures. Quantify the sagittal plane moment arms of the lumbar erector muscle group as a function of torso flexion, and identify individual characteristics that are associated with the magnitude of the moment arms as a function of torso flexion. Utilization of a 0.3 Tesla Open magnetic resonance image (MRI) to image and quantify the moment arm of the right erector muscle group as a function of gender and torso flexion. Axial MRI images through and parallel to each of the lumbar intervertebral discs at four torso flexion angles were obtained from 12 male and 12 female subjects in a lateral recumbent posture. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to investigate the differences in the moment arms at different torso flexion angles, whereas hierarchical linear regression was used to investigate associations with individual anthropometric characteristics and spinal posture. The largest decrease in the lumbar erector muscle group moment arm from neutral to 45-degree flexion occurred at the L5-S1 level (9.7% and 8.9% for men and women, respectively). Measures of spinal curvature (L1-S1 lordosis), body mass and trunk characteristics (depth or circumference) were associated with the varying moment arm at most lumbar levels. The sagittal plane moment arms of the lumbar erector muscle mass decrease as the torso flexes forward. The change in moment arms as a function of torso flexion may have an impact on prediction of spinal loading in biomechanical models.

The effect of patient migration in bed on torso elevation.

PubMed

Wiggermann, Neal; Kotowski, Susan; Davis, Kermit; VanGilder, Catherine

2015-01-01

Elevating the hospital head of bed (HOB) to at least 30° is recommended practice to reduce the risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in mechanically ventilated patients. However, this common practice prescribes the position of the bed and not of the patient, which could be significantly different. The aim of this research was to determine the relationship between patient migration in bed and anatomic torso angle. Ten healthy participants were positioned in a hospital bed that was raised from flat to 30° and 45° HOB elevations. Prior to bed movement, participants were aligned to different locations along the length of the bed to represent different amounts of migration. A motion capture system was used to measure torso angle and migration toward the foot of the bed. The relationship between torso angle and migration was estimated by linear regression. Patient migration resulted in lower torso angles for both 30° and 45° HOB articulations. A migration of 10 cm resulted in a loss of 9.1° and 13.0° of torso angle for HOB articulations of 30° and 45°, respectively (for 30° articulations: (Equation is included in full-text article.)= -0.91, R = .96; for 45° articulations: (Equation is included in full-text article.)= -1.30, R = .98). Migration toward the foot of the bed flattens the torso. To maintain a torso angle that is likely to protect against VAP, healthcare providers need to manage both HOB angle and migration. Protocols and equipment that minimize patient migration will help support effective clinical practice. Future research on patient migration, as it relates to VAP or other outcomes, should measure patient torso angle to allow accurate translation of the results to care practice.

Biotechnology

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-02-09

The Phantom Torso is a tissue-muscle plastic anatomical model of a torso and head. It contains over 350 radiation measuring devices to calculate the radiation that penetrates internal organs in space travel. The Phantom Torso is one of three radiation experiments in Expedition Two including the Borner Ball Neutron Detector and Dosimetric Mapping.

Comparison of the metabolic demands of dance performance using three mobility devices for a dancer with spinal cord injury and an able-bodied dancer.

PubMed

Mengelkoch, Larry J; Highsmith, M Jason; Morris, Merry L

2014-09-01

Mobility devices for dancers with physical mobility impairments have previously been limited to traditional manual or power wheelchairs. The hands-free torso-controlled mobility chair is a unique powered mobility device which allows greater freedom and expression of movement of the trunk and upper extremities. This study compared differences in energy expenditure during a standardized dance activity using three mobility devices: the hands-free torso-controlled mobility chair, a manual sports wheelchair with hand-arm control, and an electric power chair with hand-joystick control. An experienced dancer with C7 incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI) and an experienced able-bodied dancer were recruited for testing. Three measurement trials were obtained for each chair per subject. Oxygen uptake (VO2) and heart rate (HR) were measured continuously during the dance activity. Immediately following the dance activity, subjects rated perceived exertion. Significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) and similar linear patterns in VO2 and HR responses were observed between chairs for both dancers. When the hands-free mobility chair was used, the dance activity required a moderate level of energy expenditure compared to the manual sports chair or electric power chair for both dancers. Higher ratings of perceived exertion were observed in the manual chair compared to the other chairs for the dancer with SCI, but were similar between chairs for the able-bodied dancer. These results suggest that for a dancer with high-level SCI, the hands-free torso-controlled mobility chair may offer improved freedom and expressive movement possibilities and is an energy-efficient mobility device.

Regional thermal comfort zone in males and females.

PubMed

Ciuha, Ursa; Mekjavic, Igor B

2016-07-01

Skin regions differ in their sensitivity to temperature stimuli. The present study examined whether such regional differences were also evident in the perception of thermal comfort. Regional thermal comfort was assessed in males (N=8) and females (N=8), by having them regulate the temperature of the water delivered to a water-perfused suit (WPS), within a temperature range considered thermally comfortable. In separate trials, subjects regulated the temperature of the WPS, or specific regions of the suit covering different skin areas (arms, legs, front torso and back torso). In the absence of subjective temperature regulation (TR), the temperature changed in a sinusoidal manner from 10°C to 50°C; by depressing a switch and reversing the direction of the temperature at the limits of the thermal comfort zone (TCZ), each subject defined TCZ for each body region investigated. The range of regulated temperatures did not differ between genders and skin regions. Local Tsk at the lower and upper limits of the TCZ was similar for both genders. Higher (p<0.05) local Tsk was preferred for the arms (35.4±2.1°C), compared to other regions (legs: 34.4±5.4°C, front torso: 34.6±2.8°C, 34.3±6.6°C), irrespective of gender. In thermally comfortable conditions, the well-established regional differences in thermosensitivity are not reflected in the TCZ, with similar temperature preferences by both genders. Thermal comfort of different skin regions and overall body is not achieved at a single skin temperature, but at range of temperatures, defined as the TCZ. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Men, muscles, and body image: comparisons of competitive bodybuilders, weight trainers, and athletically active controls

PubMed Central

Pickett, T; Lewis, R; Cash, T; Pope, H

2005-01-01

Objectives: To investigate body image and psychosocial adjustment among competitive bodybuilders, non-competitive weight trainers, and athletically active men. Methods: Participants were 40 men in each of the three groups who were assessed on body composition and multiple facets of body image evaluation, investment and anxiety, eating attitudes, and social self esteem. Results: Relative to the other two groups, competitive bodybuilders had greater body mass due to fat-free body mass. Although groups did not differ in their situational body image discomfort, competitive bodybuilders and weight trainers had a more positive global appearance evaluation and were more psychologically invested in their physical appearance. Compared with active controls, men in both weightlifting groups were more satisfied with their upper torso and muscle tone. Competitive bodybuilders reported more mid torso satisfaction than the other two groups. Competitive bodybuilders also wished to be significantly heavier than controls did and reported higher social self esteem but greater eating disturbance. Conclusions: The findings suggest that competitive bodybuilders as a group are not more "muscle dysmorphic" than either non-competitive weight trainers or physically active men who do not train with weights. PMID:15793091

Article of Clothing for Storing and Deploying a Scarf

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Romero, Robert (Inventor)

2015-01-01

A clothing article surrounds a wearer's upper torso. The article includes connected front portion, a collar. A sleeve is formed in the front portion. A jacket, and coat with an attachable/detachable scarf will be folded and stored in the inter portion of the front side of the collar area with elastic at each end and Velcro onto the inner portion of your collar, therefore eliminating the lost of them by any consumers, and especially children. A sleeve like collar attached to the coat and jacket for storing a scarf and making it easily deployable while in use.

[No interrupted surgical defects of the white upper lip: repair by a combined advancement and rotation flap in the lip subunit].

PubMed

Guillot, P

2013-01-01

A solid understanding of anatomy, basic surgical principles, and tissue movement is essential when undertaking the reconstruction of facial cutaneous surgical defects. Aesthetic facial reconstruction requires understanding ability to use the tissue adjacent to the defect to create a reconstruction that preserves the function of the area and the cosmetic facial units and subunits. The closure of non interrupted white upper lip defects by using a combined advancement and rotation flap is preferred for defects not overtaking 2.5 cm in diameter.

Clinical studies on teenage Brazilian victims of thalidomide.

PubMed

Schmidt, M; Salzano, F M

1983-07-01

Ninety-three Brazilian teenagers with thalidomide embryopathy were studied. The pattern of distribution of their most significant defect was: upper limbs, 66; lower limbs, 8; all four limbs, 12; head, 7. Only 10 individuals presented the major defect unilaterally. In 30 of 83 with bilateral defects there were differences in severity between the two sides. Of the 31 patients whose spines had been X-rayed, 16 showed defects, the most common being spina bifida occulta at S1. Gynecomasty was found in three of the patients having major upper limb defects.

Body Segment Kinematics and Energy Expenditure in Active Videogames.

PubMed

Böhm, Birgit; Hartmann, Michael; Böhm, Harald

2016-06-01

Energy expenditure (EE) in active videogames (AVGs) is a component for assessing its benefit for cardiovascular health. Existing evidence suggests that AVGs are able to increase EE above rest and when compared with playing passive videogames. However, the association between body movement and EE remains unclear. Furthermore, for goal-directed game design, it is important to know the contribution of body segments to EE. This knowledge will help to acquire a certain level of exercise intensity during active gaming. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the best predictors of EE from body segment energies, acceleration, and heart rate during different game situations. EE and body segment movement of 17 subjects, aged 22.1 ± 2.5 years, were measured in two different AVGs. In randomized order, the subjects played a handheld-controlled Nintendo(®) Wii™ tennis (NWT) game and a whole body-controlled Sony EyeToy(®) waterfall (ETW) game. Body segment movement was analyzed using a three-dimensional motion capture system. From the video data, mean values of mechanical energy change and acceleration of 10 body segments were analyzed. Measured EE was significantly higher in ETW (7.8 ± 1.4 metabolic equivalents [METs]) than in NWT (3.4 ± 1.0 METs). The best prediction parameter for the more intense ETW game was the energy change of the right thigh and for the less intense hand-controlled NWT game was the energy change of the upper torso. Segment acceleration was less accurate in predicting EE. The best predictors of metabolic EE were the thighs and the upper torso in whole body and handheld-controlled games, respectively. Increasing movement of these body segments would lead to higher physical activity intensity during gaming, reducing sedentary behavior.

Insight into evolution of a giant congenital nevomelanocytic nevus over 14 years.

PubMed

Sathyanarayana, B D; Basavaraj, H B; Nischal, K C; Swaroop, M R; Lavanya, M S; Okram, Sarda

2014-01-01

Giant congenital nevomelanocytic nevus (GCNN) is a rare variant of congenital melanocytic nevus measuring >20 cm in size that often has a garment-like distribution. Regular follow up is recommended because of a risk of melanoma transformation of 4.6%. We report a 14-year-old boy with gradual regression of giant congenital melanocytic nevus over the left upper limb, chest, back and axilla, whom we have followed-up since birth. At birth, a hyperpigmented jet-black patch without hair was present over the left side of torso and upper limb including palms and nails. Follow up at the ages of 1, 5, 11 and 14 years showed progressive spontaneous regression of the nevus resulting in shiny atrophic skin, diffuse hypopigmentation, lentigo-like macules, nodules and arthrogryphosis of affected areas. Histopathology of the lesions on follow-up revealed absence of pigmented nevus cells in the regressing areas and thickened sclerotic collagen bundles.

Respiratory effort energy estimation using Doppler radar.

PubMed

Shahhaidar, Ehsaneh; Yavari, Ehsan; Young, Jared; Boric-Lubecke, Olga; Stickley, Cris

2012-01-01

Human respiratory effort can be harvested to power wearable biosensors and mobile electronic devices. The very first step toward designing a harvester is to estimate available energy and power. This paper describes an estimation of the available power and energy due to the movements of the torso during breathing, using Doppler radar by detecting breathing rate, torso displacement, torso movement velocity and acceleration along the sagittal movement of the torso. The accuracy of the detected variables is verified by two reference methods. The experimental result obtained from a healthy female human subject shows that the available power from circumferential movement can be higher than the power from the sagittal movement.

Perforator Propeller Flap for Oncologic Reconstruction of Soft Tissue Defects in Trunk and Extremities.

PubMed

Yu, Shengji; Zang, Mengqing; Xu, Libin; Zhao, Zhenguo; Zhang, Xinxin; Zhu, Shan; Chen, Bo; Ding, Qiang; Liu, Yuanbo

2016-10-01

Defects after soft tissue sarcoma resection are usually managed by myocutaneous flaps or free flaps. However, harvesting muscle will cause functional morbidities, and some regions lack reliable recipient vessel. Our purpose is to use various perforator propeller flaps for oncologic reconstruction. Between 2008 and 2014, 33 perforator propeller flaps were performed in 24 patients to reconstruct the defects after tumor resection in trunk and extremities. Fifteen patients underwent tumor resection previously. Thirteen patients underwent adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Flaps based on perforators adjacent to the lesions were raised and rotated in propeller fashion to repair the defects. Twenty-seven flaps were based on perforators of known source vessels, and 6 were harvested in freestyle fashion. The defects were repaired with 2 flaps in 4 patients and 3 flaps in 2 patients. The mean skin paddle dimension was 8.36 cm in width and 20.42 cm in length. The mean degree of flap rotation was 158.79°. Complications include partial necrosis of 6 flaps in 5 cases and venous congestion of 1 flap. In these 6 patients, 3 underwent adjuvant radiotherapy. The donor sites were primarily closed in 21 patients and skin grafted in 3 patients. No functional loss related to flap harvesting was recognized. The perforator propeller flaps can be used to manage the medium defects in extremities and large defects in torso after soft tissue sarcoma resection. They avoid the sacrifice of the underlying muscle and eliminate the concerns of the unavailability of recipient vessels. The perforator propeller flaps provide flexible options for versatile oncologic reconstruction in trunk and extremities. However, the impact of radiotherapy on the viability of the flaps for local reconstruction needs further investigation.

Immediate compensation for variations in self-generated Coriolis torques related to body dynamics and carried objects

PubMed Central

DiZio, Paul; Lackner, James R.

2013-01-01

We have previously shown that the Coriolis torques that result when an arm movement is performed during torso rotation do not affect movement trajectory. Our purpose in the present study was to examine whether torso motion-induced Coriolis and other interaction torques are counteracted during a turn and reach (T&R) movement when the effective mass of the hand is augmented, and whether the dominant arm has an advantage in coordinating intersegmental dynamics as predicted by the dynamic dominance hypothesis (Sainburg RL. Exp Brain Res 142: 241–258, 2002). Subjects made slow and fast T&R movements in the dark to just extinguished targets with either arm, while holding or not holding a 454-g object. Movement endpoints were equally accurate at both speeds, with either hand, and in both weight conditions, but subjects tended to angularly undershoot and produce more variable endpoints for targets requiring greater torso rotation. There were no changes in endpoint accuracy or trajectory deviation over repeated movements. The dominant right arm was more stable in its control of trajectory direction across targets, whereas the nondominant left arm had an improved ability to stop accurately on the target for higher levels of interaction torques. The trajectories to more eccentric targets were straighter when performed at higher speeds but slightly more deviated when subjects held the weight. Subjects did not slow their torso velocity or change the timing of the arm and torso velocities when holding the weight, although there was a slight decrease in their hand velocity relative to the torso. The delay between the onsets of torso and finger movements was almost twice as large for the right arm than the left, suggesting the right arm was better able to account for torso rotation in the arm movement. Holding the weight increased the peak Coriolis torque by 40% at the shoulder and 45% at the elbow and, for the most eccentric target, increased the peak net torque by 12% at the shoulder and 34% at the elbow. In accordance with Sainburg's dynamic dominance hypothesis, the right arm exhibited an advantage for coordinating intersegmental dynamics, showing a more stable finger velocity in relation to the torso across targets, decreasing error variability with movement speed, and more synchronized peaks of finger relative and torso angular velocities in conditions with greater joint torque requirements. The arm used had little effect on the movement path and the magnitude of the joint torques in any of the conditions. These results indicate that compensations for forthcoming Coriolis torque variations take into account the dynamic properties of the body and of external objects, as well as the planned velocities of the torso and arm. PMID:23803330

Immediate compensation for variations in self-generated Coriolis torques related to body dynamics and carried objects.

PubMed

Pigeon, Pascale; Dizio, Paul; Lackner, James R

2013-09-01

We have previously shown that the Coriolis torques that result when an arm movement is performed during torso rotation do not affect movement trajectory. Our purpose in the present study was to examine whether torso motion-induced Coriolis and other interaction torques are counteracted during a turn and reach (T&R) movement when the effective mass of the hand is augmented, and whether the dominant arm has an advantage in coordinating intersegmental dynamics as predicted by the dynamic dominance hypothesis (Sainburg RL. Exp Brain Res 142: 241-258, 2002). Subjects made slow and fast T&R movements in the dark to just extinguished targets with either arm, while holding or not holding a 454-g object. Movement endpoints were equally accurate at both speeds, with either hand, and in both weight conditions, but subjects tended to angularly undershoot and produce more variable endpoints for targets requiring greater torso rotation. There were no changes in endpoint accuracy or trajectory deviation over repeated movements. The dominant right arm was more stable in its control of trajectory direction across targets, whereas the nondominant left arm had an improved ability to stop accurately on the target for higher levels of interaction torques. The trajectories to more eccentric targets were straighter when performed at higher speeds but slightly more deviated when subjects held the weight. Subjects did not slow their torso velocity or change the timing of the arm and torso velocities when holding the weight, although there was a slight decrease in their hand velocity relative to the torso. The delay between the onsets of torso and finger movements was almost twice as large for the right arm than the left, suggesting the right arm was better able to account for torso rotation in the arm movement. Holding the weight increased the peak Coriolis torque by 40% at the shoulder and 45% at the elbow and, for the most eccentric target, increased the peak net torque by 12% at the shoulder and 34% at the elbow. In accordance with Sainburg's dynamic dominance hypothesis, the right arm exhibited an advantage for coordinating intersegmental dynamics, showing a more stable finger velocity in relation to the torso across targets, decreasing error variability with movement speed, and more synchronized peaks of finger relative and torso angular velocities in conditions with greater joint torque requirements. The arm used had little effect on the movement path and the magnitude of the joint torques in any of the conditions. These results indicate that compensations for forthcoming Coriolis torque variations take into account the dynamic properties of the body and of external objects, as well as the planned velocities of the torso and arm.

Liquid cooled brassiere and method of diagnosing malignant tumors therewith

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elkins, W.; Williams, B. A.; Tickner, E. G. (Inventor)

1976-01-01

A device for enhancing the detection of malignant tissue in the breasts of a woman was described. A brassiere-like garment which is fitted with a pair of liquid-perfused cooling panels which completely and compliantly cover the breasts and upper torso was studied. The garment is connected by plastic tubing to a liquid cooling system comprising a fluid pump, a solenoid control valve for controlling the flow of fluid to either the cooling unit or the heating unit, a fluid reservoir, a temperature sensor in the reservoir, and a restrictor valve to control the pressure in the garment inlet cooling line.

New options for vascularized bone reconstruction in the upper extremity.

PubMed

Houdek, Matthew T; Wagner, Eric R; Wyles, Cody C; Nanos, George P; Moran, Steven L

2015-02-01

Originally described in the 1970s, vascularized bone grafting has become a critical component in the treatment of bony defects and non-unions. Although well established in the lower extremity, recent years have seen many novel techniques described to treat a variety of challenging upper extremity pathologies. Here the authors review the use of different techniques of vascularized bone grafts for the upper extremity bone pathologies. The vascularized fibula remains the gold standard for the treatment of large bone defects of the humerus and forearm, while also playing a role in carpal reconstruction; however, two other important options for larger defects include the vascularized scapula graft and the Capanna technique. Smaller upper extremity bone defects and non-unions can be treated with the medial femoral condyle (MFC) free flap or a vascularized rib transfer. In carpal non-unions, both pedicled distal radius flaps and free MFC flaps are viable options. Finally, in skeletally immature patients, vascularized fibular head epiphyseal transfer can provide growth potential in addition to skeletal reconstruction.

Optimal cycling time trial position models: aerodynamics versus power output and metabolic energy.

PubMed

Fintelman, D M; Sterling, M; Hemida, H; Li, F-X

2014-06-03

The aerodynamic drag of a cyclist in time trial (TT) position is strongly influenced by the torso angle. While decreasing the torso angle reduces the drag, it limits the physiological functioning of the cyclist. Therefore the aims of this study were to predict the optimal TT cycling position as function of the cycling speed and to determine at which speed the aerodynamic power losses start to dominate. Two models were developed to determine the optimal torso angle: a 'Metabolic Energy Model' and a 'Power Output Model'. The Metabolic Energy Model minimised the required cycling energy expenditure, while the Power Output Model maximised the cyclists׳ power output. The input parameters were experimentally collected from 19 TT cyclists at different torso angle positions (0-24°). The results showed that for both models, the optimal torso angle depends strongly on the cycling speed, with decreasing torso angles at increasing speeds. The aerodynamic losses outweigh the power losses at cycling speeds above 46km/h. However, a fully horizontal torso is not optimal. For speeds below 30km/h, it is beneficial to ride in a more upright TT position. The two model outputs were not completely similar, due to the different model approaches. The Metabolic Energy Model could be applied for endurance events, while the Power Output Model is more suitable in sprinting or in variable conditions (wind, undulating course, etc.). It is suggested that despite some limitations, the models give valuable information about improving the cycling performance by optimising the TT cycling position. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neck forces and moments and head accelerations in side impact.

PubMed

Yoganandan, Narayan; Pintar, Frank A; Maiman, Dennis J; Philippens, Mat; Wismans, Jac

2009-03-01

Although side-impact sled studies have investigated chest, abdomen, and pelvic injury mechanics, determination of head accelerations and the associated neck forces and moments is very limited. The purpose of the present study was therefore to determine the temporal forces and moments at the upper neck region and head angular accelerations and angular velocities using postmortem human subjects (PMHS). Anthropometric data and X-rays were obtained, and the specimens were positioned upright on a custom-designed seat, rigidly fixed to the platform of the sled. PMHS were seated facing forward with the Frankfort plane horizontal, and legs were stretched parallel to the mid-sagittal plane. The normal curvature and alignment of the dorsal spine were maintained without initial torso rotation. A pyramid-shaped nine-accelerometer package was secured to the parietal-temporal region of the head. The test matrix consisted of groups A and B, representing the fully restrained torso condition, and groups C and D, representing the three-point belt-restrained torso condition. The change in velocity was 12.4 m/s for groups A and C, 17.9 m/s for group B, and 8.7 m/s for group D tests. Two specimens were tested in each group. Injuries were scored based on the Abbreviated Injury Scale. The head mass, center of gravity, and moment of inertia were determined for each specimen. Head accelerations and upper neck forces and moments were determined before head contact. Neck forces and moments and head angular accelerations and angular velocities are presented on a specimen-by-specimen basis. In addition, a summary of peak magnitudes of biomechanical data is provided because of their potential in serving as injury reference values characterizing head-neck biomechanics in side impacts. Though no skull fractures occurred, AIS 0 to 3 neck traumas were dependent on the impact velocity and restraint condition. Because specimen-specific head center of gravity and mass moment of inertia were determined, and a suitable instrumentation system was used for data collection and analysis, head angular accelerations and neck forces and moments determined in the present study can be used with confidence to advance impact biomechanics research. Although the sample size is limited in each group, results from these tests serve as a fundamental data set to validate finite element models and evaluate the performance and biofidelity of federalized and prototype side-impact dummies with a focus on head-neck biomechanics.

Impact of Prehospital Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) Transport Time on Combat Mortality in Patients with Non-Compressible Torso Injury and Traumatic Amputations

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-12-28

MED EV AC) transport time on combat mortality in patients with non-compressible torso injury and traumatic amputations Sb. GRANT NUMBER Sc. PROGRAM...increased morbidity and mortality. Limited data exists on the influence of transport time on patient outcomes with specific injury types. The...treatment facility on morbidity and mortality in casualties with traumatic extremity amputation and non-compressible torso injury (NCTI). Methods: We

Occupant kinematics and estimated effectiveness of side airbags in pole side impacts using a human FE model with internal organs.

PubMed

Hayashi, Shigeki; Yasuki, Tsuyoshi; Kitagawa, Yuichi

2008-11-01

When a car collides against a pole-like obstacle, the deformation pattern of the vehicle body-side tends to extend to its upper region. A possible consequence is an increase of loading to the occupant thorax. Many studies have been conducted to understand human thoracic responses to lateral loading, and injury criteria have been developed based on the results. However, injury mechanisms, especially those of internal organs, are not well understood. A human body FE model was used in this study to simulate occupant kinematics in a pole side impact. Internal organ parts were introduced into the torso model, including their geometric features, material properties and connections with other tissues. The mechanical responses of the model were validated against PMHS data in the literature. Although injury criterion for each organ has not been established, pressure level and its changes can be estimated from the organ models. Finite element simulations were conducted assuming a case where a passenger vehicle collides against a pole at 29km/h. Occupant kinematics, force-deformation responses and pressure levels were compared between cases with and without side airbag deployment. The results indicated that strain to the ribs and pressure to the organs was smaller with side airbag deployment. The side airbag widened the contact area at the torso, helping to distribute the force to the shoulder, arm and chest. Such distributed force helped generate relatively smaller deformation in the ribs. Furthermore, the side airbag deployment helped restrict the spine displacement. The smaller displacement contributed to lowering the magnitude of contact force between the torso and the door. The study also examined the correlations between the pressure levels in the internal organs, rib deflection, and V*C of chest. The study found that the V*C(t) peak appeared to be synchronized with the organ pressure peak, suggesting that the pressure level of the internal organs could be one possible indicator to estimate their injury risk.

[Conservative therapy of cartilage defects of the upper ankle joint].

PubMed

Smolenski, U C; Best, N; Bocker, B

2008-03-01

Cartilage defects of the upper ankle joint reflect the problem that great force is transmitted and balanced out over a relatively small surface area. As a pathophysiological factor, cartilage-bone contusions play a significant role in the development of cartilage defects of the upper ankle joint. Physiotherapeutic procedures belong to the standard procedures of conservative therapy. The use and selection of the type of therapy is based on empirical considerations and experience and investigations on effectiveness of particular therapies are relatively rare. At present a symptom-oriented therapy of cartilage defects of the upper ankle joint seems to be the most sensible approach. It can be assumed that it makes sense that the symptomatic treatment of cartilage defects or initial stages of arthritis also includes the subsequent symptoms of pain, irritated condition and limited function. This leads to starting points for physiotherapy with respect to pain therapy, optimisation of pressure relationships, avoidance of pressure points, improvement of diffusion and pressure release. In addition to the differential physiotherapeutic findings, the determination of a curative, preventive or rehabilitative procedure is especially important. In physical therapy special importance is placed on a scheduled serial application corresponding to the findings, employing the necessary methods, such as physiotherapy, sport therapy, medical mechanics, manual therapy, massage, electrotherapy and warmth therapy. From this the findings-related therapy is proposed as a practical therapy concept: locomotive apparatus pain therapy, optimisation of pressure relationships, improvement of diffusion and decongestion therapy. Therapy options have been selected base on the current literature and are summarised in tabular form. The art of symptomatic therapy of cartilage defects of the upper ankle joint does not lie in the multitude of sometimes speculative procedures, but in the targeted selection of a therapy regime based on the therapeutic goal, a corresponding application dose and serial design.

Emergency department spirometric volume and base deficit delineate risk for torso injury in stable patients

PubMed Central

Dunham, C Michael; Sipe, Eilynn K; Peluso, LeeAnn

2004-01-01

Background We sought to determine torso injury rates and sensitivities associated with fluid-positive abdominal ultrasound, metabolic acidosis (increased base deficit and lactate), and impaired pulmonary physiology (decreased spirometric volume and PaO2/FiO2). Methods Level I trauma center prospective pilot and post-pilot study (2000–2001) of stable patients. Increased base deficit was < 0.0 in ethanol-negative and ≤ -3.0 in ethanol-positive patients. Increased lactate was > 2.5 mmol/L in ethanol-negative and ≥ 3.0 mmol/L in ethanol-positive patients. Decreased PaO2/FiO2 was < 350 and decreased spirometric volume was < 1.8 L. Results Of 215 patients, 66 (30.7%) had a torso injury (abdominal/pelvic injury n = 35 and/or thoracic injury n = 43). Glasgow Coma Scale score was 14.8 ± 0.5 (13–15). Torso injury rates and sensitivities were: abdominal ultrasound negative and normal base deficit, lactate, PaO2/FiO2, and spirometric volume – 0.0% & 0.0%; normal base deficit and normal spirometric volume – 4.2% & 4.5%; chest/abdominal soft tissue injury – 37.8% & 47.0%; increased lactate – 39.7% & 47.0%; increased base deficit – 41.3% & 75.8%; increased base deficit and/or decreased spirometric volume – 43.8% & 95.5%; decreased PaO2/FiO2 – 48.9% & 33.3%; positive abdominal ultrasound – 62.5% & 7.6%; decreased spirometric volume – 73.4% & 71.2%; increased base deficit and decreased spirometric volume – 82.9% & 51.5%. Conclusions Trauma patients with normal base deficit and spirometric volume are unlikely to have a torso injury. Patients with increased base deficit or lactate, decreased spirometric volume, decreased PaO2/FiO2, or positive FAST have substantial risk for torso injury. Increased base deficit and/or decreased spirometric volume are highly sensitive for torso injury. Base deficit and spirometric volume values are readily available and increase or decrease the suspicion for torso injury. PMID:14731306

Reconstruction of the pelvic floor and perineum with human acellular dermal matrix and thigh flaps following pelvic exenteration.

PubMed

Said, Hakim K; Bevers, Michael; Butler, Charles E

2007-12-01

Patients who undergo pelvic floor resection as treatment for recurrent cancer following radiation therapy have increased rates of complications, particularly if permanent prosthetic mesh is used for reconstruction. Human acellular dermal matrix (HADM), commonly used for reconstruction in other torso locations, is associated with lower rates of complications (including infection, adhesions and cutaneous exposure) than synthetic mesh. We describe an effective technique to reconstruct the pelvic floor and perineum with HADM and thigh-based flaps following pelvic exenteration and radical vulvectomy. A 75-year-old woman underwent radical resection of the pelvic floor and perineum to treat recurrent vulvar squamous cell carcinoma and osteoradionecrosis. The pelvic floor and perineal soft tissue defect were reconstructed with HADM (AlloDerm; LifeCell Corporation, Branchburg, NJ) and bilateral, thigh-based tissue flaps, respectively. Despite a large resection, previous irradiation therapy and bacterial contamination the wounds healed without complications. Reconstruction of pelvic floor defects using HADM is an option when wound conditions are unfavorable for the use of permanent prosthetic meshes.

Evaluation of myocardial defect detection between parallel-hole and fan-beam SPECT using the Hotelling trace

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wollenweber, S. D.; Tsui, B. M. W.; Lalush, D. S.; Frey, E. C.; Gullberg, G. T.

1998-08-01

The objective of this study was to implement the Hotelling trace (HT) to evaluate the potential increase in defect detection in myocardial SPECT using high-resolution fan-beam (HRF) versus parallel-hole (HRP) collimation and compare results to a previously reported human observer study (G.K. Gregoriou et al., ibid., vol. 42, p. 1267-75, 1995). Projection data from the 3D MCAT torso phantom were simulated including the effects of attenuation, collimator-detector response blurring and scatter. Poisson noise fluctuations were then simulated. The HRP and HRF collimators had the same spatial resolution at 20 cm. The total counts in the projection data sets were proportional to the detection efficiencies of the collimators and on the order of that found in clinical Tc-99m studies. In six left-ventricular defect locations, the HT found for HRF was superior to that for HRP collimation. For HRF collimation, the HT was calculated for reconstructed images using 64/spl times/64, 128/spl times/128 and 192/spl times/192 grid sizes. The results demonstrate substantial improvement in myocardial defect detection when the grid size was increased from 64/spl times/64 to 128/spl times/128 and slight improvement from 128/spl times/128 to 192/spl times/192. Also, the performance of the Hotelling observer in terms of the HT at the different grid sizes correlates at better than 0.95 to that found in human observers in a previously reported observer experiment and ROC study.

Optimal Magnetic Sensor Vests for Cardiac Source Imaging

PubMed Central

Lau, Stephan; Petković, Bojana; Haueisen, Jens

2016-01-01

Magnetocardiography (MCG) non-invasively provides functional information about the heart. New room-temperature magnetic field sensors, specifically magnetoresistive and optically pumped magnetometers, have reached sensitivities in the ultra-low range of cardiac fields while allowing for free placement around the human torso. Our aim is to optimize positions and orientations of such magnetic sensors in a vest-like arrangement for robust reconstruction of the electric current distributions in the heart. We optimized a set of 32 sensors on the surface of a torso model with respect to a 13-dipole cardiac source model under noise-free conditions. The reconstruction robustness was estimated by the condition of the lead field matrix. Optimization improved the condition of the lead field matrix by approximately two orders of magnitude compared to a regular array at the front of the torso. Optimized setups exhibited distributions of sensors over the whole torso with denser sampling above the heart at the front and back of the torso. Sensors close to the heart were arranged predominantly tangential to the body surface. The optimized sensor setup could facilitate the definition of a standard for sensor placement in MCG and the development of a wearable MCG vest for clinical diagnostics. PMID:27231910

Multimodal image registration of the scoliotic torso for surgical planning

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background This paper presents a method that registers MRIs acquired in prone position, with surface topography (TP) and X-ray reconstructions acquired in standing position, in order to obtain a 3D representation of a human torso incorporating the external surface, bone structures, and soft tissues. Methods TP and X-ray data are registered using landmarks. Bone structures are used to register each MRI slice using an articulated model, and the soft tissue is confined to the volume delimited by the trunk and bone surfaces using a constrained thin-plate spline. Results The method is tested on 3 pre-surgical patients with scoliosis and shows a significant improvement, qualitatively and using the Dice similarity coefficient, in fitting the MRI into the standing patient model when compared to rigid and articulated model registration. The determinant of the Jacobian of the registration deformation shows higher variations in the deformation in areas closer to the surface of the torso. Conclusions The novel, resulting 3D full torso model can provide a more complete representation of patient geometry to be incorporated in surgical simulators under development that aim at predicting the effect of scoliosis surgery on the external appearance of the patient’s torso. PMID:23289431

Automated segmentations of skin, soft-tissue, and skeleton, from torso CT images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Xiangrong; Hara, Takeshi; Fujita, Hiroshi; Yokoyama, Ryujiro; Kiryu, Takuji; Hoshi, Hiroaki

2004-05-01

We have been developing a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) scheme for automatically recognizing human tissue and organ regions from high-resolution torso CT images. We show some initial results for extracting skin, soft-tissue and skeleton regions. 139 patient cases of torso CT images (male 92, female 47; age: 12-88) were used in this study. Each case was imaged with a common protocol (120kV/320mA) and covered the whole torso with isotopic spatial resolution of about 0.63 mm and density resolution of 12 bits. A gray-level thresholding based procedure was applied to separate the human body from background. The density and distance features to body surface were used to determine the skin, and separate soft-tissue from the others. A 3-D region growing based method was used to extract the skeleton. We applied this system to the 139 cases and found that the skin, soft-tissue and skeleton regions were recognized correctly for 93% of the patient cases. The accuracy of segmentation results was acceptable by evaluating the results slice by slice. This scheme will be included in CAD systems for detecting and diagnosing the abnormal lesions in multi-slice torso CT images.

Development of the Cellular Immune System of Drosophila Requires the Membrane Attack Complex/Perforin-Like Protein Torso-Like.

PubMed

Forbes-Beadle, Lauren; Crossman, Tova; Johnson, Travis K; Burke, Richard; Warr, Coral G; Whisstock, James C

2016-10-01

Pore-forming members of the membrane attack complex/perforin-like (MACPF) protein superfamily perform well-characterized roles as mammalian immune effectors. For example, complement component 9 and perforin function to directly form pores in the membrane of Gram-negative pathogens or virally infected/transformed cells, respectively. In contrast, the only known MACPF protein in Drosophila melanogaster, Torso-like, plays crucial roles during development in embryo patterning and larval growth. Here, we report that in addition to these functions, Torso-like plays an important role in Drosophila immunity. However, in contrast to a hypothesized effector function in, for example, elimination of Gram-negative pathogens, we find that torso-like null mutants instead show increased susceptibility to certain Gram-positive pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis We further show that this deficit is due to a severely reduced number of circulating immune cells and, as a consequence, an impaired ability to phagocytose bacterial particles. Together these data suggest that Torso-like plays an important role in controlling the development of the Drosophila cellular immune system. Copyright © 2016 by the Genetics Society of America.

An Investigation of the Mechanics and Sticking Region of a One-Repetition Maximum Close-Grip Bench Press versus the Traditional Bench Press

PubMed Central

Lockie, Robert G.; Callaghan, Samuel J.; Moreno, Matthew R.; Risso, Fabrice G.; Liu, Tricia M.; Stage, Alyssa A.; Birmingham-Babauta, Samantha A.; Stokes, John J.; Giuliano, Dominic V.; Lazar, Adrina; Davis, DeShaun L.; Orjalo, Ashley J.

2017-01-01

The close-grip bench press (CGBP) is a variation of the traditional bench press (TBP) that uses a narrower grip (~95% of biacromial distance (BAD)) and has potential application for athletes performing explosive arm actions from positions where the hands are held close to the torso. Limited research has investigated CGBP mechanics compared to the TBP. Twenty-seven resistance-trained individuals completed a one-repetition maximum TBP and CGBP. The TBP was performed with the preferred grip; the CGBP with a grip width of 95% BAD. A linear position transducer measured lift distance and duration; peak and mean power, velocity, and force; distance and time when peak power occurred; and work. Pre-sticking region (PrSR), sticking region, and post-sticking region distance and duration for each lift was measured. A repeated measures ANOVA was used to derive differences between TBP and CGBP mechanics (p < 0.01); effect sizes (d) were also calculated. A greater load was lifted in the TBP, thus mean force was greater (d = 0.16–0.17). Peak power and velocity were higher in the CGBP, which had a longer PrSR distance (d = 0.49–1.32). The CGBP could emphasize power for athletes that initiate explosive upper-body actions with the hands positioned close to the torso.

Evaluation of pediatric ATD biofidelity as compared to child volunteers in low-speed far-side oblique and lateral impacts.

PubMed

Seacrist, Thomas; Locey, Caitlin M; Mathews, Emily A; Jones, Dakota L; Balasubramanian, Sriram; Maltese, Matthew R; Arbogast, Kristy B

2014-01-01

Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of injury and mortality for children. Mitigation of these injuries requires biofidelic anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) to design and evaluate automotive safety systems. Effective countermeasures exist for frontal and near-side impacts but are limited for far-side impacts. Consequently, far-side impacts represent increased injury and mortality rates compared to frontal impacts. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the biofidelity of the Hybrid III and Q-series pediatric ATDs in low-speed far-side impacts, with and without shoulder belt pretightening. Low-speed (2 g) far-side oblique (60°) and lateral (90°) sled tests were conducted using the Hybrid III and Q-series 6- and 10-year-old ATDs. ATDs were restrained by a lap and shoulder belt equipped with a precrash belt pretightener. Photoreflective targets were attached to the head, spine, shoulders, and sternum. ATDs were exposed to 8 low-speed sled tests: 2 oblique nontightened, 2 oblique pretightened, 2 lateral nontightened, 2 lateral pretightened. ATDs were compared with previously collected 9- to 11-year-old (n=10) volunteer data and newly collected 6- to 8-year-old volunteer data (n=7) tested with similar methods. Kinematic data were collected from a 3D target tracking system. Metrics of comparison included excursion, seat belt and seat pan reaction loads, belt-to-torso angle, and shoulder belt slip-out. The ATDs exhibited increased lateral excursion of the head top, C4, and T1 as well as increased downward excursion of the head top compared to the volunteers. Volunteers exhibited greater forward excursion than the ATDs in oblique nontightened impacts. These kinematics correspond to increased shoulder belt slip-out for the ATDs in oblique tests (ATDs=90%; volunteers=36%). Contrarily, similar shoulder belt slip-out was observed between ATDs and volunteers in lateral impacts (ATDs=80%; volunteers=78%). In pretightened impacts, the ATDs exhibited reduced lateral excursion and torso roll-out angle compared to the volunteers. In general, the ATDs overestimated lateral excursion in both impact directions, while underestimating forward excursion of the head and neck in oblique impacts compared to the pediatric volunteers. This was primarily due to pendulum-like lateral bending of the entire ATD torso compared to translation of the thorax relative to the abdomen prior to the lateral bending of the upper torso in the volunteers, likely due to the multisegmented spinal column in the volunteers. Additionally, the effect of belt pretightening on occupant kinematics was greater for the ATDs than the volunteers.

Value of epicardial potential maps in localizing pre-excitation sites for radiofrequency ablation. A simulation study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hren, Rok

1998-06-01

Using computer simulations, we systematically investigated the limitations of an inverse solution that employs the potential distribution on the epicardial surface as an equivalent source model in localizing pre-excitation sites in Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. A model of the human ventricular myocardium that features an anatomically accurate geometry, an intramural rotating anisotropy and a computational implementation of the excitation process based on electrotonic interactions among cells, was used to simulate body surface potential maps (BSPMs) for 35 pre-excitation sites positioned along the atrioventricular ring. Two individualized torso models were used to account for variations in torso boundaries. Epicardial potential maps (EPMs) were computed using the L-curve inverse solution. The measure for accuracy of the localization was the distance between a position of the minimum in the inverse EPMs and the actual site of pre-excitation in the ventricular model. When the volume conductor properties and lead positions of the torso were precisely known and the measurement noise was added to the simulated BSPMs, the minimum in the inverse EPMs was at 12 ms after the onset on average within cm of the pre-excitation site. When the standard torso model was used to localize the sites of onset of the pre-excitation sequence initiated in individualized male and female torso models, the mean distance between the minimum and the pre-excitation site was cm for the male torso and cm for the female torso. The findings of our study indicate that a location of the minimum in EPMs computed using the inverse solution can offer non-invasive means for pre-interventional planning of the ablative treatment.

Neck swelling due to skull base (pseudo)meningocele protruding through a congenital skull base bone defect: a case report.

PubMed

Sharma, Rajeev; Singh, Bhoopendra; Kedia, Shweta; Laythalling, Rajinder Kumar

2017-02-01

Meningocele is defined as a protrusion of the meninges through an opening in the skull or spinal column, forming a bulge or sac filled with cerebrospinal fluid. A pseudomeningocele is defined as a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collection formed due to escape of CSF through a dural defect with trapping of CSF into the surrounding soft tissues. We herby report rare occurrence of a large (pseudo)meningocele in a young patient with congenital skull base defect presenting as upper lateral neck swelling. We present the case of a 17-year-old boy who had painless progressive swelling right side of the upper neck without any history of meningitis or CSF leak. He had a history of undergoing cranioplasty using steel plates for nontraumatic boggy swelling right parieto-occipital region at the age of 5 years at another hospital. Clinical examination showed painless swelling right side of the upper neck, with positive cough impulse and transillumination. CT head with cisternography showed a large right skull base defect through which a large pseudomeningocele was herniating, thus producing upper neck swelling and compressing oral cavity. The neck swelling and intraoral bulge reduced in size after the coperitoneal shunt. Differential diagnosis of (pseudo)meningocele should be considered while evaluating a painless progressive upper neck swelling having cough impulse and transillumination in a young patient.

Dynamic Vibrotactile Signals for Forward Collision Avoidance Warning Systems

PubMed Central

Meng, Fanxing; Gray, Rob; Ho, Cristy; Ahtamad, Mujthaba

2015-01-01

Objective: Four experiments were conducted in order to assess the effectiveness of dynamic vibrotactile collision-warning signals in potentially enhancing safe driving. Background: Auditory neuroscience research has demonstrated that auditory signals that move toward a person are more salient than those that move away. If this looming effect were found to extend to the tactile modality, then it could be utilized in the context of in-car warning signal design. Method: The effectiveness of various vibrotactile warning signals was assessed using a simulated car-following task. The vibrotactile warning signals consisted of dynamic toward-/away-from-torso cues (Experiment 1), dynamic versus static vibrotactile cues (Experiment 2), looming-intensity- and constant-intensity-toward-torso cues (Experiment 3), and static cues presented on the hands or on the waist, having either a low or high vibration intensity (Experiment 4). Results: Braking reaction times (BRTs) were significantly faster for toward-torso as compared to away-from-torso cues (Experiments 1 and 2) and static cues (Experiment 2). This difference could not have been attributed to differential responses to signals delivered to different body parts (i.e., the waist vs. hands; Experiment 4). Embedding a looming-intensity signal into the toward-torso signal did not result in any additional BRT benefits (Experiment 3). Conclusion: Dynamic vibrotactile cues that feel as though they are approaching the torso can be used to communicate information concerning external events, resulting in a significantly faster reaction time to potential collisions. Application: Dynamic vibrotactile warning signals that move toward the body offer great potential for the design of future in-car collision-warning system. PMID:25850161

Wound Ballistics Modeling for Blast Loading Blunt Force Impact and Projectile Penetration.

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

Taylor, Paul A.

Light body armor development for the warfighter is based on trial-and-error testing of prototype designs against ballistic projectiles. Torso armor testing against blast is nonexistent but necessary to protect the heart and lungs. In tests against ballistic projectiles, protective apparel is placed over ballistic clay and the projectiles are fired into the armor/clay target. The clay represents the human torso and its behind-armor, permanent deflection is the principal metric used to assess armor protection. Although this approach provides relative merit assessment of protection, it does not examine the behind-armor blunt trauma to crucial torso organs. We propose a modeling andmore » simulation (M&S) capability for wound injury scenarios to the head, neck, and torso of the warfighter. We will use this toolset to investigate the consequences of, and mitigation against, blast exposure, blunt force impact, and ballistic projectile penetration leading to damage of critical organs comprising the central nervous, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems. We will leverage Sandia codes and our M&S expertise on traumatic brain injury to develop virtual anatomical models of the head, neck, and torso and the simulation methodology to capture the physics of wound mechanics. Specifically, we will investigate virtual wound injuries to the head, neck, and torso without and with protective armor to demonstrate the advantages of performing injury simulations for the development of body armor. The proposed toolset constitutes a significant advance over current methods by providing a virtual simulation capability to investigate wound injury and optimize armor design without the need for extensive field testing.« less

Pilot Fullerton dons EES anti-gravity suit lower torso on middeck

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

Pilot Fullerton dons ejection escape suit (EES) anti-gravity (anti-g) suit lower torso on forward port side middeck above potable water tank. Anti-g suit is an olive drab inner garment that complements EES.

Human torso phantom for imaging of heart with realistic modes of cardiac and respiratory motion

DOEpatents

Boutchko, Rostyslav; Balakrishnan, Karthikayan; Gullberg, Grant T; O& #x27; Neil, James P

2013-09-17

A human torso phantom and its construction, wherein the phantom mimics respiratory and cardiac cycles in a human allowing acquisition of medical imaging data under conditions simulating patient cardiac and respiratory motion.

Rate of progression of total, upper, and lower visual field defects in patients with open-angle glaucoma and high myopia.

PubMed

Yoshino, Takaiko; Fukuchi, Takeo; Togano, Tetsuya; Sakaue, Yuta; Seki, Masaaki; Tanaka, Takayuki; Ueda, Jun

2016-03-01

We evaluated the rate of progression of total, upper, and lower visual field defects in patients with treated primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) with high myopia (HM). Seventy eyes of 70 POAG patients with HM [≤-8 diopters (D)] were examined. The mean deviation (MD) slope and the upper and lower total deviation (upper TD, lower TD) slopes of the Humphrey Field Analyzer were calculated in patients with high-tension glaucoma (HTG) (>21 mmHg) versus normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) (≤21 mmHg). The mean age of all the patients (29 eyes with HTG and 41 eyes with NTG) was 48.5 ± 9.6 years. The MD slope, and upper and lower TD slopes of the HM group were compared to those of the non-HM group (NHM) (>-8 D) selected from 544 eyes in 325 age-matched POAG patients. In all, 70 eyes with HM and NHM were examined. The mean MD slope was -0.33 ± 0.33 dB/year in the HM, and -0.38 ± 0.49 dB/year in the NHM. There were no statistical differences between the HM and NHM (p = 0.9565). In the comparison of HTG versus NTG patients in both groups, the MD slope, and upper and lower TD slopes were similar. The rate of progression of total, upper, and lower visual field defects was similar among patients with HM and NHM. Although HM is a risk factor for the onset of glaucoma, HM may not be a risk factor for progression of visual field defects as assessed by the progression rate under treatment.

Biomechanics of Concussion: The Importance of Neck Tension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jadischke, Ronald

Linear and angular velocity and acceleration of the head are typically correlated to concussion. Despite improvements in helmet performance to reduce accelerations, a corresponding reduction in the incidence of concussion has not occurred (National Football League [NFL] 1996-present). There is compelling research that forces on and deformation to the brain stem are related to concussion. The brain stem is the center of control for respiration, blood pressure and heart rate and is the root of most cranial nerves. Injury to the brain stem is consistent with most symptoms of concussion reported in the National Football League and the National Hockey League, such as headaches, neck pain, dizziness, and blurred vision. In the Hybrid III anthropomorphic test device (ATD), the upper neck load cell is in close proximity to the human brain stem. This study found that the additional mass of a football helmet onto the Hybrid III headform increases the upper neck forces and moments in response to helmet-to-helmet impact and helmet-to-chest impacts. A new laboratory impactor device was constructed to simulate collisions using two moving Hybrid III ATDs. The impactor was used to recreate on-field collisions (n = 20) in American football while measuring head, neck and upper torso kinematics. A strong correlation between upper neck forces, upper neck power and the estimated strains and strain rates along the axis of the upper cervical spinal cord and brain stem and concussion was found. These biomechanical responses should be added to head kinematic responses for a more comprehensive evaluation of concussion.

Negative Rotation Cinch Strap.

DTIC Science & Technology

This project discloses an improved unitary parachute torso harness, having a single fastening means, wherein an auxillary tightening strap is...attached to the groin straps of said harness. Said auxillary straps are used to prevent torso rotation or harness slippage and to prevent harness elongation

Torso-Tank Validation of High-Resolution Electrogastrography (EGG): Forward Modelling, Methodology and Results.

PubMed

Calder, Stefan; O'Grady, Greg; Cheng, Leo K; Du, Peng

2018-04-27

Electrogastrography (EGG) is a non-invasive method for measuring gastric electrical activity. Recent simulation studies have attempted to extend the current clinical utility of the EGG, in particular by providing a theoretical framework for distinguishing specific gastric slow wave dysrhythmias. In this paper we implement an experimental setup called a 'torso-tank' with the aim of expanding and experimentally validating these previous simulations. The torso-tank was developed using an adult male torso phantom with 190 electrodes embedded throughout the torso. The gastric slow waves were reproduced using an artificial current source capable of producing 3D electrical fields. Multiple gastric dysrhythmias were reproduced based on high-resolution mapping data from cases of human gastric dysfunction (gastric re-entry, conduction blocks and ectopic pacemakers) in addition to normal test data. Each case was recorded and compared to the previously-presented simulated results. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed to define the accuracy showing [Formula: see text] 1.8% difference, [Formula: see text] 0.99 correlation, and [Formula: see text] 0.04 normalised RMS error between experimental and simulated findings. These results reaffirm previous findings and these methods in unison therefore present a promising morphological-based methodology for advancing the understanding and clinical applications of EGG.

Posture and re-positioning considerations of a complete torso topographic analysis system for assessing scoliosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ajemba, Peter O.; Durdle, Nelson G.; Hill, Doug L.; Raso, V. J.

2006-02-01

The influence of posture and re-positioning (sway and breathing) on the accuracy of a torso imaging system for assessing scoliosis was evaluated. The system comprised of a rotating positioning platform and one or two laser digitizers. It required four partial-scans taken at 90 ° intervals over 10 seconds to generate two complete torso scans. Its accuracy was previously determined to be 1.1+/-0.9mm. Ten evenly spaced cross-sections obtained from forty scans of five volunteers in four postures (free-standing, holding side supports, holding front supports and with their hands on their shoulders) were used to assess the variability due to posture. Twenty cross-sections from twenty scans of two volunteers holding side supports were used to assess the variability due to positioning. The variability due to posture was less than 4mm at each cross-section for all volunteers. Variability due to sway ranged from 0-3.5mm while that due to breathing ranged from 0-3mm for both volunteers. Holding side supports was the best posture. Taking the four shots within 10 seconds was optimal. As major torso features that are indicative of scoliosis are larger than 4mm in size, the system could be used in obtaining complete torso images used in assessing and managing scoliosis.

Poland syndrome with bilateral features: case description with review of the literature.

PubMed

Baban, Anwar; Torre, Michele; Bianca, Sebastiano; Buluggiu, Anna; Rossello, Mario Igor; Calevo, Maria Grazia; Valle, Maura; Ravazzolo, Roberto; Jasonni, Vincenzo; Lerone, Margherita

2009-07-01

Poland syndrome (PS) has been described as unilateral pectoral muscle deficiency variably associated with ipsilateral thoracic and upper limb anomalies. Bilateral hypoplasia/aplasia of the pectoralis muscle and upper limb defects in association with variable thoracic muscles, chest wall deformities and lower limb defects have been infrequently reported in the literature. We report on a 3(1/2)-year-old girl with clinical features consisting in bilateral asymmetric pectoral muscle defects (complete agenesis on the left side and agenesis of the sternocostal head on the right side), nipple hypoplasia, left rib defect, and right hand symbrachydactyly. In this study, we reviewed the bilateral features present in our patient and those described in the literature. Hypotheses explaining bilateral features in PS are reviewed.

Development of an Interactive Computer Program to Produce Body Description Data

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-07-01

arbitrary and has varied over the time that the CVS Program and the ATB Model have been in existence. Program GOOD produces data describing an upper torso...N NN NfU NJ JANNJ NN N5~SA NJN N a~mn ain itn ft atK 0 ,0 9a fK C ca I n k0 rC 91 01 tol s 6, -Inb v v P w Dvf 4oa 0 0 0 IS t. faa 0 o In - v - allT...NAMES/ SUSTYP(4),-SEGLAB(1 5)*J.JTLA9C¶14),PLTSY4!(29), 014NIN(-1 :31 )PTTLEPUNlITS( 3,-1:1) REAL MEAN(C:lp2:3)p STDEVCO:lp2: 3) CHARACTER SU83TYP*20

AGHF, TRE and TVD experiment activity in the Spacelab during LMS-1 mission

NASA Image and Video Library

1996-07-09

STS078-396-015 (20 June - 7 July 1996) --- Payload specialist Jean-Jacques Favier, representing the French Space Agency (CNES), prepares a sample for the Advanced Gradient Heating Facility (AGHF) while wearing instruments that measure upper body movement. The Torso Rotation Experiment (TRE) complements other vestibular studies that measure differences in the way human beings react physically to their surroundings in microgravity. This is a typical Life and Microgravity Spacelab (LMS-1) mission scene, with several experiments being performed. Astronaut Susan J. Helms, payload commander, assists Favier in the AGHF preparations. Astronaut Richard M. Linnehan (bottom right), mission specialist, tests his muscle response with the Handgrip Dynamometer. Astronaut Thomas T. (Tom) Henricks (far background), mission commander, offers assistance.

The relationship between biomechanical variables and driving performance during the golf swing.

PubMed

Chu, Yungchien; Sell, Timothy C; Lephart, Scott M

2010-09-01

Swing kinematic and ground reaction force data from 308 golfers were analysed to identify the variables important to driving ball velocity. Regression models were applied at four selected events in the swing. The models accounted for 44-74% of variance in ball velocity. Based on the regression analyses, upper torso-pelvis separation (the X-Factor), delayed release (i.e. the initiation of movement) of the arms and wrists, trunk forward and lateral tilting, and weight-shifting during the swing were significantly related to ball velocity. Our results also verify several general coaching ideas that were considered important to increased ball velocity. The results of this study may serve as both skill and strength training guidelines for golfers.

STS-55 MS3 Harris, wearing EMU and CCA, prepares for EVA simulation at JSC WETF

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

STS-55 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, Mission Specialist 3 (MS3) Bernard A. Harris, Jr, suited in the extravehicular mobility unit (EMU) upper torso and communications carrier assembly (CCA), smiles as he prepares for an underwater simulation in JSC's Weightless Environment Training Facility (WETF) Bldg 29 pool. This portrait-like view captures Harris as he checks out his communications equipment. Once fully suited, Harris will be lowered into the WETF's 25-foot deep pool for an underwater contingency extravehicular activity (EVA) simulation. There is no scheduled EVA for the 1993 flight but each spaceflight crew includes astronauts trained for a variety of contingency tasks that could require exiting the shirt-sleeve environment of a Shuttle's cabin.

Occupant Kinematics in Laboratory Rollover Tests: ATD Response and Biofidelity.

PubMed

Zhang, Qi; Lessley, David L; Riley, Patrick; Toczyski, Jacek; Lockerby, Jack; Foltz, Patrick; Overby, Brian; Seppi, Jeremy; Crandall, Jeff R; Kerrigan, Jason R

2014-11-01

Rollover crashes are a serious public health problem in United States, with one third of traffic fatalities occurring in crashes where rollover occurred. While it has been shown that occupant kinematics affect the injury risk in rollover crashes, no anthropomorphic test device (ATD) has yet demonstrated kinematic biofidelity in rollover crashes. Therefore, the primary goal of this study was to assess the kinematic response biofidelity of six ATDs (Hybrid III, Hybrid III Pedestrian, Hybrid III with Pedestrian Pelvis, WorldSID, Polar II and THOR) by comparing them to post mortem human surrogate (PMHS) kinematic response targets published concurrently; and the secondary goal was to evaluate and compare the kinematic response differences among these ATDs. Trajectories (head, T1, T4, T10, L1 and sacrum), spinal segment (head-to-T1, T1-to-T4, T4-T10, T10-L1, and L1-to-sacrum) rotations relative to the rollover buck, and spinal segment extension/compression were calculated from the collected kinematics data from an optical motion tracking system. Response differences among the ATDs were observed mainly due to the different lateral bending stiffness of the spine from their varied architecture, while the additional thoracic joint in Polar II and THOR did not seem to provide more flexion/extension compliance than the other ATDs. In addition, the ATD response data were compared to PMHS response corridors developed from similar tests for assessing ATD biofidelity. All of the ATDs, generally, drifted outboard and upward during the tests similar to the PMHS. However, accompanied with this upward and outward motion, the ATD head and upper torso pitched forward (~10 degrees) while the PMHS' head and upper torso pitching rearward (~10 to ~15 degrees), due to the absence of flexion/extension compliance in the ATD spine. The differences in these pitch motions resulted in a difference of 130 mm to 160 mm in the longitudinal position of the head at 195 degrees of roll angle. Finally, substantially less lateral spinal bending was also observed in the ATDs compared to the PMHS. The results of the current study suggests there is greater upper spine flexion/extension, and lateral bending stiffness in all of the ATDs in comparison to the PMHS, and provided information for improvement of ATD biofidelity in future for rollover crashes.

A Field Data Analysis of Risk Factors Affecting the Injury Risks in Vehicle-To-Pedestrian Crashes

PubMed Central

Zhang, Guanjun; Cao, Libo; Hu, Jingwen; Yang, King H.

2008-01-01

The head, torso, and lower extremity are the most commonly injured body regions during vehicle-to-pedestrian crashes. A total of 312 cases were selected from the National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) Pedestrian Crash Data Study (PCDS) database to investigate factors affecting the likelihood of sustaining MAIS 3+, AIS 3+ head, AIS 3+ torso, and AIS 2+ lower extremity injuries during vehicle-to-pedestrian frontal crashes. The inclusion criteria were pedestrians: (a) aged 14 years or older, (b) with a height of 1.5 m and taller, and (c) who were injured in an upright standing position via vehicle frontal collision. The injury odds ratios (ORs) calculated from logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between selected injury predictors and the odds of sustaining pedestrian head, torso, and lower extremity injuries. These predictors included a crash factor (impact speed), pedestrian factors (age, gender, height, and weight), and vehicle factors (front bumper central height, front bumper lead, ground to front/top transition point height (FTTPH), and rear hood opening distance (RHOD)). Results showed that impact speed was a statistically significant predictor for head, torso, and lower extremity injury odds, as expected. Comparison of people 65 years of age and older to young adults aged 14 to 64 showed that age was also a significant predictor for torso (p<0.001, OR=23.8) and lower extremity (p=0.020, OR=2.44) injury odds, but not for head injuries (p=0.661). Vehicles with higher FTTPH and more vertical frontal structures were aggressive to pedestrians, especially regarding injuries to the torso. A very short RHOD would be more likely to lead the pedestrian to impact the windshield and windshield frame, thus increasing the head injury risk. PMID:19026237

The effect of technique change on knee loads during sidestep cutting.

PubMed

Dempsey, Alasdair R; Lloyd, David G; Elliott, Bruce C; Steele, Julie R; Munro, Bridget J; Russo, Kylie A

2007-10-01

To identify the effect of modifying sidestep cutting technique on knee loads and predict what impact such change would have on the risk of noncontact anterior cruciate ligament injury. A force platform and motion-analysis system were used to record ground-reaction forces and track the trajectories of markers on 15 healthy males performing sidestep cutting tasks using their normal technique and nine different imposed techniques. A kinematic and inverse dynamic model was used to calculate the three-dimensional knee postures and moments. The imposed techniques of foot wide and torso leaning in the opposite direction to the cut resulted in increased peak valgus moments experienced in weight acceptance. Higher peak internal rotation moments were found for the foot wide and torso rotation in the opposite direction to the cut techniques. The foot rotated in technique resulted in lower mean flexion/extension moments, whereas the foot wide condition resulted in higher mean flexion/extension moments. The flexed knee, torso rotated in the opposite direction to the cut and torso leaning in the same direction as the cut techniques had significantly more knee flexion at heel strike. Sidestep cutting technique had a significant effect on loads experienced at the knee. The techniques that produced higher valgus and internal rotation moments at the knee, such as foot wide, torso leaning in the opposite direction to the cut and torso rotating in the opposite direction to the cut, may place an athlete at higher risk of injury because these knee loads have been shown to increase the strain on the anterior cruciate ligament. Training athletes to avoid such body positions may result in a reduced risk of noncontact anterior cruciate ligament injures.

Versatility of Subscapular Chimeric Free Flaps in the Secondary Reconstruction of Composite Posttraumatic Defects of the Upper Face

PubMed Central

Stalder, Mark Winston; Wise, Matthew Whitten; Dupin, Charles L.; St Hilaire, Hugo

2014-01-01

High energy injuries to the upper face present challenging reconstructive problems. In some cases, initial reconstructive efforts result in unfavorable outcomes that require secondary intervention. Chimeric free flaps based on the subscapular system offer the tissue components and volume needed for these complex reconstructions. This is a series of five patients who underwent secondary reconstruction of the middle and upper face following traumatic injury. Mechanism of injury, prior attempts at reconstruction, and characteristics of the tissue defects and the flaps used in their reconstruction are described. Two patients were female and three were male. Three injuries resulted from gunshot wounds, and two from motor vehicle accidents. All patients had multiple prior failed attempts at reconstruction using local/regional tissue. Defects included symptomatic oronasal or oro-orbital fistulas, enophthalmos, and forehead contour deformities. Two of the flaps used included scapular bone and latissimus muscular components, and three included scapular bone and thoracodorsal artery perforator-based skin paddle components. All free tissue transfers were successful, and no patients suffered significant complications. Chimeric free flaps based on the subscapular system offer a valuable secondary strategy for reconstruction of composite defects of the upper face when other options have been exhausted through previous efforts. PMID:25709752

Effects of work experience on fatigue-induced biomechanical changes during repetitive asymmetric lifts/lowers.

PubMed

Lee, Jungyong; Nussbaum, Maury A; Kyung, Gyouhyung

2014-01-01

Repetitive lifting/lowering is associated with an increased risk of work-related low back disorders (WRLBDs), and fatigue may exacerbate such risk. Work methods used by experienced workers are potential models for developing worker training to reduce WRLBDs, though whether experience modifies the effects of fatigue on WRLBD risk is largely unknown. Here, six novices and six experienced workers completed 185 cycles of repetitive, asymmetric lifts/lowers. Physical demands, whole-body balance and torso movement stability were assessed using torso kinematics/kinetics, linear/angular momenta and Lyapunov exponents, respectively. Several fatigue-induced changes in movement strategies were evident. Novices decreased and experienced workers increased peak lumbar moments post-fatigue, suggesting lower WRLBD risks among the former in terms of torso kinetics. Other than lumbar moments, though, fatigue substantially reduced group-level differences in torso twisting velocities and accelerations. Post-fatigue movement strategies of experienced workers thus did not appear to be advantageous in terms of WRLBD risk.

Phantom Torso in HRF section of Destiny module

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-05-02

ISS002-E-6080 (2 May 2001) --- The Phantom Torso, seen here in the Human Research Facility (HRF) section of the Destiny/U.S. laboratory on the International Space Station (ISS), is designed to measure the effects of radiation on organs inside the body by using a torso that is similar to those used to train radiologists on Earth. The torso is equivalent in height and weight to an average adult male. It contains radiation detectors that will measure, in real-time, how much radiation the brain, thyroid, stomach, colon, and heart and lung area receive on a daily basis. The data will be used to determine how the body reacts to and shields its internal organs from radiation, which will be important for longer duration space flights. The experiment was delivered to the orbiting outpost during by the STS-100/6A crew in April 2001. Dr. Gautam Badhwar, NASA JSC, Houston, TX, is the principal investigator for this experiment. A digital still camera was used to record this image.

Implementation of a close range photogrammetric system for 3D reconstruction of a scoliotic torso

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Detchev, Ivan Denislavov

Scoliosis is a deformity of the human spine most commonly encountered with children. After being detected, periodic examinations via x-rays are traditionally used to measure its progression. However, due to the increased risk of cancer, a non-invasive and radiation-free scoliosis detection and progression monitoring methodology is needed. Quantifying the scoliotic deformity through the torso surface is a valid alternative, because of its high correlation with the internal spine curvature. This work proposes a low-cost multi-camera photogrammetric system for semi-automated 3D reconstruction of a torso surface with sub-millimetre level accuracy. The thesis describes the system design and calibration for optimal accuracy. It also covers the methodology behind the reconstruction and registration procedures. The experimental results include the complete reconstruction of a scoliotic torso mannequin. The final accuracy is evaluated through the goodness of fit between the reconstructed surface and a more accurate set of points measured by a coordinate measuring machine.

Reconstruction of large upper eyelid defects with a free tarsal plate graft and a myocutaneous pedicle flap plus a free skin graft.

PubMed

Toft, Peter B

2016-01-01

To review and present the results of a one-step method employing a free tarsal plate graft and a myocutaneous pedicle flap plus a free skin graft for reconstruction of large upper eyelid defects after tumour surgery. This was a retrospective case-series of 8 patients who underwent reconstruction of the upper eyelid after tumour removal. The horizontal defect involved 50-75% of the lid (3 pts.), more than 75% (3 pts.), and more than 75% plus the lateral canthus (2 pts.). The posterior lamella was reconstructed with contralateral upper eyelid tarsal plate. The anterior lamella was reconstructed with a laterally based myocutaneous pedicle flap in 7 patients, leaving a raw surface under the brow which was covered with a free skin graft. In 1 patient with little skin left under the brow, the anterior lamella was reconstructed with a bi-pedicle orbicularis muscle flap together with a free skin graft. All patients healed without necrosis, did not suffer from lagophthalmos, achieved reasonable cosmesis, and did not need lubricants. In one patient, a contact lens was necessary for three weeks because of corneal erosion. One patient still needs a contact lens 3 months after excision to avoid eye discomfort. Large upper eyelid defects can be reconstructed with a free tarsal plate graft and a laterally based myocutaneous pedicle flap in combination with a free skin graft. Two-step procedures can probably be avoided in most cases.

Multimodality imaging features, metastatic pattern and clinical outcome in adult extraskeletal Ewing sarcoma: experience in 26 patients

PubMed Central

Somarouthu, B S; Shinagare, A B; Rosenthal, M H; Hornick, J L; Ramaiya, N H

2014-01-01

Objective: To describe the multimodality imaging features, metastatic pattern and clinical outcome in adult extraskeletal Ewing sarcoma (EES). Methods: In this institutional review board–approved, health insurance portability and accountability act–compliant retrospective study, we included 26 patients (17 females and 9 males; mean age, 36 years; range, 18–85 years) with pathologically confirmed EES seen at our institute between 1999 and 2011, who had imaging of primary tumour. Imaging of primary tumour in all 26 patients and follow-up imaging in 23 was reviewed by two radiologists in consensus. Clinical data were extracted from electronic medical records. Results: The most common primary sites were the torso (n = 13), extremities (n = 10) and head and neck (HN) region (n = 3). The mean tumour size was 9 cm (range, 3–22 cm); tumours of the torso were larger than those of other areas (p > 0.05). Compared with the skeletal muscle, tumours were isodense on CT (21/21), hypointense (n = 5) to isointense (n = 14) on T1 weighted image, hyperintense on T2 weighted image (19/19) and were fluorine-18 fludeoxyglucose (18F-FDG)-avid [10/10; mean maximum standardized uptake value of 7 (range, 3–11)]. Necrosis (15/26), haemorrhage (5/26) and adjacent organ invasion (14/26) were present without calcification. Median follow-up was 16 months. 5 patients had local recurrence (torso, 3; extremity, 1; and HN, 1). Metastases developed in 11 patients (torso, 7; extremities, 3; and HN, 1; p > 0.05); 8 at presentation, most commonly to lung (9/11), peritoneum (4/11), muscles (4/11) and lymph nodes (4/11). Nine patients (torso, 7; extremity, 1; and HN, 1) died (10 months median survival) (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Adult EESs are large tumours, which frequently invade adjacent organs and metastasize to the lung. EESs of the torso are larger, have more frequent metastases and poorer outcomes. Advances in knowledge: Adult EESs of the torso have poor outcomes compared with other EESs. PMID:24734938

Comparison of different strongman events: trunk muscle activation and lumbar spine motion, load, and stiffness.

PubMed

McGill, Stuart M; McDermott, Art; Fenwick, Chad Mj

2009-07-01

Strongman events are attracting more interest as training exercises because of their unique demands. Further, strongman competitors sustain specific injuries, particularly to the back. Muscle electromyographic data from various torso and hip muscles, together with kinematic measures, were input to an anatomically detailed model of the torso to estimate back load, low-back stiffness, and hip torque. Events included the farmer's walk, super yoke, Atlas stone lift, suitcase carry, keg walk, tire flip, and log lift. The results document the unique demands of these whole-body events and, in particular, the demands on the back and torso. For example, the very large moments required at the hip for abduction when performing a yoke walk exceed the strength capability of the hip. Here, muscles such as quadratus lumborum made up for the strength deficit by generating frontal plane torque to support the torso/pelvis. In this way, the stiffened torso acts as a source of strength to allow joints with insufficient strength to be buttressed, resulting in successful performance. Timing of muscle activation patterns in events such as the Atlas stone lift demonstrated the need to integrate the hip extensors before the back extensors. Even so, because of the awkward shape of the stone, the protective neutral spine posture was impossible to achieve, resulting in substantial loading on the back that is placed in a weakened posture. Unexpectedly, the super yoke carry resulted in the highest loads on the spine. This was attributed to the weight of the yoke coupled with the massive torso muscle cocontraction, which produced torso stiffness to ensure spine stability together with buttressing the abduction strength insufficiency of the hips. Strongman events clearly challenge the strength of the body linkage, together with the stabilizing system, in a different way than traditional approaches. The carrying events challenged different abilities than the lifting events, suggesting that loaded carrying would enhance traditional lifting-based strength programs. This analysis also documented the technique components of successful, joint-sparing, strongman event strategies.

In vitro methods for evaluating skin hydration under diapers and incontinence products.

PubMed

Tate, M L; Wright, A S

2017-11-01

Excessive skin hydration from wearing wet undergarments, such as infant diapers and adult incontinence products, has been historically problematic. Skin damage occurs from wetness (urine) and limited product breathability. Evaporative water loss has been measured on adult arms (armband method) or infant torsos (on-baby method), after wearing a saline-insulted diaper product. The current study developed a reliable in vitro method of evaluating diaper and incontinence products for improvements in skin dryness. A simulated skin substrate was applied to a heated mechanical arm or baby torso. A disposable diaper or incontinence product was wrapped around the arm or baby torso, and loaded with saline. Hydration of the simulated skin was measured by evaporimetry and compared with clinical data from adult armband evaluations. The heated mechanical arm and baby torso accurately distinguished products for skin dryness. Eight diaper products were evaluated and compared to human test results. The torso in vitro and mechanical arm evaluations demonstrated strong correlations to human epidermal water loss evaluations, with repeatable results. Additionally, the bench test has been used for adult incontinence products, and it proved to differentiate those products as well as infant products. A rapid and reliable means of evaluation has been developed, and it is predictive of human subject testing. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Updating the TSP Quality Plan Using Monte Carlo Simulation

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-08-01

TSP is the attention to quality or, more accurately, the ability to manage product defects. In fact, TSP creator Watts S . Humphrey says: ... defect...teams at Hill AFB recently started using this technique and are still gathering data on its useful- ness.u References 1. Humphrey , Watts S . TSP...Leading a Development Team. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Addison-Wesley, 2006. Page 138. 2. Humphrey , Watts S . TSP – Leading a Development Team. Upper Saddle

Reconstruction of the lower vermilion with a musculomucosal flap from the upper lip in the repair of extensive lower lip and chin defects.

PubMed

Rong, Li; Lan, Shi-Jie; Zhang, Duo; Wang, Wang-Shu; Liu, Chao; Peng, Wei-Hai

2014-09-01

In the repair of extensive lower lip and chin defects, the reconstruction of vermilion at the same time is a great challenge to plastic surgeons. We describe a novel method for the reconstruction of lower vermilion with musculomucosal flap from the upper lip in the repair of extensive lower lip and chin defects. Two patients underwent extensive lower lip and chin reconstruction together with vermilion reconstruction. This technique used 3 basic components: musculomucosal flap from the upper lip, buccal mucosal advancement flap, and cutaneous rotational flap from the neck. All the flaps survived without significant complications. Labial function in the motions of expression and speaking was maintained. The patients could basically close their mouths completely, and there were no drooping or small-mouth deformities postoperatively. Functional and cosmetically acceptable lower-lip and chin reconstructions in both patients were achieved.

Experimental impact protection with advanced restraint systems : preliminary primate with air bag and inertia reel/inverted-y yoke torso harness.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1969-02-01

Both the inverted-Y yoke torso harness with inertia reel and the air- bag restraint system have had extensive independent development for some time by several engineering and research organizations for both aviation and ground vehicle occupant protec...

49 CFR 572.198 - Pelvis acetabulum.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Pelvis acetabulum. 572.198 Section 572.198... Dummy, Small Adult Female § 572.198 Pelvis acetabulum. (a) The acetabulum is part of the lower torso... torso of the assembled dummy (drawing 180-0000). The dummy is equipped with a laterally oriented pelvis...

49 CFR 572.198 - Pelvis acetabulum.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Pelvis acetabulum. 572.198 Section 572.198... Dummy, Small Adult Female § 572.198 Pelvis acetabulum. (a) The acetabulum is part of the lower torso... torso of the assembled dummy (drawing 180-0000). The dummy is equipped with a laterally oriented pelvis...

An experimental apparatus to simulate body-powered prosthetic usage: Development and preliminary evaluation.

PubMed

Gao, Fan; Rodriguez, Johanan; Kapp, Susan

2016-06-01

Harness fitting in the body-powered prosthesis remains more art than science due to a lack of consistent and quantitative evaluation. The aim of this study was to develop a mechanical, human-body-shaped apparatus to simulate body-powered upper limb prosthetic usage and evaluate its capability of quantitative examination of harness configuration. The apparatus was built upon a torso of a wooden mannequin and integrated major mechanical joints to simulate terminal device operation. Sensors were used to register cable tension, cable excursion, and grip force simultaneously. The apparatus allowed the scapula to move up to 127 mm laterally and the load cell can measure the cable tension up to 445 N. Our preliminary evaluation highlighted the needs and importance of investigating harness configurations in a systematic and controllable manner. The apparatus allows objective, systematic, and quantitative evaluation of effects of realistic harness configurations and will provide insightful and working knowledge on harness fitting in upper limb amputees using body-powered prosthesis. © The International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics 2015.

Structural Integrity Evaluation of the Lear Fan 2100 Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kan, H. P.; Dyer, T. A.

1996-01-01

An in-situ nondestructive inspection was conducted to detect manufacturing and assembly induced defects in the upper two wing surfaces (skin s) and upper fuselage skin of the Lear Fan 2100 aircraft E009. The effects of the defects, detected during the inspection, on the integrity of the structure was analytically evaluated. A systematic evaluation was also conducted to determine the damage tolerance capability of the upper wing skin against impact threats and assembly induced damage. The upper wing skin was divided into small regions for damage tolerance evaluations. Structural reliability, margin of safety, allowable strains, and allowable damage size were computed. The results indicated that the impact damage threat imposed on composite military aircraft structures is too severe for the Lear Fan 2100 upper wing skin. However, the structural integrity is not significantly degraded by the assembly induced damage for properly assembled structures, such as the E009 aircraft.

Biomechanical loading on the upper extremity increases from single key tapping to directional tapping.

PubMed

Qin, Jin; Trudeau, Matthieu; Katz, Jeffrey N; Buchholz, Bryan; Dennerlein, Jack T

2011-08-01

Musculoskeletal disorders associated with computer use span the joints of the upper extremity. Computing typically involves tapping in multiple directions. Thus, we sought to describe the loading on the finger, wrist, elbow and shoulder joints in terms of kinematic and kinetic difference across single key switch tapping to directional tapping on multiple keys. An experiment with repeated measures design was conducted. Six subjects tapped with their right index finger on a stand-alone number keypad placed horizontally in three conditions: (1) on single key switch (the number key 5); (2) left and right on number key 4 and 6; (3) top and bottom on number key 8 and 2. A force-torque transducer underneath the keypad measured the fingertip force. An active-marker infrared motion analysis system measured the kinematics of the fingertip, hand, forearm, upper arm and torso. Joint moments for the metacarpophalangeal, wrist, elbow, and shoulder joints were estimated using inverse dynamics. Tapping in the top-bottom orientation introduced the largest biomechanical loading on the upper extremity especially for the proximal joint, followed by tapping in the left-right orientation, and the lowest loading was observed during single key switch tapping. Directional tapping on average increased the fingertip force, joint excursion, and peak-to-peak joint torque by 45%, 190% and 55%, respectively. Identifying the biomechanical loading patterns associated with these fundamental movements of keying improves the understanding of the risks of upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders for computer keyboard users. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Humanoid Robot

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Linn, Douglas M. (Inventor); Mehling, Joshua S. (Inventor); Radford, Nicolaus A. (Inventor); Bridgwater, Lyndon (Inventor); Wampler, II, Charles W. (Inventor); Abdallah, Muhammad E. (Inventor); Sanders, Adam M. (Inventor); Davis, Donald R. (Inventor); Diftler, Myron A. (Inventor); Platt, Robert (Inventor);

[Propeller facial artery perforator flap for repairing defect after resection of skin malignant tumor at upper lip].

PubMed

Yao, Yuanzhen; Tang, Xiujun; Wang, Dali; Wei, Zairong; Wang, Bo; Deng, Chengliang; Zhang, Ziyang; Jin, Wenhu

2018-02-01

To explore the effectiveness of propeller facial artery perforator flap to repair the defect after resection of skin malignant tumor at upper lip. Between July 2012 and January 2017, 17 cases with skin malignant tumor at upper lip underwent tumor resection and the remained defect was repaired with propeller facial artery perforator flap. Among the 17 patients, 3 were male and 14 were female, with an average age of 57 years (range, 35-82 years). There were 5 cases of squamous cell carcinoma and 12 cases of basal cell carcinoma. The disease duration ranged from 4 months to 11 years with an average of 20 months. The tumor size ranged from 1.4 cm×0.3 cm to 3.1 cm×1.4 cm. The extended resection of the tumor tissue was performed according to the characters of tumor. According to the location, size, and shape of the defect and the position of facial artery perforator explored with Doppler ultrasonography, the propeller facial artery perforator flap was designed to repair the defect and partial donor site. The flap size ranged from 5 cm×2 cm to 7 cm×3 cm. The length of the perforator pedicle was 0.5-1.0 cm with an average of 0.8 cm. The defect at donor site was directly closed. Cyanosis occurred in 3 cases of the distal flap after operation, then healing after symptomatic treatment. The remaining flaps survived successfully and the wound healed by first intention. Primary healing was obtained in the donor site. All the patients were followed up 6-36 months with an average of 18 months. The shape of the patient's upper lip was good and the scar on the donor site was unconspicuous. There was no lip deformity, ala nasi deflection, facial tension, entilation dysfunction, or recurrence of tumor during follow-up. At last follow-up, the results of self-evaluation were very satisfactory in 13 cases and satisfactory in 4 cases. Based on multiple advantages of good blood supply, large rotation range, aesthetic outcome, and slight injury of the donor site, propeller facial artery perforator flap is not only an optimal choice for repairing upper lip defect after resection of skin malignant tumors, but also can achieve good functional and cosmetic effectiveness.

49 CFR 571.210 - Standard No. 210; Seat belt assembly anchorages.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... reference point, shall extend forward from that contact point at an angle with the horizontal of not less... torso belt first contacts the uppermost torso belt anchorage.Seat belt anchorage means any component... line from the seating reference point to the nearest contact point of the belt with the anchorage shall...

49 CFR 571.213 - Standard No. 213; Child restraint systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... the initial pre-test position of the respective knee pivot point, measured along a horizontal line... the head or torso of the appropriate test dummy, specified in S7, when a child restraint system is... (§ 571.225). Torso means the portion of the body of a seated anthropomorphic test dummy, excluding the...

Torso geometry reconstruction and body surface electrode localization using three-dimensional photography.

PubMed

Perez-Alday, Erick A; Thomas, Jason A; Kabir, Muammar; Sedaghat, Golriz; Rogovoy, Nichole; van Dam, Eelco; van Dam, Peter; Woodward, William; Fuss, Cristina; Ferencik, Maros; Tereshchenko, Larisa G

We conducted a prospective clinical study (n=14; 29% female) to assess the accuracy of a three-dimensional (3D) photography-based method of torso geometry reconstruction and body surface electrodes localization. The position of 74 body surface electrocardiographic (ECG) electrodes (diameter 5mm) was defined by two methods: 3D photography, and CT (marker diameter 2mm) or MRI (marker size 10×20mm) imaging. Bland-Altman analysis showed good agreement in X (bias -2.5 [95% limits of agreement (LoA) -19.5 to 14.3] mm), Y (bias -0.1 [95% LoA -14.1 to 13.9] mm), and Z coordinates (bias -0.8 [95% LoA -15.6 to 14.2] mm), as defined by the CT/MRI imaging, and 3D photography. The average Hausdorff distance between the two torso geometry reconstructions was 11.17±3.05mm. Thus, accurate torso geometry reconstruction using 3D photography is feasible. Body surface ECG electrodes coordinates as defined by the CT/MRI imaging, and 3D photography, are in good agreement. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Estimating neuromuscular stimulation within the human torso with Taser stimulus.

PubMed

Sun, Hongyu; Webster, John G

2007-11-07

Designers of electromuscular incapacitation devices need to know efficacy. Which areas of nerve and muscle are stimulated and are these areas adequate to cause incapacitation? This paper focuses on efficacy, which used a torso-sized finite element model with a mesh of about 5 mm. To estimate the neuromuscular regions stimulated by the Taser X26, calculations of electric current density and field strength values with 1 A inserted into the torso using the Utah 3D mesh were made. Field-times-duration values for given Taser stimulation were calculated. Then the region where the motor nerve was stimulated by the Taser was estimated by using a field-times-duration threshold from Reilly (1998 'Applied Bioelectricity: From Electrical Stimulation to Electropathology ' (New York: Springer)). Neuromuscular stimulation occurred up to about 19 cm away from the darts and included the spinal cord. The current density at the heart for dart separation less than 10 cm was smaller than for larger dart separation. Users of finite element computer models will find information for torso models and their creation, meshing and operation.

Estimating neuromuscular stimulation within the human torso with Taser® stimulus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Hongyu; Webster, John G.

2007-11-01

Designers of electromuscular incapacitation devices need to know efficacy. Which areas of nerve and muscle are stimulated and are these areas adequate to cause incapacitation? This paper focuses on efficacy, which used a torso-sized finite element model with a mesh of about 5 mm. To estimate the neuromuscular regions stimulated by the Taser® X26, calculations of electric current density and field strength values with 1 A inserted into the torso using the Utah 3D mesh were made. Field-times-duration values for given Taser stimulation were calculated. Then the region where the motor nerve was stimulated by the Taser was estimated by using a field-times-duration threshold from Reilly (1998 Applied Bioelectricity: From Electrical Stimulation to Electropathology (New York: Springer)). Neuromuscular stimulation occurred up to about 19 cm away from the darts and included the spinal cord. The current density at the heart for dart separation less than 10 cm was smaller than for larger dart separation. Users of finite element computer models will find information for torso models and their creation, meshing and operation.

The localization of focal heart activity via body surface potential measurements: tests in a heterogeneous torso phantom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wetterling, F.; Liehr, M.; Schimpf, P.; Liu, H.; Haueisen, J.

2009-09-01

The non-invasive localization of focal heart activity via body surface potential measurements (BSPM) could greatly benefit the understanding and treatment of arrhythmic heart diseases. However, the in vivo validation of source localization algorithms is rather difficult with currently available measurement techniques. In this study, we used a physical torso phantom composed of different conductive compartments and seven dipoles, which were placed in the anatomical position of the human heart in order to assess the performance of the Recursively Applied and Projected Multiple Signal Classification (RAP-MUSIC) algorithm. Electric potentials were measured on the torso surface for single dipoles with and without further uncorrelated or correlated dipole activity. The localization error averaged 11 ± 5 mm over 22 dipoles, which shows the ability of RAP-MUSIC to distinguish an uncorrelated dipole from surrounding sources activity. For the first time, real computational modelling errors could be included within the validation procedure due to the physically modelled heterogeneities. In conclusion, the introduced heterogeneous torso phantom can be used to validate state-of-the-art algorithms under nearly realistic measurement conditions.

The impact of shallow burial on differential decomposition to the body: a temperate case study.

PubMed

Schotsmans, Eline M J; Van de Voorde, Wim; De Winne, Joan; Wilson, Andrew S

2011-03-20

Extant literature contains a number of specific case studies on differential decomposition involving adipocere formation or desiccation, but few describe the co-occurrence of these features within a temperate climate. The case of a 65-year-old male, partially buried in a shallow grave for 7 months, is presented in which the soft tissues of the body were outwardly well preserved. The right leg was desiccated, some parts of the body were covered with adipocere (head, neck, right shoulder, upper torso and left leg) and other parts could be classified as in the early stages of decomposition. In this study the taphonomic variables resulting in differential decomposition with desiccation and adipocere formation are discussed. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

STS-55 MS3 Harris dons EMU with technician's assistance in JSC's WETF Bldg 29

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

STS-55 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, Mission Specialist 3 (MS3) Bernard A. Harris, Jr, partially suited in his extravehicular mobility unit (EMU), and a technician take a break from suiting procedures to watch nearby activity (out of frame) in JSC's Weightless Environment Training Facility (WETF) Bldg 29. Harris has donned the EMU upper and lower torsos which are not yet connected at the waist ring. Once fully suited in the EMU, Harris will be lowered into the WETF's 25-foot pool for an underwater contingency extravehicular activity (EVA) simulation. There is no scheduled EVA for the 1993 flight but each spaceflight crew includes astronauts trained for a variety of contingency tasks that could require exiting the shirt-sleeve environment of a Shuttle's cabin.

Splenic trauma as an adverse effect of torso-protecting side airbags: biomechanical and case evidence.

PubMed

Hallman, Jason J; Brasel, Karen J; Yoganandan, Narayan; Pintar, Frank A

2009-10-01

Injury mechanisms from frontal airbags, first identified in anecdotal reports, are now well documented for pediatric, small female, and out-of-position occupants. In contrast, torso side airbags have not yet been consistently associated with specific injury risks in field assessments. To determine possible torso side airbag-related injuries, the present study identified crashes involving side airbags from reports within the CIREN, NASS, and SCI databases. Injury patterns were compared to patterns from lateral crashes in absence of side airbag. Splenic trauma (AIS 3+) was found present in five cases of torso side airbag deployment at lower impact severity (as measured by velocity change and compartment intrusion) than cases of splenic trauma without side airbag. Five additional cases were found to contain similar injury patterns but occurred with greater crash severity. To supplement case analyses, full scale sled tests were conducted with a THOR-NT dummy and cadaveric specimen. Four THOR tests with door- and seat-mounted torso side airbags confirmed that out-of-position (early inflation stage) airbag contact elevated thoracic injury metrics compared to optimal (fully inflated) contact. Out-of-position seat-mounted airbag deployment also produced AIS 3 splenic trauma in the cadaveric specimen. Due to potentially sudden or delayed onset of intraperitoneal hemorrhage and hypovolemic shock following splenic trauma, further biomechanical investigation of this anecdotal evidence is essential to identify injury mechanisms, prevention techniques, and methods for early diagnosis.

Splenic Trauma as an Adverse Effect of Torso-Protecting Side Airbags: Biomechanical and Case Evidence

PubMed Central

Hallman, Jason J.; Brasel, Karen J.; Yoganandan, Narayan; Pintar, Frank A.

2009-01-01

Injury mechanisms from frontal airbags, first identified in anecdotal reports, are now well documented for pediatric, small female, and out-of-position occupants. In contrast, torso side airbags have not yet been consistently associated with specific injury risks in field assessments. To determine possible torso side airbag-related injuries, the present study identified crashes involving side airbags from reports within the CIREN, NASS, and SCI databases. Injury patterns were compared to patterns from lateral crashes in absence of side airbag. Splenic trauma (AIS 3+) was found present in five cases of torso side airbag deployment at lower impact severity (as measured by velocity change and compartment intrusion) than cases of splenic trauma without side airbag. Five additional cases were found to contain similar injury patterns but occurred with greater crash severity. To supplement case analyses, full scale sled tests were conducted with a THOR-NT dummy and cadaveric specimen. Four THOR tests with door- and seat-mounted torso side airbags confirmed that out-of-position (early inflation stage) airbag contact elevated thoracic injury metrics compared to optimal (fully inflated) contact. Out-of-position seat-mounted airbag deployment also produced AIS 3 splenic trauma in the cadaveric specimen. Due to potentially sudden or delayed onset of intraperitoneal hemorrhage and hypovolemic shock following splenic trauma, further biomechanical investigation of this anecdotal evidence is essential to identify injury mechanisms, prevention techniques, and methods for early diagnosis. PMID:20184829

Influence of torso and arm positions on chest examinations by electrical impedance tomography.

PubMed

Vogt, B; Mendes, L; Chouvarda, I; Perantoni, E; Kaimakamis, E; Becher, T; Weiler, N; Tsara, V; Paiva, R P; Maglaveras, N; Frerichs, I

2016-06-01

Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is increasingly used in patients suffering from respiratory disorders during pulmonary function testing (PFT). The EIT chest examinations often take place simultaneously to conventional PFT during which the patients involuntarily move in order to facilitate their breathing. Since the influence of torso and arm movements on EIT chest examinations is unknown, we studied this effect in 13 healthy subjects (37  ±  4 years, mean age  ±  SD) and 15 patients with obstructive lung diseases (72  ±  8 years) during stable tidal breathing. We carried out the examinations in an upright sitting position with both arms adducted, in a leaning forward position and in an upright sitting position with consecutive right and left arm elevations. We analysed the differences in EIT-derived regional end-expiratory impedance values, tidal impedance variations and their spatial distributions during all successive study phases. Both the torso and the arm movements had a highly significant influence on the end-expiratory impedance values in the healthy subjects (p  =  0.0054 and p  <  0.0001, respectively) and the patients (p  <  0.0001 in both cases). The global tidal impedance variation was affected by the torso, but not the arm movements in both study groups (p  =  0.0447 and p  =  0.0418, respectively). The spatial heterogeneity of the tidal ventilation distribution was slightly influenced by the alteration of the torso position only in the patients (p  =  0.0391). The arm movements did not impact the ventilation distribution in either study group. In summary, the forward torso movement and the arms' abduction exert significant effects on the EIT waveforms during tidal breathing. We recommend strict adherence to the upright sitting position during PFT when EIT is used.

Clinical applications of perforator-based propeller flaps in upper limb soft tissue reconstruction.

PubMed

Ono, Shimpei; Sebastin, Sandeep J; Yazaki, Naoya; Hyakusoku, Hiko; Chung, Kevin C

2011-05-01

A propeller flap is an island flap that moves from one orientation to another by rotating around its vascular axis. The vascular axis is stationary, and flap movement is achieved by revolving on this axis. Early propeller flaps relied on a thick, subcutaneous pedicle to maintain vascularity, and this limited the flap rotation to 90°. With increasing awareness of the location and the vascular territory perfused by cutaneous perforators, it is now possible to design propeller flaps based on a single perforator, so-called "perforator-based propeller flaps." These flaps permit flap rotation up to 180°. We present the results of upper limb soft tissue reconstruction using perforator-based propeller flaps. We constructed a treatment strategy based on the location of the soft tissue defect and the perforator anatomy for expedient wound coverage in 1 stage. All perforator-based propeller flaps derived from 3 institutions that were used for upper limb soft tissue reconstruction were retrospectively analyzed. The parameters studied included the size and location of the defect, the perforator that was used, the size and shape of the flap, the direction (ie, clockwise or counter-clockwise) of flap rotation, the degree of twisting of the perforator, the management of the donor site (ie, linear closure or skin grafting), and flap survival (recorded as the percentage of the flap area that survived). Twelve perforator-based propeller flaps were used to reconstruct upper limb soft tissue defects in 12 patients. Six different perforators were used as vascular pedicles. The donor defects of 11 flaps could be closed primarily. One flap was partially lost in a patient with electrical burns. Perforator-based propeller flaps provide a reliable option for covering small- to medium-size upper limb soft tissue defects. Copyright © 2011 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Combining Simulated Patients and Simulators: Pilot Study of Hybrid Simulation in Teaching Cardiac Auscultation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friederichs, Hendrik; Weissenstein, Anne; Ligges, Sandra; Möller, David; Becker, Jan C.; Marschall, Bernhard

2014-01-01

Auscultation torsos are widely used to teach position-dependent heart sounds and murmurs. To provide a more realistic teaching experience, both whole body auscultation mannequins and torsos have been used in clinical examination skills training at the Medical Faculty of the University of Muenster since the winter term of 2008-2009. This training…

Injuries in karate: systematic review.

PubMed

Thomas, Roger E; Ornstein, Jodie

2018-05-22

to identify all studies of Karate injuries and assess injury rates, types, location, and causes. Six electronic and four grey literature databases were searched. Two reviewers independently assessed titles/abstracts, abstracted data and assessed risk-of-bias with the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Average injury rates/1000AE (AE = athletic-encounter) and/1000minutesAE, injury location and type weighted by study size were calculated. In competitions rates of injury/1000AE and/1000 minutesAE were similar for males (111.4/1000AE, 75.4/1000 minAE) and females (105.8/1000AE, 72.8/1000 minAE). Location of injury rates/1000AE for males were 44.0 for head/neck, 11.9 lower extremities, 8.1 torso and 5.4 upper extremities and were similar for females: 41.2 head/neck, 12.4 lower extremities, 9.1 torso and 6.3 upper extremities. Injury rates varied widely by study. Rates/1000AE for type of injury were contusions/abrasions/lacerations/bruises/tooth avulsion for males (68.1) and females (30.4); hematomas/bleeding/epistaxis males (11.4) and females (12.1); strains/sprains males (3.5) and females (0.1); dislocations males (2.9) and females (0.9); concussions males (2.5) and females (3.9); and fractures males (2.9) and females (1.4). Punches were a more common mechanism of injury for males (59.8) than females (40.8) and kicks similar (males 19.7, females 21.7). Weighted averages were not calculated for weight class or belt colour because there were too few studies. Nineteen injury surveys reported annual injury rates from 30% to rates ten times higher but used different reporting methods. Studies provided no data to explain wide rate ranges. Studies need to adopt one injury definition, one data-collection form, and collect comprehensive data for each study for both training and competitions. More data are needed to measure the effect of weight, age and experience on injuries, rates and types of injury during training, and for competitors with high injury rates. RCTs are needed of interventions such as training and feedback of performance data to reduce injury rates.

Kinematics of the Pelvis, Torso, and Lower Limb During Obstacle Negotiation While Under Temporal Constraints.

PubMed

Christensen, Jesse C; Wilson, Christopher R; Merryweather, Andrew S; Foreman, K Bo

2017-04-01

Biomechanics of unobstructed locomotion consists of synchronized complex movements of the pelvis, torso, and lower limbs. These movement patterns become more complex as individuals encounter obstacles or negotiate uneven terrain. To date, limited research has explored how specifically the pelvis, torso, and lower limb segments relate to obstacle negotiation of varying sized objects combined with temporal constraints to perform the task. Understanding pelvis and adjoining segment movements during object negotiation will provide necessary information in identifying abnormal mechanics and potential fall risk characteristics in balance compromised patient populations. In this prospective cohort study, we aimed to compare pelvic, torso, and lower limb kinematics during unobstructed locomotion with obstacle negotiation of varying heights. Ten healthy young adults (7 females and 3 males, mean age 28.4 ± 4.1 years, mean body mass index 22.5 ± 3.6 kg/m 2 ) enrolled in this study. Analysis of within-subject differences revealed a significant increase in sagittal (posterior tilt) and frontal (ipsilateral hike) plane pelvic angular displacement and higher sagittal plane posterior torso lean angular displacement with increased obstacle height. Furthermore, both sagittal plane hip and knee maximum joint flexion were significantly higher with increasing heights of the obstacles during negotiation. These data provide insight on segment mechanics within a non-mobility-impaired population; therefore, providing a baseline to understand the kinematic demands necessary for safe and effective gait in mobility-compromised populations. Anat Rec, 300:732-738, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Pancreatic Cancer Detection Consortium (PCDC) | Division of Cancer Prevention

Cancer.gov

[[{"fid":"2256","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"A 3-dimensional image of a human torso highlighting the pancreas.","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"default","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"A 3-dimensional image of a human torso

Are Torsos the Basis for Infants' Categorization of Cats Versus Dogs? A Reply to Vidic and Haaf (2004)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quinn, Paul C.

2005-01-01

Vidic and Haaf (2004) questioned the idea that infants use head information to categorize cats as distinct from dogs (Quinn & Eimas, 1996) and argued instead that the torso region is important. However, only null results were observed in the critical test comparisons between modified and unmodified stimuli. In addition, a priori preferences for…

Changes in fitness and shipboard task performance following circuit weight training programs featuring continuous or interval running.

PubMed

Marcinik, E J; Hodgdon, J A; Englund, C E; O'Brien, J J

1987-01-01

Pre- and post-physiological data were collected on 57 Navy men (mean age = 19.5 years) who participated in either circuit weight training/continuous run (CWT/CR) (N = 31) or circuit weight training/interval run (CWT/IR) (N = 26) programs. Measured variables included 4 measures of upper torso dynamic strength (one repetition maximum [1 RM] for arm curl, bench press, shoulder press, and lat pull-down); two measures of lower torso dynamic strength (1 RM) for knee extension and leg press); one measure of power (number of revolutions completed on an arm ergometer (Monark) at maximum drag); three measures of muscular endurance (number of repetitions at 60% 1 RM for bench press and leg press and maximal number of bent-knee sit-ups in 120 s); one stamina measure (time to exhaustion on a cycle ergometer (Monark) maximal work capacity [MWC] test; and three simulated shipboard tasks: manikin shoulder drag, open/secure a water tight door and paint bucket carry. Composite shipboard performance derived from the summed time (s) required to complete the three tasks was also calculated. Results show performance on the manikin shoulder drag and majority of evaluative fitness measures was significantly (p less than 0.05) enhanced following both circuit weight training/run formats. Significantly (p less than 0.05) higher values for shoulder press (F = 7.2), arm ergometer (F = 5.3), and sit-ups (F = 6.8) and lower values for leg press muscular endurance (F = 5.1) were observed in CWT/IR when compared to CWT/CR.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Reconstruction of facial soft tissue defects with pedicled expanded flaps].

PubMed

Yangqun, Li; Yong, Tang; Wen, Chen; Zhe, Yang; Muxin, Zhao; Lisi, Xu; Chunmei, Hu; Yuanyuan, Liu; Ning, Ma; Jun, Feng; Weixin, Wang

2014-09-01

To investigate the application of pedicled expanded flaps for the reconstruction of facial soft tissue defects. The expanded skin flaps, pedicled with orbicularis oculi muscle, submental artery, the branch of facial artery, superficial temporal artery, interior upper arm artery, had similar texture and color as facial soft tissue. The pedicled expanded flaps have repaired the facial soft tissue defects. Between Jan. 2003 to Dec. 2013, 157 cases with facial soft tissue defects were reconstructed by pedicled expanded flaps. Epidermal necrosis happened at the distal end of 8 expanded flaps, pedicled with interior upper arm artery(4 cases), orbicularis oculi muscle(3 cases) and submental artery(1 case), which healed spontaneously after dressing. All the other flaps survived completely with similar color and inconspicuous scar. 112 cases were followed up for 8 months to 8 years. Satisfactory results were achieved in 75 cases. 37 cases with hypertrophic scar at incisions need secondary operation. Island pedicled expanded flap with similar texture and color as facial soft tissue is suitable for facial soft tissue defects. The facial extra-incision and large dog-ear deformity could be avoided.

Classification of male lower torso for underwear design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Z.; Kuzmichev, V. E.

2017-10-01

By means of scanning technology we have got new information about the morphology of male bodies and have redistricted the classification of men’s underwear by adopting one to consumer demands. To build the new classification in accordance with male body characteristic factors of lower torso, we make the method of underwear designing which allow to get the accurate and convenience for consumers products.

Current management of penetrating torso trauma: nontherapeutic is not good enough anymore.

PubMed

Ball, Chad G

2014-04-01

A highly organized approach to the evaluation and treatment of penetrating torso injuries based on regional anatomy provides rapid diagnostic and therapeutic consistency. It also minimizes delays in diagnosis, missed injuries and nontherapeutic laparotomies. This review discusses an optimal sequence of structured rapid assessments that allow the clinician to rapidly proceed to gold standard therapies with a minimal risk of associated morbidity.

Efficacy of thigh volume ratios assessed via stereovision body imaging as a predictor of visceral adipose tissue measured by magnetic resonance imaging

PubMed Central

Lee, Jane J; Freeland-Graves, Jeanne H; Pepper, M Reese; Yu, Wurong; Xu, Bugao

2014-01-01

Objectives The research examined the efficacy of regional volumes of thigh ratios assessed by stereovision body imaging (SBI) as a predictor of visceral adipose tissue measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Body measurements obtained via SBI also were utilized to explore disparities of body size and shape in men and women. Method 121 participants were measured for total/regional body volumes and ratios via SBI and abdominal subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue areas by MRI. Results Thigh to torso and thigh to abdomen-hip volume ratios were the most reliable parameters to predict the accumulation of visceral adipose tissue depots compared to other body measurements. Thigh volume in relation to torso [odds ratios (OR) 0.44] and abdomen-hip (OR 0.41) volumes were negatively associated with increased risks of greater visceral adipose tissue depots, even after controlling for age, gender, and body mass index (BMI). Irrespective of BMI classification, men exhibited greater total body (80.95L vs. 72.41L), torso (39.26L vs. 34.13L), and abdomen-hip (29.01L vs. 25.85L) volumes than women. Women had higher thigh volumes (4.93L vs. 3.99L) and lower-body volume ratios [thigh to total body (0.07 vs. 0.05), thigh to torso (0.15 vs. 0.11), and thigh to abdomen-hip (0.20 vs. 0.15); p<0.05]. Conclusions The unique parameters of the volumes of thigh in relation to torso and abdomen-hip, by SBI were highly effective in predicting visceral adipose tissue deposition. The SBI provided an efficient method for determining body size and shape in men and women via total and regional body volumes and ratios. PMID:25645428

A human body model with active muscles for simulation of pretensioned restraints in autonomous braking interventions.

PubMed

Osth, Jonas; Brolin, Karin; Bråse, Dan

2015-01-01

The aim of this work is to study driver and passenger kinematics in autonomous braking scenarios, with and without pretensioned seat belts, using a whole-body finite element (FE) human body model (HBM) with active muscles. Upper extremity musculature for elbow and shoulder flexion-extension feedback control was added to an HBM that was previously complemented with feedback controlled muscles for the trunk and neck. Controller gains were found using a radial basis function metamodel sampled by making 144 simulations of an 8 ms(-2) volunteer sled test. The HBM kinematics, interaction forces, and muscle activations were validated using a second volunteer data set for the passenger and driver positions, with and without 170 N seat belt pretension, in 11 ms(-2) autonomous braking deceleration. The HBM was then used for a parameter study in which seat belt pretension force and timing were varied from 170 to 570 N and from 0.25 s before to 0.15 s after deceleration onset, in an 11 ms(-2) autonomous braking scenario. The model validation showed that the forward displacements and interaction forces of the HBM correlated with those of corresponding volunteer tests. Muscle activations and head rotation angles were overestimated in the HBM when compared with volunteer data. With a standard seat belt in 11 ms(-2) autonomous braking interventions, the HBM exhibited peak forward head displacements of 153 and 232 mm for the driver and passenger positions. When 570 N seat belt pretension was applied 0.15 s before deceleration onset, a reduction of peak head displacements to 60 and 75 mm was predicted. Driver and passenger responses to autonomous braking with standard and pretensioned restraints were successfully modeled in a whole-body FE HBM with feedback controlled active muscles. Variations of belt pretension force level and timing revealed that belt pretension 0.15 s before deceleration onset had the largest effect in reducing forward head and torso movement caused by the autonomous brake intervention. The displacement of the head relative to the torso for the HBM is quite constant for all variations in timing and belt force; it is the reduced torso displacements that lead to reduced forward head displacements.

Correction of nonuniform attenuation and image fusion in SPECT imaging by means of separate X-ray CT.

PubMed

Kashiwagi, Toru; Yutani, Kenji; Fukuchi, Minoru; Naruse, Hitoshi; Iwasaki, Tadaaki; Yokozuka, Koichi; Inoue, Shinichi; Kondo, Shoji

2002-06-01

Improvements in image quality and quantitation measurement, and the addition of detailed anatomical structures are important topics for single-photon emission tomography (SPECT). The goal of this study was to develop a practical system enabling both nonuniform attenuation correction and image fusion of SPECT images by means of high-performance X-ray computed tomography (CT). A SPECT system and a helical X-ray CT system were placed next to each other and linked with Ethernet. To avoid positional differences between the SPECT and X-ray CT studies, identical flat patient tables were used for both scans; body distortion was minimized with laser beams from the upper and lateral directions to detect the position of the skin surface. For the raw projection data of SPECT, a scatter correction was performed with the triple energy window method. Image fusion of the X-ray CT and SPECT images was performed automatically by auto-registration of fiducial markers attached to the skin surface. After registration of the X-ray CT and SPECT images, an X-ray CT-derived attenuation map was created with the calibration curve for 99mTc. The SPECT images were then reconstructed with scatter and attenuation correction by means of a maximum likelihood expectation maximization algorithm. This system was evaluated in torso and cylindlical phantoms and in 4 patients referred for myocardial SPECT imaging with Tc-99m tetrofosmin. In the torso phantom study, the SPECT and X-ray CT images overlapped exactly on the computer display. After scatter and attenuation correction, the artifactual activity reduction in the inferior wall of the myocardium improved. Conversely, the incresed activity around the torso surface and the lungs was reduced. In the abdomen, the liver activity, which was originally uniform, had recovered after scatter and attenuation correction processing. The clinical study also showed good overlapping of cardiac and skin surface outlines on the fused SPECT and X-ray CT images. The effectiveness of the scatter and attenuation correction process was similar to that observed in the phantom study. Because the total time required for computer processing was less than 10 minutes, this method of attenuation correction and image fusion for SPECT images is expected to become popular in clinical practice.

Feasibility study of a new RF coil design for prostate MRI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ha, Seunghoon; Roeck, Werner W.; Cho, Jaedu; Nalcioglu, Orhan

2014-09-01

The combined use of a torso-pelvic RF array coil and endorectal RF coil is the current state-of-the-art in prostate MRI. The endorectal coil provides high detection sensitivity to acquire high-spatial resolution images and spectroscopic data, while the torso-pelvic coil provides large coverage to assess pelvic lymph nodes and pelvic bones for metastatic disease. However, the use of an endorectal coil is an invasive procedure that presents difficulties for both patients and technicians. In this study, we propose a novel non-invasive RF coil design that can provide both image signal to noise ratio and field of view coverage comparable to the combined torso-pelvic and endorectal coil configuration. A prototype coil was constructed and tested using a pelvic phantom. The results demonstrate that this new design is a viable alternative for prostate MRI

Current management of penetrating torso trauma: nontherapeutic is not good enough anymore

PubMed Central

Ball, Chad G.

2014-01-01

A highly organized approach to the evaluation and treatment of penetrating torso injuries based on regional anatomy provides rapid diagnostic and therapeutic consistency. It also minimizes delays in diagnosis, missed injuries and nontherapeutic laparotomies. This review discusses an optimal sequence of structured rapid assessments that allow the clinician to rapidly proceed to gold standard therapies with a minimal risk of associated morbidity. PMID:24666458

Process Setting through General Linear Model and Response Surface Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Senjuntichai, Angsumalin

2010-10-01

The objective of this study is to improve the efficiency of the flow-wrap packaging process in soap industry through the reduction of defectives. At the 95% confidence level, with the regression analysis, the sealing temperature, temperatures of upper and lower crimper are found to be the significant factors for the flow-wrap process with respect to the number/percentage of defectives. Twenty seven experiments have been designed and performed according to three levels of each controllable factor. With the general linear model (GLM), the suggested values for the sealing temperature, temperatures of upper and lower crimpers are 185, 85 and 85° C, respectively while the response surface method (RSM) provides the optimal process conditions at 186, 89 and 88° C. Due to different assumptions between percentage of defective and all three temperature parameters, the suggested conditions from the two methods are then slightly different. Fortunately, the estimated percentage of defectives at 5.51% under GLM process condition and the predicted percentage of defectives at 4.62% under RSM process condition are not significant different. But at 95% confidence level, the percentage of defectives under RSM condition can be much lower approximately 2.16% than those under GLM condition in accordance with wider variation. Lastly, the percentages of defectives under the conditions suggested by GLM and RSM are reduced by 55.81% and 62.95%, respectively.

Propeller flaps in eyelid reconstruction.

PubMed

Rajak, Saul N; Huilgol, Shyamala C; Murakami, Masahiro; Selva, Dinesh

2018-03-14

Propeller flaps are island flaps that reach the recipient site through an axial rotation. The flap has a subcutaneous pedicle on which it pivots, thereby resembling a helicopter propeller. We present our series of propeller flaps for the reconstruction of large eyelid defects. This is a retrospective review of the clinical case notes of eight patients that underwent tumour excision with reconstruction with a cutaneous propeller flap supplied by a non-perforator orbicularis pedicle between July and December 2016. Propeller flaps were used in the reconstruction of five lower lid defects (size range 19 × 5 mm to 25 × 8 mm), one medial canthus defect (13 mm diameter), one complete upper lid defect (42 × 19 mm diameter) and one lid sparing extenteration defect. The flaps were recruited from nasolabial, lateral canthal, temple or medial upper cheek skin. Post-operatively one case had 'trapdooring' which required flap revision at 4 months and one had persistent oedema that settled without intervention. The reconstruction of large eyelid defects is challenging in part because of the paucity of locally available skin. Propeller flaps are a paradigm shift in periocular reconstruction in which the subcutaneous pedicle enables the recruitment of large and highly mobile skin flaps from a wide area of regional tissue.

Surgical gem: island advancement flaps for lip reconstruction.

PubMed

Kaufman, Andrew J

2014-08-01

Island advancement flaps provide specific advantages for repairing certain defects on the upper lip. We discuss the design and execution of this flap for defects on the alar sill and philtrum. © 2014 The Author. Australasian Journal of Dermatology © 2014 The Australasian College of Dermatologists.

Injury Pattern and Mortality of Noncompressible Torso Hemorrhage in UK Combat Casualties

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-08-01

body disruption (5.1%), and multiple-organ failure (4.0%). On multivariate analysis, major arterial and pulmonary hilar injury are most lethal with odds...death. Major arterial and pulmonary hilar injuries are independent predictors of mortality. (J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2013;75: S263YS268. Copyright...physiologic or procedural indices of shock.8 Anatomic refers to those injuries to a named torso vessel, pulmonary injury (massive hemothorax or hilar

Noncompressible Torso Hemorrhage: A Review with Contemporary Definitions and Management Strategies

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

Criteria 1. Thoracic cavity (including lung ) 2. Solid organ injury grade 4 (liver, kidney, spleen) Hemorrhagic shocka; or need for immediate operation 3...resuscitation and warming in the intensive care unit. DCS is an extreme surgical strategy that carries a risk of infection; intra-abdominal abscess ...depending on location. Injury to the periphery Noncompressible Torso Hemorrhage 849 of the lung can be stapled off in a nonanatomic fashion using a linear

Safety harness

DOEpatents

Gunter, Larry W.

1993-01-01

A safety harness to be worn by a worker, especially a worker wearing a plastic suit thereunder for protection in a radioactive or chemically hostile environment, which safety harness comprises a torso surrounding portion with at least one horizontal strap for adjustably securing the harness about the torso, two vertical shoulder straps with rings just forward of the of the peak of the shoulders for attaching a life-line and a pair of adjustable leg supporting straps releasibly attachable to the torso surrounding portion. In the event of a fall, the weight of the worker, when his fall is broken and he is suspended from the rings with his body angled slightly back and chest up, will be borne by the portion of the leg straps behind his buttocks rather than between his legs. Furthermore, the supporting straps do not restrict the air supplied through hoses into his suit when so suspended.

Predicting significant torso trauma.

PubMed

Nirula, Ram; Talmor, Daniel; Brasel, Karen

2005-07-01

Identification of motor vehicle crash (MVC) characteristics associated with thoracoabdominal injury would advance the development of automatic crash notification systems (ACNS) by improving triage and response times. Our objective was to determine the relationships between MVC characteristics and thoracoabdominal trauma to develop a torso injury probability model. Drivers involved in crashes from 1993 to 2001 within the National Automotive Sampling System were reviewed. Relationships between torso injury and MVC characteristics were assessed using multivariate logistic regression. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to compare the model to current ACNS models. There were a total of 56,466 drivers. Age, ejection, braking, avoidance, velocity, restraints, passenger-side impact, rollover, and vehicle weight and type were associated with injury (p < 0.05). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (83.9) was significantly greater than current ACNS models. We have developed a thoracoabdominal injury probability model that may improve patient triage when used with ACNS.

Labyrinth and cerebral-spinal fluid pressure changes in guinea pigs and monkeys during simulated zero G

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parker, D. E.

1977-01-01

This study was undertaken to explore the hypothesis that shifts of body fluids from the legs and torso toward the head contribute to the motion sickness experienced by astronauts and cosmonauts. The shifts in body fluids observed during zero-G exposure were simulated by elevating guinea pigs' and monkeys' torsos and hindquarters. Cerebral-spinal fluid pressure was recorded from a transducer located in a brain ventricle; labyrinth fluid pressure was recorded from a pipette cemented in a hole in a semicircular canal. An anticipated divergence in cerebral-spinal fluid pressure and labyrinth fluid pressure during torso elevation was not observed. The results of this study do not support a fluid shift mechanism of zero-G-induced motion sickness. However, a more complete test of the fluid shift mechanism would be obtained if endolymph and perilymph pressure changes were determined separately; we have been unable to perform this test to date.

Collimator optimization in myocardial perfusion SPECT using the ideal observer and realistic background variability for lesion detection and joint detection and localization tasks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghaly, Michael; Du, Yong; Links, Jonathan M.; Frey, Eric C.

2016-03-01

In SPECT imaging, collimators are a major factor limiting image quality and largely determine the noise and resolution of SPECT images. In this paper, we seek the collimator with the optimal tradeoff between image noise and resolution with respect to performance on two tasks related to myocardial perfusion SPECT: perfusion defect detection and joint detection and localization. We used the Ideal Observer (IO) operating on realistic background-known-statistically (BKS) and signal-known-exactly (SKE) data. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and localization ROC (LROC) curves (AUCd, AUCd+l), respectively, were used as the figures of merit for both tasks. We used a previously developed population of 54 phantoms based on the eXtended Cardiac Torso Phantom (XCAT) that included variations in gender, body size, heart size and subcutaneous adipose tissue level. For each phantom, organ uptakes were varied randomly based on distributions observed in patient data. We simulated perfusion defects at six different locations with extents and severities of 10% and 25%, respectively, which represented challenging but clinically relevant defects. The extent and severity are, respectively, the perfusion defect’s fraction of the myocardial volume and reduction of uptake relative to the normal myocardium. Projection data were generated using an analytical projector that modeled attenuation, scatter, and collimator-detector response effects, a 9% energy resolution at 140 keV, and a 4 mm full-width at half maximum (FWHM) intrinsic spatial resolution. We investigated a family of eight parallel-hole collimators that spanned a large range of sensitivity-resolution tradeoffs. For each collimator and defect location, the IO test statistics were computed using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method for an ensemble of 540 pairs of defect-present and -absent images that included the aforementioned anatomical and uptake variability. Sets of test statistics were computed for both tasks and analyzed using ROC and LROC analysis methodologies. The results of this study suggest that collimators with somewhat poorer resolution and higher sensitivity than those of a typical low-energy high-resolution (LEHR) collimator were optimal for both defect detection and joint detection and localization tasks in myocardial perfusion SPECT for the range of defect sizes investigated. This study also indicates that optimizing instrumentation for a detection task may provide near-optimal performance on the more challenging detection-localization task.

Spacesuit Radiation Shield Design Methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, John W.; Anderson, Brooke M.; Cucinotta, Francis A.; Ware, J.; Zeitlin, Cary J.

2006-01-01

Meeting radiation protection requirements during EVA is predominantly an operational issue with some potential considerations for temporary shelter. The issue of spacesuit shielding is mainly guided by the potential of accidental exposure when operational and temporary shelter considerations fail to maintain exposures within operational limits. In this case, very high exposure levels are possible which could result in observable health effects and even be life threatening. Under these assumptions, potential spacesuit radiation exposures have been studied using known historical solar particle events to gain insight on the usefulness of modification of spacesuit design in which the control of skin exposure is a critical design issue and reduction of blood forming organ exposure is desirable. Transition to a new spacesuit design including soft upper-torso and reconfigured life support hardware gives an opportunity to optimize the next generation spacesuit for reduced potential health effects during an accidental exposure.

An Ergonomic Evaluation of the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Space Suit Hard Upper Torso (HUT) Size Effect on Metabolic, Mobility, and Strength Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reid, Christopher; Harvill, Lauren; England, Scott; Young, Karen; Norcross, Jason; Rajulu, Sudhakar

2014-01-01

The objective of this project was to assess the performance differences between a nominally sized Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) space suit and a nominal +1 (plus) sized EMU. Method: This study evaluated suit size conditions by using metabolic cost, arm mobility, and arm strength as performance metrics. Results: Differences between the suit sizes were found only in shoulder extension strength being 15.8% greater for the plus size. Discussion: While this study was able to identify motions and activities that were considered to be practically or statistically different, it does not signify that use of a plus sized suit should be prohibited. Further testing would be required that either pertained to a particular mission critical task or better simulates a microgravity environment that the EMU suit was designed to work in.

The Macalister archive: records from the Queen's Hospital, Sidcup, 1917-1921.

PubMed

Bamji, A N

1993-04-01

The Queen's Hospital opened in 1917 to care for soldiers receiving facial injuries in Western Front trenches, usually as a result of a gunshot wound. Some 8000 patients were treated by the medical teams of the UK, the Dominions and the USA. The wartime records were removed by their respective sections in 1921, but Queen Mary's Hospital has recently reacquired those of the New Zealand section, rescued from imminent destruction by Professor A.D. Macalister, late Dean of the Dental School at Dunedin, and kindly donated by him. There are 282 sets of case-notes containing typescript summaries, clinical photographs and radiographs, drawings, 77 watercolor paintings and a life-size wax model of head and upper torso illustrating some of the surgical techniques. The archive is a fine example of medical illustration 75 years ago, and provides invaluable detail on the plastic surgery and dental reconstructive methods that were developed at Sidcup.

Power spectral density analysis of the electromyogram from a work task performed in a full pressure suit. Ph.D. Thesis - Houston Univ.; [for determining muscular fatigue

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lafevers, E. V.

1974-01-01

Surface electromyograms (EMG) taken from three upper torso muscles during a push-pull task were analyzed by a power spectral density technique to determine the utility of the spectral analysis for identifying changes in the EMG caused by muscular fatigue. The results confirmed the value of the frequency analysis for identifying fatigue producing muscular performance. Data revealed reliable differences between muscles in fatigue induced responses to various locations in the reach envelope at which the subjects were required to perform the push-pull exercise, and the differential sensitivity of individual muscles to the various reach positions; i.e., certain reach positions imposed more fatigue related shifts in EMG power than did others. It was found that a pressurized space suit changed the pattern of normal shirtsleeve muscle fatigue responses in all three of the muscles.

Animal Exposure During Burn Tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaume, J. G.

1978-01-01

An animal exposure test system (AETS) was designed and fabricated for the purpose of collecting physiological and environmental (temperature) data from animal subjects exposed to combustion gases in large scale fire tests. The AETS consisted of an open wire mesh, two-compartment cage, one containing an exercise wheel for small rodents, and the other containing one rat instrumented externally for electrocardiogram (ECG) and respiration. Cage temperature is measured by a thermistor located in the upper portion of the rat compartment. Animal activity is monitored by the ECG and the records indicate an increase in EMG (electromyograph) noise super-imposed by the increased activity of the torso musculature. Examples of the recordings are presented and discussed as to their significance regarding toxicity of fire gases and specific events occurring during the test. The AETS was shown to be a useful tool in screening materials for the relative toxicity of their outgassing products during pyrolysis and combustion.

Segmenting human from photo images based on a coarse-to-fine scheme.

PubMed

Lu, Huchuan; Fang, Guoliang; Shao, Xinqing; Li, Xuelong

2012-06-01

Human segmentation in photo images is a challenging and important problem that finds numerous applications ranging from album making and photo classification to image retrieval. Previous works on human segmentation usually demand a time-consuming training phase for complex shape-matching processes. In this paper, we propose a straightforward framework to automatically recover human bodies from color photos. Employing a coarse-to-fine strategy, we first detect a coarse torso (CT) using the multicue CT detection algorithm and then extract the accurate region of the upper body. Then, an iterative multiple oblique histogram algorithm is presented to accurately recover the lower body based on human kinematics. The performance of our algorithm is evaluated on our own data set (contains 197 images with human body region ground truth data), VOC 2006, and the 2010 data set. Experimental results demonstrate the merits of the proposed method in segmenting a person with various poses.

Design of a home-based adaptive mixed reality rehabilitation system for stroke survivors.

PubMed

Baran, Michael; Lehrer, Nicole; Siwiak, Diana; Chen, Yinpeng; Duff, Margaret; Ingalls, Todd; Rikakis, Thanassis

2011-01-01

This paper presents the design of a home-based adaptive mixed reality system (HAMRR) for upper extremity stroke rehabilitation. The goal of HAMRR is to help restore motor function to chronic stroke survivors by providing an engaging long-term reaching task therapy at home. The system uses an intelligent adaptation scheme to create a continuously challenging and unique multi-year therapy experience. The therapy is overseen by a physical therapist, but day-to-day use of the system can be independently set up and completed by a stroke survivor. The HAMMR system tracks movement of the wrist and torso and provides real-time, post-trial, and post-set feedback to encourage the stroke survivor to self-assess his or her movement and engage in active learning of new movement strategies. The HAMRR system consists of a custom table, chair, and media center, and is designed to easily integrate into any home.

Evaluation of the influence of velocity on dynamic passenger loads during a frontal minibus impact against an obstacle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prochowski, L.; Dębowski, A.; Żuchowski, A.; Zielonka, K.

2016-09-01

The safety of people travelling by minibus is a very complex issue, in which the decisive role is played by load-bearing vehicle structure, passenger seats, and personal protection means. In order to maximize the number of people transported, the seats are spaced very closely to each other and this may pose a hazard to the passengers. Based on an analysis of experimental test results, a computer model representing a system composed of a minibus floor segment, seats, and dummies was built. For the analysis, seats integrated with seat belts were adopted. A seat of this type was based on a high-rigidity frame necessary to bear, inter alia, the strong force exerted (during a collision) by passenger's torso on the shoulder seat belt and transmitted to the upper seat belt anchorage point on the seat backrest. Within this work, the frontal minibus impact against an obstacle with velocities ranging from 20 km/h to 70 km/h was considered. The analysis covered the motion of, and dynamic loads on, a test dummy representing a 50th percentile adult male (Hybrid III dummy). Within the analysis, realizations of dynamic loads caused by inertial forces and reactions exerted by a three-point seat belt were taken into account. Special attention was paid to the extreme values of the loads that acted on dummy's head, neck, and torso when the head hit the backrest of the preceding seat in the culminating phase of the vehicle impact against an obstacle. The values of biomechanical indicators HIC, ThAC, Nij , and FAC and of the joint injury risk indicator were calculated.

Clavicle length, throwing performance and the reconstruction of the Homo erectus shoulder.

PubMed

Roach, Neil T; Richmond, Brian G

2015-03-01

Powerful, accurate throwing may have been an important mode of early hunting and defense. Previous work has shown that throwing performance is functionally linked to several anatomical shifts in the upper body that occurred during human evolution. The final shift to occur is the inferior reorientation of the shoulder. Fossil scapulae show the earliest evidence of a more inferior glenoid in Homo erectus. However, where the scapula rests on the thorax is uncertain. The relative length of the clavicle, the only skeletal attachment of the scapula to the torso, is quite variable. Depending on which fossils or skeletal measures are used to reconstruct the H. erectus shoulder, either a novel, anteriorly facing shoulder configuration or a modern human-like lateral orientation is possible. These competing hypotheses have led to very different conclusions regarding the throwing ability and hunting behavior of early Homo. Here, we evaluate competing models of H. erectus shoulder morphology and examine how these models relate to throwing performance. To address these questions, we collected skeletal measures from fossil and extant taxa, as well as anthropometric (N = 36) and kinematic (N = 27) data from Daasanach throwers from northwestern Kenya. Our data show that all H. erectus fossil clavicles fall within the normal range of modern human variation. We find that a commonly used metric for normalizing clavicle length, the claviculohumeral ratio, poorly predicts shoulder position on the torso. Furthermore, no significant relationship between clavicle length and any measure of throwing performance was found. These data support reconstructing the H. erectus shoulder as modern human-like, with a laterally facing glenoid, and suggest that the capacity for high speed throwing dates back nearly two million years. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Silicon metal-semiconductor-metal photodetector

DOEpatents

Brueck, Steven R. J.; Myers, David R.; Sharma, Ashwani K.

1997-01-01

Silicon MSM photodiodes sensitive to radiation in the visible to near infrared spectral range are produced by altering the absorption characteristics of crystalline Si by ion implantation. The implantation produces a defected region below the surface of the silicon with the highest concentration of defects at its base which acts to reduce the contribution of charge carriers formed below the defected layer. The charge carriers generated by the radiation in the upper regions of the defected layer are very quickly collected between biased Schottky barrier electrodes which form a metal-semiconductor-metal structure for the photodiode.

Silicon metal-semiconductor-metal photodetector

DOEpatents

Brueck, Steven R. J.; Myers, David R.; Sharma, Ashwani K.

1995-01-01

Silicon MSM photodiodes sensitive to radiation in the visible to near infrared spectral range are produced by altering the absorption characteristics of crystalline Si by ion implantation. The implantation produces a defected region below the surface of the silicon with the highest concentration of defects at its base which acts to reduce the contribution of charge carriers formed below the defected layer. The charge carriers generated by the radiation in the upper regions of the defected layer are very quickly collected between biased Schottky barrier electrodes which form a metal-semiconductor-metal structure for the photodiode.

The Use of Unilateral Pericranial Flaps for the Closure of Difficult Medial Orbital and Upper Lateral Nasal Defects.

PubMed

Newman, Jason; Costantino, Peter; Moche, Jason

2003-11-01

We present 3 cases in which a unilateral pericranial flap was used to repair defects in the medial orbital and upper lateral nasal areas. All three patients had undergone previous excision of malignant tumors from the upper septum and ethmoid areas. Postoperatively, they all received radiation and then developed wound breakdown with fistula formation, particularly in the area of the incisional site. All 3 patients had undergone previous unsuccessful repair of the fistula. Closure of such fistulas requires well-vascularized nonradiated tissue, which can be provided by a unilateral pericranial flap. This flap is flexible, thin, and well suited to the sinonasal area. Use of this flap avoids the need for a paramedian forehead or other musculocutaneous flap. Cosmetic results were excellent, and there have been no flap breakdowns or complications to date.

Minimizing complications associated with coronal approach by application of various modifications in surgical technique for treating facial trauma: A prospective study.

PubMed

Kumar, V Santosh; Rao, N Koteswara; Mohan, Kodali Rama; Krishna, Leela; Prasad, B Srinivasa; Ranganadh, N; Lakshmi, Vijaya

2016-01-01

Coronal incision is a popular and versatile surgical approach to the anterior cranial vault and upper and middle third facial skeleton. The flap itself permits widespread exposure of the fractures in this region. The bicoronal flap was first described by Hartley and Kenyon (neurosurgeons) to gain access to the anterior cranium in 1907. It extension as an access flap to the upper and lateral aspect of the face was pioneered by Tessier (1971). Esthetically, it is pleasing as the surgical scar is hidden within the hair. To evaluate the versatility of coronal incision using various modifications advocated in incision, exposure to fractured site, and closure of flap in treating the upper and middle third facial fractures. A total of ten patients diagnosed with upper and middle third facial fractures requiring open reduction and internal fixation/correction of contour defect were selected after preoperative clinical and radiographic (computed tomography scan) evaluation. All the cases were operated by coronal approach to gain the access to the fracture/defect site for reduction/correction of the defect. Advantages and complication are evaluated. Excellent access and anatomical reduction by this approach with least number of complications; if it is performed with healthy knowledge of anatomy of the scalp and temporal region. Certain minimal complications have also been noted using various modifications used in the procedure. Despite of prolonged surgical time for the exposure, it is very advantages in treating upper and middle third facial fractures due to wide access and discreet scar (minimal).

Free style perforator based propeller flaps: Simple solutions for upper extremity reconstruction!

PubMed

Panse, Nikhil; Sahasrabudhe, Parag

2014-01-01

The introduction of perforator flaps by Koshima et al. was met with much animosity in the plastic surgery fraternity. The safety concerns of these flaps following the intentional twist of the perforators have prevented widespread adoption of this technique. Use of perforator based propeller flaps in the lower extremity is gradually on the rise, but their use in upper extremity reconstruction is infrequently reported, especially in the Indian subcontinent. We present a retrospective series of 63 free style perforator flaps used for soft tissue reconstruction of the upper extremity from November 2008 to June 2013. Flaps were performed by a single surgeon for various locations and indications over the upper extremity. Patient demographics, surgical indication, defect features, complications and clinical outcome are evaluated and presented as an uncontrolled case series. 63 free style perforator based propeller flaps were used for soft tissue reconstruction of 62 patients for the upper extremity from November 2008 to June 2013. Of the 63 flaps, 31 flaps were performed for trauma, 30 for post burn sequel, and two for post snake bite defects. We encountered flap necrosis in 8 flaps, of which there was complete necrosis in 4 flaps, and partial necrosis in four flaps. Of these 8 flaps, 7 needed a secondary procedure, and one healed secondarily. Although we had a failure rate of 12-13%, most of our failures were in the early part of the series indicative of a learning curve associated with the flap. Free style perforator based propeller flaps are a reliable option for coverage of small to moderate sized defects. Therapeutic IV.

The Epidemiology of Noncompressible Torso Hemorrhage in the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

torso vascular or pulmonary hemorrhage. Recently, Zonies and Eastridge20 reported 10 years of wartime splenic trauma man- agement with a series of 393...benchmark. J Vasc Surg. 2012;56:728Y736. 20. Zonies D, Eastridge B. Combat management of splenic injury: trends during a decade of conflict. J Trauma ...is the leading cause of potentially survivable trauma in the battlefield and has re- cently been defined using anatomic and physiologic criteria

Spatial-temporal filter effect in a computer model study of ventricular fibrillation.

PubMed

Nowak, Claudia N; Fischer, Gerald; Wieser, Leonhard; Tilg, Bernhard; Neurauter, Andreas; Strohmenger, Hans U

2008-08-01

Prediction of countershock success from ventricular fibrillation (VF) ECG is a major challenge in critical care medicine. Recent findings indicate that stable, high frequency mother rotors are one possible mechanism maintaining VF. A computer model study was performed to investigate how epicardiac sources are reflected in the ECG. In the cardiac tissues of two computer models - a model with cubic geometry and a simplified torso model with a left ventricle - a mother rotor was induced by increasing the potassium rectifier current. On the epicardium, the dominant frequency (DF) map revealed a constant DF of 23 Hz (cubic model) and 24.4 Hz (torso model) in the region of the mother rotor, respectively. A sharp drop of frequency (3-18 Hz in the cubic model and 12.4-18 Hz in the torso model) occurred in the surrounding epicardial tissue of chaotic fibrillatory conduction. While no organized pattern was observable on the body surface of the cubic model, the mother rotor frequency can be identified in the anterior surface of the torso model because of the chosen position of the mother rotor in the ventricle (shortest distance to the body surface). Nevertheless, the DFs were damped on the body surfaces of both models (4.6-8.5 Hz in the cubic model and 14.4-16.4 Hz in the torso model). Thus, it was shown in this computer model study that wave propagation transforms the spatial low pass filtering of the thorax into a temporal low pass. In contrast to the resistive-capacitive low pass filter formed by the tissue, this spatial-temporal low pass filter becomes effective at low frequencies (tens of Hertz). This effect damps the high frequency components arising from the heart and it hampers a direct observation of rapid, organized sources of VF in the ECGs, when in an emergency case an artifact-free recording is not possible.

Morphometric analysis of torso arterial anatomy with implications for resuscitative aortic occlusion.

PubMed

Stannard, Adam; Morrison, Jonathan J; Sharon, Danny J; Eliason, Jonathan L; Rasmussen, Todd E

2013-08-01

Hemorrhage is a leading cause of death in military and civilian trauma. Despite the importance of the aorta as a site of hemorrhage control and resuscitative occlusion, detailed knowledge of its morphometry is lacking. The objective of this study was to characterize aortic morphometry in a trauma population, including quantification of distances as well as and diameters and definition of relevant aortic zones. Center line measures were made (Volume Viewer) from contrast computed tomography (CT) scans of male trauma patients (18-45 years). Aortic zones were defined based on branch arteries. Zone I includes left subclavian to celiac; Zone II includes celiac to caudal renal; Zone III includes caudal renal to aortic bifurcation. Zone lengths were calculated and correlated to a novel external measure of torso extent (symphysis pubis to sternal notch). Eighty-eight males (mean [SD], 28 [4] years) had CT scans for the study. The median (interquartile range) lengths (mm) of Zones I, II, and III were 210 mm (202-223 mm), 33 mm (28-38 mm), and 97 mm (91-103 mm), respectively. Median aortic diameters at the left subclavian, celiac, and lowest renal arteries were 21 mm (20-23 mm), 18 mm (16-19 mm), and 15 mm (14-16 mm), respectively, and the terminal aortic diameter was 14 mm (13-15 mm). The correlation of determination for descending aortic length (all zones) against torso extend was r = 0.454. This study provides a morphometric analysis of the aorta in a male population, demonstrating consistency of length and diameter while defining distinct axial zones. Findings suggest that center line aortic distances correlate with a simple, external measure of torso extent. Morphometric study of the aorta using CT data may facilitate the development and implementation of occlusion techniques to manage noncompressible torso, pelvic, and junctional femoral hemorrhage.

Efficacy of thigh volume ratios assessed via stereovision body imaging as a predictor of visceral adipose tissue measured by magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Lee, Jane J; Freeland-Graves, Jeanne H; Pepper, M Reese; Yu, Wurong; Xu, Bugao

2015-01-01

The research examined the efficacy of regional volumes of thigh ratios assessed by stereovision body imaging (SBI) as a predictor of visceral adipose tissue measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Body measurements obtained via SBI also were utilized to explore disparities of body size and shape in men and women. One hundred twenty-one participants were measured for total/regional body volumes and ratios via SBI and abdominal subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue areas by MRI. Thigh to torso and thigh to abdomen-hip volume ratios were the most reliable parameters to predict the accumulation of visceral adipose tissue depots compared to other body measurements. Thigh volume in relation to torso [odds ratios (OR) 0.44] and abdomen-hip (OR 0.41) volumes were negatively associated with increased risks of greater visceral adipose tissue depots, even after controlling for age, gender, and body mass index (BMI). Irrespective of BMI classification, men exhibited greater total body (80.95L vs. 72.41L), torso (39.26L vs. 34.13L), and abdomen-hip (29.01L vs. 25.85L) volumes than women. Women had higher thigh volumes (4.93L vs. 3.99L) and lower-body volume ratios [thigh to total body (0.07 vs. 0.05), thigh to torso (0.15 vs. 0.11), and thigh to abdomen-hip (0.20 vs. 0.15); P < 0.05]. The unique parameters of the volumes of thigh in relation to torso and abdomen-hip, by SBI were highly effective in predicting visceral adipose tissue deposition. The SBI provided an efficient method for determining body size and shape in men and women via total and regional body volumes and ratios. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 27:445-457, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Assessing behind armor blunt trauma (BABT) under NIJ standard-0101.04 conditions using human torso models.

PubMed

Merkle, Andrew C; Ward, Emily E; O'Connor, James V; Roberts, Jack C

2008-06-01

Although soft armor vests serve to prevent penetrating wounds and dissipate impact energy, the potential of nonpenetrating injury to the thorax, termed behind armor blunt trauma, does exist. Currently, the ballistic resistance of personal body armor is determined by impacting a soft armor vest over a clay backing and measuring the resulting clay deformation as specified in National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Standard-0101.04. This research effort evaluated the efficacy of a physical Human Surrogate Torso Model (HSTM) as a device for determining thoracic response when exposed to impact conditions specified in the NIJ Standard. The HSTM was subjected to a series of ballistic impacts over the sternum and stomach. The pressure waves propagating through the torso were measured with sensors installed in the organs. A previously developed Human Torso Finite Element Model (HTFEM) was used to analyze the amount of tissue displacement during impact and compared with the amount of clay deformation predicted by a validated finite element model. All experiments and simulations were conducted at NIJ Standard test conditions. When normalized by the response at the lowest threat level (Level I), the clay deformations for the higher levels are relatively constant and range from 2.3 to 2.7 times that of the base threat level. However, the pressures in the HSTM increase with each test level and range from three to seven times greater than Level I depending on the organ. The results demonstrate the abilities of the HSTM to discriminate between threat levels, impact conditions, and impact locations. The HTFEM and HSTM are capable of realizing pressure and displacement differences because of the level of protection, surrounding tissue, and proximity to the impact point. The results of this research provide insight into the transfer of energy and pressure wave propagation during ballistic impacts using a physical surrogate and computational model of the human torso.

Prosthesis Prescription Protocol of the Arm (PPP-Arm): The implementation of a national prosthesis prescription protocol.

PubMed

Wijdenes, Paula; Brouwers, Michael; van der Sluis, Corry K

2018-02-01

In order to create more uniformity in the prescription of upper limb prostheses by Dutch rehabilitation teams, the development and implementation of a Prosthesis Prescription Protocol of the upper limb (PPP-Arm) was initiated. The aim was to create a national digital protocol to structure, underpin, and evaluate the prescription of upper limb prostheses for clients with acquired or congenital arm defects. Prosthesis Prescription Protocol of the Arm (PPP-Arm) was developed on the basis of the International Classification of Functioning and consisted of several layers. All stakeholders (rehabilitation teams, orthopedic workshops, patients, and insurance companies) were involved in development and implementation. A national project coordinator and knowledge brokers in each team were essential for the project. PPP-Arm was successfully developed and implemented in nine Dutch rehabilitation teams. The protocol improved team collaboration, structure, and completeness of prosthesis prescriptions and treatment uniformity and might be interesting for other countries as well. Clinical relevance A national protocol to prescribe upper limb prostheses can be helpful to create uniformity in treatment of patients with upper limb defects. Such a protocol improves quality of care for all patients in the country.

Crewmans Retention System for Protection against High Speed Ejection up to 600 Knots

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-10-01

articulation and/or removal of the windscreen were to be considered as a standard maintenance procedure for optimum access to equipments, controls, and...crewman quick donning or divestment and easy ac- cess for tightening torso cross strap. The garment provides access to the four Navy torso harness...I: ’-_ _ _ _ - No. S~It OR a - -’" ,. ?, . -I ! _ _ I, I- -1 ,._ _ _ _ .N 00 ’ SS7 30UO J .3 86 NADC-76119-40 I _ __ii ... ..... ... II I .i

Efficacy of Liquid, Air, and Phase Change Material Torso Cooling During Light Exercise While Wearing NBC Clothing

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-03-01

and Thermal Comfort 6 Blood Sampling 6 Statistical Analyses 6 RESULTS 7 Indices of Hydration Status 7 Liquid-Cooling and PCM Cooling Vests...of Uncooled Sites 12 Vapour Pressure 12 Ratings of Thermal Comfort and Perceived Exertion 18 Indices of Heat Tolerance 18 DISCUSSION 20...ill Figures 8A and B Changes in ratings of thermal comfort of the torso and whole body during light exercise at 40°C and 30% relative humidity while

Perforator-based propeller flaps reliability in upper extremity soft tissue reconstruction: a systematic review.

PubMed

Vitse, J; Bekara, F; Bertheuil, N; Sinna, R; Chaput, B; Herlin, C

2017-02-01

Current data on upper extremity propeller flaps are poor and do not allow the assessment of the safety of this technique. A systematic literature review was conducted searching PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library electronic databases, and the selection process was adapted from the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis statement. The final analysis included ten relevant articles involving 117 flaps. The majority of flaps were used for the hand, distal wrist, and elbow. The radial artery perforator and ulnar artery perforator were the most frequently used flaps. The were 7% flaps with venous congestion and 3% with complete necrosis. No difference in complications rate was found for different flaps sites. Perforator-based propeller flaps appear to be an interesting procedure for covering soft tissue defects involving the upper extremities, even for large defects, but the procedure requires experience and close monitoring. II.

Novel spirometry based on optical surface imaging

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

Li, Guang, E-mail: lig2@mskcc.org; Huang, Hailiang; Li, Diana G.

2015-04-15

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of using optical surface imaging (OSI) to measure the dynamic tidal volume (TV) of the human torso during free breathing. Methods: We performed experiments to measure volume or volume change in geometric and deformable phantoms as well as human subjects using OSI. To assess the accuracy of OSI in volume determination, we performed experiments using five geometric phantoms and two deformable body phantoms and compared the values with those derived from geometric calculations and computed tomography (CT) measurements, respectively. To apply this technique to human subjects, an institutional review board protocol was established and threemore » healthy volunteers were studied. In the human experiment, a high-speed image capture mode of OSI was applied to acquire torso images at 4–5 frames per second, which was synchronized with conventional spirometric measurements at 5 Hz. An in-house MATLAB program was developed to interactively define the volume of interest (VOI), separate the thorax and abdomen, and automatically calculate the thoracic and abdominal volumes within the VOIs. The torso volume change (TV C = ΔV{sub torso} = ΔV{sub thorax} + ΔV{sub abdomen}) was automatically calculated using full-exhalation phase as the reference. The volumetric breathing pattern (BP{sub v} = ΔV{sub thorax}/ΔV{sub torso}) quantifying thoracic and abdominal volume variations was also calculated. Under quiet breathing, TVC should equal the tidal volume measured concurrently by a spirometer with a conversion factor (1.08) accounting for internal and external differences of temperature and moisture. Another MATLAB program was implemented to control the conventional spirometer that was used as the standard. Results: The volumes measured from the OSI imaging of geometric phantoms agreed with the calculated volumes with a discrepancy of 0.0% ± 1.6% (range −1.9% to 2.5%). In measurements from the deformable torso/thorax phantoms, the volume differences measured using OSI imaging and CT imaging were 1.2% ± 2.1% (range −0.5% to 3.6%), with a linear regression fitting (slope = 1.02 and R{sup 2} = 0.999). In volunteers, the relative error in OSI tidal volume measurement was −2.2% ± 4.9% (range −9.2% to 4.8%) and a correlation of r = 0.98 was found with spirometric measurement. The breathing pattern values of the three volunteers were substantially different from each other (BP{sub v} = 0.15, 0.45, and 0.32). Conclusions: This study demonstrates the feasibility of using OSI to measure breathing tidal volumes and breathing patterns with adequate accuracy. This is the first time that dynamic breathing tidal volume as well as breathing patterns is measured using optical surface imaging. The OSI-observed movement of the entire torso could serve as a new respiratory surrogate in the treatment room during radiation therapy.« less

Measurement of the effect of playground surface materials on hand impact forces during upper limb fall arrests.

PubMed

Choi, Woochol J; Kaur, Harjinder; Robinovitch, Stephen N

2014-04-01

Distal radius fractures are common on playgrounds. Yet current guidelines for the selection of playground surface materials are based only on protection against fall-related head injuries. We conducted "torso release" experiments to determine how common playground surface materials affect impact force applied to the hand during upper limb fall arrests. Trials were acquired for falls onto a rigid surface, and onto five common playground surface materials: engineered wood fiber, gravel, mulch, rubber tile, and sand. Measures were acquired for arm angles of 20 and 40 degrees from the vertical. Playground surface materials influenced the peak resultant and vertical force (P<.001), but not the peak horizontal force (P=.159). When compared with the rigid condition, peak resultant force was reduced 17% by sand (from 1039 to 864 N), 16% by gravel, 7% by mulch, 5% by engineered wood fiber, and 2% by rubber tile. The best performing surface provided only a 17% reduction in peak resultant force. These results help to explain the lack of convincing evidence from clinical studies on the effectiveness of playground surface materials in preventing distal radius fractures during playground falls, and highlight the need to develop playground surface materials that provide improved protection against these injuries.

BreathSens: A Continuous On-Bed Respiratory Monitoring System With Torso Localization Using an Unobtrusive Pressure Sensing Array.

PubMed

Liu, Jason J; Huang, Ming-Chun; Xu, Wenyao; Zhang, Xiaoyi; Stevens, Luke; Alshurafa, Nabil; Sarrafzadeh, Majid

2015-09-01

The ability to continuously monitor respiration rates of patients in homecare or in clinics is an important goal. Past research showed that monitoring patient breathing can lower the associated mortality rates for long-term bedridden patients. Nowadays, in-bed sensors consisting of pressure sensitive arrays are unobtrusive and are suitable for deployment in a wide range of settings. Such systems aim to extract respiratory signals from time-series pressure sequences. However, variance of movements, such as unpredictable extremities activities, affect the quality of the extracted respiratory signals. BreathSens, a high-density pressure sensing system made of e-Textile, profiles the underbody pressure distribution and localizes torso area based on the high-resolution pressure images. With a robust bodyparts localization algorithm, respiratory signals extracted from the localized torso area are insensitive to arbitrary extremities movements. In a study of 12 subjects, BreathSens demonstrated its respiratory monitoring capability with variations of sleep postures, locations, and commonly tilted clinical bed conditions.

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

Taylor, Paul A.; Cooper, Candice Frances; Burnett, Damon J.

Light body armor development for the warfighter is based on trial-and-error testing of prototype designs against ballistic projectiles. Torso armor testing against blast is virtually nonexistent but necessary to ensure adequate protection against injury to the heart and lungs. In this report, we discuss the development of a high-fidelity human torso model, it's merging with the existing Sandia Human Head-Neck Model, and development of the modeling & simulation (M&S) capabilities necessary to simulate wound injury scenarios. Using the new Sandia Human Torso Model, we demonstrate the advantage of virtual simulation in the investigation of wound injury as it relates tomore » the warfighter experience. We present the results of virtual simulations of blast loading and ballistic projectile impact to the tors o with and without notional protective armor. In this manner, we demonstrate the ad vantages of applying a modeling and simulation approach to the investigation of wound injury and relative merit assessments of protective body armor without the need for trial-and-error testing.« less

Revisiting the relevance of using a constant voltage step to improve electrochemical performances of Li-rich lamellar oxides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pradon, A.; Caldes, M. T.; Petit, P.-E.; La Fontaine, C.; Elkaim, E.; Tessier, C.; Ouvrard, G.; Dumont, E.

2018-03-01

A Li-rich lamellar oxide was cycled at high potential and the relevance of using a constant voltage step (CVS) at the end of the charge, needed for industrial application, was investigated by electrochemical performance, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Electrochemical studies at 4.7 and 4.5 V with and without CVS showed that capacity and voltage fading occurred mostly when cells operated at high potential. After cycling, 3D-type defects involving transition metals trapped in lithium layer were observed by HRTEM into the electrode bulk. These defects are responsible for the voltage fading. XRD microstrain parameter was used to evaluate defects rate in aged materials subjected to a CVS, showing more 3D-type defects when cycled at 4.7 V than at 4.5 V. The time spent at high potential at the end of the charge as well as the value of the upper potential limit, are both relevant parameters to voltage decay. The use of a CVS at the end of the charge needs at the same time, a reduced upper potential window in order to minimize 3D-type defects occurrence. Unfortunately, this approach is still not sufficient to prevent voltage fading.

Forest statistics for the upper Koyukuk River, Alaska, 1971.

Treesearch

Karl M. Hegg

1974-01-01

Area and volume statistics from the first intensive forest inventory of the upper Koyukuk River drainage, in north-central Alaska, are given. Observations are made on forest location, description, defect, regeneration, growth, and mortality. Commercial forests, although generally restricted to a narrow band along drainages, were found as far as 70 miles (113 kilometers...

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Diagnosis of Volvulus through Mesenteric Defect in Neonate

PubMed Central

Leopold, Scott; Al-Qaraghouli, Mohammed; Hussain, Naveed; Finck, Christine

2016-01-01

Antenatal midgut volvulus is a rare surgical emergency in which bowel is severely compromised. Rarely the etiology is a mesenteric defect. Early diagnosis is essential and lifesaving in the immediate newborn period. Typically upper gastrointestinal or ultrasound imaging can be suggestive of the diagnosis of volvulus in the neonate. Sometimes, however, the diagnosis may be elusive. Herein, we report on the use of neonatal magnetic resonance imaging to diagnose a midgut volvulus that occurred through a congenital mesenteric defect. PMID:27551577

High Performance Torso Cooling Garment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Conger, Bruce

2016-01-01

The concept proposed in this paper is to improve thermal efficiencies of the liquid cooling and ventilation garment (LCVG) in the torso area, which could facilitate removal of LCVG tubing from the arms and legs, thereby increasing suited crew member mobility. EVA space suit mobility in micro-gravity is challenging, and it becomes even more challenging in the gravity of Mars. By using shaped water tubes that greatly increase the contact area with the skin in the torso region of the body, the heat transfer efficiency can be increased. This increase in efficiency could provide the required liquid cooling via torso tubing only; no arm or leg LCVG tubing would be required. Benefits of this approach include increased crewmember mobility, reduced LCVG mass, enhanced evaporation cooling, increased comfort during Mars EVA tasks, and easing of the overly dry condition in the helmet associated with the Advanced Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) ventilation loop currently under development. This report describes analysis and test activities performed to evaluate the potential improvements to the thermal performance of the LCVG. Analyses evaluated potential tube shapes for improving the thermal performance of the LCVG. The analysis results fed into the selection of flat flow strips to improve thermal contact with the skin of the suited test subject. Testing of small segments was performed to compare thermal performance of the tubing approach of the current LCVG to the flat flow strips proposed as the new concept. Results of the testing is presented along with recommendations for future development of this new concept.

High Performance Torso Cooling Garment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Conger, Bruce; Makinen, Janice

2016-01-01

The concept proposed in this paper is to improve thermal efficiencies of the liquid cooling and ventilation garment (LCVG) in the torso area, which could facilitate removal of LCVG tubing from the arms and legs, thereby increasing suited crew member mobility. EVA space suit mobility in micro-gravity is challenging, and it becomes even more challenging in the gravity of Mars. By using shaped water tubes that greatly increase the contact area with the skin in the torso region of the body, the heat transfer efficiency can be increased. This increase in efficiency could provide the required liquid cooling via torso tubing only; no arm or leg LCVG tubing would be required. Benefits of this approach include increased crewmember mobility, enhanced evaporation cooling, increased comfort during Mars EVA tasks, and easing of the overly dry condition in the helmet associated with the Advanced Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) ventilation loop currently under development. This report describes analysis and test activities performed to evaluate the potential improvements to the thermal performance of the LCVG. Analyses evaluated potential tube shapes for improving the thermal performance of the LCVG. The analysis results fed into the selection of flat flow strips to improve thermal contact with the skin of the suited test subject. Testing of small segments was performed to compare thermal performance of the tubing approach of the current LCVG to the flat flow strips proposed as the new concept. Results of the testing is presented along with recommendations for future development of this new concept.

The nature of arm movement in children with cerebral palsy when using computer-generated exercise games.

PubMed

Weightman, Andrew; Preston, Nick; Levesley, Martin; Bhakta, Bipin; Holt, Raymond; Mon-Williams, Mark

2014-05-01

To compare upper limb kinematics of children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP) using a passive rehabilitation joystick with those of adults and able-bodied children, to better understand the design requirements of computer-based rehabilitation devices. A blocked comparative study involving seven children with spastic CP, nine able-bodied adults and nine able-bodied children, using a joystick system to play a computer game whilst the kinematics of their upper limb were recorded. The translational kinematics of the joystick's end point and the participant's shoulder movement (protraction/retraction) and elbow rotational kinematics (flexion/extension) were analysed for each group. Children with spastic CP matched their able-bodied peers in the time taken to complete the computer task, but this was due to a failure to adhere to the task instructions of travelling along a prescribed straight line when moving between targets. The spastic CP group took longer to initiate the first movement, which showed jerkier trajectories and demonstrated qualitatively different movement patterns when using the joystick, with shoulder movements that were significantly of greater magnitude than the able-bodied participants. Children with spastic CP generate large shoulder and hence trunk movements when using a joystick to undertake computer-generated arm exercises. This finding has implications for the development and use of assistive technologies to encourage exercise and the instructions given to users of such systems. A kinematic analysis of upper limb function of children with CP when using joystick devices is presented. Children with CP may use upper body movements to compensate for limitations in voluntary shoulder and elbow movements when undertaking computer games designed to encourage the practice of arm movement. The design of rehabilitative computer exercise systems should consider movement of the torso/shoulder as it may have implications for the quality of therapy in the rehabilitation of the upper limb in children with CP.

Development of new anatomy reconstruction software to localize cardiac isochrones to the cardiac surface from the 12 lead ECG.

PubMed

van Dam, Peter M; Gordon, Jeffrey P; Laks, Michael M; Boyle, Noel G

2015-01-01

Non-invasive electrocardiographic imaging (ECGI) of the cardiac muscle can help the pre-procedure planning of the ablation of ventricular arrhythmias by reducing the time to localize the origin. Our non-invasive ECGI system, the cardiac isochrone positioning system (CIPS), requires non-intersecting meshes of the heart, lungs and torso. However, software to reconstruct the meshes of the heart, lungs and torso with the capability to check and prevent these intersections is currently lacking. Consequently the reconstruction of a patient specific model with realistic atrial and ventricular wall thickness and incorporating blood cavities, lungs and torso usually requires additional several days of manual work. Therefore new software was developed that checks and prevents any intersections, and thus enables the use of accurate reconstructed anatomical models within CIPS. In this preliminary study we investigated the accuracy of the created patient specific anatomical models from MRI or CT. During the manual segmentation of the MRI data the boundaries of the relevant tissues are determined. The resulting contour lines are used to automatically morph reference meshes of the heart, lungs or torso to match the boundaries of the morphed tissue. Five patients were included in the study; models of the heart, lungs and torso were reconstructed from standard cardiac MRI images. The accuracy was determined by computing the distance between the segmentation contours and the morphed meshes. The average accuracy of the reconstructed cardiac geometry was within 2mm with respect to the manual segmentation contours on the MRI images. Derived wall volumes and left ventricular wall thickness were within the range reported in literature. For each reconstructed heart model the anatomical heart axis was computed using the automatically determined anatomical landmarks of the left apex and the mitral valve. The accuracy of the reconstructed heart models was well within the accuracy of the used medical image data (pixel size <1.5mm). For the lungs and torso the number of triangles in the mesh was reduced, thus decreasing the accuracy of the reconstructed mesh. A novel software tool has been introduced, which is able to reconstruct accurate cardiac anatomical models from MRI or CT within only a few hours. This new anatomical reconstruction tool might reduce the modeling errors within the cardiac isochrone positioning system and thus enable the clinical application of CIPS to localize the PVC/VT focus to the ventricular myocardium from only the standard 12 lead ECG. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Depth dose distribution study within a phantom torso after irradiation with a simulated Solar Particle Event at NSRL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berger, Thomas; Matthiä, Daniel; Koerner, Christine; George, Kerry; Rhone, Jordan; Cucinotta, Francis A.; Reitz, Guenther

The adequate knowledge of the radiation environment and the doses incurred during a space mission is essential for estimating an astronaut's health risk. The space radiation environment is complex and variable, and exposures inside the spacecraft and the astronaut's body are com-pounded by the interactions of the primary particles with the atoms of the structural materials and with the body itself. Astronauts' radiation exposures are measured by means of personal dosimetry, but there remains substantial uncertainty associated with the computational extrap-olation of skin dose to organ dose, which can lead to over-or under-estimation of the health risk. Comparisons of models to data showed that the astronaut's Effective dose (E) can be pre-dicted to within about a +10In the research experiment "Depth dose distribution study within a phantom torso" at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) at BNL, Brookhaven, USA the large 1972 SPE spectrum was simulated using seven different proton energies from 50 up to 450 MeV. A phantom torso constructed of natural bones and realistic distributions of human tissue equivalent materials, which is comparable to the torso of the MATROSHKA phantom currently on the ISS, was equipped with a comprehensive set of thermoluminescence detectors and human cells. The detectors are applied to assess the depth dose distribution and radiation transport codes (e.g. GEANT4) are used to assess the radiation field and interactions of the radiation field with the phantom torso. Lymphocyte cells are strategically embedded at selected locations at the skin and internal organs and are processed after irradiation to assess the effects of shielding on the yield of chromosome damage. The first focus of the pre-sented experiment is to correlate biological results with physical dosimetry measurements in the phantom torso. Further on the results of the passive dosimetry using the anthropomorphic phantoms represent the best tool to generate reliable to benchmark computational radiation transport models in a radiation field of interest. The presentation will give first results of the physical dose distribution, the comparison with GEANT4 computer simulations, based on a Voxel model of the phantom, and a comparison with the data from the chromosome aberration study. The help and support of Adam Russek and Michael Sivertz of the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL), Brookhaven, USA during the setup and the irradiation of the phantom are highly appreciated. The Voxel model describing the human phantom used for the GEANT4 simulations was kindly provided by Monika Puchalska (CHALMERS, Gothenburg, Sweden).

75 FR 66653 - Airworthiness Directives; McDonnell Douglas Corporation Model MD-90-30 Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-29

... the left and right engine aft mounts with new fasteners, in accordance with the Accomplishment... defects of the upper fasteners of the aft mount support fittings of the left and right engines, and corrective actions if necessary. This new AD requires repetitive replacement of the upper row of fasteners of...

Pentalogy of Cantrell: report of a case with consanguineous parents.

PubMed

Pachajoa, Harry; Barragán, Arelis; Potes, Angela; Torres, Javier; Isaza, Carolina

2010-01-01

Pentalogy of Cantrell is a syndrome evidencing five anomalies: a midline, upper abdominal wall abnormality; lower sternal defect; anterior diaphragmatic defect; diaphragmatic pericardial defect, and congenital abnormalities of the heart. Its prevalence is one in every 65,000 live births and a survival rate that is low if the fall the five defects are present or the gravity of the cardiac anomalies. It may be diagnosed during the first trimester obstetric ultrasound. For postnatal care, emission-computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging is recommended for a clear definition of the extent of the defect and to design a course of corrective surgery. Herein, a case of pentology of Cantrell is reported for a child offspring of consanguineous parents.

Nondestructive Evaluation Methods for the Ares I Common Bulkhead

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walker, James

2010-01-01

A large scale bonding demonstration test article was fabricated to prove out manufacturing techniques for the current design of the NASA Ares I Upper Stage common bulkhead. The common bulkhead serves as the single interface between the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen portions of the Upper Stage propellant tank. The bulkhead consists of spin-formed aluminum domes friction stir welded to Y-rings and bonded to a perforated phenolic honeycomb core. Nondestructive evaluation methods are being developed for assessing core integrity and the core-to-dome bond line of the common bulkhead. Detection of manufacturing defects such as delaminations between the core and face sheets as well as service life defects such as crushed or sheared core resulting from impact loading are all of interest. The focus of this work will be on the application of thermographic, shearographic, and phased array ultrasonic methods to the bonding demonstration article as well as various smaller test panels featuring design specific defect types and geometric features.

Loss of Miro1-directed mitochondrial movement results in a novel murine model for neuron disease

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Tammy T.; Oh, Sang S.; Weaver, David; Lewandowska, Agnieszka; Maxfield, Dane; Schuler, Max-Hinderk; Smith, Nathan K.; Macfarlane, Jane; Saunders, Gerald; Palmer, Cheryl A.; Debattisti, Valentina; Koshiba, Takumi; Pulst, Stefan; Feldman, Eva L.; Hajnóczky, György; Shaw, Janet M.

2014-01-01

Defective mitochondrial distribution in neurons is proposed to cause ATP depletion and calcium-buffering deficiencies that compromise cell function. However, it is unclear whether aberrant mitochondrial motility and distribution alone are sufficient to cause neurological disease. Calcium-binding mitochondrial Rho (Miro) GTPases attach mitochondria to motor proteins for anterograde and retrograde transport in neurons. Using two new KO mouse models, we demonstrate that Miro1 is essential for development of cranial motor nuclei required for respiratory control and maintenance of upper motor neurons required for ambulation. Neuron-specific loss of Miro1 causes depletion of mitochondria from corticospinal tract axons and progressive neurological deficits mirroring human upper motor neuron disease. Although Miro1-deficient neurons exhibit defects in retrograde axonal mitochondrial transport, mitochondrial respiratory function continues. Moreover, Miro1 is not essential for calcium-mediated inhibition of mitochondrial movement or mitochondrial calcium buffering. Our findings indicate that defects in mitochondrial motility and distribution are sufficient to cause neurological disease. PMID:25136135

A torso model comparison of temperature preservation devices for use in the prehospital environment.

PubMed

Zasa, Michele; Flowers, Neil; Zideman, David; Hodgetts, Timothy J; Harris, Tim

2016-06-01

Hypothermia is an independent predictor of increased morbidity and mortality in patients with trauma. Several strategies and products have been developed to minimise patients' heat loss in the prehospital arena, but there is little evidence to inform the clinician concerning their effectiveness. We used a human torso model consisting of two 5.5-litre fluid bags to simultaneously compare four passive (space blanket, bubble wrap, Blizzard blanket, ambulance blanket) and one active (Ready-Heat II blanket) temperature preservation products. A torso model without any temperature preservation device provided a control. For each test, the torso models were warmed to 37°C and left outdoors. Core temperatures were recorded every 10 min for 1 h in total; tests were repeated 10 times. A significant difference in temperature was detected among groups at 30 and 60 min (F (1.29, 10.30)=103.58, p<0.001 and F (1.64, 14.78)=163.28, p<0.001, respectively). Mean temperature reductions (95% CI) after 1 h of environmental exposure were the following: 11.6 (10.3 to 12.9) °C in control group, 4.5 (3.9 to 5.1) °C in space blanket group, 3.6 (3 to 4.3) °C in bubble-wrap group, 2.1 (1.7 to 2.5) °C in Blizzard blanket group, 6.1 (5.8 to 6.5) °C in ambulance blanket group and 1.1 (0.7 to 1.6) °C in Ready-Heat II blanket group. In this study, using a torso model based on two 5 L dialysate bags we found the Ready-Heat II heating blanket and Blizzard blanket were associated with lower rates of heat loss after 60 min environmental exposure than the other devices tested. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Computational and experimental models of the human torso for non-penetrating ballistic impact.

PubMed

Roberts, J C; Merkle, A C; Biermann, P J; Ward, E E; Carkhuff, B G; Cain, R P; O'Connor, J V

2007-01-01

Both computational finite element and experimental models of the human torso have been developed for ballistic impact testing. The human torso finite element model (HTFEM), including the thoracic skeletal structure and organs, was created in the finite element code LS-DYNA. The skeletal structure was assumed to be linear-elastic while all internal organs were modeled as viscoelastic. A physical human surrogate torso model (HSTM) was developed using biosimulant materials and the same anthropometry as the HTFEM. The HSTM response to impact was recorded with piezoresistive pressure sensors molded into the heart, liver and stomach and an accelerometer attached to the sternum. For experimentation, the HSTM was outfitted with National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Level I, IIa, II and IIIa soft armor vests. Twenty-six ballistic tests targeting the HSTM heart and liver were conducted with 22 caliber ammunition at a velocity of 329 m/s and 9 mm ammunition at velocities of 332, 358 and 430 m/s. The HSTM pressure response repeatability was found to vary by less than 10% for similar impact conditions. A comparison of the HSTM and HTFEM response showed similar pressure profiles and less than 35% peak pressure difference for organs near the ballistic impact point. Furthermore, the peak sternum accelerations of the HSTM and HTFEM varied by less than 10% for impacts over the sternum. These models provide comparative tools for determining the thoracic response to ballistic impact and could be used to evaluate soft body armor design and efficacy, determine thoracic injury mechanisms and assist with injury prevention.

Restraint harness performance during flight maneuvers: a parametric study.

PubMed

Du, Cheng-Fei; Liu, Xiao-Yu; Wang, Li-Zhen; Liu, Song-Yang; Fan, Yu-Bo

2015-05-01

Modern super agile fighter aircraft are capable of producing an increasing multiaxial acceleration environment which can adversely affect the pilot. An evaluation of the performance of the restraint system during flight maneuvers will benefit restraint designs and, thus, the safety of pilots. A finite element model of a mannequin with PCU-15/P harness restraint was used in this study to investigate how the factors, such as strap material stiffness, friction, and belt tension, affect the performance of restraint systems during impact along the -Gx, -Gy, and -Gz directions. The corresponding maximum displacement of the mannequin's torso was computed. The mannequin moved beyond 74 mm sideways. The change in friction coefficient (FC) from 0.1 to 0.4 decreased the displacement of the lower torso by less than 6.7%. The displacement of the torso decreased as the stiffness of the strap or tension increased. Displacement decreased by 9.3%, 6.0%, and 2.7% for the lower torso under the Gx impact, as the tightening force increased from 20 N to 80 N gradually. However, this changed slightly when the stiffness arrived at 1 E or the tension increased to 60 N. PCU-15/P harness has the poorest performance during side impact and friction plays an unimportant role in affecting its performance. The stiffness of the webbing used in the PCU-15/P harness is sufficiently high. The lap belt has more effect on limiting the movement of the pilot than the shoulder straps, and a tension of 60 N during the adjustment may be enough for conventional flight maneuvers.

A Computational Study of Injury Severity and Pattern Sustained by Overweight Drivers in Frontal Motor Vehicle Crashes

PubMed Central

Kim, Jong-Eun; Kim, Hwan; Shum, Phillip C.; Shih, Alan M.; Pintar, Frank; Shen, Wei; Ma, Xiaoguang; Laud, Purushottam W.; Heymsfield, Steven B.; Allison, David B.; Zhu, Shankuan

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to examine the role of body mass and subcutaneous fat in injury severity and pattern sustained by overweight drivers. Finite element models were created to represent the geometry and properties of subcutaneous adipose tissue in the torso with data obtained from reconstructed magnetic resonance imaging datasets. The torso adipose tissue models were then integrated into the standard multibody dummy models together with increased inertial parameters and sizes of the limbs to represent overweight occupants. Frontal crash simulations were performed considering a variety of occupant restraint systems and regional body injuries were measured. The results revealed that differences in body mass and fat distribution have an impact on injury severity and pattern. Even though the torso adipose tissue of overweight subjects contributed to reduce abdominal injury, the momentum effect of a greater body mass of overweight subjects was more dominant over the cushion effect of the adipose tissue, increasing risk of other regional body injuries except abdomen. Through statistical analysis of the results, strong correlations (p < 0.01) were found between body mass index and regional body injuries except neck injury. The analysis also revealed that a greater momentum of overweight males leads to greater forward torso and pelvic excursions that account for higher risks (p < 0.001) of head, thorax, and lower extremity injury than observed in non-overweight males. The findings have important implications for improving the vehicle and occupant safety systems designed for the increasing global obese population. PMID:23113549

Patient-specific model of a scoliotic torso for surgical planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harmouche, Rola; Cheriet, Farida; Labelle, Hubert; Dansereau, Jean

2013-03-01

A method for the construction of a patient-specific model of a scoliotic torso for surgical planning via inter-patient registration is presented. Magnetic Resonance Images (MRI) of a generic model are registered to surface topography (TP) and X-ray data of a test patient. A partial model is first obtained via thin-plate spline registration between TP and X-ray data of the test patient. The MRIs from the generic model are then fit into the test patient using articulated model registration between the vertebrae of the generic model's MRIs in prone position and the test patient's X-rays in standing position. A non-rigid deformation of the soft tissues is performed using a modified thin-plate spline constrained to maintain bone rigidity and to fit in the space between the vertebrae and the surface of the torso. Results show average Dice values of 0:975 +/- 0:012 between the MRIs following inter-patient registration and the surface topography of the test patient, which is comparable to the average value of 0:976 +/- 0:009 previously obtained following intra-patient registration. The results also show a significant improvement compared to rigid inter-patient registration. Future work includes validating the method on a larger cohort of patients and incorporating soft tissue stiffness constraints. The method developed can be used to obtain a geometric model of a patient including bone structures, soft tissues and the surface of the torso which can be incorporated in a surgical simulator in order to better predict the outcome of scoliosis surgery, even if MRI data cannot be acquired for the patient.

Free tarsomarginal graft for large congenital coloboma repair in patients with Tessier number 10 clefts.

PubMed

Fu, Yao; Shao, Chunyi; Lu, Wenjuan; Li, Jin; Fan, Xianqun

2016-08-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term outcome when a free tarsomarginal graft is used to repair a large congenital coloboma in patients with a Tessier number 10 cleft. This was a retrospective, interventional case series. The medical records were reviewed for five children (six eyes) diagnosed as having Tessier number 10 cleft with large upper eyelid defects and symblepharon. These children were referred to the Department of Ophthalmology of Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, between May 2007 and December 2012. Reconstructive techniques included repair of the upper eyelid defect with a free tarsomarginal graft taken from the lower eyelid, and reconstruction of the conjunctival fornix by using a conjunctival autograft after symblepharon lysis. All the children were followed up for more than 2 years. Postoperative upper eyelid contour, viability and function for corneal protection, and recurrence of symblepharon were assessed. A one-stage reconstruction procedure was used in all children. All reconstructed eyelids achieved a surgical goal of providing corneal protection and improved cosmesis, with marked improvement of exposure keratopathy and no associated lagophthalmos. Adequate reconstruction of the upper fornix was obtained, and there was no obvious recurrence of symblepharon. A free tarsomarginal graft is beneficial and seems to be an adequate method for reconstruction of large eyelid defects in children with a Tessier number 10 cleft. Symblepharon lysis with a conjunctival autograft for reconstruction of the ocular surface can be performed at the same time as eyelid repair as a one-stage procedure. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

ASTRONAUT YOUNG, JOHN W. - ZERO-GRAVITY (ZERO-G) - KC-135

NASA Image and Video Library

1978-12-15

S79-30347 (31 March 1979) --- Taking advantage of a brief period of zero-gravity afforded aboard a KC-135 flying a parabolic curve, the flight crew of the first space shuttle orbital flight test (STS-1) goes through a spacesuit donning exercise. Astronaut John W. Young has just entered the hard-material torso of the shuttle spacesuit by approaching it from below. He is assisted by astronaut Robert L. Crippen. The torso is held in place by a special stand here, simulating the function provided by the airlock wall aboard the actual shuttle craft. The life support system is mated to the torso on Earth and remains so during the flight, requiring this type of donning and doffing exercise. Note Crippen?s suit is the type to be used for intravehicular activity in the shirt sleeve environment to be afforded aboard shuttle. The suit worn by Young is for extravehicular activity (EVA). Young will be STS-1 commander and Crippen, pilot. They will man the space shuttle orbiter 102 Columbia. Photo credit: NASA

Interface Stability Influences Torso Muscle Recruitment and Spinal Load During Pushing Tasks

PubMed Central

LEE, P. J.; GRANATA, K. P.

2006-01-01

Handle or interface design can influence torso muscle recruitment and spinal load during pushing tasks. The objective of the study was to provide insight into the role of interface stability with regard to torso muscle recruitment and biomechanical loads on the spine. Fourteen subjects generated voluntary isometric trunk flexion force against a rigid interface and similar flexion exertions against an unstable interface, which simulated handle design in a cart pushing task. Normalized electromyographic (EMG) activity in the rectus abdominus, external oblique and internal oblique muscles increased with exertion effort. When using the unstable interface, EMG activity in the internal and external oblique muscle groups was greater than when using the rigid interface. Results agreed with trends from a biomechanical model implemented to predict the muscle activation necessary to generate isometric pushing forces and maintain spinal stability when using the two different interface designs. The co-contraction contributed to increased spinal load when using the unstable interface. It was concluded that handle or interface design and stability may influence spinal load and associated risk of musculoskeletal injury during manual materials tasks that involve pushing exertions. PMID:16540437

Interface roughness induced asymmetric magnetic property in sputter-deposited Co/CoO/Co exchange coupled trilayers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, J.; Sannomiya, T.; Shi, J.; Nakamura, Y.

2012-04-01

The effect of interface roughness on magnetic properties of exchange coupled polycrystalline Co/CoO(tAF)/Co trilayers has been investigated by varying antiferromagnetic layer (CoO) thickness. It has been found that the upper CoO/Co interface becomes rougher with increasing CoO layer thickness, resulting in stronger exchange bias of the upper interface than the lower one. The interfacial exchange coupling is strengthened by the increase of defect-generated uncompensated antiferromagnetic spins; such spins form coupling with spins in the Co layer at the interface. As a result, the CoO layer thickness dependence of exchange bias is much enhanced for the upper Co layer. The transition from anisotropic magnetoresistance to isotropic magnetoresistance for the top Co layer has also been found. This could be attributed to the defects, probably partial thin oxide layers, between Co grains in the top Co layer that leads a switch from spin-orbit scattering related magnetoresistance to spin-dependent electron scattering dominated magnetoresistance.

Obstructed uteri with a cervix and vagina.

PubMed

Wright, Kelly Nicole; Okpala, Ogochukwu; Laufer, Marc R

2011-01-01

To describe a rare anomaly of the female reproductive tract and review the embryology associated with the defect. Case report and review of the literature. Major academic medical center. A 14-year-old girl with two hemiuteri lacking any communication with a single normal midline cervix and vagina. Diagnostic laparoscopy with chromopertubation to identify the anomaly and subsequent bilateral supracervical hemihysterectomies. Incidence, pathogenesis, fertility implications, and treatment options for patients with congenital defects in the upper vagina, cervix, and uterus. Based on classic embryology, the lower vagina forms from the urogenital sinus while the upper vagina, cervix, and uterus form from the müllerian ducts. If a cervix is present, then the upper vagina and uterus are also usually present and should communicate. This anomaly cannot be fully explained by traditional embryologic developmental theory. It is likely that an insult occurred between 9 weeks, when the uterovaginal canal is formed, and 12 weeks, when the müllerian ducts fuse. Copyright © 2011 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Clinical effect of three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc in the evaluation of burn wound area].

PubMed

Lu, J; Wang, L; Zhang, Y C; Tang, H T; Xia, Z F

2017-10-20

Objective: To validate the clinical effect of three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc developed by our research team in the evaluation of burn wound area. Methods: A total of 48 burn patients treated in the outpatient department of our unit from January to June 2015, conforming to the study criteria, were enrolled in. For the first 12 patients, one wound on the limbs or torso was selected from each patient. The stability of the system was tested by 3 attending physicians using three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc to measure the area of wounds individually. For the following 36 patients, one wound was selected from each patient, including 12 wounds on limbs, front torso, and side torso, respectively. The area of wounds was measured by the same attending physician using transparency tracing method, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Image J method, and three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc, respectively. The time for getting information of 36 wounds by three methods was recorded by stopwatch. The stability among the testers was evaluated by the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Data were processed with randomized blocks analysis of variance and Bonferroni test. Results: (1) Wound area of patients measured by three physicians using three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc was (122±95), (121±95), and (123±96) cm(2,) respectively, and there was no statistically significant difference among them ( F =1.55, P >0.05). The ICC among 3 physicians was 0.999. (2) The wound area of limbs of patients measured by transparency tracing method, NIH Image J method, and three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc was (84±50), (76±46), and (84±49) cm(2,) respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the wound area of limbs of patients measured by transparency tracing method and three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc ( P >0.05). The wound area of limbs of patients measured by NIH Image J method was smaller than that measured by transparency tracing method and three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc (with P values below 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the wound area of front torso of patients measured by transparency tracing method, NIH Image J method, and three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc ( F =0.33, P >0.05). The wound area of side torso of patients measured by transparency tracing method, NIH Image J method, and three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc was (169±88), (150±80), and (169±86) cm(2,) respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the wound area of side torso of patients measured by transparency tracing method and three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc ( P >0.05). The wound area of side torso of patients measured by NIH Image J method was smaller than that measured by transparency tracing method and three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc (with P values below 0.05). (3) The time for getting information of wounds of patients by transparency tracing method, NIH Image J method, and three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc was (77±14), (10±3), and (9±3) s, respectively. The time for getting information of wounds of patients by transparency tracing method was longer than that by NIH Image J method and three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc (with P values below 0.05). The time for getting information of wounds of patients by three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc was close to that by NIH Image J method ( P >0.05). Conclusions: The three dimensional human body scanning system BurnCalc is stable and can accurately evaluate the wound area on limbs and torso of burn patients.

Protecting military convoys in Iraq: an examination of battle injuries sustained by a mechanized battalion during Operation Iraqi Freedom II.

PubMed

Gondusky, Joseph S; Reiter, Michael P

2005-06-01

Improvised explosive devices and mines pose a formidable threat to military convoys traveling in Iraq. This study evaluated battle injuries sustained by a mechanized battalion operating against this threat. The objective was to gain insight into injury profiles and prevention. In the period examined, 32 attacks injured 120 Marines, causing 188 injuries. Upper extremity and head injuries (70%) were common, whereas lower extremity injuries (11%) were rare (as expected, given the threat and the body areas exposed). Shoulder and axilla protectors may be beneficial, but lower arm and hand injuries remain difficult to combat. Ear injury was the most common single injury type (23%). Combat earplugs may reduce ear blast injuries. Eye injuries were uncommon (0.5%), likely because of ballistic eye protection. Injury to the torso (11%) was generally mild, because of body armor vests. The majority of wounds were minor, allowing > 80% of the injured Marines to return to duty.

Local Anesthetic Systemic Toxicity: A Review of Recent Case Reports and Registries.

PubMed

Gitman, Marina; Barrington, Michael J

2018-02-01

This review summarizes presenting features, management, and outcomes of local anesthetic systemic toxicity (LAST) from published cases and those submitted to online registries capturing use of intravenous lipid emulsion (ILE) therapy. The results of single-center and multicenter registries and epidemiologic studies complement this information. Between March 2014 and November 2016, 47 separate cases of LAST were described in 35 peer-reviewed articles. Local anesthetic systemic toxicity events occurred as a result of penile blocks (23%), local infiltration (17%), and upper/lower extremity, torso, and neuraxial blockade. Twenty-two patients (47%) were treated with ILE, and 2 patients (4.3%) died. During the same time period, 11 cases submitted to lipidrescue.org were treated with ILE and survived. The incidence of LAST reported in registries is 0.03% or 0.27 (95% confidence interval, 0.21-0.35) per 1000 peripheral nerve blocks (denominator of 251,325). Seizure (53% and 61% from case reports and registries, respectively) was the most common presenting feature.

Learning Grasp Context Distinctions that Generalize

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Platt, Robert; Grupen, Roderic A.; Fagg, Andrew H.

2006-01-01

Control-based approaches to grasp synthesis create grasping behavior by sequencing and combining control primitives. In the absence of any other structure, these approaches must evaluate a large number of feasible control sequences as a function of object shape, object pose, and task. This work explores a new approach to grasp synthesis that limits consideration to variations on a generalized localize-reach-grasp control policy. A new learning algorithm, known as schema structured learning, is used to learn which instantiations of the generalized policy are most likely to lead to a successful grasp in different problem contexts. Two experiments are described where Dexter, a bimanual upper torso, learns to select an appropriate grasp strategy as a function of object eccentricity and orientation. In addition, it is shown that grasp skills learned in this way can generalize to new objects. Results are presented showing that after learning how to grasp a small, representative set of objects, the robot's performance quantitatively improves for similar objects that it has not experienced before.

Development of a finite element/multi-body model of a newborn infant for restraint analysis and design.

PubMed

Bondy, Matthew; Altenhof, William; Chen, Xilin; Snowdon, Anne; Vrkljan, Brenda

2014-01-01

A finite element/multi-body model of a newborn infant has been developed by researchers at the University of Windsor. The geometry of this model is derived from a Nita newborn hospital training mannequin. It consists of 17 parts: eight upper and lower limb segments, the torso, head, and a seven-segment neck with seven translational and eight rotational joints. Anthropometry is consistent with hospital growth charts, measurements requested from health professionals and data from the open literature. The biomechanical properties of the model (i.e. joint stiffnesses) are implementations of data identified in the open literature. The model has been validated with respect to studies of the biomechanics of shaken baby syndrome, infant falls and the Q0 anthropomorphic testing device. A significant conclusion of this study is that the kinetics of the Q0 neck is not biofidelic. This model is currently used in an analysis of airway patency for infants in modern automotive child restraints.

Evaluation of localized muscle fatigue using power spectral density analysis of the electromyogram

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lafevers, E. V.

1974-01-01

Surface electromyograms (EMGs) taken from three upper torso muscles during a push-pull task were analyzed by a power spectral density technique to determine the operational feasibility of the technique for identifying changes in the EMGs resulting from muscular fatigue. The EMGs were taken from four subjects under two conditions (1) in shirtsleeves and (2) in a pressurized space suit. This study confirmed that frequency analysis of dynamic muscle activity is capable of providing reliable data for many industrial applications where fatigue may be of practical interest. The results showed significant effects of the pressurized space suit on the pattern of shirtsleeve fatigue responses of the muscles. The data also revealed (1) reliable differences between muscles in fatigue-induced responses to various locations in the reach envelope at which the subjects were required to perform the push-pull exercise and (2) the differential sensitivity of muscles to the various reach positions in terms of fatigue-related shifts in EMG power.

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

Levin, J.

A case is reported of a 39-yr-old dentist who realized that his dental x- ray machine had been on for about 90 min. During this time he was near the machine constantly, with his back usually toward the source of radiation. The estimated dose to the back of his head and upper torso was 180 r. The dentist saffered some anxiety, but no acute symptoms of radiation sickness. Physical examination gave negative results. There was no evidence of acute radiation damage. Study of temporal scalp hair revealed an estimated maximum dose received by the hair follicles of approximates 50 tomore » 75 r. The direct technical cause of the accident was a loose washer in the timer mechanism, making contact and completing the switching circuit, thereby causing the unit to go on. It is suggested that dentists and their assistants should wear radiation exposure badges at all times. In addition, equipment shouid be systcmatically and regularly checked so that maximum operating efficiency can be combined with minimum exposure. (P.C.H.)« less

Depth Dose Distribution Study within a Phantom Torso after Irradiation with a Simulated Solar Particle Event at NSRL

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berger, Thomas; Matthiae, Daniel; Koerner, Christine; George, Kerry; Rhone, Jordan; Cucinotta, Francis; Reitz, Guenther

2010-01-01

The adequate knowledge of the radiation environment and the doses incurred during a space mission is essential for estimating an astronaut's health risk. The space radiation environment is complex and variable, and exposures inside the spacecraft and the astronaut's body are compounded by the interactions of the primary particles with the atoms of the structural materials and with the body itself Astronauts' radiation exposures are measured by means of personal dosimetry, but there remains substantial uncertainty associated with the computational extrapolation of skin dose to organ dose, which can lead to over- or underestimation of the health risk. Comparisons of models to data showed that the astronaut's Effective dose (E) can be predicted to within about a +10% accuracy using space radiation transport models for galactic cosmic rays (GCR) and trapped radiation behind shielding. However for solar particle event (SPE) with steep energy spectra and for extra-vehicular activities on the surface of the moon where only tissue shielding is present, transport models predict that there are large differences in model assumptions in projecting organ doses. Therefore experimental verification of SPE induced organ doses may be crucial for the design of lunar missions. In the research experiment "Depth dose distribution study within a phantom torso" at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) at BNL, Brookhaven, USA the large 1972 SPE spectrum was simulated using seven different proton energies from 50 up to 450 MeV. A phantom torso constructed of natural bones and realistic distributions of human tissue equivalent materials, which is comparable to the torso of the MATROSHKA phantom currently on the ISS, was equipped with a comprehensive set of thermoluminescence detectors and human cells. The detectors are applied to assess the depth dose distribution and radiation transport codes (e.g. GEANT4) are used to assess the radiation field and interactions of the radiation field with the phantom torso. Lymphocyte cells are strategically embedded at selected locations at the skin and internal organs and are processed after irradiation to assess the effects of shielding on the yield of chromosome damage. The initial focus of the present experiment is to correlate biological results with physical dosimetry measurements in the phantom torso. Further on, the results of the passive dosimetry within the anthropomorphic phantoms represent the best tool to generate reliable data to benchmark computational radiation transport models in a radiation field of interest. The presentation will give first results of the physical dose distribution, the comparison with GEANT4 computer simulations based on a Voxel model of the phantom, and a comparison with the data from the chromosome aberration study.

A literature review of findings in physical elder abuse.

PubMed

Murphy, Kieran; Waa, Sheila; Jaffer, Hussein; Sauter, Agnes; Chan, Amanda

2013-02-01

To review the medical literature for reports on the types of physical injuries in elder abuse with the aim of eliciting patterns that will aid its detection. The databases of PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, and TRIP were searched from 1975 to March 2012 for articles that contained the following phrases: "physical elder abuse," "older adult abuse," "elder mistreatment," "geriatric abuse," "geriatric trauma," and "nonaccidental geriatric injury." Distribution and description of injuries in physical elder abuse from case-control studies, cross-sectional studies, case series, and case reports as seen at autopsy, in hospital emergency departments, or in medicolegal reports were tabulated and summarized. A review of 9 articles from a total of 574 articles screened yielded 839 injuries. The anatomic distribution in these was as follows: upper extremity, 43.98%; maxillofacial, dental, and neck, 22.88%; skull and brain, 12.28%; lower extremity, 10.61%; and torso, 10.25%. Two-thirds of injuries that occur in elder abuse are to the upper extremity and maxillofacial region. The social context in which the injuries takes place remains crucial to accurate identification of abuse. This includes a culture of violence in the family; a demented, debilitated, or depressed and socially isolated victim; and a perpetrator profile of mental illness, alcohol or drug abuse, or emotional and/or financial dependence on the victim. Copyright © 2013 Canadian Association of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Upper body contributions to power generation during rapid, overhand throwing in humans.

PubMed

Roach, Neil T; Lieberman, Daniel E

2014-06-15

High-speed and accurate throwing is a distinctive human behavior. Achieving fast projectile speeds during throwing requires a combination of elastic energy storage at the shoulder, as well as the transfer of kinetic energy from proximal body segments to distal segments. However, the biomechanical bases of these mechanisms are not completely understood. We used inverse dynamics analyses of kinematic data from 20 baseball players fitted with four different braces that inhibit specific motions to test a model of power generation at key joints during the throwing motion. We found that most of the work produced during throwing is generated at the hips, and much of this work (combined with smaller contributions from the pectoralis major) is used to load elastic elements in the shoulder and power the rapid acceleration of the projectile. Despite rapid angular velocities at the elbow and wrist, the restrictions confirm that much of the power generated to produce these distal movements comes from larger proximal segments, such as the shoulder and torso. Wrist hyperextension enhances performance only modestly. Together, our data also suggest that heavy reliance on elastic energy storage may help explain some common throwing injuries and can provide further insight into the evolution of the upper body and when our ancestors first developed the ability to produce high-speed throws. © 2014. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Analysis of human postural responses to recoverable falls

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bortolami, S. B.; DiZio, P.; Rabin, E.; Lackner, J. R.

2003-01-01

We studied the kinematics and kinetics of human postural responses to "recoverable falls." To induce brief falling we used a Hold and Release (H&R) paradigm. Standing subjects actively resisted a force applied to their sternum. When this force was quickly released they were suddenly off balance. For a brief period, approximately 125 ms, until restoring forces were generated to shift the center of foot pressure in front of the center of mass, the body was in a forward fall acted on by gravity and ground support forces. We were able to describe the whole-body postural behavior following release using a multilink inverted pendulum model in a regime of "small oscillations." A three-segment model incorporating upper body, upper leg, and lower leg, with active stiffness and damping at the joints was fully adequate to fit the kinematic data from all conditions. The significance of our findings is that in situations involving recoverable falls or loss of balance the earliest responses are likely dependent on actively-tuned, reflexive mechanisms yielding stiffness and damping modulation of the joints. We demonstrate that haptic cues from index fingertip contact with a stationary surface lead to a significantly smaller angular displacement of the torso and a more rapid recovery of balance. Our H&R paradigm and associated model provide a quantifiable approach to studying recovery from potential falling in normal and clinical subjects.

Biomechanics of side impact: injury criteria, aging occupants, and airbag technology.

PubMed

Yoganandan, Narayan; Pintar, Frank A; Stemper, Brian D; Gennarelli, Thomas A; Weigelt, John A

2007-01-01

This paper presents a survey of side impact trauma-related biomedical investigations with specific reference to certain aspects of epidemiology relating to the growing elderly population, improvements in technology such as side airbags geared toward occupant safety, and development of injury criteria. The first part is devoted to the involvement of the elderly by identifying variables contributing to injury including impact severity, human factors, and national and international field data. This is followed by a survey of various experimental models used in the development of injury criteria and tolerance limits. The effects of fragility of the elderly coupled with physiological changes (e.g., visual, musculoskeletal) that may lead to an abnormal seating position (termed out-of-position) especially for the driving population are discussed. Fundamental biomechanical parameters such as thoracic, abdominal and pelvic forces; upper and lower spinal and sacrum accelerations; and upper, middle and lower chest deflections under various initial impacting conditions are evaluated. Secondary variables such as the thoracic trauma index and pelvic acceleration (currently adopted in the United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards), peak chest deflection, and viscous criteria are also included in the survey. The importance of performing research studies with specific focus on out-of-position scenarios of the elderly and using the most commonly available torso side airbag as the initial contacting condition in lateral impacts for occupant injury assessment is emphasized.

Biomechanics of side impact: Injury criteria, aging occupants, and airbag technology

PubMed Central

Yoganandan, Narayan; Pintar, Frank A.; Stemper, Brian D.; Gennarelli, Thomas A.; Weigelt, John A.

2007-01-01

This paper presents a survey of side impact trauma-related biomedical investigations with specific reference to certain aspects of epidemiology relating to the growing elderly population, improvements in technology such as side airbags geared toward occupant safety, and development of injury criteria. The first part is devoted to the involvement of the elderly by identifying variables contributing to injury including impact severity, human factors, and national and international field data. This is followed by a survey of various experimental models used in the development of injury criteria and tolerance limits. The effects of fragility of the elderly coupled with physiological changes (e.g., visual, musculoskeletal) that may lead to an abnormal seating position (termed out-of-position) especially for the driving population are discussed. Fundamental biomechanical parameters such as thoracic, abdominal and pelvic forces; upper and lower spinal and sacrum accelerations; and upper, middle and lower chest deflections under various initial impacting conditions are evaluated. Secondary variables such as the thoracic trauma index and pelvic acceleration (currently adopted in the United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards), peak chest deflection, and viscous criteria are also included in the survey. The importance of performing research studies with specific focus on out-of-position scenarios of the elderly and using the most commonly available torso side airbag as the initial contacting condition in lateral impacts for occupant injury assessment is emphasized. PMID:16527285

Effects of balance ability and handgrip height on kinematics of the gait, torso, and pelvis in elderly women using a four-wheeled walker.

PubMed

Choi, Hyuk-Jae; Ko, Chang-Yong; Kang, Sungjae; Ryu, Jeicheong; Mun, Museong; Jeon, Hye-Seon

2015-02-01

Numerous elderly individuals use the four-wheeled walker (FWW) as a gait-assistive device. The walker's handgrip height is important for correct use. However, few clinical studies have investigated the biomechanical effects of the FWW's handgrip height on balance. Therefore, the present study assessed kinematic features of the gait, torso and pelvis during use of the FWW at two levels of handgrip height (48% vs 55% of the subject's height) while assessing balance in older adults. A total of 20 older adults were allocated into two groups according to the Berg Balance Scale (BBS): good balance (GB; BBS≥46) versus poor balance (PB; BBS<45). Participants walked with the FWW at 48% or 55% handgrip height for 10 m. Our study showed that the double-support period and stance phase significantly increased at 55% handgrip height, but the swing phase significantly decreased in the GB group. In the PB group, velocity and stride length significantly increased at 55% handgrip height. Tilt angle of the torso in the GB group was significantly lower at 55% than at 48% handgrip height, but no differences were observed in the PB group. In the pelvis, initial contact and toe-off angles of tilt were lower in the GB group at 55% handgrip height, but no differences were observed in the PB group. These results showed that kinematic features of the gait, torso, and pelvis in older adults using the FWW might be dependent on the handgrip height of the FWW and the patient's balance. Additionally, greater than 48% of the body height might be appropriate for older adults with poor balance. © 2014 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Predictors of Intrathoracic Injury after Blunt Torso Trauma in Children Presenting to an Emergency Department as Trauma Activations.

PubMed

McNamara, Caitlin; Mironova, Irina; Lehman, Erik; Olympia, Robert P

2017-06-01

Thoracic injuries are a major cause of death associated with blunt trauma in children. Screening for injury with chest x-ray study, compared with chest computed tomography (CT) scan, has been controversial, weighing the benefits of specificity with the detriment of radiation exposure. To identify predictors of thoracic injury in children presenting as trauma activations to a Level I trauma center after blunt torso trauma, and to compare these predictors with those previously reported in the literature. We performed a retrospective chart review of pediatric patients (<18 years of age) who presented to the Emergency Department of a Level I trauma center between June 2010 and June 2013 as a trauma activation after sustaining a blunt torso trauma and who received diagnostic imaging of the chest as part of their initial evaluation. Data analysis was performed on 166 patients. There were 33 patients (20%) with 45 abnormalities detected on diagnostic imaging of the chest, with the most common abnormalities being lung contusion (36%), pneumothorax (22%), and rib fracture (13%). Statistically significant predictors of abnormal diagnostic imaging of the chest included Glasgow Coma Scale score (GCS) < 15 (27% with abnormality vs. 13% without abnormality), hypoxia (22% vs. 5%), syncope/loss of consciousness (55% vs. 35%), cervical spine tenderness (12% vs. 3%), thoraco-lumbar-sacral spine tenderness (41% vs. 17%), and abdominal/pelvic tenderness (12% vs. 3%). Based on our data, predictors of thoracic injury in children after blunt torso trauma include GCS < 15, hypoxia, syncope/dizziness, cervical spine tenderness, thoraco-lumbar-sacral spine tenderness, and abdominal/pelvic tenderness. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Efficacy of side airbags in reducing driver deaths in driver-side car and SUV collisions.

PubMed

McCartt, Anne T; Kyrychenko, Sergey Y

2007-06-01

To estimate the efficacy of side airbags in preventing driver deaths in passenger vehicles struck on the driver side. Risk ratios for driver deaths per driver-side collision were computed for side airbag-equipped cars and SUVs, relative to vehicles without side airbags. Driver fatality ratios also were calculated for the same vehicles in front and rear impacts, and these were used to adjust the side crash risk ratios for differences in fatality risk unrelated to side airbags. Risk ratios were calculated separately for side airbags providing torso-only protection and side airbags with head protection; almost all head protecting airbags also had airbags protecting the torso. Car driver death risk in driver-side crashes was reduced by 37 percent for head protecting airbags and 26 percent for torso-only side airbags. Car driver death risk was reduced for older and younger drivers, males and females, and drivers of small and midsize cars, and when the striking vehicle was an SUV/pickup or a car/minivan. Death risk for drivers of SUVs was reduced by 52 percent with head protecting side airbags and by 30 percent with torso-only airbags. The effectiveness of side airbags could not be assessed for pickups and minivans due to the small number of these vehicles with airbags involved in crashes. Side airbags substantially reduce the risk of car and SUV driver death in driver-side collisions. Making side airbags with head protection available to drivers and right front passengers in all passenger vehicles could reduce the number of fatalities in motor vehicle crashes in the United States by about 2,000 each year.

Core Muscle Activity, Exercise Preference, and Perceived Exertion during Core Exercise with Elastic Resistance versus Machine.

PubMed

Vinstrup, Jonas; Sundstrup, Emil; Brandt, Mikkel; Jakobsen, Markus D; Calatayud, Joaquin; Andersen, Lars L

2015-01-01

Objectives. To investigate core muscle activity, exercise preferences, and perceived exertion during two selected core exercises performed with elastic resistance versus a conventional training machine. Methods. 17 untrained men aged 26-67 years participated in surface electromyography (EMG) measurements of five core muscles during torso-twists performed from left to right with elastic resistance and in the machine, respectively. The order of the exercises was randomized and each exercise consisted of 3 repetitions performed at a 10 RM load. EMG amplitude was normalized (nEMG) to maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVC). Results. A higher right erector spinae activity in the elastic exercise compared with the machine exercise (50% [95% CI 36-64] versus 32% [95% CI 18-46] nEMG) was found. By contrast, the machine exercise, compared with the elastic exercise, showed higher left external oblique activity (77% [95% CI 64-90] versus 54% [95% CI 40-67] nEMG). For the rectus abdominis, right external oblique, and left erector spinae muscles there were no significant differences. Furthermore, 76% preferred the torso-twist with elastic resistance over the machine exercise. Perceived exertion (Borg CR10) was not significantly different between machine (5.8 [95% CI 4.88-6.72]) and elastic exercise (5.7 [95% CI 4.81-6.59]). Conclusion. Torso-twists using elastic resistance showed higher activity of the erector spinae, whereas torso-twist in the machine resulted in higher activity of the external oblique. For the remaining core muscles the two training modalities induced similar muscular activation. In spite of similar perceived exertion the majority of the participants preferred the exercise using elastic resistance.

Validation of stereophotogrammetry of the human torso.

PubMed

Lee, Juhun; Kawale, Manas; Merchant, Fatima A; Weston, June; Fingeret, Michelle C; Ladewig, Dianne; Reece, Gregory P; Crosby, Melissa A; Beahm, Elisabeth K; Markey, Mia K

2011-02-15

The objective of this study was to determine if measurements of breast morphology computed from three-dimensional (3D) stereophotogrammetry are equivalent to traditional anthropometric measurements obtained directly on a subject using a tape measure. 3D torso images of 23 women ranged in age from 36 to 63 who underwent or were scheduled for breast reconstruction surgery were obtained using a 3dMD torso system (3Q Technologies Inc., Atlanta, GA). Two different types (contoured and line-of-sight distances) of a total of nine distances were computed from 3D images of each participant. Each participant was photographed twice, first without fiducial points marked (referred to as unmarked image) and second with fiducial points marked prior to imaging (referred to as marked image). Stereophotogrammetry was compared to traditional direct anthropometry, in which measurements were taken with a tape measure on participants. Three statistical analyses were used to evaluate the agreement between stereophotogrammetry and direct anthropometry. Seven out of nine distances showed excellent agreement between stereophotogrammetry and direct anthropometry (both marked and unmarked images). In addition, stereophotogrammetry from the unmarked image was equivalent to that of the marked image (both line-of-sight and contoured distances). A lower level of agreement was observed for some measures because of difficulty in localizing more vaguely defined fiducial points, such as lowest visible point of breast mound, and inability of the imaging system in capturing areas obscured by the breast, such as the inframammary fold. Stereophotogrammetry from 3D images obtained from the 3dMD torso system is effective for quantifying breast morphology. Tools for surgical planning and evaluation based on stereophotogrammetry have the potential to improve breast surgery outcomes.

SU-E-T-540: Volumetric Modulated Total Body Irradiation Using a Rotational Lazy Susan-Like Immobilization System

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

Gu, X; Hrycushko, B; Lee, H

2014-06-01

Purpose: Traditional extended SSD total body irradiation (TBI) techniques can be problematic in terms of patient comfort and/or dose uniformity. This work aims to develop a comfortable TBI technique that achieves a uniform dose distribution to the total body while reducing the dose to organs at risk for complications. Methods: To maximize patient comfort, a lazy Susan-like couch top immobilization system which rotates about a pivot point was developed. During CT simulation, a patient is immobilized by a Vac-Lok bag within the body frame. The patient is scanned head-first and then feet-first following 180° rotation of the frame. The twomore » scans are imported into the Pinnacle treatment planning system and concatenated to give a full-body CT dataset. Treatment planning matches multiple isocenter volumetric modulated arc (VMAT) fields of the upper body and multiple isocenter parallel-opposed fields of the lower body. VMAT fields of the torso are optimized to satisfy lung dose constraints while achieving a therapeutic dose to the torso. The multiple isocenter VMAT fields are delivered with an indexed couch, followed by body frame rotation about the pivot point to treat the lower body isocenters. The treatment workflow was simulated with a Rando phantom, and the plan was mapped to a solid water slab phantom for point- and film-dose measurements at multiple locations. Results: The treatment plan of 12Gy over 8 fractions achieved 80.2% coverage of the total body volume within ±10% of the prescription dose. The mean lung dose was 8.1 Gy. All ion chamber measurements were within ±1.7% compared to the calculated point doses. All relative film dosimetry showed at least a 98.0% gamma passing rate using a 3mm/3% passing criteria. Conclusion: The proposed patient comfort-oriented TBI technique provides for a uniform dose distribution within the total body while reducing the dose to the lungs.« less

Human body surface area: measurement and prediction using three dimensional body scans.

PubMed

Tikuisis, P; Meunier, P; Jubenville, C E

2001-08-01

The development of three dimensional laser scanning technology and sophisticated graphics editing software have allowed an alternative and potentially more accurate determination of body surface area (BSA). Raw whole-body scans of 641 adults (395 men and 246 women) were obtained from the anthropometric data base of the Civilian American and European Surface Anthropometry Resource project. Following surface restoration of the scans (i.e. patching and smoothing), BSA was calculated. A representative subset of the entire sample population involving 12 men and 12 women (G24) was selected for detailed measurements of hand surface area (SAhand) and ratios of surface area to volume (SA/VOL) of various body segments. Regression equations involving wrist circumference and arm length were used to predict SAhand of the remaining population. The overall [mean (SD)] of BSA were 2.03 (0.19) and 1.73 (0.19) m2 for men and women, respectively. Various prediction equations were tested and although most predicted the measured BSA reasonably closely, residual analysis revealed an overprediction with increasing body size in most cases. Separate non-linear regressions for each sex yielded the following best-fit equations (with root mean square errors of about 1.3%): BSA (cm2) = 128.1 x m0.44 x h0.60 for men and BSA = 147.4 x m0.47 x h0.55 for women, where m, body mass, is in kilograms and h, height, is in centimetres. The SA/VOL ratios of the various body segments were higher for the women compared to the men of G24, significantly for the head plus neck (by 7%), torso (19%), upper arms (15%), forearms (20%), hands (18%), and feet (11%). The SA/VOL for both sexes ranged from approximately 12.m-1 for the pelvic region to 104-123.m-1 for the hands, and shape differences were a factor for the torso and lower leg.

The effect of active warming in prehospital trauma care during road and air ambulance transportation - a clinical randomized trial.

PubMed

Lundgren, Peter; Henriksson, Otto; Naredi, Peter; Björnstig, Ulf

2011-10-21

Prevention and treatment of hypothermia by active warming in prehospital trauma care is recommended but scientific evidence of its effectiveness in a clinical setting is scarce. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of additional active warming during road or air ambulance transportation of trauma patients. Patients were assigned to either passive warming with blankets or passive warming with blankets with the addition of an active warming intervention using a large chemical heat pad applied to the upper torso. Ear canal temperature, subjective sensation of cold discomfort and vital signs were monitored. Mean core temperatures increased from 35.1°C (95% CI; 34.7-35.5°C) to 36.0°C (95% CI; 35.7-36.3°C) (p < 0.05) in patients assigned to passive warming only (n = 22) and from 35.6°C (95% CI; 35.2-36.0°C) to 36.4°C (95% CI; 36.1-36.7°C) (p < 0.05) in patients assigned to additional active warming (n = 26) with no significant differences between the groups. Cold discomfort decreased in 2/3 of patients assigned to passive warming only and in all patients assigned to additional active warming, the difference in cold discomfort change being statistically significant (p < 0.05). Patients assigned to additional active warming also presented a statistically significant decrease in heart rate and respiratory frequency (p < 0.05). In mildly hypothermic trauma patients, with preserved shivering capacity, adequate passive warming is an effective treatment to establish a slow rewarming rate and to reduce cold discomfort during prehospital transportation. However, the addition of active warming using a chemical heat pad applied to the torso will significantly improve thermal comfort even further and might also reduce the cold induced stress response. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01400152.

[Three-dimensional finite element analysis of the upper cervical-defected incisor with labial access or lingual access].

PubMed

Su, Fan; Zhao, Ying; Su, Qin

2013-08-01

To evaluate the stress distribution of the cervical-defected incisor with labial or lingual endodontic access with finite element analysis (FEA), and to explore the advantage of resistance in labial endodontic access. 3-D finite element models of upper cervical-defected incisor were established using cone-beam CT (CBCT), Mimics Catia, and Ansys software. The subjects were categorized according to the two endodontic accesses and three restorative ways, which were composite resin, glass fiber-reinforced composite resin and glass fiber-reinforced post-crown. All the models were loaded.The von Mises stress values and distribution were recorded and analyzed with Ansys 10.0 software. In this study, direct composite resin restoration showed no significant difference between the labial and lingual access. In glass fiber-reinforced composite resin, labial access could transfer the stress concentration area. It could reduce the incidence of fracture of the cervical lesion but increase the incidence of root fracture. Post-crown restoration could obviously reduce the incidence of fracture of the cervical lesion. When the cervical-defected incisor is restored with composite resin, labial and lingual accesses can be considered. Labial access with glass fiber-reinforced composite resin or post-crown restoration is a good choice.

The Pedicled Buccal Fat Pad: Anatomical Study of the New Flap for Skull Base Defect Reconstruction After Endoscopic Endonasal Transpterygoid Surgery

PubMed Central

Golbin, Denis A.; Lasunin, Nikolay V.; Cherekaev, Vasily A.; Polev, Georgiy A.

2016-01-01

Objectives To evaluate the efficacy and safety of using a buccal fat pad for endoscopic skull base defect reconstruction. Design Descriptive anatomical study with an illustrative case presentation. Setting Anatomical study was performed on 12 fresh human cadaver specimens with injected arteries (24 sides). Internal carotid artery was exposed in the coronal plane via the endoscopic transpterygoid approach. The pedicled buccal fat pad was used for reconstruction. Participants: 12 human cadaver head specimens; one patient operated using the proposed technique. Main outcome measures: Proximity of the buccal fat pad flap to the defect, compliance of the flap, comfort and safety of harvesting procedure, and compatibility with the Hadad–Bassagasteguy nasoseptal flap. Results: Harvesting procedure was performed using anterior transmaxillary corridor. The pedicled buccal fat pad flap can be used to pack the sphenoid sinus or cover the internal carotid artery from cavernous to upper parapharyngeal segment. Conclusion The buccal fat pad can be safely harvested through the same approach without external incisions and is compliant enough to conform to the skull base defect. The proposed pedicled flap can replace free abdominal fat in central skull base reconstruction. The volume of the buccal fat pad allows obliteration of the sphenoid sinus or upper parapharyngeal space. PMID:28180047

Injuries in taekwando: systematic review.

PubMed

Thomas, Roger E; Thomas, Bennett C; Vaska, Marcus M

2017-11-01

Assess rates/1000athletic encounters(AE) in Taekwondo of injuries/age/gender/type/location. Searches in 17 electronic, 7 grey-literature databases. Two researchers independently assessed Abstracts/titles and abstracted data. Risk-of-bias assessed with Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Rates/1000AE computed, weighted by study sizes. Eighteen studies included 3 Olympic, 4 world, 1 European, 13 national, 10 provincial and one national school competition. Seventeen studies provided an injury definition and recorded injuries on forms. Rates are average rate/1000AE, weighted by study size. For ten studies which provided rates by gender, rate for males(n = 9,286) was 58/1000AE and females(n = 3,720) 52.7/1000AE. For six studies which provided data on injuries/1000minutes/exposure by gender rate for males(n = 6,885) was 10.7/1000minutes/exposure and for females(n = 2,539) 10.4. For two studies which provided data by age and gender, rate for males 11-13 years(n = 949) was 29.6, 14-17(n = 512) 53.1 and ≥18(n = 711) 40.7, and for females 11-13 years(n = 472) 30.5, 14-17(n = 338) 72 and ≥18(n = 240) 37.5. For eight studies which provided injury location rates by gender rate for all ages for males(n = 5,856) for head/neck injuries was 13.3, torso 4.2, upper-extremity 9.4 and lower-extremity 21.7 and females(n = 2,126) for head/neck injuries was 14.2, torso 3.1, upper-extremity 7.3 and lower-extremity 26.6. For nine studies which provided injury type rates by gender, rate for all ages for males(n = 7,509) for abrasions/contusions/lacerations was 37.5, for sprains/strains 10.3 and fractures 5.9, and for females(n = 2,852) for abrasions/contusions/lacerations 27.9, for sprains/strains 8.7 and fractures 3.8. For concussions for eight studies for males(n = 9,078) rate was 13.3 and females(n = 3628) 11.4. The majority of injuries occurred to the lower extremities, and in defence (61%). There are published data on 20,210 Taekweondo competitors. Only 8/18 studies reported prior injuries. Longitudinal studies are needed of injuries, ascertainment of causes, identify participants with higher rates, measure the results of preventive measures, rule change to exclude head kicks, and encourage non-contact Taekwondo especially for participants with high injury rates.

Celiac Disease

MedlinePlus

... Causes Diagnosis Treatment Eating, Diet, & Nutrition Clinical Trials Hemorrhoids Definition & Facts Symptoms & Causes Diagnosis Treatment Eating, Diet, & ... Defects Dermatitis Herpetiformis Reproductive Problems Osteoporosis Related Diagnostic Tests Upper GI Endoscopy For Health Care Professionals Dermatitis ...

Fatigue of Austempered Ductile Iron with Two Strength Grades in Very High Cycle Regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jiwang; Li, Wei; Song, Qingpeng; Zhang, Ning; Lu, Liantao

2016-03-01

In this study, Austempered ductile irons (ADIs) with two different strength grades were produced and the fatigue properties were measured at 109 cycles. The results show that the S-N curves give a typical step-wise shape and there is no fatigue limit in the very high cycle fatigue regime. The two grades ADI have the similar fracture behaviors and fatigue failure can initiate from defects at specimen surface and subsurface zone. On the fracture surfaces of some specimens, the `granular-bright-facet' area with rich carbon distribution is observed in the vicinity of the defect. The microstructure affects the crack behaviors at the early propagation stage. The ADI with upper and lower bainite shows higher fatigue strength compared with the ADI with coarse upper bainite.

AXAF optical technology analysis. [effects of alignment figure errors on the performance of grazing incidence telescopes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Korsch, D.

1979-01-01

A grazing incidence telescope with six nested subsystems is investigated through the effects of misalignment and surface deformations on it's image quality. The axial rms-spot size serves as measure for the image quality. The surface deformations are simulated by ellipsoidal and sinusoidal deviation elements. Each type of defect is analyzed in the single two-element system. The full nested system is then analyzed in the presence of all possible defects on all twelve elements, whereby the magnitude of the defects is randomized within a given upper limit.

Radiographic detection of artificial intra-bony defects in the edentulous area.

PubMed

Van Assche, N; Jacobs, R; Coucke, W; van Steenberghe, D; Quirynen, M

2009-03-01

Since intra-bony pathologies might jeopardize implant outcome, their preoperative detection is crucial. In sixteen human cadaver bloc sections from upper and lower jaws, artificial defects with progressively increasing size (n=7) have been created. From each respective defect, analogue and digital intra-oral radiographs were taken, the latter processed via a periodontal filter and afterwards presented in black-white as well as in colour, resulting in three sets of 7 images per bloc section. Eight observers were asked to diagnosis an eventual defect on randomly presented radiographs, and at another occasion to rank each set based on the defect size. The clinicians were only able to identify a defect, when the junctional area was involved, except for bony pieces with a very homogeneous structure. For longitudinal evaluation of healing bone (e.g. after tooth extraction), colour digital images can be recommended. These observations indicate that intra-oral radiographs are not always reliable for the detection of any intra-bony defect.

The Prevalence of Congenital Hand and Upper Extremity Anomalies Based Upon the New York Congenital Malformations Registry.

PubMed

Goldfarb, Charles A; Shaw, Neil; Steffen, Jennifer A; Wall, Lindley B

2017-03-01

There have been few publications regarding the prevalence of congenital upper extremity anomalies and no recent reports from the United States. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the prevalence of congenital upper extremity anomalies in the total birth population of New York State over a 19-year period utilizing the New York Congenital Malformations Registry (NYCMR) database. The NYCMR includes children with at least 1 birth anomaly diagnosed by 2 years of age and listed by diagnosis code. We scrutinized these codes for specific upper extremity anomalies, including polydactyly, syndactyly, reduction defects, clubhand malformations, and syndromes with upper limb anomalies. We included children born between 1992 and 2010. There were a total of 4,883,072 live births in New York State during the study period. The overall prevalence of congenital upper extremity anomalies was 27.2 cases per 10,000 live births. Polydactyly was most common with 12,418 cases and a prevalence rate of 23.4 per 10,000 live births. The next most common anomalies included syndactyly with 627 cases affecting the hands (1498 total) and reduction defects (1111 cases). Specific syndromes were quite rare and were noted in a total of 215 live births. The prevalence of anomalies was higher in New York City compared with New York State populations at 33.0 and 21.9 per 10,000 live births, respectively. The NYCMR data demonstrate that congenital upper extremity anomalies are more common than previously reported. This is in large part due to the high prevalence of polydactyly. Although registries are imperfect, such data are helpful in monitoring prevalence rates over time, identifying potential causes or associations, and guiding health care planning and future research. Level I-diagnostic.

Hallerman-Streiff-like syndrome presenting with laterality and cardiac defects.

PubMed

Morice-Picard, Fanny; Marlin, Sandrine; Rooryck, Caroline; Fayon, Mickael; Thambo, Jeao-Benoît; Demarquez, Jean-Louis; Fauroux, Brigitte; Denoyelle, Francoise; Lacombe, Didier

2009-04-01

We report two patients considered to have an atypical presentation of Hallerman-Streiff syndrome (HSS) associated with laterality and cardiac defects. Clinical features include typical facial gestalt, atrophy of the skin, and hypotrichosis. Ophthalmologic abnormalities, normally present in HSS, are only found in one of the two patients. Both of them have respiratory problems secondary to the classical narrow upper airway described in this syndrome. Both these patients have laterality defects and one has additional structural cardiac malformations. Cardiac defects have occasionally been reported in the HSS literature, but are not considered as a classical feature of the syndrome. Situs inversus has never been reported in this syndrome. Almost all HSS cases have been sporadic and their origin and inheritance pattern remain unknown.

Computation and projection of spiral wave trajectories during atrial fibrillation: a computational study.

PubMed

Pashaei, Ali; Bayer, Jason; Meillet, Valentin; Dubois, Rémi; Vigmond, Edward

2015-03-01

To show how atrial fibrillation rotor activity on the heart surface manifests as phase on the torso, fibrillation was induced on a geometrically accurate computer model of the human atria. The Hilbert transform, time embedding, and filament detection were compared. Electrical activity on the epicardium was used to compute potentials on different surfaces from the atria to the torso. The Hilbert transform produces erroneous phase when pacing for longer than the action potential duration. The number of phase singularities, frequency content, and the dominant frequency decreased with distance from the heart, except for the convex hull. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Conservative treatment of idiopathic scoliosis with effective braces: early response to trunk asymmetry may avoid curvature progress].

PubMed

Matussek, J; Dingeldey, E; Wagner, F; Rezai, G; Nahr, K

2014-07-01

Vertical posture of the growing child requires minute central nervous control mechanisms in order to maintain symmetry of the torso in its various activities. Scoliosis describes a constant deviation in the frontal, transverse and sagittal planes from the dynamic symmetry of the trunk. Early intervention with effective bracing, physiotherapy and sports can reverse curve progression during growth spurts, once these are identified in screening. Modern braces have a derotating and reducing effect (mirror effect) on asymmetric body volumes, thus influencing the growing torso and restoring lasting symmetry. Recent data support the use of braces to reverse progressing scoliosis.

Feasibility of Using Wideband Microwave System for Non-Invasive Detection and Monitoring of Pulmonary Oedema

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rezaeieh, S. Ahdi; Zamani, A.; Bialkowski, K. S.; Mahmoud, A.; Abbosh, A. M.

2015-09-01

Pulmonary oedema is a common manifestation of various fatal diseases that can be caused by cardiac or non-cardiac syndromes. The accumulated fluid has a considerably higher dielectric constant compared to lungs’ tissues, and can thus be detected using microwave techniques. Therefore, a non-invasive microwave system for the early detection of pulmonary oedema is presented. It employs a platform in the form of foam-based bed that contains two linear arrays of wideband antennas covering the band 0.7-1 GHz. The platform is designed such that during the tests, the subject lays on the bed with the back of the torso facing the antenna arrays. The antennas are controlled using a switching network that is connected to a compact network analyzer. A novel frequency-based imaging algorithm is used to process the recorded signals and generate an image of the torso showing any accumulated fluids in the lungs. The system is verified on an artificial torso phantom, and animal organs. As a feasibility study, preclinical tests are conducted on healthy subjects to determinate the type of obtained images, the statistics and threshold levels of their intensity to differentiate between healthy and unhealthy subjects.

The Phonetics of Head and Body Movement in the Realization of American Sign Language Signs.

PubMed

Tyrone, Martha E; Mauk, Claude E

2016-01-01

Because the primary articulators for sign languages are the hands, sign phonology and phonetics have focused mainly on them and treated other articulators as passive targets. However, there is abundant research on the role of nonmanual articulators in sign language grammar and prosody. The current study examines how hand and head/body movements are coordinated to realize phonetic targets. Kinematic data were collected from 5 deaf American Sign Language (ASL) signers to allow the analysis of movements of the hands, head and body during signing. In particular, we examine how the chin, forehead and torso move during the production of ASL signs at those three phonological locations. Our findings suggest that for signs with a lexical movement toward the head, the forehead and chin move to facilitate convergence with the hand. By comparison, the torso does not move to facilitate convergence with the hand for signs located at the torso. These results imply that the nonmanual articulators serve a phonetic as well as a grammatical or prosodic role in sign languages. Future models of sign phonetics and phonology should take into consideration the movements of the nonmanual articulators in the realization of signs. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Bioimpedance Measurement of Segmental Fluid Volumes and Hemodynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Montgomery, Leslie D.; Wu, Yi-Chang; Ku, Yu-Tsuan E.; Gerth, Wayne A.; DeVincenzi, D. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Bioimpedance has become a useful tool to measure changes in body fluid compartment volumes. An Electrical Impedance Spectroscopic (EIS) system is described that extends the capabilities of conventional fixed frequency impedance plethysmographic (IPG) methods to allow examination of the redistribution of fluids between the intracellular and extracellular compartments of body segments. The combination of EIS and IPG techniques was evaluated in the human calf, thigh, and torso segments of eight healthy men during 90 minutes of six degree head-down tilt (HDT). After 90 minutes HDT the calf and thigh segments significantly (P < 0.05) lost conductive volume (eight and four percent, respectively) while the torso significantly (P < 0.05) gained volume (approximately three percent). Hemodynamic responses calculated from pulsatile IPG data also showed a segmental pattern consistent with vascular fluid loss from the lower extremities and vascular engorgement in the torso. Lumped-parameter equivalent circuit analyses of EIS data for the calf and thigh indicated that the overall volume decreases in these segments arose from reduced extracellular volume that was not completely balanced by increased intracellular volume. The combined use of IPG and EIS techniques enables noninvasive tracking of multi-segment volumetric and hemodynamic responses to environmental and physiological stresses.

Feasibility of Using Wideband Microwave System for Non-Invasive Detection and Monitoring of Pulmonary Oedema

PubMed Central

Rezaeieh, S. Ahdi; Zamani, A.; Bialkowski, K. S.; Mahmoud, A.; Abbosh, A. M.

2015-01-01

Pulmonary oedema is a common manifestation of various fatal diseases that can be caused by cardiac or non-cardiac syndromes. The accumulated fluid has a considerably higher dielectric constant compared to lungs’ tissues, and can thus be detected using microwave techniques. Therefore, a non-invasive microwave system for the early detection of pulmonary oedema is presented. It employs a platform in the form of foam-based bed that contains two linear arrays of wideband antennas covering the band 0.7–1 GHz. The platform is designed such that during the tests, the subject lays on the bed with the back of the torso facing the antenna arrays. The antennas are controlled using a switching network that is connected to a compact network analyzer. A novel frequency-based imaging algorithm is used to process the recorded signals and generate an image of the torso showing any accumulated fluids in the lungs. The system is verified on an artificial torso phantom, and animal organs. As a feasibility study, preclinical tests are conducted on healthy subjects to determinate the type of obtained images, the statistics and threshold levels of their intensity to differentiate between healthy and unhealthy subjects. PMID:26365299

Multi-antioxidant supplementation does not prevent an increase in gut permeability after lower torso ischemia and reperfusion in humans.

PubMed

Wijnen, M H W A; Vader, H L; Roumen, R M H

2002-01-01

An increase in gut permeability can have serious consequences leading to sepsis and multiple organ failure. After lower torso ischemia an increase in gut permeability is seen in both animals and humans. There is proof that this can be modified by antioxidant supplementation. In this prospective, randomized study we have looked at the influence of a multiantioxidant supplementation regime, using allopurinol, vitamins E and C, mannitol and N-acetylcysteine, perioperatively. Twenty-two patients received standard treatment and 20 patients received supplementation. Gut permeability was determined using a double sugar test with lactulose and rhamnose. A significant increase in gut permeability was found neither in the non-treatment group (p = 0.012) nor in the treatment group (p = 0.006) after 6 and 24 h. No difference was found between the group receiving antioxidants and the standard treatment group. p = 0.93 6 h post clamp; p = 0.97 24 h post clamp. In this study we have not found an influence of multiantioxidant supplementation on gut permeability after lower torso ischemia. Possible explanations for this negative result are being discussed. Copyright 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel

Sinus venosus syndrome: atrial septal defect or anomalous venous connection? A multiplane transoesophageal approach.

PubMed

Oliver, J M; Gallego, P; Gonzalez, A; Dominguez, F J; Aroca, A; Mesa, J M

2002-12-01

To discuss the anatomical features of sinus venosus atrial defect on the basis of a comprehensive transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) examination and its relation to surgical data. 24 patients (13 men, 11 women, mean (SD) age 37 (17) years, range 17-73 years) with a posterior interatrial communication closely related to the entrance of the superior (SVC) or inferior vena cava (IVC) who underwent TOE before surgical repair. Records of these patients were retrospectively reviewed and compared with surgical assessments. In 13 patients, TOE showed a deficiency in the extraseptal wall that normally separates the left atrium and right upper pulmonary vein from the SVC and right atrium. This deficiency unroofed the right upper pulmonary vein, compelling it to drain into the SVC, which overrode the intact atrial septum. In three patients, TOE examination showed a defect in the wall of the IVC, which continued directly into the posterior border of the left atrium. Thus, the intact muscular border of the atrial septum was overridden by the mouth of the IVC, which presented a biatrial connection. In the remaining eight patients, the defect was located in the muscular posterior border of the fossa ovalis. A residuum of atrial septum was visualised in the superior margin of the defect. Neither caval vein overriding nor anomalous pulmonary vein drainage was present. Sinus venosus syndrome should be regarded as an anomalous venous connection with an interatrial communication outside the confines of the atrial septum, in the unfolding wall that normally separates the left atrium from either caval vein. It results in overriding of the caval veins across the intact atrial septum and partial pulmonary vein anomalous drainage. It should be differentiated from posterior atrial septal defect without overriding or anomalous venous connections.

Sinus venosus syndrome: atrial septal defect or anomalous venous connection? A multiplane transoesophageal approach

PubMed Central

Oliver, J M; Gallego, P; Gonzalez, A; Dominguez, F J; Aroca, A; Mesa, J M

2002-01-01

Objective: To discuss the anatomical features of sinus venosus atrial defect on the basis of a comprehensive transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) examination and its relation to surgical data. Methods: 24 patients (13 men, 11 women, mean (SD) age 37 (17) years, range 17–73 years) with a posterior interatrial communication closely related to the entrance of the superior (SVC) or inferior vena cava (IVC) who underwent TOE before surgical repair. Records of these patients were retrospectively reviewed and compared with surgical assessments. Results: In 13 patients, TOE showed a deficiency in the extraseptal wall that normally separates the left atrium and right upper pulmonary vein from the SVC and right atrium. This deficiency unroofed the right upper pulmonary vein, compelling it to drain into the SVC, which overrode the intact atrial septum. In three patients, TOE examination showed a defect in the wall of the IVC, which continued directly into the posterior border of the left atrium. Thus, the intact muscular border of the atrial septum was overridden by the mouth of the IVC, which presented a biatrial connection. In the remaining eight patients, the defect was located in the muscular posterior border of the fossa ovalis. A residuum of atrial septum was visualised in the superior margin of the defect. Neither caval vein overriding nor anomalous pulmonary vein drainage was present. Conclusions: Sinus venosus syndrome should be regarded as an anomalous venous connection with an interatrial communication outside the confines of the atrial septum, in the unfolding wall that normally separates the left atrium from either caval vein. It results in overriding of the caval veins across the intact atrial septum and partial pulmonary vein anomalous drainage. It should be differentiated from posterior atrial septal defect without overriding or anomalous venous connections. PMID:12433899

Right upper limb bud triplication and polythelia, left sided hemihypertrophy and congenital hip dislocation, facial dysmorphism, congenital heart disease, and scoliosis: disorganisation-like spectrum or patterning gene defect?

PubMed

Sabry, M A; al-Saleh, Q; al-Saw'an, R; al-Awadi, S A; Farag, T I

1995-07-01

A Somali female baby with right upper limb triplication, polythelia, left sided hemihypertrophy, congenital hip dislocation, facial dysmorphism, congenital heart disease, and scoliosis is described. It seems that the above described pattern of anomalies has not been reported before. The possible developmental genetic mechanism responsible for this phenotype is briefly discussed.

Habilitation of Patients with Congenital Malformations Associated with Thalidomide: Surgery of Limb Defects

PubMed Central

Hall, John E.

1963-01-01

The deformities commonly seen in “thalidomide babies” are described. These vary from relatively uncomplicated radial-ray defects to complete phocomelia of all four extremities. It is suggested that the care of these children is best carried out in a clinic accustomed to dealing with juvenile amputee problems. A plea is made for very early fitting of upper-extremity prostheses (at approximately three months of age) in cases of unilateral upper-limb deficiencies. A “bucket” for sitting should be supplied for children with quadrilateral phocomelia to sit in when they reach seven or eight months of age. Children with severe upper-limb malformations will be candidates for some form of externally powered prostheses. ImagesFig. 1a and 1bFig. 2a and 2bFig. 3a and 3bFig. 4a and 4bFig. 5a, b and cFig. 6a and 6bFig. 7Fig. 8Fig. 9a and 9bFig. 10a,bFig. 10c and d PMID:13952105

Congenital Upper Eyelid Coloboma: Clinical and Surgical Management

PubMed Central

Ortega Molina, José María; Mora Horna, Eduardo Ramón; Salgado Miranda, Andrés David; Rubio, Rosa; Solans Pérez de Larraya, Ana; Salcedo Casillas, Guillermo

2015-01-01

Purpose. The goal was to describe our experience in the surgical management and treatment of four patients with congenital upper eyelid colobomas. Methods. A descriptive, observational, retrospective study was performed including patients with congenital eyelid colobomas referred to Asociación para Evitar la Ceguera en México I.A.P. “Dr. Luis Sánchez Bulnes” between 2004 and 2014 and assessed by the Oculoplastics and Orbit Service. Results. The four cases required surgical treatment of the eyelid defects before one year of age and their evolution was monitored from the time of referral to the present day. One of the patients needed a second surgical procedure to repair the eyelid defect and correct the strabismus. Conclusions. Eyelid colobomas are a potential threat to vision at an early age, which requires close monitoring of the visual development of patients. PMID:26366313

Congenital Upper Eyelid Coloboma: Clinical and Surgical Management.

PubMed

Ortega Molina, José María; Mora Horna, Eduardo Ramón; Salgado Miranda, Andrés David; Rubio, Rosa; Solans Pérez de Larraya, Ana; Salcedo Casillas, Guillermo

2015-01-01

Purpose. The goal was to describe our experience in the surgical management and treatment of four patients with congenital upper eyelid colobomas. Methods. A descriptive, observational, retrospective study was performed including patients with congenital eyelid colobomas referred to Asociación para Evitar la Ceguera en México I.A.P. "Dr. Luis Sánchez Bulnes" between 2004 and 2014 and assessed by the Oculoplastics and Orbit Service. Results. The four cases required surgical treatment of the eyelid defects before one year of age and their evolution was monitored from the time of referral to the present day. One of the patients needed a second surgical procedure to repair the eyelid defect and correct the strabismus. Conclusions. Eyelid colobomas are a potential threat to vision at an early age, which requires close monitoring of the visual development of patients.

Rectifiability of Line Defects in Liquid Crystals with Variable Degree of Orientation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alper, Onur

2018-04-01

In [2], H ardt, L in and the author proved that the defect set of minimizers of the modified Ericksen energy for nematic liquid crystals consists locally of a finite union of isolated points and Hölder continuous curves with finitely many crossings. In this article, we show that each Hölder continuous curve in the defect set is of finite length. Hence, locally, the defect set is rectifiable. For the most part, the proof closely follows the work of D e L ellis et al. (Rectifiability and upper minkowski bounds for singularities of harmonic q-valued maps, arXiv:1612.01813, 2016) on harmonic Q-valued maps. The blow-up analysis in A lper et al. (Calc Var Partial Differ Equ 56(5):128, 2017) allows us to simplify the covering arguments in [11] and locally estimate the length of line defects in a geometric fashion.

Subperiosteal lateral browlift and its relationship to upper blepharoplasty.

PubMed

Gasperoni, C; Salgarello, M; Gargani, G

1993-01-01

Skin redundancy of the upper eyelid is often associated with a variable degree of ptosis of the lateral third of the eyebrow, which increases the extent of the defect. Correcting this condition implies a combination of a temporal lift with a standard upper blepharoplasty. In the temporal lift it is possible to perform an easy subaponeurotic and subperiosteal dissection of the soft tissues of the temporal area through an incision behind the hairline with pleasing and long-lasting results. The brow ptosis is corrected without noticeable scars and with inconspicuous damage to scalp follicles of the temporal region.

Effective elastic moduli of triangular lattice material with defects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xiaoyu; Liang, Naigang

2012-10-01

This paper presents an attempt to extend homogenization analysis for the effective elastic moduli of triangular lattice materials with microstructural defects. The proposed homogenization method adopts a process based on homogeneous strain boundary conditions, the micro-scale constitutive law and the micro-to-macro static operator to establish the relationship between the macroscopic properties of a given lattice material to its micro-discrete behaviors and structures. Further, the idea behind Eshelby's equivalent eigenstrain principle is introduced to replace a defect distribution by an imagining displacement field (eigendisplacement) with the equivalent mechanical effect, and the triangular lattice Green's function technique is developed to solve the eigendisplacement field. The proposed method therefore allows handling of different types of microstructural defects as well as its arbitrary spatial distribution within a general and compact framework. Analytical closed-form estimations are derived, in the case of the dilute limit, for all the effective elastic moduli of stretch-dominated triangular lattices containing fractured cell walls and missing cells, respectively. Comparison with numerical results, the Hashin-Shtrikman upper bounds and uniform strain upper bounds are also presented to illustrate the predictive capability of the proposed method for lattice materials. Based on this work, we propose that not only the effective Young's and shear moduli but also the effective Poisson's ratio of triangular lattice materials depend on the number density of fractured cell walls and their spatial arrangements.

Right upper limb bud triplication and polythelia, left sided hemihypertrophy and congenital hip dislocation, facial dysmorphism, congenital heart disease, and scoliosis: disorganisation-like spectrum or patterning gene defect?

PubMed Central

Sabry, M A; al-Saleh, Q; al-Saw'an, R; al-Awadi, S A; Farag, T I

1995-01-01

A Somali female baby with right upper limb triplication, polythelia, left sided hemihypertrophy, congenital hip dislocation, facial dysmorphism, congenital heart disease, and scoliosis is described. It seems that the above described pattern of anomalies has not been reported before. The possible developmental genetic mechanism responsible for this phenotype is briefly discussed. Images PMID:7562971

Piezoelectric and electromagnetic respiratory effort energy harvesters.

PubMed

Shahhaidar, Ehsaneh; Padasdao, Bryson; Romine, R; Stickley, C; Boric-Lubecke, Olga

2013-01-01

The movements of the torso due to normal breathing could be harvested as an alternative, and renewable power source for an ultra-low power electronic device. The same output signal could also be recorded as a physiological signal containing information about breathing, thus enabling self-powered wearable biosensors/harvesters. In this paper, the selection criteria for such a biosensor, optimization procedure, trade-offs, and challenges as a sensor and harvester are presented. The empirical data obtained from testing different modules on a mechanical torso and a human subject demonstrated that an electromagnetic generator could be used as an unobtrusive self-powered medical sensor by harvesting more power, offering reasonable amount of output voltage for rectification purposes, and detecting respiratory effort.

Matroshka-R Phantom experiment

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-12-01

ISS014-E-09097 (December 2006) --- European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Thomas Reiter, Expedition 14 flight engineer, works with the European Matroshka-R Phantom experiment in the Zvezda Service Module of the International Space Station. Matroshka, the name for the traditional Russian set of nestling dolls, is an antroph-amorphous model of a human torso designed for radiation studies. The activity, supported by ground specialist tag-up, requires equipping the torso's individual horizontal slice-like layers with 356 thermo luminescent detectors (TLDs) and five nuclear radiation tracking detectors (NTDPs). The mannequin was then to be reassembled, covered with poncho and hood and installed in the Pirs Docking Compartment for studies of on-orbit radiation and long-term dose accumulation.

Impact of ballistic body armour and load carriage on walking patterns and perceived comfort.

PubMed

Park, Huiju; Branson, Donna; Petrova, Adriana; Peksoz, Semra; Jacobson, Bert; Warren, Aric; Goad, Carla; Kamenidis, Panagiotis

2013-01-01

This study investigated the impact of weight magnitude and distribution of body armour and carrying loads on military personnel's walking patterns and comfort perceptions. Spatio-temporal parameters of walking, plantar pressure and contact area were measured while seven healthy male right-handed military students wore seven different garments of varying weight (0.06, 9, 18 and 27 kg) and load distribution (balanced and unbalanced, on the front and back torso). Higher weight increased the foot contact time with the floor. In particular, weight placement on the non-dominant side of the front torso resulted in the greatest stance phase and double support. Increased plantar pressure and contact area observed during heavier loads entail increased impact forces, which can cause overuse injuries and foot blisters. Participants reported increasingly disagreeable pressure and strain in the shoulder, neck and lower back during heavier weight conditions and unnatural walking while wearing unbalanced weight distributed loads. This study shows the potentially synergistic impact of wearing body armour vest with differential loads on body movement and comfort perception. This study found that soldiers should balance loads, avoiding load placement on the non-dominant side front torso, thus minimising mobility restriction and potential injury risk. Implications for armour vest design modifications can also be found in the results.

Thin and flexible active electrodes with shield for capacitive electrocardiogram measurement.

PubMed

Lee, Seung Min; Sim, Kyo Sik; Kim, Ko Keun; Lim, Yong Gyu; Park, Kwang Suk

2010-05-01

Capacitive electrocardiogram (ECG) measurement over clothing requires large electrodes that can remain in contact with curved body surfaces to increase the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). In this article, we propose a new, thin, and flexible active electrode for use as a capacitive ECG measurement electrode. This electrode contains a shielding plate over its surface and it is extremely thin and can bend freely to cover larger body surfaces of the curve-shaped human torso. We evaluated the characteristics of flexible active electrodes under conditions of varying cloth thickness, electrode size, and contacting pressure. Electrodes of two sizes (45 and 12 cm(2)) were attached to a chest belt to measure the ECG from the human torso, and the results obtained for both the sizes were compared. Cloth thickness and electrode size showed a dominant effect on the SNR, whereas contacting pressure had almost no effect. The flexible active electrodes attached to chest belts wrapped closely and uniformly over the curved surface of the torso and SNR was increased with an increase in electrode size. Although the ECG signal became more distorted as the cloth thickness increased, the larger-sized flexible active electrode (45 cm(2)) showed less distortion than the smaller-sized one (12 cm(2)).

Finding sacral: Developmental evolution of the axial skeleton of odontocetes (Cetacea).

PubMed

Buchholtz, Emily A; Gee, Jessica K

2017-07-01

Axial morphology was dramatically transformed during the transition from terrestrial to aquatic environments by archaeocete cetaceans, and again during the subsequent odontocete radiation. Here, we reconstruct the sequence of developmental events that underlie these phenotypic transitions. Archaeocete innovations include the loss of primaxial/abaxial interaction at the sacral/pelvic articulation and the modular dissociation of the fluke from the remainder of the tail. Odontocetes subsequently integrated lumbar, sacral, and anterior caudal vertebrae into a single torso module, and underwent multiple series-specific changes in vertebral count. The conservation of regional proportions despite regional fluctuations in count strongly argues that rates of somitogenesis can vary along the column and that segmentation was dissociated from regionalization during odontocete evolution. Conserved regional proportions also allow the prediction of the location and count of sacral homologs within the torso module. These predictions are tested with the analysis of comparative pudendal nerve root location and geometric morphometrics. We conclude that the proportion of the column represented by the sacral series has been conserved, and that its vertebrae have changed in count and relative centrum length in parallel with other torso vertebrae. Although the sacral series of odontocetes is de-differentiated, it is not de-regionalized. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Oblique Loading in Post Mortem Human Surrogates from Vehicle Lateral Impact Tests using Chestbands.

PubMed

Yoganandan, Narayan; Humm, John R; Pintar, Frank A; Arun, Mike W J; Rhule, Heather; Rudd, Rodney; Craig, Matthew

2015-11-01

While numerous studies have been conducted to determine side impact responses of Post Mortem Human Surrogates (PMHS) using sled and other equipment, experiments using the biological surrogate in modern full-scale vehicles are not available. The present study investigated the presence of oblique loading in moving deformable barrier and pole tests. Threepoint belt restrained PMHS were positioned in the left front and left rear seats in the former and left front seat in the latter condition and tested according to consumer testing protocols. Three chestbands were used in each specimen (upper, middle and lower thorax). Accelerometers were secured to the skull, shoulder, upper, middle and lower thoracic vertebrae, sternum, and sacrum. Chestband signals were processed to determine magnitudes and angulations of peak deflections. The magnitude and timing of various signal peaks are given. Vehicle accelerations, door velocities, and seat belt loads are also given. Analysis of deformation contours, peak deflections, and angulations indicated that the left rear seated specimen were exposed to anterior oblique loading while left front specimens in both tests sustained essentially pure lateral loading to the torso. These data can be used to validate human body computational models. The occurrence of oblique loading in full-scale testing, hitherto unrecognized, may serve to stimulate the exploration of its role in injuries to the thorax and lower extremities in modern vehicles. It may be important to continue research in this area because injury metrics have a lower threshold for angled loading.

Development of Hospital-Based Guidelines for Skeletal Survey in Young Children With Bruises

PubMed Central

Fakeye, Oludolapo; Mondestin, Valerie; Rubin, David M.; Localio, Russell; Feudtner, Chris

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To develop guidelines for performing an initial skeletal survey (SS) for children <24 months of age presenting with bruising in the hospital setting, combining available evidence with expert opinion. METHODS: Applying the Rand/UCLA Appropriateness Method, a multispecialty panel of 10 experts relied on evidence from the literature and their own clinical expertise in rating the appropriateness of performing SS for 198 clinical scenarios characterizing children <24 months old with bruising. After a moderated discussion of initial ratings, the scenarios were revised. Panelists re-rated SS appropriateness for 219 revised scenarios. For the 136 clinical scenarios in which SS was deemed appropriate, the panel finally assessed the necessity of SS. RESULTS: Panelists agreed that SS is “appropriate” for 62% (136/219) of scenarios, and “inappropriate” for children ≥12 months old with nonpatterned bruising on bony prominences. Panelists agreed that SS is “necessary” for 95% (129/136) of the appropriate scenarios. SS was deemed necessary for infants <6 months old regardless of bruise location, with rare exceptions, but the necessity of SS in older children depends on bruise location. According to the panelists, bruising on the cheek, eye area, ear, neck, upper arm, upper leg, hand, foot, torso, buttock, or genital area necessitates SS in children <12 months. CONCLUSIONS: The appropriateness and necessity of SS in children presenting for care to the hospital setting with bruising, as determined by a diverse panel of experts, depends on age of the child and location of bruising. PMID:25601982

Use of giant-sized flow-through venous flap for simultaneous reconstruction of dual or multiple major arteries in salvage therapy for complex upper limb traumatic injury.

PubMed

Zheng, Da-Wei; Li, Zhang-Can; Shi, Rong-Jian; Sun, Feng; Xu, Li; Shou, Kui-Shui

2016-02-01

Salvage repair after complex upper limb traumatic injury is surgically challenging due to underlying major arterial impairment with complicating a large-sized soft tissue defect. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of using a giant-sized (≥100 cm(2)) flow-through venous flap for reconstruction of dual or multiple forearm, metacarpal, or digital arteries after complex upper limb traumatic injury. Seven patients were consecutively hospitalized for emergency salvage repair after complex upper limb traumatic injury between March 2012 and May 2014. The forearm and palmar artery defects were repaired using the calf great saphenous vein flap and the volar forearm venous flap, respectively. The flow-through venous flap ranged from 9.5 cm × 12.0 cm to 12.0 cm × 20.0 cm (mean, 158.4 cm(2)) in size. The flaps and affected limbs survived uneventfully in five patients, with one patient experiencing distal flap marginal necrosis and a second patient requiring amputation of the affected limb. Computed tomography angiography showed patent vessels in all patients. The mean total active motion of the repaired fingers was 199.5° versus 258.8° for the contralateral counterpart (77.1%). The sensory return was determined to be S2 in 2 patients, S3 in 3 patients and S3+ in 1 patient. The disability scores for the arm, shoulder, and hand ranged from 4.6-18.2 (mean, 11.3), and the mean Michigan hand outcomes questionnaire score was 7.8 ± 0.9. The flow-through venous flap is an effective and safe treatment alternative for salvage therapy of a ≥100-cm(2) complex upper limb traumatic injury with dual or multiple major arterial impairment. This technique allows simultaneous reconstruction of dual or multiple artery injuries and an extensive soft tissue defect. Serious surgical site infection remains a major safety concern and necessitates radical debridement in complicating cases. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automatic anatomy partitioning of the torso region on CT images by using multiple organ localizations with a group-wise calibration technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Xiangrong; Morita, Syoichi; Zhou, Xinxin; Chen, Huayue; Hara, Takeshi; Yokoyama, Ryujiro; Kanematsu, Masayuki; Hoshi, Hiroaki; Fujita, Hiroshi

2015-03-01

This paper describes an automatic approach for anatomy partitioning on three-dimensional (3D) computedtomography (CT) images that divide the human torso into several volume-of-interesting (VOI) images based on anatomical definition. The proposed approach combines several individual detections of organ-location with a groupwise organ-location calibration and correction to achieve an automatic and robust multiple-organ localization task. The essence of the proposed method is to jointly detect the 3D minimum bounding box for each type of organ shown on CT images based on intra-organ-image-textures and inter-organ-spatial-relationship in the anatomy. Machine-learning-based template matching and generalized Hough transform-based point-distribution estimation are used in the detection and calibration processes. We apply this approach to the automatic partitioning of a torso region on CT images, which are divided into 35 VOIs presenting major organ regions and tissues required by routine diagnosis in clinical medicine. A database containing 4,300 patient cases of high-resolution 3D torso CT images is used for training and performance evaluations. We confirmed that the proposed method was successful in target organ localization on more than 95% of CT cases. Only two organs (gallbladder and pancreas) showed a lower success rate: 71 and 78% respectively. In addition, we applied this approach to another database that included 287 patient cases of whole-body CT images scanned for positron emission tomography (PET) studies and used for additional performance evaluation. The experimental results showed that no significant difference between the anatomy partitioning results from those two databases except regarding the spleen. All experimental results showed that the proposed approach was efficient and useful in accomplishing localization tasks for major organs and tissues on CT images scanned using different protocols.

Evaluation of the iPhone with an acrylic sleeve versus the Scoliometer for rib hump measurement in scoliosis.

PubMed

Izatt, Maree T; Bateman, Gary R; Adam, Clayton J

2012-07-30

Vertebral rotation found in structural scoliosis contributes to trunkal asymmetry which is commonly measured with a simple Scoliometer device on a patient's thorax in the forward flexed position. The new generation of mobile 'smartphones' have an integrated accelerometer, making accurate angle measurement possible, which provides a potentially useful clinical tool for assessing rib hump deformity. This study aimed to compare rib hump angle measurements performed using a Smartphone and traditional Scoliometer on a set of plaster torsos representing the range of torsional deformities seen in clinical practice. Nine observers measured the rib hump found on eight plaster torsos moulded from scoliosis patients with both a Scoliometer and an Apple iPhone on separate occasions. Each observer repeated the measurements at least a week after the original measurements, and were blinded to previous results. Intra-observer reliability and inter-observer reliability were analysed using the method of Bland and Altman and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. The Intra-Class Correlation Coefficients (ICC) were calculated for repeated measurements of each of the eight plaster torso moulds by the nine observers. Mean absolute difference between pairs of iPhone/Scoliometer measurements was 2.1 degrees, with a small (1 degrees) bias toward higher rib hump angles with the iPhone. 95% confidence intervals for intra-observer variability were +/- 1.8 degrees (Scoliometer) and +/- 3.2 degrees (iPhone). 95% confidence intervals for inter-observer variability were +/- 4.9 degrees (iPhone) and +/- 3.8 degrees (Scoliometer). The measurement errors and confidence intervals found were similar to or better than the range of previously published thoracic rib hump measurement studies. The iPhone is a clinically equivalent rib hump measurement tool to the Scoliometer in spinal deformity patients. The novel use of plaster torsos as rib hump models avoids the variables of patient fatigue and discomfort, inconsistent positioning and deformity progression using human subjects in a single or multiple measurement sessions.

Evaluation of the iPhone with an acrylic sleeve versus the Scoliometer for rib hump measurement in scoliosis

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Vertebral rotation found in structural scoliosis contributes to trunkal asymmetry which is commonly measured with a simple Scoliometer device on a patient's thorax in the forward flexed position. The new generation of mobile 'smartphones' have an integrated accelerometer, making accurate angle measurement possible, which provides a potentially useful clinical tool for assessing rib hump deformity. This study aimed to compare rib hump angle measurements performed using a Smartphone and traditional Scoliometer on a set of plaster torsos representing the range of torsional deformities seen in clinical practice. Methods Nine observers measured the rib hump found on eight plaster torsos moulded from scoliosis patients with both a Scoliometer and an Apple iPhone on separate occasions. Each observer repeated the measurements at least a week after the original measurements, and were blinded to previous results. Intra-observer reliability and inter-observer reliability were analysed using the method of Bland and Altman and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. The Intra-Class Correlation Coefficients (ICC) were calculated for repeated measurements of each of the eight plaster torso moulds by the nine observers. Results Mean absolute difference between pairs of iPhone/Scoliometer measurements was 2.1 degrees, with a small (1 degrees) bias toward higher rib hump angles with the iPhone. 95% confidence intervals for intra-observer variability were +/- 1.8 degrees (Scoliometer) and +/- 3.2 degrees (iPhone). 95% confidence intervals for inter-observer variability were +/- 4.9 degrees (iPhone) and +/- 3.8 degrees (Scoliometer). The measurement errors and confidence intervals found were similar to or better than the range of previously published thoracic rib hump measurement studies. Conclusions The iPhone is a clinically equivalent rib hump measurement tool to the Scoliometer in spinal deformity patients. The novel use of plaster torsos as rib hump models avoids the variables of patient fatigue and discomfort, inconsistent positioning and deformity progression using human subjects in a single or multiple measurement sessions. PMID:22846346

A Comparison of 2 Practical Cooling Methods on Cycling Capacity in the Heat

PubMed Central

Cuttell, Saul A.; Kiri, Victor; Tyler, Christopher

2016-01-01

Context:  Cooling the torso and neck can improve exercise performance and capacity in a hot environment; however, the proposed mechanisms for the improvements often differ. Objective:  To directly compare the effects of cooling the neck and torso region using commercially available devices on exercise capacity in a hot environment (temperature = 35°C ± 0.1°C, relative humidity = 50.1% ± 0.7%). Design:  Crossover study. Setting:  Laboratory. Patients or Other Participants:  Eight recreationally active, nonheat-acclimated men (age = 24 ± 4 years, height = 1.82 ± 0.10 m, mass = 80.3 ± 9.7 kg, maximal power output = 240 ± 25 W). Intervention(s):  Three cycling capacity tests at 60% maximal power output to volitional exhaustion: 1 with no cooling (NC), 1 with vest cooling (VC), and 1 with a neck cooling collar (CC). Main Outcome Measure(s):  Time to volitional exhaustion, rectal temperature, mean skin temperature, torso and neck skin temperature, body mass, heart rate, rating of perceived exertion, thermal sensation, and feeling scale were measured. Results:  Participants cycled longer with VC (32.2 ± 9.5 minutes) than NC (27. 6 ± 7.6 minutes; P = .03; d = 0.54) or CC (30.0 ± 8.8 minutes; P = .02; d = 0.24). We observed no difference between NC and CC (P = .12; d = 0.31). Neck and torso temperature and perceived thermal sensation were reduced with the use of cooling modalities (P < .001), but no other variables were affected. Conclusions:  Cycling capacity in the heat improved when participants used a commercially available cooling vest, but we observed no benefit from wearing a commercially available CC. The vest and the collar did not alter the heart rate, rectal temperature, skin temperature, or sweat-loss responses to the cycling bout. PMID:27571045

Jarcho-Levin syndrome presenting with diaphragmatic hernia.

PubMed

Onay, O S; Kinik, S T; Otgün, Y; Arda, I S; Varan, B

2008-08-01

Jarcho-Levin syndrome (spondylothoracic or spondylocostal dysostosis) is an eponym that is used to define individuals with a short neck, short trunk, and short stature and multiple vertebral anomalies. The prognosis is directly related to respiratory complications. Reported findings associated with Jarcho-Levin syndrome include congenital heart defects, abdominal wall malformations, genitourinary malformations, upper limb anomalies, and neural tube defects. We report on a 6-day-old girl who presented with an incomplete form of Jarcho-Levin syndrome with late-presenting congenital diaphragmatic hernia and congenital heart disease.

The bitter taste of infection.

PubMed

Prince, Alice

2012-11-01

The human innate immune response to pathogens is complex, and it has been difficult to establish the contribution of epithelial signaling in the prevention of upper respiratory tract infection. The prevalence of chronic sinusitis in the absence of systemic immune defects indicates that there may be local defects in innate immunity associated with such mucosal infections. In this issue of the JCI, Cohen and colleagues investigate the role of the bitter taste receptors in airway epithelial cells, and find that these are critical to sensing the presence of invading pathogens.

The epidemiology of animal bite, scratch, and other potential rabies exposures, Louisiana.

PubMed

Balsamo, Gary A; Ratard, Raoult; Claudet, Amanda

2009-01-01

The authors conducted a review of 318 investigative reports of animal exposures recorded from November 2004 through April 2008. These reports were gathered as components of the rabies surveillance program in Louisiana. The reports were recorded by employees of the Louisiana Office of Public Health. Results were summarized and analyzed using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) EpiInfo statistical software. The most common victims were children, most often exposed to a pet that was familiar. In children victimized by pets, males were much more likely to be involved. Children most often suffered injuries to the head and upper torso. Exposures to bats and skunks characterized the greatest risks for rabies transmission, but potential for exposure to rabies from pet species remained a reality. Pit bull type dogs were most frequently involved in dog bite exposures. Requests for animal rabies testing peak in the summer months. The increased risk to children demonstrates a need for public education, animal control programs, and evaluation of risk from certain breeds. Promotion of rabies vaccine compliance is of utmost importance to public health.

Allergic Reaction to Ketamine as Monotherapy for Procedural Sedation.

PubMed

Nguyen, Tammy T; Baker, Bethany; Ferguson, Jeffrey D

2017-04-01

Ketamine is a cyclohexamine derivative that acts as a noncompetitive N-methyl D-aspartate receptor antagonist. Its use for procedural sedation is recommended by national clinical policy. However, its immunogenic potential is not well documented. We report a case of allergic reaction associated with the administration of intravenous ketamine for procedural sedation in a 16-year-old male. Minutes after administration, the patient developed a morbilliform, erythematous rash that extended to the upper and lower torso and resolved with intravenous diphenhydramine. It is most likely that this allergic reaction was caused by a ketamine-induced histamine release that has been described in vitro. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: This is the first case report in which ketamine was used as monotherapy in the emergency department for the facilitation of procedural sedation that resulted in an allergic reaction. Supportive measures, including advanced airway procedures and hemodynamic support, may be necessary in more severe anaphylactic cases. Providers should be aware of this potential adverse effect when using ketamine for procedural sedation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Necrotizing Fasciitis of the Chest Wall: Report of Pediatric Cases.

PubMed

Kumar, Monica; Meeks, Andrew; Kearl, Liza

2015-09-01

Necrotizing fasciitis is a soft tissue infection uncommonly described in children and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality if not treated early and aggressively. Reports of cases involving the upper torso are rare in general. In adults, necrotizing fasciitis is most commonly described in the abdomen, perineum, and extremities. For children, particularly neonates, necrotizing fasciitis most commonly involves the trunk presenting as omphalitis. In this report, we describe 2 pediatric cases of necrotizing fasciitis of the chest wall that presented within 6 months from each other at Los Angeles County Hospital/University of Southern California Pediatric Emergency Department. Both cases involved previously healthy children with above normal body mass indices of 36 and 25.6, respectively. These cases are noteworthy because of the rarity of necrotizing fasciitis among children especially in the chest wall, atypical presentation with nonspecific symptoms which made the diagnosis challenging, and suggestion that obesity may be a potential risk factor. Despite the rarity of this disease, the information presented in these cases may aid in raising the index of suspicion for diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis.

Helmet and shoulder pad removal in football players with unstable cervical spine injuries.

PubMed

Dahl, Michael C; Ananthakrishnan, Dheera; Nicandri, Gregg; Chapman, Jens R; Ching, Randal P

2009-05-01

Football, one of the country's most popular team sports, is associated with the largest overall number of sports-related, catastrophic, cervical spine injuries in the United States (Mueller, 2007). Patient handling can be hindered by the protective sports equipment worn by the athlete. Improper stabilization of these patients can exacerbate neurologic injury. Because of the lack of consensus on the best method for equipment removal, a study was performed comparing three techniques: full body levitation, upper torso tilt, and log roll. These techniques were performed on an intact and lesioned cervical spine cadaveric model simulating conditions in the emergency department. The levitation technique was found to produce motion in the anterior and right lateral directions. The tilt technique resulted in motions in the posterior left lateral directions, and the log roll technique generated motions in the right lateral direction and had the largest amount of increased instability when comparing the intact and lesioned specimen. These findings suggest that each method of equipment removal displays unique weaknesses that the practitioner should take into account, possibly on a patient-by-patient basis.

Management of acne vulgaris with hormonal therapies in adult female patients.

PubMed

Husein-ElAhmed, Husein

2015-01-01

Acne vulgaris is a very common condition affecting up of 93% of adolescents. Although rare, this disease may persist in adulthood. In adult women with acne (those older than 25 years old), this condition is particularly relevant because of the refractory to conventional therapies, which makes acne a challenge for dermatologists in this group of patients. In order to its potential risk for chronicity and the involvement of visible anatomical sites such as face and upper torso, acne has been associated with a wide spectrum of psychological and social dysfunction such as depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, somatization, and social inhibition. In particular, adult women with acne have been shown to be adversely impacted by the effect of acne on their quality of life. For the last four decades, dermatologists have used hormonal therapies for the management of acne vulgaris in adult women, which are considered a rational choice given the severity and chronicity of this condition in this group of patients. The aim of this work is to review the hormonal drugs for management of acne. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Pathological changes in the thyroid gland in crush asphyxia.

PubMed

Byard, Roger W

2013-12-01

To determine whether crush asphyxia may be associated with macro- and microscopic changes in the thyroid gland, four cases of death due to crush asphyxia were evaluated where the decedents (males aged 36, 37, 45, and 65 years respectively) suffered lethal chest compressions. The diagnosis of crush asphyxia in each case was suggested by the death scene description and confirmed by the finding of injuries to the torso, with marked congestion of the face, neck, and upper body associated with petechial and subconjunctival hemorrhages. In addition to other pathological findings, each decedent had intense congestion of their thyroid gland resulting in a dark/black appearance. Microscopically, stromal capillaries were engorged, with bulging of capillaries into the follicles. Rupture of these small vessels had created focal intrafollicular aggregates of erythrocytes within the colloid. As intense suffusion of the thyroid gland with blood in cases of crush asphyxia may impart an appearance of "black thyroid" this may be another feature of this condition to look for at autopsy, in addition to intrafollicular blood lakes on histology.

Crawling Aid

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

The Institute for the Achievement of Human Potential developed a device known as the Vehicle for Initial Crawling (VIC); the acronym is a tribute to the crawler's inventor, Hubert "Vic" Vykukal; is an effective crawling aid. The VIC is used by brain injured children who are unable to crawl due to the problems of weight-bearing and friction, caused by gravity. It is a rounded plywood frame large enough to support the child's torso, leaving arms and legs free to move. On its underside are three aluminum discs through which air is pumped to create an air-bearing surface that has less friction than a film of oil. Upper side contains the connection to the air supply and a pair of straps which restrain the child and cause the device to move with him. VIC is used with the intent to recreate the normal neurological connection between brain and muscles. Over repetitive use of the device the child develops his arm and leg muscles as well as coordination. Children are given alternating therapy, with and without the VIC until eventually the device is no longer needed.

Upper limb malformations in DiGeorge syndrome

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

Cormier-Daire, V.; Iserin, L.; Sidi, D.

1995-03-13

We report on upper limb anomalies in two children with a complete DiGeorge sequence: conotruncal defects, hypocalcemia, thymic aplasia, and facial anomalies. One child had preaxial polydactyly, and the other had club hands with hypoplastic first metacarpal. In both patients, molecular analysis documented a 22q11 deletion. To our knowledge, limb anomalies have rarely been reported in DiGeorge syndrome, and they illustrate the variable clinical expression of chromosome 22q11 deletions. 13 refs., 2 figs.

Chlamydia muridarum with Mutations in Chromosomal Genes tc0237 and/or tc0668 Is Deficient in Colonizing the Mouse Gastrointestinal Tract

PubMed Central

Shao, Lili; Zhang, Tianyuan; Liu, Quanzhong; Wang, Jie

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Chlamydiae colonize the gastrointestinal tracts of both animals and humans. However, their medical significance remains unknown. We have previously shown that wild-type Chlamydia muridarum spreads to and establishes stable colonization of the gastrointestinal tract following intravaginal inoculation. In the present study, we found that C. muridarum with mutations in chromosomal genes tc0237 and/or tc0668 was defective in spreading to the mouse gastrointestinal tract, which correlated with its attenuated pathogenicity in the upper genital tract. This correlation was more consistent than that of chlamydial pathogenicity with ascending infection in the genital tract, since attenuated C. muridarum spread significantly less to the gastrointestinal tract but maintained robust ascending infection of the upper genital tract. Transcervical inoculation further confirmed the correlation between C. muridarum spreading to the gastrointestinal tract and its pathogenicity in the upper genital tract. Finally, defective spreading of C. muridarum mutants was due to their inability to colonize the gastrointestinal tract since intragastric inoculation did not rescue the mutants' colonization. Thus, promoting C. muridarum colonization of the gastrointestinal tract may represent a primary function of the TC0237 and TC0668 proteins. Correlation of chlamydial colonization of the gastrointestinal tract with chlamydial pathogenicity in the upper genital tract suggests a potential role for gastrointestinal chlamydiae in genital tract pathogenicity. PMID:28584162

The influence of whole-body vs. torso pre-cooling on physiological strain and performance of high-intensity exercise in the heat.

PubMed

Sleivert, G G; Cotter, J D; Roberts, W S; Febbraio, M A

2001-04-01

Little research has been reported examining the effects of pre-cooling on high-intensity exercise performance, particularly when combined with strategies to keep the working muscle warm. This study used nine active males to determine the effects of pre-cooling the torso and thighs (LC), pre-cooling the torso (ice-vest in 3 degrees C air) while keeping the thighs warm (LW), or no cooling (CON: 31 degrees C air), on physiological strain and high-intensity (45-s) exercise performance (33 degrees C, 60% rh). Furthermore, we sought to determine whether performance after pre-cooling was influenced by a short exercise warm-up. The 45-s test was performed at different (P<0.05) mean core temperature [(rectal+oesophageal)/2] [CON: 37.3+/-0.3 (S.D.), LW: 37.1+/-0.3, LC: 36.8+/-0.4 degrees C] and mean skin temperature (CON: 34.6+/-0.6, LW: 29.0+/-1.0, LC: 27.2+/-1.2 degrees C) between all conditions. Forearm blood flow prior to exercise was also lower in LC (3.1+/-2.0 ml 100 ml tissue(-1) x min(-1)) than CON (8.2+/-2.5, P=0.01) but not LW (4.3+/-2.6, P=0.46). After an exercise warm-up, muscle temperature (Tm) was not significantly different between conditions (CON: 37.3+/-1.5, LW: 37.3+/-1.2, LC: 36.6+/-0.7 degrees C, P=0.16) but when warm-up was excluded, T(m) was lower in LC (34.5+/-1.9 degrees C, P=0.02) than in CON (37.3+/-1.0) and LW (37.1+/-0.9). Even when a warm-up was performed, torso+thigh pre-cooling decreased both peak (-3.4+/-3.8%, P=0.04) and mean power output (-4.1+/-3.8%, P=0.01) relative to the control, but this effect was markedly larger when warm-up was excluded (peak power -7.7+/-2.5%, P=0.01; mean power -7.6+/-1.2%, P=0.01). Torso-only pre-cooling did not reduce peak or mean power, either with or without warm-up. These data indicate that pre-cooling does not improve 45-s high-intensity exercise performance, and can impair performance if the working muscles are cooled. A short exercise warm-up largely removes any detrimental effects of a cold muscle on performance by increasing Tm.

Emergency repair of upper extremity large soft tissue and vascular injuries with flow-through anterolateral thigh free flaps.

PubMed

Zhan, Yi; Fu, Guo; Zhou, Xiang; He, Bo; Yan, Li-Wei; Zhu, Qing-Tang; Gu, Li-Qiang; Liu, Xiao-Lin; Qi, Jian

2017-12-01

Complex extremity trauma commonly involves both soft tissue and vascular injuries. Traditional two-stage surgical repair may delay rehabilitation and functional recovery, as well as increase the risk of infections. We report a single-stage reconstructive surgical method that repairs soft tissue defects and vascular injuries with flow-through free flaps to improve functional outcomes. Between March 2010 and December 2016 in our hospital, 5 patients with severe upper extremity trauma received single-stage reconstructive surgery, in which a flow-through anterolateral thigh free flap was applied to repair soft tissue defects and vascular injuries simultaneously. Cases of injured artery were reconstructed with the distal trunk of the descending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery. A segment of adjacent vein was used if there was a second artery injury. Patients were followed to evaluate their functional recoveries, and received computed tomography angiography examinations to assess peripheral circulation. Two patients had post-operative thumb necrosis; one required amputation, and the other was healed after debridement and abdominal pedicle flap repair. The other 3 patients had no major complications (infection, necrosis) to the recipient or donor sites after surgery. All the patients had achieved satisfactory functional recovery by the end of the follow-up period. Computed tomography angiography showed adequate circulation in the peripheral vessels. The success of these cases shows that one-step reconstructive surgery with flow-through anterolateral thigh free flaps can be a safe and effective treatment option for patients with complex upper extremity trauma with soft tissue defects and vascular injuries. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

MedlinePlus

Lou Gehrig disease; ALS; Upper and lower motor neuron disease; Motor neuron disease ... One out of 10 cases of ALS is due to a genetic defect. The cause is unknown in most other cases. In ALS, motor nerve cells (neurons) waste away ...

NOTE: Solving the ECG forward problem by means of a meshless finite element method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Z. S.; Zhu, S. A.; He, Bin

2007-07-01

The conventional numerical computational techniques such as the finite element method (FEM) and the boundary element method (BEM) require laborious and time-consuming model meshing. The new meshless FEM only uses the boundary description and the node distribution and no meshing of the model is required. This paper presents the fundamentals and implementation of meshless FEM and the meshless FEM method is adapted to solve the electrocardiography (ECG) forward problem. The method is evaluated on a single-layer torso model, in which the analytical solution exists, and tested in a realistic geometry homogeneous torso model, with satisfactory results being obtained. The present results suggest that the meshless FEM may provide an alternative for ECG forward solutions.

Origin of subgap states in amorphous In-Ga-Zn-O

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Körner, Wolfgang; Urban, Daniel F.; Elsässer, Christian

2013-10-01

We present a density functional theory analysis of stoichiometric and nonstoichiometric, crystalline and amorphous In-Ga-Zn-O (c-IGZO, a-IGZO), which connects the recently experimentally discovered electronic subgap states to structural features of a-IGZO. In particular, we show that undercoordinated oxygen atoms create electronic defect levels in the lower half of the band gap up to about 1.5 eV above the valence band edge. As a second class of fundamental defects that appear in a-IGZO, we identify mainly pairs of metal atoms which are not separated by oxygen atoms in between. These defects cause electronic defect levels in the upper part of the band gap. Furthermore, we show that hydrogen doping can suppress the deep levels due to undercoordinated oxygen atoms while those of metal defects just undergo a shift within the band gap. Altogether our results provide an explanation for the experimentally observed effect that hydrogen doping increases the transparency and improves the conductivity of a-IGZO.

Stabilization of the Chest Wall: Autologous and Alloplastic Reconstructions

PubMed Central

Mahabir, Raman Chaos; Butler, Charles E.

2011-01-01

The goals of chest wall stabilization include maintenance of a rigid airtight cavity, protection of the thoracic and abdominal contents, optimization of respiration, and, whenever possible, an aesthetic reconstruction. Evidence suggests that bony fixation results in reduced ventilator dependence, a shorter overall hospital stay, and improved upper extremity function. We prefer to accomplish this with autologous tissue alone (such as the pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, or rectus abdominus muscle flaps) for small to moderate defects. En bloc resection of defects larger than 5 cm or containing four or more ribs will likely benefit from chest wall stabilization. For patients previously treated with radiation, even larger defects may be tolerated owing to fibrosis. For these larger defects, methyl methacrylate composite meshes are used and covered with vascularized tissue. Contaminated wounds are generally reconstructed with bioprosthetic mesh rather than synthetic mesh. Using these principles, the reconstructive plastic surgeon can devise a comprehensive and safe plan to repair tremendous defects of the chest wall. PMID:22294941

The classification of phocomelia.

PubMed

Tytherleigh-Strong, G; Hooper, G

2003-06-01

We studied 24 patients with 44 phocomelic upper limbs. Only 11 limbs could be grouped in the classification system of Frantz and O' Rahilly. The non-classifiable limbs were further studied and their characteristics identified. It is confirmed that phocomelia is not an intercalary defect.

[Applied anatomy study and clinical application of great saphenous veno-saphenous neurocutaneous vascular flap].

PubMed

Li, Zelong; Ding, Zihai; Wang, Peixin; Xie, Yibo; Zeng, Bo

2006-03-01

To provide the anatomic basis for defect repair of the knee, leg, foot and ankle with great saphenous veno-saphenous neurocutaneous vascular island flaps. The origin, diameter, branches, distribution and anastomoses of the saphenous artery and saphenous neurocutaneous vascular were observed on 20 sides of adult leg specimens and 4 fresh cadaver voluntary legs. Another 4 fresh cadaver voluntary legs were radiographed with a soft X-ray system after the intravenous injection of Vermilion and cross-sections under profound fascial, other hand, micro-anatomic examination was also performed in these 4 fresh cadaver legs. The soft tissue defects in lower extremity, upper extremity, heel or Hucou in hand were repaired with the proximal or distal pedicle flaps or free flaps in 18 patients (12 males and 6 females,aging from 7 to 53 years). The defect was caused by trauma, tumour, ulcer and scar. The locations were Hucou (1 case), upper leg (3 cases), lower extremity and heal (14 cases). Of then, 7 cases were complicated by bone exposure, 3 cases by tendon exposure and 1 case by steel espouse, the defect size were 4 cm x 4 cm to 7 cm x 13 cm. The flap sizes were 4 cm x 6 cm to 8 cm x 15 cm, which pedicle length was 8-11 cm with 2.5-4.0 cm fascia and 1-2 cm skin at width. Genus descending genicular artery began from 9.33 +/- 0.81 cm away from upper the condyles medialis, it branched saphenous artery accompanying saphenous nerve descendent. And saphenous artery reached the surface of the skin 7.21 +/- 0.82 cm away from lower the condyles medialis, and anastomosed with the branches of tibialis posterior artery, like "Y" or "T" pattern. The chain linking system of arteries were found accompanying along the great saphenous vein as saphenous nerve, and then a axis blood vessel was formed. The small artery of only 0.05-0.10 mm in diameter, distributed around the great saphenous vein within 5-8 mm and arranged parallelly along the vein like water wave in soft X-ray film. All proximal flaps, distal pedicle flaps and free flaps survived well. The appearance, sensation and function were satisfactory in 14 patients after a follow-up of 6-12 months. The great saphenous vein as well as saphenous neurocutaneous has a chain linking system vascular net. A flap with the vascular net can be transplanted by free, by reversed pedicle, or by direct pedicle to repair the wound of upper leg and foot. A superficial vein-superficial neurocutaneous vascular flap with abundance blood supply and without sacrificing a main artery is a favourite method in repair of soft tissue defects in foot and lower extremity.

Point defects at the ice (0001) surface

PubMed Central

Watkins, Matthew; VandeVondele, Joost; Slater, Ben

2010-01-01

Using density functional theory we investigate whether intrinsic defects in ice surface segregate. We predict that hydronium, hydroxide, and the Bjerrum L- and D-defects are all more stable at the surface. However, the energetic cost to create a D-defect at the surface and migrate it into the bulk crystal is smaller than its bulk formation energy. Absolute and relative segregation energies are sensitive to the surface structure of ice, especially the spatial distribution of protons associated with dangling hydrogen bonds. It is found that the basal plane surface of hexagonal ice increases the bulk concentration of Bjerrum defects, strongly favoring D-defects over L-defects. Dangling protons associated with undercoordinated water molecules are preferentially injected into the crystal bulk as Bjerrum D-defects, leading to a surface dipole that attracts hydronium ions. Aside from the disparity in segregation energies for the Bjerrum defects, we find the interactions between defect species to be very finely balanced; surface segregation energies for hydronium and hydroxide species and trapping energies of these ionic species with Bjerrum defects are equal within the accuracy of our calculations. The mobility of the ionic hydronium and hydroxide species is greatly reduced at the surface in comparison to the bulk due to surface sites with high trapping affinities. We suggest that, in pure ice samples, the surface of ice will have an acidic character due to the presence of hydronium ions. This may be important in understanding the reactivity of ice particulates in the upper atmosphere and at the boundary layer. PMID:20615938

MR imaging of the prostate at 3 Tesla: comparison of an external phased-array coil to imaging with an endorectal coil at 1.5 Tesla.

PubMed

Sosna, Jacob; Pedrosa, Ivan; Dewolf, William C; Mahallati, Houman; Lenkinski, Robert E; Rofsky, Neil M

2004-08-01

To qualitatively compare the image quality of torso phased-array 3-Tesla (3T) imaging of the prostate with that of endorectal 1.5-Tesla imaging. Twenty cases of torso phased-array prostate imaging performed at 3-Tesla with FSE T2 weighted images were evaluated by two readers independently for visualization of the posterior border (PB), seminal vesicles (SV), neurovascular bundles (NVB), and image quality rating (IQR). Studies were performed at large fields of view(FOV) (25 cm) (14 cases) (3TL) and smaller FOV (14 cm) (19 cases) (3TS). A comparison was made to 20 consecutive cases of 1.5-T endorectal evaluation performed during the same time period.Results. 3TL produced a significantly better image quality compared with the small FOV for PB (P = .0001), SV (P =.0001), and IQR (P = .0001). There was a marginally significant difference within the NVB category (P = .0535). 3TL produced an image of similar quality to image quality at 1.5 T for PB (P = .3893), SV (P = .8680), NB (P = .2684), and IQR (P = .8599). Prostate image quality at 3T with a torso phased-array coil can be comparable with that of endorectal 1.5-T imaging. These findings suggest that additional options are now available for magnetic resonance imaging of the prostate gland.

Comparison of organ dose and dose equivalent using ray tracing of male and female Voxel phantoms to space flight phantom torso data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Myung-Hee; Qualls, Garry; Slaba, Tony; Cucinotta, Francis A.

Phantom torso experiments have been flown on the space shuttle and International Space Station (ISS) providing validation data for radiation transport models of organ dose and dose equivalents. We describe results for space radiation organ doses using a new human geometry model based on detailed Voxel phantoms models denoted for males and females as MAX (Male Adult voXel) and Fax (Female Adult voXel), respectively. These models represent the human body with much higher fidelity than the CAMERA model currently used at NASA. The MAX and FAX models were implemented for the evaluation of directional body shielding mass for over 1500 target points of major organs. Radiation exposure to solar particle events (SPE), trapped protons, and galactic cosmic rays (GCR) were assessed at each specific site in the human body by coupling space radiation transport models with the detailed body shielding mass of MAX/FAX phantom. The development of multiple-point body-shielding distributions at each organ site made it possible to estimate the mean and variance of space dose equivalents at the specific organ. For the estimate of doses to the blood forming organs (BFOs), active marrow distributions in adult were accounted at bone marrow sites over the human body. We compared the current model results to space shuttle and ISS phantom torso experiments and to calculations using the CAMERA model.

Comparison of Organ Dose and Dose Equivalent Using Ray Tracing of Male and Female Voxel Phantoms to Space Flight Phantom Torso Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Myung-Hee Y.; Qualls, Garry D.; Cucinotta, Francis A.

2008-01-01

Phantom torso experiments have been flown on the space shuttle and International Space Station (ISS) providing validation data for radiation transport models of organ dose and dose equivalents. We describe results for space radiation organ doses using a new human geometry model based on detailed Voxel phantoms models denoted for males and females as MAX (Male Adult voXel) and Fax (Female Adult voXel), respectively. These models represent the human body with much higher fidelity than the CAMERA model currently used at NASA. The MAX and FAX models were implemented for the evaluation of directional body shielding mass for over 1500 target points of major organs. Radiation exposure to solar particle events (SPE), trapped protons, and galactic cosmic rays (GCR) were assessed at each specific site in the human body by coupling space radiation transport models with the detailed body shielding mass of MAX/FAX phantom. The development of multiple-point body-shielding distributions at each organ site made it possible to estimate the mean and variance of space dose equivalents at the specific organ. For the estimate of doses to the blood forming organs (BFOs), active marrow distributions in adult were accounted at bone marrow sites over the human body. We compared the current model results to space shuttle and ISS phantom torso experiments and to calculations using the CAMERA model.

Ipsilateral wrist-ankle movements in the sagittal plane encoded in extrinsic reference frame.

PubMed

Muraoka, Tetsuro; Ishida, Yuki; Obu, Takashi; Crawshaw, Larry; Kanosue, Kazuyuki

2013-04-01

When performing oscillatory movements of two joints in the sagittal plane, there is a directional constraint for performing such movements. Previous studies could not distinguish whether the directional constraint reflected movement direction encoded in the extrinsic (outside the body) reference frame or in the intrinsic (the participants' torso/head) reference frame since participants performed coordinated movements in a sitting position where the torso/head was stationary relative to the external world. In order to discern the reference frame in the present study, participants performed paced oscillatory movements of the ipsilateral wrist and ankle in the sagittal plane in a standing position so that the torso/head moved relative to the external world. The coordinated movements were performed in one of two modes of coordination, moving the hand upward concomitant with either ankle plantarflexion or ankle dorsiflexion. The same directional mode relative to extrinsic space was more stable and accurate as compared with the opposite directional mode. When forearm position was changed from the pronated position to the supinated position, similar results were obtained, indicating that the results were independent of a particular coupling of muscles. These findings suggest that the directional constraint on ipsilateral joints movements in the sagittal plane reflects movement direction encoded in the extrinsic reference frame. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd and the Japan Neuroscience Society. All rights reserved.

Specificity of postural sway to the demands of a precision task at sea.

PubMed

Chen, Fu-Chen; Stoffregen, Thomas A

2012-06-01

Mariners actively adjust their body orientation in response to ship motion. On a ship at sea, we evaluated relations between standing postural activity and the performance of a precision aiming task. Standing participants (experienced mariners) maintained the beam from a handheld laser on a target. Targets were large or small, thereby varying the difficulty of the aiming task. Targets were located in front of the participant or to the participant's right (requiring participants to look over the right shoulder), thereby varying the functional consequences (for the aiming task) of postural activity in different body axes. The torso was oriented toward the bow or toward the ship's side (athwartship), thereby varying the effects on postural activity of differential motion of the ship in its different axes. The weather was rough, producing high magnitudes of ship motion, which sometimes caused participants to step or stagger. Our manipulations influenced the magnitude and dynamics of head and torso movements, as well as the organization of movement in different axes. The results provide the first empirical confirmation that postural activity can be influenced by orientation of the torso relative to a ship. Despite powerful effects of ship motion, postural activity was influenced by variations in target location and in the difficulty of the aiming task, replicating subtle effects that have been observed on land. We discuss implications for hull design and the placement of workstations on ships.

Tbx5 Buffers Inherent Left/Right Asymmetry Ensuring Symmetric Forelimb Formation

PubMed Central

Nishimoto, Satoko; Kucharska, Anna; Newbury-Ecob, Ruth; Logan, Malcolm P. O.

2016-01-01

The forelimbs and hindlimbs of vertebrates are bilaterally symmetric. The mechanisms that ensure symmetric limb formation are unknown but they can be disrupted in disease. In Holt-Oram Syndrome (HOS), caused by mutations in TBX5, affected individuals have left-biased upper/forelimb defects. We demonstrate a role for the transcription factor Tbx5 in ensuring the symmetric formation of the left and right forelimb. In our mouse model, bilateral hypomorphic levels of Tbx5 produces asymmetric forelimb defects that are consistently more severe in the left limb than the right, phenocopying the left-biased limb defects seen in HOS patients. In Tbx hypomorphic mutants maintained on an INV mutant background, with situs inversus, the laterality of defects is reversed. Our data demonstrate an early, inherent asymmetry in the left and right limb-forming regions and that threshold levels of Tbx5 are required to overcome this asymmetry to ensure symmetric forelimb formation. PMID:27992425

The first results of the development and implementation of the upper extremity exoskeleton "EXAR"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vorobiev, A. A.; Krivonozhkina, P. S.; Zasypkina, O. A.; Andrewshenko, F. A.

2015-11-01

This research considers the first results of the development and implementation of the upper extremity exoskeleton "EXAR". Made anatomical parameterization developed the device the testing of the apparatus have been conducted in accordance with the bioethics regulations with the girl I. Sh. at the age of 4 years suffering the artrogryposis. The parameters of the exoskeleton "EXAR" selected according to our methods allowed us to conduct its use in the period of 4 months. There have been no defects at all. By the analysis of the first results of the passive upper limb skeleton EXAR development we should consider them as positive and worthy of the widespread adoption in the remedial practice.

Sweating responses during heat acclimation and moderate conditioning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shvartz, E.; Bhattacharya, A.; Sperinde, S. J.; Brock, P. J.; Sciaraffa, D.; Van Beaumont, W.

1979-01-01

Experiments were conducted on ten young male subjects to determine sweating onset, distribution, and patterns as well as the relationships of these responses to body temperature during heat acclimation and moderate conditioning performed in temperate (24 C) conditions. The subjects are randomly assigned to two groups of five subjects each. The experimental period consisted of eight successive days of either graded exercise to exhaustion on a bicycle ergometer in heat (acclimation group) or in a temperate environment (control group). Major conclusions are that (1) acclimation and conditioning result in relatively more sweat rate on the limbs than on the torso, but that these changes are less related to body temperature than torso sweat rate; and (2) sweating sensitivity increases during acclimation and conditioning, but its contribution to heat acclimation is minor.

Loosely coupled coaxial TEM applicators for deep-heating.

PubMed

Harrison, W H; Storm, F K

1989-01-01

The development of a coaxial TEM (transverse electromagnetic) deep-heating, non-contacting applicator employing two axially spaced concentric sleeves is described which has electrostatic characteristics and has been named the ESA. Thermal data obtained with the FDA/CDRH elliptic-shaped human torso phantom (with fat overlay) showed nearly uniform heating (+/- 10%) throughout the inner cross-section. Saline tank measurements on a torso cross-section confirmed similar SAR uniformity. Animal experiments with a pig, both with and without blood flow, verified deep-heating and suggested that some preferential central heating occurred. The absence of excessive surface heating indicated that the major portion of the E-field excitation is axially aligned. The non-contacting applicator does not require a water bolus, and experiments showed that moderate patient movement had minor effect on performance.

TH-EF-BRB-11: Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy for Total Body Irradiation

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

Ouyang, L; Folkerts, M; Hrycushko, B

Purpose: To develop a modern, patient-comfortable total body irradiation (TBI) technique suitable for standard-sized linac vaults. Methods: An indexed rotatable immobilization system (IRIS) was developed to make possible total-body CT imaging and radiation delivery on conventional couches. Treatment consists of multi-isocentric volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) to the upper body and parallel-opposed fields to the lower body. Each isocenter is indexed to the couch and includes a 180° IRIS rotation between the upper and lower body fields. VMAT fields are optimized to satisfy lung dose objectives while achieving a uniform therapeutic dose to the torso. End-to-end tests with a randomore » phantom were used to verify dosimetric characteristics. Treatment plan robustness regarding setup uncertainty was assessed by simulating global and regional isocenter setup shifts on patient data sets. Dosimetric comparisons were made with conventional extended distance, standing TBI (cTBI) plans using a Monte Carlo-based calculation. Treatment efficiency was assessed for eight courses of patient treatment. Results: The IRIS system is level and orthogonal to the scanned CT image plane, with lateral shifts <2mm following rotation. End-to-end tests showed surface doses within ±10% of the prescription dose, field junction doses within ±15% of prescription dose. Plan robustness tests showed <15% changes in dose with global setup errors up to 5mm in each direction. Local 5mm relative setup errors in the chest resulted in < 5% dose changes. Local 5mm shift errors in the pelvic and upper leg junction resulted in <10% dose changes while a 10mm shift error causes dose changes up to 25%. Dosimetric comparison with cTBI showed VMAT-TBI has advantages in preserving chest wall dose with flexibility in leveraging the PTV-body and PTV-lung dose. Conclusion: VMAT-TBI with the IRIS system was shown clinically feasible as a cost-effective approach to TBI for standard-sized linac vaults.« less

The effects of actuator selection on non-volitional postural responses to torso-based vibrotactile stimulation

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Torso-based vibrotactile feedback may significantly reduce postural sway in balance-compromised adults during quiet standing or in response to perturbations. However, natural non-volitional postural responses to vibrotactile stimulation applied to the torso remain unknown. Methods The primary goal of this study was to determine, for two types of actuators (tactors) and in the absence of instruction, whether vibrotactile stimulation induces a directional postural shift as a function of stimulation location. Eleven healthy young adults (20 – 29 years old) were asked to maintain an upright erect posture with feet hip-width apart and eyes closed. Two types of tactors, Tactaid and C2, which differ in design and stimulation strength, were placed on the skin over the right and left external oblique, internal oblique, and erector spinae muscles in a horizontal plane corresponding approximately to the L4/L5 level. Each tactor of the same type was activated twice randomly for each individual location and twice simultaneously for all locations at a frequency of 250 Hz for a period of 5 s. Results Vibration applied over the internal oblique and erector spinae muscle locations induced a postural shift in the direction of the stimulation regardless of the tactor type. For the aforementioned four locations, the root-mean-square (RMS) and power spectral density (PSD) of the body sway in both the A/P and M/L directions were also significantly greater during the vibration than before or after, and were greater for the C2 tactors than for the Tactaid tactors. However, simultaneous activation of all tactors or those over the external oblique muscle locations did not produce significant postural responses regardless of the tactor type. Conclusion The results suggest that the use of a torso-based vibrotactile sensory augmentation display should carefully consider the tactor type as well as the instruction of corrective movements. Attractive instructional cues (“move in the direction of the vibration”) are compatible with the observed non-volitional response to stimulation and may facilitate postural adjustments during vibrotactile biofeedback balance applications. PMID:23406013

Biomechanics of Sports-Induced Axial-Compression Injuries of the Neck

PubMed Central

Ivancic, Paul C.

2012-01-01

Context Head-first sports-induced impacts cause cervical fractures and dislocations and spinal cord lesions. In previous biomechanical studies, researchers have vertically dropped human cadavers, head-neck specimens, or surrogate models in inverted postures. Objective To develop a cadaveric neck model to simulate horizontally aligned, head-first impacts with a straightened neck and to use the model to investigate biomechanical responses and failure mechanisms. Design Descriptive laboratory study. Setting Biomechanics research laboratory. Patients or Other Participants Five human cadaveric cervical spine specimens. Intervention(s) The model consisted of the neck specimen mounted horizontally to a torso-equivalent mass on a sled and carrying a surrogate head. Head-first impacts were simulated at 4.1 m/s into a padded, deformable barrier. Main Outcome Measure(s) Time-history responses were determined for head and neck loads, accelerations, and motions. Average occurrence times of the compression force peaks at the impact barrier, occipital condyles, and neck were compared. Results The first local compression force peaks at the impact barrier (3070.0 ± 168.0 N at 18.8 milliseconds), occipital condyles (2868.1 ± 732.4 N at 19.6 milliseconds), and neck (2884.6 ± 910.7 N at 25.0 milliseconds) occurred earlier than all global compression peaks, which reached 7531.6 N in the neck at 46.6 milliseconds (P < .001). Average peak head motions relative to the torso were 6.0 cm in compression, 2.4 cm in posterior shear, and 6.4° in flexion. Neck compression fractures included occipital condyle, atlas, odontoid, and subaxial comminuted burst and facet fractures. Conclusions Neck injuries due to excessive axial compression occurred within 20 milliseconds of impact and were caused by abrupt deceleration of the head and continued forward torso momentum before simultaneous rebound of the head and torso. Improved understanding of neck injury mechanisms during sports-induced impacts will increase clinical awareness and immediate care and ultimately lead to improved protective equipment, reducing the frequency and severity of neck injuries and their associated societal costs. PMID:23068585

Slow Orthodontic Teeth Extrusion to Enhance Hard and Soft Periodontal Tissue Quality before Implant Positioning in Aesthetic Area

PubMed Central

Maiorana, C; Speroni, S; Herford, A S; Cicciù, M

2012-01-01

Approaching bone defects of jaws treatments, hard and soft tissue augmentation could be considered as a goal for clinicians when performing dental implant placement. The increase in patients who want cosmetic treatment puts practitioners in an awkward position when choosing the best therapy to obtain the most desirable results. A private dentist referred a young patient to the Department of Implantology in Milan in order to place implants in the upper jaw. Radiographic evaluation of the two upper anterior incisors confirmed that the teeth had a poor prognosis The anterior ridge volume was clinically analyzed and several therapeutic choices were evaluated. Rapid extractions and immediate implant positioning were not considered due to the vertical and horizontal components of the bone defect. Therefore, the surgical team decided on increasing the bone volume by using slow orthodontic teeth extrusion technique. After 3 months of orthodontic treatment, the angular intra-bony defects of 1.1 tooth was completely healed. Implant guided positioning, associated with a small bone graft, showed optimal results at the time of healing screw placement. The soft tissue conditioning was obtained by a provisional acrylic crown. The final application of two integral ceramic crowns showed excellent aesthetic results. Radiographic investigation at a 24 month follow-up confirmed the integration of the dental implants and the recovery of the bone defects. Several safe surgical techniques are available today for reconstructing atrophic jaws. However, the same technique applied on the posterior area did not give the same predictable results as in the anterior areas of the jaw. PMID:23056158

Chondrocutaneous helix rim advancement flap: two classical and two new modifications for very large defects of the ear.

PubMed

Valesky, E M; Kaufmann, R; Meissner, M

2015-11-01

The plastic reconstruction of the ear after microscopically controlled tumor surgery is a particular challenge. The chondrocutaneous helix rim advancement flap (CHRAF) is perfectly suited for the repair of different defects of the helix and even defects beyond. Here, we describe two known and two new modifications of the CHRAF that enlarge the scope of application in tumor surgery of the ear. We demonstrate the different techniques and practical application of the repair and evaluate the benefits and limitations. The CHRAF and its modifications is an excellent method for repair of various defects of the helical region of the ear. The CHRAF and its modifications proves to be an good alternative to other methods of closure by preserving the anatomical contour and mechanical and acoustic functions in a single-staged procedure with excellent aesthetic results. The two new modifications we introduced here, enlarge the known armentarium for very large defects of the upper pole and the mid-helix of the ear. © 2014 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Channeling Excitons to Emissive Defect Sites in Carbon Nanotube Semiconductors beyond the Dilute Regime.

PubMed

Powell, Lyndsey R; Piao, Yanmei; Ng, Allen L; Wang, YuHuang

2018-06-07

The exciton photoluminescence of carbon nanotube semiconductors has been intensively exploited for bioimaging, anticounterfeiting, photodetection, and quantum information science. However, at high concentrations, photoluminescence is lost to self-quenching because of the nearly complete overlap of the absorption and emissive states (∼10 meV Stokes shift). Here we show that by introducing sparse fluorescent quantum defects via covalent chemistry, self-quenching can be efficiently bypassed by means of the new emission route. The defect photoluminescence is significantly red-shifted by 190 meV for p-nitroaryl tailored (6,5)-single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) from the native emission of the nanotube. Notably, the defect photoluminescence is more than 34 times brighter than the native photoluminescence of unfunctionalized SWCNTs in the most concentrated nanotube solution tested (2.7 × 10 14 nanotubes/mL). Moreover, we show that defect photoluminescence is more resistant to self-quenching than the native state in a dense film, which is the upper limit of concentration. Our findings open opportunities to harness nanotube excitons in highly concentrated systems for applications where photoluminescence brightness and light-collecting efficiency are mutually important.

Study on ion implantation conditions in fabricating compressively strained Si/relaxed Si1-xCx heterostructures using the defect control by ion implantation technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arisawa, You; Sawano, Kentarou; Usami, Noritaka

2017-06-01

The influence of ion implantation energies on compressively strained Si/relaxed Si1-xCx heterostructures formed on Ar ion implanted Si substrates was investigated. It was found that relaxation ratio can be enhanced over 100% at relatively low implantation energies, and compressive strain in the topmost Si layer is maximized at 45 keV due to large lattice mismatch. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscope images revealed that defects are localized around the hetero-interface between the Si1-xCx layer and the Ar+-implanted Si substrate when the implantation energy is 45 keV, which decreases the amount of defects in the topmost Si layer and the upper part of the Si1-xCx buffer layer.

49 CFR 572.177 - Test conditions and instrumentation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

...) except as noted, with channel frequency classes as follows: (1) Pendulum acceleration, CFC 180, (2) Pendulum D-plane rotation (if transducer is used), CFC 60, (3) Torso flexion pulling force (if transducer...

49 CFR 572.177 - Test conditions and instrumentation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

...) except as noted, with channel frequency classes as follows: (1) Pendulum acceleration, CFC 180, (2) Pendulum D-plane rotation (if transducer is used), CFC 60, (3) Torso flexion pulling force (if transducer...

49 CFR 572.177 - Test conditions and instrumentation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

...) except as noted, with channel frequency classes as follows: (1) Pendulum acceleration, CFC 180, (2) Pendulum D-plane rotation (if transducer is used), CFC 60, (3) Torso flexion pulling force (if transducer...

49 CFR 572.131 - General description.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Assembly 880105-300 Lower Torso Assembly 880105-450 Complete Leg Assembly—left 880105-560-1 Complete Leg Assembly—right 880105-560-2 Complete Arm Assembly—left 880105-728-1 Complete Arm Assembly—right 880105-728...

49 CFR 572.131 - General description.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Assembly 880105-300 Lower Torso Assembly 880105-450 Complete Leg Assembly—left 880105-560-1 Complete Leg Assembly—right 880105-560-2 Complete Arm Assembly—left 880105-728-1 Complete Arm Assembly—right 880105-728...

Scoliosis brace (image)

MedlinePlus

... on the back and ribs to push the spine in a straighter position. The brace usually fits snugly around the torso and can come in many styles. In a child who is still growing, bracing is usually recommended ...

Dexterous Humanoid Robotic Wrist

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ihrke, Chris A. (Inventor); Bridgwater, Lyndon (Inventor); Reich, David M. (Inventor); Wampler, II, Charles W. (Inventor); Askew, Scott R. (Inventor); Diftler, Myron A. (Inventor); Nguyen, Vienny (Inventor)

2013-01-01

A humanoid robot includes a torso, a pair of arms, a neck, a head, a wrist joint assembly, and a control system. The arms and the neck movably extend from the torso. Each of the arms includes a lower arm and a hand that is rotatable relative to the lower arm. The wrist joint assembly is operatively defined between the lower arm and the hand. The wrist joint assembly includes a yaw axis and a pitch axis. The pitch axis is disposed in a spaced relationship to the yaw axis such that the axes are generally perpendicular. The pitch axis extends between the yaw axis and the lower arm. The hand is rotatable relative to the lower arm about each of the yaw axis and the pitch axis. The control system is configured for determining a yaw angle and a pitch angle of the wrist joint assembly.

Postburn Neck Reconstruction With Preexpanded Upper Back Perforator Flaps: Free-Style Design and An Update of Treatment Strategies.

PubMed

Li, Haizhou; Wang, Zi; Gu, Bin; Gao, Yashan; Xie, Feng; Zhu, Hainan; Li, Qingfeng; Zan, Tao

2018-05-14

For extensive postburn neck deformities, the preexpanded flaps in the upper back region were used and gained a uniform skin appearance and esthetic contours. Free-style perforator-based free-tissue transfer that represents the most recent advance in reconstructive surgery may provide more versatility of these flaps. We retrospectively reviewed 31 patients treated at our institution for postburn neck contracture from March 2010 to May 2016. Various upper back flaps were designed according to the dominant perforators and the shape of the defect after fully releasing the neck contracture. Thirty-one patients received neck reconstructions with the versatile applications of the preexpanded upper back perforator flaps. Tip necrosis was observed in one case, and the others survived completely. The donor sites were all primarily closed. No incision dehiscence was observed. The free-style design has significantly increased the potential and versatility of the upper back flaps in reconstruction of severe neck scar contracture.

Deformable torso phantoms of Chinese adults for personalized anatomy modelling.

PubMed

Wang, Hongkai; Sun, Xiaobang; Wu, Tongning; Li, Congsheng; Chen, Zhonghua; Liao, Meiying; Li, Mengci; Yan, Wen; Huang, Hui; Yang, Jia; Tan, Ziyu; Hui, Libo; Liu, Yue; Pan, Hang; Qu, Yue; Chen, Zhaofeng; Tan, Liwen; Yu, Lijuan; Shi, Hongcheng; Huo, Li; Zhang, Yanjun; Tang, Xin; Zhang, Shaoxiang; Liu, Changjian

2018-04-16

In recent years, there has been increasing demand for personalized anatomy modelling for medical and industrial applications, such as ergonomics device development, clinical radiological exposure simulation, biomechanics analysis, and 3D animation character design. In this study, we constructed deformable torso phantoms that can be deformed to match the personal anatomy of Chinese male and female adults. The phantoms were created based on a training set of 79 trunk computed tomography (CT) images (41 males and 38 females) from normal Chinese subjects. Major torso organs were segmented from the CT images, and the statistical shape model (SSM) approach was used to learn the inter-subject anatomical variations. To match the personal anatomy, the phantoms were registered to individual body surface scans or medical images using the active shape model method. The constructed SSM demonstrated anatomical variations in body height, fat quantity, respiratory status, organ geometry, male muscle size, and female breast size. The masses of the deformed phantom organs were consistent with Chinese population organ mass ranges. To validate the performance of personal anatomy modelling, the phantoms were registered to the body surface scan and CT images. The registration accuracy measured from 22 test CT images showed a median Dice coefficient over 0.85, a median volume recovery coefficient (RC vlm ) between 0.85 and 1.1, and a median averaged surface distance (ASD) < 1.5 mm. We hope these phantoms can serve as computational tools for personalized anatomy modelling for the research community. © 2018 Anatomical Society.

Injury Source and Correlation Analysis of Riders in Car-Electric Bicycle Accidents.

PubMed

Zou, Tiefang; Yi, Liang; Cai, Ming; Hu, Lin; Li, Yuelin

2018-01-01

The knowledge about the injury source and correlation of riders in car-electric bicycle accident will be helpful in the cross validation of traces and vehicle safety design. In order to know more information about such kind of knowledge, 57 true car-electric bicycle accidents were reconstructed by PC-Crash and then data on injury information of riders were collected directly from the reconstructed cases. These collected data were validated by some existing research results firstly, and then 4 abnormal cases were deleted according to the statistical method. Finally, conclusions can be obtained according to the data obtained from the remaining 53 cases. Direct injuries of the head and right leg are from the road pavement upon low speed; the source laws of indirect head injuries are not obvious. Upon intermediate and high speed, the injuries of the above parts are from automobiles. Injuries of the left leg, femur, and right knee are from automobiles; left knee injuries are from automobiles, the road pavement and automobiles, respectively, upon low, intermediate, and high speed. The source laws of indirect torso injuries are not obvious upon intermediate and low speed, which are from automobiles upon high speed, while direct torso injuries are from the road pavement. And there is no high correlation between all parts of the injury of riders. The largest correlation coefficient was the head-left femur and left femur-right femur, which was 0.647, followed by the head-right femur (0.638) and head-torso which was 0.617.

A Monte Carlo Simulation of the in vivo measurement of lung activity in the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory torso phantom.

PubMed

Acha, Robert; Brey, Richard; Capello, Kevin

2013-02-01

A torso phantom was developed by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) that serves as a standard for intercomparison and intercalibration of detector systems used to measure low-energy photons from radionuclides, such as americium deposited in the lungs. DICOM images of the second-generation Human Monitoring Laboratory-Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (HML-LLNL) torso phantom were segmented and converted into three-dimensional (3D) voxel phantoms to simulate the response of high purity germanium (HPGe) detector systems, as found in the HML new lung counter using a Monte Carlo technique. The photon energies of interest in this study were 17.5, 26.4, 45.4, 59.5, 122, 244, and 344 keV. The detection efficiencies at these photon energies were predicted for different chest wall thicknesses (1.49 to 6.35 cm) and compared to measured values obtained with lungs containing (241)Am (34.8 kBq) and (152)Eu (10.4 kBq). It was observed that no statistically significant differences exist at the 95% confidence level between the mean values of simulated and measured detection efficiencies. Comparisons between the simulated and measured detection efficiencies reveal a variation of 20% at 17.5 keV and 1% at 59.5 keV. It was found that small changes in the formulation of the tissue substitute material caused no significant change in the outcome of Monte Carlo simulations.

Torso undergarments: their merit for clothed and armored individuals in hot-dry conditions.

PubMed

Van den Heuvel, Anne M J; Kerry, Pete; Van der Velde, Jeroen H P M; Patterson, Mark J; Taylor, Nigel A S

2010-12-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate how the textile composition of torso undergarment fabrics may impact upon thermal strain, moisture transfer, and the thermal and clothing comfort of fully clothed, armored individuals working in a hot-dry environment (41.2 degrees C and 29.8% relative humidity). Five undergarment configurations were assessed using eight men who walked for 120 min (4 km x h(-1)), then alternated running (2 min at 10 km x h(-1)) and walking (2 min at 4 km x h(-1)) for 20 min. Trials differed only in the torso undergarments worn: no t-shirt (Ensemble A); 100% cotton t-shirt (Ensemble B); 100% woolen t-shirt (Ensemble C); synthetic t-shirt (Ensemble D: nylon, polyethylene, elastane); hybrid shirt (Ensemble E). Thermal and cardiovascular strain progressively increased throughout each trial, with the average terminal core temperature being 38.5 degrees C and heart rate peaking at 170 bpm across all trials. However, no significant between-trial separations were evident for core or mean skin temperatures, or for heart rate, sweat production, evaporation, the within-ensemble water vapor pressures, or for thermal or clothing discomfort. Thus, under these conditions, neither the t-shirt textile compositions, nor the presence or absence of an undergarment, offered any significant thermal, central cardiac, or comfort advantages. Furthermore, there was no evidence that any of these fabrics created a significantly drier microclimate next to the skin.

A Prospective Analysis on Functional Outcomes Following Extended Latissimus Dorsi Flap Breast Reconstruction.

PubMed

Eyjolfsdottir, H; Haraldsdottir, B; Ragnarsdottir, M; Asgeirsson, K S

2017-06-01

To prospectively assess the functional effect of using the extended latissimus dorsi flap in immediate breast reconstructions. A total of 15 consecutive patients undergoing breast reconstruction with extended latissimus dorsi flap participated. Shoulder range of motion, muscle strength, lateral flexion of the torso, and position of scapula were measured pre-operatively and 1, 6, and 12 months post-operatively, in addition to donor-site post-operative complications. At 12 months post-operatively, patients had achieved full range of shoulder movement, when compared to pre-operative values. Lateral flexion of the torso was, however, significantly reduced bilaterally at 1 and 6 months post-operatively (p = 0.001, p = 0.01) and to the not operated side at 12 months (p = 0.01). Muscle strength in flexion-extension-internal rotation was significantly (p = 0.01) reduced on the operated side 12 months post-operatively. All but one patient had numbness around the donor-site scar 12 months post-operatively, 33% had slight adhesions but all were pain free. Although invariably, patients having extended latissimus dorsi flap may expect to achieve full range of shoulder movement, they should be informed of possible functional consequences and the time and effort it takes to recover. Further research is needed to investigate the potential long-term functional implications that extended latissimus dorsi flap may have as a result of changes in the lateral flexion of the torso and scapula position.

MATSIM -The Development and Validation of a Numerical Voxel Model based on the MATROSHKA Phantom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beck, Peter; Rollet, Sofia; Berger, Thomas; Bergmann, Robert; Hajek, Michael; Latocha, Marcin; Vana, Norbert; Zechner, Andrea; Reitz, Guenther

The AIT Austrian Institute of Technology coordinates the project MATSIM (MATROSHKA Simulation) in collaboration with the Vienna University of Technology and the German Aerospace Center. The aim of the project is to develop a voxel-based model of the MATROSHKA anthro-pomorphic torso used at the International Space Station (ISS) as foundation to perform Monte Carlo high-energy particle transport simulations for different irradiation conditions. Funded by the Austrian Space Applications Programme (ASAP), MATSIM is a co-investigation with the European Space Agency (ESA) ELIPS project MATROSHKA, an international collaboration of more than 18 research institutes and space agencies from all over the world, under the science and project lead of the German Aerospace Center. The MATROSHKA facility is designed to determine the radiation exposure of an astronaut onboard ISS and especially during an ex-travehicular activity. The numerical model developed in the frame of MATSIM is validated by reference measurements. In this report we give on overview of the model development and compare photon and neutron irradiations of the detector-equipped phantom torso with Monte Carlo simulations using FLUKA. Exposure to Co-60 photons was realized in the standard ir-radiation laboratory at Seibersdorf, while investigations with neutrons were performed at the thermal column of the Vienna TRIGA Mark-II reactor. The phantom was loaded with passive thermoluminescence dosimeters. In addition, first results of the calculated dose distribution within the torso are presented for a simulated exposure in low-Earth orbit.

Water sensitivity of the seismic properties of upper-mantle olivine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cline, Christopher; David, Emmanuel; Faul, Ulrich; Berry, Andrew; Jackson, Ian

2017-04-01

The wave speeds and attenuation of seismic waves in the upper mantle are expected to be strongly influenced by the defect chemistry of olivine grain interiors and the associated chemical complexity of grain-boundary regions. Changes in chemical environment (oxygen fugacity and/or water fugacity) can impose different defect chemistries, including the creation and retention of hydrous defects, and therefore can directly influence anelastic relaxation involving stress-induced migration of lattice defects and/or grain-boundary sliding. Here we report the first low-frequency experimental study of the seismic properties of olivine under water-undersaturated conditions. Three synthetic sol-gel derived olivine (Fo90) specimens were fabricated by hot-pressing in welded Pt capsules with various concentrations of hydroxyl, chemically bound as doubly protonated Si vacancies, charge balanced by substitution of Ti on a neighboring M-site (i.e., the Ti-clinohumite-like defect). Hydroxyl contents, determined following the subsequent mechanical testing within Pt sleeves, increased systematically with the amount of added Ti-dopant. Added Ti concentrations ranged between 176 and 802 atom ppm Ti/Si, resulting in concentrations of bound hydrogen in the three samples ranging between 330 and 1150 atom ppm H/Si. Each hot-pressed specimen was precision ground and then sleeved in Pt for mechanical testing in forced torsional oscillation under water-undersaturated conditions. Forced-oscillation tests were conducted at seismic periods of 1 - 1000 s and 200 MPa confining pressure during slow staged cooling from 1200 to 25°C. Each Ti-doped specimen showed mechanical behavior of the high-temperature background type involving monotonically increasing dissipation and decreasing shear modulus with increasing oscillation period and increasing temperature. Comparison of the mechanical data acquired in these water-undersaturated conditions with a similarly tested, but dry, Ti-bearing specimen (enclosed within an Ni-Fe sleeve under more reducing conditions) shows a marked contrast. The OH-bearing specimens exhibit much lower shear moduli (by as much as 80%) and higher levels of dissipation (by as much as 0.5 log units in Q-1), but also limited sensitivity of the seismic properties to the total water content among the hydrated specimens in the series. These results indicate that the higher oxygen and water fugacities prevailing within Pt-sleeved specimens result in lower shear moduli and higher dissipation under water-undersaturated conditions - presumably attributable to contrasting defect populations and/or grain boundary chemistries. Clarification of the relative roles of grain-boundary sliding and any additional intragranular relaxation under increased fH2O and fO2 thus offers the prospect of an improved understanding of the seismological signature of more oxidized/hydrous portions of the Earth's upper mantle, such as subduction zone environments.

Near-continuous non-contact cardiac pulse monitoring in a neonatal intensive care unit in near darkness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Gastel, Mark; Balmaekers, Benoît; Bambang Oetomo, Sidarto; Verkruysse, Wim

2018-02-01

Currently, the cardiac activity of infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is monitored with contact sensors. These techniques can cause injuries and infections, particularly in very premature infants with fragile skin. Recently, remote photoplethysmography (rPPG) showed its potential to measure cardiac activity with a camera without skin contact. The main limitations of this technique are its lack of robustness to subject motion and visible light requirements. The aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility of robust rPPG for NICU patients in near darkness. Video recordings using dedicated infrared illumination were made of 7 infants, age 30-33 weeks, at a NICU in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. The pulse rate can be detected with an average error of 1.5 BPM and 2.1 BPM when measured at the face and upper torso region, respectively. Overall, the correct pulse rate is detected for 87% of the time. A camera-based framework for robust pulse extraction in near darkness of NICU patients was proposed and successfully validated. The pulse rate could be reliably detected from all evaluated skin regions. Recordings with vigorous body movements, involving occlusion of the selected skin region, are still a challenge.

Crash tests of four low-wing twin-engine airplanes with truss-reinforced fuselage structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, M. S.; Fasanella, E. L.

1982-01-01

Four six-place, low-wing, twin-engine, general aviation airplane test specimens were crash tested under controlled free flight conditions. All airplanes were impacted on a concrete test surface at a nomial flight path velocity of 27 m/sec. Two tests were conducted at a -15 deg flight path angle (0 deg pitch angle and 15 deg pitch angle), and two were conducted at a -30 deg flight path angle (-30 deg pitch angle). The average acceleration time histories (crash pulses) in the cabin area for each principal direction were calculated for each crash test. In addition, the peak floor accelerations were calculated for each test as a function of aircraft fuselage longitudinal station number. Anthropomorphic dummy accelerations were analyzed using the dynamic response index and severity index (SI) models. Parameters affecting the dummy restraint system were studied; these parameters included the effect of no upper torso restraint, measurement of the amount of inertia-reel strap pullout before locking, measurement of dummy chest forward motion, and loads in the restraints. With the SI model, the dummies with no shoulder harness received head impacts above the concussive threshold.

Role of Physique on Probability of Injury to the Low Back

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaibani, Saami J.

2009-03-01

In a related study of the response of the upper and lower cervical spine[1], there was some correlation between a change in physique and the potential for injury to the neck during automotive events. A similar undertaking in this research on the lumbar spine and sacral spine revealed a much more marked effect, namely an increase in injury potential to the low back when weight is increased. Although there were some exceptions to this, the overall trend was distinct. This is perhaps to be expected when one considers that most additional weight at the same height tends to be located in the center or lower torso. However, it is first time in any comparable analysis of injury causation that there has been a more noticeable pattern for the low back than the neck. The latter was more pronounced with environment geometry, as seen when the height of the seat back was varied. Such changeability again reinforces previous findings that injury outcomes for individual patients cannot always be predicted by what happens in general. 1. http://meetings.aps.org/link/BAPS.2007.MAR.K1.2 (Role of physique on probability of injury to the neck).

Club position relative to the golfer's swing plane meaningfully affects swing dynamics.

PubMed

MacKenzie, Sasho J

2012-06-01

Previous research indicates that the motion of the golf club is not planar and that the plane traced out by the club is different than that of the golfer's hands. The aim of the present study was to investigate how the position of the club, relative to the golfer's swing plane, influences the motion of the club by using a four-segment (torso, upper arm, forearm, and club), three-dimensional forward dynamics model. A genetic algorithm optimized the coordination of the model's four muscular torque generators to produce the best golf swings possible under six different conditions. The series of simulations were designed to demonstrate the effect of positioning the club above, and below, the golfer's swing plane as well as the effect of changing the steepness of the golfer's swing plane. The simulation results suggest that positioning the club below the golfer's swing plane, early in the downswing, will facilitate the squaring of the clubface for impact, while positioning the club above the plane will have the opposite effect. It was also demonstrated that changing the steepness of the golfer's swing plane by 10 degrees can have little effect on the delivery of the clubhead to the ball.

The posture of adolescent male handball players: A two-year study.

PubMed

Grabara, Małgorzata

2018-02-06

Young athletes at the stage of growth acceleration tend to exhibit increased susceptibility to postural abnormalities, especially in the trunk region. The aim of this study was to assess and compare the posture in male adolescent handball players over two years of regular training sessions. The study group comprised 21 handball players. At the start of the study 15 participants were aged 14 and 6 participants were aged 15 (mean 14.25 ± 0.58). The measurements were repeated three times. Posture was assessed with a photogrammetric method based on the moiré phenomenon. The analysis of posture relative to symmetry in the frontal and transverse planes did not reveal any significant differences between posture indicators obtained during the successive measurements. Sagittal plane posture indicators revealed significant changes in torso forward inclination angle and the shape of anteroposterior spinal curvatures. The latter consisted of significant deepening of the upper thoracic curve (angle α) and flattening of the lumbosacral curve (angle γ). A two-year period of handball training did not result in posture asymmetries in young male handball players. The observed changes in the shape of anteroposterior spinal curvatures might be related both to sports training and somatic parameters.

Upper Torso Control for HOAP-2 Using Neural Networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sandoval, Steven P.

2005-01-01

Humanoid robots have similar physical builds and motion patterns as humans. Not only does this provide a suitable operating environment for the humanoid but it also opens up many research doors on how humans function. The overall objective is replacing humans operating in unsafe environments. A first target application is assembly of structures for future lunar-planetary bases. The initial development platform is a Fujitsu HOAP-2 humanoid robot. The goal for the project is to demonstrate the capability of a HOAP-2 to autonomously construct a cubic frame using provided tubes and joints. This task will require the robot to identify several items, pick them up, transport them to the build location, then properly assemble the structure. The ability to grasp and assemble the pieces will require improved motor control and the addition of tactile feedback sensors. In recent years, learning-based control is becoming more and more popular; for implementing this method we will be using the Adaptive Neural Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS). When using neural networks for control, no complex models of the system must be constructed in advance-only input/output relationships are required to model the system.

Elbow reconstruction with a pedicled thoracodorsal artery perforator flap after excision of an upper-extremity giant hairy nevus.

PubMed

Oksüz, Sinan; Ulkür, Ersin; Tuncer, Serhan; Sever, Celalettin; Karagöz, Hüseyin

2013-04-01

The complexity of managing large soft-tissue defects at the elbow region by conventional techniques arises from the difficulty of providing sufficient tissue with adequate elasticity and durability. Reconstruction options that allow early mobilisation and avoid the risk of functional loss should be considered to achieve defect closure at the elbow region. A 21-year-old man presented with a congenital giant hairy nevus on his left upper extremity. The nevus was excised and the resulting raw surface after the excision was covered with a split-thickness skin graft except for the elbow region. The elbow was covered in one stage with an ipsilateral 24 cm long pedicled thoracodorsal artery perforator (TDAP) flap. The follow-up examination 3 years after total reconstruction demonstrated durable elbow support provided by the TDAP flap. The patient revealed no complaint considering pain or sensitivity even when exposed to mechanical stress. Split-thickness skin grafting of the large superficial defects is almost always possible; however, impairment of the function on joint areas due to gradual contraction and skin graft propensity to ulcers under mechanical stresses can be devastating. The elbow is a weight-bearing area of the body. Elbow defects require durable and thin soft-tissue coverage and the tissue cover must possess excellent elastic properties to re-establish elbow mobility. The TDAP flap is an ideal choice for elbow soft-tissue defects. The longest pedicle length reported for the TDAP flap is 23 cm. In our case, the pedicle length was 24 cm and it was possible to transfer this flap to the elbow on its pedicle. A pedicled TDAP skin flap so as to provide elbow coverage in one stage is a useful choice to retain in one's armamentarium. Copyright © 2012 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reconstructive Surgery of Auricular Defects: An Overview.

PubMed

Ebrahimi, Ali; Kazemi, Alireza; Rasouli, Hamid Reza; Kazemi, Maryam; Kalantar Motamedi, Mohammad Hosein

2015-11-01

Despite the ongoing advances in surgical procedures and promising progress in bioengineering techniques, auricular reconstruction remains a significant challenge in plastic surgery. There are different causes for acquired auricular defects, including trauma, tumor ablation and burns. The management options for upper, middle and lower third auricular defects are briefly reviewed in the current paper. Original research papers investigating the plastic surgeons, otolaryngologists and maxillofacial surgeons in approaching the complicated issue of auricular reconstruction published from January 1995 to December 2014 were aggregated and used in the current study. Utilizing autologous stem cell populations to treat craniofacial defects is a promising field of ongoing investigations. Studies show that cartilage stem/progenitor cells (CSPCs) are highly chondrogenic and can produce elastic reconstructive material with long-term tissue restoration. Auricular reconstruction surgery is a challenging plastic procedure that requires great expertise and expert knowledge of the various techniques available. Novel techniques in the fields of reconstructive bioengineering and regenerative medicine are promising but further research is required before widespread clinical application.

Effects of Piecewise Spatial Smoothing in 4-D SPECT Reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qi, Wenyuan; Yang, Yongyi; King, Michael A.

2014-02-01

In nuclear medicine, cardiac gated SPECT images are known to suffer from significantly increased noise owing to limited data counts. Consequently, spatial (and temporal) smoothing has been indispensable for suppressing the noise artifacts in SPECT reconstruction. However, recently we demonstrated that the benefit of spatial processing in motion-compensated reconstruction of gated SPECT (aka 4-D) could be outweighed by its adverse effects on the myocardium, which included degraded wall motion and perfusion defect detectability. In this work, we investigate whether we can alleviate these adverse effects by exploiting an alternative spatial smoothing prior in 4-D based on image total variation (TV). TV based prior is known to induce piecewise smoothing which can preserve edge features (such as boundaries of the heart wall) in reconstruction. However, it is not clear whether such a property would necessarily be beneficial for improving the accuracy of the myocardium in 4-D reconstruction. In particular, it is unknown whether it would adversely affect the detectability of perfusion defects that are small in size or low in contrast. In our evaluation study, we first use Monte Carlo simulated imaging with 4-D NURBS-based cardiac-torso (NCAT) phantom wherein the ground truth is known for quantitative comparison. We evaluated the accuracy of the reconstructed myocardium using a number of metrics, including regional and overall accuracy of the myocardium, accuracy of the phase activity curve (PAC) of the LV wall for wall motion, uniformity and spatial resolution of the LV wall, and detectability of perfusion defects using a channelized Hotelling observer (CHO). For lesion detection, we simulated perfusion defects with different sizes and contrast levels with the focus being on perfusion defects that are subtle. As a preliminary demonstration, we also tested on three sets of clinical acquisitions. From the quantitative results, it was demonstrated that TV smoothing could further reduce the error level in the myocardium in 4-D reconstruction along with motion-compensated temporal smoothing. In contrast to quadratic spatial smoothing, TV smoothing could reduce the noise level in the LV at a faster pace than the increase in the bias level, thereby achieving a net decrease in the error level. In particular, at the same noise level, TV smoothing could reduce the bias by about 30% compared to quadratic smoothing. Moreover, the CHO results indicate that TV could also improve the lesion detectability even when the lesion is small. The PAC results show that, at the same noise level, TV smoothing achieved lower temporal bias, which is also consistent with the improved spatial resolution of the LV in reconstruction. The improvement in blurring effects by TV was also observed in the clinical images.

The Electrocardiogram as an Example of Electrostatics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hobbie, Russell K.

1973-01-01

Develops a simplified electrostatic model of the heart with conduction within the torso neglected to relate electrocardiogram patterns to the charge distribution within the myocardium. Suggests its application to explanation of Coulomb's law in general physics. (CC)

Toward anthropomimetic robotics: development, simulation, and control of a musculoskeletal torso.

PubMed

Wittmeier, Steffen; Alessandro, Cristiano; Bascarevic, Nenad; Dalamagkidis, Konstantinos; Devereux, David; Diamond, Alan; Jäntsch, Michael; Jovanovic, Kosta; Knight, Rob; Marques, Hugo Gravato; Milosavljevic, Predrag; Mitra, Bhargav; Svetozarevic, Bratislav; Potkonjak, Veljko; Pfeifer, Rolf; Knoll, Alois; Holland, Owen

2013-01-01

Anthropomimetic robotics differs from conventional approaches by capitalizing on the replication of the inner structures of the human body, such as muscles, tendons, bones, and joints. Here we present our results of more than three years of research in constructing, simulating, and, most importantly, controlling anthropomimetic robots. We manufactured four physical torsos, each more complex than its predecessor, and developed the tools required to simulate their behavior. Furthermore, six different control approaches, inspired by classical control theory, machine learning, and neuroscience, were developed and evaluated via these simulations or in small-scale setups. While the obtained results are encouraging, we are aware that we have barely exploited the potential of the anthropomimetic design so far. But, with the tools developed, we are confident that this novel approach will contribute to our understanding of morphological computation and human motor control in the future.

Diaphragm electrical activity during negative lower torso pressure in quadriplegic men.

PubMed

Banzett, R B; Inbar, G F; Brown, R; Goldman, M; Rossier, A; Mead, J

1981-09-01

We recorded the diaphragm electromyogram (EMG) of quadriplegic men before and during exposure of the lower torso to continuous negative pressure, which caused shortening of the inspiratory muscles by expanding the respiratory system by one tidal volume. The moving-time-averaged diaphragm EMG was larger during expansion of the respiratory system. When we repeated the experiment with subjects who breathed through a mouthpiece, we found qualitatively similar EMG changes and little or no change in tidal volume or end-tidal CO2 partial pressure. When the pressure was applied or removed rapidly, changes in EMG occurred within one or two breaths. Because end-tidal CO2 partial pressure did not increase, and because the response was rapid, we suggest that the response results from proprioceptive, rather than chemoreceptive, reflexes. As most of these men had complete spinal lesions at C6 or C7 the afferent pathways are likely to be vagal or phrenic.

Alternative input medium development for wheelchair user with severe spinal cord injury

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ihsan, Izzat Aqmar; Tomari, Razali; Zakaria, Wan Nurshazwani Wan; Othman, Nurmiza

2017-09-01

Quadriplegia or tetraplegia patients have restricted four limbs as well as torso movement caused by severe spinal cord injury. Undoubtedly, these patients face difficulties when operating their powered electric wheelchair since they are unable to control the wheelchair by means of a standard joystick. Due to total loss of both sensory and motor function of the four limbs and torso, an alternative input medium for the wheelchair will be developed to assist the user in operating the wheelchair. In this framework, the direction of the wheelchair movement is determined by the user's conscious intent through a brain control interface (BCI) based on Electroencephalogram (EEG) signal. A laser range finder (LFR) is used to perceive environment information for determining a safety distance of the wheelchair's surrounding. Local path planning algorithm will be developed to provide navigation planner along with user's input to prevent collision during control operation.

Dedicated mobile high resolution prostate PET imager with an insertable transrectal probe

DOEpatents

Majewski, Stanislaw; Proffitt, James

2010-12-28

A dedicated mobile PET imaging system to image the prostate and surrounding organs. The imaging system includes an outside high resolution PET imager placed close to the patient's torso and an insertable and compact transrectal probe that is placed in close proximity to the prostate and operates in conjunction with the outside imager. The two detector systems are spatially co-registered to each other. The outside imager is mounted on an open rotating gantry to provide torso-wide 3D images of the prostate and surrounding tissue and organs. The insertable probe provides closer imaging, high sensitivity, and very high resolution predominately 2D view of the prostate and immediate surroundings. The probe is operated in conjunction with the outside imager and a fast data acquisition system to provide very high resolution reconstruction of the prostate and surrounding tissue and organs.

Computer Cache. Diseases: Locating Helpful Information on the Web

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byerly, Greg; Brodie, Carolyn S.

2005-01-01

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, disease is "a pathological condition of a part, organ, or system of an organism resulting from various causes, such as infection, genetic defect, or environmental stress, and characterized by an identifiable group of signs or symptoms" (2000). Students in upper elementary school and in middle school…

Case report 732. Gout presenting as a large pseudo tumor (tophus) in the proximal end of the tibia.

PubMed

Cope, R; Marsan, R; Castelli, M J

1992-01-01

A case of a large, lytic, tophaceous defect in the upper end of the tibia has been reported in a 44-year-old man as a solitary lesion. The term "gouty tophus" should not be confused with the geode or subchondral bone cyst.

Injury Source and Correlation Analysis of Riders in Car-Electric Bicycle Accidents

PubMed Central

Yi, Liang; Hu, Lin; Li, Yuelin

2018-01-01

The knowledge about the injury source and correlation of riders in car-electric bicycle accident will be helpful in the cross validation of traces and vehicle safety design. In order to know more information about such kind of knowledge, 57 true car-electric bicycle accidents were reconstructed by PC-Crash and then data on injury information of riders were collected directly from the reconstructed cases. These collected data were validated by some existing research results firstly, and then 4 abnormal cases were deleted according to the statistical method. Finally, conclusions can be obtained according to the data obtained from the remaining 53 cases. Direct injuries of the head and right leg are from the road pavement upon low speed; the source laws of indirect head injuries are not obvious. Upon intermediate and high speed, the injuries of the above parts are from automobiles. Injuries of the left leg, femur, and right knee are from automobiles; left knee injuries are from automobiles, the road pavement and automobiles, respectively, upon low, intermediate, and high speed. The source laws of indirect torso injuries are not obvious upon intermediate and low speed, which are from automobiles upon high speed, while direct torso injuries are from the road pavement. And there is no high correlation between all parts of the injury of riders. The largest correlation coefficient was the head-left femur and left femur-right femur, which was 0.647, followed by the head-right femur (0.638) and head-torso which was 0.617. PMID:29849757

SU-F-207-03: Dosimetric Effect of the Position of Arms in Torso CT Scan with Tube Current Modulation

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

Liu, H; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY; Gao, Y

Purpose: To evaluate the patient organ dose differences between the arms-raised and arms-lowered postures in Torso multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) scan protocols with tube current modulation (TCM). Methods: Patient CT organ doses were simulated using the Monte Carlo method with human phantoms and a validated CT scanner model. A set of adult human phantoms with arms raised and arms lowered postures were developed using advanced BREP-based mesh surface geometries. Organ doses from routine Torso scan protocols such as chest, abdomen-pelvis, and CAP scans were simulated. The organ doses differences caused by two different posutres were investigated when tube current modulationmore » (TCM) were applied during the CT scan. Results: With TCM applied, organ doses of all the listed organs of arms-lowered posture phantom are larger than those of arms raised phantom. The dose difference for most of the organs or tissues are larger than 50%, and the skin doses difference for abdomen-pelvis scan even reaches 112.03%. This is due to the fact that the tube current for patient with arms-lowered is much higher than for the arms raised posture. Conclusion: Considering CT scan with TCM, which is commonly applied clinically, patients who could not raise their arms will receive higher radiation dose than the arms raised patient, with dose differences for some tissues such as the skin being larger than 100%. This is due to the additional tube current necessary to penetrate the arms while maintaining consistent image quality. National Nature Science Foundation of China(No.11475047)« less

Investigation of multichannel phased array performance for fetal MR imaging on 1.5T clinical MR system

PubMed Central

Li, Ye; Pang, Yong; Vigneron, Daniel; Glenn, Orit; Xu, Duan; Zhang, Xiaoliang

2011-01-01

Fetal MRI on 1.5T clinical scanner has been increasingly becoming a powerful imaging tool for studying fetal brain abnormalities in vivo. Due to limited availability of dedicated fetal phased arrays, commercial torso or cardiac phased arrays are routinely used for fetal scans, which are unable to provide optimized SNR and parallel imaging performance with a small number coil elements, and insufficient coverage and filling factor. This poses a demand for the investigation and development of dedicated and efficient radiofrequency (RF) hardware to improve fetal imaging. In this work, an investigational approach to simulate the performance of multichannel flexible phased arrays is proposed to find a better solution to fetal MR imaging. A 32 channel fetal array is presented to increase coil sensitivity, coverage and parallel imaging performance. The electromagnetic field distribution of each element of the fetal array is numerically simulated by using finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The array performance, including B1 coverage, parallel reconstructed images and artifact power, is then theoretically calculated and compared with the torso array. Study results show that the proposed array is capable of increasing B1 field strength as well as sensitivity homogeneity in the entire area of uterus. This would ensure high quality imaging regardless of the location of the fetus in the uterus. In addition, the paralleling imaging performance of the proposed fetal array is validated by using artifact power comparison with torso array. These results demonstrate the feasibility of the 32 channel flexible array for fetal MR imaging at 1.5T. PMID:22408747

Automated segmentation and recognition of the bone structure in non-contrast torso CT images using implicit anatomical knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, X.; Hayashi, T.; Han, M.; Chen, H.; Hara, T.; Fujita, H.; Yokoyama, R.; Kanematsu, M.; Hoshi, H.

2009-02-01

X-ray CT images have been widely used in clinical diagnosis in recent years. A modern CT scanner can generate about 1000 CT slices to show the details of all the human organs within 30 seconds. However, CT image interpretations (viewing 500-1000 slices of CT images manually in front of a screen or films for each patient) require a lot of time and energy. Therefore, computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems that can support CT image interpretations are strongly anticipated. Automated recognition of the anatomical structures in CT images is a basic pre-processing of the CAD system. The bone structure is a part of anatomical structures and very useful to act as the landmarks for predictions of the other different organ positions. However, the automated recognition of the bone structure is still a challenging issue. This research proposes an automated scheme for segmenting the bone regions and recognizing the bone structure in noncontrast torso CT images. The proposed scheme was applied to 48 torso CT cases and a subjective evaluation for the experimental results was carried out by an anatomical expert following the anatomical definition. The experimental results showed that the bone structure in 90% CT cases have been recognized correctly. For quantitative evaluation, automated recognition results were compared to manual inputs of bones of lower limb created by an anatomical expert on 10 randomly selected CT cases. The error (maximum distance in 3D) between the recognition results and manual inputs distributed from 3-8 mm in different parts of the bone regions.

Perforator Based Propeller Flaps in Limb Reconstructive Surgery: Clinical Application and Literature Review

PubMed Central

Artiaco, Stefano; Bianchi, Pasquale; Boux, Elena; Tos, Pierluigi

2014-01-01

The reconstruction of loss of substance due to trauma or oncological excision may have relevant functional and aesthetic implications. We report our experience in twenty-one cases of propeller flaps for the treatment of loss of substance of the upper and lower limbs. The etiology of defect was tumor excision in nine cases, trauma in seven cases, surgical wound complications in four cases, and chronic osteomyelitis in one case. Clinical results were favorable in most cases and eighteen flaps survived. We observed an overall complication rate of 33% with four cases of superficial epidermolysis that spontaneously healed and three cases of partial flap loss ranging from 10 to 50% that required surgical revision by means of skin graft (two cases) or ALT free flap (one case). Propeller flap harvesting requires great care and experience, and potential complications may occur even in expert hands. When indicated by the characteristic of the defect, these flaps can be a useful surgical option for the treatment of loss of substance of upper and lower limbs. PMID:25250327

Reverse-flow retroauricular island flap in facial reconstruction.

PubMed

Benlier, Erol; Top, Husamettin; Cinar, Can; Yazar, Sukru; Aygit, A Cemal; Cetinkale, Oguz

2007-12-01

Reconstruction of facial skin defects requires good-quality skin cover to satisfy aesthetic expectations of patient, especially when the skin defect is on the uncovered area of the face. Limitations in the available local tissue and donor-site morbidity restrict the options. In an effort to solve these problems, we have begun to use a subcutaneous pedicled retroauricular reverse-flow flap. Between January 1997 and December 2005, reverse-flow subcutaneous pedicled retroauricular island flap was used to cover facial defects in 12 patients who underwent surgical excision of skin tumor. The patients ranged in age from 44 to 81 years with a mean age of 58 years. Only one case experienced a superficial necrosis in the distal one-quarter part of the flap. The functional and aesthetic results were satisfactory for both patients and surgeons, and no tumor recurrence was observed during the 12 to 28 months (mean, 18.8 months) follow-up period. This flap can be used reliably for the reconstruction of facial skin defects of small and medium size. The preference of frontal branch pedicled flap enables more distal facial area defects to be covered, such as dorsal nasal, nasolabial, and upper lip, than flaps based on parietal branch.

Search for giant magnetic anisotropy in transition-metal dimers on defected hexagonal boron nitride sheet

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

Li, J.; Wang, H.; Wu, R. Q., E-mail: wur@uci.edu

2016-05-28

Structural and magnetic properties of many transition-metal dimers embedded in a defected hexagonal boron nitride monolayer are investigated through density functional calculations to search for systems with magnetic anisotropy energies (MAEs) larger than 30meV. In particular, Ir–Ir@Dh–BN is found to have both large MAE (∼126 meV) and high structural stability against dissociation and diffusion, and it hence can serve as magnetic unit in spintronics and quantum computing devices. This giant MAE mainly results from the spin orbit coupling and the magnetization of the upper Ir atom, which is in a rather isolated environment.

Muscular contribution to low-back loading and stiffness during standard and suspended push-ups.

PubMed

Beach, Tyson A C; Howarth, Samuel J; Callaghan, Jack P

2008-06-01

Push-up exercises are normally performed to challenge muscles that span upper extremity joints. However, it is also recognized that push-ups provide an effective abdominal muscle challenge, especially when the hands are in contact with a labile support surface. The purpose of this study was to compare trunk muscle activation levels and resultant intervertebral joint (IVJ) loading when standard and suspended push-ups were performed, and to quantify and compare the contribution of trunk muscles to IVJ rotational stiffness in both exercises. Eleven recreationally trained male volunteers performed sets of standard and suspended push-ups. Upper body kinematic, kinetic, and EMG data were collected and input into a 3D biomechanical model of the lumbar torso to quantify lumbar IVJ loading and the contributions of trunk muscles to IVJ rotational stiffness. When performing suspended push-ups, muscles of the abdominal wall and the latissimus dorsi were activated to levels that were significantly greater than those elicited when performing standard push-ups (p<.05). As a direct result of these increased activation levels, model-predicted muscle forces increased and consequently led to significantly greater mean (p=.0008) and peak (p=.0012) lumbar IVJ compressive forces when performing suspended push-ups. Also directly resulting from the increased activation levels of the abdominal muscles and the latissimus dorsi during suspended push-ups was increased muscular contribution to lumbar IVJ rotational stiffness (p<.05). In comparison to the standard version of the exercise, suspended push-ups appear to provide a superior abdominal muscle challenge. However, for individuals unable to tolerate high lumbar IVJ compressive loads, potential benefits gained by incorporating suspended push-ups into their resistance training regimen may be outweighed by the risk of overloading low-back tissues.

Measurement and modelling of x-direction apparent mass of the seated human body-cushioned seat system.

PubMed

Stein, George Juraj; Múcka, Peter; Chmúrny, Rudolf; Hinz, Barbara; Blüthner, Ralph

2007-01-01

For modelling purposes and for evaluation of driver's seat performance in the vertical direction various mechano-mathematical models of the seated human body have been developed and standardized by the ISO. No such models exist hitherto for human body sitting in an upright position in a cushioned seat upper part, used in industrial environment, where the fore-and-aft vibrations play an important role. The interaction with the steering wheel has to be taken into consideration, as well as, the position of the human body upper torso with respect to the cushioned seat back as observed in real driving conditions. This complex problem has to be simplified first to arrive at manageable simpler models, which still reflect the main problem features. In a laboratory study accelerations and forces in x-direction were measured at the seat base during whole-body vibration in the fore-and-aft direction (random signal in the frequency range between 0.3 and 30 Hz, vibration magnitudes 0.28, 0.96, and 2.03 ms(-2) unweighted rms). Thirteen male subjects with body masses between 62.2 and 103.6 kg were chosen for the tests. They sat on a cushioned driver seat with hands on a support and backrest contact in the lumbar region only. Based on these laboratory measurements a linear model of the system-seated human body and cushioned seat in the fore-and-aft direction has been developed. The model accounts for the reaction from the steering wheel. Model parameters have been identified for each subject-measured apparent mass values (modulus and phase). The developed model structure and the averaged parameters can be used for further bio-dynamical research in this field.

Impact of extraneous mispositioned events on motion-corrected brain SPECT images of freely moving animals

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

Angelis, Georgios I., E-mail: georgios.angelis@sydney.edu.au; Ryder, William J.; Bashar, Rezaul

Purpose: Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) brain imaging of freely moving small animals would allow a wide range of important neurological processes and behaviors to be studied, which are normally inhibited by anesthetic drugs or precluded due to the animal being restrained. While rigid body motion of the head can be tracked and accounted for in the reconstruction, activity in the torso may confound brain measurements, especially since motion of the torso is more complex (i.e., nonrigid) and not well correlated with that of the head. The authors investigated the impact of mispositioned events and attenuation due to themore » torso on the accuracy of motion corrected brain images of freely moving mice. Methods: Monte Carlo simulations of a realistic voxelized mouse phantom and a dual compartment phantom were performed. Each phantom comprised a target and an extraneous compartment which were able to move independently of each other. Motion correction was performed based on the known motion of the target compartment only. Two SPECT camera geometries were investigated: a rotating single head detector and a stationary full ring detector. The effects of motion, detector geometry, and energy of the emitted photons (hence, attenuation) on bias and noise in reconstructed brain regions were evaluated. Results: The authors observed two main sources of bias: (a) motion-related inconsistencies in the projection data and (b) the mismatch between attenuation and emission. Both effects are caused by the assumption that the orientation of the torso is difficult to track and model, and therefore cannot be conveniently corrected for. The motion induced bias in some regions was up to 12% when no attenuation effects were considered, while it reached 40% when also combined with attenuation related inconsistencies. The detector geometry (i.e., rotating vs full ring) has a big impact on the accuracy of the reconstructed images, with the full ring detector being more advantageous. Conclusions: Motion-induced inconsistencies in the projection data and attenuation/emission mismatch are the two main causes of bias in reconstructed brain images when there is complex motion. It appears that these two factors have a synergistic effect on the qualitative and quantitative accuracy of the reconstructed images.« less

Reference intervals for orotic acid in urine, plasma and dried blood spot using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

D'Apolito, Oceania; Garofalo, Daniela; la Marca, Giancarlo; Dello Russo, Antonio; Corso, Gaetano

2012-02-01

Orotic acid (OA), a marker of hereditary orotic aciduria, is usually used for the differential diagnosis of some hyperammonemic inherited defects of urea cycle and of basic amino acid transporters. This study was aimed to establish age related reference intervals of OA in urine, and for the first time in plasma, and dried blood spot (DBS) from 229 apparently healthy subjects aged from three days to 40 years. The quantification of OA was performed by a previously implemented method, using a stable isotope dilution with 1,3-[(15)N(2)]-orotic acid and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC-MS/MS). The method has proved to be sensitive and accurate for a quantitative analysis of OA also in DBS and plasma. According to previous studies, urinary OA levels (mmol/mol of creatinine) decrease significantly with age. The upper limits (as 99th %ile) were of 3.44 and 1.30 in groups aged from three days to 1 year (group 1) and from 1 year to 12 years (group 2), respectively; in teenagers (from 13 to 19 years; group 3) and adults (from 20 to 40 years; group 4) urinary levels became more stable and the upper limits were of 0.64 and 1.21, respectively. Furthermore, OA levels in DBS (μM) also resulted significantly higher in subjects of group 1 (upper limit of 0.89) than in subjects of groups 2, 3 and 4 (upper limits of 0.24, 0.21, and 0.29, respectively). OA levels in plasma (μM) were significantly lower in subjects of group 3 (upper limit of 0.30) than in subjects of groups 1, 2, and 4 (upper limits of 0.59, 0.48, and 0.77, respectively). This method was also employed for OA quantification in plasma and DBS of 17 newborns affected by urea cycle defects, resulting sensitive and specific enough to screen these disorders. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Limitation of Shrinkage Porosity in Aluminum Rotor Die Casting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Young-Chan; Choi, Se-Weon; Kim, Cheol-Woo; Cho, Jae-Ik; Lee, Sung-Ho; Kang, Chang-Seog

Aluminum rotor prone to have many casting defects especially large amount of air and shrinkage porosity, which caused eccentricity, loss and noise during motor operation. Many attempts have been made to develop methods of shrinkage porosity control, but still there are some problems to solve. In this research, the process of vacuum squeeze die casting is proposed for limitation of defects. The 6 pin point gated dies which were in capable of local squeeze at the end ring were used. Influences of filling patterns on HPDC were evaluated and the important process control parameters were high injection speed, squeeze length, venting and process conditions. By using local squeeze and vacuum during filling and solidification, air and shrinkage porosity were significantly reduced and the feeding efficiency at the upper end ring was improved 10%. As a result of controlling the defects, the dynamometer test showed improved motor efficiency by more than 4%.

Kinematic analysis of work-related musculoskeletal loading of trunk among dentists in Germany.

PubMed

Ohlendorf, Daniela; Erbe, Christina; Hauck, Imke; Nowak, Jennifer; Hermanns, Ingo; Ditchen, Dirk; Ellegast, Rolf; Groneberg, David A

2016-10-18

In Germany, about 86.7 % of the dentists have stated to suffer from pain in the neck and shoulder region. These findings are predominantly based on surveys. Therefore the objective of this study is to conduct a kinematic analysis of occupational posture in dentistry. Twenty one dentists (11 f/10 m; age: 40.1 ± 10.4 years) have participated in this examination. The CUELA-System was used to collect kinematic data of the activities on an average dental workday. A detailed, computer-based task analysis took place parallel to the kinematic examination. Through the synchronization of data collected from both measurements, patterns of posture were arranged chronologically and in conjunction with the tasks performed: (I) "treatment" (II) "office" and (III) "other activities". For the data analysis, characteristic data of joint angular distributions (percentiles P05, P25, P50, P75 and P95) of head, neck and torso at pre-defined tasks were examined and assessed corresponding to ergonomic standards. Forty one percent of tasks executed on an average dental workday can be categorized as the treatment of patients. These tasked are most frequently performed in "straight back" positions (78.7 %), whereas 20.1 % were carried out in a "twisted or inclined" torso posture, 1.1 % "bowed" and only 0.1 % "bowed and twisted/inclined to the side" upper body position. In particular, it can be observed that in the area of the cervical and thoracic spine the 75th and 95th percentile show worse angular values during treatment than during non-dental tasks. For the period of treatment (at a standardized dental chair construction), a seated position with a strong inclination of the thoracic spine to the right while the lumbar spine is inclined towards the left is adopted. The kinematic analysis of dentists illustrates typical patterns of postures during tasks that are essential to the dental treatment of patients. The postures in the area of the cervical and thoracic spine have higher angular values during treatment compared to other dental tasks. Consistently, appropriate ergonomic design measures to optimize the dental chair and equipment as well as integrated training in ergonomics as part of the study of dentistry to prevent musculoskeletal are recommended.

Quasi-three level Nd:YLF fundamental and Raman laser operating under 872-nm and 880-nm direct diode pumping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wetter, Niklaus U.; Bereczki, Allan; Paes, João. Pedro Fonseca

2018-02-01

Nd:YLiF4 is the gain material of choice whenever outstanding beam quality or a birefringent gain material is necessary such as in certain applications for terahertz radiation or dual-frequency mode-locking. However, for high power CW applications the material is hampered by a low thermal fracture threshold. This problem can be mitigated by special 2D pump set-ups or by keeping the quantum defect to a minimum. Direct pumping into the upper laser level of Nd:YLiF4 is usually performed at 880 nm. For quasi-three level laser emission at 908 nm, direct pumping at this wavelength provides a high quantum defect of 0.97, which allows for very high CW pump powers. Although the direct pumping transition to the upper laser state at 872 nm has a slightly smaller quantum defect of 0.96, its pump absorption cross section along the c-axis is 50% higher than at 880 nm, leading to a higher absorption efficiency. In this work we explore, for the first time to our knowledge, 908 nm lasing under 872 nm diode pumping and compare the results with 880 nm pumping for quasicw and cw operation. By inserting a KGW crystal in the cavity, Raman lines at 990 nm and 972 nm were obtained for the first time from a directly pumped 908 nm Nd:YLF fundamental laser for both quasi-cw and cw conditions.

Regional neural tube closure defined by the Grainy head-like transcription factors.

PubMed

Rifat, Yeliz; Parekh, Vishwas; Wilanowski, Tomasz; Hislop, Nikki R; Auden, Alana; Ting, Stephen B; Cunningham, John M; Jane, Stephen M

2010-09-15

Primary neurulation in mammals has been defined by distinct anatomical closure sites, at the hindbrain/cervical spine (closure 1), forebrain/midbrain boundary (closure 2), and rostral end of the forebrain (closure 3). Zones of neurulation have also been characterized by morphologic differences in neural fold elevation, with non-neural ectoderm-induced formation of paired dorso-lateral hinge points (DLHP) essential for neural tube closure in the cranial and lower spinal cord regions, and notochord-induced bending at the median hinge point (MHP) sufficient for closure in the upper spinal region. Here we identify a unifying molecular basis for these observations based on the function of the non-neural ectoderm-specific Grainy head-like genes in mice. Using a gene-targeting approach we show that deletion of Grhl2 results in failed closure 3, with mutants exhibiting a split-face malformation and exencephaly, associated with failure of neuro-epithelial folding at the DLHP. Loss of Grhl3 alone defines a distinct lower spinal closure defect, also with defective DLHP formation. The two genes contribute equally to closure 2, where only Grhl gene dosage is limiting. Combined deletion of Grhl2 and Grhl3 induces severe rostral and caudal neural tube defects, but DLHP-independent closure 1 proceeds normally in the upper spinal region. These findings provide a molecular basis for non-neural ectoderm mediated formation of the DLHP that is critical for complete neuraxis closure. (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interfacially polymerized layers for oxygen enrichment: a method to overcome Robeson's upper-bound limit.

PubMed

Tsai, Ching-Wei; Tsai, Chieh; Ruaan, Ruoh-Chyu; Hu, Chien-Chieh; Lee, Kueir-Rarn

2013-06-26

Interfacial polymerization of four aqueous phase monomers, diethylenetriamine (DETA), m-phenylenediamine (mPD), melamine (Mela), and piperazine (PIP), and two organic phase monomers, trimethyl chloride (TMC) and cyanuric chloride (CC), produce a thin-film composite membrane of polymerized polyamide layer capable of O2/N2 separation. To achieve maximum efficiency in gas permeance and O2/N2 permselectivity, the concentrations of monomers, time of interfacial polymerization, number of reactive groups in monomers, and the structure of monomers need to be optimized. By controlling the aqueous/organic monomer ratio between 1.9 and 2.7, we were able to obtain a uniformly interfacial polymerized layer. To achieve a highly cross-linked layer, three reactive groups in both the aqueous and organic phase monomers are required; however, if the monomers were arranged in a planar structure, the likelihood of structural defects also increased. On the contrary, linear polymers are less likely to result in structural defects, and can also produce polymer layers with moderate O2/N2 selectivity. To minimize structural defects while maximizing O2/N2 selectivity, the planar monomer, TMC, containing 3 reactive groups, was reacted with the semirigid monomer, PIP, containing 2 reactive groups to produce a membrane with an adequate gas permeance of 7.72 × 10(-6) cm(3) (STP) s(-1) cm(-2) cm Hg(-1) and a high O2/N2 selectivity of 10.43, allowing us to exceed the upper-bound limit of conventional thin-film composite membranes.

The reverse sural artery fasciomusculocutaneous flap for small lower-limb defects: the use of the gastrocnemius muscle cuff as a plug for small bony defects following debridement of infected/necrotic bone.

PubMed

Al-Qattan, M M

2007-09-01

The reverse sural artery fasciomusculocutaneous flap is a modification of the original fasciocutaneous flap in which a midline gastrocnemius muscle cuff around the buried sural pedicle is included in the flap. This modification was done to improve the blood supply of the distal part of the flap, which is harvested from the upper leg. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that there is another important advantage of the modified flap: the use of the muscle cuff as a "plug" for small lower limb defects following debridement of infected/necrotic bone. A total of 10 male adult patients with small complex lower-limb defects with underlying bone pathology were treated with the modified flap using the muscle component to fill up the small bony defects. The bony pathology included necrotic exposed bone without evidence of osteomyelitis or wound infection (n = 1), an underlying neglected tibial fracture with wound infection (n = 4), and a sinus at the heel with underlying calcaneal osteomyelitis (n = 5). Primary wound healing of the flap into the defect was noted in all patients. No recurrence of calcaneal osteomyelitis was seen and all tibial fractures united following appropriate orthopedic fixation. It was concluded that the reverse sural artery fasciomusculocutaneous flap is well suited for small complex lower-limb defects with underlying bone pathology.

[Livedo racemosa generalisata. Clinical aspects and histopathology of obliterating arteriolopathy with CNS involvement].

PubMed

Marsch, W C; Muckelmann, R

1985-06-01

The histopathology of Sneddon's syndrome (livedo racemosa generalisata and cerebrovascular defects) is characterized by a thickened intima with subsequent narrowing of the lumen of ascending arterioles in the upper subcutaneous tissue and deep dermis. Ultrastructurally, migrating medial smooth muscle cells with plenty of intermediate filaments colonize the subendothelial intimal space ("intima proliferation").

[Delayed Infection after Upper Lip Augmentation with Absorbable Hyaluronic Acid Filler].

PubMed

Heim, N; Faron, A; Wiedemeyer, V; Teschke, M; Reich, R H; Martini, M

2015-08-01

Since introduction of the first fillers in the 1980s a multitude of substances has been developed and approved for facial contour augmentation and correction of skin defects. Here we present the interesting case of a patient who presented to us with a delayed infection 6 weeks after augmentation of the upper lip with a hyaluronic acid. We observed full convalescence after operative and high-dose antibiotic treatment of the abscesses. Generally speaking, complications after augmentation with resorbable fillers are rare. However, complications might occur even within unexpected time periods and therefore need our special attention. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Generalized racemose livedo with cerebrovascular lesions (Sneddon syndrome): an occlusive arteriolopathy due to proliferation and migration of medial smooth muscle cells.

PubMed

Marsch, W C; Muckelmann, R

1985-06-01

We describe two cases of livedo racemosa generalisata with cerebrovascular defects (Sneddon syndrome). The histology is characterized by a proliferation and migration of medial smooth muscle cells in ascending arterioles of the upper subcutis and deep dermis. Migrating smooth muscle cells with a high content of intermediate filaments colonize the sub-endothelial intimal space, with subsequent narrowing of the vessel lumen. Since the discoloration of the skin is provoked by a reactive dilatation of venules, the biopsy should be performed in the adjacent normal-looking skin, taking in the upper subcutis.

Carrier Decay and Diffusion Dynamics in Single-Crystalline CdTe as seen via Microphotoluminescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mascarenhas, Angelo; Fluegel, Brian; Alberi, Kirstin; Zhang, Yong-Hang

2015-03-01

The ability to spatially resolve the degree to which extended defects impact carrier diffusion lengths and lifetimes is important for determining upper limits for defect densities in semiconductor devices. We show that a new spatially and temporally resolved photoluminescence (PL) imaging technique can be used to accurately extract carrier lifetimes in the immediate vicinity of dark-line defects in CdTe/MgCdTe double heterostructures. A series of PL images captured during the decay process show that extended defects with a density of 1.4x10-5 cm-2 deplete photogenerated charge carriers from the surrounding semiconductor material on a nanosecond time scale. The technique makes it possible to elucidate the interplay between nonradiative carrier recombination and carrier diffusion and reveals that they both combine to degrade the PL intensity over a fractional area that is much larger than the physical size of the defects. Carrier lifetimes are correctly determined from numerical simulations of the decay behavior by taking these two effects into account. Our study demonstrates that it is crucial to measure and account for the influence of local defects in the measurement of carrier lifetime and diffusion, which are key transport parameters for the design and modeling of advanced solar-cell and light-emitting devices. We acknowledge the financial support of the Department of Energy Office of Science under Grant No. DE-AC36-08GO28308.

Patterns of pulmonary perfusion scans in normal subjects

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

Wallace, J.M.; Moser, K.M.; Hartman, M.T.

1981-01-01

A vital factor conditioning the usage of the pulmonary perfusion (Q) scan in the evaluation of patients suspected of pulmonary embolism is the prevalence of abnormal Q scans in subjects free of cardiopulmonary disease. Because this prevalence has not been well defined, we performed Q scans in 80 nonsmoking subjects 18 to 29 yr of age having no known active cardiopulmonary disease. Each subject underwent a history, physical examination, electrocardiogram, spirometry, and PA chest roentgenogram, followed by a 6-view Q scan. Two subjects in whom a Q defect was suspected underwent a /sup 133/Xe equilibrium-washout ventilation (V) scan. All Qmore » scans were interpreted blindly and independently by 2 experienced readers. Seventy-nine of the 80 Q scans were read as normal. No subject demonstrated a lobar or segmental defect. One of the 80 subjects, who had a mild pectus excavatum, had a left upper lobe subsegmental defect, which was not seen on the V scan. Based on the statistical analysis of these data, no more than 3.68% of normal nonsmoking persons in this age group may have a lobar or segmental Q scan defect and no more than 6.77% may have a subsegmental defect (with 95% confidence). Therefore, our study indicated that Q scan defects, particularly lobar or segmental, are rarely present among normal nonsmokers in this age group.« less

Research Technology

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-08-05

The Bonner Ball Neutron Detector measures neutron radiation. Neutrons are uncharged atomic particles that have the ability to penetrate living tissues, harming human beings in space. The Bonner Ball Neutron Detector is one of three radiation experiments during Expedition Two. The others are the Phantom Torso and Dosimetric Mapping.

49 CFR 572.84 - Thorax.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) ANTHROPOMORPHIC TEST DEVICES 9-Month Old Child § 572.84 Thorax. The thorax consists of the part of the torso shown in assembly drawing LP 1049/A and conforms to each of the applicable drawings listed under LP 1049/0 through 54. ...

49 CFR 571.216a - Standard No. 216a; Roof crush resistance; Upgraded standard.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

..., 1200 New Jersey Avenue, Washington, DC 20590, or at the National Archives and Records Administration... SAE J826 (July 1995) (two from the left side and two from the right side), replace with two HRMD torso...

Real-time 3D visualization of the thoraco-abdominal surface during breathing with body movement and deformation extraction.

PubMed

Povšič, K; Jezeršek, M; Možina, J

2015-07-01

Real-time 3D visualization of the breathing displacements can be a useful diagnostic tool in order to immediately observe the most active regions on the thoraco-abdominal surface. The developed method is capable of separating non-relevant torso movement and deformations from the deformations that are solely related to breathing. This makes it possible to visualize only the breathing displacements. The system is based on the structured laser triangulation principle, with simultaneous spatial and color data acquisition of the thoraco-abdominal region. Based on the tracking of the attached passive markers, the torso movement and deformation is compensated using rigid and non-rigid transformation models on the three-dimensional (3D) data. The total time of 3D data processing together with visualization equals 20 ms per cycle.In vitro verification of the rigid movement extraction was performed using the iterative closest point algorithm as a reference. Furthermore, a volumetric evaluation on a live subject was performed to establish the accuracy of the rigid and non-rigid model. The root mean square deviation between the measured and the reference volumes shows an error of  ±0.08 dm(3) for rigid movement extraction. Similarly, the error was calculated to be  ±0.02 dm(3) for torsional deformation extraction and  ±0.11 dm(3) for lateral bending deformation extraction. The results confirm that during the torso movement and deformation, the proposed method is sufficiently accurate to visualize only the displacements related to breathing. The method can be used, for example, during the breathing exercise on an indoor bicycle or a treadmill.

Automated abdominal plane and circumference estimation in 3D US for fetal screening

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lorenz, C.; Brosch, T.; Ciofolo-Veit, C.; Klinder, T.; Lefevre, T.; Cavallaro, A.; Salim, I.; Papageorghiou, A. T.; Raynaud, C.; Roundhill, D.; Rouet, L.; Schadewaldt, N.; Schmidt-Richberg, A.

2018-03-01

Ultrasound is increasingly becoming a 3D modality. Mechanical and matrix array transducers are able to deliver 3D images with good spatial and temporal resolution. The 3D imaging facilitates the application of automated image analysis to enhance workflows, which has the potential to make ultrasound a less operator dependent modality. However, the analysis of the more complex 3D images and definition of all examination standards on 2D images pose barriers to the use of 3D in daily clinical practice. In this paper, we address a part of the canonical fetal screening program, namely the localization of the abdominal cross-sectional plane with the corresponding measurement of the abdominal circumference in this plane. For this purpose, a fully automated pipeline has been designed starting with a random forest based anatomical landmark detection. A feature trained shape model of the fetal torso including inner organs with the abdominal cross-sectional plane encoded into the model is then transformed into the patient space using the landmark localizations. In a free-form deformation step, the model is individualized to the image, using a torso probability map generated by a convolutional neural network as an additional feature image. After adaptation, the abdominal plane and the abdominal torso contour in that plane are directly obtained. This allows the measurement of the abdominal circumference as well as the rendering of the plane for visual assessment. The method has been trained on 126 and evaluated on 42 abdominal 3D US datasets. An average plane offset error of 5.8 mm and an average relative circumference error of 4.9 % in the evaluation set could be achieved.

Exposure of the examiner to radiation during myelography versus radiculography and root block: A comparative study.

PubMed

Yamane, Kentaro; Kai, Nobuo; Miyamoto, Tadashi; Matsushita, Tomohiro

2017-03-01

Exposure to radiation over many years prompts concerns regarding potential health-related effects, particularly the incidence of cataracts and the development of cancer. The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the exposure of the examiner to radiation during myelography versus radiculography and root block. A total of 114 examinations were performed in our institute in the 6 months. Sixty-two examinations were performed during myelography in the first 3 months (MG group), while 52 were performed during radiculography and root block in the last 3 months (RB group). The examiner wore a torso protector, a neck protector, radiation protection gloves, and radiation protection glasses. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dosimeter badges were placed on both the inside and the outside of each protector. The dosimeters were exchanged every month. Radiation doses (mSv) were measured as the integrated radiation quantity every month from the OSL dosimeters. The effective dose and the equivalent doses of hand, skin, and eyes were investigated. The mean equivalent doses were significantly lower outside the neck, torso, eye protectors, and inside the torso protector in the RB group than in the MG group. Conversely, the mean equivalent dose was significantly lower outside the hand protector in the MG group than in the RB group. The use of a neck protector significantly decreased the effective dose compared to the non-use of a neck protector in the RB group. The present study showed the standard radiation exposure to the examiner during myelography, radiculography, and root block. Receiving full protection including a neck protector and protection gloves is an easy and reliable means to reduce radiation exposure. Copyright © 2016 The Japanese Orthopaedic Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biomechanical analysis of materials handling manipulators in short distance transfers of moderate mass objects: joint strength, spine forces and muscular antagonism.

PubMed

Nussbaum, M A; Chaffin, D B; Baker, G

1999-12-01

Although often suggested as a control measure to alleviate musculoskeletal stresses, the use of mechanical assistance devices (i.e. manipulators) in load transfers has not been extensively studied. Without data describing the biomechanical effects of such devices, justification for decisions regarding implementation of such tools is difficult. An experimental study of two types of mechanical manipulators (articulated arm and overhead hoist) was conducted to determine whether biomechanical stresses, and hence injury risk, would be alleviated. Short distance transfers of loads with moderate mass were performed both manually and with manipulator assistance under a variety of task conditions. Using analysis and output from new dynamic torso models, strength demands at the shoulders and low back, lumbar spine forces, and lumbar muscle antagonism were determined. Strength requirements decreased significantly at both the shoulders and low back when using either manipulator in comparison with similar transfers performed manually. Peak spine compression and anterior-posterior (a-p) shear forces were reduced by about 40% on average, and these reductions were shown to be primarily caused by decreases in hand forces and resultant spinal moments. Two metrics of muscular antagonism were defined, and analysis showed that torso muscle antagonism was largest overall when using the hoist. The results overall suggest that hoist-assisted transfers, although better in reducing spine compression forces, may impose relatively higher demands on coordination and/or stability at extreme heights or with torso twisting motions. The relatively higher strength requirements and spine compression associated with the articulated arm may be a result of the high inertia of the system. Potential benefits of practice and training are discussed, and conclusions regarding implementation of mechanical manipulators are given.

Repair of articular cartilage and subchondral defects in rabbit knee joints with a polyvinyl alcohol/nano-hydroxyapatite/polyamide 66 biological composite material.

PubMed

Guo, Tao; Tian, Xiaobin; Li, Bo; Yang, Tianfu; Li, Yubao

2017-11-15

This study sought to prepare a new PVA/n-HA/PA66 composite to investigate the repair of articular cartilage and subchondral defects in rabbit knee joints. A 5 × 5 × 5 mm-sized defect was created in the patellofemoral joints of 72 healthy adult New Zealand rabbits. The rabbits were then randomly divided into three groups (n = 24): PVA/n-HA+PA66 group, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) group, and control (untreated) group. Cylindrical PVA/n-HA+PA66, 5 × 5 mm, comprised an upper PVA layer and a lower n-HA+PA66 layer. Macroscopic and histological evaluations were performed at 4, 8, 12, and 24 weeks, postoperatively. Type II collagen was measured by immunohistochemical staining. The implant/cartilage and bone interfaces were observed by scanning electron microscopy. At 24 weeks postoperatively, the lower PVA/n-HA+PA66 layer became surrounded by cartilage, with no obvious degeneration. In the PVA group, an enlarged space was observed between the implant and the host tissue that had undergone degeneration. In the control group, the articular cartilage had become calcified. In the PVA/n-HA+PA66 group, positive type II collagen staining was observed between the composite and the surrounding cartilage and on the implant surface. In the PVA group, positive staining was slightly increased between the PVA and the surrounding cartilage, but reduced on the PVA surface. In the control group, reduced staining was observed throughout. Scanning electron microscopy showed increased bone tissue in the lower n-HA+PA66 layer that was in close approximation with the upper PVA layer of the composite. In the PVA group, the bone tissue around the material had receded, and in the control group, the defect was filled with bone tissue, while the superior aspect of the defect was filled with disordered, fibrous tissue. The diphase biological composite material PVA/n-HA+PA66 exhibits good histocompatibility and offers a satisfactory substitute for articular cartilage and subchondral bone.

Development of 4D mathematical observer models for the task-based evaluation of gated myocardial perfusion SPECT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Taek-Soo; Frey, Eric C.; Tsui, Benjamin M. W.

2015-04-01

This paper presents two 4D mathematical observer models for the detection of motion defects in 4D gated medical images. Their performance was compared with results from human observers in detecting a regional motion abnormality in simulated 4D gated myocardial perfusion (MP) SPECT images. The first 4D mathematical observer model extends the conventional channelized Hotelling observer (CHO) based on a set of 2D spatial channels and the second is a proposed model that uses a set of 4D space-time channels. Simulated projection data were generated using the 4D NURBS-based cardiac-torso (NCAT) phantom with 16 gates/cardiac cycle. The activity distribution modelled uptake of 99mTc MIBI with normal perfusion and a regional wall motion defect. An analytical projector was used in the simulation and the filtered backprojection (FBP) algorithm was used in image reconstruction followed by spatial and temporal low-pass filtering with various cut-off frequencies. Then, we extracted 2D image slices from each time frame and reorganized them into a set of cine images. For the first model, we applied 2D spatial channels to the cine images and generated a set of feature vectors that were stacked for the images from different slices of the heart. The process was repeated for each of the 1,024 noise realizations, and CHO and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis methodologies were applied to the ensemble of the feature vectors to compute areas under the ROC curves (AUCs). For the second model, a set of 4D space-time channels was developed and applied to the sets of cine images to produce space-time feature vectors to which the CHO methodology was applied. The AUC values of the second model showed better agreement (Spearman’s rank correlation (SRC) coefficient = 0.8) to human observer results than those from the first model (SRC coefficient = 0.4). The agreement with human observers indicates the proposed 4D mathematical observer model provides a good predictor of the performance of human observers in detecting regional motion defects in 4D gated MP SPECT images. The result supports the use of the observer model in the optimization and evaluation of 4D image reconstruction and compensation methods for improving the detection of motion abnormalities in 4D gated MP SPECT images.

Effects of sex steroids on women's health: implications for practitioners.

PubMed

Derman, R J

1995-01-16

Androgen excess in women is manifested typically by clinical features that may include hirsutism, acne, central obesity, male-pattern baldness, upper torso widening, increased waist-to-hip ratio, clitoral hypertrophy, and deepening of the voice. The differential diagnosis includes androgen-producing ovarian and adrenal neoplasms, Cushing's syndrome, polycystic ovary syndrome, and the intake of exogenous androgens. Physicians treating patients for one symptom of androgen excess must be alert for other symptoms and signs. The cosmetic manifestations of androgen excess belie the serious health risks associated with this condition, including cardiovascular disease, intravascular thrombosis, and insulin resistance. Prompt clinical recognition of androgen excess, understanding of the androgen-related biochemical abnormalities underlying the risks associated with this condition, and implementation of risk modification can reduce the incidence of associated morbidity and mortality. An interdisciplinary approach to management is strongly recommended. Risk reduction strategies include correction of dyslipidemias, low-dose aspirin for primary prevention of myocardial infarction, maintenance of ideal weight, smoking cessation, exercise, use of oral contraceptives containing a low-androgenic progestin, and postmenopausal estrogen replacement. Combination oral contraceptives containing low-androgenic progestins are effective not only in reducing signs of androgen excess but also in potentially retarding the progression of long-term sequelae such as cardiovascular disease.

Prediction of muscle performance during dynamic repetitive movement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Byerly, D. L.; Byerly, K. A.; Sognier, M. A.; Squires, W. G.

2003-01-01

BACKGROUND: During long-duration spaceflight, astronauts experience progressive muscle atrophy and often perform strenuous extravehicular activities. Post-flight, there is a lengthy recovery period with an increased risk for injury. Currently, there is a critical need for an enabling tool to optimize muscle performance and to minimize the risk of injury to astronauts while on-orbit and during post-flight recovery. Consequently, these studies were performed to develop a method to address this need. METHODS: Eight test subjects performed a repetitive dynamic exercise to failure at 65% of their upper torso weight using a Lordex spinal machine. Surface electromyography (SEMG) data was collected from the erector spinae back muscle. The SEMG data was evaluated using a 5th order autoregressive (AR) model and linear regression analysis. RESULTS: The best predictor found was an AR parameter, the mean average magnitude of AR poles, with r = 0.75 and p = 0.03. This parameter can predict performance to failure as early as the second repetition of the exercise. CONCLUSION: A method for predicting human muscle performance early during dynamic repetitive exercise was developed. The capability to predict performance to failure has many potential applications to the space program including evaluating countermeasure effectiveness on-orbit, optimizing post-flight recovery, and potential future real-time monitoring capability during extravehicular activity.

Wearable slot antenna at 2.45 GHz for off-body radiation: Analysis of efficiency, frequency shift, and body absorption.

PubMed

Fernandez, Marta; Espinosa, Hugo G; Thiel, David V; Arrinda, Amaia

2018-01-01

The interaction of body-worn antennas with the human body causes a significant decrease in antenna efficiency and a shift in resonant frequency. A resonant slot in a small conductive box placed on the body has been shown to reduce these effects. The specific absorption rate is less than international health standards for most wearable antennas due to small transmitter power. This paper reports the linear relationship between power absorbed by biological tissues at different locations on the body and radiation efficiency based on numerical modeling (r = 0.99). While the -10 dB bandwidth of the antenna remained constant and equal to 12.5%, the maximum frequency shift occurred when the antenna was close to the elbow (6.61%) and on the thigh (5.86%). The smallest change was found on the torso (4.21%). Participants with body-mass index (BMI) between 17 and 29 kg/m 2 took part in experimental measurements, where the maximum frequency shift was 2.51%. Measurements showed better agreement with simulations on the upper arm. These experimental results demonstrate that the BMI for each individual had little effect on the performance of the antenna. Bioelectromagnetics. 39:25-34, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Identifying the patient in George W Lambert's Chesham Street

PubMed Central

Hammerschlag, Keren Rosa

2013-01-01

This paper takes as its focus one of the Edwardian period's most dramatic and little-understood paintings of a medical examination: George Washington Lambert's Chesham Street (1910). The painting shows an upper-class male patient lifting his shirt to reveal a muscular torso for examination by the doctor in the scene and the viewers outside it. The subject of a medical examination, I argue, legitimised the scrutiny of exposed male flesh and offered an opportunity for sensual pleasure between men. By way of a comparison with other portraits of the artist from around the same period, I interpret Chesham Street as a patient self-portrait, which reveals the artist's dual personalities of bohemian artist and Australian boxer: two personae that did not combine seamlessly, as revealed by the composite nature of the patient in Chesham Street. From a discussion of the artist as patient, I move to an analysis of other self-portraits by Lambert in which the artist is shown flexing his muscles, especially in the context of his passion for boxing. I consider how these portraits serve as complex inscriptions of illness and health and how this relates to the experience of living and working as an Australian expatriate artist in London in the early twentieth century. PMID:23349514

Connectivity patterns during music listening: Evidence for action-based processing in musicians.

PubMed

Alluri, Vinoo; Toiviainen, Petri; Burunat, Iballa; Kliuchko, Marina; Vuust, Peter; Brattico, Elvira

2017-06-01

Musical expertise is visible both in the morphology and functionality of the brain. Recent research indicates that functional integration between multi-sensory, somato-motor, default-mode (DMN), and salience (SN) networks of the brain differentiates musicians from non-musicians during resting state. Here, we aimed at determining whether brain networks differentially exchange information in musicians as opposed to non-musicians during naturalistic music listening. Whole-brain graph-theory analyses were performed on participants' fMRI responses. Group-level differences revealed that musicians' primary hubs comprised cerebral and cerebellar sensorimotor regions whereas non-musicians' dominant hubs encompassed DMN-related regions. Community structure analyses of the key hubs revealed greater integration of motor and somatosensory homunculi representing the upper limbs and torso in musicians. Furthermore, musicians who started training at an earlier age exhibited greater centrality in the auditory cortex, and areas related to top-down processes, attention, emotion, somatosensory processing, and non-verbal processing of speech. We here reveal how brain networks organize themselves in a naturalistic music listening situation wherein musicians automatically engage neural networks that are action-based while non-musicians use those that are perception-based to process an incoming auditory stream. Hum Brain Mapp 38:2955-2970, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Dyssynchronous breathing during arm but not leg exercise in patients with chronic airflow obstruction.

PubMed

Celli, B R; Rassulo, J; Make, B J

1986-06-05

Some patients with chronic airflow obstruction experience dyspnea with mild arm exercise but not with more-intense leg exercise. To investigate why these patients have limited endurance during arm exertion, we studied ventilatory responses to exercise with unsupported arms in 12 patients with chronic airflow obstruction (mean [+/- SD] forced expiratory volume in one second, 0.68 +/- 0.28 liters). Unloaded leg cycling was also studied for comparison. In the five patients who had the most severe airflow obstruction, arm exercise was limited by dyspnea after 3.3 +/- 0.7 minutes, and dyssynchronous thoracoabdominal breathing developed. In the other seven patients, arm exercise was limited by the sensation of muscle fatigue after 6.1 +/- 2.0 minutes (P less than 0.05), and dyssynchronous breathing did not occur. None of the 12 patients had dyssynchronous breathing during unloaded leg cycling. Maximal transdiaphragmatic pressure, a measure of diaphragmatic fatigue, declined similarly after arm and leg exercise in both groups. During unsupported arm work, the accessory muscles of inspiration help position the torso and arms. We hypothesize that the extra demand placed on these muscles during arm exertion leads to early fatigue, an increased load on the diaphragm, and dyssynchronous thoracoabdominal inspirations. This sequence may contribute to dyspnea and limited endurance during upper-extremity exercise.

Automobile carburetor- and radiator-related burns.

PubMed

Renz, B M; Sherman, R

1992-01-01

Seventy-nine persons who had sustained automobile engine carburetor- and radiator-related burns were admitted to Grady Memorial Hospital Burn Unit between June 1, 1984 and September 30, 1990. Forty patients with carburetor-priming flame burns had a mean age of 31.5 years, a mean burn size of 13.4% total body surface area, and a mean length of stay of 13.8 days. There were 37 male patients. Four patients had an inhalation injury. Twenty-two surgical procedures were performed on 13 patients. One patient was an innocent bystander, and one patient died. The clothing of 16 patients had ignited, which resulted in larger, deeper burns and in one death. Burns predominantly involved the right sides of the face, head, and torso; the right upper extremity; and the right hand. Thirty-nine patients had scald burns that were associated with uncapping a radiator. These patients had a mean age of 29.6 years, a mean burn size of 8.9% total body surface area, and a mean length of stay of 6.4 days. There were 36 male patients and three innocent bystanders. One autografting procedure was performed, and there were no deaths in this group of patients. The burn-prone person is the young adult male. The circumstances that result in such dangerous behavior are predictable, and resultant burn injuries are preventable.

Rehabilitation and multiple limb amputations: A clinical report of patients injured in combat.

PubMed

Melcer, Ted; Pyo, Jay; Walker, Jay; Quinn, Kimberly; Lebedda, Martin; Neises, Kamaran; Nguyen, Christina; Galarneau, Michael

2016-01-01

This clinical report describes the outpatient rehabilitation program for patients with multiple limb amputations enrolled in the Comprehensive Combat and Complex Casualty Care facility at the Naval Medical Center San Diego. Injury-specific data for 29 of these patients wounded by blast weaponry in Afghanistan in 2010 or 2011 were captured by the Expeditionary Medical Encounter Database at the Naval Health Research Center and were reviewed for this report. Their median Injury Severity Score was 27 (N = 29; range, 11-54). Patients averaged seven moderate to serious injuries (Abbreviated Injury Scale scores ≥2), including multiple injuries to lower limbs and injuries to the torso and/or upper limbs. All patients received care from numerous clinics, particularly physical therapy during the first 6 mo postinjury. Clinic use generally declined after the first 6 mo with the exception of prosthetic devices and repairs. The clinical team implemented the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory, 4th Revision (MPAI-4) to assess functioning at outpatient program initiation and discharge (n = 23). At program discharge, most patients had improved scores for the MPAI-4 items assessing mobility, pain, and transportation, but not employment. Case reports described rehabilitation for two patients with triple amputations and illustrated multispecialty care and contrasting solutions for limb prostheses.

Analysis of Head Response to Torso Acceleration. Vol. I - Development of Performance Requirements.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1987-11-01

Performance requirements are developed which define the kinematic and kinetic response of the head for a seated subject exposed to frontal, lateral or oblique impact. Response is expressed in terms of variables which are readily measured in an anthro...

Borner Ball Neutron Detector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

The Bonner Ball Neutron Detector measures neutron radiation. Neutrons are uncharged atomic particles that have the ability to penetrate living tissues, harming human beings in space. The Bonner Ball Neutron Detector is one of three radiation experiments during Expedition Two. The others are the Phantom Torso and Dosimetric Mapping.

The lower trapezius island myocutaneous flap in tunnelled technique to cover complicated tissue defects located between the craniocervical and cervicothoracic junction following spinal surgery.

PubMed

Raguse, Jan D; Czabanka, Marcus; Voss, Jan Oliver; Hartwig, Stefan; Vajkoczy, Peter; Voss, Pit; Doll, Christian

2016-08-01

Stable coverage of complicated defects located between the craniocervical and cervicothoracic junction following wound healing disturbance after spinal surgery can be challenging. Especially in cases where devices are exposed, well-vascularized coverage is required to achieve stable wound conditions. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical outcome of the lower trapezius island myocutaneous flap (LTIMF) as a possible treatment option. Four patients with a mean age of 68.8 years (ranging from 50 to 93 years) with wound healing disturbance following spinal surgery leading to defects of the dorsal neck/upper back refractory to conservative treatment and surgical debridement were included. All defects were reconstructed with a LTIMF based on the transverse cervical artery. Mean follow-up was 16.5 months (ranging from 5 to 30 months). No major flap failure occurred; minor complications in three patients including lateral superficial skin necrosis were easily handled. In all patients, excellent functional and aesthetic results were achieved. The lower trapezius island myocutaneous flap represents a reliable treatment option to cover complicated defects located between the craniocervical and cervicothoracic junction following wound disturbance after spinal surgery. Copyright © 2016 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Wearing an abdominal belt increases diastolic blood pressure.

PubMed

Rafacz, W; McGill, S M

1996-09-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of wearing an abdominal belt on blood pressure (systolic and diastolic) and heart rate during a variety of tasks. The belt was typical of the elastic type with suspenders and Velcro tabs for cinching the belt snug. The tasks performed included sitting at rest, sitting with the torso inclined forward at 45 degrees, standing with the torso inclined forward at 45 degrees (with and without holding an 11-kg weight), a trunk axial rotation task, and squat lifting. Blood pressure was monitored noninvasively with a FINAPRES blood pressure monitor. Twenty healthy men performed each task with and without the abdominal belt. Although no significant increases in mean systolic blood pressure or heart rate were found, there was a significant increase in diastolic blood pressure in all conditions. All people considering wearing an abdominal belt should also consider the risks and liability associated with the additional cardiovascular load, particularly heart attack and stroke.

Shoulder and hip joint for hard space suits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vykukal, H. C.

1986-01-01

Shoulder and hip joints for hard space suits are disclosed which are comprised of three serially connected truncated spherical sections, the ends of which converge. Ball bearings between the sections permit relative rotation. The proximal end of the first section is connected to the torso covering by a ball bearing and the distal end of the outermost section is connected to the elbow or thigh covering by a ball bearing. The sections are equi-angular and this alleviates lockup, the condition where the distal end of the joint leaves the plane in which the user is attempting to flex. The axes of rotation of the bearings and the bearing mid planes are arranged to intersect in a particular manner that provides the joint with a minimum envelope. In one embodiment, the races of the bearing between the innermost section and the second section is partially within the inner race of the bearing between the torso and the innermost spherical section further to reduce bulk.

High Performance Mars Liquid Cooling and Ventilation Garment Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Terrier, Douglas; Clayton, Ronald; Whitlock, David; Conger, Bruce

2015-01-01

EVA space suit mobility in micro-gravity is enough of a challenge and in the gravity of Mars, improvements in mobility will enable the suited crew member to efficiently complete EVA objectives. The idea proposed is to improve thermal efficiencies of the liquid cooling and ventilation garment (LCVG) in the torso area in order to free up the arms and legs by removing the liquid tubes currently used in the ISS EVA suit in the limbs. By using shaped water tubes that greatly increase the contact area with the skin in the torso region of the body, the heat transfer efficiency can be increased to provide the entire liquid cooling requirement and increase mobility by freeing up the arms and legs. Additional potential benefits of this approach include reduced LCVG mass, enhanced evaporation cooling, increased comfort during Mars EVA tasks, and easing of the overly dry condition in the helmet associated with the Advanced Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) ventilation loop currently under development.

Halo vest instrumentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huston, Dryver R.; Krag, Martin

1996-05-01

The halo vest is a head and neck immobilization system that is often used on patients that are recovering from cervical trauma or surgery. The halo vest system consists of a rigid halo that is firmly attached to the skull, an upright support structure for stabilization and immobilization, and a torso-enveloping vest. The main purpose of this study was to measure the forces that are carried by the halo-vest structure as the subject undergoes various activities of daily living and external loading for different vest designs. A tethered strain gage load cell based instrumentation system was used to take these load measurements on ten different subjects. Three different halo-vest systems were evaluated. The primary difference between the vests was the amount of torso coverage and the use of shoulder straps. The loads were measured, analyzed and used to compare the vests and to create a model of halo-vest-neck mechanics. Future applications of this technology to standalone data logging, pin-load measuring and biofeedback applications are discussed.

A multiantioxidant supplementation reduces damage from ischaemia reperfusion in patients after lower torso ischaemia. A randomised trial.

PubMed

Wijnen, M H W A; Roumen, R M H; Vader, H L; Goris, R J A

2002-06-01

open repair of intra-abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is associated with lower torso ischaemia and reperfusion. to examine the effect of antioxidants on the activation and sequestration of white blood cells and muscle injury during AAA repair. forty-two patients undergoing elective infrarenal aneurysm repair, were randomised to either standard therapy (22 patients) or standard therapy with additional multiantioxidant supplementation (20 patients). Vitamin E and C, Allopurinol, N-acetylcysteine and mannitol was administered perioperatively. White blood cell count (WBC), serum creatine kinase, aspartateaminotransferase, lactate and lipofuscine were measured. WBC remained higher after reperfusion in the antioxidant group (p = 0.008). CK, ASAT and lipofuscine levels were significantly lower after reperfusion in the antioxidant group (p = 0.02, p = 0.018, p = 0.017). multi-antioxidant supplementation was associated with a reduction in serum CK and ASAT after AAA repair. This is likely due to a reduction in oxidative stress and a decreased leucocyte sequestration and activation. Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Thoracic Duct Chylous Fistula Following Severe Electric Injury Combined with Sulfuric Acid Burns: A Case Report.

PubMed

Chang, Fei; Cheng, Dasheng; Qian, Mingyuan; Lu, Wei; Li, Huatao; Tang, Hongtai; Xia, Zhaofan

2016-10-11

BACKGROUND As patients with thoracic duct injuries often suffer from severe local soft tissue defects, integrated surgical treatment is needed to achieve damage repair and wound closure. However, thoracic duct chylous fistula is rare in burn patients, although it typically involves severe soft tissue damage in the neck or chest. CASE REPORT A 32-year-old male patient fell after accidentally contacting an electric current (380 V) and knocked over a barrel of sulfuric acid. The sulfuric acid continuously poured onto his left neck and chest, causing combined electrical and sulfuric acid burn injuries to his anterior and posterior torso, and various parts of his limbs (25% of his total body surface area). During treatment, chylous fistula developed in the left clavicular region, which we diagnosed as thoracic duct chylous fistula. We used diet control, intravenous nutritional support, and continuous somatostatin to reduce the chylous fistula output, and hydrophilic silver ion-containing dressings for wound coverage. A boneless muscle flap was used to seal the left clavicular cavity, and, integrated, these led to resolution of the chylous fistula. CONCLUSIONS Patients with severe electric or chemical burns in the neck or chest may be complicated with thoracic duct injuries. Although conservative treatment can control chylous fistula, wound cavity filling using a muscle flap is an effective approach for wound healing.

A Silvicultural Evaluation of Four Methods of Marking Second-growth Northern Hardwood Stands

Treesearch

Rodney D. Jacobs

1966-01-01

Second-growth northern hardwood stands occupy an important segment of the commercial forest land of Upper Michigan and northern Wisconsin. The size- and age-class distributions and species composition of these stands vary considerably, but under all conditions most of the trees are highly defective or poorly formed or of an undesirable species. Forest managers...

Cobalt related defect levels in silicon analyzed by temperature- and injection-dependent lifetime spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diez, S.; Rein, S.; Roth, T.; Glunz, S. W.

2007-02-01

Temperature- and injection-dependent lifetime spectroscopy (TIDLS) as a method to characterize point defects in silicon with several energy levels is demonstrated. An intentionally cobalt-contaminated p-type wafer was investigated by means of lifetime measurements performed at different temperatures up to 151°C. Two defect energy levels were required to model the lifetime curves on basis of the Shockley-Read-Hall statistics. The detailed analysis is based on the determination of the recently introduced defect parameter solution surface (DPSS) in order to extract the underlying defect parameters. A unique solution has been found for a deep defect level located in the upper band gap half with an energy depth of EC-Et=0.38±0.01eV, with a corresponding ratio of capture cross sections k =σn/σp=0.16 within the interval of uncertainty of 0.06-0.69. Additionally, a deep donor level in the lower band gap half known from the literature could be assigned to a second energy level within the DPSS analysis at Et-EV=0.41±0.02eV with a corresponding ratio of capture cross sections k =σn/σp=16±3. An investigation of the temperature dependence of the capture cross section for electrons suggests that the underlying recombination process of the defect in the lower band gap half is driven by a two stage cascade capture with an activation energy of ΔE =52±2meV. These results show that TIDLS in combination with DPSS analysis is a powerful method to characterize even multiple defect levels that are affecting carrier recombination lifetime in parallel.

Numerical study on response time of a parallel plate capacitive polyimide humidity sensor based on microhole upper electrode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Wenhe; He, Xuan; Wu, Jianyun; Wang, Liangbi; Wang, Liangcheng

2017-07-01

The parallel plate capacitive humidity sensor based on the grid upper electrode is considered to be a promising one in some fields which require a humidity sensor with better dynamic characteristics. To strengthen the structure and balance the electric charge of the grid upper electrode, a strip is needed. However, it is the strip that keeps the dynamic characteristics of the sensor from being further improved. The numerical method is time- and cost-saving, but the numerical study on the response time of the sensor is just of bits and pieces. The numerical models presented by these studies did not consider the porosity effect of the polymer film on the dynamic characteristics. To overcome the defect of the grid upper electrode, a new structure of the upper electrode is provided by this paper first, and then a model considering the porosity effects of the polymer film on the dynamic characteristics is presented and validated. Finally, with the help of software FLUENT, parameter effects on the response time of the humidity sensor based on the microhole upper electrode are studied by the numerical method. The numerical results show that the response time of the microhole upper electrode sensor is 86% better than that of the grid upper electrode sensor, the response time of humidity sensor can be improved by reducing the hole spacing, increasing the aperture, reducing film thickness, and reasonably enlarging the porosity of the film.

Left hepatic lobe herniation through an incisional anterior abdominal wall hernia and right adrenal myelolipoma: a case report and review of the literature.

PubMed

Nuño-Guzmán, Carlos M; Arróniz-Jáuregui, José; Espejo, Ismael; Valle-González, Jesús; Butus, Hernán; Molina-Romo, Alejandro; Orranti-Ortega, Rodrigo I

2012-01-10

Herniation of the liver through an anterior abdominal wall hernia defect is rare. To the best of our knowledge, only three cases have been described in the literature. A 70-year-old Mexican woman presented with a one-week history of right upper quadrant abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and jaundice to our Department of General Surgery. Her medical history included an open cholecystectomy from 20 years earlier and excessive weight. She presented with jaundice, abdominal distension with a midline surgical scar, right upper quadrant tenderness, and a large midline abdominal wall defect with dullness upon percussion and protrusion of a large, tender, and firm mass. The results of laboratory tests were suggestive of cholestasis. Ultrasound revealed choledocholithiasis. A computed tomography scan showed a protrusion of the left hepatic lobe through the anterior abdominal wall defect and a well-defined, soft tissue density lesion in the right adrenal topography. An endoscopic common bile duct stone extraction was unsuccessful. During surgery, the right adrenal tumor was resected first. The hernia was approached through a median supraumbilical incision; the totality of the left lobe was protruding through the abdominal wall defect, and once the lobe was reduced to its normal position, a common bile duct surgical exploration with multiple stone extraction was performed. Finally, the abdominal wall was reconstructed. Histopathology revealed an adrenal myelolipoma. Six months after the operation, our patient remains in good health. The case of liver herniation through an incisional anterior abdominal wall hernia in this report represents, to the best of our knowledge, the fourth such case reported in the literature. The rarity of this medical entity makes it almost impossible to specifically describe predisposing risk factors for liver herniation. Obesity, the right adrenal myelolipoma mass effect, and the previous abdominal surgery are likely to have contributed to incisional hernia formation.

Xenon-Enhanced Dual-Energy CT Imaging in Combined Pulmonary Fibrosis and Emphysema

PubMed Central

Kobayashi, Masahiro; Nakamura, Yasuhiko; Gocho, Kyoko; Ishida, Fumiaki; Isobe, Kazutoshi; Shiraga, Nobuyuki; Homma, Sakae

2017-01-01

Background Little has been reported on the feasibility of xenon-enhanced dual-energy computed tomography (Xe-DECT) in the visual and quantitative analysis of combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE). Objectives We compared CPFE with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as well as correlation with parameters of pulmonary function tests (PFTs). Methods Studied in 3 groups were 25 patients with CPFE, 25 with IPF without emphysema (IPF alone), 30 with COPD. Xe-DECT of the patients’ entire thorax was taken from apex to base after a patient’s single deep inspiration of 35% stable nonradioactive xenon. The differences in several parameters of PFTs and percentage of areas enhanced by xenon between 3 groups were compared and analyzed retrospectively. Results The percentage of areas enhanced by xenon in both lungs were calculated as CPFE/IPF alone/COPD = 72.2 ± 15.1% / 82.2 ± 14.7% /45.2 ± 23.2%, respectively. In the entire patients, the percentage of areas enhanced by xenon showed significantly a positive correlation with FEV1/FVC (R = 0.558, P < 0.0001) and %FEV1, (R = 0.528, P < 0.0001) and a negative correlation with %RV (R = -0.594, P < 0.0001) and RV/TLC (R = -0.579, P < 0.0001). The percentage of areas enhanced by xenon in patients with CPFE showed significantly a negative correlation with RV/TLC (R = -0.529, P = 0.007). Xenon enhancement of CPFE indicated 3 different patterns such as upper predominant, diffuse, and multifocal defect. The percentage of areas enhanced by xenon in upper predominant defect pattern was significantly higher than that in diffuse defect and multifocal defect pattern among these 3 different patterns in CPFE. Conclusion The percentage of areas enhanced by xenon demonstrated strong correlations with obstructive ventilation impairment. Therefore, we conclude that Xe-DECT may be useful for distinguishing emphysema lesion from fibrotic lesion in CPFE. PMID:28107411

Xenon-Enhanced Dual-Energy CT Imaging in Combined Pulmonary Fibrosis and Emphysema.

PubMed

Sugino, Keishi; Kobayashi, Masahiro; Nakamura, Yasuhiko; Gocho, Kyoko; Ishida, Fumiaki; Isobe, Kazutoshi; Shiraga, Nobuyuki; Homma, Sakae

2017-01-01

Little has been reported on the feasibility of xenon-enhanced dual-energy computed tomography (Xe-DECT) in the visual and quantitative analysis of combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE). We compared CPFE with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as well as correlation with parameters of pulmonary function tests (PFTs). Studied in 3 groups were 25 patients with CPFE, 25 with IPF without emphysema (IPF alone), 30 with COPD. Xe-DECT of the patients' entire thorax was taken from apex to base after a patient's single deep inspiration of 35% stable nonradioactive xenon. The differences in several parameters of PFTs and percentage of areas enhanced by xenon between 3 groups were compared and analyzed retrospectively. The percentage of areas enhanced by xenon in both lungs were calculated as CPFE/IPF alone/COPD = 72.2 ± 15.1% / 82.2 ± 14.7% /45.2 ± 23.2%, respectively. In the entire patients, the percentage of areas enhanced by xenon showed significantly a positive correlation with FEV1/FVC (R = 0.558, P < 0.0001) and %FEV1, (R = 0.528, P < 0.0001) and a negative correlation with %RV (R = -0.594, P < 0.0001) and RV/TLC (R = -0.579, P < 0.0001). The percentage of areas enhanced by xenon in patients with CPFE showed significantly a negative correlation with RV/TLC (R = -0.529, P = 0.007). Xenon enhancement of CPFE indicated 3 different patterns such as upper predominant, diffuse, and multifocal defect. The percentage of areas enhanced by xenon in upper predominant defect pattern was significantly higher than that in diffuse defect and multifocal defect pattern among these 3 different patterns in CPFE. The percentage of areas enhanced by xenon demonstrated strong correlations with obstructive ventilation impairment. Therefore, we conclude that Xe-DECT may be useful for distinguishing emphysema lesion from fibrotic lesion in CPFE.

Windsurfing Injuries: Added Awareness for Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenbaum, Daryl A.; Dietz, Thomas E.

2002-01-01

With proper training and safety precautions, windsurfing is relatively safe, but its unique equipment and unpredictable environmental conditions can produce serious injuries. Clinicians may see fall-related ankle injuries, tarsometatarsal injuries, or anterior shoulder dislocations; chronic low-back pain from torso stress; skin lacerations; and…

Camouflage, Color Schemes, and Cubism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guhin, Paula

2002-01-01

Presents an art activity where students learn about Cubism and color mixing. Explains that the students create camouflaged animals after learning about the work, "Female Torso" (Pablo Picasso). Includes directions for how to create the pictures and states that the assignment can be used with students of all ages. (CMK)

Comparing Blast Effects on Human Torso Finite Element Model against Existing Lethality Curves

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-07-15

vertebrae, intervertebral discs, ribs, cartilage, sternum, scapula, and clavicle . The internal organs include the heart and aorta, lungs and trachea...Thoracic Vertebrae  Intervertebral Disc  Scapula  Clavicle Heritage Style Viewgraphs6 HTFEM Development Internal Organs Ten-noded tetrahedral

Shark island pedicle flap for repair of combined nasal ala-perialar defects.

PubMed

Cvancara, Joseph L; Wentzell, J Michael

2006-05-01

The combined nasal ala-perialar defect involving the concave intersection of the lateral nasal ala, nasal sidewall, cheek, and upper cutaneous lip is a problem for reconstructive surgery. During repair of combined cheek and nose defects, it is important not to blunt the alar facial sulcus. Defects involving these adjacent cosmetic units can be repaired by using combination procedures such as a flap/graft. Our purpose is to introduce, describe, and illustrate a one-stage flap repair descriptively named the "shark" island pedicle flap (SIPF). The SIPF was developed for a specific combined nasal ala-perialar defect. This reconstruction restores the natural contours, preserves cosmetic boundaries, and eliminates the need for pexing sutures and graft/flap combinations. The SIPF is an island pedicle flap with a superior arm that rotates 90 degrees into the wound. This arm repairs the alar portion of the defect. The advancing island pedicle flap repairs the alar facial sulcus. The 90 degrees rotation of the superior arm forces the alar portion of the flap to tilt 90 degrees relative to the remaining body of the flap, forming an inverted cone of redundancy. Natural re-creation of the lateral ala and the alar facial sulcus results. Illustrative examples with a descriptive technique are provided for the SIPF. A well-planned SIPF reconstruction can provide exceptional cosmetic and functional results. Cutaneous reconstructive surgeons will find the SIPF useful and reproducible in their armamentarium for single-stage aesthetic and functional repair of a specific combined lateral ala-adjacent perialar tissue defect.

Apparatus and method for the horizontal, crucible-free growth of silicon sheet crystals

DOEpatents

Ciszek, Theodore F.

1987-01-01

Apparatus for continuously forming a silicon crystal sheet from a silicon rod in a noncrucible environment. The rod is rotated and fed toward an RF coil in an inert atmosphere so that the upper end of the rod becomes molten and the silicon sheet crystal is pulled therefrom substantially horizontally in a continuous strip. A shorting ring may be provided around the rod to limit the heating to the upper end only. Argon gas can be used to create the inert atmosphere within a suitable closed chamber. By use of this apparatus and method, a substantially defect-free silicon crystal sheet is formed that can be used for microcircuitry chips or solar cells.

Three-layer reconstruction for large defects of the anterior skull base.

PubMed

Sinha, Uttam K; Johnson, Terence E; Crockett, Dennis; Vadapalli, Satish; Gruen, Peter

2002-03-01

To evaluate and discuss a three-layer rigid reconstruction technique for large anterior skull base defects. Prospective, nonrandomized, non-blinded. Tertiary teaching medical center. Twenty consecutive patients underwent craniofacial resection for a variety of pathology. All patients had large anterior cranial base defects involving the cribriform plate, fovea ethmoidalis, and medial portion of the roof of the orbit at least on one side. A few patients had more extensive defects involving both roof of the orbits, planum sphenoidale, and bones of the upper third of the face. The defects were reconstructed with a three-layer technique. A watertight seal was obtained with a pericranial flap separating the neurocranium from the viscerocranium. Rigid support was provided by bone grafts fixed to a titanium mesh, anchored laterally to the orbital roofs. All patients had a computed tomography scan of the skull on the first or second postoperative day. Patients were observed for immediate and long-term postoperative complications after such reconstruction. Postoperative computed tomography scans showed small pneumocephalus in all patients. It resolved spontaneously and did not produce neurologic deficits in any patient. There was no cerebrospinal fluid leak, hematoma, or infection. On long-term follow-up, exposures of bone graft or mesh, brain herniation, or transmission of brain pulsation to the eyes were not observed in any patient. Three-layer reconstruction using bone grafts, titanium mesh, and pericranial flap provides an alternative technique for repair of large anterior cranial base defects. It is safe and effective, and provides rigid protection to the brain.

Logarithmic spiral flap for circular or oval defects on the lateral surface of the nose and nasal ala: a series of 15 cases.

PubMed

Moreno-Artero, E; Redondo, P

2015-10-01

A large number of flaps, particularly rotation and transposition flaps, have been described for the closure of skin defects left by oncologic surgery of the nose. The logarithmic spiral flap is a variant of the rotation flap. We present a series of 15 patients with different types of skin tumor on the nose. The skin defect resulting from excision of the tumor by micrographic surgery was reconstructed using various forms of the logarithmic spiral flap. There are 3 essential aspects to flap design: commencement of the pedicle at the upper or lower border of the wound, a width of the distal end of the flap equal to the vertical diameter of the defect, and a progressive increase in the radius of the spiral from the distal end of the flap to its base. The cosmetic and functional results of surgical reconstruction were satisfactory, and no patient required additional treatment to improve scar appearance. The logarithmic spiral flap is useful for the closure of circular or oval defects situated on the lateral surface of the nose and nasal ala. The flap initiates at one of the borders of the wound as a pedicle with a radius that increases progressively to create a spiral. We propose the logarithmic spiral flap as an excellent option for the closure of circular or oval defects of the nose. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and AEDV. All rights reserved.

Autogenous Bone Reconstruction of Large Secondary Skull Defects.

PubMed

Fearon, Jeffrey A; Griner, Devan; Ditthakasem, Kanlaya; Herbert, Morley

2017-02-01

The authors sought to ascertain the upper limits of secondary skull defect size amenable to autogenous reconstructions and to examine outcomes of a surgical series. Published data for autogenous and alloplastic skull reconstructions were also examined to explore associations that might guide treatment. A retrospective review of autogenously reconstructed secondary skull defects was undertaken. A structured literature review was also performed to assess potential differences in reported outcomes between autogenous bone and synthetic alloplastic skull reconstructions. Weighted risks were calculated for statistical testing. Ninety-six patients underwent autogenous skull reconstruction for an average defect size of 93 cm (range, 4 to 506 cm) at a mean age of 12.9 years. The mean operative time was 3.4 hours, 2 percent required allogeneic blood transfusions, and the average length of stay was less than 3 days. The mean length of follow-up was 28 months. There were no postoperative infections requiring surgery, but one patient underwent secondary grafting for partial bone resorption. An analysis of 34 studies revealed that complications, infections, and reoperations were more commonly reported with alloplastic than with autogenous reconstructions (relative risk, 1.57, 4.8, and 1.48, respectively). Autogenous reconstructions are feasible, with minimal associated morbidity, for patients with skull defect sizes as large as 500 cm. A structured literature review suggests that autogenous bone reconstructions are associated with lower reported infection, complication, and reoperation rates compared with synthetic alloplasts. Based on these findings, surgeons might consider using autogenous reconstructions even for larger skull defects. Therapeutic, IV.

29 CFR 1915.152 - General requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...) for the eyes, face, head, extremities, torso, and respiratory system, including protective clothing... section, to use PPE (exception: training in the use of personal fall arrest systems and positioning device systems training is covered in §§ 1915.159 and 1915.160). Each employee shall be trained to understand at...

29 CFR 1915.152 - General requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

...) for the eyes, face, head, extremities, torso, and respiratory system, including protective clothing... section, to use PPE (exception: training in the use of personal fall arrest systems and positioning device systems training is covered in §§ 1915.159 and 1915.160). Each employee shall be trained to understand at...

29 CFR 1915.152 - General requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...) for the eyes, face, head, extremities, torso, and respiratory system, including protective clothing... section, to use PPE (exception: training in the use of personal fall arrest systems and positioning device systems training is covered in §§ 1915.159 and 1915.160). Each employee shall be trained to understand at...

Analysis of Head Response to Torso Acceleration. Vol. II - Description of Data Retrieval, Analysis and Display Software.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1987-11-01

Performance requirements are developed which define the kinematic and kinetic response of the head for a seated subject exposed to frontal, lateral or oblique impact. Response is expressed in terms of variables which are readily measured in an anthro...

Deriving the 12-Lead Electrocardiogram From Four Standard Leads Based on the Frank Torso Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-10-25

System The University of Aizu, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan Abstract – This paper proposes a lead method and a processing means for monitoring the 12...Performing Organization Name(s) and Address(es) The University of Aizu Graduate School of Information System Fukushima Prefecture, Japan Performing

Matroshka-R Phantom experiment

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-12-01

ISS014-E-09091 (December 2006) --- The European Matroshka-R Phantom experiment was photographed by an Expedition 14 crewmember in the Zvezda Service Module of the International Space Station. Matroshka, the name for the traditional Russian set of nestling dolls, is an antroph-amorphous model of a human torso designed for radiation studies.

49 CFR 572.199 - Pelvis iliac.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Pelvis iliac. 572.199 Section 572.199... Test Dummy, Small Adult Female § 572.199 Pelvis iliac. (a) The iliac is part of the lower torso... the assembled dummy (drawing 180-0000). The dummy is equipped with a laterally oriented pelvis...

49 CFR 572.199 - Pelvis iliac.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Pelvis iliac. 572.199 Section 572.199... Dummy, Small Adult Female § 572.199 Pelvis iliac. (a) The iliac is part of the lower torso assembly... assembled dummy (drawing 180-0000). The dummy is equipped with a laterally oriented pelvis accelerometer as...

49 CFR 572.199 - Pelvis iliac.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Pelvis iliac. 572.199 Section 572.199... Test Dummy, Small Adult Female § 572.199 Pelvis iliac. (a) The iliac is part of the lower torso... the assembled dummy (drawing 180-0000). The dummy is equipped with a laterally oriented pelvis...

49 CFR 572.199 - Pelvis iliac.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Pelvis iliac. 572.199 Section 572.199... Dummy, Small Adult Female § 572.199 Pelvis iliac. (a) The iliac is part of the lower torso assembly... assembled dummy (drawing 180-0000). The dummy is equipped with a laterally oriented pelvis accelerometer as...

49 CFR 572.199 - Pelvis iliac.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Pelvis iliac. 572.199 Section 572.199... Dummy, Small Adult Female § 572.199 Pelvis iliac. (a) The iliac is part of the lower torso assembly... assembled dummy (drawing 180-0000). The dummy is equipped with a laterally oriented pelvis accelerometer as...

En-Route Care Capability from Point of Injury Impacts Mortality after Severe Wartime Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-02-01

tranexamic acid .5,6 The greatest proportion of com- bat deaths, however, continue to occur in the prehospital setting, with noncompressible torso...Morrison JJ, DuBose JJ, Rasmussen TE, et al. Military Application of Tranex- amic acid in Trauma Emergency Resuscitation (MATTERs) Study. Arch Surg

Numerical simulation of the casting process of titanium removable partial denture frameworks.

PubMed

Wu, Menghuai; Wagner, Ingo; Sahm, Peter R; Augthun, Michael

2002-03-01

The objective of this work was to study the filling incompleteness and porosity defects in titanium removal partial denture frameworks by means of numerical simulation. Two frameworks, one for lower jaw and one for upper jaw, were chosen according to dentists' recommendation to be simulated. Geometry of the frameworks were laser-digitized and converted into a simulation software (MAGMASOFT). Both mold filling and solidification of the castings with different sprue designs (e.g. tree, ball, and runner-bar) were numerically calculated. The shrinkage porosity was quantitatively predicted by a feeding criterion, the potential filling defect and gas pore sensitivity were estimated based on the filling and solidification results. A satisfactory sprue design with process parameters was finally recommended for real casting trials (four replica for each frameworks). All the frameworks were successfully cast. Through X-ray radiographic inspections it was found that all the castings were acceptably sound except for only one case in which gas bubbles were detected in the grasp region of the frame. It is concluded that numerical simulation aids to achieve understanding of the casting process and defect formation in titanium frameworks, hence to minimize the risk of producing defect casting by improving the sprue design and process parameters.

Huge critical current density and tailored superconducting anisotropy in SmFeAsO₀.₈F₀.₁₅ by low-density columnar-defect incorporation.

PubMed

Fang, L; Jia, Y; Mishra, V; Chaparro, C; Vlasko-Vlasov, V K; Koshelev, A E; Welp, U; Crabtree, G W; Zhu, S; Zhigadlo, N D; Katrych, S; Karpinski, J; Kwok, W K

2013-01-01

Iron-based superconductors could be useful for electricity distribution and superconducting magnet applications because of their relatively high critical current densities and upper critical fields. SmFeAsO₀.₈F₀.₁₅ is of particular interest as it has the highest transition temperature among these materials. Here we show that by introducing a low density of correlated nano-scale defects into this material by heavy-ion irradiation, we can increase its critical current density to up to 2 × 10⁷ A cm⁻² at 5 K--the highest ever reported for an iron-based superconductor--without reducing its critical temperature of 50 K. We also observe a notable reduction in the thermodynamic superconducting anisotropy, from 8 to 4 upon irradiation. We develop a model based on anisotropic electron scattering that predicts that the superconducting anisotropy can be tailored via correlated defects in semimetallic, fully gapped type II superconductors.

Universal dispersion model for characterization of optical thin films over wide spectral range: Application to magnesium fluoride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franta, Daniel; Nečas, David; Giglia, Angelo; Franta, Pavel; Ohlídal, Ivan

2017-11-01

Optical characterization of magnesium fluoride thin films is performed in a wide spectral range from far infrared to extreme ultraviolet (0.01-45 eV) utilizing the universal dispersion model. Two film defects, i.e. random roughness of the upper boundaries and defect transition layer at lower boundary are taken into account. An extension of universal dispersion model consisting in expressing the excitonic contributions as linear combinations of Gaussian and truncated Lorentzian terms is introduced. The spectral dependencies of the optical constants are presented in a graphical form and by the complete set of dispersion parameters that allows generating tabulated optical constants with required range and step using a simple utility in the newAD2 software package.

The excited J = 01 Σu+ levels of D2: Measurements and ab initio quantum defect study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glass-Maujean, M.; Jungen, Ch.; Dickenson, G. D.; de Oliveira, N.; Ubachs, W.

2016-02-01

The DESIRS beamline of the SOLEIL synchrotron facility, equipped with a vacuum ultraviolet Fourier-transform spectrometer has been used to measure P (N″ = 1) (N -N″ = - 1) absorption transitions of the D2 molecule. Some 44 P-lines were assigned and their transition frequencies determined up to excitation energies of 134,000 cm-1 above the ground state, thereby extending the earlier work by various authors, and considerably improving the spectral accuracy (<0.1 cm-1). The assignments have been aided by first principles multichannel quantum defect theory (MQDT) calculations. These calculations also provide predictions of the autoionization widths of the upper levels which agree well with the observed resonance widths.

[Transverse vaginal septum in the upper part of the vagina and pregnancy].

PubMed

Bautista Gómez, Esperanza; Morales-García, Victor; Flores-Romero, Ana Luisa; Pizarro Osorno, Noel; Velásquez-Valdivia, Abner

2012-07-01

Transverse vaginal septum is a congenital Mullerian malformation resulting from a failure of the fusion or canalization of the urogenital sinus and the Müllerian ducts. It may cause hematocolpos, dyspareunia and infertility in adult patients. In some cases, it is associated with congenital malformations such as coarctation of the aorta or atrial septal defects. A case of a transverse vaginal septum identified during a vaginal check-up of a 39-week pregnant patient during labour is reported. A cesarean surgery was performed with no complications. Septal defect was diagnosed due to heart murmur. It was decided to treat the transverse vaginal septum as soon as the puerperium was over. The patient left the hospital after proper response to treatment.

Design of modified pentagonal patch antenna on defective ground for Wi-Max/WLAN application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rawat, Sanyog; Sharma, K. K.

2016-04-01

This paper presents the design and performance of a modified pentagonal patch antenna with defective ground plane. A pentagonal slot is inserted in the pentagonal patch and slot loaded ground through optimized dimensions is used in the antenna to resonate it at dual frequency. The geometry operates at two resonant frequencies (2.5 GHz and 5.58 GHz) and offers impedance bandwidth of 864 MHz and 554 MHz in the two bands of interest. The proposed antenna covers the lower band (2.45 to 2.484/2.495 to 2.695 GHz) and upper band (5.15 to 5.825 GHz/5.25 to 5.85 GHz) allocated for Wi-Max and WLAN communication systems.

Use of Social Media and an Online Survey to Discuss Complex Reconstructive Surgery: A Case of Upper Lip Reconstruction with 402 Responses from International Microsurgeons.

PubMed

Kwon, Soo-Ha; Lee, Che-Hsiung; Hsu, Angela Ting-Wei; Shafarenko, Mark; Omar, Usama Farghaly; Tzou, Chieh-Han John; Roka-Palkovits, Julia; Beltrán P, Aldo G; Liakos, Dimitri; Chang, Tommy Nai-Jen

2018-02-02

The best reconstructive strategy for upper lip defects is still in debate. The purpose of this study was to analyze the decisions made by international microsurgeons, who were participated through online questionnaire, distributed by email and social media network. A case of a two-thirds upper lip oncologic defect was presented via an online questionnaire and 402 microsurgeons replied their treatment options. The data were then analyzed according to the geographic area, microsurgical fellowship, seniority, and subspecialty. All the data were analyzed using SPSS 22. A total of 27.7% of microsurgeons chose a free flap, while 72.3% chose a local/pedicle flap as their preferred method for reconstruction. The most common choice of free and local/pedicle flaps was radial forearm (73.6%) and Abbé (36.2%), respectively. The microsurgeons in Europe preferred local/pedicle flaps than free flap when compared with Middle/South America, Asia-Pacific, Africa and South Asia/Middle East (11.6% versus 50%, 43.4%, 29.3% and 27.3%, respectively, multivariant p  < 0.05). The microsurgeons with microsurgical fellowships preferred to use free flaps (32.9% versus 17.5%, multivariant p  = 0.021). There was no difference for the seniority and specialty of the microsurgeons. The online questionnaire is valuable and feasible for obtaining experts' opinions. This study provides a current global overview of surgical preferences for this common complicated clinical scenario. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.