1,720,969 research outputs found
Comparison of curvilinear and linear ultrasound imaging probes for measuring cross-sectional area and linear dimensions
No full textThe aim of the study was to determine whether different ultrasound probe/transducer configurations produce the same measurements. Two investigators undertook 10 scans of a general purpose semi-solid multi-tissue ultrasound phantom (phantom A) using two ultrasound scanners with a linear and curvilinear probe. From those 10 scans, two measurements of cross-sectional area (CSA), width and thickness were made. These measurements were then repeated with an open-top fluid-filled phantom, with 10% ethanol solution (phantom B). Intra- and inter-rater reliability were examined using Bland and Altman plots. Agreement between measurements made with the two probe types was also assessed using Bland and Altman plots. An independent samples t-test was used to compare statistical differences between probe type configuration. There was a significant difference (p < 0.05) and a tendency for increased measurements in CSA and width, and decreased measurements in thickness when using a curvilinear probe on phantom A, and these differences were not scanner specific. When imaging phantom B there were no significant differences in measurements between probe configurations; however there was a small bias for smaller CSA measurements with a curvilinear probe. In conclusion there are small differences in measurements obtained from different ultrasound probe configurations using a semi-solid phantom, but their clinical significance is unknown
Reliability of temporal characteristics during reaching tasks using the Motor Task Manager in healthy males
No full textParameters representing muscle tone, elasticity and stiffness of biceps brachii in healthy older males: symmetry and within-session reliability using the MyotonPRO
No full textBackground: Clinical assessments of muscle tone are subjective, often using the non-affected side for comparison. The MyotonPRO offers portable, non-invasive, objective measurement of mechanical properties of muscles. Objective: This study aimed to investigate between-limb symmetry for mechanical properties of biceps brachii (BB) in older males and within-session intra-rater reliability of a novice user of the MyotonPRO device. Methods: Twenty community-dwelling, right-handed males aged 65-85 years (mean 71.7; SD ± 4.9) were studied. Exclusion criteria: history of neurological and musculoskeletal conditions, medications affecting muscle tone, and body mass index >30 kg/m2. The device applied 10 mechanical impulses at one second intervals, producing damped oscillations, from which frequency (non-neural tone), stiffness and logarithmic decrement (elasticity) were measured. With the participant resting supine, two consecutive sets of 10 recordings were taken bilaterally from BB. Results: Percentage mean differences between-sides for larger and smaller values were 12% (tone), 14% (stiffness) and 27% (elasticity), which were statistically significant (p<0.001). Within-session reliability was excellent for all three parameters (ICC 3,2: all 0.99). Bland and Altman plots confirmed good agreement, without bias. Conclusion: Symmetry of BB mechanical properties in a group of older males was less than 15% for tone and stiffness but not elasticity. Within-session intra-rater reliability of a novice user was excellent for all three parameters. Reliability over different days needs to be investigated. These findings indicate potential clinical application of the MyotonPRO for assessing abnormalities of muscle parameters in patients with neurological or musculoskeletal conditions, using comparison with the contralateral side (absolute difference), as well as databases of normative reference values from healthy control groups of different ages, gender and activity levels
Quadriceps muscle mechanical properties in older males: reliability and symmetry with MyotonPRO
No full textMuscle tone and mechanical properties of biceps brachii in healthy older males: symmetry and reliability using the MyotonPRO
No full textMeasuring scapular kinematics during arm lowering using the acromion marker cluster
No full textThe aim of the present study was to examine the acromion marker cluster (AMC) method of measuring scapular kinematics during the arm lowering, eccentric, phase. Twenty six participants completed arm elevation and lowering in the sagittal, frontal and scapular plane. The participants held their arm at 30° increments while the orientation of the scapula was recorded using an AMC and a scapular locator (SL). There were no significant differences between the AMC and SL during the lowering phase for sagittal and scapular plane arm movements. The AMC significantly underestimated upward rotation (max RMSE = 6.0°), and significantly overestimated posterior tilt (max RMSE = 7.2°) during arm lowering in the frontal plane. The reported root mean square errors, however, were within the ranges observed during the elevation phase and reported in previous literature. The AMC therefore provides a reasonable description of scapular kinematics during the arm lowering phase
Upper limb coordination during reach to grasp tasks performed at self-selected and maximal speeds
No full textStroke affects 110 000 people every year in England (Dept. Health, 2007). Post-stroke upper limb impairment often restricts reach to grasp tasks. This work forms part of on-going research aimed at developing a rehabilitation system using functional electrical stimulation (FES), mediated by advanced iterative learning control (ILC) algorithms. Performance error during a task is corrected by ILC, using data from previous trials to update the FES signal during the subsequent trial (Freeman et al., 2012). The aim of this work was to quantify upper limb coordination during reach to grasp tasks, with the purpose of informing the ILC control algorithms to be used with FES
Effect of trunk support on upper extremity function in people with chronic stroke and people who are healthy
No full textBackground: Trunk control is thought to contribute to upper extremity (UE) function. However, this common assumption has not been validated.Objective: To investigate the effect of providing an external trunk support on trunk control and UE function, and examine the relationship between trunk control and UE function in people with chronic stroke and healthy controls.Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted.Methods: Twenty-five participants with chronic stroke and 34 age and sex-matched healthy controls were recruited. Trunk control was assessed using the Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS), UE impairment and function were assessed with Fugl-Meyer (FMA-UE) and Streamlined Wolf Motor Function Test (SWMFT) respectively. The TIS and SWMFT were evaluated, with and without an external trunk support; the FMA was evaluated without trunk support.Results: With trunk support, participants with stroke demonstrated improvement in TIS from 18 to 20 points (p<0.001); reduction in SWMFT performance time (SWMFT-Time) of the affected UE from 37.20 to 35.37 seconds (p<0.05); and improvement in the affected UE function (SWMFT-Functional Ability Scale) from 3.3 to 3.4 points (p<0.01). With trunk support, SWMFT-Time of healthy controls was reduced from 1.61 to 1.48 seconds (p<0.001) for the dominant, and from 1.71 to 1.59 seconds (p<0.001) for the non-dominant UE. Significant moderate correlation was found between TIS and FMA-UE (r = 0.53) in participants with stroke.Limitations: The limitations include a non-blinded assessor and a standardized height of the external trunk support.Conclusions: External trunk support improved trunk control in people with chronic stroke; and had a statistically significant effect on UE function in both people with chronic stroke and healthy controls. The findings suggest an association between trunk control and UE when an external trunk support was provided. This supports the hypothesis that the provision of lower trunk and lumbar stabilization from an external support enables an improved ability to use the UE for functional activities.<br/
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
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