Evaluation of Upper Limb Muscle Activation Using Musculoskeletal Model with Wearable Assistive Device.

In recent years, wearable assistive device has been used to support upper arm movement training for rehabilitation purposes. A wearable assistive device could affect the muscle output during motor tasks to support upper limb disorder rehabilitation training. However, the investigation of muscle activity with the given assistive force is not widely investigated. In this study, the evaluation of upper limb muscle activities using musculoskeletal simulation systems with the developed wearable cable-driven assistive device has been carried out. An experimental protocol consisting of a series of motions was executed with five healthy subjects. Muscle activation on the brachioradialis, biceps, and triceps muscles was measured by using surface electromyography (EMG) and analyzed. The simulations with a musculoskeletal model to estimate muscle output with and without a wearable assistive device were performed for three tasks. An assistive upper arm device was integrated into the musculoskeletal model, and the desired assistive force is translated to the arm joint along with a tendon routing structure. Assisting movement by the wearable device was evaluated by measuring muscle activation with-assist and without-assist conditions. The results show that the use of the wearable assistive device can effectively assist in arm movement. Comparisons of measured EMG muscle data and the musculoskeletal model revealed that muscle force was generated throughout the arm. The integrated musculoskeletal model results show that muscle force values for two primary muscles (biceps and brachioradialis) were reduced during the simulated task when wearing the assistive device. These results are congruent with expectations, with the assistive device that supports the upper limb movement, providing practical assistance. The results highlight the importance of evaluating muscle output for the developed wearable assistive device to support the assistive movement. Lastly, the musculoskeletal simulation system could reduce the resource-intensive, and time consumed with the experimental testing could be achieved.

Effects of growth technique on the microstructure of CuInSe 2 ternary semiconductor compound.

X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (EDXRF) are employed to investigate the microstructure of bulk C u I n S e 2 specimens grown through the Bridgman technique and traveling heater process, respectively. We investigate the lattice parameters, grain sizes, and microstrains of the two grown samples. For a crystal grown by the vertical Bridgeman method, the vacancy V C u serves as an acceptor, resulting in p-type conduction, whereas the vacancy V S e expected to serve as a donor, occurring in n-type conduction for the crystal grown via the traveling heater technique. The concentration of crystal grown via the VBM is determined to be p-type, whereas the concentration of that grown via the THM is n-type. Concerning C u I n S e 2 crystal, the determined crystallite sizes obtained to be 165 and 182 nm for the VBM and THM, respectively.

Growth and anisotropy of transport properties of CuGaSe 2 single crystals.

Single crystals of C u G a S e 2 are prepared by a technique based on the vertical Bridgman procedure. The crystal chemical and phase compositions were identified by using dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and X-ray diffraction data analysis, respectively. The Hall effect and the electrical conductivity were determined in terms of temperature, parallel and orthogonal to the layer surface, and the parameters proved to be strongly anisotropic. From carried out measurements, different parameters such like the carrier mobilities, the carrier concentration, the relaxation time, the diffusion coefficient, and the length of diffusion for both, majority carriers and minority carriers were estimated.

GENETIC DIVERSITY OF SOME IRANIAN SWEET CHERRY (PRUNUS AVIUM) CULTIVARS USING MICROSATELLITE MARKERS AND MORPHOLOGICAL TRAITS.

The aim of this study was to characterize 23 important Iranian sweet cherry (Prunus avium) cultivars collected from different provinces of Iran and 1 foreign cultivar, which was used as control, considered for breeding programs by using 21 microsatellite markers and 27 morphological traits. In sweet cherry (Prunus avium) accessions, leaf, fruit, and stone morphological characters were evaluated during two consecutive years. The study revealed a high variability in the set of evaluated sweet cherry accessions. The majority of important correlations were determined among variables representing fruit and leaf size and variables related to color. Cluster analysis distinguished sweet cherry accessions into two distinct groups. Principal component analysis (PCA) of qualitative and quantitative morphological parameters explained over 86.59% of total variability in the first seven axes. In PCA, leaf traits such as leaf length and width, and fruit traits such as length, width, and weight, and fruit flesh and juice color were predominant in the first two components, indicating that they were useful for the assessment of sweet cherry germplasm characterization. Out of 21 SSR markers, 16 were polymorphic, producing 177 alleles that varied from 4 to 16 alleles (9.35 on average) with a mean heterozygosity value of 0.82 that produced successful amplifications and revealed DNA polymorphisms. Allele size varied from 95 to 290 bp. Cluster analyses showed that the studied sweet cherry genotypes were classified intofive main groups based mainly on their species characteristics and SSR data. In general, our results did not show a clear structuring of genetic variability within the Iranian diffusion area of sweet cherry, so it was not possible to draw any indications on regions of provenance delimitation. The results of this study contribute to a better understanding of sweet cherry genetic variations in Iran, thus making for more efficient programs aimed at preserving biodiversity and more rational planning of the management of reproductive material.

Analysis of chromosome and karyotype in Bali cattle and Simmental-Bali (Simbal) crossbreed cattle.

Chromosome analysis is very important part for the initial analysis of genetics. Some genetics abnormalities can be detected at the chromosome level and are usually associated with the inherited diseases. Accurate and prompt information need to be obtained for the purposes of the prevention of the genetics abnormalities genetics risk. This study was aimed to find out and to analyze the different size and morphological chromosome of Bali cattle and its crosses with Simmental cattle (Simbal cattle). Ten Simbal cattle (5 male and 5 female) and 5 female Bali cattle were used in this study. Five milliliter blood was collected using venous puncture through the jugular vein of each cattle. Chromosome was derived from white blood cells (lymphocyte) of peripheral blood. The Bali cattle and Simbal cattle have diploid chromosome (2n) of 60, with 29 pair of autosomes and one pair of sex chromosome. All autosomes are acrocentric with centromere index of 25.13 to 29.52% for Simbal cattle and 21.61 to 24.84% for Bali cattle. Sex chromosomes ware sub-metacentric in Simbal cattle either male or female and metacentric in female Bali cattle. Average length of chromosomes of female Simbal, male Simbal and female Bali cattle were 0.29 +/- 0.04 micron, 0.30 +/- 0.05 micron and 0.24 +/- 0.02 micron, respectively. Chromosome size of female Bali cattle was smaller than Simbal cattle.

Thyroglossal duct cyst papillary carcinoma.

Thyroglossal duct cysts are usually located in the midline of the neck. The coexistence of carcinomas in thyroglossal duct cysts is extremely rare, with most being papillary carcinomas. Usually, the diagnosis is only made postoperatively after excision of the cyst. Although the Sistrunk procedure is often regarded as adequate, controversies exist concerning the need for thyroidectomy depending on histopathological findings. We report the case of a 31-year-old man diagnosed with papillary carcinoma within a thyroglossal duct cyst, who underwent total thyroidectomy as has been recommended for differentiated papillary cancer.