Motion times, hand forces, and trunk kinematics when using material handling manipulators in short-distance transfers of moderate mass objects.

The risk of musculoskeletal injury associated with manual materials handling tasks has led in part to the use of material handling manipulators, yet there is limited empirical data to facilitate selection, design, and evaluation of these devices. A laboratory study of two types of mechanical manipulators (articulated arm and overhead hoist) was conducted of short-distance transfers of moderate loads, and the influence of various task parameters and transfer method on motion times, peak hand forces, and torso kinematics was obtained. Use of manipulators increased elemental motion times for symmetric sagittal plane transfers by 36-63%, and asymmetric transfers (in the frontal plane) by 62-115%, compared to similar transfers performed manually. Peak hand forces were significantly lower with both manipulators (40-50%), and approximately 10% higher for asymmetric versus symmetric transfers. Overall torso kinematics were grossly similar with and without a manipulator. These results suggest that for self-paced job tasks, moderate mass objects will be transferred slower over short distances and with lower levels of external (hand) forces when using mechanical aids. These simple effects, however, were influenced by object mass and transfer height.

Low-back stresses when learning to use a materials handling device.

This study examines the potential effect of short-term practice on low-back stresses during manual lifting and lowering of a 15 kg load, and while using two different types of materials handling devices (MHDs) to lift and lower a 40 kg load. The two MHDs used were an articulated balance arm and a pneumatic hoist. The expectation was that low-back dynamic moments, EMG measured torso muscle antagonism, and EMG predicted L4/L5 disc compression forces would rapidly decrease with practice, and that the manual lift-lower activities would be learned faster than the MHD-assisted exertions. Four naïve male college age subjects performed 40 lift and lower exertions, both manually and with the two MHDs for a total of 24 experiments. Non-linear regressions of the peak and average low-back moments, EMGs and disc compression values revealed only small decreases in the values (from 2 to 14%) over the 40 trials, and it was only statistically significant for five of the 48 regressions. This would seem to indicate that if learning is present in these tasks it is going to be very slow learning, and thus future studies will need to include a much larger number of trials. The effects of MHDs on the learning rates when compared to manual lifting learning rates was not statistically significant. It was shown, however, that MHDs had a particularly beneficial effect on reducing L4/L5 compression forces during load lowering activities despite the MHD load being much heavier than the manual load. It also was found that the level of torso muscle co-contraction increased significantly (2-4 times) when MHD handling was involved compared to manual lifting and lowering.

Food deprivation does not influence body or selection temperature in rats receiving intraventricular bombesin.

Bombesin (BBS), a tetradecapeptide, has been found to have potent hypothermic effects when centrally administered. This study was designed to investigate the relationship between food-deprivation and BBS-induced hypothermia in a temperature selection paradigm. Food-deprived and satiated male Sprague-Dawley rats were given intracerebroventricular (ICV) injections of several doses of BBS and control vehicle. Selection temperature data and changes in core body temperature were measured. BBS produced a significant hypothermia and decrease in selection temperatures in all doses but one. No significant differences in body temperature or selection temperatures were found between food-deprived and satiated animals. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that BBS acts centrally to decrease body temperature set point.

Effects of cocaine on dietary self-selection during pregnancy and lactation in the rat.

Previously, we have shown that patterns of food selection are altered by pregnancy and lactation in rats. Reproductive animals increase total food intake during gestation and lactation, and select more carbohydrate and protein during lactation than virginal controls. In other self-selection studies, female rats administered cocaine compensate for decreases in carbohydrate and fat but not protein intake, resulting in a potential protein deficiency. The present study was designed to test the combined effects of cocaine and reproductive period on food intake. Cocaine was administered daily (PO) to 18-h food-deprived rats during the second and third week of gestation and the first week of lactation. Immediately following drug administration, each animal had free access to isocaloric carbohydrate, protein, and fat in a dietary self-selection situation. Intake of each component was measured at 30 min, 60 min, 2 h, and 6 h following the drug treatment. The results of this study indicate that cocaine administration during gestation and lactation disrupts normal patterns of food intake. Altered patterns of food intake may be responsible for some of the deleterious effects of maternal cocaine use on offspring.

The effects of cocaine on dietary self-selection in female rats.

Cocaine was administered via an oral route to 18-h food deprived female rats for 14 consecutive days. Following administration of the drug or vehicle control each animal was presented with separate isocaloric rations of protein, fat, and carbohydrate in a dietary self-selection situation. Amounts consumed of each component were measured at 30 min, 60 min, 2 h, and 6 h following the drug treatment. The intake of all three macronutrients was suppressed by cocaine for 1 h. Between 2 and 6 h after administration, there was a compensatory increase in fat and carbohydrate, but not protein consumption. The results are discussed in terms of protein deficiency caused by cocaine in pregnant and/or lactating females being a causal factor in the deleterious effects on offspring.

Capsaicin does not attenuate bombesin-induced suppression of operant responding for food reward.

Systemic treatment with capsaicin, a neurotoxin which damages unmyelinated peptide-containing sensory neurons, has been shown to attenuate bombesin (BBS)-induced suppression of food intake. To determine whether capsaicin-sensitive fibers mediate the effect of BBS on appetitive motivation, we examined BBS-induced suppression of operant responding in rats pretreated neonatally with capsaicin (50 mg/kg; SC) or control vehicle. At 8-10 weeks of age, rats were trained to bar press for food. After achieving a stable level of performance, the animals were injected with BBS (10 micrograms/kg), normal saline, or prefed with 20 Noyes 45-mg pellets. Animals were then tested in an operant chamber on an FR 5 schedule of reinforcement for one hour. The results indicated that BBS suppressed bar pressing, regardless of whether animals were pretreated with capsaicin or control vehicle. These findings are inconsistent with the hypothesis that BBS induces satiety via capsaicin-sensitive neurons. The results suggest the possibility that more than one mechanism may mediate the effects of BBS: a neural mechanism involved in consummatory responses and a humoral mechanism involved in the operant response.

An inexpensive gradient for temperature selection in rodents.

The construction of a horizontal temperature gradient is described in detail. The apparatus is built from readily available and inexpensive materials. The chamber is built from PVC tubing, fitted with an aluminum floor, and placed in a sound-attenuated box. A temperature gradient is formed by placing solid CO2 at one end and a hot plate at the opposite end of an aluminum floor. The apparatus described is reliable, dependable, and has proven to be very suitable for use with small rodents.

The effects of intraventricular injections of bombesin on temperature selection in the rat.

The purpose of these experiments was to elucidate further the possibility that intraventricular injections of bombesin (BBS) lower the set point around which an animal regulates its core body temperature. In an attempt to prevent a confounding of general activity and thermoregulatory behavior which occurred in earlier work, a horizontal temperature gradient was used. Intraventricular injections of bombesin resulted in the selection of temperatures that were approximately 9-13 degrees C colder than those selected by animals following control injections. Additionally, the increase in core body temperature observed following control injections was reversed by the highest dose of bombesin. No significant alterations in general locomotor activity were observed. These findings suggest that bombesin may act centrally to reduce the set point around which behavioral responses are regulated.