Evaluation of mandibular condyle position in Class III patients after bimaxillary orthognathic surgery: A cone-beam computed tomography study.

Objective: This retrospective study evaluated the mandibular condyle position before and after bimaxillary orthognathic surgery performed with the mandibular condyle positioned manually in patients with mandibular prognathism using cone-beam computed tomography. Methods: Overall, 88 mandibular condyles from 44 adult patients (20 female and 24 male) diagnosed with mandibular prognathism due to skeletal Class III malocclusion who underwent bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy (BSSRO) and Le Fort I performed using the manual condyle positioning method were included. Cone-beam computed tomography images obtained 1-2 weeks before (T0) and approximately 6 months after (T1) surgery were analyzed in three planes using 3D Slicer software. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05 level. Results: Significant inward rotation of the left mandibular condyle and significant outward rotation of the right mandibular condyle were observed in the axial and coronal planes (P < 0.05). The positions of the right and left condyles in the sagittal plane and the distance between the most medial points of the condyles in the coronal plane did not differ significantly (P > 0.05). Conclusions: While the change in the sagittal plane can be maintained as before surgery with manual positioning during the BSSRO procedure, significant inward and outward rotation was observed in the axial and coronal planes, respectively, even in the absence of concomitant temporomandibular joint disorder before or after the operation. Further long-term studies are needed to correlate these findings with possible clinical consequences.

The effect of papaverine on tendon healing and adhesion in rats following Achilles tendon repair.

OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to examine the histopathological and biomechanical effects of papaverine administered intraperitoneally and locally on Achilles tendon healing in a rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-eight adult male Sprague-Dawley rats (range, 300 to 400 g) were used in this study conducted between October and November 2022. The rats were divided into three groups, with each group further subdivided into two for sacrifice on either the 15th (early period) or 30th (late period) day after surgery. The first (control) group received no treatment following Achilles tendon repair, while papaverine was intraperitoneally administered every other day for 10 days in the second group and locally in the third group after surgery. On the 15th and 30th days, the rats were sacrificed, and their Achilles tendons were subjected to biomechanical testing and histopathological evaluation. RESULTS: Histopathologically, there were no significant differences among the groups on the 15th day. However, on the 30th day, the locally applied papaverine group exhibited superior histopathological outcomes compared to the control group (p<0.05). Concerning the highest tensile strength values before rupture, the biomechanical assessment showed that the group receiving local papaverine treatment in the early period and both the group with systemic papaverine treatment and the one with local papaverine treatment in the late period displayed a statistically significant advantage compared to the control group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Locally administered papaverine has positive biomechanical effects in the early period and exhibits a positive correlation both histopathologically and biomechanically in the late period. Novel therapeutic options may be provided for patients through these findings.

Psychometric Properties and Measurement Invariance of the Positive Youth Development Scale - Turkish Version.

In this study, we translated to Turkish and evaluated the validity, reliability, and measurement invariance for respondent sex, grade level and analysis programs the Short Form and Very Short Form of the Positive Youth Development Scale (Turkish version). We had 435 youth, aged 11-17 years, complete the Short (34 items) and Very Short (17 items) Forms of the instrument. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that both forms had a 5-factor structure, and validity testing showed good criterion-related correlation validity between this tool and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. The Short Form had adequate reliability coefficients, but the Very Short Form lacked sufficient reliability for some dimensions. Test-retest correlations were satisfactory for both forms. While the Short and Very Short Forms showed measurement invariance across gender and grade level, CFI, NNFI (TLI), and IFI values diverged between LISREL and AMOS analysis programs. In summary, our data suggest that the Short Form is a reliable measure of positive youth development, while the Very Short Form may not be as reliable due to insufficient confidence values.

Machine learning-based prediction of joint moments based on kinematics in patients with cerebral palsy.

Joint moments during gait provide valuable information for clinical decision-making in patients with cerebral palsy (CP). Joint moments are calculated based on ground reaction forces (GRF) using inverse dynamics models. Obtaining GRF from patients with CP is challenging. Typically developed (TD) individuals' joint moments were predicted from joint angles using machine learning, but no such study has been conducted on patients with CP. Accordingly, we aimed to predict the dorsi-plantar flexion, knee flexion-extension, hip flexion-extension, and hip adduction-abduction moments based on the trunk, pelvis, hip, knee, and ankle kinematics during gait in patients with CP and TD individuals using one-dimensional convolutional neural networks (CNN). The anonymized retrospective gait data of 329 TD (26 years ± 14, mass: 70 kg ± 15, height: 167 cm ± 89) and 917 CP (17 years ± 9, mass:47 kg ± 19, height:153 cm ± 36) individuals were evaluated and after applying inclusion-exclusion criteria, 132 TD and 622 CP patients with spastic diplegia were selected. We trained specific CNN models and evaluated their performance using isolated test subject groups based on normalized root mean square error (nRMSE) and Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC). Joint moments were predicted with nRMSE between 18.02% and 13.58% for the CP and between 12.55% and 8.58% for the TD groups, whereas with PCC between 0.85 and 0.93 for the CP and between 0.94 and 0.98 for the TD groups. Machine learning-based joint moment prediction from kinematics could replace conventional moment calculation in CP patients in the future, but the current level of prediction errors restricts its use for clinical decision-making today.

The Effect of Flipped Learning Physical Education on Students' Knowledge, Skills and Motivation / El efecto de la educación física Flipped Learning en el conocimiento, las habilidades y la motivación de los estudiantes

It seems inevitable that the developing technology will be integrated into the field of education. The application of Flipped Learning (FL), which includes a technology component, in physical education will enable us to better understand the reflections of the approach on the lesson. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the FL on students’ knowledge, motivation and skill development in physical education. A pretest-posttest matched control group design was used. The participants, whose mean age is 14.5±1.0, consists of 62 high school students who have just started their school, including 32 experimental (11 boys, 21 girls), 30 control (10 boys, 20 girls ). The FL, which was used in physical education, increased students' knowledge (Z= -4.18, p= .00) and motivation (Wilks' λ= .16, F(1, 60)= 55.60, p= .00, η2= .83), according to the findings. It only had an impact on the passing technical skill of the volleyball, which was utilized to assess skill development (M= 3.00, Sd= 1.07; p< .05) . As a result, this study offers some evidence that the FL is an important factor affecting students' volleyball content knowledge in physical education and can help to motivate them to participate the lesson. Further studies are needed to test the effect of the FL on skill development in physical education. (AU)

Parece inevitable que la tecnología en desarrollo se integre en el campo de la educación. La aplicación de Flipped Learning (FL) , que incluye un componente tecnológico, a la educación física nos permitirá comprender mejor los reflejos del enfoque en el curso. El objetivo de este estudio es examinar el efecto de FL en el conocimiento, la motivación y el desarrollo de habilidades de los estudiantes en educación física. Se utilizó un diseño de grupo de control apareado pretest-postest. Los participantes, cuya media de edad es 14,5±1,0, son 62 estudiantes de secundaria que acaban de comenzar su escuela, incluidos 32 experimentales (11 niños, 21 niñas), 30 de control (10 niños, 20 niñas). De acuerdo con los hallazgos, la FL utilizada en educación física incrementó el conocimiento (Z= -4.18, p= .00) y la motivación de los estudiantes (λ de Wilks= .16, F(1, 60)= 55.60, p= .00, η2 = .83). Por otro lado, el desarrollo de la habilidad en voleibol tuvo un efecto solo en la habilidad técnica de pase (M= 3.00, Sd= 1.07; p< .05). En conclusión, este estudio proporciona alguna evidencia de que FL es un factor importante que influye en el conocimiento del contenido de voleibol de los estudiantes en educación física y puede ayudar a motivarlos a participar en clase. Se necesitan más estudios para probar el efecto de FL en el desarrollo de habilidades en educación física. (AU)

The prolonged effect of Kinesio Taping on joint torque and muscle activity.

PURPOSE: Although Kinesio Taping has been extensively used, evidence about the effect of Kinesio Taping is still insufficient. The aim is to determine the effect of Kinesio Taping on elbow joint torque and muscle activity in time and frequency domains. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-eight healthy subjects were (27 females and 11 males) randomly divided into control and Kinesio Taping groups. Kinesio Taping was applied over biceps brachii muscle in Kinesio Taping group, whereas no taping was applied to control group. Maximum elbow joint torque and electromyography activity in time and frequency domains were assessed during maximum isometric contraction of biceps brachii muscle at baseline, after 10 min, 30 min, and 24 h. Repeated measure ANOVA and mixed ANOVA tests were used for in-group and between-group comparisons, respectively. RESULTS: Elbow joint torques among four assessment sessions were statistically altered in Kinesio Taping group and greater in Kinesio Taping group than in control group (F(3,57)= 3.317, p = 0.026, ηp2 = 0.149; F(3,108)=3.325, p = 0.022, ηp2 = 0.085; respectively). No difference was found in time domain muscle activity among assessment sessions in each group and comparison of groups (p > 0.05). Low-gamma band activity was changed among assessment sessions in Kinesio Taping group (F(3,57)= 6.946, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.268) while group × time interaction was not determined. CONCLUSIONS: Kinesio Taping may influence joint torque of elbow more than without Kinesio Taping condition in 24th hour but the interpretation of this effect as a muscle strength enhancement compared with baseline can be arguable. Even if Kinesio Taping could not affect muscle activity in time domain, low-gamma band activity which is closely related to somatosensorial input may reach highest magnitude 24 h after Kinesio Taping.

Sensitivity of muscle force response of a two-state cross-bridge model to variations in model parameters.

Muscle models based on the cross-bridge theory (Huxley-type models) are frequently used to calculate muscle forces for different contractile conditions. Dynamic and nonlinear characteristics of muscle forces produced during isometric, concentric, and eccentric contractions can be represented to a limited extent by using cross-bridge models. Cross-bridge models use various parameters to simulate force responses. However, there remains uncertainty as to the effect of changes in model parameters on force responses in Huxley-type models. In this study, we aimed to analyze the sensitivity of force response to changes in model parameters in Huxley-type models. A two-state Huxley model was used to determine the cross-bridge attachment distributions and forces for shortening and lengthening contractions. Sensitivity of muscle force to changes in attachment rate, detachment rate, and cross-bridge binding distance was examined within a range of ±20% of the nominal value using Monte Carlo simulations. Changes in the detachment rate influenced the predicted muscle forces the most for lengthening contractions, while changes in attachment rate and binding distance affected forces the most for shortening contractions. These results show once more the asymmetry between shortening and lengthening contractions and the difficulty in using a single cross-bridge model to predict forces during shortening and elongation accurately.

The Impact of Patellar Tendon Advancement on Knee Joint Moment and Muscle Forces in Patients with Cerebral Palsy.

BACKGROUND: Patellar tendon advancement (PTA) is performed for the treatment of crouch gait in patients with cerebral palsy (CP). In this study, we aimed to determine the influence of PTA in the context of single-event multilevel surgery (SEMLS) on knee joint moment and muscle forces through musculoskeletal modeling; Methods: Gait data of children with CP and crouch gait were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were included if they had a SEMLS with a PTA (PTA group, n = 18) and a SEMLS without a PTA (NoPTA group, n = 18). A musculoskeletal model was used to calculate the pre- and postoperative knee joint moments and muscle forces; Results: Knee extensor moment increased in the PTA group postoperatively (p = 0.016), but there was no statistically significant change in the NoPTA group (p > 0.05). The quadriceps muscle forces increased for the PTA group (p = 0.034), while there was no difference in the NoPTA group (p > 0.05). The hamstring muscle forces increased in the PTA group (p = 0.039), while there was no difference in the NoPTA group (p > 0.05); Conclusions: PTA was found to be an effective surgery for the treatment of crouch gait. It contributes to improving knee extensor moment, decreasing knee flexor moment, and enhancing the quadriceps and hamstring muscle forces postoperatively.

Biomechanical assessment of patellar tendon advancement in patients with cerebral palsy and crouch gait.

BACKGROUND: Patellar height is a valuable measure to evaluate the effect of patellar tendon advancement (PTA) on knee function. In the literature, there is no validated procedure to measure the patellar height. In this study we aimed to (1) determine the patella position through musculoskeletal modeling, (2) investigate the effects of two surgical procedures applied for PTA, and (3) assess the effect of PTA in combination with single-event multilevel surgery (SEMLS) on the knee kinematics of patients with cerebral palsy (CP) and crouch gait. METHOD: Three-dimensional gait and X-ray data of children with CP and crouch gait were retrospectively analyzed if they had received a SEMLS in combination with PTA (PTA group, n = 18) or without PTA (NoPTA group, n = 18). A computational musculoskeletal model was used to quantify patella position, knee extension moment arm, and knee kinematics pre- and postoperatively. RESULTS: Patellar height significantly decreased in the PTA group (P = 0.004), while there was no difference in the NoPTA group (P > 0.05). The bony procedure for PTA provided a better Insall-Salvati ratio than the soft tissue procedure. The peak knee extension moment arm significantly increased in the PTA group (P = 0.008). In terms of postoperative knee joint kinematics, the PTA group was closer to typically developed children than the NoPTA group. CONCLUSION: Musculoskeletal modeling was found to be an effective tool for the determination of the patellar height. PTA improved the patella position, knee extension moment arm, and knee kinematics and was an effective procedure for the surgical management of crouch gait in patients with CP.

Effect of Model Parameters on the Biomechanical Behavior of the Finite Element Cervical Spine Model.

Finite element (FE) models have frequently been used to analyze spine biomechanics. Material parameters assigned to FE spine models are generally uncertain, and their effect on the characterization of the spinal components is not clear. In this study, we aimed to analyze the effect of model parameters on the range of motion, stress, and strain responses of a FE cervical spine model. To do so, we created a computed tomography-based FE model that consisted of C2-C3 vertebrae, intervertebral disc, facet joints, and ligaments. A total of 32 FE analyses were carried out for two different elastic modulus equations and four different bone layer numbers under four different loading conditions. We evaluated the effects of elastic modulus equations and layer number on the biomechanical behavior of the FE spine model by taking the range of angular motion, stress, and strain responses into account. We found that the angular motions of the one- and two-layer models had a greater variation than those in the models with four and eight layers. The angular motions obtained for the four- and eight-layer models were almost the same, indicating that the use of a four-layer model would be sufficient to achieve a stress value converging to a certain level as the number of layers increases. We also observed that the equation proposed by Gupta and Dan (2004) agreed well with the experimental angular motion data. The outcomes of this study are expected to contribute to the determination of the model parameters used in FE spine models.

CHANGES IN BONE MINERAL DENSITY AFTER TOTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the change in bone mineral density (BMD) in the first postoperative year in patients that underwent total knee arthroplasty (TKA) due to primary osteoarthritis of the knee. METHODS: Preoperative and first postoperative year dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measurements of 76 patients with knee osteoarthritis, who undergone surgery between 2016 and 2018 due to the recommendation for TKA, were statistically evaluated in the study. RESULTS: Of the 19 patients with a normal BMD in the preoperative period, 73.7% (n = 14) continued to have a normal BMD in the postoperative period. Of the 34 patients with a low BMD (osteopenia) in the preoperative period, 91.2% (n = 31) did not show any change, whereas osteoporosis was observed in two patients (5.9%) in the postoperative period. Of the 23 patients with osteoporosis in the preoperative period, 95.7% (n = 22) did not show any change, whereas osteopenia was observed in one patient (4.3%) in the postoperative period. Both the T and Z scores of the spine (L1-L4) and proximal femur showed a slightly positive trend, however, with an insignificant statistical difference (p ≥ 0.05). CONCLUSION: Patients that underwent TKA experienced a statistically insignificant bone gain at the spine and proximal femur twelve months after the surgery. Level of Evidence III, Therapeutic Studies Investigating the Results of Treatment.

OBJETIVO: O objetivo foi investigar a alteração na densidade mineral óssea (DMO) no primeiro ano pós-operatório em pacientes submetidos à Artroplastia Total do Joelho (ATJ) por osteoartrite primária do joelho. MÉTODOS: As medidas de absortiometria radiográfica com dupla energia no pré-operatório e no primeiro ano pós-operatório de 76 pacientes com osteoartrite do joelho, operados entre 2016 e 2018 devido à indicação de ATJ, foram avaliadas estatisticamente no estudo. RESULTADOS: Dos 19 pacientes com DMO normal no pré-operatório, 73.7% (n = 14) continuaram com DMO normal no pós-operatório. Dos 34 pacientes com baixa DMO (osteopenia) no pré-operatório, 91.2% (n = 31) não apresentaram alteração, enquanto osteoporose foi observada em dois pacientes (5.9%) no pós-operatório. Dos 23 pacientes com osteoporose no pré-operatório, 95.7% (n = 22) não apresentaram alteração, enquanto osteopenia foi observada em um paciente (4.3%) no pós-operatório. Os escores T e Z da coluna vertebral (L1-L4) e do fêmur proximal mostraram uma tendência levemente positiva, mas a diferença foi estatisticamente insignificante (p ≥ 0.05). CONCLUSÃO: Os pacientes submetidos à ATJ apresentaram um ganho ósseo estatisticamente insignificante na coluna vertebral e no fêmur proximal doze meses após a cirurgia. Nível de Evidência III, Estudos Terapêuticos - Investigação dos resultados do tratamento.

Changes in bone mineral density after total knee arthroplasty / Alterações na densidade mineral óssea após artroplastia total do joelho

ABSTRACT Objective: We aimed to investigate the change in bone mineral density (BMD) in the first postoperative year in patients that underwent total knee arthroplasty (TKA) due to primary osteoarthritis of the knee. Methods: Preoperative and first postoperative year dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measurements of 76 patients with knee osteoarthritis, who undergone surgery between 2016 and 2018 due to the recommendation for TKA, were statistically evaluated in the study. Results: Of the 19 patients with a normal BMD in the preoperative period, 73.7% (n = 14) continued to have a normal BMD in the postoperative period. Of the 34 patients with a low BMD (osteopenia) in the preoperative period, 91.2% (n = 31) did not show any change, whereas osteoporosis was observed in two patients (5.9%) in the postoperative period. Of the 23 patients with osteoporosis in the preoperative period, 95.7% (n = 22) did not show any change, whereas osteopenia was observed in one patient (4.3%) in the postoperative period. Both the T and Z scores of the spine (L1-L4) and proximal femur showed a slightly positive trend, however, with an insignificant statistical difference (p ≥ 0.05). Conclusion: Patients that underwent TKA experienced a statistically insignificant bone gain at the spine and proximal femur twelve months after the surgery. Level of Evidence III, Therapeutic Studies Investigating the Results of Treatment.

RESUMO Objetivo: O objetivo foi investigar a alteração na densidade mineral óssea (DMO) no primeiro ano pós-operatório em pacientes submetidos à Artroplastia Total do Joelho (ATJ) por osteoartrite primária do joelho. Métodos: As medidas de absortiometria radiográfica com dupla energia no pré-operatório e no primeiro ano pós-operatório de 76 pacientes com osteoartrite do joelho, operados entre 2016 e 2018 devido à indicação de ATJ, foram avaliadas estatisticamente no estudo. Resultados: Dos 19 pacientes com DMO normal no pré-operatório, 73.7% (n = 14) continuaram com DMO normal no pós-operatório. Dos 34 pacientes com baixa DMO (osteopenia) no pré-operatório, 91.2% (n = 31) não apresentaram alteração, enquanto osteoporose foi observada em dois pacientes (5.9%) no pós-operatório. Dos 23 pacientes com osteoporose no pré-operatório, 95.7% (n = 22) não apresentaram alteração, enquanto osteopenia foi observada em um paciente (4.3%) no pós-operatório. Os escores T e Z da coluna vertebral (L1-L4) e do fêmur proximal mostraram uma tendência levemente positiva, mas a diferença foi estatisticamente insignificante (p ≥ 0.05). Conclusão: Os pacientes submetidos à ATJ apresentaram um ganho ósseo estatisticamente insignificante na coluna vertebral e no fêmur proximal doze meses após a cirurgia. Nível de Evidência III, Estudos Terapêuticos - Investigação dos resultados do tratamento.

A Comparison of Incremental Running Field and Treadmill Tests in Young Soccer Players.

The purpose of this study was to compare the incremental running tests performed by young soccer players on a treadmill (Tr) and in the field (FTcod: 100 m change of direction and FTcir: 100 m circle). Nineteen players (average age 17.4 ± 1.1 years; body height 172.0 ± 5.7 cm; body mass 68.9 ± 6.7 kg) volunteered to perform incremental Tr , FTcod and FTcir running tests. In all three tests, players ran for 3 min at 8, 10, 12 and 14 km∙h-1 and were given a 1 min rest interval between subsequent stages. Blood lactate concentrations (La-) were measured at 1 min rest intervals and the heart rate (HR) responses of players were recorded during the tests. After a 5 min recovery period, the second part of the test started; players ran at 15 km∙h-1 with velocity increments of 1 km∙h-1 every 1 min until exhaustion. This part was performed to determine maximum HR, maximum La- and the players' final velocities. The results showed that players had significantly lower La- (F = 6.93, p = 0.07, η2 = 0.46, 95%CI(TR-FTcir) = -1.91/-0.34, 95%CI(TR-FTcod) = -1.59/-0.05) and HR (F = 9.08, p = 0.02, η2 = 0.53, 95%CI(TR-FTcir) = -6.98/-1.68, 95%CI(TR-FTcod) = -7.19/1.08) responses in the Tr test than in the FTcir and FTcod tests at 14 km∙h-1. It was also found that players completed the Tr test (F = 58.22, p = 0.00, η2 = 0.87) at higher final running velocities than the FTcir (95%CI(TR-FTcir) = 1.67/2.78) and FTcod (95%CI(TR-FTcod) = 1.69/2.85) tests. In conclusion, when coaches or sports scientists plan to train at higher running velocities or according to the final velocity in the test, it is advisable to carry out testing in the circumstances under which training will be carried out (in the field or on a treadmill).

Biomechanical comparison of implantation approaches for the treatment of mandibular total edentulism.

Applying four anterior implants placed vertically or tilted in the mandible is considered to provide clinically reasonable results in the treatment of mandibular posterior edentulism. It is also reported that a combination of four anterior and two short posterior implants can be an alternative approach for the rehabilitation of severe atrophy cases. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the biomechanical responses of three different implant placement configurations, which represent the clinical options for the treatment of mandibular edentulism. Three-dimensional models of the mandible, prosthetic bar, dental implant, abutment, and screw were created. Finite element models of the three implant configurations (Protocol 1: Four anterior implants, Protocol 2: Four anterior and two short posterior implants, Protocol 3: Two anterior and two tilted posterior implants: All-on-4™ concept) were generated for 10 patients and analyzed under different loading conditions including chewing, biting, and impact forces. Protocol 2 led to the lowest stress concentrations over the mandible among the three protocols (p < 0.016). Protocol 2 resulted in significantly lower stresses than Protocol 3 and Protocol 1 over prosthetic bars under chewing forces (p < 0.016). None of the implant placement protocols consistently exhibited the lowest stress distribution over abutments. The lowest stresses over dental implants under the chewing, biting, and impact forces were obtained in Protocol 1, Protocol 2, and Protocol 3, respectively (p < 0.016). Protocol 3 was the best option to obtain the lowest stress values over the screws under all types of loading conditions (p < 0.016). In conclusion, Protocol 2 was biomechanically more ideal than Protocol 1 and Protocol 3 to manage the posterior edentulism.

Direct Validation of Model-Predicted Muscle Forces in the Cat Hindlimb During Locomotion.

Various methods are available for simulating the movement patterns of musculoskeletal systems and determining individual muscle forces, but the results obtained from these methods have not been rigorously validated against experiment. The aim of this study was to compare model predictions of muscle force derived for a cat hindlimb during locomotion against direct measurements of muscle force obtained in vivo. The cat hindlimb was represented as a 5-segment, 13-degrees-of-freedom (DOF), articulated linkage actuated by 25 Hill-type muscle-tendon units (MTUs). Individual muscle forces were determined by combining gait data with two widely used computational methods-static optimization and computed muscle control (CMC)-available in opensim, an open-source musculoskeletal modeling and simulation environment. The forces developed by the soleus, medial gastrocnemius (MG), and tibialis anterior muscles during free locomotion were measured using buckle transducers attached to the tendons. Muscle electromyographic activity and MTU length changes were also measured and compared against the corresponding data predicted by the model. Model-predicted muscle forces, activation levels, and MTU length changes were consistent with the corresponding quantities obtained from experiment. The calculated values of muscle force obtained from static optimization agreed more closely with experiment than those derived from CMC.

A Soft+Rigid Hybrid Exoskeleton Concept in Scissors-Pendulum Mode: A Suit for Human State Sensing and an Exoskeleton for Assistance.

In this paper, we present a novel concept that can enable the human aware control of exoskeletons through the integration of a soft suit and a robotic exoskeleton. Unlike the state-of-the-art exoskeleton controllers which mostly rely on lumped human-robot models, the proposed concept makes use of the independent state measurements concerning the human user and the robot. The ability to observe the human state independently is the key factor in this approach. In order to realize such a system from the hardware point of view, we propose a system integration frame that combines a soft suit for human state measurement and a rigid exoskeleton for human assistance. We identify the technological requirements that are necessary for the realization of such a system with a particular emphasis on soft suit integration. We also propose a template model, named scissor pendulum, that may encapsulate the dominant dynamics of the human-robot combined model to synthesize a controller for human state regulation. A series of simulation experiments were conducted to check the controller performance. As a result, satisfactory human state regulation was attained, adequately confirming that the proposed system could potentially improve exoskeleton-aided applications.

Musculoskeletal Simulation Tools for Understanding Mechanisms of Lower-Limb Sports Injuries.

Musculoskeletal simulation and dynamic modeling programs have been used to gain insight into lower-limb musculoskeletal injury mechanisms. In addition to the temporospatial, kinematic, and kinetic data obtained from motion analysis systems, musculoskeletal simulation programs also can provide information on joint contact and muscle forces, musculotendinous lengths and velocities, and muscle activation levels. Musculoskeletal simulation platforms may help in the assessment of risk factors for sports-related injuries. Using musculoskeletal simulations for injury prevention programs may help lower the incidence of sports injuries, and may allow for fast recovery from injury. In this review, injury mechanisms and risk factors of some of the most common lower-limb musculoskeletal injuries, including anterior cruciate ligament, patellofemoral, and hamstring injuries were summarized from a biomechanical perspective. Also, the efficacy of musculoskeletal modeling and dynamic simulation tools in helping our understanding of these injury mechanisms was discussed.

Force irradiation effect of kinesiotaping on contralateral muscle activation.

We aimed to determine the force irradiation effect of kinesiotaping (KT) on contralateral muscle activity during unilateral muscle contraction. Forty healthy (26 females, 14 males) subjects were divided into two groups: KT and control groups. KT was applied on the biceps brachii at the contralateral limb (non-dominant limb) in the KT group, whereas no taping was applied to the control group. All participants performed unilateral isometric, concentric, and eccentric contractions with their dominant upper limbs (exercised limb) by means of an isokinetic dynamometer, while the contralateral limb was in the resting condition, neutral position, and motionless during the testing procedure. During the exercise, contralateral biceps brachii muscle activity was recorded by surface electromyography (EMG). To quantify the muscle activation, EMG signals were expressed as a percentage of the maximal isometric voluntary contraction, which is referred to as %EMGmax. The KT group showed significantly higher %EMGmax in the biceps brachii compared to the control group at the contralateral limb during the isometric, concentric, and eccentric contractions (p = 0.035, p = 0.046, and p = 0.002, respectively) The median values of the contralateral muscle activity were 2.74 %EMGmax and 6.62 %EMGmax during the isometric contraction for the control and KT groups, respectively (p = 0.035). During the concentric contraction, the median values of the contralateral muscle activity were 1.61 %EMGmax and 9.39 %EMGmax for the control and KT groups, respectively (p = 0.046). The median values of the contralateral muscle activity were 4.49 %EMGmax and 22.89 %EMGmax for the eccentric contraction for the control and KT groups, respectively (p = 0.002). In conclusion, KT application on the contralateral limb increased the contralateral muscle activation in the biceps brachii during the unilateral isometric, concentric, and eccentric contractions.

Gait Analysis of Patients Subjected to the Atrophic Mandible Augmentation with Iliac Bone Graft.

In this study, we aimed to quantitatively monitor and describe the gait functions of patients, who underwent iliac crest bone grafting in atrophic jaw augmentation operation, by taking into account the alterations of gait parameters and muscle forces in the early recovery course. To do so, temporospatial and kinematic gait parameters of ten patients during pre- and postoperative periods were recorded, and forces of the gluteus medius, gluteus maximus, and iliacus muscles were calculated. Three postoperative periods were specified as one week (post-op1), two weeks (post-op2), and three weeks (post-op3) after the surgery. Restoring process of the gait patterns was comparatively evaluated by analyzing the gait parameters and muscle forces for pre- and postoperative periods. Temporospatial and kinematic parameters of post-op3 were closer to those obtained in pre-op than those in post-op1 and post-op2 (p < 0.05). Muscle forces calculated in post-op3 showed the best agreement with those in pre-op among the postoperative periods in terms of both magnitude and correlation (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the patients began to regain their preoperative gait characteristics from the second week after surgery, but complete recovery in gait was observed three weeks after the surgery.

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

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.