A biomechanical shoulder strain index based on stabilizing demand of shoulder joint

Abstract

Work-related shoulder joint disorders contribute considerably to absenteeism in the workplace. To identify the tasks that are stressful to the shoulder joint, a strain index was formulated based on the concept of concavity compression—a shoulder stabilizing mechanism. The magnitude and direction of the shoulder joint reaction forces were used in formulating the strain index. A two phase experiment was conducted. In Phase 1, participants performed 30 different manual handling tasks. The tasks were categorized into low, medium and high strain tasks based on their strain index values. In Phase 2, out of the 30 tasks, repetitive exertions of three tasks (low, medium and high strain index values) were simulated using three external loads (0.91, 1.81 and 2.72?kg). The muscle activity data recorded from eight shoulder muscles showed that tasks with higher strain index values induced significantly greater activation and muscle fatigue than tasks with lower strain index values.Practitioner Summary: The strain index developed in this study is a conclusive estimation of the concavity compression required for shoulder joint stabilization. It can be used to identify the activities that may contribute to the risks of shoulder disorders. Abbreviation BLS Bureau of the Labor Statistics

     

Partially Hydrolyzed Soy Protein Shows Enhanced Transport of Amino Acids Compared to Nonhydrolyzed Protein across an Intestinal Epithelial Cell Monolayer

Consumption of protein hydrolysates has been proposed to stimulate muscle anabolism more than intact (nonhydrolyzed) proteins via accelerated delivery of amino acids for muscle protein synthesis (MPS). We evaluated whether the rate of amino acid uptake and transport across intestinal cells was enhanced for soy protein hydrolysates versus nonhydrolyzed soy protein. Intact and partially hydrolyzed proteins were subject to simulated gut digestion and applied to the apical surface of Caco‐2 monolayers. Basolateral media was harvested after 3 h and quantitatively analyzed for free amino acids using ion‐exchange chromatography and comparison to an included reference standard. Basolateral concentrations of all amino acids were higher (mean 32%) for hydrolyzed versus nonhydrolyzed protein with the greatest differences in histidine, lysine, and valine. Scale‐up production of the soy protein hydrolysate did not diminish its enhanced absorption properties. These data support the hypothesis that hydrolyzed soy protein may provide dietary amino acids that are more rapidly transported across the intestinal epithelium versus intact soy protein. This would be important under conditions where rapid and increased levels of amino acids are needed such as in the stimulation of MPS.     

Antioxidant mechanism of grape procyanidins in muscle tissues: Redox interactions with endogenous ascorbic acid and α-tocopherol

The present study investigates the antioxidant mechanism of grape procyanidins and, in particular, their aptitude to establish redox interactions with two important components of the endogenous antioxidant system of muscle tissues, α-tocopherol (α-TOH) and ascorbic acid (AA). To this end, the progress of lipid oxidation was monitored in fish muscle supplemented with grape procyanidins at the concentrations usually employed in antioxidant food applications, and then related to the redox stability of the endogenous α-TOH and AA. In addition to the lipid oxidation protective effect, the incorporation of procyanidins also provided an improvement of the redox stability of the endogenous components in a straight procyanidinic concentration-dependent manner. Results showed the capacity of procyanidins to repair oxidised α-TOH at medium-long term, and to delay the AA depletion. Therefore, such cooperative redox interaction of exogenous procyanidins adequately complements the natural α-TOH regenerative system supplied by AA that is efficient at the early post mortem stages.     

Dynamic pushing on three frictional surfaces: maximum acceptable forces,cardiopulmonary and calf muscle metabolic responses in healthy men

Pushing is an important materials handling activity in many occupations; however, pushing-related physiological investigations are still in infancy. The purpose was to evaluate maximum acceptable forces and physiological responses while pushing on: treadmill (TREAD); plywood floor (PLY); and Teflon floor (TEF). Acceptable forces, cardiopulmonary and calf muscle oxygenation and blood volume responses were collected simultaneously while 12 men (age 39 ± 13 years; height 178 ± 6 cm; and body mass 91.5 ± 16 kg) pushed for 2 h on each surface at their psychophysical workload. Participants selected higher forces on the PLY, resulting in higher pulmonary oxygen uptake compared to that of TEF (by ～9%) and TREAD (by ～18%). Pushing on the TEF demonstrated 50–56% lower blood volume changes and 1.5–1.8 times more oxygenation-force ratio than that for other surfaces. It is concluded that, to avoid a potential slip, participants were conservative in selecting acceptable forces to push on the slippery TEF. Part of this compensatory strategy on the TEF resulted in less muscle activity and, therefore, less demand for oxygen delivery to the calf muscle than for other surfaces. The present findings of significant force- and physiological-related differences in treadmill vs. high inertia pushcart clearly demonstrate that pushing experiments are essential to evaluate functional abilities of the workers.     

Work-related chronic injuries of the forearm and hand: their specific diagnosis and management

Work-related chronic injuries occur in muscles, tendons, and nerves. Epidemiological, histological, and physiological data confirm their often disputed physical basis. Terms such as repetitive strain injury and cumulative trauma disorder, when used as a diagnosis, have obscured the issue for they are really statements of causation. Definitive diagnosis is required both to treat and prevent such injuries. Precise terminology that identifies the tissue and its pathology is required. A detailed assessment methodology is described that allows a precise diagnosis. A clear relationship to work stress is necessary both to establish the cause and formulate prevention strategies. Treatment must begin early and be appropriate to the tissue and the nature of the injury. Examples are presented and discussed. Early treatment begins before too much damage has been done and yields better results.     

Permeation of indomethacin from semisolid preparations through various semipermeable membranes

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the permeation of model drug indomethacin (IND) from various types of gels through several semipermeable membranes.

Methods: Permeation of IND from gels based on carbomer (CA), hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC), and polyacrylamid/laureth-7/isoparaffin was performed via diffusion cell method through membranes: shed snake skin, full thickness chicken skin, mucosa of pork small intestine, and cellophane.

Results: The least permeation of IND was observed in the case of shed snake skin and full thickness chicken skin. It did not exceed 5.4% of original amount in the preparation after 3?h of measurement regardless the type of gel. In the case of mucosa of pork small intestine and cellophane the permeated amount of IND ranged from 9.4 to 55.4% depending on the type of gelling agent used. There was also quite a significant influence of a gelling agent on the permeation of IND observed. The permeation of IND was highest from CA gel, where it ranged from 0.6 to 52.2% of original amount in the preparation depending on the type of membrane used. Gelling agent inhibiting the permeation the most was HEC, where the permeated amount of IND did not exceed 12.3% regardless the type of membrane used.

Conclusions: In general the permeated amount of IND through biological membranes containing stratum corneum represented just a small part of the amount in original preparation. Gelling agent has significant effect on the extent and rate of permeation.     

Effect of muscle and intensity of finishing diet on meat quality of foals slaughtered at 15 months

The effect of muscle and intensity of finishing diet on meat quality of foals slaughtered at 15 months was study. For this work, a total of twenty one foals and six muscles: longissimus dorsi (LD), semimembranosus (SM), semitendinosus (ST), biceps femoris (BF), triceps brachii (TB) and Psoas major & minor (PM) from two different intensities of finishing diet (1.5 vs. 3 kg/day) were analysed.     

干制麻辣鸡肉丝研制

以开发旅游休闲小食品干制麻辣鸡肉丝为目标,对干制鸡肉丝生产工艺进行研究,通过感官评分,确定其最佳生产工艺。研究结果表明:鸡肉丝的大小以切成3~4cm×0.5cm×0.5cm左右的细丝较为适宜;其工艺条件以先切丝后卤制再炒制烘烤为佳;卤制条件为先大火30~40min后小火1~2h,炒制烘烤条件为炒制15min左右,然后在50~60℃烘烤1~3h。     

Aerobic Exercise Ameliorates Cancer Cachexia-Induced Muscle Wasting through Adiponectin Signaling

Cachexia is a multifactorial syndrome characterized by muscle loss that cannot be reversed by conventional nutritional support. To uncover the molecular basis underlying the onset of cancer cachectic muscle wasting and establish an effective intervention against muscle loss, we used a cancer cachectic mouse model and examined the effects of aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise successfully suppressed muscle atrophy and activated adiponectin signaling. Next, a cellular model for cancer cachectic muscle atrophy using C2C12 myotubes was prepared by treating myotubes with a conditioned medium from a culture of colon-26 cancer cells. Treatment of the atrophic myotubes with recombinant adiponectin was protective against the thinning of cells through the increased production of p-mTOR and suppression of LC3-II. Altogether, these findings suggest that the activation of adiponectin signaling could be part of the molecular mechanisms by which aerobic exercise ameliorates cancer cachexia-induced muscle wasting.     

Changes in apoptosis factors and activation of caspase-3 in tilapia muscle during storage

The activation of the apoptosis pathway in tilapia muscle during postmortem storage was studied. Changes in caspase-3 activity, ATP content, cytochrome c levels, and ratio of Bcl-2/Bax levels of tilapia muscle were observed during postmortem storage at 20°C. Caspase-3 activity was found to be significantly increased at first, followed by a decrease (P < 0.05); the highest caspase-3 activity was observed at 1 h. The ATP content decreased significantly (P < 0.05), and almost exhausted after 10 h storage. The cytochrome c level in the cytosol showed a significant increase after 5 h of storage (P < 0.05), while the mitochondrial cytochrome c levels showed a decrease. The Bcl-2/Bax ratio was stable from 0–5 h, followed by a rapid decreased at 10–20 h and a significant increased after 20 h (P < 0.05), suggesting that the apoptosis process occurred until 20 h of postmortem storage. Thus, we concluded that the availability of ATP and the increase in cytosolic cytochrome c levels are essential for the activation of caspase-3, and that the former partly limits caspase-3 activity.