Effect of working position and cold environment on muscle activation level and fatigue in the upper limb during manual work tasks

Several occupational groups are exposed to periods of low ambient temperatures while performing manual work tasks outdoors. Work tasks typically include heavy lifting, tool handling, and overhead work. This study evaluated the effect of working position and cold environment on muscle activation level (%RMS_max) and fatigue in the upper limb during manual work tasks. Fourteen male participants (25 ± 3 years, 80.9 ± 6.4 kg, 182 ± 5 cm) completed a 2-h test protocol consisting of five test periods alternating with four work periods, wearing identical sets of clothing, under cold (−15 °C) and control (5 °C) conditions. The work periods consisted of manual work at the hip level, manual overhead work, and a lifting exercise. The test periods consisted of isometric maximal voluntary contractions (MVC) and seated rest. Skin temperatures decreased during cold exposure, especially in the extremities. %RMS_max in the forearm was higher in the cold condition both during overhead work and work at the hip level than that for the same work in the control condition, especially at the end of the test when the difference was approximately 25% (equating to 2–3 %RMS_max). For the middle deltoid muscle, the %RMS_max was approximately three times (or 10 %RMS_max) higher during overhead work than work at the hip level, but there was no additional cost of working in the cold. Signs of deltoid muscle fatigue (decrease in electromyography median power frequency and an increase in %RMS_max) were observed during the overhead work periods in both temperature conditions. No decrease in MVC, as a sign of overall muscle fatigue, was observed in either condition.Relevance to industryThis study demonstrated that when wearing suitable cold-weather protective clothing, the adverse effect of work posture is much higher than that of cold on muscle demand and physical strain.     

船用重油多元模型燃料的构建与验证

为了复现实际船用重油燃料燃烧特性，基于化学解构法原理，提出了重油多元模型燃料。选择了正十四烷、2,6,10-三甲基十二烷、四氢化萘和正癸基苯作为基础燃料，表征实际重油的正构烷烃、异构烷烃、环烷烃和芳烃成分。模型燃料的比例依据带权欧几里得距离算法进行最优化求解。针对发展的多元模型燃料，基于流动反应器试验平台对模型燃料的中低温氧化特性进行点对点比较，多组分模型燃料成功复现了典型反应物、中间产物和生成物浓度随温度变化的趋势。基于“解耦法”的机理简化方法，发展了重油多组分模型燃料骨架机理。该机理成功预测了重油馏分的中低温氧化特性。基于该骨架机理进行敏感性分析，得到出烷烃类自由基主导的基元反应对重油碳烟生成密切相关。此外，基于定容燃烧装置数值仿真结果，证明了重油多组分模型燃料对近发动机条件下的喷雾燃烧过程具有较高的预测能力。     

Development of insertion-type peristalsis pump using pneumatic artificial muscles

This study aims to develop a new type of peristaltic pump that transports high-viscosity and solid–liquid mixture fluids. Pumps capable of transporting such fluids are essential in various situations such as factory transportation, outdoors, and emergencies. These fluids are conventionally transported by positive-displacement and rotodynamic pumps. However, solid–liquid fluids could collide with the impeller of the rotodynamic pump and thereby damage the pump, whereas the positive-displacement pump must be sufficiently large to apply high pressure to the transported fluid. A small pump that can transport these fluids would save factory space and enable outdoor applications such as dredging operations. Thus, we adopted earthworm peristalsis as a model mechanism of fluid transport within a standard plumbing infrastructure. The insertion-type peristaltic pump developed in this study uses an artificial rubber muscle to achieve an earthworm-like mechanism. The capability and energy efficiency of the mechanism is evaluated in water transportation experiments.     

Aged Skeletal Muscle Retains the Ability to Remodel Extracellular Matrix for Degradation of Collagen Deposition after Muscle Injury

Aging causes a decline in skeletal muscle function, resulting in a progressive loss of muscle mass, quality, and strength. A weak regenerative capacity is one of the critical causes of dysfunctional skeletal muscle in elderly individuals. The extracellular matrix (ECM) maintains the tissue framework structure in skeletal muscle. As shown by previous reports and our data, the gene expression of ECM components decreases with age, but the accumulation of collagen substantially increases in skeletal muscle. We examined the structural changes in ECM in aged skeletal muscle and found restricted ECM degradation. In aged skeletal muscles, several genes that maintain ECM structure, such as transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs), matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and cathepsins, were downregulated. Muscle injury can induce muscle repair and regeneration in young and adult skeletal muscles. Surprisingly, muscle injury could not only efficiently induce regeneration in aged skeletal muscle, but it could also activate ECM remodeling and the clearance of ECM deposition. These results will help elucidate the mechanisms of muscle fibrosis with age and develop innovative antifibrotic therapies to decrease excessive collagen deposition in aged muscle.     

Comparative studies of quality changes in white and dark muscles from common carp (Cyprinus carpio) during refrigerated (4 °C) storage

Differences between white and dark muscles from common carp (Cyprinus carpio) in sensory assessment, total viable counts (TVC), total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB‐N), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), biogenic amines (BAs), nucleotide degradation products and colours were investigated under air and vacuum conditions during refrigerated (4 °C) storage. Compared with white muscle, dark muscle had a higher lipid content, but lower crude protein and moisture content. TVC, TVB‐N, pH, and L* value were higher in white muscle, while K value and a* value were higher in dark muscle. Under both conditions, white and dark muscles had significant (P < 0.05) differences in tyramine and cadaverine content. Although dark muscle was significantly (P < 0.05) lower in ATP content, it had higher rate of IMP degradation and K value increase. Taking sensory and microbial indexes into consideration, dark muscle appeared to have a longer shelf life than white muscle under both conditions.     

Serine Protease Inhibitors as Good Predictors of Meat Tenderness: Which Are They and What Are Their Functions?

Since years, serine proteases and their inhibitors were an enigma to meat scientists. They were indeed considered to be extracellular and to play no role in postmortem muscle proteolysis. In the 1990's, we observed that protease inhibitors levels in muscles are a better predictor of meat tenderness than their target enzymes. From a practical point of view, we therefore choose to look for serine protease inhibitors rather than their target enzymes, i.e. serine proteases and the purpose of this report was to overview the findings obtained. Fractionation of a muscle crude extract by gel filtration revealed three major trypsin inhibitory fractions designed as F1 (Mr:50–70 kDa), F2 (Mr:40–60 kDa) and F3 (Mr:10–15kD) which were analyzed separately. Besides antithrombin III, an heparin dependent thrombin inhibitor, F1 and F2 comprised a large set of closely related trypsin inhibitors encoded by at least 8 genes bovSERPINA3-1 to A3-8 and able to inhibit also strongly initiator and effector caspases. They all belong to the serpin superfamily, known to form covalent complexes with their target enzymes, were located within muscle cells and found in all tissues and fluids examined irrespective of the animal species. Potential biological functions in living and postmortem muscle were proposed for all of them. In contrast to F1 and F2 which have been more extensively investigated only preliminary findings were provided for F3. Taken together, these results tend to ascertain the onset of apoptosis in postmortem muscle. However, the exact mechanisms driving the cell towards apoptosis and how apoptosis, an energy dependent process, can be completed postmortem remain still unclear.     

Reliability of different thresholds for defining muscular rest of the trapezius muscles in computer office workers

This study aimed at documenting the reliability of different thresholds used for defining the muscular rest of the trapezius muscles of 27 computer office workers, using surface electromyography (EMG) signals collected in the field. Measurement strategies for increasing the reliability of the results were also explored. Ten different thresholds to define muscular rest were compared: 1) five normalised (individualised) thresholds; 2) three absolute thresholds (in μV); 3) two absolute but individualised thresholds. The reliability was assessed using both a 15-min standardised computer task and 45 min of regular computer work. The main findings were: 1) overall, in a repeated measures study design, muscular rest variables were more reliable with the use of absolute thresholds when compared to normalised and individualised thresholds; 2) excellent reliability (index of dependability >0.75) can be reached when averaging the scores over 2 days; 3) using a standardised task instead of regular work does not necessarily lead to more reliable results.     

Wireless Face Interface: Using voluntary gaze direction and facial muscle activations for human-computer interaction

The present aim was to investigate the functionality of a new wireless prototype called Face Interface. The prototype combines the use of voluntary gaze direction and facial muscle activations, for pointing and selecting objects on a computer screen, respectively. The subjective and objective functionality of the prototype was evaluated with a series of pointing tasks using either frowning (i.e., frowning technique) or raising the eyebrows (i.e., raising technique) as the selection technique. Pointing task times and accuracies were measured using three target diameters (i.e., 25, 30, 40 mm), seven pointing distances (i.e., 60, 120, 180, 240, 260, 450, and 520 mm), and eight pointing angles (0°, 45°, 90°, 135°, 180°, 225°, 270°, and 315°). The results showed that the raising technique was faster selection technique than the frowning technique for the objects that were presented in the pointing distances from 60 mm to 260 mm. For those pointing distances the overall pointing task times were 2.4 s for the frowning technique, and 1.6 s for the raising technique. Fitts’ law computations showed that the correlations for the Fitts’ law model were r = 0.77 for the frowning technique and r = 0.51 for the raising technique. Further, the index of performance (IP) value was 1.9 bits/s for the frowning technique and 5.4 bits/s for raising the eyebrows technique. Based on the results, the prototype functioned well and was adjustable so that two different facial activations can be used in combination with gaze direction for pointing and selecting objects on a computer screen.     

Attention-related muscle activity in different body regions during VDU work with minimal physical activity

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to characterize regional variation in task-irrelevant muscle activity. Surface EMG was recorded at 20 different muscle sites during a complex choice-reaction task. Up to ten muscle sites were recorded in parallel and always including the upper trapezius muscles. The experimental setting was designed to minimize the physical activity while performing a VDU-based task demanding continuing attention. Consequently, the label ‘attention-related muscle activity’ has been adopted. The presence of this activity varied between subjects and between the different muscle sites. It tended to decrease in a caudal direction and to be low in the muscles of the extremities, with the exception of the extensor muscles of the hand and foot. Attention-related activity was prevalent in the frontalis and upper trapezius muscles. This result is discussed with respect to a potentially harmful health effect of task-irrelevant muscle activity.     

Multiple metastatic infections in a hemodialysis patient with untunneled internal jugular catheter

We present an end‐stage renal disease patient on dialysis with fever. The primary source was right internal jugular vein catheter which had metastatic infections in the body probably via an arteriovenous communication in a cavity in left lung. Patient had right psoas muscle abscess and a left kidney abscess. An ¹⁸F‐fluorodeoxyglucose‐positron emission spectroscopy scan was done to find out left kidney abscess. A search of literature did not reveal many patients of psoas abscess secondary to infection of hemodialysis access.