Role of posture in mechanics of the lumbar spine in compression

Thirty-four foods were analyzed in order to determine the content of water-soluble dietary fiber (SDF) and insoluble dietary fiber (IDF). Using the results with the standard table for 227 foods, the intake ratio of IDF/SDF of an average Japanese was calculated for the period 1946-1990. The ratio was 3.22 in 1990 as calculated on the food intakes shown in the national nutrition survey, and the secular change was not detected since 1946 when the ratio was 3.30. The ratio was also shown to be well preserved between types of households including the age of the head. Using dietary records of 60 healthy city workers (average 42.8 years) for 4 weeks, however, the weekly average ratio for an individual was found to vary in the range of 2.25-5.13 although the total average for 60 individuals was 3.33. Thus, the well preserved IDF/SDF intake ratio for an average Japanese showed, on the contrary, a wide variation of food selection between each person.     

Disturbed eye movements after whiplash due to injuries to the posture control system

Self-reports after whiplash often indicate associations with vertigo and reading problems. Neuropsychological and otoneurological tests were applied to a group of whiplash patients (n = 26) and to a carefully matched control group. The whiplash group deviated from the control group on measures of eye movements during reading, on smooth pursuit eye movements with the head in normal position, and with the body turned to the left or to the right. Clinical, caloric, and neurophysiological tests showed no injury to the vestibular system or to the CNS. Test results suggest that injuries to the neck due to whiplash can cause distortion of the posture control system as a result of disorganized neck proprioceptive activity.     

Lung mechanics in sitting and horizontal body positions

We measured lung compliance, pulmonary flow-resistance, and expiratory reserve volume (ERV) in ten healthy young adults in sitting, supine, and lateral positions. Average lung compliance was 0.21 in sitting, 0.19 in lateral and 0.16 L.cm H2O-1 in supine positions. The change was significant (p less than 0.01) between sitting and supine position. Flow-resistance increased from 1.78 in sitting to 2.5 cm H2O.L-1.s (p less than 0.001) in lateral positions, and did not increase further in the supine posture in spite of a 35 percent decrease in ERV (p less than 0.001). Since it is known that lower airways resistance increases with decreasing lung volume, the lack of change in flow-resistance when shifting from lateral to supine posture suggests that upper airways flow-resistance (larynx and oropharynx) is greater in the lateral decubitus than in the supine positions. The decrease of lung compliance in horizontal postures probably reflects increased pulmonary blood volume and small airways closure.     

Effect on water metabolism of body posture relative to the gravity vector

A combined effect of hypokinesia and body position at different angles to the gravity vector on the water content and rate of its metabolism was studied. It was shown that bed rest reduced total water losses and the rate of its metabolism. It was body position as related to the gravity vector rather than bed rest that influenced the total water content in the body.     

Differential shock transmission response of the human body to impact severity and lower limb posture

The shocks imparted to the foot during locomotion may lead to joint-degenerative diseases and jeopardize the visual-vestibular functions. The body relies upon several mechanisms and structures that have unique viscoelastic properties for shock attenuation. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether impact severity and initial knee angle (IKA) could alter the shock transmission characteristics of the body. Impacts were administered to the right foot of 38 subjects with a human pendulum device. Combinations of velocities (0.9, 1.05 and 1.2 m s-1) and surfaces (soft and hard foams) served to manipulate impact severity in the first experiment. Three IKA (0, 20 and 40 degrees) were examined in the second experiment. Transmission between shank and head was characterized by measuring the shock at these sites with miniature accelerometers. Velocity and surface had no effect on the frequency profile of shock transmission suggesting a consistent response of the body to impact severity. Shank shock power spectrum features accounted for the lower shock ratio (head/shank) measured under the hard surface condition. IKA flexion caused considerable reduction in effective axial stiffness of the body (EASB), 28.7-7.9 kNm-1, which improved shock attenuation. The high correlation (r = 0.97) between EASB and shock ratio underscored the importance of EASB to shock attenuation. The present findings provide valuable information for the development of strategies aimed at protecting the joints, articular cartilage, spine and head against locomotor shock.     

Sports and peripheral nerve injuries: report of 190 injuries evaluated in a single electromyography laboratory

We retrospectively reviewed electrodiagnostic studies performed on 169 athletes with 190 sports injuries to nerve fibers. Eighty-eight percent of the injuries were to the upper extremity. Athletes participated in 27 sports, but over one third of injuries were sustained playing football. The most common injuries were burners (n = 38) and cervical radiculopathies (n = 18), followed by median (n = 28), axillary (n = 22), ulnar (n = 19), suprascapular (n = 14), and peroneal (n = 11) mononeuropathies. This is the largest reported series of sports-related nerve injuries.     

Epidemiology and outcome of tibial diaphyseal fractures in footballers

A retrospective analysis of tibial diaphyseal fractures caused by football was undertaken to establish the epidemiology and severity of these common injuries. Analysis showed that the commonest fracture types were Tscherne C0 and C1 fractures and that only 73.9 per cent of the patients had unimpaired sporting function after the injury. The time to return to football was significantly related to the severity of the fracture but there was no correlation with the skill of the player. The time to return to football for the C0 fractures averaged 7-8 months and it is therefore suggested that it is unlikely that any player will return to football in the same season.     

Foot and ankle injuries related to rock climbing. The role of footwear

Interest in rock climbing has grown dramatically over the past decade. Although considerable research has been conducted on upper-extremity injuries sustained during rock climbing, there has been no comprehensive evaluation of lower-extremity injuries and related biomechanics. The authors performed a retrospective investigation of rock-climbing injuries using a survey of 104 active rock climbers of varying levels of expertise. The results show that 81% of the respondents have suffered acute or chronic pain or associated pathology in the foot or ankle during or after climbing. The authors propose that this morbidity has biomechanical etiologies related to the common practice among rock climbers of wearing climbing shoes that are smaller than their street shoes.     

Handwriting posture and cerebral organization: How are they related?

Since J. Levy and M. Reid (see PA, Vols 57:5149 and 61:12570) first reported an association between handwriting posture and cerebral lateralization, a number of studies related to this issue have appeared in the literature. There is currently a great deal of controversy regarding the nature of the association between handwriting posture and brain organization. It is argued that this controversy loses much of its force when clinical data regarding functional lateralization in left-handers are taken into account. The relevant background on brain organization in left-handers, Levy and Reid's findings and studies related to their findings, and Levy and Reid's speculations with respect to possible interpretations of their data and research bearing on those speculations are reviewed and discussed. (2 p ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dynamic surface tension properties of mixed lecithin-cholesterol films related to the respiratory mechanics

Chickens were housed when 1 day old with chickens experimentally infected with Mycoplasma synoviae. Air sacs from 16 of the 2-week-old and eight of the 3-week-old contact-exposed chickens were given gross lesion scores and embedded in glycol methacrylate for slide preparation. Histologic lesions in air sacs with gross scores of 0-2 were mild edema resulting in a two to eightfold increase in air sac thickness, capillary proliferation, and exudate consisting largely of heterophils and necrotic debris. Histologic lesions in air sacs with gross scores of 3 and 4 were marked hyperplasia of epithelial cells and diffuse infiltration of the air sac connective tissue by mononuclear cells. Nine of 10 air sacs with gross scores of 0 had no histologic evidence of inflammation. The most severe histologic lesions were in those air sacs with gross scores of 4. The glycol methacrylate procedure resulted in 2-mum sections with excellent cellular detail.     

Incisive canal cysts related to periodontal osseous defects: case reports

Tamoxifen (TAM) is an antiestrogen useful in the treatment and control of breast cancer. Exposure of solutions of TAM to UV irradiation produces mixtures of fluorescent derivatives that are useful in the analytical detection and quantitative determination of TAM. The two major products of such irradiations were isolated and assigned unambiguous structures based on analysis of UV and 1H NMR spectral data. Results were in accordance with earlier studies that indicated these products to be substituted phenanthrenes produced by dehydrogenation of cyclized intermediates subsequent to partial isomerization of TAM. Each of the phenanthrenes suppressed MCF-7 human breast cancer cell growth in a dose-dependent manner, but neither compound was as potent as TAM in this regard. Also, unlike treatment with TAM, cell growth could not be restored in the presence of either of the phenanthrenes by simultaneous exposure to estradiol.     

Effects of genetic vestibular defects on behavior related to spatial orientation and emotionality.

Administered a large battery of behavioral tests to 11 normal mice and to 20 mice with varying degrees of otoconial agenesis due to genes affecting vestibular development. Many significant differences were found, but a factor analysis revealed that the variance on the 11 best tests could be accounted for in terms of 2 underlying variables. Factor I, the more important of the 2, was associated with activity, habituation, and spontaneous alternation. Factor II appeared to represent a fear of new stimuli or situations. In both cases, factor scores were highly related to the degree of otoconial deficiency. In a 2nd experiment, a subgroup of 5 Ss with severe otoconial agenesis displayed hyperactivity and a total absence of either habituation or spontaneous alternation. In these Ss brain and body development were stunted, and the reactions to amphetamine and physostigmine were opposite to those seen in normal Ss. Results support the idea that the static organs contribute importantly to spatial orientation and suggest that early-onset vestibular defects can result in profound alterations of emotionality. (27 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sports injuries in the game of hurling. A one-year prospective study

A prospective study of hurling injuries was conducted over the 8 months of one season on 74 players. These athletes averaged 4.30 +/- 2.58 hours per week of training and 1.15 +/- 0.21 hours per week of matches. Mean time of injury was 1.20 +/- 2.53 days in the hospital, 20.34 +/- 19.25 days off sport, and 13.34 +/- 17.25 days of restricted activity. Together this injury time amounts to 14.3% of the season. There were 92 match- and 43 training-related injuries, giving 342.47 injuries per 10,000 hours of matches and 43.83 injuries per 10,000 hours of training. Overall, there were 369.9 days of injury per 1000 hours of participation. The most common type of injury was muscle strain (24.4% of the 135 total injuries). The hamstrings was the most common site of strain, accounting for 41% of these injuries. Contusions comprised 16.3% of the injuries and sprains comprised 15.6%. The most frequently injured sites were the finger (13%), hamstrings (12%), back (11%), head (9%), and knee and ankle (9%). Forty-one percent of the injuries were attributed to foul play. The results of the study suggest that the incidence of injuries in hurling is high and may be attributed to poor conditioning, poor protection, and lack of enforcement of the rules.     

Surgical tactics in severe combined injuries of the face and other body regions

The results of treatment in 67 patients with associated injuries of the face and other regions of the body are analysed. Sixteen of them died. Their poor state was conditioned not by facial injuries but by traumas of other organs and system of the organism. It is concluded that such patients should be treated not in stomatological but in special traumatological departments for polytraumas. Surgery is first to be performed in the region where the damage is most hazardous. But the first step is to prevent aspiration of blood from the oral cavity into the respiratory tract followed by the fixation of jaw fragments.     

Sex differences in adult chimpanzee positional behavior: the influence of body size on locomotion and posture

Focal animal instantaneous sampling of adult male and female chimpanzee positional behavior was conducted during a 7-month study in the Tai Forest, Ivory Coast, in order to determine whether there are sex differences in the locomotion, posture, substrate use, and height preference of sexually dimorphic adult chimpanzees, and if so, whether these differences support predictions based on body size differences. Results indicate that as predicted, adult male and female chimpanzees differ in their arboreal locomotor behavior, with the larger males using less quadrupedalism and more climbing, scrambling, and aided bipedalism than females during feeding locomotion. There is a sex difference in height preference as well, with female chimpanzees consistently using more arboreal behavior than males, primarily during resting. Although it has been previously demonstrated that separate primate species of differing body size differ in locomotor and postural activities (Fleagle and Mittermeier, 1980; Crompton, 1984), this study clearly demonstrates that body size differences within a species can also be correlated with differences in locomotor behavior. These findings may influence how we interpret sex differences in body size of extinct species.