Musculoskeletal discipline science plan

Life sciences research in the musculoskeletal discipline must identify possible consequences of weightlessness on this system, understand the mechanisms of these effects, and develop effective and operationally practical countermeasures to protect crewmembers. The musculoskeletal system is highly plastic in that is possesses the inherent capability to adapt its structural and functional properties in accordance with the type and degree of stimuli imposed on it. Prolonged space travel is essentially a period of significant unloading of the musculoskeletal system. This results in adaptive responses in the structure and function of this system, placing it on the low end of a continuum from one of complete disuse to one of maximal use. There is a high probability that the musculoskeletal system is functionally impaired with increasing duration of weightlessness. The purpose of this Discipline Science Plan is to provide a conceptual strategy for NASA's Life Sciences division research and development activities in the area of musculoskeletal function. This document summarizes the current status of the program, outlines available knowledge, establishes goals and objectives, identifies science priorities, and defines research opportunities, which encompass critical questions in the subdiscipline areas (e.g., muscle, bone, and other musculoskeletal connective tissues). These science activities include ground-based and flight; basic, applied, and operational; and animal and human research and development. This document contains a general plan that will be used by both NASA Headquarters Program Offices and the field centers to review and plan basic, applied, and operational intramural and extramural research and development activities in this area

Designing optimal controls by parameter optimization for a stance-control knee-ankle-foot orthosis

Inverse dynamics simulation is often used in robotic and mechatronic systems to track a desired trajectory by feed-forward control. Musculoskeletal multibody systems are highly overactuated and show a switching number of closed kinematical loops. The method of inverse dynamics is also successfully applied to overactuated systems by parameter optimization for two- and three-dimensional models of the human musculoskeletal system. The presented simulation approach is fully based on optimizationPostprint (published version

Cone beam CT of the musculoskeletal system : clinical applications

Objectives: The aim of this pictorial review is to illustrate the use of CBCT in a broad spectrum of musculoskeletal disorders and to compare its diagnostic merit with other imaging modalities, such as conventional radiography (CR), Multidetector Computed Tomography (MDCT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Background: Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) has been widely used for dental imaging for over two decades. Discussion: Current CBCT equipment allows use for imaging of various musculoskeletal applications. Because of its low cost and relatively low irradiation, CBCT may have an emergent role in making a more precise diagnosis, assessment of local extent and follow-up of fractures and dislocations of small bones and joints. Due to its exquisite high spatial resolution, CBCT in combination with arthrography may be the preferred technique for detection and local staging of cartilage lesions in small joints. Evaluation of degenerative joint disorders may be facilitated by CBCT compared to CR, particularly in those anatomical areas in which there is much superposition of adjacent bony structures. The use of CBCT in evaluation of osteomyelitis is restricted to detection of sequestrum formation in chronic osteomyelitis. Miscellaneous applications include assessment of (symptomatic) variants, detection and characterization of tumour and tumour-like conditions of bone. Teaching Points: Review the spectrum of MSK disorders in which CBCT may be complementary to other imaging techniques. Compare the advantages and drawbacks of CBCT compared to other imaging techniques. Define the present and future role of CBCT in musculoskeletal imaging

Effects of Sex and Gender on Adaptation to Space: Musculoskeletal Health

There is considerable variability among individuals in musculoskeletal response to long-duration spaceflight. The specific origin of the individual variability is unknown but is almost certainly influenced by the details of other mission conditions such as individual differences in exercise countermeasures, particularly intensity of exercise, dietary intake, medication use, stress, sleep, psychological profiles, and actual mission task demands. In addition to variations in mission conditions, genetic differences may account for some aspect of individual variability. Generally, this individual variability exceeds the variability between sexes that adds to the complexity of understanding sex differences alone. Research specifically related to sex differences of the musculoskeletal system during unloading is presented and discussed

Analysis of Required Investigations of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders in Spain

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are the most common source of occupational health problems in Western countries. In Spain, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) can be reported either as accidents or occupational diseases. When reported as an occupational disease, a full diagnosis is performed, as the compensation system needs the approval of the social security authority and a mandatory investigation has to be performed. Although many methods are available for investigating the causes of occupational accidents, occupational diseases have not been analysed with the same depth, and there is a lack of investigation methods. This paper aims to analyse the role of 43 occupational investigations of causes of musculoskeletal diseases in the prevention cycle. This study is based on the occupational investigations performed by workplaces’ occupational health and safety specialists when musculoskeletal diseases are reported. The analysis of the data involves descriptive statistics and the Φ coeffcient. Based on administrative data, 68 workplaces employing 15,260 workers were surveyed and 41 workplaces with 13,201 workers submitted valid questionnaires to be analysed. The most frequent cause of reported musculoskeletal disease, in terms of primary risk, is repetitive movement. The only proposed measure with a significant association to the exposure by repetitive movements is job rotation (alternating workers between tasks within a job or between activities as a means to vary different levels of exposure). The investigation of occupational diseases has been useful in most of the cases for proposing preventive measures. Most of the workplaces surveyed have performed investigations and adopted preventive measures, but the managers of some workplaces were not aware of any disease notification regarding their workers when surveyed. More research is needed to provide tools for this important task

Hubungan Antara Risiko Pekerjaan Manual Handling, Usia, dan Masa Kerja Dengan Risiko Gangguan Sistem Muskuloskeletal Pada Pekerja Bagian Perakitan Penulangan Besi Beton Di PT Wijaya Karya Beton Tbk. Boyolali

Musculoskeletal system problem is skeletal muscles disturbance affecting a person ranging from very mild to severe complaints. This condition can also be exacerbated by posture of working such as unnatural body posture, workload, as well as individual factors (age and years of service). Workers of concrete steel assembly perform activity of lift-transport handling manually. Purpose of the study is to know correlation between risk of manual handling work, age, and tenure and risk of musculoskeletal system disturbances. It is an analytical-observational research with cross sectional approach. Sample of the research is 32 workers of lift-haul manual handling taken by using total sampling technique. Data analysis of the research uses Spearman-Rho with a significant level (α = 0.05). Results of Spearman-Rho showed a significant correlation between risk of manual handling jobs and risk of musculoskeletal system disturbances (p = 0.031) (r = 0.382) with a weak correlation and indicated a direction of positive correlation meaning that the higher the risk of manual work handling, the greater the risk of musculoskeletal system disorders. A significant correlation between age and risk of musculoskeletal system disorders (p = 0.018) (r = 0.413) with fairly strong and positive direction correlation meaning that the older age, the higher the risk of musculoskeletal system disturbance. While no correlation was found between tenure and the risk of musculoskeletal system disorder (p-value = 172)

Congenital malformations at a referral hospital in Gorgan, Islamic Republic of Iran

This study recorded the rate of congenital malformations in 10 000 births at a referral hospital in Gorgan, Islamic Republic of Iran in 1998-99. The overall incidence of congenital malformations was 1.01% (1.19% in males and 0.76% in females). Anomalies of the musculoskeletal system had the highest incidence (0.38%), followed by central nervous system (0.28%) and genitourinary system (0.25%). The incidence of congenital malformations in different ethnic groups was 0.85%, 1.45% and 1.70% in native Fars, Turkman and Sistani groups respectively. Sex and ethnic background are factors in the rate of congenital malformations in this area