Development of split-force-controlled body weight support (SF-BWS) robot for gait rehabilitation

This study introduces a body-weight-support (BWS) robot actuated by two pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs). Conventional BWS devices typically use springs or a single actuator, whereas our robot has a split force-controlled BWS (SF-BWS), in which two force-controlled actuators independently support the left and right sides of the user’s body. To reduce the experience of weight, vertical unweighting support forces are transferred directly to the user’s left and right hips through a newly designed harness with an open space around the shoulder and upper chest area to allow freedom of movement. A motion capture evaluation with three healthy participants confirmed that the proposed harness does not impede upper-body motion during laterally identical force-controlled partial BWS walking, which is quantitatively similar to natural walking. To evaluate our SF-BWS robot, we performed a force-tracking and split-force control task using different simulated load weight setups (40, 50, and 60 kg masses). The split-force control task, providing independent force references to each PAM and conducted with a 60 kg mass and a test bench, demonstrates that our SF-BWS robot is capable of shifting human body weight in the mediolateral direction. The SF-BWS robot successfully controlled the two PAMs to generate the desired vertical support forces

Neurofeedback Using Real-Time Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Enhances Motor Imagery Related Cortical Activation

Accumulating evidence indicates that motor imagery and motor execution share common neural networks. Accordingly, mental practices in the form of motor imagery have been implemented in rehabilitation regimes of stroke patients with favorable results. Because direct monitoring of motor imagery is difficult, feedback of cortical activities related to motor imagery (neurofeedback) could help to enhance efficacy of mental practice with motor imagery. To determine the feasibility and efficacy of a real-time neurofeedback system mediated by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), two separate experiments were performed. Experiment 1 was used in five subjects to evaluate whether real-time cortical oxygenated hemoglobin signal feedback during a motor execution task correlated with reference hemoglobin signals computed off-line. Results demonstrated that the NIRS-mediated neurofeedback system reliably detected oxygenated hemoglobin signal changes in real-time. In Experiment 2, 21 subjects performed motor imagery of finger movements with feedback from relevant cortical signals and irrelevant sham signals. Real neurofeedback induced significantly greater activation of the contralateral premotor cortex and greater self-assessment scores for kinesthetic motor imagery compared with sham feedback. These findings suggested the feasibility and potential effectiveness of a NIRS-mediated real-time neurofeedback system on performance of kinesthetic motor imagery. However, these results warrant further clinical trials to determine whether this system could enhance the effects of mental practice in stroke patients

Effects of Temperature on Development, Longevity and Reproduction of the Soybean Aphid, Aphis glycines (Homoptera: Aphididae)

The soybean aphid, AphisgijcinesMATsuMuRA, is distributedin tropical and subtropical regions such as SoutheastAsia and partsof Africaas wcll as temperate zones such as nomhern China andJapzn CWANG et al., 1962; KoBAyAsHI et al., 1972; SINGH and van EMDEN, 1979; HILL, 1987; HIRANo and Ftull,1993), A. glycinesisan important pestof the soybean plant CWANGct al., 1962; KoGAN und TuRN]?sEEn, 1987), causing not only dircctdamagc by feeding but also indircctdamage from itsheavy secretion of honcydew on the plants,which scrvcs as a growing medium forsoety mold fungus.A. glyct'nes isalso an important vector ot' viraldiseasesCIwAKI,1979;TAKAHAsHI et aL, 1980). Although A.glycineshaslongbcenknown as a soybean pest,fewstudics have beencarried out on the mechanism involvedinitspopulation flu¢ tuations. It isncccssary to clarify thc demographicparameters and ecological characteristics ofA. gipcines as a first step toward undcrstanding the populationdynamics of thisspecies. The presentrcport fbcuseson the dcvclopmental thresholds and ratcs, intrinsicrates of incrcasc,and other pertinentdemographic parametcrs forA.glycinesOriginating text in English.Citation: Hirano, Kohji, Honda, Ken-Ichiro, Miyai, Shun'Ichi. (1996). Effects of Temperature on Development, Longevity and Reproduction of the Soybean Aphid, Aphis glycines (Homoptera: Aphididae). Applied Entomology and Zoology [Japan], 31(1), 178-180

Exercise BP response in subjects with high-normal BP Exaggerated blood pressure response to exercise and risk of future hypertension in subjects with high-normal blood pressure

AbstractOBJECTIVESThis study was designed to assess the clinical usefulness of an exaggerated blood pressure (BP) response to exercise (EBPR) in predicting the development of hypertension from a high-normal state.BACKGROUNDExaggerated BP response during both dynamic and isometric exercises are associated with increased risk of future hypertension, while the significance of these responses concerning the identification of individuals with high-normal BP who are prone to develop hypertension is unknown.METHODSThe study population comprised a sample of 239 men with high-normal BP (aged 42.3 ± 5.9 years) who underwent a symptom-limited bicycle ergometer exercise testing at baseline and then were followed for 5.1 years.RESULTSThe Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the subjects in the upper quartile of BP response to exercise had a significantly higher cumulative incidence of hypertension on follow-up than those in the middle two and lower quartiles (log-rank test, p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazards survival model showed that the EBPR was significantly and independently associated with the risk of developing hypertension after adjustment for some traditional risk factors for hypertension (RR = 2.31, 95% confidence interval = 1.45 to 6.25).CONCLUSIONSThese findings suggest that an EBPR is an important risk factor for new-onset hypertension from a high-normal state and, thus, exercise testing can provide valid information that may help identify individuals with high-normal BP at a greater risk of future hypertension

Association between aphasia severity and brain network alterations after stroke assessed using the electroencephalographic phase synchrony index

Abstract Electroencephalographic synchrony can help assess brain network status; however, its usefulness has not yet been fully proven. We developed a clinically feasible method that combines the phase synchrony index (PSI) with resting-state 19-channel electroencephalography (EEG) to evaluate post-stroke motor impairment. In this study, we investigated whether our method could be applied to aphasia, a common post-stroke cognitive impairment. This study included 31 patients with subacute aphasia and 24 healthy controls. We assessed the expressive function of patients and calculated the PSIs of three motor language-related regions: frontofrontal, left frontotemporal, and right frontotemporal. Then, we evaluated post-stroke network alterations by comparing PSIs of the patients and controls and by analyzing the correlations between PSIs and aphasia scores. The frontofrontal PSI (beta band) was lower in patients than in controls and positively correlated with aphasia scores, whereas the right frontotemporal PSI (delta band) was higher in patients than in controls and negatively correlated with aphasia scores. Evaluation of artifacts suggests that this association is attributed to true synchrony rather than spurious synchrony. These findings suggest that post-stroke aphasia is associated with alternations of two different networks and point to the usefulness of EEG PSI in understanding the pathophysiology of aphasia