EMG signal processing for the study of localized muscle fatigue—pilot study to explore the applicability of a novel method

This pilot study aimed to explore a method for characterization of the electromyogram frequency spectrum during a sustained exertion task, performed by the upper limb. Methods: Nine participants underwent an isometric localized muscle fatigue protocol on an isokinetic dynamometer until exhaustion, while monitored with surface electromyography (sEMG) of the shoulder’s external rotators. Firstly, three methods of signal energy analysis based on primer frequency contributors were compared to the energy of the entire spectrum. Secondly, the chosen method of analysis was used to characterize the signal energy at beginning (T1), in the middle (T2) and at the end (T3) of the fatigue protocol and compared to the torque output and the shift in the median frequencies during the trial. Results: There were statistically significant differences between T1 and T3 for signal energy (p < 0.007) and for central frequency of the interval (p = 0.003). Moreover, the isometric peak torque was also different between T1 and T3 (p < 0.001). Overall, there were no differences between the signal energy enclosed in the 40 primer frequency contributors and the analysis of the full spectrum energy; consequently, it was the method of choice. The reported fatigue and the decrease in the produced muscle torque was consistent with fatigue-induced alterations in the electromyogram frequency spectrum. In conclusion, the developed protocol has potential to be considered as an easy-to-use method for EMG-based analysis of isometric muscle exertion until fatigue. Thus, the novelty of the proposed method is to explore, in muscle fatigue, the use of only the main contributors in the frequency domain of the EMG spectrum, avoiding surplus information, that may not represent muscle functioning. However, further studies are needed to investigate the stability of the present findings in a more comprehensive sample.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC) to CeDRI (UIDB/05757/2020 and UIDP/05757/2020) and SusTEC (LA/P/0007/2021).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Studiul acțiunii antioxidante a unor plante medicinale din colecția CȘCPM USMF ,,Nicolae Testemițanu” prin utilizarea testului DPPH.

Interesul în antioxidanţi naturali, în special, cei proveniţi din plante medicinale, a crescut în ultimii ani, inclusiv prin multiple studii și publicații. Scopul acestei lucrări constă în confi rmarea acțiunii antioxidante, cu utilizarea metodei spectrofotometrice prin testul 1,1,-difenil-2-picrilhidrazil (DPPH), pentru unele produse vegetale: Argimoniae herba, Cichorii herba, Potentillae herba, Symphyti radix, colectate din colecția Centrului Științifi c de Cultivare a Plantelor Medicinale USMF ,,Nicolae Testemițanu”. Rezultatele experimentale obţinute denotă că părțíle aeriene de turiță manifestă cea mai înaltă activitate antioxidantă, urmată de sclipeți, cicoare și tătăneasă: Agrimonia eupatoria L. (IC 50 = 45.557 μg/ml) ˃ Potentilla erecta L. Rausch. (60.647 μg/ml) ˃ Cichorium intybus L. (IC 50 = 173.08 μg/ml) ˃ Symphytum offi cinale L. (205,56 μg/ml)

Identifying CO2 Seeps in a Long-Dormant Volcanic Area Using Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle-Based Infrared Thermometry: A Qualitative Study

Ciomadul is a long-dormant volcanic area in the Eastern Carpathians of Romania. The study site, the Stinky Cave, and the surrounding areas are well-known for CO2, and H2S seeps. The gases from these seeps come with high flux and are of magmatic origin, associated with the volcanic activity of Ciomadul. In this study, an Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle coupled with a thermal infrared sensor is used to identify new seeps. In order to achieve this, we carried out several field campaigns, coupling image acquisition with the creation of digital outcrop models and orthomosaics. The study was carried out at low ambient temperatures to identify strong thermal anomalies from the gasses. Using this qualitative study method, we identified several new seeps. The total emission of the greenhouse gas CO2 in the Ciomadul area and other similar sites is highly underestimated. The practical application of this method will serve as a guide for a future regional rollout of the thermal infrared mapping and identification of CO2 seeps in the area

Hydrocarbon source rock potential and paleoenvironment of lower Miocene diatomites in the Eastern Carpathians Bend Zone (Sibiciu de Sus, Romania)

Diatomites are prolific hydrocarbon source rocks in many basins worldwide. In the broader Carpathians, diagenetically altered diatomites are called menilites, and menilitic shale successions are regarded as the most prolific hydrocarbon source rocks in the region. The abandoned Sibiciu de Sus quarry, located in the Eastern Carpathian Bend Zone of Romania, provides large exposures of the upper part of the Lower Miocene Upper Menilites, composed of various diatomite lithologies, cherts, menilitic shales and quartz-rich sandstone. The sediments are highly deformed due to soft-sediment deformation and subsequent Miocene to Pliocene contractional tectonics. Twenty-two diatom-bearing samples were examined in order (a) to determine the hydrocarbon source rock potential, (b) to document the diatom assemblages and (c) to interpret the depositional environment. The hydrocarbon potential of the studied rocks is considered good to very good, with an average TOC of 3.77 wt. % (max. 9.57 wt. % TOC) and type II–III kerogen (avg. HI: 384 mg HC/g TOC). Tmax does not exceed 424 °C suggesting that the organic matter is thermally immature. Despite that, the Production Index is high (0.1–0.3), which proves the presence of migrated hydrocarbons. The source potential index (SPI) indicates that the exposed section, if mature, could generate about 1.3 t HC/m2. As the diatom preservation does not enable chemical extraction of individual valves, this study describes only genus-level findings. The diatom assemblages are dominated by Aulacoseira and Actinocyclus, whereas Ellerbeckia, Paralia and Rhaphoneis are rarely observed. The diatom assemblages indicate a nearshore, brackish-water depositional setting

Insights into the palaeoenvironments, structure and stratigraphy of the lower Miocene of the Eastern Carpathians Bend Zone, Romania

The ages of several Oligocene to Miocene sedimentary formations from the Eastern Carpathians Bend Zone are poorly constrained due to palaeoenvironmental factors, reworking of fossils, structural complexity and limited exposure. To help overcome these issues, this study integrates calcareous nannoplankton and foraminifera biostratigraphy with isotopic age dating (U-Pb) of volcaniclastic zircons, and sedimentological and structural observations/interpretations. Our study was carried out along an ~6-km-long section made from a series of outcrops along the Bizdidel River which exposes several formations such as the Pucioasa, Fusaru, Vinețișu, Starchiojd and Slon. We show that the Fusaru Formation consists of coarse-grained rocks deposited as confined longitudinal channel successions that migrated laterally. It is bounded by the mud-rich Pucioasa and Vinețișu formations which are lateral equivalents of the Fusaru confined channels deposited as levee/overbank units. These genetically related formations appear to reach younger ages – of the lower to middle Burdigalian based on calcareous nannoplankton and foraminifera biostratigraphy – than previously thought (upper Oligocene to lower Burdigalian). The dominant organic-rich mudstones of the Starchiojd Formation represent pelagites/hemipelagites deposited in anoxic conditions. Their middle Burdigalian age is established by a 17.41 ±0.27 Ma zircon U-Pb age of zircons from the Bătrâni Tuff in the Starchiojd Formation. Based on the similar phenocryst content, zircon U-Pb age and zircon trace element composition, the source of the tuff is suggested to be the 17.3 Ma Eger ignimbrite-forming eruption, which has proximal, near-caldera deposits in the Bükkalja Volcanic Field, Hungary. The mud-rich Slon Formation seems to be related to shelf edge/upslope failure that formed cohesive debrite avalanches resulting from foreland propagation of compression. The Slon Formation extends in this area to at least the upper part of the lower Miocene to middle Miocene. These results highlight the need to revise ages of those parts of the sequence which are poorly constrained or different in other parts of the Carpathian Basin. Such revised ages help to better constrain the understanding of the deformation history of the Carpathians

Изучение антиоксидантного действия лекарственных растений из коллекции НЦКЛР ГУМФ «Николае Тестемицану» с помощью теста DPPH

Facultatea de Farmacie, IP USMF ,,Nicolae Testemițanu”, Facultatea de Farmacie, Universitatea de Medicină și Farmacie, ,,Iuliu Hațieganu”, Cluj-Napoca, România, Centrul Științifi c de Cultivare a Plantelor Medicinale, IP USMF ,,Nicolae Testemițanu”Rezumat. Interesul în antioxidanţi naturali, în special, cei proveniţi din plante medicinale, a crescut în ultimii ani, inclusiv prin multiple studii și publicații. Scopul acestei lucrări constă în confi rmarea acțiunii antioxidante, cu utilizarea metodei spectrofotometrice prin testul 1,1,-difenil-2-picrilhidrazil (DPPH), pentru unele produse vegetale: Argimoniae herba, Cichorii herba, Potentillae herba, Symphyti radix, colectate din colecția Centrului Științifi c de Cultivare a Plantelor Medicinale USMF ,,Nicolae Testemițanu”. Rezultatele experimentale obţinute denotă că părțíle aeriene de turiță manifestă cea mai înaltă activitate antioxidantă, urmată de sclipeți, cicoare și tătăneasă: Agrimonia eupatoria L. (IC 50 = 45.557 μg/ml) ˃ Potentilla erecta L. Rausch. (60.647 μg/ml) ˃ Cichorium intybus L. (IC 50 = 173.08 μg/ml) ˃ Symphytum offi cinale L. (205,56 μg/ml). The increasing interest in natural antioxidants particularly those extracted from medicinal plants has grown in the last few years due to several studies and publications. The aim of this research is the confi rmation of antioxidant action, released through spectophotometry (test 1,1,-2-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) for some herbal products: Agrimoniae herba, Cichorii herba, Potentillae herba, Symphyti radix. The products are gathered from Scientifi c Cultivation Center of Medicinal Plants SUMPh ,,Nicolae Testemițanu”. The obtained experimental data show that agrimony manifests the highest antioxidant activity followed by potentilla, chicory and comfrey: Agrimonia eupatoria L. (IC 50 = 45.557 μg/ml) ˃ Potentilla erecta L. Rausch. (60.647 μg/ml) ˃ Cichorium intybus L. (IC 50 = 173.08 μg/ml) ˃ Symphytum offi cinale L. (205,56 μg/ ml). Растущий интерес природных антиохидантов, особенно получаемых из лекартвенных растений, увеличился в последние годы, в том числе в многочисленных исследованиях и публикациях. Цель данной работы является подтверждение антиоксидантного действия, при использовании спектрофотометрического метода через теста 1-дифенил-2-пикрилхидразил (DPPH) для некоторых лекраственных видов сырья: Agrimoniae herba, Cichorii herba, Potentillae herba, Symphyti radix, собранных с коллекции Научного Центра Культивирования Лекарственных Растений ГУМФ ,,Николае Тестемицану”. Полученные экспериментальные данные показывают что надземные части репешка имеют самую высокую антиоксидантную активность, за которым следует лапчатка, цикорий и окопник: Agrimonia eupatoria L. (IC 50 = 45.557 μg/ml) ˃ Potentilla erecta L. Rausch. (60.647 μg/ml) ˃ Cichorium intybus L. (IC 50 = 173.08 μg/ml) ˃ Symphytum offi cinale L. (205,56 μg/ml)

<i>Epilobium</i> Species: From Optimization of the Extraction Process to Evaluation of Biological Properties

Epilobium species are used in Romanian folk medicine as tinctures, tea, or tablets for ameliorating the symptoms of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), but scientific-based evidence is scarce for this species or other endemic plants of the same genus. Therefore, the aims of this research were to evaluate the phytochemical profile of five endemic Epilobium species (E. hirsutum L., E. parviflorum Schreb., E. palustre L. E. dodonaei Vill., and E. angustifolium L.) and to assess their in vitro biological activity. For enhanced recovery of polyphenols, a D-optimal experimental plan was developed using Modde software and the optimal working conditions were ultra-turrax-assisted extraction, for 8 min, with 30% ethanol in water. The optimized extracts were obtained from various plant parts and were further characterized by LC-MS analysis, with the major compound being oenothein B. All extracts demonstrated good antioxidant activity, evaluated by DPPH and TEAC assays. The most prominent antimicrobial potency of optimized extracts was displayed against Bacillus cereus, while against Gram-(+) bacteria, a moderate efficacy was observed. Furthermore, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant potential were assessed on normal fibroblasts and prostate carcinoma cell lines. From the evaluated optimized extracts, E. angustifolium aerial parts had the highest selectivity toward killing cancerous cells, followed by E. hirsutum aerial parts extract. For the antioxidant effect, E. hirsutum leaves and E. hirstum aerial parts extracts displayed the highest potency, decreasing ROS at the level observed for the positive control. The highest anti-inflammatory potential, based on the IL-6 and IL-8 levels, was displayed by E. dodonaei aerial parts and E. angustifolium leaves extracts. In conclusion, all five endemic species of Epilobium harvested from Romanian flora possess a diverse phytochemical composition, which supports complex biological activities