To what extent is joint and muscle mechanics predicted by musculoskeletal models sensitive to soft tissue artefacts?

Musculoskeletal models are widely used to estimate joint kinematics, intersegmental loads, and muscle and joint contact forces during movement. These estimates can be heavily affected by the soft tissue artefact (STA) when input positional data are obtained using stereophotogrammetry, but this aspect has not yet been fully characterised for muscle and joint forces. This study aims to assess the sensitivity to the STA of three open-source musculoskeletal models, implemented in OpenSim. A baseline dataset of marker trajectories was created for each model from experimental data of one healthy volunteer. Five hundred STA realizations were then statistically generated using a markerdependent model of the pelvis and lower limb artefact and added to the baseline data. The STA's impact on the musculoskeletal model estimates was finally quantified using a Monte Carlo analysis. The modelled STA distributions were in line with the literature. Observed output variations were comparable across the three models, and sensitivity to the STA was evident for most investigated quantities. Shape, magnitude and timing of the joint angle and moment time histories were not significantly affected throughout the entire gait cycle, whereas magnitude variations were observed for muscle and joint forces. Ranges of contact force variations differed between joints, with hip variations up to 1.8 times body weight observed. Variations of more than 30% were observed for some of the muscle forces. In conclusion, musculoskeletal simulations using stereophotogrammetry may be safely run when only interested in overall output patterns. Caution should be paid when more accurate estimated values are needed

Knee Kinematics Estimation Using Multi-Body Optimisation Embedding a Knee Joint Stiffness Matrix: A Feasibility Study

The use of multi-body optimisation (MBO) to estimate joint kinematics from stereophotogrammetric data while compensating for soft tissue artefact is still open to debate. Presently used joint models embedded in MBO, such as mechanical linkages, constitute a considerable simplification of joint function, preventing a detailed understanding of it. The present study proposes a knee joint model where femur and tibia are represented as rigid bodies connected through an elastic element the behaviour of which is described by a single stiffness matrix. The deformation energy, computed from the stiffness matrix and joint angles and displacements, is minimised within the MBO. Implemented as a “soft” constraint using a penalty-based method, this elastic joint description challenges the strictness of “hard” constraints. In this study, estimates of knee kinematics obtained using MBO embedding four different knee joint models (i.e., no constraints, spherical joint, parallel mechanism, and elastic joint) were compared against reference kinematics measured using bi-planar fluoroscopy on two healthy subjects ascending stairs. Bland-Altman analysis and sensitivity analysis investigating the influence of variations in the stiffness matrix terms on the estimated kinematics substantiate the conclusions. The difference between the reference knee joint angles and displacements and the corresponding estimates obtained using MBO embedding the stiffness matrix showed an average bias and standard deviation for kinematics of 0.9±3.2° and 1.6±2.3 mm. These values were lower than when no joint constraints (1.1±3.8°, 2.4±4.1 mm) or a parallel mechanism (7.7±3.6°, 1.6±1.7 mm) were used and were comparable to the values obtained with a spherical joint (1.0±3.2°, 1.3±1.9 mm). The study demonstrated the feasibility of substituting an elastic joint for more classic joint constraints in MBO

Characterization of honeys from west and south Buenos Aires province, Argentina

Pollen analyses were carried out on 33 honey samples from Espinal, Monte de Llanuras y Mesetas and Pampeana phytogeographical Provinces, collected during the 2000-2001 period. Sample processing as well as qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed according to standard techniques. Sixty-seven morphological pollen types were identified. The association of Eucalyptus sp. (E. camaldulensis Dehnh., E. viminalis Labill.), Centaurea sp. (C. solstitialis L., C. calcitrapa L.) and Diplotaxis tenuifolia DC. characterized these honeys. Twelve samples were unifloral: six from Eucalyptus sp., five from Helianthus annuus L., and one from Brassicaceae. Asteraceae and Fabaceae were the most representative botanical families

An exploration of fractal-based prognostic model and comparative analysis for second wave of COVID-19 diffusion

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has fatalized 216 countries across the world and has claimed the lives of millions of people globally. Researches are being carried out worldwide by scientists to understand the nature of this catastrophic virus and find a potential vaccine for it. The most possible efforts have been taken to present this paper as a form of contribution to the understanding of this lethal virus in the first and second wave. This paper presents a unique technique for the methodical comparison of disastrous virus dissemination in two waves amid five most infested countries and the death rate of the virus in order to attain a clear view on the behaviour of the spread of the disease. For this study, the data set of the number of deaths per day and the number of infected cases per day of the most affected countries, the USA, Brazil, Russia, India, and the UK, have been considered in the first and second waves. The correlation fractal dimension has been estimated for the prescribed data sets of COVID-19, and the rate of death has been compared based on the correlation fractal dimension estimate curve. The statistical tool, analysis of variance, has also been used to support the performance of the proposed method. Further, the prediction of the daily death rate has been demonstrated through the autoregressive moving average model. In addition, this study also emphasis a feasible reconstruction of the death rate based on the fractal interpolation function. Subsequently, the normal probability plot is portrayed for the original data and the predicted data, derived through the fractal interpolation function to estimate the accuracy of the prediction. Finally, this paper neatly summarized with the comparison and prediction of epidemic curve of the first and second waves of COVID-19 pandemic to visualize the transmission rate in the both times

A Melissopalynological map of the south and southwest of the Buenos Aires province, Argentina

El objetivo de este trabajo fue elaborar un mapa melitopalinológico del sur y sudoeste de la provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina, con datos de análisis polínicos de 127 muestras de miel provenientes de las eco-regiones Pampa, Distrito del Caldén en el Espinal, y Monte de Llanuras y Mesetas, recolectadas en el período 1992-2002. Utilizando análisis de componentes principales y de cluster, los partidos se agruparon en cinco regiones: I (Tres Arroyos, San Cayetano, Coronel Pringles y Coronel Dorrego), II (Guaminí, Saavedra, Coronel Suárez y Adolfo Alsina), III (Coronel Rosales, Monte Hermoso, Bahía Blanca y Villarino), IV (Patagones y Tornquist) y V (Puán). En las Regiones I, III y IV el 80% de las muestras fueron monoflorales. La Región I se caracterizó por la presencia de un 50% de mieles de Helianthus annuus y de un 10% de mieles de trébol; la Región III por 60% de mieles de Eucalyptus sp.; y la Región IV por 30% de mieles de Diplotaxis tenuifolia. En las Regiones II y V el 50% de las mieles fueron monoflorales: la Región II se distinguió por la presencia de 50% de mieles de H. annuus y la Región V por 15% de mieles de Larrea divaricata y 15% de mieles de Vicia sp. Las mieles multiflorales de la Región V se destacaron por la presencia de pólen de Condalia microphylla. La mayor diversidad de tipos polínicos correspondió a las familias Fabaceae y Asteraceae. La asociación de Eucalyptus sp., Centaurea sp. y Diplotaxis tenuifolia caracterizó a las mieles de las cinco regiones. La variabilidad natural de las muestras de miel hace muy difícil definir límites precisos entre las diferentes regiones.The aim of this work was to produce a melissopalynological map of the south and southwest of the Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, using pollen analysis data pertaining to 127 honey samples from the Pampa, Espinal (the Calden District), and Monte de Llanuras y Mesetas ecoregions, collected over the period 1992-2002. Using principal components and hierarchical cluster analysis, the different districts were grouped into five regions: I (Tres Arroyos, San Cayetano, Coronel Pringles and Coronel Dorrego), II (Guaminí, Saavedra, Coronel Suárez and Adolfo Alsina), III (Coronel Rosales, Monte Hermoso, Bahía Blanca and Villarino), IV (Patagones and Tornquist), and V (Puán). In Regions I, III and IV, 80% of honey samples were monofloral: Region I was characterized by the presence of 50% Helianthus annuus honeys and 10% clover honeys, Region III by 65% Eucalyptus sp. honeys, and Region IV by 30% Diplotaxis tenuifolia honeys. In Regions II and V, 50% of honeys were monofloral. Region II was distinguished by the presence of 50% H. annuus honeys, and Region V by 15% Larrea divaricata and 15% Vicia sp. honeys. The multifloral honeys of Region V included samples containing Condalia microphylla pollen. The families Fabaceae and Asteraceae provided the greatest diversity of pollen types. The association of Eucalyptus sp., Centaurea sp., and Diplotaxis tenuifolia characterised the honeys from all five regions. The natural variability of honey samples renders it very difficult to define the boundaries between the different regions

Pollen and nectar sources used by honeybee colonies pollinating sunflower (Helianthus annuus) in the Colorado River Valley, Argentina

Pollen traps and beeswax foundations were set in order to study pollen and nectar sources used by honeybee colonies pollinating sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) for the production of hybrid seed in the lower valley of the Colorado river in southern Argentina. Thirty-seven plant species in bloom were registered in the area surrounding the sunflower field. Most of them were scarcely represented. The honeybee maximum density recorded on the sunflower male-fertile line was 10.00 bees per 100 heads, while on the male-sterile line was 25.33 bees per 100 heads. Seven plant taxa were identified in the pollen loads and 26 in the honey samples. About 84% of the collected pollen came from three taxa: Centaurea solstitialis L., Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. and Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Airy -Shaw, and only 11% came from H. annuus. The taxa most gathered had high protein values, above 20%. The dominant and secondary pollen types in honey samples were Tamarix gallica L., E. camaldulensis, Brassicaceae and C. solstitialis. The results indicate that honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) foraged pollen and nectar mainly from the flora surrounding the sunflower field.Fuentes de polen y néctar utilizadas por colonias de Apis mellifera que polinizan girasol (Helianthus annuus) en el valle inferior del río Colorado, Argentina. Se colocaron trampas caza-polen y cuadros con cera estampada para estudiar las fuentes de polen y néctar utilizadas por colmenas que polinizan girasol para la producción de semilla híbrida en el valle inferior del río Colorado, Argentina. Treinta y siete especies en floración fueron registradas en cercanías al cultivo de girasol. La mayoría de ellas estuvieron escasamente representadas. La máxima densidad de abejas en la línea androfértil de girasol fue de 10,00 abejas por cada 100 inflorescencias, mientras que en la línea androestéril fue de 25,33 abejas por cada 100 inflorescencias. En las cargas polínicas se identificaron siete taxa, y 26 en las muestras de miel. El 84% en peso del polen recolectado correspondió a tres taxa: Centaurea solstitialis L., Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. y Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Airy -Shaw y sólo el 11% provino de H. annuus. Los taxa más cosecha-dos tuvieron valores de proteína altos, superiores a 20%. Los tipos polínicos dominantes y secun-darios en las muestras de miel fueron Tamarix gallica L. y E. camaldulensis, Brassicaceae y C. solstitialis. Los resultados indican que las abejas (Apis mellifera L.) recolectaron polen y néctar principalmente de la flora circundante al cultivo de girasol