Contractile behavior of the gastrocnemius medialis muscle during running in simulated hypogravity.

Vigorous exercise countermeasures in microgravity can largely attenuate muscular degeneration, albeit the extent of applied loading is key for the extent of muscle wasting. Running on the International Space Station is usually performed with maximum loads of 70% body weight (0.7 g).

Lignins Isolated via Catalyst-Free Organosolv Pulping from , , and : A Comparative Study.

As a low-input crop, offers numerous advantages that, in addition to agricultural applications, permits its exploitation for energy, fuel, and material production. Depending on the genotype, season, and harvest time as well as plant component (leaf versus stem), correlations between structure and properties of the corresponding isolated lignins differ. Here, a comparative study is presented between lignins isolated from , , and using a catalyst-free organosolv pulping process.

Gastrocnemius Medialis Contractile Behavior Is Preserved During 30% Body Weight Supported Gait Training.

Rehabilitative body weight supported gait training aims at restoring walking function as a key element in activities of daily living. Studies demonstrated reductions in muscle and joint forces, while kinematic gait patterns appear to be preserved with up to 30% weight support. However, the influence of body weight support on muscle architecture, with respect to fascicle and series elastic element behavior is unknown, despite this having potential clinical implications for gait retraining.

OMNIVIL-An Autonomous Mobile Manipulator for Flexible Production.

Flexible production is a key element in modern industrial manufacturing. Autonomous mobile manipulators can be used to execute various tasks: from logistics, to pick and place, or handling. Therefore, autonomous robotic systems can even increase the flexibility of existing production environments.

Biomechanics of all-out handcycling exercise: kinetics, kinematics and muscular activity of a 15-s sprint test in able-bodied participants.

This study aims to quantify the kinematics, kinetics and muscular activity of all-out handcycling exercise and examine their alterations during the course of a 15-s sprint test. Twelve able-bodied competitive triathletes performed a 15-s all-out sprint test in a recumbent racing handcycle that was attached to an ergometer. During the sprint test, tangential crank kinetics, 3D joint kinematics and muscular activity of 10 muscles of the upper extremity and trunk were examined using a power metre, motion capturing and surface electromyography (sEMG), respectively.

Biomechanics of handcycling propulsion in a 30-min continuous load test at lactate threshold: Kinetics, kinematics, and muscular activity in able-bodied participants.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the biomechanics of handcycling during a continuous load trial (CLT) to assess the mechanisms underlying fatigue in upper body exercise.

Methods: Twelve able-bodied triathletes performed a 30-min CLT at a power output corresponding to lactate threshold in a racing recumbent handcycle mounted on a stationary ergometer. During the CLT, ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), tangential crank kinetics, 3D joint kinematics, and muscular activity of ten muscles of the upper extremity and trunk were examined using motion capturing and surface electromyography.

Normalising surface EMG of ten upper-extremity muscles in handcycling: Manual resistance vs. sport-specific MVICs.

Muscular activity in terms of surface electromyography (sEMG) is usually normalised to maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVICs). This study aims to compare two different MVIC-modes in handcycling and examine the effect of moving average window-size. Twelve able-bodied male competitive triathletes performed ten MVICs against manual resistance and four sport-specific trials against fixed cranks.

Production and Characterization of Porous Fibroin Scaffolds for Regenerative Medical Application.

Background/aim: Silk is a natural biomaterial with several superior features for applications in regenerative medicine. In the present study an optimized process for manufacturing porous scaffolds out of the silk protein fibroin was developed.

Materials And Methods: The silk protein fibroin was dissolved in Ajisawa's reagent and the resulting fibroin solution was used to produce scaffolds by means of freeze-thawing cycling.

Reliability of muscular activation patterns and their alterations during incremental handcycling in able-bodied participants.

The aim of this study was to assess muscle activity patterns (MAPs) in handcycling in terms of reliability and their alterations due to increasing workload. A total of 12 able-bodied triathletes performed an incremental step test until subjective exhaustion in a racing handcycle that was mounted on an ergometer. During the test, muscular activity of 10 muscles of the upper extremity and trunk was measured using surface electromyography (sEMG).

Development and evaluation of a 16-channel receive-only RF coil to improve 7T ultra-high field body MRI with focus on the spine.

Purpose: A 16-channel receive (16Rx) radiofrequency (RF) array for 7T ultra-high field body MR imaging is presented. The coil is evaluated in conjunction with a 16-channel transmit/receive (16TxRx) coil and additionally with a 32-channel transmit/receive (32TxRx) remote body coil for RF transmit and serving as receive references.

Methods: The 16Rx array consists of 16 octagonal overlapping loops connected to custom-built detuning boards with preamplifiers.

Exceptionally Ductile and Tough Biomimetic Artificial Nacre with Gas Barrier Function.

Synthetic mimics of natural high-performance structural materials have shown great and partly unforeseen opportunities for the design of multifunctional materials. For nacre-mimetic nanocomposites, it has remained extraordinarily challenging to make ductile materials with high stretchability at high fractions of reinforcements, which is however of crucial importance for flexible barrier materials. Here, highly ductile and tough nacre-mimetic nanocomposites are presented, by implementing weak, but many hydrogen bonds in a ternary nacre-mimetic system consisting of two polymers (poly(vinyl amine) and poly(vinyl alcohol)) and natural nanoclay (montmorillonite) to provide efficient energy dissipation and slippage at high nanoclay content (50 wt%).

Logistics of Lignocellulosic Feedstocks: Preprocessing as a Preferable Option.

In comparison to crude oil, biorefinery raw materials are challenging in concerns of transport and storage. The plant raw materials are more voluminous, so that shredding and compacting usually are necessary before transport. These mechanical processes can have a negative influence on the subsequent biotechnological processing and shelf life of the raw materials.

Biorefineries: A Short Introduction.

The terms bioeconomy and biorefineries are used for a variety of processes and developments. This short introduction is intended to provide a delimitation and clarification of the terminology as well as a classification of current biorefinery concepts. The basic process diagrams of the most important biorefinery types are shown.

An 8-channel transceiver 7-channel receive RF coil setup for high SNR ultrahigh-field MRI of the shoulder at 7T.

Purpose: In this work, we present an 8-channel transceiver (Tx/Rx) 7-channel receive (Rx) radiofrequency (RF) coil setup for 7 T ultrahigh-field MR imaging of the shoulder.

Methods: A C-shaped 8-channel Tx/Rx coil was combined with an anatomically close-fitting 7-channel Rx-only coil. The safety and performance parameters of this coil setup were evaluated on the bench and in phantom experiments.

Modulation of muscle-tendon interaction in the human triceps surae during an energy dissipation task.

The compliance of elastic elements allows muscles to dissipate energy safely during eccentric contractions. This buffering function is well documented in animal models but our understanding of its mechanism in humans is confined to non-specific tasks, requiring a subsequent acceleration of the body. The present study aimed to examine the behaviour of the human triceps surae muscle-tendon unit (MTU) during a pure energy dissipation task, under two loading conditions.

Parallel transmit capability of various RF transmit elements and arrays at 7T MRI.

Purpose: In this work, 22 configurations for remote radiofrequency (RF) coil arrays consisting of different transmit element designs for 7 Tesla (T) ultrahigh-field MRI are compared by numerical simulations.

Methods: Investigated transmit RF element types are rectangular loops, micro striplines, micro striplines with meanders, 250-mm shielded dipoles with meanders, and lambda over two dipoles with and without shield. These elements are combined in four different configurations of circumferential RF body arrays with four or eight transmit elements each.

Structural transition temperature of hemoglobins correlates with species' body temperature.

Human red blood cells (RBCs) exhibit sudden changes in their biophysical properties at body temperature (T (B)). RBCs were seen to undergo a spontaneous transition from blockage to passage at T (C) = 36.4 +/- 0.

Body temperature-related structural transitions of monotremal and human hemoglobin.

In this study, temperature-related structural changes were investigated in human, duck-billed platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus, body temperature T(b) = 31-33 degrees C), and echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus, body temperature T(b) = 32-33 degrees C) hemoglobin using circular dichroism spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering. The average hydrodynamic radius (R(h)) and fractional (normalized) change in the ellipticity (F(obs)) at 222 +/- 2 nm of hemoglobin were measured. The temperature was varied stepwise from 25 degrees C to 45 degrees C.

Bactericidal effects of plasma-generated cluster ions.

Air purification by plasma-generated cluster ions (PCIs) relies on a novel technology producing hydrated positive and negative ions. Phenomenological tests have shown strong evidence of lethal effects of the PCIs on various micro-organisms. However, the mechanisms of PCI action are still widely unknown.

Circular dichroism spectra of human hemoglobin reveal a reversible structural transition at body temperature.

Previously we have shown that human red blood cells (RBCs) undergo a sudden change from blocking to passing through a 1.3+/-0.2-microm micropipette when applying an aspiration pressure of 2.

Biological and mechanical quality of red blood cells cultured from human umbilical cord blood stem cells.

Human umbilical cord blood (CB) has moved from the status of biological waste to that of a valuable source of haematopoietic stem (HS) cells. There are potentially three major clinical applications for HS cells and ex vivo-expanded HS cells: reconstitution of haematopoiesis in patients undergoing chemotherapy; gene therapy (e.g.

A novel method to quantify mechanical tension in cell monolayers.

A new technology to analyze mechanical properties of adherent cell monolayers grown on elastic silicon membranes is introduced. Measurements were performed using 3T3 (NIH) fibroblasts under the influence of Cytochalasin D and Thrombin. The stress-strain relation of the cell monolayer-silicon-composite was monitored.

Determination of the elastic shear modulus of cultured human red blood cells.

In this study we investigated the mechanical properties of in vitro cultured red blood cells (RBCs) in a liquid system. We used human umbilical cord blood as a highly efficient source of hematopoietic stem cells (HS). Our first goal was to establish an optimal medium composition in order to yield finally differentiated RBCs, i.