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Coin-sized Micro-needles Patch to deliver Insulin: An innovation by Shanghai University Scientists

Stem Cells Help Researchers Study The Effects of Pollution on Human Health

A Novel and Robust Muscle Activity Onset Detection Technique by Using an Unsupervised Electromyogram Learning Framework

Early Modern Humans and Neanderthals were close bedfellows

FANCD2 and REV1 Cooperate in the Protection of Nascent DNA Strands in Response to Replication Stress

Spiders' Foraging Strategies Have Cascading Effects on Litter Decomposition Rates

Yingli Announces Sale of 18.8 MW Solar Power Plant in the UK to NextEnergy Solar Fund

China's Award Winning Desertification Control in Kubiqi Desert

Earthquake Early Warning System for Nepal

Mechanical Coupling Mechanism of a Mechanical Force-sensing Channel Protein Discovered by IBP Scientists

Jiahui International Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital to Co-Develop Women's Health Center of Excellence in Shanghai

Big Grain1: The ‘Mr. BIG’ for Crops to Grow Bigger by Regulating Auxin Transport in Rice

When there is no Queen in the house, Asian Hive Bees Avoid Risky Foraging for Reproduction

UNICEF HK joins hands with Government to help Mothers sustain Breastfeeding

Fresenius Medical Care Springs into Action after Deadly Tianjin Explosion

Although ankle robotic control has emerged as a critical component of robot-interactive gait training (RIGT), no study has investigated the neurophysiological and biomechanical effects on ankle muscle activity and joint angle kinematics in healthy adults and participants with brain damage, including stroke and cerebral palsy (CP). This study compared the effects of RIGT, with and without ankle control actuator, on ankle muscle activity and joint angle kinematics in healthy adults and participants with brain damage. Ten patients ($\mathrm{\text{healthy}}=4$, left hemiparetic $\mathrm{\text{stroke}}=3$, $\mathrm{\text{CP}}=3$) underwent standardized surface electromyography (EMG) neurophysiological and kinematics biomechanical tests under the RIGT with and without ankle control actuator conditions. Outcome measures included the EMG amplitudes of the tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius muscle activity, and ankle movement angles recorded with a two-axis digital inclinometer. Descriptive statistical analysis demonstrated that RIGT with ankle control actuator showed superior effects on EMG (30%) and kinematics angles (25%) than RIGT without ankle control actuator. Our results provided novel, promising clinical evidence that RIGT with ankle control actuator can more effectively improve the neurophysiological EMG data and ankle dorsiflexion and plantarflexion movements than RIGT without ankle control actuator in participants with stroke and CP.

Occupational health is still in the developmental stage in China. There is a lack of focus on garden workers. Hedge pruning is one of garden workers’ main tasks, a common operation form in modern landscaping. Garden workers who operate the hedge trimmer generally suffer from work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). This study aims to demonstrate which working condition causes the most muscle fatigue, evaluate work fatigue accurately, and reduce WMSDs in garden workers. One hundred and twenty garden workers were studied during six hedge pruning conditions using surface electromyography (sEMG) and a motion capture system. The sEMG of the erector spinae, trapezius, biceps brachii and brachioradialis muscle, and kinematic parameters was measured during the operation. The average standardized sEMG values of upper-limb and trunk muscles in different working conditions were analyzed using single-factor analysis of variance. In the six working conditions, the trunk inclination angle was the largest (40–50^∘) in horizontal pruning of short hedges, and the load of erector spinae (39.31–39.62%) was the highest in this condition. Operators’ arms were above shoulder height in high hedge pruning, the shoulder joint angle and the elbow joint angle were generally larger, the load of trapezius (49.33–55.65%), biceps brachii (46.50–52.35%) and right brachioradialis (52.35%) was the highest in horizontal pruning of high hedges, and the load of left brachioradialis (40.91%) was the highest in vertical pruning of high hedges. Awkward working postures can lead to problems such as overwork of upper-limb and trunk muscles, representing a risk that increases occupational illness, injuries and chronic diseases among garden workers. Preventive measures are required to reduce the occurrence of excessive local muscle load, and prevent the occurrence of occupational diseases.

Background: Sahrmann five-level core stability test protocol has been used to evaluate the ability of the core muscles to stabilize the spine. However, validation studies on the Sahrmann protocol are limited.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the different levels of Sahrmann five-level core stability (levels 1–5) on the muscle activity of rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), and transverse abdominis/internal oblique (TrA/IO).

Methods: Twenty-two asymptomatic male participants aged 21.3$6\pm 1$.59 years were recruited. Participants were instructed to perform maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) and five levels of Sahrmann five-level core stability test guided with a pressure biofeedback unit (PBU). The surface electromyography (EMG) data of each muscle during five levels of Sahrmann five-level core stability test were normalized as a percentage of MVC.

Results: Results showed significant differences in the normalized EMGs of RA [${\chi }^2$(4) = 64.80, $p<0$.001], EO [${\chi }^2$(4) = 58.11, $p<0$.001], and TrA/IO [${\chi }^2$(4) = 56.00, $p<0$.001] between the five levels of Sahrmann five-level core stability test. Post-hoc analysis revealed Sahrmann levels 5 and 3 have significantly higher abdominal EMG signals than levels 4, 2, and 1 ($p<0$.001).

Conclusion: In conclusion, the Sahrmann five-level core stability test differs according to the level of Sahrmann tests. Significantly higher abdominal muscle activities were observed during levels 3 and 5. Therefore, the classification exchange in levels 3 and 4 of the Sahrmann five-level core stability test should be reconsidered in the future.