Towards the development of a low-cost robotic arm with residual finger movement input

Abstract Robotics has been applied to the rehabilitation of patients suffering from upper limb-related diseases such as stroke, upper spinal cord injuries and neuromuscular diseases (e. g. muscular dystrophy) alone, or combined with appropriate orthotic devices. In all cases, expensive industrial manipulators, as much as relatively low-cost commercial systems with specific modifications have been used. However, no reference has been made in the literature on the technology of such devices. This article presents the development of a joystick-computer system for the control of a step motor. Further research can lead to the development of an extremely low-cost robotic arm which uses residual finger movement input and can be used by research centers with restricted funding. Reference is made to the technology on which the circuitry is based, as well as to the design concept of it.     

慢性多发性肌炎临床及病理分析

目的探讨慢性多发性肌炎的发病机制、临床和病理特征。方法回顾性分析95例慢性多发性肌炎患者临床表现、肌酶学和肌电图检查结果,总结肌肉病理学特征。结果慢性多发性肌炎以四肢近端肌无力、肌萎缩为主要表现,血清酶谱轻-中度增高,肌电图以肌源性损害为主,病理改变为灶性坏死、炎性细胞浸润与再生肌纤维共存。结论临床特点结合病理学检查有助于慢性多发性肌炎的诊断,多数患者激素治疗有效。     

脂质沉积性肌病42例临床治疗和预后随访

目的探讨脂质沉积性肌病（LSM）的临床特点、药物治疗效果和预后情况。方法回顾性分析42例LSM患者临床资料并对其治疗效果和预后情况进行随访。结果全部患者均有治疗期间的短期随访资料，其中小剂量泼尼松治疗33例，单用核黄素（维生素B2）治疗9例，全部患者1个月内肌无力症状均获明显改善。随访1年以上者共32例，其中26例肌力完全恢复正常，另6例仍不能耐受重体力劳动，运动耐力较健康人差。13例患者症状有不同程度复发，其中7例有家族史，复发的13例中有12例是在冬季复发，均以劳累、感冒为诱因，5例患者复发2次以上。结论LSM是可治疗的肌肉疾病，对小剂量泼尼松治疗有效，部分患者有复发倾向，有家族史患者更容易复发。单用核黄素治疗反应良好的LSM可能为戊二酸尿症Ⅱ型所致，提示应根据LSM的不同病因采取不同的治疗方案。     

神经干细胞移植防治骨骼肌失神经肌萎缩的电生理研究

目的探讨采用神经干细胞移植的方法防治骨骼肌失神经萎缩的可行性。方法采用机械分离的方法从孕14～16 d的SD孕鼠中获取神经干细胞,并于神经元限定性培养基中进行传代培养,制备神经干细胞单细胞悬液。采用切断右侧胫神经的方法建立腓肠肌失神经支配的动物(SD大鼠)模型。将108只SD大鼠按注射药物的不同随机分为3组,每组36只大鼠。实验组:将神经干细胞悬液注射到切断的胫神经远端。损伤组:注射等量的生理盐水。对照组:注射等量的细胞培养液。术后8、12周采用HRP逆行示踪技术检测失神经骨骼肌重获神经再支配的情况,并应用肌肉电生理方法对重获神经再支配的骨骼肌进行功能评价。结果术后8、12周实验组用电刺激细胞移植部位的腓肠肌,均可引出肌肉收缩活动;且随着时间的延长,单次收缩的波幅、速度,和强直收缩的时间和强直收缩波幅的恢复率均进一步得到改善。对照组和损伤组均未能引出肌肉活动。结论神经干细胞移植能够实现失神经骨骼肌的神经再支配,并且能够与骨骼肌建立起功能性突触连接,有效预防骨骼肌的萎缩。     

中国内地城市和香港9～18岁学生心肺耐力及肌肉素质的比较研究

为了比较中国内地城市和香港青少年儿童的心肺耐力和肌肉素质，对两地的青少年儿童体质调查数据进行了比较研究。结果发现：内地各年龄组男女生的心肺耐力均优于香港同龄者；香港青少年儿童的肌肉素质除立定跳远外，其他项目的成绩均弱于内地青少年儿童。提示：随着生活水平的提高，应重视青少年儿童对体育活动的参与。     

胸腺瘤与重症肌无力的外科处理

10例胸腺瘤中3例合并重症肌无力症,经手术治疗配合抗胆碱酯酶药物治疗,9例治愈。     

刺五加制剂对老年人恒定负荷下运动耐力的影响

以１３名５０～５７岁志愿者为试验对象，研究了刺五加制剂对人体运动能力的影响。结果表明服用刺五加制剂后，在４５０ｋｇ．ｍ／ｍｉｎ（７５Ｗ）持速恒定功率负荷运动时呼吸商由０．９６下降至０．８８，使运动时脂肪供能增加２７．２％；心率下降８．７％，每博摄氧量增加１６．１８％。结果均提示刺五加制剂能提高人体摄氧能力，节省肌糖元，从而发挥抗疲劳作用     

Effect of local blood circulation and absolute torque on muscle endurance at two different knee-joint angles in humans

The effects of the local blood circulation and absolute torque on muscle endurance at different knee-joint angles were determined. The rate of muscle deoxygenation (using near-infrared spectroscopy), and the rate of muscle fatigue (using the slope of integrated electromyography, iEMG) were evaluated concurrently. Nine healthy subjects performed submaximal (50% maximal voluntary contraction, MVC) static knee extension at 50° (extended position, EXT) and 90° (flexed position, FLEX) joint angles until the target torque could no longer be maintained: that time was measured as the endurance time. They exercised with the circulation occluded (OCCL), and without (FREE) to study the possible effects of the local circulation. Although MVC torque was independent of joint angle [mean (SD) FLEX 250.6 (51.7) N·m and EXT 246.5 (46.6) N·m], significantly shorter (P<0.01) endurance time in FLEX [FREE 71.1 (10) s and OCCL 63.1 (8.8) s] than at EXT [FREE 115.3 (30) s and OCCL 106.7 (29.1) s] were obtained in both circulatory conditions. The iEMG-time slope was significantly greater in FLEX at the proximal and distal portion (P<0.05) in both circulatory conditions. Muscle deoxygenation rate in OCCL was significantly greater (P<0.05) at FLEX [20.8 (8.0)%] than EXT [10.9 (4.0)%]. The results would suggest that different knee-joint angle affects muscle endurance even if the local circulation is controlled. Circulatory disturbance would further reduce muscle endurance in EXT, but not in FLEX. Because of the greater muscle internal force in FLEX, local blood flow might be already limited even with a free circulation. The greater muscle deoxygenation and muscle fatigability would be related to the shorter muscle endurance in FLEX. Electronic Publication     

Origin and significance of small muscle fibres in neuromuscular disease

Summary Small muscle fibres, defined as those of less than 40 µm diameter in the male and 30 m in the female were encountered in muscle biopsies of patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), polymyositis (PM) and myopathy/dystrophy. Excessive reactivity with NADH-TR in small fibres did not discriminate between neurogenic and myopathic disorders. Quantification of perifascicular atrophic fibres, the number of nuclei in atrophic fibres, or the presence of isolated or grouped small fibres without histochemical kinship to their surrounding fibres did not aid recognition of the disease process in the groups studied. Small fibres which reacted strongly both with NADH-TR and ATPase at pH 9.4 (Type 3 fibres) constituted 38% of small fibres in the biopsies of SMA; 25% in ALS; but only 1% and 2.7% in PM and myopathy/dystrophy respectively. Thus, the presence of small Type 3 fibres in muscle biopsies may be a useful marker for neurogenic disorders in adults.