Search results for "Extremities"
showing 10 items of 39 documents
Sexually dimorphic tegumental gland openings in Laniatores (Arachnida, Opiliones), with new data on 23 species
2009
International audience; Sexually dimorphic glands often release sexual pheromones both in vertebrates and invertebrates. Species of Laniatores (Arachnida, Opiliones) seem to depend on chemical communication but few studies have addressed this topic. In this study, we review the literature for the Phalangida and present new data for 23 species of Laniatores. In 16 taxa, we found previously undescribed sexually dimorphic glandular openings on the femur, patella, metatarsus, and tarsus of legs I and metatarsus of legs III and IV. For the other species, we provide scanning electron micrographs of previously undescribed sexually dimorphic setae and pegs located on swollen regions of the legs. We…
Short-term benefits, but transgenerational costs of maternal loss in an insect with facultative maternal care
2015
A lack of parental care is generally assumed to entail substantial fitness costs for offspring that ultimately select for the maintenance of family life across generations. However, it is unknown whether these costs arise when parental care is facultative, thus questioning their fundamental importance in the early evolution of family life. Here, we investigated the short-term, long-term and transgenerational effects of maternal loss in the European earwig Forficula auricularia , an insect with facultative post-hatching maternal care. We showed that maternal loss did not influence the developmental time and survival rate of juveniles, but surprisingly yielded adults of larger body and force…
Deep pain thresholds in the distal limbs of healthy human subjects.
2003
Pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) in distal limbs have been under-investigated despite their potential clinical importance. Therefore, we compared PPTs over nail bed, bony prominences, and muscle in distal parts of upper and lower limbs. We investigated 12 healthy subjects using three handheld devices: a spring-loaded, analogue pressure threshold meter (PTM) with two operating ranges, and an electronic Algometer. PPTs were determined with three series of ascending stimulus intensities with a ramp of about 50 kPa/s. PPTs were normally distributed in logarithmic space. PPTs over different tissues varied significantly (ANOVA, p0.001): mean thresholds and 95% confidence intervals were 615 kPa (26…
Human walking along a curved path. II. Gait features and EMG patterns
2003
We recorded basic gait features and associated patterns of leg muscle activity, occurring during continuous body progression when humans walked along a curved trajectory, in order to gain insight into the nervous mechanisms underlying the control of the asymmetric movements of the two legs. The same rhythm was propagated to both legs, in spite of inner and outer strides diverging in length (P < 0.001). There was a phase lag in limb displacement between the inner and outer leg of 7% of the total cycle duration (P = 0.0001). Swing velocity was greater for outer than inner foot (P < 0.001). The duration of the stance phase diminished and increased in the outer and inner leg (P < 0.01), respect…
Mental load during cognitive performance in complex regional pain syndrome I.
2018
Background Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is associated with deficits in limb recognition. The purpose of our study was to determine whether mental load during this task affected performance, sympathetic nervous system activity or pain in CRPS patients. Methods We investigated twenty CRPS‐I patients with pain in the upper extremity and twenty age‐ and sex‐matched healthy controls. Each participant completed a limb recognition task. To experimentally manipulate mental load, the presentation time for each picture varied from 2 s (greatest mental load), 4, 6 to 10 s (least mental load). Before and after each run, pain intensity was assessed. Skin conductance was recorded continuously. R…
Mechanical and neural function of triceps surae in elite racewalking
2016
Racewalking is a unique event combining mechanical elements of walking with speeds associated with running. It is currently unclear how racewalking technique impacts upon lower limb muscle-tendon function, despite the relevance of this to muscle economy and overall performance. The present study examined triceps surae neuromechanics in 11 internationally competitive racewalkers (age 25±11 years) walking and running on a treadmill at speeds between 4.5 - 13.8 km/h whilst triceps surae fascicle lengths, electromyography and kinematic data were recorded. Cumulative muscle activity required to traverse a unit distance (CMAPD) was calculated for each muscle. Medial gastrocnemius (MG) and soleus …
Facilitated neurogenic inflammation in unaffected limbs of patients with complex regional pain syndrome.
2003
Pain, edema, increased skin temperature, reddening and trophic changes characterize complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). Recently, we have been able to show facilitated neurogenic inflammation on the affected limb. In the current study unaffected limbs were examined after resolution of the CRPS symptoms to assess possible generalized changes predisposing to CRPS. In 12 patients and in 12 healthy volunteers dermal microdialysis in combination with electrical C-fiber stimulation was employed to induce neuropeptide release. Dialysate protein concentration and axon reflex vasodilation were measured. Neither in patients nor in controls did electrical stimulation lead to protein extravasation, …
Bilateral reciprocal organisation in man: focus on IA interneurone
1994
The H reflex of flexor carpi radialis and radial-induced reciprocal inhibition were recorded in normal subjects during conditioning stimulation of the contralateral median or radial nerves. It was found that stimulation of the contralateral median nerve enhanced the degree of reciprocal inhibition exerted by the radial nerve on the median nerve, while contralateral radial nerve stimulation reduced the reciprocal inhibition exerted by the extensor on the flexor. In two subjects in which a pure extensor H reflex was recorded specular features were observed following contralateral median and radial stimulation. These findings are considered to be the electrophysiological manifestation of contr…
Enhancer trap infidelity in Drosophila optomotor-blind
2013
Reporter gene activity in enhancer trap lines is often implicitly assumed to mirror quite faithfully the endogenous expression of the "trapped" gene, even though there are numerous examples of enhancer trap infidelity. optomotor-blind (omb) is a 160 kb gene in which 16 independent P-element enhancer trap insertions of three different types have been mapped in a range of more than 60 kb. We have determined the expression pattern of these elements in wing, eye-antennal and leg imaginal discs as well as in the pupal tergites. We noted that one pGawB insertion (omb (P4) ) selectively failed to report parts of the omb pattern even though the missing pattern elements were apparent in all other 15…
Mildronate treatment improves functional recovery following middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats
2011
Mildronate (3-(2,2,2-trimethylhydrazinium) propionate) is an inhibitor of l-carnitine biosynthesis and an anti-ischemic drug. In the present study, we investigated the effects of mildronate in rats following focal cerebral ischemia. Male Wistar rats were subjected to transient occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCAO) for 90min, followed by the intraperitoneal administration of mildronate at doses of 100 and 200mg/kg 2h after reperfusion and then daily for an additional 14days. The beam-walking, rota-rod and cylinder tests were used to assess sensorimotor function, and vibrissae-evoked forelimb-placing and limb-placing tests examined responses to tactile and proprioceptive stimulation.…