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Electrical impedance myography (EIM) is as an experimental technique that associates muscle impedance with muscular activity. Changes in muscle impedance during contraction occur mainly due to changes in the morphological and physiological characteristics of muscles that lead to different impeditivities in comparison with the resting condition. There is no consensus on the details of muscular impedance during muscle activity. EIM measurements on humans are also influenced by factors such as the electrode-skin interface, layers of skin and fat, and the connective tissue that can generate undesirable effects in the impedance signal. These effects can be avoided if EIM measurements are carried out directly on the muscle by using the models of animals. This study investigates changes in the EIM signal in the gastrocnemius muscles of Wistar rats during different levels of muscular contraction. In vivo experiments were conducted on 19 male rats. The muscle was exposed, fixed on a load cell, and electrically stimulated to evoke different levels of muscle contraction. Signals of the components of impedance were analyzed against the muscular force signal. The results show moderate correlations (p < 0.05) among the impedance-related parameters of resistance (r = -0.76), reactance (r = 0.57), and phase (r = 0.53). In addition to providing an experimental protocol for the invasive collection of data on electrical impedance to minimize problems associated with surface electrodes, this study shows that of the components of impedance, resistance is most affected by the intensity of muscular contractions and that morphological changes influence impedance mainly at low intensities.

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There are several methods used in sports science to identify asymmetries in athletes, given their purported relevance to injury prevention and performance optimization. We aimed to verify whether asymmetries provided by isokinetic assessments, jump tests, and tensiomyography (TMG) are associated with each other, and whether their respective functional indices are related to jumping ability. TMG parameters, unilateral and bilateral squat-jump (SJ) and countermovement-jump (CMJ) performances, and peak torque in knee-extension and flexion with angular velocities of 60o/s and 300o/s for twenty-four soccer players were retained for analyses. Asymmetry was detected by examining the percentage difference between dominant and non-dominant legs. The median-split technique was used to identify the best and worst performers in SJ and CMJ tests. Results revealed that the asymmetries detected in the three different methods were not interrelated. Curiously, better performances in SJ and CMJ tests were associated with higher asymmetry levels. Furthermore, only the knee-extension peak torque at both angular velocities was correlated moderately to largely (r=0.48-0.66) with jump performance. Despite their recognized ability to predict the risk of injury, the absence of interrelationships between TMG, isokinetic tests, and unilateral jumps precludes their single use as a unique functional screening diagnostic. Finally, and very importantly, lower-limb asymmetry is not necessarily related to impaired vertical jump performance in soccer players.

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The aim of this study was to verify the reliability of the kinetic parameters of gait using an underwater force platform. A total of 49 healthy participants with a median age of 21years were included. The kinetic gait data were collected using a 0.6×0.6×0.1m aquatic force plate (Bertec®), set in a pool (15×13×1.30m) with a water depth of 1.20m and water temperature of 32.5°C. Participants walked 10m before reaching the platform, which was fixed to the ground. Participants were instructed to step onto the platform with their preferred limb and data from three valid attempts were used to calculate the average values. A 48-h interval between tests was used for the test-retest reliability. Data were analyzed using interclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and results demonstrated that reliability ranged from poor to excellent, with ICC scores of between 0.24 and 0.87 and mean differences between (d¯)=-0.01 and 0.002. The highest reliability values were found for the vertical (Fz) and the lowest for the mediolateral components (Fy). In conclusion, the force platform is reliable for assessing the vertical and anteroposterior components of power production rates in water, however, caution should be applied when using this instrument to evaluate the mediolateral component in this environment.

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Tensiomyography has been suggested as an indirect marker of muscle stiffness, which is associated with strength/power performance. Therefore, it is reasonable to suggest that tensiomyography parameters could be associated with power-related motor tasks. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between tensiomyography parameters (from rectus and biceps femoris) and jumping and sprinting abilities in elite soccer players. In addition, we used tensiomyography parameters to compare the lateral symmetry between dominant and non-dominant legs. Twenty elite soccer players (age: 23.3 ± 4.8 years; height: 183.5 ± 6.6 cm; weight: 77.8 ± 7.5 kg) volunteered to participate in the study. Significant moderate negative correlations between biceps femoris displacement and contact time (r = -0.5, p = 0.03), rectus femoris displacement and contact time (r = -0.51, p = 0.02), and a significant moderate correlation between biceps femoris displacement and reactive strength index (r = 0.5, p = 0.03) were found. There were no correlations between tensiomyography parameters and power-related motor tasks. In addition, no differences in tensiomyography parameters between dominant and non-dominant legs were found. Our data suggest that tensiomyography parameters are not associated with power-related motor tasks performance in elite soccer players.

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JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: Os efeitos farmacodinâmicos dos bloqueadores neuromusculares (BNM) podem ser influenciados por diferentes drogas, entre elas os hipnóticos. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a influência do propofol e do etomidato sobre o bloqueio neuromuscular produzido pelo cisatracúrio. MÉTODO: Foram incluídos 60 pacientes, ASA I e II, submetidos a cirurgias eletivas sob anestesia geral, distribuídos aleatoriamente em dois grupos de acordo com o hipnótico empregado: GI (propofol) e GII (etomidato). As pacientes receberam midazolam (0,1 mg.kg-1) por via muscular como medicação pré-anestésica, a indução foi com propofol (2,5 mg.kg-1) ou etomidato (0,3 mg.kg-1) precedido de fentanil (250 µg) e seguido de cisatracúrio (0,1 mg.kg-1). Os pacientes foram ventilados com oxigênio a 100% até a obtenção de redução de 95% ou mais na amplitude da resposta do adutor do polegar, quando foi feita a laringoscopia e a intubação traqueal. A função neuromuscular foi monitorizada com aceleromiografia. Avaliaram-se o início de ação do cisatracúrio, as condições de intubação traqueal e as repercussões hemodinâmicas. RESULTADOS: Os tempos médios e os desvios padrão para o início de ação do cisatracúrio foram: GI (86,6 ± 14,3") e GII (116,9 ± 11,6"), com diferença significativa (p < 0,0001). As condições de intubação traqueal foram aceitáveis em 100% dos pacientes do GI e em 53,3% no GII (p < 0,0001). CONCLUSÕES: A instalação do bloqueio neuromuscular com o cisatracúrio foi mais rápida e as condições de intubação traqueal foram melhores nos pacientes que receberam propofol em relação ao grupo que recebeu etomidato, sem repercussões hemodinâmicas.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Different drugs, including hypnotics, may influence the pharmacodynamic effects of neuromuscular blockers (NMB). The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of propofol and etomidate on cisatracurium-induced neuromuscular blockade. METHOD: We included 60 patients, ASA I and II, undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia in the study and randomly allocated them into two groups, according to their hypnotic drug: GI (propofol) and GII (etomidate). Patients received intramuscular (IM) midazolam (0.1 mg.kg-1) as premedication and we performed induction with propofol (2.5 mg.kg-1) or etomidate (0.3 mg.kg-1), preceded by fentanyl (250 mg) and followed by cisatracurium (0.1 mg.kg-1). The patients were ventilated with 100% oxygen until obtaining a reduction of 95% or more in the adductor pollicis response amplitude, with subsequent laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation. Neuromuscular function was monitored by acceleromyograhpy. We evaluated the onset of action of cisatracurium, tracheal intubation conditions, and hemodynamic repercussions. RESULTS: The mean time and standard deviations of cisatracurium onset were: GI (86.6 ± 14.3 s) and GII (116.9 ± 11.6 s), with a significant difference (p < 0, 0001). Intubation conditions were acceptable in 100% of GI and 53.3% of GII patients (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Induction of neuromuscular blockade with cisatracurium was faster, with better intubation conditions in patients receiving propofol compared to those receiving etomidate, without hemodynamic repercussions.

JUSTIFICATIVA Y OBJETIVOS: Los efectos farmacodinámicos de los bloqueantes neuromusculares (BNM) pueden estar influenciados por diferentes fármacos, entre ellos los hipnóticos. El objetivo de este estudio, fue evaluar la influencia del propofol y del etomidato sobre el bloqueo neuromuscular producido por el cisatracurio. MÉTODO: Se incluyeron en el estudio 60 pacientes, con ASA I y II, sometidos a cirugías electivas bajo anestesia general, distribuidos aleatoriamente en dos grupos de acuerdo con el hipnótico usado: GI (propofol) y GII (etomidato). Las pacientes recibieron midazolam (0,1 mg.kg-1) por vía muscular como medicación preanestésica, la inducción fue con propofol (2,5 mg.kg-1) o etomidato (0,3 mg.kg-1) precedido de fentanilo (250 µg) y seguido de cisatracurio (0,1 mg.kg-1). Los pacientes fueron ventilados con oxígeno al 100% hasta la obtención de la reducción de un 95% o más en la amplitud de la respuesta del aductor del pulgar cuando se hizo la laringoscopia y la intubación traqueal. La función neuromuscular fue monitorizada con aceleromiografía. Se evaluaron el inicio de acción del cisatracurio, las condiciones de intubación traqueal y las repercusiones hemodinámicas. RESULTADOS: Los tiempos promedios y las desviaciones estándar para el inicio de acción del cisatracurio fueron: GI (86,6 ± 14,3") y GII (116,9 ± 11,6"), con una diferencia significativa (p < 0,0001). Las condiciones de intubación traqueal fueron aceptables en un 100% de los pacientes del GI y en 53,3% en el GII (p < 0,0001). CONCLUSIONES: La instalación del bloqueo neuromuscular con el cisatracurio fue más rápida y las condiciones de intubación traqueal fueron mejores en los pacientes que recibieron propofol con relación al grupo que recibió etomidato, sin repercusiones hemodinámicas.

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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Different drugs, including hypnotics, may influence the pharmacodynamic effects of neuromuscular blockers (NMB). The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of propofol and etomidate on cisatracurium-induced neuromuscular blockade. METHOD: We included 60 patients, ASA I and II, undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia in the study and randomly allocated them into two groups, according to their hypnotic drug: GI (propofol) and GII (etomidate). Patients received intramuscular (IM) midazolam (0.1mg.kg(-1)) as premedication and we performed induction with propofol (2.5mg.kg(-1)) or etomidate (0.3mg.kg(1)), preceded by fentanyl (250mg) and followed by cisatracurium (0.1mg.kg(-1)). The patients were ventilated with 100% oxygen until obtaining a reduction of 95% or more in the adductor pollicis response amplitude, with subsequent laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation. Neuromuscular function was monitored by acceleromyograhpy. We evaluated the onset of action of cisatracurium, tracheal intubation conditions, and hemodynamic repercussions. RESULTS: The mean time and standard deviations of cisatracurium onset were: GI (86.6±14.3s) and GII (116.9±11.6s), with a significant difference (p<0, 0001). Intubation conditions were acceptable in 100% of GI and 53.3% of GII patients (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: Induction of neuromuscular blockade with cisatracurium was faster, with better intubation conditions in patients receiving propofol compared to those receiving etomidate, without hemodynamic repercussions.

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Several pathologies can cause muscle spasticity. Modified Ashworth scale (MAS) can rank spasticity, however its results depend on the physician subjective evaluation. This study aims to show a new approach to spasticity assessment by means of MMG analysis of hamstrings antagonist muscle group (quadriceps muscle). Four subjects participated in the study, divided into two groups regarding MAS (MAS0 and MAS1). MMG sensors were positioned over the muscle belly of rectus femoris (RF), vastus lateralis (VL) and vastus medialis (VM) muscles. The range of movement was acquired with an electrogoniometer placed laterally to the knee. The system was based on a LabVIEW acquisition program and the MMG sensors were built with triaxial accelerometers. The subjects were submitted to stretching reflexes and the integral of the MMG (MMG(INT)) signal was calculated to analysis. The results showed that the MMG(INT) was greater to MAS1 than to MAS0 [muscle RF (p = 0.004), VL (p = 0.001) and VM (p = 0.007)]. The results showed that MMG was viable to detect a muscular tonus increase in antagonist muscular group (quadriceps femoris) of spinal cord injured volunteers.

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Mechanomyography (MMG) measures both muscular contraction and stretching activities and can be used as feedback in the control of neuroprostheses with Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES). In this study we evaluated the correlation between MMG features and passive knee angular movement of rectus femoris and vastus lateralis muscles acquired from healthy volunteers (HV) and spinal cord injured volunteers (SCIV). Twelve HV and thirteen SCIV were submitted to passive and FES elicited knee extensions and in each extension, eleven windows of analysis with 0.5s length were inspected. Temporal (RMS and INT) and frequency (MF and µ3) features were extracted. Spearman correlation coefficients (p) were computed in order to check correlations between the features obtained from both MMG sensors. The correlation between MMG(MF) and MMG temporal analysis (RMS and INT) to HV was classified as positive, moderate (p from 0.635 to 0.681) and high (p from 0.859 to 0.870), and weak (positive e negative) to SCIV. These results differ from those obtained in voluntary contraction or artificially evoked by functional electrical stimulation and may be relevant in applications with closed loop control systems.

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O objetivo deste estudo foi caracterizar as componentes temporais e espectrais dos abalos musculares em diferentes níveis de contração muscular através da acelerometria. Participaram do estudo 15 indivíduos do sexo masculino e 12 do feminino, todos destros. O experimento constou de um teste de carga máxima (CM) que permitiu determinar cinco cargas percentuais administradas durante os testes de força (20 por cento, 40 por cento, 60 por cento, 80 por cento e 100 por cento da CM), em isometria e por oito segundos cada. Um acelerômetro biaxial foi colocado sobre o ventre muscular do bíceps braquial direito. A raiz média quadrática (valor RMS), um parâmetro temporal, e a freqüência média (FME), um parâmetro espectral, foram extraídas dos sinais de acelerometria (sinal de MMG). Estes parâmetros foram analisados nas direções X (perpendicular às fibras) e Y (paralela às fibras). Ambos os grupos apresentaram comportamento decrescente da FME (Y) com a carga, sendo mais pronunciado para o grupo feminino. A variável FME (X), no grupo feminino, apresentou comportamento semelhante à FME (Y), sendo apenas observada diferença estatística significativa entre 20 por cento da CM e todas as demais cargas (p = 0,0022 para 40 por cento e p < 0,0001 para as demais). O grupo masculino não apresentou diferença estatística significativa entre as cargas. O valor RMS (Y) apresentou comportamento crescente com a carga para ambos os grupos, havendo diferenças entre as cargas de 20 por cento e 40 por cento da CM (p = 0,000) e 80 por cento, e 100 por cento da CM (p = 0,01) para o grupo masculino. No entanto, não foi observada diferença estatística significativa entre as cargas para o grupo feminino. Discute-se que durante a contração muscular ocorrem variações não uniformes do diâmetro da fibra, além de oscilações laterais de baixa freqüência. Estas informações parecem ter forte correlação com a tipagem de fibras, o que poderia contribuir para melhor esclarecer os possíveis mecanismos envolvidos durante o processo de gradação da força muscular.

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