Showing papers by "University of Jyväskylä published in 1979"

Electromechanical delay in human skeletal muscle under concentric and eccentric contractions.

Abstract: In contraction of skeletal muscle a delay exists between the onset of electrical activity and measurable tension. This delay in electromechanical coupling has been stated to be between 30 and 100 ms. Thus, in rapid movements it may be possible for electromyographic (EMG) activity to have terminated before force can be detected. This study was designed to determine the dependence of the EMG-tension delay upon selected initial conditions at the time of muscle activation. The right forearms of 14 subjects were passively oscillated by a motor-driven dynamometer through flexion-extension cycles of 135 deg at an angular velocity of approximately equal to 0.5 rad/s. Upon presentation of a visual stimulus the subjects maximally contracted the relaxed elbow flexors during flexion, extension, and under isometric conditions. The muscle length at the time of the stimulus was the same in all three conditions. An on-line computer monitoring surface EMG (Biceps and Brachioradialis) and force calculated the electromechanical delay. The mean value for the delay under eccentric condition, 49.5 ms, was significantly different (p less than 0.05) from the delays during isometric (53.9 ms) and concentric activity (55.5 ms). It is suggested that the time required to stretch the series elastic component (SEC) represents the major portion of the measured delay and that during eccentric muscle activity the SEC is in a more favorable condition for rapid force development.

EMG frequency spectrum, muscle structure, and fatigue during dynamic contractions in man

Abstract: Fatigue of the vastus lateralis muscle was studied in healthy well-conditioned students, who differed considerably regarding their muscle fibre type distribution. Muscle force decline during repeated maximum voluntary knee extensions at a constant angular velocity (180‡×s−1 or π rad×s−1), using isokinetic equipment, was taken as the criterion for the degree of fatigue. In an attempt to study quantitative as well as qualitative changes in the EMG pattern, integrated EMG (IEMG) and the frequency of the mean power (MPF), computed from the power spectral density function (PSDF), were analysed. It was found that individuals with muscles made up of a high proportion of fast twitch (FT) muscle fibres demonstrated higher peak knee extension torque, and a greater susceptibility to fatigue than did individuals with muscles mainly composed of slow twitch (ST) muscle fibres. An IEMG decline (p<0.01) was demonstrated during 100 contractions in individuals rich in FT fibres. Only a slight, but not significant, reduction in IEMG occurred in individuals with a high percentage of ST fibres. Concomitantly, MPF decreased (p<0.001) in individuals with a high percentage of FT fibres, while their opposites demonstrated only a slight decrease (non-significant). It is suggested that muscle contraction failure might also be related to qualitative changes in the motor unit recruitment pattern, and that these changes occur more rapidly in muscles composed of a high proportion of FT muscle fibres than in muscles composed of a high proportion of ST fibres.

Electromechanical delay in skeletal muscle under normal movement conditions.

Abstract: Electromechanical delays (EMD), the time from onset of EMG activity to change in acceleration or deceleration of the forearm, were studied in concentric and eccentric contractions of biceps and triceps brachii muscles. Horizontal flexion and extension movements were performed at varying speeds by 10 subjects. EMD time in concentric contractions for biceps was 41 +/- 13 ms and for triceps was 26 +/- 11 ms and was not influenced by the velocity of the movement. In eccentric contractions at the slow velocity the biceps EMD time was 38 +/- 13 ms and shortened to 28 +/- 10 ms at the faster velocity. The eccentric triceps EMD, however, was not significantly altered by movement velocity and averaged 30 +/- 7 ms. The data provided support for the hypothesis that stretching of the series elastic component, to a point where muscle force can be detected, is the primary determinant of the EMD phenomenon. However, there are complex interactions of the effects on EMD of muscle fiber type composition, whether the contraction is concentric or eccentric, and the velocity of the movement as well as possible gamma system influence. These complications require that consideration of electromechanical delay be made when phasic relationships between muscle force or joint torque generation from different muscles are inferred from EMGs.

Potentiation of the mechanical behavior of the human skeletal muscle through prestretching.

Abstract: Force-velocity and power-velocity curves in a vertical jump involving movements around several joints were derived from vertical ground reaction forces and knee angular velocities. The jumps were performed with weights from 10 to 160 kg added on the shoulders. The obtained curves from a semi-squatting static starting position resembled those reported for isolated muscles or single muscle groups. Vertical jumps were also performed in the conditions where the shortening of the leg extensors was preceded by prestretching of the active muscles either through a preparatory counter-movement or dropping down on the force-platform from the various heights ranging from 20 to 100 cm. Prestretching modified through a range of velocities the force-velocity and power-velocity curves by increasing both the ground reaction forces and the calculated mechanical power. Thus the results are similar to those reported in isolated muscles. In studies with isolated muscle preparation the nervous connections have not been intact and therefore it is suggested that increase in the performance of the skeletal muscles through prestretching, in the conditions of the present study, was attributed to the combined effects of the utilization of stored elastic energy and the reflex potentiation of muscle activation.

Mechanical characteristics and fiber composition of human leg extensor muscles.

Abstract: To investigate the influence of skeletal muscle fiber composition on the mechanical performance of human skeletal muscle under dynamic conditions, 34 physical education students with differing muscle fiber composition (M vastus lateralis) were used as subjects to perform maximal vertical jumps on the force-platform Two kinds of jumps were performed: one from a static starting position (SJ), the other with a preliminary counter-movement (CMJ) The calculated mechanical parameters included height of rise of center of gravity (h), average force (F), net impulse (NI) and average mechanical power (W) It was observed that the percentage of fast twitch fibers was significantly related (p less than 005--001) to these variables in SJ condition and also to h and NI of the positive work phase in CMJ It is concluded that skeletal muscle fiber composition also determines performance in a multijoint movement The result is explainable through the differences in the mechanical characteristics of the motor units and their respective muscle fibers

Positron trapping rate into vacancy clusters

Abstract: The trapping rate of positrons into vacancy clusters in metals has been calculated. It increases with the trap size and binding energy and approximately scales with the number of vacancies in small clusters. The phonon-mediated contribution to the trapping rate is small. The temperature dependence of the trapping process is discussed.

Evaluation of different similarity indices as measures of succession in arthropod communities of the forest floor after clear-cutting

Abstract: Communities of spiders (Araneae) and beetles (Coleoptera) living in the soil and litter of clear-cut areas were compared with those of intact forest stands. Sixteen different indices of similarity were tested on three sets of material: spiders and beetles examined during one year in three clear-cut areas felled 3, 6 and 9 years earlier, and spiders in one clear-cut area examined during 7 successive years after felling. Other sources of evidence showed that succession in the spider community was divergent for at least 7 years after felling. The indices that seemed to express the changes best were: (1) Kendall's rank correlation test, (2) the Bray-Curtis measure, (3) Renkonen's percentage similarity, (4) the correlation coefficient r (2 to 4 after logarithmic transformation of data), (5) the Canberra metric, and (6) the diversity overlap (R 0). The properties of the indices are discussed.

Mechanical power and segmental contribution to force impulses in long jump take-off.

Abstract: Changes in total mechanical work, its partitioning into different energy states, mechanical power, force-time characteristics, force impulses of body segments and mass center's pathway characteristics during long jump take-off were investigated on four national and six ordinary level athletes. Both cinematographic and force-platform techniques were used. The data showed that the national level jumpers had higher run-up and higher take-off (release) velocities in horizontal and vertical directions. In addition, they were able to utilize efficiently the elastic energy stored in the leg extensor muscles at take-off impact. This was seen in high support leg eccentric and concentric forces, which were produced in short contact times. The ordinary level athletes had greater variability in the investigated attributes, and they reached their maximum length of jumps in many different ways. Cinematically the greatest difference between the subject groups was observed in the timing of the various body segment movements. In better athletes all the body parts (arms, trunk, and legs) had decelerating horizontal impulses, but in all ordinary level athletes the horizontal impulse of the swing leg was accelerating during take-off.

Spherical solid model for muon and hydrogen in metals

Abstract: The spherical solid model and the spin density functional formalism have been applied to calculate the screening of a positive point charge at different lattice sites in Al, Na and Cu. Results are obtained for the Knight shift, the electric field gradient, the heat of solution and the diffusion barrier. It is found essential to use the spin-polarised form to evaluate the Knight shift, especially at low metallic densities and for impurities with a high nuclear charge. Both the Knight shift and the electric field gradient are found to be markedly different for substitutional and interstitial positions. The calculated heat of solution of hydrogen is lowest for the octahedral position in FCC Al and for the tetrahedral position in BCC Na, indicating that no hydrogen trapping at vacancies occurs in these metals.

Decay of 24Al and 24Alm to γ-Ray and α-Particle Emitting States in 24Mg

Abstract: The level structure of 24Mg and decay properties of 129 ms 24Alm and 207 s 24Al have been investigated by means of γ-ray and particle spectroscopy The energy and intensity of the isomeric transition were measured to be 4258 ± 01 keV and (825 ± 30)%, respectively The isomer was observed to decay via a super-allowed transition with a log ft value of 351 ± 004 to its 1+, 99652 ± 15 keV analog state in 24Mg In addition, decay to seven particle-emitting levels and four levels depopulated by γ-ray emission were observed In the decay of 207 s 24Al a new delayed α-particle group with an energy 304 MeV and three new γ-transitions were observed More accurate values than those reported in earlier studies are given for γ-ray energies and intensities, and also for deduced excitation energies in 24Mg Particle branches (per disintegration) were measured for the observed delayed particle groups

AbsoluteE0 andE2 transition rates and collective states in116Sn

Abstract: AbsoluteE0 andE2 transition rates in116Sn have been measured using several newly developed techniques. ManyE2 transitions are observed to have a collective character withB(E2) values of up to 60 W.u. The presence of deformed excited states in116Sn is discussed in view of the results obtained.

Particle-Rotor Model Study of the Transitional N = 89 and Some N = 91-95 Nuclei

Abstract: A particle-rotor model with a nonspheroidal axial and reflection symmetric Woods-Saxon potential has been used to describe the rotational bands and gamma branching ratios in some odd-mass nuclei with 95 to 89 neutrons. Systematics of the deformation parameters have been found by calculations in the well-deformed region. The model is capable of giving a systematic classification of the low-lying odd-parity excitations in the N = 91 and expecially in the N = 89 nuclei. An important result is the identification of the 7/2+, 3/2+ and 5/2+ members of the 3/2+[651] side band in the weakly deformed nuclei. These discoveries also provide a reliable foundation for the classification of other low-spin states.

Muscle strength and body composition as determinants of blood pressure in young men

Abstract: The correlations of blood pressure to various indices of muscularity and fatness were studied in 183 young healthy men (mean age 19.7, SD 2.1 years). Systolic pressure showed significant positive correlations with body fat percentage, isometric strength of trunk extensors, body mass index, lean body mass, strength of leg extensors, heart rate, and the sum of four skinfolds. Diastolic pressure had significant positive correlations with body mass index, lean body mass, body fat percentage, sum of skinfolds, strength of leg extensors, strength of trunk extensors, and age. A stepwise selective multiple regression analysis for systolic pressure resulted in four significantly correlating variables: body fat percentage (p less than 0.001), heart rate (p less than 0.01), lean body mass (p less than 0.05), and strength of trunk extensors per kg body weight (p less than 0.05). For diastolic pressure the analysis resulted in two explaining variables: body mass index (p less than 0.001) and age (p less than 0.05). In a regression equation with 13 variables the strength of trunk flexors was negatively correlated with diastolic pressure. It is concluded that both fatness and muscularity are factors related to blood pressure in young men. The muscularity effect is more clearly associated with trunk and leg extensor strength.

The Isomeric 9/2+ and the Lowest 7/2- State in the Weakly Deformed N = 89 Nuclei

Abstract: The decays of the isomeric 9/2+ states which have been produced by (d, pγ) and (3He, xnγ) reactions, have been investigated in three N = 89 nuclei. The half-lives have been determined to be 5.1 ± 0.3 ns in 149Nd and 3.5 ± 0.4 μs in 153Gd. In 155Dy a 5.5 ns half-life was found, but we were unable to assign it to the 9/2+ state. The calculated E1 transition probability from the 9/2+ state has been used as a probe in suggesting the following main components for the lowest-lying 7/2- state: 7/2 5/2-[523] in 149Nd, 7/2 3/2-[521] in 153Gd and 7/2 3/2-[521] in 155Dy. The corresponding 7/2- state in 151Sm is proposed to be 7/2{1}3/2-[532] + 5/2-[523]{1}. All calculations have been performed using a particle-rotor model with a nonspheroidal Woods-Saxon potential.

Muscle strength and muscle characteristics in monozygous and dizygous twins

Abstract: Muscle strength and electrical activity were investigated on 31 pairs of young male and female monozygous (MZ) and dizygous (DZ) twins. The measurements included leg forces, force-time, running velocity, muscular power, maximal integrated electromyographic activity (IEMG) and chronaximetry of the quadriceps muscle group. In each parameter the intrapair variance was computed and the differences were tested between the MZ and DZ twins. The variance ratio (MZ vs. DZ) was statistically significant only for muscular power confirming an earlier finding which has demonstrated a genetic component for the variable. In addition to the various performance variables several key enzymes involved in ATP turnover during muscle contraction and in glucose residue metabolism were analyzed from the muscle biopsy samples (m. vastus lateralis). A genetic component could not be observed in any of their activities or their relationships to performance variables.

Properties of condensed spin-aligned atomic hydrogen from variational calculations

Abstract: The optimal Jastrow-type ground-state wave function of spin-aligned atomic hydrogen is calculated using the pair potential of Kolos and Wolniewicz. The optimization is performed by solving the Euler equation in the hypernetted chain approximation. Accurate energies as well as pair-distribution functions are obtained. The Bose-Einstein condensate fraction is evaluated from the one-particle momentum distribution. The pair distribution function is also used to obtain stability criteria for the system and minimal values for the aligning magnetic field are calculated at low densities. The resulting values of the minimal aligning fields are considerably higher than those obtained previously.

Morphological and biochemical changes in striated muscle after experimental tourniquet ischaemia.

Abstract: Histological and biochemical changes were studied in the striated muscle following total tourniquet ischaemia between one and four h, the reflow time being 30 min and 24 h. Electronmicroscopy was applied to study the fine structure of the muscle after 24 h reflow. In light microscopy ischaemic changes were not seen even when the tourniquet time was extended to four h. When a four-h ischaemia was followed by a 24-h recovery period, the electron microscopy showed a variety of minor mitochondrial changes such as condensed and slightly dilatated mitochondria. The SDH activities did not vary significantly between the experimental and control samples even after a four-h ischaemia followed by 30 min or 24 h reflow. The differences between the experimental and control samples were, however, highly significant in the LDH values in the groups where ischaemia had lasted for three and four h. The results indicate that tourniquet ischaemia for two to three h does not significantly affect the striated muscle of a rabbit and the alterations even after a four-h ischaemia seem to be partly reversible.

Morphometry of myocardial apex in endurance-trained mice of different ages.

Abstract: Mitochondrial volume density, surface density of the outer mitochondrial membrane, the mean number and size of mitochondria, and the mean surface density of crista membranes together with the volume densities of myofibrils and sarcoplasmic space were morpho-metrically analyzed in cardiac muscle of two groups of sedentary control mice aged 3 and 7 months, and in two groups of mice trained either 1 month rather intensely or 4 months moderately. Of the calculated mitochondrial variables only the surface density of the outer mitochondrial membrane differed between the older controls and the older trained animals, the density being slightly smaller in the trained group. The myofibrillar volume density of the older controls was smaller than that of the younger controls, while the sarcoplasmic volume density was larger. The latter difference, possibly a function of age, was also observed in the trained groups. The results suggest that at a certain steady state level of exercise-induced cardiac muscle hypertrophy the muscle cells of trained mice do not differ markedly in ultrastructural properties from those of sedentary controls.

The compound internal pyrenoid in cultured cells of the green algaMonoraphidium griffithii (Berkel.) Komar.-Legner.

Abstract: The chloroplast ultrastructure ofMonoraphidium griffithii (Berkel.) Komar.-Legner. has been studied in axenic cultures of various ages. The algae have grown in a complete nutrient solution (illumination about 3,000 lx) and on its agar medium (illumination about 600 lx). The large parietal cup-shaped chloroplast of the cells includes a multiformed compound internal pyrenoid that is situated, especially in older cells, in the central part of the chloroplast opposite to the dictyosome and the nucleus. The chloroplast thylakoids either reach the edge of the pyrenoid or penetrate its matrix and run there parallel in more or less long bits. Starch grains were not found to form any sheath around the pyrenoid regions. The number of starch grains increased with the age of the cell.

Mercury and chlorinated hydrocarbons in zoobenthos of Lake Päijänne, Finland

Abstract: The average amounts of mercury, PCBs, and σ DDT (primarily DDE), found in macrozoobenthos, on the wet basis, in Lake Paijanne, Finland, for the time period 1972–1974, were 79 ng/g, 29 ng/g, and 8 ng/g, respectively. Lindane was found in negligible amounts in only 2% of the samples examined; aldrin was present in 10% of the samples; no dieldrin was detected. Mercury and PCB concentrations varied regionally in the lake. PCB and σ DDT concentrations were greater in the predatory bottom animals than in the herbivores or detritus feeders, and the amounts of chlorinated hydrocarbons were greater in profundal animals than in littoral animals. No significant correlation was apparent between the amount of residues found and the weight of the animal (e.g.Anodonta). A significant positive correlation was evident in the amounts of PCBs and Σ DDT in most of the taxonomical groups.Spongilla lacustris andAnodonta piscinalis were excellent species for monitoring purposes.