Article
Clinical Neurology
Stuart Maitland, Enrique Escobedo-Cousin, Ian Schofield, Anthony O'Neill, Stuart Baker, Roger Whittaker
Summary: This study developed a new method to determine the spatial distribution of muscle fibers within human motor units using a flexible multi-channel electrode and a deconvolution method. The results demonstrated that human motor units spatially overlap and provided data on the spatial arrangement of muscle fibers.
CLINICAL NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biology
Camila Vesga-Castro, Javier Aldazabal, Ainara Vallejo-Illarramendi, Jacobo Paredes
Summary: In recent years, there has been a growing interest in evaluating the contractile force (CF) of engineered muscle tissues, but there are currently no standards available for selecting the most suitable experimental platform, measuring system, culture protocol, or stimulation patterns. Cantilever deflection, post deflection, and force transducers are commonly used configurations for CF assessment, and future studies are recommended to report detailed information on construct size, contractile area, maturity level, sarcomere length, and the tetanus-to-twitch ratio.
Article
Neurosciences
Woorim Cho, Victor R. Barradas, Nicolas Schweighofer, Yasuharu Koike
Summary: Muscle synergy analysis using surface electromyography (EMG) is beneficial in studying muscle coordination in various fields. Current methods in extracting muscle synergies in the upper limb have limitations due to the requirement of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) and multidirectional reaching tasks. This study proposes a new isometric rotating task that does not require precise motor control or large forces, providing a reliable alternative for future studies.
FRONTIERS IN HUMAN NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Ines Chihi, Lilia Sidhom, Ernest Nlandu Kamavuako
Summary: This paper presents a novel approach for characterising muscle force using electromyography (EMG) signals. The proposed method, based on a nonlinear Hammerstein-Wiener model, effectively estimates muscle force with reasonable accuracy. Compared to traditional artificial neural network methods, this approach demonstrates higher accuracy and reliability. The findings suggest that the use of a multimodel approach is important for improving proportional control accuracy in prostheses.
Review
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Jevin Lortie, Grace Gage, Benjamin Rush, Steven B. Heymsfield, Timothy P. Szczykutowicz, Adam J. Kuchnia
Summary: Computed tomography (CT) is an important method for assessing muscle pathologies, but the effects of CT kilovoltage and contrast material on muscle measures are often overlooked. This scoping review found that contrast material significantly increases CT muscle density and area, while lower kilovoltage results in higher muscle density but decreased area. These factors have significant implications for CT skeletal muscle analysis and should be better appreciated and reported.
JOURNAL OF CACHEXIA SARCOPENIA AND MUSCLE
(2022)
Review
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Matthew G. Birkbeck, Andrew M. Blamire, Roger G. Whittaker, Avan Aihie Sayer, Richard M. Dodds
Summary: Sarcopenia is a progressive disease commonly seen in older adults characterized by loss of muscle strength and mass. Electromyography is a method used to distinguish between different myopathies and count motor units. MUMRI, a non-invasive MRI technique, has the potential to detect physiological and pathological changes in motor units in neuromuscular diseases such as sarcopenia.
JOURNAL OF CACHEXIA SARCOPENIA AND MUSCLE
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Wataru Sato, Takanori Kochiyama
Summary: There is evidence that EMG signals from the corrugator supercilii and zygomatic major muscles can provide valuable information for emotional assessments. The study aims to investigate if crosstalk occurs in facial EMG data and how to reduce it. Participants were instructed to perform various facial actions while measuring EMG signals from different facial muscles. Independent component analysis (ICA) was used to remove crosstalk components. The results suggest that mouth actions could induce crosstalk in zygomatic major EMG signals, and ICA can reduce this effect.
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Claudia Lopes, Hugo Veloso, Makenna Hayes, Michael A. A. Cullinan, Filipe Vaz
Summary: This research introduces a new concept of dry surface electrodes for monitoring and stimulating muscle's electrical activity. The electrodes are made of 3-D printed polymeric disk-shaped substrates with nanostructured (Ti,Cu)N thin films. Different chemical compositions were tested for their effectiveness as electrodes and the titanium doped with 25.6% copper showed the best results. The research highlights the potential of using dry electrodes in new technologies and strategies for delivering primary and integrated care.
IEEE SENSORS JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Paulo Cezar Rocha dos Santos, Claudine J. C. Lamoth, Lilian Teresa Bucken Gobbi, Inge Zijdewind, Fabio Augusto Barbieri, Tibor Hortobagyi
Summary: The study compared muscle activation patterns of older and younger adults during repetitive sit-to-stand tasks, finding that older adults activated certain muscles more, earlier, and for longer duration. Despite completing fewer STS trials, older adults reported similar perceived exertion levels as younger adults. Maximum voluntary isometric knee extension force decreased at the end of the task, with similar declines in muscle activation levels across different age groups.
FRONTIERS IN AGING NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Geng Li, Mohammad S. Shourijeh, Di Ao, Carolynn Patten, Benjamin J. Fregly
Summary: Muscle co-contractions can enhance stability and accuracy during limb movement but come with higher energy cost. This study investigated the feasibility of using two common Co-Contraction Index (CCI) formulations to approximate lower limb joint stiffness trends during gait. The correlations between CCI formulations and joint stiffness were found to be highly influenced by methodological choices in CCI computation.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Physiology
Rugivan Sabaratnam, Jorgen F. P. Wojtaszewski, Kurt Hojlund
Summary: Exercise activates metabolic and signalling pathways, resulting in systemic beneficial metabolic effects. Skeletal muscle, as an important endocrine organ, mediates crosstalk with other tissues through the release of myokines. Other tissues may also release cytokines and peptides in response to exercise. Extracellular vesicles may carry signals involved in tissue crosstalk.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Tatsuya Oishi, Jamie J. Van Gompel, Michael J. Link, Andrea A. Tooley, Ernest M. Hoffman
Summary: Long intramuscular needle electrodes placed intraorbitally demonstrate advantages in recording lateral rectus electromyography during intracranial surgeries, with higher amplitude recordings and better discrimination between different stimuli, while showing minimal postoperative complications.
CLINICAL NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
M. Janneke Schwaner, David C. Lin, Craig P. McGowan
Summary: The study on jumping by kangaroo rats showed that muscles in the knee and ankle joints increased their shortening and activity with higher jumps. Compared to the knee joint, muscles in the ankle joint were more efficient in extending the shortening velocity, leading to increased power output.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Industrial
Saahil Chand, Andrew McDaid, Yuqian Lu
Summary: Human-robot collaboration is crucial for flexible manufacturing operations, ensuring optimal team performance by maximizing operator autonomy and well-being. However, current fatigue assessment models fail to accurately evaluate fatigue in repetitive dynamic manufacturing operations non-invasively. To address this issue, we developed a theory for quantifying localized muscular fatigue based on relative task load and the number of repetitive operations. We demonstrated a multivariable linear relationship between localized muscular fatigue, task load, base muscle strength, and number of repetitive operations using s-EMG technologies. We also presented procedures for developing personalized muscle fatigue profiles for various assembly operations through specialized s-EMG experiment design and measurement. This simple fatigue measurement mechanism allows continuous monitoring of operator fatigue by monitoring repetitive operations using non-invasive sensors, such as cameras. Additionally, we propose a framework for integrating our work into an online fatigue monitoring system for human-robot collaboration.
JOURNAL OF MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Bartlomiej Zagrodny, Wiktoria Wojnicz, Michal Ludwicki, Jan Awrejcewicz
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate muscle activation during gait using sEMG and thermal imaging, finding a relationship between muscle activation and thermal factors at low fatigue levels. The results showed moderate linear and nonlinear correlations between thermal and electromyographic parameters under low muscle fatigue, suggesting the usefulness of thermal imaging as a complement to sEMG in analyzing muscle activation.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INSTRUMENTATION AND MEASUREMENT
(2021)
Article
Biophysics
Javier Rodriguez-Falces, Alberto Botter, Taian Vieira, Nicolas Place
Summary: The study found that the shoulder, a sharp deflection in M waves, was present in most monopolar recordings but rarely observed in bipolar recordings. It was a stationary feature with short duration and positive polarity along the muscle fibers. The latency of the shoulder was shorter than the estimated time for action potentials to reach the biceps tendon, suggesting a dipole source generating the shoulder.
PHYSIOLOGICAL MEASUREMENT
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Dongwon Kim, Corine Nicoletti, Subaryani D. H. Soedirdjo, Raziyeh Baghi, Maria-Gabriela Garcia, Thomas Laubli, Pascal Wild, Alberto Botter, Bernard J. Martin
Summary: The study found that brief voluntary contractions disrupting monotonous trapezius activity effectively modified the subsequent contraction pattern, reducing muscle fatigue.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
G. L. Cerone, A. Giangrande, M. Ghislieri, M. Gazzoni, H. Piitulainen, A. Botter
Summary: This study describes the design and validation of a new fully wireless body sensor network for the integrated acquisition of EEG and HD-sEMG signals. The proposed device represents an advancement in technology and allows for the study of sensorimotor integration. The system was characterized in terms of synchronization accuracy and signal quality, and compared to a wired benchmark device.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NEURAL SYSTEMS AND REHABILITATION ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Marco Alessandro Minetto, Maria Giulia Ballatore, Alberto Botter, Chiara Busso, Angelo Pietrobelli, Anita Tabacco
Summary: The present study aimed to investigate age-related changes in total body skeletal muscle mass (TBSMM) and lean mass asymmetry in a large sample of adults. The findings revealed a gradual decline in TBSMM with age and a higher level of muscle mass asymmetry in males and lower limbs. These findings have clinical significance for assessing muscle quantity and distribution.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Review
Physiology
Kevin E. Power, Evan J. Lockyer, Alberto Botter, Taian Vieira, Duane C. Button
Summary: This article discusses the changes in electrical properties of spinal motoneurons under chronic and acute conditions and their potential impact on locomotor output. It also explores the feasibility of using high-density surface electromyogram recordings to indirectly study motoneuron excitability.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marco Carbonaro, Kristen M. Meiburger, Silvia Seoni, Emma F. Hodson-Tole, Taian Vieira, Alberto Botter
Summary: This study proposes a method to assess the electrical and physical properties of single motor units (MUs) by combining high-density surface electromyography (HDsEMG) and ultrafast ultrasonography (US). The method was tested and the results showed the feasibility of identifying MU displacement areas and the correlation between action potential distribution and displacement area. This approach has the potential to non-invasively assess the properties of single MUs in voluntary contractions.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Physiology
Eduardo Martinez-Valdes, Francesco Negro, Alberto Botter, Patricio A. Pincheira, Giacinto Luigi Cerone, Deborah Falla, Glen A. Lichtwark, Andrew G. Cresswell
Summary: The integration of electromyography (EMG) and ultrasound imaging has provided important insights into muscle activation and contraction mechanisms. This study demonstrates the relationship between tibialis anterior muscle (TA) motor unit discharge, fascicle length, and dorsiflexion torque using ultrasound-transparent high-density EMG electrodes. The findings highlight the interplay between neural drive, muscle contraction, and torque during sustained isometric contractions.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Physiology
Mehdi Shirzadi, Hamid Reza Marateb, Monica Rojas-Martinez, Marjan Mansourian, Alberto Botter, Fabio Vieira dos Anjos, Taian Martins Vieira, Miguel Angel Mananas
Summary: This article introduces a new real-time convex and interpretable model for solving the sEMG-force estimation problem and validates its applications on upper and lower limb. The performance of the proposed method is statistically compared with 13 other methods, including linear-in-the-parameter models, Artificial Neural Networks, and Supported Vector Machines. The results show that the proposed method outperforms other methods and has no significant difference compared to the recorded force signal.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Robin Rohlen, Marco Carbonaro, Giacinto L. Cerone, Kristen M. Meiburger, Alberto Botter, Christer Gronlund
Summary: This study examined the repeatability of ultrasound images in distinguishing muscle motor units (MUs) from noise in low-force isometric contractions. It was found that the repeatable components accounted for about one-third of the MUs and can be used for data reduction.
JOURNAL OF NEURAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Taian M. Vieira, Giacinto Luigi Cerone, Alberto Botter, Kohei Watanabe, Andrew D. Vigotsky
Summary: The value of surface electromyograms lies in their potential to non-invasively probe the neuromuscular system. This study provides evidence that the inter-electrode distance imposes a biophysical constraint on the sensitivity of bipolar EMGs for muscle excitation. The results suggest that excessively reducing the inter-electrode distance limits the physiological content of EMGs and hampers validity.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NEURAL SYSTEMS AND REHABILITATION ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Giacinto Luigi Cerone, Alessandra Giangrande, Taian Vieira, Domenico Pisaturo, Mihai Ionescu, Marco Gazzoni, Alberto Botter
Summary: Neuromuscular electrical stimulation is widely used in various fields, but current devices are bulky and have limited interfacing capabilities. This study aims to design and develop an innovative electrical stimulator to address these issues. Utilizing wireless modules and a modular architecture, the device shows great practical potential in use-case scenarios.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Andrea Spanu, Alberto Botter, Andrea Zedda, Giacinto Luigi Cerone, Annalisa Bonfiglio, Danilo Pani
Summary: This research presents an optimized screen printing technique for the fabrication of textile electrodes based on PEDOT:PSS directly into stretchable garments, demonstrating good performance for dynamic sEMG detections. The results achieved pave the way for the integration of unobtrusive electrodes, obtained by screen printing of conductive polymers, into technical fabrics for rehabilitation and sport monitoring in dynamic conditions.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NEURAL SYSTEMS AND REHABILITATION ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Alberto Botter, Taian Vieira, Marco Carbonaro, Giacinto L. Cerone, Emma F. Hodson-Tole
Summary: This study compared the detection sensitivity of muscle fasciculations by ultrasound imaging and multichannel surface EMG techniques, and investigated their performance in different muscle regions and with varying EMG electrode configurations. The results showed that both techniques had similar sensitivities to muscle fasciculations, but had relatively low agreement between them. The study suggests that a combination of ultrasound imaging and EMG may maximize the sensitivity to muscle fasciculations.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Giacinto Luigi Cerone, Alberto Botter, Taian Vieira, Marco Gazzoni
Summary: A wearable, high-density surface electromyography (HD-sEMG) detection system based on textile technology was designed, characterized, and tested in dynamic conditions, showing comparable performance to conventional systems in stability of signal recording, electrode-skin interface properties, and quality of collected sEMG signals.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NEURAL SYSTEMS AND REHABILITATION ENGINEERING
(2021)
