Spatio-temporal processing of surface EMG signals from the sternocleidomastoideus muscle to assess effects of radiotherapy on motor unit conduction velocity and firing rate—A pilot study

Radiation therapy causes both muscle and nerve tissue damage. However, the evolution and mechanisms of these damages are not fully understood. Information on the state of active muscle fibres and motoneurons can be obtained by measuring sEMG signals and calculating the conduction velocity (CV) and firing rate of individual motor units, respectively. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate if the multi-channel surface EMG (sEMG) technique could be applied to the sternocleidomastoideus muscle (SCM) of radiotherapy patients, and to assess if the CV and firing rate are altered as a consequence of the radiation.

Surface EMG signals were recorded from the radiated and healthy SCM muscles of 10 subjects, while subjects performed isometric rotation of the head. CV and firing rate were calculated using two recently proposed methods based on spatio-temporal processing of the sEMG signals. The multi-channel sEMG technique was successfully applied to the SCM muscle and CV and firing rates were obtained. The measurements were fast and simple and comfortable for the patients. Sufficient data quality was obtained from both sides of seven and four subjects for the CV and firing rate analysis, respectively. No differences in CV or firing rate were found between the radiated and non-radiated sides (p = 0.13 and p = 0.20, respectively). Firing rate and CV were also obtained from a myokymic discharge pattern. It was found that the CV decreased significantly (p = 0.01) during the bursts.     

RQA在肌电分析中的应用

介绍了递归图的生成方法和定量递归分析（RQA）中递归点的百发数,确定性线段的百分数,线段分布香农熵等分析量的意义。应用RQA分析肱二头肌及肱桡肌在不同负重下的肌电信号,发现肽二头肌肌电信号的递归点百分数的比肱肌高,有较强的周期性嵌入。与同一信号所作的FFT谱分析相比较,RQA法有较同的区分灵敏性,是肌电分析的一种新方法,它在其他复杂的生理信号处理中也有十分广阔的应用前景。     

肌肉萎缩引起肌电功率谱变化的理论和实验研究

为了通过肌电分析实现肌肉萎缩的无创检测,建立了一种数学模型研究肌肉萎缩后,其肌电信号功率谱的相应变化,并用大鼠的后肢卸载肌肉萎缩实验模型初步验证了数学模型分析的结论。该模型根据肌肉萎缩后肌纤维横截面积减小以及肌肉由于卸栽而出现持续性收缩的性质,采用中心导体模型及其电缆方程和肌电的线性系统模型建立起肌肉萎缩和生理肌电功率谱变化之间的数学关系。通过数字仿真和动物实验均发现了肌肉萎缩引起肌电幅度增加和功率谱高频成分降低的现象。结果表明数学模型和动物实验结果吻合,采用的数学模型能较好地阐述肌肉萎缩和肌电功率谱变化之间的关系。肌肉萎缩后肌电功率谱发生相应改变这一性质将为肌肉萎缩的无创检测提供一种新的方法。     

The Raynaud's Treatment Study: Biofeedback Protocols and Acquisition of Temperature Biofeedback Skills

The Raynaud's Treatment Study (RTS) compared temperature biofeedback training and a behavioral control procedure (frontalis EMG biofeedback) with nifedipine-XL and a medication placebo for treatment of primary Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) in a large (N = 313) multicenter trial. The present study describes the RTS biofeedback protocols and presents data on the acquisition of digital skin temperature and frontalis EMG responses in the RTS. The findings point to substantial problems with acquisition of physiological self-regulation skills in the RTS. Only 34.6% of the Temperature Biofeedback group (N = 81) and 55.4% of the EMG Biofeedback group (N = 74) successfully learned the desired physiological response. In contrast, 67.4% of a Normal Temperature Biofeedback group (N = 46) learned hand warming. Multivariate analysis found that coping strategies, anxiety, gender, and clinic site predicted acquisition of hand-warming skills whereas variables related to RP disease severity did not. Physiological data showed vasoconstriction in response to the onset of biofeedback and also found that performance in the initial sessions was critical for successful acquisition. These findings indicate that attention to the emotional and cognitive aspects of biofeedback training, and a degree of success in the initial biofeedback sessions, are important for acquisition.     

Dynamic Time Warping compared to established methods for validation of musculoskeletal models

By means of Multi-Body musculoskeletal simulation, important variables such as internal joint forces and moments can be estimated which cannot be measured directly. Validation can ensued by qualitative or by quantitative methods. Especially when comparing time-dependent signals, many methods do not perform well and validation is often limited to qualitative approaches. The aim of the present study was to investigate the capabilities of the Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) algorithm for comparing time series, which can quantify phase as well as amplitude errors. We contrast the sensitivity of DTW with other established metrics: the Pearson correlation coefficient, cross-correlation, the metric according to Geers, RMSE and normalized RMSE.This study is based on two data sets, where one data set represents direct validation and the other represents indirect validation. Direct validation was performed in the context of clinical gait-analysis on trans-femoral amputees fitted with a 6 component force-moment sensor. Measured forces and moments from amputees' socket-prosthesis are compared to simulated forces and moments. Indirect validation was performed in the context of surface EMG measurements on a cohort of healthy subjects with measurements taken of seven muscles of the leg, which were compared to simulated muscle activations.Regarding direct validation, a positive linear relation between results of RMSE and nRMSE to DTW can be seen. For indirect validation, a negative linear relation exists between Pearson correlation and cross-correlation.We propose the DTW algorithm for use in both direct and indirect quantitative validation as it correlates well with methods that are most suitable for one of the tasks. However, in DV it should be used together with methods resulting in a dimensional error value, in order to be able to interpret results more comprehensible.     

Data acquisition in thermal physiology: Measurements of shivering

1. 1.|Simple electronics for measurement of shivering, which include direct and mean rectified EMG (U_mrv), are suggested.

2. 2.|A software system (LabGraph) for measurement and analysis is described.

3. 3.|Three different electrode designs were tested with the system by recording electromyography (EMG) from m. iliotibialis with subdermal, intramuscular and safety pin electrodes in bantam hens exposed to cold eggs. The signal characteristics of EMG are discussed in relation to electrode design and signal processing.

4. 4.|A method for normalizing EMG activity within an experiment to units of heat production is presented and was tested successfully in bantam hens.

EMG area scaling and velocity modulations in a spatiotemporally constrained movement

Research examining the electromyographic (EMG) burst structure of rapid discrete limb movements has led to discordant findings concerning agonist burst duration. Some research has shown that duration varies as a function of movement speed while other research has shown burst constancy. Unfortunately, much of this research may be confounded by not carefully controlling movement termination accuracy and movement time (MT). Due to these potential problems, the present study was conducted to determine the effects of strict spatiotemporal constraints on EMG characteristics of a rapid elbow flexion-extension response under two movement extent conditions across five different MTs. Results revealed that a decreased MT was accompanied by a decreased agonist (biceps) burst duration and increased agonist burst amplitude. The burst duration and amplitude both increased as the movement extent increased with MT held constant. None of three current theoretical perspectives of rapid movement control (the impulse-timing model, the speed-control system hypothesis, or the speed-sensitive strategy) could fully account for these results. Instead, a control strategy was exhibited in which moving faster was accomplished by relative scaling of burst area via concomitant expansion of burst amplitude and compression of burst duration.     

The contribution of the supraspinatus muscle at sub-maximal contractions

During maximum effort, the supraspinatus muscle contributes approximately 50% of the torque need to elevate the arm, but this has not been examined at sub-maximal levels. The purpose of this study was to determine the contribution of the supraspinatus muscle to shoulder elevation at sub-maximal levels. Seven healthy subjects (four males, three females) performed isometric ramp contractions at the shoulder. Middle deltoid electromyography (EMG) and force applied at the wrist were collected before and after a suprascapular nerve block. For the same level of deltoid EMG, less external force will be measured after the nerve block as the supraspinatus muscle no longer contributes. The difference between the EMG/force curve was the contribution of the supraspinatus muscle. The supraspinatus contributed 40%, 95% CI [32%–48%], to shoulder elevation. The effect of angle (p = .67) and % maximal voluntary contraction (p = .13) on supraspinatus contribution were not significant. The maximum is slightly less than reported in a previous suprascapular nerve block study using maximal contractions. The results from this study can be used to assess supraspinatus contribution in rotator cuff tears, after rehabilitation interventions, and as a restraint in computation modelling.     

Central and peripheral contributions to muscle fatigue in humans during sustained maximal effort

The purpose of this study was to estimate the relative contributions of central and peripheral factors to the development of human muscle fatigue. Nine healthy subjects [five male, four female; age = 30 (2) years, mean (SE)] sustained a maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVC) of the ankle dorsiflexor muscles for 4 min. Fatigue was quantitated as the fall in MVC. Three measures of central activation and one measure of peripheral activation (compound muscle action potential, CMAP) were made using electromyography (EMG) and electrical stimulation. Measures of intramuscular metabolism were made using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. After exercise, MVC and electrically stimulated tetanic contraction (50 Hz, 500 ms) forces were 22.2 (3.7)% and 37.3 (7.1)% of pre-exercise values, respectively. The measures of central activation suggested some central fatigue during exercise: (1) the central activation ratio [MVC/(MVC + superimposed tetanic force)] fell from 0.94 (0.03) to 0.78 (0.09), (2) the MVC/tetanic force ratio fell from 2.3 (0.7) to 1.3 (0.7), and (3) the integral of the EMG (iEMG) signal decreased to 72.6 (9.1)% of the initial value, while the CMAP amplitude was unchanged. Intramuscular pH was associated by regression with the decline in MVC force (and therefore fatigue) and iEMG. The results indicate that central factors, which were not associated with altered peripheral excitability, contributed approximately 20% to the muscle fatigue developed, with the remainder being attributable to intramuscular (i.e., metabolic) factors. The association between pH and iEMG is consistent with proton concentration as a feedback mechanism for central motor drive during maximal effort.     

Progressive resistance training in neuromuscular patients. Effects on force and surface EMG

In a randomized clinical trial the efficacy of strength training was studied in patients with myotonic dystrophy (n=33) and in patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (n=29). Measurements were performed at the start and after 8, 16 and 24 weeks of progressive resistance training. Surface electromyography (SEMG) of proximal leg muscles was recorded during isometric knee extension at maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) and at 20, 40, 60 and 80% of MVC. Changes in MVC, maximum electrical activity and torque–EMG ratios (TER) were calculated. Fatigue was studied by determining the changes in endurance and in the decline of the median frequency (F_med) of the SEMG during a sustained contraction at 80% MVC. These parameters showed no significant changes after the training in either of the diagnostic groups. Only the Charcot-Marie-Tooth training group showed a gradual significant increase in mean MVC over the whole training period (21%). After 24 weeks, the increase in mean RMS was similar (25%), but this was mainly due to a sharp rise during the first 8 weeks of training (20%). The findings indicate that the initial strength increase was due to a neural factor, while the subsequent increase was mainly due to muscle hypertrophy.