Evolution of the power ("squeeze") grip and its morphological correlates in hominids.

The "squeeze" form of power grip is investigated for the purposes of clarifying the hand posture and activities associated with the grip, assessing the potential in chimpanzees for using the grip, and identifying morphological correlates of an effective power grip that may be recognized in fossil hominid species. Our approaches include: (1) the analysis of the human grip, focusing on both the hand posture involved and hand movements associated with use of the grip in hammering; (2) the analysis of similar chimpanzee grips and associated movements; (3) comparative functional analysis of regions in the hand exploited and stressed by the grip and its associated movements in humans; and (4) a review of the literature on the power grip and its morphological correlates. Results of the study indicate that humans use a squeeze form of power grip effectively to wield cylindrical tools forcefully as extensions of the forearm. Several morphological features occur in high frequency among humans which facilitate the grip and are consistent with the large internal and external forces associated with it in hammering and in other tool-using activities. Chimpanzee hand postures resembling this form of human power grip are not fully comparable and lack some of these morphological correlates that facilitate its use. The hand of Australopithecus afarensis does not appear to have been stressed by use of the grip, but there is some evidence for this type of stress in the metacarpals from Sterkfontein Member 4. Hands from Olduvai and Swartkrans do not provide sufficient evidence for assessment of power grip capabilities.     

Axial loading induces rotation of the proximal carpal row bones around unique screw-displacement axes

The changes in carpal bone alignment secondary to the aplication of an axial compressive load through the major wrist motor tendons while the wrist is kept in neutral position (isometric loading) have been investigated on 13 fresh cadaver specimens using a biplanar radiographic method of kinematic analysis. The scaphoid, lunate and triquetrum rotate an average of 5.1, 4.2 and 3.8°, respectively, around different ‘screw displacement axes’, all implying flexion, radial deviation and supination. Based on these findings, a new interpretation of the mechanism by which the wrist remains stable under physiologic loads is provided.     

Circadian Rhythm of Blood Pressure and Heart Rate in Healthy Persons and Kidney Transplant Patients: Correlations with Activity

Fourteen diurnally active (07: 00–22: 39 h) normotensive healthy control subjects and 14 kidney transplant patients were studied by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and wrist actigraphy simultaneously during one 24-h period. In the control group, circadian rhythms in systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP), and mean arterial (MAP) blood pressure, heart rate (HR), and wrist activity were documented by cosinor analysis with comparable afternoon peak times. In contrast, circadian rhythms with afternoon acrophases were detected only in HR and wrist activity in the patient group. The correlation of wrist activity with HR in controls and patients was comparable. Wrist activity and blood pressure were associated (r = 0.65 DBP and 0.54 SBP; p < 0.05) in controls, while in patients the relationship was weak or absent (r ranging from 0.02 SBP to 0.22 DBP). In 6 of 14 patients, BP and wrist activity were negatively correlated, reflecting the existence of nocturnal hypertension. In eight others, the correlation was small but positive. The 24-h pattern in BP and wrist activity in controls was comparably phased; however, this was not the case for the transplant patients, indicating the day-night pattern in blood pressure in this group is strongly dependent on pathologic phenomena rather than activity level and pattern.     

CIRCADIAN PATTERN OF BLOOD PRESSURE,HEART RATE,AND DOUBLE PRODUCT IN LIVER GLYCOGEN STORAGE DISEASE

The objective of this study was to determine systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial blood pressure (SBP, DBP, and MAP), heart rate (HR), double-product (DP: SBP×HR), and activity levels and their 24h pattern in liver glycogen storage disease (LGSD) patients. A case series of 12 (11 pediatric and one adult) diurnally active LGSD (seven type I, three type III, and two type IX) subjects were simultaneously assessed by 24h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and wrist actigraphy. Nine subjects were judged to be hypertensive based on the criterion of an elevated 24h mean SBP and/or DBP being elevated beyond reference standards or the SBP and/or DBP load (percentage of time BP exceeds normal values) being greater than 25%. Two of the three other subjects, not viewed as hypertensive based on their 24h average SBP or DBP, exhibited daytime or nighttime SBP and/or DBP load hypertension. Each study variables displayed statistically significant (p<0.001) group circadian rhythmicity. The SBP, DBP, and MAP displayed comparable 24h patterns of appreciable amplitude (total peak–trough variation equal to 17.7, 23.6, and 19.6%, respectively, of the 24h mean) with highest values (orthophase) occurring ～11 h after the commencement of daytime activity. The sleep-time trough (bathyphase) occurred ～4.5 h before morning awakening. The statistically significant (p<0.006) circadian rhythms of HR (amplitude equal to 33.2% of the 24h mean) and DP (amplitude equal to 49.4% of the 24h mean) peaked earlier, ～7.4 h into the daytime activity span. The sleep-time trough occurred ～3 h before morning awakening. The 24h pattern in the cardiovascular variables was correlated with the 24h pattern of activity, with r ranging from 0.50 for DBP to 0.39 for HR.     

The multidisciplinary therapy in binge eating disorder is able to influence the interdaily stability and sleep quality?

ABSTRACT

We have recently shown that rest-activity circadian rhythm significantly differed in women with Binge Eating Disorder (BED) compared to the Ctrl group. In details, patients with BED exhibited significantly reduced levels of MESOR and Amplitude with respect to the Ctrl group. In addition, in this previous study, the results of the actigraphic sleep monitoring provided no evidence of differences in sleep parameters between the two groups. We expanded the original sample obtaining a total of 28 volunteered women, 14 BED women, and 14 Ctrl. We recorded in all 28 participants a 5-day actigraphic monitoring to detect the rhythmometric parameters, interdaily stability, intradaily variability, L5, M10, and sleep parameters. During the study, BED’s women group kept an individual multidisciplinary therapy lasting five weekly days, from Monday to Friday, consisting in cognitive-behavioral therapy and nutritional program, administered in outpatient care from 8:00 a.m. at 5:00 p.m. The combination of both our previous and current study supports the conclusion that the sleep quality of the BED group is significantly better compared to Ctrl. The non-parametric indexes showed how interdaily stability, significantly correlated to sleep efficiency, was higher in BED group compared to the Ctrl group, indicating a better synchronization of rest-activity circadian rhythm. In conclusion, the maintenance of a regular lifestyle, such as imposed by the multidisciplinary therapy, is important to avoid alterations in the sleep-wake cycle, particularly in patients with eating disorders.     

Sleep and Sleepiness of Fishermen on Rotating Schedules

Seafaring is a hazardous occupation with high death and injury rates, but the role of seafarer fatigue in these events is generally not well documented. The International Maritime Organization has identified seafarer fatigue as an important health and safety issue. Most research to date has focused on more regularly scheduled types of operations (e.g., merchant vessels, ferries), but there is relatively little information on commercial fishing, which often involves high day‐to‐day and seasonal variability in work patterns and workload. The present study was designed to monitor the sleep and sleepiness of commercial fishermen at home and during extended periods at sea during the peak of the hoki fishing season, with a view to developing better fatigue management strategies for this workforce. Sleep (wrist actigraphy and sleep diaries) and sleepiness (Karolinska Sleepiness Scale [KSS] before and after each sleep period) of 20 deckhands were monitored for 4–13 days at home and for 5–9 days at sea while working a nominal 12 h on/6 h off schedule. On the 12 h on/6 h off schedule, there was still a clear preference for sleep at night. Comparing the last three days at home and the first three days at sea showed that fishermen were more likely to have split sleep at sea (Wilcoxon signed ranks p<0.001), but the median sleep/24 h did not differ significantly by location (5.9 h at sea vs. 6.7 h at home). However, on 23% of days at sea, fishermen obtained<4 h total sleep/24 h, compared to 3% of days at home (p(χ²)<0.01). Sleep efficiency, mean activity counts/min sleep, and subjective ratings of sleep quality did not differ significantly between the last three days at home and the first three days at sea. However, sleepiness ratings remained higher after sleep at sea (Wilcoxon signed ranks p<0.05), with fishermen having post‐sleep KSS ratings ≥7 on 24% of days at sea vs. 9% of days at home (Wilcoxon signed ranks p<0.01). This work adds to the limited number of studies that objectively monitored the sleep of seafarers. It has the strength of operational fidelity but the weakness that large inter‐ and intra‐individual variability in sleep, combined with the small sample size, limited the power of the study to detect statistically significant differences between sleep at home and at sea. The clear preference for sleep at night during the 12 h on/6 h off schedule at sea is consistent with the expectation that this 18 h duty/rest cycle is outside the range of entrainment of the circadian pacemaker. High levels of acute sleep loss, and residual sleepiness after sleep, were much more common at sea than at home. The longer duration of trips during the peak of the fishing season increases the risk of performance impairment due to greater cumulative sleep loss than would be expected on typical three‐day trips. Key fatigue management strategies in this environment include that fishermen report to work as well rested as possible. Once at sea, the day‐to‐day variability in activities due to uncontrollable factors, such as fishing success, repairing gear, and weather conditions, mean that contingency planning is required for managing situations where the entire crew have experienced long periods of intensive work with minimum recovery opportunities.     

Discrimination between extreme chronotypes using the full and reduced version of the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire

The aim of this study was to carry out a comparison of the ability to discriminate between extreme chronotypes, i.e., morning- and evening-types, among the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) and its reduced version (rMEQ). To this end a secondary analysis of cohort studies, using two different approaches, was carried out. The first, subjective, relied on the computing of overlap between extreme chronotypes according to their hourly ideal bedtime, get-up time and midpoint of sleep reported at the MEQ and rMEQ, while the second, objective, on the corresponding actual-actigraphic times. At the subjective approach, 2706 participants filled in the MEQ, while 940 the rMEQ (age range of both groups: 18–30 years). The overlap was significantly lower among those who filled the rMEQ than MEQ when considering ideal midpoint of sleep (13.70% and 46.28%, respectively) and get-up time (47.04% and 62.34%, respectively). At the objective approach, 51 participants filled in the MEQ while 52 the rMEQ (age range: 19–30 years in both groups) at the end of one week of actigraphic recording. No significantly different overlap across those who filled the MEQ or rMEQ was observed with reference to the examined actigraphic times. Results of subjective assessment showed as rMEQ more clearly discriminated between extreme chronotypes than MEQ. The attempt to find an objective confirmation did not provide the same results, probably as a consequence of a masking effect by social rhythms.     

Case study of circadian rhythm sleep disorder following haloperidol treatment: reversal by risperidone and melatonin

A patient with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome treated with haloperidol, ingested once daily after awakening from sleep, exhibited an irregular sleep-wake pattern with a free-running component of approximately 48 h. Transfer to risperidone, ingested once daily after awakening from sleep, was beneficial resulting in a sleep-wake cycle more synchronized at the appropriate phase to the external zeitgebers, and fewer nocturnal disturbances. The circadian sleep-wake schedule was fully synchronized when the patient had been subsequently treated with melatonin at 21:00h, before intended nocturnal sleep, in addition to risperidone in the morning. Restoration of the sleep-wake circadian pattern was accompanied by the patient's subjective report of significant improvement in his quality of life, social interactions, and occupational status. This observation suggests that circadian rhythm sleep disorders can be related to the typical neuroleptic haloperidol and restored by the atypical neuroleptic risperidone. Similar findings reported in patients suffering from other disorders support the hypothesis that the described disruption of the sleep-wake schedule is medication rather than illness-related. Therefore, it is very important to realize that circadian rhythm sleep disorders may be a side effect of neuroleptics.     

Bone density spatial patterns in the distal radius reflect habitual hand postures adopted by quadrupedal primates

Primates adopt diverse hand postures during terrestrial and above-branch quadrupedal locomotion--knuckle-walking, digitigrady, and palmigrady--that incorporate varying degrees of wrist dorsiflexion (i.e., extension). Although relationships between hand postures, wrist joint range of motion, and the external properties of wrist bones (e.g., surface morphology) have been examined, the relationship between hand postures and the internal properties of wrist bones (e.g., bone density) remains largely unexplored. Because articular joint surfaces transmit mechanical loads between conjoining limb bones, measures of density (e.g., magnitudes and patterns) in the subchondral cortical plate of bone of the distal radius can be used to evaluate load regimes experienced by the wrist joint in different hand postures. We assessed apparent (i.e. optical) density patterns in several extant catarrhine primate taxa partitioned into different hand posture groups: knuckle-walking apes, digitigrade monkeys, and palmigrade monkeys. Computed tomography osteoabsorptiometry (CT-OAM) was used to construct maximum intensity projection (MIP) maps of apparent densities. High apparent density areas were characterized relative to a dorsal-volar reference plane and compared across hand posture groups. All groups had large percentage areas of high apparent density in the dorsal region of the distal radial articular surface. Only knuckle-walking apes, however, had a large percentage area of high apparent density in the volar region of the distal radial articular surface. These patterns are consistent with radiocarpal articulations in specific hand postures as evidenced by available radiographic data and suggest that the different habitual hand postures adopted by monkeys and African apes during quadrupedal locomotion have different stereotypic loading patterns. This has implications for understanding the functional morphology and evolution of knuckle-walking and digitigrade hand postures in primates.     

Frequency and timing of scaphoid-centrale fusion in hominoids

Fusion between the os centrale and the scaphoid has played a central role in many functional and phylogenetic interpretations of hominoid evolution. In particular, scaphoid-centrale fusion shared among African apes and humans has been interpreted as an adaptation in knuckle-walkers, an exaptation in hominins, and has been offered as evidence for a knuckle-walking origin of bipedalism. However, discrepancies in the literature concerning the taxa in which this scaphoid-centrale fusion occurs, as well as the timing and/or frequency of this fusion, have confounded the significance of this trait. This study provides an historical review of the literature on scaphoid-centrale fusion in primates and the first formal investigation into the timing and frequency of this character among primates, with a focus on extant hominoids. Results indicate that there is a significant difference in the timing and frequency of scaphoid-centrale fusion in African apes and humans compared to Asian apes, suggesting that prenatal or early postnatal fusion among hominines is a synapomorphy. Scaphoid-centrale fusion does not occur randomly within primates. Instead, only Homininae and some members of Lemuroidea show consistent and ontogenetically early fusion of these carpals. The consistent occurrence of this trait within only two primate clades and a clear heterochronic trend in timing and frequency of scaphoid-centrale fusion among hominines suggest that this character is primarily phylogenetically controlled. We could not falsify the hypothesis that scaphoid-centrale fusion in African apes is indeed related to midcarpal stability in knuckle-walking, but neither were we able to find direct biomechanical or kinematic evidence to support this hypothesis. A more definitive answer to the question of the functional significance of scaphoid-centrale fusion will have to await more detailed analyses of great ape wrist kinematics.