Successful endovascular treatment in patients with acute thromboembolic ischemia of the lower limb including the crural arteries

AIM To examine the efficacy and safety of the 6 French(6F) Rotarex~S catheter system in patients with acute limb ischemia(ALI) involving thromboembolic occlusion of the proximal and mid-crural vessels.METHODS The files of patients in our department with ALI between 2015 and 2017 were examined. In seven patients, the Rotarex~S catheter was used in the proximal segment of the crural arteries. Data related to the clinical examination, Doppler sonography, angiography and followup from these patients were further used for analysis.RESULTS Two patients(29%) had thrombotic occlusion of the common femoral artery, and the remaining five exhibited thrombosis of the superficial femoral artery and popliteal artery. Mechanical thrombectomy was performed in all cases using a 6F Rotarex~S catheter. Additional Rotarex~S catheter thrombectomy due to remaining thrombus formation with no reflow was performed in the anterior tibial artery in two of seven cases(29%), in the tibiofibular tract and posterior tibial artery in two of seven cases(29%) and in the tibiofibular tract and fibular artery in the remaining three of seven cases(43%). Ischemic symptoms resolved promptly in all, and none of the patients experienced a procedural complication, such as crural vessel dissection, perforation or thrombus embolization.CONCLUSION Mechanical debulking using the 6F Rotarex~S catheter system may be a safe and effective treatment option in case of thrombotic or thromboembolic occlusion of the proximal and mid-portion of crural arteries.

Assistive Devices and Clothing: Exploring Adaptive Clothing Needs for Women with Lower Limb Prostheses Using the FEA Model

This study aimed to comprehensively investigate the essential considerations in designing adaptive clothing for women with lower limb prostheses in Saudi Arabia. Employing a qualitative methodology, the research entailed semi-structured, in-depth interviews with women utilizing lower limb prostheses and prosthetic specialists. This approach was selected to unearth pivotal design prerequisites and comprehend the specific challenges these women encounter within the realm of clothing. The utilization of selective sampling facilitated the collection of intricate and valuable insights. A Functional, Expressive, and Aesthetic (FEA) User Needs model was utilized to scrutinize participant feedback. Functional requisites encompass ease of dressing and undressing, accessibility to the prosthetic limb, comfort, mobility with the prosthesis, and appropriate fit. Additionally, participants highlighted various expressive needs, including privacy preservation, modesty, camouflaging disability appearances, maintaining alignment with non-disabled women’s fashion, and considerations about the aesthetic aspects of garments.

Model Parameters Identification and Backstepping Control of Lower Limb Exoskeleton Based on Enhanced Whale Algorithm

Exoskeletons generally require accurate dynamic models to design the model-based controller conveniently under the human-robot interaction condition.However,due to unknown model parameters such as the mass,moment of inertia and mechanical size,the dynamic model of exoskeletons is difficult to construct.Hence,an enhanced whale optimization algorithm(EWOA)is proposed to identify the exoskeleton model parameters.Meanwhile,the periodic excitation trajectories are designed by finite Fourier series to input the desired position demand of exoskeletons with mechanical physical constraints.Then a backstepping controller based on the identified model is adopted to improve the human-robot wearable comfortable performance under cooperative motion.Finally,the proposed Model parameters identification and control are verified by a two-DOF exoskeletons platform.The knee joint motion achieves a steady-state response after 0.5 s.Meanwhile,the position error of hip joint response is less than 0.03 rad after 0.9 s.In addition,the steady-state human-robot interaction torque of the two joints is constrained within 15 N·m.This research proposes a whale optimization algorithm to optimize the excitation trajectory and identify model parameters.Furthermore,an enhanced mutation strategy is adopted to avoid whale evolution’s unsatisfactory local optimal value.

Neural Network Robust Control Based on Computed Torque for Lower Limb Exoskeleton

The lower limb exoskeletons are used to assist wearers in various scenarios such as medical and industrial settings.Complex modeling errors of the exoskeleton in different application scenarios pose challenges to the robustness and stability of its control algorithm.The Radial Basis Function(RBF)neural network is used widely to compensate for modeling errors.In order to solve the problem that the current RBF neural network controllers cannot guarantee the asymptotic stability,a neural network robust control algorithm based on computed torque method is proposed in this paper,focusing on trajectory tracking.It innovatively incorporates the robust adaptive term while introducing the RBF neural network term,improving the compensation ability for modeling errors.The stability of the algorithm is proved by Lyapunov method,and the effectiveness of the robust adaptive term is verified by the simulation.Experiments wearing the exoskeleton under different walking speeds and scenarios were carried out,and the results show that the absolute value of tracking errors of the hip and knee joints of the exoskeleton are consistently less than 1.5°and 2.5°,respectively.The proposed control algorithm effectively compensates for modeling errors and exhibits high robustness.

Epidemiological, Clinical and Paraclinical Profile of Osteoarthritis of the Lower Limbs in Obese Patients at the Cocody University Teaching Hospital

Objective: To describe the epidemiological, clinical and paraclinical characteristics of osteoarthritis of the lower limbs in obese patients at the Cocody University Teaching Hospital. Methodology: This was an analytical cross-sectional study carried out in the rheumatology department of the Cocody UTH in Abidjan (Ivory Coast) from March 1 to April 30 2023. Patients who came for rheumatology consultation presenting with mechanical arthralgia of the lower limbs, who were obese, had radiographic images were included. All patients without radiographic images were excluded. Obesity was defined as a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m. The Chi2 test was used to compare proportions and determine the existence of associations between osteoarthristis and obesity, obesity severity and radiographic stage of osteoarthritis as well as the functional impact. A p-value below a predefined threshold (p = 0,05) indicates a significant relationship between the variables. Result: Out of 185 patients received for osteoarthritis of the lower limbs during the study period, 136 were obese (74%). There were 115 women (84.6%) with an average age of 56.03 with a standard deviation of 12.72 years (extremes: 22 and 84 years). The main socio-professional category was the informal sector (30%). The majority of patients had a low socio-economic level (80.2%) and lived in urban areas (92.6%). The most common past medical history was hypertension (33.08%) followed by peptic ulcer disease (16.91%). Patients had a body mass index class 1 (81.6%), class 2 (15.40%) and class 3 (2.90%). The average duration of symptom progression until diagnosis was 11 months. Genu varum was the main static disorder (56.10%) and the knee joint was the dominant topography (90.4%) with a bilateral localization (80%). The average Lequesne index was greater than 8 (59.5%). The Kellgren and Lawrence radiographic stages were stage 1 (9.20%), stage 2 (46.90%), stage 3 (29.20%) and stage 4 (6.90%). The Obesity severity was significantly associated with osteoarthritis of the knee (p = 0.042). There was no statistically significant association between obesity severity and radiographic stage of osteoarthritis (p = 0.163) or functional impact (p = 0.180). Conclusion: Osteoarthritis of the lower limbs affected obese women and was dominated by stage 2 osteoarthritis of the knee (Kellgren and Lawrence). There is an association between the severity of obesity and osteoarthritis of the knee.

Intervention Effect of Lower Limb Rehabilitation Robot with Task-Oriented Training on Stroke Patients and Its Influence on KFAROM Score

Objective: To explore the effect of lower limb rehabilitation robot combined with task-oriented training on stroke patients and its influence on KFAROM score. Methods: 100 stroke patients with hemiplegia admitted to our hospital from January 2023 to December 2023 were randomly divided into two groups, the control group (50 cases) was given task-oriented training assisted by nurses, and the observation group (50 cases) was given lower limb rehabilitation robot with task-oriented training. Lower limb balance, lower limb muscle strength, motor function, ankle function, knee flexion range of motion and walking ability were observed. Results: After treatment, the scores of BBS, quadriceps femoris and hamstrings in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P Conclusion: In the clinical treatment of stroke patients, the combination of task-oriented training and lower limb rehabilitation robot can effectively improve the lower limb muscle strength, facilitate the recovery of balance function, and have a significant effect on the recovery of motor function, which can improve the walking ability of stroke patients and the range of motion of knee flexion, and achieve more ideal therapeutic effectiveness.

Adaptive Robust Control for a Lower Limbs Rehabilitation Robot Running Under Passive Training Mode

This paper focuses on the problem of the adaptive robust control of a lower limbs rehabilitation robot(LLRR) that is a nonlinear system running under passive training mode. In reality, uncertainties including modeling error, initial condition deviation, friction force and other unknown external disturbances always exist in a LLRR system. So, it is necessary to consider the uncertainties in the unilateral man-machine dynamical model of the LLRR we described. In the dynamical model, uncertainties are(possibly fast) time-varying and bounded. However, the bounds are unknown. Based on the dynamical model, we design an adaptive robust control with an adaptive law that is leakagetype based and on the framework of Udwadia-Kalaba theory to compensate for the uncertainties and to realize tracking control of the LLRR. Furthermore, the effectiveness of designed control is shown with numerical simulations.

Effect of vacuum sealing drainage combined with intermittent insulin flushing on expression of inflammatory factors and apoptosis factors in diabetic lower limb ulcer wound

Objective: To discuss the effect of vacuum sealing drainage combined with intermittent insulin flushing on the expression of inflammatory factors and apoptosis factors in diabetic lower limb ulcer wound. Methods: A total of 48 patients with diabetic lower limb ulcer who were treated in the Endocrine Department of the hospital between January 2016 and January 2017 were divided into the control group and research group by random number table, 24 cases in each group. Control group received vacuum sealing drainage, and research group received vacuum sealing drainage combined with intermittent insulin flushing. The differences in the expression of inflammatory factors and apoptosis genes in the wound exudate were compared between the two groups before and after treatment. Results: Before treatment, the differences in the inflammatory factor contents and apoptsis gene expression in wound exudate were not statistically significant between the two groups of patients. After treatment, inflammatory factors IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, CRP, VCAM-1 and FGF2 contents in wound exudate of research group were lower than those of control group;apoptosis gene Bcl-2 mRNA expression in wound exudate of research group was higher than that of control group while Bax, p53 and Fas mRNA expression were lower than those of control group. Conclusions: Vacuum sealing drainage combined with intermittent insulin flushing can effectively reduce the local inflammatory response and promote the granulation cell proliferation in wound of patients with diabetic lower limb ulcer.

Lower limb intracast pressures generated by different types of immobilisation casts

AIM To determine if complete, split casts and backslabs [plaster of Paris(POP) and fiberglass] generate different intracast pressures and pain. METHODS Increased swelling within casts was modeled by a closed water system attached to an expandable bag placed directly under different types of casts applied to a healthy lower limb. Complete fiberglass and POP casts, split casts and backslabs were applied. Twenty-five milliliter aliquots of saline were injected into the system and the generated intracast pressures were measured using a sphygmomanometer. The subject was blinded to the pressure scores to avoid bias. All casts were applied to the same right limb on the same subject to avoid the effects of variations in anatomy or physiology on intracast pressures. Pain levels were evaluated using the Visual Analogue Score after each sequential saline injection. Each type of cast was reapplied four times and the measurements were repeated on four separate occasions. Sample sizes were determined by a pre-study 90% power calculation to detect a 20% difference in intracast pressures between cast groups. RESULTS A significant difference between the various types of casts was noted when the saline volume was greater than 100 mL(P = 0.009). The greatest intracast pressure was generated by complete fiberglass casts, which were significantly higher than complete POP casts or backslabs(P = 0.018 and P = 0.008 respectively) at intracast saline volumes of 100 mL and higher. Backslabs produced a significantly lower intracast pressure compared to complete POP only once the saline volume within casts exceeded 225 mL(P = 0.009). Intracast pressures were significantly lower in split casts(P = 0.003). Split POP and fiberglass casts produced the lowest intracast pressures, even compared to backslabs(P = 0.009). Complete fiberglass casts generated the highest pain levels at manometer pressures of 75 mm Hg and greater(P = 0.001). Split fiberglass casts had significantly reduced pain levels(P = 0.001). In contrast, a split complete POP cast did not produce significantly reduced pain levels at pressures between 25-150 mmH g. There was no difference in pain generated by complete POP and backslabs at manometer pressures of 200 mm Hg and lower. CONCLUSION Fibreglass casts generate significantly higher intracast pressures and pain than POP casts. Split casts cause lower intracast pressures regardless of material, than complete casts and backslabs.

Personalized Lower Limb Gait Reconstruction Modeling Based on RFA-ProMP

Personalized gait curves are generated to enhance patient adaptability to gait trajectories used for passive training in the early stage of rehabilitation for hemiplegic patients.The article utilizes the random forest algorithm to construct a gait parameter model,which maps the relationship between parameters such as height,weight,age,gender,and gait speed,achieving prediction of key points on the gait curve.To enhance prediction accuracy,an attention mechanism is introduced into the algorithm to focus more on the main features.Meanwhile,to ensure high similarity between the reconstructed gait curve and the normal one,probabilistic motion primitives(ProMP)are used to learn the probability distribution of normal gait data and construct a gait trajectorymodel.Finally,using the specified step speed as input,select a reference gait trajectory from the learned trajectory,and reconstruct the curve of the reference trajectoryusing the gait keypoints predictedby the parametermodel toobtain the final curve.Simulation results demonstrate that the method proposed in this paper achieves 98%and 96%curve correlations when generating personalized lower limb gait curves for different patients,respectively,indicating its suitability for such tasks.

Auditory P300 as an Indicator in Effectiveness of Robot-Assisted Lower Limb Rehabilitation Training among Hemiplegic Patients after Ischemic Stroke

Background: Robot-assisted lower limb rehabilitation training in early stage could improve the limb function among hemiplegic patients caused by ischemic stroke. P300 potential changes have importantly clinical value for evaluating the improvement in nerve function during the training as one of the objective targets. Methods: Sixty hemiplegic patients after stroke were randomly divided into a Lokomat group (30 cases) and a control group (30 cases). The Lokomat group received Lokomat rehabilitation while the control group only received traditional rehabilitation. The gait parameters and the balance ability were evaluated by the K421GAITRite analysis system and the Berg Balance Scale (BBS);ERP components including N100, N200, P200 and P300 potential were evaluated by a muscle electric inducing potentiometer. Results: There were no significant differences in BBS and gait parameters (P > 0.05), as well as in amplitude and incubation periods (IP) (P > 0.05) between the two groups before training. After 8 weeks treatment, the total (48.88 ± 3.68), static (26.40 ± 3.14) and dynamic (22.64 ± 3.68) balance scores improved significantly;the pace (59.22 ± 4.67), stride length (19.04 ± 2.24), feet wide (98.02 ± 7.97) and walking velocity (84.86 ± 9.88) and IP of N200 and P300 shortened obviously and P300 amplitude increased significantly in robot group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: This demonstrated that robot-assisted lower limb rehabilitation training in early stage could improve the limb function among hemiplegic patients caused by ischemic stroke. P300 may be considered as an indicator of neurological function improvement and effective robot-assisted lower limb rehabilitation training.

A Clinical Randomized Controlled Study of Low-Frequency rTMS Therapy on Lower Limb Motor Dysfunction after Stroke

Objective:To investigate the efficacy and safety of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation(rTMS)for the treatment of lower limb motor dysfunction after stroke.Methods:A total of 96 patients with stroke and lower limb motor dysfunction were enrolled in this study,and were randomly divided into the experimental group and the sham stimulation group using the method of calculator-generated random numbers.Both groups received conventional medication and rehabilitation therapy.The experimental group received 4 weeks of 1 Hz rTMS treatment in the primary cortical motor area(M1)of the healthy side,with the treatment coil tangent to the skull surface;the sham stimulation group underwent the same procedures as the experimental group,but the treatment coil was perpendicular to the skull surface instead.Lower-extremity subscale of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment(FMA-LE),Berg Balance Scale(BBS),gait analysis,and lower-extremity surface electromyography(LESEM)were performed in both groups before and after rTMS treatment.Results:All 96 patients completed the test with no shedding and no adverse reactions.After treatment,the FMA-LE score and BBS score of the 2 groups of patients were significantly improved as compared with the pre-treatment(P<0.05),and the TUG test time was reduced as compared with the pre-treatment(P<0.05).The true stimulation group had greater improvement in all assessment indexes than that of the sham stimulation group(P<0.05).After treatment,the electromyographic activity of the tibialis anterior and rectus femoris muscles in the true simulation group improved significantly.The step length,step speed,and step frequency were also significantly improved in both groups after treatment,and the symmetrical ratio of step length and support time was reduced(P<0.05).Comparison between the groups revealed that the true simulation group significantly improved after rTMS treatment as compared to the sham stimulation group(P<0.05).Conclusion:1Hz rTMS treatment safely and effectively improved motor and balance function in patients with post-stroke lower limb motor dysfunction.

Lower limb amputation rehabilitation status in India: A review

Rehabilitation of lower limb amputation in developing countries is quite challenging.Though there are basic to highly advanced prostheses available in India,the set-up is still facing difficulties in developing countries.Prosthetic management is difficult due to lack of availability of prostheses and reduced affordability among low income populations.In this review we highlighted the lower limb amputation and prosthetic rehabilitation status in India.Currently,India is advancing well in the rehabilitation field,but further studies are required to provide more evidence and recommendation.

A Review on Lower Limb Rehabilitation Exoskeleton Robots

Lower limb rehabilitation exoskeleton robots integrate sensing, control, and other technologies and exhibit the characteristics of bionics, robotics, information and control science, medicine, and other interdisciplinary areas. In this review, the typical products and prototypes of lower limb exoskeleton rehabilitation robots are introduced and stateof-the-art techniques are analyzed and summarized. Because the goal of rehabilitation training is to recover patients’ sporting ability to the normal level, studying the human gait is the foundation of lower limb exoskeleton rehabilitation robot research. Therefore, this review critically evaluates research progress in human gait analysis and systematically summarizes developments in the mechanical design and control of lower limb rehabilitation exoskeleton robots. From the performance of typical prototypes, it can be deduced that these robots can be connected to human limbs as wearable forms;further, it is possible to control robot movement at each joint to simulate normal gait and drive the patient’s limb to realize robot-assisted rehabilitation training. Therefore human–robot integration is one of the most important research directions, and in this context, rigid-flexible-soft hybrid structure design, customized personalized gait generation, and multimodal information fusion are three key technologies.

Analysis of curative effect of Bingxiao powder on lower limb deep vein thrombosis

Objective:To investigate the therapeutic effect of Bingxiao powder on edema caused by deep venous thrombosis in lower limb thrombosis.Methods:Selected in our hospital from September 2017 to April 2019 of 122 patients with lower limb deep vein thrombosis caused by edema.The patients were divided into two groups:Bingxio powder(61 cases)and magnesium sulfate(61 cases),the circumference difference of lower leg and thigh,the integral of edema and pain,the effective rate and the satisfaction rate of curative effect were compared between the two groups of patients with edema caused by thrombosis of lower limb.Results:in the observation group,the peripheral diameter difference of calf(1.08±0.21)cm,the peripheral diameter difference of thigh(1.76±0.28),the edema score(1.09±0.22)and the pain score(1.34±0.25)were all lower than those of the control group(P<0.05).The effective rate(95.08%)and satisfaction rate(96.72%)of the observation group were higher than those of the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Bingxiao powder can reduce the edema symptoms and pain symptoms of patients with edema caused by deep venous thrombosis of lower limbs,and reduce the circumference difference of the lower leg and thigh,with significant clinical effect.

Osteoarthritis action alliance consensus opinion-best practice features of anterior cruciate ligament and lower limb injury prevention programs

AIM To identify best practice features of an anterior cruciate ligament(ACL) and lower limb injury prevention programs(IPPs) to reduce osteoarthritis(OA).METHODS This consensus statement started with us performing a systematic literature search for all relevant articles from 1960 through January 2017 in PubM ed, Web of Science and CINAHL. The search strategy combined the Medical Subject Heading(Me SH) and keywords for terms:(1) ACL OR "knee injury" OR "anterior cruciate ligament";(2) "prevention and control" OR "risk reduction" OR "injury prevention" OR "neuromuscular training"; and(3) meta-analysis OR "systematic review" OR "cohort study" OR randomized. We found 166 different titles. The abstracts were reviewed for pertinent papers. The papers were reviewed by at least two authors and consensus of best practice for IPP to prevent OA was obtained by conference calls and e-mail discussions. All authors participated in the discussion.RESULTS The best practice features of an IPP have the following six components:(1) lower extremity and core strengthening;(2) plyometrics;(3) continual feedback to athletes regarding proper technique;(4) sufficient dosage;(5) minimal-to-no additional equipment; and(6) balance training to help prevent injuries. Exercises focused on preventing ankle sprains, hamstring injuries and lateral trunk movements are important. Plyometric exercises should focus on correcting knee valgus movement.Exercises should focus on optimizing the hamstring to quadriceps strength ratio. In order for IPP to be successful, there should be increased education and verbal feedback along with increased athletic compliance. Additional equipment is not necessary. Balance training alone does not significantly reduce injuries, but is beneficial with other exercises. Not enough evidence to recommend stretching and agility exercises, with no ill effects identified. Therefore, we suggest making these optional features.CONCLUSION Best practice features for ACL and lower limb IPPs to help prevent OA contain six key components along with two optional.

Effects of Hip Arthroplasties on Bone Adaptation in Lower Limbs: A Computational Study

Gait disorders contribute to the risk of falls and successive injuries, especially to elderly populations. The risk of falls becomes higher for hip osteoarthritis (OA) and hip arthroplasties patients due to poor balancing and gait impairment. Bone adaptation and bone loss are fundamental issues in considering the changes of bone behavior and gait pattern. In this study, computational analysis of the lower limbs was conducted to estimate the bone adaptation after hip arthroplasties procedure. 3D inhomogeneous model of lower limb was developed from computed topography (CT- based) data of 79 years old patient with hip osteoarthritis problem in left limb. Two types of arthroplaties were constructed in the left limb, namely total hip arthroplasty and resurfacing hip arthroplasty using commercial biomedical software, Mechanical Finder v6.1. Prosthesis stem and acetabular cup of THA were modelled as titanium alloy material (E = 114 GPa, v = 0.34), femoral ball and bearing insert as alumina properties (E = 370 GPa, v = 0.22). Meanwhile, RHA implant was assigned as Co-Cr-Mo material (E = 230 GPa, v = 0.30). Contact between both implants and bone were considered to be perfectly bonded at the interface. A load case of quiet standing position was conducted in this analysis with 60 kg of the patients’ body weight. The load was applied at the cross sectional lumbar vertebra and fixed at the distal of femoral shafts. Results show different patterns of stress distribution in right and left (operated) limbs for hip OA, THA and RHA models. An indication of stress alteration on both limbs after arthroplasties suggested that the bone adaptation occurred. The higher percentage of change in the left limb projected that the adaptation was more critical in operated limb.

Risk Factors for Lower Extremity Amputation among Diabetic Patients with Diabetic Foot Gangrene in ATBUTH, Bauchi

Background: Diabetic mellitus was described as an evolving global epidemic of the twenty-first century, due to the exponential rise in the number of people with the condition. Lower extremity amputation is one of the common complications of diabetes. With increase in the number of people with diabetes there will also be increase in the number of diabetics going for lower extremity amputation, increasing both the financial as well as psychologic burden of treatment. Methodology: A prospective cross-sectional study of all diabetic patients going for lower extremity amputation will be done. All the patients with advanced diabetic foot syndrome needing lower extremity amputation are enrolled (Wagener stage IV and V), both through the clinic and emergency center. Informed consent is obtained from the patient after which data are collected using a structured questionnaire. All the investigation results of the patients were also documented. Data collected are analyzed using the SPSS version 29. Chi-square and student t-test were used to measure significant relationship between the variables at 95% confident interval. Results: Within the period of study, which extends from 1st January 2022 to 1st of January 2024, a total of 171 patients were recruited. All diabetic patients with diabetic foot Wagener grade IV and V who presented to the clinic or emergency department were enrolled in the study. We found a significant relationship between gender, previous procedure on the affected limb or amputation of the contralateral limb, knowledge of foot care among diabetics and risk of amputation. There was, however, no statistically significant relationship between. There is no statistically significance relationship between the level of education, occupation, presence of co-morbidity with the risk of amputation among diabetic patients with foot syndrome. Conclusion: Previous lower limb procedure/amputation, male gender, paucity of knowledge on foot care, prolonged duration of the disease and method of treatment are important risk factors for the risk of amputation among diabetic patients with diabetic foot syndrome.

Estimate of the lower-limb-specific muscle parameters during bipedal walking for humans,apes and early hominids with the implications for the evolution of body proportion

Modern human has different body proportion from early hominids and great apes.Comparing with others,in general,modern human adults have relatively long lower limb and heavier body weight.Since the lower limbs provide support to the whole body and play an important role in walking,it is proposed that the ratio of the lower limb to the whole body for modern human could be beneficial to bipedal walking.This study tried to estimate the muscle parameters of the lower limb in walking for the subjects with various body proportions.Using a simplified musculoskeletal model,some muscle parameters of the lower limb,e.g.muscle force,stress,work and power,were estimated for modern human adult,child,AL 288-1(the fossil specimens of Australopithecus afarensis,3.18 million years old)and apes.The results show that with the body proportion modern human adult spends less muscle work and power in walking than other subjects.The results imply that using the cost of transport(i.e.the muscle work of the lower limb per unit of displacement)as the criteria,the early hominids,if their body proportions were structurally similar to AL 288-1,could evolve towards what modern human adult looks like,in order to save energy during bipedal walking.

Right lower limb apraxia in a patient with left supplementary motor area infarction: intactness of the corticospinal tract confirmed by transcranial magnetic stimulation

We reported a 50-year-old female patient with left supplementary motor area infarction who presented right lower limb apraxia and investigated the possible causes using transcranial magnetic stimulation. The patient was able to walk and climb stairs spontaneously without any assistance at 3 weeks after onset. However, she was unable to intentionally move her right lower limb although she understood what she supposed to do. The motor evoked potential evoked by transcranial magnetic stimulation from the right lower limb was within the normal range, indicating that the corticospinal tract innervating the right lower limb was uninjured. Thus, we thought that her motor dysfunction was not induced by motor weakness, and confirmed her symptoms as aprax- ia. In addition, these results also suggest that transcranial magnetic stimulation is helpful for diagnosing apraxia.