Biomedical subjects

Norihiro Shima

Publications and source records attributed to Norihiro Shima.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

Mechanomyographic and electromyographic responses to stimulated and voluntary contractions in the dorsiflexors of young and old men.

The effect of age on mechanomyography (MMG) has not been examined for electrically evoked contractions. Similar to torque, we expected that postactivation potentiation of the MMG would differ between young and old subjects. Additionally, under voluntary conditions, we compared normalized MMG and electromyographic (EMG) signals in relation to torque, and expected that MMG, unlike EMG, would be affected by age. In 10 young and 10 old men, electrical stimulation was delivered before and after a 10-s maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) to assess potentiation of contractile (twitch torque; Pt), electrical (M-wave amplitude), and mechanical (MMG amplitude) properties of the dorsiflexors. Subsequently, subjects performed voluntary contractions at 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100% MVC for calculation of normalized MMG-torque and EMG-torque relationships. Following the MVC, Pt and evoked MMG were larger than at rest in both groups, but M-wave amplitude was unchanged. Twitch potentiation was greater in young than old, whereas evoked MMG was unaffected by age. Under voluntary conditions, values for MMG and EMG were similar between groups, except for greater MMG at MVC in young men. The shape of MMG and EMG relationships to torque was similar only in young men. Using the aging model, our results indicate that potentiation of the mechanical components (MMG) differ from those of twitch torque. Furthermore, the comparison of normalized voluntary MMG with age provides additional support for the concept of age-related motor unit remodeling.

Action Potentials↗

PubMed2005

The effect of postactivation potentiation on the mechanomyogram.

To examine whether postactivation potentiation (PAP) was related to changes in the electromyogram (EMG) and in the mechanomyogram (MMG), evoked twitch torque properties were compared before and after a 10 s plantar flexion MVC in ten male subjects. Peak twitch torque (Pt), and the peak acceleration of the twitch torque development (d2T/dt2) were measured from electrical tibial nerve stimulation. In addition, from the medial gastrocnemius muscle, peak to peak MMG (p-p MMG) by means of accelerometer, and peak to peak EMG (M-wave) amplitudes were recorded. Immediately (2 s) following the MVC there were significant increases in Pt (47%), d2T/dt2 (86%), and p-p MMG (70%), but no change in the M-wave. At 2 s, 15 s, 30 s after the MVC, individual percent changes in p-p MMG were significantly and positively correlated with individual percent changes in both Pt and d2T/dt2. These results indicate that evoked MMG reflects acute enhanced force output elicited by PAP, and that the increases in twitch contraction properties represent intrinsic mechanical changes of the muscle, that are not associated with electrical changes. Furthermore, measurements of the evoked p-p MMG signal following PAP support the utility of describing the gross lateral movement phase of the MMG signal.

Action Potentials↗

PubMed2004

Ventilatory and heart rate responses at the onset of chair rotation in man.

In the present study, we attempted to confirm whether pulmonary ventilation and heart rate increased immediately after passive chair rotation in man. Inspiratory minute volume (V(I)), tidal volume (V(T)), respiratory frequency (f), and heart rate (HR) were determined by breath-by-breath and beat-by-beat techniques before, during, and after rotation for a total of 45 s. It was found that V(I) significantly increased immediately after chair rotation, but HR remained almost constant. These results suggest that the activation of horizontal semicircular canals is one causal factor of ventilatory response at the onset of exercise with rotational movement in healthy subjects, but heart rate response is not.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Age comparison of H-reflex modulation with the Jendrássik maneuver and postural complexity.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine modulation of the soleus Hoffmann (H)-reflex in response to the Jendrássik maneuver (JM) in standing positions in young and elderly subjects. METHODS: Seventeen elderly (mean age=72.0 years) and 23 young (mean age=23.2 years) apparently healthy subjects were examined in two separate experiments. The first experiment was conducted to compare the prone and standing position. The second experiment was conducted in the standing position with isotonic glideboard back support. The isotonic glideboard back support was inclined 30 degrees. In the standing position with back support, the knee and ankle joints were set at 0 degrees of flexion. All subjects were tested with two foot-positions: (1) with no soleus contraction on the platform (simple task) and (2) with an active calf muscle group contraction (complex task). To compare the amplitude of the H-reflex in each experiment between the control trials (relaxed) and JM trials (squeezing tennis balls), the stimulus intensity of 1.1 x motor threshold of the M-response was used for each subject in all body positions. RESULTS: To ensure experimental control, subjects did not show a difference in the amplitude of the trial M-response between the control and JM trials on any of the body positions. Also, no difference was found in the mean amplitude of the M-response between two different positions in either of the two experiments. Trial M-responses were all between 13 and 17% of M-max in the quiet standing position for the young subjects, and 17 and 21% for the elderly subjects. Results demonstrated that the JM facilitated the H-reflex in both young and elderly subjects. However, differential ability to modulate motoneuron excitability evoked by H-reflex pathways was found between the two groups. Young subjects demonstrated a significant difference in the amplitude of the H-reflex between control and JM trials in each standing position (P<0.05). The elderly subjects, in contrast, demonstrated no significant difference in the amplitude of the H-reflex between control and JM trials during normal standing. When examining standing with back support, the young subjects demonstrated a significant difference in the amplitude of the H-reflex between control and JM trials during both the simple and complex tasks (P<0.05). The elderly subjects, in contrast, demonstrated a significant difference only in the simple postural task (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results provide evidence of differential human spinal reflex modulation between young and elderly subjects. Further, these results may point towards the role of presynaptic inhibition in mediating these differences, and may lead to a more complete understanding of the different postural control strategies between young and elderly subjects.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Lower extremity function in terms of shock absorption when landing with unsynchronized feet.

The purpose of this study was to clarify the lower extremity function in terms of the shock absorption during unsynchronized-foot landings. The characteristics of the supination and pronation in the ankle joint at landing were investigated, assuming that the measurements of the impact force on the body could be demonstrated by the changes that occurred during 3 different landing motions: -unsynchronized-foot landings, synchronized-foot landings, and one-foot landings. Subjects jumped to the floor from 10-cm footstools 3 times for each type of landing. For the synchronized-foot landing, the rear foot angle was 92.2 degrees at the start of landing and did not change significantly from landing start to 100 msec. For the one-foot landing, rear foot angle was 95.1 degrees at the start of landing and decreased rapidly to 87.1 degrees by 75 msec, and then increased rapidly to 90.8 degrees by 140 msec. For the unsynchronized-foot landing, the rear foot angle was 93.8 degrees at the start of the landing, decreased rapidly to 88.0 degrees by 75 msec, and then increased rapidly to 89.9 degrees by 115 msec. It was clarified that the lower extremity function for the shock attenuation during landing with the unsynchronized-foot was similar to that with one-foot landings, and the lower extremity function for supporting the body after another foot landing was similar to that after the synchronized-foot landings in this study.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Cardiorespiratory responses to hypoxia and hypercapnia at rest in vocalists.

In order to clarify whether or not ventilatory and circulatory responses to hypoxia and hypercapnia at rest in male vocalists (n = 11) are identical to those of untrained subjects (n = 11), ventilatory responses to hypoxia (HVR) and hypercapnia (HCVR) were estimated as the slope of regression relating .VI to SaO(2) (Delta.VI/DeltaSaO(2)) or the slope factor (A) for the .VI-PETO(2) curve, and as the slope of regression relating .VI to PETCO(2) (Delta.VI/DeltaPETCO(2)), respectively. The respiratory frequency (f), tidal volume (VT), heart rate (HR), and blood pressure (BP) responses to hypoxia and hypercapnia were also estimated as the slope of the line calculated by linear regression related to SaO(2) and PETCO(2). Mean values of Delta.VI/DeltaSaO(2) and A as an index of hypoxic ventilatory response were lower in the vocalist group (0.39 +/- 0.25 l.min(-1).%(-1) and 76.8 +/- 55.7 l.min(-1).torr(-1)) than that in the control group (0.56 +/- 0.46 l.min(-1).%(-1) and 101.6 +/- 85.4 l.min(-1).torr(-1)), and there was no statistically significant difference. The Deltaf/DeltaSaO(2) was significantly (plt;0.05 ) lower in the vocalist group (-0.02 +/- 0.39 breaths.min(-1).%(-1)) than that in the control group (0.43 +/- 0.65 breaths.min(-1).%(-1)). In contrast, mean values of Delta.VI/DeltaPETCO(2) per body mass index were significantly (p<0.05) lower in the vocalist group (0.05 +/- 0.03 l.min(-1).torr(-1)) than those in the control group (0.10 +/- 0.06l.min(-1).torr(-1)). There were also significant differences in DeltaVT/DeltaPETCO(2) and Deltaf/DeltaPETCO(2) between the two groups (p<0.05). However, no significant differences in HR and BP responses to hypoxia and hypercapnia between the two groups were observed. These results suggest that the magnitude of ventilatory response, but not HR and BP, to hypoxia and hypercapnia at rest in vocalists is reduced by chronic vocal training, including breath control and elongation of phonation for long periods.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Enhanced chemosensitivity after intermittent hypoxic exposure does not affect exercise ventilation at sea level.

The purpose of the present study was to test the hypothesis that the ventilatory response to exercise at sea level may increase after intermittent hypoxic exposure for 1 week, accompanied by an increase in hypoxic or hypercapnic ventilatory chemosensitivity. One group of eight subjects (hypoxic group) were decompressed in a chamber to 432 torr (where 1 torr=1.0 mmHg, simulating an altitude of 4,500 m) over a period of 30 min and maintained at that pressure for 1 h daily for 7 days. Oxygen uptake and pulmonary ventilation (V(E)) were determined at 40%, 70%, and 100% of maximal oxygen uptake at sea level before (Pre) and after (Post) 1 week of daily exposures to hypoxia. The hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR) was determined using the isocapnic progressive hypoxic method as an index of ventilatory chemosensitivity to hypoxia, and the hypercapnic ventilatory response (HCVRSB) was measured by means of the single-breath carbon dioxide method as an index of peripheral ventilatory chemosensitivity to hypercapnia. The same parameters were measured in another group of six subjects (control group). In the hypoxic group, resting HVR increased significantly ( P<0.05) after intermittent hypoxia and HCVRSB increased at Post, but the change was not statistically significant ( P=0.07). In contrast, no changes in HVR and HCVRSB were found in the control group. There were no changes in either V(E) or the ventilatory equivalent for oxygen during maximal and submaximal exercise at sea level throughout the experimental period in either group. These results suggest that the changes in resting hypoxic and peripheral hypercapnic chemosensitivities following short-term intermittent hypoxia have little effect on exercise ventilation at sea level.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

PubMed2002

Cross education of muscular strength during unilateral resistance training and detraining.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the changes in maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVC) in the contralateral untrained limb during unilateral resistance training and detraining, and to examine the factors inducing these changes by means of electrophysiological techniques. Nine healthy males trained their plantar flexor muscles unilaterally 4 day-s x week(-1) for 6 weeks using 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions at 70-75% of one-repetition maximum a day, and detrained for 6 weeks. Progressive unilateral resistance training significantly (P < 0.05) increased MVC, integrated electromyogram (iEMG), and voluntary activation in the trained and contralateral untrained limbs. The changes in MVC after training were significantly correlated with the changes in iEMG in both limbs. No significant changes occurred in MVC, voluntary activation, and iEMG in the contralateral limb after detraining. The changes in MVC after detraining did not correlate with the changes in voluntary activation or iEMG in either limb. Training and detraining did not alter twitch and tetanic peak torques in either limb. These results suggest that the mechanisms underlying cross education of muscular strength may be explained by central neural factors during training, but not solely so during detraining.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Changes in blood volume and oxygenation level in a working muscle during a crank cycle.

PURPOSE: This study examined circulatory and metabolic changes in a working muscle during a crank cycle in a pedaling exercise with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). METHODS: NIRS measurements sampled under stable metabolic and cadence conditions during incremental pedaling exercise were reordered according to the crank angles whose signals were obtained in eight male subjects. RESULTS: The reordered changes in muscle blood volume during a crank cycle demonstrated a pattern change that corresponded to changes in pedal force and electrical muscle activity for pedal thrust. The top and bottom peaks for muscle blood volume change at work intensities of 180 W and 220 W always preceded (88 +/- 32 and 92 +/- 23 ms, respectively) those for muscle oxygenation changes. Significant differences in the level of NIRS parameters (muscle blood volume and oxygenation level) among work intensities were noted with a common shape in curve changes related to pedal force. In addition, a temporary increase in muscle blood volume following a pedal thrust was detected at work intensities higher than moderate. This temporary increase in muscle blood volume might reflect muscle blood flow restriction caused by pedal thrusts. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that circulatory and metabolic conditions of a working muscle can be easily affected during pedaling exercise by work intensity. The present method, reordering of NIRS parameters against crank angle, serves as a useful measure in providing additional findings of circulatory dynamics and metabolic changes in a working muscle during pedaling exercise.

Adult↗