Biomedical subjects

S V Brooks

Publications and source records attributed to S V Brooks.

24 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1990

Contraction-induced injury: recovery of skeletal muscles in young and old mice.

We tested the hypothesis that after the same amount of contraction-induced injury, skeletal muscles in old mice regenerate less well than muscles in young mice. Extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles in young and old mice were exposed to 15 min of lengthening contractions. The amount of injury was evaluated at 3, 7, 14, 28, and 60 days by measurements of maximum isometric tetanic force (Po) and number of fibers per cross section. When values 3 days after lengthening contractions were expressed as a percentage of control values, the Po (approximately 34%) and fiber number (approximately 80%) for muscles in old mice were not different from those in young mice, suggesting that muscles in old and young mice were injured to the same degree. By 28 days, injured muscles in young mice regained control values for Po and fiber number. In contrast, at 28 days, injured muscles in old mice recovered approximately 84 and approximately 87% of control values for Po and fiber number, respectively, and deficits in Po persisted at 60 days. We conclude that injured muscles regenerate less well in old mice than in young mice.

Aging↗

PubMed1990

Muscle temperature of mammals: cooling impairs most functional properties.

Our purpose was to study the effect of a decrease in skeletal muscle temperature on single and repeated shortening, isometric, and lengthening contractions of mammalian skeletal muscles. Fast extensor digitorum longus muscles of mice were studied in situ and in vitro at 25 and 35 degrees C. No difference in isometric force was observed, but maximum and sustained powers were reduced by 40 and 62%, respectively. With cooling, maximum power absorption, which is proportional to the external work required to lengthen the muscle, increased significantly at each velocity of lengthening from 0.5 to 4.0 optimum fiber length/s. The 10 degrees C decrease in muscle temperature produced a decrease in power that was primarily a result of the decrease in the velocity of shortening, whereas the increase in power absorption was likely due to an increase in the number of strongly bound cross bridges resulting from a decreased rate of detachment. During voluntary exercise at decreased muscle temperatures, maximum and endurance performances are inevitably impaired by the decreases in maximum and sustained power of individual motor units.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

Power outputs of slow and fast skeletal muscles of mice.

The purpose of this study was to contrast the frequency-power relationship of slow soleus and fast extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles to their frequency-force relationships and to investigate factors involved in the development of maximum power during a single contraction. Stimulation frequency-force and stimulation frequency-power relationships were determined for soleus and EDL muscles of the mouse for single contractions in situ at 35 degrees C. Power was measured during isovelocity shortening contractions with displacement through 10% of fiber length at the optimum velocity. Optimum velocity was defined as the shortening velocity for the generation of maximum power for a given stimulation frequency. Both force (N/cm2) and power (watts/kg) increased with stimulation frequency until a plateau was reached. For the frequency-force relationship, the curve for soleus muscles was merely shifted to the left of that for EDL muscles. In contrast, the power developed by EDL muscles was greater than that of soleus muscles (P less than 0.05) at each stimulation frequency. The higher power was a direct consequence of higher optimum velocities for EDL muscles compared with soleus muscles.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

Electric muscle stimulation for pressure sore prevention: tissue shape variation.

This study measured changes in tissue shape and deformation at the seating interface produced by electric muscle stimulation (EMS) of the gluteus maximus. The purpose of the study was to investigate the application of EMS for pressure sore prevention. Limitations of pressure measurements for analysis of load distribution are discussed and a rationale developed for using tissue shape and deformation to further characterize the seating interface. Ultrasonic imaging of the seating interface is described under three conditions: buttocks suspended, external load applied with no EMS, and external load applied with bilateral EMS of the buttocks. Results show that low level stimulation of the gluteus maximus produces substantial changes in the shape of the loaded buttocks and an external contour more nearly shaped like the suspended buttocks. It is concluded that EMS produces buttock tissue undulation and shape reconfiguration which may assist in preventing pressure sores over the seating surface.

Adult↗

PubMed1989

Electrical muscle stimulation for pressure variation at the seating interface.

A new method is proposed for pressure sore prevention using electrical muscle stimulation (EMS). Potential mechanisms through which EMS may act for this purpose are discussed, including both short-term/dynamic and chronic effects. Measurements of maximum pressure variation in three able-bodied subjects using low levels of stimulation were performed. Pressure distribution changes were also measured. Fatigue effects on pressure redistribution were studied for four able-bodied subjects as well as for one C4, complete spinal cord injured individual. The results indicate that EMS produces sizeable pressure reduction under the ischial tuberosity, with redistribution occurring over other parts of the seating surface in able-bodied subjects. Fatigue effects were not observed in the four able-bodied subjects even after prolonged stimulation. Fatigue was observed with the spinal cord injured subject, but only after extensive stimulation. These studies demonstrate the feasibility of using EMS at relatively low intensity to vary seating interface pressure. The results warrant continued investigation of EMS to assist in pressure sore prevention.

Electric Stimulation Therapy↗

PubMed1988

Contractile properties of skeletal muscles from young, adult and aged mice.

1. Comparisons were made in vitro at 25 degrees C among soleus and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles from young (2-3 months), adult (9-10 months), and aged (26-27 months) male mice. We tested the hypotheses that, compared with soleus and EDL muscles of young and adult mice, those from aged mice develop decreased maximum tetanic force (P0, mN) and specific P0 (N/cm2), and that no significant differences occur for contraction time, half-relaxation time, or force-velocity relationship. 2. For the aged mice, the P0 of the soleus muscles and EDL muscles were 78 and 73% respectively of the values for adult mice. The specific P0 of EDL muscles of aged mice was 78% of the value of 23 N/cm2 obtained for young and adult mice. For soleus muscles, the specific P0 of 21 N/cm2 did not change with age. 3. Compared to values for young and adult mice, the contraction and half-relaxation times of soleus muscles from aged mice were increased, but the overall force-velocity relationships of soleus and EDL muscles did not change. The pooled values for the maximum velocity of unloaded shortening extrapolated from the force-velocity relationship of soleus and EDL muscles were 4.6 and 10.1 fibre lengths/s, respectively. 4. The decrease in the specific P0 of the EDL muscle with ageing must result from either a decrease in the number of cross-bridges in the driving stroke or a decrease in the force developed by each cross-bridge.

Aging↗