The effect of target location, speed, and handedness on the average total mechanical energy and movement efficiency is studied in 15 healthy subjects (7 males and 8 females with age 22.9 +/- 1.79 years old) performing full body reaching movements. The average total mechanical energy is measured as the time average of integration of joint power, potential energy, and kinetic energy respectively....

The mechanical efficiency of rat cardiac muscle was determined using a contraction protocol involving cyclical, sinusoidal length changes and phasic stimulation at physiological frequencies (1-4 Hz). Experiments were performed in vitro (27 degrees C) using rat left ventricular papillary muscles. Efficiency was determined from measurements of the net work performed and enthalpy produced by muscl...

With the aim of developing a method for reducing energy consumption of room air conditioners, we address a higher-efficiency design of the rotary compressor currently most used worldwide. We focused on a new rotary compressor equipped with a mechanism to restrict the rolling motion of the piston, and performed a dynamics analysis. The new rotary compressor has a small pillar at the tip of the v...

Zhou L, Huang H, McElfresh TA, Prosdocimo DA, Stanley WC. Impact of anaerobic glycolysis and oxidative substrate selection on contractile function and mechanical efficiency during moderate severity ischemia. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 295: H939–H945, 2008. First published July 25, 2008; doi:10.1152/ajpheart.00561.2008.—The role of anaerobic glycolysis and oxidative substrate selection on c...

BACKGROUND Patients with schizophrenia have a high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). High aerobic intensity training (HIT) improve peak oxygen uptake (VO(2peak)), net mechanical efficiency of walking and risk factors for CVD but has not been investigated in patients with schizophrenia. AIMS To investigate effects from HIT on VO(2peak), net mechanical efficiency of walking and risk factors...

This study examined whether a linear exercise stress-testing protocol generated different peak exercise performance variables than a stepwise exercise testing protocol in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). We conducted a comparative study with patients randomly allocated to one of two exercise testing protocols. Twenty-eight women with CFS completed two self-reported measures (the CF...

Mechanical efficiency is reduced in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Furthermore, altered fibre-type distribution and metabolic profile has been observed in peripheral skeletal muscle of COPD patients. Since skeletal muscular uncoupling protein-3 (UCP3) has been implicated in the regulation of energy metabolism, the aim of this study was to assess UCP3 in peripheral s...

This investigation was undertaken to assess left ventricular-arterial coupling relations in the normal human heart under varying loading conditions and inotropic states and thereby to establish whether the working point of the normal human heart is at optimal output or mechanical efficiency under basal hemodynamic conditions. In 22 patients with an atypical chest pain syndrome who had normal co...

62 Improvement in Power Efficiency of Injection Molding Machine by Reduction in Plasticization Losses Muhammad Khan, Mechanical Engineering Department, HITEC University, Taxila, Pakistan Nizar Ullah Khan, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Oakland University, Rochester, MI, USA Muhammad Junaid Aziz, Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Engineering & Technology, Taxila, Pakistan H...

The role of anaerobic glycolysis and oxidative substrate selection on contractile function and mechanical efficiency during moderate severity myocardial ischemia is unclear. We hypothesize that 1) preventing anaerobic glycolysis worsens contractile function and mechanical efficiency and 2) increasing glycolysis and glucose oxidation while inhibiting free fatty acid oxidation improves contractil...