Present work aims at developing an active suspension for a passenger car by designing a controller using linear quadratic optimal control theory, based on two different control approaches [conventional method (CM), acceleration dependent method (ADM)]. Performance of the active suspension system of a quarter car model with 3 degrees-of-freedom with two control approaches has been compared with ...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Splints are commonly applied to the wrist and hand to prevent and treat contracture after stroke. However, there have been few randomized trials of this intervention. We sought to determine whether wearing a hand splint, which positions the wrist in either a neutral or an extended position, reduces wrist contracture in adults with hemiplegia after stroke. METHODS Sixty-...

A 45-year-old woman presented to the emergency department with left wrist pain following a fall. Physical exam was remarkable for soft tissue swelling of the palmar and dorsal hand, point tenderness at the base of the second metacarpal, and limited active range of motion. Three-view wrist radiographs showed significant soft tissue swelling without evidence of fracture or dislocation. Computed t...

In the past, students in England and Wales born within the first five months of the academic year could leave school one term earlier than those born later in the year. Focusing on women, those who were required to stay on an extra term more frequently hold some academic qualification. Using having been required to stay on as an exogenous factor affecting academic attainment, we find that holdi...

In this study we tested the hypothesis that during steady contractions of human wrist extensors or flexors, the torque-angle relationship during movements imposed about the wrist is predicted by the classical isometric muscle length-tension curve, with ascending, descending and ascending limbs. Angle-torque relationships were measured during steady muscle activation (10% of maximal voluntary co...

Because wrist rotation dynamics are dominated by stiffness (Charles SK, Hogan N. J Biomech 44: 614-621, 2011), understanding how humans plan and execute coordinated wrist rotations requires knowledge of the stiffness characteristics of the wrist joint. In the past, the passive stiffness of the wrist joint has been measured in 1 degree of freedom (DOF). Although these 1-DOF measurements inform u...

PURPOSE To present the preliminary findings of distal radius fractures (DRF) treated with percutaneous cross-pin fixation and a nonbridging external fixator, the Cross-Pin Fixation (CPX) system. METHODS Thirty-five consecutive patients with 37 DRFs were selected from a series of 51 DRFs for closed reduction, percutaneous pinning, and external fixation with the CPX system. Outcome was determin...

Motor improvements in chronic stroke recovery accrue from coupled protocols of bilateral movements and active neuromuscular stimulation. This experiment investigated coupled protocols and within-limb transfer between distal and proximal joint combinations. The leading question focused on within-limb transfer of coupled protocols on distal joints to a bimanual aiming task that involved proximal ...