Measurement error occurs in many biomedical fields. The challenges arise when errors are heteroscedastic since we literally have only one observation for each error distribution. This paper concerns the estimation of smooth distribution function when data are contaminated with heteroscedastic errors. We study two types of methods to recover the unknown distribution function: a Fourier-type deco...

Learning constraints and guiding mechanisms are involved since the very beginning of the infant development. Allowing a progressive and open-ended scaffolding of new skills, these mechanisms have been described as crucial, by psychologists and neuroscientists. Developmental heuristics presented here are directly inspired by the ability to control the growth of complexity of both exploration and...

This paper proposes a human mimetic neuro-musculo-skeletal model to simulate the recovery reactions from perturbations during walking. The computational model incorporates nonlinear viscoelastic muscular mechanics, supraspinal control of the center-of-mass, spinal pattern generator including muscle synergy network, spinal reflexes, and long-loop reflexes. Especially the long-loop reflexes speci...

The aim of curative surgical oncology is to remove the primary tumour with a wide margin of normal tissue. What constitutes a sufficiently wide margin particularly in oral cancer is fundamentally unclear. The currently accepted standard is to remove the primary lesion with a 1.5-2 cm circumferential macroscopic margin. In the last ten years, anatomical considerations in the approach to primary,...

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is one of the most severe and disabling diseases of the nervous system. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis leads to the progressive weakening of the muscles in the arms, legs, face, mouth and trunk. The onset of the disease is insidious, starting with weakness in the hands or feet or with slurred speech. The weakness worsens and patients pass away as a result of weaknes...

The problem concerning the nature and the function of the dead space is of basic importance for the full comprehension of the respiratory physiology and pathophysiology. To study the effect of an imposed external dead space on the optimal respiratory control system, we simulated the optimal neuro-muscular drive and respiratory signals, including instantaneous airflow and lung volume profiles, w...

People affected by severe neuro-degenerative diseases (e.g., late-stage amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or locked-in syndrome) eventually lose all muscular control and are no longer able to gesture or speak. For this population, an auditory BCI is one of only a few remaining means of communication. All currently used auditory BCIs require a relatively artificial mapping between a stimulus a...

Human motion is controlled by the neuro-muscular system. But bipedal walking, an example of a basic human motion, might be largely understood as a passive mechanical process [3]. For example, Tad McGeer demonstrated, by both computer simulation and physical model construction (both of which we have repeated), that a somewhat anthropomorphic legged mechanism with four moving links can exhibit st...

EMG signals are electromyogram signals generated by firing of MUs (motor units) in muscle fibers. The decomposition of EMG signal of a muscle provides useful information for the diagnosis of neuro-muscular diseases by physician and neurologist. In decomposition of EMG signal different MUAPs (Motor Unit Action Potentials) are classified into different categories. This paper gives a review of dif...

BACKGROUND Open dislocations are infrequent, often associated with damage to the neuro vascular structures. We present an unusual case of an open antero-lateral dislocation of the elbow, which was not associated with any vascular or neural injury. CASE PRESENTATION A 34 year female dance instructor sustained an open dislocation of her elbow. Surgical exploration was undertaken. No major neuro...