Comparison of 2 different protocols for ingestion of low-attenuating oral contrast agent for multidetector computed tomography of the abdomen.

Objective: To evaluate 2 different oral contrast application protocols concerning degree of intestinal contrast filling and distension in multidetector computed tomography.

Methods: Examinations of 260 patients were retrospectively analyzed. Group 1 (n = 205) was prepared with 1000 mL of water with 28 g of dissolved mannitol which was ingested for 1 hour; group 2 (n = 55) was prepared with 2000 mL of water containing 56 g of mannitol which was ingested for 2 hours.

Deficits of anticipatory grip force control after damage to peripheral and central sensorimotor systems.

Healthy subjects adjust their grip force economically to the weight of a hand-held object. In addition, inertial loads, which arise from arm movements with the grasped object, are anticipated by parallel grip force modulations. Internal forward models have been proposed to predict the consequences of voluntary movements.

Grip force control during object manipulation in cerebral stroke.

Objective: To analyze impairments of manipulative grip force control in patients with chronic cerebral stroke and relate deficits to more elementary aspects of force and grip control.

Methods: Nineteen chronic stroke patients with fine motor deficits after unilateral cerebral lesions were examined when performing 3 manipulative tasks consisting of stationary holding, transport, and vertical cyclic movements of an instrumented object. Technical sensors measured the grip force used to stabilize the object in the hand and the object accelerations, from which the dynamic loads were calculated.