A kinematic model of the shoulder complex to evaluate the arm-reachable workspace.

Upper-arm evaluation including shoulder motion in physiotherapy has no three-dimensional tool for an arm-functioning evaluation, which hampers an uniform, objective comparison. Human shoulder complex models suffer from lack of shoulder girdle kinematic data. A kinematic shoulder-complex model with six degrees of freedom is proposed as the composition of the inner joint representing the shoulder-girdle joints and outer joint representing the glenohumeral joint.

Bilateral and unilateral shoulder girdle kinematics during humeral elevation.

Background: Due to the complexity of the shoulder mechanism, shoulder complex models to describe the reachable workspace generally lack information on shoulder girdle kinematics.

Methods: Shoulder girdle kinematic data were recorded using an optoelectronic tracking device. Five male and five female healthy subjects performed bilateral and unilateral humeral elevation in four planes anterior and posterior to the body.

In vivo determination of triceps surae muscle-tendon complex viscoelastic properties.

Viscoelastic properties of muscles and tendons have an important influence on human motion performance. Proper determination of these properties is essential in the analysis and modelling of human motion dynamics. The purpose of our study was to develop a method for in vivo determination of the viscoelastic properties of the entire triceps surae muscle-tendon complex (MTC) including the gastrocnemius.

Laser induced fluorescence in diagnostics of laryngeal cancer.

Differences in autofluorescence between normal and malignant tissues offer new possibilities for detecting and localizing early laryngeal carcinomas. In the present study imaging was performed using a specially designed device that exploits differences in fluorescent properties of normal and cancerous tissues without photodynamic drugs. Fluorescence was induced by helium-cadmium laser, captured by an image-intensified camera and displayed on a video monitor after previous computerization.

Detection and localization of early laryngeal cancer with laser-induced fluorescence: preliminary report.

Differences in autofluorescence between normal and malignant tissues offer new possibilities for detecting and localizing early laryngeal carcinomas. In the present study imaging was performed using a specially designed device that exploits differences in fluorescent properties of normal and cancerous tissues without photodynamic drugs. Fluorescence was induced by a helium-cadmium laser, captured by an image-intensified camera and displayed on a video monitor after previous computerization.