Characterization of upper arm synergies during reaching tasks in able-bodied and hemiparetic subjects.

Background: In the past, several studies showed the existence of a synergistic behavior between elbow and shoulder joints during reaching movements in able-bodied subjects. The aim of this paper was to characterize the modifications of upper arm synergies during reaching induced by stroke.

Methods: Ten able-bodied right-handed subjects, eight right-handed subjects with hemiparesis affecting the right (dominant) upper limb participated in the experiments.

Osmotic fragility of erythrocytes, cell deformability and secondary hyperparathyroidism in uremic patients on maintenance hemodialysis.

The possible relationship between erythrocyte (RBC) function and secondary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) was examined in 35 uremic patients on maintenance hemodialysis. Mechanical tests (i.e.

Hemodialysis-associated platelet loss: study of the relative contribution of dialyzer membrane composition and geometry.

To evaluate the relative contribution that dialyzer membrane composition and geometry make to hemodialysis-associated platelet loss, the effect of a single dialysis with three different types of dialyzers on platelet count was examined on a cross-over basis in 19 uremic patients on maintenance hemodialysis. Also, the plasma levels of antithrombin-iii before and after dialysis were measured, but no significant variations were found regardless of which dialyzer was in use. Our patients suffered significant platelet loss during cuprophan dialysis, but not polyacrylonitrile dialysis.

[Serum ferritin and iron therapy in patients treated with periodic hemodialysis].

Serum ferritin, measured by radioimmunoassay in 65 dialysis patients (mean time of dialysis 38.9 months), was significantly higher (247.9 +/- 224.