External Mechanical Work in Runners With Unilateral Transfemoral Amputation

Carbon-fiber running-specific prostheses have enabled individuals with lower extremity amputation to run by providing a spring-like leg function in their affected limb. When individuals without amputation run at a constant speed on level ground, the net external mechanical work is zero at each step to maintain a symmetrical bouncing gait. Although the spring-like “bouncing step” using running-specific prostheses is considered a prerequisite for running, little is known about the underlying mechanisms for unilateral transfemoral amputees. The aim of this study was to investigate external mechanical work at different running speeds for unilateral transfemoral amputees wearing running-specific prostheses. Eight unilateral transfemoral amputees ran on a force-instrumented treadmill at a range of speeds (30, 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80% of the average speed of their 100-m personal records). We calculated the mechanical energy of the body center of mass (COM) by conducting a time-integration of the ground reaction forces in the sagittal plane. Then, the net external mechanical work was calculated as the difference between the mechanical energy at the initial and end of the stance phase. We found that the net external work in the affected limb tended to be greater than that in the unaffected limb across the six running speeds. Moreover, the net external work of the affected limb was found to be positive, while that of the unaffected limb was negative across the range of speeds. These results suggest that the COM of unilateral transfemoral amputees would be accelerated in the affected limb’s step and decelerated in the unaffected limb’s step at each bouncing step across different constant speeds. Therefore, unilateral transfemoral amputees with passive prostheses maintain their bouncing steps using a limb-specific strategy during running.

SOME COMMENTS ON THE INTERPRETATION OF THE TRIBOLOGICAL WEAR COEFFICIENT

An original model of tribological wear is presented, an alternative to the commonly used J.F. Archard’s model. The impossibility is established of a full conversion of mechanical work into the heat of dissipation and thereby of avoiding wear in the sliding friction of solids. The assumption is consequently questioned that only some contacts of surface asperities are subject to temporary wear. Material wastage is assumed to occur at each contact of asperities. The volume of worn material is dependent on the volumetric wear coefficient of the “energy dissipation zone” in friction. The dimensions of the zone are determined in both the elements in friction. Linear wear intensities and volumetric wear are described in analytical terms. The thermodynamic analysis of the tribological process indicates some limitations to these intensities. Energetic efficiencies of solid wear and heating as a result of friction are defined. Some new interpretations of the wear coefficient are proposed.

The theory of the chain fountain revisited

We analyze the chain fountain effect-the chain siphoning when falling from a container onto the floor. We argue that the main reason for this effect is the inertia of the chain, whereas the momentum received by the beads of the chain from the bottom of the container (typically called “kicks”) plays no significant role. The inertia of the chain leads to an effect similar to pulling the chain over a pulley placed up in the air, above the container. In another model (the so called “scientific consensus”), it was assumed that up to half of the mechanical work done by the tension in the chain may be wasted when transformed into kinetic energy during the pickup process. This prevented the chain to rise unless the energy transfer in the pickup process is improved by the “kicks” from the bottom of the container. Here we show that the “kicks” are unnecessary and both, energy and momentum are conserved-as they should be, in the absence of dissipation-if one properly considers the tension and the movement of the chain. By doing so, we conclude that the velocity acquired by the chain is high enough to produce the fountain effect. Simple experiments validate our model and certain configurations produce the highest chain fountain, although “kicks” are impossible.

Harvesting the Potential of CO2 before it is Injected into Geological Reservoirs

To store CO2 in geological reservoirs, expansion valves have been used to intentionally release supercritical CO2 from high-pressure containers at a source point to lower-pressure pipelines and transport to a selected injection site. Using expansion valves, however, has some shortcomings: (i) the fluid potential, in the form of kinetic energy and pressure which can produce mechanical work or electricity, is wasted, and (ii) due to the Joule-Thomson cooling effect, the reduction in the temperature of the released CO2 stream might be so dramatic that it can induce thermal contraction of the injection well causing fracture instability in the storage formation. To avoid these problems, it has been suggested that before injection, CO2, should be heated to a temperature slightly higher than that of the reservoir. However, heating could increase the cost of CO2 injection. This work explores the use of a Tesla Turbine, instead of an expansion valve, to harvest the potential of CO2, in the form of its pressure and kinetics, to generate mechanical work when it is released from a high-pressure container to a lower-pressure transport pipeline. The goal is to avoid throttling losses and to produce useful power because of the expansion process. In addition, due to the friction between the gas and the turbine disks, the expanded gas temperature reduction is not as dramatic as in the case when an expansion valve is used. Thus, as far as CO2 injection is concerned, the need for preheating can be minimized.

Reducing Myosin II and ATP-Dependent Mechanical Activity Increases Order and Stability of Intracellular Organelles

Organization of intracellular content is affected by multiple simultaneous processes, including diffusion in a viscoelastic and structured environment, intracellular mechanical work and vibrations. The combined effects of these processes on intracellular organization are complex and remain poorly understood. Here, we studied the organization and dynamics of a free Ca++ probe as a small and mobile tracer in live T cells. Ca++, highlighted by Fluo-4, is localized in intracellular organelles. Inhibiting intracellular mechanical work by myosin II through blebbistatin treatment increased cellular dis-homogeneity of Ca++-rich features in length scale < 1.1 μm. We detected a similar effect in cells imaged by label-free bright-field (BF) microscopy, in mitochondria-highlighted cells and in ATP-depleted cells. Blebbistatin treatment also reduced the dynamics of the Ca++-rich features and generated prominent negative temporal correlations in their signals. Following Guggenberger et al. and numerical simulations, we suggest that diffusion in the viscoelastic and confined medium of intracellular organelles may promote spatial dis-homogeneity and stability of their content. This may be revealed only after inhibiting intracellular mechanical work and related cell vibrations. Our described mechanisms may allow the cell to control its organization via balancing its viscoelasticity and mechanical activity, with implications to cell physiology in health and disease.

Reducing stiffness of shock-absorbing pylon amplifies prosthesis energy loss and redistributes joint mechanical work during walking

Background A shock-absorbing pylon (SAP) is a modular prosthetic component designed to attenuate impact forces, which unlike traditional pylons that are rigid, can compress to absorb, return, or dissipate energy. Previous studies found that walking with a SAP improved lower-limb prosthesis users’ comfort and residual limb pain. While longitudinal stiffness of a SAP has been shown to affect gait kinematics, kinetics, and work done by the entire lower limb, the energetic contributions from the prosthesis and the intact joints have not been examined. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of SAP stiffness and walking speed on the mechanical work contributions of the prosthesis (i.e., all components distal to socket), knee, and hip in individuals with a transtibial amputation. Methods Twelve participants with unilateral transtibial amputation walked overground at their customary (1.22 ± 0.18 ms−1) and fast speeds (1.53 ± 0.29 ms−1) under four different levels of SAP stiffness. Power and mechanical work profiles of the leg joints and components distal to the socket were quantified. The effects of SAP stiffness and walking speed on positive and negative work were analyzed using two-factor (stiffness and speed) repeated-measure ANOVAs (α = 0.05). Results Faster walking significantly increased mechanical work from the SAP-integrated prosthesis (p < 0.001). Reducing SAP stiffness increased the magnitude of prosthesis negative work (energy absorption) during early stance (p = 0.045) by as much as 0.027 Jkg−1, without affecting the positive work (energy return) during late stance (p = 0.159), suggesting a damping effect. This energy loss was partially offset by an increase in residual hip positive work (as much as 0.012 Jkg−1) during late stance (p = 0.045). Reducing SAP stiffness also reduced the magnitude of negative work on the contralateral sound limb during early stance by 11–17% (p = 0.001). Conclusions Reducing SAP stiffness and faster walking amplified the prostheses damping effect, which redistributed the mechanical work, both in magnitude and timing, within the residual joints and sound limb. With its capacity to absorb and dissipate energy, future studies are warranted to determine whether SAPs can provide additional user benefit for locomotor tasks that require greater attenuation of impact forces (e.g., load carriage) or energy dissipation (e.g., downhill walking).

On the question of dysphagia

That section of the alimentary canal, where, in our opinion, only purely mechanical work takes place to carry and push the food mass from the oral cavity into the stomach, the esophagus, in relation to the study of its other functions, attracts relatively little attention from both physiologists and clinicians.