Annals of Biomedical Engineering最新文献

{"title":"Impactor Displacement as a Predictor of Thoraco-Abdominal Organ Injury: Comparison of Isolated Organ to Whole Body Tests.","authors":"Jack Seifert, Jared Koser, Alok Shah, Lance Frazer, Frank A Pintar, Narayan Yoganandan, Dan Nicolella, Timothy B Bentley, Brian D Stemper","doi":"10.1007/s10439-025-03797-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-025-03797-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Body armor is used to protect the wearer from penetrating injuries. However, when the armor defeats the projectile, it deforms at high rates into the wearer, referred to as back face deformation (BFD). This deformation can cause a variety of superficial and internal injuries and consequently should be considered when designing body armor. However, current design standards do not adequately consider the effects of BFD, and new data are necessary to inform future design thresholds for BFD. The objective of this study was to develop blunt impact injury risk curves for in vitro thoraco-abdominal organs and determine their applicability in predicting in situ BABT injuries.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In vitro tests Healthy isolated liver and heart specimens were perfused and placed on a bed of gelatin underneath a drop tower and impacted with a 3-cm hemisphere impactor. Each organ was exposed to an incremental loading protocol, wherein initial displacement of penetration was 2 mm, and increased by 2 mm for each subsequent impact on the organ. Injury was defined as the presence of laceration. Injury probability curves were developed using a generalized mixed linear model (proc GENMOD). Univariate models were analyzed for predictive variables, including peak displacement, percent compression, and peak force. In situ tests An intact postmortem human subject (PMHS) was instrumented and subsequently impacted with an impactor that had a profile representative of BFD and a velocity of 65 m/s. One impact was aimed at the heart and one impact was aimed at the liver.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The final predictive models for isolated organ injuries demonstrated 50% probability of injury for impact displacement of 12.4 mm (95% CI [10.1 mm, 17.6 mm]) and 13.8 mm (95% CI [11.5 mm, 16.8 mm]) for the liver and heart, respectively. During the PMHS tests, total impactor displacement into the PMHS was 45.8 mm and 59.2 mm for the impacts aimed at the liver and heat, respectively. Post-rib fracture impactor displacement did correlate to the isolated organ risk curves, equating to an 88% and 86% of liver and heart injury risk, respectively. Despite high risk of injury for both organs, only the liver was lacerated, suggesting that isolated organ risk curves do not fully translate to in situ testing.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These experimental tests and developed risk curves can be used as validation and injury risk estimates for future isolated organ and whole body computational models. Simulated BFD impacts with PMHS tests highlight the complexity of BABT injury mechanisms and shows the significant anisotropy of the thoraco-abdominal region that should be considered when developing future protective equipment.</p>","PeriodicalId":7986,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Biomedical Engineering","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144625295","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Differential and Adjustable Stiffness Leaf Spring Ankle Foot Orthoses Enhance Gait Propulsion and Task Versatility in Cerebral Palsy","authors":"Collin D. Bowersock,&nbsp;Emmanuella A. Tagoe,&nbsp;Samuel Hopkins,&nbsp;Shanpu Fang,&nbsp;Zachary F. Lerner","doi":"10.1007/s10439-025-03773-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10439-025-03773-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><p>This study explored the effectiveness of a novel differential and adjustable stiffness leaf spring AFO (DAS-AFO) during standing, walking, and sit-to-stand tasks among individuals with cerebral palsy.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>Eleven individuals with cerebral palsy, ages 12–41, completed treadmill walking trials with the DAS-AFO, a solid (i.e., rigid) AFO, and without an assistive device (shod). We quantified metabolic cost, muscle activity of the soleus and vastus lateralis, and lower body kinetics and kinematics. Participants also performed overground walking, sit-to-stand, and stable standing tasks while wearing the DAS-AFO and reported their preferred stiffness setting for each task. Additionally, we quantified center of pressure during the stable standing task.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>Walking with the DAS-AFO resulted in an average 24% increase in ankle push-off power when compared to the solid AFO (<i>p</i> = .003). Both AFO conditions resulted in an average 16% reduction in soleus activity compared to shod (<i>p</i> &lt; .040); only the DAS-AFO reduced vastus lateralis activity compared to shod (13% average reduction, <i>p</i> = .015). Over half of the participants preferred a different AFO stiffness for at least one of the tasks of daily living. No stiffness setting was universally preferred for a single task. During the stable standing task, the high stiffness setting increased average anterior–posterior center of pressure excursion (<i>p</i> = .022) and velocity (<i>p</i> = .001) compared to shod.</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>Our findings highlight potential benefits of the DAS-AFO design over solid AFOs, including improved ankle joint motions and push-off power during walking. Customizability of the DAS-AFO positively influenced participant preference and task performance.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7986,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Biomedical Engineering","volume":"53 10","pages":"2459 - 2473"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144636002","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing Field Hockey Face Mask Performance","authors":"Natasha Bialecki,&nbsp;Rory England,&nbsp;Jon Farmer,&nbsp;Sean Mitchell,&nbsp;Ellie Rayer,&nbsp;Paul Sherratt","doi":"10.1007/s10439-025-03794-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10439-025-03794-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><p>The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective performance differences of commercially available field hockey face masks whilst proposing and evaluating a methodology using commonly available equipment suitable for use as a dynamic performance test standard.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>Field hockey balls were propelled at realistic and repeatable speeds (26.8 ± 0.25 ms^-1 and 35.8 ± 0.25 ms^-1; mean ± SD), with acceptable impact location precision (± 11.3 mm; radial SD), at outfield face masks preconditioned to a range of field hockey relevant end-use temperatures. Masks were mounted on the ubiquitous Hybrid III headform and neck assembly to represent, with reasonable biofidelity, some of the potential consequences for human users at the tested impact locations.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>Qualitative and quantitative laboratory-based measures showed that field hockey mask performance varies with speed, temperature, and impact location. Testing showed that some commercially available masks perform better than others, with key weaknesses including mechanical failure and facial contact.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>The potential for some masks to fail catastrophically, and others to provide a wide range of protection, has been demonstrated and reported to governing bodies and industry. Limitations of the equipment and methods utilised have been identified as the impetus for further work. Nonetheless, the current approach provides a testing methodology for the field hockey PPE industry.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7986,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Biomedical Engineering","volume":"53 10","pages":"2701 - 2719"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10439-025-03794-z.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144615950","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Interface Performance Enhancement in 3D-Printed Biphasic Scaffolds with Interlocking Hourglass Geometry","authors":"David S. Nedrelow,&nbsp;Michael S. Detamore","doi":"10.1007/s10439-025-03791-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10439-025-03791-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The cartilaginous surfaces in ginglymus (hinge) joints such as the knee, elbow, and the ginglymoarthrodial temporomandibular joint (TMJ) primarily function under unidirectional shear and orthogonal compression. Regenerative medicine approaches to treat injured or arthritic joints include biphasic scaffolds, which must withstand the joint’s biomechanical demands. In the current study, we leveraged computational modeling to design a 3D-printed biphasic scaffold with enhanced biomechanical performance for ginglymus joints. A sinusoidal hourglass tube geometry was introduced to support shear stresses at the hydrogel–substrate interface and to support orthogonal compression. Biphasic constructs were evaluated with both empirical and <i>in silico</i> interface shear experiments. A thermal extrusion 3D-printed polylactic acid (PLA) hourglass interface was infilled with a hydrogel, comprised of either (1) agarose or (2) pentenoate-modified hyaluronic acid (PHA), polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA), and devitalized cartilage (DVC). Shear loads were applied either parallel to the tube’s long axis (i.e., 1-direction) or orthogonally (i.e., 2-direction). Additionally, the hourglass tube architecture without any hydrogel was evaluated in compression in the 1- and 3-directions. Empirically, ultimate interface shear stresses up to 51 ± 7 kPa were observed for the infilled PHA–PEGDA–DVC hydrogels, with higher values in both loading directions compared to a crosshatch scaffold as a standard-of-comparison control (p &lt; 0.05). The computer model suggested a geometry-dependent shear load transfer. The ultimate compressive stress for the hourglass architecture in the 3-direction reached 6.9 ± 1.8 MPa, which was 39% higher than the crosshatch architecture. The hourglass design enhanced performance under shear in the 1-direction and compression in the 3-direction, which may add value for future designs employed for regenerating tissues in ginglymus joints that primarily function under unidirectional shear and orthogonal compression.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7986,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Biomedical Engineering","volume":"53 10","pages":"2594 - 2611"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10439-025-03791-2.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144615951","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Female and Combined Male–Female Injury Risk Functions for the Anterior Pelvis Under Frontal Lap Belt Loading Conditions","authors":"Connor Hanggi,&nbsp;Joon Seok Kong,&nbsp;James Caldwell,&nbsp;Bronislaw Gepner,&nbsp;Martin Ӧstling,&nbsp;Jason R. Kerrigan","doi":"10.1007/s10439-025-03777-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10439-025-03777-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><p>Iliac wing fractures due to lap belt loading have been observed in laboratory settings for 50 years and recent data suggest they are also occurring in the field. Automated driving systems (ADS) and other occupant compartment advancements are expected to offer enhanced flexibility in seating orientation, which could place a greater reliance on the seatbelt to restrain occupants. Such changes may increase seatbelt loads and create new challenges in successfully restraining occupants and mitigating injury to areas, such as the pelvis. Injury criteria exist for component-level male iliac wing fractures resulting from frontal lap belt loading, but not for females.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>This study explored female iliac wing fracture tolerance in the same loading environment as a previous study that explored the fracture tolerance of isolated male iliac wings. Male and female fracture data were combined to evaluate the effect of sex. Injury risk functions were created by fitting Weibull survival models to data that integrated censored and exact failure observations.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>Twenty female iliac wings were tested; fourteen of them sustained fracture with known failure forces (exact), but the remaining six wings either (1) did not fracture or (2) fractured after an event that changed the boundary conditions (right-censored). The fracture tolerance of the tested specimens ranged widely (1134–8759 N) and averaged 4240 N (SD 2516 N).</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>Female data and combined male–female data were analyzed. Age was the only covariate investigated in this study that had a statistically significant effect and improved the predictive performance of the models.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7986,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Biomedical Engineering","volume":"53 10","pages":"2669 - 2678"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10439-025-03777-0.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144599183","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Better Standard to Assess the Performance of Portable Suction Devices: Time-Averaged Air Flow Rate","authors":"Saketh Ram Peri,&nbsp;Forhad Akhter,&nbsp;Robert A. De Lorenzo,&nbsp;R. Lyle Hood","doi":"10.1007/s10439-025-03764-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10439-025-03764-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><p>Portable suction devices are important tools in airway management, yet evaluating their performance and adherence to standards presents challenges. This study explores the inadequacies of ISO 10079-1 and proposes a shift from instantaneous maximum air flow rate metric to time-averaged air flow rate metric for more accurate assessment. The focus is on the importance of effective suction in prehospital care, especially in scenarios like combat and civilian emergencies.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>Four portable suction devices (AMBU RES-QUE, LAERDAL VVAC, LAERDAL LCSU4, and SSCOR QUICKDRAW) were tested for air flow rate, liquid flow rate, and vacuum pressure. The study introduced the concept of time-averaged air flow rate as a more relevant metric than instantaneous maximum air flow rate. Statistical analyses, including Pearson correlation and regression methods, were employed to evaluate the relationship between instantaneous maximum and time-averaged air flow rates and their impact on liquid flow rate.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>The AMBU RES-QUE showed 15.7 ± 0.4 L/min instantaneous and 2.3 ± 0.1 L/min time-averaged air flow rate; VVAC had 29.1 ± 5.4 L/min instantaneous and 6.0 ± 1.1 L/min time averaged; LCSU4, 21.8 ± 0.2 L/min instantaneous and 19.8 ± 0.4 L/min time averaged; and SSCOR QUICKDRAW, 11.3 ± 0.1 L/min instantaneous and 10.3 ± 0.1 L/min time-averaged. Water liquid flow rates (L/min) were 2.1 ± 0.1 (AMBU), 2.9 ± 0.2 (VVAC), 7.0 ± 0.1 (LCSU4), and 5.4 ± 0.0 (SSCOR); with ISO vomit simulant, they were 2.0 ± 0.3, 2.1 ± 0.4, 3.1 ± 0.4, and 2.2 ± 0.0, respectively. Time-averaged air flow rate correlated strongly with liquid flow rate (<i>r</i> = 0.97, <i>R</i>² = 0.93), whereas instantaneous maximum air flow rate correlated poorly (<i>r</i> =  − 0.15, <i>R</i>² = 0.02).</p><h3>Discussion</h3><p>The findings challenge the common reliance on instantaneous maximum air flow rate as a performance indicator. Instantaneous maximum air flow rate may mislead users about a device’s effectiveness, especially in long-term applications. Time-averaged air flow rate shows improved prediction of liquid flow rate. The study also identifies backflow issues in a manual suction device, emphasizing potential risks and the need for further exploration.</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>The study advocates for a shift in standards, proposing the inclusion of time-averaged air flow rate in ISO requirements. This change aligns with the patient-centric focus, providing a more accurate representation of a device’s performance in real-world scenarios. Additionally, the identification of backflow in manual devices raises concerns, urging further investigation into its clinical significance and potential risks.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7986,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Biomedical Engineering","volume":"53 10","pages":"2648 - 2657"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144599182","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Joint Kinematics and Muscle Activity in Response to Prolonged Standing: Analysis of Standing and Subsequent Gait","authors":"Lin Feng,&nbsp;Wentao Jiang,&nbsp;Zhongyou Li,&nbsp;Taoping Bai,&nbsp;Jialu Zhang,&nbsp;Jiyang Zhang,&nbsp;Siqi Yang","doi":"10.1007/s10439-025-03800-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10439-025-03800-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Prolonged standing can induce discomfort and increase the risk of musculoskeletal disorders. The motion states of individuals who stand for prolonged periods can be categorized into stationary standing and intermittent movement. However, previous research predominantly focused on monitoring various indicators during stationary standing, neglecting intermittent movement. This missing may lead to an incomplete understanding of prolonged standing’s effects.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>This study examined joint and muscle activity during both prolonged stationary standing and intermittent movement in 22 participants. Marker trajectory and electromyography data of all subjects were collected throughout the entire process, and their perceived discomfort was assessed through questionnaires. Paired t-tests were conducted to assess the effects of prolonged standing on joint kinematics, muscle fatigue and muscle synergy.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>The results demonstrated that prolonged standing affected participants’ lower limb joint kinematics, characterized by a reduced range of joint motion during stationary standing and increased hip external rotation during intermittent movement. The rectus femoris and vastus medialis exhibited fatigue, which was more pronounced during intermittent movement. Furthermore, muscle synergy analysis demonstrated that prolonged standing altered muscle coordination strategies. Participants with and without prolonged standing-related low back pain exhibited different trunk muscle reorganization patterns, yet both groups showed a shift in the center of muscle activity and a reduction in activation breadth.</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>The combination of stationary standing and intermittent movement provides more comprehensive insights than studying standing alone. These insights contribute to a deeper understanding of how prolonged standing affects joint kinematics and muscle activity.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7986,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Biomedical Engineering","volume":"53 10","pages":"2447 - 2458"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144607213","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Study on Influence of Yoga Practice on Segmental Trunk Control Using 3D Kinematic Evaluation Method","authors":"Rajani Mullerpatan,&nbsp;Triveni Shetty,&nbsp;Robert van Deursen","doi":"10.1007/s10439-025-03785-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10439-025-03785-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><p>Segmental trunk control is indispensable to achieve upright posture, attenuate movement-related oscillations, and maintain postural stability during activities of daily living including walking. Yet, its role in postural control is incompletely understood because it is seldom measured. Yoga is known to improve postural control in the elderly and people with various neuromuscular disorders; however, its influence on segmental trunk control is unexplored. The present study reports the influence of yoga on segmental trunk control in trained yoga practitioners using 3D kinematic evaluation.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>Ten yoga practitioners, practicing advanced yoga (&gt;5 years), and 10 age-matched healthy adults were studied after ethical approval and informed consent. Segmental trunk control was described as motion of the trunk with respect to the pelvis, which was computed as the difference between displacement of sternum and pelvic marker in the sagittal and frontal planes.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>Yoga practitioners demonstrated less variability in the displacement of sternum, pelvis, and ankle markers and greater segmental trunk control compared to controls (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). Segmental trunk movement of yoga practitioners was 50% lower in the frontal plane (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). Preliminary findings suggest that regular mind-body exercise in the form of yoga practice holds therapeutic potential to achieve greater segmental trunk control, which is essential to attenuate perturbations and negotiate challenges to develop postural stability.</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>Regular yoga practice demonstrated a positive influence on segmental trunk control and total body sway resulting in enhanced postural control. Therefore, yoga practice can be recommended to achieve greater trunk segmental control in patients with impaired ability to dissociate trunk over pelvis such as Parkinson’s disease, stroke, cerebral palsy, and balance disorders including vestibular and neuro-musculoskeletal disorders.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7986,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Biomedical Engineering","volume":"53 10","pages":"2720 - 2727"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144582889","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Neuromusculoskeletal Modeling and Force Prediction: Verification Through Experimental Neuromuscular Dynamics","authors":"Colton D. Babcock,&nbsp;Landon D. Hamilton,&nbsp;Anastasios Lykidis,&nbsp;Richard Babcock,&nbsp;Ioannis G. Amiridis,&nbsp;Clare K. Fitzpatrick","doi":"10.1007/s10439-025-03783-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10439-025-03783-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><p>Neuromusculoskeletal (NMS) function is influenced by the interactions between neural and musculoskeletal systems. Age-related changes in motor unit morphology contribute to changes in motor control and force production with advancing age; however, a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms between force production and motor unit reorganization and their interrelationships is needed to develop targeted therapies and interventions to age-related changes. Direct experimental measurement of these neuromuscular changes is challenging due to ethical and logistical constraints and the complexity of isolating individual motor unit contributions in vivo, particularly across time. Computational modeling provides a complementary approach which can help bridge this gap. The objective of this study is to develop a computational framework for predicting dorsiflexion force profiles through the translation of experimental motor unit recordings into simulated musculoskeletal responses.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>This study presents the development of a combined NMS model that integrates experimental motor unit recordings into a musculoskeletal simulation framework. Specifically, the NMS model predicts dorsiflexion force profiles by translating experimental data from high-density electromyography recordings into simulated subject-specific motor unit discharge characteristics and simulated muscle responses. The NMS model incorporates a detailed motor neuron pool simulation and a finite element musculoskeletal model, allowing for physiologically accurate representation of motor unit discharge characteristics, muscle force generation, and force variability.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>The accuracy of the simulated force profiles in predicting the experimental force were 10.25 N and 0.95, respectively, for average root mean square error and R² values. Results demonstrate strong agreement between simulated and experimental force profiles and motor unit recordings.</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>By bridging the gap between computational and experimental approaches, this study aims to enhance understanding of NMS dynamics and support the development of personalized treatment strategies for neurodegenerative disease patients.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7986,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Biomedical Engineering","volume":"53 10","pages":"2489 - 2502"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10439-025-03783-2.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144582890","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multi-Stage BiSTU Network Combining BiLSTM and Transformer for ABP Waveform Prediction from PPG Signals","authors":"Zheng Duanmu,&nbsp;Haojie Gong,&nbsp;Siyuan Lv,&nbsp;Wenyue Yan,&nbsp;Qianxi Cheng,&nbsp;Jinqiu Sang,&nbsp;Xilan Yang,&nbsp;Louqian Zhang","doi":"10.1007/s10439-025-03787-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10439-025-03787-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><p>Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a global health issue, and arterial blood pressure (ABP) waveforms provide critical physiological data that aid in the early diagnosis of CVD. However, existing pulse waveform evaluation methods are insufficient for accurately predicting ABP. This study aims to propose a novel U-net joint network architecture, the BiSTU Sequential Network, to predict high-quality ABP waveforms.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>The designed BiSTU Sequential Network integrates a Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (Bi-LSTM) model to capture temporal dependencies, a Transformer model with multi-head attention mechanisms to extract detailed features, and a MultiRes Convolutional Block Attention Module U-Net (MCBAMU-Net) for multi-scale feature extraction. The model was trained using 12,000 vital sign records from 942 ICU patients.</p><h3>Results</h3><p>Experimental results demonstrate that the predicted ABP waveforms closely align with the actual waveforms, achieving a mean absolute error (MAE) of 1.78 ± 2.15 mmHg, a root mean square error (RMSE) of 2.79 mmHg, and an R-squared (R<span>(^{2})</span>) of 0.98. The model meets the standards of the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI), with MAEs of 2.94 ± 3.43 mmHg for systolic blood pressure (SBP) and 4.22 ± 5.18 mmHg for diastolic blood pressure (DBP). Under the British Hypertension Society (BHS) standards, the accuracy rates within 5 mmHg are 85.3% for DBP and 72.4% for SBP and exceed 97% within 15 mmHg.</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>The BiSTU Sequential Network exhibits significant potential for accurate, non-invasive prediction of arterial blood pressure. Its predictions closely match actual waveforms and comply with multiple clinical standards, indicating broad application prospects and contributing to the early diagnosis and monitoring of cardiovascular diseases.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7986,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Biomedical Engineering","volume":"53 10","pages":"2562 - 2579"},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144574705","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}