Validation of distal limb mounted inertial measurement unit sensors for stride detection in Warmblood horses at walk and trot.

BACKGROUND: Inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor-based techniques are becoming more popular in horses as a tool for objective locomotor assessment. OBJECTIVES: To describe, evaluate and validate a method of stride detection and quantification at walk and trot using distal limb mounted IMU sensors. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective validation study comparing IMU sensors and motion capture with force plate data. METHODS: A total of seven Warmblood horses equipped with metacarpal/metatarsal IMU sensors and reflective markers for motion capture were hand walked and trotted over a force plate. Using four custom built algorithms hoof-on/hoof-off timing over the force plate were calculated for each trial from the IMU data. Accuracy of the computed parameters was calculated as the mean difference in milliseconds between the IMU or motion capture generated data and the data from the force plate, precision as the s.d. of these differences and percentage of error with accuracy of the calculated parameter as a percentage of the force plate stance duration. RESULTS: Accuracy, precision and percentage of error of the best performing IMU algorithm for stance duration at walk were 28.5, 31.6 ms and 3.7% for the forelimbs and -5.5, 20.1 ms and -0.8% for the hindlimbs, respectively. At trot the best performing algorithm achieved accuracy, precision and percentage of error of -27.6/8.8 ms/-8.4% for the forelimbs and 6.3/33.5 ms/9.1% for the hindlimbs. MAIN LIMITATIONS: The described algorithms have not been assessed on different surfaces. CONCLUSIONS: Inertial measurement unit technology can be used to determine temporal kinematic stride variables at walk and trot justifying its use in gait and performance analysis. However, precision of the method may not be sufficient to detect all possible lameness-related changes. These data seem promising enough to warrant further research to evaluate whether this approach will be useful for appraising the majority of clinically relevant gait changes encountered in practice.

Clinical safety profile of cefodizime.

Data from ten clinical trials involving 1189 patients treated with 1 g bd of cefodizime iv or im were analysed for adverse effects and abnormal laboratory test results. In total, side-effects possibly or probably related to cefodizime occurred in only 1.34% of patients. In a separate analysis of 138 geriatric patients, the incidence was less than 1%. The most frequent clinical adverse effects were related to the gastrointestinal tract or were skin reactions. In laboratory evaluation, the haematological parameters showed the expected changes in response to the cure of the infectious process. The hepatic function tests showed increased values in 0.7%-3% of cases (depending on the test). Serum creatinine was increased in less than 1% of the cases.

Single and repeated dose kinetics of the hypnotic agent loprazolam in healthy volunteers.

The pharmacokinetics of loprazolam have been studied in eight healthy male volunteers after single and repeated 2 mg oral doses taken at night, for eight nights. The absorption and disposition of unchanged drug (HPLC-GC assay) and receptor active benzodiazepine-type materials (radioreceptor assay) were examined after the first and eighth dose. Maximum levels of approximately 10 ng ml-1 (range 3.6 to 15.5 ng ml-1) were reached within about 2.5 h after dosing. The post-peak levels declined in a single exponential fashion with an overall mean +/- SD half-life of 7.06 +/- 1.98 h and total areas under the curve ranging from 35.9 to 189.0 ng ml-1 h. There were no statistical differences between the values for the first and eighth doses. There was no evidence to suggest that significant accumulation of parent drug or receptor active benzodiazepine-type materials had occurred, and it is concluded that the kinetics of loprazolam would allow repeated daily doses of 2 mg.

Modifications of ouabain inhibition of xenon accumulation in red blood cells. Implications regarding cell water structuring.

Ouabain is known to depress uptake of xenon by red blood cells, but it is now found that the depressive effects of phenolsulfonphthalein (PSP) or heavy water are even more marked. Ouabain partly reverses those effects in a manner suggesting it exerts a constant action on xenon exchange regardless of the presence or absence of PSP or D2O. Processes analogous to exchange diffusion between certain anesthetic substances and xenon were also observed. The theoretical consequences of the findings are discussed.