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BackgroundAerobic exercise elicits striking effects on neuroplasticity and cognitive executive function but is poorly understood after stroke.ObjectiveWe tested the effect of 4 weeks of aerobic exercise training on inhibitory and facilitatory elements of cognitive executive function and electroencephalography (EEG) markers of cortical inhibition and facilitation. We investigated relationships between stimulus-evoked cortical responses, blood lactate levels during training, and aerobic fitness post-intervention.MethodsTwelve individuals with chronic (>6mo) stroke completed an intensive aerobic exercise intervention (40-mins, 3x/week). Electroencephalography and motor response times were assessed during congruent (response facilitation) and incongruent (response inhibition) stimuli of a Flanker task. Aerobic fitness capacity was assessed as VO2-peak during a treadmill test pre- and post-intervention. Blood lactate was assessed acutely (ResultsFollowing exercise training, the response inhibition speed increased while response facilitation remained unchanged. A relationship between earlier cortical N2 response and faster response inhibition emerged post-intervention. Individuals who produced higher lactate during exercise training achieved faster response inhibition and tended to show earlier cortical N2 responses post-intervention. There were no associations between VO2-peak and metrics of behavioral or neurophysiologic function.ConclusionsThese findings provide novel evidence for selective benefits of aerobic exercise on inhibitory control during the initial 4-week period after initiation of exercise training, and implicate a potential therapeutic effect of lactate on post-stroke cortical inhibitory function.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.govIdentifier:NCT03760016. First posted: November 30, 2018.https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03760016

Introduction: Stroke is a major cause of balance and walking impairment and is on the rise. The most widely used walking impairment measure is the 10-meter walk test (10-mWT), which provides information about walking speed but does not inform about walking kinematics or neuromuscular control. Objective: Herein, we evaluate single support center of pressure distance (SS CoP Dist), a kinematic measure of dynamic postural control and walking stability, as a complementary measure of walking impairment. We hypothesize that SS CoP Dist will be closely associated with baseline walking speed, and will improve with Backward Locomotor Treadmill Training (BLTT). Methods: Thirty-six chronic stroke survivors with residual walking impairment, based on 10-mWT speed [ mild >0.8 m/s (n =7); moderate 0.4-0.8m/s (n =18); and severe Results: At baseline, there was a weak to moderate positive relationship between walking speed and SS CoP Dist (R 2 paretic = 0.22, p = 0.0036; R 2 Nonparetic = 0.44, p < 0.0001). Following BLTT, SS COP Dist increased (more stable) in the mild and moderate groups [mild paretic ( p = 0.0039)/mild Nonparetic ( p = 0.0034) , moderate paretic ( p = 0.0360)/ moderate Nonparetic ( p = 0.0087)], with improved interlimb symmetry in the mild group. In contrast, no significant improvement in SS CoP Dist was seen in participants with severe walking impairment ( p = 0.3830). Training-related changes in walking speed were strongly correlated with change in SS CoP Dist (R 2 Nonparetic = 0.54, p = 0.0007). Conclusion: Our preliminary findings suggest that SS CoP Dist compliments walking speed for characterizing walking severity and response to training in chronic stroke survivors. In addition, BLTT significantly improved SS CoP Dist in mild-moderately impaired stroke survivors but not in survivors with severe walking impairment. Future well-powered, prospective studies with BLTT and other training paradigms are needed to validate these findings.

Background: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) patients may appear disabled despite intact cortical spinal tracts (CST). ICH lesions may also vary in volume and location relative to the CST with differential impacts on motor outcome. In this study, we evaluated whether diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) integrity of CST fiber tracking associates with mobility three months post ICH. Methods: The Recovery and Outcomes from StrokE (ROSE) Study is a prospective, multi-center study of ICH serially assessed with motor, cognitive, and functional outcomes and MRI/DTI. Outcome data were collected by hospital chart review and interview/exam. Acute MRI images were analyzed by a central neuroimaging core for ICH location, size, intraventricular hemorrhage, and fractional anisotropy (FA) derived from DTI of the CST. Mobility was assessed at 3-month follow-up using the Barthel Mobility Index. We computed single variable logistic regression analyses (outcome = Barthel mobility at 3 months). We also computed a stepwise logistic model, with and without age, sex, and race, including variables that met P Results: There were 76 ICH patients with DTI FA data available for analysis; 61 with complete data for the multivariate model. Poor mobility after ICH (N = 21; 27.6%) was associated with ICH volume, presence of IVH, Glasgow coma score, ipsilesional CST FA, ipsilesional CP FA and CP FA asymmetry index (Table 1). The multivariate model that adjusted for age, sex, and race identified ipsilesional CP FA, admission GCS and presence of IVH as associated with poor mobility at 3 months; notably, log ICH volume was not associated after controlling for CST injury (Table 1). Conclusions: The presence of IVH and the GCS score at baseline were associated with poor mobility. In addition, the CP FA asymmetry index was independently associated with poor mobility even after accounting for log ICH volume, suggesting that DTI is informative of outcome beyond classic ICH outcome predictors.

The shipping industry is vital for archipelagic countries like the Philippines as they allow transport between islands, but it is a notable contributor of greenhouse gases. In this work, a framework for analyzing the techno-economic potential of hybridizing a sea vessel with solar photovoltaics, lithium-ion batteries, and diesel generators was presented. The roll on/roll off vessel Filipinas Ozamis was considered as a case study due to its commercial use. A 3D model of the roll-on/roll-off vessel was used to measure the ship’s dimensions. The load profile of the vessel was estimated from the ship’s dimensions, operational profile, route, and speed according to the MarineTraffic AIS database. Afterwards, diesel-only and hybrid energy systems were sized in HOMER Pro to power the electrified ship while minimizing its costs and noting the available space on the sea vessel. Lastly, the profitability of the hybrid energy system was determined. The hybrid system was marked with increased capital costs, but the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions were 18.50 % and 27.90 % lower than those of the diesel-only system, respectively. The hybrid system also had lower generation costs and 23.64 % higher net present value than the diesel-only system. This framework can be used in the absence of measured load profiles and can be extended to other sea vessels to conduct a national techno-economic assessment of hybridizing the country’s maritime industry.

The objectives of this research were to examine the levels of microplastics contamination in Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis Lamarck, 1819) and to examine the impact microplastics have upon its health. In addition to human health, microplastics can provide a cost to aquaculture, by potentially impacting the growth rates of the mussels. The samples were selected from both the wild (Zvončac bay, N=20) and commercially raised populations (Marina bay, N=20) to compare levels of microplastics and indices of metabolic fitness. Activities of two enzymes involved in metabolic energy production, citrate synthase and lactic dehydrogenase were examined. The analysis showed multiple types of microplastics in mussels, including fragments (1, 02 MP/g in farmed and 2, 2 MP/g in wild) and pellets (0, 37 MP/g in farmed and 0.35 MP/g in wild). The results showed that there was no significant difference between the wild and farmed mussels in enzyme activities. More comprehensive research should be conducted on microplastics effect on mussel metabolic health.