TY - JOUR A1 - Stäudle, Benjamin A1 - Seynnes, Olivier A1 - Laps, Guido A1 - Brüggemann, Gert-Peter A1 - Albracht, Kirsten T1 - Altered gastrocnemius contractile behavior in former achilles tendon rupture patients during walking JF - Frontiers in Physiology N2 - Achilles tendon rupture (ATR) remains associated with functional limitations years after injury. Architectural remodeling of the gastrocnemius medialis (GM) muscle is typically observed in the affected leg and may compensate force deficits caused by a longer tendon. Yet patients seem to retain functional limitations during—low-force—walking gait. To explore the potential limits imposed by the remodeled GM muscle-tendon unit (MTU) on walking gait, we examined the contractile behavior of muscle fascicles during the stance phase. In a cross-sectional design, we studied nine former patients (males; age: 45 ± 9 years; height: 180 ± 7 cm; weight: 83 ± 6 kg) with a history of complete unilateral ATR, approximately 4 years post-surgery. Using ultrasonography, GM tendon morphology, muscle architecture at rest, and fascicular behavior were assessed during walking at 1.5 m⋅s–1 on a treadmill. Walking patterns were recorded with a motion capture system. The unaffected leg served as control. Lower limbs kinematics were largely similar between legs during walking. Typical features of ATR-related MTU remodeling were observed during the stance sub-phases corresponding to series elastic element (SEE) lengthening (energy storage) and SEE shortening (energy release), with shorter GM fascicles (36 and 36%, respectively) and greater pennation angles (8° and 12°, respectively). However, relative to the optimal fascicle length for force production, fascicles operated at comparable length in both legs. Similarly, when expressed relative to optimal fascicle length, fascicle contraction velocity was not different between sides, except at the time-point of peak series elastic element (SEE) length, where it was 39 ± 49% lower in the affected leg. Concomitantly, fascicles rotation during contraction was greater in the affected leg during the whole stance-phase, and architectural gear ratios (AGR) was larger during SEE lengthening. Under the present testing conditions, former ATR patients had recovered a relatively symmetrical walking gait pattern. Differences in seen AGR seem to accommodate the profound changes in MTU architecture, limiting the required fascicle shortening velocity. Overall, the contractile behavior of the GM fascicles does not restrict length- or velocity-dependent force potentials during this locomotor task. KW - tendon rupture KW - muscle fascicle behavior KW - walking gait KW - force generation KW - ultrasound imaging Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.792576 SN - 1664-042X VL - 13 PB - Frontiers Research Foundation CY - Lausanne ER - TY - GEN A1 - Wiegner, Jonas A1 - Volker, Hanno A1 - Mainz, Fabian A1 - Backes, Andreas A1 - Löken, Michael A1 - Hüning, Felix T1 - Wiegand-Effect-Powered Wireless IT Sensor Node N2 - With the growing interest in small distributed sensors for the “Internet of Things”, more attention is being paid to energy harvesting techologies. Reducing or eliminating the need for external power sources or batteries make devices more self-sufficient, more reliable, and reduces maintenance requirements. The Wiegand effect is a proven technology for harvesting small amounts of electrical power from mechanical motion. Y1 - 2022 N1 - PSMA International Energy Harvesting Workshop ~ 5-7 April 2022, Raleigh, NC, USA ER - TY - RPRT A1 - Ghinaiya, Jagdishkumar A1 - Lehmann, Thomas Martin A1 - Göttsche, Joachim T1 - LOCAL+ – ein kreislauffähiger Holzmodulbau mit nachhaltigem Energie- und Wohnraumkonzept T2 - Bauphysik N2 - Mit dem Beitrag des Teams der FH Aachen zum SDE 21/22 wird im Projekt LOCAL+ ein kreislauffähiger Holzmodulbau mit einem innovativen Wohnraumkonzept geplant und umgesetzt. Ziel dieses Konzeptes ist die Verringerung des stetig steigenden Wohnflächenbedarfs durch ein Raum-in-Raum Konzept. Gebäudetechnisch wird in dem Projekt nicht nur das Einzelgebäude betrachtet, sondern unter Berücksichtigung des Gebäudebestandes wird für das Quartier ein innovatives und nachhaltiges Energiekonzept entwickelt. Ein zentrales Wasserstoffsystem ist für ein Quartier geplant, um den Stromverbrauch aus dem Netz im Winter zu reduzieren. Zentraler Bestandteil des TGA-Konzepts ist ein unterirdischer Eisspeicher, eine PVT und eine Wärmepumpe mit intelligenter Regelstrategie. Ein Teil des neuen Gebäudes (Design Challenge DC) wird in Wuppertal als Hausdemonstrationseinheit (HDU) präsentiert. Eine hygrothermische Simulation der HDU wurde mit der WUFI-Software durchgeführt. Da im Innenraum Lehmmodule und -platten als Feuchtigkeitspuffer verwendet werden, spielen die Themen Feuchtigkeit, Holzfäule und Schimmelwachstum eine wichtige Rolle. KW - Energiekonzept KW - Gesamtwassergehalt KW - Feuchtigkeit KW - Verdunstungskälte KW - energy concept Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/bapi.202200010 SN - 0171-5445 (Print) SN - 1437-0980 (Online) VL - 44 IS - 3 SP - 136 EP - 142 PB - Ernst & Sohn CY - Hoboken ER -