Neural activity has been studied during reaching and grasping separately, yet little is known about their combined representation. To study the functional organization of reaching and grasping in the premotor cortex (PM), we trained two monkeys to reach in one of six directions and grasp one of three objects. During prehensile movements, activity of proximal (shoulder and elbow) muscles was mai...

BACKGROUND To assess the effectiveness of physical therapy (PT) interventions on functioning in children with cerebral palsy (CP). METHODS A search was made in Medline, Cinahl, PEDro and the Cochrane library for the period 1990 to February 2007. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on PT interventions in children with diagnosed CP were included. Two reviewers independently assessed the me...

Until recently, only two species of seadragon were known, Phycodurus eques (the leafy seadragon) and Phyllopteryx taeniolatus (the common seadragon), both from Australia. In 2015, we described a new species of seadragon, Phyllopteryx dewysea (the ruby seadragon). Although the leafy and common seadragons are well known and commonly seen in aquarium exhibits world-wide, the ruby seadragon was kno...

A new species, Cryptosporidium ubiquitum, previously identified as the Cryptosporidium cervine genotype and infrequently as the cervid, W4 or genotype 3 genotype, is described. In published studies this genotype was reported in wild and domesticated ruminants, rodents, carnivores and primates including humans. In the present study oocysts were found in feces from a captive prehensile-tailed por...

Movement formulas, engrams, kinesthetic images and internal models of the body in action are notions derived mostly from clinical observations of brain-damaged subjects. They also suggest that the prehensile geometry of an object is integrated in the neural circuits and includes the object's graspable characteristics as well as its semantic properties. In order to determine whether there is a c...

The somatotopic organization of postcentral parietal cortex was determined with microelectrode mapping methods in a New World monkey, Cebus albifrons. As in previous studies in macaque, squirrel and owl monkeys, two separate representations of the body surface were found in regions corresponding to the architectonic fields 3b and 1. The two representations were roughly mirror-images of each oth...

Reach-to-grasp movements change quantitatively in a lawful (i.e. predictable) manner with changes in object properties. We explored whether altering object texture would produce qualitative changes in the form of the precontact movement patterns. Twelve participants reached to lift objects from a tabletop. Nine objects were produced, each with one of three grip surface textures (high-friction, ...

We investigated the relations of brain edema, ion shifts, motor performance, and memory impairment using a focal ischemia model in rats. Cortical infarction was produced by ligation of the middle cerebral artery and the ipsilateral common carotid artery combined with temporary occlusion of the contralateral common carotid artery for 1 hour. Water content and sodium, potassium, and calcium conce...

The external orofacial morphology, perioral bristle distribution and feeding behaviour of Dugong dugon, Trichechus inunguis, T. senegalensis and T. manatus are described. Despite their differing orofacial morphology, dugongs and trichechids possess six similar regions: the oral disk, orofacial ridge, supradisk, chin and upper and lower bristle (modified vibrissae) pads. All living sirenians pos...

Micro aerial vehicles, particularly quadrotors, have been used in a wide range of applications. However, the literature on aerial manipulation and grasping is limited and the work is based on quasi-static models. In this paper, we draw inspiration from agile, fast-moving birds such as raptors, that are able to capture moving prey on the ground or in water, and develop similar capabilities for q...