A new perspective for the training assessment: Machine learning-based neurometric for augmented user's evaluation

Inappropriate training assessment might have either high social costs and economic impacts, especially in high risks categories, such as Pilots, Air Traffic Controllers, or Surgeons. One of the current limitations of the standard training assessment procedures is the lack of information about the amount of cognitive resources requested by the user for the correct execution of the proposed task. In fact, even if the task is accomplished achieving the maximum performance, by the standard training assessment methods, it would not be possible to gather and evaluate information about cognitive resources available for dealing with unexpected events or emergency conditions. Therefore, a metric based on the brain activity (neurometric) able to provide the Instructor such a kind of information should be very important. As a first step in this direction, the Electroencephalogram (EEG) and the performance of 10 participants were collected along a training period of 3 weeks, while learning the execution of a new task. Specific indexes have been estimated from the behavioral and EEG signal to objectively assess the users' training progress. Furthermore, we proposed a neurometric based on a machine learning algorithm to quantify the user's training level within each session by considering the level of task execution, and both the behavioral and cognitive stabilities between consecutive sessions. The results demonstrated that the proposed methodology and neurometric could quantify and track the users' progresses, and provide the Instructor information for a more objective evaluation and better tailoring of training programs. © 2017 Borghini, Aricò, Di Flumeri, Sciaraffa, Colosimo, Herrero, Bezerianos, Thakor and Babiloni

Hybrid Satellite-Terrestrial Communication Networks for the Maritime Internet of Things: Key Technologies, Opportunities, and Challenges

With the rapid development of marine activities, there has been an increasing number of maritime mobile terminals, as well as a growing demand for high-speed and ultra-reliable maritime communications to keep them connected. Traditionally, the maritime Internet of Things (IoT) is enabled by maritime satellites. However, satellites are seriously restricted by their high latency and relatively low data rate. As an alternative, shore & island-based base stations (BSs) can be built to extend the coverage of terrestrial networks using fourth-generation (4G), fifth-generation (5G), and beyond 5G services. Unmanned aerial vehicles can also be exploited to serve as aerial maritime BSs. Despite of all these approaches, there are still open issues for an efficient maritime communication network (MCN). For example, due to the complicated electromagnetic propagation environment, the limited geometrically available BS sites, and rigorous service demands from mission-critical applications, conventional communication and networking theories and methods should be tailored for maritime scenarios. Towards this end, we provide a survey on the demand for maritime communications, the state-of-the-art MCNs, and key technologies for enhancing transmission efficiency, extending network coverage, and provisioning maritime-specific services. Future challenges in developing an environment-aware, service-driven, and integrated satellite-air-ground MCN to be smart enough to utilize external auxiliary information, e.g., sea state and atmosphere conditions, are also discussed

Autonomic and brain morphological predictors of stress resilience

Stressful life events are an important cause of psychopathology. Humans exposed to aversive or stressful experiences show considerable inter-individual heterogeneity in their responses. However, the majority does not develop stress-related psychiatric disorders. The dynamic processes encompassing positive and functional adaptation in the face of significant adversity have been broadly defined as resilience. Traditionally, the assessment of resilience has been confined to self-report measures, both within the general community and putative high-risk populations. Although this approach has value, it is highly susceptible to subjective bias and may not capture the dynamic nature of resilience, as underlying construct. Recognizing the obvious benefits of more objective measures of resilience, research in the field has just started investigating the predictive value of several potential biological markers. This review provides an overview of theoretical views and empirical evidence suggesting that individual differences in heart rate variability (HRV), a surrogate index of resting cardiac vagal outflow, may underlie different levels of resilience toward the development of stress-related psychiatric disorders. Following this line of thought, recent studies describing associations between regional brain morphometric characteristics and resting state vagally-mediated HRV are summarized. Existing studies suggest that the structural morphology of the anterior cingulated cortex (ACC), particularly its cortical thickness, is implicated in the expression of individual differences in HRV. These findings are discussed in light of emerging structural neuroimaging research, linking morphological characteristics of the ACC to psychological traits ascribed to a high-resilient profile and abnormal structural integrity of the ACC to the psychophysiological expression of stress-related mental health consequences. We conclude that a multidisciplinary approach integrating brain structural imaging with HRV monitoring could offer novel perspectives about brain-body pathways in resilience and adaptation to psychological stres

Regulação Autonómica em Pacientes com Doença Arterial Aterosclerótica Intracraniana

(1) Introdução: Alguns estudos indicam que a doença arterial aterosclerótica intracraniana (ICAD) pode ser um fator de risco para demência vascular. No entanto, os mecanismos fisiopatológicos envolvidos neste processo são ainda pouco compreendidos. Foi posto em hipótese que o sistema nervoso autónomo poderá ter algum papel neste processo, uma vez que este sistema se encontra disfuncional em muitas doenças neurológicas. (2) Métodos: O sistema nervoso autónomo foi avaliado através de parâmetros relacionados com o barorreflexo, a variabilidade da frequência cardíaca e da tensão arterial em doentes com ICAD, controlos Saudáveis e controlos Hipertensos. Os resultados foram posteriormente comparados entre os 3 grupos. Os parâmetros autonómicos foram também correlacionados com o desempenho dos doentes com ICAD em testes cognitivos. (3) Resultados: o grupo ICAD mostrou uma menor atividade simpática em alguns testes autonómicos em comparação com os dois grupos controlo e uma menor atividade simpática correlacionou-se com um pior desempenho nos testes cognitivos. (4) Conclusão: Os achados deste estudo indicam que ICAD tende a estar associada a disfunção autonómica, particularmente a nível do ramo simpático, e que estas alterações podem possivelmente ser responsáveis pelas alterações cognitivas vasculares documentadas neste grupo de doentes.(1) Background: Intracranial arterial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) has been pointed by some studies as a contributor to vascular cognitive impairment. However, the pathophysiological mechanisms that play a part in the development of cognitive decline are not clearly understood. It was hypothesized that the autonomic nervous system could have a role in this matter, since it is frequently dysfunctional in neurological diseases. (2) Methods: Autonomic Nervous System was evaluated through parameters related to baroreflex, heart rate and blood pressure variability in ICAD patients, Healthy and Hypertensive Controls. The results were then compared between the 3 groups. The autonomic parameters were also correlated with performance in cognitive tests in ICAD patients. (3) Results: the ICAD group showed lower sympathetic activity in some autonomic tests when compared to both control groups and lower sympathetic activity correlated to a generally worse cognitive performance. (4) Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate that ICAD tends to be associated with autonomic dysfunction, especially at sympathetic level, and that these alterations might possibly be responsible for the vascular cognitive impairment reported in this group of patients

The role of heart rate on the associations between body composition and heart rate variability in children with overweight/obesity : the ActiveBrains project

Background: Heart rate variability (HRV) is negatively associated with body mass index and adiposity in several populations. However, less information is available about this association in children with overweight and obesity, especially severe/morbid obesity, taking into consideration the dependence of HRV on heart rate (HR). Objectives: (1) to examine associations between body composition measures and HRV, (2) to study differences in HRV between children with overweight and severe/morbid obesity; and (3) to test whether relationships and differences tested in objectives 1 and 2, respectively are explained by the dependency of HRV on HR. Methods: A total of 107 children with overweight/obesity (58% boys, 10.03 +/- 1.13 years) participated in this study. Body composition measures were evaluated by Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). HRV parameters were measured with Polar RS800CXR (R). Results: Body composition measures were negatively associated with HRV indicators of parasympathetic activity (beta values ranging from -0.207 to -0.307, all p 0.05). Conclusion: All associations between adiposity/obesity and HRV could be explained by HR, suggesting a key confounding role of HR in HRV studies in children with weight disturbances

Western Diet-Fed, Aortic-Banded Ossabaw Swine: A Preclinical Model of Cardio-Metabolic Heart Failure.

The development of new treatments for heart failure lack animal models that encompass the increasingly heterogeneous disease profile of this patient population. This report provides evidence supporting the hypothesis that Western Diet-fed, aortic-banded Ossabaw swine display an integrated physiological, morphological, and genetic phenotype evocative of cardio-metabolic heart failure. This new preclinical animal model displays a distinctive constellation of findings that are conceivably useful to extending the understanding of how pre-existing cardio-metabolic syndrome can contribute to developing HF

Neurophysiological and Behavioral Responses to Music Therapy in Vegetative and Minimally Conscious States

Assessment of awareness for those with disorders of consciousness is a challenging undertaking, due to the complex presentation of the population. Debate surrounds whether behavioral assessments provide greatest accuracy in diagnosis compared to neuro-imaging methods, and despite developments in both, misdiagnosis rates remain high. Music therapy may be effective in the assessment and rehabilitation with this population due to effects of musical stimuli on arousal, attention, and emotion, irrespective of verbal or motor deficits. However, an evidence base is lacking as to which procedures are most effective. To address this, a neurophysiological and behavioral study was undertaken comparing electroencephalogram (EEG), heart rate variability, respiration, and behavioral responses of 20 healthy subjects with 21 individuals in vegetative or minimally conscious states (VS or MCS). Subjects were presented with live preferred music and improvised music entrained to respiration (procedures typically used in music therapy), recordings of disliked music, white noise, and silence. ANOVA tests indicated a range of significant responses (p ? 0.05) across healthy subjects corresponding to arousal and attention in response to preferred music including concurrent increases in respiration rate with globally enhanced EEG power spectra responses (p = 0.05–0.0001) across frequency bandwidths. Whilst physiological responses were heterogeneous across patient cohorts, significant post hoc EEG amplitude increases for stimuli associated with preferred music were found for frontal midline theta in six VS and four MCS subjects, and frontal alpha in three VS and four MCS subjects (p = 0.05–0.0001). Furthermore, behavioral data showed a significantly increased blink rate for preferred music (p = 0.029) within the VS cohort. Two VS cases are presented with concurrent changes (p ? 0.05) across measures indicative of discriminatory responses to both music therapy procedures. A third MCS case study is presented highlighting how more sensitive selective attention may distinguish MCS from VS. The findings suggest that further investigation is warranted to explore the use of music therapy for prognostic indicators, and its potential to support neuroplasticity in rehabilitation programs

The Effectiveness of the Quick Coherence Technique using Heart Rate Variability-Biofeedback Technology on the Recovery of Heart Coherence among University Students

Literature has established the effectiveness of self-regulatory techniques using Heart Rate Variability (HRV)-Biofeedback Technology in improving individual’s heart coherence. The current study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Quick Coherence Technique, a self-regulatory technique, through the application of HRV-biofeedback technology on the level of heart coherence among university students. A total of 20 students of a technical public university participated in the study. The Quick Coherence Technique (QCT) and the emWave device and software of the HeartMath Institute were used to collect the data. According to the HRV power spectrum, the HRV data is divided under very low frequency (VLF), low frequency (LF), and high frequency (HF) frequency ranges. Based on the results, the use of HRV-biofeedback technology and the QCT had helped to increase the levels of HRV scores and heart coherence of the participants