Brain enhancement through cognitive training: A new insight from brain connectome

Owing to the recent advances in neurotechnology and the progress in understanding of brain cognitive functions, improvements of cognitive performance or acceleration of learning process with brain enhancement systems is not out of our reach anymore, on the contrary, it is a tangible target of contemporary research. Although a variety of approaches have been proposed, we will mainly focus on cognitive training interventions, in which learners repeatedly perform cognitive tasks to improve their cognitive abilities. In this review article, we propose that the learning process during the cognitive training can be facilitated by an assistive system monitoring cognitive workloads using electroencephalography (EEG) biomarkers, and the brain connectome approach can provide additional valuable biomarkers for facilitating leaners' learning processes. For the purpose, we will introduce studies on the cognitive training interventions, EEG biomarkers for cognitive workload, and human brain connectome. As cognitive overload and mental fatigue would reduce or even eliminate gains of cognitive training interventions, a real-time monitoring of cognitive workload can facilitate the learning process by flexibly adjusting difficulty levels of the training task. Moreover, cognitive training interventions should have effects on brain sub-networks, not on a single brain region, and graph theoretical network metrics quantifying topological architecture of the brain network can differentiate with respect to individual cognitive states as well as to different individuals' cognitive abilities, suggesting that the connectome is a valuable approach for tracking the learning progress. Although only a few studies have exploited the connectome approach for studying alterations of the brain network induced by cognitive training interventions so far, we believe that it would be a useful technique for capturing improvements of cognitive function

GPS analysis of a team competing at a national Under 18 field hockey tournament

The purpose of this study was to utilise global-positioning system (GPS) technology to quantify the running demands of national Under 18 field hockey players competing in a regional field hockey tournament. Ten male players (mean ± SD; age 17.2 ± 0.4 years; stature 178.1 ± 5.2 cm; body mass 78.8 ± 8.8 kg) wore GPS units while competing in six matches over seven days at the 2018 New Zealand national under 18 field hockey tournament. GPS enabled the measurement of total distance (TD), low-speed activity (LSA; 0 -14.9 km/hr), and high-speed running (HSR; ≥ 15 km/hr) distances. Differences in running demands (TD, LSA, HSR) between positions were assessed using effect size and percent difference ± 90% confidence intervals. Midfielders covered the most TD and LSA per game and strikers the most HSR during the 6 matches. There were “very large” differences between strikers and midfielders for TD and LSA, strikers and defenders for LSA and HSR, and defenders and midfielders for LSA. These results suggest that these playing positions are sufficiently different to warrant specialised position-specific conditioning training leading into a field hockey tournament

The effects of morning preconditioning protocols on testosterone, cortisol and afternoon sprint cycling performance [conference presentation]

Opportunities exist for athletes to undertake morning exercise protocols in an attempt to potentate afternoon performance. Four sub elite track sprint cyclists completed a morning cycling (Cyc) or weights-based protocol (WP) prior to an afternoon cycling time trial (500m) in a repeated measures, counterbalance crossover design. Measured variables included heart rate, blood lactate, cycling peak power, salivary testosterone (T) and cortisol levels along with time trial performance. Standardised differences in means via magnitude-based inferences were calculated using paired samples T-tests in SPSS version 24 with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. The WP produced significantly faster times in the final 250m in comparison to CycP. The anticipated circadian decline of T was observed after the CycP but was however mitigated following the WP. While slight decreases in 500m times were experienced during the WP, they were not significant and were considered within the normal variations experienced between performances by elite athletes. The effect of the WP on the circadian rhythm of T could be linked to a greater recruitment of muscle fibres. Results suggest a morning resistance protocol can positively affect testosterone levels for afternoon performance. Possible gender and individual responses from conducting a W over Cyc protocol were observed and require further investigation

Fall prevention strategy for an active orthotic system

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Engenharia Biomédica (especialização em Eletrónica Médica)Todos os anos, são reportadas cerca de 684,000 quedas fatais e 37.3 milhões de quedas não fatais que requerem atenção médica, afetando principalmente a população idosa. Assim, é necessário identificar eficientemente indivíduos com alto risco de queda, a partir da população alvo idosa, e prepará los para superar perturbações da marcha inesperadas. Uma estratégia de prevenção de queda capaz de eficientemente e atempadamente detetar e contrariar os eventos de perdas de equilíbrio (PDE) mais frequentes pode reduzir o risco de queda. Como slips foram identificados como a causa mais prevalente de quedas, estes eventos devem ser abordados como foco principal da estratégia. No entanto, há falta de estratégias de prevenção de quedas por slip. Esta dissertação tem como objetivo o design de uma estratégia de prevenção de quedas de slips baseada na conceção das etapas de atuação e deteção. A estratégia de atuação foi delineada com base na resposta biomecânica humana a slips, onde o joelho da perna perturbada (leading) apresenta um papel proeminente para contrariar LOBs induzidas por slips. Quando uma slip é detetada, a estratégia destaca uma ortótese de joelho que providencia um torque assisstivo para prevenir a queda. A estratégia de deteção considerou as propriedades atrativas dos controladores Central Pattern Generator (CPG) para prever parâmetros da marcha. Algoritmos baseados em threshold monitorizam o erro de previsão do CPG, que aumenta após uma perturbação inesperada na marcha, para a deteção de slips. O ângulo do joelho e a velocidade angular da canela foram selecionados como os parâmetros de monitorização da marcha. Um protocolo experimental concebido para provocar perturbações de slip a sujeitos humanos permitiu a recolha de dados destas variáveis para posteriormente validar o algoritmo de deteção de perturbações. Algoritmos CPG foram capazes de produzir aproximações aceitáveis dos sinais de marcha em estado estacionário do ângulo do joelho e da velocidade angular da canela com sucesso. Além disso, o algoritmo de threshold adaptativo detetou LOBs induzidas por slips eficientemente. A melhor performance global foi obtida usando este algoritmo para monitorizar o ângulo do joelho, que detetou quase 80% (78.261%) do total de perturbações com um tempo médio de deteção (TMD) de 250 ms. Além disso, uma média de 0.652 falsas perturbações foram detetadas por cada perturbação corretamente identificada. Estes resultados sugerem uma performance aceitável de deteção de perturbações do algoritmo, de acordo com os requisitos especificados para a deteção.Every year, an estimated 684,000 fatal falls and 37.3 million non-fatal falls requiring medical attention are reported, mostly affecting the older population. Thus, it is necessary to effectively screen high fall risk individuals from targeted elderly populations and prepare them to successfully overcome unexpected gait perturbations. A fall prevention strategy capable of effectively and timely detect and counteract the most frequent loss of balance (LOB) events may reduce the fall risk. Since slips were identified as the main contributors to falls, these events should be addressed as a main focus of the strategy. Nonetheless, there is a lack of slip-induced fall prevention strategies. This dissertation aims the design of a slip-related fall prevention strategy based on the conception of an actuation and a detection stage. The actuation strategy was delineated based on the human biomechanical reactions to slips, where the perturbed (leading) leg’s knee joint presents a prominent role to counteract slip-induced LOBs. Thereby, upon the detection of a slip, this strategy highlighted a knee orthotic device that provides an assistive torque to prevent the falls. The detection strategy considered the attractive properties of biological-inspired Central Pattern Generator (CPG) controllers to predict gait parameters. Threshold-based algorithms monitored the CPG’s prediction error produced, which increases upon an unexpected gait perturbation, to perform slip detection. The knee angle and shank angular velocity were selected as the monitoring gait parameters. An experimental protocol designed to provoke slip perturbations to human subjects allowed to collect data from these variables to further validate the perturbation detection algorithm. CPG algorithms were able to successfully produce acceptable estimations of the knee angle and shank angular velocity signals during steady-state walking. Furthermore, an adaptive threshold algorithm effectively detected slip-induced LOBs. The best overall performance was obtained using this algorithm to monitor the knee angle from the perturbed leg, which detected almost 80% (78.261%) of the total perturbations with a mean detection time (MDT) of 250 ms. In addition, a mean of 0.652 false perturbations were detected for each correct perturbation identified. These results suggest an acceptable perturbation detection performance of the algorithm implemented in light of the detection requirements specified

Gender adaptive capacity to climate variability and change in pastoral communities : case study of Turkana in North-western Kenya.

Doctor of Philosophy in Food Security. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2017.Recurrent droughts due to climate change have led to the vulnerability of the pastoralist communities, leading to loss of assets and food insecurity. Climate change will have different impacts on women and men’s livelihoods. This specific study examined the relationships between gender and adaptive capacity to climate variability among pastoral communities in Turkana in north-western Kenya. This study used triangulation method which includes: the quantitative household survey data, focus group discussions (FGDs), a literature review of secondary data sources and key informant interviews (KIIs). Data was then analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Focus group discussions and key informant interviews were carried out to obtain qualitative data. This survey adopted stratified random sampling. The unit of analysis was the individual household. The target respondents of the closed/structured survey questionnaires were based on gender (either a female-headed household or male-headed household). The total sample size used in this study was 379 households. Findings from this study revealed that all respondents surveyed have witnessed a change in weather in the last 10 years. The study indicated that vulnerability to climate change is influenced by gender with elderly women being the most vulnerable in the area. The study revealed that participating in decision making and access to basic services were the most important in influencing the resilience of pastoralists.Error messages found in List of Tables and List of Figure

HAPPINESS OVER SPACE AND TIME

Hedonic theory assumes that changes in land prices and wage rates eliminate the utility advantages of differing locations. Using happiness data from the German socio-economic panel this paper empirically tests whether regional utility differences exist and if so whether utility levels show any tendency to converge over time. Empirical analysis reveals substantial differences in utility over different regions of Germany. Analysing a panel of data indicates that even if individual utility levels are at any one moment in disequilibrium they are rapidly converging over Germany for all types of individuals.amenity value, Happiness

The Adaptive Thermal Comfort Review from the 1920s, the Present, and the Future

The typical method for comfort analysis is the Predicted Mean Vote and Predicted Percentage Dissatisfied (PMV-PPD). However, they present limitations in accommodating the comfort of a disabled and elder group of people, which are the most vulnerable to climate change and energy poverty. The adaptive method can give flexibility and personalisation needed to overcome the problem due to the variability of the people's metabolism, historical and behavioural preferences. Investments to upgrade the indoor environmental quality and building design can then be effectively used and, for the first time, it will be possible to tailor the solutions for these particular groups of people. The adaptive approach uses Artificial Intelligence (AI), where it can introduce the imperfect learning process. Overcoming this, instead of going further for the Explainable AI, the PMV–PPD approach can be used for the learning validation and verification needed for the adaptive setting point and standards