Quantifying Quality of Life

Describes technological methods and tools for objective and quantitative assessment of QoL Appraises technology-enabled methods for incorporating QoL measurements in medicine Highlights the success factors for adoption and scaling of technology-enabled methods This open access book presents the rise of technology-enabled methods and tools for objective, quantitative assessment of Quality of Life (QoL), while following the WHOQOL model. It is an in-depth resource describing and examining state-of-the-art, minimally obtrusive, ubiquitous technologies. Highlighting the required factors for adoption and scaling of technology-enabled methods and tools for QoL assessment, it also describes how these technologies can be leveraged for behavior change, disease prevention, health management and long-term QoL enhancement in populations at large. Quantifying Quality of Life: Incorporating Daily Life into Medicine fills a gap in the field of QoL by providing assessment methods, techniques and tools. These assessments differ from the current methods that are now mostly infrequent, subjective, qualitative, memory-based, context-poor and sparse. Therefore, it is an ideal resource for physicians, physicians in training, software and hardware developers, computer scientists, data scientists, behavioural scientists, entrepreneurs, healthcare leaders and administrators who are seeking an up-to-date resource on this subject

Work Capability and physiological effects predictive studies. 4: In He-O2 excursions to pressures of 400- 800- 1200- and 1600 feet of sea water

Experiments which exposed men in chambers, breathing helium with oxygen, to progressive increases of pressure equivalent to 400-800-1200-1600 feet of sea water (fsw) were conducted. Rates of compression and exposure to stable high pressure. Goals included: 1) determination of the specific character and time course of onset of physiological and performance decrements during the intentionally rapid compressions, and determination of rates of adaptation on reaching stable elevated pressure; 2) investigation of accelerated methods for decompression in deep saturation excursion diving; and 3) determination of competence in practical work performed in water at pressures equivalent to the extreme diving depths of 1200 and 1600 fsw

Quantifying Quality of Life

Describes technological methods and tools for objective and quantitative assessment of QoL Appraises technology-enabled methods for incorporating QoL measurements in medicine Highlights the success factors for adoption and scaling of technology-enabled methods This open access book presents the rise of technology-enabled methods and tools for objective, quantitative assessment of Quality of Life (QoL), while following the WHOQOL model. It is an in-depth resource describing and examining state-of-the-art, minimally obtrusive, ubiquitous technologies. Highlighting the required factors for adoption and scaling of technology-enabled methods and tools for QoL assessment, it also describes how these technologies can be leveraged for behavior change, disease prevention, health management and long-term QoL enhancement in populations at large. Quantifying Quality of Life: Incorporating Daily Life into Medicine fills a gap in the field of QoL by providing assessment methods, techniques and tools. These assessments differ from the current methods that are now mostly infrequent, subjective, qualitative, memory-based, context-poor and sparse. Therefore, it is an ideal resource for physicians, physicians in training, software and hardware developers, computer scientists, data scientists, behavioural scientists, entrepreneurs, healthcare leaders and administrators who are seeking an up-to-date resource on this subject

Diagnosis of the sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome : a comprehensive approach through an intelligent system to support medical decision

[Abstract] This doctoral thesis carries out the development of an intelligent system to support medical decision in the diagnosis of the Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea Syndrome (SAHS). SAHS is the most common disorder within those affecting sleep. The estimates of the disease prevalence range from 3% to 7%. Diagnosis of SAHS requires of a polysomnographic test (PSG) to be done in the Sleep Unit of a medical center. Manual scoring of the resulting recording entails too much effort and time to the medical specialists and as a consequence it implies a high economic cost. In the developed system, automatic analysis of the PSG is accomplished which follows a comprehensive perspective. Firstly an analysis of the neurophysiological signals related to the sleep function is carried out in order to obtain the hypnogram. Then, an analysis is performed over the respiratory signals which have to be subsequently interpreted in the context of the remaining signals included in the PSG. In order to carry out such a task, the developed system is supported by the use of artificial intelligence techniques, specially focusing on the use of reasoning mechanisms capable of handling data imprecision. Ultimately, it is the aim of the proposed system to improve the diagnostic procedure and help physicians in the diagnosis of SAHS.[Resumen] Esta tesis aborda el desarrollo de un sistema inteligente de apoyo a la decisión clínica para el diagnóstico del Síndrome de Apneas-Hipopneas del Sueño (SAHS). El SAHS es el trastorno más común de aquellos que afectan al sueño. Afecta a un rango del 3% al 7% de la población con consecuencias severas sobre la salud. El diagnóstico requiere la realización de un análisis polisomnográfico (PSG) en una Unidad del Sueño de un centro hospitalario. El análisis manual de dicha prueba resulta muy costoso en tiempo y esfuerzo para el médico especialista, y como consecuencia en un elevado coste económico. El sistema desarrollado lleva a cabo el análisis automático del PSG desde una perspectiva integral. A tal efecto, primero se realiza un análisis de las señales neurofisiológicas vinculadas al sueño para obtener el hipnograma, y seguidamente, se lleva a cabo un análisis neumológico de las señales respiratorias interpretándolas en el contexto que marcan las demás señales del PSG. Para lleva a cabo dicha tarea el sistema se apoya en el uso de distintas técnicas de inteligencia artificial, con especial atención al uso mecanismos de razonamiento con soporte a la imprecisión. El principal objetivo del sistema propuesto es la mejora del procedimiento diagnóstico y ayudar a los médicos en diagnóstico del SAHS.[Resumo] Esta tese aborda o desenvolvemento dun sistema intelixente de apoio á decisión clínica para o diagnóstico do Síndrome de Apneas-Hipopneas do Sono (SAHS). O SAHS é o trastorno máis común daqueles que afectan ao sono. Afecta a un rango do 3% ao 7% da poboación con consecuencias severas sobre a saúde. O diagnóstico pasa pola realización dunha análise polisomnográfica (PSG) nunha Unidade do Sono dun centro hospitalario. A análise manual da devandita proba resulta moi custosa en tempo e esforzo para o médico especialista, e como consecuencia nun elevado custo económico. O sistema desenvolvido leva a cabo a análise automática do PSG dende unha perspectiva integral. A tal efecto, primeiro realizase unha análise dos sinais neurofisiolóxicos vinculados ao sono para obter o hipnograma, e seguidamente, lévase a cabo unha análise neumolóxica dos sinais respiratorios interpretándoos no contexto que marcan os demais sinais do PSG. Para leva a cabo esta tarefa o sistema apoiarase no uso de distintas técnicas de intelixencia artificial, con especial atención a mecanismos de razoamento con soporte para a imprecisión. O principal obxectivo do sistema proposto é a mellora do procedemento diagnóstico e axudar aos médicos no diagnóstico do SAHS

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Incidence of Injury in Professional Female Soccer

The epidemiology of injury in male professional football is well documented and has been used as a basis to monitor injury trends and implement injury prevention strategies. There are no systematic reviews that have investigated injury incidence in women’s professional football. Therefore, the extent of injury burden in women’s professional football remains unknown. PURPOSE: The primary aim of this study was to calculate an overall incidence rate of injury in senior female professional soccer. The secondary aims were to provide an incidence rate for training and match play. METHODS: PubMed, Discover, EBSCO, Embase and ScienceDirect electronic databases were searched from inception to September 2018. Two reviewers independently assessed study quality using the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology statement using a 22-item STROBE checklist. Seven prospective studies (n=1137 professional players) were combined in a pooled analysis of injury incidence using a mixed effects model. Heterogeneity was evaluated using the Cochrane Q statistic and I2. RESULTS: The epidemiological incidence proportion over one season was 0.62 (95% CI 0.59 - 0.64). Mean total incidence of injury was 3.15 (95% CI 1.54 - 4.75) injuries per 1000 hours. The mean incidence of injury during match play was 10.72 (95% CI 9.11 - 12.33) and during training was 2.21 (95% CI 0.96 - 3.45). Data analysis found a significant level of heterogeneity (total Incidence, X2 = 16.57 P < 0.05; I2 = 63.8%) and during subsequent sub group analyses in those studies reviewed (match incidence, X2 = 76.4 (d.f. = 7), P <0.05; I2 = 90.8%, training incidence, X2 = 16.97 (d.f. = 7), P < 0.05; I2 = 58.8%). Appraisal of the study methodologies revealed inconsistency in the use of injury terminology, data collection procedures and calculation of exposure by researchers. Such inconsistencies likely contribute to the large variance in the incidence and prevalence of injury reported. CONCLUSIONS: The estimated risk of sustaining at least one injury over one football season is 62%. Continued reporting of heterogeneous results in population samples limits meaningful comparison of studies. Standardising the criteria used to attribute injury and activity coupled with more accurate methods of calculating exposure will overcome such limitations

Aerospace Medicine and Biology. an Annotated Bibliography. 1958-1961 Literature, Volumes VII-X, Part 2

Abstracts on aerospace medicine and biology - bibliography on environmental factors, safety and survival, personnel, pharmacology, toxicology, and life support system