A simulator to support machine learning-based wearable fall detection systems

People’s life expectancy is increasing, resulting in a growing elderly population. That population is subject to dependency issues, falls being a problematic one due to the associated health complications. Some projects are trying to enhance the independence of elderly people by monitoring their status, typically by means of wearable devices. These devices often feature Machine Learning (ML) algorithms for fall detection using accelerometers. However, the software deployed often lacks reliable data for the models’ training. To overcome such an issue, we have developed a publicly available fall simulator capable of recreating accelerometer fall samples of two of the most common types of falls: syncope and forward. Those simulated samples are like real falls recorded using real accelerometers in order to use them later as input for ML applications. To validate our approach, we have used different classifiers over both simulated falls and data from two public datasets based on real data. Our tests show that the fall simulator achieves a high accuracy for generating accelerometer data from a fall, allowing to create larger datasets for training fall detection software in wearable devices.Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La ManchaComunidad de MadridMinisterio de Ciencia e Innovació

The immunomodulatory function of vitamin D, with particular reference to SARS-CoV-2

Producción CientíficaVaccines are the only way to reduce the morbidity associated to SARS-CoV-2 infection. The appearance of new mutations urges us to increase the effectiveness of vaccines as a complementary alternative. In this context, the use of adjuvant strategies has improved the effectiveness of different vaccines against virus infections such as dengue, influenza, and common cold. Recent reports on patients infected by COVID-19 reveal that low levels of circulating vitamin D correlate with a severe respiratory insufficiency. The immunomodulatory activity of this micronutrient attenuates the synthesis of pro-inflammatory cytokines and at the same time, increases antibody production. Therefore, the present review proposes the use of vitamin D as adjuvant micronutrient to increase the efficacy of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 infection

Effectiveness of a Computerized Home-Based Cognitive Stimulation Program for Treating Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment

Cancer patients assert that after chemotherapy their cognitive abilities have deteriorated. Cognitive stimulation is the clinical treatment of choice for reversing cognitive decline. The current study describes a computerized home-based cognitive stimulation program in patients who survived breast cancer. It aims to assess safety and effectiveness of cognitive stimulation in the oncology population. A series of 45-min training sessions was completed by the participants. A thorough assessment was performed both before and after the intervention. The mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale, the Cognitive Assessment for Chemo Fog Research, and the Functionality Assessment Instrument in Cancer Treatment–Cognitive Function served as the main assessment tools. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, Brief Fatigue Inventory, and Measuring Quality of Life–The World Health Organization data were gathered as secondary outcomes. Homebased cognitive stimulation demonstrated beneficial effects in the oncology population, with no side effects being reported. Cognitive, physical, and emotional improvements were observed, along with decreased interference in daily life activities and a better overall quality of life

L-Arginine and beetroot extract supplementation in the prevention of sarcopenia

Producción CientíficaAging is associated with a significant decline in neuromuscular function, leading to a reduction in muscle mass and strength. The aim of the present report was to evaluate the effect of supplementation with nitric oxide precursors (l-arginine and beetroot extract) in muscular function during a training period of 6 weeks in elderly men and women. The study (double-blind, placebo-controlled) involved 66 subjects randomly divided into three groups: placebo, arginine-supplemented and beetroot extract-supplemented. At the end of this period, no changes in anthropometric parameters were observed. Regarding other circulating parameters, urea levels were significantly (p < 0.05) lower in women of the beetroot-supplemented group (31.6 ± 5.9 mg/dL) compared to placebo (41.3 ± 8.5 mg/dL) after 6 weeks of training. In addition, the circulating creatine kinase activity, as an index of muscle functionality, was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in women of the arginine- (214.1 ± 162.2 mIU/L) compared to the beetroot-supplemented group (84.4 ± 36.8 mIU/L) at the end of intervention. No significant effects were noticed with l-arginine or beetroot extract supplementation regarding strength, endurance and SPPB index. Only beetroot extract supplementation improved physical fitness significantly (p < 0.05) in the sprint exercise in men after 6 weeks (2.33 ± 0.59 s) compared to the baseline (2.72 ± 0.41 s). In conclusion, beetroot seems to be more efficient during short-term training while supplementing, preserving muscle functionality in women (decreased levels of circulating creatine kinase) and with modest effects in men.Caja Rural de Soria e Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de Alicante (ISABIAL) - (Grant 190290

Relationship between strength and professional quality of life of nurses working hospital emergency departments

Producción CientíficaOptimal quality of professional life can allow coping with stressful situations and avoiding fatigue. This is instrumental in jobs undergoing very demanding situations, such as nurses working in Emergency Departments. In this study, we investigated the relationship between functional and physiological indicators and the quality of professional life in nurses of Emergency Departments of two public hospitals. Fifty-nine professionals participated in the study. Cortisol (an indicator of stress) and post-test lactate (an indicator of fatigue) were analyzed in saliva and in the blood, respectively, at the beginning and at the end of the morning shift. The CVP-35 survey (Spanish version of the QPL-35 questionnaire) was used to assess the quality of professional life. Post-dynamometry circulating lactate levels increased significantly; meanwhile, salivary cortisol decreased in participants at the end of the working shift. Regarding dynamometry, no significant changes were observed. CVP-35/QPL-35 scores did not show significant changes in participants from both hospitals in all dimensions analyzed. In conclusion, nurses participating in the study displayed adaptation to stress accompanied by an acceptable level of professional quality of life. However, certain fatigue appears at the end of the working day. Altogether, results suggest that a better organization must be implemented at work, improving ergonomic, safe, and healthy conditions

Effects of vitamin D in post-exercise muscle recovery. A systematic review and meta-analysis

Producción CientíficaVitamin D is a key micronutrient modulating function and health in skeletal muscle. Therefore, we sought to systematically review the role of vitamin D in muscle recovery. A search in different databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, WOS, Google Scholar, and Scopus) was carried out following PRISMA® and PICOS. The search period was from inception to April 2020. Changes in post-exercise muscle damage were quantified comparing experimental group vs. placebo in each study by using number of participants, standardized mean difference (SMD), and standard error of the SMD. Hedges’s g was used to calculate the SMDs for each study group and biased by the inverse of variance that allows calculating an overall effect and the 95% confidence interval (CI). The net vitamin D supplementation effect was calculated by subtracting the placebo SMD from SMD of the experimental group. The DerSimonian and Laird method was used as a random effect model, taking into account that the effect of vitamin D on muscular damage may vary according to the dose administered and additional moderators. Six studies were selected. In conclusion, regarding circulating levels of muscle biomarkers and additional limitations of the studies, it cannot be concluded that vitamin D supplementation exerts an effect in post-exercise muscle recovery. Likely, the anti-inflammatory action of vitamin D is quicker than the recovery of tissue structure and function. This aspect is pending verification in future research.Instituto de Salud Carlos III - Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (CB12/03/30038

L-citrulline supplementation and exercise in the management of sarcopenia

Producción CientíficaSarcopenia is a process associated to aging. Persistent inflammation and oxidative stress in muscle favour muscle wasting and decreased ability to perform physical activity. Controlled exercise can optimize blood flux and moderate the production of reactive oxygen species. Therefore, supplements that can work as a vasodilators and control oxidative stress, might be beneficial for active elders. In this context, we have tested citrulline supplementation in a group of 44 participants aged from 60–73 years that followed a physical activity program adapted to their age and capacities. Volunteers were divided in two groups: placebo (n = 22) and citrullline supplemented (n = 22). Different physical tests and blood extractions were performed at the beginning and at the end of intervention (six weeks). Strength and endurance showed a tendency to increase in the citrulline supplemented group, with no significant differences respect to placebo. However, walking speed in the citrulline supplemented group improved significantly compared to placebo. Markers of muscle damage as well as circulating levels of testosterone, cortisol and vitamin D showed no significant changes, but a tendency to improve at the end of intervention in the supplemented group compared to placebo. Additional studies are necessary to confirm the effect of citrulline supplementation in sarcopenia delay.Caja Rural de Soria - Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de Alicante (grant number 190290

IntroVerse: a comprehensive database of introns across human tissues

Dysregulation of RNA splicing contributes to both rare and complex diseases. RNA-sequencing data from human tissues has shown that this process can be inaccurate, resulting in the presence of novel introns detected at low frequency across samples and within an individual. To enable the full spectrum of intron use to be explored, we have developed IntroVerse, which offers an extensive catalogue on the splicing of 332,571 annotated introns and a linked set of 4,679,474 novel junctions covering 32,669 different genes. This dataset has been generated through the analysis of 17,510 human control RNA samples from 54 tissues provided by the Genotype-Tissue Expression Consortium. IntroVerse has two unique features: (i) it provides a complete catalogue of novel junctions and (ii) each novel junction has been assigned to a specific annotated intron. This unique, hierarchical structure offers multiple uses, including the identification of novel transcripts from known genes and their tissue-specific usage, and the assessment of background splicing noise for introns thought to be mis-spliced in disease states. IntroVerse provides a user-friendly web interface and is freely available at https://rytenlab.com/browser/app/introverse

Breast Milk Lipidome Is Associated With Maternal Diet and Infants' Growth

Objectives: The fatty acid (FA) composition of breast milk is a relevant aspect related to the development of the lactating infant. The present study aimed at exploring correlations between dietary intake of macro- and micronutrients with the FA profile in breast milk, and the possible implication for infants' growth.Study Design: Breast milk samples from a cohort of lactating women were collected 7-15 days postpartum. The FA profiles in triacylglycerol (TAG) and phospholipid (PL)rich fractions were analyzed by gas chromatography. Diet was registered during the third trimester of pregnancy by means of a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). In addition, anthropometric measurements of infants were collected from gestation and up to 12 months postpartum.Results: The FA profile in breast milk was characterized by a median of 37.4, 41.3 and 16.8% of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated FAs, respectively. From the dietary components, zinc, iron, and B group vitamins were correlated positively with the proportion of total n-3 FAs in TAG and C20:5 n-3 in PL. Lycopene, vitamin E, zinc, and vitamin B2 showed a similar correlation with total polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), total n-6 FAs, C20:4 n-6, and C18:2 n-6 in TAG. Regarding food groups, nuts showed the strongest association with several PUFA both in TAG and PL, while the vegetable group was also positively associated with C18:3 n-3. Furthermore, the concentration of linolenic acid (C18:3 n-3) and palmitic acid (C16:0) were positively associated with increased length for age (LFA) and weight for age (WFA) at 12 months compared with birth [ALFA -0.16 (-0.85, 0.37); AWFA -0.26 (-0.77, 0.21)].Conclusions: Mothers' intake of nuts, dietary sources of zinc, iron, and B group vitamins were identified as potential predictors of a high-unsaturated FA profile in breast milk. In addition, linolenic and palmitic acids in breast milk were positively associated with infants' growth in the first year of life.</p

The new multi-frequency instrument (MFI2) for the QUIJOTE facility in Tenerife

The QUIJOTE (Q-U-I joint Tenerife) experiment combines the operation of two radio-telescopes and three instruments working in the microwave bands 10?20 GHz, 26-36 GHz and 35-47 GHz at the Teide Observatory, Tenerife, and has already been presented in previous SPIE meetings (Hoyland, R. J. et al, 2012; Rubiño-Martín et al., 2012). The Cosmology group at the IAC have designed a new upgrade to the MFI instrument in the band 10-20 GHz. The aim of the QUIJOTE telescopes is to characterise the polarised emission of the cosmic microwave background (CMB), as well as galactic and extra-galactic sources, at medium and large angular scales. This MFI2 will continue the survey at even higher sensitivity levels. The MFI2 project led by the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) consists of five polarimeters, three of them operating in the sub-band 10?15 GHz, and two in the sub-band 15-20 GHz. The MFI2 instrument is expected to be a full two-three times more sensitive than the former MFI. The microwave complex correlator design has been replaced by a simple correlator design with a digital back-end based on the latest Xilinx FPGAs (ZCU111). During the first half of 2019 the manufacture of the new cryostat was completed and since then the opto-mechanical components have been designed and manufactured. It is expected that the cryogenic front-end will be completed by the end of 2022 along with the FPGA acquisition and observing system. This digital system has been employed to be more robust against stray ground-based and satellite interference, having a frequency resolution of 1 MHz.The MFI2 instrument is being developed by the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias (IAC), with an instrumental participation from the Universidad Politecnica de Cartagena (UPCT). Partial financial support is provided by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN), under the projects AYA2017-84185-P, IACA15-BE-3707, EQC2018-004918-P and the FEDER Agreement INSIDE-OOCC (ICTS-2019-03-IAC-12). We also acknowledge financial support of the Severo Ochoa Programs SEV-2015-0548 and CEX2019-000920-S