Benefits of a dance group intervention on institutionalized elder people: A Bayesian network approach

The present study aims to explore the effects of an adapted classical dance intervention on the psychological and functional status of institutionalized elder people using a Bayesian network. All participants were assessed at baseline and after the 9 weeks period of the intervention. Measures included balance and gait, psychological well-being, depression, and emotional distress. According to the Bayesian network obtained, the dance intervention increased the likelihood of presenting better psychological well-being, balance, and gait. Besides, it also decreased the probabilities of presenting emotional distress and depression. These findings demonstrate that dancing has functional and psychological benefits for institutionalized elder people. Moreover it highlights the importance of promoting serious leisure variety in the daily living of institutionalized elder adults

Highly tempering infinite matrices

[EN] In this short note, it is proved the existence of infinite matrices that not only preserve convergence and limits of sequences but also convert every member of some dense vector space consisting, except for zero, of divergent sequences, into a convergent sequence.The first author has been supported by the Plan Andaluz de Investigacion de la Junta de Andalucia FQM-127 Grant P08-FQM-03543 and by MEC Grant MTM2015-65242-C2-1-P. The second and third authors have been supported by MEC, Grant MTM2016-75963-P. The fourth author has been supported by Grant MTM2015-65825-P.Bernal-González, L.; Conejero, JA.; Murillo Arcila, M.; Seoane-Sepúlveda, J. (2018). Highly tempering infinite matrices. Revista de la Real Academia de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales Serie A Matemáticas. 112(2):341-345. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13398-017-0385-8S3413451122Aizpuru, A., Pérez-Eslava, C., Seoane-Sepúlveda, J.B.: Linear structure of sets of divergent sequences and series. Linear Algebra Appl. 418(2–3), 595–598 (2006)Aron, R.M., Bernal-González, L., Pellegrino, D., Seoane-Sepúlveda, J.B.: Lineability: The Search for Linearity in Mathematics. Monographs and Research Notes in Mathematics. Chapman & Hall/CRC, Boca Raton, FL (2016)Aron, R.M., Gurariy, V.I., Seoane-Sepúlveda, J.B.: Lineability and spaceability of sets of functions on $${\mathbb{R}}$$ R . Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 133(3), 795–803 (2005)Bernal-González, L., Pellegrino, D., Seoane-Sepúlveda, J.B.: Linear subsets of nonlinear sets in topological vector spaces. Bull. Am. Math. Soc. (N.S.) 51(1), 71–130 (2014). doi: 10.1090/S0273-0979-2013-01421-6Gámez-Merino, J.L., Seoane-Sepúlveda, J.B.: An undecidable case of lineability in $${\mathbb{R}}^{\mathbb{R}}$$ R R . J. Math. Anal. Appl. 401(2), 959–962 (2013)Gelbaum, B.R., Olmsted, J.M.H.: Counterexamples in Analysis. Dover Publications Inc., Mineola, NY (2003)Horváth, J.: Topological Vector Spaces and Distributions, vol. I. Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA (1966)Peyerimhoff, A.: Lectures on Summability. Lecture Notes in Mathematics. Springer, Berlin (1970)Kuratowski, K., Mostowski, A.: Set Theory. North Holland, Amsterdam (1976)Wilansky, A.: Summability Through Functional Analysis. North-Holland, Amsterdam (1984

Nonlinear resonance reflection from and transmission through a dense glassy system built up of oriented linear Frenkel chains: two-level models

A theoretical study of the resonance optical response of assemblies of oriented short (as compared to an optical wavelength) linear Frenkel chains is carried out using a two-level model. We show that both transmittivity and reflectivity of the film may behave in a bistable fashion and analyze how the effects found depend on the film thickness and on the inhomogeneous width of the exciton optical transition.Comment: 26 pages, 9 figure

A Surface Electromyogram Evaluation of the Postural Freedom Effects in Laparoscopic Surgery

[EN] It has been demonstrated that laparoscopic procedures benefit patients in terms of recovery time, exposure to infections and trauma. Nevertheless, it increases the number of problems for the surgeons, including the frequency and duration of awkward postures for surgeons. The repetition of these movements is considered the main cause for musculoskeletal disorders in surgeons' upper limbs. The goal of this study is to evaluate the muscular activity and muscular fatigue effect produced by both, a conventional instrument and an instrument provided with the Postural Freedom (PF) feature; which consists in a ball socket articulation that allows a variable handle-to-shaft angle, on a conventional laparoscopic pistol-grip handle. Seventeen participants were evaluated during a static simulation using both instruments. Surface electromyography was used to compare the instruments in terms of muscular activity in each target position and muscular fatigue produced in the muscles trapezius, deltoids, biceps, and flexor carpi radialis. Trapezius and deltoids were the muscles most affected. Entrance and exit targets and targets facing the participants showed the higher muscular activity values. The PF prototype reduced muscular activity in all the muscles and in the majority of the target positions showing a reduction greater than 70% of the activity required by the trapezius and deltoid muscles in comparison to the conventional tool. Muscular fatigue was produced by both instruments but it presented lower frequency values with PF prototype. The results indicated that the use of conventional instruments impacts negatively on muscular activity during laparoscopic procedures, in terms of positions adopted. The PF feature in laparoscopic instrumentation reduced the muscular activity and also decreased the signals of muscular fatigue in the muscles evaluated in comparison with the conventional tool.Pace-Bedetti, HM.; Martínez-De-Juan, JL.; Conejero Rodilla, A.; Prats-Boluda, G. (2019). A Surface Electromyogram Evaluation of the Postural Freedom Effects in Laparoscopic Surgery. IEEE. 3143-3146. https://doi.org/10.1109/EMBC.2019.88579193143314

The effect of postural freedom to increase the neutral positions during laparoscopic surgery

[EN] Laparoscopic technique has demonstrated numerous advantages compared to open conventional surgery. Nevertheless, this procedure increases the surgeons fatigue and thus, the potential to commit errors that may harm the patient during the operation. The post-surgery pain is also augmented because the surgeons are forced to adopt non-neutral postures during the practice. This study reveals how a postural freedom element could help surgeons to improve the postural hygiene. During this study, thirteen participants with and without previous experience in laparoscopic surgery performed a test with two instruments: a prototype that implement this postural freedom concept and a conventional fixed instrument. The results obtained indicate that the postural freedom element allows the participants to maintain neutral positions during greatest part of the experiment and suggest that the implementation of an articulated element could increases the neutral positions adopted during a real laparoscopic procedure. The use of the postural freedom concept allowed to the participants to reduce the awkward positions during upper limb motions and to reduce displacements, avoiding extreme abductions that are common with the conventional fixed instruments.Pace-Bedetti, HM.; Dolz, JF.; Martínez-De-Juan, JL.; Conejero Rodilla, A. (2019). The effect of postural freedom to increase the neutral positions during laparoscopic surgery. International Journal on Interactive Design and Manufacturing (IJIDeM). 13(2):627-631. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12008-018-00527-6S62763113

Generation of ultra-short light pulses by a rapidly ionizing thin foil

A thin and dense plasma layer is created when a sufficiently strong laser pulse impinges on a solid target. The nonlinearity introduced by the time-dependent electron density leads to the generation of harmonics. The pulse duration of the harmonic radiation is related to the risetime of the electron density and thus can be affected by the shape of the incident pulse and its peak field strength. Results are presented from numerical particle-in-cell-simulations of an intense laser pulse interacting with a thin foil target. An analytical model which shows how the harmonics are created is introduced. The proposed scheme might be a promising way towards the generation of attosecond pulses. PACS number(s): 52.40.Nk, 52.50.Jm, 52.65.RrComment: Second Revised Version, 13 pages (REVTeX), 3 figures in ps-format, submitted for publication to Physical Review E, WWW: http://www.physik.tu-darmstadt.de/tqe

Positron emission tomography of the airway distribution of intranasal challenge solutions

Abstract of: Scientific Sessions: 2007 AAAAI Annual Meeting, February 23-27, San Diego, CAIntranasal administration is one of the main routes of allergen challenge in mouse models of airway disease. Although it is widely used, it is not well established the amount of allergen that reaches the lung or is lost to the gastrointestinal tract. The local distribution of the challenge solution within the airways is also unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the distribution immediately after intranasal delivery using a Positron Emission Tomography scanner (PET)FIS 01/0598 and Foundation SEAICPublicad

Influencia de la temperatura sobre las curvas de calibración en IRMA de IGF I. Interpretación mediante dos modelos no excluyentes

The influence of temperature on the calibration graphs used in the analytical determination of IGF I by IRMA has been studied. The results were analyzed using the equation of the four parameters and a modification of the isotherm BET. Such equations correspond, respectively, to the models of interaction ligand (antigen) - receiver (antibody) and adsorption antigen on the wall of the tube coated antibody. The adjustments to both equations are satisfactory with some advantages for the adsorption model that make it preferable in the interpretation of results. It also determine thermodynamic parameters for the immunocomplex dissociation.Key Words: Four parameters equation, B.E.T. isotherm. Antigen-antibody reaction.Se estudia la influencia de la temperatura sobre las gráficas de calibración utilizadas en la determinación analítica de IGF I mediante IRMA. Los resultados se analizan mediante la ecuación de los cuatro parámetros y una modificación de la isoterma B.E.T. Tales ecuaciones corresponden, respectivamente, a los modelos de interacción ligando (antígeno) – receptor (anticuerpo) y adsorción del antígeno sobre la pared del tubo recubierta de anticuerpo. Los ajustes a ambas ecuaciones son satisfactorios con algunas ventajas para el modelo de adsorción que lo hacen preferible en cuanto a la interpretación de los resultados. Se determinan también los parámetros termodinámicos para la disociación del inmunocomplejo.Palabras clave: Ecuación cuatro parámetros, Isoterma B.E.T. Reacción antígeno-anticuerpo