kPCA-Based Parametric Solutions Within the PGD Framework

Parametric solutions make possible fast and reliable real-time simulations which, in turn allow real time optimization, simulation-based control and uncertainty propagation. This opens unprecedented possibilities for robust and efficient design and real-time decision making. The construction of such parametric solutions was addressed in our former works in the context of models whose parameters were easily identified and known in advance. In this work we address more complex scenarios in which the parameters do not appear explicitly in the model—complex microstructures, for instance. In these circumstances the parametric model solution requires combining a technique to find the relevant model parameters and a solution procedure able to cope with high-dimensional models, avoiding the well-known curse of dimensionality. In this work, kPCA (kernel Principal Component Analysis) is used for extracting the hidden model parameters, whereas the PGD (Proper Generalized Decomposition) is used for calculating the resulting parametric solution

Custom IMU-Based Wearable System for Robust 2.4 GHz Wireless Human Body Parts Orientation Tracking and 3D Movement Visualization on an Avatar

Recent studies confirm the applicability of Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU)-based systems for human motion analysis. Notwithstanding, high-end IMU-based commercial solutions are yet too expensive and complex to democratize their use among a wide range of potential users. Less featured entry-level commercial solutions are being introduced in the market, trying to fill this gap, but still present some limitations that need to be overcome. At the same time, there is a growing number of scientific papers using not commercial, but custom do-it-yourself IMU-based systems in medical and sports applications. Even though these solutions can help to popularize the use of this technology, they have more limited features and the description on how to design and build them from scratch is yet too scarce in the literature. The aim of this work is two-fold: (1) Proving the feasibility of building an affordable custom solution aimed at simultaneous multiple body parts orientation tracking; while providing a detailed bottom-up description of the required hardware, tools, and mathematical operations to estimate and represent 3D movement in real-time. (2) Showing how the introduction of a custom 2.4 GHz communication protocol including a channel hopping strategy can address some of the current communication limitations of entry-level commercial solutions. The proposed system can be used for wireless real-time human body parts orientation tracking with up to 10 custom sensors, at least at 50 Hz. In addition, it provides a more reliable motion data acquisition in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi crowded environments, where the use of entry-level commercial solutions might be unfeasible. This system can be used as a groundwork for developing affordable human motion analysis solutions that do not require an accurate kinematic analysis.Comment: 25 page

Custom IMU-Based Wearable System for Robust 2.4 GHz Wireless Human Body Parts Orientation Tracking and 3D Movement Visualization on an Avatar

Recent studies confirm the applicability of Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU)-based systems for human motion analysis. Notwithstanding, high-end IMU-based commercial solutions are yet too expensive and complex to democratize their use among a wide range of potential users. Less featured entry-level commercial solutions are being introduced in the market, trying to fill this gap, but still present some limitations that need to be overcome. At the same time, there is a growing number of scientific papers using not commercial, but custom do-it-yourself IMU-based systems in medical and sports applications. Even though these solutions can help to popularize the use of this technology, they have more limited features and the description on how to design and build them from scratch is yet too scarce in the literature. The aim of this work is two-fold: (1) Proving the feasibility of building an affordable custom solution aimed at simultaneous multiple body parts orientation tracking; while providing a detailed bottom-up description of the required hardware, tools, and mathematical operations to estimate and represent 3D movement in real-time. (2) Showing how the introduction of a custom 2.4 GHz communication protocol including a channel hopping strategy can address some of the current communication limitations of entry-level commercial solutions. The proposed system can be used for wireless real-time human body parts orientation tracking with up to 10 custom sensors, at least at 50 Hz. In addition, it provides a more reliable motion data acquisition in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi crowded environments, where the use of entry-level commercial solutions might be unfeasible. This system can be used as a groundwork for developing affordable human motion analysis solutions that do not require an accurate kinematic analysis.This research has been partially funded by a research contract with IVECO Spain SL and by the Department of Employment and Industry of Castilla y León (Spain), under research project ErgoTwyn (INVESTUN/21/VA/0003)

Periodontitis is associated with higher subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

We would like to thank the patients from the Unit of Autoimmune Diseases of the “Virgen de las Nieves” University Hospital. This investigation has not received funds from any private entity. All procedures in this were performed from the regular care, with resources of the Spanish National Health System. All authors declare no conflicts of interest, and all authors have approved the final article.Aim: To determine periodontitis prevalence in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and to assess whether periodontitis in SLE patients is associated with a greater subclinical atherosclerosis. Methods: An observational case–control study was conducted in SLE (cases) and patients without any rheumatic diseases (controls), matched for sex. Sociodemographic and cardiometabolic variables were gathered, and SLE activity was assessed through several indexes. Periodontal examination registered probing pocket depth, clinical attachment level, bleeding on probing, plaque index, and tooth loss. Subclinical atherosclerosis was assessed by measuring the carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) by Doppler velocimetry, homocysteine levels, C-reactive protein (CRP), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Bivariate analyses and logistic regression were used to assess the association of any of the studied variables with SLE. Results: Seventy-one cases and 72 controls were included in the study. Thirty-nine SLE patients (54.9%) were diagnosed with periodontitis, compared with 16 controls (22.2%). High levels of PWV (≥7.7 m/s, 75th percentile) were shown by 44.3% of the cases vs. 22.4% of the controls (p = .011). Among SLE patients, those with periodontitis showed higher PWV values (8.1 ± 1.52 vs. 7.16 ± 1.11 m/s, p = .006) and higher homeostasis model assessment index (indicative of insulin resistance) (1.7 ± 0.73 vs. 2.92 ± 3.05, p = .028) compared to those with periodontal health. Logistic regression showed that waist circumference (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.01–1.12, p = .015); ESR (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.03–1.16, p = .003); and bleeding on probing (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.01–1.19, p = .018) were associated with the risk of SLE. Conclusion: Systemic lupus erythematosus patients showed a higher periodontitis percentage than controls. Higher PWV values were found in SLE patients with periodontitis, indicating a higher prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis. Patients with higher gingival bleeding showed a higher risk of SLE

Learning of facial responses to faces associated with positive or negative emotional expressions

Subject to file availability and provided the posting includes a prominent statement of the full bibliographical details, a copyright notice in the name of the copyright holder (Cambridge University Press or the sponsoring Society, as appropriate), and a link to the online edition of the journal at Cambridge Journals Online.The possibility that facial expressions of emotion change the affective valence of faces through associative learning was explored using facial electromyography (EMG). In Experiment 1, EMG activity was registered while the participants (N = 57) viewed sequences of neutral faces (Stimulus 1 or S1) changing to either a happy or an angry expression (Stimulus 2 or S2). As a consequence of learning, participants who showed patterning of facial responses in the presence of angry and happy faces, that is, higher Corrugator Supercilii (CS) activity in the presence of angry faces and higher Zygomaticus Major (ZM) activity in the presence of happy faces, showed also a similar pattern when viewing the corresponding S1 faces. Explicit evaluations made by an independent sample of participants (Experiment 2) showed that evaluation of S1 faces was changed according to the emotional expression with which they had been associated. These results are consistent with an interpretation of rapid facial reactions to faces as affective responses that reflect the valence of the stimulus and that are sensitive to learned changes in the affective meaning of faces.This work was supported by Project SEJ2006-01576/PSIC, from the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología. The participation of Francisco J. Román has been possible thanks to a FPI Grant (PSI2010- 20364) from the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología

Presencia física de profesionales de Salud Mental en un Centro de Atención Primaria como forma alternativa de coordinación. Una experiencia piloto.

Introduccion: problemas de coordinación entre los niveles de atención primaria y salud mental sugieren la necesidad de explorar nuevas vías que faciliten la comunicación entre ambos niveles asistenciales. Material y Método: Un Psiquiatra y un Psicólogo Clínico de Alcalá de Henares (Área 3 de la Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid) se han desplazado un día a la semana a un centro de atención primaria (centro experimental) para evaluar pacientes derivados por los médicos de ese centro y contrastar directamente con ellos sus valoraciones. Después de 15 meses de funcionamiento, se administró a los médicos un cuestionario acerca de su satisfacción con su relación con salud mental. Sus respuestas se compararon con las de médicos de otro centro en el que no tenía lugar la experiencia (centro control). Resultados: los médicos del centro experimental valoraban mejor la información recibida por salud mental y la cantidad de contactos que tenían con ellos, percibían al equipo de salud mental como más disponible, recibían más cursos específicos, se habían coordinado más con salud mental y, en general, valoraban mejor la coordinación atención primaria – salud mental que los del centro control. Conclusiones: La experiencia muestra cómo es posible una forma alternativa de coordinación con la que los médicos de primaria se muestran altamente satisfechos. Se plantean algunas cuestiones metodológicas y posibles vías para continuar futuros trabajos

Intrapartum ultrasound in maternal lateral versus semi-recumbent posture. A repeated measures study

Objective: This study aimed to assess whether intrapartum ultrasound (ITU) measurements in maternal lateral posture are superimposable to ITU measurements in semi-recumbent position. Study design: A single-center, repeated measures design was used. Women in the second stage of labor were randomized to ITU first in semi-recumbent followed by ITU in side-lying posture without and with contraction, or inversely. The angle of progression (AOP) and the head-perineum distance (HPD) between contractions (AOP1 and HPD1) and with contraction (AOP2 and HPD2) were measured in each maternal posture. The differences between AOP1 and AOP2 (dAOP), and between HPD1 and HPD2 (dHPD) were calculated. Results and conclusions: Forty-two women participated in the study. A generalized estimating equation model showed that AOP1 (-3.00°; 95 % CI −5.77 to −0.23; p = 0.03) and AOP2 (-4.14°; 95 % CI −7.20 to −1.08; p = 0.008) were lower in semi-recumbent compared to maternal lateral posture. HPD1 (+1.43 mm; 95 % CI 0.05–2.81; p = 0.042) and HPD2 (+1.53 mm; 95 % CI 0.17–2.89; p = 0.03) were higher in semi-recumbent position. Differences in the ITU measurements in maternal lateral posture compared to semi-recumbent position are small. Monitoring the second stage of labor with ITU in lateral maternal posture is possibl