Hardware/software co-design of fractal features based fall detection system

Falls are a leading cause of death in older adults and result in high levels of mortality, morbidity and immobility. Fall Detection Systems (FDS) are imperative for timely medical aid and have been known to reduce death rate by 80%. We propose a novel wearable sensor FDS which exploits fractal dynamics of fall accelerometer signals. Fractal dynamics can be used as an irregularity measure of signals and our work shows that it is a key discriminant for classification of falls from other activities of life. We design, implement and evaluate a hardware feature accelerator for computation of fractal features through multi-level wavelet transform on a reconfigurable embedded System on Chip, Zynq device for evaluating wearable accelerometer sensors. The proposed FDS utilises a hardware/software co-design approach with hardware accelerator for fractal features and software implementation of Linear Discriminant Analysis on an embedded ARM core for high accuracy and energy efficiency. The proposed system achieves 99.38% fall detection accuracy, 7.3× speed-up and 6.53× improvements in power consumption, compared to the software only execution with an overall performance per Watt advantage of 47.6×, while consuming low reconfigurable resources at 28.67%

Body Weight Support on Anti-Gravity Treadmill Induces Less Physiological Strain While Running

The anti-gravity treadmill developed by AlterG® can be used as an alternative to traditional treadmill running. The AlterG® unloads an individual’s body weight through lower body positive pressure (LBPP) and can support up to 80% of an individual’s body weight. The cardiorespiratory response resulting from a bout of exercise on an AlterG® treadmill may be attenuated compared to similar exercise on a traditional treadmill. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the physiological responses of running at 0%, 15%, 30%, and 45% of body weight support (BWS) on the AlterG® to a traditional treadmill. METHODS: Ten healthy, active males (n = 3) and females (n = 7) (mean ± SD; age 23 ± 3 yrs, weight 60 ± 9.4 kg, height 167.6 ± 6.4 cm) completed two separate treadmill sessions in a randomized order. The exercise sessions included running on an AlterG® treadmill at 6 mph and 1% grade with 0%, 15%, 30% and 45% BWS for 8 min each. The other exercise session included running on a traditional treadmill (TT) at 6 mph and 1% grade for 8 min. Oxygen consumption (VO2) and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) were measured every minute through indirect calorimetry. Heart rate (HR) was measured every minute with a heart rate monitor and values were averaged during the last five minutes of each exercise trial. Rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was measured every other minute. Multivariate ANOVA was used for statistical analysis for each dependent variable (p \u3c 0.05). RESULTS: BWS at 15%, 30% and 45% on the AlterG® treadmill significantly reduced VO2 18.5%, 28.3 and 33.7% compared to TT and 0%. Additionally, HR with BWS at 15%, 30% and 45% was significantly reduced 8.9%, 13.1% and 17.9% compared to TT and 0%. RER during 30% and 45% was significantly different (-8.6% and -7.4%) from TT. Perceived exertion during 45% BWS was significantly lower (10-20%) than all protocols. There was no significant difference in VO2 or HR reported between 30% and 45%. 0% BWS displayed no significant difference in VO2 or HR when compared to the traditional treadmill. CONCLUSION: Increasing the percentage of BWS while running on the AlterG® treadmill reduced VO2 and HR compared to TT and 0%. Greater levels of BWS (30% and 45%) resulted in lowered RER and perceived exertion (45% only). The AlterG® treadmill appears to lessen the physiological demands of running compared to a traditional treadmill

Exploring the role of BMP7 gene expression in an In Vitro model of aging human skeletal muscle.

Sarcopenia is an age-related condition associated with rapid loss of skeletal muscle (SKM) tissue that affects mobility and quality of life of geriatric individuals. Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) and Protein Kinase B (AKT) have significant roles in SKM hypertrophy with responses to DNA damage and repair within SKM. However, mTOR and AKT expression is significantly decreased with age. Upstream of AKT, Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP7) is a member of the TGF-β signaling family that has been reported as a positive regulator of muscle hypertrophy through the Bmp–Smad1/5/8 signaling axis. PURPOSE: To use an in vitro model of aging muscle cells to investigate the role of BMP7 expression on protein synthesis. METHODS: Human SKM myoblasts were cultured and grown beyond mature myotube formation (typically day 6) to emulate aged SKM tissue (extracted on day 18). Groups included control cells (D6) and aged SKM myotubes (D18). Total RNA was extracted at the respective time points (days 6 & 18) and gene expression for BMP7, mTOR, and AKT was determined by qPCR. RESULTS: BMP7 expression was 7.73 fold greater for D18 compared to D6 (p \u3c 0.05). No differences were reported for AKT or mTOR. Data are expressed as fold changes. CONCLUSION: BMP7 expression, thought to be a positive regulator of muscle hypertrophy, was increased in the aging muscle cells of our model, despite our hypothesis that it would be decreased. However, BMP7’s downstream targets related to increased protein synthesis, mTOR and AKT, did not similarly increase from D6 to D18, which is constant with the phenomena of sarcopenia. This leads us to speculate that there may be additional mechanisms related to BMP7 activation and, despite increased signaling, may block protein synthesis at the level of AKT

Risk and protective factors for transgender youths' substance use.

Research at the intersection of substance use and protective factors among transgender youth is scarce; emerging evidence suggests high risk for substance use for transgender youth. We analyzed data from 323 transgender youth aged 14-18 (Mₐₑ = 16.67) to investigate the extent that risk (enacted stigma) and protective factors (support from family, school, friends) were related to substance use (i.e., cannabis and tobacco use, binge drinking). Enacted stigma was linked to higher odds of substance use behaviors, family connectedness was related to lower levels of tobacco and cannabis use, and more than one protective factor significantly lowered the probability of engaging in substance use behaviors. Support from multiple sources may be differentially protective against substance use for transgender youth

Changes in Health and Physical Fitness Parameters After 6 Months of High-intensity Group Exercise in Firefighters: Preliminary Data

The physical demands of firefighting require the men and women employed in this profession to be in optimal physical condition to perform their jobs proficiently, as well as to mitigate the risk of injury. Every year, the city of Addison, TX, budgets many thousands of dollars to the compensation plan for first responders. Most of the funding is used for rehabilitation services due to work related injuries. PURPOSE: While many of these injuries are unavoidable due to the inherent risks of the profession, ensuring proper physical fitness is one of the most effective methods to reduce many of these impairments. The purpose of this preliminary study was to characterize health and fitness parameters in 18 professional firefighters from the city of Addison, TX, prior to a 6-month training program. METHODS: Upon arrival, all participants underwent testing in the following order: body composition, range of motion, anaerobic power, muscular endurance, and cardiorespiratory fitness. All participants also completed a detailed health history questionnaire and answered questions specifically addressing chronic low back pain. RESULTS: The following values were attained from testing: total body fat: 30.1±9.7%; flexibility: 24.9±6.3 cm; peak power: 1068.7±272.9 W; mean power: 636.9±143.4 W; time to peak power 0.57±0.35 sec; pushup: 28.8±14.9; curl up: 22.1±15.8; VO2max: 34.1±5.1 ml/kg/min. CONCLUSION: Based off the comparison of reported means and ACSM’s fitness norms, it can be concluded that improvements are necessary in body composition, muscular endurance, range of motion and cardiorespiratory fitness. With improvements in these physiological variables, tactical performance may be optimally performed in a safer manner

Physical Models for the Clustering of Obscured and Unobscured Quasars

Clustering measurements of obscured and unobscured quasars show that obscured quasars reside in more massive dark matter halos than their unobscured counterparts. These results are inconsistent with simple unified (torus) scenarios, but might be explained by models in which the distribution of obscuring material depends on Eddington ratio or galaxy stellar mass. We test these possibilities by constructing simple physical models to compare to observed AGN populations. We find that previously observed relationships between obscuration and Eddington ratio or stellar mass are not sufficient reproduce the observed quasar clustering results ($\langle \log M_{\text{halo}}/M_{\odot} \rangle = 12.94 ^{+ 0.10}_{- 0.11}$ and $\langle \log M_{\text{halo}}/M_{\odot} \rangle = 12.49 ^{+ 0.08}_{- 0.08}$ for obscured and unobscured populations, respectively) while maintaining the observed fraction of obscured quasars (30-65$\%$). This work suggests that evolutionary models, in which obscuration evolves on the typical timescale for black hole growth, are necessary to understand the observed clustering of mid-IR selected quasars.Comment: 14 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

The interaction of oxygen with small gold clusters

Presented in this work are the results of a quantum chemical study of oxygen adsorption on small Aun and Au−n (n=2,3) clusters. Density functional theory(DFT), second order perturbation theory (MP2), and singles and doubles coupled clustertheory with perturbative triples [CCSD(T)] methods have been used to determine the geometry and the binding energy of oxygen to Aun. The multireference character of the wave functions has been studied using the complete active space self-consistent field method. There is considerable disagreement between the oxygen binding energies provided by CCSD(T) calculations and those obtained with DFT. The disagreement is often qualitative, with DFT predicting strong bonds where CCSD(T) predicts no bonds or structures that are bonded but have energies that exceed those of the separated components. The CCSD(T) results are consistent with experimental measurements, while DFT calculations show, at best, a qualitative agreement. Finally, the lack of a regular pattern in the size and the sign of the errors [as compared to CCSD(T)] is a disappointing feature of the DFT results for the present system: it is not possible to give a simple rule for correcting the DFT predictions (e.g., a useful rule would be that DFT predicts stronger binding of O2 by about 0.3 eV). It is likely that the errors in DFT appear not because of gold, but because oxygen binding to a metal cluster is a particularly difficult problem.This work was supported by AFOSR through a DURINT grant

Candida albicans biofilm heterogeneity does not influence denture stomatitis but strongly influences denture cleansing capacity

Approximately 20  % of the UK population wear some form of denture prosthesis, resulting in denture stomatitis in half of these individuals. Candida albicans is primarily attributed as the causative agent, due to its biofilm -forming ability. Recently, there has been increasing evidence of C. albicans biofilm heterogeneity and the negative impact it can have clinically; however, this phenomenon has yet to be studied in relation to denture isolates. The aims of this study were to evaluate C. albicans biofilm formation of clinical denture isolates in a denture environment and to assess antimicrobial activity of common denture cleansers against these tenacious communities. C. albicans isolated from dentures of healthy and diseased individuals was quantified using real-time PCR and biofilm biomass assessed using crystal violet. Biofilm development on the denture substratum poly(methyl methacrylate), Molloplast B and Ufi-gel was determined. Biofilm formation was assessed using metabolic and biomass stains, following treatment with denture hygiene products. Although C. albicans was detected in greater quantities in diseased individuals, it was not associated with increased biofilm biomass. Denture substrata were shown to influence biofilm biomass, with poly(methyl methacrylate) providing the most suitable environment for C. albicans to reside. Of all denture hygiene products tested, Milton had the most effective antimicrobial activity, reducing biofilm biomass and viability the greatest. Overall, our results highlight the complex nature of denture- related disease, and disease development cannot always be attributed to a sole cause. It is the distinct combination of various factors that ultimately determines the pathogenic outcome