The Use of the Get Up and Go Test as the Initial Screening Measure for Fall Risk With Community Dwelling Seniors

Falls represent a sizeable public health issue that has serious health-related consequences for both the individual and the medical system at large. Falls are one of the most common events that threaten the independence of older persons with one third of falls occurring in persons over the age of 65 and over 50% in persons over the age of 80 years (2). During an office appointment, senior adults are screened routinely for blood pressure, weight, medication adherence and lab result follow-up. One assessment that is commonly overlooked is evaluating seniors for fall risk. The purpose of this study was to explore the use of the Get Up and Go test (GUGT) as a routine screening measure for community dwelling seniors. The research questions addressed were: 1) Is self-reported fall history related to GUGT scores in community dwelling seniors? 2) Is age related to the GUGT scores for a sample of community-dwelling seniors?; and 3) Is age related to self-reported fall history for a sample of community-dwelling seniors? Recruitment of community-dwelling seniors occurred during a 3-month period at a primary care office setting in the urban San Francisco Bay area. A convenience sample of community-dwelling seniors (N=39) were recruited to participate in the study. All participants were age 65 or older, did not have a history of cognitive or neurological deficits, and were able to ambulate without the use of an assistive device such as a cane, walker or wheelchair. Participants reported fall occurrences for the last 12 months and performed the GUGT. This study did not find statistical relevance between GUGT pass or fail status and fall history. Two groups of participants are of particular interest. Nine participants with a positive fall history were able to pass the GUGT and 8 seniors who reported no fall history failed the GUGT. Consistent with previous studies (12), one fall does not necessarily signify musculoskeletal or neurological deficits and is usually related to environmental hazards. Furthermore, previous studies have shown that a single fall report is a poor predictor of fall risk and that the number of reported falls by patients is not a reliable number due to the patient under-estimating or under-reporting fall occurrences. These findings suggest that fall history may not be a sensitive measure capable of identifying all at risk seniors. Thus if only fall history is used to identify risk, then some at risk community-dwelling seniors will not be identified while others may be identified by fall history but do not exhibit mobility deficits. The relative ease in which the GUGT was performed, with minimum cost, strengthens the position that the GUGT should be performed as part of an annual examination for patients who are over the age of 65. The GUGT results can then become the sixth vital sign for patients over the age of 65 with the initial GUGT result establishing baseline results for future patient fall risk evaluation. Given this evidence, it can be concluded that at the very least, both fall history and the GUGT test should be performed annually on community-dwelling seniors over the age of 65

Involutions of polynomially parametrized surfaces

We provide an algorithm for detecting the involutions leaving a surface defined by a polynomial parametrization invariant. As a consequence, the symmetry axes, symmetry planes and symmetry center of the surface, if any, can be determined directly from the parametrization, without computing or making use of the implicit representation. The algorithm is based on the fact, proven in the paper, that any involution of the surface comes from an involution of the parameter space (the real plane, in our case); therefore, by determining the latter, the former can be found. The algorithm has been implemented in the computer algebra system Maple 17. Evidence of its efficiency for moderate degrees, examples and a complexity analysis are also given

Symmetry Detection of Rational Space Curves from their Curvature and Torsion

We present a novel, deterministic, and efficient method to detect whether a given rational space curve is symmetric. By using well-known differential invariants of space curves, namely the curvature and torsion, the method is significantly faster, simpler, and more general than an earlier method addressing a similar problem. To support this claim, we present an analysis of the arithmetic complexity of the algorithm and timings from an implementation in Sage.Comment: 25 page

Detecting Similarity of Rational Plane Curves

A novel and deterministic algorithm is presented to detect whether two given rational plane curves are related by means of a similarity, which is a central question in Pattern Recognition. As a by-product it finds all such similarities, and the particular case of equal curves yields all symmetries. A complete theoretical description of the method is provided, and the method has been implemented and tested in the Sage system for curves of moderate degrees.Comment: 22 page

Finding Multiple Solutions in Nonlinear Integer Programming with Algebraic Test-Sets

We explain how to compute all the solutions of a nonlinear integer problem using the algebraic test-sets associated to a suitable linear subproblem. These test-sets are obtained using Gröbner bases. The main advantage of this method, compared to other available alternatives, is its exactness within a quite good efficiency.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad MTM2016-75024-PMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad MTM2016-74983-C2- 1-RJunta de Andalucía P12-FQM-269

La filosofía de Plotino. Una metafísica de la imagen

This paper will perform an analysis of the nature and function of the image in the Philosophy of Plotinus, under an ontological and an epistemological perspective. Both perspectives constitute inseparable sides of this approach to the character of the image in the work of this Neoplatonist thinker. The image, rather than as representation, as twice a reality “more real”, is understood as an expression, as hermeneutics of creative power that is at its heart. In En. II 18.03.15 Plotinus says that the cosmos is εἰκὼν ἀεὶ εἰκονιζόμενος. We will investigate the significance of this statement considering fundamental passages Plotinus work. This study will lead us to treat epistemological view of the image. on this matter, the philosophy of Plotinus is shown as a fine and complex study of perception.el presente artículo llevará a cabo un análisis de la naturaleza y la función de la imagen en la Filosofía de Plotino, bajo una perspectiva ontológica y bajo una perspectiva epistemológica. Ambas perspectivas constituirán dos vertientes inseparables de este acercamiento al carácter de la imagen en la obra de este pensador neoplatónico. La imagen, antes que como representación, como doble de una realidad “más real”, es comprendida como manifestación, como expresión, como hermenéutica de una potencia creadora que la constituye en su centro mismo. en En. II 3.18.15 afirma Plotino que el cosmos es εἰκὼν ἀεὶ εἰκονιζόμενος, “imagen (o figura) eternamente figurada”. Indagaremos en la significación de esta afirmación, buscando atender a su sentido desde pasajes fundamentales de la obra plotiniana. este estudio nos conducirá a tratar el aspecto epistemológico que guarda la imagen. Bajo este aspecto, la Filosofía de Plotino se mostrará como un fino y complejo estudio de la percepción