Tracking steps in oncology: the time is now

Juhi M Purswani,1 Nitin Ohri,2 Colin Champ3,4 1Department of Radiation Oncology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; 2Department of Radiation Oncology, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; 3Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; 4Department of Integrative Oncology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA Purpose: Accurate evaluation of patients’ health status is a key component of the workup, treatment, and follow-up of cancer patients. Assessments by clinicians (eg, performance status, toxicity grade) and patients (eg, quality of life) play a critical role in current practice but have significant limitations. Technological advances now provide an opportunity to track a new class of objective measures of patient activity, such as daily step counts. Here, we describe recent efforts to incorporate this technology into the field of oncology. Design: We conducted a structured literature search using MEDLINE electronic database to identify published observational studies of tracking steps in cancer patients and trials of exercise programs for cancer survivors incorporating pedometers until February 2016. Results: Data indicate that physical activity information may supplant existing scales for the assessment of cancer patients’ functional capacity. Conclusion: Objective activity monitoring is poised to revolutionize the way health care providers assess cancer patients at the time of diagnosis, during treatment, and in the survivorship setting. Keywords: cancer, pedometers, fitness trackers, performance statu

Can micro-compression testing provide stress−strain data for thin films?: A comparative study using Cu, VN, TiN and W coatings

International audienc

Pre-eclampsia

Pre-eclampsia is a multisystem disorder of pregnancy, characterised by hypertension and proteinuria, occurring after 20 weeks of gestation. As well as being associated with pregnancy complications such as preterm delivery and foetal growth restriction, pre-eclampsia is now increasingly known to be associated with cardiovascular diseases in later life. Despite decades of research into the condition, it remains difficult to predict, difficult to diagnose and difficult to treat. In this chapter pathophysiological mechanisms and origins of disease will be discussed, with a focus on placental and cardiovascular factors. Potential markers to improve early prediction of disease and therapeutic strategies will be discussed, as well as the relationship between pre-eclampsia and future maternal health problems

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