Assessment of Muscle Coordination Changes Caused by the Use of an Occupational Passive Lumbar Exoskeleton in Laboratory Conditions

[EN] The introduction of exoskeletons in industry has focused on improving worker safety. Exoskeletons have the objective of decreasing the risk of injury or fatigue when performing physically demanding tasks. Exoskeletons' effect on the muscles is one of the most common focuses of their assessment. The present study aimed to analyze the muscle interactions generated during load-handling tasks in laboratory conditions with and without a passive lumbar exoskeleton. The electromyographic data of the muscles involved in the task were recorded from twelve participants performing load-handling tasks. The correlation coefficient, coherence coefficient, mutual information, and multivariate sample entropy were calculated to determine if there were significant differences in muscle interactions between the two test conditions. The results showed that muscle coordination was affected by the use of the exoskeleton. In some cases, the exoskeleton prevented changes in muscle coordination throughout the execution of the task, suggesting a more stable strategy. Additionally, according to the directed Granger causality, a trend of increasing bottom-up activation was found throughout the task when the participant was not using the exoskeleton. Among the different variables analyzed for coordination, the most sensitive to changes was the multivariate sample entropy.This study was funded by Fundación Prevent.Iranzo-Egea, S.; Belda-Lois, J.; Martínez-De-Juan, JL.; Prats-Boluda, G. (2023). Assessment of Muscle Coordination Changes Caused by the Use of an Occupational Passive Lumbar Exoskeleton in Laboratory Conditions. Sensors. 23(24):1-14. https://doi.org/10.3390/s23249631114232

Assessment of a History educational video game. The student's opinión

A pesar de que la investigación sobre videojuegos educativos ya es numerosa, la realidad es que son escasos los trabajos que evalúan la repercusión que dichos recursos poseen en el ámbito educativo. También son reducidas las veces en las que los propios estudiantes/jugadores son los que valoran y opinan al respecto, perdiendo un aspecto clave del proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje como es su propia percepción del mismo. Este artículo recoge los resultados de una investigación de tipo evaluativo sobre un videojuego de realidad virtual de temática histórica a la que se juega con gafas Oculus Rift. Se analizan mediante metodología mixta las respuestas a los instrumentos de 34 participantes, todos ellos estudiantes de 4º de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria (edad media de 15.4 años). Para ello se diseñó un instrumento ad hoc de 28 ítems, con el que se analizaron sus opiniones y valoraciones acerca del contenido histórico que dicho videojuego posee y el valor pedagógico que ellos le atribuyen. Los resultados indican una recepción general positiva por parte de los participantes hacia los contenidos del videojuego así como su valor como elemento de motivación. La receptividad en relación a que se trate de realidad virtual también es elevada, destacando el hecho de que el aprendizaje se realice en primera persona y que exista un propósito y una funcionalidad clara.Although the research about educational video games is abundant, the examples are scarce if the attention is focused on those studies that assess the effects of educational video games in the teaching-learning process. It is also difficult to find studies that deals with the opinion of the own students/gamers about the infuence of a video game in their learning. But students are the key in the teaching and learning process and without them, we lost a key aspect in the assessment of such recource, their own perception. This paper presents the results of an evaluative research about a VR game. This game is based on a historical topic and setting, and it is played with Oculus Rift. To assess the perception of the students about this specific game it was designed ad hoc an instrument with 28 items about its content and pedagogical value. The answers of the 34 Secondary Students (average age 15.4 years) that participate in this study were analysed with a mixed methodology. The results show a positive reception and perception of the students about the use of VR games in the classroom, not only because of the historical contents of the plot and setting but also because of the motivation they provide.peerReviewe

Regulation of protein transport from the Golgi complex to the endoplasmic reticulum by CDC42 and N-WASP.

Actin is involved in the organization of the Golgi complex and Golgi-to-ER protein transport in mammalian cells. Little, however, is known about the regulation of the Golgi-associated actin cytoskeleton. We provide evidence that Cdc42, a small GTPase that regulates actin dynamics, controls Golgi-to-ER protein transport. We located GFP-Cdc42 in the lateral portions of Golgi cisternae and in COPI-coated and noncoated Golgi-associated transport intermediates. Overexpression of Cdc42 and its activated form Cdc42V12 inhibited the retrograde transport of Shiga toxin from the Golgi complex to the ER, the redistribution of the KDEL receptor, and the ER accumulation of Golgi-resident proteins induced by the active GTP-bound mutant of Sar1 (Sar1[H79G]). Coexpression of wild-type or activated Cdc42 and N-WASP also inhibited Golgito-ER transport, but this was not the case in cells expressing Cdc42V12 and N-WASP(AWA), a mutant form of N-WASP that lacks Arp2/3 binding. Furthermore, Cdc42V12 recruited GFP-NWASP to the Golgi complex. We therefore conclude that Cdc42 regulates Golgi-to-ER protein transport in an N-WASP¿dependent manner

Diseño y primeros resultados de una plataforma móvil eléctrica de registro de datos para agricultura de precisión

La monitorización cercana requiere de equipamiento montado a bordo de vehículos agrícolas, implementos o cualquier plataforma que permitan obtener rasgos agronómicamente relevantes. Las plataformas móviles para el fenotipado de características biofísicas de los cultivos permiten obtener una alta repetibilidad de las mediciones, al tiempo de no ser invasivas sobre las labores normales de cultivo. De la misma forma que el diseño de estas plataformas está condicionado por la variedad de sensores que deben alojar, deberá ser adecuado al tipo de cultivo del que se pretende obtener información precisa, y que su uso no requiera de una intensiva participación humana. Los objetivos se centraron en (i) desarrollar una plataforma móvil eléctrica, sencilla y modular, diseñada para alojar una gran variedad de sensores que permitan la caracterización fenotípica de cultivos, y (ii) probar su rendimiento en campo, la reproducibilidad de los resultados y su capacidad para obtener mediciones sobre el volumen de copa de los naranjos de una parcela comercial. Para este segundo objetivo, y tras unas primeras comprobaciones en laboratorio sobre aspectos como la velocidad, la carga óptima, y la estabilidad, se llevaron a cabo pruebas de campo empleando un sensor LiDAR escaneando de forma lateral y una cámara de profundidad Kinect de Microsoft. En este trabajo se presentan los primeros resultados obtenidos del desarrollo técnico de la plataforma para la caracterización electrónica del volumen de copa de cítricos, con los que se pretende en el futuro generar información de alto valor para el agricultor que le permitan ajustar aspectos como las aplicaciones de agroquímicos o labores como la poda

Mitos, creencias y temores en la cardiopatía isquémica

Los pacientes que sufren cardiopatía isquémica conviven con frecuencia con mitos y falsas creencias al respecto de su nueva situación; que pueden traer consecuencias que se pueden manifestar en forma de una incorrecta prevención de procesos posteriores y el desarrollo de prácticas y modos de vida nocivos para el individuo. Este estudio de diseño cualitativo realizado sobre pacientes con enfermedad coronaria aguda ingresados en nuestra unidad de cuidados críticos pretende evaluar el grado de conocimiento de la población que sufre esta enfermedad coronaria con respecto a la gravedad, calidad de vida y cuidados preventivos y paliativos que manejaban estos usuarios, revisando temas como la estima, las creencias, la sexualidad, los roles familiares y laborales, etc. Las conclusiones extraídas del análisis de los datos ofrecidos por los pacientes entrevistados muestran que existe un claro desconocimiento con respecto a su situación, sus posibilidades y sus perspectivas, que los introducen en marcos erróneos que traen como consecuencia el aumento de sus miedos y preocupaciones, siendo éste el mayor causante de estrés y preocupaciones, con consecuencias negativas para su evolución y afrontamiento a la nueva situació

Exposing and Overcoming Limitations of Clinical Laboratory Tests in COVID-19 by Adding Immunological Parameters; A Retrospective Cohort Analysis and Pilot Study

BackgroundTwo years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic no predictive algorithm has been generally adopted for clinical management and in most algorithms the contribution of laboratory variables is limited. ObjectivesTo measure the predictive performance of currently used clinical laboratory tests alone or combined with clinical variables and explore the predictive power of immunological tests adequate for clinical laboratories. Methods: Data from 2,600 COVID-19 patients of the first wave of the pandemic in the Barcelona area (exploratory cohort of 1,579, validation cohorts of 598 and 423 patients) including clinical parameters and laboratory tests were retrospectively collected. 28-day survival and maximal severity were the main outcomes considered in the multiparametric classical and machine learning statistical analysis. A pilot study was conducted in two subgroups (n=74 and n=41) measuring 17 cytokines and 27 lymphocyte phenotypes respectively. Findings1) Despite a strong association of clinical and laboratory variables with the outcomes in classical pairwise analysis, the contribution of laboratory tests to the combined prediction power was limited by redundancy. Laboratory variables reflected only two types of processes: inflammation and organ damage but none reflected the immune response, one major determinant of prognosis. 2) Eight of the thirty variables: age, comorbidity index, oxygen saturation to fraction of inspired oxygen ratio, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, C-reactive protein, aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase ratio, fibrinogen, and glomerular filtration rate captured most of the combined statistical predictive power. 3) The interpretation of clinical and laboratory variables was moderately improved by grouping them in two categories i.e., inflammation related biomarkers and organ damage related biomarkers; Age and organ damage-related biomarker tests were the best predictors of survival, and inflammatory-related ones were the best predictors of severity. 4) The pilot study identified immunological tests (CXCL10, IL-6, IL-1RA and CCL2), that performed better than most currently used laboratory tests. ConclusionsLaboratory tests for clinical management of COVID 19 patients are valuable but limited predictors due to redundancy; this limitation could be overcome by adding immunological tests with independent predictive power. Understanding the limitations of tests in use would improve their interpretation and simplify clinical management but a systematic search for better immunological biomarkers is urgent and feasible

Clinical consensus recommendations regarding non-invasive respiratory support in the adult patient with acute respiratory failure secondary to SARS-CoV-2 infection

La enfermedad por coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) es una infección del tracto respiratorio causada por un nuevo coronavirus emergente que se reconoció por primera vez en Wuhan, China, en diciembre de 2019. Actualmente la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) ha definido la infección como pandemia y existe una situación de emergencia sanitaria y social para el manejo de esta nueva infección. Mientras que la mayoría de las personas con COVID-19 desarrollan solo una enfermedad leve o no complicada, aproximadamente el 14% desarrollan una enfermedad grave que requiere hospitalización y oxígeno, y el 5% pueden requerir ingreso en una unidad de cuidados intensivos. En casos severos, COVID-19 puede complicarse por el síndrome de dificultad respiratoria aguda (SDRA), sepsis y shock séptico y fracaso multiorgánico. Este documento de consenso se ha preparado sobre directrices basadas en evidencia desarrolladas por un panel multidisciplinario de profesionales médicos de cuatro sociedades científicas españolas (Sociedad Española de Medicina Intensiva y Unidades Coronarias [SEMICYUC], Sociedad Española de Neumología y Cirugía Torácica [SEPAR], Sociedad Española de Urgencias y Emergencias [SEMES], Sociedad Española de Anestesiología, Reanimación y Terapéutica del Dolor [SEDAR]) con experiencia en el manejo clínico de pacientes con COVID-19 y otras infecciones virales, incluido el SARS, así como en sepsis y SDRA. El documento proporciona recomendaciones clínicas para el soporte respiratorio no invasivo (ventilación no invasiva, oxigenoterapia de alto flujo con cánula nasal) en cualquier paciente con presentación sospechada o confirmada de COVID-19 con insuficiencia respiratoria aguda. Esta guía de consenso debe servir como base para una atención optimizada y garantizar la mejor posibilidad de supervivencia, así como permitir una comparación fiable de las futuras intervenciones terapéuticas de investigación que formen parte de futuros estudios observacionales o de ensayos clínicos.Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory tract infection caused by a newly emergent coronavirus, that was first recognized in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Currently, the World Health Organization (WHO) has defined the infection as a global pandemic and there is a health and social emergency for the management of this new infection. While most people with COVID-19 develop only mild or uncomplicated illness, approximately 14% develop severe disease that requires hospitalization and oxygen support, and 5% require admission to an intensive care unit. In severe cases, COVID-19 can be complicated by the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), sepsis and septic shock, and multiorgan failure. This consensus document has been prepared on evidence-informed guidelines developed by a multidisciplinary panel of health care providers from four Spanish scientific societies (Spanish Society of Intensive Care Medicine [SEMICYUC], Spanish Society of Pulmonologists [SEPAR], Spanish Society of Emergency [SEMES], Spanish Society of Anesthesiology, Reanimation, and Pain [SEDAR]) with experience in the clinical management of patients with COVID-19 and other viral infections, including SARS, as well as sepsis and ARDS. The document provides clinical recommendations for the noninvasive respiratory support (noninvasive ventilation, high flow oxygen therapy with nasal cannula) in any patient with suspected or confirmed presentation of COVID-19 with acute respiratory failure. This consensus guidance should serve as a foundation for optimized supportive care to ensure the best possible chance for survival and to allow for reliable comparison of investigational therapeutic interventions as part of randomized controlled trials

Role of age and comorbidities in mortality of patients with infective endocarditis

[Purpose]: The aim of this study was to analyse the characteristics of patients with IE in three groups of age and to assess the ability of age and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) to predict mortality. [Methods]: Prospective cohort study of all patients with IE included in the GAMES Spanish database between 2008 and 2015.Patients were stratified into three age groups:<65 years,65 to 80 years,and ≥ 80 years.The area under the receiver-operating characteristic (AUROC) curve was calculated to quantify the diagnostic accuracy of the CCI to predict mortality risk. [Results]: A total of 3120 patients with IE (1327 < 65 years;1291 65-80 years;502 ≥ 80 years) were enrolled.Fever and heart failure were the most common presentations of IE, with no differences among age groups.Patients ≥80 years who underwent surgery were significantly lower compared with other age groups (14.3%,65 years; 20.5%,65-79 years; 31.3%,≥80 years). In-hospital mortality was lower in the <65-year group (20.3%,<65 years;30.1%,65-79 years;34.7%,≥80 years;p < 0.001) as well as 1-year mortality (3.2%, <65 years; 5.5%, 65-80 years;7.6%,≥80 years; p = 0.003).Independent predictors of mortality were age ≥ 80 years (hazard ratio [HR]:2.78;95% confidence interval [CI]:2.32–3.34), CCI ≥ 3 (HR:1.62; 95% CI:1.39–1.88),and non-performed surgery (HR:1.64;95% CI:11.16–1.58).When the three age groups were compared,the AUROC curve for CCI was significantly larger for patients aged <65 years(p < 0.001) for both in-hospital and 1-year mortality. [Conclusion]: There were no differences in the clinical presentation of IE between the groups. Age ≥ 80 years, high comorbidity (measured by CCI),and non-performance of surgery were independent predictors of mortality in patients with IE.CCI could help to identify those patients with IE and surgical indication who present a lower risk of in-hospital and 1-year mortality after surgery, especially in the <65-year group

Evaluación de un videojuego educativo de contenido histórico. La opinión de los estudiantes

Although the research about educational video games is abundant, the examples are scarce if the attention is focused on those studies that assess the efects of educational video games in the teaching-learning process. It is also difcult to fnd studies that deals with the opinion of the own students/gamers about the infuence of a video game in their learning. But students are the key in the teaching and learning process and without them, we lost a key aspect in the assessment of such recource, their own perception. This paper presents the results of an evaluative research about a VR game. This game is based on a historical topic and setting, and it is played with Oculus Rift. To assess the perception of the students about this specifc game it was designed ad hoc an instrument with 28 items about its content and pedagogical value. The answers of the 34 Secondary Students (average age 15.4 years) that participate in this study were analysed with a mixed methodology. The results show a positive reception and perception of the students about the use of VR games in the classroom, not only because of the historical contents of the plot and setting but also because of the motivation they provide.A pesar de que la investigación sobre videojuegos educativos ya es numerosa, la realidad es que son escasos los trabajos que evalúan la repercusión que dichos recursos poseen en el ámbito educativo. También son reducidas las veces en las que los propios estudiantes/jugadores son los que valoran y opinan al respecto, perdiendo un aspecto clave del proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje como es su propia percepción del mismo. Este artículo recoge los resultados de una investigación de tipo evaluativo sobre un videojuego de realidad virtual de temática histórica a la que se juega con gafas Oculus Rift. Se analizan mediante metodología mixta las respuestas a los instrumentos de 34 participantes, todos ellos estudiantes de 4º de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria (edad media de 15.4 años). Para ello se diseñó un instrumento ad hoc de 28 ítems, con el que se analizaron sus opiniones y valoraciones acerca del contenido histórico que dicho videojuego posee y el valor pedagógico que ellos le atribuyen. Los resultados indican una recepción general positiva por parte de los participantes hacia los contenidos del videojuego así como su valor como elemento de motivación. La receptividad en relación a que se trate de realidad virtual también es elevada, destacando el hecho de que el aprendizaje se realice en primera persona y que exista un propósito y una funcionalidad clara