First-person activity recognition: how to generalize to unseen users?

En col·laboració amb la Universitat de Barcelona (UB) i la Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV)Recent advances in wearable technology, accompanied by the decreasing cost of data storage and increase of data availability have made possible to take pictures everywhere at every time. Wearable cameras are nowadays among the most popular wearable devices. Besides leisure, wearable cameras are attracting a lot of attention for the improvement of working conditions, productivity and safety monitoring. Since the collected data can be potentially used for memory training and extracting lifestyle patterns useful to prevent noncommunicable diseases as obesity, they are being investigated in the context of Preventive Medicine. Most of these applications require to automatically recognize the ability performed by the user. This work aims to make a step forwards towards activity recognition from photo-streams captured by a wearable camera by developing a method that allows to label new images with minial effort from the user and generalize well for unseen users

Constructivism and Training at the Medical College

In the modern democratization and humanization of college education, the implementation of personality-oriented learning is associated with the introduction of innovations in the educational process. The rapid development of computer and information technology has aided the overall transition process; however, it has created new challenges for both teachers and students, as well as for learning technology as a whole. The constructivist approach is one of the leading directions in modern psychology and pedagogy. This is a holistic approach based on the understanding that in the process of learning, new knowledge is formed and structured through previous experience, the activity of learners, and their social interaction. The purpose of this article is to reveal the main characteristics of modern medical college education as well as the potential for updating it in accordance with constructivist principles and the changing requirements for an innovative educational process. Materials and methods: Review and analysis of scientific literature sources related to the theory of constructivism and its practical implementation in medical education. The following databases were searched for literature sources: Google Scholar, Research Gate, PubMed, etc. Results and discussion: The analysis of scientific literature sources directs our attention to the study about the theory of constructivism and its practical application in medical education. Conclusion: In order to optimize the training of future health care professionals and implement an innovative educational process, there is a need to develop and apply an interactive approach based on the theory of constructivism. In the light of modern pedagogical science, the constructivist theory elucidates how to learn and how to teach by placing the student and the teacher in new roles that meet the needs of modern training

О неким турцизмима у бугарском

Искоришћавајући обимну стручну литературу, пре свега одговарајућу речничку, као и сопствене записе о балканском татарском језику, ауторка је за тридесет и пет речи које се употребљавају у бугарском понудила друкчију етимологију од досада даване, документовано образлажући због чега им приписује турску изворност. При том се трудила и да одреди, кад год је то било могуће, на коју би верзију турског требало најпре помишљати као на изворишну базу позајмице

Untersuchungen zur Verwendungder Next Generation Sequenziertechnologiefür die Analyse von Antikörpergenenbei Gesunden und Autoimmunpatienten.

Antikörper sind Glykoproteine der adaptiven Immunantwort. Ihre Funktion ist die Abwehr von Fremdkörpern, z.B. Krankheitserregern, jedoch führen Störungen des Immunsystems zu Autoimmunerkrankungen. Die Next Generation Sequenziertechnologie ist geeignet, einen schnellen Vergleich zwischen Gesunden und an Rheumatoider Arthritis (RA) leidenden Patienten auf Antikörpergenebene zu ermöglichen. Davor müssen jedoch die experimentellen sowie bioinformatischen Methoden für den Einsatz der Technologie etabliert werden. Im experimentellen Teil dieser Arbeit wurde mittels quantitativer Real-Time Polymerase-Kettenreaktion (qRT-PCR) und Polymerase-Kettenreaktion (PCR) die Basis für den erfolgreichen Testlauf mittels Genome Sequencer FLX Instrument geschaffen. Im bioinformatischen Teil wurde mit Hilfe von Perl-Skripts und einer speziell für die Next Generation Sequenzierdaten programmierten PostgreSQL-Datenbank eine schnelle Analyse von großen Mengen an Next Generation Sequenzierdaten ermöglicht. Somit konnten signifikante Differenzen in der Expression von IgG und IgD mittels qRT-PCR festgestellt werden. Außerdem wurden anhand der Next Generation Sequenzierdaten Unterschiede bezüglich der Antikörperentstehung, -reifung sowie -diversität zwischen Gesunden und RA-Patienten im Hinblick auf die Gennutzung von VH4(DP63) bei IgG und IgD festgestellt. Weitere Untersuchungen sind auf biologischer Ebene notwendig, um die bioinformatisch ermittelten Unterschiede in der Gennutzung zu erforschen und möglicherweise für die therapeutische Anwendung bei RA geeignete Antikörper zu identifizieren.Abkürzungsverzeichnis .............................................................................................................3 I. Abkürzungen .............................................................................................................3 II. Nukleotidbezeichnungen ....................................................................................................6 1. EINLEITUNG ..............................................................................................................7 1.1. Antikörper: Bildung, Struktur, Funktion ...................................................................7 1.2. Antikörper und ihre Rolle bei Autoimmunerkrankungen ......................................11 1.3. Next Generation Sequenzierung ................................................................................12 1.4. Bioinformatische Analyse von Antikörpergensequenzen ........................................14 1.5. Zielsetzung ...................................................................................................................16 2. MATERIAL .............................................................................................................................17 2.1. Experimenteller Teil .....................................................................................................17 2.1.1. Laborausstattung ....................................................................................................17 2.1.2. Verbrauchsmaterial .................................................................................................17 2.1.3. Chemikalien, Enzyme, Kit-Systeme, Lösungen, Puffer .........................................17 2.1.4. Primer .....................................................................................................................19 2.1.5. RNA- und cDNA-Proben .......................................................................................20 2.1.6. DNA-Längenstandards ...........................................................................................21 2.2. Bioinformatischer Teil .................................................................................................22 2.2.1. Hardware ................................................................................................................22 2.2.2. Software .................................................................................................................22 2.2.3. Internetquellen: Anwendungen und Datenbanken .................................................23 2.2.4. Antikörper-Sequenzen ............................................................................................23 2.2.5. Primer .....................................................................................................................24 3. METHODEN ...........................................................................................................................25 3.1. Experimenteller Teil .....................................................................................................25 3.1.1. DNA-Verdau und Reverse Transkription ...............................................................25 3.1.2. qRT-PCR ................................................................................................................26 3.1.3. Sequenzierungsvorbereitung ..................................................................................31 3.1.4. Polymerase-Kettenreaktion ....................................................................................35 3.1.5. Aufreinigung von PCR-Produkten .........................................................................37 3.1.6. DNA-Gelelektrophorese ........................................................................................38 3.1.7. Überblick der durchgeführten Experimente ...........................................................38 3.2. Bioinformatischer Teil .................................................................................................40 3.2.1. Unterschiedliche Vortests mittels Perl-Programme ...............................................40 3.2.2. Primer-Analysen .....................................................................................................41 3.2.3. VBASE2 „Statistic Analysis“ .................................................................................42 3.2.4. nextIGbase Datenbank ...........................................................................................42 3.2.5. Statistische Auswertung .........................................................................................42 4. ERGEBNISSE .........................................................................................................................43 4.1. Experimentelle Untersuchungen ...............................................................................43 4.1.1. Effizienz-Test und Kreuzreaktivitätstest der qRT-PCR-Primer ............................43 4.1.2. Mengenverhältnis zwischen IgG und IgD bei Gesunden und Patienten ................45 4.1.3. Einsatz von cDNA Pools ........................................................................................46 4.1.4. Ermittlung der cDNA Stoffmenge in den Proben ..................................................47 4.1.5. Vorbereitung der Next Generation Amplicon Sequenzierung ................................48 4.2. Bioinformatische Untersuchungen .............................................................................54 4.2.1. Genauigkeit der Identifizierung von V Genen in gekürzten Sequenzen und Ermittlung der minimal erforderlichen Read-Länge ..............................................54 4.2.2. V-Gen-Analyse auf Nukleotid-Homopolymeren ...................................................57 4.2.3. Bestimmung der Cut Off Werte in den scFv-Testsequenzen ..................................59 4.2.4. Anzahl der durch Fw-Primer verursachten Mutationen in den scFv-Testsequenzen .....................................................................................60 4.2.5. V-Gen-Coverage ....................................................................................................61 4.3. Auswertung der Next Generation Sequenzierdaten .................................................66 4.3.1. VBASE2 „Statistic Analysis“ und nextIGbase .......................................................66 4.3.2. Vergleich der Antikörpersequenzen zwischen Gesunden und Autoimmunpatienten ......................................................................................67 5. DISKUSSION ..........................................................................................................................78 6. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG ............................................................................................................95 7. DANKSAGUNG .......................................................................................................................96 8. LITERATURVERZEICHNIS ....................................................................................................97 9. ANHANG ..............................................................................................................................10

Study of the awareness level of parents about issues related to spine deformities and flat foot in children and their treatment

Приоритетна задача в здравеопазването на всяка страна е здравето на нацията. В частност това означава здраво поколение. Основните дейности в това направление трябва да бъдат насочени към адекватна профилактика, прецизна и навременна диагностика, съвременни и ефективни методи на лечение. Гръбначните деформации могат да бъдат в странична или предно-задна посока, съчетани или не с торзио на прешлените, често комбинирани с деформации на гръдния кош. Следователно промените, които настъпват, засягат не само гръбначния стълб, но и органи и системи в гръдния кош, така също и опорно-двигателния апарат. Това води както до промяна в стойката и походката с неправилно натоварване на ставния апарат, така и до разместване и притискане на органите в гръдната и коремната кухина и затрудняване на техните функции. Деформациите настъпват бавно и постепенно, като могат да се превърнат в предпоставка за сериозен здравословен проблем във възрастта.Цел на проучването е да се разкрие нивото на информираност на родители с деца в предучилищна и училищна възраст по отношение на деформациите на гръбначния стълб и плоскостъпието като заболяване и последствията за подрастващите от липсата на профилактика, ненавременна диагностика и лечение.Материал и методи: Чрез пряка индивидуална анонимна анкета са проучени родители на деца в предучилищна и училищна възраст до трети клас на територията на гр. Стара Загора.The health of the nation is a priority of the health care system of each country. The main activities in this direction should be directed towards facilitating adequate prevention, accurate and timely diagnosis, modern and effective methods of treatment. Spinal deformities can be in side or front-to-rear directions, in conjunction, or not, with torsion vertebrae, often combined with deformities of the chest. Therefore, when such changes occur, they affect not only the spine but also organs and systems in the chest as well as the musculoskeletal system. This leads to a change in the posture and the gait with incorrect pressure of the articular apparatus and afterwards to a shift and pressure of organs in the thoracic and abdominal cavity and the impairment of their functions. Deformations occur slowly and gradually and may become a prerequisite for serious health problems with the advance of age.The aim of the study is to reveal the level of awareness of parents of children in preschool and school age in terms of deformities of the spine and flat feet as diseases and the consequences for adolescents due to lack of prevention, late diagnosis and treatment.Materials and Methods: Parents of preschool and school children up to third grade were studied in the city of Stara Zagora, using direct individual anonymous polls

Aromatherapy As Alternative Medicine

Introduction: Aromatherapy has been known by mankind for thousands of years as a mean for achieving mental and spiritual balance. It has been noted back in ancient Egyptian documents as a way for mummifying. In China the application of herbs and fragrance oils can be found in texts dating back to two millennia.Aromatherapy is part of the holistic medicine. It is a method using natural essential oils to make a positive impact on the human body. The term ”aromatherapy” was introduced in 1920 by the French chemist Rene-Maurice Gattefosse who dedicated his life to research of the healing powers of essential oils.Essential oils are extracted from different parts of the plants – blossoms, leaves, tree bark, roots, seeds, fruit peel etc.The treatment with fragrances has been developing intensively in recent years as an efficient natural method and an alternative one to the conventional medicine.Greenhouses for growing of aromatherapy plants have been established in many countries. Essential oils have wide applicability in cosmetics.Aim: The purpose of the article is to investigate the potential of aromatherapy in relation with the treatment of different diseases and its applicability in cosmetics.Materials and methods: The available literature, scientific researches with analyses of useful and prophylactic campaigns, as well as the benefits of the therapy as one with general impact were researched.Results: The benefits of aromatherapy have been a subject of multiple scientific researches. As a result, this method is considered highly effective for a wide range of nosological units. The clinical researches show that the fragrance molecules of the essential oils have a calming impact on the neurological system and impact favorably indigestion problems and physical pain. Moreover, they are antibacterial and antiseptic.Conclusion: Aromatherapy can be successfully combined with medical treatment, as well as with prophylaxis. The evidence about aromatherapy benefits is not fully proven. There is an ongoing discussion on the topic

A survey on stress factors among first-year students from the Rehabilitation Therapist program in Medical College - Varna

Стресовите фактори, произтичащи от учебния процес, не позволяват на студентите да развият своя потенциал. Те затрудняват пълноценното усвояване на изучаваните дисциплини. Изграждането на адекватни стратегии за справяне със стреса е важна предпоставка за успешното и устойчиво усвояване на новите знания и умения, необходими за добрата професионална реализация. Целта на настоящото изследване е да се проучи мнението на студентите от първи курс специалност „Рехабилитатор` относно факторите, предизвикващи стрес по време на тяхното обучение, за да се предприемат своевременни мерки за подобряване на академичната среда. Материали и методи: Анализ на литературни източници и анкетен метод. Анкетирани са студенти от първи курс през периода януари-март 2017 г. чрез пряка индивидуална анонимна анкета. Резултати и обсъждане: Повече от половината анкетирани изпитват тревожност и несигурност, свързани с подготовката и представянето си по време на изпитните сесии. Основни източници на стрес при студентите са: обемната информация, недостатъчното време за подготовка, разминаването между очаквания и по лучения резултат от изпитите. Респондентите използват различни техники за справяне със стреса - отделяне на време за забавления (спорт, филми, музика и др.), релаксиране чрез срещи с любими и значими хора. Болничната среда и срещата с пациенти не предизвикват притеснение сред студентите. Заключение: За студентите от първи курс основните източници на стрес са свързани с академичната среда. Възниква потребност за изготвяне на стратегии за овладяване на факторите, водещи до стрес. Това ще допринесе за пълноценно усвояване на нови знания и формиране на професионални компетенции, необходими за успешна професионална реализация.Stress factors as a result of the learning process do not allow students to develop their potential. Thus, students have some difficulties in fully acquiring the subjects they are taught. The setting up of adequate strategies for managing stress is a key factor for successful and long-term acquisition of new knowledge and skills necessary for a professional realization. This research aims to survey the first-year Rehabilitation Therapist Program students on their opinion about factors causing stress during the learning process in order to take appropriate and timely measures for improving the academic environment. Materials and Methods: We have conducted an analysis of literary sources and used a survey method. The survey was carried out by means of a direct individual and anonymous questionnaire that included first-year students in the period January - March 2017. Results and Discussion: More than half of the students that took part in the survey express anxiety and uncertainty related to their preparation and performance during examination periods. For most of them the main stress sources are: great amount of information, insufficient time for preparation and the mismatch between expectations and actual exam results. The respondents use different techniques to fight the stress - dedicating some time to entertainment (sport, films, music, etc.), relaxation and spending time with their loved ones. Spending time in a hospital and meeting patients do not cause anxiety for the students. Conclusion: The main sources of stress for first-year students are related to the academic environment. There is a need to build strategies for coping with stress factors in order to fully acquire new knowledge and develop professional competencies necessary for a successful professional realization

Acupuncture – The Medical Treatment From The East

In recent years the cooperation between Western and Eastern medicine has been growing. Nowadays there is a tendency toward seeking acupuncture as an additional therapy in Bulgaria. Acupuncture is considered as one of the oldest treatment methods in medicine. It originated in China more than 5000 years ago. Traditional Chinese Medicine incorporates many factors affecting health: internal, such as sexual, psychological, nutritive; and also climatic factors – wind, humidity, heat, cold, dryness. The main philosophy of Traditional Chinese Medicine is based on the energy of life - Qi (Ying and Yang, which should be in balance).The pathways of vital energy Qi are also known as meridians. There are 14 main body meridians related to human organs - 12 paired and 2 unpaired. The aim of this article is to summarize the information about the use of acupuncture in modern medicine and its impact on the human health status

Halotherapy - origin, development and therapeutic benefits

Халотерапията е метод за профилактика, лечение и красотата, предлаган в центрове по цял свят. Възникнала като спелеотерапия в солните пещери, днес тя e актуална под формата на солни стаи. Целта на този доклад е да обобщи информацията относно зараждане, развитие и приложение на халотерапията за профилактика и в комплексната терапия при заболявания на дихателна система. Методи и материали: Проучена е достъпната литература, научни изследвания с анализиране на профилактични мероприятия и като част от терапията на дихателните пътища. Резултати: Ползите от инхалацията на солни аерозоли са били обект на множество значителни научни изследвания, в резултат на което този метод се счита за високоефективен срещу широк кръг от дихателни проблеми и обструктивни заболявания на дихателните пътища. Клиничните изследвания показват, че частиците на солта могат да помогнат за лекуването и намаляването на дихателни възпаления, абсорбция на оток (подуване), причинено от течност в тъканите и може да помогне за отпушване на областта на бронхите. Заключение: Халотерапията успешно се съчетава с медикаментозно лечение, както и профилактика. Доказателствата относно ползите не са категорични и съществува дискусия по темата. Все още липсва надеждна информация за солените пещери, необходими са допъл нителни проучвания за оценка на ползите от солта.Halotherapy is a method of disease prevention, treatment and wellness practiced in Halotherapy centres all over the world. It first came into existence as Speleotherapy in salt caves. Over the years it has gained popularity under the name of salt rooms. This report aims to summarize information related to the origin, development and practical application of Halotherapy in the prevention and overall treatment of respiratory diseases. Materials and Methods: We have conducted research on available literature, scientific studies with analyses of carried out preventive activities as a part of respiratory tract therapy. Results: The benefits of salt aerosol inhalations have been subject to various significant scientific studies and as a result, this method is considered to be highly effective in the prevention and treatment of a vast range of respiratory problems and obstructive respiratory diseases. Clinical researches show that salt particles can help with the treatment and reduction of respiratory inflammation; absorption of oedema caused by fluid in the tissues and can also help cleanse the area of the bronchi. Conclusion: Halotherapy can be used as a precention method but it is also successfully combined with medication treatment. Proof about the benefits is not explicit and there is a discussion on the topic. Still there is no reliable information about salt caves. There is a need to carry out additional investigation in order to evaluate the effect of salt