Firefighters' Perceptions on Collaboration and Interaction with Autonomous Drones: Results of a Field Trial

Applications of drones in emergency response, like firefighting, have been promoted in the past decade. As the autonomy of drones continues to improve, the ways in which they are integrated into firefighting teams and their impact on crews are changing. This demands more understanding of how firefighters perceive and interact with autonomous drones. This paper presents a drone-based system for emergency operations with which firefighters can interact through sound, lights, and a graphical user interface. We use interviews with stakeholders collected in two field trials to explore their perceptions of the interaction and collaboration with drones. Our result shows that firefighters perceived visual interaction as adequate. However, for audio instructions and interfaces, information overload emerges as an essential problem. The potential impact of drones on current work configurations may involve shifting the position of humans closer to supervisory decision-makers and changing the training structure and content

Primary prevention for risk factors of ischemic stroke with Baduanjin exercise intervention in the community elder population: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Stroke is a major cause of death and disability in the world, and the prevalence of stroke tends to increase with age. Despite advances in acute care and secondary preventive strategies, primary prevention should play the most significant role in the reduction of the burden of stroke. As an important component of traditional Chinese Qigong, Baduanjin exercise is a simple, safe exercise, especially suitable for older adults. However, current evidence is insufficient to inform the use of Baduanjin exercise in the prevention of stroke. The aim of this trail is to systematically evaluate the prevention effect of Baduanjin exercise on ischemic stroke in the community elder population with high risk factors. METHODS: A total of 170 eligible participants from the community elder population will be randomly allocated into the Baduanjin exercise group and usual physical activity control group in a 1:1 ratio. Besides usual physical activity, participants in the Baduanjin exercise group will accept a 12-week Baduanjin exercise training with a frequency of five days a week and 40 minutes a day. Primary and secondary outcomes will be measured at baseline, 13 weeks (at end of intervention) and 25 weeks (after additional 12-week follow-up period). DISCUSSION: This study will be the randomized trial to evaluate the effectiveness of Baduanjin exercise for primary prevention of stroke in community elder population with high risk factors of stroke. The results of this trial will help to establish the optimal approach for primary prevention of stroke. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR-TRC-13003588. Registration date: 24 July, 2013

Myosin Light Chain Phosphorylation Is Critical for Adaptation to Cardiac Stress

Cardiac hypertrophy is a common response to circulatory or neurohumoral stressors as a mechanism to augment contractility. When the heart is under sustained stress, the hypertrophic response can evolve into decompensated heart failure, although the mechanism(s) underlying this transition remain largely unknown. Because phosphorylation of cardiac myosin light chain 2 (MLC2v), bound to myosin at the head-rod junction, facilitates actin-myosin interactions and enhances contractility, we hypothesized that phosphorylation of MLC2v plays a role in adaptation of the heart to stress. We previously identified an enzyme that predominantly phosphorylates MLC2v in cardiomyocytes, cardiac-MLCK (cMLCK); yet the role(s) played by cMLCK in regulating cardiac function in health and disease remain to be determined

TRIALS STUDY PROTOCOL Open Access

Primary prevention for risk factors of ischemic stroke with Baduanjin exercise intervention in the community elder population: study protocol for a randomized controlled tria

Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin practice modulates functional connectivity of the cognitive control network in older adults

Cognitive impairment is one of the most common problem saffecting older adults. In this study, we investigated whether Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin practice can modulate mental control functionand the resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) of the cognitive control network in older adults. Participants in the two exercise groups practiced either Tai Chi Chuan or Baduanjin for 12 weeks, and those in the control group received basic health education. Memory tests and fMRI scans were conducted at baseline and at the end of the study. Seed-based (bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, DLPFC) rsFC analysis was performed. We found that compared to the controls, 1) both Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin groups demonstrated significant improvements in mental control function; 2) the Tai Chi Chuan group showed a significant decrease in rsFC between the DLPFC and the left superior frontal gyrus (SFG) and anterior cingulate cortex; and 3) the Baduanjin group showed a significant decrease in rsFC between the DLPFC and the left putamen and insula. Mental control improvement was negatively associated with rsFC DLPFC-putamen changes across all subjects. These findings demonstrate the potential of Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin exercises in preventing cognitive decline

The Effect of Chinese Traditional Exercise-Baduanjin on Physical and Psychological Well-Being of College Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial

<div><p>Background</p><p>The physical and mental health of college students tends to continuously decline around the world, therefore, it is important to improve their health during college period. Baduanjin, a traditional Chinese exercise which combines movements with breath and mind, may be one of the selectable effective exercises. However, the effect of Baduanjin exercise on college students has not been established. In this study, we systematically assessed the effectiveness and safety of Baduanjin exercise on physical and mental health of college students by a rigorous randomized, parallel-controlled design.</p><p>Methods</p><p>A total of 222 college students from Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine were recruited and randomly allocated at an equal ratio into control or Baduanjin training. Participants in control group were informed to maintain their original activity habit, and those in Baduanjin exercise group received a 12-week Baduanjin exercise training with a frequency of 1 hour per day and 5 days per week on the basis of their original activity habit. The physical and psychological outcomes, including lumbar muscle strength, lower limb proprioception function, physical fitness, as well as self-reported symptom intensity, stress, self-esteem, mood, quality of life, quality of sleep, and adverse events, were evaluated at baseline, 13 weeks (at the end of 12-week intervention), and 25 weeks (after the 12-week follow-up period). Intention-to-treat analysis was performed for the above outcomes.</p><p>Results</p><p>Compared with controls, significant improvements in Baduanjin exercise group at the end of 12-week intervention period were found on lower limb proprioception function (the rate of average trace error on right lower limb (%): control 23.50±5.50, Baduanjin 21.92±6.54, <i>P</i>=0.004; the rate of average trace error on left lower limb (%): control 22.32±6.62, Baduanjin 20.63±4.62, <i>P</i>=0.046), cardiorespiratory endurance (step test index: control 47.66±5.94, Baduanjin 50.07±9.30, <i>P</i>=0.025), flexibility (control 14.35±7.26cm, Baduanjin 15.39±6.43cm, <i>P</i>=0.009) and explosive force of lower limb (standing long jump test (m): control 1.77±0.24, Baduanjin 1.79±0.22, <i>P</i>=0.005 for adjustment baseline) in physical outcomes, and attention (Schulte Grid test (second): control 210.4±51.15, Baduanjin 192.4±47.14, <i>P</i>=0.034) in mental outcome. Lumbar muscle strength in Baduanjin group had been moderately enhanced but no significant difference compared to controls. No significant changes in other physical and mental outcomes, including vital capacity, blood pressure, heart rate, hand grip force, self-symptom intensity, stress, self-efficacy, quality of life, and quality of sleep, were found between groups. No adverse event was reported during the study period.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>Regular Baduanjin exercise had an advantage for college students on improvement of lower limb proprioception, enhance of cardiorespiratory endurance, flexibility, explosive force of lower limb and attention, compared with usual exercise.</p><p>Trial Registration</p><p>Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR-TRC-13003329 <a href="http://www.chictr.org" target="_blank">http://www.chictr.org</a></p></div

Effectiveness of Tai Chi on Physical and Psychological Health of College Students: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial

<div><p>Objective</p><p>To investigate the effectiveness and safety of Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) on physical and psychological health of college students.</p><p>Methods</p><p>Two hundred six college students were recruited and randomly allocated to a control group or a TCC exercise group in an equal ratio. Participants in the control group were instructed to maintain their original activity level and those in the TCC exercise group received 12 weeks of TCC exercise training based on their original activity level. Physical and psychological outcomes were evaluated at baseline, 13 weeks and 25 weeks. Intention-to-treat analysis was performed for the above outcomes.</p><p>Results</p><p>Compared with the control group, the TCC exercise group showed significant improvements at the end of the 12-week intervention period for flexibility (length of Sit and Reach (cm): TCC group 14.09±7.40 versus control 12.88±6.57, <i>P</i> = 0.039 adjusted for its baseline measures using a general linear model) and balance ability (open eyes perimeter: TCC group 235.6(191~314) versus control 261(216~300); closed eyes perimeter: TCC group 370.5 (284~454) versus control 367 (293~483); <i>P</i> = 0.0414, 0.008, respectively, adjusted for corresponding baseline measures using a general linear model). No significant changes in other physical and mental outcomes were found between the two groups. No adverse events were reported during the study period.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>TCC exercise was beneficial in college students for improving flexibility and balance capability to some extent, compared with usual exercise.</p><p>Trial Registration</p><p>Chinese Clinical Trial Registry <a href="http://www.chictr.org/cn/proj/show.aspx?proj=4854" target="_blank">ChiCTR-TRC-13003328</a></p></div

Primary outcomes on physical and psychological health (Mean±SD/ Median (Inter-quartile range).

<p><i>P</i> value; <i>t</i>-test for normal distribution or Mann-Whitney U test for non-normal distribution.</p><p>^<b>§</b><i>P</i> value: adjusted for baseline value of open eyes perimeter, open eyes ellipse area, close eyes perimeter, close eyes ellipse area, right lower limb ATE, left lower limb ATE, flexibility, self-efficacy, psychological symptom, stress, or attention, respectively by using general linear model.</p><p>Primary outcomes on physical and psychological health (Mean±SD/ Median (Inter-quartile range).</p