Enriched elderly virtual profiles by means of a multidimensional integrated assessment platform

The pressure over Healthcare systems is increasing in most developed countries. The generalized aging of the population is one of the main causes. This situation is even worse in underdeveloped, sparsely populated regions like Extremadura in Spain or Alentejo in Portugal. The authors propose to use the Situational-Context, a technique to seamlessly adapt Internet of Things systems to the needs and preferences of their users, for virtually modeling the elderly. These models could be used to enhance the elderly experience when using those kind of systems without raising the need for technical skills or the costs of implementing such systems by the regional healthcare systems. In this paper, the integration of a multidimensional integrated assessment platform with such virtual profiles is presented. The assessment platform provides and additional source of information for the virtual profiles that is used to better adapt existing systems to the elders needs

Temperature Relaxation in Hot Dense Hydrogen

Temperature equilibration of hydrogen is studied for conditions relevant to inertial confinement fusion. New molecular-dynamics simulations and results from quantum many-body theory are compared with Landau-Spitzer (LS) predictions for temperatures T from 50 eV to 5000 eV, and densities with Wigner-Seitz radii r_s = 1.0 and 0.5. The relaxation is slower than the LS result, even for temperatures in the keV range, but converges to agreement in the high-T limit.Comment: 4 pages PRL style, two figure

TipTrap: A Co-located Direct Manipulation Technique for Acoustically Levitated Content

Acoustic levitation has emerged as a promising approach for mid-air displays, by using multiple levitated particles as 3D voxels, cloth and thread props, or high-speed tracer particles, under the promise of creating 3D displays that users can see, hear and feel with their bare eyes, ears and hands. However, interaction with this mid-air content always occurred at a distance, since external objects in the display volume (e.g. user's hands) can disturb the acoustic fields and make the particles fall. This paper proposes TipTrap, a co-located direct manipulation technique for acoustically levitated particles. TipTrap leverages the reflection of ultrasound on the users' skin and employs a closed-loop system to create functional acoustic traps 2.1 mm below the fingertips, and addresses its 3 basic stages: selection, manipulation and deselection. We use Finite-Differences Time Domain (FDTD) simulations to explain the principles enabling TipTrap, and explore how finger reflections and user strategies influence the quality of the traps (e.g. approaching direction, orientation and tracking errors), and use these results to design our technique. We then implement the technique, characterizing its performance with a robotic hand setup and finish with an exploration of the ability of TipTrap to manipulate different types of levitated content

Variation in the spatial distribution of erector spinae activity during a lumbar endurance task in people with low back pain

© 2019 Anatomical Society This study aimed to investigate the spatial distribution and redistribution of lumbar erector spinae (ES) activity during a lumbar extension endurance task in pain-free participants and how this is modified in people with low back pain (LBP). High density surface electromyography (HDEMG) was recorded using 13 × 5 electrode grids placed over the lumbar ES in 13 LBP and 13 control participants while completing an Ito test to task failure. The root mean square of the HDEMG signals was computed, a topographical map of the EMG amplitude generated and the centre of the activity (centroid) determined throughout the task. The centroid of the EMG amplitude map was systematically more cranial (F = 6.09, P = 0.022) for the LBP participants compared with the control subjects. Regression analysis showed that the extent of redistribution of ES activity was associated with longer endurance. These results show that LBP participants utilised a different motor strategy to perform the endurance task, characterised by greater activation of more cranial regions of the ES and less redistribution of ES activity throughout the task. This study provides new insight into the functional activation of the lumbar ES and how it is modified when people have pain

The effect of short-chain fatty acids on glycemic control in humans: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Non-communicable disease development is related to impairments in glycaemic and insulinemic response, which can be modulated by fiber intake. Fiber's beneficial effect upon metabolic health can be partially attributed to the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) via microbial fermentation of fiber in the gastrointestinal tract. Objective: We aimed to determine the effect of the SCFAs, acetate, propionate, and butyrate on glycemic control in humans. Methods: CENTRAL, Embase, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases were searched from inception to the 07/12/2021. Papers were included if they reported a randomized, controlled trial measuring glucose and/or insulin compared to a placebo in adults. Studies were categorized by the type of SCFA and intervention duration. Random effects meta-analyses were performed for glucose and insulin for those subject categories with ≥3 studies, or a narrative review was performed. Results: We identified 43 eligible papers, with 46 studies within those records (n = 913), 44 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Vinegar intake decreased acute glucose response, standard mean difference (SMD) and (95% CI) –0.53 (–0.92, –0.14) (n = 67) in individuals with impaired glucose tolerance or type 2 diabetes and in healthy (SMD) –0.27 (–0.54, 0.00) (n = 186). The meta-analyses for acute acetate as well as acute and chronic propionate studies had no significant effect. Conclusions: Vinegar decreased glucose response acutely in healthy and non-healthy. Acetate, propionate, butyrate, and mixed SCFAs had no effect on blood glucose and insulin in humans. Significant heterogeneity, risk of bias, and publication bias were identified in several study categories, including acute vinegar glucose response. As evidence was very uncertain, caution is urged when interpreting these results. Further high-quality research is required to determine the effect of SCFAs on glycemic control

Sleep deprivation increases oleoylethanolamide in human cerebrospinal fluid

This study investigated the role of two fatty acid ethanolamides, the endogenous cannabinoid anandamide and its structural analog oleoylethanolamide in sleep deprivation of human volunteers. Serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were obtained from 20 healthy volunteers before and after a night of sleep deprivation with an interval of about 12 months. We found increased levels of oleoylethanolamide in CSF (P = 0.011) but not in serum (P = 0.068) after 24 h of sleep deprivation. Oleoylethanolamide is an endogenous lipid messenger that is released after neural injury and activates peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPAR-α) with nanomolar potency. Exogenous PPAR-α agonists, such as hypolipidemic fibrates and oleoylethanolamide, exert both neuroprotective and neurotrophic effects. Thus, our results suggest that oleoylethanolamide release may represent an endogenous neuroprotective signal during sleep deprivation

Bosutinib in Resistant and Intolerant Pediatric Patients With Chronic Phase Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: Results From the Phase I Part of Study ITCC054/COG AAML1921

Pediatric patients; Intolerant; Chronic myeloid leukemiaPacientes pediátricos; Intolerantes; Leucemia mieloide crónicaPacients pediàtrics; Intolerants; Leucèmia mieloide crònicaPurpose Bosutinib is approved for adults with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML): 400 mg once daily in newly diagnosed (ND); 500 mg once daily in resistant/intolerant (R/I) patients. Bosutinib has a different tolerability profile than other tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and potentially less impact on growth (preclinical data). The primary objective of this first-in-child trial was to determine the recommended phase II dose (RP2D) for pediatric R/I and ND patients. Patients and Methods In the phase I part of this international, open-label trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04258943), children age 1-18 years with R/I (per European LeukemiaNet 2013) Ph+ CML were enrolled using a 6 + 4 design, testing 300, 350, and 400 mg/m2 once daily with food. The RP2D was the dose resulting in 0/6 or 1/10 dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) during the first cycle and achieving adult target AUC levels for the respective indication. As ND participants were only enrolled in phase II, the ND RP2D was selected based on data from R/I patients. Results Thirty patients were enrolled; 27 were evaluable for DLT: six at 300 mg/m2, 11 at 350 mg/m2 (one DLT), and 10 at 400 mg/m2 (one DLT). The mean AUCs at 300 mg/m2, 350 mg/m2, and 400 mg/m2 were 2.20 μg h/mL, 2.52 μg h/mL, and 2.66 μg h/mL, respectively. The most common adverse event was diarrhea (93%; ≥grade 3: 11%). Seven patients stopped because of intolerance and eight because of insufficient response. Complete cytogenetic and major molecular response to bosutinib appeared comparable with other published phase I/II trials with second-generation TKIs in children. Conclusion Bosutinib was safe and effective. The pediatric RP2D was 400 mg/m2 once daily (max 600 mg/d) with food in R/I patients and 300 mg/m2 once daily (max 500 mg/d) with food in ND patients, which achieved targeted exposures as per adult experience.Sponsorship for the study was provided by Erasmus MC/Sophia Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Rotterdam, the Netherlands