Objectively measuring pain using facial expression: is the technology finally ready?

Currently, clinicians observe pain-related behaviors and use patient self-report measures in order to determine pain severity. This paper reviews the evidence when facial expression is used as a measure of pain. We review the literature reporting the relevance of facial expression as a diagnostic measure, which facial movements are indicative of pain, and whether such movements can be reliably used to measure pain. We conclude that although the technology for objective pain measurement is not yet ready for use in clinical settings, the potential benefits to patients in improved pain management, combined with the advances being made in sensor technology and artificial intelligence, provide opportunities for research and innovation

Impacts of improved traffic control measures on air quality and noise level in Benin City, Nigeria

This study has assessed the outcome of implemented traffic control measures within Benin City, Nigeria on the levels of suspended particulate matter (SPM), carbon monoxide (CO) and noise level. A positive effect of the measures was observed with a 49.4% reduction in SPM concentrations, and a decline in the baseline mean from 447.00 µg/m3 (2006) to 226.06 µg/m3 (2018). CO concentrations revealed an 89.7% reduction in the baseline concentration from an average of 19.4 ppm (2010) to 2.0 ppm (2018). This reduction was found to be statistically significant (p<0.05), however the decline in SPM concentration was not significant. Noise pollution has however remained unabated (6.41% reduction) with a baseline mean of 78.18 dB(A) in 2005 and a current average of 73.17 dB(A) (2018). The multivariate analysis conducted using Principal Component Analysis, Multiple Linear Regression and Varimax rotation, identified road traffic as the main noise source in Benin City

A reliable and robust online validation method for creating a novel 3D Affective Virtual Environment and Event Library (AVEL).

This paper describes the development and validation of 3D Affective Virtual environments and Event Library (AVEL) for affect induction in Virtual Reality (VR) settings with an online survey; a cost-effective method for remote stimuli validation which has not been sufficiently explored. Three virtual office-replica environments were designed to induce negative, neutral and positive valence. Each virtual environment also had several affect inducing events/objects. The environments were validated using an online survey containing videos of the virtual environments and pictures of the events/objects. They survey was conducted with 67 participants. Participants were instructed to rate their perceived levels of valence and arousal for each virtual environment (VE), and separately for each event/object. They also rated their perceived levels of presence for each VE, and they were asked how well they remembered the events/objects presented in each VE. Finally, an alexithymia questionnaire was administered at the end of the survey. User ratings were analysed and successfully validated the expected affect and presence levels of each VE and affect ratings for each event/object. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of the online validation of VE material in affective and cognitive neuroscience and wider research settings as a good scientific practice for future affect induction VR studies

Prevalence and Antibiotic Susceptibility Patterns of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) Isolated from Healthy Inhabitants of Uturu Rural Communities, Abia State, Nigeria

The antimicrobial resistance ability and extraordinary virulence of community acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus which allow it infect healthy persons are major medical issues worldwide. A total of 84 (nose and ear swabs, urine) samples were collected from healthy individuals and screened for Staphylococcus aureus using standard microbiological techniques. Susceptibility testing of the isolates to oxacillin and to other conventional antimicrobial sensitivity discs of some antibiotics readily accessible in the study area was done using the discs diffusion method. Staphylococcus aureus was grown from 69(82.1%) samples while 51(60.7%) of the cultures were methicillin-resistant. The 51(60.7%) community acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates showed a percentage resistance pattern which included 100% resistance to ampicillin followed by amoxicillin (64.7%)?  vancomycin (35.3%)? erythromycin (19.6%)? ceftriaxone (17.6%)? gentamycin (13.7%)? ciprofloxacin (11.8%)? ofloxacin (7.8%). High resistance to vancomycin (35.3%) was recorded in the study area. Ofloxacin was the best antibiotic of choice in the treatment of disorders associated with community acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in the study area. Other antibiotics such as gentamycin, and ciprofloxacin proved to be potent in the management of MRSA infections. Ten solates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus obtained showed multidrug resistance to at least 4 antibiotics tested and this necessitates caution in the prescription of antibiotics without proper indication. The high prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in the study area is of great public health importance and calls for effective measures including public enlightenment to discourage indiscriminate use of antimicrobials. Keywords: Community acquired methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus, prevalence, antibiotics susceptibility pattern, ofloxacin, Nigeria

Validity and reliability of short‐term heart‐rate variability from disposable electrocardiography leads

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Single‐use electrocardiography (ECG) leads have been developed to reduce healthcare‐associated infection. This study compared the validity and reliability of short‐term heart rate variability (HRV) obtained from single‐use disposable ECG leads. METHODS: Thirty healthy subjects (33 ± 10 years; 9 females) underwent 5‐min resting HRV assessments using disposable (single use) ECG cable and wire system (Kendall DL™ Cardinal Health) and a standard, reusable ECG leads (CardioExpress, Spacelabs Healthcare). RESULTS: Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) with 95% confidence interval (CI) between disposable and reusable ECG leads was for the time domain [R‐R interval (ms); 0.99 (0.91, 1.00)], the root mean square of successive normal R‐R interval differences (RMSSD) (ms); 0.91 (0.76, 0.96), the SD of normal‐to‐normal R‐R intervals (SDNN) (ms); 0.91 (0.68, 0.97) and frequency domain [low‐frequency (LF) normalized units (nu); 0.90 (0.79, 0.95), high frequency (HF) nu; 0.91 (0.80, 0.96), LF power (ms(2)); 0.89 (0.62, 0.96), HF power (ms(2)); 0.90 (0.72, 0.96)] variables. The mean difference and upper and lower limits of agreement between disposable and reusable leads for time‐ and frequency‐domain variables were acceptable. Analysis of repeated measures using disposable leads demonstrated excellent reproducibility (ICC 95% CI) for R‐R interval (ms); 0.93 (0.85, 0.97), RMSSD (ms); 0.93 (0.85, 0.97), SDNN (ms); 0.88 (0.75, 0.95), LF power (ms(2)); 0.87 (0.72, 0.94), and HF power (ms(2)); 0.88 (0.73, 0.94) with coefficient of variation ranging from 2.2% to 5% (p > 0.37 for all variables). CONCLUSION: Single‐use Kendall DL™ ECG leads demonstrate a valid and reproducible tool for the assessment of HRV