Using degraded music quality to encourage a health improving walking pace : BeatClearWalker

Meeting the target of 8000 steps/day, as recommended by many national governments and health authorities, can provide considerable physical and mental health benefits and is seen as a key target for reducing obesity levels and improving public health. However, to optimize the health benefits, walking should be performed at a “moderate” intensity. While there are numerous mobile fitness applications that monitor distance walked, none directly support walking at this cadence nor has there been any research into live feedback for walking cadence. We present a smartphone fitness application to help users learn how to walk at a moderate cadence and maintain that cadence. We apply real-time audio effects that diminish the audio quality of music when the target walking cadence is not being reached. This provides an immersive and intuitive application that can easily be integrated into everyday life as allows users to walk while listening to their own music and encourages eyes-free interaction. In this paper, we introduce our approach, design, initial lab evaluation and a controlled outdoor study. Results show that using music degradation decreases the number of below-cadence steps, that users felt they worked harder with our player and would use it while exercise walking

Using degraded music quality to encourage a health improving walking pace : BeatClearWalker

Meeting the target of 8000 steps/day, as recommended by many national governments and health authorities, can provide considerable physical and mental health benefits and is seen as a key target for reducing obesity levels and improving public health. However, to optimize the health benefits, walking should be performed at a "moderate" intensity. While there are numerous mobile fitness applications that monitor distance walked, none directly support walking at this cadence nor has there been any research into live feedback for walking cadence. We present a smartphone fitness application to help users learn how to walk at a moderate cadence and maintain that cadence. We apply real-time audio effects that diminish the audio quality of music when the target walking cadence is not being reached. This provides an immersive and intuitive application that can easily be integrated into everyday life as allows users to walk while listening to their own music and encourages eyes-free interaction. In this paper, we introduce our approach, design, initial lab evaluation and a controlled outdoor study. Results show that using music degradation decreases the number of below-cadence steps, that users felt they worked harder with our player and would use it while exercise walking

Measuring Activity Energy Expenditure: Accuracy of the GT3X+ and Actiheart Monitors

International Journal of Exercise Science 6(3) : 217-229, 2013. The purpose was to determine the accuracy of the GT3X+ and Actiheart monitors for estimating energy expenditure (EE) and steps. Additionally, to investigate agreement between waist- and wrist-mounted GT3X+ EE outputs. Nineteen participants (mean age=30) completed three treadmill walking trials at self-selected slow, medium, and fast speeds while wearing two GT3X+ (waist and wrist) and an Actiheart. Activity monitor EE was compared to indirect calorimetry criterion EE using Pearson correlations and ANOVAs. A Bland-Altman plot was used to investigate agreement between GT3X+ waist- and wrist-determined EE. GT3X+ determined steps were compared to researcher-counted steps using ANOVAs. EE estimates from all monitors correlated highly with the criterion (r ranged from .72 to .82). However, the GT3X+ (waist and wrist) underestimated EE during slow walking and overestimated EE during fast walking. There were no differences among GT3X+ (waist and wrist) estimates of EE and the criterion during the medium trial. Actiheart estimated EE was not significantly different from measured EE during all trials. The Bland-Altman plot indicated that at EE rates above 4 kcal·min-1, the GT3X+ worn on the wrist underestimated EE compared to when it was worn on the waist. There were no differences between GT3X+ waist-determined steps and researcher-counted steps for all trials. GT3X+ EE correlates highly with measured EE, but has poor absolute agreement during slow and fast walking. GT3X+ step estimates are accurate across the continuum of walking speeds when waist (but not wrist) mounted. Wrist-mounted device outputs are not comparable to waist-mounted outputs. The Actiheart accurately estimates EE

Trapped-Ion Quantum Simulator: Experimental Application to Nonlinear Interferometers

We show how an experimentally realized set of operations on a single trapped ion is sufficient to simulate a wide class of Hamiltonians of a spin-1/2 particle in an external potential. This system is also able to simulate other physical dynamics. As a demonstration, we simulate the action of an $n$-th order nonlinear optical beamsplitter. Two of these beamsplitters can be used to construct an interferometer sensitive to phase shifts in one of the interferometer beam paths. The sensitivity in determining these phase shifts increases linearly with $n$, and the simulation demonstrates that the use of nonlinear beamsplitters ($n$=2,3) enhances this sensitivity compared to the standard quantum limit imposed by a linear beamsplitter ($n$=1)

A survey to assess perceptions on the value of examining survey records within the Surveyor-General(s) Office(s).

Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.The examination of survey diagrams and records submitted by Professional Land Surveyor(s), has been the responsibility of the Surveyor-General(s) Office(s) in South Africa since the passing of the Land Survey Act 9 of 1927 and its successor, the Land Survey Act 8 of 1997. As it stands Professional Land Surveyor(s), registered with the South African Institute of Professional and Technical Surveyors, are the only persons authorised to place and replace cadastral boundaries. Together with the Surveyor-General(s) Office(s), they ensure the integrity of our land tenure system. This research investigated the perceptions of the Professional Land Surveyor(s) and the examiners, as to whether this examination process is necessary to ensure the integrity of the land tenure system, or whether it is a mere hindrance to the registration of land within the Deeds Office(s). A qualitative research approach was undertaken whereby a questionnaire was developed and distributed to all registered Professional Land Surveyor(s) operating in KwaZulu-Natal. In addition, semi-structured interviews were performed at the offices of the Surveyor-General with the staff involved with the examination process. It was established that the examination, although perceived as a delay in the registration of property, is vital and if compromised there is a distinct risk of losing the security and integrity that presently exist within the cadastral system. It would appear that the integrity of our cadastral system is not found solely in the professional land surveyor or the examination section, but rather that the combined efforts of the two parties provides an end product that is accurate, correct and ensures that the integrity of the cadastre system is maintained

Clinical Outcome Scoring of Intra-articular Calcaneal Fractures

Outcome reporting of intra-articular calcaneal fractures is inconsistent. This study aimed to identify the most cited outcome scores in the literature and to analyze their reliability and validity. A systematic literature search identified 34 different outcome scores. The most cited outcome score was the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) hindfoot score, followed by the Maryland Foot Score (MFS) and the Creighton-Nebraska score (CN). Reliability (internal consistency) and validity (content, construct, and criterion) were determined for the 3 outcome scoring systems. Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha, reliability) was similar for the Maryland Foot Score (α = 0.82) and American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society hindfoot score (α = 0.78), but lower for the Creighton-Nebraska (α = 0.61). Floor and ceiling effects were good for all 3 scores. The individual items within these outcome scores showing best content validity were pain, return to work, subtalar range of motion, walking distance, ankle range of motion, and gait abnormalities or limping. Construct validity was good for all individual items except sagittal motion, stability at physical exam, and shoe size. The 3 outcome scores showed high correlation with patient satisfaction as measured with a visual analog scale (VAS, criterion validity) and indication for an arthrodesis. In conclusion, pending consensus, we would recommend choosing between the widely accepted, reliable and valid AOFAS hindfoot and the Maryland Foot Score as the scoring systems of choice. Level of Clinical Evidence: 2

The medical student

The Medical Student was published from 1888-1921 by the students of Boston University School of Medicine

How do men in the United Kingdom decide to dispose of banked sperm following cancer treatment?

Current policy in the UK recommends that men bank sperm prior to cancer treatment, but very few return to use it for reproductive purposes or agree to elective disposal even when their fertility recovers and their families are complete. We assessed the demographic, medical and psychological variables that influence the decision to dispose by contacting men (n = 499) who banked sperm more than five years previously, and asked them to complete questionnaires about their views on sperm banking, fertility and disposal. From 193 responses (38.7% response rate), 19 men (9.8%) requested disposal within four months of completing the questionnaire. Compared with men who wanted their sperm to remain in storage, they were significantly more confident that their fertility had recovered (OR = 1.78, 95% CI = 1.05-3.03, p = 0.034), saw fertility monitoring (semen analysis) as less important (OR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.39-0.94, p = 0.026), held more positive attitudes to disposal (OR = 5.71, 95% CI = 2.89-11.27, p < 0.001), were more likely to have experienced adverse treatment side-effects (OR = 4.37, CI = 1.61-11.85, p = 0.004) and had less desire for children in the future (OR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.26-0.64, p < 0.001). Information about men's reasons to dispose of banked sperm may be helpful in devising new strategies to encourage men to engage with sperm banking clinics and make timely decisions about the fate of their samples

Optimizing land use for the delivery of catchment ecosystem services

© The Ecological Society of America. Despite widespread implementation of best management practices, sustainable farming is neither practical nor possible in certain locations, where protecting water quality and promoting agricultural production are likely to be incompatible. Some strategic prioritization of land-use options and acceptance of continually degraded waterbodies may be required to ensure optimization of multiple ecosystem services in catchments (also known as watersheds or drainage basins). We examine approaches to prioritization and propose catchment buffering capacity as a concept to manage the pressure–impact relationship between land use and aquatic ecosystems. Catchment buffering capacity can be considered as a continuum of biogeochemical, hydrological, and ecological catchment properties that define this relationship. Here, we outline a conceptual framework to assist prioritization: (1) establish a water-quality target, (2) quantify the gap in compliance to achieve the desired target, (3) assess catchment sensitivity to change, and (4) determine the adaptive capacity of catchment communities to reach the target