Consistency of compact and extended models of glucose-insulin homeostasis: The role of variable pancreatic reserve

Published compact and extended models of the glucose-insulin physiologic control system are compared, in order to understand why a specific functional form of the compact model proved to be necessary for a satisfactory representation of acute perturbation experiments such as the Intra Venous Glucose Tolerance Test (IVGTT). A spectrum of IVGTT’s of virtual subjects ranging from normal to IFG to IGT to frank T2DM were simulated using an extended model incorporating the population-of-controllers paradigm originally hypothesized by Grodsky, and proven to be able to capture a wide array of experimental results from heterogeneous perturbation procedures. The simulated IVGTT’s were then fitted with the Single-Delay Model (SDM), a compact model with only six free parameters, previously shown to be very effective in delivering precise estimates of insulin sensitivity and secretion during an IVGTT. Comparison of the generating, extended-model parameter values with the obtained compact model estimates shows that the functional form of the nonlinear insulin-secretion term, empirically found to be necessary for the compact model to satisfactorily fit clinical observations, captures the pancreatic reserve level of the simulated virtual patients. This result supports the validity of the compact model as a meaningful analysis tool for the clinical assessment of insulin sensitivity

A model-based residual approach for human-robot collaboration during manual polishing operations

A fully robotized polishing of metallic surfaces may be insufficient in case of parts with complex geometric shapes, where a manual intervention is still preferable. Within the EU SYMPLEXITY project, we are considering tasks where manual polishing operations are performed in strict physical Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC) between a robot holding the part and a human operator equipped with an abrasive tool. During the polishing task, the robot should firmly keep the workpiece in a prescribed sequence of poses, by monitoring and resisting to the external forces applied by the operator. However, the user may also wish to change the orientation of the part mounted on the robot, simply by pushing or pulling the robot body and changing thus its configuration. We propose a control algorithm that is able to distinguish the external torques acting at the robot joints in two components, one due to the polishing forces being applied at the end-effector level, the other due to the intentional physical interaction engaged by the human. The latter component is used to reconfigure the manipulator arm and, accordingly, its end-effector orientation. The workpiece position is kept instead fixed, by exploiting the intrinsic redundancy of this subtask. The controller uses a F/T sensor mounted at the robot wrist, together with our recently developed model-based technique (the residual method) that is able to estimate online the joint torques due to contact forces/torques applied at any place along the robot structure. In order to obtain a reliable residual, which is necessary to implement the control algorithm, an accurate robot dynamic model (including also friction effects at the joints and drive gains) needs to be identified first. The complete dynamic identification and the proposed control method for the human-robot collaborative polishing task are illustrated on a 6R UR10 lightweight manipulator mounting an ATI 6D sensor

The Role of Exercise for Postpartum Depression and Well-being

Postpartum depression is a prevalent condition (American Psychological Association, 2018). Untreated postpartum depression can have serious consequences for the mother and baby (McCurdy, Boule, Sivak, & Davenport, 2017). Traditional treatment options may not be feasible. Exercise is an effective treatment for adults with depression (McCurdy et al., 2017). Less is known about treating postpartum depression with exercise. This review of the literature sought to understand in postpartum mothers, how a regimen of regular exercise, compared to no regular exercise, impacted the perception of wellbeing and/or postpartum depression scores. The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) Plus with Full Text, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PubMed, and SAGE Journals were searched for relevant research articles using keyword combinations and no parameters on publication dates. Studies included focused on exercise during the postpartum period and studies measuring the subjective and objective impact of exercise. Studies were excluded from the review if the effects of exercise were studied during pregnancy or if the exercise was poorly defined. The design of studies included were four randomized controlled trials (RCTs), one quasi-experimental, one systematic review of RCTs, one retrospective cohort, and one cross-sectional. Results showed that exercise may be a useful treatment for postpartum depression. Other benefits included decreased levels of fatigue, increased physical fitness, and weight loss. One strength of the review is that most studies included well-designed RCTs and all used validated tools to measure postpartum depression scores and fatigue. Limitations included not knowing if participants were concurrently using psychotherapy and antidepressants, gaps in the research, lack of generalizability, and multiple barriers to implementation. In conclusion, exercise can be used as an adjunct therapy for postpartum depression. Future research should focus on specific types of exercise, frequency, and timing needed to affect postpartum depression

SUSY searches at CMS

Supersymmetry is one of the most popular theories that have been proposed to solve or alleviate the Hierarchy Problem and is one of the most active areas of research of Physics beyond the Standard Model at the LHC. In this contribution the results of recent SUSY searches performed by the CMS Collaboration on the 8 TeV dataset collected during 2012 are presented. Emphasis is given to R-parity conserving scenarios, where the Lightest Supersymmetric Particle is stable and may constitute a viable candidate for the Dark Matter in the Universe.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures, to appear in the proceedings of the Interplay between Particle and Astroparticle Physics (IPA 2014), 18-22 August 2014 Queen Mary University of Londo

Activity Tracking and Improved Health Outcomes

Activity tracking devices are a popular way for health-minded individuals to measure daily movement and estimate energy expenditure. Tracking, in its many forms, has been proven to improve health outcomes. From paper diaries to devices and smartphone applications, these data are becoming more important and have the potential to be used in the physician’s office as part of a realistic physical activity plan for improved health outcomes. As a health-care professional, amid a rapidly expanding accelerometer market, it is important to know the application and practicality of these devices, as well as the evidence behind an individual\u27s usage. What we choose to recommend, as health-care professionals, can influence the health and well-being of patients in the wellness arena. This chapter will look at research focused on activity tracking, including metrics such as sleep, nutrition, and physical activity, and health outcomes to further educate health-care professionals in an ever-evolving field