Seeking Optimum System Settings for Physical Activity Recognition on Smartwatches

Physical activity recognition (PAR) using wearable devices can provide valued information regarding an individual's degree of functional ability and lifestyle. In this regards, smartphone-based physical activity recognition is a well-studied area. Research on smartwatch-based PAR, on the other hand, is still in its infancy. Through a large-scale exploratory study, this work aims to investigate the smartwatch-based PAR domain. A detailed analysis of various feature banks and classification methods are carried out to find the optimum system settings for the best performance of any smartwatch-based PAR system for both personal and impersonal models. To further validate our hypothesis for both personal (The classifier is built using the data only from one specific user) and impersonal (The classifier is built using the data from every user except the one under study) models, we tested single subject validation process for smartwatch-based activity recognition.Comment: 15 pages, 2 figures, Accepted in CVC'1

Multiplex cytokine analysis of dermal interstitial blister fluid defines local disease mechanisms in systemic sclerosis.

Clinical diversity in systemic sclerosis (SSc) reflects multifaceted pathogenesis and the effect of key growth factors or cytokines operating within a disease-specific microenvironment. Dermal interstitial fluid sampling offers the potential to examine local mechanisms and identify proteins expressed within lesional tissue. We used multiplex cytokine analysis to profile the inflammatory and immune activity in the lesions of SSc patients

The polyAT, intronic IVS11-6 and Lys939Gln XPC polymorphisms are not associated with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder

Chemical carcinogens from cigarette smoking and occupational exposure are risk factors for bladder transitional cell carcinoma (TCC). The Xeroderma Pigmentosum Group C (XPC) gene is essential for repair of bulky adducts from carcinogens. The Xeroderma Pigmentosum Group C gene polymorphisms may alter DNA repair capacity (DRC), thus giving rise to genetic predisposition to bladder cancer. Recent studies have demonstrated linkage disequilibrium between three polymorphisms in the XPC gene (polyAT, IVS11-6 and Lys939Gln) and these have been shown to influence the DRC, as well as to be associated with bladder cancer risk. We analysed all three XPC polymorphisms in 547 bladder TCC patients and 579 cancer-free controls to investigate the association between these polymorphisms and bladder cancer susceptibility, and we also attempted to assess gene–environmental interactions. We confirmed strong linkage disequilibrium among the polymorphisms (Lewontin's D′>0.99). Using logistic regression adjusting for smoking, occupational and family history, neither the heterozygote nor the homozygote variants of these polymorphisms were associated with increased bladder cancer risk (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval] for heterozygote 0.82 [0.63–1.07], 0.82 [0.63–1.08] and 0.83 [0.63–1.08] for PolyAT, IVS11-6 and Lys939Gln, respectively and homozygote variant, 0.98 [0.68–1.42], 0.99 [0.69–1.43] and 1.01 [0.70–1.46]). Moreover, we did not find any significant interaction between these XPC polymorphisms and environmental exposure to cigarette smoking and occupational carcinogens

Optimisation of a nano-positioning stage for a Transverse Dynamic Force Microscope

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via the DOI in this record.This paper describes the optimisation of a nano-positioning stage for a Transverse Dynamic Force Microscope (TDFM). The nano-precision stage is required to move a specimen dish within a horizontal region of 1 μm × 1 μm and with a resolution of 0.3 nm. The design objective was to maximise positional accuracy during high speed actuation. This was achieved by minimising out-of-plane distortions and vibrations during actuation. Optimal performance was achieved through maximising out-of-plane stiffness through shape and material selection as well optimisation of the anchoring system. Several shape parameters were optimised including the shape of flexural beams and the shape of the dish holder. Physical prototype testing was an essential part of the design process to confirm the accuracy of modelling and also to reveal issues with manufacturing tolerances. An overall resonant frequency of 6 kHz was achieved allowing for a closed loop-control frequency of 1.73 kHz for precise horizontal motion control. This resonance represented a 12-fold increase from the original 500 Hz of a commercially available positioning stage. Experimental maximum out-of-plane distortions below the first resonance frequency were reduced from 0.3 μm for the first prototype to less than 0.05 μm for the final practical prototype

Real-time sliding mode observer scheme for shear force estimation in a transverse dynamic force microscope

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Wiley via the DOI in this record.This paper describes a sliding mode observer scheme for estimation of the shear force affecting the cantilever in a Transverse Dynamic Force Microscope (TDFM). The vertically oriented cantilever is oscillated in proximity to the specimen under investigation. The amplitude of oscillation of the cantilever tip is affected by these shear forces. They are created by the ordered-water layer above the specimen. The oscillation amplitude is therefore a measure of distance between the tip and the surface of the specimen. Consequently, the estimation of the shear forces provides useful information about the specimen characteristics. For estimating the shear forces, an approximate finite dimensional model of the cantilever is created using the method of lines. This model is subsequently reduced for its model order. An unknown input sliding mode observer has been used to reconstruct the unknown shear forces using only tip position measurements and the cantilever excitation. This paper describes the development of the sliding mode scheme and presents experimental results from the TDFM set up at the Centre for Nanoscience and Quantum Information (NSQI) at Bristol University

Clinical assessment of a low-cost, hand-held, smartphone-attached intraoral imaging probe for ALA PDT monitoring and guidance

India has one of the highest rates of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in the world, with an incidence of 15 per 100,000 and more than 70,000 deaths per year. The problem is exacerbated by lack of medical infrastructure and routine screening, especially in rural areas. This collaboration recently developed, and clinically validated, a low-cost, portable and easy-to-use platform for intraoral photodynamic therapy (PDT) specifically engineered for use in global health settings. Here, we explore the implementation of our low-cost PDT system in conjunction with a small, handheld smartphone-coupled, multichannel fluorescence and white-light oral cancer imaging probe, which was also developed for global health settings. Our study aimed to use this mobile intraoral imaging device for treatment guidance and monitoring PDT using 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA)-induced protoporphyrin IX (PS; PpIX) fluorescence. A total of 12 patients with 14 lesions having moderately/well-differentiated micro-invasive OSCC lesions (<2 cm diameter, depth <5 mm) were systemically administered with three doses of 20mg/kg ALA (total 60mg/kg). Lesion site PpIX and auto fluorescence was analyzed before/after ALA administration, and again after light delivery (fractionated, total 100 J/cm^{2} of 630nm red LED light). Quantification of relative PpIX fluorescence enables lesion area segmentation to improve guidance of light delivery and reports extent of photobleaching. These results indicate the utility of this approach for image-guided PDT and treatment monitoring while also laying groundwork for an integrated approach, combining cancer screening and treatment with the same hardware

Identification of sex hormone-binding globulin in the human hypothalamus

Gonadal steroids are known to influence hypothalamic functions through both genomic and non-genomic pathways. Sex hormone-binding globulin ( SHBG) may act by a non-genomic mechanism independent of classical steroid receptors. Here we describe the immunocytochemical mapping of SHBG-containing neurons and nerve fibers in the human hypothalamus and infundibulum. Mass spectrometry and Western blot analysis were also used to characterize the biochemical characteristics of SHBG in the hypothalamus and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of humans. SHBG-immunoreactive neurons were observed in the supraoptic nucleus, the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, paraventricular nucleus, arcuate nucleus, the perifornical region and the medial preoptic area in human brains. There were SHBG-immunoreactive axons in the median eminence and the infundibulum. A partial colocalization with oxytocin could be observed in the posterior pituitary lobe in consecutive semithin sections. We also found strong immunoreactivity for SHBG in epithelial cells of the choroid plexus and in a portion of the ependymal cells lining the third ventricle. Mass spectrometry showed that affinity-purified SHBG from the hypothalamus and choroid plexus is structurally similar to the SHBG identified in the CSF. The multiple localizations of SHBG suggest neurohypophyseal and neuroendocrine functions. The biochemical data suggest that CSF SHBG is of brain rather than blood origin. Copyright (c) 2005 S. Karger AG, Base

Association between proton pump inhibitor therapy and clostridium difficile infection: a contemporary systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract Introduction Emerging epidemiological evidence suggests that proton pump inhibitor (PPI) acid-suppression therapy is associated with an increased risk of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). Methods Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, ISI Web of Science, and Scopus were searched from 1990 to January 2012 for analytical studies that reported an adjusted effect estimate of the association between PPI use and CDI. We performed random-effect meta-analyses. We used the GRADE framework to interpret the findings. Results We identified 47 eligible citations (37 case-control and 14 cohort studies) with corresponding 51 effect estimates. The pooled OR was 1.65, 95% CI (1.47, 1.85), I2 = 89.9%, with evidence of publication bias suggested by a contour funnel plot. A novel regression based method was used to adjust for publication bias and resulted in an adjusted pooled OR of 1.51 (95% CI, 1.26–1.83). In a speculative analysis that assumes that this association is based on causality, and based on published baseline CDI incidence, the risk of CDI would be very low in the general population taking PPIs with an estimated NNH of 3925 at 1 year. Conclusions In this rigorously conducted systemic review and meta-analysis, we found very low quality evidence (GRADE class) for an association between PPI use and CDI that does not support a cause-effect relationship

Analysis of anti-RNA polymerase III antibody positive systemic sclerosis suggests altered GPATCH2L and CTNND2 expression in scleroderma renal crisis

OBJECTIVE: Scleroderma renal crisis (SRC) is a life-threatening complication of systemic sclerosis (SSc) strongly associated with anti RNA polymerase III antibody (ARA) autoantibodies. We explore genetic susceptibility and altered protein expression in renal biopsy specimens in ARA positive SRC. METHODS: ARA-positive patients (n=99) with at least 5 years' follow-up (49% with a history of SRC) were selected from a well-characterised SSc cohort (n=2254). Cases were genotyped using the Illumina Human Omni-express chip. Based on initial regression analysis, nine SNPs were chosen for validation in a separate cohort of 256 ARA+ patients (40 with SRC). Immunostaining of tissue sections from SRC or control kidney was used to quantify expression of candidate proteins based upon genetic analysis of the discovery cohort. RESULTS: Analysis of 641,489 SNPs suggested association of POU2F1 (rs2093658; 1.98x10-5), CTNND2 (rs1859082; p=7.14 x 10-5), HECW2 (rs16849716; p=1.2 x 10-4) and GPATCH2L (rs935332; p=4.92 x 10-5) with SRC. Furthermore, the validation cohort showed an association between rs935332 within the GPATCH2L region, with SRC (p=0.025). Immunostaining of renal biopsy sections showed increased tubular expression of GPATCH2L (p=0.026), and glomerular expression of CTNND2 (p=0.026) in SRC samples (n=8) compared with normal human kidney controls (n=8), despite absence of any genetic replication for the associated SNP. CONCLUSION: Increased expression of two candidate proteins GPATCH2L and CTNND2 in SRC compared with control kidney suggests a potential role in pathogenesis of SRC. For GPATCH2L this may reflect genetic susceptibility in ARA positive SSc based upon 2 independent cohorts