Advances in UWB-based Indoor Position Estimation and its Application in Fall Detection

In an indoor propagation environment, the position of an Object of Interest (OOI) is typically estimated by cleverly manipulating range or proximity measurements that are obtained from a series of reference node combinations. In a noise-free propagation scenario, these measured parameters are fed into conventional position estimation techniques and an accurate estimate of the OOI’s position is obtained. In practice, the propagation scenario is never quite noise-free; hence the OOI’s position estimate is obtained in error. Ultra-Wideband (UWB) is a wireless communication technology that is able to resolve individual multipath components and this ensures that it is capable of estimating the arrival time of the first signal path. The implication of this lies in the fact that the accuracy of the range or proximity measurements obtained from the reference node combinations is guaranteed; hence leading to a reliable estimate of the OOI’s position. In the research work presented in this thesis, the body of knowledge that relates to indoor position estimation is advanced upon. With a primary focus of enhancing the estimation accuracy of indoor position estimation systems, UWB is utilised as the underlying wireless communications technology. The challenges faced by current UWBbased position estimation systems are identified and tackled directly. Specifically, the position estimation error that is due to multipath propagation is addressed and a pre-localisation algorithm that serves the purpose of resolving individual multipath UWB signals in the immediate environment is proposed. Additionally, a novel position estimation technique coined as Time Reflection of Arrival (TROA) is presented in this thesis. Through a series of Mean Squared Error (MSE) and Cram´er-Rao Lower Bound (CRLB) analyses, TROA is shown to be very effective when compared to TOA and the typically unvoiced TSOA technique. In the last section of this thesis, an application of UWB in the area of Biomedical Engineering is demonstrated. Specifically, UWB-based position estimation is used to define a novel fall detection algorithm tailored for Dementia patients

Ultra-wideband-based multilateration technique for indoor localisation

In this study, the authors present a novel geometrically driven multilateration technique that is based on ultra-wideband (UWB) technology. The authors refer to their proposed solution as time reflection of arrival (TROA). They demonstrate in this study how the position estimation error is improved upon by carefully considering the inherent properties of the UWB technology and the reflection properties of transmitted UWB signals. By a direct comparison between TROA and two widely used multilateration techniques, the authors show that indoor position estimation can be done much more effectively using their proposed solution. They also derive a new Cramér–Rao lower bound for TROA multilateration and use it to show its level of efficiency

Polymorphisms in MGP gene and their association with lead toxicity

Matrix γ-carboxy glutamic acid protein (MGP) is a 10-kDa secreted protein containing five residues of the vitamin K-dependent calcium binding amino acid γ-carboxyglutamic acid (Gla). This study was carried out to examine the effects of MGP gene promoter polymorphism (T-138C) on blood lead levels (BLL) and hematological parameters in 113 battery manufacturing unit workers occupationally exposed to lead and 102 controls. Genotypes for the MGP T-138C polymorphism were determined by PCR and restriction fragment length digestion. BLL were determined by Anode Stripping Voltammetry using ESA Model 3010B Lead analyzer. Complete blood picture (CBP) was analyzed using ADVIA Cell counter for each sample. The frequencies of MGP–TT, CT and CC genotypes in our population were 38.6%, 44.3%, and 17.2%, respectively. The frequencies for T and C alleles were 0.612 and 0.386, respectively. Although BLL did not differ significantly among genotypes; they were higher in workers with TT/CT genotype compared to CC genotype subjects (76–88 μg/dL vs 22–45 μg/dL, p > 0.05). About 29.2% of volunteers (n = 33) from the occupationally exposed group had hemoglobin levels below 10.0 gms/dl. There was no significant difference in total white cell count and platelet count between occupational and non-exposed groups. The possible role of SNPs in the promoter region of MGP gene with relation to lead toxicity was investigated for the first time in the Indian population; although significance could not be achieved in this study, further assessments over a larger population size may help in better understanding of the consequences of lead exposure

HFE Gene Variants Modify the Association between Maternal Lead Burden and Infant Birthweight: A Prospective Birth Cohort Study in Mexico City, Mexico

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Neonatal growth is a complex process involving genetic and environmental factors. Polymorphisms in the hemochromatosis (<it>HFE</it>) iron regulatory genes have been shown to modify transport and toxicity of lead which is known to affect birth weight.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We investigated the role of <it>HFE C282Y</it>, <it>HFE H63 D</it>, and transferrin <it>(TF) P570 S </it>gene variants in modifying the association of lead and infant birthweight in a cohort of Mexican mother-infant pairs. Subjects were initially recruited between 1994-1995 from three maternity hospitals in Mexico City and 411 infants/565 mothers had archived blood available for genotyping. Multiple linear regression models, stratified by either maternal/infant <it>HFE </it>or <it>TF </it>genotype and then combined with interaction terms, were constructed examining the association of lead and birthweight after controlling for covariates.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>3.1%, 16.8% and 17.5% of infants (N = 390) and 1.9%, 14.5% and 18.9% of mothers (N = 533) carried the <it>HFE C282Y</it>, <it>HFE H63D</it>, and <it>TF P570 S </it>variants, respectively. The presence of infant <it>HFE H63 D </it>variants predicted 110.3 g (95% CI -216.1, -4.6) decreases in birthweight while maternal <it>HFE H63 D </it>variants predicted reductions of 52.0 g (95% CI -147.3 to 43.2). Interaction models suggest that both maternal and infant <it>HFE H63 D </it>genotype may modify tibia lead's effect on infant birthweight in opposing ways. In our interaction models, maternal <it>HFE H63 D </it>variant carriers had a negative association between tibia lead and birthweight.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results suggest that the <it>HFE H63 D </it>genotype modifies lead's effects on infant birthweight in a complex fashion that may reflect maternal-fetal interactions with respect to the metabolism and transport of metals.</p

Oksidacijski stres u lakirera izloženih niskim razinama olova

Lead toxicity is a public health problem particularly to the children and to occupationally exposed adults. Evidence is mounting successively regarding the adverse health effects of lead at low levels. This study was undertaken to assess the antioxidant status of lead-exposed residential and commercial painters of Lucknow city in Uttar Pradesh, India. Thirty-five painters aged 20 to 50 years who had blood lead levels ≤400 µg L-1 were selected for the study from a population of 56 male painters initially screened for blood lead. The control group included an equal number of subjects of the same age group without any occupational exposure to lead. We studied the association between low lead level exposure and antioxidant status and found that blood lead levels in painters were approximately seven times as high as in controls [(219.2 ± 61.9) µg L-1 vs. (30.6±10.1) µg L-1, respectively]. Among the biomarkers of lead toxicity a significant decrease in the level of delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase [(9.13±4.62) UL-1 vs. (39.38±5.05) UL-1] and an increase in the level of zinc protoporphyrin [(187.9±49.8) µg L-1 vs. (26.4±5.5) µg L-1] were observed in painters compared to controls. Among antioxidant enzymes, painters showed a significant decrease in catalase [(56.77±11.11) UL-1 vs. (230.30±42.55) UL-1] and superoxide dismutase [(0.64±0.19) UL-1 vs. (2.68±0.62) UL-1] compared to controls. Lipid peroxidation was monitored by measuring thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) that were expressed in terms of malondialdehyde (MDA) equivalents. Concentration of MDA in plasma was higher in painters than in controls [(7.48±1.31) nmol mL-1 vs. (3.08±0.56) nmol mL-1]. Significant changes were also observed in reduced and oxidised glutathione levels. The strong association between blood lead levels and oxidative stress markers in this population suggests that oxidative stress should be considered in the pathogenesis of lead-related diseases among people with low level environmental exposure to lead.Toksičnost olova javnozdravstveni je problem, napose u djece i odraslih osoba koje su im izložene profesionalno. Sve je više dokaza o štetnom djelovanju olova pri niskim razinama. Svrha je ovog ispitivanja bila procijeniti antioksidacijski status u lakirera iz grada Lucknowa u indijskoj pokrajini Uttar Pradesh. Iz skupine od 56 muškaraca lakirera u dobi od 20 do 50 godina s pozitivnim početnim nalazima olova u krvi, za ispitivanje su izabrana 35-orica čije su razine iznosile ≤400 µg L-1. Izabran je i jednaki broj kontrolnih ispitanika iz iste dobne skupine, koji nisu bili profesionalno izloženi olovu. Ispitana je povezanost izme|u izloženosti niskim razinama olova i antioksidacijskoga stanja te je utvrđeno da su razine olova u krvi lakirera [(219,2±61,9) µg L-1] bile oko sedam puta više negoli u kontrolnih ispitanika [(30,6±10,1) µg L-1]. Od biopokazatelja toksičnosti olova u lakirera je zamijećen značajan pad razina delta- ALAD [(9,13±4,62) UL-1 prema (39,38±5,05) UL-1] te rast razina cinkova protoporfirina [(187,9±49,8) µg L-1 prema (26,4±5,5) µg L-1] u odnosu na kontrolne ispitanike. Od antioksidacijskih enzima u lakirera je značajno pala aktivnost katalaze [(56,77±11,11) UL-1 prema (230,30±42,55) UL-1] i superoksid dismutaze [(0,64±0.19) UL-1 prema (2,68±0,62) UL-1] u odnosu na kontrolu, dok je produkt lipidne peroksidacije u plazmi (izv. thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, TBARS) izražen kao koncentracija malondialdehida (MDA) porastao [(7,48±1,31) nmol mL-1 prema (3,08±0,56) nmol mL-1]. Značajne su promjene također zamijećene u smanjenim razinama glutationa i njihovoj oksidaciji. Snažna povezanost razina olova u krvi s pokazateljima oksidacijskoga stresa upućuje na to da u osoba s niskom razinom izloženosti olovu iz okoliša kod razmatranja patogeneze bolesti povezane s olovom u obzir valja uzeti oksidacijski stres