Frequency of exercise-induced ST-T-segment deviations and cardiac arrhythmias in recreational endurance athletes during a marathon race: results of the prospective observational Berlin Beat of Running study

OBJECTIVES: While regular physical exercise has many health benefits, strenuous physical exercise may have a negative impact on cardiac function. The 'Berlin Beat of Running' study focused on feasibility and diagnostic value of continuous ECG monitoring in recreational endurance athletes during a marathon race. We hypothesised that cardiac arrhythmias and especially atrial fibrillation are frequently found in a cohort of recreational endurance athletes. The main secondary hypothesis was that pathological laboratory findings in these athletes are (in part) associated with cardiac arrhythmias. DESIGN: Prospective observational cohort study including healthy volunteers. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and nine experienced marathon runners wore a portable ECG recorder during a marathon race in Berlin, Germany. Athletes underwent blood tests 2-3 days prior, directly after and 1-2 days after the race. RESULTS: Overall, 108 athletes (median 48 years (IQR 45-53), 24% women) completed the marathon in 249±43 min. Blinded ECG analysis revealed abnormal findings during the marathon in 18 (16.8%) athletes. Ten (9.3%) athletes had at least one episode of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia, one of whom had atrial fibrillation; eight (7.5%) individuals showed transient ST-T-segment deviations. Abnormal ECG findings were associated with advanced age (OR 1.11 per year, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.23), while sex and cardiovascular risk profile had no impact. Directly after the race, high-sensitive troponin T was elevated in 18 (16.7%) athletes and associated with ST-T-segment deviation (OR 9.9, 95% CI 1.9 to 51.5), while age, sex and cardiovascular risk profile had no impact. CONCLUSIONS: ECG monitoring during a marathon is feasible. Abnormal ECG findings were present in every sixth athlete. Exercise-induced transient ST-T-segment deviations were associated with elevated high-sensitive troponin T (hsTnT) values. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01428778; Results

Aqueous-Base-Developable Benzocyclobutene (BCB)-Based Material -An Emerging Dielectric Material for Microelectronics

A self-priming and photosensitive aqueous-base-developable benzocyclobutene (BCB)-based dielectric material curable in air is described. The polymer is made from divinylsiloxane benzocyclobutene and BCB-acrylic acid. Patterned films have high resolution, and via openings are scum-free without a descum operation. Whether cured in nitrogen or in air, the formulation produces a film with optical, electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties desired for many microelectronic applications, such as packaging applications and a planarization layer or insulation layer in display applications

Denotative and Connotative Semantics in Hypermedia: Proposal for a Semiotic-Aware Architecture

In this article we claim that the linguistic-centered view within hypermedia systems needs refinement through a semiotic-based approach before real interoperation between media can be achieved. We discuss the problems of visual signification for images and video in dynamic systems, in which users can access visual material in a non-linear fashion. We describe how semiotics can help overcome such problems, by allowing descriptions of the material on both denotative and connotative levels. Finally we propose an architecture for a dynamic semiotic-aware hypermedia system

The Effects of Two Types of Sleep Deprivation on Visual Working Memory Capacity and Filtering Efficiency

Sleep deprivation has adverse consequences for a variety of cognitive functions. The exact effects of sleep deprivation, though, are dependent upon the cognitive process examined. Within working memory, for example, some component processes are more vulnerable to sleep deprivation than others. Additionally, the differential impacts on cognition of different types of sleep deprivation have not been well studied. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of one night of total sleep deprivation and 4 nights of partial sleep deprivation (4 hours in bed/night) on two components of visual working memory: capacity and filtering efficiency. Forty-four healthy young adults were randomly assigned to one of the two sleep deprivation conditions. All participants were studied: 1) in a well-rested condition (following 6 nights of 9 hours in bed/night); and 2) following sleep deprivation, in a counter-balanced order. Visual working memory testing consisted of two related tasks. The first measured visual working memory capacity and the second measured the ability to ignore distractor stimuli in a visual scene (filtering efficiency). Results showed neither type of sleep deprivation reduced visual working memory capacity. Partial sleep deprivation also generally did not change filtering efficiency. Total sleep deprivation, on the other hand, did impair performance in the filtering task. These results suggest components of visual working memory are differentially vulnerable to the effects of sleep deprivation, and different types of sleep deprivation impact visual working memory to different degrees. Such findings have implications for operational settings where individuals may need to perform with inadequate sleep and whose jobs involve receiving an array of visual information and discriminating the relevant from the irrelevant prior to making decisions or taking actions (e.g., baggage screeners, air traffic controllers, military personnel, health care providers)

Associations between physical activity types and multi-domain cognitive decline in older adults from the Three-city cohort

Several studies suggest that physical activity improves cognitive functions and reduces cognitive decline, whereas others did not find any evidence of a neuroprotective effect. Furthermore, few cohort studies have analyzed the different physical activity types and particularly household activities. Our objective was to assess the association of two physical activity types with the decline in different cognitive domains in a large prospective cohort of community-dwelling older adults from the Three-city study. Physical activity (domestic/transportation activities and leisure/sport activities) was assessed with the Voorrips questionnaire, specific for older adults. Baseline sociodemographic and health history variables as well as cognitive performance data at baseline and during the 8-year follow-up (Mini-Mental State Examination, Benton Visual Retention Test, Trail Making Tests A and B, Isaac's Set Test and Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test) were also available. Associations between physical activity scores and cognitive decline in different domains were tested using minimally- and multi-adjusted linear mixed models. The analysis included 1697 participants without dementia at baseline and with at least one follow-up visit. At baseline, participants with higher sub-scores for the two physical activity types had better cognitive performances. Interaction with time showed that decline in some cognitive scores (Trail Making Test B and Isaac's Set Test) was significantly less pronounced in participants with higher household/transportation activity sub-scores. No significant effect over time was found for leisure/sport activities. This study shows that during an 8-year follow-up, executive functions and verbal fluency were better preserved in older adults who performed household/transportation activities at moderate to high level. Participation in domestic activities and using adapted transport means could allow older adults to maintain specific cognitive abilities

Novel hermetic and low cost glass-capping technology for wafer-level-packaging of optical devices

The novel wafer-level packaging (WLP) process invented allows hermetic capping of optical devices on wafer-level yielding miniaturized glass cavity windows on top of the optical area, at the same time leaving the contact area accessible for standard electrical connections i.e. wire bond. These optical cavity packages are used within standard chip-on-board (COB) assemblies for high performance optical applications providing high yields and utmost reliability for miniaturized optical devices at low costs

Wafer bonding with BCB and SU-8 for MEMS packaging

In this paper, intermediate layer bonding technologies using SU-8 and BCB are successfully demonstrated. The bonding process, which consists of only several simple steps such as material deposition, exposure and development, as well as contact and bonding, can be carried out in a bonder at low temperature, e.g., somewhere between 120°C and 350°C Benefits from this, integration of metal electrodes and wires between the bonding interfaces becomes possible. Moreover, since adhesive bonding does not necessitate extremely smooth contact surface, nor does it rely on the cleanliness of ambient environment, it is possible to carry out this process in a standard chemistry lab, and join different substrates without any pre-treatment. Initial inspection results showed that this method has a satisfactory yielding rate of more than 90%, and an acceptable bonding strength of above 2 MPa. The minimal thickness of the adhesive layer, which should retain the chips together after dicing, can be reduced to values between 6-10m. For low-cost capacitive transducers, this is an attractive packaging technology. On the other hand, because SU-8 epoxy is an innovative building block for polymer devices, this method can also be used to construct complex micro systems

Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum stoffschluessigen Fuegen metallischer Anschlussstrukturen

WO 2009143805 A1 UPAB: 20100101 NOVELTY - The method for cohesively joining two metallic connection structures each having a planar or curved contact area region, which has a contact area with elevated microstructure elements that is assignable to the contact area region, comprises mutually contacting the two connection structures in such a way that material bonds form between the microstructure elements and the opposite connection structure, and providing the microstructure elements on the contact area of the connection structure in the form of crystallites, which are elevated orthogonally with respect to the contact area. DETAILED DESCRIPTION - The method for cohesively joining two metallic connection structures each having a planar or curved contact area region, which has a contact area with elevated microstructure elements that is assignable to the contact area region, comprises mutually contacting the two connection structures in such a way that material bonds form between the microstructure elements and the opposite connection structure, providing the microstructure elements on the contact area of the connection structure in the form of crystallites, which are elevated orthogonally with respect to the contact area, are formed like lines of ribs and with steep flanks and have a sharp-edged rib burr, where the arrangement of the contact area and formation in terms of form and size are subjected to stochastic distribution, and joining together the two connection structures in such a way that the microstructure elements of one of the connection structures contacted by their rib burrs with the contact area region of the other connection structure. The crystallites have a triangle-like base form in a cutting plane oriented orthogonal to the contact area, mutually touch or penetrate through along their respective rib lines, and provide by triangularly characterizable burr points locally along their rib burr in each case. The burr points have a point fillet with a radius of smaller than 1 mu m. The microstructure elements provided on the contact area of the connection structure have an average element height of 0.5-10 mu m against the contact area. The crystallites have a rib longitudinal extension of 100 mu m at their basis in the region of the contact area and a rib thickness of up to 25 mu m. A surface portion conditioned by the rib burr at the entire contact area per connection structure is 20%. The crystallites include a burr angle ( alpha ) of smaller than 60 degrees , where the burr angle is included by two crystal flanks. The microstructure elements are obtained in a way of direct galvanic deposition directly or indirectly on a substrate surface. The substrate surface consists of an electrically conductive material and/or is coated with an electrically conductive layer. The microstructure elements are deposited on the substrate surface or on the electrically conductive layer. The crystallites consist of metallurgical composition. The joining of the two connection structures takes place in a force-actuated manner, so that parts of the microstructure elements provided on one of the connection structures subject a deformation and/or penetrate with their rib burr into the other connection structure. The microstructure elements partially and mutually penetrate through the connection structures in case of providing the microstructure elements on the both connection structures during joining. The force-actuated joining of both connection structures is supported by ultrasonic introduction and/or thermal energy introduction into the joining area between the connection structures. The connection structures are formed for surface connection between the following components such as electronic components, integrated circuits, rigid or flexible wiring carrier in the form of a ceramic substrate, a printed circuit board or a flexible polymer substrate. An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for a device for cohesively joining two metallic connection structures. USE - Method for cohesively joining two metallic connection structures for the realization of sensors and actuators on basis of element- or compound semiconductors and rigid or flexible wiring carrier (claimed) and for producing highly integrated microelectronic components and systems. ADVANTAGE - The method is capable of reliably, rigidly and durably joining the metallic connection structures with increased functional density, high mechanical strength, high flexibility and less energy consumption