Clinical validation of a wearable system for emotional recognition based on biosignals.

The AUBADE system can be trained to classify a subject’s feelings into six different emotional classes, derived from three of the basic emotions (happiness, disgust and fear). The performance of different classifiers was examined. Biosignals were recorded from 24 healthy subjects who viewed pictures designed to invoke different emotional responses. A psychologist evaluated the emotional status of the subjects by looking at their faces. During the training stage, information from 15 subjects was used to teach the system how to discriminate the emotional status of the subject based on the biosignals provided as input. A subset of the data was used for comparing the performance of four different classifiers. They were evaluated using three different metrics: sensitivity, positive predictive accuracy and accuracy. Using the SVM classifier, the AUBADE system provided sensitivities in the range 63–81%. The positive predictive accuracy was in the range 71–95%. The accuracy was in the range 63–83%, depending on the emotional class considered. The work paves the way for remote telemonitoring of patients suffering from neurological diseases

Assessing the value of the information provision for enhancing the autonomy of mobility impaired users. Madrid pilot Site Study.

A City is the space where every person acquires the citizen condition, which demands access to multiple services and facilities, and develops social relations in a free and equal condition of options. A lack of accessibility limits independency and autonomy. Thus, the relationship between “sustainable development” and “accessibility for all” becomes clearer, and both goals reinforce each other. In this sense, information plays a key role in order to overcome existing barriers, specially for people who rarely use public transport, have impaired mobility, or make a particular journey for the first time. The impact and benefits is linked with public transport as a “facilitator” of mobility, and, in particular, for the aim of intermodality. The usefulness of information that should be provided (both the information itself and how is offered) to mobility impaired users (MI users) is discussed on this paper based on following of the ASK-IT project that has being carry out on Madrid. The work was done in close cooperation with representatives of all different types of MI user groups

Preliminary results of ON/OFF detection using an integrated system for Parkinson's disease monitoring

This paper describes the experimental set up of a system composed by a set of wearable sensors devices for the recording of the motion signals and software algorithms for the signal analysis. This system is able to automatically detect and assess the severity of bradykinesia, tremor, dyskinesia and akinesia motor symptoms. Based on the assessment of the akinesia, the ON-OFF status of the patient is determined for each moment. The assessment performed through the automatic evaluation of the akinesia is compared with the status reported by the patients in their diaries. Preliminary results with a total recording period of 32 hours with two PD patients are presented, where a good correspondence (88.2 +/- 3.7 %) was observed. Best (93.7 por ciento) and worst (87 por ciento) correlation results are illustrated, together with the analysis of the automatic assessment of the akinesia symptom leading to the status determination. The results obtained are promising, and if confirmed with further data, this automatic assessment of PD motor symptoms will lead to a better adjustment of medication dosages and timing, cost savings and an improved quality of life of the patients

Vesículas extracelulares: potencial como biomarcadores y papel en la patogénesis de la enfermedad

Las encefalopatías espongiformes transmisibles (EET) son un conjunto de enfermedades neurodegenerativas de evolución fatal producidas por la acumulación de proteína prion patológica (PrPSc), una isoforma mal plegada de la proteína prion celular (PrPC), en el tejido nervioso. Se han descrito EET en varias especies animales, incluida la especie humana, donde la más común es la enfermedad de Creutfeldt-Jakob. Este trabajo se realizó en scrapie ovino, ya que esta enfermedad se emplea como modelo de investigación de las EET. El diagnóstico de las EET se realiza en base a la clínica o detectando la PrPSc, ya sea post-mortem o in vivo mediante técnicas invasivas y poco sensibles en el caso del scrapie. Esto hace necesaria la búsqueda de biomarcadores tempranos en las EET. Los exosomas son vesículas extracelulares membranosas de hasta 150 nm de diámetro que participan en el transporte intercelular y son capaces de atravesar la barrera hematoencefálica. En este estudio se pretendió investigar si los exosomas participan en la propagación y la diseminación de la proteína prion en el scrapie ovino y evaluar el potencial de los exosomas como fuente de biomarcadores de scrapie en fluidos periféricos accesibles (sangre y orina) en la especie ovina. Se aislaron exosomas de ambos fluidos, siendo la primera vez que se describe su aislamiento a partir de orina ovina. Posteriormente se caracterizaron y se determinó la posible presencia de PrPSc mediante amplificaron mediante PMCA, no detectándose la presencia de PrPSc en ninguna de las muestras. Además, se analizó si estas vesículas participan en la toxicidad asociada a estas enfermedades observada previamente in vitro. Para ello se evaluó el efecto del tratamiento con exosomas de plasma de ovino con scrapie y control sobre cultivos de células madre mesenquimales ovinas con genotipo susceptible a scrapie. Se observó una elevada variabilidad entre los diferentes orígenes de exosomas y se detectaron algunos factores que podían estar influenciando los resultados observados. Esto permitió definir un protocolo para minimizar la variabilidad en este tipo de ensayos, que podrá utilizarse en trabajos posteriores. Por último, se logró aislar y caracterizar por primera vez exosomas de tejido nervioso en ovino. Se optimizó la homogeneización y el aislamiento de estas vesículas, lo cual permitirá analizar exosomas de tejido nervioso de ovino con scrapie en futuros estudios para conocer cuál es su implicación en la patogenia de la enfermedad.<br /

Hypercalcemia of Malignancy in a Dog Diagnosed With Cholangiocellular Carcinoma

A 4-year-old, neutered male Golden Retriever was presented with a 1-week history of weight loss, polyuria, and polydipsia. The diagnostic workup showed an increased ionized calcium concentration, mild increase in serum creatinine and urea concentration, and severe hyperlipasemia. A complete abdominal ultrasound revealed multiple hepatic nodules. A cytological diagnosis of malignant epithelial neoplasia, highly suggestive of bile duct adenocarcinoma was made. In order to confirm the presumptive diagnosis of hypercalcemia of malignancy due to the presence of a hepatic neoplasia, serum parathormone-related peptide concentration was measured, and the result revealed an increased concentration. The dog was hospitalized and received supportive treatments consisting of intravenous furosemide and fluid therapy. After ruling out lymphoma and hypoadrenocorticism, oral prednisone was initiated and ionized calcium concentration decreased gradually down to normal concentration after 7 days of hospitalization. Chemotherapy with intravenous epirubicin was initiated based on the cytological diagnosis. One month after diagnosis and due to the worsening of its clinical condition, the dog was humanely euthanized. Postmortem examination confirmed a cholangiocellular carcinoma. To our knowledge, this is the first report of malignant hypercalcemia associated with cholangiocellular carcinoma in a dog.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Physical Education Program for university students with intellectual disabilities from service-learning methodology

La experiencia de aprendizaje-servicio que se presenta a continuación se ha desarrollado on el alumnado del Grado de Ciencias de la Actividad Física y el Deporte (9 materias) y el Grado de Magisterio en Educación Primaria con Mención en Educación Física (1 asignatura) de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid11. La finalidad principal que se persigue es desarrollar las competencias profesionales a través del aprendizaje experiencial, ofreciendo un servicio comprometido y responsable al alumnado universitario con discapacidad intelectual que participa en el Programa Promentor. En concreto, el servicio prestado persigue desarrollar los aprendizajes motrices del alumnado, así como una actitud positiva para la ocupación activa del ocio y la adquisición de hábitos de práctica saludable. Esta metodología requiere llevar a cabo unos protocolos para orientar los procesos de intervención del alumnado del Grado, a través de una serie de acciones formativas sistematizadas y supervisadas por el profesorado universitario (asambleas, diseño e implementación de sesiones, etc.). La evaluación de la experiencia desarrollada se realiza a partir de la información recopilada de los diferentes agentes implicados en el proceso (profesorado y alumnado de Grado y de Promentor)A service-learning experience has been developed with the students of Sport Sciences and Physical Activity Degree (9 subjects) and Primary Education with Physical Education Specialty Degree (1 subject) at Autonomous University of Madrid. The main aim followed is to develop their professional competences through experiential learning offering a committed and responsible service to university students with intellectual disabilities who participate in the Promentor Program. Specifically, the service provided aims to develop student motor skills, as well as a positive attitude for the active occupation of leisure and the acquisition of healthy practice habits. This methology requires carried out some protocols to guide the interventions of Degree students, through some systematized and supervised formative actions by university teachers (conferences, design and implementation of sessions, etc). The experience assessment is carried out with the information gathered from the different agents involved in the process (teachers and Degree and Promentor students

PREVIEW: Prevention of Diabetes through Lifestyle Intervention and Population Studies in Europe and around the World. Design, Methods, and Baseline Participant Description of an Adult Cohort Enrolled into a Three-Year Randomised Clinical Trial

Type-2 diabetes (T2D) is one of the fastest growing chronic diseases worldwide. The PREVIEW project has been initiated to find the most effective lifestyle (diet and physical activity) for the prevention of T2D, in overweight and obese participants with increased risk for T2D. The study is a three-year multi-centre, 2 × 2 factorial, randomised controlled trial. The impact of a high-protein, low-glycaemic index (GI) vs. moderate protein, moderate-GI diet in combination with moderate or high-intensity physical activity on the incidence of T2D and the related clinical end-points are investigated. The intervention started with a two-month weight reduction using a low-calorie diet, followed by a randomised 34-month weight maintenance phase comprising four treatment arms. Eight intervention centres are participating (Denmark, Finland, United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Spain, Bulgaria, Australia, and New Zealand). Data from blood specimens, urine, faeces, questionnaires, diaries, body composition assessments, and accelerometers are collected at months 0, 2, 6, 12, 18, 24, and 36. In total, 2326 adults were recruited. The mean age was 51.6 (SD 11.6) years, 67% were women. PREVIEW is, to date, the largest multinational trial to address the prevention of T2D in pre-diabetic adults through diet and exercise intervention. Participants will complete the final intervention in March, 2018.Peer reviewe

Walking family: Programme of parental skills during foster care and reunification. Summary of main findings of the Project I+D EDU2014-52921-C2. [Infographics]

Podeu consultar la versió castellana, francesa i portuguesa al recurs relacionat.Walking Family is a support programme for specific parenting skills in foster care and reunification. Its main aim is to promote the acceptance and involvement of the welfare measure and to foster and strengthen reunification. One of the most relevant aspects of the programme is its group methodology, as it can be used to convey effective coping strategies for everyday problems. Walking Family is characterised by three cornerstones of innovation: positive parenting and child welfare, child participation and family resilience. The programme is developed over 5 modules, each containing 3 sessions. Each session offers activities to do with the children, with the parents and with the family as a unit

The pilot project of the mineral collections from the University of Barcelona: An opportunity to create updated teaching material to be shared with other universities

The Mineralogy teaching collection from the University of Barcelona has proved to be a successful tool for students. The urge of its renewal to meet the necessities of modernCindustry brought the idea to replicate this collection in order to offer high quality teaching material to other universities worldwide. This project has led to an international collaboration aiming to enhance international solidarity among universities and make evident the importance of Mineralogy in Geology studies