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Multidimensional joint coupling: a case study visualisation approach to movement coordination and variability
Get PDFA case study visualisation approach to examining the coordination and variability of multiple interacting segments is presented using a whole-body gymnastic skill as the task example. One elite male gymnast performed 10 trials of 10 longswings whilst three-dimensional locations of joint centres were tracked using a motion analysis system. Segment angles were used to define coupling between the arms and trunk, trunk and thighs and thighs and shanks. Rectified continuous relative phase profiles for each interacting couple for 80 longswings were produced. Graphical representations of coordination couplings are presented that include the traditional single coupling, followed by the relational dynamics of two couplings and finally three couplings simultaneously plotted. This method highlights the power of visualisation of movement dynamics and identifies properties of the global interacting segmental couplings that a more formal analysis may not reveal. Visualisation precedes and informs the appropriate qualitative and quantitative analysis of the dynamics
UBC-Nepal Expedition: An experimental overview of the 2016 University of British Columbia Scientific Expedition to Nepal Himalaya
Get PDFThe University of British Columbia Nepal Expedition took place over several months in the fall of 2016 and was comprised of an international team of 37 researchers. This paper describes the objectives, study characteristics, organization and management of this expedition, and presents novel blood gas data during acclimatization in both lowlanders and Sherpa. An overview and framework for the forthcoming publications is provided. The expedition conducted 17 major studies with two principal goals—to identify physiological differences in: 1) acclimatization; and 2) responses to sustained high-altitude exposure between lowland natives and people of Tibetan descent. We performed observational cohort studies of human responses to progressive hypobaric hypoxia (during ascent), and to sustained exposure to 5050 m over 3 weeks comparing lowlander adults (n = 30) with Sherpa adults (n = 24). Sherpa were tested both with (n = 12) and without (n = 12) descent to Kathmandu. Data collected from lowlander children (n = 30) in Canada were compared with those collected from Sherpa children (n = 57; 3400–3900m). Studies were conducted in Canada (344m) and the following locations in Nepal: Kathmandu (1400m), Namche Bazaar (3440m), Kunde Hospital (3480m), Pheriche (4371m) and the Ev-K2-CNR Research Pyramid Laboratory (5050m). The core studies focused on the mechanisms of cerebral blood flow regulation, the role of iron in cardiopulmonary regulation, pulmonary pressures, intra-ocular pressures, cardiac function, neuromuscular fatigue and function, blood volume regulation, autonomic control, and micro and macro vascular function. A total of 335 study sessions were conducted over three weeks at 5050m. In addition to an overview of this expedition and arterial blood gas data from Sherpa, suggestions for scientists aiming to perform field-based altitude research are also presented. Together, these findings will contribute to our understanding of human acclimatization and adaptation to the stress of residence at high-altitude
Enhancing Seamless Nurses-Physician Communication After-Hours with Google Glass
Get PDFThere is a major issue in medical centres in Malaysia: the shared responsibility and communication between nurses at the bedside care and conversation with the physicians after-hours. Inexperience nurses may, sometimes, overlook patients' critical symptoms that indicate immediate medical care and cause the circumstance deteriorate. Therefore, mutual blaming practices are common if there is a medical error. The design of hands-free assessment and feedback with wearable technologies is welcomed in healthcare sector. Hence, the paper presents a pilot design that investigates how a wearable technology can help in daily patient care in an innovative way that enhance the nurses and physicians' communication. The paper reviewed the current practices and technologies, followed by the design of the transformed flow, hardware and apps used with technical limitations, pilot evaluation and future work
PARTICLE-INDUCED OXIDATIVE DAMAGE FROM EXPOSURE TO AIRBORNE PM2.5 COMPONENTS IN THE VICINITY OF HONG KONG LANDFILLS
No full textLandfills are an essential component of Hong Kong’s waste management strategy. With a geographically small size and a large population it is inevitable that many residents will live proximal to landfill sites, and this has raised public concerns about landfill emissions causing low birth weights, cancer, neurological diseases, nausea, and hospitalization of diabetics. This project has collected, physico-chemically characterise, and determined the potential bioreactivity of landfill-derived PM2.5 particulates. Many studies have demonstrated the health risks posed by landfill sites (Koshy et al., 2009), but unfortunately there is lack of investigation in the bioactivity of PM2.5 from municipal landfill sites in Hong Kong. This study has investigated the physicochemical characteristics of PM2.5 samples collected from locations near Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) landfill sites. We determined the oxidative stress of PM2.5 samples from their generation of reactive oxygen species. We determined the relationship between physical and chemical characteristics of PM2.5 and their bioreactivity from particles collected near to the landfill sites and in downwind urban sites. Five sampling sites were selected for this study. Two sites adjacent to the landfill areas, Two urban sites in a mixture of residential and commercial areas, and one sampling site is in a remote area far removed from any anthropogenic activities. The PM2.5 samples were collected simultaneously at all sites with URG PM2.5 samplers. Wind and real-time PM2.5 monitors were installed at two locations in proximity to the landfill sites in order to determine diurnal variations of particulate level, wind speed and direction. Twenty-four hours integrated PM2.5 samples were collected in winter (December to March, 2014-15) and summer (July to November, 2015) in every 3 days intervals. Samples were weighed to a 1 μg precision for the mass concentration measurements. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) analysis was used for particle imaging. Total metal concentrations were analysed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Ion chromatography (IC) was employed for water-soluble inorganic ions analysis. Organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) were analysed by thermal optical reflectance. Thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-GC/MS) was used for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) analysis. A plasmid scission assay (PSA) was used to determine the capability of each sample to induce plasmid DNA damage. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 21.0 software. The
average PM2.5 concentrations were generally higher in winter than summer at all locations and significant differences between seasons were observed at the landfill sites. The average concentrations of most chemical species demonstrated summer minimum and winter maximum. The contributions of OC and EC in PM2.5 in winter are in a range of 17.2-29.1 and 4.4-5.0%, respectively. However, the contributions of OC is lower in summer. The NO3-, SO42- and NH4+ are the three most abundant inorganic ions, with sulphate contributed in a range of 6.6-42.3 % in PM2.5 in winter. The amount of damage to the plasmid DNA induced by PM2.5 varied in a range of 24-92 % and 27-96 % in winter and summer, respectively. The DNA damage in summer were higher than winter in all locations. High PM2.5 levels were observed during daytime downwind from landfills. Significant associations were observed between DNA damage and heavy metals/PAHs in summer. Emissions from landfill-related machinery are potential important particle sources. No significant associations were observed between DNA damage and landfill particles, which indicates that PM2.5 loading from other regional sources was an important factor for DNA damage.
[1] Koshy, L., Jones, T. P., Berube, K. A., 2009. Characterization and bioreactivity of respirable airborne particles from a municipal landfill. Biomarkers 14 (S1), pp. 49-53
Update on the Role of Actovegin in Musculoskeletal Medicine: A Review of the Past 10 Years
Get PDFBackground: Actovegin is a biological drug with a controversial history of use in the treatment of sports injuries during the past 60 years. Particular concerns have been raised about its ergogenic potential to enhance performance, but some of these have been based on little more than anecdote.
Objectives: In this article, we review the most recent scientific evidence to determine the clinical efficacy, safety profile, and legal status of Actovegin.
Methods: We considered all studies directly commenting on experience with Actovegin use as the primary intervention within the past 10 years. Outcomes included mechanisms of action, clinical efficacy in enhancing muscle repair, any report of safety issues, and any evidence for ergogenic effect.
Results: Our database search returned 212 articles, abstracts were screened, and after inclusion/exclusion criteria were applied, 25 articles were considered: Publications included 11 primary research articles (7 in vitro studies and 4 clinical trials), 8 review articles, 5 editorials, and a single case report.
Conclusions: Current literature is still yet to define the active compound(s) of Actovegin, but suggests that it shows antioxidant and antiapoptotic properties, and may also upregulate macrophage responses central to muscle repair. Clinical efficacy was supported by one new original research article, and the use of Actovegin to treat muscle injuries remains safe and supported. Two articles argued the ergogenic effect of Actovegin, but in vitro findings did not to translate to the outcomes of a clinical trial. An adequate and meaningful scientific approach remains difficult in a field where there is immense pressure to deliver cutting-edge therapies
Analysing the role of virtualisation and visualisation on interdisciplinary knowledge exchange in stem cell research processes
Get PDFInterdisciplinary work is an increasingly frequent and important aspect of scientific research. However, successful knowledge exchange and collaboration between experts is itself a challenging activity with both technical and social components that require consideration. Here, this article analyses the cultural factors involved in interdisciplinary research, specifically in the context of a software programme designed to improve knowledge exchange. The authors undertook an ethnographic study to understand the impact of virtualisation and visualisation on an interdisciplinary research team, working together to develop novel imaging technologies for investigating stem cells. In this discovery-research environment the challenge was to determine the socio-technical effect of an in-house software tool called ProtocolNavigator, which provided a virtual laboratory environment for the team to simulate and map their ‘real-life laboratory’ activities. This display, together with activity icons and a timeline, could be visually analysed and transferred between multi-institutional researchers in a non-narrative approach. The aim of the work reported here is to provide the first detailed analysis of how software of this type is used in practice, and to analyse this through a robust social science-based perspective. Subsequently this study examines the effectiveness of this virtual laboratory environment on enhancing communication and understanding using a theoretical framework drawing upon three insights from the Sociology of Expertise and Experience: (i) interactional and contributory expertise, (ii) knowledge exchange and interpretative flexibility, and (iii) trading zones. The framework was extended by introducing the notion of material, concept and practice trade at these trading zones with a demonstration of how interactive visualisation of interconnected trading routes can empower interdisciplinary work. The addition of Foucault’s classic account of power found evidence of a panoptical effect due to the augmented visibility of each other’s work. In summary, the article offers a theoretical framework together with novel analysis to determine the influence of introducing tools and approaches designed to enhance interdisciplinary working—particularly in the context of knowledge sharing and trust
Neuromuscular and Bounce Drop-Jump Responses to Different Inter-Repetition Rest Intervals during A Composite Training Session in Hurling Players
Get PDFThe purposes of this study were to a) compare a 4-min to an 8-min rest interval between composite training (jump-sprint combination) repetitions in a single session to allow for the recovery of neuromuscular and bounce drop-jump (BDJ) performance and b) investigate if super compensation would occur after 168hrs of rest. Twelve players were randomly assigned to either a 4-min or an 8-min rest interval group. Participants first completed a BDJ test to identify individual BDJ drop heights followed by a 20m sprint test. Seventy-two hours later, a composite training session of two repetitions (three BDJs followed by a 20m sprint after a 15s rest) with either a 4-min or an 8-min rest interval was performed. A three repetition maximum (3RM) back squat strength test, a BDJ, countermovement jump (CMJ) and a sprint performance test were completed 10-mins pre- and immediately post-session, and 168 hrs post-session. CMJ force (8-min group) and BDJ (height and reactive strength index (RSI)) measures decreased significantly post-session (4-min and 8-min groups; P ≤ 0.05). Pre-session to 168 hrs post-session, relative 3RM back squat strength and 20m sprint performance increased significantly for the 4-min group only (P ≤ 0.05). In conclusion, a 4-min composite training inter-repetition rest interval leads to a significant decline in BDJ measures (RSI and jump height) which may act as fatigue markers for monitoring. However, 4-mins provides sufficient recovery during the session which, in conjunction with 168 hrs of recovery, causes super compensation in neuromuscular performance in hurling players
Blending Human and Artificial Intelligence to Support Autistic Children’s Social Communication Skills
Get PDFThis article examines the educational efficacy of a learning environment in which children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) engage in social interactions with an artificially intelligent (AI) virtual agent and where a human practitioner acts in support of the interactions. A multi-site intervention study in schools across the UK was conducted with 29 children with ASC and learning difficulties, aged 4--14 years old. For reasons related to data completeness and amount of exposure to the AI environment, data for 15 children was included in the analysis. The analysis revealed a significant increase in the proportion of social responses made by ASC children to human practitioners. The number of initiations made to human practitioners and to the virtual agent by the ASC children also increased numerically over the course of the sessions. However, due to large individual differences within the ASC group, this did not reach significance. Although no evidence of transfer to the real-world post-test was shown, anecdotal evidence of classroom transfer was reported. The work presented in this article offers an important contribution to the growing body of research in the context of AI technology design and use for autism intervention in real school contexts. Specifically, the work highlights key methodological challenges and opportunities in this area by leveraging interdisciplinary insights in a way that (i) bridges between educational interventions and intelligent technology design practices, (ii) considers the design of technology as well as the design of its use (context and procedures) on par with one another, and (iii) includes design contributions from different stakeholders, including children with and without ASC diagnosis, educational practitioners, and researchers
Consciousness as a Physical Process Caused by the Organization of Energy in the Brain
Get PDFTo explain consciousness as a physical process we must acknowledge the role of energy in the brain. Energetic activity is fundamental to all physical processes and causally drives biological behavior. Recent neuroscientific evidence can be interpreted in a way that suggests consciousness is a product of the organization of energetic activity in the brain. The nature of energy itself, though, remains largely mysterious, and we do not fully understand how it contributes to brain function or consciousness. According to the principle outlined here, energy, along with forces and work, can be described as actualized differences of motion and tension. By observing physical systems, we can infer there is something it is like to undergo actualized difference from the intrinsic perspective of the system. Consciousness occurs because there is something it is like, intrinsically, to undergo a certain organization of actualized differences in the brain
Coffee Ingestion Enhances 1-Mile Running Race Performance
Get PDFPurpose: Caffeine, often in the form of coffee, is frequently supplemented by athletes in an attempt to facilitate improved performance during exercise. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of coffee ingestion as an ergogenic aid prior to a one-mile (1609 m) race. Methods: In a double-blind, randomised, crossover, placebo-controlled design 13 trained male runners completed a one-mile race 60 minutes following the ingestion of 0.09 g·kg-1 coffee (COF), 0.09 g·kg-1 decaffeinated coffee (DEC), or a placebo (PLA). All trials were dissolved in 300 ml of hot water.Results:The race completion time was 1.3% faster following the ingestion of COF (04:35:37 ± 00:10:51 mm·ss) compared with DEC (04:39:14 ± 00:11:21 mm·ss; P=0.018; 95%CI: -0.11, -0.01; d=0.32) and 1.9% faster compared with PLA (04:41:00 ± 00:09:57 mm:ss; P=0.006; 95%CI: -0.15, -0.03; d=0.51). A large trial and time interaction for salivary caffeine concentration was observed (P<0.001; η2P=0.69) with a very large increase (6.40 ± 1.57 μg·ml-1, 95%CI: 5.5, 7.3; d=3.86) following the ingestion of COF. However, only a trivial difference between DEC and PLA was observed (P=0.602; 95%CI: -0.09, 0.03; d=0.17). Furthermore, only trivial differences for blood glucose (P=0.839; η2P=0.02) and lactate (P=0.096; η2P=0.18), and maximal heart rate (P=0.286; η2P=0.13) were observed between trials.Conclusions:The results of the present study show that 60 minutes after ingesting 0.09 g·kg-1 of caffeinated coffee one-mile race performance was enhanced by 1.9% and 1.3% compared with placebo and decaffeinated coffee respectively, in trained male runners