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Atrial Fibrillation Detection from At-Rest PPG Signals Using an SDOF-TF Method
No full textAt-rest PPG signals have been explored for detecting atrial fibrillation (AF), yet current signal-processing techniques do not achieve perfect accuracy even under low-motion artifact (MA) conditions. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a single-degree-of-freedom time–frequency (SDOF-TF) method in analyzing at-rest PPG signals for AF detection. The method leverages the influence of MA on the instant parameters of each harmonic, which is identified using an SDOF model in which the tissue–contact–sensor (TCS) stack is treated as an SDOF system. In this model, MA induces baseline drift and time-varying system parameters. The SDOF-TF method enables the quantification and removal of MA and noise, allowing for the accurate extraction of the arterial pulse waveform, heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), respiration rate (RR), and respiration modulation (RM). Using data from the MIMIC PERform AF dataset, the method achieved 100% accuracy in distinguishing AF from non-AF cases based on three features: (1) RM, (2) HRV derived from instant frequency and instant initial phase, and (3) standard deviation of HR across harmonics. Compared with non-AF, the RM for each harmonic was increased by AF. RM exhibited an increasing trend with harmonic order in non-AF subjects, whereas this trend was diminished in AF subjects
Ran Walker
No full textImage for Virginia Poets Databasehttps://digitalcommons.odu.edu/vapoets-images/1115/thumbnail.jp
Effect of Antipsychotic Medication Use and Type on Mortality and Cardiovascular Risks in Nursing Home Patients with Dementia
No full textIntroduction
Antipsychotic medication (APM) use in nursing home (NH) patients with dementia is common but carries risks. This study assessed the association between APM use and mortality, stroke, and myocardial infarction (MI) compared to non-use, as well as differences between first- and second-generation APMs.
Methods
A serial cross-sectional study using Medicare data examined outcomes from 2012 to 2015 in a national sample of 328,138 US NH residents aged 50 and older with dementia. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to analyze risk.
Results
APM use was associated with increased mortality in all years (odds ratio [OR] range: 2.39 to 1.23, all p \u3c 0.001) and stroke risk from 2012 to 2014 (OR range: 1.17 to 1.10, p \u3c 0.01) but not MI. First-generation APMs posed a higher mortality risk than second-generation APMs, with no significant stroke or MI differences.
Discussion
Findings highlight the need for cautious APM use in dementia patients in NHs due to elevated mortality and stroke risks.
Highlights
Study provides insights into APM risks in underrepresented nursing home (NH) dementia population. APM use in NH dementia patients is linked to higher death risk. First-generation APMs showed higher mortality risk than second-generation APMs. Overall, APM use is associated with increased stroke risk. No association was found between APM use and MI risk overall
Mediating Effect of Social Determinants of Health Between Race and Phthalate Biomarkers in Pregnancy
No full textIntroduction
Prenatal phthalate exposure is linked to adverse reproductive and developmental outcomes and is consistently higher among non‐Hispanic Black compared to non‐Hispanic White pregnant individuals, yet the factors responsible for these disparities are poorly characterized. We sought to quantify Black–White differences in repeated urinary concentrations of phthalate biomarkers during pregnancy and to estimate the extent to which neighborhood‐level social determinants of health (SDoH) mediate these disparities.
Methods
This secondary analysis used data from the Human Placenta Project Study, a prospective observational cohort study conducted at two academic institutions between 2016 and 2018. Eligible participants had singleton pregnancies, were recruited before 14 gestational weeks, and self‐identified as Black or White; individuals identifying as Hispanic were excluded. Urine specimens were collected at up to eight visits (12–38 weeks’ gestation). Statistical analyses were performed from January to April 2025. Our exposures included self‐identified race (Black vs. White) and neighborhood SDoH, principally the 2018 Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and the National Walkability Index, linked by geocoded residential address. Specific‐gravity‐adjusted concentrations of 14 phthalate metabolites and four replacement metabolites were quantified by high‐performance liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry. We used Bayesian multivariate mediation models to estimate adjusted geometric mean ratios (GMRs) with 95% credible intervals (95% CrIs) for the total effect of race and the joint indirect effects via SVI and Walkability, and we reported the proportion mediated.
Results
Among 249 participants (mean age, 26.5 years; 131 [52.6%] Black), 1562 urine samples were analyzed. Black participants had higher pregnancy‐average geometric means of monoethyl phthalate (MEP; total GMR, 3.87; 95% CrI, 3.03–4.93), Σdi‐ n ‐butyl phthalate (ΣDnBP; 1.86; 1.52–2.27), and monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP; total GMR, 1.41; 95% CrI, 1.04–1.90). The proportion mediated for SVI and Walkability jointly was 10% for MEP, 18% for ΣDnBP, and 44% for MBzP. No significant racial differences were observed for other phthalate biomarkers.
Conclusions
Black pregnant individuals had higher phthalate biomarker concentrations for several phthalates, and up to nearly half of the disparity for MBzP was explained by neighborhood‐level SDoH. Interventions aimed at improving community social and built environments may help reduce racially patterned chemical exposures during pregnancy
Part II: Industrial Information Integration Review 2020-2025
No full textIndustrial Information Integration Engineering (IIIE) has become increasingly essential for improving operational efficiency and harmonizing heterogeneous industrial systems through advanced digital integration approaches. Fueled by rapid advancements in Industry 4.0 technologies—including digital twins, artificial intelligence, immersive interfaces, and IoT infrastructures—IIIE is substantially transforming traditional enterprise architecture and integration frameworks. This systematic review synthesizes recent developments and emerging trends, with particular attention to the accelerating adoption of digital twins and the deepening convergence between operational technologies (OT) and information technologies (IT) across multiple sectors. While notable progress has been made, significant challenges persist, especially in developing resilient integration architectures and fully capitalizing on emerging capabilities such as quantum computing and next-generation communication networks. Future research directions emphasize the need to advance semantic interoperability, promote human-centric integration paradigms, and strengthen secure, decentralized information infrastructures. Collectively, these directions highlight IIIE’s pivotal role in enabling intelligent, interconnected, and sustainable industrial ecosystems
But Who Are the Victims? Reassessing the 568 Higher Education Cartel
No full textThirty prestigious independent American institutions of higher education were at some time members of the 568 higher education group (often labeled a cartel). Seventeen of them were sued by the U.S. Government and representative students who alleged that their meetings and deliberations resulted in collusion that caused students to pay higher prices. Twelve of the seventeen institutions subsequently settled their cases and by 2024 collectively had paid $284 million to do so. However, an inspection of these institutions\u27 pricing reveals that the median 568 Group institution lowered its average real net annual cost to its undergraduate students by 19.07% between 2009 and 2022. Further, this reduction was 1.70 times larger than the average real price reduction granted during the same period by the median institution among a sample of 475 other accredited, non-profit, independent four-year institutions and 11.63 times larger than the median price reduction granted by 78 public flagship state universities. The 568 group\u27s real price reductions stretched across every one of the five household income categories commonly used by the Government. Thus, there is little empirical support for the allegations that the Government has levied against the representative 568 group institution, and thus multiple members of this group appear to have paid unmerited fines to the Government to settle claims against them
Maintaining Balance and Wellness in Remote Work
No full textIn today\u27s rapidly evolving work environments, remote work has become more than a trend; it is now a mainstay and rising (Ewers & Kangmennaang, 2023). This shift has necessitated a re-evaluation of traditional work paradigms, particularly in the realms of work-life balance and employee wellness. This chapter details the core strategies for thriving in remote work settings by setting boundaries, combating isolation, and fostering supportive corporate cultures. Transitioning from offices to remote work can blur the lines between personal and professional lives (Bella, 2023; Beňo, 2023). This section provides practical advice on how remote workers can effectively delineate these aspects. Remote workers face unique challenges in maintaining their healthy work-life balance, and they must adopt effective strategies to set and uphold boundaries as the foundation of remote work balance and well-being