Detecting and monitoring the symptoms of Parkinson's disease using smartphones:a pilot study

Background: Remote, non-invasive and objective tests that can be used to support expert diagnosis for Parkinson's disease (PD) are lacking. Methods: Participants underwent baseline in-clinic assessments, including the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), and were provided smartphones with an Android operating system that contained a smartphone application that assessed voice, posture, gait, finger tapping, and response time. Participants then took the smart phones home to perform the five tasks four times a day for a month. Once a week participants had a remote (telemedicine) visit with a Parkinson disease specialist in which a modified (excluding assessments of rigidity and balance) UPDRS performed. Using statistical analyses of the five tasks recorded using the smartphone from 10 individuals with PD and 10 controls, we sought to: (1) discriminate whether the participant had PD and (2) predict the modified motor portion of the UPDRS. Results: Twenty participants performed an average of 2.7 tests per day (68.9% adherence) for the study duration (average of 34.4 days) in a home and community setting. The analyses of the five tasks differed between those with Parkinson disease and those without. In discriminating participants with PD from controls, the mean sensitivity was 96.2% (SD 2%) and mean specificity was 96.9% (SD 1.9%). The mean error in predicting the modified motor component of the UPDRS (range 11-34) was 1.26 UPDRS points (SD 0.16). Conclusion: Measuring PD symptoms via a smartphone is feasible and has potential value as a diagnostic support tool.

The use of correlation and regression methods in optometry

Correlation and regression are two of the statistical procedures most widely used by optometrists. However, these tests are often misused or interpreted incorrectly, leading to erroneous conclusions from clinical experiments. This review examines the major statistical tests concerned with correlation and regression that are most likely to arise in clinical investigations in optometry. First, the use, interpretation and limitations of Pearson's product moment correlation coefficient are described. Second, the least squares method of fitting a linear regression to data and for testing how well a regression line fits the data are described. Third, the problems of using linear regression methods in observational studies, if there are errors associated in measuring the independent variable and for predicting a new value of Y for a given X, are discussed. Finally, methods for testing whether a non-linear relationship provides a better fit to the data and for comparing two or more regression lines are considered.

Responsive fixture design using dynamic product inspection and monitoring technologies for the precision machining of large-scale aerospace parts

When machining a large-scale aerospace part, the part is normally located and clamped firmly until a set of features are machined. When the part is released, its size and shape may deform beyond the tolerance limits due to stress release. This paper presents the design of a new fixing method and flexible fixtures that would automatically respond to workpiece deformation during machining. Deformation is inspected and monitored on-line, and part location and orientation can be adjusted timely to ensure follow-up operations are carried out under low stress and with respect to the related datum defined in the design models.

Sampling and measurement methods for a study of childhood refractive error in a UK population

Background There is a paucity of data describing the prevalence of childhood refractive error in the United Kingdom. The Northern Ireland Childhood Errors of Refraction study, along with its sister study the Aston Eye Study, are the first population-based surveys of children using both random cluster sampling and cycloplegic autorefraction to quantify levels of refractive error in the United Kingdom. Methods Children aged 6–7 years and 12–13 years were recruited from a stratified random sample of primary and post-primary schools, representative of the population of Northern Ireland as a whole. Measurements included assessment of visual acuity, oculomotor balance, ocular biometry and cycloplegic binocular open-field autorefraction. Questionnaires were used to identify putative risk factors for refractive error. Results 399 (57%) of 6–7 years and 669 (60%) of 12–13 years participated. School participation rates did not vary statistically significantly with the size of the school, whether the school is urban or rural, or whether it is in a deprived/non-deprived area. The gender balance, ethnicity and type of schooling of participants are reflective of the Northern Ireland population. Conclusions The study design, sample size and methodology will ensure accurate measures of the prevalence of refractive errors in the target population and will facilitate comparisons with other population-based refractive data.

Accommodating intraocular lenses:a review of design concepts, usage and assessment methods

The correction of presbyopia and restoration of true accommodative function to the ageing eye is the focus of much ongoing research and clinical work. A range of accommodating intraocular lenses (AIOLs) implanted during cataract surgery has been developed and they are designed to change either their position or shape in response to ciliary muscle contraction to generate an increase in dioptric power. Two main design concepts exist. First, axial shift concepts rely on anterior axial movement of one or two optics creating accommodative ability. Second, curvature change designs are designed to provide significant amplitudes of accommodation with little physical displacement. Single-optic devices have been used most widely, although the true accommodative ability provided by forward shift of the optic appears limited and recent findings indicate that alternative factors such as flexing of the optic to alter ocular aberrations may be responsible for the enhanced near vision reported in published studies. Techniques for analysing the performance of AIOLs have not been standardised and clinical studies have reported findings using a wide range of both subjective and objective methods, making it difficult to gauge the success of these implants. There is a need for longitudinal studies using objective methods to assess long-term performance of AIOLs and to determine if true accommodation is restored by the designs available. While dual-optic and curvature change IOLs are designed to provide greater amplitudes of accommodation than is possible with single-optic devices, several of these implants are in the early stages of development and require significant further work before human use is possible. A number of challenges remain and must be addressed before the ultimate goal of restoring youthful levels of accommodation to the presbyopic eye can be achieved.

Writing and characterisation methods for UV-photosensitivity based devices and their applications

The underlying work to this thesis focused on the exploitation and investigation of photosensitivity mechanisms in optical fibres and planar waveguides for the fabrication of advanced integrated optical devices for telecoms and sensing applications. One major scope is the improvement of grating fabrication specifications by introducing new writing techniques and the use of advanced characterisation methods for grating testing. For the first time the polarisation control method for advanced grating fabrication has successfully been converted to apodised planar waveguide fabrication and the development of a holographic method for the inscription of chirped gratings at arbitrary wavelength is presented. The latter resulted in the fabrication of gratings for pulse-width suppression and wavelength selection in diode lasers. In co-operation with research partners a number of samples were tested using optical frequency domain and optical low coherence reflectometry for a better insight into the limitations of grating writing techniques. Using a variety of different fabrication methods, custom apodised and chirped fibre Bragg gratings were written for the use as filter elements for multiplexer-demultiplexer devices, as well as for short pulse generation and wavelength selection in telecommunication transmission systems. Long period grating based devices in standard, speciality and tapered fibres are presented, showing great potential for multi-parameter sensing. One particular scope is the development of vectorial curvature and refractive index sensors with potential for medical, chemical and biological sensing. In addition the design of an optically tunable Mach-Zehnder based multiwavelength filter is introduced. The discovery of a Type IA grating type through overexposure of hydrogen loaded standard and Boron-Germanium co-doped fibres strengthened the assumption of UV-photosensitivity being a highly non-linear process. Gratings of this type show a significantly lower thermal sensitivity compared to standard gratings, which makes them useful for sensing applications. An Oxford Lasers copper-vapour laser operating at 255 nm in pulsed mode was used for their inscription, in contrast to previous work using CW-Argon-Ion lasers and contributing to differences in the processes of the photorefractive index change

A comparison of histological and immunohistochemical methods for quantifying the pathological lesions of Pick's disease

Counts of Pick bodies (PB), Pick cells (PC), senile plaques (SP) and neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) were made in the frontal and temporal cortex from patients with Pick's disease (PD). Lesions were stained histologically with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and the Bielschowsky silver impregnation method and labeled immunohistochemically with antibodies raised to ubiquitin and tau. The greatest numbers of PB were revealed by immunohistochemistry. Counts of PB revealed by ubiquitin and tau were highly positively correlated which suggested that the two antibodies recognized virtually identical populations of PB. The greatest numbers of PC were revealed by HE followed by the anti-ubiquitin antibody. However, the correlation between counts was poor, suggesting that HE and ubiquitin revealed different populations of PC. The greatest numbers of SP and NFT were revealed by the Bielschowsky method indicating the presence of Alzheimer-type lesions not revealed by the immunohistochemistry. In addition, more NFT were revealed by the anti-ubiquitin compared with the anti-tau antibody. The data suggested that in PD: (i) the anti-ubiquitin and anti-tau antibodies were equally effective at labeling PB; (ii) both HE and anti-ubiquitin should be used to quantitate PC; and (iii) the Bielschowsky method should be used to quantitate SP and NFT.

Chemical and physical methods of enhancing the percutaneous absorption of antimicrobial agents

Contrary to previously held beliefs, it is now known that bacteria exist not only on the surface of the skin but they are also distributed at varying depths beneath the skin surface. Hence, in order to sterilise the skin, antimicrobial agents are required to penetrate across the skin and eliminate the bacteria residing at all depths. Chlorhexidine is an antimicrobial agent with the widest use for skin sterilisation. However, due to its poor permeation rate across the skin, sterilisation of the skin cannot be achieved and, therefore, the remaining bacteria can act as a source of infection during an operation or insertion of catheters. The underlying theme of this study is to enhance the permeation of this antimicrobial agent in the skin by employing chemical (enhancers and supersaturated systems) or physical (iontophoresis) techniques. The hydrochloride salt of chlorhexidine (CHX), a poorly soluble salt, was used throughout this study. The effect of ionisation on in vitro permeation rate across the excised human epidennis was investigated using Franz-type diffusion cells. Saturated solutions of CHX were used as donor and the variable studied was vehicle pH. Permeation rate was increased with increasing vehicle pH. The pH effect was not related to the level of ionisation of the drug. The effect of donor vehicle was also studied using saturated solutions of CHX in 10% and 20% ethanol as the donor solutions. Permeation of CHX was enhanced by increasing the concentration of ethanol which could be due to the higher concentration of CHX in the donor phase and the effect of ethanol itself on the membrane. The interplay between drug diffusion and enhancer pretreatment of the epidennis was studied. Pretreatment of the membrane with 10% Azone/PG demonstrated the highest diffusion rate followed by 10% olcic acid/PG pretreatment compared to other pretreatment regimens (ethanol, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), propylene glycol (PG), sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and dodecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (DT AB). Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) was also employed to study the mode of action of these enhancers. The potential of supersaturated solutions in enhancing percutaneous absorption of CHX was investigated. Various anti-nucleating polymers were screened in order to establish the most effective agent. Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP, K30) was found to be a better candidate than its lower molecular weight counterpart (K25) and hydroxypropyl methyleellulose (HPMC). The permeation studies showed an increase in diffusion rate by increasing the degree of saturation. Iontophoresis is a physical means of transdemal drug delivery enhancement that causes an increased penetration of molecules into or through the skin by the application of an electric field. This technique was employed in conjunction with chemical enhancers to assess the effect on CHX permeation across the human epidermis. An improved transport of CHX, which was pH dependant was observed upon application of the current. Combined use of iontophoresis and chemical enhancers further increased the CHX transport indicating a synergistic effect. Pretreatment of the membrane with 10% Azone/PG demonstrated the greatest effect.

Apparatus and test methods for measuring the impact of golf balls on turf and their application in the field

An apparatus was developed to project spinning golf balls directly onto golf greens. This employed a modified baseball/practice machine with two counter-rotating pneumatic wheels. The speed of the wheels could be varied independently allowing backspin to be given to the ball. The ball was projected into a darkened enclosure where the motion of the ball before and after impacting with the turf was recorded using a still camera and a stroboscope. The resulting photographs contained successive images of the ball on a single frame of film. The apparatus was tested on eighteen golf courses resulting in 721 photographs of impacts. Statistical analysis was carried out on the results of the photographs and from this, two types of green emerged. On the first, the ball tended to rebound with topspin, while on the second, the ball retained backspin after impact if the initial backspin was greater than about 350 rads-1. Eleven tests were devised to determine the characteristics of greens and statistical techniques were used to analyse the relationships between these tests. These showed the effects of the green characteristics on ball/turf impacts. It was found that the ball retained backspin on greens that were freely drained and had less than 60% of Poa annua (annual meadow grass) in their swards. Visco-elastic models were used to simulate the impact of the ball with the turf. Impacts were simulated by considering the ball to be rigid and the turf to be a two layered system consisting of springs and dampers. The model showed good agreement with experiment and was used to simulate impacts from two different shots onto two contrasting types of green.

Real-time detection, tracking, and monitoring of automatically discovered events in social media

We introduce ReDites, a system for realtime event detection, tracking, monitoring and visualisation. It is designed to assist Information Analysts in understanding and exploring complex events as they unfold in the world. Events are automatically detected from the Twitter stream. Then those that are categorised as being security-relevant are tracked, geolocated, summarised and visualised for the end-user. Furthermore, the system tracks changes in emotions over events, signalling possible flashpoints or abatement. We demonstrate the capabilities of ReDites using an extended use case from the September 2013 Westgate shooting incident. Through an evaluation of system latencies, we also show that enriched events are made available for users to explore within seconds of that event occurring.

Heterogeneous catalysts for clean technology:spectroscopy, design, and monitoring

Reactive, but not a reactant. Heterogeneous catalysts play an unseen role in many of today's processes and products. With the increasing emphasis on sustainability in both products and processes, this handbook is the first to combine the hot topics of heterogeneous catalysis and clean technology. It focuses on the development of heterogeneous catalysts for use in clean chemical synthesis, dealing with how modern spectroscopic techniques can aid the design of catalysts for use in liquid phase reactions, their application in industrially important chemistries - including selective oxidation, hydrogenation, solid acid- and base-catalyzed processes - as well as the role of process intensification and use of renewable resources in improving the sustainability of chemical processes. With its emphasis on applications, this book is of high interest to those working in the industry.

Corrosion of silicon carbide ceramics using conventional and electrochemical methods

Silicon carbide ceramics are candidate materials for use in aggressive environments, including those where aqueous acids are present. Standard corrosion testing methods such as immersion testing are not always sufficiently sensitive for these ceramics owing to the very low, almost unobservable, corrosion rates encountered. Using electrochemical methods the corrosion processes can be assisted, leading to higher rates and thus the elucidation of reaction mechanisms. The behaviour of a sintered and a reaction bonded silicon carbide has been investigated in aqueous HCl, HF, HNO3, and H2SO4, using standard immersion and new electrochemical methods. Both materials were passive in HCl, HNO3, and H2SO4 because of the formation of a surface silica film, and were active in HF. In HF, corrosion of sintered silicon carbide was slight and the residual silicon was removed from reaction bonded specimens.

Chemical reactions of double bonds in activated carbon:microwave and bromination methods

The reaction of localised C=C bonds on the surface of activated carbons has been shown to be an effective method of chemical modification especially using microwave-assisted reactions.