Gait and foot clearance parameters obtained using shoe-worn inertial sensors in a large-population sample of older adults

In order to distinguish dysfunctional gait; clinicians require a measure of reference gait parameters for each population. This study provided normative values for widely used parameters in more than 1400 able-bodied adults over the age of 65. We also measured the foot clearance parameters (i.e., height of the foot above ground during swing phase) that are crucial to understand the complex relationship between gait and falls as well as obstacle negotiation strategies. We used a shoe-worn inertial sensor on each foot and previously validated algorithms to extract the gait parameters during 20 m walking trials in a corridor at a self-selected pace. We investigated the difference of the gait parameters between male and female participants by considering the effect of age and height factors. Besides; we examined the inter-relation of the clearance parameters with the gait speed. The sample size and breadth of gait parameters provided in this study offer a unique reference resource for the researchers.

Recent advances in remote sensing image processing

Remote sensing image processing is nowadays a mature research area. The techniques developed in the field allow many real-life applications with great societal value. For instance, urban monitoring, fire detection or flood prediction can have a great impact on economical and environmental issues. To attain such objectives, the remote sensing community has turned into a multidisciplinary field of science that embraces physics, signal theory, computer science, electronics, and communications. From a machine learning and signal/image processing point of view, all the applications are tackled under specific formalisms, such as classification and clustering, regression and function approximation, image coding, restoration and enhancement, source unmixing, data fusion or feature selection and extraction. This paper serves as a survey of methods and applications, and reviews the last methodological advances in remote sensing image processing.

Out-of-sample forecast tests robust to the choice of window size

This paper proposes new methodologies for evaluating out-of-sample forecastingperformance that are robust to the choice of the estimation window size. The methodologies involve evaluating the predictive ability of forecasting models over a wide rangeof window sizes. We show that the tests proposed in the literature may lack the powerto detect predictive ability and might be subject to data snooping across differentwindow sizes if used repeatedly. An empirical application shows the usefulness of themethodologies for evaluating exchange rate models' forecasting ability.

Determination of the Enantiomers of Mianserin and its Metabolites in Plasma by Capillary Electrophoresis After Liquid-Liquid Extraction and On-Column Sample Preconcentration

Capillary electrophoresis has drawn considerable attention in the past few years, particularly in the field of chiral separations because of its high separation efficiency. However, its routine use in therapeutic drug monitoring is hampered by its low sensitivity due to a short optical path. We have developed a capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) method using 2mM of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin as a chiral selector, which allows base-to-base separation of the enantiomers of mianserin (MIA), desmethylmianserin (DMIA), and 8-hydroxymianserin (OHMIA). Through the use of an on-column sample concentration step after liquid-liquid extraction from plasma and through the presence of an internal standard, the quantitation limits were found to be 5 ng/mL for each enantiomer of MIA and DMIA and 15 ng/mL for each enantiomer of OHMIA. To our knowledge, this is the first published CE method that allows its use for therapeutic monitoring of antidepressants due to its sensitivity down to the low nanogram range. The variability of the assays, as assessed by the coefficients of variation (CV) measured at two concentrations for each substance, ranged from 2 to 14% for the intraday (eight replicates) and from 5 to 14% for the interday (eight replicates) experiments. The deviations from the theoretical concentrations, which represent the accuracy of the method, were all within 12.5%. A linear response was obtained for all compounds within the range of concentrations used for the calibration curves (10-150 ng/mL for each enantiomer of MIA and DMIA and 20-300 ng/mL for each enantiomer of OHMIA). Good correlations were calculated between [(R) + (S)]-MIA and DMIA concentrations measured in plasma samples of 20 patients by a nonchiral gas chromatography method and CZE, and between the (R)- and (S)-concentrations of MIA and DMIA measured in plasma samples of 37 patients by a previously described chiral high-performance liquid chromatography method and CZE. Finally, no interference was noted from more than 20 other psychotropic drugs. Thus, this method, which is both sensitive and selective, can be routinely used for therapeutic monitoring of the enantiomers of MIA and its metabolites. It could be very useful due to the demonstrated interindividual variability of the stereoselective metabolism of MIA.

A knowledge based signal processing approach to tonic identification in indian classical music

In this paper, we describe several techniques for detecting tonic pitch value in Indian classical music. In Indian music, the raga is the basic melodic framework and it is built on the tonic. Tonic detection is therefore fundamental for any melodic analysis in Indian classical music. This workexplores detection of tonic by processing the pitch histograms of Indian classic music. Processing of pitch histograms using group delay functions and its ability to amplify certain traits of Indian music in the pitch histogram, is discussed. Three different strategies to detect tonic, namely, the concert method, the template matching and segmented histogram method are proposed. The concert method exploits the fact that the tonic is constant over a piece/concert.templatematchingmethod and segmented histogrammethodsuse the properties: (i) the tonic is always present in the background, (ii) some notes are less inflected and dominant, to detect the tonic of individual pieces. All the three methods yield good results for Carnatic music (90−100% accuracy), while for Hindustanimusic, the templatemethod works best, provided the v¯adi samv¯adi notes for a given piece are known (85%).

High-pressure processing and antimicrobial biodegradable packaging to control Listeria monocytogenes during storage of cooked ham

The efficiency of combining high-pressure processing (HPP) and active packaging technologies to control Listeria monocytogenes growth during the shelf life of artificially inoculated cooked ham was assessed. Three lots of cooked ham were prepared: control, packaging with alginate films, and packaging with antimicrobial alginate films containing enterocins. After packaging, half of the samples were pressurized. Sliced cooked ham stored at 6 °C experienced a quick growth of L. monocytogenes. Both antimicrobial packaging and pressurization delayed the growth of the pathogen. However, at 6 °C the combination of antimicrobial packaging and HPP was necessary to achieve a reduction of inoculated levels without recovery during 60 days of storage. Further storage at 6 °C of pressurized antimicrobial packed cooked ham resulted in L. monocytogenes levels below the detection limit (day 90). On the other hand, storage at 1 °C controlled the growth of the pathogen until day 39 in non-pressurized ham, while antimicrobial packaging and storage at 1 °C exerted a bacteriostatic effect for 60 days. All HPP lots stored at 1 °C led to counts <100 CFU/g at day 60. Similar results were observed when combining both technologies. After a cold chain break no growth of L. monocytogenes was observed in pressurized ham packed with antimicrobial films, showing the efficiency of combining both technologies.

Levels and determinants of inflammatory biomarkers in a Swiss population-based sample (CoLaus Study).

OBJECTIVE: to assess the levels and determinants of interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-a and C-reactive protein (CRP) in a healthy Caucasian population.METHODS: population sample of 2884 men and 3201 women aged 35 to 75. IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-a were assessed by a multiplexed particle-based flow cytometric assay and CRP by an immunometric assay.RESULTS: Spearman rank correlations between duplicate cytokine measurements (N?=?80) ranged between 0.89 and 0.96; intra-class correlation coefficients ranged between 0.94 and 0.97, indicating good reproducibility. Among the 6085 participants, 2289 (37.6%), 451 (7.4%) and 43 (0.7%) had IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-a levels below detection limits, respectively. Median (interquartile range) for participants with detectable values were 1.17 (0.48-3.90) pg/ml for IL-1ß; 1.47 (0.71-3.53) pg/ml for IL-6; 2.89 (1.82-4.53) pg/ml for TNF-a and 1.3 (0.6-2.7) ng/ml for CRP. On multivariate analysis, greater age was the only factor inversely associated with IL-1ß levels. Male sex, increased BMI and smoking were associated with greater IL-6 levels, while no relationship was found for age and leisure-time PA. Male sex, greater age, increased BMI and current smoking were associated with greater TNF-a levels, while no relationship was found with leisure-time PA. CRP levels were positively related to age, BMI and smoking, and inversely to male sex and physical activity.CONCLUSION: Population-based levels of several cytokines were established. Increased age and BMI, and to a lesser degree sex and smoking, significantly and differentially impact cytokine levels, while leisure-time physical activity has little effect.

Combined effect of natural antimicrobials and high pressure processing to prevent Listeria monocytogenes growth after a cold chain break during storage of cooked ham

The effect of high pressure processing (400 MPa for 10 min) and natural antimicrobials 2 (enterocins and lactate-diacetate) on the behaviour of L. monocytogenes in sliced cooked ham 3 during refrigerated storage (1ºC and 6ºC) was assessed. The efficiency of the treatments after a 4 cold chain break was evaluated. Lactate-diacetate exerted a bacteriostatic effect against L. 5 monocytogenes during the whole storage period (3 months) at 1ºC and 6ºC, even after 6 temperature abuse. The combination of low storage temperature (1ºC), high pressure 7 processing (HPP) and addition of lactate-diacetate reduced the levels of L. monocytogenes 8 during storage by 2.7 log CFU/g. The most effective treatment was the combination of HPP, 9 enterocins and refrigeration at 1ºC, which reduced the population of the pathogen to final counts 10 of 4 MPN/g after 3 months of storage, even after the cold chain break.

Sample size for measurement of root traits on common bean by image analysis

Evaluation of root traits may be facilitated if they are assessed on samples of the root system. The objective of this work was to determine the sample size of the root system in order to estimate root traits of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars by digital image analysis. One plant was grown per pot and harvested at pod setting, with 64 and 16 pots corresponding to two and four cultivars in the first and second experiments, respectively. Root samples were scanned up to the completeness of the root system and the root area and length were estimated. Scanning a root sample demanded 21 minutes, and scanning the entire root system demanded 4 hours and 53 minutes. In the first experiment, root area and length estimated with two samples showed, respectively, a correlation of 0.977 and 0.860, with these traits measured in the entire root. In the second experiment, the correlation was 0.889 and 0.915. The increase in the correlation with more than two samples was negligible. The two samples corresponded to 13.4% and 16.9% of total root mass (excluding taproot and nodules) in the first and second experiments. Taproot stands for a high proportion of root mass and must be deducted on root trait estimations. Samples with nearly 15% of total root mass produce reliable root trait estimates.

Active packaging containing nisin and high pressure processing as post-processing listericidal treatments for convenience fermented sausages

Listeria monocytogenes was inoculated on the surface of sliced fermented sausages with no added sodium salt. The pathogen was progressively inactivated during the product shelf life (90 days). Antimicrobial packaging of fermented sausages with PVOH films containing nisin induced a more pronounced reduction of L. monocytogenes counts during refrigerated storage. HPP alone (600 MPa, 5 min, 12 °C) had no antimicrobial effect against L. monocytogenes at the studied conditions. Combination of HPP with antimicrobial packaging did not produce any extra protection against L. monocytogenes compared to antimicrobial packaging alone. The lack of effect of HPP on L. monocytogenes was attributed to a protective effect exerted by the low water activity of the product and its lactate content. These results reflect that antimicrobial packaging with the inclusion of nisin as a natural antimicrobial could be considered as an effective method to reduce the levels of L. monocytogenes in sliced fermented sausages with no added sodium salt

Pitfalls in aminoacid and organic acid analysis: 3-hydroxypropionic aciduria.

Pitfalls in organic acid analysis can originate from inadequate methodology, analytical interferences, in vivo interactions and from pre-analytical conditions which often are unknown to the specialized analytical laboratory. Among the latter, ingested food and additives, metabolites of food processing or medications have to be considered. Bacterial metabolites from the gastrointestinal or urogenital system or formed after sample collection can lead to pitfalls as well. An example of such a patient whose urinary metabolites mimic at first glance inherited propionic aciduria is described.

Stress intensity factor of wood from crack-tip displacement fields obtained from digital image processing

Abstract