Sensor positioning for activity recognition using wearable accelerometers

Activities of daily living are important for assessing changes in physical and behavioral profiles of the general population over time, particularly for the elderly and patients with chronic diseases. Although accelerometers have been used widely in wearable devices for activity classification, the positioning of the sensors and the selection of relevant features for different activity groups still pose significant research challenges. This paper investigates wearable sensor placement at different body positions and aims to provide a systematic framework that can answer the following questions: 1) What is the ideal sensor location for a given group of activities? and 2) Of the different time-frequency features that can be extracted from wearable accelerometers, which ones are the most relevant for discriminating different activity types?

Regulation of HSH2 adaptor protein expression in the B lineage regulates the qualitative and quantitative nature of the humoral response (109.2)

Endogenous expression of the adaptor protein HSH2 is regulated in a dynamic manner during B cell maturation and differentiation. Developing B cells lack detectable HSH2, whereas T1 and T2 B cells in the periphery exhibit increasing levels of expression. Mature follicular B cells exhibit decreased expression of HSH2 compared to T2 cells and expression is further downregulated in germinal center B cells. In contrast, marginal zone B cells and B1a/b B cells exhibit high-level HSH2 expression. Regulation of HSH2 expression plays a critical role in determining the outcome of the humoral immune response as demonstrated using HSH2 transgenic mice. Constitutive expression of HSH2 in B cells results in decreased serum Ig titers for all subclasses with the exception of IgA. HSH2 Tg mice immunized with T-dependent or T-independent antigens exhibit a moderate decrease in the production of antigen-specific IgM, whereas class switched isotypes are decreased by approximately 80-90% compared to control mice. In contrast, HSH2 hypomorphic mice exhibit accelerated and enhanced class switching in response to challenge with T-dependent antigen. Analysis of HSH2 Tg B cell activation in vitro demonstrated that HSH2 selectively regulates the B cell response to TNF family receptors (i.e. CD40 and BAFF-R), but not BCR- or TLR-dependent signals. These data demonstrate that changes in HSH2 expression have profound effects on the humoral immune response.

Human TLT2 is expressed on and potentiates chemotaxis of cells of both myeloid and lymphoid lineage (158.6)

The TREM locus encodes a family of innate immune receptors, which play diverse roles in modulating the immune response. Trem-like transcript 2, or TLT2, is the only family member expressed on both myeloid and lymphoid cells, and is conserved among mouse and man, with 60% sequence homology between murine (m) and human (h) TLT2. Previous work by our lab defined the expression pattern for mTLT2 on cells of the immune system: granulocytes, macrophages, and B cells all express mTLT2, whereas monocytes and T cells do not. When mTLT2 is ligated with αTLT2 1C5 mAb, neutrophil chemotaxis is enhanced in a dose dependent manner in response to chemokines. To further understand the biological function of TLT2, our lab has characterized hTLT2 expression on peripheral leukocytes and studied its role in potentiating chemotaxis. Human granulocytes, monocytes, macrophages, NK cells, and B cells all express hTLT2 on their surface. Furthermore, interaction with antigen and differentiation downregulates surface expression of hTLT2 on B cells. In contrast, activation of granulocytes or monocytes with PMA upregulates hTLT2 expression. Lastly, naive, memory, and in vitro activated T cells do not express hTLT2, opposed to results from other groups. Functionally, ligation of hTLT2 augments B cell chemotaxis towards CXCL13, and neutrophil migration towards IL-8. In this regard, we observe hTLT2 and mTLT2 to have conserved phenotypic expression and function throughout the immune compartment.

Reintroducing the Persian fallow deer Dama mesopotamica in Israel - a chronology

The Persian fallow deer (Dama mesopotamica) reintroduction project of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority is based on a permanent breeding core (Hai-Bar Carmel) established in Israel in 1976 from 2 males and 5 females, before the formulation of the guidelines for reinstruction by the IUCN, with no strategic long-term planning, and little consideration of conservation principles and monetary consequences. By the mid 1990s the breeding core had nearly 50 adult females and it became evident that a reintroduction program should be prepared. The existence of a permanent breeding core offered flexibility in protocol and the possibility of a long-term approach based on multiple releases. Using a maximum sustained yield approach, IUCN criteria, and simulations of population performance we formulated a release strategy and a time frame for the project, based on repeated releases carried out sequentially in three reserves in northern Israel with good corridors connecting them. The project began with releases in the Kziv reserve with continuous post-release monitoring and an adaptive management approach. Reproductive success was dampened during the initial years after release, but increased to expected levels thereafter. Survival was higher than expected. Animals from later releases used formerly released animals as cue and established a home range faster. Annual home-range dynamics and social structure were comparable to other similar deer species. The deer transported viable seeds of many species by ingestion (endozoochory) and thinned the forest canopy allowing for better understory growth. Simulations based on empirical data indicated that pre-project demographic simulation offered reliable projections. A growth model incorporating the empirical data on dynamics, habitat preferences, and social structure during the first 2.5 years enabled the construction of a spatially realistic individual-based population model that reliably projected the numerical and spatial growth of the population over a 5-year period. This model was then used to assess future risks due to human sprawl. Due to agricultural damage, the project was forced in 2003 to select a new less favourable site in the Judean hills (central Israel) with no habitat linkage to the former location. Release in this area was based on individuals from the Hai Bar Carmel and from a second breeding core established in the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo. The less favourable site and behavioural problems of the zoo animals hampered the success of the reintroduction. In 2010 the northern region of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority approved a second release site in the Galilee. Using the spatially realistic model described above we reassessed the multiple-site approach, considering options of releases in 1–10 sites carried out in parallel or sequentially. These simulations indicated that the best results, in terms of numerical growth and spatial expansion, would be obtained by repeated releases in two sites carried out sequentially. Computer simulations combined with a permanent breeding core enabled robust planning and an adaptive management approach. Post-release monitoring provided important data for assessing reintroduction procedures and for future management of the species. This reintroduction has greatly enhanced the survival prospects of the Persian fallow deer, and their reintroduction has reestablished important ecosystem processes.

Postmenopausal hormone therapy and cognition: effects of timing and treatment type

SETTING

Hormone therapy used for the management of postmenopausal symptoms in older women appears to result in variable effects on cognitive function, depending on study design, subjects, tests used, and types of therapy.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effects of estrogen-only and estrogen plus progestogen preparations on cognitive performance (cognitive status, general and working memory) when taken 'early' and 'late' from the onset of menopause.

METHOD

The study consisted of 410 women who were participants in a longitudinal study, first recruited at age 40-80 years. They were tested for change over 5 years as an observational cohort by the Mini-Mental State Examination, National Adult Reading Test and the Wechsler Memory Scale Version 3. Cognitive decline, measured by age-adjusted scores, was defined as >or=10% negative change in each individual woman.

RESULTS

Controlling for age and lifestyle factors, and using the criterion of decrease in score >or=10% over 5 years for 'cognitive decline', 'early start' of hormone therapy (<3 years from menopause) was strongly associated with reduction in risk by the Mini-Mental State Examination (estrogen-only preparation, p = 0.005) but with increase in risk for general memory (with estrogen plus progestogen preparation, p = 0.02). Overall, there were no major effects on subgroups with type/timing of hormone therapy in relation to testing for a negative change in cognitive function.

CONCLUSION

'Early start' of estrogen-only hormone therapy was associated with reduced risk of global cognitive decline, and 'early start' estrogen-only and estrogen/progestogen hormone therapies showed increased risks of general memory decline. Even though this study did not have the power to discriminate between minor and mixed effects, it suggests that cognitive effects of hormone therapies may be mixed, depending on cognitive domain and timing of use/type of preparation.

How do teenagers manage their food allergies?

BACKGROUND

The peak incidence of deaths from anaphylaxis associated with nut allergy occurs in teenagers and young adults. During adolescence, the management of food allergy shifts from being the responsibility of parents to that of the young person. This is a group who therefore need special attention in the clinic.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to understand the practical challenges that teenagers with food allergy experience using a qualitative approach and generate potential interventions for tackling these.

METHODS

Teenagers aged 1118 years with food allergy completed a questionnaire about their food allergy and underwent a focused, semi-structured interview with open questions guided by a priori topic areas. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using a thematic approach.

RESULTS

The study enrolled 18 teenagers with a median age of 15 years (10 females); the most common food allergens were peanuts and tree nuts. Three key themes emerged: avoidance of allergens, preparation for reactions and the treatment of reactions. The majority of teenagers reported eating foods labelled as 'may contain' an allergen as they perceive that they are actually very unlikely to contain an allergen. Many of the teenagers only carried their self-injectable adrenaline when they thought they are particularly at risk of a reaction. Some do not know how to appropriately treat an allergic reaction. More than half believed that educating other students at school about the seriousness of food allergies would make it easier to live with their food allergy.

CONCLUSIONS

A significant number of teenagers demonstrate risk-taking behaviour in the management of their food allergies. Teenagers also felt it would be helpful for their peers to be educated about food allergy. This novel strategy might help them to avoid trigger foods and enable teenagers to access help more readily if they suffer a reaction.

A Framework for Distributed Preservation Workflows

The Planets Project is developing a service-oriented environment for the definition and evaluation of preservation strategies for human-centric data. It focuses on the question of logically preserving digital materials, as opposed to the physical preservation of content bit-streams. This includes the development of preservation tools for the automated characterisation, migration, and comparison of different types of Digital Objects as well as the emulation of their original runtime environment in order to ensure long-time access and interpretability. The Planets integrated environment provides a number of end-user applications that allow data curators to execute and scientifically evaluate preservation experiments based on composable preservation services. In this paper, we focus on the middleware and programming model and show how it can be utilised in order to create complex preservation workflows.

Description of the pathology of a gazelle that died during a major outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Israel : clinical communication

Naturally occurring foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in wildlife is a relatively mild condition but occasionally it can be devastating as has been documented in impala in South Africa and in mountain gazelles in Israel. This report describes pathological changes in an adult male gazelle with FMD from an outbreak in the Nature Reserve of Ramot-Issachar region and the lower Galilee in Israel. The outbreak was characterised by the malignant form of the disease, which is uncommon among domestic animals. Lesions observed included, ulceration in the oral cavity, oesophagus and ruminal pillars, coronitis, multifocal cardiac necrosis and pancreatic necrosis and inflammation. Pneumonia, caused by Muellerius capillaries was an incidental finding.

A low oxygen consumption pneumatic ventilator for emergency construction during a respiratory failure pandemic

The UK influenza pandemic plan predicts up to 750 000 additional deaths with hospitals prioritising patients against inadequate resources. We investigated three prototype low‐cost, gas‐efficient, pneumatic ventilators in a test lung model at different compliance and rate settings. Mean (SD) oxygen consumption was 0.913 (0.198) and 1.119 (0.267) l.min⁻¹ at tidal volumes of 500 ml and 700 ml respectively. Values of F_Io₂ increased marginally as lung compliance reduced, reflecting the increased ventilator workload and consequent increased enrichment of breathing gas by waste oxygen from the pneumatic mechanism. We also demonstrated that a stable nitric oxide concentration could be delivered by this design following volumetric principles. It is possible to make a gas‐efficient ventilator costing less than £200 from industrial components for use where oxygen is available at 2‐4 bar, with no pressurised air or electrical requirements. Such a device could be mass‐produced for crises characterised by an overwhelming demand for mechanical ventilation and a limited oxygen supply.

How we do it: 'tonsillectomy mat', scored rubber sheet to fix the Draffin's rods

Slipping of the Driffin's rod from the operating table is problematic during tonsillectomy. We describe a technique to overcome this problem by using a 'tonsillectomy mat'.

Evaluation of associations between feed withdrawal and other management factors with Salmonella contamination of broiler chickens at slaughter in Alberta

Salmonellosis is one of the most common bacterial foodborne diseases of public health concern in industrialized countries. Poultry products are considered an important source of Salmonella-related foodborne disease in humans. This study was undertaken to evaluate the relationship between various management factors including feed withdrawal and transportation time with Salmonella contamination in crops, ceca, and carcasses of broiler chickens at slaughter in Alberta. Using a two-stage sampling procedure, 30 matched crop and cecal samples before evisceration and an additional 30 neck skin samples after final wash of broiler chickens were collected at slaughter. A questionnaire was administered at the time of sampling to collect information on flock management risk factors. Cecal contents were individually screened with Salmonella-specific real-time PCR to detect positive flocks, and all cecal, crop, and neck skin samples from positive flocks were processed further for Salmonella isolation and characterization. The flock prevalence of Salmonella was 57.1% and within-flock prevalence of Salmonella for positive flocks was 17.2, 8.1, and 53.9% for ceca, crops, and neck skins, respectively. Salmonella Hadar was the most common serovar identified from crops, ceca, and neck skins of broiler chickens tested. Longer transport (P = 0.04 for neck skins) and waiting time in-plant (P = 0.04 for crops, P = 0.03 for ceca) were identified as important risk factors for Salmonella contamination of broiler chickens at slaughter. Salmonella contamination of broiler chickens could potentially be minimized by reducing waiting time in-plant for flocks with longer transport time.