scholarly journals Validation of Smartphone Sway Analysis for Fall Prevention

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (22) ◽  
pp. 10577
Author(s):  
Matthew Cimera ◽  
Arkady Voloshin

Analysis of the balance and sway of the elderly remains a field continuously studied for additional means of assessing the risks of falls. Almost 50% of falls among the elderly lead to serious injuries, and falls are the leading cause of death for the elderly. Thus, the development of a convenient method to assess the risks of falling would be beneficial in helping to diminish these risks. We recorded the sway data by using the widely acceptable force plate and simultaneously compared it to the angular orientation measured by a cell phone’s accelerometer attached to the subject. It was found that the correlation of the average path length and average velocity between the results from the force plate and the phone application were 0.83 and 0.86 respectively. Overall, the direction of the strongest correlation was in the anterior–posterior (AP) direction that is mostly associated with falls. The smart phone application was able to represent the results that were gathered by the force plate, thus opening the door to a simpler way to track sway variables in the elderly without the necessity to come to a doctor’s office.

Author(s):  
Vincent Grégoire

Meursault from L’Étranger, and “Elle” from Hiroshima mon amour are tragic characters who, as if driven by an ancient fatum, have committed a crime, blood crime or crime of love, for which they must pay. While the first is accused of insensitivity and sentenced to death because justice sees him as a “moral monster”, the second is found guilty of “horizontal collaboration” and punished by “popular justice”. From then on, locked up in a cell for Meursault, or alternately in a room and a cellar for “Elle”, these two characters seek the faces and voices of past loves. The quest for these faces and voices from a bygone world which make the protagonists suffer by their absence will give way for Meursault and “Elle” to a state of peace that will allow them to come to terms with their past. While the first character, who has changed in prison, is going to rediscover his mother and finally understand her desire to reembrace life in the home for the elderly, the second character, “healed” by the Japanese, will finally find a sentimental balance.


2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Cotton ◽  
M. Vanoncini ◽  
P. Fraisse ◽  
N. Ramdani ◽  
E. Demircan ◽  
...  

The estimation of the centre of mass position in humans is usually based on biomechanical models developed from anthropometric tables. This method can potentially introduce errors in studies involving elderly people, since the ageing process is typically associated with a modification of the distribution of the body mass. In this paper, an alternative technique is proposed, and evaluated with an experimental study on 9 elderly volunteers. The technique is based on a virtual chain, identified from experimental data and locating the subject's centre of mass. Its configuration defines the location of the centre of mass, and is a function of the anatomical joint angles measured on the subject. This method is a valuable investigation tool in the field of geronto-technology, since it overcomes some of the problems encountered with other CoM estimation methods.


Author(s):  
Chakravarthi Ram-Prasad

The Introduction outlines the various chapters. It then situates the question of ‘body’ in the modern Western philosophical tradition following Descartes, and argues that this leaves subsequent responses to come under one of three options: metaphysical dualism of body and subject; any anti-dualist reductionism; or the overcoming of the divide. Describing the Phenomenology of Merleau-Ponty as a potent example of the third strategy, the Introduction then suggests his philosophy will function as foil to the ecological phenomenology developed and presented in the book. Moreover, one approach within the Western Phenomenological tradition, of treating phenomenology as a methodology for the clarification of experience (rather than the means to the determination of an ontology of the subject) is compared to the approach in this book. Since classical India, while understanding dualism, did not confront the challenge of Descartes (for better or for worse), its treatment of body follows a different trajectory.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
T Gemeli ◽  
H Silva ◽  
M Kato

Abstract This work arose from the need to broaden the therapeutic approach and offer a differentiated health intervention proposal based on the understanding that the illness process has repercussions on all integrated systems of Being. Since 2019, the Health Center for the Elderly in Blumenau (SC-Brasil), specialized multi-professional service, offering support for biopsychoenergetic transformation with the practice of Yoga and Meditation, through a holistic and comprehensive view of health. It begins with the Multidimensional Assessment of the Elderly, with a guideline in welcoming and qualified listening, which considers the subject and all subjectivity. From there, the expanded diagnosis and the Singular Therapeutic Project are built and the consultations with the team and the 'Re-Conhecer group' begin. The activity is weekly, aimed at the elderly and their family, takes place in an appropriate place and lasts two hours. Welcoming, pranayama, mantras, kriyas and meditation are made, as well as reflections on free themes. The professionals who conduct the practice are the dentist, trained in yoga, and the social worker, the welcoming process continues individually after the activity. Due to subjectivity, results are routinely collected in a qualitative way from the participants' report. There is a perception on the part of the participants, therapists and members of the multidisciplinary team that this work provides improvement in cognitive abilities, self-care, well-being, self-confidence, creativity, improved sleep, autonomy, balance, strengthening bonds, joy, vitality. Key messages This initiative builds new models of health care, transcending the traditional biomedical model, according to the operational guideline for comprehensiveness, universal access and equity. Provokes reflections and builds a new perspective of life with quality and participation of the elderly as subjects of their health.


Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1457
Author(s):  
Dewald Schoeman ◽  
Burtram C. Fielding

Over the past 18 years, three highly pathogenic human (h) coronaviruses (CoVs) have caused severe outbreaks, the most recent causative agent, SARS-CoV-2, being the first to cause a pandemic. Although much progress has been made since the COVID-19 pandemic started, much about SARS-CoV-2 and its disease, COVID-19, is still poorly understood. The highly pathogenic hCoVs differ in some respects, but also share some similarities in clinical presentation, the risk factors associated with severe disease, and the characteristic immunopathology associated with the progression to severe disease. This review aims to highlight these overlapping aspects of the highly pathogenic hCoVs—SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2—briefly discussing the importance of an appropriately regulated immune response; how the immune response to these highly pathogenic hCoVs might be dysregulated through interferon (IFN) inhibition, antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE), and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA); and how these could link to the ensuing cytokine storm. The treatment approaches to highly pathogenic hCoV infections are discussed and it is suggested that a greater focus be placed on T-cell vaccines that elicit a cell-mediated immune response, using rapamycin as a potential agent to improve vaccine responses in the elderly and obese, and the potential of stapled peptides as antiviral agents.


Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 173
Author(s):  
Davide Gori ◽  
Chiara Reno ◽  
Daniel Remondini ◽  
Francesco Durazzi ◽  
Maria Pia Fantini

While the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic continues to strike and collect its death toll throughout the globe, as of 31 January 2021, the vaccine candidates worldwide were 292, of which 70 were in clinical testing. Several vaccines have been approved worldwide, and in particular, three have been so far authorized for use in the EU. Vaccination can be, in fact, an efficient way to mitigate the devastating effect of the pandemic and offer protection to some vulnerable strata of the population (i.e., the elderly) and reduce the social and economic burden of the current crisis. Regardless, a question is still open: after vaccination availability for the public, will vaccination campaigns be effective in reaching all the strata and a sufficient number of people in order to guarantee herd immunity? In other words: after we have it, will we be able to use it? Following the trends in vaccine hesitancy in recent years, there is a growing distrust of COVID-19 vaccinations. In addition, the online context and competition between pro- and anti-vaxxers show a trend in which anti-vaccination movements tend to capture the attention of those who are hesitant. Describing this context and analyzing its possible causes, what interventions or strategies could be effective to reduce COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy? Will social media trend analysis be helpful in trying to solve this complex issue? Are there perspectives for an efficient implementation of COVID-19 vaccination coverage as well as for all the other vaccinations?


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 121-130
Author(s):  
Julija Metic ◽  
Tim C. McAloone ◽  
Daniela C. A. Pigosso

AbstractThis study undertakes a systematic analysis of literature within Circular Economy (CE) in an industrial perspective, with a focus on understanding the consideration of the biological and technological cycles, as well as dual circularity. The paper articulates the key research differences, gaps and trends on the basis of publication evolution, key subject areas, influential journals and keywords co-occurrence mapping. The analysis shows the increasing publication trend with dominance of technological cycle and a wide variety of subject areas incorporated in CE biological, technological and dual cycles. Due to the multidisciplinary and transversal nature of CE, as well as its diverse interpretation and applications, an expansion and consolidation of the subject areas and journals are expected in the years to come. Analysis of co-occurrence on the authors' keywords underlined a limited focus of a business perspective research within the biological cycle, heterogeneous and proactive technological cycle but fragmented research on dual circularity. Further analysis of synergies and limitations is necessary to enhance business effectiveness towards enhanced sustainability.


2013 ◽  
Vol 475-476 ◽  
pp. 1150-1153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Zeng Gao ◽  
Ling Yan Wei

Smart home can apply new internet of things concepts along cloud service technologies. This paper introduces a novel method for smart home system building. The system is driven by use case and it is composed of home control center, zigbee end devices, smart phone applications and cloud server. The home control center is based on arm-linux embedded system, it is the relay of cloud server and home devices. Wireless network of smart home devices was designed according to zigbee. A smart phone application was developed as the role of the user interface.


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