Predicting indoor thermal sensation for the elderly in welfare centres in Korea using local skin temperatures

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (8) ◽  
pp. 1155-1167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chihye Bae ◽  
Hyunjung Lee ◽  
Chungyoon Chun
Keyword(s):  
Field Study ◽  
Skin Temperature ◽  
Elderly People ◽  
Thermal Sensation ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
The Body ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Climate Chamber ◽  
Local Skin ◽  
Skin Temperatures

This study aims to develop a method to predict thermal sensation in elderly people. To identify the point on the body where skin temperature can best predict thermal sensation in elderly people aged 65 or older and develop a thermal comfort measurement model that can replace the psychological scale, experiments were conducted in a stainless steel wall finish climate chamber and at the seven senior welfare centres in Korea. The results of the climate chamber experiment with 30 healthy elderly people (15 males, 15 females) showed that there was a correlation between thermal sensation and local skin temperature on the back of the hand, the upper arm, the top of the foot and the cheek. This developed thermal sensation prediction model was then applied in a field study at senior welfare centres to verify whether the model could be applied to a large number of elderly subjects in different locations. The field study with 294 elderly people (111 males, 183 females) shows that cheek and back of the hand skin temperatures were useful in predicting thermal sensation in the elderly, and predicted thermal sensation based on the skin temperature of the cheek had the strongest correlation with thermal sensation among the participants.

scholarly journals Wearable Sensor Data-Driven Walkability Assessment for Elderly People

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 4041 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyunsoo Kim
Keyword(s):  
Elderly People ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
The Body ◽  
Measurement Unit ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Maximum Lyapunov Exponent ◽  
Active Living ◽  
Wearable Sensor ◽  
Walking Environment ◽  
The Stability

Active living improves the lives and social networks of the elderly. In terms of active living, walkability is an essential element in the daily life of the elderly. To support active living, it is important to create an age-friendly environment. Considering that the elderly carry out a large part of their activities by walking, a good walkable environment is one of the most important elements of an age-friendly environment. Existing studies have involved surveys of experts, audit tools, and questionnaires. However, despite their merits, current methods of measuring walkability remain limited as they do not include the actual walking activity of the elderly. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the possibility of using a wearable sensor to measure the walking of the elderly quantitatively, and to compare different walking environments based on data collected from their actual walking. To accomplish this, experiments were conducted in four types of environments with 30 elderly subjects. During the experiments, the subjects were asked to attach a smartphone that includes an inertial measurement unit (IMU). The IMU sensor collected the body movement using tri-axial accelerations. The collected data were used to calculate walkability by investigating how constant a subject’s walking pattern is. The consistency of pattern can be regarded as gait stability that can be quantitatively measured via the maximum Lyapunov exponent (MaxLE—a metric used for measuring the stability of human body during locomotion. As a result of the experiment, it was found that the stability of walking of elderly people differs according to the walking environment, which means that by investigating the stability the current conditions of a specific walking environment can be inferred. This result helps improve the active life of the elderly by providing opportunities for continuous diagnosis of the walking environment.

scholarly journals Neural network-based thermal comfort prediction for the elderly

2021 ◽  
Vol 237 ◽  
pp. 02022
Author(s):  
JinJin Zhang ◽  
Hong Liu ◽  
YuXin Wu ◽  
Shan Zhou ◽  
MengJia Liu
Keyword(s):  
Neural Network ◽  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Skin Temperature ◽  
Thermal Sensation ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Learning Technology ◽  
Local Skin ◽  
Human Thermal Comfort ◽  
Network Algorithm ◽  
Neural Network Algorithm

Machine learning technology has become a hot topic and is being applied in many fields. However, in the prediction of thermal sensation in the elderly, there is not enough research on the neural network to predict the effect of human thermal comfort. In this paper, two neural network algorithms were used to predict the thermal expectation of the elderly, and the accuracy of the two algorithms was compared to find a suitable neural network algorithm to predict human thermal comfort. The dataset was collected from the laboratory study and included 10 local skin temperatures of the subjects, thermal perception voted at three temperatures (28/30/32°C), different wind speeds, and two forms of wind. Thirteen subjects with an average age of 63.5 years old were recruited for the subjective survey. These subjects sat for long periods of summer working conditions, wore uniform thermal resistance clothing, and collected votes on thermal sensation, as well as skin temperature. The results showed that the prediction accuracy of the two algorithms was related to the added influence factors, and the RBF neural network algorithm was the most accurate in predicting thermal sensation of the elderly. The main influencing factors were average skin temperature, wind speed and body fat rate.

Cold-induced Increases in Erythrocyte Count, Plasma Cholesterol and Plasma Fibrinogen of Elderly People without a Comparable Rise in Protein C or Factor X

1994 ◽  
Vol 86 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Penelope J. Neild ◽  
Denise Syndercombe-Court ◽  
W. R. Keatinge ◽  
G. C. Donaldson ◽  
M. Mattock ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Elderly People ◽  
Plasma Volume ◽  
Arterial Thrombosis ◽  
Protein C ◽  
Plasma Cholesterol ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Erythrocyte Count ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Factor X ◽  
Young Subjects

1. Six elderly (66-71 years) and six young (20-23 years) subjects (half of each group women) were cooled for 2 h in moving air at 18°C to investigate possible causes of increased mortality from arterial thrombosis among elderly people in cold weather. Compared with thermoneutral control experiments, skin temperature (trunk) fell from 35.5 to 29.5°C, with little change in core temperature. 2. Erythrocyte count rose in the cold from 4.29 to 4.69 × 1012/l, without a change in mean corpuscular volume, indicating a 14% or 438 ml decline in plasma volume; increased excretion of water, Na+ and K+ accounted for loss of only 179 ml of extracellular water. 3. Plasma cholesterol and fibrinogen concentrations rose in the elderly subjects from 4.9 mmol/l and 2.97 g/l (control) to 5.45 mmol/l and 3.39 g/l in the cold, and in the young subjects from 3.33 mmol/l and 1.84 g/l (control) to 3.77 mmol/l and 2.07 g/l in the cold. Increases were significant for the elderly subjects, the young subjects and the group as a whole, except for cholesterol in the young subjects, and all were close to those expected from the fall in plasma volume. 4. Plasma levels of Protein C and factor X did not increase significantly in the cold in the elderly subjects, young subjects, or the group as a whole. 5. The results suggest that loss of plasma fluid in the cold concentrates major risk factors for arterial thrombosis, while small molecules, including protective Protein C, redistribute to interstitial fluid.

scholarly journals Evaluating the effectiveness of dichotic training in the elderly adults: a single subject study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zahra Shahidipour ◽  
Saeid Farahani ◽  
Ghassem Mohammadkhani ◽  
Elham Tavanai ◽  
Nariman Rahbar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Training Program ◽  
Elderly People ◽  
Dichotic Listening ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Intensity Difference ◽  
Single Subject ◽  
Elderly Adults ◽  
Dichotic Training

Background and Aim: Elderly people usually show poor performance in dichotic listening tasks. In this condition, the left ear being often the weaker one shows a performance below the normal limits. Studies have shown the effectiveness of dichotic listening training in auditory and language processing for adults and children with neurological disorders. This study aimed to develop a home-version of dichotic training and investigate its effectiveness in elderly adults. Methods: Participants in this single-subject interventional study (AB design) were four elderly subjects (two males and two females) aged 65−75 years. The main inclusion criteria were dichotic listening deficit demonstrated by the dichotic digit test (DDT), no neurological or cognitive disorders, and normal hearing threshold. Dichotic listening training was performed with an informal home-version of dichotic interaural intensity difference (DIID) training program for seven weeks. DDT was performed seven consecutive weeks before (phase A) and after the intervention (phase B) at the end of each week. Results: Data were analyzed by single-subject study statistics. Findings demonstrated an improvement in DDT scores for the left ear and decrease in right ear advantage scores in all the elderly adults after DIID training program. It seems that this training program could remediate poor performance in dichotic listening tasks in elderly people. Conclusion: The advantage of this method is that it can be easily done at home and is costeffective. However, further studies are needed to approve the neuroplasticity and structural changes in the brain after the DIID training program in this population. Keywords: Auditory rehabilitation; dichotic training; dichotic listening; elderly; singlesubject study

scholarly journals High-Performance Workwear for Coal Miners in Northern China: Design and Performance Evaluation

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Ke ◽  
Qing Zheng ◽  
Faming Wang ◽  
Min Wang ◽  
Yi Wang
Keyword(s):  
Performance Evaluation ◽  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Northern China ◽  
Coal Miners ◽  
Climate Chamber ◽  
Local Skin ◽  
Worker Performance ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Skin Temperatures

Abstract The design of workwear has significant effects on worker performance. However, the current workwear for coal miners in Northern China is poor in fitness and thermal comfort. In this study, new workwear (NEW) for coal miners was developed with the design features providing better cold protection and movement comfort performance, as compared with a commonly worn workwear (CON). To evaluate the effectiveness of NEW, we conducted human trials which were performed using simulated work movements (i.e., sitting, shoveling, squatting, and crawling) in a climate chamber (10°C, 75% RH). Physiological measurements and perceptual responses were obtained. The results demonstrated that the local skin temperatures at chest, scapula, thigh, and calf; mean skin temperatures,; and thermal comfort in NEW were significantly higher than those in CON. NEW also exerted an improvement in enhancing movement comfort. We conclude that NEW could meet well with the cold protective and mobility requirements.

scholarly journals Nutrition and Healthy Aging: Prevention and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Diseases

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 4337
Author(s):  
Neri Maria Cristina ◽  
d’Alba Lucia
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Elderly People ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Gastrointestinal Diseases ◽  
The Body ◽  
Fundamental Aspect ◽  
Effective Prevention

Nutritional well-being is a fundamental aspect for the health, autonomy and, therefore, the quality of life of all people, but especially of the elderly. It is estimated that at least half of non-institutionalized elderly people need nutritional intervention to improve their health and that 85% have one or more chronic diseases that could improve with correct nutrition. Although prevalence estimates are highly variable, depending on the population considered and the tool used for its assessment, malnutrition in the elderly has been reported up to 50%. Older patients are particularly at risk of malnutrition, due to multiple etiopathogenetic factors which can lead to a reduction or utilization in the intake of nutrients, a progressive loss of functional autonomy with dependence on food, and psychological problems related to economic or social isolation, e.g., linked to poverty or loneliness. Changes in the aging gut involve the mechanical disintegration of food, gastrointestinal motor function, food transit, intestinal wall function, and chemical digestion of food. These alterations progressively lead to the reduced ability to supply the body with adequate levels of nutrients, with the consequent development of malnutrition. Furthermore, studies have shown that the quality of life is impaired both in gastrointestinal diseases, but especially in malnutrition. A better understanding of the pathophysiology of malnutrition in elderly people is necessary to promote the knowledge of age-related changes in appetite, food intake, homeostasis, and body composition in order to better develop effective prevention and intervention strategies to achieve healthy aging.

scholarly journals Prediction equations for the estimation of body composition in the elderly using anthropometric data

1994 ◽  
Vol 71 (6) ◽  
pp. 823-833 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marjolein Visser ◽  
Ellen Van Den Heuvel ◽  
Paul Deurenberg
Keyword(s):  
Body Composition ◽  
Body Fat ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
The Body ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Body Density ◽  
Prediction Equations ◽  
Anthropometric Data ◽  
Percentage Body Fat ◽  
The Relationship

To study the relationship between health and nutritional status in elderly populations, information about body composition is essential. To collect this information in large epidemiological studies, practical methods based on anthropometric data must be available. In the present study the relationship between body composition, determined by densitometry, and anthropometric data in 204 elderly men and women, aged 60–87 years, was analysed. Existing prediction equations described in the literature, and mainly based on young and middle-aged subjects, generally underestimated percentage body fat in the elderly study population. Therefore, new prediction equations were developed, based on sex and the sum of two (biceps and triceps) or four (biceps, triceps, suprailiaca and subscapula) skinfolds or the body mass index (BMI). Addition of age or body circumferences to the models did not improve the prediction of body density. Internal cross validation and external validation revealed that the formulas are valid for the estimation of body density in elderly subjects. The standard errors of estimate of the three models, expressed as percentage body fat, were 5.6, 5.4 and 4.8% respectively.

scholarly journals Characteristics of the local cutaneous sensory thermoneutral zone

2017 ◽  
Vol 117 (4) ◽  
pp. 1797-1806 ◽  
Author(s):  
Davide Filingeri ◽  
Hui Zhang ◽  
Edward A. Arens
Keyword(s):  
Steady State ◽  
Skin Temperature ◽  
Thermal State ◽  
Detection Threshold ◽  
Local Skin ◽  
Thermoneutral Zone ◽  
Temperature Detection ◽  
Applied Design ◽  
Skin Temperatures ◽  
Threshold Range

Skin temperature detection thresholds have been used to measure human cold and warm sensitivity across the temperature continuum. They exhibit a sensory zone within which neither warm nor cold sensations prevail. This zone has been widely assumed to coincide with steady-state local skin temperatures between 32 and 34°C, but its underlying neurophysiology has been rarely investigated. In this study we employ two approaches to characterize the properties of sensory thermoneutrality, testing for each whether neutrality shifts along the temperature continuum depending on adaptation to a preceding thermal state. The focus is on local spots of skin on the palm. Ten participants (age: 30.3 ± 4.8 yr) underwent two experiments. Experiment 1 established the cold-to-warm inter-detection threshold range for the palm’s glabrous skin and its shift as a function of 3 starting skin temperatures (26, 31, or 36°C). For the same conditions, experiment 2 determined a thermally neutral zone centered around a thermally neutral point in which thermoreceptors’ activity is balanced. The zone was found to be narrow (~0.98 to ~1.33°C), moving with the starting skin temperature over the temperature span 27.5–34.9°C (Pearson r = 0.94; P < 0.001). It falls within the cold-to-warm inter-threshold range (~2.25 to ~2.47°C) but is only half as wide. These findings provide the first quantitative analysis of the local sensory thermoneutral zone in humans, indicating that it does not occur only within a specific range of steady-state skin temperatures (i.e., it shifts across the temperature continuum) and that it differs from the inter-detection threshold range both quantitatively and qualitatively. These findings provide insight into thermoreception neurophysiology. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Contrary to a widespread concept in human thermoreception, we show that local sensory thermoneutrality is achievable outside the 32–34°C skin temperature range. We propose that sensory adaption underlies a new mechanism of temperature integration. Also, we have developed from vision research a new quantitative test addressing the balance in activity of cutaneous cold and warm thermoreceptors. This could have important clinical (assessment of somatosensory abnormalities in neurological disease) and applied (design of personal comfort systems) implications.

The Effect of Pressure on Skin Temperature Measurements for a Disk Sensor

1979 ◽  
Vol 101 (4) ◽  
pp. 261-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. D. Mahanty ◽  
R. B. Roemer
Keyword(s):  
Skin Temperature ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Reactive Hyperemia ◽  
Circular Disk ◽  
Temperature Measurements ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Local Pressure ◽  
Local Skin ◽  
Local Skin Temperature ◽  
Skin Temperatures

In order to determine the effect of application pressure on the accuracy of skin temperature measurements for area contact sensors, low values of pressure (2-20 mm Hg) were applied to the mid-thigh and to the lateral aspect of the trochanter of human subjects using a thin, circular disk with a thermistor mounted in the base. From measurements of the local skin temperatures, it was determined that a pressure of 2 mm Hg is adequate to measure the skin temperature accurately. Applying larger pressure results in higher local skin temperatures with the thighs showing larger temperature increases than the trochanters. The results of a finite difference analysis indicate that the increases in skin temperature at higher pressures can be accounted for by the physical phenomena associated with the penetration of the sensor into the tissue. After the release of pressure, the local skin temperature immediately decreased for all subjects indicating little or no reactive hyperemia was occurring. A method of compensating for the changes in local skin temperature which are due to whole body transient thermal effects was also developed. Use of this method allows the effects of the local pressure application to be separated from the transient environmental effects.

scholarly journals Socioeconomic, Nutritional Profile Correlates with Morbidity Risks and Quality of Health Status among Elderly Residing at Old Age Home & Residence from Different Region of South Karnataka

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 349-355
Author(s):  
Pooja Anudhar G ◽  
Sushma B. V
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
The Body ◽  
Deficiency Anemia ◽  
Elderly Subjects ◽  
Randomized Sampling ◽  
Nutritional Profile

Ageing is the multidimensional process in humans with changes occurring in physical, psychological and social aspects which increase their proneness to health ailments. The associated functional impairment and physical inability will influence on their absorption and metabolism leading to the changes in nutritional status. Epidemiological study was conducted among the elderly subjects with respective to understand the quality of health in relation to the nutritional profile. Using a purposive randomized sampling technique, the elderly subjects were selected and assessed for the nutrition and health condition. The investigation comprises approximately 90 subjects of old age institutions and 90 subjects of residents from different domiciles. The study was conducted using standardized validated tools and checklist with oral interview technique and one to one interactions. Findings: In accordance with the body mass evaluation; approximately 59% elderly living at own houses were under Grade 1, Grade 2 and Grade 3 obesity in comparison to their counterpart. Medical health records indicated iron deficiency anemia among 10% of subjects. Gastritis, Diabetes, hypertension, arthritis was observed to be the major health problems. Comparatively 64% male elderly from household had oral problems and underwent for dentures. Often had three meal patterns in a day. Henceforth, there is a need to understand and address on the nutritional needs, etiology and demographic characteristics interlinked with comorbidities and health disabilities among aging population. Evidently a significant association was noticed between nutritional status on morbidities and health quality among elderly. Key words: Old age home, elderly, Ageing, nutritional profile, quality of health.

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