scholarly journals Feasibility of Repeated Assessment of Cognitive Function in Older Adults Using a Wireless, Mobile, Dry-EEG Headset and Tablet-Based Games

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esther C. McWilliams ◽  
Florentine M. Barbey ◽  
John F. Dyer ◽  
Md Nurul Islam ◽  
Bernadette McGuinness ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Therapy Response ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Large Field ◽  
Age Related ◽  
System Usability Scale ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Scale Scores ◽  
Mean Compliance

Access to affordable, objective and scalable biomarkers of brain function is needed to transform the healthcare burden of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disease. Electroencephalography (EEG) recordings, both resting and in combination with targeted cognitive tasks, have demonstrated utility in tracking disease state and therapy response in a range of conditions from schizophrenia to Alzheimer's disease. But conventional methods of recording this data involve burdensome clinic visits, and behavioural tasks that are not effective in frequent repeated use. This paper aims to evaluate the technical and human-factors feasibility of gathering large-scale EEG using novel technology in the home environment with healthy adult users. In a large field study, 89 healthy adults aged 40–79 years volunteered to use the system at home for 12 weeks, 5 times/week, for 30 min/session. A 16-channel, dry-sensor, portable wireless headset recorded EEG while users played gamified cognitive and passive tasks through a tablet application, including tests of decision making, executive function and memory. Data was uploaded to cloud servers and remotely monitored via web-based dashboards. Seventy-eight participants completed the study, and high levels of adherence were maintained throughout across all age groups, with mean compliance over the 12-week period of 82% (4.1 sessions per week). Reported ease of use was also high with mean System Usability Scale scores of 78.7. Behavioural response measures (reaction time and accuracy) and EEG components elicited by gamified stimuli (P300, ERN, Pe and changes in power spectral density) were extracted from the data collected in home, across a wide range of ages, including older adult participants. Findings replicated well-known patterns of age-related change and demonstrated the feasibility of using low-burden, large-scale, longitudinal EEG measurement in community-based cohorts. This technology enables clinically relevant data to be recorded outside the lab/clinic, from which metrics underlying cognitive ageing could be extracted, opening the door to potential new ways of developing digital cognitive biomarkers for disorders affecting the brain.

Immigrant Youth in Germany

2013 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 158-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Frankenberg ◽  
Katharina Kupper ◽  
Ruth Wagner ◽  
Stephan Bongard
Keyword(s):  
School System ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Ethnic Discrimination ◽  
Emotional And Behavioral Problems ◽  
Sociocultural Adaptation ◽  
Age Related ◽  
German School ◽  
Transcultural Adaptation

This paper reviews research on young migrants in Germany. Particular attention is given to the question of how Germany’s history of migration, immigration policies, and public attitude toward migrants influence the transcultural adaptation of children and adolescents from different ethnic backgrounds. We combine past research with the results of new empirical studies in order to shed light on migrants’ psychological and sociocultural adaptation. Studies comparing young migrants and their German peers in terms of psychological well-being, life satisfaction, and mental health outcome suggest higher rates of emotional and behavioral problems among migrants of most age groups. With regard to adolescent populations between the ages of 14 and 17 years, however, the existence of differences between migrants and natives appears to be less clear. Research has also yielded inconsistent findings regarding the time trajectory of transcultural adaptation among adolescents. The coincidence of acculturation and age-related change is discussed as a possible source of these inconsistencies. Further, we provide an overview of risk and protective factors such as conflicting role expectations and ethnic discrimination, which may cause heightened vulnerability to adverse adaptation outcomes in some groups. Large-scale studies have repeatedly shown migrants of all age groups to be less successful within the German school system, indicating poor sociocultural adaptation. Possible explanations, such as the idiosyncrasies of the German school system, are presented. Our own studies contribute to the understanding of young migrants’ adaptation process by showing that it is their orientation to German culture, rather than the acculturation strategy of integration, that leads to the most positive psychological and sociocultural outcomes. The paper concludes by discussing implications for future cross-cultural research on young migrants and by suggesting recommendations for multicultural policies.

scholarly journals Automated Speech Recognition Systems and Older Adults: A Literature Review and Synthesis

2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren Werner ◽  
Gaojian Huang ◽  
Brandon J. Pitts
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Speech Recognition ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Automated Speech Recognition ◽  
Technological Developments ◽  
Physical Changes

The number of older adults is growing significantly worldwide. At the same time, technological developments are rapidly evolving, and older populations are expected to interact more frequently with such sophisticated systems. Automated speech recognition (ASR) systems is an example of one technology that is increasingly present in daily life. However, age-related physical changes may alter speech production and limit the effectiveness of ASR systems for older individuals. The goal of this paper was to summarize the current knowledge on ASR systems and older adults. The PRISMA method was employed and 17 studies were compared on the basis of word error rate (WER). Overall, WER was found to be influenced by age, gender, and the number of speech samples used to train ASR systems. This work has implications for the development of future human-machine technologies that will be used by a wide range of age groups.

scholarly journals XMM-Newton observations of elliptical galaxies in the local universe

2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (H15) ◽  
pp. 273-273
Author(s):  
Ginevra Trinchieri
Keyword(s):  
Globular Clusters ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Spectral Characteristics ◽  
Large Field ◽  
Specific Class ◽  
Early Type ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Compact Source ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Individual

XMM-Newton is well suited to the study of the X-ray properties of early-type galaxies: the wide energy band allows a characterization of the different components of the X-ray emission in galaxies, separating the gas from the compact source component through their spectral characteristics, and identifying low-luminosity absorbed AGNs; the large field of view allows a proper understanding of the large scale emission, and the separation between the galaxy and the surrounding group. Nonetheless, in spite of the much improved understanding of the X-ray characteristics of this class of sources, much of the original questions on the global X-ray properties of early-type galaxies remain. One in particular: how can we predict how much gas is there in any given galaxy? We have learned that the individual sources are tightly linked to the stellar component, both field stars and relative frequency of globular clusters. We have also learned that the central group galaxies, brighter and more extended, might represent a specific class of early-type galaxies, rather than the population as a whole. Yet we have not learned how to predict, from the stellar properties, how much hot gas a galaxy will have. Even a well selected class of sources, namely early type galaxies in isolation, where we can exclude the influence of the environment, appear to retain different amounts of the hot ISM produced by the stellar population, and display a wide range of Lx for their gaseous component for a relative narrow range of Lb, or mass [measured through LK], as shown by Fig. 1.

Muscle Function in Saudi Children and Adolescents: Relationship to Anthropometric Characteristics during Growth

2007 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 319-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khalid S. Almuzaini
Keyword(s):  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Anaerobic Power ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Fat Free Mass ◽  
Power Indices ◽  
Isokinetic Strength ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Anthropometric Characteristics

The main purpose of the present study was to determine isokinetic strength and endurance, isometric strength, and anaerobic power for untrained healthy Saudi children and adolescents. The secondary purpose was to evaluate the effects of age in relation to anthropometric characteristics on strength and anaerobic performances. Forty-four (untrained) 11- to 19-year-old boys were grouped by age: 11-13 years, 14–16 years, and 17–19 years. All participants underwent anthropometric measurements, a flexibility test, a vertical jump test, a grip strength test, isokinetic strength measurements (Cybex Norm), and a Wingate anaerobic power test. Oneway ANOVA results indicated age-related increases in muscle strength and power. High correlation coefficients that were found among age and strength and anaerobic power indices almost disappeared when fat-free mass (FFM) was controlled for, indicating that the amount of variance in these indices that was explained by age is mostly shared by FFM. In addition, stepwise linear regression models indicated that FFM was the main predictor of strength and power performances. Thus, FFM was the best scaling variable for body size when comparing these age groups of Saudis. Until wide-range normal representative values for isokinetic strength and anaerobic power for Saudi children and adolescents are available, the present study’s results can serve as a reference for these indices.

scholarly journals Molecular Genetic Markers of Senescence: Current State of the Problem and Prospects for Development

2019 ◽  
pp. 19-23
Author(s):  
A. A. Zyatkov ◽  
O. Y. Baranov
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Functional Organization ◽  
Molecular Genetic ◽  
Functional System ◽  
Physiological Status ◽  
Theories Of Aging ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Living Species ◽  
Therapeutic Measures

According to the postulates in biology and medicine, an irreversible violation of any of the elements of a functional system inevitably leads to senescence and destruction of its entire integrity. At the same time, the phenotypic manifestation of the final stages of degradation is similar and due to the peculiarities of the structural and functional organization of living species. Based on this, the established list of symptoms describing age-related changes in the human body is currently applied in medical practice, which allows determining both the physiological status of patients and the development of necessary therapeutic measures. At the same time, the use of any universal approach to diagnose the occurrence and genesis of the processes of senescence is ineffective, which is associated with a wide range of factors and mechanisms causing this type of pathogenetic disorders. For this reason, for many decades, one of the main tasks of gerontology has been a comprehensive analysis of the process of senescence. The result of such large-scale studies was the emergence of a significant number of theories explaining the causes and mechanisms of aging. This review considers a number of theories of aging that have received extensive experimental confirmation and recognition in world practice: free-radical, telomeric, apoptotic, and genetic.

scholarly journals Utilization and reproductive performance of gilts in large-scale pig farming system with different production levels in China: a descriptive study

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ran Guan ◽  
Wenchao Gao ◽  
Peng Li ◽  
Xuwei Qiao ◽  
Jing Ren ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Descriptive Study ◽  
Litter Production ◽  
Weaned Piglets ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Pig Farms

Abstract Background This study was to investigate the utilization and reproductive performance of gilts in large-scale pig farms. Data of this descriptive study included 169,013 gilts of 1540 gilts’ batches on 105 large-scale pig farms from April 2020 to March 2021. According to the upper and lower 25th percentiles of piglets weaned per sow per year (PSY) during the research stage, pig farms were divided into three productivity groups: high-performing (HP), intermediate-performing (IP) and low-performing (LP) farms. On the basis of breeds, LP (LP-Total) farms was further divided into LP-breeding pig (LP-BP) and LP-commercial pig (LP-CP) groups. Average utilization, estrus and first mating data was collected from a total of 1540 gilts’ batches. The age-related factors (introduction age, age at first estrus and age at first mating) and litter production (total number of piglets, number of piglets born alive and number of weaned piglets, as well as their proportion distribution) among HP and LP groups were compared. The litter production in different age groups were also analyzed. Results The introduction age, mortality and culling rate of HP farms were lower compared with LP farms. Total number of piglets per litter, number of piglets born alive per litter and number of weaned piglets per litter in HP farms were significantly more than those of LP groups, respectively. The proportion distribution peaks of litter production in HP farms were shifted about two more than those in LP groups, respectively; and the proportion of low litter production (eight per litter or less) was lower than that in LP groups. The results of different age groups showed that total number of piglets per litter and number of piglets born alive per litter in 220–279 d were the most, while that of 370 d was the least. Conclusions The overall utilization and reproductive performance of gilts in HP farms was better than those of LP farms. The difference in utilization was reflected in introduction source, culling rate and mortality. While the age at first estrus and first mating, breeds and litter production were the main differences for reproductive performance.

scholarly journals Aging Atlas: a multi-omics database for aging biology

2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (D1) ◽  
pp. D825-D830 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Guang-Hui Liu ◽  
Yiming Bao ◽  
Jing Qu ◽  
Weiqi Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Single Cell ◽  
High Throughput ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Wide Spectrum ◽  
Molecular Profile ◽  
Aging Research ◽  
Related Data ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract Organismal aging is driven by interconnected molecular changes encompassing internal and extracellular factors. Combinational analysis of high-throughput ‘multi-omics’ datasets (gathering information from genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics and pharmacogenomics), at either populational or single-cell levels, can provide a multi-dimensional, integrated profile of the heterogeneous aging process with unprecedented throughput and detail. These new strategies allow for the exploration of the molecular profile and regulatory status of gene expression during aging, and in turn, facilitate the development of new aging interventions. With a continually growing volume of valuable aging-related data, it is necessary to establish an open and integrated database to support a wide spectrum of aging research. The Aging Atlas database aims to provide a wide range of life science researchers with valuable resources that allow access to a large-scale of gene expression and regulation datasets created by various high-throughput omics technologies. The current implementation includes five modules: transcriptomics (RNA-seq), single-cell transcriptomics (scRNA-seq), epigenomics (ChIP-seq), proteomics (protein–protein interaction), and pharmacogenomics (geroprotective compounds). Aging Atlas provides user-friendly functionalities to explore age-related changes in gene expression, as well as raw data download services. Aging Atlas is freely available at https://bigd.big.ac.cn/aging/index.

Agent Based Modelling of Smart Structures

2017 ◽  
pp. 38-60
Author(s):  
Andreea Ion ◽  
Monica Patrascu
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Smart Structures ◽  
Simulation Models ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
Agent Based Modelling ◽  
Automation Systems ◽  
The Social ◽  
Wide Range

Smart structures are complex systems situated in even more complex and large scale urban environments. This chapter opens the field of agent based modelling and simulation (ABMS) to civil engineers. ABMS offers a wide range of tools for implementing simulation models of systems with high degrees of interconnectivity and a large number of component subsystems. The ease of use for specialized engineers and the capabilities of integration with existent technologies and infrastructures, make agent based models a very attractive way to incorporate the social system in the design process of buildings. Moreover, ABMS allows for the testing and validation of structure wide control and automation systems. This chapter presents past and current efforts of using agent based modelling for smart structures, as well as the main challenges brought by this new interdisciplinary research domain.

scholarly journals Broad-scale Applications of the Raspberry Pi: A Review and Guide for Biologists

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jolle Wolter Jolles
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Community ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Plant Phenotyping ◽  
Raspberry Pi ◽  
Ecosystem Monitoring ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Macro Scale

The field of biology has seen tremendous technological progress in recent years, fuelled by the exponential growth in processing power and high-level computing, and the rise of global information sharing. Low-cost single-board computers are predicted to be one of the key technological advancements to further revolutionise this field. So far, an overview of current uptake of these devices and a general guide to help researchers integrate them in their work has been missing. In this paper I focus on the most widely used single board computer, the Raspberry Pi. Reviewing its broad applications and uses across the biological domain shows that since its release in 2012 the Raspberry Pi has been increasingly taken up by biologists, both in the lab, the field, and in the classroom, and across a wide range of disciplines. A hugely diverse range of applications already exist that range from simple solutions to dedicated custom-build devices, including nest-box monitoring, wildlife camera trapping, high-throughput behavioural recordings, large-scale plant phenotyping, underwater video surveillance, closed-loop operant learning experiments, and autonomous ecosystem monitoring. Despite the breadth of its implementations, the depth of uptake of the Raspberry Pi by the scientific community is still limited. The broad capabilities of the Raspberry Pi, combined with its low cost, ease of use, and large user community make it a great research tool for almost any project. To help accelerate the uptake of Raspberry Pi’s by the scientific community, I provide detailed guidelines, recommendations, and considerations, and 30+ step-by-step guides on a dedicated accompanying website (raspberrypi-guide.github.io). I hope with this paper to generate more awareness about the Raspberry Pi and thereby fuel the democratisation of science and ultimately help advance our understanding of biology, from the micro- to the macro-scale.

scholarly journals Characteristics of patients infected with SARS COVID-19 admitted at COVID health facilities in one of the aspirational district of India: a retrospective study

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. 4435
Author(s):  
Ekta Sharma ◽  
Gurmeet Katoch ◽  
Rajesh Guleri ◽  
Jalam Bhardwaj
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Clinical Laboratory ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Laboratory Data ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Categorical Variables ◽  
Close Monitoring ◽  
Continuous Variables ◽  
Wide Range

Background: COVID-19 is the third corona virus that has emerged among the human population in the last two decades. The main aim of this study was to describe the epidemiologic features, clinical presentation of first 52 patients diagnosed with polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection admitted at COVID health facilities.Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted over a period of three months from 1st April 2020 to 30th June 2020. We obtained demographic, epidemiological, clinical, laboratory data from the medical records of patients infected with SARS-Cov-2. The categorical variables were expressed in terms of frequency and percentages and the continuous variables were expressed as mean and standard deviation. In addition to descriptive analysis, Pearson’s chi- square test was applied to ascertain the associations between certain variables.Results: The mean age of participants was 29±11.67 years with a male preponderance. Forty three (83%) patients had travel history within India in the previous 30 days i.e. from Delhi (35%), Haryana (15%), Tamilnadu (11%), Himachal Pradesh (8%), Maharashtra (1.9%), Punjab (8%), and Uttar Pradesh (4%). Majority of the patients (90%) were asymptomatic. The age group of 21-30 years was the most affected group (44%) as comparison to the other age groups. No mortality was reported and 100% recovery rate was found.Conclusions: In conclusion, COVID-19 affects a wide-range of patients, from youth to the elderly.  In this study, all the COVID-19 infected patients were classified as mild as most were asymptomatic. Close monitoring and large-scale control strategies will be needed to prevent widespread transmission within the community.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document