A Non-Invasive IR Sensor Technique to Differentiate Parkinson’s Disease from Other Neurological Disorders Using Autonomic Dysfunction as Diagnostic Criterion

Early diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease (PD) plays a critical role in effective disease management and delayed disease progression. This study reports a technique that could diagnose and differentiate PD from essential tremor (ET) in its earlier stage using a non-motor phenotype. Autonomic dysfunction, an early symptom in PD patients, is caused by α-synuclein pathogenesis in the central nervous system and can be diagnosed using skin vasomotor response to cold stimuli. In this study, the investigations were performed using data collected from 20 PD, 20 ET and 20 healthy subjects. Infrared thermography was used for the cold stress test to observe subjects’ hand temperature before and after cold stimuli. The results show that the recovery rate of hand temperature was significantly different between the groups. The data obtained in the cold stress test were verified using Pearson’s cross-correlation technique, which showed that few disease parameters like medication and motor rating score had an impact on the recovery rate of hand temperature in PD subjects. The characteristics of the three groups were compared and classified using the k-means clustering algorithm. The sensitivity and specificity of these techniques were analyzed using an Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analyzer. These results show that this non-invasive technique can be used as an effective tool in the diagnosis and differentiation of PD in its early stage.

Palm Temperature Differences after Static and Dynamic Load on High Bar

Thermal imaging is used in various fields of industry and research to measure temperature and its possible differences. Since there is a lack of research and literature on palm temperatures and prevention of blisters on hands, our question was how palm temperature differs in human hands after different loads (Hang and Swing in Hang) for 30 s on a high bar. Thirty-eight students from the Faculty of Sport at the University of Ljubljana were measured with a high-quality thermal imaging camera. Palm temperatures were measured before the load was applied, immediately after and every 30 s for a period of 5 min after the load. Each hand was divided into nine different regions of interest (ROIs). Mean (XA), standard deviation (SD), maximum and minimum, and number of pixels were calculated. We found that there was no difference between the left and right hand. The temperature right after the load was applied decreased significantly for both loads and then increased above the level before the load was applied. After the static load, the temperature reached a constant higher level after 3 min. After the dynamic load, the temperatures continued to increase throughout the measurement period. Further investigation is needed to determine the time period in which the hand temperature reaches the temperature before the load is applied.

Determining Optimal Temperature Combination for Effective Pretreatment and Anaerobic Digestion of Corn Stalk

Temperature is one of the important factors affecting both chemical pretreatment and anaerobic digestion (AD) process of corn stalk (CS). In this work, the combined ways between pretreatment temperature (40℃ and 60℃) and AD temperature (35℃ and 55℃) were selected to investigate the AD performance for sodium hydroxide (NaOH) pretreated CS. Three organic loading rates (OLRs) of 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 g·L-1·d-1 were studied within 255 days using continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTR). The results revealed that temperature of 40°C was considered as an appropriate for pretreatment whether in mesophilic or thermophilic anaerobic digestion systems. On the other hand, temperature of 35°C and 55°C were chosen as the optimal AD temperatures for lower and higher OLRs, respectively. This study provides a significant insight for exploring the effects of temperatures on the pretreatment and AD of CS.

Laser Doppler imaging evaluation of nitroglycerin patch application in systemic sclerosis patients

Recent studies suggest the use of topical nitroglycerin (NTG) application in systemic sclerosis (SSc)-associated Raynaud phenomenon (RP). With the current study, we aimed to characterize for the first time the microvascular response to a NTG patch (Trinipatch® 5 mg/24 h) applied to the hand dorsum in patients with SSc using Laser Doppler imaging (LDI) at baseline and following a cold challenge. The study included 21 patients with SSc and 13 controls. Blood flow was evaluated by LDI at the level of the fingertips and metacarpus. Microvascular morphology was evaluated by nailfold capillaroscopy (NC). LDI revealed decreased fingertip baseline perfusion and a stronger vasoconstrictor response to a cold challenge in patients with SSc versus control. Metacarpal application of a NTG patch led to an increase in blood flow and hand temperature in patients with SSc. Furthermore, NTG administration led to a faster reperfusion after cold challenge. Correlation analyses revealed that the magnitude of the vasodilatory response was inversely related to baseline fingertip perfusion and hand temperature, but unrelated to the number of capillaries/mm assessed using NC. In conclusion, we provide evidence of a vasodilatory reaction following NTG patch application in patients with SSc using LDI and a protective effect against cold challenge. The magnitude of the response to NTG was related to functional, but not structural features. Our results support a further evaluation of the NTG patch as a possible therapeutic agent in SSc-associated RP.

Altered updating of bodily and spatial representations following tool-use in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

Distorted representations of the body and peripersonal space are common in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), and might modulate its symptoms (e.g. asymmetric limb temperature). In pain-free people, such representations are malleable, and update when we interact with objects in our environment (e.g. during tool-use). Distortions are also common after immobilisation, but quickly normalise once movement is regained. We tested the hypothesis that people with CRPS have problems updating bodily and spatial representations, which contributes to the maintenance of their distorted representations by preventing normalization. We also explored spatially defined modulations of hand temperature asymmetries, and any influence of updating bodily and spatial representations on this effect. Thirty-six people with unilateral CRPS (18 upper limb, 18 lower limb) and 36 pain-free controls completed tool-use tasks considered to alter body and peripersonal space representations (measured using tactile distance judgements and a visuotactile crossmodal congruency task, respectively). We also tested how the arrangement (crossed, uncrossed) of the hands and tools affected hand temperature. In upper limb CRPS the non-affected arm representation updated normally, but the affected arm representation updated in the opposite to normal direction. A similar pattern was seen in lower limbs CRPS, although not significant. Furthermore, people with CRPS showed more pronounced updating of peripersonal space than the controls. We did not observe any modulation of hand temperature asymmetries by the arrangement of hands or tools. Our findings suggest enhanced malleability of bodily and spatial representations in CRPS, potentially implicating central mechanisms in the aetiology of this condition.

Temperature and Conductivity as Indicators of the Morphology and Activity of a Submarine Volcano: Avyssos (Nisyros) in the South Aegean Sea, Greece

The morphology and the activity of a submarine caldera, Avyssos, at the northern part of Nisyros volcano in the South Aegean Sea (Greece), has been studied by means of remotely operated underwater vehicle dives. The recorded time series of temperature and conductivity over the submarine volcano have been analyzed in terms of the Generalized Moments Method. The findings of the mathematical analysis shed light on the volcanic activity, but also on the morphology (shape) of the submarine volcano. The conductivity time series indicates the volcano is at rest in agreement with other types of observations. On the other hand, temperature fluctuations, which in general describe a multifractal process, show that the submarine caldera operates as an open system that interacts with its surroundings. This type of analysis can be used as an indicator for the state of activity and the morphological structure (closed or open system) of a submarine volcano.

Monte Carlo Modeling of Astrophysically-Relevant Temperature-Programmed Desorption Experiments

The formation of molecules in the interstellar medium is significantly driven by grain chemistry, ranging from simple (e.g. H2) to relatively complex (e.g. CH3OH) products. The movement of atoms and molecules on amorphous ice surfaces is not well constrained, and this is a quintessential component of surface chemistry. We show that ice structure created by utilizing an off-lattice Monte Carlo kinetics model is highly dependent on deposition parameters (i.e. angle, rate, and temperature). The model, thus far, successfully predicts the densities of deposition rate- and temperature-dependent laboratory experiments. The simulations indicate, when angle and deposition rate increase, the density decreases. On the other hand, temperature has the opposite effect and will increase the density. We can make ices with desired densities and monitor how molecules, like CO, percolate through H2O ice pores. The strength of this model lies in the ability to replicate TPD-like experiments by monitoring molecules diffusing on and desorbing from user-defined surfaces.

Application of transit data analysis and artificial neural network in the prediction of discharge of Lor River, NW Spain

Transit data analysis and artificial neural networks (ANNs) have proven to be a useful tool for characterizing and modelling non-linear hydrological processes. In this paper, these methods have been used to characterize and to predict the discharge of Lor River (North Western Spain), 1, 2 and 3 days ahead. Transit data analyses show a coefficient of correlation of 0.53 for a lag between precipitation and discharge of 1 day. On the other hand, temperature and discharge has a negative coefficient of correlation (−0.43) for a delay of 19 days. The ANNs developed provide a good result for the validation period, with R2 between 0.92 and 0.80. Furthermore, these prediction models have been tested with discharge data from a period 16 years later. Results of this testing period also show a good correlation, with R2 between 0.91 and 0.64. Overall, results indicate that ANNs are a good tool to predict river discharge with a small number of input variables.