Search

Freezing of gait (FoG) is a prevalent symptom among individuals with Parkinson’s disease and related disorders. FoG detection from videos has been developed recently; however, the process requires using videos filmed within a controlled environment. We attempted to establish an automatic FoG detection method from videos taken in uncontrolled environments such as in daily clinical practices. Motion features of 16 patients were extracted from timed-up-and-go test in 109 video data points, through object tracking and three-dimension pose estimation. These motion features were utilized to form the FoG detection model, which combined rule-based and machine learning-based models. The rule-based model distinguished the frames in which the patient was walking from those when the patient has stopped, using the pelvic position coordinates; the machine learning-based model distinguished between FoG and stop using a combined one-dimensional convolutional neural network and long short-term memory (1dCNN-LSTM). The model achieved a high intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.75–0.94 with a manually-annotated duration of FoG and %FoG. This method is novel as it combines object tracking, 3D pose estimation, and expert-guided feature selection in the preprocessing and modeling phases, enabling FoG detection even from videos captured in uncontrolled environments.

In recent decades, the locally extinct sea otter (Enhydra lutris lutris) has been recolonizing the coast of eastern Hokkaido. Their diet includes benthic invertebrates such as bivalves, sea urchins, snails, and chitons. In the fall of 2021, a harmful algal bloom (HAB) of Karenia selliformis occurred across Hokkaido's northern and eastern coasts, leading to a massive mortality of sea urchins. This dinoflagellate produces a neurotoxin (gymnodimine) implicated in shellfish poisoning. To determine the effect of the HAB on the marine community, we conducted benthic surveys using SCUBA and visually monitored the prey items of the sea otters in the affected area from 2020 to 2023. Following the HAB, we observed an 82% decrease in benthic sea urchin density (number m2), leading to their complete absence from the diet of sea otters. Conversely, bivalve density increased six-fold, accompanied by a nearly two-fold rise in their percentage in the sea otters' diet. Minimal changes were observed in the density of chitons and snails, with no significant alteration in the sea otters' diet. Despite these changes, the impact of the HAB on otters' dietary preferences was temporary, as the percentage of dietary sea urchins began recovering one year later. Sea otters augmented their diet with bivalves to compensate for the reduced availability of sea urchins during the HAB with no apparent effects on the number of sea otters or their health. Our results highlight the adaptability of sea otters to adjust their diet according to prey availability.

Safinamide is a selective, reversible, monoamine oxidase B inhibitor for the treatment of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and motor fluctuations. This was a post hoc analysis of the SETTLE study, in which patients with PD and motor fluctuations were randomly assigned to 24-week treatment with safinamide (50 mg/day for 2 weeks, increased to 100 mg/day if tolerated) or placebo. In the present analysis, responders were defined according to their treatment responses at Week 2 and Week 24 based on changes in ON-time without troublesome dyskinesia from baseline with cutoffs of 1 hour. It was found that 81% (103/127) of the responders at Week 2 maintained the response through Week 24 in the safinamide group. Other outcomes did not necessarily coincide with the ON-time response; however, “Early” responders who showed a treatment response at both Week 2 and Week 24 had substantial improvements from baseline in OFF-time, UPDRS Part II and III scores, and PDQ-39 summary index scores through Week 24. The safinamide group had a higher proportion of early responders than the placebo group (39% vs 20%, p < 0.0001). At baseline, early responders in the safinamide group had significantly higher UPDRS Part II and III scores, shorter ON-time, and longer OFF-time than the other responder populations. In conclusion, the results of the present post hoc analysis suggest that patients with a short ON-time, severe motor symptoms, and highly compromised activities of daily living can benefit from safinamide early in treatment and over the long term.

Freezing of gait (FOG) is a common symptom in the late stages of Parkinson’s disease and related disorders. Videos are the gold standard method to conduct FOG scoring; however, the measurement accuracy of FOG scoring based on videos has not been formally assessed, despite its use in previous studies. This study aimed to calculate the measurement accuracy of video-based FOG scoring. Three evaluators scored the FOG based on 157 video data points collected from 21 patients using an annotation tool. One evaluator measured the intra-rater reliability of the retest. The total duration of observed FOG, percentage of the time spent with FOG during the walking task (%FOG), and FOG phenotypes (shuffling, trembling, and complete akinesia) were evaluated. Intraclass correlation coefficients were used to determine the intra- and inter-rater reliabilities. The duration of FOG and %FOG showed good measurement accuracy for both intra-rater and inter-rater reliabilities. However, the FOG phenotypes showed poor measurement accuracy in inter-rater reliability. These results indicate that the temporal characteristics of FOG can be scored with a high degree of measurement accuracy, even with different evaluators; conversely, the FOG phenotypes need to be scored by several evaluators.

Background and PurposeNeuropsychiatric symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD) have been shown to significantly affect quality of life (QOL). We investigated the impact of safinamide on depression and apathy when administered as an adjunct to levodopa in Japanese patients with PD.MethodsThis was a post-hoc analysis of data from a phase 2/3 clinical study of safinamide in Japanese patients with PD experiencing wearing-off (JapicCTI-153056; https://www.clinicaltrials.jp/cti-user/trial/ShowDirect.jsp?japicId=JapicCTI-153056). Patients received placebo, safinamide 50 mg, or safinamide 100 mg as an adjunct therapy. The endpoints for this analysis were changes from baseline to Week 24 in the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) Part I item 3 (depression) and item 4 (apathy) scores and the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39) “emotional well-being” domain score. Subgroup analyses investigated the relationship between neuropsychologic symptoms and improvements in motor fluctuation and assessed which patient populations might be expected to obtain neuropsychologic benefit from safinamide.ResultsCompared with placebo, safinamide (both doses) significantly improved UPDRS Part I item 3 scores in the overall analysis population, and the 100-mg dose improved UPDRS Part I item 4 scores in the population with apathy at baseline. Changes in the PDQ-39 “emotional well-being” score showed numerical, but not significant, dose-related improvements. Notable reductions in depression were associated with a change in daily ON-time ≥1 h, pain during OFF-time at baseline, and female sex.ConclusionsThe results from this post-hoc analysis of the Japanese phase 2/3 study suggest that safinamide could bring benefits to patients with PD who have mild depression, pain during the OFF phase. In addition, safinamide might provide particular benefits for patients with PD who have mild apathy and female.

Swimming at an optimal speed is critical for breath-hold divers seeking to maximize the time they can spend foraging underwater. Theoretical studies have predicted that the optimal swim speed for an animal while transiting to and from depth is independent of buoyancy, but is dependent on drag and metabolic rate. However, this prediction has never been experimentally tested. Our study assessed the effects of buoyancy and drag on the swim speed of three captive Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) that made 186 dives. Our study animals were trained to dive to feed at fixed depths (10–50 m) under artificially controlled buoyancy and drag conditions. Buoyancy and drag were manipulated using a pair of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubes attached to harnesses worn by the sea lions, and buoyancy conditions were designed to fall within the natural range of wild animals (∼12–26% subcutaneous fat). Drag conditions were changed with and without the PVC tubes, and swim speeds were recorded and compared during descent and ascent phases using an accelerometer attached to the harnesses. Generalized linear mixed-effect models with the animal as the random variable and five explanatory variables (body mass, buoyancy, dive depth, dive phase, and drag) showed that swim speed was best predicted by two variables, drag and dive phase (AIC = −139). Consistent with a previous theoretical prediction, the results of our study suggest that the optimal swim speed of Steller sea lions is a function of drag, and is independent of dive depth and buoyancy.

The Turbulent channel flow over a backward-facing step was investigated experimentally by using suction through a slit at the bottom corner of the step. Suction was continuously applied, and the direction of the suction was perpendicular and horizontal to the main flow. The suction flow ratio was varied from 0.00 to 0.15. The wall static pressure and local heat transfer coefficient were measured behind the backward-facing step. The velocity profiles and turbulent quantities were measured by PIV. It was found that the pressure drop at the step was reduced and the heat transfer coefficient in the recirculating region was improved by suction. The suction direction did not affect the heat transfer or fluid flow characteristics. Enhancement of the heat transfer coefficient was related to the increase in turbulent energy, Reynolds shear stress and turbulent diffusions. However, the region where these quantities increase was limited to the area immediately behind the step. When strong suction was applied, periodic fluctuating motion occurred.

Safinamide is a selective, reversible, monoamine oxidase B inhibitor for the treatment of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and motor fluctuations. This was a post hoc analysis of the SETTLE study, in which patients with PD and motor fluctuations were randomly assigned to 24-week treatment with safinamide (50 mg/day for 2 weeks, increased to 100 mg/day if tolerated) or placebo. In the present analysis, responders were defined according to their treatment responses at Week 2 and Week 24 based on changes in ON-time without troublesome dyskinesia from baseline with cutoffs of 1 hour. It was found that 81% (103/127) of the responders at Week 2 maintained the response through Week 24 in the safinamide group. Other outcomes did not necessarily coincide with the ON-time response; however, "Early" responders who showed a treatment response at both Week 2 and Week 24 had substantial improvements from baseline in OFF-time, UPDRS Part II and III scores, and PDQ-39 summary index scores through Week 24. The safinamide group had a higher proportion of early responders than the placebo group (39% vs 20%, p < 0.0001). At baseline, early responders in the safinamide group had significantly higher UPDRS Part II and III scores, shorter ON-time, and longer OFF-time than the other responder populations. In conclusion, the results of the present post hoc analysis suggest that patients with a short ON-time, severe motor symptoms, and highly compromised activities of daily living can benefit from safinamide early in treatment and over the long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In-plane ferroelectric polarization in BaTiO3 (BTO) epitaxial thin films on MgAl2O4(001) (MAO) is reported. The directional dependence of both in-plane polarization curves and Raman spectroscopy shows that the films have an orthorhombic structure at room temperature, in contrast to the tetragonal structure of the corresponding bulk. The largest in-plane polarization value among BTO-based tensile-strained films is obtained. The temperature dependence of the lattice constants shows that the Curie temperature of the thin films is as high as 220 °C, which is higher than that of the bulk by 100 °C. The significant enhancement of the Curie temperature is attributed to high-quality coherent epitaxial growth due to perfect matching between the lattice parameter of the c-axis of BTO and that of MAO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a group of hereditary diseases caused by mutation of extracellular matrix-related genes. Recently, spondylodysplastic EDS-Zip13 (spEDS-Zip13: OMIM 612350) was recognized as a new EDS type. This current study could reveal various morphometric differences of collagenous population in the proper substance of cornea between the wild type and spEDS-Zip13-knockout (Zip13-KO) mice. Blockade of Smad-signaling pathway might initiate these alterations. Predilected dissimilarity in level of transcriptional activity probably dictated morphology of keratocyte and shape and electron density of its nucleus. In addition, the imbalance of proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans would also affect the diameter and arrangement of collagen fibrils. These findings would be considered as vulnerable characteristics of corneal stroma of the Zip13-KO mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An animal-borne blood sampler with data-logging functions was developed for phocid seals, which collected two blood samples for the comparison of endocrinological/biochemical parameters under two different conditions. The sampler can be triggered by preset hydrostatic pressure, acceleration (descending or ascending), temperature, and time, and also manually by light. The sampling was reliable with 39/50 (78%) successful attempts to collect blood samples. Contamination of fluids in the tubing to the next blood sample was <1%, following the prior clearance of the tubing to a waste syringe. In captive harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), the automated blood-sampling method was less stressful than direct blood withdrawal, as evidenced by lower levels of stress hormones (P < 0.05 for ACTH and P = 0.078 for cortisol). HPLC analyses showed that both cortisol and cortisone were circulating in seal blood. Using the sampler, plasma levels of cardiovascular hormones, atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), AVP, and ANG II were compared in grey seals (Halichoerus grypus), between samples collected when the animals were on land and in the water. HPLC analyses determined that [Met12] ANP (1-28) and various forms of angiotensins (ANG II, III, and IV) were circulating in seal blood. Although water immersion profoundly changes the plasma levels of cardiovascular hormones in terrestrial mammals, there were only tendencies toward an increase in ANP (P = 0.069) and a decrease in AVP (P = 0.074) in the seals. These results suggest that cardiovascular regulation in phocid seals may have undergone adaptation during evolution of the carnivore to a semiaquatic lifestyle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

B2-ordered FeRh has been known to exhibit antiferromagnetic-ferromagnetic (AF-F) phase transitions in the vicinity of room temperature. Manipulation of the Néel order via AF-F phase transition and recent experimental observation of the anisotropic magnetoresistance in antiferromagnetic FeRh has proven that FeRh is a promising candidate for antiferromagnetic memory material. In this work, we demonstrate sequential write and read operations in antiferromagnetic memory resistors made of B2-orderd FeRh thin films by a magnetic field and electric current only, which open a realistic pathway towards operational antiferromagnetic memory devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We provide clear evidence for the effect of a spin polarized current on the antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic phase transition of an FeRh wire at Co/FeRh wire junctions, where the antiferromagnetic ground state of FeRh is suppressed by injecting a spin polarized current. We find a discrete change in the current-voltage characteristics with increasing current density, which we attribute to the Barkhausen-like motion of antiferromagnetic/ferromagnetic interfaces within the FeRh wire. The effect can be understood via spin transfer, which exerts a torque to the antiferromagnetic moments of FeRh, together with non-equilibrium magnetic effective field at the interface. The conclusion is reinforced by the fact that spin unpolarized current injection from a nonmagnetic Cu electrode has no effects on the antiferromagnetic state of FeRh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the studies of tuning the exchange bias at ferromagnetic Fe/metamagnetic FeRh bilayer interfaces. Fe/FeRh(111) bilayers show exchange bias in the antiferromagnetic state of FeRh while no exchange bias occurs at Fe/FeRh(001) interface. The contrasting results are attributed to the spin configurations of FeRh at the interface, i.e., the uncompensated ferromagnetic spin configuration of FeRh appears exclusively for (111) orientation. The exchange bias disappears as the bilayers are warmed above the antiferromagnetic-ferromagnetic transition temperature. The direction of the exchange bias for Fe/FeRh(111) is also found to be perpendicular to the coolingfield direction, in contrast to the commonly observed direction of exchange bias for ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic interfaces. In view of these results, the exchange bias in Fe/FeRh bilayers with the (111) crystallographic orientation should be useful for the design of rapid writing technology for magnetic information devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refinement of the FePt grain size for heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) media was explored by utilizing high melting point metals Pt and W as seed layers. Unlike the W, the Pt seed layer promotes a good epitaxial growth and leads to a higher degree of L10-ordering in FePt films. It also substantially refines the FePt grains from big islands into smaller particles. For the FePt-C nanogranular film, the Pt seed layer improves the wettability and favors a single-columnar growth. Thus, the Pt seed layer provides a new valid approach to optimize the microstructure and magnetic properties for next-generation FePt-based HAMR media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the antiferromagnetic–ferromagnetic phase transition of FeRh nanowires induced by an electric current. The critical current Icr for the phase transition decreases with increasing the sample temperature. It is found that the , where Rcr is the resistance at Icr, linearly decreases as the sample temperature increases, suggesting that the temperature raised by the Joule heating is responsible for the transition. We also studied for various wire widths to characterize the heat dissipation of the nanowires. Our results provide a way to explore the Joule heating in high density nanosized electrical devices where significant electric current flow is involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]