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[Display omitted] • DTW and k-means clustering reveal fitness levels via heart rate dynamics in real-time. • Four distinct exercise response patterns identified for personalized fitness assessment. • Higher baseline fitness shows distinct heart rate dynamics in trained participants. The appropriate measurement of cardiovascular 'Performance Enhancement' is critical for improving physical fitness and overall health. Traditional methods, effective as they are, often rely on complex, cumbersome equipment, limiting their practical use for real-time, dynamic exercise evaluation. Thus, understanding the intricate relationship between physiological responses and exercise 'Performance Enhancement' using wearable technology is essential for tailoring effective fitness regimes. This study involved 52 participants, utilizing Garmin Vivosmart 5 wearables to analyze heart rate time series during the YMCA Three-Minute Step Test, assessing fitness levels and characterizing personalized heartbeat dynamics. The study employed Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) for clustering these time series into high and low VO 2 max groups. Additionally, heart rate dynamics were examined using K-means clustering to identify distinct patterns during exercise—namely 'Efficient Adaptation', 'Balance Under Pressure', 'Active Strain', and 'Efficiency Improvement' clusters. This analysis demonstrated that non-trained individuals showed higher 'Active Strain' and 'Efficiency Improvement' dynamics and lower 'Efficient Adaptation' dynamics, indicating the exercise's varied effectiveness based on training level. This method provides a novel approach for identifying individual fitness levels and the efficacy of specific exercises, enabling personalized physical activity planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ydbio.2008.06.003 Byline: Vanessa Ribes (a), Fanny Stutzmann (a), Laurent Bianchetti (a), Francois Guillemot (b), Pascal Dolle (a), Isabelle Le Roux (a) Keywords: Neurogenin2; Promoter analysis; Spinal cord; RA; Shh; FGF Abstract: A central issue during embryonic development is to define how different signals cooperate in generating unique cell types. To address this issue, we focused on the function and the regulation of the proneural gene Neurogenin2 (Neurog2) during early mouse spinal neurogenesis. We showed that Neurog2 is first expressed in cells within the neural plate anterior to the node from the 5 somite-stage. The analysis of Neurog2 mutants established a role for this gene in triggering neural differentiation during spinal cord elongation. We identified a 798 base pair enhancer element (Neurog2-798) upstream of the Neurog2 coding sequence that directs the early caudal expression of Neurog2. Embryo culture experiments showed that Retinoic Acid (RA), Sonic hedgehog (Shh) and Fibroblast Growth Factor signals act in concert on this enhancer to control the spatial and temporal induction of Neurog2. We further demonstrated by transgenesis that two RA response elements and a Gli binding site within the Neurog2-798 element are absolutely required for its activity, strongly suggesting that the regulation of Neurog2 early expression by RA and Shh signals is direct. Our data thus support a model where signal integration at the level of a single enhancer constitutes a key mechanism to control the onset of neurogenesis. Author Affiliation: (a) Institut de Genetique et de Biologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire, Inserm U 596, CNRS UMR 7104, Universite Louis Pasteur, 1 rue Laurent Fries, Illkirch, BP 10142 F-67400, France (b) Division of Molecular Neurobiology, National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), the Ridgeway Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, UK Article History: Received 18 January 2008; Revised 15 May 2008; Accepted 3 June 2008

Bacterial community-acquired atypical pneumonia is sometimes complicated by a myositis or by a renal parenchymal disease. Available reviews do not mention the concurrent occurrence of both myositis and acute kidney injury. In order to characterize the link between bacterial community-acquired atypical pneumonia and both myositis and a renal parenchymal disease, we reviewed the literature (United States National Library of Medicine and Excerpta Medica databases). We identified 42 previously healthy subjects (35 males and 7 females aged from 2 to 76, median 42 years) with a bacterial atypical pneumonia associated both with myositis (muscle pain and creatine kinase ≥5 times the upper limit of normal) and acute kidney injury (increase in creatinine to ≥1.5 times baseline or increase by ≥27 μmol/L above the upper limit of normal). Thirty-six cases were caused by Legionella species (N = 27) and by Mycoplasma pneumoniae (N = 9). Further germs accounted for the remaining 6 cases. The vast majority of cases (N = 36) presented a diffuse myalgia. Only a minority of cases (N = 3) were affected by a calf myositis. The diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis-associated kidney injury was retained in 37 and that of acute interstitial nephritis in the remaining 5 cases. Bacterial atypical pneumonia may occasionally induce myositis and secondary kidney damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Usual image quality measures fail for assessing recovered wrapped phase maps. • Proposed wrapped phase similarity measures should avoid preprocessing tasks. • Quality measures based on circular statistics are robust to phase offset variations. • The proposed quality measure correlates with visual perception of similarity. • Good agreement for assessing of recovered phase maps in speckle metrology. Abstract We propose and evaluate structural similarity quality measures for wrapped recovered phase maps in the range of [0, 2 π). The proposed measures adapt the mathematical description of a structural similarity index employed in intensity images by using circular statistics, which are suitable for analyzing the wrapped phase images obtained in the application of optical metrology techniques. The developed framework avoids 2D unwrapping pre-processing techniques and obtains a quality measure that properly evaluates visual distortions that occur in the proximities of phase discontinuities that do not correspond to significant phase errors. Numerical experiments based on the assessment of simulated wrapped images indicate the suitability of the proposed quality measure when a reference phase map is introduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Fatigue life of shot peened samples were predicted with the Navarro-Rios model. • The original (monotonic) and the new (cyclic) models were compared. • The cyclic damage model predicted fatigue life more accurately. • Perspectives for future work were proposed in the discussion section. Abstract Fatigue lives of as-polished and shot peened specimens were predicted using the original Navarro-Rios model (monotonic damage model) and a more recent version of the same model (cyclic damage model). Crack closure, residual stress relaxation, cold work and cyclic yield stress were experimentally characterized and implemented within the cyclic damage model. Two shot peening conditions were studied (S230 and Z425 shots at 8A and 100% coverage). The in-depth profiles of the relaxed residual stress and cold work were experimentally characterized and implemented within both versions of the model. Two stress amplitudes leading to high cycle fatigue (HCF) and low cycle fatigue (LCF) were studied at a stress ratio of 0.1. Predictions of the cyclic damage model were globally closer to experimental fatigue lives than those predicted by the monotonic damage model. The monotonic damage model significantly overestimated fatigue life of shot peened samples in LCF. A detailed list of the used parameters and their characterization is provided. Finally, potential improvements and uses of the model for future studies are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article compares the impact of surface modification on fatigue life at 550 °C of the Inconel 718 manufactured by laser-powder bed fusion. The surface conditions are as-built, as-machined, shot-peened, oxidized, and combinaisons of those. Surface roughness, microhardness, and residual stress measurements, as well as fractographic analyses are performed to interpret the fatigue results. Fatigue tests show that as-built samples have higher fatigue lifetime than as-machined samples. Moreover, shot peening increases fatigue lifetime. Finally, an oxidation treatment at 550 °C during 41.6 days does not affect fatigue life. [Display omitted] • As-built samples had a higher fatigue lifetime than as-machined samples. • The contour strategy used herein was considered as the main cause of the better fatigue life. • Shot peening increased fatigue lifetime. • Oxidation did not impact fatigue lifetime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Comparison of small and long crack behavior is proposed for a wide Δ K range. • The microstructure of AA7050-T7451 was thoroughly characterized. • The recrystallized grain boundary was identified as the microstructural barrier. • Transition from closure-free to crack closure behavior was characterized. • Crack closure decreased as the crack growth rate threshold neared. Abstract Fatigue crack growth behaviors of small and long cracks are compared in terms of crack closure, from near-threshold to final fracture, in over-aged aluminum alloy AA 7050-T7451. This is done experimentally to quantify inputs for crack propagation models such as the Navarro-Rios model. Growth rate of small cracks are determined as a function of stress intensity factor range using replicas taken from etched specimens loaded at high and low stress amplitudes. Similar data for long cracks are obtained using a compact tension C(T) specimen. Recrystallized grains are found to be the most significant microstructural barrier to propagation when cracks are small. In addition, small cracks typically appear to behave as closure-free long cracks. Transition from apparent closure-free to crack closure behavior is observed and characterized in terms of grain size. Finally, analysis of crack closure effects on C(T) specimens shows that long cracks propagating in the studied aluminum undergoes roughness- and oxide-induced closure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mach–Zehnder interferometers make highly sensitive sensors of physical quantities based on the accumulated phase difference between two or more optical paths. In this work, the application of single-mode-fiber core-offset Mach–Zehnder interferometers as strain sensors is reported. Three in-line modal Mach–Zehnder interferometers were manufactured by splicing three pieces of single mode fiber with well-defined offset and orientation of the cores and a well-defined length of its middle section. These interferometers were characterized as strain sensors, and a maximum sensitivity of 7.46 pm/µε was obtained over the linear range 0–1754 µε. Compared to other strain sensors, the ones reported in this work achieve a high sensitivity using inexpensive single mode fiber and an easy manufacturing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A systematic analysis for the quantitative comparison of phase retrieval is proposed. • We introduce the structural similarity index measure to the phase retrieval framework. • A numerical and experimental scheme allows us to evaluate phase retrieval experiments. • The drawbacks of using arbitrary random initial seeds are also analyzed and discussed. • A primitive sensor composed by a micro-channel is demonstrated as a proof of concept. Abstract We present a numerical and experimental scheme for the systematic analysis and comparison of phase retrieval techniques based on alternating projection numerical methods. This comparison allows us to evaluate the most common and recently introduced phase retrieval methods. The proposed scheme gives a quantitative comparison that helps to elucidate the differences between them and develop proper technical implementations of phase retrieval. The comparison is made by means of a numerical and experimental scheme that allows us to evaluate phase retrieval experiments. In this work, the drawbacks of using arbitrary random initial seeds to support the phase retrieval numerical algorithms are also analyzed and discussed. Moreover, we show the convenience of using a rough object phase estimation, which is obtained by means of a simple holographic technique, as the initial seed. This seed dramatically reduces the computational load of the algorithms by decreasing the successive iterations from hundreds to less than twenty. The experimental object under study is a random phase object within a micro-channel. As a proof of concept, this micro-channel combined with a millimeter size semicircular hole, which provides a reference wave, conforms a primitive sensor. The performance of the algorithms is not only measured by the usual convergence error, but also by means of a quality index that requires a direct comparison against the generally unknown original phase object. Thus, in order to evaluate the experimental performance of the phase retrieval techniques, we implement an interferometric optical setup that allows us to compare the results obtained by both techniques. The experiment proposed is a valuable tool for quantitative experimental evaluation of phase retrieval techniques in the optical domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fatigue tests and probabilistic analysis were carried out on aluminum alloy 7050-T7451 samples having surface conditions of as-polished, as-machined, and shot peened. Different combinations of media and intensity were studied. Fatigue tests were carried out in the high and low cycles fatigue regimes. Fatigue life dispersion was analyzed and tolerance limits, such as the 50% and 90% survival rates at 95% confidence level, were computed. Fatigue results dispersion after peening was the smallest for conditioned cut wire shots CW14. Samples peened with ceramic Z425 shots had the largest fatigue life dispersion. Comparison of surface roughness parameter, with fatigue life dispersion and shot diameters indicates that smaller shots create rougher surfaces responsible for premature crack initiation. Fatigue life reliability (best trade-off of fatigue life dispersion and mean values) depended on the tested Almen intensity and stress amplitudes. At high stress amplitude, cast steel shot S230 was the most reliable condition because of the smooth surface it induced. At low stress amplitude, peening with ceramic Z425 shots at an intensity of 8A was the most reliable condition, while it was the least reliable in high cycle fatigue. The fractography analysis, completed for every condition, revealed shot contamination on samples peened with Z425 shots at an intensity of 8A and tested at high stress amplitude, which could be responsible for the deterioration of the fatigue properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Although upper limb techniques are largely utilized during karate combat competitions scarce information regarding their NM control is available. This study aims at investigating the effect of karate practice on the NM control of Biceps and Triceps Brachii during isokinetic contractions to enhance current knowledge on neuromuscular control adaptations and training methodologies in combat sports.Methods: Torque and surface electromyograms (sEMG) of Biceps Brachii Caput Longum (BB) and Triceps Brachii Lateral Head (TB) were recorded in eight karate practitioners (KA) and eight age-matched sedentary individuals (CO) during isokinetic elbow flexion-extensions (0-240°/s-1). BB and TB sEMG amplitude (Root Mean Square - RMS) and frequency (Median Frequency - MDF) were computed during agonist and antagonist activity. Moreover, muscle fibre conduction velocity (MFCV) of the BB was computed.Results: During the isokinetic contractions, KA group demonstrated higher peak torque and higher MFCV in the BB with respect to CO. KA and CO presented comparable activation of agonist and antagonist muscles and comparable frequency content in both BB and TB.Conclusions: The greater torque observed in KA should be interpreted in the light of a different motor unit recruitment strategy as suggested by the higher MFCV. Karate and combat sport practitioners should consider including in their training programmes methodologies emphasising neural rather than morphological adaptations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To date motor subtypes of delirium have been evaluated in single-center studies with a limited examination of the relationship between predisposing factors and motor profile of delirium. We sought to report the prevalence and clinical profile of subtypes of delirium in a multicenter study.Methods: This is a point prevalence study nested in the "Delirium Day 2015", which included 108 acute and 12 rehabilitation wards in Italy. Delirium was detected using the 4-AT and motor subtypes were measured with the Delirium Motor Subtype Scale (DMSS). A multinomial logistic regression was used to determine the factors associated with delirium subtypes.Results: Of 429 patients with delirium, the DMSS was completed in 275 (64%), classifying 21.5% of the patients with hyperactive delirium, 38.5% with hypoactive, 27.3% with mixed and 12.7% with the non-motor subtype. The 4-AT score was higher in the hyperactive subtype, similar in the hypoactive, mixed subtypes, while it was lowest in the non-motor subtype. Dementia was associated with all three delirium motor subtypes (hyperactive, OR 3.3, 95% CI: 1.2-8.7; hypoactive, OR 2.8, 95% CI: 1.2-6.5; mixed OR 2.6, 95% CI: 1.1-6.2). Atypical antipsychotics were associated with hypoactive delirium (OR 0.23, 95% CI: 0.1-0.7), while intravenous lines were associated with mixed delirium (OR 2.9, 95% CI: 1.2-6.9).Conclusions: The study shows that hypoactive delirium is the most common subtype among hospitalized older patients. Specific clinical features were associated with different delirium subtypes. The use of standardized instruments can help to characterize the phenomenology of different motor subtypes of delirium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: More and more data indicate the importance of palatability when selecting drugs for children. Since hypertension is uncommon in children, no child-friendly palatable formulations of these agents are currently available. As a consequence, in everyday practice available tablets are crushed and administered mixed with food or a sweet drink. We started investigating the issue of palatability of drugs among children in 2004 using smile-face scales. In the first trial we compared taste and smell acceptability of pulverized angiotensin receptor antagonists among nephropathic children and found that the score assigned to candesartan was significantly higher than that assigned to irbesartan, losartan, telmisartan and valsartan. In the second trial we compared the taste of pulverized amlodipine and lercanidipine among children and found that the score assigned to lercanidipine was significantly higher. Our third trial was performed using pulverized β-adrenoceptor blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, calcium-channel antagonists and diuretics among medical officers and pediatricians. The palatability scores assigned to chlorthalidone, hydrochlorothiazide and lisinopril were significantly higher to those assigned to atenolol, bisoprolol, enalapril and ramipril. In conclusion pulverized amlodipine, atenolol, bisoprolol, enalapril, irbesartan, losartan, ramipril, telmisartan and valsartan are poor tasting. From the child's perspective, lercanidipine, candesartan, chlorthalidone, hydrochlorothiazide and lisinopril are preferable. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Children who experience adverse reactions to cow''s milk or who have diseases predisposing them to low bone mass are often prescribed a supplementation of calcium and vitamin D3, but adherence can be poor. Age-specific preferences for different formulations may exist and at least partially explain poor compliance. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the preference of Swiss children at risk for low bone mass for either a single-serving sachet or a suspension containing calcium and vitamin D3. Methods: Two different commercial formulations containing calcium and vitamin D3, either as a lemon-flavored single-serving sachet or as a banana-flavored commercial suspension, were tested for preference by means of a 5-point facial hedonic scale in children aged 4 to 7 and 8 to 11 years. A concealed random allocation procedure was used. The investigator asking about preference was blinded to the sequence. Results: A total of 40 Swiss children (13 boys and 7 girls aged 4–7 years; 11 boys and 9 girls aged 811 years) were assessed in this study. Low bone mass risks included adverse reactions to cow''s milk (n = 25); cerebral palsy (4), juvenile idiopathic arthritis (4), cystic fibrosis (3), inflammatory bowel diseases (2), anorexia nervosa (1), and osteogenesis imperfecta (1). Two children (10%) aged 4 to 7 years were not able to express their preference. Twelve of the remaining 18 children (67%) aged 4 to 7 years preferred the suspension, 5 (28%) did not express a clear preference, and 1 (5%) preferred the sachet (P < 0.002). In children aged 8 to 11 years, 15 (75%) preferred the sachet, 4 (20%) did not express a clear preference, and 1 (5%) preferred the suspension (P < 0.001). The results were not significantly different between boys and girls or between children initially presented the suspension and those initially presented the sachet. Conclusions: In this small study, significantly more Swiss children aged 4 to 7 years who were prescribed a supplementation of calcium and vitamin D3 preferred a banana-flavored suspension compared with those who preferred a lemon-flavored single-serving sachet. However, significantly more children aged 8 to 11 years prescribed the same supplementation preferred the single-serving sachet compared with the suspension. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Carbohydrate Active Enzyme (CAZy) database indicates that glycoside hydrolase family 55 (GH55) contains both endo and exo-β-1,3-glucanases. The founding structure in the GH55 is PcLam55A from the white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium (Ishida, T., Fushinobu, S., Kawai, R., Kitaoka, M., Igarashi, K., and Samejima, M. (2009) Crystal structure of glycoside hydrolase family 55 β-1,3-glucanase from the basidiomycete Phanerochaete chrysosporium. J. Biol. Chem. 284, 10100-10109). Here, we present high resolution crystal structures of bacterial SacteLam55A from the highly cellulolytic Streptomyces sp. SirexAA-E with bound substrates and product. These structures, along with mutagenesis and kinetic studies, implicate Glu-502 as the catalytic acid (as proposed earlier for Glu-663 in PcLam55A) and a proton relay network of four residues in activating water as the nucleophile. Further, a set of conserved aromatic residues that define the active site apparently enforce an exo-glucanase reactivity as demonstrated by exhaustive hydrolysis reactions with purified laminarioligosac-charides. Two additional aromatic residues that line the substrate- binding channel show substrate-dependent conformational flexibility that may promote processive reactivity of the bound oligosaccharide in the bacterial enzymes. Gene synthesis carried out on ~30% of the GH55 family gave 34 active enzymes (19% functional coverage of the nonredundant members of [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuroprotection of the spinal cord during the early phase of injury is an important goal to determine a favorable outcome by prevention of delayed pathological events, including excitotoxicity, which otherwise extend the primary damage and amplify the often irreversible loss of motor function. While intensive care and neurosurgical intervention are important treatments, effective neuroprotection requires further experimental studies focused to target vulnerable neurons, particularly motoneurons. The present investigation examined whether the volatile general anesthetic methoxyflurane might protect spinal locomotor networks from kainate-evoked excitotoxicity using an in vitro rat spinal cord preparation as a model. The protocols involved 1 h excitotoxic stimulation on day 1 followed by electrophysiological and immunohistochemical testing on day 2. A single administration of methoxyflurane applied together with kainate (1 h), or 30 or even 60 min later prevented any depression of spinal reflexes, loss of motoneuron excitability, and histological damage. Methoxyflurane per se temporarily decreased synaptic transmission and motoneuron excitability, effects readily reversible on washout. Spinal locomotor activity recorded as alternating electrical discharges from lumbar motor pools was fully preserved on the second day after application of methoxyflurane together with (or after) kainate. These data suggest that a volatile general anesthetic could provide strong electrophysiological and histological neuroprotection that enabled expression of locomotor network activity 1 day after the excitotoxic challenge. It is hypothesized that the benefits of early neurosurgery for acute spinal cord injury (SCI) might be enhanced if, in addition to injury decompression and stabilization, the protective role of general anesthesia is exploited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZnO is a versatile material used in numerous applications, such as antireflective coatings, transparent electrodes for solar cells, gas sensors, varistors and electro and photoluminescent devices. One of the most important properties of ZnO is the photoconductivity in the UV, due to the band-gap energy. In this work, nanostructured pure and aluminium doped ZnO films were grown by sol-gel method. The precursor solutions were deposited with a different quantity of layers by spin-coating technique on SiO 2 substrates. The films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). Photoconductivity study of prepared films showed that layers also exhibit sensitivity in the visible spectrum besides a remarkable and usual sensitivity to UV. Performance of pure and doped ZnO films was compared. The UV sensitivity related to the film thickness was also studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The C-C motif chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5), CCL11, and CCL24 are involved in the pathogenesis of asthma, and their function is mainly associated with the airway recruitment of eosinophils. This study tested their ability to induce the migration of circulating fibrocytes, which may contribute to the development of irreversible airflow obstruction in severe asthma. The sputum fluid phase (SFP) from patients with severe/treatment-refractory asthma (PwSA) contained elevated concentrations of CCL5, CCL11, and CCL24 in comparison with the SFP from patients with non-severe/treatment-responsive asthma (PwNSA). The circulating fibrocytes from PwSA expressed the receptors for these chemokines at increased levels and migrated in response to recombinant CCL5, CCL11, and CCL24. The SFP from PwSA induced the migration of autologous fibrocytes, and its activity was significantly attenuated by neutralization of endogenous CCL5, CCL11, and CCL24. These findings suggest that CCL5, CCL11, and CCL24 may contribute to the airway recruitment of fibrocytes in severe asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]