Search

BackgroundPostoperative infections remain a crucial challenge in health care, resulting in high morbidity, mortality, and costs. Accurate identification and labeling of patients with postoperative bacterial infections is crucial for developing prediction models, validating biomarkers, and implementing surveillance systems in clinical practice. ObjectiveThis scoping review aimed to explore methods for identifying patients with postoperative infections using electronic health record (EHR) data to go beyond the reference standard of manual chart review. MethodsWe performed a systematic search strategy across PubMed, Embase, Web of Science (Core Collection), the Cochrane Library, and Emcare (Ovid), targeting studies addressing the prediction and fully automated surveillance (ie, without manual check) of diverse bacterial infections in the postoperative setting. For prediction modeling studies, we assessed the labeling methods used, categorizing them as either manual or automated. We evaluated the different types of EHR data needed for the surveillance and labeling of postoperative infections, as well as the performance of fully automated surveillance systems compared with manual chart review. ResultsWe identified 75 different methods and definitions used to identify patients with postoperative infections in studies published between 2003 and 2023. Manual labeling was the predominant method in prediction modeling research, 65% (49/75) of the identified methods use structured data, and 45% (34/75) use free text and clinical notes as one of their data sources. Fully automated surveillance systems should be used with caution because the reported positive predictive values are between 0.31 and 0.76. ConclusionsThere is currently no evidence to support fully automated labeling and identification of patients with infections based solely on structured EHR data. Future research should focus on defining uniform definitions, as well as prioritizing the development of more scalable, automated methods for infection detection using structured EHR data.

In this paper an advanced modulation strategy is proposed that generates the switch control signals of a power converter while inherently guaranteeing zero-voltage switching (ZVS) operation. The proposed modulator is based on a first-order $\Delta \Sigma$-modulator combined with a hold-off circuit. This hold-off circuit consists of a D-latch and maintains the converter's switching state until ZVS commutation can be achieved while an integrator ensures the correct average output. Furthermore, features are implemented to improve start-up and transient behavior. The operating principle and stability of the proposed modulator is discussed and simulation results are presented. Finally, the proposed modulator is validated on a $2 \,\mathrm{k}\mathrm{W}$ GaN-based synchronous buck converter. Results show that the converter naturally operates under ZVS conditions by continuously varying its switching frequency without having to compute switching times or frequencies. The proposed method is an interesting alternative to pulse-width modulation especially when operating at high switching frequencies or when the switching loss in the power converter is significant.

Abstract Background Diligent fluid management is an instrumental part of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery. However, the effect of a ward regimen to limit intravenous fluid administration on outcome remains unclear. We performed a meta-analysis investigating the effect of a restrictive versus a conventional fluid regimen on complications in patients after non-cardiac surgery in the postoperative period on the clinical ward. Study design We performed a systematic search in MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL databases, from the start of indexing until June 2022, with constraints for English language and adult human study participants. Data were combined using classic methods of meta-analyses and were expressed as weighted pooled risk ratio (RR) or odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Quality assessment and risk of bias analyses was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. Results Seven records, three randomized controlled trials, and four non-randomized studies were included with a total of 883 patients. A restrictive fluid regimen was associated with a reduction in overall complication rate in the RCTs (RR 0.46, 95% CI 0.23 to 0.95; P

Abstract Transfusion-associated circulatory overload (TACO) is the leading cause of transfusion related morbidity and mortality. The only treatment is empirical use of furosemide. Our aim was to investigate if furosemide can prevent TACO. A randomized controlled trial was performed using a previously validated two-hit rat model for TACO. Volume incompliance was induced (first hit) in anemic, anesthetized Lewis rats. Rats were randomized to placebo, low-dose (5 mg kg−1) or high-dose (15 mg kg−1) furosemide-administered prior to transfusion (second-hit) and divided over two doses. Primary outcome was change in left-ventricular end-diastolic pressure (∆LVEDP) pre- compared to post-transfusion. Secondary outcomes included changes in preload, afterload, contractility and systemic vascular resistance, as well as pulmonary outcomes. Furosemide treated animals had a significantly lower ∆LVEDP compared to placebo (p = 0.041), a dose–response effect was observed. ∆LVEDP in placebo was median + 8.7 mmHg (IQR 5.9–11), + 3.9 (2.8–5.6) in the low-dose and 1.9 (− 0.6 to 5.6) in the high-dose group. The effect of furosemide became apparent after 15 min. While urine output was significantly higher in furosemide treated animals (p = 0.03), there were no significant changes in preload, afterload, contractility or systemic vascular resistance. Furosemide rapidly and dose-dependently decreases the rise in hydrostatic pulmonary pressure following transfusion, essential for preventing TACO.

Introduction Hypotension is common during cardiac surgery and often persists postoperatively in the intensive care unit (ICU). Still, treatment is mainly reactive, causing a delay in its management. The Hypotension Prediction Index (HPI) can predict hypotension with high accuracy. Using the HPI combined with a guidance protocol resulted in a significant reduction in the severity of hypotension in four non-cardiac surgery trials. This randomised trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the HPI in combination with a diagnostic guidance protocol on reducing the occurrence and severity of hypotension during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery and subsequent ICU admission.Methods and analysis This is a single-centre, randomised clinical trial in adult patients undergoing elective on-pump CABG surgery with a target mean arterial pressure of 65 mm Hg. One hundred and thirty patients will be randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to either the intervention or control group. In both groups, a HemoSphere patient monitor with embedded HPI software will be connected to the arterial line. In the intervention group, HPI values of 75 or above will initiate the diagnostic guidance protocol, both intraoperatively and postoperatively in the ICU during mechanical ventilation. In the control group, the HemoSphere patient monitor will be covered and silenced. The primary outcome is the time-weighted average of hypotension during the combined study phases.Ethics and dissemination The medical research ethics committee and the institutional review board of the Amsterdam UMC, location AMC, the Netherlands, approved the trial protocol (NL76236.018.21). No publication restrictions apply, and the study results will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed journal.Trial registration number The Netherlands Trial Register (NL9449), ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05821647).

Introduction: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic disorder that induces progressive muscular degeneration. Currently, the increase in DMD individuals' life expectancy is not being matched by an increase in quality of life. The functioning of the hand and wrist is central for performing daily activities and for providing a higher degree of independence. Active exoskeletons can assist this functioning but require the accurate decoding of the users' motor intention. These methods have, however, never been systematically analyzed in the context of DMD.Methods: This case study evaluated direct control (DC) and pattern recognition (PR), combined with an admittance model. This enabled customization of myoelectric controllers to one DMD individual and to a control population of ten healthy participants during a target-reaching task in 1- and 2- degrees of freedom (DOF). We quantified real-time myocontrol performance using target reaching times and compared the differences between the healthy individuals and the DMD individual.Results and Discussion: Our findings suggest that despite the muscle tissue degeneration, the myocontrol performance of the DMD individual was comparable to that of the healthy individuals in both DOFs and with both control approaches. It was also evident that PR control performed better for the 2-DOF tasks for both DMD and healthy participants, while DC performed better for the 1-DOF tasks. The insights gained from this study can lead to further developments for the intuitive multi-DOF myoelectric control of active hand exoskeletons for individuals with DMD.

Background: A decade ago, it became possible to derive mean systemic filling pressure (MSFP) at the bedside using the inspiratory hold maneuver. MSFP has the potential to help guide hemodynamic care, but the estimation is not yet implemented in common clinical practice. In this study, we assessed the ability of MSFP, vascular compliance (Csys), and stressed volume (Vs) to track fluid boluses. Second, we assessed the feasibility of implementation of MSFP in the intensive care unit (ICU). Exploratory, a potential difference in MSFP response between colloids and crystalloids was assessed.Methods: This was a prospective cohort study in adult patients admitted to the ICU after cardiac surgery. The MSFP was determined using 3–4 inspiratory holds with incremental pressures (maximum 35 cm H2O) to construct a venous return curve. Two fluid boluses were administered: 100 and 500 ml, enabling to calculate Vs and Csys. Patients were randomized to crystalloid or colloid fluid administration. Trained ICU consultants acted as study supervisors, and protocol deviations were recorded.Results: A total of 20 patients completed the trial. MSFP was able to track the 500 ml bolus (p < 0.001). In 16 patients (80%), Vs and Csys could be determined. Vs had a median of 2029 ml (IQR 1605–3164), and Csys had a median of 73 ml mmHg−1 (IQR 56–133). A difference in response between crystalloids and colloids was present for the 100 ml fluid bolus (p = 0.019) and in a post hoc analysis, also for the 500 ml bolus (p = 0.010).Conclusion: MSFP can be measured at the bedside and provides insights into the hemodynamic status of a patient that are currently missing. The clinical feasibility of Vs and Csys was judged ambiguously based on the lack of required hemodynamic stability. Future studies should address the clinical obstacles found in this study, and less-invasive alternatives to determine MSFP should be further explored.Clinical Trial Registration:ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT03139929.

Thoracic outlet syndrome is an uncommon and controversial syndrome. Three different diagnoses can be made based on the compressed structure, arterial TOS, venous TOS, and neurogenic TOS, though combinations do exist as well. Diagnosing NTOS is difficult since no specific objective diagnostic modalities exist. This has resulted in a lot of controversy in recent decades. NTOS remains a clinical diagnosis and is mostly diagnosed based on the exclusion of an extensive list of differential diagnoses. To guide the diagnosis and treatment of TOS, a group of experts published the reporting standards for TOS in 2016. However, a consensus was not reached regarding a blueprint for a daily care pathway in this document. Therefore, we constructed a care pathway based on the reporting standards for both the diagnosis and treatment of NTOS patients. This care pathway includes a multidisciplinary approach in which different diagnostic tests and additional imaging techniques are combined to diagnose NTOS or guide patients in their treatment for differential diagnoses. The aim of the present work is to discuss and explain the diagnostic part of this care pathway.

Abstract Background Arm support devices are available to support people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), but active trunk support devices are lacking. An active trunk support device can potentially extend the reach of the arm and stabilize the unstable trunk of people with DMD. In a previous study, we showed that healthy people were able to control an active trunk support using four different control interfaces (based on joystick, force on feet, force on sternum and surface electromyography). All four control interfaces had different advantages and disadvantages. The aim of this study was to explore which of the four inputs is detectably used by people with DMD to control an active trunk support. Results The results were subject-dependent in both experiments. In the active experiment, the joystick was the most promising control interface. Regarding the static experiment, surface electromyography and force on feet worked for two out of the three subjects. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first time that people with DMD have engaged in a control task using signals other than those related to their arm muscles. According to our findings, the control interfaces have to be customised to every DMD subject.

Background: The majority of patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) experience severe hypotension which is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. At present, prospective studies examining the incidence and severity of hypotension using continuous waveforms are missing. Methods: This study is a prospective observational cohort study in a mixed surgical and non-surgical ICU population. All patients over 18 years were included and continuous arterial pressure waveforms data were collected. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) below 65 mmHg for at least 10 s was defined as hypotension and a MAP below 45 mmHg as severe hypotension. The primary outcome was the incidence of hypotension. Secondary outcomes were the severity of hypotension expressed in time-weighted average (TWA), factors associated with hypotension, the number and duration of hypotensive events. Results: 499 patients were included. The incidence of hypotension (MAP < 65 mmHg) was 75% (376 out of 499) and 9% (46 out of 499) experienced severe hypotension. Median TWA was 0.3 mmHg [0–1.0]. Associated clinical factors were age, male sex, BMI and cardiogenic shock. There were 5 (1–12) events per patients with a median of 52 min (5–170). Conclusions: In a mixed surgical and non-surgical ICU population the incidence of hypotension is remarkably high.

Intraoperative hypotension is associated with postoperative complications. However, in the majority of surgical patients, blood pressure (BP) is measured intermittently with a non-invasive cuff around the upper arm (NIBP-arm). We hypothesized that NIBP-arm, compared with a non-invasive continuous alternative, would result in missed events and in delayed recognition of hypotensive events. This was a sub-study of a previously published cohort study in adult patients undergoing surgery. The detection of hypotension (mean arterial pressure below 65 mmHg) was compared using two non-invasive methods; intermittent oscillometric NIBP-arm versus continuous NIBP measured with a finger cuff (cNIBP-finger) (Nexfin, Edwards Lifesciences). cNIBP-finger was used as the reference standard. Out of 350 patients, 268 patients (77%) had one or more hypotensive events during surgery. Out of the 286 patients, 72 (27%) had one or more missed hypotensive events. The majority of hypotensive events (92%) were detected with NIBP-arm, but were recognized at a median of 1.2 (0.6–2.2) minutes later. Intermittent BP monitoring resulted in missed hypotensive events and the hypotensive events that were detected were recognized with a delay. This study highlights the advantage of continuous monitoring. Future studies are needed to understand the effect on patient outcomes.

Objectives:. Previous studies demonstrated that extensive fluid loading and consequently positive fluid balances during sepsis resuscitation are associated with adverse outcome. Yet, the association between fluid balance and mortality after reversal of shock, that is, during deresuscitation, is largely unappreciated. Our objective was to investigate the effects of fluid balance on mortality in the days after septic shock reversal. Design:. Retrospective observational cohort study. Setting:. ICUs of two university-affiliated hospitals in The Netherlands. Patients:. Adult patients admitted with septic shock followed by shock reversal. Reversal of septic shock was defined based on Sepsis-3 criteria as the first day that serum lactate was less than or equal to 2 mmol/L without vasopressor requirement. Interventions:. None. Measurements and Main Results:. Reversal of septic shock occurred in 636 patients, of whom 20% died in the ICU. Mixed-effects logistic regression modeling, adjusted for possible confounders, showed that fluid balance in the days after reversal of septic shock (until discharge or death) was an independent predictor of ICU mortality: odds ratio 3.18 (1.90–5.32) per 10 mL/kg increase in daily fluid balance. Similar results were found for 30-day, 90-day, hospital, and 1-year mortality: odds ratios 2.09 (1.64–2.67); 1.79 (1.38–2.32); 1.70 (1.40–2.07); and 1.53 (1.17–2.01), respectively. Positive cumulative fluid balances vs. neutral or negative fluid balances on the final day in the ICU were associated with increased ICU, hospital, 30-day, and 90-day mortality: odds ratios 3.46 (2.29–5.23); 3.39 (2.35–4.9); 5.33 (3.51–8.08); and 3.57 (2.49–5.12), respectively. Using restricted cubic splines, we found a dose-response relationship between cumulative fluid balance after shock reversal and ICU mortality. Conclusions:. A higher fluid balance in the days after septic shock reversal was associated with increased mortality. This stresses the importance of implementing restrictive and deresuscitative fluid management strategies after initial hemodynamic resuscitation. Prospective interventional studies are needed to confirm our results.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic disorder that results in progressive muscular degeneration. Although medical advances increased their life expectancy, DMD individuals are still highly dependent on caregivers. Hand/wrist function is central for providing independence, and robotic exoskeletons are good candidates for effectively compensating for deteriorating functionality. Robotic hand exoskeletons require the accurate decoding of motor intention typically via surface electromyography (sEMG). Traditional low-density sEMG was used in the past to explore the muscular activations of individuals with DMD; however, it cannot provide high spatial resolution. This study characterized, for the first time, the forearm high-density (HD) electromyograms of three individuals with DMD while performing seven hand/wrist-related tasks and compared them to eight healthy individuals (all data available online). We looked into the spatial distribution of HD-sEMG patterns by using principal component analysis (PCA) and also assessed the repeatability and the amplitude distributions of muscle activity. Additionally, we used a machine learning approach to assess DMD individuals' potentials for myocontrol. Our analysis showed that although participants with DMD were able to repeat similar HD-sEMG patterns across gestures (similarly to healthy participants), a fewer number of electrodes was activated during their gestures compared to the healthy participants. Additionally, participants with DMD activated their muscles close to maximal contraction level (0.63 ± 0.23), whereas healthy participants had lower normalized activations (0.26 ± 0.2). Lastly, participants with DMD showed on average fewer PCs (3), explaining 90% of the complete gesture space than the healthy (5). However, the ability of the DMD participants to produce repeatable HD-sEMG patterns was unexpectedly comparable to that of healthy participants, and the same holds true for their offline myocontrol performance, disproving our hypothesis and suggesting a clear potential for the myocontrol of wearable exoskeletons. Our findings present evidence for the first time on how DMD leads to progressive alterations in hand/wrist motor control in DMD individuals compared to healthy. The better understanding of these alterations can lead to further developments for the intuitive and robust myoelectric control of active hand exoskeletons for individuals with DMD.

Duchenne muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive degenerative muscle disease, affecting, among others, the upper extremities. Effective hand rehabilitation can improve the hand function of people with DMD. To reach this goal, we first need to gain more insight into the hand cognitive-motor performance of people with DMD. This is the first study employing a systematic analysis on multi-finger, cognitive-motor performance of people with DMD. For this purpose, we propose an active dynamic visuo-motor task. The task employed six visual stimuli, a subset of which was activated at each trial. The stimuli were activated with a frequency of 1, 2, 3 and 4 Hz. Eight healthy participants and three participants with DMD performed the task. Additionally, the healthy participants performed seven sessions, and we assessed the training effects. Task-related cognitive-motor performance was evaluated using information transfer rate (ITR) and perceived workload. Regarding ITR, healthy participants performed significantly better than DMD participants; however, this was more evident for trials involving more than three fingers. Workload showed no difference between the healthy and the DMD groups. Healthy participants significantly improved their performance during training. Our results suggest that hand rehabilitation of people with DMD should consider multi-finger dynamic training. However, additional research with more people with DMD is needed for further generalization of our conclusions.

MAIN OUTCOME:Thirty patients (60%) found it satisfying or very satisfying to communicate their pain with the app. Pain experienced after surgery was scored by patients as 'no': 3 (6%), 'little': 5 (10%), 'bearable': 25 (50%), 'considerable': 13 (26%) and 'severe': 1 (2%). Forty-five patients (90%) were positive about the ease of recording. Forty-five patients (90%) could correctly record their pain with the app. Thirty-eight patients (76%) agreed that in-app notifications to record pain were useful. Two patients (4%) were too ill to use the application. Based on usability feedback, we will redesign the pain intensity wheel and the in-app pain chart to improve clarity for patients to understand the course of their pain. SECONDARY OUTCOMES:The median patient recorded pain app score 4.0 (range 0 to 10) and nurse recorded numerical rating scale (NRS) for pain NRS 4.0 (range 0 to 9) were not statistically different (p = 0.06). Forty-two percent from a total of 307 patient pain app scores were ≥ 5 (on a scale from 0 no pain at all to 10 worst imaginable pain). Of these, 83% were recorded as 'bearable' while only in 18% of the recordings patients asked for additional analgesia. The results suggest that self-recording the severity of postoperative pain by patients with a smartphone application could be useful for postoperative pain management. The application was perceived as user-friendly and had high satisfaction rates from both patients and stakeholders. Further research is needed to validate the 11-point numeric and faces pain scale with the current gold standards visual analogue scale (VAS) and NRS for pain.

Abstract The bedside hemodynamic assessment of the critically ill remains challenging since blood volume, arterial–venous interaction and compliance are not measured directly. Mean circulatory filling pressure (P mcf) is the blood pressure throughout the vascular system at zero flow. Animal studies have shown P mcf provides information on vascular compliance, volume responsiveness and enables the calculation of stressed volume. It is now possible to measure P mcf at the bedside. We performed a systematic review of the current P mcf measurement techniques and compared their clinical applicability, precision, accuracy and limitations. A comprehensive search strategy was performed in PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane databases. Studies measuring P mcf in heart-beating patients at the bedside were included. Data were extracted from the articles into predefined forms. Quality assessment was based on the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale for cohort studies. A total of 17 prospective cohort studies were included. Three techniques were described: P mcf hold, based on inspiratory hold-derived venous return curves, P mcf arm, based on arterial and venous pressure equilibration in the arm as a model for the entire circulation, and P mcf analogue, based on a Guytonian mathematical model of the circulation. The included studies show P mcf to accurately follow intravascular fluid administration and vascular compliance following drug-induced hemodynamic changes. Bedside P mcf measures allow for more direct assessment of circulating blood volume, venous return and compliance. However, studies are needed to determine normative P mcf values and their expected changes to therapies if they are to be used to guide clinical practice.

Claudine Fabre,1 Baptiste Chehere,1 Frédéric Bart,2 Patrick Mucci,1 Benoit Wallaert,3 Jean Marie Grosbois2,4 1University of Lille, EA-7369 – URePSSS, Unité de Recherche Pluridisciplinaire Sport, Santé, Société, Faculté des Sciences du Sport et de l’EP, Ronchin, 2Centre Hospitalier Béthune, Service de Pneumologie et d’Allergologie, Rue Delbecque, Beuvry, 3CHRU Lille – Service de Pneumologie et Immunoallergologie, Centre des Compétences des Maladies Pulmonaires Rares, Hôpital Calmette, CHRU Lille and Hospital Center Regional University De Lille, Lille, 4FormAction Santé, ZA du Bois, Pérenchies, France Background: It has been scientifically proven that pulmonary rehabilitation improves exercise tolerance and facilitates the carrying out of daily physical activities. To optimize the physical and physiological benefits, it is necessary to individualize the training intensity for each patient. The aim of this study is to compare the heart rate (HR) responses to three exercise modalities measuring aerobic fitness in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients, in order to easily prescribe individual target HRs for endurance training.Patients and method: Fifty COPD patients (mean age: 60.1±8.5 years) were included in the study. Each patient carried out a cardiopulmonary exercise test, a 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and a 6-minute stepper test (6MST). During these tests, HR was recorded continuously. After the cardiopulmonary exercise test, the HR was noted at the ventilatory threshold (VT) and at the end of the two exercise field tests (6MWTpeak and 6MSTpeak). The values of the HR during the last 3 minutes of both field tests were averaged (6MWT456 and 6MST456). Finally, the HR at 60% of the HR reserve was calculated with the values of the HR measured during 6MWT and 6MST (HRr60%walk, HRr60%step).Results: The HRs measured during the 6MST were significantly higher than those measured during the 6MWT. The HRr60%step was not significantly different from 6MWT456 and 6MWTpeak HR (P=0.51; P=0.48). A significant correlation was observed between 6MWT456 and 6MWTpeak (r=0.58). The 6MWT456 and 6MWTpeak HR were correlated with HRr60%step (r=0.68 and r=0.62). The VT could be determined in 28 patients. The HRVT was not different from 6MWT456, 6MWTpeak, and HRr60%step (P=0.57, P=0.41 and P=0.88) and was correlated to 6MWT456, 6MWTpeak, and HRr60%step (r=0.45, r=0.40, r=0.48).Conclusion: An individualized target HR for endurance training can be prescribed from the HR measured during routine tests, such as 6MWT or 6MST. Keywords: cardiopulmonary exercise testing, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 6-minute walk test, 6-minute stepper test, endurance training

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a muscular condition that leads to muscle loss. Orthotic devices may present a solution for people with DMD to perform activities of daily living (ADL). One such device is the active trunk support but it needs a control interface to identify the user's intention. Myoelectric control interfaces can be used to detect the user's intention and consequently control an active trunk support. Current research on the control of orthotic devices that use surface electromyography (sEMG) signals as control inputs, focuses mainly on muscles that are directly linked to the movement being performed (intuitive control). However in some cases, it is hard to detect a proper sEMG signal (e.g., when there is significant amount of fat), which can result in poor control performance. A way to overcome this problem might be the introduction of other, non-intuitive forms of control. This paper presents an explorative study on the comparison and learning behavior of two different control interfaces, one using sEMG of trunk muscles (intuitive) and one using sEMG of leg muscles that can be potentially used for an active trunk support (non-intuitive). Six healthy subjects undertook a 2-D Fitts's law style task. They were asked to steer a cursor into targets that were radially distributed symmetrically in five directions. The results show that the subjects were generally able to learn to control the tasks using either of the control interfaces and improve their performance over time. Comparison of both control interfaces demonstrated that the subjects were able to learn the leg control interface task faster than the trunk control interface task. Moreover, the performance on the diagonal-targets was significantly lower compared to the one directional-targets for both control interfaces. Overall, the results show that the subjects were able to control a non-intuitive control interface with high performance. Moreover, the results indicate that the non-intuitive control may be a viable solution for controlling an active trunk support.

IntroductionAcute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is characterized by acute, diffuse, inflammatory lung injury leading to increased pulmonary vascular permeability, pulmonary oedema and loss of aerated tissue. Previous literature showed that restrictive fluid therapy in ARDS shortens time on mechanical ventilation and length of ICU-stay. However, the effect of intravenous fluid use on mortality remains uncertain. We investigated the relationship between cumulative fluid balance (FB), time on mechanical ventilation and mortality in ARDS patients.Materials and methodsRetrospective observational study. Patients were divided in four cohorts based on cumulative FB on day 7 of ICU-admission: ≤0 L (Group I); 0-3.5 L (Group II); 3.5-8 L (Group III) and ≥8 L (Group IV). In addition, we used cumulative FB on day 7 as continuum as a predictor of mortality. Primary outcomes were 28-day mortality and ventilator-free days. Secondary outcomes were 90-day mortality and ICU length of stay.ResultsSix hundred ARDS patients were included, of whom 156 (26%) died within 28 days. Patients with a higher cumulative FB on day 7 had a longer length of ICU-stay and fewer ventilator-free days on day 28. Furthermore, after adjusting for severity of illness, a higher cumulative FB was associated with 28-day mortality (Group II, adjusted OR (aOR) 2.1 [1.0-4.6], p = 0.045; Group III, aOR 3.3 [1.7-7.2], p = 0.001; Group IV, aOR 7.9 [4.0-16.8], pConclusionsA higher cumulative fluid balance is independently associated with increased risk of death, longer time on mechanical ventilation and longer length of ICU-stay in patients with ARDS. This underlines the importance of implementing restrictive fluid therapy in ARDS patients.

Jérémy B Coquart,1 Jean-Marie Grosbois,2,3 Cecile Olivier,4 Frederic Bart,2 Ingrid Castres,1 Benoit Wallaert4 1Faculté des Sciences du Sport, Université de Rouen, CETAPS, EA 3832, Mont Saint Aignan, 2Service de Pneumologie, Centre Hospitalier de Béthune, Beuvry, 3Formaction Santé, Perenchies, 4Service de Pneumologie et Immunoallergologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Lille, Hôpital Calmette, Université de Lille 2, France Background: This retrospective, observational study of a routine clinical practice reports the feasibility and efficiency of home-based pulmonary rehabilitation (PR), including transcutaneous neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) or usual endurance physical exercise (UEPE), on exercise tolerance, anxiety/depression, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with COPD.Methods: Seventy-one patients with COPD participated in home-based PR with NMES (Group NMES [GNMES]), while 117 patients participated in home-based PR with the UEPEs (Group UEPE [GUEPE]). NMES was applied for 30 minutes twice a day, every day. The endurance exercises in GUEPE began with a minimum 10-minute session at least 5 days a week, with the goal being 30–45 minutes per session. Three upper and lower limb muscle strengthening exercises lasting 10–15 minutes were also proposed to both the groups for daily practice. Moreover, PR in both the groups included a weekly 90-minute session based on an educational needs assessment. The sessions comprised endurance physical exercise for GUEPE, NMES for GNMES, resumption of physical daily living activities, therapeutic patient education, and psychosocial support to facilitate health behavior changes. Before and after PR, functional mobility and physical exercise capacity, anxiety, depression, and HRQoL were evaluated at home.Results: The study revealed that NMES significantly improved functional mobility (−18.8% in GNMES and −20.6% in GUEPE), exercise capacity (+20.8% in GNMES and +21.8% in GUEPE), depression (−15.8% in GNMES and −30.1% in GUEPE), and overall HRQoL (−7.0% in GNMES and −18.5% in GUEPE) in the patients with COPD, regardless of the group (GNMES or GUEPE) or severity of airflow obstruction. Moreover, no significant difference was observed between the groups with respect to these data (P>0.05).Conclusion: Home-based PR including self-monitored NMES seems feasible and effective for severely disabled COPD patients with severe exercise intolerance. Keywords: pulmonary rehabilitation, global management program, severity of airflow obstruction, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, NMES

JM Grosbois,1,2 C Riquier,3 B Chehere,4 J Coquart,5 H Béhal,6 F Bart,2 B Wallaert,2,3 C Chenivesse3 1FormAction Santé, Pérenchies, France; 2Department of Respiratory Medicine, Centre Hospitalier Germon et Gauthier, Béthune, France; 3Department of Respiratory Medicine Immunology and Allergy, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Lille, Competence Center for rare lung diseases, University Lille 2, Lille, France; 4EA 7369, URePSSS, Multidisciplinary Research Unit in Sport Health Society, University Lille 2, Lille, France; 5Faculty of Sport Sciences, Sports and Physical Activity, Center for Ecology and Transformation, University of Rouen, Mont Saint Aignan, France; 6Department of Statistical Methods and Biostatistics, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Lille, University of Lille Nord, Lille, France Introduction: Exercise tolerance testing is an integral part of the pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) management of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The 6-minute stepper test (6MST) is a new, well-tolerated, reproducible exercise test, which can be performed without any spatial constraints.Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the results of the 6MST to those obtained during a 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) in a cohort of COPD patients.Methods: Ninety-one COPD patients managed by outpatient PR and assessed by 6MST, 6MWT, and CPET were retrospectively included in this study. Correlations between the number of steps on the 6MST, the distance covered on the 6MWT, oxygen consumption, and power at the ventilatory threshold and at maximum effort during CPET were analyzed before starting PR, and the improvement on the 6MST and 6MWT was compared after PR.Results: The number of steps on the 6MST was significantly correlated with the distance covered on the 6MWT (r=0.56; P

Jean Marie Grosbois,1,2 Alice Gicquello,3 Carole Langlois,4 Olivier Le Rouzic,3 Frédéric Bart,2 Benoit Wallaert,2,3 Cécile Chenivesse5 1FormAction Santé, rue Pietralunga, Pérenchies, 2Service de Pneumologie, CH Béthune, 3Service de Pneumologie et Immunoallergologie, Centre des Compétences des Maladies Pulmonaires Rares, Hôpital Calmette, CHRU Lille, 4Unité de Biostatistiques, CHRU Lille, 5AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière Charles Foix, Service de Pneumologie et Réanimation Médicale, Boulevard de l’Hôpital, Paris, France Introduction: Personalized, global pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) management of patients with COPD is effective, regardless of the place in which this rehabilitation is provided. The objective of this retrospective observational study was to study the long-term outcome of exercise capacity and quality of life during management of patients with COPD treated by home-based PR.Methods: Home-based PR was administered to 211 patients with COPD (mean age, 62.3±11.1 years; mean forced expiratory volume in 1 second, 41.5%±17.7%). Home-based PR was chosen because of the distance of the patient’s home from the PR center and the patient’s preference. Each patient was individually managed by a team member once a week for 8 weeks with unsupervised continuation of physical exercises on the other days of the week according to an individual action plan. Exercise conditioning, therapeutic patient education, and self-management were included in the PR program. The home assessment comprised evaluation of the patient’s exercise capacity by a 6-minute stepper test, Timed Up and Go test, ten times sit-to-stand test, Hospital Anxiety and Depression score, and quality of life (Visual Simplified Respiratory Questionnaire, VQ11, Maugeri Respiratory Failure 28).Results: No incidents or accidents were observed during the course of home-based PR. The 6-minute stepper test was significantly improved after completion of the program, at 6 months and 12 months, whereas the Timed Up and Go and ten times sit-to-stand test were improved after PR and at 6 months but not at 12 months. Hospital Anxiety and Depression and quality of life scores improved after PR, and this improvement persisted at 6 months and 12 months.Conclusion: Home-based PR for unselected patients with COPD is effective in the short term, and this effectiveness is maintained in the medium term (6 months) and long term (12 months). Home-based PR is an alternative to outpatient management provided all activities, such as exercise conditioning, therapeutic education, and self-management are performed. Keywords: pulmonary rehabilitation, home, COPD, quality of life, anxiety, depression, self-management

Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) is an essential condition for CoFe thin films used in magnetic random access memories. Until recently, interfacial PMA was mainly known to occur in materials stacks with MgO\CoFe(B) interfaces or using an adjacent crystalline heavy metal film. Here, PMA is reported in a CoFeB\Ta bilayer deposited on amorphous high-κ dielectric (relative permittivity κ=20) HfO2, grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD). PMA with interfacial anisotropy energy Ki up to 0.49 mJ/m2 appears after annealing the stacks between 200°C and 350°C, as shown with vibrating sample magnetometry. Transmission electron microscopy shows that the decrease of PMA starting from 350°C coincides with the onset of interdiffusion in the materials. High-κ dielectrics are potential enablers for giant voltage control of magnetic anisotropy (VCMA). The absence of VCMA in these experiments is ascribed to a 0.6 nm thick magnetic dead layer between HfO2 and CoFeB. The results show PMA can be easily obtained on ALD high-κ dielectrics.

Continuous wound infiltration (CWI) has become increasingly popular in recent years as an alternative to epidural analgesia. As catheters are not placed until the end of surgery, more intraoperative opioid analgesics might be needed. We, therefore, added a single pre-peritoneal bolus of bupivacaine at the start of laparotomy, similar to the bolus given with epidural analgesia.This was a comparative study within a randomized controlled trial (NTR4948). Patients undergoing hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery received either a pre-peritoneal bolus of 30ml bupivacaine 0.25%, or an epidural bolus of 10ml bupivacaine 0.25% at the start of laparotomy. In a subgroup of patients, we sampled blood and determined bupivacaine serum levels 20, 40, 60 and 80 minutes after bolus injection. We assumed toxicity of bupivacaine to be >1000 ng/ml.A total of 20 patients participated in this sub-study. All plasma levels measured as well as the upper limit of the predicted 99% confidence intervals per time point were well below the toxicity limit. In a mixed linear-effect model both groups did not differ statistically significant (p = 0.131). The intra-operative use of opioids was higher with CWI as compared to epidural (86 (SD 73) μg sufentanil vs. 50 (SD 32).In this exploratory study, the pre-peritoneal bolus using bupivacaine resulted in serum bupivacaine concentrations well below the commonly accepted toxic threshold. With CWI more additional analgesics are needed intraoperatively as compared to epidural analgesia, although this is compensated by a reduction in use of vasopressors with CWI.Netherlands Trial Register NTR4948.

BACKGROUND:Goal-directed therapy (GDT) can reduce postoperative complications in high-risk surgery patients. It is uncertain whether GDT has the same benefits in patients undergoing esophageal surgery. Goal of this Quality Improvement study was to evaluate the effects of a stroke volume guided GDT on post-operative outcome. METHODS AND FINDINGS:We compared the postoperative outcome of patients undergoing esophagectomy before (99 patients) and after (100 patients) implementation of GDT. There was no difference in the proportion of patients with a complication (56% vs. 54%, p = 0.82), hospital stay and mortality. The incidence of prolonged ICU stay (>48 hours) was reduced (28% vs. 12, p = .005) in patients treated with GDT. Secondary analysis of complication rate showed a decrease in pneumonia (29 vs. 15%, p = .02), mediastinal abscesses (12 vs. 3%, p = .02), and gastric tube necrosis (5% vs. 0%, p = .03) in patients treated with GDT. Patients in the GDT group received significantly less fluids but received more colloids. CONCLUSIONS:The implementation of GDT during esophagectomy was not associated with reductions in overall morbidity, mortality and hospital length of stay. However, we observed a decrease in pneumonia, mediastinal abscesses, gastric tube necrosis, and ICU length of stay.

The human hand is important for the performance of activities of daily living which are directly related to quality of life. Various conditions, such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) can affect the function of the human hand and wrist. The ability to assess the impairment in the hand and the wrist by measuring the range of motion (ROM), is essential for the development of effective rehabilitation protocols. Currently the clinical standard is the goniometer. In this study we explore the feasibility and reliability of an optical sensor (Leap motion sensor) in measuring active hand/wrist ROM. We measured the hand/wrist ROM of 20 healthy adults with the goniometer and the Leap motion sensor, in order to check the agreement between the two methods and additionally, we performed a test-retest of the Leap motion sensor with 12 of them, to assess its reliability. The results suggest low agreement between the goniometer and the leap motion sensor, yet showing a large decrease in measurement time and high reliability when using the later. Despite the low agreement between the two methods, we believe that the Leap motion sensor shows potential to contribute to the development of hand rehabilitation protocols and be used with patients in a clinical setting.

Background: A variety of techniques for measuring lower limb loading exists, each with their own limitations. A new ambulatory biofeedback system was developed to overcome these limitations. In this study, we described the technical aspects and validated the accuracy of this system. Methods: A bench press was used to validate the system in the static situation. Ten healthy volunteers were measured by the new biofeedback system and a dual-belt instrumented treadmill to validate the system in the dynamic situation. Results: Bench press results showed that the sensor accurately measured peak loads up to 1000 N in the static situation. In the healthy volunteers, the load curves measured by the biofeedback system were similar to the treadmill. However, the peak loads and loading rates were lower in the biofeedback system in all participants at all speeds. Conclusions: Advanced sensor technologies used in the new biofeedback system resulted in highly accurate measurements in the static situation. The position of the sensor and the design of the biofeedback system should be optimized to improve results in the dynamic situation.

Transient activation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) induces irreversible renal damage causing sustained elevation in blood pressure (BP) in Cyp1a1-Ren2 transgenic rats. In our current study we hypothesized that activation of the AT1-receptor (AT1R) leads to a T-cell response causing irreversible impairment of renal function and hypertension. Cyp1a1-Ren2 rats harbor a construct for activation of the RAS by indole-3-carbinol (I3C). Rats were fed a I3C diet between 4-8 weeks of age to induce hypertension. Next, I3C was withdrawn and rats were followed-up for another 12 weeks. Additional groups received losartan (20 mg/kg/day) or hydralazine (100 mg/kg/day) treatment between 4-8 weeks. Rats were placed for 24h in metabolic cages before determining BP at week 8, 12 and 20. At these ages, subsets of animals were sacrificed and the presence of kidney T-cell subpopulations was investigated by immunohistochemistry and molecular marker analysis. The development of sustained hypertension was completely prevented by losartan, whereas hydralazine only caused a partial decrease in BP. Markers of renal damage: KIM-1 and osteopontin were highly expressed in urine and kidney samples of I3C-treated rats, even until 20 weeks of age. Additionally, renal expression of regulatory-T cells (Tregs) was highly increased in I3C-treated rats, whereas the expression of T-helper 1 (Th1) cells demonstrated a strong decrease. Losartan prevented these effects completely, whereas hydralazine was unable to affect these changes. In young Cyp1a1-Ren2 rats AT1R activation leads to induction of an immune response, causing a shift from Th1-cells to Tregs, contributing to the development of irreversible renal damage and hypertension.

Understanding the explosion mechanism and hydrodynamic evolution of core-collapse supernovae (SNe) is a long-standing quest in astronomy. The asymmetries caused by the explosion are encoded into the line profiles which appear in the nebular phase of the SN evolution – with particularly clean imprints in He star explosions. Here, we carry out nine different supernova simulations of He-core progenitors, exploding them in 3D with parametrically varied neutrino luminosities using the prometheus-hotb code, hydrodynamically evolving the models to the homologous phase. We then compute nebular phase spectra with the 3D Non-Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium spectral synthesis code extrass (EXplosive TRAnsient Spectral Simulator). We study how line widths and shifts depend on progenitor mass, explosion energy, and viewing angle. We compare the predicted line profile properties against a large set of Type Ib observations, and discuss the degree to which current neutrino-driven explosions can match observationally inferred asymmetries. With self-consistent 3D modelling – circumventing the difficulties of representing |$^{56}$| Ni mixing and clumping accurately in 1D models – we find that neither low-mass He cores exploding with high energies nor high-mass cores exploding with low energies contribute to the Type Ib SN population. Models which have line profile widths in agreement with this population give sufficiently large centroid shifts for calcium emission lines. Calcium is more strongly affected by explosion asymmetries connected to the neutron star kicks than oxygen and magnesium. Lastly, we turn to the near-infrared spectra from our models to investigate the potential of using this regime to look for the presence of He in the nebular phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heparan sulfate (HS) is a linear polysaccharide with high structural and functional diversity. Detection and localization of HS in tissues can be performed using single chain variable fragment (scFv) antibodies. Although several anti-HS antibodies recognizing different sulfation motifs have been identified, little is known about their interaction with HS. In this study the interaction between the scFv antibody HS4C3 and heparin was investigated. Heparin-binding lysine and arginine residues were identified using a protect and label methodology. Site-directed mutagenesis was applied to further identify critical heparin-binding lysine/arginine residues using immunohistochemical and biochemical assays. In addition, computational docking of a heparin tetrasaccharide towards a 3-D homology model of HS4C3 was applied to identify potential heparin-binding sites. Of the 12 lysine and 15 arginine residues within the HS4C3 antibody, 6 and 9, respectively, were identified as heparin-binding. Most of these residues are located within one of the complementarity determining regions (CDR) or in their proximity. All basic amino acid residues in the CDR3 region of the heavy chain were involved in binding. Computational docking showed a heparin tetrasaccharide close to these regions. Mutagenesis of heparin-binding residues reduced or altered reactivity towards HS and heparin. Identification of heparin-binding arginine and lysine residues in HS4C3 allows for better understanding of the interaction with HS and creates a framework to rationally design antibodies targeting specific HS motifs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]