The Association of Fatigue With Decreasing Regularity of Locomotion During an Incremental Test in Trained and Untrained Healthy Adults

Fatigue is a key factor that affects human motion and modulates physiology, biochemistry, and performance. Prolonged cyclic human movements (locomotion primarily) are characterized by a regular pattern, and this extended activity can induce fatigue. However, the relationship between fatigue and regularity has not yet been extensively studied. Wearable sensor methodologies can be used to monitor regularity during standardized treadmill tests (e.g., the widely used Bruce test) and to verify the effects of fatigue on locomotion regularity. Our study on 50 healthy adults [27 males and 23 females; <40 years; five dropouts; and 22 trained (T) and 23 untrained (U) subjects] showed how locomotion regularity follows a parabolic profile during the incremental test, without exception. At the beginning of the trial, increased walking speed in the absence of fatigue is associated with increased regularity (regularity index, RI, a. u., null/unity value for aperiodic/periodic patterns) up until a peak value (RI = 0.909 after 13.8 min for T and RI = 0.915 after 13.4 min for U subjects; median values, n. s.) and which is then generally followed (after 2.8 and 2.5 min, respectively, for T/U, n. s.) by the walk-to-run transition (at 12.1 min for both T and U, n. s.). Regularity then decreases with increased speed/slope/fatigue. The effect of being trained was associated with significantly higher initial regularity [0.845 (T) vs 0.810 (U), p < 0.05 corrected], longer test endurance [23.0 min (T) vs 18.6 min (U)], and prolonged decay of locomotor regularity [8.6 min (T) vs 6.5 min (U)]. In conclusion, the monitoring of locomotion regularity can be applied to the Bruce test, resulting in a consistent time profile. There is evidence of a progressive decrease in regularity following the walk-to-run transition, and these features unveil significant differences among healthy trained and untrained adult subjects

Multifractional Brownian Motion with Telegraphic, Stochastically Varying Exponent

The diversity of diffusive systems exhibiting long-range correlations characterized by a stochastically varying Hurst exponent calls for a generic multifractional model. We present a simple, analytically tractable model which fills the gap between mathematical formulations of multifractional Brownian motion and empirical studies. In our model, called telegraphic multifractional Brownian motion, the Hurst exponent is modeled by a smoothed telegraph process which results in a stationary beta distribution of exponents as observed in biological experiments. We also provide a methodology to identify our model in experimental data and present concrete examples from biology, climate, and finance to demonstrate the efficacy of our approach

Development of a robotic cluster for automated and scalable cell therapy manufacturing

The production of commercial autologous cell therapies such as chimeric antigen receptor T cells requires complex manual manufacturing processes. Skilled labor costs and challenges in manufacturing scale-out have contributed to high prices for these products. Here, we present a robotic system that uses industry-standard cell therapy manufacturing equipment to automate the steps involved in cell therapy manufacturing. The robotic cluster consists of a robotic arm and customized modules, allowing the robot to manipulate a variety of standard cell therapy instruments and materials such as incubators, bioreactors, and reagent bags. This system enables existing manual manufacturing processes to be rapidly adapted to robotic manufacturing, without having to adopt a completely new technology platform. Proof-of-concept for the robotic cluster's expansion module was demonstrated by expanding human CD8+ T cells. The robotic cultures showed comparable cell yields, viability, and identity to those manually performed. Such modular robotic solutions may support scale-up and scale-out of cell therapies that are developed using classical manual methods in academic laboratories and biotechnology companies

Barriers, facilitators, and other factors associated with health behaviors in childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer survivors: A systematic review

\ua9 2024 The Author(s). Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.Background: Healthy behaviors are paramount in preventing long-term adverse health outcomes in childhood, adolescent, and young adult (CAYA) cancer survivors. We systematically reviewed and synthesized existing literature on barriers, facilitators, and other factors associated with health behaviors in this population. Methods: MEDLINE and PsycInfo were searched for qualitative and quantitative studies including survivors aged 16–50 years at study, a cancer diagnosis ≤25 years and ≥2 years post diagnosis. Health behaviors included physical activity, smoking, diet, alcohol consumption, sun exposure, and a combination of these behaviors (defined as health behaviors in general). Results: Barriers, facilitators, and other factors reported in ≥2 two studies were considered relevant. Out of 4529 studies, 27 were included (n = 31,905 participants). Physical activity was the most frequently examined behavior (n = 12 studies), followed by smoking (n = 7), diet (n = 7), alcohol (n = 4), sun exposure (n = 4), and health behavior in general (n = 4). Relevant barriers to physical activity were fatigue, lack of motivation, time constraints, and current smoking. Relevant facilitators were perceived health benefits and motivation. Influence of the social environment and poor mental health were associated with more smoking, while increased energy was associated with less smoking. No relevant barriers and facilitators were identified for diet, alcohol consumption, and sun exposure. Barriers to healthy behavior in general were unmet information needs and time constraints whereas lifestyle advice, information, and discussions with a healthcare professional facilitated healthy behavior in general. Concerning other factors, women were more likely to be physically inactive, but less likely to drink alcohol and more likely to comply with sun protection recommendations than men. Higher education was associated with more physical activity, and lower education with more smoking. Conclusion: This knowledge can be used as a starting point to develop health behavior interventions, inform lifestyle coaches, and increase awareness among healthcare providers regarding which survivors are most at risk of unhealthy behaviors

Barriers, facilitators, and other factors associated with health behaviors in childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer survivors: A systematic review

BACKGROUND: Healthy behaviors are paramount in preventing long-term adverse health outcomes in childhood, adolescent, and young adult (CAYA) cancer survivors. We systematically reviewed and synthesized existing literature on barriers, facilitators, and other factors associated with health behaviors in this population. METHODS: MEDLINE and PsycInfo were searched for qualitative and quantitative studies including survivors aged 16-50 years at study, a cancer diagnosis ≤25 years and ≥2 years post diagnosis. Health behaviors included physical activity, smoking, diet, alcohol consumption, sun exposure, and a combination of these behaviors (defined as health behaviors in general). RESULTS: Barriers, facilitators, and other factors reported in ≥2 two studies were considered relevant. Out of 4529 studies, 27 were included (n = 31,905 participants). Physical activity was the most frequently examined behavior (n = 12 studies), followed by smoking (n = 7), diet (n = 7), alcohol (n = 4), sun exposure (n = 4), and health behavior in general (n = 4). Relevant barriers to physical activity were fatigue, lack of motivation, time constraints, and current smoking. Relevant facilitators were perceived health benefits and motivation. Influence of the social environment and poor mental health were associated with more smoking, while increased energy was associated with less smoking. No relevant barriers and facilitators were identified for diet, alcohol consumption, and sun exposure. Barriers to healthy behavior in general were unmet information needs and time constraints whereas lifestyle advice, information, and discussions with a healthcare professional facilitated healthy behavior in general. Concerning other factors, women were more likely to be physically inactive, but less likely to drink alcohol and more likely to comply with sun protection recommendations than men. Higher education was associated with more physical activity, and lower education with more smoking. CONCLUSION: This knowledge can be used as a starting point to develop health behavior interventions, inform lifestyle coaches, and increase awareness among healthcare providers regarding which survivors are most at risk of unhealthy behaviors

Charakterystyka odcieku po koagulacji bialka pozyskiwanego w toku kampanii krochmalniczej

In potato industry there are generated huge amounts of wastewater which due to high concentration of organic and biodegradable components as well as periodic production are especially difficult to utilization. Heat-coagulation of potato protein is applied to recovering valuable organic substances from these wastes. However, the effectiveness of this process achieves only up to 50%. The samples of supernatant liquid from heat-coagulation of potato protein were taken from Potato Processing Company WPPZ S.A. Luboń during potato processing period of 2005 year. Experimental material samples were examined for pH and the contents of dry matter, ash, protein and selected metal ions. Molecular size distributions of protein fractions were determined as well. The supernatants resulted from heat-coagulation of potato protein revealed rather constant physicochemical characteristics during the period of potato processing period. The contents of dry matter ranged within 3.2-4.3%, protein within 1.3-1.4%, ash within 1.1-1.3%; pH varied from 4.5 to 5.3. Very high level of heavy metals excludes the use of supernatant as a raw material for food production. Relatively low molecular mass of the protein fraction could reduce the effectiveness of classical membrane separation process. Application of modern technologies such as the micellar enhanced ultrafiltration seems to be most promising.Przemysł ziemniaczany wytwarza ogromne ilości ścieków, które ze względu na swoje obciążenie substancjami organicznymi i biogennymi oraz okresowość występowania są wyjątkowo trudne do zagospodarowania. Oczyszczanie ścieków przemysłu ziemniaczanego realizuje się poprzez koagulację białka ziemniaczanego, jednak proces ten pozwala na usunięcie jedynie 50% substancji azotowych. Badaniom poddano próbki odcieku po koagulacji białka ziemniaczanego pobierane w Wielkopolskim Przedsiębiorstwie Przemysłu Ziemniaczanego w Luboniu k. Poznania w toku kampanii 2005 roku. W pobranych próbach oznaczano pH, zawartość suchej substancji, popiołu, białka oraz wybranych jonów metali. Oznaczono także rozkład mas cząsteczkowych substancji białkowych metodą GPC. Stwierdzono, że odcieki po koagulacji białka ziemniaczanego charakteryzowały się relatywnie niewielkimi zmianami składu w toku trwania kampanii. Zawartość suchej substancji wahała się w granicach 3,2-4,3%, białka 1,3-1,4%, popiołu 1,1-1,3% oraz pH 4,5-5,0. Znaczna degradacja masy cząsteczkowej frakcji białkowej odcieku może utrudniać jej separację w klasycznych procesach membranowych, natomiast zbyt wysoka zawartość metali ciężkich przewyższająca znacznie dopuszczalne ilości ograniczone w Rozporządzeniem Ministra Zdrowia wyklucza bezpośrednie zastosowanie tego odpadu jako surowca do produkcji żywności. Najbardziej obiecującymi technologiami możliwymi do zastosowania w procesach zagospodarowywania lub utylizacji odcieku po koagulacji białka ziemniaczanego wydają się być techniki membranowe, takie jak np. ultrafiltracji wspomagana z układów micelarnych