Gerontology
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Biomedical signal monitoring systems have rapidly advanced in recent years, propelled by significant advances in electronic and information technologies. Brain-computer interface (BCI) is one of the important research branches and has become a hot topic in the study of neural engineering, rehabilitation, and brain science. Traditionally, most BCI systems use bulky, wired laboratory-oriented sensing equipments to measure brain activity under well-controlled conditions within a confined space. ⋯ Furthermore, owing to large data volumes, signal processing of BCI systems is often performed off-line using high-end personal computers, hindering the applications of BCI in real-world environments. To be practical for routine use by unconstrained, freely-moving users, BCI systems must be noninvasive, nonintrusive, lightweight and capable of online signal processing. This work reviews recent online BCI systems, focusing especially on wearable, wireless and real-time systems.
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Mummies are human remains with preservation of non-bony tissue. Mummification by natural influences results in so-called natural mummies, while mummification induced by active (human) intervention results in so-called artificial mummies, although many cultures practiced burial rites which to some degree involved both natural and artificial mummification. Since they are so uniquely well-preserved, mummies may give many insights into mortuary practices and burial rites. ⋯ Indeed, the development of commercially available CT scanners in the 1970s meant that for the first time the 3D internal structure of mummies and bog bodies could be studied non-destructively. This article describes the history of mummy radiography and CT scanning, and some of the problems and opportunities involved in applying these techniques, derived for clinical use, on naturally and artificially preserved ancient human bodies. Unless severely degraded, bone is quite readily visualized, but accurate imaging of preserved soft tissues, and pathological lesions therein, may require considerable post-image capture processing of CT data.
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Frail, old patients with and without cognitive impairment are at high risk of falls and associated medical and psychosocial issues. The lack of adequate, validated instruments has partly hindered research in this field. So far no questionnaire documenting fall-related self-efficacy/fear of falling has been validated for older persons with cognitive impairment or for different administration methods such as self-report or interview. ⋯ Both the FES as well as the FES-I showed good to excellent measurement properties in persons with and without moderate cognitive impairment. In frail older persons, especially in persons with cognitive impairment, an interview-based administration method is recommended.
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Both age and dementia have been shown to have an effect on nociception and pain processing. The question arises whether mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which is thought to be a transitional stage between normal ageing and dementia, is also associated with alterations in pain processing. ⋯ The pain response system appeared to be quite unaltered in MCI patients compared to cognitively unimpaired individuals of the same age. Only the sympathetic responsiveness qualified as an indicator of early aging effects as well as of pathophysiology associated with MCI, which both seemed to affect the pain system independently from each other.
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The use of falls risk screening tools may aid in targeting fall prevention interventions in older individuals most likely to benefit. ⋯ Clinical tests of neuromuscular function can predict risk of falls in frail older people. When feasibility and validity were considered, the CWS was the best test for use as a screening tool in frail older people, however, these preliminary results require confirmation in further research.