Automatic Recognition of Motor Skills in Triathlon: A Novel Tool for Measuring Movement Cadence and Cycling Tasks.

: The purpose of this research was to create a peak detection algorithm and machine learning model for use in triathlon. The algorithm and model aimed to automatically measure movement cadence in all three disciplines of a triathlon using data from a single inertial measurement unit and to recognise the occurrence and duration of cycling task changes. : Six triathletes were recruited to participate in a triathlon while wearing a single trunk-mounted measurement unit and were filmed throughout.

Telephone training to improve ECG quality in remote screening for atrial fibrillation.

Self-recorded, single-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs) are increasingly used to diagnose arrhythmias. However, they can be of variable quality, affecting the reliability of interpretation. In this analysis of ECGs collected in atrial fibrillation screening studies, our aims were to: (i) determine the quality of ECGs when recorded unsupervised; and (ii) investigate whether telephone training improved ECG quality.

Innovations in blood pressure measurement and reporting technology: International Society of Hypertension position paper endorsed by the World Hypertension League, European Society of Hypertension, Asian Pacific Society of Hypertension, and Latin American Society of Hypertension.

Blood pressure (BP) is a key contributor to the lifetime risk of preclinical organ damage and cardiovascular disease. Traditional clinic-based BP readings are typically measured infrequently and under standardized/resting conditions and therefore do not capture BP values during normal everyday activity. Therefore, current hypertension guidelines emphasize the importance of incorporating out-of-office BP measurement into strategies for hypertension diagnosis and management.

QRS detection in single-lead, telehealth electrocardiogram signals: Benchmarking open-source algorithms.

Background And Objectives: A key step in electrocardiogram (ECG) analysis is the detection of QRS complexes, particularly for arrhythmia detection. Telehealth ECGs present a new challenge for automated analysis as they are noisier than traditional clinical ECGs. The aim of this study was to identify the best-performing open-source QRS detector for use with telehealth ECGs.

Unified Language for Knowledge Dissemination: The Vascular Ageing Glossary, an Initiative by VascAgeNet.

Objectives: In general, a terminology shared and agreed by different stakeholders is important to facilitate communication and cooperation. This holds true in the field of vascular ageing for the benefit of global cardiovascular health. The need to promote a common language and understanding across this area was recognised by VascAgeNet, a collaborative network with relevant and diverse expertise in the vascular ageing field, supported by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Characterization: A Multimodal Cross-Recurrence-Based Approach for Investigating Atrial Fibrillation.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is believed to contribute significantly to atrial fibrillation (AF) development in certain patients. Recent studies indicate a rising risk of AF with increasing OSA severity. However, the commonly used apnea-hypopnea index in clinical practice may not adequately account for the potential cardiovascular risks associated with OSA.

Reliability of single-lead electrocardiogram interpretation to detect atrial fibrillation: insights from the SAFER feasibility study.

Aims: Single-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs) can be recorded using widely available devices such as smartwatches and handheld ECG recorders. Such devices have been approved for atrial fibrillation (AF) detection. However, little evidence exists on the reliability of single-lead ECG interpretation.

Energy-Efficient PPG-Based Respiratory Rate Estimation Using Spiking Neural Networks.

Respiratory rate (RR) is a vital indicator for assessing the bodily functions and health status of patients. RR is a prominent parameter in the field of biomedical signal processing and is strongly associated with other vital signs such as blood pressure, heart rate, and heart rate variability. Various physiological signals, such as photoplethysmogram (PPG) signals, are used to extract respiratory information.

Orthotist involvement in early gait rehabilitation after stroke: A cross-sectional survey of orthotists in the United Kingdom.

Background: The role of the orthotist in early gait rehabilitation after stroke in the United Kingdom is currently poorly understood.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to capture current opinion and practice of orthotists on their role in early stroke gait rehabilitation in the United Kingdom.

Methods: An anonymous web-based cross-sectional survey was developed and distributed to Health and Care Professions Council-registered orthotists by the mailing list of the British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists professional body in the United Kingdom.

The every woman study™ low- and middle-income countries edition protocol: A multi-country observational study to assess opportunities and challenges to improving survival and quality of life for women with ovarian cancer.

Background: Ovarian cancer is a challenging disease to diagnose and treat effectively with five-year survival rates below 50%. Previous patient experience research in high-income countries highlighted common challenges and opportunities to improve survival and quality of life for women affected by ovarian cancer. However, no comparable data exist for low-and middle-income countries, where 70% of women with the disease live.

Comparative effectiveness of second line oral antidiabetic treatments among people with type 2 diabetes mellitus: emulation of a target trial using routinely collected health data.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of three commonly prescribed oral antidiabetic drugs added to metformin for people with type 2 diabetes mellitus requiring second line treatment in routine clinical practice.

Design: Cohort study emulating a comparative effectiveness trial (target trial).

Setting: Linked primary care, hospital, and death data in England, 2015-21.

Molecular analysis of archival diagnostic prostate cancer biopsies identifies genomic similarities in cases with progression post-radiotherapy, and those with de novo metastatic disease.

Background: It is important to identify molecular features that improve prostate cancer (PCa) risk stratification before radical treatment with curative intent. Molecular analysis of historical diagnostic formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) prostate biopsies from cohorts with post-radiotherapy (RT) long-term clinical follow-up has been limited. Utilizing parallel sequencing modalities, we performed a proof-of-principle sequencing analysis of historical diagnostic FFPE prostate biopsies.

pyPPG: a Python toolbox for comprehensive photoplethysmography signal analysis.

Photoplethysmography is a non-invasive optical technique that measures changes in blood volume within tissues. It is commonly and being increasingly used for a variety of research and clinical applications to assess vascular dynamics and physiological parameters. Yet, contrary to heart rate variability measures, a field which has seen the development of stable standards and advanced toolboxes and software, no such standards and limited open tools exist for continuous photoplethysmogram (PPG) analysis.

Photoplethysmogram beat detection using Symmetric Projection Attractor Reconstruction.

Many methods have been proposed to detect beats in photoplethysmogram (PPG) signals. We present a novel method which uses the Symmetric Projection Attractor Reconstruction (SPAR) method to generate an attractor in a two dimensional phase space from the PPG signal. We can then define a line through the origin of this phase space to be a Poincaré section, as is commonly used in dynamical systems.

The feasibility of population screening for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation using hand-held electrocardiogram devices.

Aims: There are few data on the feasibility of population screening for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) using hand-held electrocardiogram (ECG) devices outside a specialist setting or in people over the age of 75. We investigated the feasibility of screening when conducted without face-to-face contact ('remote') or via in-person appointments in primary care and explored impact of age on screening outcomes.

Methods And Results: People aged ≥65 years from 13 general practices in England participated in screening during 2019-20.

Advanced waveform analysis of the photoplethysmogram signal using complementary signal processing techniques for the extraction of biomarkers of cardiovascular function.

Introduction: Photoplethysmogram signals from wearable devices typically measure heart rate and blood oxygen saturation, but contain a wealth of additional information about the cardiovascular system. In this study, we compared two signal-processing techniques: fiducial point analysis and Symmetric Projection Attractor Reconstruction, on their ability to extract new cardiovascular information from a photoplethysmogram signal. The aim was to identify fiducial point analysis and Symmetric Projection Attractor Reconstruction indices that could classify photoplethysmogram signals, according to age, sex and physical activity.

The perception of ultrasonic vocalizations by laboratory mice following intense noise exposures.

Noise-induced hearing loss interacts with age, sex, and listening conditions to affect individuals' perception of ecologically relevant stimuli like speech. The present experiments assessed the impact of age and sex on vocalization detection by noise-exposed mice trained to detect a downsweep or complex ultrasonic vocalization in quiet or in the presence of a noise background. Daily thresholds before and following intense noise exposure were collected longitudinally and compared across several factors.

'Snapshot in time': a cross-sectional study exploring stakeholder experiences with environmental scans in health services delivery research.

Objective: To describe stakeholder characteristics and perspectives about experiences, challenges and information needs related to the use of environmental scans (ESs).

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting And Participants: A web-based survey platform was used to disseminate an online survey to stakeholders who had experience with conducting ESs in a health services delivery context (eg, researchers, policy makers, practitioners).

A machine learning and directed network optimization approach to uncover regulatory patterns.

TP53, the , is the most frequently mutated gene in human cancers and the functional characterization of its regulation is fundamental. To address this we employ two strategies: machine learning to predict the mutation status of , and directed regulatory networks to reconstruct the effect of mutations on the transcipt levels of targets. Using data from established databases (Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia, The Cancer Genome Atlas), machine learning could predict the mutation status, but not resolve different mutations.

Clustered photoplethysmogram pulse wave shapes and their associations with clinical data.

Photopletysmography (PPG) is a non-invasive and well known technology that enables the recording of the digital volume pulse (DVP). Although PPG is largely employed in research, several aspects remain unknown. One of these is represented by the lack of information about how many waveform classes best express the variability in shape.

Innovative Programs with Multi-Service Integration for Children and Youth with High Functional Health Needs.

The integration of care services and providers across the health-social-community continuum has helped improve the lives of many children and youth living with complex health conditions. Using environmental scan data, 16 promising multi-service programs were selected and analyzed qualitatively through a deliberative conversation approach. Descriptive data of analyzed programs are presented, as well as the thematic analysis results.

Noninvasive hemodynamic indices of vascular aging: an in silico assessment.

Vascular aging (VA) involves structural and functional changes in blood vessels that contribute to cardiovascular disease. Several noninvasive pulse wave (PW) indices have been proposed to assess the arterial stiffness component of VA in the clinic and daily life. This study investigated 19 of these indices, identified in recent review articles on VA, by using a database comprising 3,837 virtual healthy subjects aged 25-75 yr, each with unique PW signals simulated under various levels of artificial noise to mimic real measurement errors.

Robust peak detection for photoplethysmography signal analysis.

Efficient and accurate evaluation of long-term photoplethysmography (PPG) recordings is essential for both clinical assessments and consumer products. In 2021, the top opensource peak detectors were benchmarked on the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) database consisting of polysomnography (PSG) recordings and continuous sleep PPG data, where the Automatic Beat Detector (Aboy) had the best accuracy. This work presents Aboy++, an improved version of the original Aboy beat detector.