Personalised socially assistive robot for cardiac rehabilitation: Critical reflections on long-term interactions in the real world.

Lack of motivation and low adherence rates are critical concerns of long-term rehabilitation programmes, such as cardiac rehabilitation. Socially assistive robots are known to be effective in improving motivation in therapy. However, over longer durations, generic and repetitive behaviours by the robot often result in a decrease in motivation and engagement, which can be overcome by personalising the interaction, such as recognising users, addressing them with their name, and providing feedback on their progress and adherence.

A Socially Assistive Robot for Long-Term Cardiac Rehabilitation in the Real World.

? To answer this question we designed and conducted a real-world long-term study, in collaboration with medical specialists, at the Fundación Cardioinfantil-Instituto de Cardiología clinic (Bogotá, Colombia) lasting 2.5 years. The study took place within the context of the outpatient phase of patients' cardiac rehabilitation programme and aimed to compare the patients' progress and adherence in the conventional cardiac rehabilitation programme () against rehabilitation supported by a fully autonomous socially assistive robot which continuously monitored the patients during exercise to provide immediate feedback and motivation based on sensory measures ().

Catalyst-free assembly of giant tris(heteroaryl)methanes: synthesis of novel pharmacophoric triads and model sterically crowded tris(heteroaryl/aryl)methyl cation salts.

A series of giant tris(heteroaryl)methanes are easily assembled by one-pot three-component synthesis by simple reflux in ethanol without catalyst or additives. Diversely substituted indoles (Ar) react with quinoline aldehydes, quinolone aldehydes, chromone aldehydes, and fluorene aldehydes (ArCHO) and coumarins (Ar) in 1:1:1 ratio to form the corresponding tris(heteroaryl)methanes (ArArAr)CH along with (ArArAr)CH triads. A series of new 2:1 triads were also synthesized by coupling substituted indoles with ArCHO.

Risk factors and prevalence of osteoporosis in premenopausal women from poor economic backgrounds in Colombia.

Introduction: The prevalence of osteoporosis in premenopausal women along with associated risk factors has not been well elucidated. Recent studies have shown that poverty is a risk factor for osteoporosis.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of osteoporosis and its risk factors in a group of premenopausal women of poor economic background in Colombia.

[Active search for leprosy and other skin diseases in school children from Agua de Dios, Colombia].

Objective: Actively searching for leprosy, other skin diseases and BCG vaccination scars amongst school children from Agua de Dios, the municipality having the highest prevalence of leprosy in Colombia.

Methods: A clinical examination of the children was carried out by nurses, interns, general practitioners and experts on leprosy. Skin smear tests and skin biopsies were performed when the clinical findings suggested leprosy.