Dual-tube MEMS-based spectrophone for sub-ppb mid-IR photoacoustic gas detection.

Nowadays, the scientific community and industry are increasingly pressed to provide solutions for developing compact and highly-performing trace-gas sensors for several applications of crucial importance, such as environmental monitoring or medical diagnostics. In this context, this work describes a novel configuration, making use of a mid-IR spectrophone combining the compactness of a photo-acoustic setup, a non-conventional micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS) acousto-to-voltage transducer, and the sensitivity enhancement given by a cost-effective and easy-to-build dual-tube resonator configuration. In the optimal condition of sample pressure, the system developed in this work can achieve a minimum detection limit (MDL) equal to 0.

Agreement and Consistency of Absolute and Relative Corticospinal Stimulus-Response Curves for Upper, Lower, and Axial Musculature in Healthy Adults.

Purpose: To assess the agreement and consistency of absolute and relative stimulus-response curve (SRC) parameter estimates for upper extremity, lower extremity, and axial muscles.

Methods: Thirty (15 W, age: 27.0 ± 6.

Urinary Proteomic Biomarkers of Trabecular Bone Volume Change during Army Basic Combat Training.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to optimize a dMS-based urinary proteomic technique and evaluate the relationship between urinary proteome content and adaptive changes in bone microarchitecture during BCT.

Methods: Urinary proteomes were analyzed with an optimized dMS technique in two groups of 13 recruits ( N = 26) at the beginning (Pre) and end (Post) of BCT. Matched by age (21 ± 4 yr), sex (16 W), and baseline tibial trabecular bone volume fractions (Tb.

PROMPT: Prospective Meta-analysis for Pessary Trials Study Protocol.

Objective: Preterm birth, defined as birth before 37 weeks of gestation, is a leading cause of perinatal and infant mortality throughout the world. Preterm birth is also associated with long-term neurological disabilities and other significant health issues in children. A short cervix in the second trimester has been noted to be one of the strongest predictors of subsequent spontaneous preterm birth in both singleton and multiple pregnancies.

Monitoring cognitive function in the fatigued warfighter: A rapid review of cognitive biomarkers.

Objectives: Decreases in cognitive function impair occupational performance, reduce occupational safety, and increase musculoskeletal injury risk. The aim of this paper was to identify measures that may be used to monitor cognitive function in the warfighter.

Design: A rapid review.

Occupational Experience Effects on Physiological and Perceptual Responses of Common Soldiering Tasks.

Cohen BS, Redmond JE, Haven CC, Foulis SA, Canino MC, Frykman PN, Sharp MA. Occupational Experience Effects on Physiological and Perceptual Responses of Common Soldiering Tasks. J Strength Cond Res 37(4): 894-901, 2023-This study measured the impact of occupational experience (i.

Prevention of Lower Extremity Musculoskeletal Injuries in Tactical and First Responder Populations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials From 1955 to 2020.

Sinnott, AM, Krajewski, KT, LaGoy, AD, Beckner, ME, Proessl, F, Canino, MC, Nindl, BC, Turner, RL, Lovalekar, MT, Connaboy, C, and Flanagan, SD. Prevention of lower extremity musculoskeletal injuries in tactical and first responder populations: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials from 1955 to 2020. J Strength Cond Res 37(1): 239-252, 2023-Lower extremity musculoskeletal injuries (LEMSIs) impose a significant burden on tactical and first responder populations.

Epidemic forecasting based on mobility patterns: an approach and experimental evaluation on COVID-19 Data.

During an epidemic, decision-makers in public health need accurate predictions of the future case numbers, in order to control the spread of new cases and allow efficient resource planning for hospital needs and capacities. In particular, considering that infectious diseases are spread through human-human transmissions, the analysis of spatio-temporal mobility data can play a fundamental role to enable epidemic forecasting. This paper presents the design and implementation of a predictive approach, based on spatial analysis and regressive models, to discover spatio-temporal predictive epidemic patterns from mobility and infection data.

Finding a rhythm: Relating ultra-short-term heart rate variability measures in healthy young adults during rest, exercise, and recovery.

Ultra-short-term (UST; <5 min) heart rate variability (HRV) is increasingly used to indirectly assess autonomic nervous system modulation and physical health. However, UST HRV estimates may vary with measurement technique, physiological state, and data preprocessing. The purpose of this investigation was to assess the information content of UST HRV and its sensitivity to different physiological states and preprocessing techniques.

Revalidating U.S. Army soldiers' perceptions of combat arms job tasks: Frequencies, importance and expectations of performance.

Background: In 2013 the U.S. Army began developing physical tests to predict a recruit's ability to perform the critical physically demanding tasks (CPDTs) of combat arms jobs not previously open to women.

Differences in brain structure and theta burst stimulation-induced plasticity implicate the corticomotor system in loss of function after musculoskeletal injury.

Traumatic musculoskeletal injury (MSI) may involve changes in corticomotor structure and function, but direct evidence is needed. To determine the corticomotor basis of MSI, we examined interactions among skeletomotor function, corticospinal excitability, corticomotor structure (cortical thickness and white matter microstructure), and intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS)-induced plasticity. Nine women with unilateral anterior cruciate ligament rupture (ACL) 3.

Heterogeneity of predictors of nocturnal hypoventilation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), early recognition of nocturnal hypoventilation (NH) is essential to start noninvasive ventilation (NIV), but nocturnal transcutaneous PCO (PtcCO) is difficult to monitor. Usefulness of respiratory and muscular function test in the prediction of NH has been explored without distinguishing among ALS phenotypes. We evaluated cross-sectional relationships between functional tests and nocturnal PCO, and the best predictors of NH, separately in patients with spinal and bulbar onset of ALS.

Structural Connectome Disruptions in Military Personnel with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are common in military populations and share numerous symptoms. Functional graph theory studies demonstrate altered small-world brain networks in mTBI and PTSD, but little is known about structural covariance networks or the potentially distinct topology of mTBI-PTSD comorbidity. The purpose of this study was to compare brain structural covariance networks in healthy active duty military service members (CON) to those with PTSD, mTBI, and mTBI-PTSD.

Constitutive and Stress-Induced Psychomotor Cortical Responses to Compound K Supplementation.

Isolated ginsenoside metabolites such as Compound K (CK) are of increasing interest to consumer and clinical populations as safe and non-pharmacological means to enhance psychomotor performance constitutively and in response to physical or cognitive stress. Nevertheless, the influence of CK on behavioral performance and EEG measures of cortical activity in humans is undetermined. In this double-blinded, placebo-controlled, counterbalanced within-group study, dose-dependent responses to CK (placebo, 160 and 960 mg) were assessed after 2 weeks of supplementation in nineteen healthy men and women (age: 39.

Subjective sleep quality in adult patients affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Beyond nocturnal hypoventilation.

Objective: In stable neuromuscular patients under long-term non-invasive ventilation (NIV), subjective sleep quality may be predicted by chronic hypoventilation, as assessed by base excess (BE), and %N3 sleep stage duration. In this study, we explored how other variables, closely associated with self-reported health complaints, contributed to subjective sleep quality in adult patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

Methods: This is a secondary analysis of a quality of life study in 48 adult DMD patients under NIV therapy, with little evidence of residual hypoventilation.

Relationship of Anthropometric Measures on Female Trainees' and Active Duty Soldiers' Performance of Common Soldiering Tasks.

Introduction: This study compared the relationship between height (HT), body mass (BM), and body mass index (BMI) of female trainees and active duty female soldiers and their performance on simulated common soldiering tasks (CSTs) with high physical demands.

Methods: Female trainees (n = 133) and soldiers (n = 229) completed the following CSTs: sandbag carry, move under fire, casualty drag, casualty evacuation, and road march. Quartiles were created among HT, BM, and BMI by which task performance was compared using ANOVAs with Tukey post hoc comparisons.

Quantifying Training Load During Physically Demanding Tasks in U.S. Army Soldiers: A Comparison of Physiological and Psychological Measurements.

Introduction: There are many ways to quantify the training loads required to perform soldiering tasks. Although indirect calorimetry may provide the most accurate measures, the equipment can be burdensome and expensive. Simpler measures may provide sufficient data, while being more practical for measuring soldiers in the field.

U.S. Army physical demands study: Accuracy of occupational physical assessment test classifications for combat arms soldiers.

Background: Beginning in 2017, successfully passing the four-part pre-enlistment Occupational Physical Assessment Test (OPAT) became a requirement for all U.S. Army recruits.

A database of predictor test sex bias for development of military physical employment standards.

Background: Hesitation to employ females for physically demanding jobs is often due to sex related physical abilities. A physical employment standard (PES) identifies individuals who are physically capable for work.

Objective: A database containing 300 + sources of physical performance tests (PFTs) will inform potential sex bias for PES development.

Surveyed Reasons for Not Seeking Medical Care Regarding Musculoskeletal Injury Symptoms in US Army Trainees.

Introduction: Musculoskeletal injuries (MSKIs) pose a significant threat to military readiness and are difficult to monitor due to Soldiers' reluctance to seek medical treatment. There is high risk of developing MSKIs while going through initial entry training (IET), many of which go unreported. The purposes of this study were to identify the contributing factors that influence US Army trainees to not seek medical care for self-reported symptoms of musculoskeletal injury (SMSKI) and establish how those factors may differ by sex, training school, and installation site.

U.S. Army Physical Demands Study: Differences in Physical Fitness and Occupational Task Performance Between Trainees and Active Duty Soldiers.

Canino, MC, Foulis, SA, Zambraski, EJ, Cohen, BS, Redmond, JE, Hauret, KG, Frykman, PN, and Sharp, MA. U.S.

The Relationship Between Soldier Performance on the Two-Mile Run and the 20-m Shuttle Run Test.

Background: The 20-m shuttle run test (MSRT) is a common field test used to measure aerobic fitness in controlled environments. The U.S.

U.S. Army physical demands study: Identification and validation of the physically demanding tasks of combat arms occupations.

Objectives: In 2013, the U.S. Army began developing physical tests to predict a recruit's ability to perform the critical, physically demanding tasks (CPDTs) of combat arms jobs previously not open to women.