Search Results (38)

Background: As we age, our autonomic function declines, resulting in altered autonomic balance during postural transitions. These changes can affect the dynamic interplay between sympathetic and parasympathetic modulation, compromising short-term compensatory responses to active standing. Objectives: This study aimed to compare heart rate variability (HRV) at baseline, cardiac parasympathetic modulation (CPM), and cardiac baroreflex gain (CRG) between younger adults (YA) and older adults (OA) following active standing orthostatic stress. A secondary objective was to analyze the incidence of orthostatic intolerance (OI) symptoms. Methods: Participants (n = 76) completed sit-to-stand and lie-to-stand maneuvers with continuous beat-to-beat blood pressure and heart rate (HR, electrocardiogram). HRV at baseline was analyzed in both time and frequency domains. CPM was measured by the HR 30:15 ratio on standing. CBG was determined as the ratio of HR and SBP changes (ΔHR/ΔSBP) at specific phase time points (30 s, 60 s, 180 s, and 420 s). Results: At baseline, OA showed reduced Standard Deviation of RR intervals (SDRR), Root Mean Square of Successive Differences (RMSSD), low-frequency (LF), and high-frequency (HF) power, and elevated LF/HF ratio (all p < 0.05), indicating a shift toward sympathetic dominance. During active standing orthostatic stress, OA demonstrated a lower HR30:15 ratio and CBG in later phases (phases 2–4) (all p < 0.05). Also, OA reported more symptoms (14%) of OI than YA (0%) (p = 0.041). Conclusions: These findings indicate that older adults have impaired autonomic function characterized by reduced HRV, CPM and CBG responses. These impairments lead to diminished autonomic regulation under active-standing orthostatic stress and a higher incidence of OI symptoms. Full article

The relationship between self-rated personality and nonverbal intelligence has been studied in young students, but these studies have generally not considered nested data, despite their allowing us to analyse between-classroom variability. The present cross-sectional study involved third- to sixth-grade students (n = 447) who were nested into their classrooms (n = 32). The participants completed the Raven’s Coloured Progressive Matrices (CPM) as a measure of nonverbal intelligence and a personality questionnaire based on the Five Factor Model. At the class level, the study data included class size, class-average CPM scores, and class-homogeneity in CPM performances. Multilevel modelling with class-mean centring of personality predictors was applied to examine class-average differences in CPM scores and interaction effects between personality and class-homogeneity on CPM scores. The results showed significant differences in average CPM performances across classrooms, significant fixed and random slope effects linking nonverbal intelligence and Imagination, and a cross-level effect revealing that Imagination is a stronger predictor of CPM scores when class-homogeneity in intelligence is lower. Beyond confirming the intelligence–Imagination association generally observed in the literature, the present findings emphasise the importance of using nested structures when collecting personality and intelligence data in classrooms. More attention needs to be paid to how the classroom environment affects children’s self-reported personality and intelligence test performances. Full article

Herein, an integrated system is developed based on knitted strain sensors for real-time translation of sign language into text and audio voices. To investigate how the structural characteristics of the knit affect the electrical performance, the position of the conductive yarn and the presence or absence of elastic yarn are set as experimental variables, and five distinct sensors are manufactured. A comprehensive analysis of the electrical and mechanical performance, including sensitivity, responsiveness, reliability, and repeatability, reveals that the sensor with a plain-plated-knit structure, no elastic yarn included, and the conductive yarn positioned uniformly on the back exhibits the best performance, with a gauge factor (GF) of 88. The sensor exhibited a response time of less than 0.1 s at 50 cycles per minute (cpm), demonstrating that it detects and responds promptly to finger joint bending movements. Moreover, it exhibits stable repeatability and reliability across various angles and speeds, confirming its optimization for sign language recognition applications. Based on this design, an integrated textile-based system is developed by incorporating the sensor, interconnections, snap connectors, and a microcontroller unit (MCU) with built-in Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology into the knitted glove. The complete system successfully recognized 12 Korean Sign Language (KSL) gestures in real time and output them as both text and audio through a dedicated application, achieving a high recognition accuracy of 98.67%. Thus, the present study quantitatively elucidates the structure–performance relationship of a knitted sensor and proposes a wearable system that accounts for real-world usage environments, thereby demonstrating the commercialization potential of the technology. Full article

The increasing power consumption reflects technological and industrial growth, but meeting this demand with conventional fossil-fuel-based plants is challenging. Microgrids address this issue by integrating renewable energy-based Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) and Energy Storage Systems (ESS). Efficient Microgrid operation requires a power management system to balance supply and demand, reduce costs, and ensure load prioritization. This paper presents a wide area measurement (WAMS)-based Centralized Power Management System (CPMS) for AC microgrids in both Islanded and Grid-Connected modes. The modified IEEE 13-bus system is utilized as a microgrid test system by integrating DERs and ESS. WAMS significantly enhances intra-microgrid communication by offering real-time, high-resolution monitoring of electrical parameters, surpassing the limitations of traditional SCADA-based monitoring systems. In grid-connected mode, the proposed CPMS effectively manages dynamic grid tariffs, generation variability in DERs, and state-of-charge (SoC) variations in the ESS while ensuring uninterrupted load supply. In islanded mode, a load prioritization scheme is employed to dynamically disconnect and restore loads to enhance the extent of load coverage across consumer categories. The inclusion of diverse load categories, such as domestic, industrial, commercial, etc., enhances the practical applicability of the CPMS in real-world power systems. The effectiveness of the proposed CPMS is validated through multiple case studies conducted in Simulink/MATLAB. Full article

Forest structural diversity, referring to the variety of physical structural traits, has been identified as a critical indicator of both plant species and environmental diversity. Mapping structural diversity serves as a cost-effective proxy for monitoring forest biodiversity and large-scale ecosystem functions like productivity. Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) carried by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can achieve precise quantification of structural parameters with a resolution of sub-meter at the stand scale, providing robust support for accurately depicting three-dimensional forest structural features. Since forest management influences biodiversity and ecological functions by shaping the physical structure of forests, this study investigates how different forest management strategies affect structural diversity in China’s red soil hilly region. Using point cloud data obtained by unmanned aerial vehicle laser scanning (UAV-LS), we derived structural metrics including canopy volume diversity (CVD), and tree height diversity (THD), which were then used as variables to calculate the Shannon diversity index (SDI) of forests. The study focused on three forest types: close-to-nature broadleaf forest (CNBF), coniferous mature plantations (CPM), and close-to-nature coniferous forest (CNCF). Results revealed that CNBF exhibited the highest structural diversity, with superior values for canopy volume (CVD = 2.09 ± 0.35), tree height (THD = 1.72 ± 0.53), and canopy projected area diversity (CAD = 2.13 ± 0.32), approaching the upper range of the theoretical maximum for SDI (theoretical maximum ≈ 2.3; typical range: 0.5–2.0). This was attributed to optimal understory vegetation and higher biomass. Despite exhibiting greater tree height, CPM demonstrated lower structural diversity, while CNCF recorded a CVD (1.81 ± 0.39) similar to that of CPM but lower than that of CNBF. These results indicate that close-to-nature forest management enhances forest structural diversity. It is implied that the forest structural diversity can serve as an effective tool for evaluating forests biodiversity under different forest management strategies. The study also suggests that improving understory vegetation is a direction in the future management of coniferous plantations. Full article

Background: Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), a chronic pain syndrome affecting 0.2–6.6% of the general population, is known for its challenging diagnosis and treatment. The known dysregulation in the Endogenous Pain Modulatory System (EPMS) characteristic of the pathology contributes to enhanced pain sensitivity. Fibromyalgia patients, who are often overmedicated, may experience, in addition to the drug-related known adverse effects, effects on fibromyalgia sensory-related outcomes. Therefore, the focus of this analysis is to explore the bidirectional drug–sensory outcome interactions, indexed by the conditioned pain modulation (CPM), an important assessment element in regard to an EPMS’s efficacy. Methods: Baseline data from a randomized, double-blind, single-center (Boston-based tertiary hospital) clinical trial (NCT03371225) were analyzed. Participants aged 18–65 with an FMS diagnosis and resistance to common analgesics were included. Demographic, clinical, and sensory variables, including CPM, temporal summation, and Pain-60 outcomes, were collected alongside a pain medication diary. Multivariable regression models adjusted for confounders were applied to explore associations between medication classes and quantitative sensory outcomes. Results: Out of 101 recruited FMS patients, we categorized the use of the following medications: antidepressants with 50% use (n = 50), muscle relaxants with 26% use (n = 26), and gabapentin with 25% use (n = 25). The results showed that antidepressant use correlated with worsened CPM, Odds Ratio = 0.39 (95% CI = 0.17–0.91), while muscle relaxants were linked to increased TSPS, β coefficient = 0.72 (95% CI = 0.0021–1.4431). On the other hand, gabapentin use was associated with elevated Pain-60, OR = 2.68 (95% CI = 0.98–7.31). Interestingly, the use of low doses of opioids was not associated with altered sensory measures. Conclusion: This cross-sectional analysis suggests that common pain medications may affect quantitative sensory outcomes in FMS patients. We provided important insights into bidirectional drug–sensory outcome interactions and their influence on pain medicine. Full article

(1) Background: Fibromyalgia syndrome (FM) is a specific condition within the spectrum of musculoskeletal pain disorders, with an estimated global prevalence of 2%. Physical exercise has shown promise in modulating pain and improving physical function without the drawbacks of pharmacotherapy. This study aims to examine the effects of a 6-week telerehabilitation combined exercise program—including mobility, strength, and high-intensity exercises—on pain, psychological variables, and disability in women with fibromyalgia. (2) Methods: In this observational study involving 53 FM patients, the outcomes measured were the pressure pain threshold (PPT), the conditioned pain modulation (CPM) paradigm, levels of pain on the measurement day and the average of the last week (using NRS) the impact of the fibromyalgia (using Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), and anxiety (using the Spanish version of the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory—STAI). (3) Results: Statistically significant changes were observed in the intervention group in PPT, CPM, NRS, and FIQ. (4) Conclusions: A six-week telerehabilitation therapeutic exercise intervention consisting of two scheduled exercise sessions per week lasting approximately 45 min each is associated with reduced pain levels, enhanced pain inhibitory pathways, and a decreased impact of fibromyalgia compared to patients who do not adopt a more active lifestyle. Full article

A new antioxidant lipid (AL) was synthesized from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) belly oil and cold-pressed maqui (CPM) (Aristotelia chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz) seed oil via enzymatic interesterification using Thermomyces lanuginosus in supercritical CO₂ medium. A Box–Behnken design with 15 experiments was employed, with the independent variables being the following: belly oil/CPM oil ratio (10/90, 50/50, and 90/10, w/w), supercritical CO₂ temperature (40.0, 50.0, and 60.0 °C), and supercritical CO₂ pressure (100.0, 200.0, and 300.0 bar) for enzymatic interesterification. A multiple optimization was conducted based on the response variables yield and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and tocopherol contents. The optimized conditions for the AL synthesis were: 81.4/18.6 (w/w), 40.0 °C and 299.99 bar, respectively. The corresponding responses variables were: 77.10% for yield, 5.12 and 4.95 g·100 g⁻¹ total fatty acids for EPA and DHA, respectively, and 217.96, 4.28, 3.48, 64.48, and 6.39 mg·kg⁻¹ oil for α-tocopherol, α-tocotrienol, β-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol, and δ-tocopherol, respectively. A novel AL was successfully synthesized starting from two abundant natural resources commonly considered as by-products during industrial processing. In agreement with the high EPA, DHA, and tocopherol presence, this AL can be recommended to be employed in nutritional and therapeutic supplements, according to its health benefits, particularly concerning antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Full article

Background/Objectives: Conditioned pain modulation (CPM) is a psychophysical experimental measure of the endogenous pain inhibitory pathway in humans, wherein one pain stimulus (the conditioning stimulus) is used to inhibit an individual’s perception of a second painful (test) stimulus. Research provides evidence of impaired endogenous inhibitory pain responses in adults with chronic pain. CPM is now increasingly applied in paediatric research and clinical practice. The primary aim of this systematic review was to examine the efficacy of CPM in paediatric chronic pain populations (6–24-year-olds) compared to pain-free children and young people (CYP). Methods: The protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42020221927). A systematic search of seven databases was conducted from database inception to 20th June 2024. Study inclusion criteria were as follows: (i) recruited a sample of CYP aged 6 to 24 (inclusive) with chronic pain or who were pain-free; and (ii) applied a CPM paradigm comprising both a painful test and conditioning stimuli that were sufficiently detailed to allow for replication,(iii) adhered to a study design of randomised control trial, case control or cohort study, including cross-sectional or longitudinal; (iv) available in the English language. Study exclusion criteria were: (i) The CPM paradigm used a non-painful test or conditioning stimulus only; and (ii) was only available as an abstract, letter, poster, editorial, case report, or review with or without meta-analyses. Risk of bias was assessed using the Appraisal Tool for Cross Sectional Studies (AXIS). Meta-analyses were conducted in Comprehensive Meta Analysis 3.0 using random effects models to compare the overall CPM responses in CYP with chronic pain conditions to healthy control CYP. Results: Thirty-two studies were eligible for inclusion, six of which were included in one or more meta-analysis (n = 407 chronic pain, n = 205 control). Meta-analysis revealed significantly weaker CPM responses in CYP with a variety of chronic pain conditions compared to healthy controls (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.352), and significantly weaker CPM responses in CYP with abdominal pain conditions compared to healthy controls (SMD = 0.685). No significant difference in CPM response was found between CYP with migraine and healthy controls (SMD = −0.201). Conclusions: Variable results were found across individual studies, and the meta-analysis of the small number of eligible studies provides tentative evidence for impaired CPM in CYP with chronic pain compared to healthy controls. Further research is clearly needed. In particular, studies should present CPM results separately for different age groups, ethnic groups, and sexes, as these variables shape clinical pain responses. Full article

The objectives of this study were to estimate the intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of the Pressure Pain Threshold (PPT) and Conditioned Pain Modulation (CPM) in healthy participants and patients with chronic shoulder pain. Additionally, the Standard Error of Measurement (SEM) and Smallest Detectable Change (SDC) were calculated. Thirty-one healthy volunteers and twenty patients with chronic shoulder pain were assessed using the PPT and CPM by two raters, with a 24 h interval between sessions. Excellent intra-rater reliability was demonstrated for PPT, with similar SEM and SDC when assessed by the same rater. The inter-rater reliability for PPTs in patients was moderate to good (ICC = 0.59–0.89) with higher SEM (73.83–121.98 kPa) and SDC (61.58–97.59) values than the asymptomatic group (ICC = 0.92–0.96, SEM = 49.61–103.12 kPa, SDC = 42.01–56.30) respectively. CPM’s intra-rater reliability was good (ICC = 0.82) in the patients and moderate (ICC = 0.67) in the asymptomatic group, while inter-rater reliability was low for the asymptomatic group (ICC = 0.37) and extremely low (ICC = 0.074) for the patients, with comparable SEM and SDC outcomes in both groups. PPT and CPM measurements are highly reliable when conducted by the same rater on the same day. Patients had lower inter-rater PPT reliability but better intra-rater CPM reliability. Clinicians need to be mindful of potential variability when interpreting these test results. Full article

Reduced reliance on synthetic chemical fertilizers necessarily requires using renewable biomaterial-derived soil organic amendments (SOAs) in agriculture for sustained retention of nutrients through improvement in the soil organic matter (SOM). SOM replenishment through SOAs derived from wasted materials could help in its valorization by furthering the sustainability prospects of agronomic crop production systems. In the current study, compost (CP) and biochar (BC) were derived as SOAs from combustible and compostable fractions of municipal solid waste (MSW) for their potential valorization by adding SOAs as potential sustainable sources of nutrients as a replacement of chemical fertilizers (CF) for sunflower crops cultivated in potted soils. The experimental design included quadruplicated soil application of MSW-derived BC and CP in discrete and combined forms, each in three doses (% w:w), viz., low (L), medium (M), and high (H), i.e., BC-L, BC-M, BC-H; CP-L, CP-M, CP-H; and BC + CP-L, BC + CP-M, BC-CP-H. The results showed that, compared to the control (soil only), the sunflower growth and harvestable yield were significantly greater in BC + CF with a medium dose and were comparable to the growth and yield obtained in soils with CF. Sunflower growth in the discrete SOAs remained less than in the combined SOAs (BC + CP) and was attributed to the comprehensive soil health improvement rendered by the applied SOAs. The soil health improvement factors included SOM, CEC, and concentrations of total and available NPK. The dose-effect comparison of the SOAs showed highly variable trends, i.e., the sunflower growth did not correspond with the increase in dose of the SOAs. It is concluded that the combined application of BC + CP derived from MSW components at a medium dose could act as a potential alternative to CF. The developed approach resulted in MSW valorization, which improved soil health and yielded a better sunflower crop. Full article

Background/Objective: Obesity, characterized by chronic inflammation, may serve as a surrogate marker for more dysfunctional peripheral inflammation, potentially exacerbating FM symptomatology. Given this premise, this study aimed to investigate the effects of obesity as an effect modifier on neural and clinical variables, specifically those indexing pain-compensatory mechanisms in FM symptoms. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 108 participants who underwent a standardized TMS protocol assessment to measure resting motor threshold (MT), intracortical facilitation (ICF), and intracortical inhibition (ICI). Clinical data were collected using Beck’s Depression Index (BDI), PROMIS, the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), and conditioned pain modulation (CPM). Linear regression models were used to explore the relationship between these variables while examining Body Mass Index (BMI) as a potential effect modifier. If it was found to be a modifier, we stratified the sample into two groups with a BMI cutoff of 30 and performed another regression model within the subgroups. Results: BMI was identified as an effect modifier in the relationships between ICI and BDI, PROMIS fatigue, and CPM and in MT versus CPM. After stratification, non-obese fibromyalgia subjects demonstrated significant correlations between clinical symptoms and CPM and ICI activity. However, these correlations were absent in the obese group, suggesting obesity disrupts pain mechanisms and their compensatory effects. Higher MT values were associated with weaker endogenous pain control, particularly evident in the obese group. Conclusions: Obesity appears to be a significant effect modifier and delineates two patient groups across multiple clinical and neural assessments of fibromyalgia. Additionally, it suggests a role for obesity in exacerbating fibromyalgia symptoms and disrupting physiological pain-inhibitory mechanisms. Full article

The variability of the Conditioned Pain Modulation (CPM) effect can be attributed to conditioning stimulus (CS) characteristics, such as intensity, duration, unpleasantness, or affinity. This study investigates the impact of affinity and unpleasantness variables on the CPM effect using two protocols (cold water and ischemia) in the same healthy individuals (n = 54). Additional variables were also examined for their potential influence on the CPM effect. The main results are as follows: (1) a higher level of affinity and a lower level of unpleasantness for the stimuli used resulted in a stronger CPM effect; (2) significant differences were observed in the extreme categories (high and low) of both variables, whereas the ‘indifferent’ group did not show a clear trend; (3) within-subject analysis demonstrated that affinity for the CS had a clear impact on the CPM effect; (4) no correlations were found between the CPM effect and the additional variables, except for the extraversion variable with the CPM effect of the ischemia protocol, and CS duration variable with CPM effect in the cold water protocol; and (5) only the affinity variable explained the CPM effect in both protocols in the multiple linear regression analysis. The affinity variable was found to influence the CPM effects significantly, indicating its important role in our perception and response to pain. Full article

Precise morphology acquisition for the variable wing leading edge is essential for its bio-inspired adaptive control. Therefore, this study proposes a morphological reconstruction method for the variable wing leading edge, utilizing the node curvature vectors-based curvature propagation method (NCV-CPM). By establishing a strain–arc curvature function, the method fundamentally mitigates the impact of surface curvature angle on curvature computation accuracy at sensing points. We introduce a technique that uses high-order curvature fitting functions to determine the curvature vectors of arc segment nodes. This method reduces cumulative errors in curvature computation linked to the linear interpolation-based curvature propagation method (LI-CPM) at unattached sensor positions. Integrating curvature–strain functions aids in wing leading-edge strain field reconstruction, supporting structural health monitoring. Additionally, a particle swarm algorithm optimizes the sensing point distribution, reducing network complexity. This study demonstrates significantly enhanced morphological reconstruction accuracy compared to those obtained with conventional LI-CPM. Full article

The results of a piControl experiment investigating general circulation models participating in the sixth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) were examined. The global interannual variability in the monthly surface temperature (ST) and sea level pressure (SLP) anomalies was considered. The amplitudes of the fluctuations in the anomalies of these meteorological fields between opposite phases of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) were calculated. It was shown that most CMIP6 models reproduced fluctuations in the ST and SLP anomalies between El Niño and La Niña not only in the equatorial Pacific, but also throughout the tropics, as well as in the middle and high latitudes. Some of the CMIP6 models reproduced the global structures of the ST and SLP anomaly oscillations quite accurately between opposite phases of ENSO, as previously determined from observational data and reanalyses. It was found that the models AS-RCEC TaiESM1, CAMS CAMS-CSM1-0, CAS FGOALS-f3-L, CMCC CMCC-ESM2, KIOST KIOST-ESM, NASA GISS-E2-1-G, NCAR CESM2-WACCM-FV2, and NCC NorCPM1 reproduced strong ENSO teleconnections in regions beyond the tropical Pacific. Full article