Self-monitored versus supervised walking programs for older adults.

ABSTRACT: Walking is an effective, well accepted, inexpensive, and functional intervention. This study compared the outcomes and changes in walking behavior of self-monitored (SM) and supervised (SU) walking interventions for older adults.Participants were assigned to SM (n = 21) and SU (n = 21) walking groups according to their place of residence. Both groups exercised and wore a pedometer for 3 months.The outcome measures were step count, body mass index (BMI), and physical function. Two-way repeated-measure ANOVA and independent t tests were used to compare the intervention effects. We also plotted the trends and analyzed the walking steps weekly.Only BMI exhibited a group × time interaction. The pre-posttest differences showed knee extension muscle strength (KEMS) and Timed Up and Go test were significantly improved in the SM group, whereas BMI, KEMS, 30-s sit-to-stand, functional reach were significantly improved, but 5-m gait speed significantly slower in the SU group. For participants attending ≥50% of the sessions, those in the SM and SU groups had similar results for all variables, except for 2-min step (2MS) and daily walking step counts.Both self-monitored and supervised walking benefit older adults in most physical functions, especially lower-extremity performance, such as muscle strength, balance, and mobility. The effects of both programs do not differ significantly, except for BMI and 2MS (ie cardiopulmonary endurance). We recommend pedometer-assisted self-monitored walking for older adults because of its ability to cultivate exercise habits over the long term, whereas supervised walking to establish effective exercise intensity.

Synthesis of High Valence Silver-Loaded Mesoporous Silica with Strong Antibacterial Properties.

A simple chemical method was developed for preparing high valence silver (Ag)-loaded mesoporous silica (Ag-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)-SBA-15), which showed strong antibacterial activity. Ag-EDTA-SBA-15 exhibited stronger and more effective antibacterial activity than commercial Ag nanoparticles did, and it offered high stability of high valence silver in the porous matrix and long-lasting antibacterial activity. The synthesized materials were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Ag existed in both surface complexation and Ag particles. EDTA anchored within a porous structure chelated Ag ions in higher oxidation states and prevented their agglomeration and oxidation reduction. The XRD results showed that most Ag in the Ag-EDTA-SBA-15 existed in higher oxidation states such as Ag(II) and Ag(III). However, the XPS and TEM results showed that Ag easily reduced in lower oxidation states and agglomerated as Ag particles on the exterior layer of the SBA-15.

Effect of dual-frequency clutter suppression in harmonic Doppler detection.

BACKGROUND: High-frequency Doppler imaging is highly potential for detection of blood flow in microcirculation. In a swept-scan system, however, the spectral broadening of tissue clutter limits the detectability of low-velocity flow signal. Conventionally, the scanning speed of transducer has to be reduced to alleviate the clutter interference but at the cost of imaging frame rate. For example, the blood velocity of 0.5mm/s becomes detectable only with a scanning speed lower than 1mm/s. In this study, an alternative method is examined by suppressing the clutter magnitude to reduce the interference to flow signal without sacrificing scanning speed. METHODS: The method of third harmonic (3f(0)) transmit phasing can suppress the tissue harmonic clutter by transmitting at the fundamental and the additional 3f(0) frequencies to achieve mutual cancellation between the frequency-sum and the frequency-difference components of the second harmonic signal. With 3f(0) transmit phasing, the cut-off frequency of wall filtering can be reduced to preserve low-velocity flow without compromising the frame rate. RESULTS: Our results indicate that the 3f(0) transmit phasing effectively reduces the harmonic clutter magnitude and thus improves the flow signal-to-clutter ratio. Compared to the conventional counterpart, the clutter-suppressed color flow and power Doppler images show fewer clutter artifacts and is capable of detecting more low-velocity flow of microbubbles. The resultant color-pixel-density also improves with clutter suppression. CONCLUSION: For the swept-scan high-frequency (>20MHz) system, 3f(0) transmit phasing is capable of providing effective clutter suppression. With the same achievable scanning speed, the resultant Doppler image has higher sensitivity for low-velocity flow and is less susceptible to clutter artifacts.

The development of wireless sensor network for ECG monitoring.

The main problem we want to solve contains two subjects: The first one is the patient's pressure due to wired physiological signal estimation. With wireless sensor network technique, patients only need to carry a few small nodes, and then the physiological signal can be transmitted in the air. The other subject of the vital problem is that some protocols, like Bluetooth, provide a peer to peer wireless communication technique, but such peer to peer network may need a complex algorithm to find the best data transmission path. In this study, we use the hierarchy routing as network topology that three-layer architecture contains PAN coordinator, router and device. The study focuses on implementation of a prototype electrocardiography (ECG) system which replaces wired connections between sensor points and a central node with wireless links. Successful implementation of the final system would be of benefit to all involved in the use of ECG as access to and movement of the patient would not be impeded by the physical constraints imposed by the cables. Most aspects of the design would also be portable to other sensor applications, making the work relevant to a vast range of systems where movement of sensors is desirable and constrained by hard-wired links.

Field enhancements of packed-bed performance for low-concentration acidic and basic-waste gases from semiconductor manufacturing process.

Low-concentration acidic and basic-waste gas pollutants contribute significantly in the total emission of a facility. Previous results show that the control of high volumetric flow rate (approximately 500 m3/min), low-concentration acidic (< 1 ppm by vol) and basic (< 3 ppm by vol) gases from semiconductor process vent, by conventional wet scrubbing technique is a challenging task. This work was targeted to enhance the performance of packed beds for high-volumetric flow rate, low-concentration acidic (HF, HCl), and basic (NH3)-waste gases from the semiconductor manufacturing process. The methodology used to meet the goal was the application of fine-water mist over the inlet stream before entering to the packed bed and use of the surfactant with mist/packed-bed liquid in low concentration. An experimental study was carried out in two acid-packed beds to optimize the operating conditions, such as pH of the liquid, circulating liquid flow rate, blow-down cycle, and so forth. The relationship among liquid pH, liquid ionic concentration, and the removal efficiency of the packed bed for the pollutants has been discussed considering chemical equilibrium, two-film theory, and Henry's law. For the potential utilization of scrubbing water, the dependency of the efficiency on blow-down cycle was studied, and a mechanism is suggested. The proposed water-mist surfactant system was installed in two acid-packed beds, and performance of the packed beds was compared. The background efficiencies of the acid-packed beds for HF, HCl, and NH3 were found max to be (n = 11) 53, 40, and 27%, whereas after installation of the system, they increased significantly and became 76 +/- 13% (n = 10), 76 +/- 8% (n = 7), and 78 +/- 7% (n = 7), respectively, for inlet concentrations of HF and HCl < 1 ppm and NH3 < 14 ppm. The mechanism by which the surfactants operate to enhance the removal in scrubbing process is suggested considering the hydrodynamic effect and the interfacial effect with the charge-generating characteristic of surfactants on water surface, when dissolved into water. The results show that a proposed rectification system can effectively reduce the emission rates below the regulatory level (0.6 kg/hr) at the present conditions of the facility.

Efficient control system for low-concentration inorganic gases from a process vent stream: application of surfactants in spray and packed columns.

Control of low-concentration pollutants from a semiconductor process vent stream using a wet-scrubbing technique is a challenging task to meet Taiwan environmental emission standards. An efficient wet-scrubber is designed on a pilot scale and tested to control low concentration acid and base waste-gas emission. The scrubber system consisted of two columns, i.e., a fine spray column [cutoff diameter (based on volume), Dv(50) = 15.63 microm; Sauter mean diameter (SMD) = 7.62 microm], which is especially efficient for NH3 removal as the pH of the spraying liquid is approximately 7 followed by a packed column with a scrubbing liquid pH approximately 9.0 mainly for acids removal. It is observed that use of the surfactants in low concentration about 10(-4) M and 10(-7) M in the spray liquid and in the scrubbing liquid, respectively, remarkably enhances the removal efficiency of the system. A traditional packed column (without the spray column and the surfactant) showed that the removal efficiencies of NH3, HF, and HCl for the inlet concentration range 0.2 to 3 ppm were (n = 5) 22.6+/-3.4%, 43.4+/-5.5%, and 40.4+/-7.4%, respectively. The overall efficiencies of the proposed system (the spray column and the packed column) in the presence of the surfactant in the spray liquid and in the scrubbing liquid forthese three species were found to increase significantly (n = 5) from 60.3+/-3.6 to 82.8+/-6.8%, 59.1+/-2.7 to 83.4+/-4.2%, and 56.2+/-7.3 to 81.0+/-6.7%, respectively. In this work, development of charge on the gas-liquid interface due to the surfactants has been measured and discussed. It is concluded that the presence of charge on the gas-liquid interface is the responsible factor for enhancement of the removal efficiency (mass-transfer in liquid phase). The effects of the type of surfactants, their chain length, concentration in liquid, etc. on the removal efficiency are discussed. Since the pilot tests were performed under the operating conditions similar to most of the wet-scrubbers operated in semiconductors manufacturing facilities for inorganic pollutants, this study can be applied to modify the existing wet-scrubbers to enhance the removal efficiencies, especially for low-concentration pollutants.