Vertical dynamic deflection measurement in concrete beams with the Microsoft Kinect.

The Microsoft Kinect is arguably the most popular RGB-D camera currently on the market, partially due to its low cost. It offers many advantages for the measurement of dynamic phenomena since it can directly measure three-dimensional coordinates of objects at video frame rate using a single sensor. This paper presents the results of an investigation into the development of a Microsoft Kinect-based system for measuring the deflection of reinforced concrete beams subjected to cyclic loads. New segmentation methods for object extraction from the Kinect's depth imagery and vertical displacement reconstruction algorithms have been developed and implemented to reconstruct the time-dependent displacement of concrete beams tested in laboratory conditions. The results demonstrate that the amplitude and frequency of the vertical displacements can be reconstructed with submillimetre and milliHz-level precision and accuracy, respectively.

Skeletal disease in a father and daughter with a novel monoallelic WNT1 mutation.

CONTEXT: Most heritable causes of low bone mass in children occur due to mutations affecting type 1 collagen. We describe two related patients with low bone mass and fracture without mutations in the type 1 collagen genes. CASE DESCRIPTION: We describe the index case of a 10-year-old girl with low-impact fractures in childhood and her 59-year-old father with traumatic fractures in adulthood, both with low bone mineral density. They were found to have the same heterozygous missense mutation in the WNT1 gene (p.Gly222Arg), occurring in a highly conserved WNT motif in close proximity to the Frizzled binding site. CONCLUSIONS: The WNT-ligand WNT1, signaling through the canonical WNT-ß-catenin pathway, plays a critical role in skeletal development, adult skeletal homeostasis, and bone remodeling. Biallelic mutations have been described and are associated with moderate to severe osteogenesis imperfecta, in some cases with extra-skeletal manifestations. Patients with monoallelic mutations, as in our case, seem to present with low bone mineral density and less severe disease. The phenotypic difference between biallelic and monoallelic mutations highlights that the aberrant protein in monoallelic mutations may exert a dominant negative effect on the wild type protein as heterozygous carriers in families with biallelic disease are usually asymptomatic. With better understanding of disorders associated with WNT1 mutations, therapies targeting this signaling pathway may offer therapeutic benefit.

Moving beyond subcutaneous insulin: the application of adjunctive therapies to the treatment of type 1 diabetes.

INTRODUCTION: With the discovery of insulin nearly a century ago, the diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) transformed from a death sentence to a chronic medical condition. Despite the advances that have been made, the vast majority of those living with T1D still struggle to achieve targeted control. Yet, a plethora of agents have been developed to treat those with Type 2 Diabetes. Exploration of how these agents may benefit those with T1D has been an area of intense investigation, especially due to the overweight/obesity epidemic, which now afflicts more than 60% of those living with T1D. Areas covered: This review focuses on agents that have been utilized, including inhaled insulin preparations, pramlintide, metformin, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors, sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors, and dual SGLT1/2 inhibitors. Furthermore, with approval of the first hybrid closed loop (CL) system, the development of dual hormone CL systems is being explored. While the most common agent applied to these dual systems has been glucagon, research has been conducted to assess how some of the adjunctive therapies described above could aide with achieving postprandial glucose control while on CL insulin delivery. Expert opinion: By becoming less insulin-centric and incorporating some of these other agents, it is possible we may be able to better combat T1D.

Combining glucose monitoring and insulin delivery into a single device: current progress and ongoing challenges of the artificial pancreas.

Despite the widespread availability of insulin pumps, continuous glucose sensors, and insulin analogs with rapid-acting pharmacokinetic profiles, most people with type 1 diabetes fail to meet recommended glycemic targets, rates of severe hypoglycemia remain unacceptably high, and the burden of care on patients and loved ones exacts an enormous psychosocial toll. The combination of continuous glucose monitoring with insulin delivery into an integrated automated system promises to improve diabetes control while at the same time reduce the burden of care. A wide variety of automated insulin delivery systems, ranging in scope from simple pump suspension to reduce hypoglycemia, to complex multiple hormone systems under separate regulation and delivery, have been studied in both controlled inpatient settings and more free-ranging outpatient environments. Preliminary findings have been positive, with most studies demonstrating reduction in overall glucose levels, increased time-in-target range, and reductions in exposure to hypoglycemia. As these systems move closer to commercialization, the focus of ongoing efforts will need to address the continuing challenges of sensor accuracy and reliability, connectivity issues, and human factors considerations.