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Facial signals shape predictions about the nature of upcoming conversational responses
AbstractIncreasing evidence suggests that interlocutors use visual communicative signals to form predictions about unfolding utterances, but there is little data on the predictive potential of facial signals in conversation. In an online experiment with virtual agents, we examine whether facial signals produced by an addressee may allow speakers to anticipate the response to a question before it is given. Participants (n = 80) viewed videos of short conversation fragments between two virtual humans. Each fragment ended with the Questioner asking a question, followed by a pause during which the Responder looked either straight at the Questioner (baseline), or averted their gaze, or accompanied the straight gaze with one of the following facial signals: brow raise, brow frown, nose wrinkle, smile, squint, mouth corner pulled back (dimpler). Participants then indicated on a 6-point scale whether they expected a “yes” or “no” response. Analyses revealed that all signals received different ratings relative to the baseline: brow raises, dimplers, and smiles were associated with more positive responses, gaze aversions, brow frowns, nose wrinkles, and squints with more negative responses. Qur findings show that interlocutors may form strong associations between facial signals and upcoming responses to questions, highlighting their predictive potential in face-to-face conversation.
Reliability of sitting posture between physical therapist video-based evaluation and SMART IMU system using rapid upper limb assessment (RULA)
Assessment of the predictive power the radiation-induced lymphocyte apoptosis method in prostate cancer patients
AbstractDue to the better survival of patients with tumorous diseases, it is increasingly important to predict the side effects of radiotherapy, for which the Radiation-Induced Lymphocyte Apoptosis (RILA) method is proving to be effective in multicentric studies. Prostate cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men worldwide, which is usually treated with radiotherapy. We recruited 49 patients with localized prostate cancer and performed RILA measurements before radiotherapy. Patients were treated with CyberKnife (35–40 Gy) or high-dose-rate brachytherapy (1 × 21 Gy). We performed chromosome aberration test for five years and graded side effects, IPSS and QoL questionnaire scores were recorded. We found that RILA% correlated with the IPSS increase (p = 0.0016, r=-0.44), which was confirmed with negative binomial regression (p = 0.0013). The negative predictive value for severe urinary side effects according to the IPSS questionnaire was 87.9% at the lower tertile of RILA values. Chromosome aberrations also correlated with side effects, but when we built models including variables of baseline and treatment characteristics of the patients, RILA, and chromosome aberrations, only RILA predicted a late increase in IPSS score (p < 0.0001, adjusted R2 = 68%). The RILA method was shown to be predictive of urinary side effects especially of patient-reported outcomes.
Homoarginine concentrations correlate with early depressive symptoms and the reduction in physical functioning within the first days after myocardial infarction
Usability, acceptance, and the role of realism in virtual humans for breathing exercise training
Abstract Breathing exercises are used to address a multitude of issues ranging from mental health to physical well-being. While they are recommended for various health conditions, access to professional support is often limited due to time and cost constraints. Virtual Reality technology offers a promising solution for enhancing mindfulness and relaxation practices, including breathing exercises. In our study, we explored the effectiveness of a computer-generated “virtual breathing coach”. Our virtual coach has a human appearance, speaks in a human voice, and displays breathing physiology while guiding the participants through a set of breathing exercises of different cycle lengths. The agent exhibits breathing behaviour with the aim of augmenting the influence the agent exerts through the mechanisms of physiological entrainment known from human-to-human interaction. Our empirical, exploratory study with 20 participants, was conducted using non-immersive VR where the system ran on a web browser. On the one hand, we investigated the perception of the virtual human coach, and on the other hand, we evaluated the usability, acceptability, and adherence of the system. We also evaluated the role of realism in acceptance of and adherence to the virtual coach. Participants’ responses were recorded using questionnaires. Participants were influenced by the virtual coach and adhered to it if they perceived the virtual coach as more realistic. The participants reported that the system ran well, and they would be willing to continue using the system in the future. Although the virtual human-to-human interaction experience provided by our system is not on par with the naturalistic human-to-human interaction, the results indicate that people are willing to replace a real human coach with a virtual coach. Systems like this are a step towards improving the affordability and on-demand access to another human, such as a coach in our system, especially where access and affordability are limited such as in healthcare. The qualities such as trust and likeability in an embodied interaction can make this interaction more efficient and effective.
Combination of dapagliflozin and pioglitazone lacks superiority against monotherapy in streptozotocin-induced nephropathy
A retrospective cohort study of the application of Santulli enterostomy in neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis
Abstract The use of Santulli enterostomy (SE) for necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) has been limited to a small number of studies involving a small number of patients and no control group. Our study aimed to compare the clinical safety and efficacy of Santulli enterostomy with those of single- or double-lumen enterostomy for neonatal NEC through a retrospective cohort study. One hundred ten patients who met the criteria were divided into an SE group (64 patients) and a conventional enterostomy (CE) group (46 patients). The CE group underwent single- or double-lumen enterostomy. There were no significant differences in complication rates or prognoses between the two groups after either procedure. Although the stoma was positioned higher in the SE group, the length of the unused small intestine (USI) was not significantly different. Multivariate analysis revealed that the length of the USI influenced the likelihood of malnutrition after enterostomy (OR = 1.108, P = 0.008). After stoma closure, compared with those in the CE group, the operation time, intestinal recovery time, fasting time, hospitalization time, intraoperative blood loss volume and the incidence of complications requiring surgical reintervention was significantly lower in the SE group. In conclusion, Santulli enterostomy is not only a safe treatment option for NEC but also an effective method for increasing the length of the small intestine after enterostomy, thereby improving the patient’s postoperative nutritional status. In addition, the procedure is associated with good recovery and a reduced incidence of surgical reintervention after stoma closure.
Relationship between VEGF to PEDF ratio and in-hospital mortality in acute respiratory distress syndrome patients
Does education increase ethical sensitivity a semi-experimental study
Socioeconomic status correlates with COVID-19 vaccination coverage among primary and secondary students in the most populated city of Chile
Research on health monitoring of concrete structure based on G-S-G
The trans-european catchment area of common noctule bats killed by wind turbines in France
Abstract Wind turbines used to combat climate change pose a green-green dilemma when endangered and protected wildlife species are killed by collisions with rotating blades. Here , we investigated the geographic origin of bats killed by wind turbines along an east-west transect in France to determine the spatial extent of this conflict in Western Europe. We analysed stable hydrogen isotopes in the fur keratin of 60 common noctule bats ( Nyctalus noctula ) killed by wind turbines during summer migration in four regions of France to predict their geographic origin using models based on precipitation isoscapes. We first separated migratory from regional individuals based on fur isotope ratios of local bats. Across all regions , 71.7% of common noctules killed by turbines were of regional and 28.3% of distant origin , the latter being predominantly females from northeastern Europe. We observed a higher proportion of migratory individuals from western sites compared to eastern sites. Our study suggests that wind-turbine-related losses of common noctule bats may impact distant breeding populations across whole Europe , confirming that migratory bats are highly vulnerable to wind turbines and that effective conservation measures , such as temporary curtailment of turbine operation , should be mandatory to protect them from colliding with the rotating blades of wind turbines.