Mobility across people with a large range of age was evaluated, for the first time, by using an instrumented timed up and go test (iTUG) based on signals acquired by a single wearable inertial sensor. Eighty healthy participants, from childhood to old age, performed the test, covering walking distances of 3 m and 7 m. Total time, temporal, and velocity parameters of linear and turning subcomponents of the test were quantified. While children, adults, and senior adults exhibited similar values for all the parameters, older adults showed increases in duration and reductions in velocity during the turning phases when compared with the other groups. an increase in velocity was observed during mid turning when the test was performed along the longer distance. Similarity across children, adults, and senior adults indicates that healthy individuals develop the abilities performed in the iTUG early, while the slowing down shown during the turning phases by the older adults may reflect the need to implement adaptive adjustments to face changes of direction. These results emphasize the idea that reducing equipment to a single sensor provides an appropriate quantification when the iTUG is used to investigate a broader age range or different levels of complexity.

Sarcopenia is defined as a syndrome characterized by progressive and generalized loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength. It has been identified as one of the most common comorbidities associated with femoral neck fracture (FNF). The aim of this review was to evaluate the impact of physical therapy on FNF patients’ function and rehabilitation. The selected articles were randomized controlled trials (RCTs), published in the last 10 years. Seven full texts were eligible for this review: three examined the impact of conventional rehabilitation and nutritional supplementation, three evaluated the effects of rehabilitation protocols compared to new methods and a study explored the intervention with erythropoietin (EPO) in sarcopenic patients with FNF and its potential effects on postoperative rehabilitation. Physical activity and dietary supplementation are the basic tools of prevention and rehabilitation of sarcopenia in elderly patients after hip surgery. The most effective physical therapy seems to be exercise of progressive resistance. Occupational therapy should be included in sarcopenic patients for its importance in cognitive rehabilitation. Erythropoietin and bisphosphonates could represent medical therapy resources.

We present a method for measuring the internal state of a superconducting qubit inside an on-chip microwave resonator. We show that one qubit state can be associated with the generation of an increasingly large cavity coherent field, while the other remains associated with the vacuum. By measuring the outgoing resonator field with conventional devices, an efficient single-shot QND-like qubit readout can be achieved, enabling a high-fidelity measurement in the spirit of the electronshelving technique for trapped ions. We expect that the proposed ideas can be adapted to different superconducting qubit designs and contribute to the further improvement of qubit readout fidelity.PACS numbers: 03.65. Yz, 03.67.Lx, 03.65.Wj, 42.50.Lc Superconducting nanocircuits [1,2] are considered promising candidates for diverse implementations of quantum information tasks [3]. In this context, circuit quantum electrodynamics (QED) [4,5], which studies superconducting qubits [1,6] coupled to on-chip microwave resonators, occupies a central role. To achieve the desired goals, it is important to implement high-fidelity two-qubit gates [7] and efficient schemes to read out the qubit state [8]. In both cases, trapped-ion systems represent the state-of-the-art for qubit realizations [9]. In particular, electron-shelving qubit readout has produced fidelity benchmarks of approximately 99.99% [10]. These astonishing achievements suggest the potential impact of transferring key ideas from quantum optics to circuit QED. Unfortunately, electron shelving relies strongly on the use of single-photon detectors [9], which are unavailable in microwave technology in the range 1−10 GHz [11]. Nevertheless, in this manuscript we show that a singleshot QND-like fast qubit readout can be designed by exploiting the electron-shelving concept in circuit QED.We first present the physics of electron shelving in trapped ions. In Fig. 1, we show a three-level atom where an unknown qubit state |ψ = α|g + β|e is encoded in states |g and |e . Via a laser beam, the ground state |g is coupled to a third level |u , which can decay producing a continuous cyclic transition. In this case, the qubit is projected onto state |g and many photons are emitted in free space, one at each cycle. In contrast, when the qubit is projected onto state |e , no photons are emitted. A lens is used to collect the photons more efficiently by improving the solid angle. Although the photodetector has a low efficiency η d , the qubit readout fidelity can be very high. Typically, it is estimated through F = 1 − e −η d N , which rapidly approaches unity for η d N ≫ 1, N being the number of detected photons. Key elements for electron cyclic transition Photodetector lens FIG. 1: (Color online) Sketch of electron shelving in trapped ions. The |g ↔ |u transition is driven with a laser beam, performing a cyclic transition and emitting many photons when |g is projected. No photons are detected when |e is measured. Undesired transitions are inhibited via selection rules.shelving are the use of three...

The rapid experimental progress in the field of superconducting nanocircuits gives rise to an increasing quest for advanced quantum-control techniques for these macroscopically coherent systems. Here we demonstrate theoretically that stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP), a well-established method in quantum optics, should be possible with the quantronium setup of a Cooperpair box. We find the parameters which optimize the procedure and show how the scheme appears to be robust against decoherence and should be realizable even with the existing technology.

To evaluate the reasons for inadequate adherence to osteoporosis therapy and to describe the strategies for improving adherence to and persistence with regular medications, we conducted a review of the literature. The primary outcome of the study was the determination of the factors adverse to the onset and maintenance of anti-osteoporosis therapies. Secondly, we focused on studies whose efforts led to finding different strategies to improve adherence and persistence. We identified a total of 26 articles. The most recurrent and significant factors identified were aging, polypharmacy, and smoking habits. Different strategies to guide patients in their osteoporosis care have been identified, such as monitoring and follow-up via telephone calls, email, and promotional meetings, and proactive care interventions such as medication monitoring, post-fracture care programs, and decision aids. Changes in the drugs regimen and dispensation are strategies tried to lead to better adherence and persistence, but also improved satisfaction of patients undergoing anti-osteoporosis treatment. Patient involvement is an important factor to increase medication persistence while using a flexible drugs regimen.

Postural balance is an important but not well-studied concept in the treatment of adolescent scoliosis. The aim of this study was to assess whether conservative treatment with Sforzesco bracing induced negative perturbations on postural stability, as related to static, postural, and dynamic baropodometric indicators. Twelve subjects (12 females, aged 11–16) with moderate AIS, were selected among a group of 97 patients. Inclusion criteria were: (1) confirmed diagnosis of moderate AIS (Cobb angle of 21° to 35° for the primary curve); (2) thoracic or thoracolumbar primary curve; (3) skeletal immaturity with growth cartilage visible on pretreatment radiographs (Risser < 5); (4) chronological age between 11 and 16 years; and (5) Sforzesco bracing treatment. All patients underwent a physical examination and radiological measurements with anteroposterior and lateral scans. Static, postural, and dynamic assessments were performed twice by barefoot patients, with and without Sforzesco bracing. Comparison between demographic, anthropometric, and clinical data highlighted a homogeneity of the sample. We evaluated the point of maximum pressure with and without bracing and found no statistically significant differences (p value = 0.22). In postural measurements, the laterolateral oscillations, anteroposterior oscillations, and average speed of oscillations were evaluated, comparing measurements with and without bracing. There were no statistically significant differences, except for the mean rate of oscillation, which was slightly increased in the recordings with a brace compared to those without a brace, p value = 0.045. Our findings show no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) in static, postural, and dynamic baropodometric indicators.

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BackgroundPostural balance is an important but not well-studied concept in the treatment of adolescent scoliosis.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to assess whether conservative treatment with Sforzesco bracing induced negative perturbations on postural stability, as related to static, postural, and dynamic baropodometric indicators.MethodsFrom November 2020 to October 2021, 12 subjects (12 females, aged 11 – 16) with moderate AIS, were selected among a group of 97 patients. Inclusion criteria were: 1) confirmed diagnosis of moderate AIS (Cobb angle of 21° to 35° for the primary curve); 2) thoracic or thoracolumbar primary curve; 3) skeletal immaturity with growth cartilage visible on pretreatment radiographs (Risser < 5); 4) chronological age between 11 and 16 years; and 5) Sforzesco bracing treatment. All patients underwent a physical examination and radiological measurements with anteroposterior and lateral scans. Static, postural, and dynamic assessments were performed twice by barefoot patients, with and without Sforzesco bracing. ResultsComparison between demographic, anthropometric, and clinical data considered relevant for the homogeneity of the sample, highlighted the absence of statistically significant differences between patients. We evaluated the point of maximum pressure with and without bracing and found no statistically significant differences (p value = 0.22).In the postural measurements, the latero-lateral oscillations, antero-posterior oscillations, and the average speed of oscillations were evaluated, comparing measurements with and without bracing. There were no statistically significant differences, except for the mean rate of oscillation, which was slightly increased in the recordings with a brace compared to those without a brace, p value = 0.045. The CPEI was also evaluated in both situations, although no statistically significant differences either with and without bracing (p > 0.05) were found.ConclusionsIn this study, we evaluated the effects of the Sforzesco brace on postural balance in a sample of adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis, to assess whether conservative treatment would lead to adverse disturbances in postural stability. Our findings show no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) in static, postural, and dynamic baropodometric indicators.