Wearable sensor systems composed of small and light sensing nodes have the potential to revolutionise healthcare. While uptake has increased over time in a variety of application areas, it has been slowed by problems such as lack of infrastructure and the functional capabilities of the systems themselves. An important application of wearable sensors is the detection of falls, particularly for elderly or otherwise vulnerable people. However, existing solutions do not provide the detection accuracy required for the technology to gain the trust of medical professionals. This thesis aims to improve the state of the art in automated human fall detection algorithms through the use of a machine learning based algorithm combined with novel data annotation and feature extraction methods. Most wearable fall detection algorithms are based on thresholds set by observational analysis for various fall types. However, such algorithms do not generalise well for unseen datasets. This has thus led to many fall detection systems with claims of high performance but with high rates of False Positive and False Negative when evaluated on unseen datasets. A more appropriate approach, as proposed in this thesis, is a machine learning based algorithm for fall detection. The work in this thesis uses a C4.5 Decision Tree algorithm and computes input features based on three fall stages: pre-impact, impact and post-impact. By computing features based on these three fall stages, the fall detection algorithm can learn patterns unique to falls. In total, thirteen features were selected across the three fall stages out of an original set of twenty-eight features. Further to the identification of fall stages and selection of appropriate features, an annotation technique named micro-annotation is proposed that resolves annotation-related ambiguities in the evaluation of fall detection algorithms. Further analysis on factors that can impact the performance of a machine learning based algorithm were investigated. The analysis defines a design space which serves as a guideline for a machine learning based fall detection algorithm. The factors investigated include sampling frequency, the number of subjects used for training, and sensor location. The optimal values were found to be10Hz, 10 training subjects, and a single sensor mounted on the chest. Protocols for falls and Activities of Daily Living (ADL) were designed such that the developed algorithms are able to cope under a variety of real world activities and events. A total of 50 subjects were recruited to participate in the data gathering exercise. Four common types of falls in the sagittal and coronal planes were simulated by the volunteers; and falls in the sagittal plane were additionally induced by applying a lateral force to blindfolded volunteers. The algorithm was evaluated based on leave one subject out cross validation in order to determine its ability to generalise to unseen subjects. The current state of the art in the literature shows fall detectors with an F-measure below 90%. The commercial Tynetec fall detector provided an F-measure of only 50% when evaluated here. Overall, the fall detection algorithm using the proposed micro-annotation technique and fall stage features provides an F-measure of 93% at 10Hz, exceeding the performance provided by the current state of the art.

Objectives: The overall aim of this thesis was to investigate the precision error, annual changes, and monitoring time intervals of muscle and fat outcomes measured by peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT), as well as explore the strength of their associations with fall status in older adults. Methods: Participants aged >60 years old (N=190) were recruited from the Saskatoon Cohort of the Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study (CaMOs). The precision error (Root Mean Squared Co-efficient of Variation, CV%RMS) of soft-tissue outcomes from previously reported pQCT image analysis protocols (n=6) were calculated and compared using repeat forearm and lower leg scans collected from a random sub-sample of women (n=35). Prospective scans were collected with 1 and/or 2 years of follow-up (n=97) to estimate annual changes and monitoring time intervals for pQCT-derived muscle and fat outcomes in women. Imaging data and responses from a retrospective fall status questionnaire were analyzed to investigate the associations of muscle density, functional mobility, and health- related factors to fall status for both men and women (n=183). Results: Precision errors of muscle and fat outcomes ranged from 0.7 to 6.4% in older women, however not all protocols were equally precise. Muscle cross-sectional area decreased by 0.8 to 1.2% per year, with greater losses in the lower limb. Biological changes in muscle area and density may be detected with 80 and 95% certainty within monitoring time intervals of 4 to 9 years. The odds of having reported a fall increased by 17% for every unit decrease in muscle density (mean 70.2, SD 2.6mg/cm3) after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, general health status, diabetes, the number of comorbidities, and functional mobility. Discussion: This dissertation demonstrated the potential for pQCT to study changes in muscle and fat outcomes in older adults. Both muscle area and density can be precisely measured. Observed annual changes in soft-tissue outcomes were small in older adults; highlighting the importance of precise measurements to detect changes beyond measurement error. Together with the estimated monitoring time intervals, these findings can assist the planning of prospective investigations of musculoskeletal health in aging. Furthermore, based on the observed independent association between muscle density and fall status, monitoring muscle density may further complement the study of musculoskeletal health and fall risk in community-dwelling older adults.

The Fall Armyworm is a serious pest of many crops throughout most of the Western Hemisphere particularly those belonging to the family Gramineae. This pest is usually controlled by insecticides which, however, cause many health and environmental problems. Although a rich bank of sorgum germplasm occurs in Yemen, no effort has been made to identify the Yemeni cultivars which might express resistance to armyworm attack. There is very little information to show at what time of the growing season and at what planting stage the sorghum cultivars are most susceptible to armyworms. Therefore, eight Yemeni and two American sorghum cultivars were planted in Tucson, Arizona, during 1983 and 1984. The experimental design was a randomized complete block arranged in split-split plots with four replications. The main plots were the varieties, and subplots were two planting dates and two infestation times. The plants were artificially infested with laboratory reared, first instar larvae. Infestation consisted of five larvae per plant in 1983 and ten in 1984. Results demonstrate the 'IBB' and 'TURBA' received the least leaf damage and 'SGIRL-MR1' and 'ALBAIDA' received the most in 1983. However, during 1984, 'TURBA' and 'HAIDRAN' showed the greatest degree of resistance and 'SGIRL-MR1', 'AMRAN', 'ALMAHWIT', and 'ALBAIDA' the least.

The aim of the essay is to show that Albert Camus’ novel The Fall despite the seriousness of the subjects it deals with can be read as a satirical work. To support thisargument a brief explanation of the term satire will be made and the definitions itholds will likewise be discussed.A careful textual analysis shows that satirical ruses are evident in The Fall.Another aim of the paper is to depict how the satirical devises that are used, confront and discuss the objects of “attack”. The essay will focus on finding satirical instances in relation to two major themes that are targeted in the novel: Christianity and modernity. The research method is based on a close reading and the support of secondary sources. The conclusions made, based on argumentative and analytical explorations, are that The Fall in fact can be read as a satirical novel; that the book, through mockery and satire, tries to criticize Christian and Modern values.

Background: Stroke survivors often have persistent neural deficits related to motor function and sensation, which increase their risk of falling, most of which occurs at home or in community settings. The use of wearable technology to monitor fall risk and gait in stroke survivors may prove useful in enhancing recovery and/or preventing injuries. Objective: Determine the feasibility of using wearable technology (PAMSys (TM)) to objectively monitor fall risk and gait in home and community settings in stroke survivors. Methods: In this feasibility study, we used the PAMSys to identify fall risk indicators (postural transitions: duration in seconds, and number of unsuccessful attempts), and gait (steps, speed, duration) for 48 hours during usual daily activities in stroke survivors (n=10) compared to age-matched controls (n=10). A questionnaire assessed device acceptability. Results: Stroke survivors mean age was 70 +/- 8 years old, were mainly Caucasian (60%) women (70%), and not significantly different than the age-matched controls (all P-values >0.20). Stroke survivors (100%) reported that the device was comfortable to wear, didn't interfere with everyday activities, and were willing to wear it for another 48 hours. None reported any difficulty with the device while sleeping, removing/putting back on for showering or changing clothes. When compared to controls, stroke survivors had significantly worse fall risk indicators and walked less (P<0.05). Conclusion: Stroke survivors reported high acceptability of 48 hours of continuous PAMSys monitoring. The use of in-home wearable technology may prove useful in monitoring fall risk and gait in stroke survivors, potentially enhancing recovery.

How is it that the Roman decadence, a derogatory term during the Enlightenment, became the fundamental aesthetic reference for a nineteenth century literary movement? Focusing on the intersections of literature, politics, religion, science and art history, this dissertation adopts a diachronic approach to decadence, read against a backdrop mobilizing twentieth century philosophers Vladimir Jankelevitch and Michel Serres. Decadence (Latin cadere, to fall) first designated the fall of the Roman Empire and a falling away from its political, moral and aesthetic norms. Drawing on Petronius and Baudelaire, I crystallize three ways in which philosophers, scholars (“érudits”), and poets faced the troubling notion of the fall : they observe its occurrence, restore its ruins, or praise its beauty. With this in mind, the dissertation closely analyzes eighteenth century topoi that conceive decadence as political instability (Montesquieu, Gibbon), moral corruption (Rousseau, de Maistre), and architectural imbalance (Diderot, Seroux d’Agincourt). The principal emphasis is on the semantic and stylistic value assigned to the term “decadence”. These interdiscursive readings disclose the displacement of decadent topoi : shifting from one context to another, they narrate the fall of the Roman Empire and remain inscribed in the literary production of Decadence. Whereas the Enlightenment underlines the edifying dimension of the Roman example, nineteenth century authors, lapsing into original sin and propelled by thermodynamic loss, salute the expression of the fall. Barbey d’Aurevilly’s writings reveal consistent historical, structural and textual references to Roman topoi, caught up in the arrested completion of political and mechanical cycles. Furthermore, his dandyism and ultramontanism conjure up the Roman conflict, while recurring fragments, maculae and lacunae destabilize the architectural balance of his texts. The Literature of Decadence emerges as an artificial intervention that suspends the irreparable fall, enlightening the political, moral and technological turmoil of the Second Empire with those of the Roman Empire. In returning Decadence back to its Roman origins, and tracing their configuration in the age of Enlightenment, this dissertation unravels a formative, yet frequently overlooked component of nineteenth century literature and aesthetics.

This thesis aims at developing a prototype for a fall detection bracelet that can connect to the cellular network. The bracelet consists of a processing unit, three sensors, a LTE USB modem and a powerbank. The prototype is aimed at elderly people since up to one out of three over the age of 65-years-old fall each year. Besides elderly people this system can be used in activities which involves substantial height, e.g. climbing and roofing. Statistics has shown that most serious consequences are not a direct result of falling, but from the lack of fast assistance and treatment. If a fall is detected a distress signal, in the form of an SMS message, is sent to a predefined emergency contact. The contents of the SMS messages includes time and date of fall, ambient temperature, fall location coordinates as well as an URL that redirects to the location as seen in Google Maps. The fall detection algorithm is threshold based and was created by first analyzing falls in different direction. It can successfully identify 74,4% of all falls, but as good as up to 91% of falls that are either backwards, forwards or to the left given that the bracelet is attached to the left wrist. The algorithm can further filter out 100% of studied activities that are not falls. Such activities include walking, running and sitting down. This gives an overall Accuracy of 93% for the system. The Accuracy takes into account how well a fall is detected and how well other activities are filtered out. Furthermore, the bracelet was worn for 40 hours, spread out over 11 days, in order to capture data during this persons every day life. During this time no false distress signal was sent to the emergency contact. Limitations of the system has been found to be the GPS module and the fact that the algorithm is threshold based. The location tracking can be improved by utilizing AGPS, which is the same technique that cellphones use. The threshold based system can't be circumvent in a wearable device solution. From this thesis it is indicated that a wearable bracelet can be a reliable fall detection unit. With more extensive falls and field testing even better results can be achieved and it can eventually be pushed as a real product.

Thesis advisor: Douglas Edmonds / Due to their low-lying position near the shoreline, river deltas are vulnerable to fluctuations in relative sea-level (RSL). Moreover, relatively little is known about fluvio-deltaic dynamics during RSL fall because the resulting deposits have low preservation potential. In this paper, I present a field-based study of the Goose River delta, coupled with numerical model simulations, that investigates the fluvio-deltaic response to RSL fall. The Goose River delta is a sandy fjord delta at the mouth of the Goose River located at the western end of Lake Melville, an inlet of the Labrador Sea, Canada and has experienced a RSL fall of 3 to 6 mm/yr in the past 5000 years due to post-glacial isostatic rebound. Aerial images show three abandoned delta lobes and one active lobe, suggesting that avulsions and lobe-switching occurred during RSL fall. Elevation analysis using Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) digital elevation model (DEM) data and optically-stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating suggest that a series of downstepping terraced delta lobes formed at the mouth of the Goose River during a period of RSL fall. Similarly, Delft3D model runs show continued avulsions and formation of multiple terraced delta lobes deposited at progressively lower elevations. I show computationally that by decreasing delta lobe widths, deltas may remain aggradational during RSL fall, creating conditions favorable for lobe-switching during RSL fall. Observations from the field and model runs provide a critical link in understanding the geomorphic processes occurring during RSL fall, and in particular show that 1) incision and sediment bypass is not a necessary response to RSL fall and 2) lateral migration of a delta via avulsion can continue to occur with falling sea-level. / Thesis (MS) — Boston College, 2013. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Geology and Geophysics.

Para minimizar as perturbações posturais de um movimento, o controle postural ativa os músculos não associados ao movimento focal. Os ajustes posturas de idosos são menos eficientes para evitar as quedas. O medo da queda também é um risco de queda. Deste modo, o problema desta pesquisa é: como o ajuste postural é organizado para garantir o controle postural durante atividade voluntária nos idosos caidores? Participaram 40 idosos (72,1±2,7 anos) que foram divididos em quatro grupos de acordo com suas características de queda e atividade física. Cada grupo (n=10) realizou a tarefa de flexão rápida dos membros superiores em bases de apoio instável e estável, as tarefas de alcance anterior e lateral e responderam a Falls Eficacy Scale. A atividade eletromiográfica dos músculos do tronco e do membro inferior foi registrada nos intervalos típicos dos ajustes posturais. A atividade muscular foi maior nas tarefas de alcance, no ajuste postural online, nos idosos caidores e sem medo de cair. Os idosos sedentários mostraram maior ativação dos músculos da cadeia anterior e os idosos ativos da mostraram maior ativação da musculatura posterior. A variabilidade do sinal eletromiográfico foi maior no ajuste postural compensatório, na tarefa sobre base instável, em idosos caidores. Conclue-se que os idosos caidores aumentam a atividade muscular após o início de movimento para manter o equilíbrio durante a tarefa pela incapacidade de gerar um APA eficiente. Os fatores de risco extrínsecos para quedas são relevantes para os idosos, uma vez que prática da atividade física não elimina o risco de cair / To minimize the postural disturbance provoked by a movement, the postural control activates the postural muscles instead of the focal movement muscles. The postural adjustments in the elderly are not enough efficient to avoid the falls. The fear of falling is also a risk of falling. Thus, the research question is: how the posture adjustment is organized to ensure postural control during voluntary activity of the falling elderly? The participants were 40 elderly (72.1 ± 2.7 years old) who were divided into four groups according to their falls characteristics and physical activity. Each group (n = 10) performed the shoulder extension as fast as possible on the unstable and stable suportt bases, as well the anterior and lateral reach task. They answered the Falls Eficacy Scale. The electrical activity of the trunk and lower limb muscles were recorded within the typical ranges of the postural adjustments. The highest muscle activation occurred during the reach tasks, for the online postural adjustment, for the fallers and without fear of falling. The sedentary participants showed higher activation of the anterior muscles and the active participants presented higher activation of the posterior muscles. The variability of electromyographical activity is higher during the compensatory postural adjustment, for the unstable support basis and for the fallers. It is concluded that the falling elderly increases the muscle activity after the beginning of movement to maintain balance due to the anticipatory postural adjustment inefficiency. The extrinsic risk factors to fall are relevant for falling prevention in elderly, since the practice of physical activity does not eliminates the risk to fall

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