Using graphical representations to support the calculation of infusion parameters

A variety of medical procedures require arithmetic calculations to be performed. These calculations can be complex and induce errors that can have serious consequences on the ward. In this paper, we consider whether a graphical representation might make these calculations easier. The results of a laboratory experiment are reported in which participants were asked to solve a number of infusion parameter problems that were represented either graphically or textually. Results show that participants were faster but no more accurate in solving graphical problems than they were textual problems. We discuss the need for situated work to be conducted that builds on these initial findings to determine whether the advantages of graphical representations transfer to actual workplace settings. © 2013 Springer-Verlag

Visualizing Magnitude: Graphical Number Representations Help Users Detect Large Number Entry Errors

Nurses frequently have to program infusion pumps to deliver a prescribed quantity of drug over time. Occasional errors are made in the performance of this routine number entry task, resulting in patients receiving the incorrect dose of a drug. While many of these number entry errors are inconsequential, others are not; infusing 100 ml of a drug instead of 10 ml can be fatal. This paper investigates whether a supplementary graphical number representation, depicting the magnitude of a number, can help people detect number entry errors. An experiment was conducted in which 48 participants had to enter numbers from a ‘prescription sheet’ to a computer interface using a keyboard. The graphical representation was supplementary and was shown both on the ‘prescription sheet’ and the device interface. Results show that while overall more errors were made when the graphical representation was visible, the graphical representation helped participants to detect larger number entry errors (i.e., those that were out by at least an order of magnitude). This work suggests that a graphical number entry system that visualizes magnitude of number can help people detect serious number entry errors

Probabilistic Analysis Of Property Uncertainties Using Resin Infusion Flow Modeling And Simulations €“ Resin Viscosity And Preform Permeability

Physics based flow modeling provides an effective way to simulate the resin infusion process in liquid composite molding processes for polymer composite structures. These are effective to provide optimal injection time and locations for given process parameters of resin viscosity and preform permeability prior to resin gelation. However, there could be significant variations in these two parameters during actual manufacturing due to differences in the resin batches, mixes, temperature, ambient conditions for viscosity; in the preform rolls, compaction, etc., for permeability

Estudo do efeito do processamento por alta pressão no processo de fritura da batata

The frying process is the most used technique in potato processing before consumption. Some of the textural, nutritional, and sensory changes induced by frying are desirable, but others are harmful to human health. Thus, the main challenge in potato frying is to reduce the formation of the undesirable characteristics, without compromising the sensorial attributes. High Pressure Processing (HPP) technology has been used to accelerate infusion processes, as well as to modify the potato starch, enzymes, texture and physiological processes, and thereby this work aimed to evaluate the potentiality of HPP on modification of physico-chemical properties of raw potato tubers, and of sensory, nutritional and physico-chemical properties of the respective fried potatoes, as well as on asparaginase infusion into raw potato sticks, and consequently on reduction of acrylamide levels in fried potatoes. Whole potato tubers (peeled and unpeeled, packaged in water or under vacuum) subjected to 100-500 MPa for 2.5 min exhibited a decrease of up to 42% in their firmness, and an increase of up to ~12-fold in water exudation of peeled potatoes, due to the changes on texture and cell permeability caused by HPP. Raw potato sticks treated by HPP (200-600 MPa, 2.5 and 10 min) or infused with asparaginase by HPP (100-400 MPa, 5 min) exhibited reductions in firmness (up to 35%), stiffness (up to 38%), and energy for cutting (up to 47%); the roughness of potato surface was also reduced and moisture content slightly reduced; and the concentration of soluble solids/sugars in the exterior water increased. Also, HPP induced starch gelatinization, followed by starch retrogradation at 600 MPa. Due to changes induced by HPP on raw potatoes, HPP pre-treated fried potatoes exhibited higher weight loss after frying, slight lower moisture content, higher hardness (crispness), and a lighter colour. Lipid content, lipid profile and acrylamide levels were quality parameters that were not affected by HPP. When asparaginase was added, acrylamide levels of fried potatoes pre-treated at 100-400 MPa reduced of 26-47%, while with asparaginase alone (without HPP) there was no reduction. Thus, this combined asparaginase and HPP treatment could be a novel strategy for acrylamide mitigation in fried potatoes. In sum, HPP showed to affect the quality of potato tubers at the textural, physical and chemical level, and was efficient on the asparaginase infusion into raw potato sticks. Therefore, it may be used as a pre-treatment for the production of fried potatoes with different/better sensorial, textural and nutritional properties, as well as to improve energetically some industrial processes (for instance, the cutting process and frying time).A fritura é a técnica mais usada para o processamento de batatas antes do seu consumo, e apesar de algumas das alterações texturais, nutricionais e sensoriais resultantes serem desejáveis, outras são prejudiciais à saúde, nomeadamente os elevados níveis de acrilamida (composto carcinogénico) e de gordura. Assim, o maior desafio na produção de batatas fritas consiste na redução da formação das características não desejáveis, não comprometendo as qualidades sensoriais. A tecnologia de processamento por alta pressão (do inglês High Pressure Processing, HPP) tem sido usada para acelerar processos de infusão, bem como alterar o amido, enzimas, textura e processos fisiológicos das batatas. Portanto, pretendeu-se com este trabalho, avaliar a potencialidade do HPP na modificação das propriedades físico-químicas dos tubérculos de batata e das propriedades sensoriais, nutricionais e físico-químicas das respetivas batatas fritas, bem como na infusão de asparaginase em palitos de batata, e consequente redução dos níveis de acrilamida em batatas fritas. Os tubérculos de batata inteiros (descascados e não descascados, embalados em água ou em vácuo) processados a 100-500 MPa por 2.5 min exibiram um decréscimo até 42% na sua firmeza, e um aumento de até ~12 vezes da libertação de líquido para o exterior, devido às alterações texturais e na permeabilidade celular induzidas pelo HPP. Palitos de batata processados por HPP (200-600 MPa, 2.5 e 10 min) ou infundidos com asparaginase por HPP (100-400 MPa, 5 min) apresentaram reduções de até 35% na firmeza, 38% na rigidez, e 47% na energia necessária para o corte; a rugosidade à superfície e o conteúdo em água também diminuíram, e a concentração de açúcares/sólidos solúveis na água envolvente aumentou. Além disso, o HPP induziu a gelatinização do amido, seguida de retrogradação a 600 MPa. Devido às alterações induzidas pelo HPP nas batatas cruas, as respetivas batatas fritas apresentaram uma maior perda de peso após a fritura, uma ligeira diminuição no conteúdo em água, um aumento na sua rigidez à superfície (crocância), e uma cor mais clara. O teor em lípidos, perfil lipídico, e a concentração de acrilamida não foram afetados pelo HPP. Porém, quando a asparaginase foi adicionada, os níveis de acrilamida nas batatas pré-tratadas a 100-400 MPa reduziram-se em 26-47%, enquanto só com asparaginase (sem HPP) não se verificou redução. Assim, o tratamento combinado entre o HPP e a asparaginase poderia ser uma nova estratégia a ser aplicada na redução dos níveis de acrilamida em batatas fritas. Em suma, o HPP afetou a qualidade dos tubérculos de batata ao nível textural, físico e químico, e foi eficiente na infusão de asparaginase nos palitos de batata, e por isso, poderia ser usado não só como pré-tratamento para a produção de batatas fritas com diferentes/melhoradas propriedades sensoriais, texturais e nutricionais, mas também para melhorar energeticamente alguns processos industriais (por exemplo, o corte e o tempo de fritura).Mestrado em Biotecnologi

SOFTENG 2023: the ninth international conference on advances and trends in software engineering

The Ninth International Conference on Advances and Trends in Software Engineering (SOFTENG 2023), held between April 24th and April 28th, 2023, continued a series of events focusing on these challenging aspects for software development and deployment, across the whole life-cycle. Software engineering exhibits challenging dimensions in the light of new applications, devices, and services. Mobility, user-centric development, smart-devices, e-services, ambient environments, e-health and wearable/implantable devices pose specific challenges for specifying software requirements and developing reliable and safe software. Specific software interfaces, agile organization and software dependability require particular approaches for software security, maintainability, and sustainability. We take here the opportunity to warmly thank all the members of the SOFTENG 2023 technical program committee, as well as all the reviewers. The creation of such a high-quality conference program would not have been possible without their involvement. We also kindly thank all the authors who dedicated much of their time and effort to contribute to SOFTENG 2023. We truly believe that, thanks to all these efforts, the final conference program consisted of top-quality contributions. We also thank the members of the SOFTENG 2023 organizing committee for their help in handling the logistics of this event. We hope that SOFTENG 2023 was a successful international forum for the exchange of ideas and results between academia and industry and for the promotion of progress in the field of software engineering