Uncertainty calculations in optical methods used for micro flow measurement

Funding Information: This work performed under MeDDII project has received funding from the EMPIR programme co-financed by the Participating States and from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme .This work aims to describe the uncertainty calculation methodologies associated with two optical methods used for micro flow measurements, both developed at the Portuguese Institute for Quality (IPQ) under the EMPIR project MeDD II – Metrology for Drug Delivery framework. One of the methods is the front track which consists of tracking the meniscus of a liquid inside a capillary tube over time. The second method is the pending drop method that relies on measuring the volume growth of a drop over time. Both methods use a camera to capture images and convert them in volume or displacement length to determine flow rate. The uncertainty calculations will be presented in detail. The values obtained for the front track method are much smaller than for the pending drop method, specially at very low flow rates.publishersversionpublishe

Metrology in health: challenges and solutions in infusion therapy and diagnostics

The significance of Metrology in infusion therapy and diagnostics, both critical in health care safety and quality, is discussed in this article. Although infusion therapy is the most used form of drug administration, infusion errors are often made with reported dramatic effects in different applications, especially in neonatology. Adverse incidents, morbidity, and mortality have often been traced back to poor or inaccurate dosing. For critical infusion applications to vulnerable patients, well-controlled medication administration might be accomplished by improved dosing accuracy, traceable measurement of volume, flow, and pressure in existing drug delivery devices and in-line sensors operating at very low flow rates. To this end, the contribution of recently upgraded metrological infrastructures in European Metrology Institutes to a safer infusion therapy in health care is described in detail. Diagnostics, on the other hand is a sector characterized by rapid developments further triggered recently by the necessity for the management and prevention of infectious diseases like COVID-19. In this context, the impact of metrology in future large-scale commercialization of next generation diagnostics (e.g., point-of-care) is highlighted. Moreover, the latest contributions of Metrology in the development of traceable testing methods and protocols to ensure the sensitivity and accuracy of these devices are described

Dissertações

Resumo e abstract de dissertações de mestrado apresentadas na Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, na área da Educação

Metrology in Health – Good Practices Guide - Part II - Chapter III - Infusion Pumps

In the human body, the circulatory system is responsible for the process of transporting blood, which among many other functions delivers nutrients to the cells. In accordance with this physiological principle, supporting methodologies for therapeutic processes were developed that have enabled medical measuring instruments to be developed. It was within this context that the first infusion pumps appeared in the 60 s and 70 s, that by using a pressure higher than the blood pressure allowed fluids to be administered directly into the human body, including medications, blood components, and nutrients amongst others. Currently and according to the international standard IEC 60601-2-24 these devices are designated by infusion pumps. Because it is an infusion pump with the respective accessories, the term perfusion systems is also used as nomenclature throughout this document.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Bombas de perfusão

No corpo humano, o processo de transporte do sangue é assegurado pelo sistema circulatório que tem a função, entre outras, de distribuir os nutrientes pelas células. De acordo com este princípio fisiológico, foram desenvolvidas metodologias coadjuvantes de processos terapêuticos, que permitiram o desenvolvimento de instrumentos médicos com função de medição. Neste contexto, as primeiras bombas de perfusão surgiram nas décadas de 60 e de 70, que ao utilizarem uma pressão superior à pressão sanguínea, possibilitaram a administração de fluidos diretamente no corpo humano, incluindo fármacos, componentes do sangue, nutrientes, entre outros. Atualmente, e de acordo com a norma internacional IEC 60601-2-24, a estes dispositivos é atribuída a designação de bombas de perfusão, habitualmente designados por bombas infusoras. Tratando-se de uma bomba de perfusão com os respetivos acessórios, o termo sistemas de perfusão é também atribuído como nomenclatura ao longo do presente documento.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Synthesis of Stable Isotope-Labeled Precursors for the Biosyntheses of Capsaicinoids, Capsinoids, and Capsiconinoids

Stable isotope-labeled precursors were synthesized for an analysis by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to elucidate the biosynthetic flow of capsaicinoids, capsinoids, and capsiconinoids. [1′-13C][5-2H]-Vanillin was prepared by the condensation of guaiacol with [13C]-chloroform and a D2O treatment. Labeled vanillylamine, vanillyl alcohol, ferulic acid, and coniferyl alcohol were prepared from the labeled vanillin. The labeled vanillylamine was converted to labeled capsaicinoid in a crude enzyme solution extracted from pungent Capsicum fruits

Unraveling the genetic background of individuals with a clinical familial hypercholesterolemia phenotype

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a common genetic disorder of lipid metabolism caused by pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants in LDLR, APOB, and PCSK9 genes. Variants in FH-phenocopy genes (LDLRAP1, APOE, LIPA, ABCG5, and ABCG8), polygenic hypercholesterolemia, and hyperlipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] can also mimic a clinical FH phenotype. We aim to present a new diagnostic tool to unravel the genetic background of clinical FH phenotype. Biochemical and genetic study was performed in 1,005 individuals with clinical diagnosis of FH, referred to the Portuguese FH Study. A next-generation sequencing panel, covering eight genes and eight SNPs to determine LDL-C polygenic risk score and LPA genetic score, was validated, and used in this study. FH was genetically confirmed in 417 index cases: 408 heterozygotes and 9 homozygotes. Cascade screening increased the identification to 1,000 FH individuals, including 11 homozygotes. FH-negative individuals (phenotype positive and genotype negative) have Lp(a) >50 mg/dl (30%), high polygenic risk score (16%), other monogenic lipid metabolism disorders (1%), and heterozygous pathogenic variants in FH-phenocopy genes (2%). Heterozygous variants of uncertain significance were identified in primary genes (12%) and phenocopy genes (7%). Overall, 42% of our cohort was genetically confirmed with FH. In the remaining individuals, other causes for high LDL-C were identified in 68%. Hyper-Lp(a) or polygenic hypercholesterolemia may be the cause of the clinical FH phenotype in almost half of FH-negative individuals. A small part has pathogenic variants in ABCG5/ABCG8 in heterozygosity that can cause hypercholesterolemia and should be further investigated. This extended next-generation sequencing panel identifies individuals with FH and FH-phenocopies, allowing to personalize each person’s treatment according to the affected pathway

Characterisation of microbial attack on archaeological bone

As part of an EU funded project to investigate the factors influencing bone preservation in the archaeological record, more than 250 bones from 41 archaeological sites in five countries spanning four climatic regions were studied for diagenetic alteration. Sites were selected to cover a range of environmental conditions and archaeological contexts. Microscopic and physical (mercury intrusion porosimetry) analyses of these bones revealed that the majority (68%) had suffered microbial attack. Furthermore, significant differences were found between animal and human bone in both the state of preservation and the type of microbial attack present. These differences in preservation might result from differences in early taphonomy of the bones. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved

Brazilian Flora 2020: Leveraging the power of a collaborative scientific network

International audienceThe shortage of reliable primary taxonomic data limits the description of biological taxa and the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes, complicating biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary studies. This deficit creates a significant taxonomic impediment to biodiversity research and conservation planning. The taxonomic impediment and the biodiversity crisis are widely recognized, highlighting the urgent need for reliable taxonomic data. Over the past decade, numerous countries worldwide have devoted considerable effort to Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which called for the preparation of a working list of all known plant species by 2010 and an online world Flora by 2020. Brazil is a megadiverse country, home to more of the world's known plant species than any other country. Despite that, Flora Brasiliensis, concluded in 1906, was the last comprehensive treatment of the Brazilian flora. The lack of accurate estimates of the number of species of algae, fungi, and plants occurring in Brazil contributes to the prevailing taxonomic impediment and delays progress towards the GSPC targets. Over the past 12 years, a legion of taxonomists motivated to meet Target 1 of the GSPC, worked together to gather and integrate knowledge on the algal, plant, and fungal diversity of Brazil. Overall, a team of about 980 taxonomists joined efforts in a highly collaborative project that used cybertaxonomy to prepare an updated Flora of Brazil, showing the power of scientific collaboration to reach ambitious goals. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian Flora 2020 and provides taxonomic and spatial updates on the algae, fungi, and plants found in one of the world's most biodiverse countries. We further identify collection gaps and summarize future goals that extend beyond 2020. Our results show that Brazil is home to 46,975 native species of algae, fungi, and plants, of which 19,669 are endemic to the country. The data compiled to date suggests that the Atlantic Rainforest might be the most diverse Brazilian domain for all plant groups except gymnosperms, which are most diverse in the Amazon. However, scientific knowledge of Brazilian diversity is still unequally distributed, with the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado being the most intensively sampled and studied biomes in the country. In times of “scientific reductionism”, with botanical and mycological sciences suffering pervasive depreciation in recent decades, the first online Flora of Brazil 2020 significantly enhanced the quality and quantity of taxonomic data available for algae, fungi, and plants from Brazil. This project also made all the information freely available online, providing a firm foundation for future research and for the management, conservation, and sustainable use of the Brazilian funga and flora