Improving patient-reported outcome measures through visual analytics

In this thesis the important role of visual analytics will be presented as it offers a better understanding of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMS). PROMS differ from the well-known medical measures, which are objective and quantitative such as blood pressure or blood levels among others, as they are questionnaires that assess aspects of patients’ quality of life. The correct use of these data provides an improvement in healthcare practices, but this remains a research challenge. To fix the problem, the KNoVA project uses these data described from clinical trials, especially in an eye disease called Uveitis. The methodology of Visual Analytics in tackling this problem, and the design and evaluation performed in a prototype are discussed in detail. Intermediary results with Visual Analytics experts show promising uses of the developed solution.En esta tesis se presentará el importante papel de la Analítica Visual, ya que ofrece una mejor comprensión de las medidas de resultados comunicadas por los pacientes (PROMS). Las PROMS se diferencian de las conocidas medidas médicas, que son objetivas y cuantitativas como la presión arterial o los niveles de sangre entre otras, ya que son cuestionarios que evalúan aspectos de la calidad de vida de los pacientes. El uso correcto de estos datos proporciona una mejora en las prácticas sanitarias, pero esto sigue siendo un reto para la investigación. Para solucionar el problema, el proyecto KNoVA utiliza estos datos descritos a partir de ensayos clínicos, especialmente en una enfermedad ocular llamada Uveitis. La metodología de Analítica Visual que se usa para abordar este problema, así como el diseño y la evaluación realizados en un prototipo se discuten en detalle. Los resultados intermedios con expertos en Visual Analytics muestran usos prometedores de la solución desarrollada.En aquesta tesi es presentarà l’important paper de l’Analítica Visual, ja que ofereix una millor comprensió de les mesures de resultats comunicades pels pacients (PROMS). Les PROMS es diferencien de les conegudes mesures mèdiques, que són objectives i quantitatives com la pressió arterial o els nivells de sang entre d’altres, ja que són qüestionaris que avaluen aspectes de la qualitat de vida dels pacients. L’us correcte d’aquestes dades proporciona una millora en les pràctiques sanitàries, però això segueix sent un repte per a la investigació. Per solucionar el problema, el projecte KNoVA utilitza aquestes dades descrites a partir d’assajos clínics, especialment en una malaltia ocular anomenada uveïtis. La metodologia d’Analítica Visual que s’utilitza per abordar aquest problema, així com el disseny i l’avaluació realitzats en un prototip es discuteixen en detall. Els resultats intermedis amb experts en Analítica Visual mostren usos prometedors de la solució de- senvolupada

Combined application of experimental and predictive modelling approaches towards the microbial safety of ready-to-eat meat products

The food safety challenges derived from the market demands towards convenient food, such as ready-to-eat meat products with extended durability, motivate food business operators to explore and adopt new intervention strategies to increase the microbiological safety of their products. This thesis was focused on assessing and modelling the behaviour of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella towards different intervention strategies with the aim to develop decision support systems to increase the microbiological safety and to extend the safe shelf-life of different RTE meat products. Several challenge tests and predictive microbiological approaches were applied to characterize the behaviour of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella in RTE meat products in response to antimicrobial and post-lethality intervention strategies aiming (i) to inhibit the growth of L. monocytogenes on cooked ham, including biopreservation and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and (ii) to inactivate L. monocytogenes and/or Salmonella in raw pet food, cooked ham, dry-cured ham and/or dry-fermented sausages, including high pressure processing (HPP) or corrective storage. Moreover, the potential interactions between HPP and antimicrobial strategies were also assessed.Els reptes en seguretat alimentària derivats de les demandes del mercat relatives a aliments en format de conveniència, com els productes carnis llestos per al consum de llarga vida útil, motiven els operadors d'empreses alimentàries a explorar i adoptar noves estratègies d'intervenció per augmentar la seguretat microbiològica dels seus productes. Aquesta tesi es va enfocar a avaluació i modelització del comportament de Listeria monocytogenes i Salmonella en resposta a diferents estratègies d’intervenció, amb l’objectiu de desenvolupar eines de suport per a la presa de decisions per augmentar la seguretat microbiològica i extendre la vida útil segura de diferents productes carnis llestos per al consum. Es van aplicar diferents enfocs basats en assajos d'inoculació i microbiologia predictiva per caracteritzar el comportament de L. monocytogenes i Salmonella en resposta a estratègies d'intervenció basades en l’aplicació antimicrobians i tractaments de post-letalitat amb l'objectiu de (i) inhibir el creixement de L. monocytogenes en pernil cuit, inclosa la bioconservació i envasat en atmosfera modificada (MAP) i (ii) inactivar L. monocytogenes i/o Salmonella en aliments crus per a mascotes, pernil cuit, pernil curat en sec i/o salsitxes fermentades en sec, inclòs el processament per alta pressió (HPP) o l’emmagatzematge correctiu. A més, també es van avaluar les possibles interaccions entre HPP i les estratègies antimicrobianes.Programa de Doctorat en Tecnologi

Analysis of noise-induced temporal correlations in neuronal spike sequences

This is a copy of the author 's final draft version of an article published in the journal European physical journal. Special topics. The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1140/epjst/e2016-60024-6We investigate temporal correlations in sequences of noise-induced neuronal spikes, using a symbolic method of time-series analysis. We focus on the sequence of time-intervals between consecutive spikes (inter-spike-intervals, ISIs). The analysis method, known as ordinal analysis, transforms the ISI sequence into a sequence of ordinal patterns (OPs), which are defined in terms of the relative ordering of consecutive ISIs. The ISI sequences are obtained from extensive simulations of two neuron models (FitzHugh-Nagumo, FHN, and integrate-and-fire, IF), with correlated noise. We find that, as the noise strength increases, temporal order gradually emerges, revealed by the existence of more frequent ordinal patterns in the ISI sequence. While in the FHN model the most frequent OP depends on the noise strength, in the IF model it is independent of the noise strength. In both models, the correlation time of the noise affects the OP probabilities but does not modify the most probable pattern.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Mechanical characterization of sol–gel epoxy-silylatedhyperbranched poly(ethyleneimine) coatings by meansof Depth Sensing Indentation methods

A series of hybrid epoxy-silica coatings were prepared from a synthesized hyperbranched poly(ethyleneimine) with ethoxysilyl groups at the chain ends and diglycidylether of bisphenol A in different proportions. The curing procedure was based in a first sol-gel reaction performed at 80 °C in a humid chamber followed by the anionic homopolymerization of epoxides initiated by 1-methylimidazole in an oven at 180 °C. The prepared coatings were characterized mechanically by means of Depth Sensing Indentation technique. The influence of physical ageing on indentation hardness has been evaluated. The kinetic of the delayed depth recovery has been analyzed using the phenomenological so-called Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts relaxation function. It has been found that silylated hyperbranched poly(ethyleneimine) improves simultaneously the mechanical coating performance and the elastic recovery.Postprint (author's final draft

Guernica – a arte como forma de comunicação

Dissertação de Mestrado, Comunicação, Cultura e Artes, Faculdade de Ciências Humanas e Sociais, Universidade do Alagrve, 2014The way we communicate with each other has changed a lot since the beginning of the twentieth century thus becomes important to try to explain what has changed in the arts and how you receive your message today. This project starts from the analysis of the work of Picasso Guernica as an example to analyse the communication through the art of the early twentieth century compared to today. I will research on how evolved the relationship between art and communication. And how is seen art though the new media. What an artist wants to convey when producing a work of art and its impact on the receiver as their historical context. Although Picasso's Guernica and themes already being hotly debated, try approaching the point of view of communication, and use them only as examples showing that work via new media. So this project is essentially practical with a view to building a video and a website on the topic. In this video show the work, speak with those responsible for the museum where Guernica is exposed, witness reactions and try to understand how the reception has been throughout the ages. We also spoke of the importance of digital media as a vehicle to showcase the museums and works of art. This is a project with a theoretical framework, interviews and images that may provide some answers to the initial question. Try using audio-visuals, photographic or others who are available to support our work material

Synthesis of 1,2,3-triazole functionalized hyperbranched poly(ethyleneimine) and its use as multifunctional anionic macroinitiator for diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A curing

Hyperbranched poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI) has been modified by the addition of propargyl acrylate following a Michael addition reaction. On this polymer (PEI-yne) a copper (I)-catalyzed azide alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) has been performed to obtain a multifunctional triazole initiator (PEI-TA). After structural and thermal characterization, this polymer has been used in different proportions as anionic multifunctional macroinitiator in diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) homopolymerization. The curing process has been studied by calorimetry and the thermosets obtained have been thermally characterized and compared with thermosets prepared by using 1-methylimidazole (1-MI) as standard initiator. The electron microscopy inspection of the fracture surfaces of the new materials prepared shows the formation of submicrometer particles that should enhance toughness characteristics, changing smooth fracture surfaces in 1-MI initiated materials to multi-planar surface with tortuous and thicker cracks.Postprint (author's final draft