683 research outputs found

    Remission of extensive lentigo maligna after treatment with imiquimod

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    Lentigo maligno é um melanoma in situ que mais comumente surge em áreas expostas à radiação ultravioleta, nos pacientes idosos. O tratamento é realizado, principalmente, para minimizar o risco de progressão para lentigo maligno melanoma. O presente relato se refere a uma paciente idosa com lesões recorrentes de lentigo maligno na face, tratada com sucesso com imiquimod tópico, mostrando que este pode ser um tratamento útil, em determinados casos da doença.Lentigno maligna is a melanoma in situ that most commonly appears on areas exposed to ultraviolet radiation, in elderly patients. Treatment is required mainly to minimize the risk of progression to lentigo maligna melanoma. The present report refers to an elderly patient with recurrent lesions of lentigo maligna in her face, who was successfully treated with topical imiquimod, which showed to be a useful therapy for some cases of the disease

    UAV GNSS position corrections based on IoT™ communication protocol

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    With the increase of devices connected to the Internet, currently known as Internet of Things (IoT), it is important to use algorithms in data transmissions to achieve optimal results for a given application.The paper main goal is to gather Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) positions at maximum rate possible, process them in a Post-processed Kinematics (PPK) environment, in order to perform GNSS corrections when compared to real earth GNSS coordinates. This method translates as micro-adjustments of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) traveled path, achieving centimeter-level accuracy associated with GNSS actual position. These GNSS positions are collected by the UAV GNSS receiver, and then sent to a gateway by using LoRaWAN™ communications protocol.Experimental results were included in the paper.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

    Development of a software platform to control squads of unmanned vehicles in real-time

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    This paper proposes a new software platform to control and monitor a squad of unmanned vehicles. Through the use of an open-source flight controller and an on-board Raspberry Pi it is possible to create a system that enables communication between a remote ground control stations (GCS) and a unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Both are connected through the use of wireless and cellular networks like Wi-Fi, 3G and 4G which have the required support to allow for communication beyond line of sight

    Using distance sensors to perform collision avoidance maneuvres on UAV applications

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    The Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and its applications are growing for both civilian and military purposes. The operability of an UAV proved that some tasks and operations can be done easily and at a good cost-efficiency ratio. Nowadays, an UAV can perform autonomous missions. It is very useful to certain UAV applications, such as meteorology, vigilance systems, agriculture, environment mapping and search and rescue operations. One of the biggest problems that an UAV faces is the possibility of collision with other objects in the flight area. To avoid this, an algorithm was developed and implemented in order to prevent UAV collision with other objects. “Sense and Avoid” algorithm was developed as a system for UAVs to avoid objects in collision course. This algorithm uses a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), to detect objects facing the UAV in mid-flights. This light sensor is connected to an on-board hardware, Pixhawk’s flight controller, which interfaces its communications with another hardware: Raspberry Pi. Communications between Ground Control Station and UAV are made via Wi-Fi or cellular third or fourth generation (3G/4G). Some tests were made in order to evaluate the “Sense and Avoid” algorithm’s overall performance. These tests were done in two different environments: A 3D simulated environment and a real outdoor environment. Both modes worked successfully on a simulated 3D environment, and “Brake” mode on a real outdoor, proving its concepts.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

    Cloud-based implementation of a SON radio resources planning system for mobile networks and integration in SaaS metric

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    In mobile network deployments of growing size, the optimum and fast planning of radio resources are a key task. Cloud services enable efficient and scalable implementation of procedures and algorithms. In this paper, a proof of concept implementation of a cloud-based network planning work pattern using Amazon Web Services (AWS) is presented, containing new and efficient radio resource planning algorithms for 3G, 4G and 5G systems. It extracts configuration and performance data from the network, enabling to accurately estimate cells coverage, identify neighboring cells and optimally plan scrambling codes (SCs) and physical cell identity (PCI) in 3G and 4G/5G networks, respectively. This implementation was integrated and is available in the commercial Metric Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) monitoring and planning tool. The cloud-based planning system is demonstrated in various canonical and realistic Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) and Long Term Evolution (LTE) scenarios, and compared to an algorithm previously used by Metric. For a small LTE realistic scenario consisting of 9 sites and 23 cells, it takes less than 0.6 seconds to perform the planning. For an UMTS realistic scenario with 12 484 unplanned cells, the planning is efficiently achieved, taking less than 8 seconds, and guaranteeing no collisions between first order neighboring cells. The proposed concept is proved, as this system, capable of automatically planning 3/4/5G realistic networks of multi-vendor equipment, makes Metric more attractive to the market.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

    Broadcasting scalable video with generalized spatial modulation in cellular networks

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    This paper considers the transmission of scalable video via broadcast and multicast to increase spectral and energy efficiency in cellular networks. To address this problem, we study the use of generalized spatial modulation (GSM) combined with non-orthogonal hierarchical M-QAM modulations due to the capability to exploit the potential gains of large scale antenna systems and achieve high spectral and energy efficiencies. We introduce the basic idea of broadcasting/multicasting scalable video associated to GSM, and discuss the key limitations. Non-uniform hierarchical QAM constellations are used for broadcasting/multicasting scalable video while user specific messages are carried implicitly on the indexes of the active transmit antennas combinations. To deal with multiple video and dedicated user streams multiplexed on the same transmission, an iterative receiver with reduced complexity is described. 5G New Radio (NR) based link and system level results are presented. Two different ways of quadruplicating the number of broadcasting programs are evaluated and compared. Performance results show that the proposed GSM scheme is capable of achieving flexibility and energy efficiency gain over conventional multiple input multiple output (MIMO) schemes.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

    Temporal changes in cardiac oxidative stress, inflammation and remodeling induced by exercise in hypertension: Role for local angiotensin II reduction

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    Exercise training reduces renin-angiotensin system (RAS) activation, decreases plasma and tissue oxidative stress and inflammation in hypertension. However, the temporal nature of these phenomena in response to exercise is unknown. We sought to determine in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and age-matched WKY controls the weekly effects of training on blood pressure (BP), plasma and left ventricle (LV) Ang II and Ang-(1–7) content (HPLC), LV oxidative stress (DHE staining), gene and protein expression (qPCR and WB) of pro-inflammatory cytokines, antioxidant enzymes and their consequence on hypertension-induced cardiac remodeling. SHR and WKY were submitted to aerobic training (T) or maintained sedentary (S) for 8 weeks; measurements were made at weeks 0, 1, 2, 4 and 8. Hypertension-induced cardiac hypertrophy was accompanied by acute plasma Ang II increase with amplified responses during the late phase of LV hypertrophy. Similar pattern was observed for oxidative stress markers, TNF alpha and interleukin-1β, associated with cardiomyocytes’ diameter enlargement and collagen deposition. SHR-T exhibited prompt and marked decrease in LV Ang II content (T1 vs T4 in WKY-T), normalized oxidative stress (T2), augmented antioxidant defense (T4) and reduced both collagen deposition and inflammatory profile (T8), without changing cardiomyocytes’ diameter and LV hypertrophy. These changes were accompanied by decreased plasma Ang II content (T2-T4) and reduced BP (T8). SHR-T and WKY-T showed parallel increases in LV and plasma Ang-(1–7) content. Our data indicate that early training-induced downregulation of LV ACE-AngII-AT1 receptor axis is a crucial mechanism to reduce oxidative/pro-inflammatory profile and improve antioxidant defense in SHR-T, showing in addition this effect precedes plasma RAS deactivation

    Analysis of plantar pressure and balance of transfemoral amputees compared with non amputee subjects, using their shoes

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    Plantar pressure and balance of transfemoral amputees was compared with non amputeesubjects. 9 amputees and 18 controls walked over 8m walkway w/a pressure and a force plate.Significant differences registered: COF distance, deltax, deltay, Max/Min APforce, MinMLforceand time, stance and impulse
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