Urinary incontinence: A vibration alert system for detecting pad overflow

This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final published article is available from the link below. Copyright @ 2011 RESNA.A sensor and electronics system is described that monitors the leakage of urine from continence pads into surrounding underwear. Urinary incontinence is involuntary loss of urine and occurs when the bladder muscles contract without warning or the sphincter muscles surrounding the urethra are too weak to prevent leakage. The system comprises a wetness sensor and electronics unit. The sensor is stitched into the underwear and detects overspills of urine from the pad. The electronics unit is attached to the underwear and responds by vibrating, signaling to the wearer that pad has failed. This system has application for individuals who use continence pads in the community, but it could also be used in care homes

Persistence in the zero-temperature dynamics of the QQ-states Potts model on undirected-directed Barab\'asi-Albert networks and Erd\"os-R\'enyi random graphs

The zero-temperature Glauber dynamics is used to investigate the persistence probability $P(t)$ in the Potts model with $Q=3,4,5,7,9,12,24,64, 128$, $256, 512, 1024,4096,16384$,..., $2^{30}$ states on {\it directed} and {\it undirected} Barab\'asi-Albert networks and Erd\"os-R\'enyi random graphs. In this model it is found that $P(t)$ decays exponentially to zero in short times for {\it directed} and {\it undirected} Erd\"os-R\'enyi random graphs. For {\it directed} and {\it undirected} Barab\'asi-Albert networks, in contrast it decays exponentially to a constant value for long times, i.e, $P(\infty)$ is different from zero for all $Q$ values (here studied) from $Q=3,4,5,..., 2^{30}$; this shows "blocking" for all these $Q$ values. Except that for $Q=2^{30}$ in the {\it undirected} case $P(t)$ tends exponentially to zero; this could be just a finite-size effect since in the other "blocking" cases you may have only a few unchanged spins.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures for IJM

Gait maturation in children with cerebral palsy: A pilot study

This study aimed at observing children with cerebral palsy's (CP) gait maturation and to correlate gait maturation's motor skill parameters. Podogram and video shooting of eight children's gait were used. Children up to seven years of age participated in the study. Cluster analysis was applied, dividing the sample into two groups, using the relation between pelvis’ width and the spreading of the ankles (REL) as parameters. Data were analyzed using t-test, analysis of Deltas, and Pearson’s correlation. Deviance from normality for all the parameters was demonstrated with greater failure in speed and cadence and a significant correlation among these parameters, and yet between them and the REL parameter. Although children with CP had acquired gait, they still do it immaturely

Phase diagrams in kappa-carrageenan/locust bean gum systems

Gelation (Tgel) and melting (Tm) temperatures of kappa-carrageenan gels and 4:1 kappa-carrageenan/locust bean gum mixed gels, at different total potassium concentrations (CT), were determined by means of rheological (dynamic and viscosimetric) measurements. The log CT was linearly related to Tgel−1 and Tm−1. Differences found between both systems are discussed

El computador en la clase de Matemáticas: desde lo dinámico y lo semiótico

En esta investigación se utilizó un enfoque que permitió explorar los conceptos propios del curso de ecuaciones diferenciales ordinarias, ofrecido para los estudiantes de la Facultad de Ingeniería de la Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Cali, Colombia, considerando los modelos teóricos propuesto por Godino y Batanero; la propuesta de Vergnaud, y los esquemas de representación de Brown. Se utiliza el computador como “instrumento mediador” (soportado en las potencialidades del software MatLab) que favoreció trabajar con instancias de modelación de las ecuaciones diferenciales en contextos propios de la Ingeniería, desde una perspectiva dinámica de las ecuaciones y otra semiótica desde el diseño de actividades para los estudiantes

Optical and Near Infrared Study of the Cepheus E outflow, a very low excitation object

We present images and spectra of the Cepheus E (Cep E) region at both optical and infrared wavelengths. Only the brightest region of the southern lobe of the Cep E outflow reveals optical emission, suggesting that the extinction close to the outflow source plays an important r\^ole in the observed difference between the optical and IR morphologies. Cep E is a unique object since it provides a link between the spectroscopic properties of the optical Herbig-Haro (HH) objects and those of deeply embedded outflows.Comment: Accepted Astron. J., 8 files: paper, tables plus 6 figure

No Sub-Saturn Mass Planet Desert in the CORALIE/HARPS Radial Velocity Sample

We analyze the CORALIE/HARPS sample of exoplanets (Mayor et al. 2011) found by the Doppler radial velocity method for signs of the predicted "desert" at 10-$100 M_\odot$ caused by runaway gas accretion at semimajor axes of $< 3\,$AU. We find that these data are not consistent with this prediction. This result is similar to the finding by the MOA gravitational microlensing survey that found no desert in the exoplanet distribution for exoplanets in slightly longer period orbits and somewhat lower host masses (Suzuki et al. 2018). Together, these results imply that the runaway accretion scenario of the core accretion theory does not have a large influence on the final mass and semimajor axis distribution of exoplanets.Comment: accepted by the Astronomical Journal, 19 pages with 5 figure

Mudanças climáticas no Semiárido brasileiro: medidas de mitigação e adaptação.

O objetivo deste artigo é discutir os impactos das mudanças climáticas e medidas de mitigação e adaptação que já estão sendo executadas no Semiárido brasileiro. Os potenciais impactos negativos sobre os recursos hídricos e a agricultura de sequeiro poderão comprometer a população da região. Medidas de mitigação como o manejo correto do solo, a redução de emissão de metano em ruminantes, o manejo florestal da Caatinga, a integração lavoura-pecuária-floresta e a produção e uso de biocombustíveis podem reduzir a emissão dos gases do efeito estufa. Medidas de adaptação como uso do melhoramento genético, a captação da água de chuva, adoção de novos sistemas produtivos, aproveitamento do potencial produtivo das plantas da Caatinga poderão contribuir para minimizar os efeitos das mudanças climáticas. A demanda por pesquisas nesse contexto continuará crescente, necessitando de esforços multidisciplinares, com a interação entre as instituições de pesquisa, a fim de definir métodos e estratégias para serem aplicados no Semiárido. A formulação de políticas públicas que incentivem a adoção destas práticas será imprescindível para que as mesmas sejam colocadas em prática

Os sistemas de controlo de gestão nas empresas de setores tradicionais na região de Trás-os-Montes

A criação/desenvolvimento de empresas é frequentemente apontada como uma estratégia viável para o desenvolvimento das regiões. Para este fim, as empresas dispõem de vários instrumentos entre os quais os SCG – Sistemas de Controlo de Gestão. Estes são considerados como importantes instrumentos para o crescimento e desenvolvimento das empresas incluindo PME. Assim, pretende-se com o presente trabalho avaliar o sistema de controlo de gestão existente nas empresas dos setores de atividade tradicionais da região de Trás-os-Montes. Para o efeito, após uma revisão da literatura, procede-se a um estudo empírico com base em dados primários de uma amostra de 7 empresas, recorrendo ao questionário com 3 grupos de questões. Os resultados vão de encontro ao esperado, ou seja, nem todas as empresas possuem SCG e as que não possuem não tencionam implementar esse sistema no curto prazo. Verifica-se alguma indiferença, relativamente à performance das empresas que possuem SCG