Highly Sensitive Multicore Fiber Accelerometer for Low Frequency Vibration Sensing

We report on a compact, highly sensitive all-fiber accelerometer suitable for low frequency and low amplitude vibration sensing. The sensing elements in the device are two short segments of strongly coupled asymmetric multicore fiber (MCF) fusion spliced at 180 degrees with respect to each other. Such segments of MCF are sandwiched between standard single mode fibers. The reflection spectrum of the device exhibits a narrow spectrum whose height and position in wavelength changes when it is subjected to vibrations. The interrogation of the accelerometer was carried out by a spectrometer and a photodetector to measure simultaneously wavelength shift and light power variations. The device was subjected to a wide range of vibration frequencies, from 1 mHz to 30 Hz, and accelerations from 0.76 mg to 29.64 mg, and performed linearly, with a sensitivity of 2.213 nW/mg. Therefore, we believe the accelerometer reported here may represent an alternative to existing electronic and optical accelerometers, especially for low frequency and amplitude vibrations, thanks to its compactness, simplicity, cost-effectiveness, implementation easiness and high sensitivity.Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad; Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades; European Regional Development Fund (PGC2018-101997-B-I00 and RTI2018-094669-B-C31); Gobierno Vasco/Eusko Jaurlaritza (IT933-16); ELKARTEK KK-2019/00101 (mu 4Indust) and ELKARTEK KK-2019/00051 (SMARTRESNAK). The work of Angel Ortega-Gomez is funded by a PhD fellowship from the Spain Government. The work of Josu Amorebieta is funded by a PhD fellowship from the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU

Sensitivity-optimized strongly coupled multicore fiber-based thermometer

[EN] In this paper, we report on a multicore fiber-based (MCF) temperature sensor that operates in a wide thermal range and that is robustly packaged to withstand harsh environments. To develop the sensor, the fundamentals concerning the effect of temperature on such fibers have been analyzed in detail to predict the most temperature sensitive MCF geometry. Thanks to it, the device, which operates in reflection mode and consists of a short segment of strongly coupled MCF fusion spliced to a standard single mode fiber, shows higher sensitivity than other devices with identical configuration. Regarding its packaging, it consists of an inner ceramic and two outer metallic tubes to provide rigidity and protection against impacts or dirt. The device was calibrated for a thermal range from -25 degrees C to 900 degrees C and a K-type thermocouple was used as reference. Our results suggest that the manufactured optical thermometer is as accurate as the electronic one, reaching a sensitivity up to 29.426 pm/degrees C with the advantage of being passive, compact and easy to fabricate and interrogate. Therefore, we believe this device is appealing for industrial applications that require highly sensitive temperature sensing in very demanding environments, and that the analysis included in this work could be analogously applied to develop sensitivity-optimized devices for other parameters of interest.Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad; Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades; European Regional Development Fund (PGC2018-101997-B-I00 and RTI2018-094669-B-C31) ; Gobierno Vasco/Eusko Jaurlaritza (IT933-16) ; ELKARTEK KK-2019/00101 (mu 4Indust) and ELKARTEK KK-2019/00051 (SMARTRESNAK) . The work of Josu Amorebieta is funded by a PhD fellowship from the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU. The work of Angel Ortega-Gomez is funded by a PhD fellowship from the MINECO (Ministerio de Economia y Empresa de Espana)

Compact Omnidirectional Multicore Fiber-Based Vector Bending Sensor

We propose and demonstrate a compact and simple vector bending sensor capable of distinguishing any direction and amplitude with high accuracy. The sensor consists of a short segment of asymmetric multicore fiber (MCF) fusion spliced to a standard single mode fiber. The reflection spectrum of such a structure shifts and shrinks in specific manners depending on the direction in which the MCF is bent. By monitoring simultaneously wavelength shift and light power variations, the amplitude and bend direction of the MCF can be unmistakably measured in any orientation, from 0 degrees to 360 degrees. The bending sensor proposed here is highly sensitive even for small bending angles (below 1 degrees).This work was funded in part by the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER), in part by the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades-under projects RTC2019-007194-4, RTI2018-0944669-B-C31 and PGC2018-101997-B-and in part by the Gobierno Vasco/Eusko Jaurlaritza IT933-16, ELKARTEK KK-2019/00101 (mu 4Indust), and ELKARTEK KK-2019/00051 (SMARTRESNAK). The work of Josu Amorebieta is funded by a PhD fellowship from the University of the Basque Country UPV/EH

Packaged multi-core fiber interferometer for high temperature sensing

[EN]A small size and compactly packaged optical sensor for high-temperature measurements is reported. The sensor consists of a short piece of multi-core fiber (MCF) spliced to the distal end of a single-mode fiber. The packaging consists of an inner ceramic shield that prevents bending, curvature, and vibration effects on the MCF, and an outer metallic shield that protects the device against impacts. The interaction between specific supermodes excited in the MCF creates an interference pattern that shifts linearly with the temperature. The sensor was calibrated in the range from 200 to 1000 °C and a K-type thermocouple was used as a reference. The average temperature sensitivity was found to be 24.8 pm/°C with a response time of 15 s. Our results indicate that our MCF interferometric thermometer is as accurate as an electronic one with the advantage that it is passive. Therefore, we believe that the proposed sensor is suitable for industrial applications.This work was funded in part by the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER), in part by the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad under project TEC2015-638263-C03-1-R, and in part by the Gobierno Vasco/Eusko Jaurlaritza IT933-16 and ELKARTEK (KK/00033, KK-2017/00089 and KK-2018/00078). The work of Josu Amorebieta is supported in part by a PhD fellowship from the University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Vicerrectorado de Euskera y Formación Continua

Fundulus as the premier teleost model in environmental biology : opportunities for new insights using genomics

Author Posting. © Elsevier B.V., 2007. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Elsevier B.V. for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part D: Genomics and Proteomics 2 (2007): 257-286, doi:10.1016/j.cbd.2007.09.001.A strong foundation of basic and applied research documents that the estuarine fish Fundulus heteroclitus and related species are unique laboratory and field models for understanding how individuals and populations interact with their environment. In this paper we summarize an extensive body of work examining the adaptive responses of Fundulus species to environmental conditions, and describe how this research has contributed importantly to our understanding of physiology, gene regulation, toxicology, and ecological and evolutionary genetics of teleosts and other vertebrates. These explorations have reached a critical juncture at which advancement is hindered by the lack of genomic resources for these species. We suggest that a more complete genomics toolbox for F. heteroclitus and related species will permit researchers to exploit the power of this model organism to rapidly advance our understanding of fundamental biological and pathological mechanisms among vertebrates, as well as ecological strategies and evolutionary processes common to all living organisms.This material is based on work supported by grants from the National Science Foundation DBI-0420504 (LJB), OCE 0308777 (DLC, RNW, BBR), BES-0553523 (AW), IBN 0236494 (BBR), IOB-0519579 (DHE), IOB-0543860 (DWT), FSML-0533189 (SC); National Institute of Health NIEHS P42-ES007381(GVC, MEH), P42-ES10356 (RTD), ES011588 (MFO); and NCRR P20 RR-016463 (DWT); Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Discovery (DLM, TDS, WSM) and Collaborative Research and Development Programs (DLM); NOAA/National Sea Grant NA86RG0052 (LJB), NA16RG2273 (SIK, MEH,GVC, JJS); Environmental Protection Agency U91620701 (WSB), R82902201(SC) and EPA’s Office of Research and Development (DEN)

Centrality evolution of the charged-particle pseudorapidity density over a broad pseudorapidity range in Pb-Pb collisions at root s(NN)=2.76TeV

Peer reviewe

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Anaemia and hypoalbuminemia as risk factors for left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in children with chronic kidney disease on peritoneal dialysis

Introduction: Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) is an independent predictor of mortality in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). The increase in the E/E′ ratio is an indicator of LVDD. The association between cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) and E/E′ in children with automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) has not been widely studied. Objective: To measure the association between CVRFs and E/E′ in children with CKD on APD. Methods: Cross-sectional, prolective, observational, analytical study of children aged 6–16 years on APD. We recorded age, gender, time since onset, time on dialysis, and measured weight, height, blood pressure, haemoglobin, albumin, calcium, phosphorus, parathyroid hormone, and C-reactive protein. E/E′ ratio was measured and considered to have increased when it was higher than 15. Results: Twenty-nine children were studied, (19 females). Age was 14.0 ± 2.5 years, and 16.9 ± 11.2 months with substitutive therapy. One patient had reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, and 21 (72.4%) had increased E/E′. E/E′ correlated significantly with haemoglobin (r = –0.53, p = 0.003). Haemoglobin and albumin were significantly lower (9.72 ± 1.9 vs. 12.2 ± 1.8; p = 0.004 and 3.6 ± 0.5 vs. 4.0 ± 0.3; p = 0.035) and the proportion of patients with anaemia and hypoalbuminemia was significantly higher (85.7% vs. 37.5%; p = 0.019 and 61.9% vs. 12.5%; p = 0.035) in patients with increased E/E′. Haemoglobin was the only independent predictor of E/E′ (β = –0.66; p = 0.020) and patients with anaemia were 10 times more likely to have increased E/E′ (95% CI 1.5–65.6, p = 0.016). Conclusions: 75% of the children had increased E/E′. Anaemia and hypoalbuminemia were significantly related with an increased E/e’. Resumen: Introducción: La disfunción diastólica del ventrículo izquierdo es predictor independiente de mortalidad en insuficiencia renal crónica (IRC). El incremento de la relación E/e’ es un indicador de disfunción diastólica del ventrículo izquierdo. La asociación entre factores de riesgo cardiovascular y E/e’ en niños con diálisis peritoneal automatizada (DPA) ha sido poco estudiada. Objetivo: Medir la asociación entre los factores de riesgo cardiovascular y E/e’ en niños con IRC en DPA. Métodos: Estudio transversal, prolectivo, observacional, analítico de niños de 6-16 años en DPA. Medimos la edad, el género, el tiempo de evolución, el tiempo en diálisis, el peso, la talla, la tensión arterial, la hemoglobina, la albúmina, el calcio, el fósforo, la hormona paratiroidea y la proteína C reactiva. Se midió E/e’ y se consideró incrementada cuando fue mayor de 15. Resultados: Estudiamos 29 niños (19 mujeres) con edad de 14,0 ± 2,5 años y 16,9 ± 11,2 meses en tratamiento sustitutivo. Un paciente tuvo fracción de eyección ventricular izquierda disminuida, 21 (72,4%) relación E/e’ incrementada. E/e’ correlacionó significativamente con hemoglobina (r = –0,53, p = 0,003). La hemoglobina y la albúmina fueron significativamente menores (9,72 ± 1,9 vs 12,2 ± 1,8; p = 0,004 y 3,6 ± 0,5 vs 4,0 ± 0,3; p = 0,035) y la proporción de pacientes con hipoalbuminemia y con anaemia fue significativamente mayor (85,7% vs 37,5%; p = 0,019 y 61,9% vs 12,5%; p = 0,035) en los pacientes con E/e’ incrementada. La hemoglobina fue el único predictor independiente de E/e’ (β = –0,66; p = 0,020). Los pacientes con anaemia tuvieron 10 veces más probabilidad de E/e’ incrementada (IC 95% 1,5-65,6, p = 0,016). Conclusiones: El 75% de los niños tuvieron E/e’ incrementada. La anaemia y la hipoalbuminemia se asociaron significativamente con E/e’ incrementada. Keywords: Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, Cardiovascular disease, Chronic kidney disease, Palabras clave: Disfunción diastólica del ventrículo izquierdo, Enfermedad cardiovascular, Insuficiencia renal crónic

Anemia e hipoalbuminemia como factores de riesgo de disfunción diastólica del ventrículo izquierdo en niños con insuficiencia renal crónica tratados con diálisis peritoneal

Resumen: Introducción: La disfunción diastólica del ventrículo izquierdo es predictor independiente de mortalidad en insuficiencia renal crónica (IRC). El incremento de la relación E/e’ es un indicador de disfunción diastólica del ventrículo izquierdo. La asociación entre factores de riesgo cardiovascular y E/e’ en niños con diálisis peritoneal automatizada (DPA) ha sido poco estudiada. Objetivo: Medir la asociación entre los factores de riesgo cardiovascular y E/e’ en niños con IRC en DPA. Métodos: Estudio transversal, prolectivo, observacional, analítico de niños de 6-16 años en DPA. Medimos la edad, el género, el tiempo de evolución, el tiempo en diálisis, el peso, la talla, la tensión arterial, la hemoglobina, la albúmina, el calcio, el fósforo, la hormona paratiroidea y la proteína C reactiva. Se midió E/e’ y se consideró incrementada cuando fue mayor de 15. Resultados: Estudiamos 29 niños (19 mujeres) con edad de 14,0 ± 2,5 años y 16,9 ± 11,2 meses en tratamiento sustitutivo. Un paciente tuvo fracción de eyección ventricular izquierda disminuida, 21 (72,4%) relación E/e’ incrementada. E/e’ correlacionó significativamente con hemoglobina (r = –0,53, p = 0,003). La hemoglobina y la albúmina fueron significativamente menores (9,72 ± 1,9 vs 12,2 ± 1,8; p = 0,004 y 3,6 ± 0,5 vs 4,0 ± 0,3; p = 0,035) y la proporción de pacientes con hipoalbuminemia y con anemia fue significativamente mayor (85,7% vs 37,5%; p = 0,019 y 61,9% vs 12,5%; p = 0,035) en los pacientes con E/e’ incrementada. La hemoglobina fue el único predictor independiente de E/e’ (β = –0,66; p = 0,020). Los pacientes con anemia tuvieron 10 veces más probabilidad de E/e’ incrementada (IC 95% 1,5-65,6, p = 0,016). Conclusiones: El 75% de los niños tuvieron E/e’ incrementada. La anemia y la hipoalbuminemia se asociaron significativamente con E/e’ incrementada. Abstract: Introduction: Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) is an independent predictor of mortality in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). The increase in the E/e’ ratio is an indicator of LVDD. The association between cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) and E/e’ in children with automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) has not been widely studied. Objective: To measure the association between CVRFs and E/e’ in children with CKD on APD. Methods: Cross-sectional, prolective, observational, analytical study of children aged 6–16 years on APD. We recorded age, gender, time since onset, time on dialysis, and measured weight, height, blood pressure, hemoglobin, albumin, calcium, phosphorus, parathyroid hormone, and C-reactive protein. E/e’ ratio was measured and considered to have increased when it was higher than 15. Results: Twenty-nine children were studied, (19 females). Age was 14.0 ± 2.5 years, and 16.9 ± 11.2 months with substitutive therapy. One patient had reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, and 21 (72.4%) had increased E/e’. E/e’ correlated significantly with hemoglobin (r = –0.53, P = .003). Hemoglobin and albumin were significantly lower (9.72 ± 1.9 vs. 12.2 ± 1.8; P = .004 and 3.6 ± 0.5 vs. 4.0 ± 0.3; P = .035) and the proportion of patients with anemia and hypoalbuminemia was significantly higher (85.7% vs. 37.5%; P = .019 and 61.9% vs. 12.5%; P = .035) in patients with increased E/e’. Hemoglobin was the only independent predictor of E/e’ (β = –0.66; P = .020) and patients with anemia were 10 times more likely to have increased E/e’ (95% CI 1.5-65.6, P = .016). Conclusions: 75% of the children had increased E/e’. Anemia and hypoalbuminemia were significantly related with an increased E/e’. Palabras clave: Disfunción diastólica del ventrículo izquierdo, Enfermedad cardiovascular, Insuficiencia renal crónica, Keywords: Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, Cardiovascular disease, Chronic kidney diseas