Reader antennas requirements in chipless RFID systems with linear and circular polarization

Two efficient reading approaches for chipless RFID are compared. The first approach uses a linear polarization interrogation with depolarizing tags able to reflect an electromagnetic signal with orthogonal polarization state with respect to the impinging one. In the second approach a circular polarization interrogation is sent to the tag which scatters it back with opposite rotation sense. The two methods are described in terms of both conversion efficiency and performance at a system level. It is underlined that one of the main requirements for obtaining good performance of the chipless RFID system relies on the design of the reader transmitting and receiving antennas which should be wideband and guarantee a low level of radiated cross-polarization, together with a low-mutual coupling

Radar Cross Section of Chipless RFID tags and BER Performance

The performance of different chipless RFID tag topologies are analysed in terms of Radar Cross Section (RCS) and Bit Error Rate (BER). It is shown that the BER is mainly determined by the tag Radar Cross Section (RCS) once that a standard reading scenario is considered and a fixed size of the tag is chosen. It is shown that the arrangement of the resonators in the chipless tag plays a crucial role in determining the cross-polar RCS of the tag. The RCS of the tag is computed theoretically by using array theory where each resonator is treated as a separate scatterer completely characterized by a specific reflection coefficient. Several resonators arrangements (periodic and non-periodic) are compared, keeping the physical area of the tag fixed. Theoretical and experimental analysis demonstrate that the periodic configuration guarantees the maximum achievable RCS thus providing a global lower BER of the chipless RFID communication system. We believe that the BER is the more meaningful and fair figure of merit for comparing the performance of different tags than bt/cm2 or bt/Hz since the increase of encoded information of the tag is useful only if it can be correctly decoded

Effects of Amorphous Calcium Phosphate Administration on Dental Sensitivity during In-Office and At-Home Interventions

Background. Tooth bleaching is the most frequently employed whitening procedure in clinics. The major side effect of tooth bleaching is dental sensitivity during and after the treatment. Here, we evaluated whether the administration of amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP), during in-office and at-home procedures may impact on dental sensitivity. Methods. Eighty patients, responding to the study requirements were enrolled according to the following criteria. Group 1 (n = 40), received in-office, 10% ACP prior to 30% professional hydrogen peroxide application. The whitening procedure continued at home using 10% carbamide peroxide with 15% ACP for 15 days. Group 2 (n = 40) received only 30% hydrogen peroxide application and continued the whitening procedures at home, using 10% carbamide hydroxide, without ACP- Casein phosphopeptides (CPP), for 15 days. Dental sensitivity was recorded with a visual analogue scale (VAS) at baseline, immediately after, and at 15 days after treatment in the two groups. Results. We observed that patients receiving ACP in the bleaching mixture experienced decreased dental sensitivity (* p 64 0.05), as detected by VAS scale analysis immediately following the procedures. Patients receiving ACP-CPP during at-home procedures showed a statistically significant (*** p 64 0.0001) reduction of dental sensitivity. Conclusions. We demonstrated that ACP-CPP administration, while exerting the same whitening effects as in control subjects receiving potassium fluoride (PF), had an impact on the reduction of dental sensitivity, improving patient compliance

Space-Air-Ground Integrated 6G Wireless Communication Networks: A Review of Antenna Technologies and Application Scenarios

A review of technological solutions and advances in the framework of a Vertical Heterogeneous Network (VHetNet) integrating satellite, airborne and terrestrial networks is presented. The disruptive features and challenges offered by a fruitful cooperation among these segments within a ubiquitous and seamless wireless connectivity are described. The available technologies and the key research directions for achieving global wireless coverage by considering all these layers are thoroughly discussed. Emphasis is placed on the available antenna systems in satellite, airborne and ground layers by highlighting strengths and weakness and by providing some interesting trends in research. A summary of the most suitable applicative scenarios for future 6G wireless communications are finally illustrated

Long-pulsed Nd:YAG laser using an “in motion” setting to treat telangiectatic rosacea

Background: Rosacea is an inflammatory condition of the face characterized in its early stages by flushing, erythema and telangiectasias. Objectives: We evaluate the efficacy of long-pulsed Nd:YAG laser on erythematousteleangiectasic rosacea (ETR). Methods: In a retrospective case study of 21 patients (14F, 7M) with an average age of 29 years (range 19-41), were treated with two sessions at a distance of one month, with phototype up to III (5 phototype 1, 14 phototype II, 2 phototype III) with a fluence of 20 J/cm2. Results: We observed a reduction of the erythematous component between 50% and 80% after two sessions, with an average pain score attributed to the treatment, measured by visual analogue scale (VAS), of 3. Conclusion: In this case series in which Nd:YAG laser had been used with a "'in motion" technique, we observed a reduction of the side effects and pain

Vinculando la danza y la educación: el caso del internado Beatriz Hernández

Informe que muestra el proceso de sistematización y teorización de gestión del conocimiento realizado para instalar el proyecto “La danza clásica desde la mirada educativa: una propuesta para la educación del cuerpo” en el internado para niñas de bajos recursos Beatriz Hernández, el cual depende de la Secretaría de Educación Jalisco (SEJ). Este proyecto tuvo el objetivo de diseñar un método educativo basado en la danza y en la conversación para incidir en el conocimiento del cuerpo, el desarrollo cognitivo y el socioafectivo de las alumnas del internado y lograr instalar este método como parte del currículo de la institución. Los resultados de este proyecto permiten tener un nuevo acercamiento al conocimiento de la práctica de la danza como herramienta metodológica para favorecer, por su naturaleza física, expresiva y cognitiva, la integración de mente, cuerpo y emociones. Además, posibilita abrir espacios para ampliar la visión tradicional de los procesos de cognición, aporta nuevos recursos a los normalmente utilizados en el currículo escolar, abre la reflexión sobre el cuerpo como medio de exploración y apropiación de los conocimientos y contribuye a la vinculación de la educación y el arte al proponer la danza como estrategia de formación en el currículo escolar. *A lo largo de este trabajo, la autora hace referencia a entrevistas y registros de clases en audio y video, los cuales no están agregados en este registro

Biopsy Evidence of Sequential Transthyretin and Immunoglobulin Light-Chain Cardiac Amyloidosis in the Same Patient

Currently adopted diagnostic flow charts consider transthyretin and light-chain cardiac amyloidosis as mutually exclusive. Here, we report for the first time, to our knowledge, the demonstration of a biopsy-proven dual pathology in an 80-year-old man with sequential development of both wild-type transthyretin amyloidosis and light-chain cardiac amyloidosis cardiomyopathy over a 3-year timespan. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.

Quantification and classification of potassium and calcium disorders with the electrocardiogram: What do clinical studies, modeling, and reconstruction tell us?

Diseases caused by alterations of ionic concentrations are frequently observed challenges and play an important role in clinical practice. The clinically established method for the diagnosis of electrolyte concentration imbalance is blood tests. A rapid and non-invasive point-of-care method is yet needed. The electrocardiogram (ECG) could meet this need and becomes an established diagnostic tool allowing home monitoring of the electrolyte concentration also by wearable devices. In this review, we present the current state of potassium and calcium concentration monitoring using the ECG and summarize results from previous work. Selected clinical studies are presented, supporting or questioning the use of the ECG for the monitoring of electrolyte concentration imbalances. Differences in the findings from automatic monitoring studies are discussed, and current studies utilizing machine learning are presented demonstrating the potential of the deep learning approach. Furthermore, we demonstrate the potential of computational modeling approaches to gain insight into the mechanisms of relevant clinical findings and as a tool to obtain synthetic data for methodical improvements in monitoring approaches

Position paper on the safety/efficacy profile of Direct Oral Anticoagulants in patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: Consensus document of Società Italiana di Nefrologia (SIN), Federazione Centri per la diagnosi della trombosi e la Sorveglianza delle terapie Antitrombotiche (FCSA) and Società Italiana per lo Studio dell’Emostasi e della Trombosi (SISET)

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) are mostly prescribed to prevent cardioembolic stroke in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF). An increasing number of guidelines recommend DOAC in AF patients with preserved renal function for the prevention of thromboembolism and an increased use of DOAC in daily practice is recorded also in elderly patients. Aging is associated with a reduction of glomerular filtration rate and impaired renal function, regardless of the cause, increases the risk of bleeding. Multiple medication use (polypharmacy) for treating superimposed co-morbidities is common in both elderly and chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients and drug-drug interaction may cause accumulation of DOAC, thereby increasing the risk of bleeding. There is uncertainty on the safety profile of DOAC in patients with CKD, particularly in those with severely impaired renal function or end stage renal disease, due to the heterogeneity of studies and the relative paucity of data. This document reports the position of three Italian scientific societies engaged in the management of patients with atrial fibrillation who are treated with DOAC and present with CKD

Involvement of subcortical brain structures during olfactory stimulation in multiple chemical sensitivity

Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) patients usually react to odour compounds and the majority of neuroimaging studies assessed, especially at the cortical level, many olfactory-related correlates. The purpose of the present study was to depict sub-cortical metabolic changes during a neutral (NC) and pure (OC) olfactory stimulation by using a recently validated 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography/computer tomography procedure in 26 MCS and 11 healthy (HC) resting subjects undergoing a battery of clinical tests. Twelve subcortical volumes of interest were identified by the automated anatomical labeling library and normalized to thalamus FDG uptake. In both groups, when comparing OC to NC, the within-subjects ANOVA demonstrated a relative decreased metabolism in bilateral putamen and hippocampus and a relative increased metabolism in bilateral amygdala, olfactory cortex (OLF), caudate and pallidum. The between-groups ANOVA demonstrated in MCS a significant higher metabolism in bilateral OLF during NC. As in HC subjects negative correlations were found in OC between FDG uptake in bilateral amygdala and hippocampus and odor pleasantness scale, the latter positively correlated with MCS subjects\u27 bilateral putamen FDG uptake in OC. Besides FDG uptake resemblances in both groups were found, for the first time a relative higher metabolism increase in OLF in MCS subjects at rest with respect to HC was found. When merging this aspect to the different subcortical FDG uptake correlations patterns in the two groups, the present study demonstrated to describe a peculiar metabolic index of behavioral and neurological aspects of MCS complaints