Artificial Intelligence for Interpreting Medical Tests

With the rapid development of technology, artificial intelligence (AI) has evolved over the past few years and has become increasingly present in the medical field. Recently, AI technology has been used for appointment scheduling, patient monitoring, and medical chatbots. We intend to develop software that will help people and doctors understand medical test results, such as blood tests and biopsies, more quickly and easily. By using optical character recognition (OCR) and a specially trained neural network, the software will be able to extract data from a document or image of the medical test results and predict a possible diagnosis. Our goal is to create an AI interpreter that uses easy-to-understand language. The interpreting software is intended to work as a telemedicine tool by connecting the patient and the doctor. We aim to create a digital method by which patients can upload results and communicate with their family doctor or specialists without the need to travel to the doctor’s office. We will assure the patient’s confidentiality by not sending their personal data along with the interpretation; instead, the doctor will receive only the patient’s ID. In conclusion, the AI software we will develop will make medical test result interpretation simpler and more accessible for people without a family doctor in their area

Computerized simulations and modelling for evaluation of ballistic and security parameters of explosives for civil use

Explosives are chemical compounds - substances or mixtures of substances that have a large amount of energy and which under the influence of external actions decompose suddenly, violently with the release of heat and the formation of gases capable of performing a mechanical work. Due to their specific characteristics, these products are used, both in the civil field and in industry, for the execution of works such as: extraction from the massif, in mines or quarries of useful rocks, execution of mining works (galleries) for opening and preparing deposits for exploitation, tunnels, wells, road constructions, railways, canals, demolition of foundations / civil / industrial buildings that have become unusable, geophysical-seism metric surveys, etc. Research in the field of use of explosives for civil use in various industrial and civil applications requires in-depth knowledge of areas such as the phenomenology of explosion, the behaviour of materials in shock waves, the dynamics of structures, seismic engineering, etc. The design of these types of processes requires the consideration, with a relative approximation, of the degree of danger due to the design of fragments resulting from detonation, vibrations, pressures, tensions created in the space affected by the explosion, generation of explosion gases, etc. legislation in force, being an important indicator regarding the classification, handling, storage and transport in the assessment and management of the risks related to these operations. The paper presents a series of computer simulations, both of the ballistic parameter regarding the working capacity of the explosives, and of the security parameter regarding the impact sensitivity

Quantitative evaluation of an automatic segmentation method for 3D reconstruction of intervertebral scoliotic disks from MR images

Background: For some scoliotic patients the spinal instrumentation is inevitable. Among these patients, those with stiff curvature will need thoracoscopic disk resection. The removal of the intervertebral disk with only thoracoscopic images is a tedious and challenging task for the surgeon. With computer aided surgery and 3D visualisation of the interverterbral disk during surgery, surgeons will have access to additional information such as the remaining disk tissue or the distance of surgical tools from critical anatomical structures like the aorta or spinal canal. We hypothesized that automatically extracting 3D information of the intervertebral disk from MR images would aid the surgeons to evaluate the remaining disk and would add a security factor to the patient during thoracoscopic disk resection.Methods: This paper presents a quantitative evaluation of an automatic segmentation method for 3D reconstruction of intervertebral scoliotic disks from MR images. The automatic segmentation method is based on the watershed technique and morphological operators. The 3D Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC) is the main statistical metric used to validate the automatically detected preoperative disk volumes. The automatic detections of intervertebral disks of real clinical MR images are compared to manual segmentation done by clinicians.Results: Results show that depending on the type of MR acquisition sequence, the 3D DSC can be as high as 0.79 (+/- 0.04). These 3D results are also supported by a 2D quantitative evaluation as well as by robustness and variability evaluations. The mean discrepancy (in 2D) between the manual and automatic segmentations for regions around the spinal canal is of 1.8 (+/- 0.8) mm. The robustness study shows that among the five factors evaluated, only the type of MRI acquisition sequence can affect the segmentation results. Finally, the variability of the automatic segmentation method is lower than the variability associated with manual segmentation performed by different physicians.Conclusions: This comprehensive evaluation of the automatic segmentation and 3D reconstruction of intervertebral disks shows that the proposed technique used with specific MRI acquisition protocol can detect intervertebral disk of scoliotic patient. The newly developed technique is promising for clinical context and can eventually help surgeons during thoracoscopic intervertebral disk resection

Methodology for measuring the seismic effects generated by quarry blasting works

Exploitation of useful mineral substances by surface works is an important branch of mining activity. For rocks of low strength or weak aggregation, the method of extraction by mechanical means (excavators of various types, draglines) is successfully applied, but for rocks of medium and high strength, aggregated with or without cracks, or other geological anomalies, the method of extraction generalized exploitation is that by drilling-blasting, using explosives appropriate to the field conditions and correlated according to the technical possibilities and the geometry of the work. One of the major disadvantages to the technologies where drillingblasting works are applied is the generation of seismic waves, which will propagate after the detonation of the charges. In the common situation, where in the area of operation are civilian or industrial targets, that need to be protected, it is important to monitor these effects by performing seismic measurements and then processing the data to adjust the blasting technique in order to reduce these seismic waves in intensity, but while maintaining adequate performance parameters. The paper presents the methodology based on technical-scientific principles for performing these measurements, applied to surface exploitation

Revisão sistemática de prognóstico e custo-efetividade de tratamentos não invasivos para cárie radicular

Aim: to evaluate the prognosis of root caries treatment with non-invasive methods, as well as to compare non-invasive therapies as viable alternatives for clinicians, indicating their cost-effectiveness. Literature review: Data collected were number of active lesions at baseline(BL) and in the last clinical assessment after follow-up(FL), and the follow-up period in months(P). The outcome was the monthly progression rate of the lesions that was calculated by (FL–BL)/P. A negative progression rate means the arrestment of the lesions. A cost-effectiveness rate was calculated. Results: From 596 titles retrieved in the search, 8 studies were included in a qualitative synthesis after assessed for eligibility. The monthly progression rate of lesions of home-based treatments (toothpastes, mouth rinses, supplemented milk intake) was an average of -0.79 (-3.68 to 2.3), while the office-based treatments (varnish, topic solutions) was 0.07 (-0.01 to 0.51), suggesting a better prognosis of the home-based treatments. The lowest monthly progression rate was -3.97 (toothpaste 5000ppm/F) while the highest was 2.31 (conventional toothpaste). The cost-effectiveness rate was better for treatments with toothpastes with 5000ppm/F (BRL21.78) when compared to mouthwashes (BRL579.47). Discussion: A better prognosis was found for toothpastes with a high fluoride concentration (5000ppm/F) compared to other therapies, as well as a better cost-effectiveness when compared to mouthwashes. Conclusion: Home-based therapies represented the highest rates of good prognosis for treating root caries lesions within the available scientific evidence. Although 5000ppm/F toothpastes have a very high cost for the Brazilian market, this treatment presented the highest cost-effectiveness when compared to mouthrinses (PROSPERO:CRD42019136035).Objetivo: avaliar o prognóstico do tratamento da cárie radicular com métodos não invasivos, bem como comparar as terapias não invasivas como alternativas viáveis para os clínicos, indicando seu custo-efetividade. Revisão de literatura: os dados coletados foram o número de lesões ativas no início do estudo(BL) e na última avaliação clínica após o acompanhamento(FL), e o período de acompanhamento em meses(P). O desfecho foi a taxa de progressão mensal das lesões calculada por (FL–BL)/P. Uma taxa de progressão negativa significou a inativação das lesões. Uma taxa de custo-efetividade foi calculada. Resultados: Dos 596 títulos recuperados na busca, 8 estudos foram incluídos em uma síntese qualitativa após avaliação de elegibilidade. A taxa de progressão mensal das lesões dos tratamentos caseiros (dentifrícios, enxaguatórios bucais, ingestão de leite complementado) foi em média -0,79 (-3,68 a 2,3), enquanto os tratamentos de consultório (verniz, soluções tópicas) foi de 0,07 (-0,01 a 0,51), sugerindo um melhor prognóstico dos tratamentos domiciliares. A menor taxa de progressão mensal foi de -3,97 (dentifrício 5000ppm/F), enquanto a maior foi de 2,31 (dentifrício convencional). A taxa de custo-efetividade foi melhor para tratamentos com dentifrícios com 5000ppm/F(R$21,78) quando comparados aos bochechos (R$579,47). Discussão: Foi encontrado melhor prognóstico para dentifrícios com alta concentração de flúor(5000ppm/F) em comparação com outras terapias, bem como melhor custo-efetividade quando comparados aos bochechos. Conclusão: As terapias domiciliares representaram as maiores taxas de bom prognóstico para o tratamento de lesões de cárie radicular dentro das evidências científicas disponíveis. Embora dentifrícios de 5000ppm/F tenham um custo muito alto para o mercado brasileiro, este tratamento apresentou o maior custo-efetividade quando comparado aos enxaguatórios bucais(PROSPERO:CRD42019136035)

Direct evidence for phosphorus limitation on Amazon forest productivity

The productivity of rainforests growing on highly weathered tropical soils is expected to be limited by phosphorus availability1. Yet, controlled fertilization experiments have been unable to demonstrate a dominant role for phosphorus in controlling tropical forest net primary productivity. Recent syntheses have demonstrated that responses to nitrogen addition are as large as to phosphorus2, and adaptations to low phosphorus availability appear to enable net primary productivity to be maintained across major soil phosphorus gradients3. Thus, the extent to which phosphorus availability limits tropical forest productivity is highly uncertain. The majority of the Amazonia, however, is characterized by soils that are more depleted in phosphorus than those in which most tropical fertilization experiments have taken place2. Thus, we established a phosphorus, nitrogen and base cation addition experiment in an old growth Amazon rainforest, with a low soil phosphorus content that is representative of approximately 60% of the Amazon basin. Here we show that net primary productivity increased exclusively with phosphorus addition. After 2 years, strong responses were observed in fine root (+29%) and canopy productivity (+19%), but not stem growth. The direct evidence of phosphorus limitation of net primary productivity suggests that phosphorus availability may restrict Amazon forest responses to CO2 fertilization4, with major implications for future carbon sequestration and forest resilience to climate change.The authors acknowledge funding from the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), grant number NE/L007223/1. This is publication 850 in the technical series of the BDFFP. C.A.Q. acknowledges the grants from Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) CNPq/LBA 68/2013, CNPq/MCTI/FNDCT no. 18/2021 and his productivity grant. C.A.Q., H.F.V.C., F.D.S., I.A., L.F.L., E.O.M. and S.G. acknowledge the AmazonFACE programme for financial support in cooperation with Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) and the National Institute of Amazonian Research as part of the grants CAPES-INPA/88887.154643/2017-00 and 88881.154644/2017-01. T.F.D. acknowledges funds from FundacAo de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de SAo Paulo (FAPESP), grant 2015/50488-5, and the Partnership for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) programme grant AID-OAA-A-11-00012. L.E.O.C.A. thanks CNPq (314416/2020-0)

Fifth European Dirofilaria and Angiostrongylus Days (FiEDAD) 2016

Peer reviewe

Computerized simulations and modelling for evaluation of ballistic and security parameters of explosives for civil use

Explosives are chemical compounds - substances or mixtures of substances that have a large amount of energy and which under the influence of external actions decompose suddenly, violently with the release of heat and the formation of gases capable of performing a mechanical work. Due to their specific characteristics, these products are used, both in the civil field and in industry, for the execution of works such as: extraction from the massif, in mines or quarries of useful rocks, execution of mining works (galleries) for opening and preparing deposits for exploitation, tunnels, wells, road constructions, railways, canals, demolition of foundations / civil / industrial buildings that have become unusable, geophysical-seism metric surveys, etc. Research in the field of use of explosives for civil use in various industrial and civil applications requires in-depth knowledge of areas such as the phenomenology of explosion, the behaviour of materials in shock waves, the dynamics of structures, seismic engineering, etc. The design of these types of processes requires the consideration, with a relative approximation, of the degree of danger due to the design of fragments resulting from detonation, vibrations, pressures, tensions created in the space affected by the explosion, generation of explosion gases, etc. legislation in force, being an important indicator regarding the classification, handling, storage and transport in the assessment and management of the risks related to these operations. The paper presents a series of computer simulations, both of the ballistic parameter regarding the working capacity of the explosives, and of the security parameter regarding the impact sensitivity