Optimal Minimax Mobile Sensor Scheduling Over a Network

We investigate the problem of monitoring multiple targets using a single mobile sensor, with the goal of minimizing the maximum estimation error among all the targets over long time horizons. The sensor can move in a network-constrained structure, where it has to plan which targets to visit and for how long to dwell at each node. We prove that in an optimal observation time allocation, the peak uncertainty is the same among all the targets. By further restricting the agent policy to only visit each target once every cycle, we develop a scheme to optimize the agent's behavior that is significantly simpler computationally when compared to previous approaches for similar problems

A preliminary analysis of the wear pathways of sliding contacts on temporomandibular joint total joint replacement prostheses

In the last years, several materials and design have been assessed in an attempt to improve the mechanical performance of temporomandibular joint total joint replacement (TMJ TJR) prostheses. However, the wear of the TMJ TJR condyle to the polymer-based fossa component during loading and sliding movements. That promotes the release of debris and risks of toxicity to the surrounding tissues. The purpose of this study was to perform a narrative literature review on the wear of TMJ TJR sliding contacts and potential toxicity of metallic debris to the patients. Previous studies reported a significant deterioration of the sliding contact surfaces of TMJ TJR prostheses. Material loss as a result of wear can cause a TMJ TJR condyle/fossa mismatch and the modification of the contact pressure and chewing loading. As a further consequence of wear, metal particles are released to the surrounding tissues with a high risk of local tissue and systemic toxicity through the bloodstream. The presence of particles induces the stimulation of inflammatory reactions depending on the concentration and size of debris. Thus, CoCr-based condyle release metallic ions and sub-micron particles that can be engulfed by macrophages or internalized by other tissue cells. The wear and material loss of TMJ TJR could be decreased by design optimization and novel materials with low friction and contact pressure. That consequently decrease the amount of metallic ions and particles to the surrounding tissues, preventing peri-prosthetic inflammatory reactions.This study was supported by FCT-Portugal (UID/EEA/04436/2013, NORTE-01-0145- FEDER-000018—HAMaBICo, POCI-01-0145-FEDER-031035_LaserMULTICER), SFRH/BPD/123769/ 2016 and CNPq-Brazil (CNPq/UNIVERSAL/421229/2018-7)

Diabetes mellitus na comunidade do Instituto Politécnico de Bragança: caracterização e conhecimentos

Dada a relevância da Diabetes mellitus (DM) como um problema de saúde pública pretendeu-se caracterizar a DM e o conhecimento na comunidade do Instituto Politécnico de Bragança (IPB). Para tal, desenvolveu-se um estudo descritivo e transversal, com aplicação de um questionário. A prevalência de DM foi de 3,4%. Destes, 30,8% faz uso de insulina e 46,2% de antidiabéticos orais, 61,8% tem antecedentes familiares, 37,0% consome álcool e 36,2% tabaco. A grande maioria (97,7%) diz saber o que é a DM e 69,5% afirmam conhecer a terapêutica. A prevalência de DM é muito baixa e os conhecimentos acerca da doença são razoáveis

Lesão do esmalte após remoção de adesivo ortodontico por pedra de Arkansas e pontas laminadas de carbeto de tungsténio

Objectives: The main aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of two different methods to remove orthodontic composite adhesives from enamel concerning the surface damage and remnant composite adhesive on the surfaces. Methods: Human molars were stored in buffer solution at room temperature before bonding the brackets. Teeth were ultrasonically cleaned in distilled water before bonding procedure. Ninety two brackets were randomly bonded to the buccal surface of twenty three molars using a composite-based adhesive system. After 15 days, the orthodontic composite adhesives were removed by using Arkansas' stone or multi-blade tungsten burs. After debonding process, the remnant composite adhered to the tooth as well as the teeth surfaces were analyzed by photographic images at x40 magnification concerning the (ARI) adhesive remnant or (SRI) surface roughness index. Also, enamel surfaces were inspected by field emission guns scanning electron microscopy (FEGSEM) before bonding and after bracket detachment. The statistical analysis was performed using SPSS® Statistics vs.18.0, considering a significance level of 0.05 to one-way ANOVA. Tukey's test was used for multiple comparisons and Chi-square tests were used to analyze the association between categorical variables. Results: ARI results revealed no statistically significant differences between the two methods of bracket removal (p=0.283). Considering SRI, statistically significant differences were detected between the two procedures (p<0.001) considering all worn surfaces revealed lower surface roughness after removal of adhesive by Arkansas stone than that recorded on worn surfaces after removal using tungsten carbide burs. Conclusion: The removal of orthodontic adhesive promoted less damage on enamel surfaces by using Arkansas stone at low rotation. Nevertheless, finishing procedures can decrease the roughness on enamel without additional damage.Objetivos: O objetivo deste estudo foi comparar a eficácia de dois métodos diferentes de remocâo do compósito utilizado na adesão de brackets, após a realizacão do tratamento ortodôntico. Métodos: Foram utilizados 92 brackets colados em 23 molares previamente selecionados de acordo com os critérios de inclusão/exclusão. Uma vez removidos os brackets, foram então utilizados os dois métodos de remocão de compósito: a) pedras de Arkansas; b) brocas multilaminadas de tungsténio, ambas utilizadas em contra-ângulo (baixa rotacão). Uma vez removido o compósito, foram analisadas e quantificadas as possíveis lesões advindas do procedimento. A área de compósito remanescente foi calculada em todos os dentes. A aná- lise estatística foi realizada utilizando o SPSS® Statistics vs.18.0, considerando um nível de significância de 0,05 para teste ANOVA. O teste de Tukey foi utilizado para comparações múltiplas e Qui-quadrado para análise entre variáveis categóricas. Resultados: Após a remocão do compósito com cada um dos métodos verificou-se que, relativamente ao índice adesivo remanescente (IAR), não existiam diferença estatisticamente significativa (p=0,283) entre métodos de remoção. Entretanto, diferenças em relação ao índice de rugosidade de superfície (IRS) foram estatisticamente significativas (p<0,001) com resultados a favor do método utilizando pedras de Arkansas. Conclusão: Menor dano ao esmalte foi promovido pela remocão de adesivo ortodóntico com uso da pedra de Arkansas. Entretanto, polimento adicional diminui a rugosidade da superfície sem danos adicionais ao esmalte.This work has been supported by FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia – Portugal) in the scope of the project UID/ EEA/04436/ 2013 NORTE-01-0145- FEDER-000018 - HAMaBIC

Acute cardiometabolic effects of brief active breaks in sitting for patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Exercise is a treatment in rheumatoid arthritis, but participation in moderate-to-vigorous exercise is challenging for some patients. Light-intensity breaks in sitting could be a promising alternative. We compared the acute effects of active breaks in sitting with those of moderate-to-vigorous exercise on cardiometabolic risk markers in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. In a crossover fashion, 15 women with rheumatoid arthritis underwent three 8-h experimental conditions: prolonged sitting (SIT), 30-min bout of moderate-to-vigorous exercise followed by prolonged sitting (EX), and 3-min bouts of light-intensity walking every 30 min of sitting (BR). Postprandial glucose, insulin, c-peptide, triglycerides, cytokines, lipid classes/subclasses (lipidomics), and blood pressure responses were assessed. Muscle biopsies were collected following each session to assess targeted proteins/genes. Glucose [−28% in area under the curve (AUC), P = 0.036], insulin (−28% in AUC, P = 0.016), and c-peptide (−27% in AUC, P = 0.006) postprandial responses were attenuated in BR versus SIT, whereas only c-peptide was lower in EX versus SIT (−20% in AUC, P = 0.002). IL-1β decreased during BR, but increased during EX and SIT (P = 0.027 and P = 0.085, respectively). IL-1ra was increased during EX versus BR (P = 0.002). TNF-α concentrations decreased during BR versus EX (P = 0.022). EX, but not BR, reduced systolic blood pressure (P = 0.013). Lipidomic analysis showed that 7 of 36 lipid classes/subclasses were significantly different between conditions, with greater changes being observed in EX. No differences were observed for protein/gene expression. Brief active breaks in sitting can offset markers of cardiometabolic disturbance, which may be particularly useful for patients who may find it difficult to adhere to exercise. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Exercise is a treatment in rheumatoid arthritis but is challenging for some patients. Light-intensity breaks in sitting could be a promising alternative. Our findings show beneficial, but differential, cardiometabolic effects of active breaks in sitting and exercise in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Breaks in sitting mainly improved glycemic and inflammatory markers, whereas exercise improved lipidomic and hypotensive responses. Breaks in sitting show promise in offsetting aspects of cardiometabolic disturbance associated with prolonged sitting in rheumatoid arthritis

Continuous Monitoring of the Photochemical Loss for in-vivo Plants Using an Open-Ended Photothermal Cell

Abstract An automated photothermal system has been developed to measure the photochemical loss of in vivo plant leaves. In this paper we p resent results obtained with a programmed system calibrated to measure the hourly photochemical loss during a period of one week (168 hours). To show the usefulness of our technique, we compare the results obtained for a plant maintained inside a receptacle containing a single solution of water and nutrients with the results obtained for another plant that was immersed in the same solution plus polyethylene-glycol to see the effect of water stress on the photochemical loss measurement. Our results indicate that the present technique permits a study of the response of in vivo plants submitted to different water stress conditions

A new WHO bottle bioassay method to assess the susceptibility of mosquito vectors to public health insecticides: results from a WHO-coordinated multi-centre study

BACKGROUND: The continued spread of insecticide resistance in mosquito vectors of malaria and arboviral diseases may lead to operational failure of insecticide-based interventions if resistance is not monitored and managed efficiently. This study aimed to develop and validate a new WHO glass bottle bioassay method as an alternative to the WHO standard insecticide tube test to monitor mosquito susceptibility to new public health insecticides with particular modes of action, physical properties or both. METHODS: A multi-centre study involving 21 laboratories worldwide generated data on the susceptibility of seven mosquito species (Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus, Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto [An. gambiae s.s.], Anopheles funestus, Anopheles stephensi, Anopheles minimus and Anopheles albimanus) to seven public health insecticides in five classes, including pyrethroids (metofluthrin, prallethrin and transfluthrin), neonicotinoids (clothianidin), pyrroles (chlorfenapyr), juvenile hormone mimics (pyriproxyfen) and butenolides (flupyradifurone), in glass bottle assays. The data were analysed using a Bayesian binomial model to determine the concentration-response curves for each insecticide-species combination and to assess the within-bioassay variability in the susceptibility endpoints, namely the concentration that kills 50% and 99% of the test population (LC50 and LC99, respectively) and the concentration that inhibits oviposition of the test population by 50% and 99% (OI50 and OI99), to measure mortality and the sterilizing effect, respectively. RESULTS: Overall, about 200,000 mosquitoes were tested with the new bottle bioassay, and LC50/LC99 or OI50/OI99 values were determined for all insecticides. Variation was seen between laboratories in estimates for some mosquito species-insecticide combinations, while other test results were consistent. The variation was generally greater with transfluthrin and flupyradifurone than with the other compounds tested, especially against Anopheles species. Overall, the mean within-bioassay variability in mortality and oviposition inhibition were < 10% for most mosquito species-insecticide combinations. CONCLUSION: Our findings, based on the largest susceptibility dataset ever produced on mosquitoes, showed that the new WHO bottle bioassay is adequate for evaluating mosquito susceptibility to new and promising public health insecticides currently deployed for vector control. The datasets presented in this study have been used recently by the WHO to establish 17 new insecticide discriminating concentrations (DCs) for either Aedes spp. or Anopheles spp. The bottle bioassay and DCs can now be widely used to monitor baseline insecticide susceptibility of wild populations of vectors of malaria and Aedes-borne diseases worldwide

LSST Science Book, Version 2.0

A survey that can cover the sky in optical bands over wide fields to faint magnitudes with a fast cadence will enable many of the exciting science opportunities of the next decade. The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) will have an effective aperture of 6.7 meters and an imaging camera with field of view of 9.6 deg^2, and will be devoted to a ten-year imaging survey over 20,000 deg^2 south of +15 deg. Each pointing will be imaged 2000 times with fifteen second exposures in six broad bands from 0.35 to 1.1 microns, to a total point-source depth of r~27.5. The LSST Science Book describes the basic parameters of the LSST hardware, software, and observing plans. The book discusses educational and outreach opportunities, then goes on to describe a broad range of science that LSST will revolutionize: mapping the inner and outer Solar System, stellar populations in the Milky Way and nearby galaxies, the structure of the Milky Way disk and halo and other objects in the Local Volume, transient and variable objects both at low and high redshift, and the properties of normal and active galaxies at low and high redshift. It then turns to far-field cosmological topics, exploring properties of supernovae to z~1, strong and weak lensing, the large-scale distribution of galaxies and baryon oscillations, and how these different probes may be combined to constrain cosmological models and the physics of dark energy.Comment: 596 pages. Also available at full resolution at http://www.lsst.org/lsst/sciboo