High-efficient energy harvesting architecture for self-powered thermal-monitoring wireless sensor node based on a single thermoelectric generator

In recent years, research on transducers and system architectures for self-powered devices has gained attention for their direct impact on the Internet of Things in terms of cost, power consumption, and environmental impact. The concept of a wireless sensor node that uses a single thermoelectric generator as a power source and as a temperature gradient sensor in an efficient and controlled manner is investigated. The purpose of the device is to collect temperature gradient data in data centres to enable the application of thermal-aware server load management algorithms. By using a maximum power point tracking algorithm, the operating point of the thermoelectric generator is kept under control while using its power-temperature transfer function to measure the temperature gradient. In this way, a more accurate measurement of the temperature gradient is achieved while harvesting energy with maximum efficiency. The results show the operation of the system through its different phases as well as demonstrate its ability to efficiently harvest energy from a temperature gradient while measuring it. With this system architecture, temperature gradients can be measured with a maximum error of 0.14 ∘ C and an efficiency of over 92% for values above 13 ∘ C and a single transducer.This work was supported by the research Grant PID2019-110142RB-C22 funded by MCIN/ AEI/10.13039/501100011033

Cooperative energy harvesting-adaptive MAC protocol for WBANs

In this paper, we introduce a cooperative medium access control (MAC) protocol, named cooperative energy harvesting (CEH)-MAC, that adapts its operation to the energy harvesting (EH) conditions in wireless body area networks (WBANs). In particular, the proposed protocol exploits the EH information in order to set an idle time that allows the relay nodes to charge their batteries and complete the cooperation phase successfully. Extensive simulations have shown that CEH-MAC significantly improves the network performance in terms of throughput, delay and energy efficiency compared to the cooperative operation of the baseline IEEE 802.15.6 standard.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

A Feedfordward Adaptive Controller to Reduce the Imaging Time of Large-Sized Biological Samples with a SPM-Based Multiprobe Station

The time required to image large samples is an important limiting factor in SPM-based systems. In multiprobe setups, especially when working with biological samples, this drawback can make impossible to conduct certain experiments. In this work, we present a feedfordward controller based on bang-bang and adaptive controls. The controls are based in the difference between the maximum speeds that can be used for imaging depending on the flatness of the sample zone. Topographic images of Escherichia coli bacteria samples were acquired using the implemented controllers. Results show that to go faster in the flat zones, rather than using a constant scanning speed for the whole image, speeds up the imaging process of large samples by up to a 4× factor

Document de bones pràctiques per al lliurament de proximitat de la Medicació Hospitalària de Dispensació Ambulatòria (MHDA)

Medicació Hospitalària de Dispensació Ambulatòria; MHDA; Serveis de Farmàcia Hospitalària; SFHMedicación Hospitalaria de Dispensación Ambulatoria; MHDA; Servicios de Farmacia Hospitalaria; SFHOutpatient Hospital Medication; MHDA; Hospital Pharmacy Services; SFHEn el marc de l’estratègia de resposta a l’epidèmia del SARS-CoV-2, es van establir mesures extraordinàries d’accés de determinats col·lectius als medicaments hospitalaris, amb la finalitat de garantir la seguretat i la salut dels pacients que reben tractament amb MHDA. El Servei Català de la Salut ha dictat mesures de caire organitzatiu específiques per a la dispensació de la MHDA en la modalitat no presencial. Cada hospital ha establert el seu propi procediment per tal d’implementar aquesta activitat. Per aquest procés s'ha identificat la necessitat d'aquest document de bones pràctiques per a la implementació d’un procediment de lliurament de proximitat de la MHDA per part dels Serveis de Farmàcia Hospitalària (SFH), així com al compliment de la normativa.En el marco de la estrategia de respuesta a la epidemia del SARS-CoV-2, se establecieron medidas extraordinarias de acceso de determinados colectivos a los medicamentos hospitalarios, con el fin de garantizar la seguridad y la salud de los pacientes que reciben tratamiento con MHDA. El Servicio Catalán de la Salud ha dictado medidas de tipo organizativo específicas para la dispensación de la MHDA en la modalidad no presencial. Cada hospital ha establecido su propio procedimiento para implementar esta actividad. Para este proceso se ha identificado la necesidad de este documento de buenas prácticas para la implementación de un procedimiento de entrega de proximidad de la MHDA por parte de los Servicios de Farmacia Hospitalaria (SFH), así como el cumplimiento de la normativa.As part of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic response strategy, extraordinary measures were put in place for certain groups to access hospital medicines, in order to ensure the safety and health of patients who they receive treatment with MHDA. The Catalan Health Service has issued specific organizational measures for the dispensation of the MHDA in the non-contact mode. Each hospital has established its own procedure for implementing this activity. This process has identified the need for this document of good practice for the implementation of a procedure for the delivery of proximity of the MHDA by the Hospital Pharmacy Services (SFH), as well as compliance with regulations

DNA methylation profiling unveils TGF-ß hyperresponse in tumor associated fibroblasts from lung cancer patients

There is growing interest in defining the aberrant molecular differences between normal and tumor-associated fibroblasts (TAFs) that support tumor progression. For this purpose, we recently conducted a genome-wide DNA methylation profiling of TAFs and paired control fibroblasts (CFs) from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, and reported a widespread hypomethylation concomitantly with focal gain of DNA methylation; in addition, we found evidence that a fraction of lung TAFs are fibrocytes in origin. Of note, the aberrant epigenome of lung TAFs had a global impact in gene expression and a selective impact on the TGF-ß pathway. To get insights on the functional implications of the latter impact, we analyzed the response of lung TAFs to exogenous TGF-ß1 in terms of activation and contractility. We found a larger expression of a panel of activation markers including a-SMA and collagen-I in TAFs compared to control fibroblasts. Likewise, TGF-ß1 elicited a larger contractility in TAFs than in CFs as assessed by traction force microscopy. These findings reveal that lung TAFs are hyperresponsive to TGF-ß1, which may underlie the expansion and/or maintenance of the tumor-promoting desmoplastic stroma in lung cancer.Postprint (author's final draft

Aberrant DNA methylation in non-small cell lung cancer-associated fibroblasts

Epigenetic changes through altered DNA methylation have been implicated in critical aspects of tumor progression, and have been extensively studied in a variety of cancer types. In contrast, our current knowledge of the aberrant genomic DNA methylation in tumor-associated fibroblasts (TAFs) or other stromal cells that act as critical coconspirators of tumor progression is very scarce. To address this gap of knowledge, we conducted genome-wide DNA methylation profiling on lung TAFs and paired control fibroblasts (CFs) from non-small cell lung cancer patients using the HumanMethylation450 microarray. We found widespread DNA hypomethylation concomitant with focal gain of DNA methylation in TAFs compared to CFs. The aberrant DNA methylation landscape of TAFs had a global impact on gene expression and a selective impact on the TGF-β pathway. The latter included promoter hypermethylation-associated SMAD3 silencing, which was associated with hyperresponsiveness to exogenous TGF-β1 in terms of contractility and extracellular matrix deposition. In turn, activation of CFs with exogenous TGF-β1 partially mimicked the epigenetic alterations observed in TAFs, suggesting that TGF-β1 may be necessary but not sufficient to elicit such alterations. Moreover, integrated pathway-enrichment analyses of the DNA methylation alterations revealed that a fraction of TAFs may be bone marrow-derived fibrocytes. Finally, survival analyses using DNA methylation and gene expression datasets identified aberrant DNA methylation on the EDARADD promoter sequence as a prognostic factor in non-small cell lung cancer patients. Our findings shed light on the unique origin and molecular alterations underlying the aberrant phenotype of lung TAFs, and identify a stromal biomarker with potential clinical relevance

Finite Element Analysis of Electrically Excited Quartz Tuning Fork Devices

Quartz Tuning Fork (QTF)-based Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) is an important field of research. A suitable model for the QTF is important to obtain quantitative measurements with these devices. Analytical models have the limitation of being based on the double cantilever configuration. In this paper, we present an electromechanical finite element model of the QTF electrically excited with two free prongs. The model goes beyond the state-of-the-art of numerical simulations currently found in the literature for this QTF configuration. We present the first numerical analysis of both the electrical and mechanical behavior of QTF devices. Experimental measurements obtained with 10 units of the same model of QTF validate the finite element model with a good agreement

Nanocharacterization of Soft Biological Samples in Shear Mode with Quartz Tuning Fork Probes

Quartz tuning forks are extremely good resonators and their use is growing in scanning probe microscopy. Nevertheless, only a few studies on soft biological samples have been reported using these probes. In this work, we present the methodology to develop and use these nanosensors to properly work with biological samples. The working principles, fabrication and experimental setup are presented. The results in the nanocharacterization of different samples in different ambients are presented by using different working modes: amplitude modulation with and without the use of a Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) and frequency modulation. Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria are imaged in nitrogen using amplitude modulation. Microcontact printed antibodies are imaged in buffer using amplitude modulation with a PLL. Finally, metastatic cells are imaged in air using frequency modulation

Premi Gemma Rosell i Romero 2019. De tecnologia hàptica a percepció tàctil en cirurgia robòtica

Disseny de prova de concepte d’integració de tecnologia tàctil en robot de cirurgia mínimament invasiva Da Vinc

High-speed force spectroscopy unfolds titin at the velocity of molecular dynamics simulations.: Experiment meets simulation: HS-FS

International audienceThe mechanical unfolding of the muscle protein titin by atomic force microscopy was a landmark in our understanding of single-biomolecule mechanics. Molecular dynamics simulations offered atomic-level descriptions of the forced unfolding. However, experiment and simulation could not be directly compared because they differed in pulling velocity by orders of magnitude. We have developed high-speed force spectroscopy to unfold titin at velocities reached by simulation (~4 millimeters per second). We found that a small β-strand pair of an immunoglobulin domain dynamically unfolds and refolds, buffering pulling forces up to ~100 piconewtons. The distance to the unfolding transition barrier is larger than previously estimated but is in better agreement with atomistic predictions. The ability to directly compare experiment and simulation is likely to be important in studies of biomechanical processes