Exploring glass as a novel method for hands-free data entry in flexible cystoscopy

We present a way to annotate cystoscopy finding on Google Glass in a reproducible and hands free manner for use by surgeons during operations in the sterile environment inspired by the current practice of hand-drawn sketches. We developed three data entry variants based on speech and head movements. We assessed the feasibility, benefits and drawbacks of the system with 8 surgeons and Foundation Doctors having up to 30 years' cystoscopy experience at a UK hospital in laboratory trials. We report data entry speed and error rate of input modalities and contrast it with the participants' feedback on their perception of usability, acceptance, and suitability for deployment. The results are supportive of new data entry technologies and point out directions for future improvement of eyewear computers. The findings can be generalised to other endoscopic procedures (e.g. OGD/laryngoscopy) and could be included within hospital IT in the future

Does influenza A infection increase oxidative damage?

Considerable data implicate oxidative damage in influenza pathogenesis. We examined temporal changes in oxidative damage using accurate biomarkers in an adult cohort with acute influenza infection and their relationships with clinical parameters. Clinical information and blood samples were collected during their acute illness and 3 months later. A fatigue questionnaire was administered 3 months following influenza infection. Thirty-five patients (mean age, 34 years) with polymerase chain reaction-confirmed influenza A infection were included; all patients returned for follow-up assessments. Adjusted levels of plasma F2-isoprostanes, total hydroxyeicosatetraenoic products (HETEs), 7beta-hydroxycholesterol and 7-ketocholesterol, serum gamma-glutamyltransferase, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were increased during the acute illness compared with age-matched controls. Despite clinical recovery, levels of these biomarkers remained higher at month 3 compared with controls. A proportion of patients had persistent symptoms such as fatigue (23%), myalgia (14%), and arthralgia (11%) at month 3. Patients with significant fatigue had higher baseline levels of plasma F2-isoprostanes, F4-neuroprostanes, and total HETEs compared to those without fatigue. By contrast, patients with persistent arthralgia and myalgia had higher baseline levels of serum hsCRP compared to those without these symptoms. Our observations lead to the hypothesis that oxidative damage participates in the pathogenesis of influenza infection and postinfectious fatigue.published_or_final_versio

Augmentation of 5-lipoxygenase activity and expression during dengue serotype-2 infection

published_or_final_versio

A Review Of Implementing Adc In Rfid Sensor

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)The general considerations to design a sensor interface for passive RFID tags are discussed. This way, power and timing constraints imposed by ISO/IEC 15693 and ISO/IEC 14443 standards to HF RFID tags are explored. A generic multisensor interface is proposed and a survey analysis on the most suitable analog-to-digital converters for passive RFID sensing applications is reported. The most appropriate converter type and architecture are suggested. At the end, a specific sensor interface for carbon nanotube gas sensors is proposed and a brief discussion about its implemented circuits and preliminary results is made.Region Rhone-Alpes (France)CNPq (Brazil)INCT/NAMITEC (Brazil)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

A Multi-Wavelength Mass Analysis of RCS2 J232727.6-020437, a ~3x1015^{15}M⊙_{\odot} Galaxy Cluster at z=0.7

We present an initial study of the mass and evolutionary state of a massive and distant cluster, RCS2 J232727.6-020437. This cluster, at z=0.6986, is the richest cluster discovered in the RCS2 project. The mass measurements presented in this paper are derived from all possible mass proxies: X-ray measurements, weak-lensing shear, strong lensing, Sunyaev Zel'dovich effect decrement, the velocity distribution of cluster member galaxies, and galaxy richness. While each of these observables probe the mass of the cluster at a different radius, they all indicate that RCS2 J232727.6-020437 is among the most massive clusters at this redshift, with an estimated mass of M_200 ~3 x10^15 h^-1 Msun. In this paper, we demonstrate that the various observables are all reasonably consistent with each other to within their uncertainties. RCS2 J232727.6-020437 appears to be well relaxed -- with circular and concentric X-ray isophotes, with a cool core, and no indication of significant substructure in extensive galaxy velocity data.Comment: 19 pages, 15 figures, submitted to ApJ on March 5, 2015; in press. Manuscript revised following the referee revie

Anthropogenic disturbance in tropical forests can double biodiversity loss from deforestation

Concerted political attention has focused on reducing deforestation1,2,3, and this remains the cornerstone of most biodiversity conservation strategies4,5,6. However, maintaining forest cover may not reduce anthropogenic forest disturbances, which are rarely considered in conservation programmes6. These disturbances occur both within forests, including selective logging and wildfires7,8, and at the landscape level, through edge, area and isolation effects9. Until now, the combined effect of anthropogenic disturbance on the conservation value of remnant primary forests has remained unknown, making it impossible to assess the relative importance of forest disturbance and forest loss. Here we address these knowledge gaps using a large data set of plants, birds and dung beetles (1,538, 460 and 156 species, respectively) sampled in 36 catchments in the Brazilian state of Pará. Catchments retaining more than 69–80% forest cover lost more conservation value from disturbance than from forest loss. For example, a 20% loss of primary forest, the maximum level of deforestation allowed on Amazonian properties under Brazil’s Forest Code5, resulted in a 39–54% loss of conservation value: 96–171% more than expected without considering disturbance effects. We extrapolated the disturbance-mediated loss of conservation value throughout Pará, which covers 25% of the Brazilian Amazon. Although disturbed forests retained considerable conservation value compared with deforested areas, the toll of disturbance outside Pará’s strictly protected areas is equivalent to the loss of 92,000–139,000 km2 of primary forest. Even this lowest estimate is greater than the area deforested across the entire Brazilian Amazon between 2006 and 2015 (ref. 10). Species distribution models showed that both landscape and within-forest disturbances contributed to biodiversity loss, with the greatest negative effects on species of high conservation and functional value. These results demonstrate an urgent need for policy interventions that go beyond the maintenance of forest cover to safeguard the hyper-diversity of tropical forest ecosystems

CPAP at 10 cm H(2)O during cardiopulmonary bypass does not improve postoperative gas exchange

Objective: To compare postoperative (PO) pulmonary gas exchange indexes in patients submitted to myocardial revascularization (MR) with or without the application of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Methods: Thirty adult patients submitted to MR with CPB between March and September 2005 were randomly allocated to two groups: CPAP (n=15), patients that received CPAP at 10 cmH(2)O during CPB, and control (n=15), patients that didn't receive CPAP. PaO(2)/FiO(2) and P(A-a)O(2) were analyzed at four moments: Pre dust before CPB, with FiO(2)=1.0); Post (30min post-CPB, with FiO(2)=1.0); immediate PO period (12h post-surgery, with FiO(2)=6.4 by using a Venturi (R) facial mask) and first PO day (24h post-surgery, with FiO(2)=0.5 by a facial mask). Results: PaO(2)/FiO(2) and P(A-a)O(2) tend to get significantly worst as time elapsed during the postoperative period in both groups, but no differences were observed between them at any moment. When PaO(2)/FiO(2) was subdivided into three categories, a greater prevalence of patients with values between 200 mmHg and 300mmHg were observed in CPAP group only at moment Post (30min post-CPB; p = 0.02). Conclusion: CPAP at 10cmH2O administered during CPB, although had lightly improved PaO(2)/FiO(2) at 30 minutes post-CPB, had no significant sustained effect on postoperative pulmonary gas exchange. We concluded that in patients submitted to MR, application of 10 cmH(2)O CPAP does not improve postoperative pulmonary gas exchange.23220921