Device, system and method for determining the concentration of a substance in the blood of a subject

A device for determining the concentration of a substance in the blood of a subject, such as the oxygen saturation, which device reduces or removes the influence of specular reflection and/or subject motion, comprises an input unit for receiving detection signals reflected back or transmitted through a skin area of the subject in response to irradiation of the skin area by a radiation signal, a signal extraction unit for extracting at least three photo-plethysmography, PPG, signals at different wavelengths from said detection signals, a processing unit for normalizing said at least three PPG signals and forming a first difference signal between a first normalized PPG signal and a second normalized PPG signal and a second difference signal between a third normalized PPG signal and one other of the at least three normalized PPG signals and for forming a ratio between said first difference signal and said second difference signal, and an concentration detection unit for calculating the concentration of a substance in the blood of the subject based on said ratio.</p

Device, system and method for determining the concentration of a substance in the blood of a subject

A device, system and method for determining the concentration of a substance, such as the oxygen saturation, in the blood of a subject are provided, which reduce or remove the influence of specular reflection. The proposed device comprises an input unit configured to receive detection signals reflected back from a skin area of the subject in response to irradiation of the skin area by a radiation signal, a signal extraction unit configured to extract at least two photo-plethysmography, PPG, signals at two different wavelengths from said detection signals, and a processing unit configured to compute the concentration of a desired substance in the blood of the subject based on said PPG signals, wherein said computation is adapted to the skin tone of the subject.</p

Device, system and method for determining the concentration of a substance in the blood of a subject

There is a device, system and method for determining the concentration of a substance, such as the oxygen saturation, in the blood of a subject, which reduce or remove the influence of specular reflection. The proposed device comprises an input unit (11) for receiving detection signals reflected back from a skin area of the subject in response to irradiation of the skin area by a radiation signal, a signal extraction unit (12) for extracting at least two photo-plethysmography, PPG, signals at two different wavelengths from said detection signals, and a processing unit (13) for computing the concentration of a desired substance in the blood of the subject based on said PPG signals, wherein said computation is adapted to the skin tone of the subject.</p

Incidence de la COVID-19 sur la gestion et le leadership des équipes de direction d’établissements scolaires en milieux francophones minoritaires dans l’Ouest canadien

This article presents results from a collaborative action research study involving school leadership teams from Francophone minority settings in Western Canada. It is from these practitioners’ (n=63) points of view that a comparative picture of the impact of COVID-19 on the management and leadership practises during this extraordinary health crisis is drawn. These management teams’ tasks are presented according to the theoretical concepts of management and leadership and then particular considerations during this crisis context are discussed. The questionnaire focused on the elements of management, on the relationships between the stakeholders and on the health and well-being of the management teams. Herein, only the results of the first two aspects of the questionnaire are presented and discussed. Results reveal a strong consensus around management and leadership functions associated with the need to preserve and support staff well-being, ensure regular and constant communication, encourage and motivate teachers, and revise schedules to ensure the proper functioning of the school. Certain characteristics were found to influence certain results, such as positions held, gender, and location and size of schools. The nature of the relationships between some stakeholders, particularly the departments of Education and members of the management teams during the pandemic, were noticeably adversely impacted compared to others. The support received from staff, co-workers, family, and close friends more than made up for the shortcomings elsewhere.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Cet article porte sur les résultats d’une recherche auprès d’équipes de direction d’établissements scolaires en milieux francophones minoritaires (MFM) de l’Ouest canadien. C’est à partir du point de vue de ces praticiens (n=63) qu’il est possible de dresser un tableau comparatif de l’impact de la COVID-19 sur leurs pratiques de gestion et de leadership. Le questionnaire portait, entre autres, sur les éléments de gestion. Un consensus fort émerge autour des fonctions de gestion et de leadership liées à la nécessité de préserver le bien-être du personnel, d’assurer une communication régulière, d’encourager et de motiver le personnel enseignant et de réviser les horaires. Certaines caractéristiques, telles que les postes occupés, le genre, l’emplacement et la taille des écoles influent sur certains résultats. Les relations entre certains acteurs sont touchées. Le soutien reçu des membres du personnel, des collègues de travail, de la famille et des amis proches compense largement les lacunes d’ailleurs.

Atkins v The Emperor: the cautious use of unreliable expert opinion

What happens to a country under constant surveillance? The recent decision in Atkins v The Queen provides a partial answer.1 The sheer availability of images seems to be driving decisions about their admissibility and use as identification evidence. Confronted with CCTV recordings associated with criminal activities English courts have been reluctant to restrict their admission or impose limitations on the scope or form of incriminating opinion derived from them. Although the Court of Appeal decision in Atkins v The Queen is concerned primarily with the way in which an opinion derived from CCTV images was expressed, the decision exposes jurisprudential weakness and continuing problems with photo comparison and facial-mapping evidence

Evolution des formations ligneuses riveraines dans la zone agro-pastorale de Sidéradougou (Burkina Faso) et recherche des causes anthropiques

Les récentes études menées dans la zone agro-pastorale de Sidéradougou, au Sud de Bobo Dioulasso (Burkina Faso) ont montré une relation étroite entre la diminution des populations de glossines, insectes aux exigences écologiques étroites, et l'importance des activités humaines menées à proximité de leurs biotopes, les galeries forestières. L'objectif du présent travail est de juger alors de l'évolution des formations ligneuses riveraines dans cette zone, en évaluant en particulier l'impact des processus d'origine anthropique. Les résultats obtenus confirment l'importance des activités agricoles menées à proximité de la galerie (moins de 100-150 mètres). Les parcelles cultivées proches du cours d'eau sont à l'origine de processus hydriques qui accélèrent l'érosion des berges. La coupe du bois de chauffe est également très agressive pour les galeries forestières, tandis que les autres activités comme la chasse ou la pêche ont un impact moindre. L'élevage n'apparaît pas comme un élément de dégradation, sinon de manière très locale au niveau des points d'abreuvement. (Résumé d'auteur

Learning influences host choice in tsetse

A learning capacity for feeding is described in many insect species including vectors of diseases, but has never been reported in tsetse flies (Diptera, Glossinidae), the cyclic vectors of human (sleeping sickness) and animal trypanosomoses in Africa. Repeated feeding on the same host species by a disease vector is likely to increase the within-species disease-transmission risk, but to decrease it between species

Spontaneous acute subdural hematoma as an initial presentation of choriocarcinoma: A case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Diverse sequelae of central nervous system metastasis of choriocarcinoma have been reported, including infarction, intra or extra axial hemorrhages, aneurysm formation and carotid-cavernous fistula. Here we report a case of subdural hematoma as the first presentation of choriocarcinoma.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>The patient is a 34-year-old woman whose initial presentation of widely metastatic choriocarcinoma was an acute subdural hematoma, requiring decompressive craniectomy. Histopathologic examination of the tissue showed no evidence of choriocarcinoma, but the patient was found to have diffuse metastatic disease and cerebrospinal fluid indices highly suggestive of intracranial metastasis.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Choriocarcinoma frequently metastasizes intracranially. We review the diverse possible manifestations of this process. In addition, the cerebrospinal fluid:serum beta-human chorionic gonadotropin ratio is an important factor in diagnosing these cases. Finally, the role of the neurosurgeon is discussed.</p