General Purpose Transistor Characterized as Dosimetry Sensor of Proton Beams

This research has been partially funded by Junta de Andalucía (Spain), project numbers PI-0505-2017 FEDER/Junta de Andalucía-Consejería de Economía y Conocimiento Project B-TIC-468- UGR18; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Proyecto del Plan Nacional I + D: PID2019-104888 GB-I00 and Proyectos I + D + i Junta de Andalucía 2018: P18-RT-3237. This work has been also conducted in the framework of European Union H2020 ELICSIR project (grant No. 857558).A commercial pMOS transistor (MOSFET), 3N163 from Vishay (USA), has been character- ized as a low-energy proton beam dosimeter. The top of the samples’ housing has been removed to guarantee that protons reached the sensitive area, that is, the silicon die. Irradiations took place at the National Accelerator Centre (Seville, Spain). During irradiations, the transistors were biased to improve the sensitivity, and the silicon temperature was monitored activating the parasitic diode of the MOSFET. Bias voltages of 0, 1, 5, and 10 V were applied to four sets of three transistors, obtaining an averaged sensitivity that was linearly dependent on this voltage. In addition, the short-fading effect was studied, and the uncertainty of this effect was obtained. The bias voltage that provided an acceptable sensitivity, (11.4 ± 0.9) mV/Gy, minimizing the uncertainty due to the fading effect (−0.09 ± 0.11) Gy was 1 V for a total absorbed dose of 40 Gy. Therefore, this off-the-shelf electronic device presents promising characteristics as a dosimeter sensor for proton beams.Junta de Andalucia B-TIC-468-UGR18Ministry of Science and Innovation, Spain (MICINN) 2018: P18-RT-3237European Commission PI-0505-2017 FEDERJunta de Andalucia-Consejeria de Economia y Conocimiento ProjectPID2019-104888 GB-I00European Union H2020 ELICSIR project 85755

Digital Optical Ballistocardiographic System for Activity, Heart Rate, and Breath Rate Determination during Sleep

In this work, we present a ballistocardiographic (BCG) system for the determination of heart and breath rates and activity of a user lying in bed. Our primary goal was to simplify the analog and digital processing usually required in these kinds of systems while retaining high performance. A novel sensing approach is proposed consisting of a white LED facing a digital light detector. This detector provides precise measurements of the variations of the light intensity of the incident light due to the vibrations of the bed produced by the subject’s breathing, heartbeat, or activity. Four small springs, acting as a bandpass filter, connect the boards where the LED and the detector are mounted. Owing to the mechanical bandpass filtering caused by the compressed springs, the proposed system generates a BCG signal that reflects the main frequencies of the heartbeat, breathing, and movement of the lying subject. Without requiring any analog signal processing, this device continuously transmits the measurements to a microcontroller through a twowire communication protocol, where they are processed to provide an estimation of the parameters of interest in configurable time intervals. The final information of interest is wirelessly sent to the user’s smartphone by means of a Bluetooth connection. For evaluation purposes, the proposed system has been compared with typical BCG systems showing excellent performance for different subject positions. Moreover, applied postprocessing methods have shown good behavior for information separation from a single-channel signal. Therefore, the determination of the heart rate, breathing rate, and activity of the patient is achieved through a highly simplified signal processing without any need for analog signal conditioning.Junta de Andalucia European Commission PYC20-RE-040 UGR MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/with PID2019-103938RB-I00European Commissio

System Based on an Inertial Measurement Unit for Accurate Flight Time Determination in Vertical Jumps

The world of elite sports has always been characterized by intense competition, where victories are often determined by minimal differences. This means that every little detail in the preparation of top-level athletes is crucial to their performance at the highest level. One of the most significant aspects to monitor is the jumping capacity, as it enables the measurement of performance, progression, and helps prevent injuries. Herein, we present the development of a system capable of measuring the flight time and height reached by the user, reporting the results through a smartphone using an Android ad-hoc application, which handles all the data processing. The system consists of an affordable and portable circuit based on an accelerometer. It communicates with the smartphone via UART using a Bluetooth module, and its battery provides approximately 9 h of autonomy, making it suitable for outdoor operations. To evaluate the system’s precision, we conducted performance tests (counter-movement jumps) with seven subjects. The results confirmed the system’s potential for monitoring high-level sports training sessions, as the average deviation obtained was only 2.1% (~0.01 s) in the analysis of flight time and 4.6% (~0.01 m) in jump height.Projects Sensorsportlab (ref. 07/UPB/22, Redes de Investigación en Ciencias Del Deporte 2022)Sensorsportlab II (ref. 11/UPB/23, Redes de Investigación en Ciencias Del Deporte 2023)Consejo Superior de Deportes (Ministerio de Cultura y Deporte)Andamove project (ref. EXP_74829) founded by the European Union by the NextGeneration EU program with the “Plan de Recuperación, Transformación y Resiliencia 2022” into the program “Proyectos de Investigación en Ciencia y Tecnología aplicada a la Actividad Física Beneficiosa para la Salud (AFBS) y la Medicina Deportiva” of the Consejo Superior de Deportes (Ministerio de Cultura y Deporte)

Evaluación en resultados de salud del proceso diabetes tipo 2

ResumenObjetivoAnalizar la asociación entre el desarrollo del proceso diabetes tipo 2 (DM2) y la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud (CVRS).DiseñoEstudio descriptivo transversal.EmplazamientoUnidad de Gestión Clínica (Ayamonte, Huelva).ParticipantesSelección por muestreo aleatorio simple entre los pacientes registrados en el proceso DM2: n=143.El proceso DM2 es una herramienta que utiliza indicadores de buena práctica clínica para el seguimiento de los pacientes.Recogida de datos desde registros y entrevista personal para el cuestionario de CVRS SF-36.ResultadosSe analizaron 101 pacientes. 51,5% mujeres. Edad media: 66,8 años (DE 11,3). Realizan actividad física: 52,5%. Tiempo de evolución de la diabetes: 9,6 años (DE 7,7). Índice de calidad del proceso (ISCD): 64,5%.Peor puntuación en componente físico de CVRS, media de 41,9 (DE 9,6).Mayor puntuación en hombres. Practicar ejercicio físico regular mejora la puntuación (diferencia de medias de 19,5 IC95% 10,2–28,8). Asociación negativa entre: edad y función física (r=−0,354 p<0,005), tiempo de evolución de diabetes y componente sumario físico (r=−0,278 p<0,005).Retinopatía (t=2,03 p<0,04) y cardiopatía (t=2,6 p<0,008) se relacionan con menor puntuación en componente físico.La asociación de CVRS con control metabólico, automedida de glucemia y educación diabetológica es no significativa.Predictores de la CVRS son: actividad física y enfermedades comórbidas.ConclusionesLa CVRS es mala en los diabéticos tipo 2 a pesar de tener buenos indicadores en el proceso.Debería incluirse la CVRS como estándar del proceso DM2.AbstractObjectiveTo analyse association between the development of type 2 diabetes and the health-related quality of life (HRQL).DesignDescriptive cross-sectional study.SettingPrimary care centre in Ayamonte (Huelva). Participants: Selection by simple random sampling between the patients registered with type 2 diabetes: n=143.The type 2 diabetes process is a tool that uses indicators of good clinical practice for the follow-up of the patients.Collection of data from records and personal interview for the questionnaire HRQL SF-36.ResultsA total of 101 patients were analysed, of which 51.5% were women. the average age was 66.8 years (SD 11.3). Performing physical activity 52.5%. Time of evolution of diabetes: 9.6 years (SD 7.7). Quality Index of the process: 64.5%. Worst score in physical component HRQL, mean of 41.9 (SD 9.6). Men had a better score, and it improves if there is regular physical exercise (mean difference 19.5% IC95%CI: 10.2–28.8). Age was inversely associated with physical function (r −0.354 P<0,005); and the time of evolution of diabetes with physical component (r −0.278 P<0.005). Retinopathy (t=2.03 P<0.04) and heart disease (t=2.6 P<0.008) were associated with lowest score in physical component. The association of HRQL with metabolic control, self control of glucose and diabetes education was not significant. Physical activity and comorbid diseases predict HRQL.ConclusionsThe HRQL is poor in type 2 diabetics despite having good indicators in the process. The HRQL should be included as standard in the type 2 diabetes process

Development and Evaluation of a Low-Drift Inertial Sensor-Based System for Analysis of Alpine Skiing Performance

This research has been funded by Junta de Andalucía (Spain) under project B-TIC-468- UGR18. The project was partially supported by European Regional Development Funds (ERDF).In skiing it is important to know how the skier accelerates and inclines the skis during the turn to avoid injuries and improve technique. The purpose of this pilot study with three participants was to develop and evaluate a compact, wireless, and low-cost system for detecting the inclination and acceleration of skis in the field based on inertial measurement units (IMU). To that end, a commercial IMU board was placed on each ski behind the skier boot. With the use of an attitude and heading reference system algorithm included in the sensor board, the orientation and attitude data of the skis were obtained (roll, pitch, and yaw) by IMU sensor data fusion. Results demonstrate that the proposed IMU-based system can provide reliable low-drifted data up to 11 min of continuous usage in the worst case. Inertial angle data from the IMU-based system were compared with the data collected by a video-based 3D-kinematic reference system to evaluate its operation in terms of data correlation and system performance. Correlation coefficients between 0.889 (roll) and 0.991 (yaw) were obtained. Mean biases from -1.13 degrees (roll) to 0.44 degrees (yaw) and 95% limits of agreements from 2.87 degrees (yaw) to 6.27 degrees (roll) were calculated for the 1-min trials. Although low mean biases were achieved, some limitations arose in the system precision for pitch and roll estimations that could be due to the low sampling rate allowed by the sensor data fusion algorithm and the initial zeroing of the gyroscope.Junta de Andalucia European Commission B-TIC-468UGR18European Commissio

Capacitive platform for real-time wireless monitoring of liquid wicking in a paper strip

Understanding the phenomenon of liquid wicking in porous media is crucial for various applications, including the transportation of fluids in soils, the absorption of liquids in textiles and paper, and the development of new and efficient microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs). Hence, accurate and real-time monitoring of the liquid wicking process is essential to enable precise flow transport and control in microfluidic devices, thus enhancing their performance and usefulness. However, most existing flow monitoring strategies require external instrumentation, are generally bulky and unsuitable for portable systems. In this work, we present a portable, compact, and cost-effective electronic platform for real-time and wireless flow monitoring of liquid wicking in paper strips. The developed microcontroller-based system enables flow and flow rate monitoring based on the capacitance measurement of a pair of electrodes patterned beneath the paper strip along the liquid path, with an accuracy of 4 fF and a full-scale range of 8 pF. Additionally to the wired transmission of the monitored data to a computer via USB, the liquid wicking process can be followed in real-time via Bluetooth using a custom-developed smartphone application. The performance of the capacitive monitoring platform was evaluated for different aqueous solutions (purified water and 1 M NaCl solution), various paper strip geometries, and several custom-made chemical valves for flow retention (chitosan-, wax-, and sucrose-based barriers). The experimental validation delivered a full-scale relative error of 0.25%, resulting in an absolute capacitance error of ±10 fF. In terms of reproducibility, the maximum uncertainty was below 10 nl s−1 for flow rate determination in this study. Furthermore, the experimental data was compared and validated with numerical analysis through electrical and flow dynamics simulations in porous media, providing crucial information on the wicking process, its physical parameters, and liquid flow dynamics

Giant cell granuloma of the maxilla: global management, review of literature and case report

Giant cell granuloma is a relatively rare benign entity but can be locally aggressive. Histologically characterized by intense proliferation of multinucleated giant cells and fibroblasts. Affects bone supported tissues. Definitive diagnosis is given by biopsy. Clinically manifest as a mass or nodule of reddish color and fleshy, occasionally ulcerated surface. They can range from asymptomatic to destructive lesions that grow quickly. It is a lesion to be considered in the differential diagnosis of osteolytic lesions affecting the maxilla or jaw. Its management passed from conservative treatment with intralesional infiltration of corticosteroids, calcitonin or interferon, to the surgical resection and reconstruction, for example with microvascular free flaps. Keywords: giant cell granuloma, intralesional injection, microvascular free flap, fibula

A new PTGDR promoter polymorphism in a population of children with asthma.

[EN] Recently, functional genetic variants of the PTGDR gene have been associated with asthma. The objective of this work was to study polymorphisms of the promoter region of PTGDR and their haplotype and diplotype combinations in a Spanish population of children with asthma. In this study, 200 Caucasian individuals were included. Asthma was specialist-physician diagnosed according to the ATS criteria. The polymorphisms were analyzed by direct sequencing. In the study, the new polymorphism (-613C > T) in the promoter region of PTGDR was analyzed. The CT genotype was more common in controls (17%) than in patients with asthma (1%) (p-value = 0.0003; OR, 0.057; 95% CI, 0.007-0.441). The CCCT CCCC diplotype (promoter positions -613, -549, -441, and -197) was more frequent in the group of patients with asthma [Fisher's p-value = 0.012; OR, 10.24; 95% CI (1.25-83.68)]; this diplotype is unambiguous. To our knowledge, this is the first study of -613C > T PTGDR polymorphism in patients. This analysis provides more complete information on influence of diplotype combinations of PTGDR polymorphisms in asthma.Fundación para la Investigación de la Sociedad Española de Alergología e Inmunología Clínica

SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA detection using the novel CoVradar device associated with the CoVreader smartphone app

Supplementary data to this article can be found online at https://doi. org/10.1016/j.bios.2023.115268The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for innovative approaches to its diagnosis. Here we present CoVradar, a novel and simple colorimetric method that combines nucleic acid analysis with dynamic chemical labeling (DCL) technology and the Spin-Tube device to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA in saliva samples. The assay includes a fragmentation step to increase the number of RNA templates for analysis, using abasic peptide nucleic acid probes (DGL probes) immobilized to nylon membranes in a specific dot pattern to capture RNA fragments. Duplexes are formed by labeling complementary RNA fragments with biotinylated SMART bases, which act as templates for DCL. Signals are generated by recognizing biotin with streptavidin alkaline phosphatase and incubating with a chromogenic substrate to produce a blue precipitate. CoVradar results are analysed by CoVreader, a smartphone-based image processing system that can display and interpret the blotch pattern. CoVradar and CoVreader provide a unique molecular assay capable of detecting SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA without the need for extraction, preamplification, or pre-labeling steps, offering advantages in terms of time (similar to 3 h/test), cost (similar to epsilon 1/test manufacturing cost) and simplicity (does not require large equipment). This solution is also promising for developing assays for other infectious diseases.FEDER/Junta de Andalucia-Consejeria de Economia y Conocimiento CV20-77741, A-FQM-760-UGR20, PID 2019-110987RB-I00, PID 2019-103938RB-I00Spanish MCIN/AEI P18-RT-2961, P18-TP-4160FEDER/Junta de Andalucia-Consejeria de Salud y Familias PIP-0232-2021European CommissionMCIN/AEI PTQ 2020-011388, IJC 2020-043307-IEuropean Union NextGenerationEU/PRTR PTQ 2020-011388, IJC 2020-043307-

Adaptando el método de enseñanza-aprendizaje mediante herramientas vodcasting: Camtasia Studio

[SPA] La adaptación de la metodología docente, motivada por la implantación del nuevo Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior (EEES), implica el empleo de nuevas Tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicaciones (TIC). Entre estas herramientas podemos encontrar la plataforma Moodle, Wikis, Youtube, Foros, Blogs, mundos virtuales, mapas conceptuales, podcasting, y vodcasting, entre otros. Es precisamente en este campo donde el software Camtasia Studio ofrece una serie de herramientas de gran potencial para la creación de video-tutoriales y todo tipo de soporte audiovisual que garantice la experiencia de aprendizaje por parte del estudiante. En la presente comunicación se muestran los resultados obtenidos por los miembros del subgrupo Camtasia, perteneciente al grupo docente “Creación de Nuevos Materiales Docentes” creado a instancia del Vicerrectorado de Ordenación Académica de la Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena. Se ha empleado el software Camtasia Studio para la creación de varios videos como material docente de apoyo a distintas asignaturas. Posteriormente se ha llevado a cabo una evaluación de las mejoras obtenidas por dicha metodología mediante la realización de encuestas. [ENG]Adaptation of teaching methodology, encouraged by the establishment of the new European Higher Education Area, involves the employment of new Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Among these tools we can find the Moodle platform, Wikis, Youtube, Forums, Blogs, virtual worlds, conceptual maps, podcasting, and vodcasting, among others. It is precisely on this field where the Camtasia Studio software can offer a kit of powerful tools for creating video tutorials and all kind of audiovisual stuff that warranties the learning experience from students. In this communication the results obtained by the members of the Camtasia subgroup are shown. This subgroup belongs to the “Creation of New Teaching Material” teaching group set up by the Vice-rectorate for Academic Organisation of the Technical University of Cartagena. The Camtasia Studio software has been utilized to create several videos as teaching material for supporting different subjects. Later, an evaluation of the improvements obtained by the use of this methodology is performed by means of anonymous questionnaires.Campus Mare Nostrum, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, Universidad de Murcia, Región de Murci