Self-sensing composites: in-situ detection of fibre fracture

The primary load-bearing component in a composite material is the reinforcing fibres. This paper reports on a technique to study the fracture of individual reinforcing fibres or filaments in real-time. Custom-made small-diameter optical fibres with a diameter of 12 (±2) micrometres were used to detect the fracture of individual filaments during tensile loading of unreinforced bundles and composites. The unimpregnated bundles were end-tabbed and tensile tested to failure. A simple technique based on resin-infusion was developed to manufacture composites with a negligible void content. In both cases, optical fibre connectors were attached to the ends of the small-diameter optical fibre bundles to enable light to be coupled into the bundle via one end whilst the opposite end was photographed using a high-speed camera. The feasibility of detecting the fracture of each of the filaments in the bundle and composite was demonstrated. The in-situ damage detection technique was also applied to E-glass bundles and composites; this will be reported in a subsequent publication

Impacto da absortância e transmitância das fachadas na eficiência energética e conforto térmico para habitação de interesse social

This paper aims to present a discussion about the influence that thermal transmittance and thermalabsorptance have on thermal comfort and energy consumption, if there is an option for the use of airconditioning to promote this sensation in a social housing in the city of Maceió, Alagoas. Nowadays, thereis a spread of thought for the use of insulating materials in construction of residential buildings, howeverfor hot and humid climates, this thought is contested by several studies. The analysis carried out heretook place with the aid of the EnergyPlus® software, version 9.3 for 42 building configurations, withvariation of thermal transmittance and absorptance, with the use of air conditioning and without the useof this device, for 1 ren/h, 5 ren/h and 10 ren/h. The results obtained quantify the financial impact on thefamily budget in this housing configuration, in case the option for the use of air conditioning occurs andthe influence that the analyzed properties have on thermal comfort, with a greater influence of absorbancein relation to transmittance. It is intended, then, from this research to contribute to the documentation andawareness of the use of strategies appropriate to thermal comfort in conditions similar to those analyzed.  Este artículo tiene como objetivo presentar una discusión sobre la influencia que tienen la transmitanciatérmica y la absortancia térmica en el confort térmico y el consumo de energía, si existe una opción para usar el aire acondicionado para promover esta sensación en viviendas sociales en la ciudad de Maceió, Alagoas. Actualmente, existe una gran variedad de ideas para el uso de materiales aislantes en la construcción de edificios residenciales, sin embargo, para climas cálidos y húmedos, este estudio es cuestionado por varios estudios. El análisis realizado aquí ocorrió con la ayuda del software EnergyPlus®, versión 9.3 para 42 configuraciones de edificios, con variación de la transmitancia térmica y la absortancia, con el uso de aire acondicionado y sin el uso de este dispositivo, por 1 ren/h, 5 ren/h y 10 ren/h. Los resultados obtenidos cuantifican el impacto financiero en el presupuesto familiar en esta configuración de vivienda, en caso de que se produzca la opción para el uso de aire acondicionado y la influencia que las propiedades analizadas tienen sobre el confort térmico, con una mayor influencia de absorbancia en relación con la transmitancia. Se pretende, entonces, de esta investigación contribuir a la documentación y la conciencia mediante el uso de estrategias apropiadas para el confort térmico en condiciones similares a las analizadas.  Este trabalho tem como objetivo apresentar uma discussão acerca da influência que a transmitância térmica e absortância térmica apresentam no conforto térmico e consumo de energia, caso haja a opção pelo uso de ar condicionado para promoção desta sensação em uma habitação de interesse social na cidade de Maceió, Alagoas. Atualmente há uma disseminação do pensamento para a utilização de materiais isolantes em construções de edifícios habitacionais, no entanto para climas quente e úmido, este pensamento é contestado por diversos estudos. A análise aqui realizada ocorreu com o auxílio do software EnergyPlus®, versão 9.3 para 42 configurações da edificação, com variação da Transmitância e da absortância térmicas, com o uso de ar condicionado e sem o uso deste dispositivo, para 1 ren/h, 5 ren/h e 10 ren/h. Os resultados obtidos quantificam o impacto financeiro no orçamento familiar nesta configuração de habitação, caso ocorra a opção pelo uso de ar condicionado e a influência que as propriedades analisadas apresentam no conforto térmico, com influência maior da absortância em relação à transmitância. Pretende-se então a partir desta pesquisa contribuir para a documentação e conscientização pelo uso de estratégias adequadas ao conforto térmico em condições similares às analisadas

Estudo da interferencia da alimentação na absorção de fluor ingerido sob a forma de dentifricio fluoretado

Orientador: Pedro Luiz RosalenDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Odontologia de PiracicabaResumo: A proposta do presente estudo foi avaliar a interferência da alimentação na absorção gastrointestinal de flúor ingerido através de dentifrício fluoretado. Dezoito voluntários adultos jovens foram submetidos a três situações de conteúdo estomacal, jejum, café da manhã e almoço e à ingestão de um dentifrício em 3 concentrações; placebo, 550 e 1100 ppmF, ou seja, em ocasiões diferentes ingeriram um dentifrício em cada situação de conteúdo gástrico. Foram feitas coletas de urina 24 horas anteriores e posteriores ao experimento e a partir da ingestão do dentifrício, amostras de saliva foram coletadas nos tempos (hora) 0; 0,25; 0,5; 0,75; 1,0; 2,0; 3,0; 8,0 e 24. Através da área de concentração salivar e da quantidade de flúor excretada em cada tratamento e pôde-se notar uma queda na absorção em torno de 19% quando da ingestão de flúor após o café da manhã e de aproximadamente 33% quando da ingestão de flúor após uma refeição tipo almoçoAbstract: The aim of the present study was to determine the influence of feed in the gastrointestinal absorption of fluoride ingested as fluoride dentifrices. Eighteen young volunteers were submited to three situations of stomachal contents; fasting stomach, breakfast and lunch and then to ingest some fluoride dentifrice in three different concentrations; placebo, 550 and 1100 ppmF, i.e., in different occasions they ingested one dentifrice in a situation of stomachal content. Urine was colected 24h before and after the experiment and as soon they ingested the dentifrice, saliva samples were colected in time (hour) 0; 0,25; 0,5; 0,75; 1,0; 2,0; 3,0, 8,0 and 24,0. Data from salivary fluoride concentration (ASC) and F urinary output was determined. In the present study it was found that breakfast and lunch consumed prior to ingestion of fluoride reduces fluoride absorption by 19% and 33% respectiviJy, compared to ingestion on a fasting stomachMestradoFarmacologiaMestre em Odontologi

Can we move forward to Digital Healthcare in Sri Lanka? Developing an Electronic record keeping system to a local Paediatric clinic

Background: Paediatric multi-disciplinary team (MDT) clinic at Colombo-south teaching hospital is designed for patient-centered management of paediatric neurological disorders. This clinic lacks an electronic database management system (E-DBMS). Open source technology through Google and AppSheet® provides tools to create E-DBMS.Objectives: To design a user-friendly, secured electronic DBMS for record keeping, audit, data analysis and research purposes.Methods: New google account was created for the MDT clinic. Google spreadsheets® were used to design the data tables and linked to AppSheet® software to generate graphical user interface of the mobile app of the database. Appearance and features of the App were designed through options provided by the AppSheet® without writing codes using computer language. Once the app is ready, email address and password are shared among the authorized team members and mobile app was installed into their phones.Results: This app enabled the team members to add, edit and view data of MDT patients. Telephone calls could be taken and patients’ locations could be accessed through the app.Since database is accessible through phones, patients’ past records could be reviewed and new records can be entered while conducting the clinic. Success of the therapies given to patients can be quantified by motor skills score and AIMS centile analysis. These spreadsheets could be linked to SPSS software to analyze data for research purposes. Even though this provides adequate confidentiality and security to data, all the authorized team members who share the app have an unrestricted access to add, edit or remove data.Conclusion: Electronic DBMS could be designed practically via AppSheet®, which is an effective tool to maintain and to retrieve patients’ record sand for research purposes

Effects of supervised practice on the accuracy of observers for manual segmentation of simulated electromyograms

Visual interpretation of electromyograms is common, but its accuracy is unknown. This study compared the accuracy curves of inexperienced observers in detecting muscular contractions from variable, simulated surface electromyogram signals. Accuracy was assessed both without feedback (unsupervised practice) and with feedback (supervised practice) to determine whether a training effect existed. Six observers performed manual segmentation in 300 simulated waveforms using a phenomenological model with a variable number of contractions (n=1, 2 or 3), smooth changes in amplitude, marked on-off timing, and a variable signal-to-noise ratio (0-39 dB). Segmentation was organized in two one-day sessions with 15 blocks of 20 signals each for the unsupervised and supervised practices, respectively. Supervised practice was provided by an immediate visual feedback on the manual segmentation. The accuracy curve showed no significant linear regressions for either unsupervised (R2=.104, p=.241) or supervised practices (R2=.153, p=.150). No significant difference in accuracy was observed between the unsupervised and supervised practices (85% [77; 99] and 88% [73; 97], respectively; p=.295). Unsupervised practice yielded low accuracy for one muscular contraction (AUC=.43; cut-off=12.8 dB) and increased with supervised practice (AUC=.63; cut-off=9.5 dB). Unsupervised practice resulted in high accuracy for two contractions (AUC=.88; cut-off=6.9 dB) and was similar to the supervised practice (AUC=.81; cut-off=6.3 dB). Supervised practice using visual feedback improved the accuracy of inexperienced observers in the segmentation of one muscular contraction in simulated electromyograms and did not influence the accuracy of two muscular contractions

No Black Hole Theorem in Three-Dimensional Gravity

A common property of known black hole solutions in (2+1)-dimensional gravity is that they require a negative cosmological constant. In this letter, it is shown that a (2+1)-dimensional gravity theory which satisfies the dominant energy condition forbids the existence of a black hole to explain the above situation.Comment: 3 pages, no figures, to be published in Physical Review Letter

UMA REFLEXÃO NECESSÁRIA PARA A UNIVERSIDADE DO SÉCULO XXI

Por meio de uma discussão teórica com um estudo bibliográfico, aborda-se os conceitos de Universidade, do agir educacional proposto por Paulo Freire, do agir comunicativo de Habermas entre outros conceitos pertinentes à reflexão de como está a Universidade na atualidade e como ela pode sair desta inércia e alcançar novos rumos e conquistas no século XXI. Alguns afirmam que a Universidade vai acabar, será substituída, mas é necessário pensar não do papel somente de ensino. A universidade tem que ser o núcleo transformador da sociedade, baseada em conhecimento e cooperação, sendo aberta e lidando com a complexidade inerente a sua natureza. Não se deve tentar simplificá-la, sua alma é complexa e é isso que a difere, que a torna importante e admirável. Assim, a Universidade no século XXI precisa mudar. É necessário uma busca da integração entre o agir educacional e o agir comunicativo. Preparar as pessoas para essa dinâmica, com práticas para desenvolver a autoridade do argumento. E enfim, contribuir para uma sociedade mais cooperativa e voltada ao entendimento

Economic burden of Cardiac Arrest in Spain: analyzing healthcare costs drivers and treatment strategies cost-effectiveness

Carga económica; Parada cardíaca; RentabilidadEconomic burden; Cardiac arrest; Cost-effectivenessCàrrega econòmica; Aturada cardíaca; RendibilitatBackground Cardiac arrest is a major public health issue in Europe. Cardiac arrest seems to be associated with a large socioeconomic burden in terms of resource utilization and health care costs. The aim of this study is the analysis of the economic burden of cardiac arrest in Spain and a cost-effectiveness analysis of the key intervention identified, especially in relation to neurological outcome at discharge. Methods The data comes from the information provided by 115 intensive care and cardiology units from Spain, including information on the care of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest who had a return of spontaneous circulation. The information reported by theses 115 units was collected by a nationwide survey conducted between March and September 2020. Along with number of patients (2631), we also collect information about the structure of the units, temperature management, and prognostication assessments. In this study we analyze the potential association of several factors with neurological outcome at discharge, and the cost associated with the different factors. The cost-effectiveness of using servo-control for temperature management is analyzed by means of a decision model, based on the results of the survey and data collected in the literature, for a one-year and a lifetime time horizon. Results A total of 109 cardiology units provided results on neurological outcome at discharge as evaluated with the cerebral performance category (CPC). The most relevant factor associated with neurological outcome at discharge was ‘servo-control use’, showing a 12.8% decrease in patients with unfavorable neurological outcomes (i.e., CPC3-4 vs. CPC1-2). The total cost per patient (2020 Euros) was €73,502. Only “servo-control use” was associated with an increased mean total cost per hospital. Patients treated with servo-control for temperature management gained in the short term (1 year) an average of 0.039 QALYs over those who were treated with other methods at an increased cost of €70.8, leading to an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of 1,808 euros. For a lifetime time horizon, the use of servo-control is both more effective and less costly than the alternative. Conclusions Our results suggest the implementation of servo-control techniques in all the units that are involved in managing the cardiac arrest patient from admission until discharge from hospital to minimize the neurological damage to patients and to reduce costs to the health and social security system