Wireless Medical Sensor Networks: Design Requirements and Enabling Technologies

This article analyzes wireless communication protocols that could be used in healthcare environments (e.g., hospitals and small clinics) to transfer real-time medical information obtained from noninvasive sensors. For this purpose the features of the three currently most widely used protocols—namely, Bluetooth® (IEEE 802.15.1), ZigBee (IEEE 802.15.4), and Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11)—are evaluated and compared. The important features under consideration include data bandwidth, frequency band, maximum transmission distance, encryption and authentication methods, power consumption, and current applications. In addition, an overview of network requirements with respect to medical sensor features, patient safety and patient data privacy, quality of service, and interoperability between other sensors is briefly presented. Sensor power consumption is also discussed because it is considered one of the main obstacles for wider adoption of wireless networks in medical applications. The outcome of this assessment will be a useful tool in the hands of biomedical engineering researchers. It will provide parameters to select the most effective combination of protocols to implement a specific wireless network of noninvasive medical sensors to monitor patients remotely in the hospital or at home

A reflexão como um instrumento de formação no PFCM

O Programa de Formação Contínua em Matemática para Professores dos 1.º e 2.º Ciclos do Ensino Básico (PFCM), com o objectivo de melhorar o ensino e as aprendizagens em Matemática e desenvolver atitudes mais positivas face a esta área do saber, pretende responder às necessidades dos professores participantes, partindo de questões relativas à concretização do currículo de Matemática na sala de aula e tendo um carácter continuado ao longo do ano lectivo. O PFCM constitui, assim, um instrumento de apoio e ajuda aos professores participantes na sua prática lectiva (planificação do trabalho, condução da aula, reflexão sobre o que foi feito) de modo a melhorar as suas actuações profissionais e, consequentemente, as aprendizagens matemáticas dos seus alunos. No anterior ano lectivo, o plano de formação desenvolvido pela Escola Superior de Educação de Bragança (ESEB), embora possibilitasse a abordagem de qualquer conteúdo de formação previsto, centrou-se em alguns domínios, nomeadamente, na clarificação ou aprofundamento de temas matemáticos, na discussão dos tipos e natureza das tarefas (exercícios, explorações, problemas, investigações; jogos, projectos), em aspectos da comunicação matemática, na utilização de materiais curriculares, e na construção dos portefólios, valorizando os registos escritos e reflexão. Nesta comunicação pretendemos discutir, com base na observação participante e na análise documental, situações e episódios ocorridos nas salas de aula que fundamentem aspectos do ensino e aprendizagem da Matemática destacados pelo plano de formação da ESEB e evidenciados quer pelos formadores quer pelos professores participantes, dando especial relevância à reflexão (pessoal e partilhada) sobre as experiências profissionais

Estrutura e produção das florestas naturais ao longo do Rio Branco no Território Federal de Roraima

This paper is a summary of a forest inventory research project carried out in North Brazil by the Universidade Federal de Santa Maria - RS, specifically, in the Federal Territory of Roraima, along the Branco River, comprising an area of aproximately 46.000ha.An attemp was made to describe all the forest types of the region from the ecological and timber stock points of view. Considerations about the current exploration process in the area and the trunk vitality of the various species were made.O presente trabalho corresponde a uma síntese do inventário florestal realizado no Território Federal de Roraima, no Norte do País, na região de influência do Rio Branco, numa área de aproximadamente 46.000 ha, pela Universidade Federal de Santa Maria.Procurou-se descrever os tipos florestais encontrados na região sob o ponto de vista ecológico e de estoque de madeira, efetuando-se considerações sobre o potencial das florestas, o processo e o estágio de exploração em que se encontram e a vitalidade dos troncos das diferentes espécies encontradas

The 2:1 cycloadducts from [3+2] 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of nitrile oxide and vinylacetic acid. Synthesis and liquid crystal behaviour

Four liquid crystals (LC) 3,7a-bis(4-alkyloxyphenyl)-7,7a-dihydro-6H-isoxazolo[2,3-d][1,2,4]oxadiazol-6-yl)acetic acid (7a-d) were synthesised and the mesomorphic behaviour reported. The LCs were characterised as 2: 1 bisadducts, which were obtained from a double [3+2] 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition. In the first step, the cycloaddition of 4-alkyloxyphenylnitrile oxide (4a-d) and vinylacetic acid (5) gave the initial unobserved 1:1 cycloadducts 2-[3-(4-alkyloxyphenyl)-4,5-dihydroisoxazol-5-yl]acetic acid (6a-d). In the second step, the addition of a second equivalent of 4 to 6 yielded the 2: 1 bisadducts 7a-d without any traces of 6. All compounds 7a-d were unstable during the transition from the mesophase to the isotropic state upon first heating as evidenced by the large peaks in the differential scanning calorimetry traces. Due to the chemical instability of the compounds upon heating, the transition temperature related to the smectic C to smectic A transitions was acquired by means of an image processing method. X-Ray diffraction experiments were also used to analyse the liquid-crystalline phases. A theoretical calculation was performed using density functional theory (DFT) methods at the PBE1PBE/6-311+G(2d,p) level (with solvent effect) in order to get information about the energetic profile of the 2: 1 cycloaddition. DFT studies revealed that the cycloaddition process is controlled by the HOMO(dipolarophile) - LUMO(1,3-dipole), and that the double [3+2] 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction is quite possible.CNPq [471194-2008-5]CAPESINCT-Catalise[PROCAD-2007/CAPES

Mass Spectrometry-Based (GeLC-MS/MS) Comparative Proteomic Analysis of Endoscopically (ePFT) Collected Pancreatic and Gastroduodenal Fluids

Objectives: The secretin-stimulated endoscopic pancreatic function test (ePFT) allows for the safe collection of gastroduodenal and pancreatic fluid from the duodenum. We test the hypothesis that these endoscopically collected fluids have different proteomes. As such, we aim to show that the ePFT method can be used to collect fluid enriched in pancreatic proteins to test for pancreatic function. Methods: Gastroduodenal and pancreatic fluid were collected sequentially from chronic pancreatitis patients undergoing an ePFT. Proteins from each fluid type were extracted using previously published optimized methods and subjected to GeLC-MS/MS analysis for protein identification and bioinformatics analysis. Results: Mass spectrometry analysis identified proteins that were exclusive in either gastroduodenal (46) or pancreatic fluid (234). Subsequent quantitative analysis revealed proteins that were differentially abundant with statistical significance. As expected, proteolytic enzymes and protease inhibitors were among the differentially detected proteins. The proteases pepsinogens and gastrin were enriched in gastroduodenal fluid, while common pancreatic enzymes (e.g., aminopeptidase N, chymotrypsin C, elastase-3A, trypsin, and carboxypeptidase A1, and elastase 2B) were found in greater abundance in pancreatic fluid. Similarly for protease inhibitors, members of the cystatin family were exclusive to gastroduodenal fluid, while serpins A11, B4, and D1 were exclusive to pancreatic fluid. Conclusions: We have shown that ePFT collection coupled with mass spectrometry can be used to identify differentially detected proteins in gastroduodenal and pancreatic fluids. The data obtained using GeLC-MS/MS techniques provide further evidence supporting the feasibility of using ePFT-collected fluid to study specific diseases of the upper gastrointestinal tract, such as chronic pancreatitis