Patterned superhydrophobic paper for microfluidic devices obtained by writing and printing

Published online: 26 July 2013This work outlines inexpensive patterning methodologies to create open-air microfluidic paperbased devices. A phase-separation methodology was used to obtain biomimetic superhydrophobic paper, hierarchically composed by micro and nano topographies. Writing and printing are simple actions that can be used to pattern flat superhydrophobic paper with more wettable channels. In particular, inkjet printing permits controlling the wettability of the surface by changing the darkness of the printed regions. The difference between capillary forces provides the possibility to control and drive liquid flows through the open path lines, just by titling the piece of paper. Additionally, maintaining a continuous flow, it is possible to direct the liquid at different volumetric rates in a horizontal position along non-linear channel paths printed/written over the surface

Sistemas de Información en Enfermería: explotación de la información compartida con los médicos

Enquadramento: Ao longo dos anos foram-se verificando alterações substanciais ao nível da documentação em enfermagem resultantes da utilização de tecnologias da informação na atividade diária dos profissionais de saúde. Os médicos são os maiores consumidores da informação recolhida, processada e documentada pelos enfermeiros, dada a relevância dessa informação no seu processo de tomada de decisão clínica. Objetivos: Identificar e descrever a informação recolhida, processada e documentada pelos enfermeiros que é mais relevante para atividade profissional dos médicos. Metodologia: Estudo qualitativo e exploratório com recurso à observação participante (98 horas) e entrevistas semi-estruturadas (3) com informantes-chave, realizado em contexto hospitalar. Foi realizada a análise indutiva de conteúdo das notas de campo e entrevistas. Resultados: A informação mais relevante para os médicos depende do contexto dos sujeitos, da ação e das profissões, e foi agregada em três categorias: «parâmetros de vigilância»; «medicação e atitudes terapêuticas»; e «dados intercorrentes». Conclusão: As estratégias de recolha de dados mostraram-se capazes de gerar dados válidos para a identificação das categorias de informação mais relevantes para os médicos («parâmetros de vigilância», «medicação e atitudes terapêuticas» e «dados intercorrentes»). A informação relevante para os médicos não é influenciada por quem toma a decisão de prescrição da colheita dos dados

Knowledge of official ethical standards and tolerance towards corruption: An exploratory study

Corruption is often defined as a deviant conduct from established legal and formal norms and expected ways of behaving in the exercise of official duties and the discharge of official responsibilities. Readiness to tolerate corruption will hinge primarily upon the evaluator’s understanding of what those ethical standards are. This means that citizens’ willingness to accept corruption as something “normal” to the functioning of democracy or “beneficial” to economic development is likely to be affected by how knowledgeable they are about the ethical standards of governing public office. Such knowledge can be instilled by academic and experiential learning. So, we question to what extent citizens’ knowledge of official ethical standards affect their tolerance towards corruption? Based on new individual level data collected from six focus groups conducted in Portugal, we show a possible negative association between the appropriate knowledge of official ethical standards and tolerance towards corruption. The results are exploratory, but sufficiently interesting to test our hypothesis with a larger sample.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

KINEMATIC ANALYSIS OF STROKE CYCLE TO AN INTERNATIONAL ATHLETE ON CANOEING -K1

INTRODUCTION -The purpose of this study is the cinematic analysis of the strake cycle done on a simulator, by an athlete of the modality with an international curriculum. This analysis has allowed to describe in detail the technique of stroke and its expression on quantitative terms for parameters like: time, velocity, articulated and absolute angles, the trajectory of the whole body centre gravity and of the corporal segments. Bearing the lack of biomechanical studies on this area and the increase of the number of practitioners in Portugal, this knowledge could contribute to a better understanding of the training process. MATERIAL AND METHOD5 -We have analysed one of the most representative athletes of the National Canoe Federation, a 32 year-old men, 90 Kg of weight and 187 cm of height. We used the video camera to "catch" the strake cycle during a training session. After this we have analysed the cinematic parameters, using a bidimensional computer programme "Peak Performance 5 -Motion measurement system" from Peak Performance Technologies, Inc.. RE5ULT5 -We verified small oscillations of the centre of gravity (c. g.) on the sagital plane (x =4 cm and y =3,5 cm) during the strake cycle. The horizontal velocity (vx) of the left hand was analysed, having its maximum values at the vertical position of the paddle: Vx (aerial, phase) = 2,1 m/s; Vx (aquatic phase) = 1,1 m/s. The zero values of Vx were found in the horizontal position of the paddle. On the other hand, vertical velocity (vy) reaches its maximum at the horizontal position of the paddle and was zero when the paddle is vertical. Analysing the angle of the segment trunk (defined by the shoulder and hip) in relation to the vertical axis, we observed a variation of 25,8° The angle corresponding to the shoulder forward inclination was 14,7° and the angle corresponding to the backward inclination was 11,1 ° The knee angle showed for the maximal extension and flexion of the leg was 163,3° and 129,7°, respectively The maximal and minimal ankle angles were 89,7° and 134,6° CONCLU510NS -The c.g. movement in sagital plane can cause smooth rotations of the kayak in real conditions. There is a relation between the knee and ankle angles, which is, the extension of the knee is related to the ankle plantar flexion and the flexion of the knee is related to the ankle dorsal flexion. As it is in the aquatic phase that one founds the maximum values for horizontal velocity (the paddle is vertical) it seems that the simulator offers a great relation between the horizontal velocity and the propulsion of the kayak. This investigation should contribute to an improvement of the training process specially in technique, because it allows a comparison between the simulate situation and real situation

CVD of CrO2 Thin Films: Influence of the Deposition Parameters on their Structural and Magnetic Properties

This work reports on the synthesis of CrO2 thin films by atmospheric pressure CVD using chromium trioxide (CrO3) and oxygen. Highly oriented (100) CrO2 films containing highly oriented (0001) Cr2O3 were grown onto Al2O3(0001) substrates. Films display a sharp magnetic transition at 375 K and a saturation magnetization of 1.92 Bohr magnetons per f.u., close to the bulk value of 2 Bohr magnetons per f.u. for the CrO2. Keywords: Chromium dioxide (CrO2), Atmospheric pressure CVD, Spintronics.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figure