Engineering design : eicosane microcapsules synthesis and application in polyurethane foams aiming to diminish wheelchair cushion effect on skin temperature

Thermal comfort of wheelchairs still requires improvements, since users remain on the chair for as long as 12 h a day. Increased sweating makes the skin more susceptible to colonization by fungi and bacteria, and may cause pressure ulcers. In this sense, the microencapsulation of Phase-Change Materials (PCMs) may help to enhance wheelchair cushion comfort by regulating heat exchange. This study describes the production of PCM microcapsules and their application in flexible polyurethane foams after expansion, and assesses improvements in heat exchange. Microcapsules with eicosane core coated with melamine-formaldehyde were produced. Eicosane is a thermoregulation agent whose phase-change temperature is near that of the human body’s. Microcapsules were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Then, microcapsules were applied on polyurethane foams by vacuum filtration and high-pressure air gun. Samples were exposed to a heat source and analysed by infrared thermography. The results indicate that thermal load increased in samples treated with microcapsules, especially by pressure air gun, and show that it is possible to enhance thermal comfort in wheelchair seats. Thereby, this study contributes to enhance quality of life for wheelchair users, focusing on thermal comfort provided by cushion seats made from PU foam

Associação entre o período de graduação e fatores de risco cardiovascular em universitários

AIM: This study aimed to verify the association between moment of the undergraduate course and cardiovascular risk factors in a representative sample of university students Methods: A total of 1,599 university students (1,197 freshmen and 402 seniors) were investigated for the following risk factors: insufficient practice of physical activity, tobacco and alcohol consumption, poor eating habits, excess body weight, increased waist circumference and elevated arterial pressure. Information regarding the practice of physical activity were obtained using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) instrument, the behaviors using the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance, and the socio-environmental information using the methodology of the Associação Brasileira de Empresas de Pesquisa (Brazilian Association of Research Companies). RESULTS: A significantly higher probability of presenting the following risk factors was verified among the senior students: insufficient practice of physical activity, smoked, consumed alcohol or drank alcohol in excess within the last thirty days. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that students closer to the end of the undergraduate course show a higher possibility of presenting some cardiovascular risk factors than those just entering the university environment. Therefore, prevention programs and health promotion during the undergraduate course should be investigated.OBJETIVO: verificar la asociación entre el período de la graduación y factores de riesgo cardiovascular en una muestra representativa de universitarios. MÉTODOS: se observó 1.599 universitarios (1.197 alumnos del primer año y 402 del último año) en cuanto a los siguientes factores de riesgo: práctica insuficiente de actividad física, consumo de tabaco y bebidas alcohólicas, hábitos alimenticios, exceso de peso corporal, circunferencia de la cintura aumentada y presión arterial elevada. Informaciones referentes a la práctica de actividad física fueron obtenidas por el instrumento International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), los comportamientos por el Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance, y las informaciones socio-ambientales con la metodología de la Associação Brasileira de Empresas de Pesquisa. RESULTADOS: fue verificada una significativa mayor probabilidad, en los alumnos del último año, de presentar los siguientes factores de riesgo: práctica insuficiente de actividad física, haber fumado en los últimos treinta días, haber consumido alcohol e ingerido bebida alcohólica en exceso en el mismo período. CONCLUSÍON: los resultados sugieren que los estudiantes que están más próximos del término de la graduación, demuestran mayor probabilidad de presentar algunos factores de riesgo cardiovascular que los alumnos del primer año. En este sentido, se podría pensar en programas de prevención y promoción de la salud durante todo el periodo de la graduación.OBJETIVO: verificar a associação entre o período da graduação e fatores de risco cardiovascular em uma amostra representativa de universitários. MÉTODOS: observaram-se 1.599 universitários (1.197 calouros e 402 formandos) quanto aos seguintes fatores de risco: prática insuficiente de atividade física, consumo de tabaco e bebidas alcoólicas, hábitos alimentares, excesso de peso corporal, circunferência de cintura e pressão arterial elevada. Informações referentes à prática de atividade física foram obtidas pelo instrumento International Physical Activity Questionnaire, os comportamentos pelo Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance e as informações socioambientais com a metodologia da Associação Brasileira de Empresas de Pesquisa. RESULTADOS: foi verificada, significativamente, maior probabilidade de alunos formandos apresentarem os seguintes fatores de risco: prática insuficiente de atividade física, terem fumado nos últimos trinta dias, consumido álcool e ingestão de bebida alcoólica em excesso no mesmo período. CONCLUSÃO: os resultados sugerem que estudantes mais próximos do término da graduação demonstram maior probabilidade de apresentar alguns fatores de risco cardiovascular do que os calouros. Nesse sentido, poder-se-ia pensar em programas de prevenção e promoção à saúde, durante a graduação

Recognition of Depressive Symptoms by Physicians

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the recognition of depressive symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD) by general practitioners. INTRODUCTION: MDD is underdiagnosed in medical settings, possibly because of difficulties in the recognition of specific depressive symptoms. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 316 outpatients at their first visit to a teaching general hospital. We evaluated the performance of 19 general practitioners using Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders (PRIME-MD) to detect depressive symptoms and compared them to 11 psychiatrists using Structured Clinical Interview Axis I Disorders, Patient Version (SCID I/P). We measured likelihood ratios, sensitivity, specificity, and false positive and false negative frequencies. RESULTS: The lowest positive likelihood ratios were for psychomotor agitation/retardation (1.6) and fatigue (1.7), mostly because of a high rate of false positive results. The highest positive likelihood ratio was found for thoughts of suicide (8.5). The lowest sensitivity, 61.8%, was found for impaired concentration. The sensitivity for worthlessness or guilt in patients with medical illness was 67.2% (95% CI, 57.4–76.9%), which is significantly lower than that found in patients without medical illness, 91.3% (95% CI, 83.2–99.4%). DISCUSSION: Less adequately identified depressive symptoms were both psychological and somatic in nature. The presence of a medical illness may decrease the sensitivity of recognizing specific depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Programs for training physicians in the use of diagnostic tools should consider their performance in recognizing specific depressive symptoms. Such procedures could allow for the development of specific training to aid in the detection of the most misrecognized depressive symptoms

Leitura visual: arte, mídia e cotidiano

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CONSCIENTIZAÇÃO E PROMOÇÃO DE CAMPANHA DE MEDULA ÓSSEA

O transplante de medula óssea representa uma medida terapêutica bem sucedida para determinadas doenças, mas necessita de uma compatibilidade HLA mais próximo possível entre o doador e o paciente. A chance de se encontrar um doador compatível torna-se uma dificuldade, pois a relação é de uma medula compatível em cada cem mil no Brasil. Esta possibilidade de compatibilidade tende a aumentar quando há um maior número de doadores cadastrados. O projeto ADOTE UMA VIDA surgiu em 2009 com o intuito de sensibilizar as pessoas da importância da doação de órgãos e tecidos, abordando inicialmente o tema doação de órgãos e a doação de córnea. Após a discussão dos resultados deste primeiro ano de atividade, surgiu a ideia dos integrantes em abordar a cada ano um novo tema, como a doação de medula óssea em 2010. O projeto percorreu escolas de Alfenas-MG e realizou campanhas educativas. Houve também a aplicação de formulários antes das palestras, que permitiu a avaliação das atitudes dos participantes e estabelecer novas metas para o projeto. A maior conscientização do projeto foi para 1.145 pessoas e ocorreu em 2011 para divulgar com a Campanha de Doação de Medula Óssea organizada pela Residência Multiprofissional em Saúde da Família da UNIFAL-MG e seus colaboradores, incluindo o projeto ADOTE UMA VIDA, obtendo 1.800 cadastros. O projeto ADOTE UMA VIDA teve grande impacto na abordagem de medula óssea, pois além de ministrar palestras e levantar o problema, também conseguiu participar da intervenção na realização da campanha

Interventional suite and equipment management: cradle to grave

The acquisition process for interventional equipment and the care that this equipment receives constitute a comprehensive quality improvement program. This program strives to (a) achieve the production of good image quality that meets clinical needs, (b) reduce radiation doses to the patient and personnel to their lowest possible levels, and (c) provide overall good patient care at reduced cost. Interventional imaging equipment is only as effective and efficient as its supporting facility. The acquisition process of interventional equipment and the development of its environment demand a clinical project leader who can effectively coordinate the efforts of the many professionals who must communicate and work effectively on this type of project. The clinical project leader needs to understand (a) clinical needs of the end users, (b) how to justify the cost of the project, (c) the technical needs of the imaging and all associated equipment, (d) building and construction limitations, (e) how to effectively read construction drawings, and (f) how to negotiate and contract the imaging equipment from the appropriate vendor. After the initial commissioning of the equipment, it must not be forgotten. The capabilities designed into the imaging device can be properly utilized only by well-trained operators and staff who were initially properly trained and receive ongoing training concerning the latest clinical techniques throughout the equipment’s lifetime. A comprehensive, ongoing maintenance and repair program is paramount to reducing costly downtime of the imaging device. A planned periodic maintenance program can identify and eliminate problems with the imaging device before these problems negatively impact patient care

Interpreting Psychophysiological States Using Unobtrusive Wearable Sensors in Virtual Reality

One of the main challenges in the study of human be- havior is to quantitatively assess the participants’ affective states by measuring their psychophysiological signals in ecologically valid conditions. The quality of the acquired data, in fact, is often poor due to artifacts generated by natural interactions such as full body movements and gestures. We created a technology to address this problem. We enhanced the eXperience Induction Machine (XIM), an immersive space we built to conduct experiments on human behavior, with unobtrusive wearable sensors that measure electrocardiogram, breathing rate and electrodermal response. We conducted an empirical validation where participants wearing these sensors were free to move in the XIM space while exposed to a series of visual stimuli taken from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS). Our main result consists in the quan- titative estimation of the arousal range of the affective stimuli through the analysis of participants’ psychophysiological states. Taken together, our findings show that the XIM constitutes a novel tool to study human behavior in life-like conditions