Wearable devices for health remote monitor system

It is feasible to see how communication and information technology have advanced at a rapid pace in today’s world. The introduction of wearable technology is one aspect contributing to this progress and has the potential to be an innovative solution to healthcare challenges since it may be utilized for illness prevention and maintenance, such as physical monitoring, as well as patient management. In order to solve some of the healthcare challenges, this paper proposes the development of an intelligent health monitoring system with alerts and continuous monitoring using wearable devices capable of collecting biometric data on human health. The concept was then proven by the development of a prototype using sensors connected to a micro-controller which transmits its information via MQTT to a Node-RED powered dashboard that handles the health metrics monitoring. The designed prototype has proven satisfactory to provide evidences that support the developed research questions.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Subocclusive transvenous approach of dural arteriovenous fistula

Introdução: As fístulas arteriovenosas durais (FAVd) são usualmente adquiridas e quando apresentam drenagem venosa cortical estão associadas a um risco elevado de hemorragia. Podem ser tratadas por embolização (transarterial ou transvenosa), cirurgicamente ou pela combinação das duas técnicas. A embolização por via transvenosa induz uma trombose iatrogénica do seio venoso, acarretando risco de enfarte venoso e/ou hemorragia. Objectivo: Rever os casos de FAVd do seio lateral submetidas a embolização transvenosa. O nosso principal objectivo é avaliar a eficácia e a morbilidade deste tipo de tratamento e o segundo é discutir as possíveis vantagens de uma abordagem suboclusiva na primeira sessão de tratamento. Resultados: Os autores apresentam seis casos clínicos de FAVd, cujas formas de apresentação foram: diminuição da acuidade visual (3); sopro pulsátil no ouvido (3); cefaleias (2); hemorragia subaracnoideia (1); hipoacusia subjectiva (1); edema da papila (1); défice motor (1). Angiograficamente: Cognard IIa (3), IIab (2) e IV (1), todas com envolvimento dos seios laterais. As principais aferências eram: ACE ipsilateral (6); ACI ipsilateral (6); AV ipsilateral (6); ACE contralateral (5); AV contralateral (5); ACI contralateral (3); ACP ipsilateral (1). O tratamento inicial foi sempre a abordagem transarterial, com resultados angiográficos aceitáveis, embora transitórios. Posteriormente optou-se pela via transvenosa com preenchimento do seio lateral com GDC coils. Em cinco dos doentes decidiu-se pela suboclusão, com persistência de algumas aferências. Em quatro, a angiografia subsequente demonstrou trombose “espontânea” do seio lateral com resolução clínica e angiográfica da doença. Num deles a trombose ocorreu ainda durante a sessão inicial. Todos os procedimentos decorreram sem complicações e nenhum dos doentes desenvolveu novos défices neurológicos focais. Conclusões: A abordagem transvenosa das FAVd obteve um sucesso técnico e clínico assinalável, sem presença de complicações. Pensamos que a suboclusão do seio venoso com coils poderá induzir menor alteração hemodinâmica aguda, possibilitando uma trombose mais lenta, diminuindo o risco de complicações, mas com resolução angiográfica ulterior da FAVd

Pressure Studies on a High-TcT_c Superconductor Pseudogap and Critical Temperatures

We report simultaneous hydrostatic pressure studies on the critical temperature $T_c$ and on the pseudogap temperature $T^*$ performed through resistivity measurements on an optimally doped high-$T_c$ oxide $Hg_{0.82}Re_{0.18}Ba_2Ca_2Cu_3O_{8+\delta}$. The resistivity is measured as function of the temperature for several different applied pressure below 1GPa. We find that both $T_c$ and $T^*$ increases linearly with the pressure. This result demonstrate that the well known intrinsic pressure effect on $T_c$ is also present at $T^*$ and both temperatures are originated by the same superconducting mechanism.Comment: 4 pages and 2 figures in eps, final versio

Measurements and analysis of the upper critical field Hc2H_{c2} on an underdoped and overdoped La2−xSrxCuO4La_{2-x}Sr_xCuO_4 compounds

The upper critical field $H_{c2}$ is one of the many non conventional properties of high-$T_c$ cuprates. It is possible that the $H_{c2}(T)$ anomalies are due to the presence of inhomogeneities in the local charge carrier density $\rho$ of the $CuO_2$ planes. In order to study this point, we have prepared good quality samples of polycrystalline $La_{2-x}Sr_xCuO_{4}$ using the wet-chemical method, which has demonstrated to produce samples with a better cation distribution. In particular, we have studied the temperature dependence of the second critical field, $H_{c2}(T)$, through the magnetization measurements on two samples with opposite average carrier concentration ($\rho_m=x$) and nearly the same critical temperature, namely $\rho_m = 0.08$ (underdoped) and $\rho_m = 0.25$ (overdoped). The results close to $T_c$ do not follow the usual Ginzburg-Landau theory and are interpreted by a theory which takes into account the influence of the inhomogeneities.Comment: Published versio

A Theory for High-TcT_c Superconductors Considering Inhomogeneous Charge Distribution

We propose a general theory for the critical $T_c$ and pseudogap $T^*$ temperature dependence on the doping concentration for high-$T_c$ oxides, taking into account the charge inhomogeneities in the $CuO_2$ planes. The well measured experimental inhomogeneous charge density in a given compound is assumed to produce a spatial distribution of local $\rho(r)$. These differences in the local charge concentration is assumed to yield insulator and metallic regions, possibly in a stripe morphology. In the metallic region, the inhomogeneous charge density yields also spatial distributions of superconducting critical temperatures $T_c(r)$ and zero temperature gap $\Delta_0(r)$. For a given sample, the measured onset of vanishing gap temperature is identified as the pseudogap temperature, that is, $T^*$, which is the maximum of all $T_c(r)$. Below $T^*$, due to the distribution of $T_c(r)$'s, there are some superconducting regions surrounded by insulator or metallic medium. The transition to a superconducting state corresponds to the percolation threshold among the superconducting regions with different $T_c(r)$'s. To model the charge inhomogeneities we use a double branched Poisson-Gaussian distribution. To make definite calculations and compare with the experimental results, we derive phase diagrams for the BSCO, LSCO and YBCO families, with a mean field theory for superconductivity using an extended Hubbard Hamiltonian. We show also that this novel approach provides new insights on several experimental features of high-$T_c$ oxides.Comment: 7 pages, 5 eps figures, corrected typo

Development and validation of a method for the analysis of Ochratoxin A in roasted coffee by liquid chromatography/electrospray-mass spectrometry in Tandem (LC/ESI-MS/MS).

A method using LC/ESI-MS/MS for the quantitative analysis of Ochratoxin A in roasted coffee was described. Linearity was demonstrated (r = 0.9175). The limits of detection and quantification were 1.0 and 3.0 ng g-1, respectively. Trueness, repeatability and intermediate precision values were 89.0-108.8%; 2.4-13.7%; 12.5-17.8%, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report in which Ochratoxin A in roasted coffee is analysed by LC/ESI-MS/MS, contributing to the field of mycotoxin analysis, and it will be used for future production of Certified Reference Material

Upper critical field Hc2H_{c2} calculations for the high critical temperature superconductors considering inhomogeneities

We perform calculations to obtain the $H_{c2}$ curve of high temperature superconductors (HTSC). We consider explicitly the fact that the HTSC possess intrinsic inhomogeneities by taking into account a non uniform charge density $\rho(r)$. The transition to a coherent superconducting phase at a critical temperature $T_c$ corresponds to a percolation threshold among different superconducting regions, each one characterized by a given $T_c(\rho(r))$. Within this model we calculate the upper critical field $H_{c2}$ by means of an average linearized Ginzburg-Landau (GL) equation to take into account the distribution of local superconducting temperatures $T_c(\rho(r))$. This approach explains some of the anomalies associated with $H_{c2}$ and why several properties like the Meissner and Nernst effects are detected at temperatures much higher than $T_c$.Comment: Latex text, add reference