Soft Sensors in digital healthcare monitoring

Stretchable sensors are a class of materials with applications across research fields from healthcare to structural engineering. Despite the extensive research aiming to improve the performance of individual materials or components, stretchable sensor devices are difficult to implement because conventional electronic components, mainly used for processing, which are rigid, have to make contact with soft components reliable enough to withstand real-world usage. This thesis introduces a method for creating electrical contacts that can be robustly attached onto soft, stretchable conductive polymer composites on one side and soldered to metal wires on the other side. Mechanically robust electrical contacts were developed to interface (soft) silicone-based strain sensors with conventional (hard) solid-state electronics using a nanoporous silicon-copper contact. Contacts are mounted on custom-made and commercial soft strain sensitive silicone sensors. The contacts are shown to be reliable under large deformations, then compared with a commonly used alternative under real-world strain conditions. The layered structure of the device creates a complex electronic component deriving from the silicon-copper Schottky junction. This thesis tests the versatility of the technology through a series of real-world applications. The silicon-copper contacts were used to produce a series of proof-of-concept devices, including a wearable respiration monitor, leg band for exercise monitoring, and squeezable ball to monitor rehabilitation of patients with hand injuries or neurological disorders. The sensor is shown to operate and detect multiple modes of motion regardless of placement on the body. Next, a proof-of-concept device was employed to measure hand grip strength. The optimized sensor can detect grip strength with high sensitivity. The hardness of the device was shown to increase sensitivity when healthy humans performed manual exercises and completed digital tasks. Providing patients with these devices can help monitor their rehabilitation following hand injuries or neurological disorders. This can be done through self-led at-home therapy which has been shown to improve treatment, engagement, long-term lifestyle adherence, while avoiding repeated visits to clinics which plays an important role in frequency of therapy, effectiveness, and accessibility.Open Acces

Εκτίμηση αιολικού δυναμικού στην περιοχή των Κυθήρων

Εθνικό Μετσόβιο Πολυτεχνείο--Μεταπτυχιακή Εργασία. Διεπιστημονικό-Διατμηματικό Πρόγραμμα Μεταπτυχιακών Σπουδών (Δ.Π.Μ.Σ.) “Επιστήμη και Τεχνολογία Υλικών

Η συμπλήρωση ή αποσαφήνιση πληροφοριών και δικαιολογητικών κατά την ανάθεση των δημοσίων συμβάσεων και των συμβάσεων παραχώρησης

Στο πρώτο μέρος της μελέτης επιχειρείται η κατά το δυνατόν πληρέστερη ανάλυση της θεμελιώδους αρχής της τυπικότητας κατά το προσυμβατικό στάδιο, μέσα από τις γενικές αρχές του ενωσιακού δικαίου, τη νομολογία αλλά και τις ίδιες τις διατάξεις του άρθρου 102 του Ν. 4412/2016. Στο δεύτερο μέρος της μελέτης ακολουθεί η παρουσίαση της προβληματικής που σχετίζεται με την κάμψη της αρχής της τυπικότητας προς όφελος του ανταγωνισμού, με σκοπό την αποτελεσματική δράση της διοίκησης· αναδεικνύεται δε στο εν λόγω μέρος η σημασία της αρχής της επιείκειας. Εν συνεχεία, στο τρίτο μέρος αναδεικνύεται η προβληματική των σχέσεων, οι οποίες αναπτύσσονται ανάμεσα στους παράγοντες ενός δημοσίου διαγωνισμού, ήτοι μεταξύ των αναθετουσών αρχών/ αναθετόντων φορέων και των οικονομικών φορέων, όπως αυτές έχουν διαχρονικά διαπλαστεί, επιχειρείται δε μια εκτίμηση της προοπτικής που δημιουργείται μετά την τροποποίηση προς το επιεικέστερο του νομικού καθεστώτος των διευκρινίσεων. Η μελέτη ολοκληρώνεται με την παρουσίαση των συμπερασμάτων και των θέσεων του γράφοντος, όπως διατυπώνονται μετά από την έρευνα των τιθέμενων ζητημάτων.The first part of the study attempts to analyse as fully as possible the fundamental principle of formality during the pre-contractual stage, through the general principles of EU law, case law and the provisions of article 102 of Law 4412/2016. In the second part of the study, the problematic issue related to the bending of the principle of formality in favour of competition, in order for the administration to act effectively, is presented; the importance of the principle of leniency is highlighted in this part, as well. The third part highlights the problematic issue of the relations between the parties involved in a public tender procedure, i.e. between the contracting authorities/entities and the economic operators, as they have developed over time, and attempts to assess the prospects that have emerged following the amendment of the legal regime for clarifications. The study concludes with the presentation of the author's conclusions and positions, as formulated after researching the issues raised

Building Research Capacity in Botswana: A Randomized Trial Comparing Training Methodologies in the Botswana Ethics Training Initiative

Background Little empirical data are available on the extent to which capacity-building programs in research ethics prepare trainees to apply ethical reasoning skills to the design, conduct, or review of research. A randomized controlled trial was conducted in Botswana in 2010 to assess the effectiveness of a case-based intervention using email to augment in-person seminars. Methods University faculty and current and prospective IRB/REC members took part in a semester-long training program in research ethics. Participants attended two 2-day seminars and were assigned at random to one of two on-line arms of the trial. Participants in both arms completed on-line international modules from the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative. Between seminars, intervention-arm participants were also emailed a weekly case to analyze in response to set questions; responses and individualized faculty feedback were exchanged via email. Tests assessing ethics knowledge were administered at the start of each seminar. The post-test included an additional section in which participants were asked to identify the ethical issues highlighted in five case studies from a list of multiple-choice responses. Results were analyzed using regression and ANOVA. Results Of the 71 participants (36 control, 35 intervention) enrolled at the first seminar, 41 (57.7%) attended the second seminar (19 control, 22 intervention). In the intervention arm, 19 (54.3%) participants fully completed and 8 (22.9%) partially completed all six weekly cases. The mean score was higher on the post-test (30.3/40) than on the pre-test (28.0/40), and individual post- and pre-test scores were highly correlated (r = 0.65, p \u3c 0.0001). Group assignment alone did not have an effect on test scores (p \u3e 0.84), but intervention-arm subjects who completed all assigned cases answered an average of 3.2 more questions correctly on the post-test than others, controlling for pre-test scores (p = 0.003). Conclusions Completion of the case-based intervention improved respondents\u27 test scores, with those who completed all six email cases scoring roughly 10% better than those who failed to complete this task and those in the control arm. There was only suggestive evidence that intensive case work improved ethical issue identification, although there was limited ability to assess this outcome due to a high drop-out rate

Compound and acutely ruptured false aneurysm of the brachial artery: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>A patient with a neglected, compound acutely ruptured false aneurysm of the brachial artery which developed after a periprosthetic fracture of the right humerus, is reported.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>An 84-year-old Greek woman underwent right shoulder hemiarthroplasty 2 years before a periprosthetic fracture which was treated conservatively in another hospital. After removing the U-slab herself, she noticed the development of an ulcer on the mid-humerus, with continuous oozing but no fever. This led to above-elbow amputation in an attempt to save the patient's life.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>It is hoped that by awareness of such a possibility coupled with an early diagnosis based on the clinical picture and imaging modalities, such unfortunate results can be avoided in the future. In case of increasing displacement at the fracture site and excessive local swelling, the possibility of the presence of a false brachial aneurysm should be ruled out despite the presence of normal perfusion of the hand and palpable radial and ulnar pulses.</p

Μελέτη σεναρίου επέκτασης αεροδρομίου (επιβατικός σταθμός - σημεία ελέγχου επιβατών / χειραποσκευών) με τη χρήση του λογισμικού προσομοίωσης επιχειρησιακών διαδικασιών ARENA

150 σ.Η παρούσα διπλωματική εργασία πραγματεύεται την εφαρμογή της Προσομοίωσης σε προβλήματα επιχειρησιακών διαδικασιών και συγκεκριμένα μελετάται η επέκταση ενός αεροδρομίου με το άνοιγμα ενός νέου τερματικού σταθμού επιβατών. Το πρόγραμμα εξομοίωσης που χρησιμοποιείται είναι το "Arena", προϊόν της Rockwell Software.The present dissertation refers to the application of Simulation in Business Models. In particular, the expansion of an existing airport is studied, with the introduction of a new terminal station. The simulation software used is "Arena", product of Rockwell Software.Παναγιώτης Α. Κασιμάτη

Monolithic solder-on nanoporous Si-Cu contacts for stretchable silicone composite sensors

We report a method of creating solderable, mechanically robust, electrical contacts to interface (soft) silicone-based strain sensors with conventional (hard) solid-state electronics using a nanoporous Si-Cu composite. The Si-based solder-on electrical contact consists of a copper-plated nanoporous Si top surface formed through metal-assisted chemical etching and electroplating, and a smooth Si bottom surface which can be covalently bonded onto silicone-based strain sensors through plasma bonding. We investigated the mechanical and electrical properties of the contacts proposed under relevant ranges of mechanical stress for applications in physiological monitoring and rehabilitation. We also produced a series of proof-of-concept devices, including a wearable respiration monitor, leg band for exercise monitoring and Squeeze-ball for monitoring rehabilitation of patients with hand injuries or neurological disorders, to demonstrate the mechanical robustness and versatility of the technology developed, in real-world applications