Triggering information by context

With the increased availability of personal computers with attached sensors to capture their environment, there is a big opportunity for context-aware applications; these automatically provide information and/or take actions according to the user's present context, as detected by sensors. When wel l designed, these applications provide an opportunity to tailor the provision of information closely to the user's current needs. A sub-set of context-a ware applications are discrete applications, where discrete pieces of i nformation are attached to individual contexts, to be triggered when the user enters those contexts. The advantage of discrete applications is that authori ng them can be solely a creative process rather than a programming process: it can be a task akin to creating simple web pages. This paper looks at a general system that can be used in any discrete context- aware application. It propounds a general triggering rule, and investigates how this rule applies in practical applications

Lunar sample analysis

Results are presented from an extensive series of new high resolution scanning electron microscope studies of the very primative group of meteorites known as unequilibrated chondrites. These include quantitative analyses of micrometer sized phases and interpretation in terms of relevant phase equilibria. Several new meteorite minerals including high chromium metal, have been discovered

Realising context-sensitive mobile messaging

Mobile technologies aim to assist people as they move from place to place going about their daily work and social routines. Established and very popular mobile technologies include short-text messages and multimedia messages with newer growing technologies including Bluetooth mobile data transfer protocols and mobile web access.Here we present new work which combines all of the above technologies to fulfil some of the predictions for future context aware messaging. We present a context sensitive mobile messaging system which derives context in the form of physical locations through location sensing and the co-location of people through Bluetooth familiarity

Use of probiotic Lactobacillus preparation to prevent diarrhoea associated with antibiotics: randomised double blind placebo controlled trial

Objective To determine the efficacy of a probiotic drink containing Lactobacillus for the prevention of any diarrhoea associated with antibiotic use and that caused by Clostridium difficile. Design Randomised double blind placebo controlled study. Participants 135 hospital patients (mean age 74) taking antibiotics. Exclusions included diarrhoea on admission, bowel pathology that could result in diarrhoea, antibiotic use in the previous four weeks, severe illness, immunosuppression, bowel surgery, artificial heart valves, and history of rheumatic heart disease or infective endocarditis. Intervention Consumption of a 100 g (97 ml) drink containing Lactobacillus casei, L bulgaricus, and Streptococcus thermophilus twice a day during a course of antibiotics and for one week after the course finished. The placebo group received a longlife sterile milkshake. Main outcome measures Primary outcome: occurrence of antibiotic associated diarrhoea. Secondary outcome: presence of C difficile toxin and diarrhoea. Results 7/57 (12%) of the probiotic group developed diarrhoea associated with antibiotic use compared with 19/56 (34%) in the placebo group (P=0.007). Logistic regression to control for other factors gave an odds ratio 0.25 (95% confidence interval 0.07 to 0.85) for use of the probiotic, with low albumin and sodium also increasing the risk of diarrhoea. The absolute risk reduction was 21.6% (6.6% to 36.6%), and the number needed to treat was 5 (3 to 15). No one in the probiotic group and 9/53 (17%) in the placebo group had diarrhoea caused by C difficile (P=0.001). The absolute risk reduction was 17% (7% to 27%), and the number needed to treat was 6 (4 to 14). Conclusion Consumption of a probiotic drink containing L casei, L bulgaricus, and S thermophilus reduce the incidence of antibiotic associated diarrhoea and C difficile associated diarrhoea. This has the potential to decrease morbidity, healthcare costs, and mortality if used routinely in patients aged over 50

A multi-agent system to manage users and spaces in a adaptive environment system

This paper, deals with the actual problem of manage user preferences and local specifications on an IoT adaptive system, namely using a multi agent system to achieve a Smart Environment System. On a new era of interaction between persons and physical spaces, users want those spaces smartly adapt to their preferences in a transparent way. To achieve that, new approaches are needed. In this project we develop a multi agent system architecture with different layers to achieve a solution that entails all the proposed objectives.This work has been supported by FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the Project Scope: UID/CEC/00319/2019

Using jason framework to develop a multi-agent system to manage users and spaces in an adaptive environment system

Manage user preferences and local specifications on an IoT adaptive system is a actual problem. This paper uses Jason framework to develop a multi agent system to achieve a Smart Environment System, and supports interaction between persons and physical spaces, that users want to smartly adapt to their preferences in a transparent way. This work proposes a new approach, that has been developed using a multi agent system architecture with different layers to achieve a solution that entails all the proposed objectives.This work has been supported by FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the Project Scope: UID/CEC/00319/2019

Application of Things: A Step beyond Web of Things

Internet of Things has achieved a great expectation in the last few years, largely due to possibilities in the field of the interaction between user and environment. This interaction allows users to get involved in their environments, managing at all times each item that surrounds them. Specially, because of complex services delivered by surrounding item, increasingly it is necessary to help users to choose what services are offered and what are theirs functionalities. Is this paper, is presented a new approach to the human-items interaction by using the concept of Internet of Things. In this way, the user can not only run the different applications offers by smart-things, but to share theirs results through many social networks and allows the remote execution of services provided by the own user and his/her social environment. Furthermore, a structure will be defined to assure the best user comfort when information sharing between the device and the environments was needed.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación TIN2009-14378-C02-0

In vitro modeling of bile acid processing by the human fecal microbiota

Bile acids, the products of concerted host and gut bacterial metabolism, have important signaling functions within the mammalian metabolic system and a key role in digestion. Given the complexity of the mega-variate bacterial community residing in the gastrointestinal tract, studying associations between individual bacterial genera and bile acid processing remains a challenge. Here, we present a novel in vitro approach to determine the bacterial genera associated with the metabolism of different primary bile acids and their potential to contribute to inter-individual variation in this processing. Anaerobic, pH-controlled batch cultures were inoculated with human fecal microbiota and treated with individual conjugated primary bile acids (500 μg/ml) to serve as the sole substrate for 24 h. Samples were collected throughout the experiment (0, 5, 10, and 24 h) and the bacterial composition was determined by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and the bile acid signatures were characterized using a targeted ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) approach. Data fusion techniques were used to identify statistical bacterial-metabolic linkages. An increase in gut bacteria associated bile acids was observed over 24 h with variation in the rate of bile acid metabolism across the volunteers (n = 7). Correlation analysis identified a significant association between the Gemmiger genus and the deconjugation of glycine conjugated bile acids while the deconjugation of taurocholic acid was associated with bacteria from the Eubacterium and Ruminococcus genera. A positive correlation between Dorea and deoxycholic acid production suggest a potential role for this genus in cholic acid dehydroxylation. A slower deconjugation of taurocholic acid was observed in individuals with a greater abundance of Parasutterella and Akkermansia. This work demonstrates the utility of integrating compositional (metataxonomics) and functional (metabonomics) systems biology approaches, coupled to in vitro model systems, to study the biochemical capabilities of bacteria within complex ecosystems. Characterizing the dynamic interactions between the gut microbiota and the bile acid pool enables a greater understanding of how variation in the gut microbiota influences host bile acid signatures, their associated functions and their implications for health

Manage comfort preferences conflicts using a multi-agent system in an adaptive environment system

Managing comfort preferences conflicts of the different users and locals on an IoT adaptive system is a actual problem, this paper proposes a protocol and hierarchical rules to develop a multi-agent system to achieve a Adaptive Environment System that solves the management of conflicts in an autonomous way for the users and interdependent of the user schedules and routines.This work has been supported by FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the Project Scope: UID/CEC/00319/2019