Determining factors related to impaired spinal and hip mobility in patients with axial spondyloarthritis : longitudinal results from the DESIR cohort

Copyright information: © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.Objective: To investigate the determinants of impaired spinal and hip mobility in patients with early axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). Methods: Five-year longitudinal data from the DEvenir des Spondyloarthrites Indifférenciées Récentes (DESIR) cohort were analysed. Associations were investigated using generalised estimating equations, using Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index (BASMI) linear or each of the five components of BASMI as dependent variables, and clinical and demographic variables as independent variables in univariable models. Multivariable analyses were performed, adjusting for potential confounders. Results: Data from 644 patients and 5152 visits were analysed. Higher BASMI values were independently and positively associated with Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score C reactive protein (ASDAS-CRP) (adjusted B (adjB)=0.21; 95% CI=0.15 to 0.28), MRI spinal inflammation score (adjB=0.11; 95% CI=0.04 to 0.19), enthesitis score (adjB=0.02; 95% CI=0.01 to 0.04) and age (adjB=0.02; 95% CI=0.01 to 0.03). All BASMI components were independently associated with ASDAS-CRP and MRI spinal inflammation, except for maximal intermalleolar distance (reflecting hip mobility), which was not associated with MRI spinal inflammation. Conclusion: In early axSpA, spinal mobility impairment is independently determined by clinical disease activity, MRI spinal inflammation, enthesitis and age. The influence of spinal inflammation prevails in early axSpA, as opposed to spinal structural damage, which may become more relevant in later disease stages.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Collision avoidance on unmanned aerial vehicles using neural network pipelines and flow clustering techniques

UIDB/04111/2020 PCIF/SSI/0102/2017 IF/00325/2015Unmanned Autonomous Vehicles (UAV), while not a recent invention, have recently acquired a prominent position in many industries, and they are increasingly used not only by avid customers, but also in high-demand technical use-cases, and will have a significant societal effect in the coming years. However, the use of UAVs is fraught with significant safety threats, such as collisions with dynamic obstacles (other UAVs, birds, or randomly thrown objects). This research focuses on a safety problem that is often overlooked due to a lack of technology and solutions to address it: collisions with non-stationary objects. A novel approach is described that employs deep learning techniques to solve the computationally intensive problem of real-time collision avoidance with dynamic objects using off-the-shelf commercial vision sensors. The suggested approach’s viability was corroborated by multiple experiments, firstly in simulation, and afterward in a concrete real-world case, that consists of dodging a thrown ball. A novel video dataset was created and made available for this purpose, and transfer learning was also tested, with positive results.publishersversionpublishe

A NATUREZA JURÍDICA DA AUTORIDADE NACIONAL DE PROTEÇÃO DE DADOS À LUZ DA TEORIA DO ESTADO REGULADOR: HÁ ESPAÇO PARA A ADOÇÃO DO CONCEITO MATERIAL DE DESCENTRALIZAÇÃO ADMINISTRATIVA NO BRASIL?

Purpose ”“ The purpose of this paper is to investigate the adequacy of the legal nature of the National Data Protection Authority (ANPD), proposed by Law no. 13.853/19, to the reality of Brazilian Law, starting from the theoretical bases developed by the Regulatory State Theory regarding the valorization of the technical decision immune to political influences. Methodology ”“ This study adopts the doctrine revision of the Regulatory State Theory, aiming to point the theoretical bases on the autonomy of the regulatory entities, in order to make the comparison of adequacy between the legal nature of the ANPD placed in Law no. 13.709/18 and the material concept of administrative decentralization. Findings ”“ The study demonstrates that the Brazilian legal-political tradition will make it difficult for the National Data Protection Supervisor to act in view of its legal nature as a public body that is part of the structure of the Presidency of the Republic, which greatly relativizes its autonomy. Practical Implications ”“ The probable revision of the legal nature of the ANPD, as provided for in art. 55-A, §1, of Law no. 13.709/18, and the effectiveness of the performance of this National Authority. Originality ”“ A very current issue in the Brazilian legal environment is the suitability of the companies that will be affected by the entry into force of the General Data Protection Act (Law no. 13.709/18) in August 2020, due to the comprehensive potential of this law. This paper studies the legal nature of the National Data Protection Authority, a regulatory body that will have a relevant regulatory role in the data economy society, highlighting the relevance of the study to the sector.Purpose ”“ The purpose of this paper is to investigate the adequacy of the legal nature of the National Data Protection Authority (ANPD), proposed by Law no. 13.853/19, to the reality of Brazilian Law, starting from the theoretical bases developed by the Regulatory State Theory regarding the valorization of the technical decision immune to political influences. Methodology ”“ This study adopts the doctrine revision of the Regulatory State Theory, aiming to point the theoretical bases on the autonomy of the regulatory entities, in order to make the comparison of adequacy between the legal nature of the ANPD placed in Law no. 13.709/18 and the material concept of administrative decentralization. Findings ”“ The study demonstrates that the Brazilian legal-political tradition will make it difficult for the National Data Protection Supervisor to act in view of its legal nature as a public body that is part of the structure of the Presidency of the Republic, which greatly relativizes its autonomy. Practical Implications ”“ The probable revision of the legal nature of the ANPD, as provided for in art. 55-A, §1, of Law no. 13.709/18, and the effectiveness of the performance of this National Authority. Originality ”“ A very current issue in the Brazilian legal environment is the suitability of the companies that will be affected by the entry into force of the General Data Protection Act (Law no. 13.709/18) in August 2020, due to the comprehensive potential of this law. This paper studies the legal nature of the National Data Protection Authority, a regulatory body that will have a relevant regulatory role in the data economy society, highlighting the relevance of the study to the sector.Propósito ”“ O presente artigo tem por objetivo investigar a adequação da natureza jurídica da Autoridade Nacional de Proteção de Dados (ANPD), proposta pela Lei n. 13.853/19, à realidade do Direito brasileiro, partindo das bases teóricas desenvolvidas pela Teoria do Estado Regulador a respeito da valorização da decisão técnica imune a influências políticas. Metodologia ”“ A metodologia adotada é a revisão doutrinária da Teoria do Estado Regulador, visando a apontar as bases teóricas sobre a autonomia dos entes regulatórios, a fim de fazer o comparativo de adequação entre a natureza jurídica da ANPD colocada na Lei n. 13.709/18 e o conceito material de descentralização administrativa. Resultados ”“ O estudo demonstra que a tradição jurídico-política brasileira dificultará a atuação da Autoridade Nacional de Proteção de Dados ante a sua natureza jurídica de órgão público integrante da estrutura da Presidência da República, o que relativiza bastante sua autonomia. Implicações Práticas ”“ A provável revisão da natureza jurídica da ANPD, conforme ante previsto no art. 55-A, § 1°, da Lei n. 13.709/18, e na efetividade da atuação desta Autoridade Nacional. Originalidade ”“ Um tema bastante atual no ambiente jurídico brasileiro é a adequação das empresas que serão atingidas pela entrada em vigor da Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados (Lei n. 13.709/18) em agosto de 2020, em razão do potencial abrangente desta lei. Nesse cenário, o presente artigo configura um estudo crítico sobre a natureza jurídica da Autoridade Nacional de Proteção de Dados, órgão regulatório que terá relevante papel regulador na sociedade da economia de dados, do que sobressai a relevância do estudo para o setor.Propósito ”“ O presente artigo tem por objetivo investigar a adequação da natureza jurídica da Autoridade Nacional de Proteção de Dados (ANPD), proposta pela Lei n. 13.853/19, à realidade do Direito brasileiro, partindo das bases teóricas desenvolvidas pela Teoria do Estado Regulador a respeito da valorização da decisão técnica imune a influências políticas. Metodologia ”“ A metodologia adotada é a revisão doutrinária da Teoria do Estado Regulador, visando a apontar as bases teóricas sobre a autonomia dos entes regulatórios, a fim de fazer o comparativo de adequação entre a natureza jurídica da ANPD colocada na Lei n. 13.709/18 e o conceito material de descentralização administrativa. Resultados ”“ O estudo demonstra que a tradição jurídico-política brasileira dificultará a atuação da Autoridade Nacional de Proteção de Dados ante a sua natureza jurídica de órgão público integrante da estrutura da Presidência da República, o que relativiza bastante sua autonomia. Implicações Práticas ”“ A provável revisão da natureza jurídica da ANPD, conforme ante previsto no art. 55-A, § 1°, da Lei n. 13.709/18, e na efetividade da atuação desta Autoridade Nacional. Originalidade ”“ Um tema bastante atual no ambiente jurídico brasileiro é a adequação das empresas que serão atingidas pela entrada em vigor da Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados (Lei n. 13.709/18) em agosto de 2020, em razão do potencial abrangente desta lei. Nesse cenário, o presente artigo configura um estudo crítico sobre a natureza jurídica da Autoridade Nacional de Proteção de Dados, órgão regulatório que terá relevante papel regulador na sociedade da economia de dados, do que sobressai a relevância do estudo para o setor

Following the trail: factors underlying the sudden expansion of the Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon) in Portugal

Species range-limits are influenced by a combination of several factors. In our study we aimed to unveil the drivers underlying the expansion of the Egyptian mongoose in Portugal, a carnivore that was confined to southern Portugal and largely increased its range during the last three decades. We evaluated the expansion of the species in three periods (1980- 1990, 1990-2000 and 2000-2010), by projecting the presence/absence data of the species in each temporal range and proposed four hypotheses to explain this sudden expansion associated to changes in the barrier effects of human infrastructure and topographic features, and in the availability of suitable areas due to climate change or land use. An exploratory analysis was made using Spearman rank correlation, followed by a hierarchical partitioning analysis to select uncorrelated potential explanatory variables associated with the different hypotheses. We then ran Generalized Linear Models (GLM) for every period for each hypothesis and for every combination of hypotheses. Our main findings suggest that dynamic transitions of land-use coupled with temperature and rainfall variations over the decades are the main drivers promoting the mongoose expansion. The geographic barriers and the human infrastructures functioned as barriers for mongoose expansion and have shaped its distribution. The expansion of the Egyptian mongoose across the Portuguese territory was due to a variety of factors. Our results suggest a rapid shift in species range in response to land-use and climate changes, underlining the close link between species ranges and a changing environment

Ffau—framework for fully autonomous uavs

Nr. 024539 (POCI-01-0247-FEDER-024539) under grant agreement No 783221 UID/EEA/00066/2019Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), although hardly a new technology, have recently gained a prominent role in many industries being widely used not only among enthusiastic consumers, but also in high demanding professional situations, and will have a massive societal impact over the coming years. However, the operation of UAVs is fraught with serious safety risks, such as collisions with dynamic obstacles (birds, other UAVs, or randomly thrown objects). These collision scenarios are complex to analyze in real-time, sometimes being computationally impossible to solve with existing State of the Art (SoA) algorithms, making the use of UAVs an operational hazard and therefore significantly reducing their commercial applicability in urban environments. In this work, a conceptual framework for both stand-alone and swarm (networked) UAVs is introduced, with a focus on the architectural requirements of the collision avoidance subsystem to achieve acceptable levels of safety and reliability. The SoA principles for collision avoidance against stationary objects are reviewed and a novel approach is described, using deep learning techniques to solve the computational intensive problem of real-time collision avoidance with dynamic objects. The proposed framework includes a web-interface allowing the full control of UAVs as remote clients with a supervisor cloud-based platform. The feasibility of the proposed approach was demonstrated through experimental tests using a UAV, developed from scratch using the proposed framework. Test flight results are presented for an autonomous UAV monitored from multiple countries across the world.publishersversionpublishe

Molecularly Imprinted Polymer-Based Electrochemical Sensing in Protein Detection

Protein detection is paramount across various scientific, clinical, and industrial domains. Accurate and sensitive detection of proteins is pivotal for understanding biological processes, diagnosing diseases, drug development, environmental monitoring, and ensuring food safety. Traditional protein detection methods encounter sensitivity, specificity, and ease of use challenges. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), with their tailored molecular recognition sites, offer a novel approach to address these limitations. When combined with electrochemical techniques, MIP-based electrochemical methods have emerged as a revolutionary technology, showcasing enhanced sensitivity and selectivity. This article provides a comprehensive overview of MIP-based electrochemical methods for protein detection, including the principles, engineering aspects, advantages, and potential applications. The aim is to elucidate the potential of this cutting-edge technology in reshaping protein detection and its promising role in advancing biosensing technologies

Influence of temperature and pressure on the density and speed of sound of 2-hydroxyethylammonium propionate ionic liquid

The alkanolammonium ILs are protic ionic liquids (PILs) with huge potential in a variety of industrial fields. Among other advantages, these PILs have low cost of preparation, simple synthesis and purification methodologies and low toxicity. This study aims at obtaining significant data on the fundamental thermophysical properties of hydroxyethylammonium-based PILs with carboxylate anions. The density was measured within the temperature and pressure intervals (298.15–343.15) K and (0.1–35.0) MPa for 2-hydroxyethylammonium propionate, [2-HEA][Pr]. The speed of sound was determined in the ranges (303.15–353.15) K and (0.1–20.0) MPa for the same substance. The estimated combined standard uncertainties are ±0.45 kg·m−3 for density and ±1.6 m·s−1 for speed of sound. The experimental pVT data were fitted using the Goharshadi–Morsali-Abbaspour equation of state (GMA EoS) with average relative absolute deviation (%AARD) of 0.03%. Thermomechanical coefficients as the thermal expansivity, isothermal compressibility, and internal pressure, were calculated using GMA EoS with the internal pressure being further compared with calculated values of cohesive energy density. The experimental pVT data were further successfully described by the predictive methods of Gardas and Coutinho and Paduszyńki and Domańska.publishe

Nutritional status and food safety of families benefited by the bolsa familia program: integrative review / Estado nutricional e segurança alimentar de famílias beneficiadas pelo Programa Bolsa Família: revisão integrativa

Objetivos: Sintetizar o conhecimento produzido na literatura acerca do estado nutricional e a segurança alimentar de famílias beneficiadas pelo Programa Bolsa Família. Métodos: Revisão integrativa, com publicações de 2004 a 2017, nas bases de dados: Scientific Electronic Library Online, Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde e Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde utilizando-se os descritores: Estado Nutricional; Segurança Alimentar; Saúde Pública; Política Nutricional; Política Social. Resultados: Foram selecionadas 26 publicações que atenderam aos critérios de inclusão. O Programa proporcionou as famílias beneficiadas acesso a alimentos de qualidade e em quantidade suficiente. Em contrapartida, ocasionou aumento no consumo de alimentos calóricos e de baixo teor nutritivo ocasionando distúrbios nutricionais. Conclusão: O Programa trouxe inúmeros benefícios, mas recomenda-se a realização de ações educativas que visem alimentação saudável e a busca por investimentos nos setores de educação, saúde, geração de trabalho e renda e implantação de políticas voltadas à desigualdade social

Nutritional status and food safety of families benefited by the bolsa familia program: integrative review / Estado nutricional e segurança alimentar de famílias beneficiadas pelo Programa Bolsa Família: revisão integrativa

Objetivos: Sintetizar o conhecimento produzido na literatura acerca do estado nutricional e a segurança alimentar de famílias beneficiadas pelo Programa Bolsa Família. Métodos: Revisão integrativa, com publicações de 2004 a 2017, nas bases de dados: Scientific Electronic Library Online, Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde e Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde utilizando-se os descritores: Estado Nutricional; Segurança Alimentar; Saúde Pública; Política Nutricional; Política Social. Resultados: Foram selecionadas 26 publicações que atenderam aos critérios de inclusão. O Programa proporcionou as famílias beneficiadas acesso a alimentos de qualidade e em quantidade suficiente. Em contrapartida, ocasionou aumento no consumo de alimentos calóricos e de baixo teor nutritivo ocasionando distúrbios nutricionais. Conclusão: O Programa trouxe inúmeros benefícios, mas recomenda-se a realização de ações educativas que visem alimentação saudável e a busca por investimentos nos setores de educação, saúde, geração de trabalho e renda e implantação de políticas voltadas à desigualdade social

LABORATÓRIO DE BIOMECÂNICA DO PORTO: ENSINO, INVESTIGAÇÃO E SERVIÇOS À COMUNIDADE

Porto Biomechanics Laboratory is a technological centre of the University of Porto dedicated to teaching, scientific and technological research, innovation, to provide specialized technical services and transference of knowledge and technology (product development) in Biomechanics (human and animal) of ergonomic, clinical, sports or biomimetic interest (e.g. design, computer animation and model development). LABIOMEP-UP mission is to catalyse the growth potential and competitive edge of University of Porto in all domains directly or indirectly related to Biomechanics, including the interaction with industry.El Laboratorio de Biomecánica de Porto es un centro tecnológico de la Universidad de Porto dedicado a la docencia, la investigación científica y tecnológica, la innovación, proporcionar servicios técnicos especializados y transferencia de conocimiento y tecnología (desarrollo de productos) en Biomecánica (humana y animal) de ergonomía, clínica, deportiva, o interés biomimético (por ejemplo, diseño, animación por computadora y desarrollo de modelos). La misión de LABIOMEP-UP es catalizar el potencial de crecimiento y la ventaja competitiva de la Universidad de Oporto en todos los dominios relacionados directa o indirectamente con la biomecánica, incluida la interacción con la industria.O Laboratório de Biomecânica do Porto (LABIOMEP-UP) é um centro de competências da Universidade do Porto dedicado ao ensino, investigação científica e tecnológica, inovação, prestação de serviços técnicos especializados e transferência de conhecimento e tecnologia em Biomecânica (humana e animal) de interesse ergonómico, clínico, desportivo ou biomimético (ex: design, animação computacional e desenvolvimento de modelos). A missão do LABIOMEP-UP é catalisar o potencial de crescimento e vantagem competitiva da Universidade do Porto em todos os domínios direta ou indiretamente relacionados com a Biomecânica, incluindo a interação com o tecido industrial e comercial