Implementing and Evaluating a Wireless Body Sensor System for Automated Physiological Data Acquisition at Home

Advances in embedded devices and wireless sensor networks have resulted in new and inexpensive health care solutions. This paper describes the implementation and the evaluation of a wireless body sensor system that monitors human physiological data at home. Specifically, a waist-mounted triaxial accelerometer unit is used to record human movements. Sampled data are transmitted using an IEEE 802.15.4 wireless transceiver to a data logger unit. The wearable sensor unit is light, small, and consumes low energy, which allows for inexpensive and unobtrusive monitoring during normal daily activities at home. The acceleration measurement tests show that it is possible to classify different human motion through the acceleration reading. The 802.15.4 wireless signal quality is also tested in typical home scenarios. Measurement results show that even with interference from nearby IEEE 802.11 signals and microwave ovens, the data delivery performance is satisfactory and can be improved by selecting an appropriate channel. Moreover, we found that the wireless signal can be attenuated by housing materials, home appliances, and even plants. Therefore, the deployment of wireless body sensor systems at home needs to take all these factors into consideration.Comment: 15 page

Perspectives on the COVID-19 pandemic impact on cardio-oncology: results from the COVID-19 International Collaborative Network survey

Background Re-allocation of resources during the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in delays in care delivery to patients with cardiovascular disease and cancer. The ability of health care providers to provide optimal care in this setting has not been formally evaluated. Objectives To assess the impact of COVID-19 resource re-allocation on scheduling, testing, elective procedures, telemedicine access, use of new COVID-19 therapies, and providers’ opinions on healthcare policies among oncology and cardiology practitioners. Methods An electronic survey was conducted by a cardio-oncology collaborative network through regional and state chapters of the American College of Cardiology, American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the International Cardio-Oncology Society. Descriptive statistics were reported by frequency and proportion for analyses, and stratified categorically by geographic region and specialty. Results One thousand four hundred fifteen providers (43 countries) participated: 986 cardiologists, 306 oncologists, and 118 trainees/internal medicine. 63% (195/306) of oncologists vs 92% (896/976) of cardiologists reported cancellations of treatments/elective procedures (p = 0.01). 46% (442/970) of cardiologists and 25% (76/303) of oncologists modified the scope of their practice (p = \u3c 0.001). Academic physicians (74.5%) felt better supplied with personal protective equipment (PPE) vs non-academic (74.5% vs 67.2%; p = 0.018). Telemedicine was less common in Europe 81% (74/91), and Latin America 64% (101/158), than the United States, 88% (950/1097) (p = \u3c 0.001). 95% of all groups supported more active leadership from medical professional societies. Conclusions These results support initiatives to promote expanded coverage for telemedicine, increased access to PPE, better testing availability and involvement of medical professional societies to help with preparedness for future health care crisis

Design and Site Implementation of Hydro-electrifier

The energy production and transportation represents challenge to the decision maker and the designers of the rural areas. This challenge created an interest to produce electricity from any possible source available in the rural areas. One of the adopted and proven techniques is the pico hydro power generation. This project is mainly about a pico hydro power generation, in which a modified water turbine is installed in the new pico hydro power generation that will be deployed at UTP solar research site to partially accommodate the night lighting electrical supply at that site. This project is done to reduce the dependency on the networks electrical supply. The idea is to utilize the water stream of the drain system located near to the solar research site and used it to produce electricity. There are three basic things of deploying any hydroelectric site which are dam, turbine and generator. Suitable dam was deployed at the drainage system to increase the head of the water. The turbine holder was fabricated so that the turbine can be placed at the stream. Generator is connected to the turbine to get the mechanical work to produce electricity. Suitable generator was selected as generators depend on the speed and torque provided to the shaft that connected generator and turbine. With estimated head of the water about 0.5 meters, the speed of the turbine was about 80 rpm. The speed was very fast and with a small torque provided at the generator. Induction generator was looked as the best generator to be used. But due to low water head, automotive alternator is used instead. The concrete dam structure is already designed and built at the site

Heat transfer enhancement using nanofluids in the compression exchanger in a solar Stirling engine

In this paper a improvement in the heat exchange of a solar Stirling engine during the compression phase was studied. The viability of using nanoparticles as ceramic oxide (Al2O3 in water) at different concentrations instead of conventional refrigerants (water or air) was evaluated. Since these systems could behave as non- Newtonian fluids the dynamic viscosity was measured, as well as other thermophysical properties. The results showed that the convective heat transfer coefficient could raise one order of magnitude respect to the conventional heat transfer fluids at moderately volume fractions (over 0.15).Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Characterization and thermophysical properties of rutile and alumina nanofluids

The characterization in relation to shape and particle size of alumina and rutile suspensions was performed. The intrinsic viscosity exhibited the presence of nonspherical aggregates in both suspensions although TEM images showed non monodisperse spherical shape of alumina particles. DLS indicated the existence of particle aggregates for both systems. In all cases, the increase in thermal conductivity with respect to the base fluid is verified. The thermal conductivities obtained experimentally were compared with three mathematical models, which yielded lower values than those measured. From rheological measurements and by means of the Peclet number defined in colloidal suspensions, values of thermal conductivity were also proposed.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

INNOVATION AND SOCIAL CHANGE PROCESSES IN THE RURAL AREAS: INSIGHTS FROM AN ACTOR-CENTERED APPROACH

The world is living fast transformation processes connecting new actors and creating new networks worldwide to find solutions and face the upcoming challenges related to sustainable pathways. Most of the transformation processes are drive-by innovation. However, not all the innovations (e.g. social, technological) are generated in the same way. The innovation depends on the actors involved in these new networks. These networks are organized and perform differently according to different factors (e.g. location, policies...). Studies focus on innovation have usually undertaken in urban areas in management fields. Instead, studies of innovation in rural areas has been focused mostly on technological changes, and little is known about the people involved. Hence, there is the need to understand how the different realities and dynamics in rural areas affect the transformation processes from the actors' position and perspective. Accordingly, this research aims to understand how the transformation towards more sustainable pathways is emerging in rural areas, using an actor-centered approach

Rheological study of the aggregation state of alumina nanofluids

Se adjunta una comunicación, aunque se han publicado tres comunicaciones más.The presence of alumina solid particles in aqueous phase induces a change in the viscosity of the suspension from Newtonian to non- Newtonian flow. Besides, the presence of solid particles is adequate for the use as a heat exchanger fluid. The effect of nanoparticle size on thermal properties of nanofluids is still today a question, which is far from being answered. In this respect, the results reported in the literature are contradictory [1], probably due to the formation of aggregates when particles are dispersed in the liquid phase. Regarding to the nanoparticle shape influence in thermal conductivity, cylinders and spheres have been considered as the more effective in heat transfer. Spherical nanoparticles of alumina, which is one of the most investigated nanofluid, dispersed in water were used in this study. TEM images showed a mean average diameter of 50 nm. However, DLS measurements showed monodispersed particles of 260 nm. Very recently [2], the relationship between shear rheology and aggregation state of suspensions has been reviewed. Mechanical and physical properties of the resultant materials depend on shape, size and size distribution, which are considered determining parameters in the formation of particle aggregates. The steady shear flow (figure 1) has shown that these clusters, when they are at rest, are formed by highly branched aggregates that erode when shear rate increases, until a suspension of individual particles is achieved. These results are in good agreement with the intrinsic viscosity obtained by Money and Krieger-Dougherty models. In both cases, these values are far from the 2.5 corresponding to spherical particles. The temperature effects were also taken into account.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Models for the modern power grid

This article reviews different kinds of models for the electric power grid that can be used to understand the modern power system, the smart grid. From the physical network to abstract energy markets, we identify in the literature different aspects that co-determine the spatio-temporal multilayer dynamics of power system. We start our review by showing how the generation, transmission and distribution characteristics of the traditional power grids are already subject to complex behaviour appearing as a result of the the interplay between dynamics of the nodes and topology, namely synchronisation and cascade effects. When dealing with smart grids, the system complexity increases even more: on top of the physical network of power lines and controllable sources of electricity, the modernisation brings information networks, renewable intermittent generation, market liberalisation, prosumers, among other aspects. In this case, we forecast a dynamical co-evolution of the smart grid and other kind of networked systems that cannot be understood isolated. This review compiles recent results that model electric power grids as complex systems, going beyond pure technological aspects. From this perspective, we then indicate possible ways to incorporate the diverse co-evolving systems into the smart grid model using, for example, network theory and multi-agent simulation.Comment: Submitted to EPJ-ST Power Grids, May 201

Sports development of Pangkalpinang city viewed from sports development index

To measure the level of development of community sports can be done by measuring the development of sports through the SDI (Sport Development Index). This study aims to: 1) Describe the results of sports development. 2) Identify the availability of sports open spaces. 3) Identifying the quality and quantity of human resources. 4) Identify the level of community participation in exercise. 5) Measuring the level of physical fitness of the community. 6) Knowing the results of SDI in Pangkalpinang city. This study uses the mixed method method combining two forms of research, namely qualitative and quantitative research. The study sample amounted to 270 people. The sampling technique uses a multistage random sampling method. The results of this study are: 1) Development of sports in the city of Pangkalpinang included in the low category. 2) Index of open space shows a number of 0.363 included in the low category. 3) Index of Human Resources shows a figure of 0.0007 included in the low category. 4) The index of community participation shows that the number of 0.348 is included in the low category. 5) Community Fitness Level shows a number of 0.361 included in the low category. 6) SDI in Pangkalpinang city shows a number of 0.268 included in the low category