Hemodialysis Acess - A Creative Attitude is Necessary

Creating and maintaining a functional vascular access (VA) is a critical factor in the survival of a dialysis patient. It implies a creative attitude either to maintain its functionality or to build a new one wherever possible, being it autologous or synthetic. We describe the VA history of a 59 years-old male patient, with extreme obesity, which started in 2012 with failed attempts of VA construction in both forearms until a functional brachiocephalic arteriovenous fistula (AVF) in the right upper limb was achieved. However, it required ligation due to severe venous hypertension secondary to central venous disease related to previous CVC use. As he had no good superficial conduit in the left arm we decided to harvest the arterialized right cephalic vein and implant it in the left arm, creating an autologous arteriovenous shunt between the brachial artery and axillary vein (AV). Despite initial patency, it failed irreversibly approximately one year after creation. As no more superficial veins were available in the upper limbs, a prosthetic access was the next step. We decided for a hybrid graft (HG) between the left brachial artery and the AV because of the patient's biotype and scarred axilla that impeded a safe re-intervention on the AV. This graft was used between 2015 and 2017 with multiple interventions to maintain patency. In 2017 a significant diffuse prosthesis deterioration and reduced AVF flow were noticed with no possible segmental reconstruction. We were then forced to proceed with subtotal graft substitution preserving the outflow stented segment of the HG, using an early cannulation graft to prevent CVC use. After this successful reconstruction, the patient started hemodialysis on the following day with no intercurrences registered.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Natural Transmission of Information Extraction Results to End-Users - A Proof-of-Concept Using Data-to-Text

Information Extraction from natural texts has a great potential in areas such as Tourism and can be of great assistance in transforming customers\u27 comments in valuable information for Tourism operators, governments and customers. After extraction, information needs to be efficiently transmitted to end-users in a natural way. Systems should not, in general, send extracted information directly to end-users, such as hotel managers, as it can be difficult to read. Naturally, humans transmit and encode information using natural languages, such as Portuguese. The problem arising from the need of efficient and natural transmission of the information to end-user is how to encode it. The use of natural language generation (NLG) is a possible solution, for producing sentences, and, with them, texts. In this paper we address this, with a data-to-text system, a derivation of formal NLG systems that use data as input. The proposed system uses an aligned corpus, which was defined, collected and processed, in about approximately 3 weeks of work. To build the language model were used three different in-domain and out-of-domain corpora. The effects of this approach were evaluated, and results are presented. Automatic metrics, BLEU and Meteor, were used to evaluate the different systems, comparing their values with similar systems. Results show that expanding the corpus has a major positive effect in BLEU and Meteor scores and use of additional corpora (in-domain and out-of-domain) in training language model does not result in significantly different performance. The scores obtained, combined with their comparison with other systems performance and informal evaluation by humans of the sentences produced, give additional support for the capabilities of the translation based approach for fast development of data-to-text for new domains

MARCADORES ANALÍTICOS QUE CONDICIONAM OS RESULTADOS DE CIRURGIA DE REVASCULARIZAÇÃO EM DOENTES COM DOENÇA ARTERIAL PERIFÉRICA

Introdução: Os doentes com doença arterial periférica e isquemia crítica de membro requerem um procedimento de revascularização no sentido de evitar a perda de membro. Contudo, com alguma frequência, estes doentes apresentam alterações analíticas que condicionam os seus outcomes. Métodos: Foi realizado um estudo retrospetivo com análise de todos os doentes, consecutivamente admitidos e eletivamente submetidos a revascularização de membro inferior numa única instituição entre 2012 e 2014. Procedeu-se à recolha de determinados marcadores analíticos realizados pré operatoriamente e efetuada análise estatística para inferir sobre a sua correlação com os resultados obtidos. Os outcomes primários foram permeabilidade de Bypass, perda de membro e mortalidade. Resultados: Foram analisados 174 doentes, 158 (91%) do sexo masculino, com idade média de 67 ± 9 anos. Em termos de permeabilidade, os doentes submetidos a Bypass supra-genicular tiveram melhores taxas de permeabilidade aos 6 e 12 meses relativamente aqueles com anastomose distal infra-genicular (86% vs 75% e 82% vs 60%). Também os doentes do sexo masculino tiveram melhores resultados comparativamente com os doentes do sexo feminino (90% vs 74% e 88% vs 62%). Em termos de taxa de mortalidade e de amputação, esta foi, estatisticamente, significativamente superior no grupo com alteração da função renal (17% e 27% vs 5% e 7%, p=0.004; no grupo com hipoalbuminemia e hipoproteinemia (19% e 29% vs 4% e 6%, p=0.03; no grupo com elevação da proteína c-reativa (17% e 31% vs 6% e 7%, p=0.02 e no grupo com isquemia Grau IV segundo a classificação de Leriche Fontaine (14% e 25% vs 5% e 4%). Conclusão: Existem determinados parâmetros analíticos que, quando alterados, em doentes com doença arterial periférica, acarretam prognósticos desfavoráveis, pelo que deverão ser tidos em consideração e, se possível, corrigidos atempadamente

TRATAMENTO ENDOVASCULAR NO SÍNDROME PÓS-TROMBÓTICO SECUNDÁRIO A FIBROMA UTERINO

Os fibromas uterinos são o tumor sólido pélvico mais frequente nas mulheres, geralmente condicionando hipomenorreia. Não costumam estar associados a trombose venosa profunda, mas, quando atingem dimensões consideráveis podem condicionar fenómenos compressivos a nível da veia cava inferior e veias pélvicas e consequentes fenómenos trombóticos. Posteriormente, as lesões obstrutivas pós-trombóticas das veias ilíacas poderão levar ao desenvolvimento de clínica e sintomas compatíveis com doença venosa crónica. Se por um lado não existe indicação para intervenção profilática, quando essas lesões desenvolvem sintomas apesar do melhor tratamento médico (Classificação CEAP C3-6), está recomendada a sua correção via endovascular com recurso a stenting. Estas intervenções são procedimentos seguros e eficazes associadas a uma reduzida taxa de complicações, na ordem dos 0.4%. Os autores descrevem um caso clínico de uma utente do sexo feminino, de 47 anos, que desenvolveu síndrome pós-trom- bótico no contexto de um fibroma uterino de grandes dimensões, corrigido com recurso a tratamento endovascular

A cable-driven robot for architectural constructions: a visual-guided approach for motion control and path-planning

Cable-driven robots have received some attention by the scientific community and, recently, by the industry because they can transport hazardous materials with a high level of safeness which is often required by construction sites. In this context, this research presents an extension of a cable-driven robot called SPIDERobot, that was developed for automated construction of architectural projects. The proposed robot is formed by a rotating claw and a set of four cables, enabling four degrees of freedom. In addition, this paper proposes a new Vision-Guided Path-Planning System (V-GPP) that provides a visual interpretation of the scene: the position of the robot, the target and obstacles location; and optimizes the trajectory of the robot. Moreover, it determines a collision-free trajectory in 3D that takes into account the obstacles and the interaction of the cables with the scene. A set of experiments make possible to validate the contribution of V-GPP to the SPIDERobot while operating in realistic working conditions, as well as, to evaluate the interaction between the V-GPP and the motion controlling system. The results demonstrated that the proposed robot is able to construct architectural structures and to avoid collisions with obstacles in their working environment. The V-GPP system localizes the robot with a precision of 0.006 m, detects the targets and successfully generates a path that takes into account the displacement of cables. Therefore, the results demonstrate that the SPIDERobot can be scaled up to real working conditions.This work is partly funded by the project PTDC/ ATP-AQI/5124/2012 - Robotic Technologies for Non-Standard Design and Construction in Architecture. This work is also financed by the ERDF European Regional Development Fund through the COMPETE Programme (operational programme for competitiveness) and by National Funds through the FCT Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology within project “FCOMP - 01-0124-FEDER-022701”.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Creation of a Marketplace for NFV Functions

Actualmente, a virtualização tem sido bastante importante pelo mundo fora porque pode tornar aplicações de rede com a eficiência e flexibilidade de aplicações de software. Existem imensas razões pelas quais há investimento neste tipo de tecnologia. As principais razões são a motivação financeira, a optimização de recursos e a carga de trabalho de fácil migração.Uma das tecnologias de virtualização que está a ser desenvolvida é NFV. NFV permite a substituição e complementação de dispositivos físicos de rede com funções de rede virtuais. Funções de rede como a NAT, DNS e IMS são separadas do hardware físico para software através desta tecnologia.Esta tese explica a motivação e solução da criação de um Marketplace para funções NFV. O Marketplace será capaz de acelerar o processo de Aprovisionamento no NFV. Está definido para fornecer aos clientes as funcionalidades de descarregamento, comparação e instalação de VNFs que melhor correspondem às suas necessidades.Nowadays virtualisation has been very important worldwide because it can make network applications with the efficiency and flexibility of software applications. There are many reasons why there is investment in this type of technology. The main reasons are the financial motivation, the resource optimization and the easily migration workload.One of the virtualisation technologies that is being developed is the NFV. NFV allows the replacement and complement physical network devices with virtual network functions. Network Functions such as NAT, DNS and IMS are separated from the physical hardware for software through this technology.This thesis explains the motivation and solution of creating a Marketplace for NFV Functions. This Marketplace will be able to accelerate the Procurement process in NFV. It is defined to give customers the ability of download, compare and install VNFs to best match their needs

A superação de barreiras de um estagiário em contexto de pandemia

O presente Relatório surge no seguimento da realização de um Estágio Profissional inserido no 2º ano do Mestrado de Ensino de Educação Física nos Ensinos Básico e Secundário da Faculdade de Desporto da Universidade do Porto. O estágio é um momento com vista à integração do estudante na realidade profissional, que permite com o apoio de um Professor experiente aplicar modelos e estratégias de ensino, assim como diferentes formas e dinâmicas de avaliação, sempre num contexto controlado. Este é um espaço onde o estudante estagiário tem a possibilidade de refletir sobre a sua atuação, assim como explorar novas formas de ensinar. É um ano pautado pela necessidade de estudar constantemente, promovendo um debate intrínseco ao estudante estagiário do que foi feito e poderá ser melhorado. É, portanto, o momento certo de perceber as dificuldades e procurar soluções adequadas. A realização de um planeamento a longo, médio e curto prazo, assim como o planeamento anual, as unidades didáticas e os planos de aula auxiliam na resolução de algumas destas dificuldades sendo também abordados neste documento. O presente relatório refere-se a um estágio que decorreu na cidade de Vila Nova de Gaia no ano letivo 2020/21, tendo como principais intervenientes, um núcleo de estágio, composto por três estudantes estagiários, um professor cooperante, uma professora orientadora e os alunos da instituição onde aconteceu. Todo o estágio decorreu durante uma situação pandémica, especificamente, o Covid-19, que condicionou significativamente o normal funcionamento do ano letivo. Ao longo do documento são explanadas as situações experienciadas, reflexões pessoais, eventos ocorridos, tais como flash-move e torneio de badminton assim como as diversas reuniões inerentes ao processo de ensino. O relatório termina com o aprofundamento da temática do ensino do andebol em contexto de pandemia, abordando as dificuldades e adaptações que foram necessárias à aprendizagem de um desporto coletivo com enorme contacto físico numa altura em que este era desaconselhado.This Report follows the completion of a School Placement included in the 2nd year of the Master programme in Basic and Secondary Education at the Faculty of Sports of the University of Porto. This is a moment with the objective of integrating the student in the professional reality, which allows, with the support of an experienced teacher, to apply teaching models and strategies, as well as evaluation, different forms, and dynamics, always in a controlled context. This is a place where the preservice teacher has the possibility to reflect on their performance, as well as explore new ways of teaching. It is a year guided by the need to study constantly, promoting a debate intrinsic to the preservice teacher of what has been done and can be improved. It is therefore the right time to understand the difficulties and look for safe solutions. The realization of a long-, medium- and short-term planning as well as the annual planning, the didactic units and lesson plans help in solving some of these difficulties and are also addressed in this document. The present report refers to a School Placement that took place in the city of Vila Nova de Gaia, in the academic year 2020/21 having as main participants, a school placement core, composed of three preservice students, a cooperating professor, a teacher advisor and the students of the institution where it took place. The entire school placement took place during a pandemic situation, specifically, Covid-19, which significantly conditioned the normal functioning of the school year. Throughout the document, the situations experienced, personal reflections, events that occurred, such as flash-move and badminton tournament, as well as the various meetings inherent to the teaching process are explained. The report ends with an in-depth look at the topic of teaching handball in the context of a pandemic, addressing the difficulties and adaptations that were necessary for learning a collective sport with enormous physical contact at a time when it was inadvisable

Code analysis: past and present

The integration of Software components within complex industrial applications with severe security standards, requires strict quality assessment of each integrated component. That is, requires a guarantee that each component is compliant with the software development good practices and all the standards in use. If full certification is easy to obtain for proprietary modules, it is particularly hard to achieve when dealing with Open-Source Software pieces, demanding for rigorous methods and techniques to implement their certification process. In this context, code analysis plays an important role as the basis for the automatization of quality assessment of open source software projects – code analysis provides the techniques and tools to implement the necessary validation process. Although source code is still the most explored (the main support for analysis), nowadays this assessment process should be able to deal with code at different compilation levels. Due to its relevance for the open source software certification task, this paper reviews code analysis area (stages of the analyzing process, traditional approaches, and future trends), aiming at identifying what is available, and what deserves further research.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Contract-based slicing

In the last years, the concern with the correctness of programs has been leading programmers to enrich their programs with annotations following the principles of design-by-contract, in order to be able to guarantee their correct behaviour and to facilitate reuse of verified components without having to reconstruct proofs of correctness. In this paper we adapt the idea of specification-based slicing to the scope of (contract-based) program verification systems and behaviour specification languages. In this direction, we introduce the notion of contract-based slice of a program and show how any specification-based slicing algorithm can be used as the basis for a contract-based slicing algorithm.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - RESCUE (PTDC / EIA / 65862 / 2006), CROSS (PTDC / EIACCO/ 108995 / 2008)