A strain gauge tactile sensor for finger-mounted applications

This paper describes a strain gauge-based sensor used for measuring finger force. The theory, design, and sensor construction details are presented. It was constructed using metallic strain gauges and a carefully designed structure which has a protection de-vice that impedes the sensor damage when forces higher than 100 N are applied. Its dimensions are suitable for measuring thumb force, but the same design can be used for constructing smaller sensors for other fingers. It is rugged, presents linear response, good repeatability, resolution of 0.3 N, low hysteresis, and sensitivity of 0.12 V/N. It can be useful in rehabilitation engineering, biomechanics, robotics, and medicine.

A semiconductor strain gage tactile transducer

This paper describes the development of a semiconductor strain gage tactile transducer. It was designed with the goal of measuring finger forces without affecting the hand dexterity. The transducer structure was manufactured with stainless steel and has small dimensions ( 4 min diameter and I min thickness). It is light and suitable to connect to the finger pads. It has a device that prevents its damage when forces are applied. The semiconductor strain gage was used over due its small size and high sensitivity, although it has high temperature sensitivity. Theory, design and construction details are presented the signal conditioning circuit is very simple because the semiconductor strain gage sensitivity is high. It presents linear response from 0 to 100 N, 0.5 N resolution, fall time of 7.2 ms, good repeatability, and small hysteresis. The semiconductor strain gage transducer has characteristics that can make it very useful in Rehabilitation Engineering, Robotics, and Medicine.

TACTILE CARTOGRAPHY EXPERIENCES IN BRAZIL: METHODOLOGIES AND DIDACTICAL MATERIAL WITH TECHNOLOGICAL RESOURCES FOR INCLUSION OF BLIND AND LOW VISION STUDENTS

The tactile cartography is an area of Cartography that aims the development of methodologies and didactical material to work cartographic concepts with blind and low vision people. The main aim of this article is to present the experience of Tactile Cartography Research Group from Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), including some didactical material and courses for teachers using the System MAPAVOX. The System MAPAVOX is software developed by our research group in a partnership with Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) that integrates maps and models with a voice synthesizer, sound emission, texts, images and video visualizing for computers. Our research methodology is based in authors that have in the students the centre of didactical activity such as Ochaita and Espinosa in [1], which developed studies related to blind children's literacy. According to Almeida the child's drawing is, thus, a system of representation. It isn't a copy of objects, but interpretation of that which is real, done by the child in graphic language[2]. In the proposed activities with blind and low vision students they are prepared to interpret reality and represent it by adopting concepts of graphic language learned. To start the cartographic initialization it is necessary to use personal and quotidian references, for example the classroom tactile model or map, to include concepts in generalization and scale concerning to their space of life. During these years many case studies were developed with blind and low vision students from Special School for Hearing Impaired and Visually Impaired in Araras and Rio Claro, Sao Paulo - Brazil. The most part of these experiences and others from Brazil and Chile are presented in [3]. Tactile material and MAPAVOX facilities are analysed by students and teachers who contribute with suggestions to reformulate and adapt them to their sensibility and necessity. Since 2005 we offer courses in Tactile Cartography to prepare teachers from elementary school in the manipulation of didactical material and attending students with special educational needs in regular classroom. There were 6 classroom and blended courses offered for 184 teachers from public schools in this region of the Sao Paulo state. As conclusion we can observe that methodological procedures centred in the blind and low vision students are successful in their spatial orientation if use didactical material from places or objects with which they have significant experience. During the applying of courses for teachers we could see that interdisciplinary groups can find creative cartographic alternatives more easily. We observed too that the best results in methodological procedures were those who provided concreteness to abstract concepts using daily experiences.

The use of software Mapavox for teaching graphics and games to blind and low vision students: a development through practices

Current policies on education to visually impaired point for a growing trend of including students with special educational needs in regular schools. However, most often this inclusion is not accompanied by an appropriate professional trained or infrastructure, which has been presented as a big problem for regular school teachers who have students with visual impairments in their classroom. Based on this situation, the Group of Extension in Tactile Cartography from UNESP - University of the State of São Paulo - Campus de Rio Claro - SP - Brazil has been developing educational material of geography and cartography to blind students at a special school. Among the materials developed in this study highlight the development of graphics and board games provided with sound capabilities through MAPAVOX, software developed in partnership with UFRJ - Federal University from Rio de Janeiro - RJ - Brazil. Through this software, sound capabilities can be inserted into built materials, giving them a multi-sensory character. In most cases the necessary conditions for building specific materials to students with visual impairments is expensive and beyond the reach of features from a regular school, so the survey sought to use easy access and low cost materials like Cork, leaf aluminum, material for fixing and others. The development of these materials was supported by preparation in laboratory and its subsequent test through practices involving blind students. The methodology used on the survey is based on qualitative research and non comparative analysis of the results. In other words, the material is built based on the special students perception and reality construction, not being mere adaptations of visual materials, but a construction focused on the reality of the visually impaired. The results proved were quite successful as the materials prepared were effective on mediating the learning process of students with disabilities. Geographical and cartographic concepts were seized by the students through the technology used, associated with the use of materials that took into account in its building process the perception of the students.

Linfoma primário de células T no líquido cefalorraquidiano de cão: relato de caso

Relata-se o diagnóstico de linfoma primário no sistema nervoso central em um cão Labrador Retrievier, de 10 anos de idade, que apresentava episódios convulsivos, incoordenação nos membros posteriores, head tilt, ataxia e sensibilidade diminuída no lado esquerdo. Constataram-se alterações laterais esquerdas, como ausências de propriocepção e de posicionamento tátil, alterações posteriores nas provas de carrinho de mão e de reação ao pulo e diminuição da extensão da postura e hemilocomoção. No líquido cefalorraquidiano (LCR), houve predomínio de linfócitos atípicos, caracterizados pela presença de anisocitose e anisocariose, nucléolos evidentes e anisonucleose, basofilia e microvacuolização citoplasmáticas, mitoses atípicas e corpúsculos linfoglandulares, compatíveis com linfoma, confirmado pelo exame histológico e imunocitoquímico, o qual revelou origem T, com expressão CD3+ e CD79-. A tomografia computadorizada não foi conclusiva e evidenciou diversas áreas hipodensas e intensificação de contraste na região de sulcos e giros do parênquima encefálico. A coleta do LCR foi essencial na rapidez do diagnóstico definitivo, indicando a natureza rara desta lesão primária.

Efeito de uma sessão de exercício resistido na sensibilidade cutânea em idosas hipertensas e normotensas fisicamente ativas

O estudo teve como objetivo analisar o efeito de uma sessão de exercícios resistidos na sensibilidade cutânea em idosas hipertensas e normotensas fisicamente ativas, bem como comparar a sensibilidade cutânea entre os dois grupos. Participaram deste estudo 32 mulheres (65,8 ± 5,1anos; 69,5 ± 13,7Kg; 1,60 ± 0,1m) fisicamente ativas, que foram classificadas em hipertensas (n = 15) e normotensas (n = 17). Todas as participantes responderam a um questionário de anamnese clínica e Questionário Baecke Modificado para Idosos. Antes e após a sessão de exercícios resistidos, a sensibilidade cutânea da mão dominante foi avaliada em sete pontos anatômicos das regiões dorsal e palmar, por meio da estimulação de seis monofilamentos de Semmes-Weinstein. As cargas empregadas durante a sessão de exercícios resistidos foram determinadas na semana anterior ao protocolo experimental. O teste de Wilcoxon revelou que não houve diferença estatisticamente significante no teste de sensibilidade cutânea, antes e após a sessão de exercícios resistidos, para ambos os grupos. Contudo, o teste U-Mann-Whitney apresentou diferença estatisticamente significante entre os grupos, em três pontos, no momento pré e um ponto, no momento pós-sessão de exercícios resistidos. Uma sessão de exercícios resistidos não modificou a sensibilidade cutânea de idosas hipertensas e normotensas. Entretanto, as participantes hipertensas apresentaram sensibilidade cutânea reduzida em alguns pontos quando comparadas com as normotensas.

The specialized reproductive mode of the treefrog Aplastodiscus perviridis (Anura : Hylidae)

Males of the South American treefrog Aplastodiscus perviridis construct concealed subterranean nests. Using a complex courtship behavior that involves tactile stimuli and vocalizations, males guide the females to the subterranean nests where eggs are laid. Embryos and facultatively oophagous tadpoles (at least in stage 25) stay in subterranean nests until flooding transports them to ponds or streams. This is a rare reproductive mode previously known for few species in the Hyla albosignata and H. albofrenata complexes. Based on similarities of reproductive mode we suggest a monophyletic origin for Aplastodiscus and these complexes of Hyla.

Dentine microhardness after different methods for detection and removal of carious dentine tissue

There are several methods for identifying carious dentinal tissue aiming to avoid removal of healthy dentinal tissue. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to test different methods for the detection of carious dentinal tissue regarding the amount of carious tissue removed and the remaining dentin microhardness after caries removal. Material and methods: The dentin surfaces of 20 bovine teeth were exposed and half of the surface was protected with nail polish. Cariogenic challenge was performed by immersion in a demineralizing solution for 14 days. After transverse cross-section of the crown, the specimens were divided into four groups (n=10), according to the method used to identify and remove the carious tissue: "Papacarie", Caries-detector dye, DIAGNOdent and Tactile method. After caries removal, the cross-sectional surface was included in acrylic resin and polished. In a microhardness tester, the removed dentin thickness and the Vickers microhardness of the following regions were evaluated: remaining dentin after caries removal and superficial and deep healthy dentin. Results: ANOVA and Tukey's test (alpha=0.05) were performed, except for DIAGNOdent, which did not detect the presence of caries. Results for removed dentin thickness were: "Papacarie" (424.7 +/- 105.0; a), Caries-detector dye (370.5 +/- 78.3; ab), Tactile method (322.8 +/- 51.5; bc). Results for the remaining dentin microhardness were: "Papacarie" (42.2 +/- 10.5; bc), Caries-detector dye (44.6 +/- 11.8; bc), Tactile method (24.3 +/- 9.0; d). Conclusions: DIAGNOdent did not detect the presence of carious tissue; Tactile method and "Papacarie" resulted in the least and the most dentinal thickness removal, respectively; Tactile method differed significantly from "Papacarie" and Caries-detector dye in terms of the remaining dentin microhardness, and Tactile method was the one which presented the lowest microhardness values.

Caracterização da população de ectoparasitos em cães de núcleos de expansão urbana de Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brasil

No presente trabalho caracterizou-se a população de ectoparasitos em cães de núcleo de expansão urbana de Juiz de Fora, MG. As coletas foram realizadas de julho a setembro de 2003, examinando-se 101 cães SRD (sem raça definida). Os ectoparasitos foram coletados através de inspeção visual e tátil dos animais e acondicionados em frascos com etanol 70°GL e identificados sob estereoscopia. Espécimes foram clarificados e montados para análise em microscopia fotônica. Dentre os sifonápteros, Ctenocephalides felis foi mais prevalente (64,35%) com intensidade média de 6,12 ± 5,37 sifonápteros/cão, seguido por Rhopalopsyllus lutzi (3,96%), híbrida C. felis X C. canis (1,98%), Tunga penetrans (1,98%). Aúnica espécie de fitiráptero encontrada foi Trichodectes canis (7,92%) com 1,3 ± 0,51 fitiráptero/cão. Dentre os ixodídeos, Rhipicephalus sanguineus foi a espécie mais prevalente (49,50%) com intensidade média de 6,44 ± 10,2 ixodídeos/ cão, seguido por Amblyomma cajennense (3,96%), Boophilus microplus (2,97%), A. ovale (1%) e A. aureolatum (1%). As ninfas de ixodídeos foram separadas em ninfas de Amblyomminae (58,41%) com 10,11 ± 10,09 ninfas/cão e ninfas Rhipicephalinae (24,75%) com 2,64 ± 3,25 ninfas/cão. em 3,96 % dos cães foram encontradas larvas de ixodídeo.

Avaliação de métodos de diagnóstico da lesão de cárie

O objetivo deste trabalho foi comparar in vitro a efetividade de três métodos de diagnóstico da lesão de cárie em 26sítios de interesse, dispostos na face palatina de 20 coroas de dentes caninos permanentes de humanos. Quatro examinadores receberam orientação teórico-prática para o diagnóstico, através de três métodos: inspeção visual; táctil (inspeção visual - sonda exploradora com ponta romba); e videoscópico (sistema AcuCam). Para a validação dos dados, os dentes foram seccionados paralelamente ao seu longo eixo por um disco de diamante e analisados histologicamente em um microscópio estereoscópico com aumento de 40X. Diagnósticos compatíveis com o exame histológico apresentaram percentual de acerto no método de inspeção visual de 40,4%, no exame táctil de 38,5% e no videoscópico de 41,3%, resultados que não demonstraram diferença estatisticamente significante. Concluiu-se, pelos resultados obtidos, que os três métodos apresentaram acuidade semelhante no diagnóstico da lesão de cárie; dentre os métodos estudados, o exame ao videoscópio foi o que mais se aproximou do histológico, seguido pelo visual; o mais distante foi o táctil. Constatou-se também uma elevada porcentagem de erro de diagnósticos (59,9%), o que conseqüentemente acarretaria uma conduta terapêutica inadequada

Diferenças sensoriais e motoras entre jovens e idosos: contribuição somatossensorial no controle postural

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

O emprego de linguagens acessíveis para alunos com deficiência visual em aulas de Óptica

O presente artigo encontra-se inserido dentro de um estudo que busca compreender as principais alternativas para a inclusão de alunos com deficiência visual no contexto do ensino de física. Focalizando aulas de óptica, analisa as viabilidades comunicacionais entre licenciandos e discentes com deficiência visual. Para tal, enfatiza as estruturas empírica e semântico-sensorial das linguagens utilizadas, indicando fatores geradores de acessibilidade às informações veiculadas. Recomenda, ainda, alternativas que visam dar condições à participação efetiva do discente com deficiência visual no processo comunicativo, das quais se destacam: a identificação da estrutura semântico-sensorial dos significados veiculados, o conhecimento da história visual do aluno, a utilização de linguagens de estrutura empírica tátil-auditiva interdependente em contextos interativos, bem como, a exploração das potencialidades comunicacionais das linguagens constituídas de estruturas empíricas fundamental auditiva, e auditiva e visual independentes.

Sex Determination and Female Reproductive Development in the GenuSchistosoma: A Review

Os parasitas do gênero Schistosoma situam-se entre os primeiros metazoários que desenvolveram sexos separados, determinado cromossomicamente no ovo fertilizado. Apesar da ocorrência de cromossomos sexuais específicos, as fêmeas de Schistosoma não atingem a maturidade somática e sexual sem a presença dos machos. Na verdade, um dos aspectos mais controversos e, ao mesmo tempo, mais fascinantes, envolvendo o desenvolvimento sexual das fêmeas está em se desvendar a natureza do estímulo que controla e mantém tal processo. Muito embora a natureza do estímulo (físico ou químico) seja motivo de controvérsia, concordam os mais diferentes autores que o acasalamento é um requisito indispensável para que ocorra a maturação e migração das fêmeas para o sítio definitivo de permanência no sistema vascular do hospedeiro vertebrado. Admite-se, ainda, que o estímulo não é espécie-específico e, em alguns casos, nem mesmo gênero-específico. Não obstante a existência de um número considerável de artigos dedicados ao tema, não há um consenso sobre o processo (ou processos) que controla(m) o encontro de machos e fêmeas no sistema circulatório do hospedeiro vertebrado, bem como está por ser determinada a natureza do estímulo, oriundo dos machos, que controla e mantém o desenvolvimento somático e sexual das fêmeas. Ao longo dos anos os machos de Schistosoma têm sido considerados, por vezes pejorativamente, os irmãos, os músculos ou o fígado das fêmeas. em síntese, resta saber se a natureza do estímulo responsável pelo desenvolvimento das fêmas envolve a transferência de hormônios, nutrientes, a mera estimulação tátil ou a combinação de dois ou mais desses fatores

Endectocide activity of a new long-action formulation containing 2.25% ivermectin+1.25% abamectin in cattle

The present work aimed to evaluate the endectocide activity of a new injectable long-action formulation, containing ivermectin (IVM) and abamectin (ABA). In each one of the four experiments performed, the following groups were formed: group I: 2.25% IVM (450 mu g/kg) + 1.25% ABA (250 mu g/kg), group II: 3.15% IVM (630 mu g/kg) and group III: control. Eighteen bovine naturally infected by gastrointestinal nematoda were selected for anthelmintic evaluation and necropsied on posttreatment day (PTD) 14 to estimate the total parasitic burden. For the Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus field trial, 30 bovine were selected by means of counts of semi-engorged R. (B.) microplus and the therapeutic and residual efficacy evaluated by tick counts on PTDs 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56, 63, 70, 77, 84 and 91. In the stall test, 15 calves were artificially infested with 5000 R. (B.) microplus (Mozzo strain) larvae three times a week and daily collections of all the engorged female ticks detached from each calf were performed until the PTD 80. Forty bovine naturally infected with Dermatobia hominis larvae were selected and the number of larvae was counted by visual and tactile inspection on PTDs 3, 7, 14, 28, 35, 49, 63, 77, 91 and 105. In this trial, a formulation containing 1% doramectin (200 mu g/kg) was also used. IVM + ABA formulation and 3.15% IVM eliminated four of the eight species of nematode identified. The anthelmintic efficacy of the avermectins association against Haemonchus placei, Cooperia spatulata and C. punctata was 89.64%, 98.84% and 97.69%, while 3.15% IVM achieved 30.98%, 84.79% and 75.56%, respectively. The two formulations evaluated showed reduced acaricide action on the PTD I and 3, reaching high efficacy percentages from PTD 14 onward. The IVM + ABA showed efficacy above 95% in the period between PTDs 21 and 49. In the stall test, it observed no difference (P > 0.05) between the two formulations regarding the R. (B.) microplus counts during the entire evaluation period. IVM + ABA reduced the number of ticks from the PTD 1 to 77 (P < 0.05) and 3.15% IVM reduced (P < 0.05) the tick number from PTD 4 up to PTD 80. The three endectocides showed no difference (P > 0.05) regarding the number of D. hominis larvae and prevented this parasite reestablishment until PTD 105. These results indicate that the IVM + ABA association showed higher anthelmintic activity and similar efficacy against arthropods to the formulation containing 3.15% IVM. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Shelf-life of tail meat of the giant river prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, stored on ice

The objective of this study was to evaluate the shelf-life of peeled giant river prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii stored directly in contact with ice (DCI), and without direct contact with ice (WCI). The prawns from DCI treatment showed an intense leaching of non-protein nitrogen (NPN) and total volatile bases nitrogen (TVB-N), thus suggesting that NPN or TVB-N should not be used as freshness indicators of peeled tails stored directly in contact with ice. Loss of flavor and a quick texture tactile decrease with time occurred in both treatments. The shelf-life of peeled tails prepared from M. rosenbergii was 7 days for DCI and 10 days WCI. © 2006 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.