Environmental/Regatta Buoy: Telemetry and Configuration

A monitorização ambiental é essencial para a tomada de decisões tanto na ciência como na indústria. Em particular, uma vez que a água é essencial à vida e a superfície da Terra é composta principalmente por água, a monitorização do clima e dos parâmetros relacionados com a água em ecossistemas sensíveis, tais como oceanos, lagoas, rios e lagos, é de extrema importância. Um dos métodos mais comuns para monitorar a água é implantar bóias. O presente trabalho está integrado num projeto mais amplo, com o objetivo de projectar e desenvolver uma bóia autónoma para a investigação científica com dois modos de funcionamento: (i) monitorização ambiental ; e (ii) baliza ativa de regata. Assim, a bóia tem duas aplicações principais: a coleta e armazenamento de dados e a assistência a regatas de veleiros autónomos. O projeto arrancou há dois anos com um grupo de quatro estudantes internacionais. Eles projetaram e construíram a estrutura física, compraram e montaram o sistema de ancoragem da bóia e escolherem a maioria dos componentes electrónicos para o sistema geral de controlo e medição. Este ano, durante o primeiro semestre, dois estudantes belgas - Jeroen Vervenne e Hendrick Verschelde – trabalharam nos subsistemas de recolha e armazenamento de dados (unidade de controlo escrava) e de telemetria e configuração (unidade de controlo mestre) assim como definiram o protocolo de comunicação da aplicação. O trabalho desta tese continua o desenvolvimento do subsistema de telemetria e configuração. Este subsistema _e responsável pela configuração do modo de funcionamento e dos sensores assim como pela comunicação com a estacão de base (controlo ambiental), barcos (baliza ativa de regata) e com o subsistema de recolha e armazenamento de dados. O desenvolvimento do subsistema de recolha e armazenamento de dados, que coleta e armazena num cartão SD os dados dos sensores selecionados, prossegue com outro estudante belga - Mathias van Flieberge. O objetivo desta tese é, por um lado, implementar o subsistema de telemetria e de configuração na unidade de controle mestre e, por outro lado, refinar e implementar, conjuntamente com Mathias van Flieberge, o protocolo de nível de aplicação projetado. Em particular, a unidade de controlo mestre deve processar e atribuir prioridades às mensagens recebidas da estacão base, solicitar dados à unidade de controlo escrava e difundir mensagens com informação de posição e condições de vento e água no modo de regata. Enquanto que a comunicação entre a unidade de controlo mestre e a estacão base e a unidade de controlo mestre e os barcos é sem fios, a unidade de controlo mestre e a unidade de controlo escrava comunicam através de uma ligação série. A bóia tem atualmente duas limitações: (i) a carga máxima é de 40 kg; e (ii) apenas pode ser utilizada em rios ou próximo da costa dada à limitação de distância imposta pela técnica de comunicação sem fios escolhida.

Estudo e desenvolvimento de uma solução de monitorização estrutural em túneis baseada na tecnologia de redes de Bragg em fibra ótica

Ao longo dos últimos anos, vários esforços e estudos foram feitos com o objetivo de colocar a fibra ótica no mercado, como um sistema preferencial de monitorização das mais diversas obras de Engenharia. Os sensores baseados na tecnologia em fibra ótica apresentam vantagens reconhecidas pelos mais diversos especialistas, sendo atualmente reconhecida como uma das soluções mais eficazes. Na engenharia Civil, a monitorização das grandes obras tem ganho uma importância crescente. Neste contexto, a monitorização de convergências em túneis visa o controlo da respectiva integridade estrutural ao longo da construção e a exploração da obra. Atualmente a solução de monitorização estrutural de túneis utilizada pela FiberSensing é uma solução desenhada em conjunto com a EPOS e o Cegeo (IST), baseada em sensores de Bragg em Fibra Ótica: o SysTunnel. O objetivo do estudo de uma solução alternativa encontra-se no facto do SysTunnel apresentar algumas debilidades no algoritmo de cálculo, sendo para o seu cálculo necessário a introdução de um parâmetro relacionado com o solo envolvente do túnel, facto que introduz incertezas no cálculo das convergências. O presente relatório tem como finalidade documentar o estágio curricular realizado na FiberSensing, entre 01/02/2014 a 31/07/2014. Este estágio teve como objetivo o desenvolvimento de uma solução alternativa de monitorização estrutural baseada na tecnologia das redes de Bragg para a monitorização das convergências em túneis.

Emerging (Bio)Sensing Technology for Assessing and Monitoring Freshwater Contamination – Methods and Applications

Ecological Water Quality - Water Treatment and Reuse

Microcystin-LR detection in water by the Fabry–Pérot interferometer using an optical fibre coated with a sol–gel imprinted sensing membrane

Cyanobacteria deteriorate the water quality and are responsible for emerging outbreaks and epidemics causing harmful diseases in Humans and animals because of their toxins. Microcystin-LR (MCT) is one of the most relevant cyanotoxin, being the most widely studied hepatotoxin. For safety purposes, the World Health Organization recommends a maximum value of 1 μg L−1 of MCT in drinking water. Therefore, there is a great demand for remote and real-time sensing techniques to detect and quantify MCT. In this work a Fabry–Pérot sensing probe based on an optical fibre tip coated with a MCT selective thin film is presented. The membranes were developed by imprinting MCT in a sol–gel matrix that was applied over the tip of the fibre by dip coating. The imprinting effect was obtained by curing the sol–gel membrane, prepared with (3-aminopropyl) trimethoxysilane (APTMS), diphenyl-dimethoxysilane (DPDMS), tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), in the presence of MCT. The imprinting effect was tested by preparing a similar membrane without template. In general, the fibre Fabry–Pérot with a Molecular Imprinted Polymer (MIP) sensor showed low thermal effect, thus avoiding the need of temperature control in field applications. It presented a linear response to MCT concentration within 0.3–1.4 μg L−1 with a sensitivity of −12.4 ± 0.7 nm L μg−1. The corresponding Non-Imprinted Polymer (NIP) displayed linear behaviour for the same MCT concentration range, but with much less sensitivity, of −5.9 ± 0.2 nm L μg−1. The method shows excellent selectivity for MCT against other species co-existing with the analyte in environmental waters. It was successfully applied to the determination of MCT in contaminated samples. The main advantages of the proposed optical sensor include high sensitivity and specificity, low-cost, robustness, easy preparation and preservation.

Distributed Sensing of Fluid Dynamic Phenomena with the XDense Sensor Grid Network

IEEE International Conference on Cyber Physical Systems, Networks and Applications (CPSNA'15), Hong Kong, China.

New sensing materials of molecularly-imprinted polymers for the selective recognition of Chlortetracycline

As a result of the stressful conditions in aquaculture facilities there is a high risk of bacterial infections among cultured fish. Chlortetracycline (CTC) is one of the antimicrobials used to solve this problem. It is a broad spectrum antibacterial active against a wide range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Numerous analytical methods for screening, identifying, and quantifying CTC in animal products have been developed over the years. An alternative and advantageous method should rely on expeditious and efficient procedures providing highly specific and sensitive measurements in food samples. Ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) could meet these criteria. The only ISE reported in literature for this purpose used traditional electro-active materials. A selectivity enhancement could however be achieved after improving the analyte recognition by molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs). Several MIP particles were synthesized and used as electro-active materials. ISEs based in methacrylic acid monomers showed the best analytical performance according to slope (62.5 and 68.6 mV/decade) and detection limit (4.1 × 10−5 and 5.5 × 10−5 mol L−1). The electrodes displayed good selectivity. The ISEs are not affected by pH changes ranging from 2.5 to 13. The sensors were successfully applied to the analysis of serum, urine and fish samples.

Towards the Development of XDense, A Sensor Network for Dense Sensing

Poster in 12th European Conference on Wireless Sensor Networks (EWSN 2015). 9 to 11, Feb, 2015, pp 24-25. Porto, Portugal.

SI SC MDAC switched current-capacitor multiplying digital-to-analog converter

Dissertação apresentada para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Electrotécnica e de Computadores

Ball Sensing in a Leg Like Robotic Kicker

The trend to have more cooperative play and the increase of game dynamics in Robocup MSL League motivates the improvement of skills for ball passing and reception. Currently the majority of the MSL teams uses ball handling devices with rollers to have more precise kicks but limiting the capability to kick a moving ball without stopping it and grabbing it. This paper addresses the problem to receive and kick a fast moving ball without having to grab it with a roller based ball handling device. Here, the main difficulty is the high latency and low rate of the measurements of the ball sensing systems, based in vision or laser scanner sensors.Our robots use a geared leg coupled to a motor that acts simultaneously as the kicking device and low level ball sensor. This paper proposes a new method to improve the capability for ball sensing in the kicker, by combining high rate measurements from the torque and energy in the motor and angular position of the kicker leg. The developed method endows the kicker device with an effective ball detection ability, validated in several game situations like in an interception to a fast pass or when chasing the ball where the relative speed from robot to ball is low. This can be used to optimize the kick instant or by the embedded kicker control system to absorb the ball energy.

Diabetic Foot Infections: Current Diagnosis and Treatment

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a global epidemic, and diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is one of its most serious and costly complications. DFUs result from a complex interaction of a number of risk factors. Once the protective layer of skin is broken, deep tissues are exposed to bacterial infection that progresses rapidly. Patients with DFUs frequently require amputations of the lower limbs and, in more than half the cases, infection is the preponderant factor. Given the challenges of treating these complex infections, this paper aims to provide a hospital-based framework for the diagnosis and treatment of diabetic foot infections (DFIs). We propose a treatment-oriented assessment of DFIs based on a cross-examination of the medical, foot, and wound history; a systemized and detailed physical examination; and the results of complementary diagnostic procedures. We stress the need for a clinical diagnosis of DFIs and the importance of microbiological evaluation for antibiotic therapy guidance. Regarding treatment, we propose a multidisciplinary approach prioritizing invasive infection drainage, necrosis debridement, and the prompt start of empirical antibiotic therapy, followed by complete and appropriate vascular reconstruction. For severe DFIs, we suggest that negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) be included in the treatment pathway. We also provide rules for managing particular situations, such as osteomyelitis. It is our hope that this protocol will improve the hospital management of DFIs and, ultimately, the prognosis of DFI patients.

Chagas disease cardiomyopathy: current concepts of an old disease

Chagas disease continues to be a significant public health problem, as ca. 10 million people are still infected with T. cruzi in Latin America. Decades after primary infection, 30% of individuals can develop a form of chronic inflammatory cardiomyopathy known as Chagas disease cardiomyopathy (CCC). Data from both murine models and human studies support the view that an autoimmune response as well as a parasite-driven immune response involving inflammatory cytokines and chemokines may both play a role in generating the heart lesions leading to CCC. This review aims to summarize recent advances in the understanding of the immunopathogenesis of Chagas disease cardiomyopathy.

Acute postsurgical suppurative parotitis: current prevalence at Hospital das Clínicas, São Paulo University Medical School

Postsurgical acute suppurative parotitis is a bacterial gland infection that occurs from a few days up to some weeks after abdominal surgical procedures. In this study, the authors analyze the prevalence of this complication in Hospital das Clínicas/São Paulo University Medical School by prospectively reviewing the charts of patients who underwent surgeries performed by the gastroenterological and general surgery staff from 1980 to 2005. Diagnosis of parotitis or sialoadenitis was analyzed. Sialolithiasis and chronic parotitis previous to hospitalization were exclusion criteria. In a total of 100,679 surgeries, 256 patients were diagnosed with parotitis or sialoadenitis. Nevertheless, only three cases of acute postsurgical suppurative parotitis associated with the surgery were identified giving an incidence of 0.0028%. All patients presented with risk factors such as malnutrition, immunosuppression, prolonged immobilization and dehydration. In the past, acute postsurgical suppurative parotitis was a relatively common complication after major abdominal surgeries. Its incidence decreased as a consequence of the improvement of perioperative antibiotic therapy and postoperative support. In spite of the current low incidence, we believe it is important to identify risks and diagnose as quick as possible, in order to introduce prompt and appropriate therapeutic measures and avoid potentially fatal complications with the evolution of the disease.

Current distribution of Achatina fulica, in the State of São Paulo including records of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus (Nematoda) larvae infestation

The currently known distribution range of Achatina fulica Bowdich, 1822, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, is presented. The record of A. fulica naturally infested with Aelurostrongylus abstrusus larvae (Railliet, 1898) (Nematoda: Metastrongylidae) can be found in the city of Guaratinguetá. It was found A. fulica with Metastrongylidae larvae without known medical and veterinary importance in the cities of Carapicuíba, Embu-Guaçu, Itapevi, São Caetano do Sul, São Paulo and Taboão da Serra.

Bioactive beads for local sensing of proteases in 3D engineered tissues

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Bioengenharia (MIT)