Measurement of glomerular filtration rate in obese patients: pitfalls and potential consequences on drug therapy.

Epidemiological studies have shown that obesity is associated with chronic kidney disease and end stage renal disease. These studies have used creatinine derived equations to estimate glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and have indexed GFR to body surface area (BSA). However, the use of equations using creatinine as a surrogate marker of glomerular filtration and the indexation of GFR for BSA can be questioned in the obese population. First, these equations lack precision when they are compared to gold standard GFR measurements such as inulin clearances; secondly, the indexation of GFR for 1.73 m(2) of BSA leads to a systematic underestimation of GFR compared to absolute GFR in obese patients who have BSA that usually exceed 1.73 m(2). Obesity is also associated with pathophysiological changes that can affect the pharmacokinetics of drugs. The effect of obesity on both renal function and drug pharmacokinetics raises the issue of correct drug dosage in obese individuals. This may be particularly relevant for drugs known to have a narrow therapeutic range or excreted by the kidney.

A New Imaging Software To Evaluate The Centration Of Capsulorhexis And Intraocular Lens (IOL) After Cataract Surgery

Purpose: IOL centration and stability after cataract surgery is of high interest for cataract surgeons and IOL-producing companies. We present a new imaging software to evaluate the centration of the rhexis and the centration of the IOL after cataract surgery.Methods: We developed, in collaboration with the Biomedical Imaging Group (BIG), EPFL, Lausanne, a new working tool in order to assess precisely outcomes after IOL-implantation, such as ideal capsulorhexis and IOL-centration. The software is a plug-in of ImageJ, a general-purpose image processing and image-analysis package. The specifications of this software are: evaluation of the rhexis-centration and evaluation the position of the IOL in the posterior chamber. The end points are to analyze the quality of the centration of a rhexis after cataract surgery, the deformation of the rhexis with capsular bag retraction and the centration of the IOL after implantation.Results: This software delivers tools to interactively measure the distances between limbus, IOL and capsulorhexis and its changes over time. The user is invited to adjust nodes of three radial curves for the limbus, rhexis and the optic of the IOL. The radial distances of the curves are computed to evaluate the IOL implantation. The user is also able to define patterns for ideal capsulorhexis and optimal IOL-centration. We are going to present examples of calculations after cataract surgery.Conclusions: Evaluation of the centration of the rhexis and of the IOL after cataract surgery is an important end point for optimal IOL implantation after cataract surgery. Especially multifocal or accommodative lenses need a precise position in the bag with a good stability over time. This software is able to evaluate these parameters just after the surgery but also its changes over time. The results of these evaluations can lead to an optimizing of surgical procedures and materials.

Endoscopic low-coherence topography measurement for upper airways and hollow samples.

To evaluate the severity of airway pathologies, quantitative dimensioning of airways is of utmost importance. Endoscopic vision gives a projective image and thus no true scaling information can be directly deduced from it. In this article, an approach based on an interferometric setup, a low-coherence laser source and a standard rigid endoscope is presented, and applied to hollow samples measurements. More generally, the use of the low-coherence interferometric setup detailed here could be extended to any other endoscopy-related field of interest, e.g., gastroscopy, arthroscopy and other medical or industrial applications where tri-dimensional topology is required. The setup design with a multiple fibers illumination system is presented. Demonstration of the method ability to operate on biological samples is assessed through measurements on ex vivo pig bronchi.

Migración de servicios críticos: de plataformas propietarias a software libre

El objetivo principal del presente trabajo pretende demostrar el potencial del software libre frente al software propietario que actualmente utiliza la empresa Systemum.

Software para la representación gráfica a la solución de ruteo y carga de vehículos en algoritmo de tipo 2L-CVRP

El siguiente artículo presenta el trabajo realizado en la creación de una aplicación de software libre que representa gráficamente las rutas generadas y la distribución de los elementos transportados en el interior de un vehículo de carga.

Using 80 kVp versus 120 kVp in perfusion CT measurement of regional cerebral blood flow.

Perfusion CT studies of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), involving sequential acquisition of cerebral CT sections during IV contrast material administration, have classically been reported to be achieved at 120 kVp. We hypothesized that using 80 kVp should result in the same image quality while significantly lowering the patient's radiation dose, and we evaluated this assumption. In five patients undergoing cerebral CT survey, one section level was imaged at 120 kVp and 80 kVp, before and after IV administration of iodinated contrast material. These four cerebral CT sections obtained in each patient were analyzed with special interest to contrast, noise, and radiation dose. Contrast enhancement at 80 kVp is significantly increased (P < .001), as well as contrast between gray matter and white matter after contrast enhancement (P < .001). Mean noise at 80 kVp is not statistically different (P = .042). Finally, performance of perfusion CT studies at 80 kVp, keeping mAs constant, lowers the radiation dose by a factor of 2.8. We, thus, conclude that 80 kVp acquisition of perfusion CT studies of rCBF will result in increased contrast enhancement and should improve rCBF analysis, with a reduced patient's irradiation.

Implantació d'un ERP i una plataforma e-commerce de software lliure per al desenvolupament web d'una empresa

Aquest projecte constitueix la introducció d'un sistema d'informació a una PIME catalana. Incorporant dos grans i potents funcionalitats i serveis a l'empresa: la venta online mitjançant un e-commerce i la gestió de la informació i productes que hi ha a l'empresa mitjançant un ERP.

RestKiosk : Software d'autoservei per a restauració

Primera versió d'una aplicació per a establiments de restauració que té com a finalitat oferir als clients la possibilitat de fer les comandes de forma autònoma.

Avaliação de alunos e professores acerca do software "Sinais Vitais"

Este artigo teve por objetivo levantar as opiniões de alunos e professores sobre o software "Sinais Vitais". O trabalho foi desenvolvido no Departamento de Enfermagem da Universidade Federal do Ceará. Trabalhou-se com um total de seis alunos e três professores, os quais foram submetidos a uma entrevista após a utilização do software. As entrevistas geraram dez categorias, as quais foram separadas em dois temas: Características que estimularam a utilização do software "Sinais Vitais" e Software educacionalmente correto. Concluiu-se que os professores valorizaram a correção do conteúdo, enquanto os alunos enfocaram mais a dinâmica do programa.

Creació d’un visor web basat en software lliure per al Consorci d’Ardenya-Cadiretes

En aquest treball es pretén explicar el procés metodològic que s'ha seguit per a crear una eina informàtica de visualització de dades "online" per al Consorci d'Ardenya – Cadiretes. Inicialment s'explica el context en el que es desenvolupa el projecte, com a conveni de col·laboració en pràctiques, per a realitzar el treball de final del Màster en Tecnologies de la Informació Geogràfica, en la seva tretzena edició. S'explica també la situació de l'entitat col·laboradora del projecte, el consorci d'Ardenya – Cadiretes. Els objectius que es fixen al projecte són els de generar aquest visor amb eines de software lliure, de manera que el cost de producció sigui el menor possible. També es pretén crear una aplicació de senzill ús i que resulti atractiva per al client web. Es repassen els diferents aspectes tècnics i funcionals que ha de tenir en compte el projecte, per tal que aquest es pugui desenvolupar de forma correcte. Es tracten temes com el tipus de programari que s'ha de fer servir i per que unes aplicacions es consideren més oportunes que d'altres per a treballar tasques concretes del propi projecte. A través de la metodologia seguida en el projecte es repassa el dia a dia que s'ha anat seguint durant el projecte, des de l'inici en el que s'instal·laven els diferents programes necessaris fins al final de l'escriptura del codi de programació, passant per l'edició de les dades geogràfiques o la càrrega d'aquestes al servidor de mapes

Transcutaneous carbon dioxide tension in newborn infants: reliability and safety of continuous 24-hour measurement at 42 degrees C.

In 58 newborn infants a new iridium oxide sensor was evaluated for transcutaneous carbon dioxide (tcPCO2) monitoring at 42 degrees C with a prolonged fixation time of 24 hours. The correlation of tcPCO2 (y; mm Hg) v PaCO2 (x; mm Hg) for 586 paired values was: y = 4.6 + 1.45x; r = .89; syx = 6.1 mm Hg. The correlation was not influenced by the duration of fixation. The transcutaneous sensor detected hypocapnia (PaCO2 less than 35 mm Hg) in 74% and hypercapnia (PCO2 greater than 45 mm Hg) in 74% of all cases. After 24 hours, calibration shifts were less than 4 mm Hg in 90% of the measuring periods. In 86% of the infants, no skin changes were observed; in 12% of infants, there were transitional skin erythemas and in 2% a blister which disappeared without scarring. In newborn infants with normal BPs, continuous tcPCO2 monitoring at 42 degrees C can be extended for as many as 24 hours without loss of reliability or increased risk for skin burns.

Measurement of the dynamics in ski jumping using a wearable inertial sensor-based system.

Abstract Dynamics is a central aspect of ski jumping, particularly during take-off and stable flight. Currently, measurement systems able to measure ski jumping dynamics (e.g. 3D cameras, force plates) are complex and only available in few research centres worldwide. This study proposes a method to determine dynamics using a wearable inertial sensor-based system which can be used routinely on any ski jumping hill. The system automatically calculates characteristic dynamic parameters during take-off (position and velocity of the centre of mass perpendicular to the table, force acting on the centre of mass perpendicular to the table and somersault angular velocity) and stable flight (total aerodynamic force). Furthermore, the acceleration of the ski perpendicular to the table was quantified to characterise the skis lift at take-off. The system was tested with two groups of 11 athletes with different jump distances. The force acting on the centre of mass, acceleration of the ski perpendicular to the table, somersault angular velocity and total aerodynamic force were different between groups and correlated with the jump distances. Furthermore, all dynamic parameters were within the range of prior studies based on stationary measurement systems, except for the centre of mass mean force which was slightly lower.

A construção de um software educativo sobre ausculta dos sons respiratórios

O estudo objetivou relatar a experiência da construção de um software educativo sobre a ausculta dos sons respiratórios. Nesse processo, aplicou-se o referencial pedagógico de Lev Semenovic Vygotsky, e delimitou-se o conteúdo de modo a abarcar o método da ausculta passo a passo, as finalidades, a classificação dos sons normais e adventícios e as respectivas características estetoacústicas. Para o desenvolvimento do sistema, foi utilizada a tecnologia 3D, incluindo avatares (personificações virtuais do paciente, do enfermeiro e dos objetos) e ambiente virtual para a ausculta, usando procedimentos de simulação. Ao final do processo, concluiu-se que iniciativas dessa natureza, embora sejam permeadas de dificuldades, trazem contribuições importantes ao ensino-aprendizagem de conteúdos relativos à área da Enfermagem.

Propuesta para incorporar evaluación y pruebas de usabilidad dentro de un proceso de desarrollo de software

Usability is critical to consider an interactive software system successful. Usability testing and evaluation during product development have gained wide acceptance as a strategy to improve product quality. Early introduction of usability perspectives in a product is very important in order to provide a clear visibility of the quality aspects not only for the developers, but also for the testing users as well. However, usability evaluation and testing are not commonly taken into consideration as an essential element of the software development process. Then, this paper exposes a proposal to introduce usability evaluation and testing within a software development through reuse of software artifacts. Additionally, it suggests the introduction of an auditor within the classification of actors for usability tests. It also proposes an improvement of checklists used for heuristics evaluation, adding quantitative and qualitative aspects to them