Embedded System for ECG Biometrics

Comunication in Internationa Conference with Peer Review First International Congress on Cardiovasular Technologies - CARDIOTECHNIX, Vilamoura, Portugal, 2013

Development of electrochemical methods for determination of tramadol - analytical application to pharmaceutical dosage forms

A square-wave voltammetric (SWV) method and a flow injection analysis system with amperometric detection were developed for the determination of tramadol hydrochloride. The SWV method enables the determination of tramadol over the concentration range of 15-75 µM with a detection limit of 2.2 µM. Tramadol could be determined in concentrations between 9 and 50 µM at a sampling rate of 90 h-1, with a detection limit of 1.7 µM using the flow injection system. The electrochemical methods developed were successfully applied to the determination of tramadol in pharmaceutical dosage forms, without any pre-treatment of the samples. Recovery trials were performed to assess the accuracy of the results; the values were between 97 and 102% for both methods.

Development of an FIA system with amperometric detection for determination of bentazone in estuarine waters

On the basis of its electrochemical behaviour a new flow-injection analysis (FIA) method with amperometric detection has been developed for quantification of the herbicide bentazone (BTZ) in estuarine waters. Standard solutions and samples (200 µL) were injected into a water carrier stream and both pH and ionic strength were automatically adjusted inside the manifold. Optimization of critical FIA conditions indicated that the best analytical results were obtained at an oxidation potential of 1.10 V, pH 4.5, and an overall flow-rate of 2.4 mL min–1. Analysis of real samples was performed by means of calibration curves over the concentration range 2.5x10–6 to 5.0x10–5 mol L–1, and results were compared with those obtained by use of an independent method (HPLC). The accuracy of the amperometric determinations was ascertained; errors relative to the comparison method were below 4% and sampling rates were approximately 100 samples h–1. The repeatability of the proposed method was calculated by assessing the relative standard deviation (%) of ten consecutive determinations of one sample; the value obtained was 2.1%.

Study of the voltammetric behaviour of metam and its application to an amperometric flow system

The electrochemical behaviour of the pesticide metam (MT) at a glassy carbon working electrode (GCE) and at a hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) was investigated. Different voltammetric techniques, including cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square wave voltammetry (SWV), were used. An anodic peak (independent of pH) at +1.46 V vs AgCl/Ag was observed in MTaqueous solution using the GCE. SWV calibration curves were plotted under optimized conditions (pH 2.5 and frequency 50 Hz), which showed a linear response for 17–29 mg L−1. Electrochemical reduction was also explored, using the HMDE. A well defined cathodic peak was recorded at −0.72 V vs AgCl/ Ag, dependent on pH. After optimizing the operating conditions (pH 10.1, frequency 150 Hz, potential deposition −0.20 V for 10 s), calibration curves was measured in the concentration range 2.5×10−1 to 1.0 mg L−1 using SWV. The electrochemical behaviour of this compound facilitated the development of a flow injection analysis (FIA) system with amperometric detection for the quantification of MT in commercial formulations and spiked water samples. An assessment of the optimal FIA conditions indicated that the best analytical results were obtained at a potential of +1.30 V, an injection volume of 207 μL and an overall flow rate of 2.4 ml min−1. Real samples were analysed via calibration curves over the concentration range 1.3×10−2 to 1.3 mg L−1. Recoveries from the real samples (spiked waters and commercial formulations) were between 97.4 and 105.5%. The precision of the proposed method was evaluated by assessing the relative standard deviation (RSD %) of ten consecutive determinations of one sample (1.0 mg L−1), and the value obtained was 1.5%.

10 kVp rule – An anthropomorphic pelvis phantom imaging study using a CR system: impact on image quality and effective dose using AEC and manual mode

Background - Pelvis and hip radiography are consistently found to be amongst the highest contributors to the collective effective dose (E) in all ten DOSE DATAMED countries in Europe, representing 2.8 to 9.4% of total collective dose (S) in the TOP 20 exams list. The level of image quality should provide all the diagnostic information in order not to jeopardise the diagnosis, but being able to provide the needed clinical information with the minimum dose. A recent study suggests further research to determine whether the “10 kVp rule” would have value for a range of examinations using Computed Radiography (CR) systems. As a “rule of thumb” increasing the kVp by 10 whilst halving the mAs is suggested to give a similar perceptual image quality when compared to the original exposure factors. Aims - In light of the 10kVp rule, this study aims to investigate the influence of tube potential (kVp) variation in relation to perceptual image quality and E for pelvis imaging using automatic exposure control (AEC) and non-AEC in a Computed Radiography (CR) system. Research questions - Does the 10kVp rule works for the pelvis in relation to image quality in a CR system? Does the image quality differs when the AEC is used instead of manual mode using the 10kVp rule and how this impacts on E?

Distributed active traction control system applied to the RoboCup middle size league

This work addresses the problem of traction control in mobile wheeled robots in the particular case of the RoboCup Middle Size League (MSL). The slip control problem is formulated using simple friction models for ISePorto Team robots with a differential wheel configuration. Traction was also characterized experimentally in the MSL scenario for relevant game events. This work proposes a hierarchical traction control architecture which relies in local slip detection and control at each wheel, with relevant information being relayed to a higher level responsible for global robot motion control. A dedicated one axis control embedded hardware subsystem allowing complex local control, high frequency current sensing and odometric information procession was developed. This local axis control board is integrated in a distributed system using CAN bus communications. The slipping observer was implemented in the axis control hardware nodes integrated in the ISePorto robots and was used to control and detect loss of for traction. %and to detect the ball in the kicking device. An external vision system was used to perform a qualitative analysis of the slip detection and observer performance results are presented.

Short-term Value for the Water Stored in Headsensitivity Power System Reservoirs

As it is well known, competitive electricity markets require new computing tools for generation companies to enhance the management of its resources. The economic value of the water stored in a power system reservoir is crucial information for enhancing the management of the reservoirs. This paper proposes a practical deterministic approach for computing the short-term economic value of the water stored in a power system reservoir, emphasizing the need to considerer water stored as a scarce resource with a short-term economic value. The paper addresses a problem concerning reservoirs with small storage capacities, i.e., the reservoirs considered as head-sensitivity. More precisely, the respective hydro plant is head-dependent and a pure linear approach is unable to capture such consideration. The paper presents a case study supported by the proposed practical deterministic approach and applied on a real multi-reservoir power system with three cascaded reservoirs, considering as input data forecasts for the electric energy price and for the natural inflow into the reservoirs over the schedule time horizon. The paper presents various water schedules due to different final stored water volume conditions on the reservoirs. Also, it presents the respective economic value of the water for the reservoirs at different stored water volume conditions.

Accessing complexity from genome information

This paper studies the information content of the chromosomes of 24 species. In a first phase, a scheme inspired in dynamical system state space representation is developed. For each chromosome the state space dynamical evolution is shed into a two dimensional chart. The plots are then analyzed and characterized in the perspective of fractal dimension. This information is integrated in two measures of the species’ complexity addressing its average and variability. The results are in close accordance with phylogenetics pointing quantitative aspects of the species’ genomic complexity.

Poster: EMMON: a WSN system architecture and toolset for large-scale and dense real-time embedded monitoring

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have attracted growing interest in the last decade as an infrastructure to support a diversity of ubiquitous computing and cyber-physical systems. However, most research work has focused on protocols or on specific applications. As a result, there remains a clear lack of effective and usable WSN system architectures that address both functional and non-functional requirements in an integrated fashion. This poster outlines the EMMON system architecture for large-scale, dense, real-time embedded monitoring. It provides a hierarchical communication architecture together with integrated middleware and command and control software. It has been designed to maintain as much as flexibility as possible while meeting specific applications requirements. EMMON has been validated through extensive analytical, simulation and experimental evaluations, including through a 300+ nodes test-bed the largest single-site WSN test-bed in Europe.

Visualizing non-linear control system performance by means of multidimensional scaling

This paper addresses the use of multidimensional scaling in the evaluation of controller performance. Several nonlinear systems are analyzed based on the closed loop time response under the action of a reference step input signal. Three alternative performance indices, based on the time response, Fourier analysis, and mutual information, are tested. The numerical experiments demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed methodology and motivate its extension for other performance measures and new classes of nonlinearities.

Analysis of the domain of applicability of an algorithm for a resources system selection problem for Distributed/Agile/Virtual Enterprises integration

The process of resources systems selection takes an important part in Distributed/Agile/Virtual Enterprises (D/A/V Es) integration. However, the resources systems selection is still a difficult matter to solve in a D/A/VE, as it is pointed out in this paper. Globally, we can say that the selection problem has been equated from different aspects, originating different kinds of models/algorithms to solve it. In order to assist the development of a web prototype tool (broker tool), intelligent and flexible, that integrates all the selection model activities and tools, and with the capacity to adequate to each D/A/V E project or instance (this is the major goal of our final project), we intend in this paper to show: a formulation of a kind of resources selection problem and the limitations of the algorithms proposed to solve it. We formulate a particular case of the problem as an integer programming, which is solved using simplex and branch and bound algorithms, and identify their performance limitations (in terms of processing time) based on simulation results. These limitations depend on the number of processing tasks and on the number of pre-selected resources per processing tasks, defining the domain of applicability of the algorithms for the problem studied. The limitations detected open the necessity of the application of other kind of algorithms (approximate solution algorithms) outside the domain of applicability founded for the algorithms simulated. However, for a broker tool it is very important the knowledge of algorithms limitations, in order to, based on problem features, develop and select the most suitable algorithm that guarantees a good performance.

Gestão em farmácia - Implementação de um sistema de distribuição de medicamentos Pyxis®: um estudo de caso de dois hospitais centrais

Mestrado em Intervenção Sócio-Organizacional na Saúde - Área de especialização: Políticas de Administração e Gestão em Saúde

Intrinsic fractal dynamics in the respiratory system by means of pressure-volume loops

This contribution presents novel concepts for analysis of pressure–volume curves, which offer information about the time domain dynamics of the respiratory system. The aim is to verify whether a mapping of the respiratory diseases can be obtained, allowing analysis of (dis)similarities between the dynamical pattern in the breathing in children. The groups investigated here are children, diagnosed as healthy, asthmatic, and cystic fibrosis. The pressure–volume curves have been measured by means of the noninvasive forced oscillation technique during breathing at rest. The geometrical fractal dimension is extracted from the pressure–volume curves and a power-law behavior is observed in the data. The power-law model coefficients are identified from the three sets and the results show that significant differences are present between the groups. This conclusion supports the idea that the respiratory system changes with disease in terms of airway geometry, tissue parameters, leading in turn to variations in the fractal dimension of the respiratory tree and its dynamics.

FEW phone file system

Trabalho apresentado no âmbito do Mestrado em Engenharia Informática, como requisito parcial para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Informática

Performance evaluation of hospitals that provide care in the public health system, Brazil

OBJECTIVE To analyze if size, administrative level, legal status, type of unit and educational activity influence the hospital network performance in providing services to the Brazilian Unified Health System.METHODS This cross-sectional study evaluated data from the Hospital Information System and the Cadastro Nacional de Estabelecimentos de Saúde (National Registry of Health Facilities), 2012, in Sao Paulo, Southeastern Brazil. We calculated performance indicators, such as: the ratio of hospital employees per bed; mean amount paid for admission; bed occupancy rate; average length of stay; bed turnover index and hospital mortality rate. Data were expressed as mean and standard deviation. The groups were compared using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Bonferroni correction.RESULTS The hospital occupancy rate in small hospitals was lower than in medium, big and special-sized hospitals. Higher hospital occupancy rate and bed turnover index were observed in hospitals that include education in their activities. The hospital mortality rate was lower in specialized hospitals compared to general ones, despite their higher proportion of highly complex admissions. We found no differences between hospitals in the direct and indirect administration for most of the indicators analyzed.CONCLUSIONS The study indicated the importance of the scale effect on efficiency, and larger hospitals had a higher performance. Hospitals that include education in their activities had a higher operating performance, albeit with associated importance of using human resources and highly complex structures. Specialized hospitals had a significantly lower rate of mortality than general hospitals, indicating the positive effect of the volume of procedures and technology used on clinical outcomes. The analysis related to the administrative level and legal status did not show any significant performance differences between the categories of public hospitals.