A Mirror-Based Active Vision System for Underwater Robots: From the Design to Active Object Tracking Application.

A mirror-based active system capable of changing the view's direction of a pre-existing fixed camera is presented. The aim of this research work is to extend the perceptual tracking capabilities of an underwater robot without altering its structure. The ability to control the view's direction allows the robot to explore its entire surroundings without any actual displacement, which can be useful for more effective motion planning and for different navigation strategies, such as object tracking and/or obstacle evasion, which are of great importance for natural preservation in environments as complex and fragile as coral reefs. Active vision systems based on mirrors had been used mainly in terrestrial platforms to capture the motion of fast projectiles using high-speed cameras of considerable size and weight, but they had not been used on underwater platforms. In this sense, our approach incorporates a lightweight design adapted to an underwater robot using affordable and easy-access technology (i.e., 3D printing). Our active system consists of two arranged mirrors, one of which remains static in front of the robot's camera, while the orientation of the second mirror is controlled by two servomotors. Object tracking is performed by using only the pixels contained on the homography of a defined area in the active mirror. HSV color space is used to reduce lighting change effects. Since color and geometry information of the tracking object are previously known, a window filter is applied over the H-channel for color blobs detection, then, noise is filtered and the object's centroid is estimated. If the object is lost, a Kalman filter is applied to predict its position. Finally, with this information, an image PD controller computes the servomotor articular values. We have carried out experiments in real environments, testing our active vision system in an object-tracking application where an artificial object is manually displaced on the periphery of the robot and the mirror system is automatically reconfigured to keep such object focused by the camera, having satisfactory results in real time for detecting objects of low complexity and in poor lighting conditions.

In vitro antimicrobial effect of chloroaluminum phthalocyanine nanoemulsion on periodontal bacteria.

CONTEXT: Nowadays, complementary therapies are necessary for a major removal of microbial subgingival biofilm in the conventional treatment of periodontitis. Research has suggested the use of photodynamic therapy (PDT) as a promising therapy to manage oral cavity infections. This project proposes a new combination of photosensitizer chloroaluminum phthalocyanine and nanoemulsion as a strategy for improving bioactivity. The main purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of nanoemulsion ClAlPc (ClAlPc-NE) on relevant periodontal bacteria before and after PDT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The phototoxic and antibacterial effect of ClAlPc-NE was evaluated against epithelial cells derived from an African green monkey kidney using the colorimetric method with salt tetrazolium 3-(4.5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2.5-Diphenyltetrazolium bromide (Merck) and periodontopathogen bacteria (Porphyromonas gingivalis (ATCC 33277), Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (ATCC 33384), and Prevotella intermedia (ATCC 25611) using the plate microdilution method according to Tavares et al., 2018, respectively. The light source used for the PDT was a LED laser (400-700 nm); the cells were irradiated for 2 min using 4.83 joules/cm2. RESULTS: Antibacterial effect of NE-PcAlCl against P. intermedia with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) 0.63 µM after TFD was determined. In the case of P. gingivalis and A. actinomycetemcomitans, no biological activity was found after PDT (MIC > 20 µM) under-evaluated experimental conditions. On the other hand, the ClAlPc-free and ClAlPc-NE cells were phototoxic on epithelial cells. CONCLUSION: The results helped to identify the potential use of ClAlPc-NE to inhibit the periodontal bacterial and additional studies are being developed.

Increased Cardiovascular Risk Using Atherogenic Index Measurement Among Healthcare Workers.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Cardiovascular diseases are one of the leading causes of death worldwide. This burden of disease is particularly high among healthcare workers. The aim of the study was to identify determinants that increase atherogenic index among healthcare workers. METHODS: In 1,678 healthcare workers, cardiovascular risk factors were analyzed: body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, glucose, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. Atherogenic index was calculated and determinants were identified. RESULTS: Mean (SD) age was 41.2 (8.4) years; body mass index 28.4 (4.8); waist-hip-ratio 0.88 (0.07); glucose 96.6 (22.2) µg/dL; TC 195.3 (50.3) mg/dL; HDL 49.0 (16.3) mg/dL; LDL 112.7 (35.0) mg/dL; triglycerides 171.7 (121.2) mg/dL; and atherogenic index 3.3 (1.5). Overweight and obesity prevalence was 77.2%. In the multiple linear regression model, the coefficients for AI were being a physician ß = 0.381, male gender = 0.443, BMI ß = 0.35, waist-to-hip ratio ß = 2.15, age = 0.014, and triglycerides ß = 0.915. CONCLUSIONS: The main contributors to atherogenic index increase were male sex, increased age, waist-to-hip ratio increase, overweight and obesity, high triglyceride levels and working as a physician. Although waist-to-hip ratio was the most powerful determinant, the physician occupational category added risk factors such as stress and adverse psychosocial working conditions, which may potentiate cardiovascular diseases.

[Perinatal results in pregnancies obtained with embryo transfer in vitro fertilization: a case-control study]. / Resultados perinatales de embarazos por fertilización in vitro con transferencia de embriones (FIVTE): un estudio de casos y controles.

BACKGROUND: In 1978 the first successfull birth by in vitro fertilization took place and this assisted reproduction technique became alternative of treatment in the couples with infertility that had not obtained pregnancy with conventional treatments. The conditions of clinical treatment and laboratory improved, which were in greater number of pregnancies. In 1985 the first study was published that showed adverse perinatal results in pregnancies obtained with fertilization in vitro. Some researchers attributed these results to the increase in the number of multiple pregnancies, pregnant patients older than 35 years, and to the antecedents of infertility. OBJECTIVE: To compare the perinatal outcomes of pregnancies obtained by in vitro IVFET vs spontaneous pregnancies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective, case-control study. All pregnancies obtained after IVF ET from October 1st 1999 to November 30th 2004 were compared with a control group of naturally conceived pregnancies and matched by maternal age and the number of fetus. Data concerning obstetric complications and perinatal outcomes were recorded and matched with their control. RESULTS: We analyzed 26 vs 52 singleton, 10 vs 20 twins, 5 vs 5 triplet pregnancies, there were no controls for the quadruplet and quintuplet pregnancies. The mean gestational age at delivery and Capurro score in the singleton pregnancies were 37.8 vs 38.8 y 38.2 vs 39.4 weeks for the study and control groups respectively (p < 0.05), the female sex was more frequent in singleton pregnancies obtained by FIVTE (p < 0.05). There were no statistically significant difference in the premature rupture of membranes, preterm labor, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, placenta accreta, preterm delivery and low birth weight. The mean birth weight of the pregnancies obtained by IVF were of 2,962.8, 2,100 and 1,532 g for singleton, twin, and triplet respectively. A higher incidence of preterm delivery was found in twin pregnancies but it was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The rates of adverse perinatal outcomes of the pregnancies after IVF were not higher than pregnancies conceived spontaneously. Twin pregnancies have a greater risk to cause preterm delivery not related to the IVFET procedure.

Medicos durante la guerra contra triple alianza 1865-1870 / Physicians during Triple Alliance War 1865-1870 against

Son pocos los datos que se disponen con respecto a la Sanidad Militar que actuó en la guerra contra la triple alianza,algunos de ellos son que el cuerpo médico disponia de un cirujano mayor,tres medicos de primera clase,un farmaceutico(casi todos los extranjeros)y numerosos practicantes paraguayos.Los elementos de curación eran escasos pero la higiene implantado en el ejercito era muy rigurosa,consiguiendose gracias a esto,un estado sanitario relativamente buenolos hospitales de sangre eran improvisados en los campamentos de transpote de heridos y enfermos se realizaban en carretas

Actividades realizadas por el personal de enfermeria en la valoracion prequirurgica del paciente adulto sometido a cirugia general programada en el nuevo Hospital San Rafael de Girardot / Activities realized by nursing personnel in the preoperative evaluation of the adult patient submitted to programmed general surgery in the new Hospital San Rafael, Girardot

El presente trabajo expone los aspectos teoricos que deben tenerse en cuenta en el cuidado preoperatorio con el fin de hacer una lista de chequeo para la evaluacion preoperatoria del paciente para personal de enferemria. Contempla aspectos individuales, psicologicos, clinicos, informativos, y de procedimiento administrativos, de preparacion fisica y preanestesica realizados. La lista desarrollada (apendice b) se complementa con un formato de evaluacion de las actividades que realiza el personal de enfermeria como cuidado preoperatorio cuya aplicacion arrojo los siguientes resultados: la identificacion de pacientes es responsabilidad de la trabajadora social, el perosnal de consulta externa, de adminsiones o de urgencias; en el 70% de los casos no se da importancia a la religion; los datos relativos a la programacion quirurgica no se tienen en cuenta en el 36 y 53% de los casos, mientras que el estado psicologico del paciente se comtempla en el 61-98%. El 66% no informa al paciente sobre el procedimiento quirurgico y el 42% informa sobre molestias post-operatorias. En la mayoria de los casos se realiza la preparacion fisica del paciente. El paciente unicamente autoriza por escrito el procedimiento quirurgico cuando se trata de amputacion de una extremidad y entre el 51% y el 90% de los casos se verifican los examenes y tratamientos preoperatorios.