Exploring Microphone Technologies for Digital Auscultation Devices.

The aim of this work is to present a preliminary study for the design of a digital auscultation system, i.e., a novel wearable device for patient chest auscultation and a digital stethoscope. The development and testing of the electronic stethoscope prototype is reported with an emphasis on the description and selection of sound transduction systems and analog electronic processing. The focus on various microphone technologies, such as micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMSs), electret condensers, and piezoelectronic diaphragms, intends to emphasize the most suitable transducer for auscultation. In addition, we report on the design and development of a digital acquisition system for the human body for sound recording by using a modular device approach in order to fit the chosen analog and digital mics. Tests were performed on a designed phantom setup, and a qualitative comparison between the sounds recorded with the newly developed acquisition device and those recorded with two commercial digital stethoscopes is reported.

mCrutch: A Novel m-Health Approach Supporting Continuity of Care.

This paper reports the architecture of a low-cost smart crutches system for mobile health applications. The prototype is based on a set of sensorized crutches connected to a custom Android application. Crutches were instrumented with a 6-axis inertial measurement unit, a uniaxial load cell, WiFi connectivity, and a microcontroller for data collection and processing. Crutch orientation and applied force were calibrated with a motion capture system and a force platform. Data are processed and visualized in real-time on the Android smartphone and are stored on the local memory for further offline analysis. The prototype's architecture is reported along with the post-calibration accuracy for estimating crutch orientation (5° RMSE in dynamic conditions) and applied force (10 N RMSE). The system is a mobile-health platform enabling the design and development of real-time biofeedback applications and continuity of care scenarios, such as telemonitoring and telerehabilitation.

In Vitro Mechanical Properties of a Novel Graphene-Reinforced PMMA-Based Dental Restorative Material.

Recent studies suggest that the incorporation of graphene in resin-based dental materials might enhance their mechanical properties and even decrease their degree of contraction during polymerization. The present study aimed at comparing the three-point flexural strength (FS), the compressive strength (CS), and the Vickers hardness (VH) of a CAD/CAM poly-methylmethacrylate (PMMA)-based resin, a recently introduced graphene-reinforced CAD/CAM PMMA-based resin (G-PMMA), and a conventional dental bis-acryl composite resin (BACR). No significant differences (p > 0.05) were detected among the materials in terms of flexural strength. On the other hand, a mean flexural modulus value of 9920.1 MPa was recorded in BACR group, significantly higher compared to the flexural modulus detected for G-PMMA (2670.2 MPa) and for conventional PMMA (2505.3) (p < 0.05). In terms of compressive modulus (MPa) and compressive strength (MPa), BACR was significantly stiffer than PMMA and G-PMMA. Concerning VH measurements, a significantly increased hardness emerged comparing the BACR group (VH 98.19) to both PMMA and G-PMMA groups (VH 34.16 and 34.26, respectively). Based on the finding of the present study, the graphene-reinforced (PMMA)-based polymer herein tested was not superior to the conventional PMMA and seemed not able to be considered as an alternative material for permanent restorations, at least in terms of hardness and mechanical response to compressive stress. More research on the mechanical/biological properties of G-PMMAs (and on graphene as a filler) seems still necessary to better clarify their potential as dental restorative materials.

Compatibility and correlation of multi-attribute decision making: a case of industrial relocation.

Industrial relocation (IR) is a business strategy consisting of moving operations locations. The purpose of this paper is to present how to assess, with multi-attribute decision-making (MADM), alternatives for IR. With MADM, IR strategies can be assessed not only based on a single attribute, as costs, or profits. This paper presents the application of MADM in a real case of IR. Four leading methods of MADM were applied: analytic hierarchy process (AHP), multi-attribute utility theory (MAUT), multi-attribute value theory (MAVT), and technique of order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS). Results of AHP, MAUT, MAVT, and TOPSIS were quite similar, indicating the decision for the company not to relocate. A joint comparison of results with compatibility indices and correlation coefficients is the major novelty presented by this paper to the field of Operations Research, known as MADM.

Comparison of the efficacy of five standard topical hemostats: a study in porcine liver and spleen models of surgical bleeding.

BACKGROUND: Several topical hemostats are available to help control surgical bleeding. Cutanplast is a highly absorbent and porous gelatin product that is available in Fast sponge and powder forms. This study investigated the hemostatic efficacy of Cutanplast Standard and Fast gelatin sponge and powder and Emosist oxidized regenerated cellulose (ORC) gauze in porcine liver and spleen surgical bleeding models. METHODS: Cutanplast Standard and Fast gelatin sponge and Emosist ORC gauze were tested in liver abrasion/incision, liver puncture and spleen incision/puncture injuries, and Cutanplast Standard and Fast gelatin powder products were tested in liver abrasion/incision injuries. There were 13 liver injury (five abrasion, five incision and three puncture) and six spleen injury (three puncture and three incision sites) sites per animal. RESULTS: Rapid hemostasis (≤ 2-5 min) was achieved in the liver abrasion and incision models with all Cutanplast gelatin sponge and powder products and Emosist ORC gauze, except in the liver incision model, time to hemostasis was > 5 min with Cutanplast Standard gelatin powder and Emosist ORC gauze. Rapid hemostasis occurred with Cutanplast Fast gelatin sponge and Emosist ORC gauze in the liver puncture and spleen puncture and incision models. In the spleen incision model, Cutanplast Standard gelatin sponge had a time to hemostasis approaching 10 min. CONCLUSION: Cutanplast gelatin sponge and powder products and Emosist ORC gauze may be suitable for surgical applications involving parenchymal organ bleeding, but certain products may perform better than others, including Cutanplast gelatin powder in diffuse mild bleeding (such as liver abrasion), and Cutanplast Fast gelatin sponge and Emosist ORC gauze for splenic bleeding.

Non-covalent synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticle-heparin hybrid systems: a new approach to bioactive nanoparticles.

Heparin has been conjugated to Fe3O4, Co3O4, and NiO nanoparticles (NPs) through electrostatic interactions, producing colloidal suspensions of hybrid metal oxide heparin NPs that are stable in water. Negative zeta potentials and retention of heparin's ability to capture toluidine blue indicate that heparin's negative charges are exposed on the surface of the coated NPs. IR results confirmed the formation of nanohybrids as did NMR experiments, which were also interpreted on the basis of toluidine blue tests. Transmission electron microscopy results revealed that the heparin coating does not modify the shape or dimension of the NPs. Dynamic light scattering and negative zeta potential measurements confirmed that heparin surface functionalisation is an effective strategy to prevent NP aggregation.

Posidonia oceanica as a Renewable Lignocellulosic Biomass for the Synthesis of Cellulose Acetate and Glycidyl Methacrylate Grafted Cellulose.

High-grade cellulose (97% α-cellulose content) of 48% crystallinity index was extracted from the renewable marine biomass waste Posidonia oceanica using H2O2 and organic peracids following an environmentally friendly and chlorine-free process. This cellulose appeared as a new high-grade cellulose of waste origin quite similar to the high-grade cellulose extracted from more noble starting materials like wood and cotton linters. The benefits of α-cellulose recovery from P. oceanica were enhanced by its transformation into cellulose acetate CA and cellulose derivative GMA-C. Fully acetylated CA was prepared by conventional acetylation method and easily transformed into a transparent film. GMA-C with a molar substitution (MS) of 0.72 was produced by quenching Fenton's reagent (H2O2/FeSO4) generated cellulose radicals with GMA. GMA grafting endowed high-grade cellulose from Posidonia with adsorption capability. GMA-C removes ß-naphthol from water with an efficiency of 47%, as measured by UV-Vis spectroscopy. After hydrolysis of the glycidyl group to glycerol group, the modified GMA-C was able to remove p-nitrophenol from water with an efficiency of 92%, as measured by UV-Vis spectroscopy. α-cellulose and GMA-Cs from Posidonia waste can be considered as new materials of potential industrial and environmental interest.

Anti-metastatic semi-synthetic sulfated maltotriose C-C linked dimers. Synthesis and characterisation.

This manuscript describes the preparation and the spectroscopic characterisation of semi-synthetic sulfated maltotriose C-C linked dimers (SMTCs) where the natural C-O-C anomeric bond was substituted by one direct central C-C bond. This C-C bond induces conformation and flexibility changes with respect to the usual anomeric bond. SMTCs neutral precursors came from maltotriosyl bromide electroreduction through maltotriosyl radical intermediate dimerisation. The new C-C bond configuration, named for convenience α,α, α,ß and ß,ß as the natural anomeric bond, dictated the statistic ratio formation of three diastereoisomers. They were separated by silica gel flash chromatography followed by semi preparative HPLC chromatography. Each diastereoisomer was exhaustively sulfated to afford the corresponding SMTCs. SMTCs were huge characterised by NMR spectroscopy which provided the sulfation degree, too. α,α and α,ß were found quite homogeneous samples with a high degree of sulfation (85-95%). ß,ß appeared a non-homogeneous sample whose average sulfation degree was evaluated at around 78%. Mass spectroscopy experiments confirmed the sulfation degree range. Some considerations were proposed about SMTCs structure-biological properties.

Effective cell uptake of nanoassemblies of a fluorescent amphiphilic cyclodextrin and an anionic porphyrin.

An emitting nanoassembly composed of a novel amphiphilic cyclodextrin functionalised with a covalently appended fluorophore and an anionic porphyrin internalizes effectively in tumor cells, allowing simultaneously the detection of carrier and photosensitiser.

Radical-based grafting of GMA on sutures of different nature.

Irradiation of a number of different sutures largely employed in the clinical practice with either high energy electrons or with γ-rays followed by quenching with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) conveniently led to derivatization through a radical-based process. The radicals involved were detected by means of ESR spectroscopy and were characterized on the basis of their ESR spectral parameters which were also found to be consistent with the hfs constants predicted by DFT calculations. Evidence of the GMA derivatization of the sutures was obtained via(13)C CP-MAS NMR spectroscopy, while its extent was evaluated gravimetrically.

Estudo comparativo da reparaçäo óssea em fraturas criadas cirurgicamente em mandíbulas de cäes e tratadas por meio de sistemas de fixaçäo confeccionados em titânio: 2.4 e 2.0: análise histológica / Comparative study of bone healing in surgical mandible fractures created in dogs and treated using two types of titanium plates systems: 2.4mn and 2.0mn: histological analysis

Este estudo teve por objetivo comparar, através de análise histológica, a reparaçäo óssea com o uso de dois tipos de sistemas de fixaçäo: 2.4 mm e 2.0 mm, em fratura de mandíbula de cäes. Para tal, foram realizadas fraturas cirúrgicas no corpo da mandíbula de 12 cäes de porte médio, divididos aleatoriamente em dois grupos, de acordo com o sistema a ser utilizado para a fixaçäo das fraturas. Dois cäes de cada grupo foram sacrificados nos períodos de 15, 30 e 60 dias de pós-operatório e a regiäo da fratura foi removida. Após sofrer processo de descalcificaçäo, o material foi entäo processado e submetido à análise histológica (coloraçäo por hematoxilina e eosina) do tecido de reparo entre os bordos de fratura. Concluiu-se que o sistema de fixaçäo 2.4 mm leva a uma melhor qualidade de reparo ósseo em relaçäo ao sistema de fixaçäo 2.0 mm, quando comparado os dois sistemas nos períodos de tempo propostos nesta pesquisa. Näo foram observadas, macroscopicamente, complicaçöes e nenhum dos sistemas promoveram reparaçäo óssea primária

Opção de tratamento para cisto dentígero extenso em crianças / Option to treatment of extensive dentigerous cysts in children

O cisto dentígero, dentre os cistos odontogênicos, tem relevante importância, dada a sua alta incidência em indivíduos jovens, uma vez que esta patologia está sempre associada a dentes não irrompidos. Os autores apresentam um caso de um cisto dentígero extenso em uma criança de seis anos, na região de ângulo mandibular esquerdo, tratado por meio de marsupialização com tamponamento aberto. São discutidas características clínicas, bem como as opções de tratamento para os cistos dentígeros

Extenso ceratocisto odontogênico em paciente jovem: relato de um caso / Extensive keratocyst in young patient: report of a case

Dentre os cistos odontogênicos, os ceratocistos tem importância relevante devido à sua agressividade e alta incidência de recidiva. Os autores apresentam um caso de caratocisto, ocorrido em uma faixa etária incomum (13 anos de idade), acometendo uma grande extensäo do corpo e ramo mandibular, onde a opçäo de tratamento utilizada foi a descompressäo por marsupializaçäo, por ser esta uma técnica simples e conservadora, preservando estruturas nobres adjacentes à lesäo. Säo discutidas características clínicas, bem como as opçöes de tratamento para os ceratocistos odontogênicos

Complicações de infecções odontogênicas em crianças / Complications of children's odontogenic infections

As infecções odontogênicas são causadas normalmente por uma microflora constituída de bactérias aeróbias e anaeróbias que, uma vez que o equilíbrio orgânico é rompido, adquirem patogenicidade. Dadas as características anátomo-funcionais infantis, a difusão do processo infeccioso na criança é rápida, e mesmo não rotineiramente, pode atingir estruturas nobres, causando problemas locais e sistêmicos graves. Os autores relatam 3 casos de complicações advindas de infecções odontogênicas na dentição decídua, alertando quanto à precocidade de diagnóstico e conduta terapêutica adequada