HOTSPOT: An ad hoc teamwork platform for mixed human-robot teams.

Ad hoc teamwork is a research topic in multi-agent systems whereby an agent (the "ad hoc agent") must successfully collaborate with a set of unknown agents (the "teammates") without any prior coordination or communication protocol. However, research in ad hoc teamwork is predominantly focused on agent-only teams, but not on agent-human teams, which we believe is an exciting research avenue and has enormous application potential in human-robot teams. This paper will tap into this potential by proposing HOTSPOT, the first framework for ad hoc teamwork in human-robot teams. Our framework comprises two main modules, addressing the two key challenges in the interaction between a robot acting as the ad hoc agent and human teammates. First, a decision-theoretic module that is responsible for all task-related decision-making (task identification, teammate identification, and planning). Second, a communication module that uses natural language processing to parse all communication between the robot and the human. To evaluate our framework, we use a task where a mobile robot and a human cooperatively collect objects in an open space, illustrating the main features of our framework in a real-world task.

Towards an effective sensing technology to monitor micro-scale interface loosening of bioelectronic implants.

Instrumented implants are being developed with a radically innovative design to significantly reduce revision surgeries. Although bone replacements are among the most prevalent surgeries performed worldwide, implant failure rate usually surpasses 10%. High sophisticated multifunctional bioelectronic implants are being researched to incorporate cosurface capacitive architectures with ability to deliver personalized electric stimuli to peri-implant target tissues. However, the ability of these architectures to detect bone-implant interface states has never been explored. Moreover, although more than forty technologies were already proposed to detect implant loosening, none is able to ensure effective monitoring of the bone-implant debonding, mainly during the early stages of loosening. This work shows, for the first time, that cosurface capacitive sensors are a promising technology to provide an effective monitoring of bone-implant interfaces during the daily living of patients. Indeed, in vitro experimental tests and simulation with computational models highlight that both striped and circular capacitive architectures are able to detect micro-scale and macro-scale interface bonding, debonding or loosening, mainly when bonding is weakening or loosening is occurring. The proposed cosurface technologies hold potential to implement highly effective and personalized sensing systems such that the performance of multifunctional bioelectronic implants can be strongly improved. Findings were reported open a new research line on sensing technologies for bioelectronic implants, which may conduct to great impacts in the coming years.

Metabolic Effects of Dietary Glycerol Supplementation in Muscle and Liver of European Seabass and Rainbow Trout by 1H NMR Metabolomics.

The sustainable growth of fish aquaculture will require the procurement of non-marine feed sources. Glycerol is a potential feed supplement whose metabolism may spare the catabolism of dietary amino acids, thereby extending the use of the feed protein to other physiological functions such as growth. In the present study, the effects of dietary glycerol supplementation on the muscle and liver metabolomes of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) were evaluated. Fish juveniles were fed diets with 0%, 2.5%, and 5% glycerol. Muscle and liver aqueous fractions were extracted and 1H NMR spectra were acquired. Metabolite profiles derived from the 1H NMR signals were assessed using univariate and multivariate statistical analyses. The adenylate energy charge was determined in the muscle. For both species, the muscle metabolite profile showed more variability compared to that of the liver and was most perturbed by the 5.0% glycerol diet. For the liver metabolite profile, rainbow trout showed fewer differences compared to European seabass. No differences were observed in energy charge between experimental groups for either species. Thus, rainbow trout appeared to be less susceptible to tissue metabolite perturbations, compared to seabass, when the diet was supplemented with up to 5% glycerol.

A experiência de transição para a fase clínica de alunos de medicina detentores de grau prévio: um estudo de caso / The experience of graduate entry students in the transition to the clinical phase: a case study

Introdução. Internacionalmente tem-se assistido à extensão da oferta formativa de cursos de Medicina de menor duração a candidatos detentores de um grau acadêmico superior prévio. Este estudo de caso procura compreender a experiência dos estudantes licenciados nestes cursos, a fim de identificar fatores que condicionem a sua formação durante o inicio da aprendizagem clínica em contexto hospitalar. Sujeitos e métodos. Os participantes são estudantes licenciados do curso de medicina da Universidade do Minho em Portugal (n = 5) que atravessam a transição entre a fase pré-clínica e a fase clínica do curso. No final da primeira unidade curricular clínica realizou-se um grupo de discussão. Os transcritos foram analisados segundo os princípios de Grounded-Theory. Resultados. Os participantes relataram facilidade no contacto com os pacientes e utilização de competências de estudo durante a aprendizagem. Apontaram como dificuldades principais o primeiro contacto com a morte e a doença no meio hospitalar, a quantidade de conhecimentos a adquirir na antes de iniciarem a formação clínica e a transferência dos mesmos para a prática clínica. Conclusões. Este estudo de caso revelou que as principais dificuldades dos estudantes licenciados se relacionavam com lidar com pacientes e com a mobilização para a prática da grande quantidade de conteúdo aprendido na fase pré-clínica. Estas dificuldades poderão ser minoradas pela inclusão de maior contacto com pacientes e com a prática clínica na fase pré-clínica

Introduction. Internationally, medical schools have been offering more fast-track undergraduate medical degree to graduate applicants. This case study aims to understand graduate entry students' experience in medical schools, namely to identify factors that condition their transition to the clinical training in hospitals. Subjects and methods. Participants are medical graduate students from the University of Minho in Portugal (n = 5) going through the transition from a pre-clinical to a clinical part of a 4 year graduate entry curriculum. A focus group was conducted at the end of the first clinical course. The discussion was transcribed and analyzed using Grounded-Theory principles. Results. Participants described they were comfortable with contacting patients, and that they applied study skills developed prior to entry medical school to their learning. The main difficulties pointed out their were the first contact with death and disease in the hospital environment, the large amount of content to be learned before starting clinical training, and the transfer of knowledge to clinical practice. Conclusions. This case study revealed that the main difficulties presented by medical graduate-entry students were related to the first contacts with patients and the practical application of a huge amount of knowledge, learned during the pre-clinical part of the curriculum, to the clinical practice. These difficulties could be attenuated by including more contact with patients and clinical practice during the pre-clinical part of the course

Introducción. En el ámbito internacional se ha extendido la oferta formativa de estudios de medicina de menor duración para candidatos que están en posesión de otros grados de educación superior previos. Este estudio de caso trata de comprender la experiencia de los estudiantes procedentes de otros grados en estos cursos con el fin de identificar los factores que limitan su aprendizaje clínica en el contexto hospitalario. Sujetos y métodos. Los participantes son estudiantes de posgrado de la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad de Minho en Portugal (n = 5), que realizan la transición entre la fase preclínica y clínica del grado. Al final del primer curso clínico se llevó a cabo un grupo de discusión. Las transcripciones se analizaron de acuerdo con los principios de grounded theory. Resultados. Los participantes refirieron facilidad para el contacto con los pacientes y para el uso de técnicas de estudio durante su aprendizaje. Las principales dificultades son el primero contacto con la muerte y la enfermedad en el ámbito hospitalario, el volumen de conocimientos que se deben adquirir antes de embarcarse en la formación clínica y su transferencia a la práctica clínica. Conclusiones. Este estudio de caso reveló que las principales dificultades de los estudiantes procedentes de otros grados se relacionaron con el trato de los pacientes y con la aplicación a la práctica de los numerosos contenidos aprendidos en la fase preclínica. Estas dificultades se pueden reducir mediante un mayor contacto con los pacientes y la práctica clínica en la fase preclínica

Manifestações clínicas da ruptura da placa vulnerável coronária / Clinical manifestations of vulnerable plaque rupture

Nos últimos anos, o conhecimento da fisiopatologia da aterosclerose coronária evoluiu significativamente. Os mecanismos de progressão da aterosclerose e de instabilidade e ruptura da placa são mais bem compreendidos atualmente.A placa aterosclerótica consiste de um núcleo rico em lipídeos, envolto pela capa fibrosa, constituída, principalmente, por tecido conectivo. Objetivamente, placas com tendência à ruptura podem ser caracterizadas como tendo capa fibrótica fina, elevado número de células inflamatórias e relativa escassez de células musculares lisas.As manifestações clínicas advindas dessa situação caracterizam-se pelas síndromes coronárias agudas.Posteriormente são discutidos a fisiopatologia e os quadros clínicos advindos da ruptura da placa aterosclerótica.São descritos, também, detalhes clínicos da morte súbita cardíaca, da angina instável e do infarto agudo do miocárdio, sendo abordados conceitos que possam esclarecer melhor os inúmeros achados clínicos e a diversidade de fatores prognósticos dos pacientes...