Feasibility trial of a novel mobile cardiac rehabilitation application

A trial with a cardiac rehabilitation centre is in progress where we test a novel cardiac rehab application using a standard mobile phone and wireless sensors. The goal is to obtain insight how remote monitoring compares to conventional rehabilitation methods in terms of adherence to cardiac rehabilitation programmes. In this trial we seek feedback from patients and health professionals regarding usability and practicability of the software and hardware used and we investigate whether the use of the novel mobile rehabilitation application provides clinically meaningful reassurance to patients during their cardiac rehabilitation. The trial also investigates whether physical and psychological measures improve using the system. This paper describes the mobile cardiac rehabilitation application as well as the setup of the trial. © 2010 IEEE

A Mobile rehabilitation application for the remote monitoring of cardiac patients after a heart attack or a coronary bypass surgery

This paper describes a personalised rehabilitation application using a smart phone (PDA) and wireless (bio) sensors. It instructs and motivates patients to follow their exercise programme and keeps track of their progress. It also monitors the relevant biosignals and provides immediate feedback to the patient. Sensors transmit data to the mobile phone where it is analysed locally and the data can also be instantaneously transmitted to a healthcare centre for remote monitoring by a health professional. The rehabilitation application is personalised for each cardiac patient and provides tailored advice (e.g. exercise more, slow down). A trial with a rehabilitation centre is in progress in which we investigate whether the personalised rehabilitation application improves the success of the rehabilitation programme in terms of patient compliance with recommended life style changes (such as increase physical activity or lose weight) and whether use of the system brings peace of mind to cardiac patients. Copyright 2009 ACM

On the use of electrochemical techniques to monitor free oxide content in molten fluoride media

The electrochemical behaviour of oxide ions has been studied in fluoride melts(LiF/NaF eutectic) by cyclic voltammetry, square wave voltammetry and chronopotentiometry. The purpose is to determine whether these techniques can be used for titration of free oxide ions (O2-) in molten fluorides released by lithium oxide additions. Cyclic voltammetry is shown to be unsuitable for this purpose due to oxygen bubbling disturbing the oxidation peak, while square wave voltammetry is far more appropriate because the observed signal is a well defined oxidation peak with a height proportional to the oxide content. Thus, the present work is focused on a strategy of oxide ions titration by square wave voltammetry. In addition, this work allows assessing that the electrochemical reduction of oxide ions proceeds by diffusion of these species, and the O2- diffusion coefficient is estimated by chronopotentiometry

Boradiazaindacene (Bodipy)-based building blocks for the construction of energy transfer cassettes

Cataloged from PDF version of article.Energy transfer cassettes composed entirely of boradiazaindacene (Bodipy) units were designed and synthesized to capture photonic energy and convert it to longer wavelength fluorescence emission. The new energy transfer systems obtained by simple condensation reactions are capable of elaborating efficient energy transfer from donor Bodipy units to the distyryl-Bodipy acceptor. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Les dimensions des crises: analyse de deux études de cas sous les approches processuelle et événementielle

Due to their protean character, crises are unique and they demand specific actions. In order to offer managers a referential framework to better deal with crises, many authors have tried to identify and to classify them. Thus, two main approaches can be located: those qualified as event-driven (mainly based on the elements that trigged out the crisis and its consequences) and those qualified as a process-driven (which places the crisis in a context full of meanings, actors and victims). The aim of this work is to analyze an organizational crisis within two organizations (a French one and a Brazilian one) by using these two approaches. The results show, among other aspects, that the event-driven approach allows a more complete visualization of these critical situations regarding the event-driven approach. Besides, the analysis of the crisis dimensions shows that a systemic approach of crisis events, the capitalization over experiences and an optimistic and proactive posture performed by the managers are the key elements in this study of crisis management.En raison de leur caractère protéiforme, les cas de crise sont uniques et ils exigent des actions spécifiques. Afin d'offrir aux gestionnaires un cadre de référence pour mieux les affronter, de nombreux auteurs ont tenté d'identifier et de classifier les crises. Ainsi, deux approches principales peuvent être repérées : celle qualifiée d'événementielle (plutôt centrée sur les éléments déclencheurs des crises et ses conséquences) et celle caractérisée de processuelle (qui situe la crise dans un contexte plein de significations, acteurs et victimes). L'objectif de ce travail sera d'analyser une crise organisationnelle dans deux entreprises (française et brésilienne) en faisant cohabiter ces deux approches. Les résultats indiquent, parmi d'autres aspects, que l'approche processuelle permet une visualisation beaucoup plus complète des situations critiques par rapport à l'approche événementielle. En plus, l'analyse des dimensions de crise montre que une approche systémique des événements de crise, la capitalisation sur les expériences vécues et une posture optimiste et proactive des gestionnaires ressortent de cette étude comme éléments clé de la gestion des crises

Structural Properties and Relative Stability of (Meta)Stable Ordered, Partially-ordered and Disordered Al-Li Alloy Phases

We resolve issues that have plagued reliable prediction of relative phase stability for solid-solutions and compounds. Due to its commercially important phase diagram, we showcase Al-Li system because historically density-functional theory (DFT) results show large scatter and limited success in predicting the structural properties and stability of solid-solutions relative to ordered compounds. Using recent advances in an optimal basis-set representation of the topology of electronic charge density (and, hence, atomic size), we present DFT results that agree reasonably well with all known experimental data for the structural properties and formation energies of ordered, off-stoichiometric partially-ordered and disordered alloys, opening the way for reliable study in complex alloys.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, 2 Table

Structure-dependent electrical properties of graphene nanoribbon devices with graphene electrodes

Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) are a novel and intriguing class of materials in the field of nanoelectronics, since their properties, solely defined by their width and edge type, are controllable with high precision directly from synthesis. Here we study the correlation between the GNR structure and the corresponding device electrical properties. We investigated a series of field effect devices consisting of a film of armchair GNRs with different structures (namely width and/or length) as the transistor channel, contacted with narrowly spaced graphene sheets as the source-drain electrodes. By analyzing several tens of junctions for each individual GNR type, we observe that the values of the output current display a width-dependent behavior, indicating electronic bandgaps in good agreement with the predicted theoretical values. These results provide insights into the link between the ribbon structure and the device properties, which are fundamental for the development of GNR-based electronics.Comment: Published in Carbon (2019

Acquired hypogammaglobulinemia in HIV ‐positive subjects after liver transplantation

Introduction As more solid organ transplantations are performed in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus ( HIV ), post‐transplant complications in this population are becoming better defined. Methods Using serum samples from the Solid Organ Transplantation in HIV : Multi‐Site Study, we studied the epidemiology of acquired hypogammaglobulinemia ( HGG ) after liver transplantation ( LT ) in 79 HIV ‐infected individuals with a median CD 4 count at enrollment of 288 (interquartile range 200–423) cells/μL. Quantitative immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels before and after LT were measured, with moderate and severe HGG defined as IgG 350–500 mg/dL and <350 mg/dL, respectively. Incidence, risk factors, and associated outcomes of moderate or worse HGG were evaluated using K aplan– M eier estimator and proportional hazards ( PH ) models. Results The 1‐year cumulative incidence of moderate or worse HGG was 12% (95% confidence interval [ CI ]: 6–22%); no new cases were observed between years 1 and 2. In a multivariate PH model, higher pre‐transplant model for end‐stage liver disease score ( P  = 0.04) and treated acute rejection ( P  = 0.04) were both identified as significant predictors of moderate or worse HGG . There was a strong association of IgG levels <500 mg/dL with non‐opportunistic serious infection (hazard ratio [95% CI ]: 3.5 [1.1–10.6]; P  = 0.03) and mortality (3.2 [1.1–9.4]; P  = 0.04). These associations held after adjustment for important determinants of infection and survival among the entire cohort. Conclusion These results suggest that a proportion of HIV ‐positive LT recipients will develop clinically significant HGG after transplantation.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/102205/1/tid12139.pd

Measurement of the ground-state distributions in bistable mechanically interlocked molecules using slow scan rate cyclic voltammetry

In donor–acceptor mechanically interlocked molecules that exhibit bistability, the relative populations of the translational isomers—present, for example, in a bistable [2]rotaxane, as well as in a couple of bistable [2]catenanes of the donor–acceptor vintage—can be elucidated by slow scan rate cyclic voltammetry. The practice of transitioning from a fast scan rate regime to a slow one permits the measurement of an intermediate redox couple that is a function of the equilibrium that exists between the two translational isomers in the case of all three mechanically interlocked molecules investigated. These intermediate redox potentials can be used to calculate the ground-state distribution constants, K. Whereas, (i) in the case of the bistable [2]rotaxane, composed of a dumbbell component containing π-electron-rich tetrathiafulvalene and dioxynaphthalene recognition sites for the ring component (namely, a tetracationic cyclophane, containing two π-electron-deficient bipyridinium units), a value for K of 10 ± 2 is calculated, (ii) in the case of the two bistable [2]catenanes—one containing a crown ether with tetrathiafulvalene and dioxynaphthalene recognition sites for the tetracationic cyclophane, and the other, tetrathiafulvalene and butadiyne recognition sites—the values for K are orders (one and three, respectively) of magnitude greater. This observation, which has also been probed by theoretical calculations, supports the hypothesis that the extra stability of one translational isomer over the other is because of the influence of the enforced side-on donor–acceptor interactions brought about by both π-electron-rich recognition sites being part of a macrocyclic polyether