Smart technologies: useful tools to assess the exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation for general population and outdoor workers

Beside some documented benefits attributed to ultraviolet solar radiation (solar UVR), a lot of adverse effects are a consequence of a chronic exposure, including the occurrence of photo-induced skin cancer. Improvement in risks perception, due to UVR overexposure, in the case of occupational or recreational exposure, is of great importance for public health. The amount of exposure to UVR has to be assessed as accurately as possible, with the aim to characterize different exposure conditions and, by their appropriate management, to prevent adverse health effects attributed to prolonged exposure to solar radiation (SR). The available technology allows to acquire such information, either using miniaturized and wearable sensors, or through devices who exploit radiative transfer models by integrating satellite-based radiometric data with meteorological data. We proceeded to an intercomparison to evaluate the performance of different devices in three commonly exposure conditions. Applications using satellite data, developed for preventing sunburn during recreational exposure, are adeguate for that purpose, while for a more accurate exposure assessment, only those which evaluate the irradiance in near real-time provide acceptable results. Unlike earlier, the low-cost devices that use wearable sensors showed inadequate performance for our purpose

A chunking mechanism in a neural system for the parallel processing of a propositional production rules

The problem of extracting more compact rules from a rule-based knowledge base is approached by means of a chunking mechanism implemented via a neural system. Taking advantage of the parallel processing potentialities of neural systems, the computational problem normally arising when introducing chuncking processes is overcome. Also the memory saturation effect is coped with using some sort of "forgetting" mechanism which allows the system to eliminate previously stored, but less often used chunks. Even though some connection weights are changed in the process of storing or discarding chunks, we emphasize that this neural system cannot be regarded as a "connectionist" system, since a localist semantic interpretation is adopted and no classical learning algorithm is employed

A chunking mechanism in a neural system for the parallel processing of a propositional production rules

The problem of extracting more compact rules from a rule-based knowledge base is approached by means of a chunking mechanism implemented via a neural system. Taking advantage of the parallel processing potentialities of neural systems, the computational problem normally arising when introducing chuncking processes is overcome. Also the memory saturation effect is coped with using some sort of "forgetting" mechanism which allows the system to eliminate previously stored, but less often used chunks. Even though some connection weights are changed in the process of storing or discarding chunks, we emphasize that this neural system cannot be regarded as a "connectionist" system, since a localist semantic interpretation is adopted and no classical learning algorithm is employed

Analysis of antimicrobials' consumption profile in a University Hospital of Western Paraná, Brazil

The objective of this study was to analyze the variation in antimicrobials' consumption and the costs related to their use at a University Hospital between 1999 and 2004. The annual consumption of nine antimicrobials, expressed in DDD/100 patients-day, and the direct costs with their acquisition were evaluated. Analysis of variance and regression techniques were used to compare data, considering a significance level of 5%. The most consumed antimicrobials were amikacin and ceftriaxone. In general, antimicrobials consumption, expressed in DDD/100 patients-day, increased from 9.21 in 1999 to 25.08 in 2004 (p<0.0001). When analyzing antimicrobial consumption as related to specific hospital units, the ICU showed the highest consumption followed by Chemotherapy and Medical Clinical units, respectively. In addition, the number of patients-day increased from 2671/month in 1999 to 3502/month in 2004, p<0.0001. As a consequence, total expenditure with antimicrobials increased from R$98.89 per 100 patients-day in 1999 to R$ 731.26 in 2004, p<0.0001. Between 1999 and 2004 significant increases in both consumption and financial expenditure with antimicrobials were observed.O trabalho teve por objetivo analisar a variação do consumo e gastos financeiros com antimicrobianos em Hospital Universitário entre 1999 e 2004. Analisou-se 9 antimicrobianos, sendo o consumo expresso em DDDs/100 pacientes-dia e o preço médio de compra obtido do relatório da farmácia hospitalar. As variações anuais no consumo, o consumo por tipo de unidades de internação e gastos com cada antimicrobiano foram estudadas por análise de variância. Adotou-se 5% como limiar de significância. Os antimicrobianos mais consumidos no período foram amicacina e ceftriaxona. Observou-se aumento no consumo dos antimicrobianos selecionados de 9,21 DDDs/100 pacientes-dia em 1999 para 25,08 em 2004 (p<0,0001). Entre as unidades de internação, a UTI apresentou o maior consumo médio, seguindo-se as unidades de Quimioterapia e Clínica Médica. A média mensal de pacientes-dia atendidos aumentou de 2671 em 1999 para 3502 em 2004 (p<0,0001). Observou-se aumento significativo nos gastos totais com antimicrobianos no período (R$98,89 x R$ 731,26 por 100 pacientes-dia entre 1999 e 2004, p<0,0001). Observou-se aumento significativo tanto na utilização quanto no gasto financeiro por 100 pacientes-dia diretamente relacionado à aquisição dos antimicrobianos estudados.State University of Western Paraná Faculty of Pharmacy Department of Hospital PharmacyFederal University of São Paulo Department of MedicineUNIFESP, Department of MedicineSciEL

A Method to Evaluate the Stimulation of a Real World Field of View by Means of a Spectroradiometric Analysis

Stimulation elicited by a real world field of view is related to the color, the intensity and the direction of the information reaching the eye: different spectral power distributions of light trigger different responses. An evaluation of the stimulation provided by the field of view can be performed by measuring the spectral radiance with a spectroradiometer and weighting this data with an efficiency curve. Different weights (physical, physiological and psychological) can lead to different analyses and consequently to different results. The proposed method allows an overall and simplified evaluation of the field of view based on spectral and luminance measures and a script that processes the luminous information. The final aim of this approach is to provide further information about the light stimulation reaching the retina and to supply a qualitative evaluation of the field of view, allowing to know how much stimulation is coming from a certain area within the visual field depending on the type of surface, basing on spectral and directional information. This approach can have practical implications, allowing technicians and designers to take into consideration the possible visual fields, in order to properly shape the features of stimulation throughout the day, hence following a field of view-based dynamic design

Urban lighting project for a small town: comparing citizens and authority benefits

The smart and resilient city evolves by slow procedures of mutation without radical changes, increasing the livability of its territory. The value of the city center in a Smart City can increase through urban lighting systems: its elements on the territory can collect and convey data to increase services to city users; the electrical system becomes the so-called Smart Grid. This paper presents a study of smart lighting for a small town, a touristic location inside a nature reserve on the Italian coast. Three different approaches have been proposed, from minimal to more invasive interventions, and their effect on the territory has been investigated. Based on street typology and its surroundings, the work analyzes the opportunity to introduce smart and useful services for the citizens starting from a retrofitting intervention. Smart city capabilities are examined, showing how it is possible to provide new services to the cities through ICT (Information and Communication Technology) without deep changes and simplifying the control of basic city functions. The results evidence an important impact on annual energy costs, suggesting smart grid planning not only for metropolis applications, but also in smaller towns, such as the examined one

Healable polymeric materials: a tutorial review

Given the extensive use of polymers in the modern age with applications ranging from aerospace components to microcircuitry, the ability to regain the mechanical and physical characteristics of complex pristine materials after damage is an attractive proposition. This tutorial review focusses upon the key chemical concepts that have been successfully utilised in the design of healable polymeric materials

Correcting cold wire measurements in isotropic turbulence with a DNS database

We estimate the effect of the finite spatial resolution of a cold wire for scalar measurements, using a database from direct numerical simulations (DNS). These are for homogeneous isotropic turbulence at low Taylor-microscale Reynolds number (≃ 42) and Schmidt number unity. Correction factors for the scalar variance, scalar mean dissipation rate, and mixed velocity-scalar derivative skewness are evaluated, for a sensor length of up to 15 times the Batchelor length scale. The largest attenuation effect is found on the dissipation rate, followed by the scalar variance. The mixed skewness,which is affected the least, is overestimated

Further considerations on in vitro skeletal muscle cell death

The present review discusses the apoptotic behavior induced by chemical and physical triggers in C2C12 skeletal muscle cells, comparing myoblast to myotube sensitivity, and investigating it by means of morphological, biochemical and cytofluorimetric analyses. After all treatments, myotubes, differently from myoblasts, showed a poor sensitivity to cell death. Intriguingly, in cells exposed to staurosporine, etoposide and UVB radiation, apoptotic and normal nuclei within the same fibercould be revealed. The presence of nuclear-dependent “territorial” death domains in the syncytium could explain a delayed cell death of myotubes compared to mononucleated cells. Moreover, autophagic granules abundantly appeared in myotubes after each treatment. Autophagy could protect muscle cell integrity against chemical and physical stimuli, making C2C12 myotubes, more resistant to cell death inductio