Principal Component Analysis Applied to Digital Pulse Shape Analysis for Isotope Discrimination.

Digital pulse shape analysis (DPSA) techniques are becoming increasingly important for the study of nuclear reactions since the development of fast digitizers. These techniques allow us to obtain the (A, Z) values of the reaction products impinging on the new generation solid-state detectors. In this paper, we present a computationally efficient method to discriminate isotopes with similar energy levels, with the aim of enabling the edge-computing paradigm in future field-programmable gate-array-based acquisition systems. The discrimination of isotope pairs with analogous energy levels has been a topic of interest in the literature, leading to various solutions based on statistical features or convolutional neural networks. Leveraging a valuable dataset obtained from experiments conducted by researchers in the FAZIA Collaboration at the CIME cyclotron in GANIL laboratories, we aim to establish a comparative analysis regarding selectivity and computational efficiency, as this dataset has been employed in several prior publications. Specifically, this work presents an approach to discriminate between pairs of isotopes with similar energies, namely, 12,13C, 36,40Ar, and 80,84Kr, using principal component analysis (PCA) for data preprocessing. Consequently, a linear and cubic machine learning (ML) support vector machine (SVM) classification model was trained and tested, achieving a high identification capability, especially in the cubic one. These results offer improved computational efficiency compared to the previously reported methodologies.

Aerial monitoring of atmospheric particulate matter produced by open-pit mining using low-cost airborne sensors.

Mining is an economic activity that entails the production and displacement of significant amounts of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) during operations involving intense earthcrushing or earthmoving. As high concentrations of PM may have adverse effects on human health, it is necessary to monitor and control the fugitive emissions of this pollutant. This paper presents an innovative methodology for the online monitoring of PM10 concentrations in air using a low-cost sensor (LCS, <300 USD) onboard an unmanned aerial vehicle. After comprehensive calibration, the LCS was horizontally flown over seven different areas of the large Riotinto copper mine (Huelva, Spain) at different heights to study the PM10 distribution at different longitudes and altitudes. The flights covered areas of zero activity, intense mining, drilling, ore loading, waste discharge, open stockpiling, and mineral processing. In the zero-activity area, the resuspension of PM10 was very low, with a weak wind speed (3.6 m/s). In the intense-mining area, unhealthy concentrations of PM10 (>51 µgPM10/m3) could be released, and the PM10 can reach surrounding populations through long-distance transport driven by several processes being performed simultaneously. Strong dilution was also observed at high altitudes (> 50 m). Mean concentrations were found to be 22-89 µgPM10/m3, with peaks ranging from 86 to 284 µgPM10/m3. This study demonstrates the potential applicability of airborne LCSs in the high-resolution online monitoring of PM in mining, thus supporting environmental managers during decision-making against fugitive emissions in a cost-effective manner.

Battery-Less Industrial Wireless Monitoring and Control System for Improved Operational Efficiency.

An industrial wireless monitoring and control system, capable of supporting energy-harvesting devices through smart sensing and network management, designed for improving electro-refinery performance by applying predictive maintenance, is presented. The system is self-powered from bus bars, and features wireless communication and easy-to-access information and alarms. With cell voltage and electrolyte temperature measurements, the system enables real-time cell performance discovery and early reaction to critical production or quality disturbances such as short-circuiting, flow blockages, or electrolyte temperature excursions. Field validation shows an increase in operational performance of 30% (reaching 97%) in the detection of short circuits, which, thanks to a neural network deployed, are detected, on average, 10.5 h earlier compared to the traditional methodology. The developed system is a sustainable IoT solution, being easy to maintain after its deployment, and providing benefits of improved control and operation, increased current efficiency, and decreased maintenance costs.

Controlled Electromagnetic Field Based Safety System for Handheld Circular Saw.

This paper presents the design of a safety system based on controlled electromagnetic field (CEMF) sensing technology to prevent accidents caused by power tools, especially related to handheld circular saws. The safety system creates an invisible protection bubble of electromagnetic field around the cutting edge. The system can provide early warning or critical warning when a person penetrates the safety bubble. This paper covers how the CEMF technology has been adapted to add value within this application where it needs to coexist with a difficult environment of metallic parts turning thousands of times per minute, strong vibrations, and different ranges of materials to be processed. The proposed contactless solution successfully detects the user, providing enough time for the power tool to totally stop its movement before touching and harming the user. This key property has required a careful optimization of the electromagnetic field generation, the design of a shield circuitry capable of operating properly in a large metal device, and the development of a multi-frame algorithm to address the stringent requirements related to the ability of the system to react to both very fast and very slow events. The feasibility of the system has been validated by a virtual testbench.

Secured Perimeter with Electromagnetic Detection and Tracking with Drone Embedded and Static Cameras.

Perimeter detection systems detect intruders penetrating protected areas, but modern solutions require the combination of smart detectors, information networks and controlling software to reduce false alarms and extend detection range. The current solutions available to secure a perimeter (infrared and motion sensors, fiber optics, cameras, radar, among others) have several problems, such as sensitivity to weather conditions or the high failure alarm rate that forces the need for human supervision. The system exposed in this paper overcomes these problems by combining a perimeter security system based on CEMF (control of electromagnetic fields) sensing technology, a set of video cameras that remain powered off except when an event has been detected. An autonomous drone is also informed where the event has been initially detected. Then, it flies through computer vision to follow the intruder for as long as they remain within the perimeter. This paper covers a detailed view of how all three components cooperate in harmony to protect a perimeter effectively, without having to worry about false alarms, blinding due to weather conditions, clearance areas, or privacy issues. The system also provides extra information of where the intruder is or has been, at all times, no matter whether they have become mixed up with more people or not during the attack.

Real-Time Wireless Platform for In Vivo Monitoring of Bone Regeneration.

For the monitoring of bone regeneration processes, the instrumentation of the fixation is an increasingly common technique to indirectly measure the evolution of bone formation instead of ex vivo measurements or traditional in vivo techniques, such as X-ray or visual review. A versatile instrumented external fixator capable of adapting to multiple bone regeneration processes was designed, as well as a wireless acquisition system for the data collection. The design and implementation of the overall architecture of such a system is described in this work, including the hardware, firmware, and mechanical components. The measurements are conditioned and subsequently sent to a PC via wireless communication to be in vivo displayed and analyzed using a developed real-time monitoring application. Moreover, a model for the in vivo estimation of the bone callus stiffness from collected data was defined. This model was validated in vitro using elastic springs, reporting promising results with respect to previous equipment, with average errors and uncertainties below 6.7% and 14.04%. The devices were also validated in vivo performing a bone lengthening treatment on a sheep metatarsus. The resulting system allowed the in vivo mechanical characterization of the bone callus during experimentation, providing a low-cost, simple, and highly reliable solution.

Bacterial spectrum and antibiotic resistance of urinary tract infections in patients treated for upper urinary tract calculi: a multicenter analysis.

The purpose of this study is to collect information on the bacterial resistance to antibiotics of bacteria isolated from urine cultures of patients treated for upper urinary tract calculi. Data of patients with urinary tract infection and urolithiasis were retrospectively reviewed to collect information on age, gender, stone size, location, hydronephrosis, procedure of stone removal and antibiotic treatment, identification and susceptibility of pathogens, symptoms, and infectious complications. A total of 912 patients from 11 centers in 7 countries (Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, North Macedonia, Spain, and Turkey) were studied. Mean age was 54 ± 16 years and M/F ratio 322/590. Out of 946 microbial isolates, the most common were E. coli, Gram-positive, KES group (Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Serratia), Proteus spp., and P. aeruginosa. Carbapenems, piperacillin/tazobactam and amikacin showed low resistance rates to E. coli (2.5%, 7%, and 3.6%) and Proteus spp. (7.7%, 16%, and 7.4%), but higher rates were observed with Klebsiella spp., P. aeruginosa, and Gram-positive. Fosfomycin had resistance rates less than 10% to E. coli, 23% to KES group, and 19% to Gram-positive. Amoxicillin/clavulanate, cephalosporins, quinolones, and TMP/SMX showed high resistance rates to most bacterial strains. High rates of antibiotic resistance were observed in patients candidate to stone treatment from South-Eastern Europe. The empirical use of antibiotics with low resistance rates should be reserved to the most serious cases to avoid the increase of multidrug resistant bacteria. Basing on our results, carbapenems, piperacillin/tazobactam, and amikacin may be a possible option for empiric treatment of urinary stone patients showing systemic symptoms.

[Strategies and recommendations for urolithiasis treatment and follow-up in COVID-19 pandemia.] / Estrategias y recomendaciones para el tratamiento y seguimiento de la patología litiásica en el periodo de la pandemia COVID-19.

INTRODUCTION: The health crisis caused by COVID-19 pandemic has led to a restructuring of urological activity in order not to delay priority situations. An important part to prioritize within Urologyis Urolithiasis. The objective of this article is to establish strategies and recommendations for the treatment and follow-up in COVID-19 pandemic in phases I, II and III, based on available scientific evidence and the consensus of a group of experts in these pathologies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The document is based on the evidence available in the literature so far on SARSCoV-2 and the experience of the authors in the management of COVID-19 in their institutions. A narrative review of the literature was conducted, and a modified nominal group technique was used due to the extraordinary restrictions of assembly and mobility during the pandemic. RESULTS: Recommendations are made regarding the epidemiological evaluation of patients before surgery ,the management of positive patients, the epidemiological measures for healthcare personnel, the management of renal colic, the type of anesthesia, endourological surgery, shockwave lithotripsy, hospitalization, clinicalt ests, out-patient service and priorities on the surgical waiting list. CONCLUSION: Treatment of Urolithiasis in COVID-19 pandemic calls for prioritization of patients, maximum efficiency in treatments, adequate protection of healthcare personnel, and the implementation of telemedicine as a measure to reduce patient attendance to the hospital.

INTRODUCCIÓN: La crisis sanitaria provocada por la pandemia COVID-19 ha obligado a reestructurar la actividad urológica para no demorar situaciones que requieran preferencia. Una parte importante para priorizar dentro de la Urología es la patología litiásica. El objetivo de este artículo es establecer estrategias y recomendaciones para el tratamiento y seguimiento de esta en el periodo de pandemia COVID-19 en las fases I II y III, basadas en la evidencia científica publicada y el consenso de un grupo de expertos en esta patología. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: El documento se basa en la escasa evidencia en la literatura sobre SARS-CoV-2 y la experiencia de los autores en el manejo de COVID-19 en sus instituciones. Se realizó una revisión narrativa de la literatura y se utilizó una técnica de grupo nominal modificada debido a las restricciones extraordinarias de reunión y movilidad durante la pandemia. RESULTADOS: Se establecen recomendaciones sobre la evaluación epidemiológica de los pacientes antes de la cirugía, el manejo de los pacientes positivos, las medidas epidemiológicas para los profesionales, el manejo del cólico renal, el tipo de anestesia, la cirugía endourológica, la litotricia extracorpórea por ondas de choque, la hospitalización, las pruebas complementarias, la consulta y las prioridades en la lista de espera quirúrgica. CONCLUSIÓN: El tratamiento de la patología litiásica durante la pandemia COVID-19 hace necesaria la priorización de pacientes, la máxima eficiencia en los tratamientos, una protección adecuada del personal sanitario y la implementación de la telemedicina como medida para reducir la asistencia de los pacientes al medio hospitalario.

ITERL: A Wireless Adaptive System for Efficient Road Lighting.

This work presents the development and construction of an adaptive street lighting system that improves safety at intersections, which is the result of applying low-power Internet of Things (IoT) techniques to intelligent transportation systems. A set of wireless sensor nodes using the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.15.4 standard with additional internet protocol (IP) connectivity measures both ambient conditions and vehicle transit. These measurements are sent to a coordinator node that collects and passes them to a local controller, which then makes decisions leading to the streetlight being turned on and its illumination level controlled. Streetlights are autonomous, powered by photovoltaic energy, and wirelessly connected, achieving a high degree of energy efficiency. Relevant data are also sent to the highway conservation center, allowing it to maintain up-to-date information for the system, enabling preventive maintenance.

A preliminary survey of practice patterns across several European kidney stone centers and a call for action in developing shared practice.

Currently an evidence-based approach to nephrolithiasis is hampered by a lack of randomized controlled trials. Thus, there is a need for common platforms for data sharing and recruitment of patients to interventional studies. A first step in achieving this objective would be to share practice methods and protocols for subsequent standardization in what is still a heterogeneous clinical field. Here, we present the results of a pilot survey performed across 24 European clinical kidney stone centers. The survey was distributed by a voluntary online questionnaire circulated between June 2017 and January 2018. About 46% of centers reported seeing on average 20 or more patients per month. Only 21% adopted any formal referral criteria. Centers were relatively heterogeneous in respect of the definition of an incident stone event. The majority (71%) adopted a formal follow-up scheme; of these, 65% included a follow-up visit at 3 and 12 months, and 41% more than 12 months. In 79% of centers some kind of imaging was performed systematically. 75% of all centers performed laboratory analyses on blood samples at baseline and during follow-up. All centers performed laboratory analyses on 24-h urine samples, the majority (96%) at baseline and during follow-up. There was good correspondence across centers for analyses performed on 24-h urine samples, although the methods of 24-h urine collection and analysis were relatively heterogeneous. Our survey among 24 European stone centers highlights areas of homogeneity and heterogeneity that will be investigated further. Our aim is the creation of a European network of stone centers sharing practice patterns and hosting a common database for research and guidance in clinical care.

Low-Power Low-Cost Wireless Flood Sensor for Smart Home Systems.

This paper presents the design of a wireless flood sensor to detect the presence of water on home floors, providing early warning of water leaks. A wireless sensor network has been deployed to gather the measurements from the sensor nodes. A control central coordinates the network and processes the data. Users can remotely inquire for the presence of water, status of the batteries for a specific node, the type of liquid and information about its functionality and alarms, thanks to a proprietary software application. The alerts are also communicated to the user within the home through an audible siren. The designed device is optimized in terms of costs, ease of deployment and maintenance, thus making it widely acceptable to end users.

Compact Embedded Wireless Sensor-Based Monitoring of Concrete Curing.

This work presents the design, construction and testing of a new embedded sensor system for monitoring concrete curing. A specific mote has been implemented to withstand the aggressive environment without affecting the measured variables. The system also includes a real-time monitoring application operating from a remote computer placed in a central location. The testing was done in two phases: the first in the laboratory, to validate the functional requirements of the developed devices; and the second on civil works to evaluate the functional features of the devices, such as range, robustness and flexibility. The devices were successfully implemented resulting in a low cost, highly reliable, compact and non-destructive solution.

An Efficient Wireless Sensor Network for Industrial Monitoring and Control.

This paper presents the design of a wireless sensor network particularly designed for remote monitoring and control of industrial parameters. The article describes the network components, protocol and sensor deployment, aimed to accomplish industrial constraint and to assure reliability and low power consumption. A particular case of study is presented. The system consists of a base station, gas sensing nodes, a tree-based routing scheme for the wireless sensor nodes and a real-time monitoring application that operates from a remote computer and a mobile phone. The system assures that the industrial safety quality and the measurement and monitoring system achieves an efficient industrial monitoring operations. The robustness of the developed system and the security in the communications have been guaranteed both in hardware and software level. The system is flexible and can be adapted to different environments. The testing of the system confirms the feasibility of the proposed implementation and validates the functional requirements of the developed devices, the networking solution and the power consumption management.

Renal colic during pregnancy: Diagnostic and therapeutic aspects. Literature review.

INTRODUCTION: Renal colic during pregnancy is a rare urgency but is one of the most common non-obstetric reasons for hospital admission. The management often means a challenge for the urologist and gynecologist due to the complexity involved in preserving the maternal and fetal well-being. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed a literature search within the PubMed database. We found 65 related articles in English. We selected 36 for this review prioritizing publications in the last two decades. RESULTS: The anatomical and functional changes of the genitourinary system during pregnancy are well documented; also during pregnancy, there are several metabolic pro-lithogenic factors. The most common clinical presentation is flank pain accompanied by micro or macro hematuria. US provides data identifying renal obstruction shown by an increased renal resistance index. MRI allows differentiating the physiological dilatation from the pathological caused by an obstructive stone showing peripheral renal edema and renal enlargement. Low dose CT has been determined to be a safe and highly accurate imaging technique. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, the initial management of patients should be conservative. When conservative management fails the interventional treatment is mandatory, a urinary diversion of the obstructed renal unit either by a JJ stent or through a PCN catheter has to be done. The definitive management of the stone can be done in the postpartum or deferred ureteroscopy can be considered during pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: Renal colic during pregnancy is an uncommon urgency, so it is important for the urologist to know the management of this condition.

A Wireless Sensor System for Real-Time Monitoring and Fault Detection of Motor Arrays.

This paper presents a wireless fault detection system for industrial motors that combines vibration, motor current and temperature analysis, thus improving the detection of mechanical faults. The design also considers the time of detection and further possible actions, which are also important for the early detection of possible malfunctions, and thus for avoiding irreversible damage to the motor. The remote motor condition monitoring is implemented through a wireless sensor network (WSN) based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard. The deployed network uses the beacon-enabled mode to synchronize several sensor nodes with the coordinator node, and the guaranteed time slot mechanism provides data monitoring with a predetermined latency. A graphic user interface offers remote access to motor conditions and real-time monitoring of several parameters. The developed wireless sensor node exhibits very low power consumption since it has been optimized both in terms of hardware and software. The result is a low cost, highly reliable and compact design, achieving a high degree of autonomy of more than two years with just one 3.3 V/2600 mAh battery. Laboratory and field tests confirm the feasibility of the wireless system.

A Smart Sensor for Defending against Clock Glitching Attacks on the I2C Protocol in Robotic Applications.

This paper presents a study about hardware attacking and clock signal vulnerability. It considers a particular type of attack on the clock signal in the I2C protocol, and proposes the design of a new sensor for detecting and defending against this type of perturbation. The analysis of the attack and the defense is validated by means of a configurable experimental platform that emulates a differential drive robot. A set of experimental results confirm the interest of the studied vulnerabilities and the efficiency of the proposed sensor in defending against this type of situation.

Low Power Wireless Smoke Alarm System in Home Fires.

A novel sensing device for fire detection in domestic environments is presented. The fire detector uses a combination of several sensors that not only detect smoke, but discriminate between different types of smoke. This feature avoids false alarms and warns of different situations. Power consumption is optimized both in terms of hardware and software, providing a high degree of autonomy of almost five years. Data gathered from the device are transmitted through a wireless communication to a base station. The low cost and compact design provides wide application prospects.

Design and implementation of a smart sensor for respiratory rate monitoring.

This work presents the design, development and implementation of a smart sensor to monitor the respiratory rate. This sensor is aimed at overcoming the drawbacks of other systems currently available in market, namely, devices that are costly, uncomfortable, difficult-to-install, provide low detection sensitivity, and little-to-null patient-to-patient calibration. The device is based on capacitive sensing by means of an LC oscillator. Experimental results show that the sensor meets the necessary requirements, making feasible the proposed monitoring system with the technology used.

Design and implementation of a new real-time frequency sensor used as hardware countermeasure.

A new digital countermeasure against attacks related to the clock frequency is presented. This countermeasure, known as frequency sensor, consists of a local oscillator, a transition detector, a measurement element and an output block. The countermeasure has been designed using a full-custom technique implemented in an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), and the implementation has been verified and characterized with an integrated design using a 0.35 mm standard Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) technology (Very Large Scale Implementation-VLSI implementation). The proposed solution is configurable in resolution time and allowed range of period, achieving a minimum resolution time of only 1.91 ns and an initialization time of 5.84 ns. The proposed VLSI implementation shows better results than other solutions, such as digital ones based on semi-custom techniques and analog ones based on band pass filters, all design parameters considered. Finally, a counter has been used to verify the good performance of the countermeasure in avoiding the success of an attack.

Low utility of CYFRA 21-1 serum levels for diagnosis and follow-up in bladder cancer patients.

We evaluated serum levels of soluble fragments of cytokeratin 19 (CYFRA 21-1) by immunoassay (ES-700; Roche Diagnostics, Mannheim, Germany) to assess its usefulness in the diagnosis and follow-up of bladder cancer. The study included 39 patients with a diagnosis of transitional cell carcinoma (group 1) and 190 patients (group 2) with no evidence of tumor. In group 2, 180 patients had a history of bladder cancer, and 10 had benign prostatic hyperplasia. Significant differences in CYFRA 21-1 concentrations between groups 1 and 2 (P<0.01) were noted. However, CYFRA 21-1 levels did not significantly differ between the patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia and those with bladder cancer (P=0.274). CYFRA 21-1 values were higher in invasive bladder cancer compared to that detected in superficial stages (P=0.011). Setting the optimal cutoff value at 2.5 ng/mL resulted in a sensitivity of 43.6% and a specificity of 82.1%. No statistical differences were found when we compared disease-free time among the 66 patients with recurrences (30.7 months with levels <2.5 ng/mL vs. 41.2 months with levels >2.5 ng/mL; P=0.248). The risk of recurrence in patients with levels lower than 2.5 ng/mL (0.79) was no different (P=0.097) from that found in patients with higher levels (1.69). CYFRA 21-1 serum levels do not provide enough sensitivity to justify its application in routine protocols for the detection and follow-up of bladder cancer.