Evaluating the Potential of an Oral-Based Bioguard to Estimate Heart Rate Using Photoplethysmography.

The reliable monitoring of heart rate during intense exercise is imperative to effectively manage training loads while providing insights from a healthcare perspective. However, current technologies perform poorly in contact sports settings. This study aims to evaluate the best approach for heart rate tracking using photoplethysmography sensors embedded into an instrumented mouthguard (iMG). Seven adults wore iMGs and a reference heart rate monitor. Several sensor placements, light sources and signal intensities were explored for the iMG. A novel metric related to the positioning of the sensor in the gum was introduced. The error between the iMG heart rate and the reference data was assessed to obtain insights into the effect of specific iMG configurations on measurement errors. Signal intensity was found to be the most important variable for error prediction, followed by the sensor light source, sensor placement and positioning. A generalized linear model combining an infrared light source, at an intensity of 5.08 mA, and a frontal placement high in the gum area resulted in a heart rate minimum error of 16.33%. This research shows promising preliminary results for the use of oral-based heart rate monitoring, but highlights the need for the careful consideration of sensor configurations within these systems.

Performance of Oral Cavity Sensors: A Systematic Review.

Technological advancements are enabling new applications within biomedical engineering. As a connection point between the outer environment and the human system, the oral cavity offers unique opportunities for sensing technologies. This paper systematically reviews the performance of measurement systems tested in the human oral cavity. Performance was defined by metrics related to accuracy and agreement estimation. A comprehensive search identifying human studies that reported on the accuracy or agreement of intraoral sensors found 85 research papers. Most of the literature (62%) was in dentistry, followed by neurology (21%), and physical medicine and rehabilitation (12%). The remaining papers were on internal medicine, obstetrics, and aerospace medicine. Most of the studies applied force or pressure sensors (32%), while optical and image sensors were applied most widely across fields. The main challenges for future adoption include the lack of large human trials, the maturity of emerging technologies (e.g., biochemical sensors), and the absence of standardization of evaluation in specific fields. New research should aim to employ robust performance metrics to evaluate their systems and incorporate real-world evidence as part of the evaluation process. Oral cavity sensors offer the potential for applications in healthcare and wellbeing, but for many technologies, more research is needed.

Determining the performance of a temperature sensor embedded into a mouthguard.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the steady-state errors of oral-based temperature sensors, that are embedded in mouthguards, using a robust assessment process. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four electronic boards with temperature sensors were encapsulated in mouthguards made from ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA). The error and time to reach steady-state temperature were determined using a thermostatic water bath during three different conditions (34, 38.5 and 43 °C). Subsequently, a case study of one volunteer wearing the instrumented mouthguard is presented. RESULTS: The water bath tests showed that a mean absolute error of 0.2 °C was reached after a maximum of 690 s across all test conditions. The case study yielded an absolute error was 0.2 °C after 1110 s. CONCLUSION: These results show that an instrumented mouthguard with temperature sensing capabilities can yield a consistent steady-state error that is close to the clinical requirements across a range of temperatures. However, the time it takes to reach steady-state temperature needs to be considered for these systems to correctly interpret the outcomes.

Morphometric analyses of the caroticoclinoid and interclinoid foramina: a study in Brazilian dry skulls / Análisis morfométricos del foramen caroticoclinoideo e interclinoideo: un estudio en cráneos secos brasileños

SUMMARY: The caroticoclinoid (CF) and the interclinoid (IF) foramina are variant formations of the middle cranial fossa, which result from idiopathic and possibly atavistic ossifications of the caroticoclinoid and interclinoid ligaments, respectively. Topographically, these foramina are intimately associated, to varying degrees, depending on their conformations, with the neurovascular elements of the paraclinoid region and have important clinical and surgical significance. Thus, this study, conducted from 38 dry skulls belonging to the shared collection of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Governador Valadares campus, revealed 11 skulls (28.95 %) with one of the two complete formations - the caroticoclinoid or the interclinoid, and in 6 skulls the caroticoclinoid foramen occurred uni or bilaterally. As a result, 50 % of these skulls presented the CF exclusively on the right (or 62.5 % of the total number of variant foramina), with an average transverse diameter of 4.91 mm and 5.8 mm AP (anteroposterior) diameter and an average area of 22.5 mm2. Concerning the IF, the findings occurred in 5 skulls with variable distributions between the clinoid processes and lateralities. The average length of the bone bridges in the IF was 7.7 mm. In conclusion, detailed anatomical knowledge of the caroticoclinoid and the interclinoid foramina is fundamental to the practice of neurosurgical procedures, since they have intimate relationships at a location of high structural complexity.

RESUMEN: El foramen caroticoclinoideo (FC) y el foramen interclinoideo (IC) son formaciones variables de la fosa craneal media, que resultan de osificaciones idiopáticas y posiblemente atávicas de los ligamentos caroticoclinoideo e interclinoideo, respectivamente. Estos forámenes están íntimamente asociados topográficamente en diversos grados, dependiendo de sus conformaciones, con los elementos neurovasculares de la región paraclinoidea y tienen importancia clínica y quirúrgica. Así, este estudio, realizado a partir de 38 cráneos secos pertenecientes a la colección compartida de la Universidad Federal de Juiz de Fora, campus Governador Valadares, reveló 11 cráneos (28,95 %) con una de las dos formaciones completas: el FC o el IC, y en 6 cráneos el FC se presentó uni o bilateralmente. Como resultado, el 50 % de estos cráneos presentaba el FC exclusivamente a la derecha (o el 62,5 % del total de forámenes variantes), con un diámetro transversal medio de 4,91 mm y un diámetro anteroposterior medio de 5,8 mm y un área promedio de 22,5 mm2. En cuanto a la FI, los hallazgos se presentaban en 5 cráneos con distribuciones variables entre los procesos clinoides y lateralidades. La longitud media de los puentes óseos en el FI fue de 7,7 mm. En conclusión, el conocimiento anatómico detallado de los forámenes caroticoclinoideo e interclinoideo resulta fundamental para la práctica de procedimientos neuroquirúrgicos, ya que presentan relaciones íntimas en un lugar de alta complejidad estructural.

Evaluation of the Level of Physical Activity and Muscle Strength of Quadriceps in Patients Hospitalized for E-COPD: A Longitudinal Study.

Physical inactivity and peripheral muscle dysfunction are considered two of the main contributors to hospitalizations due to exacerbation and, above all, predictors of mortality for these requirements in patients with COPD. Therefore, longitudinal studies are needed to determine the impact of exacerbations during hospitalization on these two factors, especially after three months of hospital discharge. The objectives of the present study were to assess the level of physical activity in daily life (PADL) and isometric muscle strength of the quadriceps in patients hospitalized for exacerbation of COPD and to verify changes after 3 months of hospital discharge. This is a longitudinal observational study that assessed the PADL level with an accelerometer, after 24 h of the hospitalization and the beginning of the drug treatment and assessed the quadriceps muscle strength with a manual dynamometer, after 72 h of hospitalization, in 32 patients with COPD (66 ± 7.61 years), in addition to repeating both assessments with 30 days of hospital discharge and after 3 months of follow-up. Cognition, dyspnea, general health, physical performance and lung function were assessed to characterize the sample. As main results, there was increase in active time (344 ± 260 - 447 ± 199 min; p = 0.04) and number of steps (4.241 ± 374 - 6.216 ± 400 steps; p = 0.02) after three months. In addition, inactive time showed significant reduction 30 days after hospital discharge (1.151 ± 249 - 1.065 ± 198 min; p = 0.02). The level of physical activity showed significant improvement due to the increase in active time and number of steps after three months of hospital discharge and to the reduction of inactive time 30 days after hospital discharge.

Expansion of an invasive coral species over Abrolhos Bank, Southwestern Atlantic.

Invasive coral species of the genus Tubastraea have been increasingly recorded in Southwestern Atlantic waters since the 1980s. Their invasion and infestation are mainly related to port and oil exploration activities. For the first time the presence of Tubastraea tagusensis colonies is reported in Espírito Santo State, colonizing a port shore area, and incrusting oil/gas platform structures situated in the southern Abrolhos Bank, which is part of the most important coral reef system of the South Atlantic Ocean. Tubastraea colonies exhibit fast growth and high recruitment rates, and colonized 40% of the analyzed structures in just four years. The projection of port and oil/gas industry growth for the Espírito Santo State (more than 300%) highlights an alert to the dispersal of this alien species to natural areas.

A importancia da comunicacao familiar para o desenvolvimento escolar do aluno surdo

Atualmente, a literatura percebe que ha uma intercorrelacao entre o afeto e o desenvolvimento, isto e, o afeto influencia direta e indiretamente no desenvolvimento psicocorporal de todos os seres humanos. O veiculo que as pessoas utilizam para transmitir seus afetos, e o veiculo da comunicacao. Procura-se avaliar nao apenas o conteudo literal desta, mas tambem o conteudo metacomunicativo. O presente trabalho tem por meta, demonstrar 'a importancia da comunicacao no rendimento escolar do aluno surdo', bem como as implicacoes que a ausencia desta pode revelar. Ha uma relacao intima entre a comunicacao e a dialetica cognitiva, onde a familia ocupa um papel determinante pois, alem de ser o 'molde' para as relacoes futuras de um individuo, e ela quem geralmente oficializa o metodo comunicativo a ser utilizado. Cabe ressaltar, que existem inumeras familias (tambem de ouvintes), onde pais com filhos entre quatro e cinco anos de idade, nao sao capazes de diferenciar entre o desejo da crianca de comer ou de beber, ou qualquer outra necessidade dela (Marchesi, 1987).

Território, participação popular e saúde: Manguinhos em debate

A primeira parte do livro possui texto que analisa o Plano de Desenvolvimento Urbanístico do Complexo de Manguinhos, elaborado em 2004, que serviu como referência para as principais decisões do PAC-Manguinhos e os limites e possibilidades para a gestão democrática de políticas públicas em territórios de favelas, marcados pela suspensão permanente de direitos, nas quais vivem os seus moradores. Na segunda parte do livro há alguns anúncios, cujo fio condutor subjacente é o tema saúde ambiental. Uma experiência de intersetorialidade, parceria entre pesquisadores, técnicos e população, em torno de um tema altamente desafiador: o enfrentamento da Dengue a partir da construção coletiva de saberes e práticas. Outros anúncios foram levantados, denunciados e propostos na Pré-Conferência de Saúde Ambiental da Bacia do Canal do Cunha e seus desdobramentos e por fim, os princípios que fundamentam um processo que hora se inicia, - o Ecomuseu de Manguinhos. As reflexões por vezes duras, outras vezes mais suaves e até líricas, mas sempre críticas, marcam esse trabalho, cuja tentativa é contribuir para o debate sobre a vida em territórios de favela de grandes cidades. Arquivo compacto, disponível para leitura e/ou download no ícone ao lado. Se precisar, acesse o link: http://peazip.sourceforge.net para descompactá-lo.