Elastomer-Embedded Multiplexed Optical Fiber Sensor System for Multiplane Shape Reconstruction.

This paper presents the development and application of a multiplexed intensity variation-based sensor system for multiplane shape reconstruction. The sensor is based on a polymer optical fiber (POF) with sequential lateral sections coupled with a flexible light-emitting diode (LED) belt. The optical source modulation enables the development of 30 independent sensors using one photodetector, where the sensor system is embedded in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) resin in two configurations. Configuration 1 is a continuous PDMS layer applied in the interface between the flexible LED belt and the POF, whereas Configuration 2 comprises a 20 mm length PDMS layer only on each lateral section and LED region. The finite element method (FEM) is employed for the strain distribution evaluation in different conditions, including the strain distribution on the sensor system subjected to momentums in roll, pitch and yaw conditions. The experimental results of pressure application at 30 regions for each configuration indicated a higher sensitivity of Configuration 1 (83.58 a.u./kPa) when compared with Configuration 2 (40.06 a.u./kPa). However, Configuration 2 presented the smallest cross-sensitivity between sequential sensors (0.94 a.u./kPa against 45.5 a.u./kPa of Configuration 1). Then, the possibility of real-time loading condition monitoring and shape reconstruction is evaluated using Configuration 1 subjected to momentums in roll, pitch and yaw, as well as mechanical waves applied on the sensor structure. The strain distribution on the sensor presented the same pattern as the one obtained in the simulations, and the real-time response of each sensor was obtained for each case. In addition, the possibility of real-time loading condition estimation is analyzed using the k-means algorithm (an unsupervised machine learning approach) for the clusterization of data regarding the loading condition. The comparison between the predicted results and the real ones shows a 90.55% success rate. Thus, the proposed sensor device is a feasible alternative for integrated sensing in movement analysis, structural health monitoring submitted to dynamic loading and robotics for the assessment of the robot structure.

Static and Dynamic Multiparameter Assessment of Structural Elements Using Chirped Fiber Bragg Gratings.

This paper presents the development, analysis, and application of chirped fiber Bragg gratings (CFBGs) for dynamic and static measurements of beams of different materials in the single-cantilever configuration. In this case, the beams were numerically analyzed using the finite-element method (FEM) for the assessment of the natural frequencies and vibration modes of the beam for the dynamic analysis of the structural element. Furthermore, the static numerical analysis was performed using a load at the free end of the beam, where the maximum strain and its distribution along the beam were analyzed, especially in the region at which the FBG was positioned. The experimental evaluation of the proposed CFBG sensor was performed in static conditions for forces from 0 to 50 N (in 10 N steps) applied at the free end of the beam, whereas the dynamic evaluation was performed by means of positioning an unbalanced motor at the end of the beam, which was excited at 16 Hz, 65 Hz, 100 Hz, and 131 Hz. The results showed the feasibility of the proposed device for the simultaneous assessment of the force and strain distribution along the CFBG region using the wavelength shift and the full-width at half-maximum (FWHM), respectively. In these cases, the determination coefficients of the spectral features as a function of the force and strain distribution were higher than 0.99 in all analyzed cases, where a potential resolution of 0.25 N was obtained on the force assessment. In the dynamic tests, the frequency spectrum of the sensor responses indicated a frequency peak at the excited frequency in all analyzed cases. Therefore, the proposed sensor device is a suitable option to extend the performance of sensors for structural health assessment, since it is possible to simultaneously measure different parameters in dynamic and static conditions using only one sensor device, which, due to its multiplexing capabilities, can be integrated with additional optical fiber sensors for the complete shape reconstruction with millimeter-range spatial resolution.

Scorpion Stings in Minas Gerais (Brazil): A Monocentric Retrospective Study Evaluating All Envenoming Cases of Local Scorpionism.

INTRODUCTION: We aim to provide better insights into the demographic, epidemiological, and seasonal characteristics of scorpion envenomation reported in the Rio Doce Valley, Brazil. METHODS: We conducted this monocentric retrospective descriptive study with data on Investigation Forms of Accidents by Venomous Animals, only envenoming cases of scorpion stings, between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2020, belonging to the compulsory notification system of the Municipal Hospital of Governador Valadares. RESULTS: There were 3032 accidents, and the male-to-female ratio was 1.17:1 (male, 54%; females, 46%). Accidents occurred every month, but there was an increase in June, July, and October to January. In most cases, the time between the scorpion sting and medical care was between 1 and 3 h (n=1304; 43%). The most frequent clinical and systemic manifestations were pain at the bite site (94%) and vagal symptoms (7%). Cases were mild (n=2750, 91%), moderate (n=221, 7%), and severe (n=56, 2%). Children younger than 10 y constituted the most cases, 522 (17%). There was a significant difference between clinical severity and age (P<0.01). Ten patients developed acute pulmonary edema. Two 4-y-old children died. All severely envenomated patients as well as 74% and 2% of mild and moderately envenomated patients, respectively, received specific scorpion antivenoms. CONCLUSIONS: Scorpion envenomation is of greater severity in children aged <10 y. The clinical presentation includes mainly local pain associated with vagal symptoms. Accidents occur every month, but there was an increase in June, July, and October to January.

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Brazilian adults in the last 10 years: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: A cluster of interconnected cardiometabolic risk factors characterizes metabolic Syndrome (MS). The prevalence of MS is increasing worldwide, but there is not a meta-analysis of this prevalence in the Brazilian population. We aimed to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among adult general population in Brazil through a meta­analysis study. METHODS: Original research studies were searched at PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and SciELO databases, from 2011 to 2021. We used the Joanna Briggs Institute tool to assess the quality of included studies. The random effect model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of MS. Subgroup and meta-regression analysis were conducted for explored heterogeneity and used the Funnel Plot and Egger's test to assess publication bias. The study was performed based on the criteria of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). RESULTS: The search in electronic databases identified 1598 records. From this total, 26 studies were eligible to be included in the final analysis. The overall pooled prevalence among the general population of Brazil was 33% with high heterogeneity observed. By gender, the prevalences were 26% in males and 38% in females. By criteria that was used to define MS, the prevalence were 31% in NCEP ATP III, 25% in JIS, 37% in IDF/NHLBI/AHA/WHF/IAS/IASO and 33% in IDF criteria. The prevalence in different habitat was 34% in urban, 15% in rural, 28% in quilombola and 37% in indigenous. In different regions was 37% in the South, 30% in Southeast, 38% in North, 31% in Northeast and 39% in Midwest. The pooled prevalence of MS with age was < 45 years: 43% and ≥ 45 years: 42% and the prevalence based on year of study implementation was 31% in 2015-2019, 35% in 2010-2014 and 28% in 2005-2009. There were no statistically significant differences between subgroups. Most of the studies showed high quality assessment criteria's except adequate sample size criteria and many studies participants were not sampled in an appropriate way. CONCLUSIONS: Our review indicates a high prevalence of MS in the healthy Brazilian adult population, when compared to others countries and with a world estimate.

Fiber Bragg Grating Array for Shape Reconstruction in Structural Elements.

This paper presents the development, analysis and application of a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) array for two-dimensional (2D) shape reconstruction in a cantilever beam. The structural elements made of Pinus wood and Nylon 6.0 were numerically analyzed using the finite element method for the strain distribution when constant loading is applied at the free end of the beam. In addition, the temperature compensation method is proposed to decouple the temperature cross-sensitivity in the deflection analysis. In this case, the temperature sensitivities of all sensing elements of the 5-FBG array were obtained. An additional FBG was encapsulated in a silicone mold for increased sensitivity and positioned in the clamping point in which deflection was negligible. Temperature compensation was achieved considering the temperature measured by the silicone-embedded FBG (sensitivity of 27.78 pm/°C) and the sensitivity of all five FBGs of the deflection-sensing array (9.14 pm/°C ± 0.33 pm/°C). In the deflection experiments, the sensors presented a high linearity, in which a determination coefficient (R2) higher than 0.995 was obtained in all of the analyzed cases. Furthermore, the 2D shape construction using the proposed sensor approach resulted in the elastic line estimation for all analyzed beams, where the experimental results were in agreement with the theoretical and numerical analysis with a R2 higher than 0.99 in all of the analyzed cases. Therefore, the proposed sensor array is a feasible approach for real-time shape reconstruction of structural elements with the advantages related to the possibility of direct embedment in the measured structure.

Evaluation of the correlation between side effects to oral mucosa, salivary glands, and general health status with quality of life during intensity-modulated radiotherapy for head and neck cancer.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the distribution of acute clinical complications that involve the oral cavity (oral mucositis and salivary flow), general health status (Karnofsky performance status scale (KPS) and weight), and quality of life using the worst performance throughout radiotherapy treatment by intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in the head and neck region and to evaluate the correlation between these variables. METHODS: This prospective, longitudinal study evaluated 32 patients who were undergoing IMRT for head and neck tumors. The measures were collected weekly through standardized protocols and a quality of life questionnaire (UW-QOL version 4). RESULTS: The worst performance for all variables was concentrated in treatment weeks 2 and 5. Regarding quality of life, the emotional dimensions were the most affected (pain 62.86; activity 55; recreation 43.57; mood 49.97; shoulder 57.06; anxiety 42.91). There were a higher number of moderate mucositis correlations with quality of life (mucositis × KPS 0.002; mucositis × weight loss 0.03; mucositis × pain 0.001; mucositis × activity 0.002; mucositis × recreation 0.001; mucositis × swallowing 0.002; mucositis × saliva 0.006; mucositis × mood 0.007; mucositis × anxiety 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: IMRT treatment severely deteriorated the patients' quality of life. There were important correlations between the clinical variables and quality of life, especially mucositis.

Evaluation of chemical properties of intact green coffee beans using near-infrared spectroscopy.

BACKGROUND: The chemical compounds in coffee are important indicators of quality. Its composition varies according to several factors related to the planting and processing of coffee. Thus, this study proposed to use near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) associated with partial least squares (PLS) regression to estimate quickly some chemical properties (moisture content, soluble solids, and total and reducing sugars) in intact green coffee samples. For this, 250 samples produced in Brazil were analyzed in the laboratory by the standard method and also had their spectra recorded. RESULTS: The calibration models were developed using PLS regression with cross-validation and tested in a validation set. The models were elaborated using original spectra and preprocessed by five different mathematical methods. These models were compared in relation to the coefficient of determination, root mean square error of cross-validation (RMSECV), root mean square error of test set validation (RMSEP), and ratio of performance to deviation (RPD) and demonstrated different predictive capabilities for the chemical properties of coffee. The best model was obtained to predict grain moisture and the worst performance was observed for the soluble solids model. The highest determination coefficients obtained for the samples in the validation set were equal to 0.810, 0.516, 0.694 and 0.781 for moisture, soluble solids, total sugar, and reducing sugars, respectively. CONCLUSION: The statistics associated with these models indicate that NIR technology has the potential to be applied routinely to predict the chemical properties of green coffee, and in particular, for moisture analysis. However, the soluble solid and total sugar content did not show high correlations with the spectroscopic data and need to be improved. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Topical pilocarpine for xerostomia in patients with head and neck cancer treated with radiotherapy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a pilocarpine spray as a treatment for xerostomia in patients treated with radiotherapy (RT) for head and neck cancer (HNC). METHODS: This was a placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover clinical trial of patients complaining of dry mouth after RT for HNC. Forty patients were randomly assigned to either placebo or pilocarpine (1.54%) spray and instructed to use three times a day for 3 months. After 1-month washout period, patients were crossed over to receive placebo or pilocarpine. The assessments were salivary flow (Stimulated Whole Saliva Flow - SWSF), xerostomia (Xerostomia Inventory - XI), and quality of life (QoL/Oral Health Impact Profile - OHIP-14), assessed at baseline, 1 hr (only SWSF), and at 1, 2, and 3 months of treatment. RESULTS: Posttreatment SWFS was not statistically different between pilocarpine and placebo regardless of the treatment sequence (paired T test; p > .05), except for the SWFS rates at 2 months after therapy. When comparing pilocarpine with placebo in the time points, there was no significant difference (p > .05) for QoL or XI. Significant differences in improvement in QoL and xerostomia experience appeared along time for pilocarpine group. CONCLUSION: The topical application of pilocarpine spray tested was similar to placebo on SWSF assessments in patients treated with RT for HNC.

Determination of pH and acidity in green coffee using near-infrared spectroscopy and multivariate regression.

BACKGROUND: Coffee is a raw material of global interest. Due to its relevance, this work evaluated the performance of calibration models constructed from spectral data obtained using near-infrared spectroscopy (FT-NIR) to determine the pH values and acidity in coffee beans in a practical and non-destructive way. Partial least squares regression was used during the calibration and the cross-validation to optimize the number of latent variables. The predictive capacity of the spectral pre-processing methods was also accessed. RESULTS: The results obtained showed that the best methods of pre-processing were the first derivative for the pH variable and the standard normal variate for the acidity, which produced models with correlations of 0.78 and 0.92, ratios of prediction to deviation of 2.061 and 2.966 and biases of -0.00011 and -0.152 to test set validation, respectively. The average errors between predicted and experimental values were lower than 7%. CONCLUSIONS: FT-NIR was successfully applied to predict properties related to the quality of coffee. The method was demonstrated to be a fast and non-destructive tool which allows the rapid inline evaluation of samples facilitating industrial and commercial processing. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Direct Immunofluorescence as a Helpful Tool for the Differential Diagnosis of Oral Lichen Planus and Oral Lichenoid Lesions.

A great number of lichenoid lesions have overlapping clinicopathological features, so the use of adjunct tests to establish definitive diagnosis is recommended for correct management and prognosis of the lesions. In this context, direct immunofluorescence (DIF) can be a useful tool. Thus, this study aimed to characterize the clinical, histopathological, and DIF pattern in patients with oral lichen planus (OLP) and patients with oral lichenoid lesions (OLLs). Patients with OLP and patients with OLL were characterized and compared with patients with mucous membrane pemphigoid, pemphigus vulgaris, and fibrous hyperplasia through a cross-sectional study. Patients with OLP (n = 30) and patients with OLL (n = 26) were mostly white women in the fifth decade of age, with reticular lesions mainly on the buccal mucosa. All patients with OLP and half of the patients with OLL showed liquefaction degeneration at the basal cell layer and a band-like lymphocytic infiltrate in the subepithelial tissue. Twenty-two patients with OLP (73.3%), 10 with OLL (38.4%), 25 with mucous membrane pemphigoid (96.1%), and all with pemphigus vulgaris (100%) had positive DIF. There was no positive DIF in patients with fibrous hyperplasia. The most frequent DIF pattern in patients with OLP and patients with OLL was linear fibrinogen at the basement membrane zone, and a logistic regression model for positive DIF found statistically significant difference in OLP versus OLL (odds ratio, 3.73; confidence interval, 1.23-11.38). Although clinical and histopathological features are sufficient for diagnosing most of the patients with OLP and OLL, DIF is a key tool in differentiating some lichenoid lesions and could improve the diagnosis of OLP and OLL, especially in lesions showing typical clinical and histological features of OLP.

Geotechnology and landscape ecology applied to the selection of potential forest fragments for seed harvesting.

The Atlantic Forest biome is recognized for its biodiversity and is one of the most threatened biomes on the planet, with forest fragmentation increasing due to uncontrolled land use, land occupation, and population growth. The most serious aspect of the forest fragmentation process is the edge effect and the loss of biodiversity. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate the dynamics of forest fragmentation and select potential forest fragments with a higher degree of conservation for seed harvesting in the Itapemirim river basin, Espírito Santo State, Brazil. Image classification techniques, forest landscape ecology, and multi-criteria analysis were used to evaluate the evolution of forest fragmentation to develop the landscape metric indexes, and to select potential forest fragments for seed harvesting for the years 1985 and 2013. According to the results, there was a reduction of 2.55% of the occupancy of the fragments in the basin between the years 1985 and 2013. For the years 1985 and 2013, forest fragment units 2 and 3 were spatialized with a high potential for seed harvesting, representing 6.99% and 16.01% of the total fragments, respectively. The methodology used in this study has the potential to be used to support decisions for the selection of potential fragments for seed harvesting because selecting fragments in different environments by their spatial attributes provides a greater degree of conservation, contributing to the protection and conscious management of the forests. The proposed methodology can be adapted to other areas and different biomes of the world.

Effect of Vitamin D supplementation on blood pressure in hypertensive individuals with hypovitaminosis D: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

In the present study, we aimed to conduct a literature review and meta-analysis to assess the effect of Vitamin D supplementation on SBP and DBP levels in individuals with hypertension and hypovitaminosis D. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and SciELO were systematically searched for relevant publications until January 2023. The review has been registered at PROSPERO (CRD42023400035). To compare the effects of vitamin D with placebo, the mean differences with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were pooled based on the random-effects model. Subgroup analyses were performed to identify the source of heterogeneity, and assessment of study quality was conducted using the GRADE approach. Publication bias was evaluated using funnel plots and Egger's tests. In total, 14 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in this systematic review, and 11 trials were selected for meta-analysis. The data showed that Vitamin D significantly decreased SBP levels; however, it did not affect DBP levels. In subgroup analysis, Vitamin D supplementation significantly decreased in SBP in studies involving individuals over 60 years of age, with a dose greater than 400 000 IU, duration greater than 8 weeks, frequency of weekly supplementation in studies conducted in Asia. In addition, subgroup analysis revealed a significant reduction in DBP in the weekly frequency subgroups and in the studies carried out in Asia. This meta-analysis indicated that Vitamin D significantly reduced the SBP in individuals with hypertension and hypovitaminosis D. Further, well designed trials are necessary to validate these results.

Innovative strategies in yacon drying: Ethanol pretreatment and intermittent microwave drying.

The yacon roots are rich in fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and highly perishable. Drying is crucial for food quality and extending shelf life. However, preserving thermosensitive compounds, such as FOS, poses a challenge in conventional drying methods. In this regard, microwave drying and ethanol pretreatment (ET) have emerged as promising solutions for maintaining nutrients and reducing drying time (DT). The objective of this study was to assess how ET and sample temperature affect quality and process parameters during intermittent microwave drying of yacon. Drying at 52°C treated with ethanol was the one that stood out for presenting the highest fructan retention (64.1%), low DT, lower energy consumption (EC) (364.00 ± 5.03 kWh kg water-1), higher retention of antioxidant capacity (73.9%) and total phenolic content (77.5%), and slight variation in color parameters. Therefore, microwave drying with a controlled temperature of yacon pretreated with ethanol effectively reduces DT and EC by maintaining quality parameters.

Effect of Green Tea Supplementation on Inflammatory Markers among Patients with Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have investigated the potential benefits of green tea on the inflammatory process in metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, the results are inconclusive and inconsistent. In the present study, we performed a literature review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of green tea supplementation on inflammatory markers [e.g., tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin-6 (IL-6)] among patients with MetS and related disorders. We systematically searched for relevant publications up to March 2022 in the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and SciELO databases. The review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022320345). Mean differences with 95% confidence intervals were pooled on the basis of the random effects model to compare the effects of green tea with placebo. We used meta-regression and subgroup analyses to determine the cause of heterogeneity and performed study quality assessment using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation method. We assessed publication bias using funnel plots and Egger's tests. Out of the total 15 RCTs that were included in this systematic review, 12 were chosen for the meta-analysis. The results revealed that green tea significantly decreased TNF-α levels but did not affect CRP and IL-6 levels. Subgroup analysis showed that green tea supplementation in studies lasting ≤8 weeks significantly increased CRP levels. Furthermore, meta-regression analysis demonstrated a significant association between increasing IL-6 concentration and treatment duration. According to our meta-analysis, green tea was shown to considerably lower circulating TNF-α levels. To confirm these findings, carefully planned trials are required.

Three-Dimensional-Printed Fabrication of POFs Using Different Filaments and Their Characterization for Sensing Applications.

This paper presents the development and sensor applications of 3D-printed polymer optical fibers (POFs) using commercially available filaments. The well-known intensity variation sensor was developed using this fiber for temperature and curvature sensing, where the results indicate a linear response in the curvature analysis, with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.97 and sensitivity of 4.407 × 10-4 mW/∘, whereas the temperature response was fitted to an R2 of 0.956 with a sensitivity of 5.718 × 10-3 mW/∘C. Then, the POF was used in the development of a modal interferometer by splicing the POF in-between two single-mode fibers (SMFs), which result in a single-mode-multimode-single-mode (SMS) configuration. The such interferometer was tested for temperature and axial strain responses, where the temperature response presented a linear trend R2 of around 0.98 with a sensitivity of -78.8 pm/∘C. The negative value of the sensitivity is related to the negative thermo-optic coefficient commonly obtained in POFs. Furthermore, the strain response of the SMS interferometer showed a high sensitivity (9.5 pm/µÏµ) with a quadratic behavior in which the R2 of around 0.99 was obtained. Therefore, the proposed approach is a low-cost, environmentally friendly and straightforward method for the production of highly sensitive optical fiber sensors.

Use of coconut sugar as an alternative agent in osmotic dehydration of strawberries.

This study aimed to evaluate coconut sugar (CS) as an alternative osmotic agent to sucrose for the osmotic dehydration (OD) of strawberries. OD was performed by immersing strawberries cut into 13.6 ± 0.4 mm edge cubes in osmotic solutions of CS or sucrose, at two different concentrations (40% and 60%, w/w), with and without application of vacuum (AV) in the first 20 min of the process. The total OD time was 300 min. Evaluations of the kinetics of solid gain (SG), water loss (WL), and weight reduction (WR) were performed at 30, 60, 120, 180, 240, and 300 min. SG, WL, and WR increased over the OD time and showed values of up to 7.94%, 63.40%, and 55.94%, respectively. AV increased WL, WR, shrinkage, pH, and total color difference and decreased anthocyanin, ascorbic acid (AA), phenolic, and antioxidant contents. The higher concentration led to higher SG, WL, WR, shrinkage, hardness, and lower moisture content, water activity, anthocyanin, AA, phenolic, and antioxidant contents. The use of CS instead of sucrose had little influence on strawberry properties, except pH and color responses. The optimal treatment was using a 60% CS solution without AV, showing a very distinct color change, hardness increased by approximately 4.5 times and maintenance of acidity, anthocyanins, AA, total phenolics, and antioxidants of 38.0%, 39.6%, 11.8%, 30.0%, 31.1%, and 30.3%, respectively, compared to fresh strawberries. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Osmotic dehydration of fruit is a process traditionally carried out using sucrose. However, increasing health concerns have made consumers seek alternative sugars to sucrose. The use of coconut sugar made it possible to produce osmo-dehydrated strawberries different from the traditional one, maintaining product quality and process efficiency.

Dentistry consensus on HSCT - Part III: Special topics - Dentistry on HSCT.

Patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) might present acute and late toxicities and the oral tissues are frequently affected. With the survival increasing, patients show late and long-term morbidities, and there is an important association between the general and the oral health. The first and second parts of this Consensus have showed the importance of the adequacy of oral health in the pre-HSCT, and the main alterations and oral care during the period of admission for HSCT. This third part aims to review specific themes of post-HSCT dental care, such as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and the pediatric patient. It also aims to review pertinent subjects, both during the HSCT period and post-HSCT, concerning quality of life, pain, cost-effectiveness, and remote care. Based on this review, it is evident the importance of the work of the dental surgeon (DS) in the follow-up and treatment of the HSCT patient, always collaborating with the whole multidisciplinary team.