Search

Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT), as an adjunct therapy to exercise, can reduce pain in musculoskeletal disorders. In addition, PBMT associated with exercise decreases fatigue, accelerates muscle recovery and enhances performance and gain through different training protocols. Although it has not been investigated, the association of PBMT and exercise therapy could be an alternative to improve the positive effects of exercise in patients with non-specific low back pain (LBP). Therefore, we aim to evaluate the effects of PBMT associated with motor control exercise (MCE) versus placebo associated with MCE in patients with chronic non-specific LBP. This is a prospectively registered, two-arm, randomised, placebo-controlled, triple-blind trial. A total of 148 patients with chronic non-specific LBP will be randomised to either active PBMT associated with MCE or placebo PBMT associated with MCE. Treatment sessions will be provided twice a week for 6 weeks. The primary outcomes will be pain intensity and general disability measured at the end of the treatment. The secondary outcomes will be pain intensity and general disability measured 1 month after the end of the treatment, 3, 6 and 12 months after randomisation, in addition to levels of prostaglandin E2 measured at the end of the treatment. Medication intake, cointerventions and adverse events will be measured at all time points. This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Irmandade de Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre. The results will be disseminated through scientific publications and presentations at scientific meetings.Trial registration number: NCT05487118.

This paper presents the comparison of temperature compensation techniques for Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG)-based pressure sensor. Such temperature compensation is obtained through a physical assembly using a continuous FBG pair embedded in a rubber diaphragm through a vulcanization method in conjunction with different signal processing methods. The so-called continuous FBG pair is based on two consecutive FBGs (with different Bragg wavelengths) inscribed with physical separation up to 10 mm. The sensor system is tested as a function of temperature and pressure, where the temperature sensitivities of both FBGs are around 50 pm/°C. Pressure estimation errors around 148.22 Pa/°C were observed when this variation in sensitivity was not taken into account by the compensation technique. Furthermore, there is a comparison between techniques that consider the pressure sensitivity variation, namely multiple linear regression using the response of both FBGs and exponential regression using the sum of FBGs. In this case, the exponential regression indicated a smaller temperature cross-sensitivity (3.07 Pa/°C), higher determination coefficient (0.97) and smaller root mean squared error (0.40 kPa). Therefore, the exponential regression using the response of both FBGs is the suitable technique for temperature compensation when the continuous FBG pair embedded in the diaphragm assembly is considered. The results obtained in this work provide a guideline for the development of diaphragm-embedded sensors with temperature compensation and suitable for large-scale production in practical applications.

Este artículo tiene como objetivo caracterizar los elementos indicadores de los procesos de contextualización y problematización en una clase sobre las Leyes de la Inercia y de la Acción y Reacción en el Club de Ciencias de la UFPA, que es un espacio informal de prácticas. A través de la planificación de la clase, la narración del desarrollo de la misma, realizada con estudiantes de 6º y 7º año de educación primaria, y los registros escritos de estos estudiantes, se identificaron elementos presentes en las situaciones pedagógicas que permiten caracterizar los procesos de problematización y contextualización durante la aplicación de una clase en la que se utilizó la estrategia de enseñanza de ciencias por investigación. Se observó que el comportamiento y los diálogos de los estudiantes en el aula presentaron argumentos contradictorios frente a la situación de investigación propuesta. Las relaciones entre el objeto de investigación y las situaciones cotidianas también se utilizaron como indicadores. Así, a partir de la problematización inicial realizada por los profesores, se llegó al proceso de contextualización por parte de los estudiantes. Se observó la importancia de la contribución de las intervenciones para el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje, durante las mediaciones de los procesos pedagógicos, fueron más significativas por fomentar y dirigir la participación del estudiante, y que son necesarios conocimientos que van más allá del contenido a ser enseñado para el desarrollo de una enseñanza contextualizada y de formación del estudiante como ciudadano y como agente difusor de conocimiento y de información de acuerdo con los objetivos del Parámetro Curricular Nacional (PCN) para la educación primaria brasileña.

(1) Background: We investigated the detrimental and protective effects of short-, medium, and long-term treatment with different doses of photobiomodulation therapy combined with static magnetic field (PBMT-sMF) during the aging process. (2) Methods: Rats were treated for 15, 30, and 60 weeks with 1, 3, 10, and 30 J of PBMT-sMF or a placebo control. In addition, eight young rats were not subjected to any procedure or treatment and were euthanized at six weeks old. Skin, muscle, bone, kidney, liver, and blood samples were analyzed. (3) Results: No differences between the groups in the morphology of the skin, muscle, and bone was observed. Glutamic pyruvic transaminase levels were increased in the placebo group after 30 and 60 weeks. Glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase levels were also increased in the placebo group after 30 weeks. An increase in creatinine in the PBMT-sMF 3, 10, and 30 J groups compared with that in the young control group was observed. No significant difference in urea levels between the groups was noted. Vascular endothelial growth factor increased in the PBMT-sMF 10 and 30 J groups after 15 weeks of treatment and in the PBMT-sMF 3 J after 60 weeks. Finally, vascular endothelial growth factor decreased in the PBMT-sMF 30 J group after 30 weeks of treatment. (4) Conclusions: PBMT-sMF did not have detrimental effects on the skin, muscle, bone, kidney, or liver after short-, medium-, and long-term treatments in aging rats. In addition, PBMT-sMF may have protective effects on the muscle tissue in aging rats after short- and long-term treatment.

Abstract This paper presents a review of cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) sensors based on water and hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) mixtures for healthcare and human quality of life applications. First, an overview of the sensors system demands for healthcare and environmental sensing is presented in which there is also a discussion on the sensors technologies conventionally applied in these scenarios. Then, a discussion of the water‐HPC mixtures and the formation of the CLCs as well as their operation principle and fabrication methods is presented. Thereafter, the applications of such technologies for the assessment of different parameters related to biomechanics, medical conditions, and environment contamination are discussed in detail. Thus, the use of CLC sensors based on HPC membranes provides novel sustainable approaches for highly sensitive sensors systems with intuitive signal acquisition and analysis. For these reasons, one can envisage a widespread of such technologies due to the mentioned advantages in conjunction with low cost, flexibility in fabrication, simple signal processing, biocompatibility, and biodegradability.

This paper presents the development of a bioinspired multifunctional flexible optical sensor (BioMFOS) as an ultrasensitive tool for force (intensity and location) and orientation sensing. The sensor structure is bioinspired in orb webs, which are multifunctional devices for prey capturing and vibration transmission. The multifunctional feature of the structure is achieved by using transparent resins that present both mechanical and optical properties for structural integrity and strain/deflection transmission as well as the optical signal transmission properties with core/cladding configuration of a waveguide. In this case, photocurable and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) resins are used for the core and cladding, respectively. The optical transmission, tensile tests, and dynamic mechanical analysis are performed in the resins and show the possibility of light transmission at the visible wavelength range in conjunction with high flexibility and a dynamic range up to 150 Hz, suitable for wearable applications. The BioMFOS has small dimensions (around 2 cm) and lightweight (0.8 g), making it suitable for wearable application and clothing integration. Characterization tests are performed in the structure by means of applying forces at different locations of the structure. The results show an ultra-high sensitivity and resolution, where forces in the μN range can be detected and the location of the applied force can also be detected with a sub-millimeter spatial resolution. Then, the BioMFOS is tested on the orientation detection in 3D plane, where a correlation coefficient higher than 0.9 is obtained when compared with a gold-standard inertial measurement unit (IMU). Furthermore, the device also shows its capabilities on the movement analysis and classification in two protocols: finger position detection (with the BioMFOS positioned on the top of the hand) and trunk orientation assessment (with the sensor integrated on the clothing). In both cases, the sensor is able of classifying the movement, especially when analyzed in conjunction with preprocessing and clustering techniques. As another wearable application, the respiratory rate is successfully estimated with the BioMFOS integrated into the clothing. Thus, the proposed multifunctional device opens new avenues for novel bioinspired photonic devices and can be used in many applications of biomedical, biomechanics, and micro/nanotechnology.

Abstract Smart textiles are novel solutions for remote healthcare monitoring which involve non-invasive sensors-integrated clothing. Polymer optical fiber (POF) sensors have attractive features for smart textile technology, and combined with Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms increase the potential of intelligent decision-making. This paper presents the development of a fully portable photonic smart garment with 30 multiplexed POF sensors combined with AI algorithms to evaluate the system ability on the activity classification of multiple subjects. Six daily activities are evaluated: standing, sitting, squatting, up-and-down arms, walking and running. A k-nearest neighbors classifier is employed and results from 10 trials of all volunteers presented an accuracy of 94.00 (0.14)%. To achieve an optimal amount of sensors, the principal component analysis is used for one volunteer and results showed an accuracy of 98.14 (0.31)% using 10 sensors, 1.82% lower than using 30 sensors. Cadence and breathing rate were estimated and compared to the data from an inertial measurement unit located on the garment back and the highest error was 2.22%. Shoulder flexion/extension was also evaluated. The proposed approach presented feasibility for activity recognition and movement-related parameters extraction, leading to a system fully optimized, including the number of sensors and wireless communication, for Healthcare 4.0.

This paper presents the development and application of an optical fiber-embedded tendon based on biomimetic multifunctional structures. The tendon was fabricated using a thermocure resin (polyurethane) and the three optical fibers with one fiber Bragg grating (FBG) inscribed in each fiber. The first step in the FBG-integrated artificial tendon analysis is the mechanical properties assessment through stress–strain curves, which indicated the customization of the proposed device, since it is possible to tailor the Young’s modulus and strain limit of the tendon as a function of the integrated optical fibers, where the coated and uncoated fibers lead to differences in both parameters, i.e., strain limits and Young’s modulus. Then, the artificial tendon integrated with FBG sensors undergoes three types of characterization, which assesses the influence of temperature, single-axis strain, and curvature. Results show similarities in the temperature responses in all analyzed FBGs, where the variations are related to the heterogeneity on the polyurethane matrix distribution. In contrast, the FBGs embedded in the tendon presented a reduction in the strain sensitivity when compared with the bare FBGs (i.e., without the integration in the artificial tendon). Such results demonstrated a reduction in the sensitivity as high as 77% when compared with the bare FBGs, which is related to strain field distributions in the FBGs when embedded in the tendon. In addition, the curvature tests indicated variations in both optical power and wavelength shift, where both parameters are used on the angle estimation using the proposed multifunctional artificial tendon. To that extent, root mean squared error of around 3.25° is obtained when both spectral features are considered. Therefore, the proposed approach indicates a suitable method for the development of smart structures in which the multifunctional capability of the device leads to the possibility of using not only as a structural element in tendon-driven actuators and devices, but also as a sensor element for the different structures.

Resumo Os Distúrbios Ondulatórios de Leste (DOLs) são um dos principais sistemas meteorológicos que atuam no leste do Nordeste do Brasil (NEB) entre maio e julho. O presente estudo tem como objetivo investigar os impactos das diferentes técnicas de nudging na simulação de DOLs utilizando o modelo regional Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) a partir de três diferentes tipos de simulação, alternando entre elas diversas possibilidades do uso desta técnica: (1) utilizando o nuding de forma desligada (WRF-DF), (2) usando a técnica Analysis Nuding (WRF-AN), e (3) usando a técnica Spectral Nudging (WRF-SN). As variáveis analisadas foram a precipitação e o vento de dois episódios de DOLs que atingiram o NEB entre os dias 12 e 14 de junho de 2019. Os resultados foram comparados à reanálise do ERA-Interim e imagens dos satélites GOES 16 e METEOSAT 10. De acordo com os resultados, a simulação WRF-SN representou melhor a terceira e quarta onda dos eventos estudados, enquanto a simulação WRF-AN descreveu melhor a distribuição espaço-temporal da precipitação. A simulação WRF-DF apresentou resultados similares aos da WRF-SN. Isso indica que a utilização da técnica Spectral Nudging, apenas acima da camada limite planetária (CLP), não influencia de maneira expressiva o comportamento dos ventos ou o número de onda escolhido não é adequado para estudar os DOLs. Já a simulação WRF-AN apresentou resultados semelhantes ao da reanálise do ERA-Interim, podendo estar relacionado ao coeficiente de nudging escolhido.

Diversas práticas voltadas para o ensino consistem de métodos e crenças dos profissionais de educação. A aprendizagem pode ou não estar relacionada de forma idiossincrática nesse processo. Assim, com mote em práticas de Resolução de Problemas, visa-se analisar alguns pressupostos teórico-filosóficos que são engendrados nessas práticas e, objetiva-se realizar um estudo analítico acerca dos discursos que permeiam e são permeados, potencializam e são potencializados pelo funcionamento de práticas, teorias, teorizações e outros discursos sobre a Resolução de Problemas. Para isso, procedeu-se a análise do discurso pautada pela arqueogenealogia em Michel Foucault para composição desta composição discursiva. A Resolução de Problemas encaixa-se na égide de uma metodologia, enquanto, em outro panorama, pode ser concebida como algo mais amplo e complexo, como estar aliada ao ensino e à aprendizagem e também funcionar como um agenciamento de um em outro. Assim, é necessário olhar para campos, elementos e conceitos problemáticos e concernentes à Educação onde essas práticas podem acontecer.

Não há.

This paper presents the development and signal analysis of surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based sensors in D-shaped polymer optical fibers (POFs). A gold-palladium (Au-Pd) coating was applied to the D-shaped region to obtain the SPR signal in the transmitted spectrum of the POFs, where different samples were fabricated using the same methods and parameters. In this case, the transmitted spectra of three sets of samples were compared, which indicated variations in the SPR signature that can influence the sensors’ application and reproducibility. Then, the intensity of and wavelength shift in the SPR signals were analyzed as a function of the refractive index variation, where it was possible to observe differences in the sensors’ sensitivities and the linearity of the different samples. In this regard, additional features, namely the area below the curve and the peak amplitude of the fast Fourier transform (FFT) applied to the transmitted spectra, were used to enhance the sensors’ accuracy and precision. To verify the use of such additional features in the sensor analysis, an unsupervised approach based on k-means clustering was used considering a single dataset with the results of all the sensors. The results showed clustering with the number of different refractive indices tested, which motivated the use of these features (intensity, wavelength, area and FFT amplitude) in the refractive index assessment. In this context, random forest was the supervised algorithm with the smallest root mean squared error (RMSE) among the algorithms tested, where an RMSE of 0.0057 was obtained considering all the datasets. For the analysis of each sensor (considering the three sets of sensor samples), the mean RMSE using random forest applied to the multifeature approach returned relative errors below 9%, considering the entire tested range of refractive index variation.