1. |
- Strömberg, N O, et al.
(author)
-
Improved accuracy and extended flow range for a Fleisch pneumotachograph
- 1999
-
In: Medical and Biological Engineering and Computing. - 0140-0118 .- 1741-0444. ; 37:4, s. 456-460
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A large linear flow range and a small instrumental dead space volume are incompatible properties for a pneumotachometer (PTM). The linearity of a Fleisch number 2 PTM is studied for flows up to 6 litre s-1 (nominal range 0-2 litre s-1) with various up- and downstream geometries. It is hypothesised that using an array of calibration factors (conductance; flow/pressure), instead of a single calibration factor over the entire flow range, could improve accuracy and also extend the applicable flow range. The conductance against pressure characteristics are calculated with a previously described weighted averaging technique based on multiple strokes from a precision syringe. A single conductance value gives stroke volume errors in the range of -5 to 3% (0-2 litre s-1) and -6 to 11% (0-6 litre s-1) for validation using the same geometry as for calibration. The pressure dependent conductance improves accuracy to within -3% and 1% independent of flow range. However, for validation using a different geometry than for calibration, errors range from -5% to +8%. The degree of non-linearity varies between the geometries (range 3-15%) and is highest when using a one-directional valve upstream of the PTM and a Y-shaped connector. In conclusion, a pressure-dependent conductance improves accuracy and can also be used to extend the applicable flow range up to at least three times the nominal flow range.
|
|
2. |
|
|
3. |
- Albin, Maria, et al.
(author)
-
Cytogenetic and morphologic subgroups of myelodysplastic syndromes in relation to occupational and hobby exposures.
- 2003
-
In: Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health. - 0355-3140. ; 29:5, s. 378-387
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the association between occupational and hobby exposure and the risk of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) while focusing on differential patterns of clonal chromosome aberrations and morphologic subgroups. METHODS: A case-referent study was conducted with 330 MDS patients investigated cytogenetically in 1976-1993 (cases) and matched referents. Telephone interviews with either the person or a next-of-kin were used. The participation rate of the cases and referents was 85% and 60%, respectively. Information was obtained from the next-of-kin more often for the cases (88%) than for the referents (26%). Occupational hygienists assessed the exposure using interview data on worktasks and hobbies. Associations with disease risk were evaluated for 10 exposures with a logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The investigated exposures were generally not associated with cytogenetically abnormal MDS. Effect estimates for specific cytogenetic or morphologic subgroups were generally imprecise. Occupational exposure to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (EMF) was associated with MDS with a normal karyotype [odds ratio (OR) 2.0, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.0-4.0]. The exposure-response association was consistent for intensity but inconclusive for duration. A decreased risk was observed for MDS, irrespective of karyotypic pattern, among farmers and farmhands (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.35-0.81). CONCLUSIONS: Cytogenetically abnormal MDS was generally not associated with occupational or hobby exposure to known or suspected genotoxic agents. However, exposure prevalences and intensities were low for several agents. An association was suggested between occupational exposure to EMF and MDS with a normal karyotype. Biases due to differential information quality and selective participation cannot be ruled out.
|
|
4. |
- Andreu-Cabedo, Yasmina, et al.
(author)
-
MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL... AN INTELLIGENT MULTISENSORY MIRROR FOR WELL-BEING SELF-ASSESSMENT
- 2015
-
In: 2015 IEEE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MULTIMEDIA and EXPO (ICME). - : IEEE. - 9781479970827
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The face reveals the healthy status of an individual, through a combination of physical signs and facial expressions. The project SEMEOTICONS is translating the semeiotic code of the human face into computational descriptors and measures, automatically extracted from videos, images, and 3D scans of the face. SEMEOTICONS is developing a multisensory platform, in the form of a smart mirror, looking for signs related to cardio-metabolic risk. The goal is to enable users to self-monitor their well-being status over time and improve their life-style via tailored user guidance. Building the multisensory mirror requires addressing significant scientific and technological challenges, from touch-less data acquisition, to real-time processing and integration of multimodal data.
|
|
5. |
- Arildsson, Mikael, 1967-, et al.
(author)
-
Effects on skin blood flow by provocation during local analgesia
- 2000
-
In: Microvascular Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 0026-2862 .- 1095-9319. ; 59:1, s. 122-130
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Although topical analgesia cream has been used for several years, little is known about its effects on the microcirculation. Previous studies have shown a vasoconstrictive effect after short application times and a vasodilatation after longer application. It has also been shown that vasomotion does not occur in the analgesized skin. The present study was undertaken to investigate the alterations in skin blood perfusion following local cooling, local heating and pin-pricking after the establishment of analgesia. In 11 healthy volunteers, skin analgesia was attained by use of a eutectic mixture of lidocaine and prilocaine (EMLA, Astra Pain Control AB, Sweden) applied to the skin three hours prior to provocation. The changes in skin blood perfusion, after applying three different provocation methods, were studied using the laser Doppler technique. Local cooling and heating to temperatures of +10 and +45°C, respectively, were applied for 9 s by use of a copper probe (Ø12 mm). In the pin-prick provocation method, a combined effect of deflection and penetration of the skin to in total 3 mm was attained. Identical provocation methods were applied to placebo treated and untreated skin areas. After heat provocation, significant differences in the perfusion response between the treatments were seen (P < 0.0001). Skin areas treated with analgesia cream responded with a slow increase in perfusion that persisted beyond the four minute measurement period. Placebo and untreated areas decreased their perfusion over time. After cooling a significant reduction in skin perfusion was seen, irrespective of the treatment. Similarly, after pin-pricking a perfusion increase was seen for all treatments. The findings indicate that topical analgesia influences the myogenic control of the blood flow in those vascular plexa measured by laser Doppler following heat provocation. No differences could be seen in the response to pin-pricking and cooling for the different treatments.
|
|
6. |
|
|
7. |
- Arildsson, Mikael, 1967-, et al.
(author)
-
Skin capillary appearance and skin microvascular perfusion due to topical application of analgesia cream
- 2000
-
In: Microvascular Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 0026-2862 .- 1095-9319. ; 59:1, s. 14-23
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Local topical analgesia changes basal skin perfusion and its regulation. In particular, the response induced by local heating, which in nontreated skin comprises a rapidly increased perfusion followed by a normalization within 30 s, is altered to a delayed and persistent perfusion increase. The response dependency to the analgesia cream application time, that is, the intradermal penetration of the analgesics and in which vascular plexa the response occurs, is not known. The aim of this study was to assess changes in the appearance of superficial skin capillaries and skin microvascular perfusion changes due to different application periods of topical analgesia cream (EMLA). Twelve subjects were treated with EMLA and placebo applied to the volar side of each forearm, respectively. The treatment areas were assigned different application times (20 min, 40 min, 1 h, 2 h, and 3 h). The areas were cleared from the creams and shortly thereafter provoked during 9 s with a probe heated to 45°C. To assess capillary number density and skin perfusion, capillary microscopy, and Laser Doppler perfusion imaging (LDPI), respectively, were used. The number density of physiologically active capillary was significantly decreased with longer application times of EMLA (P < 0.005). The LDPI-signal showed a persistent perfusion increase after provocation associated with increasing application time of the cream. This perfusion pattern was not seen after 20 min of treatment, but was present in 9 of 12 subjects after 3 h of treatment. No significant relationship between changes in the capillary number density and the LDF measurement was found. In conclusion, a longer application time and therefore a higher intradermal concentration and a deeper penetration of the analgesics was associated with a delayed and persistent perfusion increase after local heating. There was a discrepancy between changes in capillary number density and skin perfusion, indicating that the perfusion increase does not occur in the capillaries but in the deeper lying vessels. Hence, the contribution of the capillary perfusion to the LDF-signal is smaller than previously anticipated. Capillary number density and presumably their perfusion were decreased with longer application times.
|
|
8. |
- Arildsson, Mikael, et al.
(author)
-
Spectral signature and heterodyne efficiency for different wavelengths in laser Doppler flowmetry
- 2002
-
In: Medical and Biological Engineering and Computing. - 0140-0118 .- 1741-0444. ; 40:1, s. 85-89
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Laser Doppler perfusion monitoring and imaging technologies generate time traces and two-dimensional flow maps of the microcirculation. With the goal of reaching different tissue depths, these technologies are equipped with lassers operating at different wavelengths λ. The fact that the average scattering angle, at a single scattering event, between a photon and a red blood cell increases with λ is compensated for by a 1/λ effect in the scattering vector, rendering the average frequency shift virtually independent of the choice of wavelength. Monte Carlo simulations showed that the corresponding spectral signature of the Doppler signals for λ=632.8nm and 780nm were close to identical. The theoretical predictions were verified by calculating the centre-of-gravity (COG) frequency of the laser Doppler power spectral density for the two wavelengths from forearm and finger skin, representing a low and high perfusion area, respectively (forearm COG=123 against 121Hz, finger COG=220 against 212 Hz). When the wavelength changes from 632.8nm to 780nm, the heterodyne efficiency of the detector and, thereby, the inherent system amplifcation increase. For tissues with identical microvascular flow conditions, the output signal therfore tends to increase in magnitude when shifting to longer wavelengths.
|
|
9. |
|
|
10. |
- Backström, Tomas, et al.
(author)
-
Shared vision as an order parameter
- 2010
-
In: Society for chaos in psychology and life sciences international conference. - Palermo.
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper is dealing with a way to temporarily change the patterns of thinking and acting of a team. Or more specific; to move a team through a phase transition from an ordered phase to a complex phase. The aim is to make it possible for production personnel to contribute and be integrated in idea development processes. Innovation and improvement are important to ensure long term competitiveness for most companies. Since patterns of thinking and acting in idea development is different from the ones needed in production it is often recommended to perform this work in a department not connected to production. The division between production and idea development may lead to several problems; e.g. impoverishment of the work of production personnel, no input from common days experience in idea development, and harder for production personnel to understand and take responsibility for the production of new products resulting from the idea development, and thus e.g. hamper future work with improvements of it. The ideal for team creativity is to be able to make use of all members' different ideas, experiences and different ways to understand things, in a common creative process. This is possible if each team member at the same time is both autonomous, independently using its competence in action, and integrated, relating each action to an emerging idea shared by all team members. When independent agents interact, and an organization which controls the actions of the agents emerges in this interaction, then we have a complex system, by definition. The agents are at the same time autonomous, following their individual organization, and integrated to the system, following the organization of the system. Most of the work tasks for normal teams in work life demands predictability, not creativity. Such teams develop patterns of thinking and acting that is good for repeatedly producing with high efficiency and quality. This is possible for an ordered system with low autonomy, not a complex system. The question of this paper is: Is it possible to find a strategy that may be used to support a team to reach a complex phase, were it is creative sooner than predictable? An important inspiration writing this paper has been an article Movie making as a mediator in dialogue (Palus & Drath). The thoughts presented in the article were similar to our understanding of how to support creativity of teams and we have decided to use this technique in our creativity lab. In our paper we describe how to understand this technique from a complexity perspective, and start a discussion about how to measure the complexity of a team's social interaction.
|
|