Real-time and location-based hand hygiene monitoring and notification: proof-of-concept system and experimentation

AbstractSince December 2019, a novel coronavirus responsible for a severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) is accountable for a major pandemic situation. The emergence of the B.1.1.7 strain, as a highly transmissible variant has accelerated the world-wide interest in tracking SARS-CoV-2 variants’ occurrence. Similarly, other extremely infectious variants, were described and further others are expected to be discovered due to the long period of time on which the pandemic situation is lasting. All described SARS-CoV-2 variants present several mutations within the gene encoding the Spike protein, involved in host receptor recognition and entry into the cell. Hence, instead of sequencing the whole viral genome for variants’ tracking, herein we propose to focus on the SPIKE region to increase the number of candidate samples to screen at once; an essential aspect to accelerate diagnostics, but also variants’ emergence/progression surveillance. This proof of concept study accomplishes both at once, population-scale diagnostics and variants' tracking. This strategy relies on (1) the use of the portable MinION DNA sequencer; (2) a DNA barcoding and a SPIKE gene-centered variant’s tracking, increasing the number of candidates per assay; and (3) a real-time diagnostics and variant’s tracking monitoring thanks to our software RETIVAD. This strategy represents an optimal solution for addressing the current needs on SARS-CoV-2 progression surveillance, notably due to its affordable implementation, allowing its implantation even in remote places over the world.

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Characterisation of Textile Embedded Electrodes for Use in a Neonatal Smart Mattress Electrocardiography System

Sensors ◽

10.3390/s21030999 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (3) ◽

pp. 999

Author(s):

Henry Dore ◽

Rodrigo Aviles-Espinosa ◽

Zhenhua Luo ◽

Oana Anton ◽

Heike Rabe ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Intensive Care Unit ◽

Heart Rate ◽

Intensive Care ◽

High Resolution ◽

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit ◽

Real Time ◽

Neonatal Intensive Care ◽

Delivery Room ◽

Proof Of Concept ◽

Heart Rate Monitoring

Heart rate monitoring is the predominant quantitative health indicator of a newborn in the delivery room. A rapid and accurate heart rate measurement is vital during the first minutes after birth. Clinical recommendations suggest that electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring should be widely adopted in the neonatal intensive care unit to reduce infant mortality and improve long term health outcomes in births that require intervention. Novel non-contact electrocardiogram sensors can reduce the time from birth to heart rate reading as well as providing unobtrusive and continuous monitoring during intervention. In this work we report the design and development of a solution to provide high resolution, real time electrocardiogram data to the clinicians within the delivery room using non-contact electric potential sensors embedded in a neonatal intensive care unit mattress. A real-time high-resolution electrocardiogram acquisition solution based on a low power embedded system was developed and textile embedded electrodes were fabricated and characterised. Proof of concept tests were carried out on simulated and human cardiac signals, producing electrocardiograms suitable for the calculation of heart rate having an accuracy within ±1 beat per minute using a test ECG signal, ECG recordings from a human volunteer with a correlation coefficient of ~ 87% proved accurate beat to beat morphology reproduction of the waveform without morphological alterations and a time from application to heart rate display below 6 s. This provides evidence that flexible non-contact textile-based electrodes can be embedded in wearable devices for assisting births through heart rate monitoring and serves as a proof of concept for a complete neonate electrocardiogram monitoring system.

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Four-dimensional modelling of the mitral valve by real-time 3D transoesophageal echocardiography: proof of concept

Interactive Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery ◽

10.1093/icvts/ivu357 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 20 (2) ◽

pp. 200-208 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Thilo Noack ◽

Chirojit Mukherjee ◽

Philipp Kiefer ◽

Fabian Emrich ◽

Marcel Vollroth ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mitral Valve ◽

Real Time ◽

Transoesophageal Echocardiography ◽

Proof Of Concept

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Abstract WP239: Real Time Prospective Measurement of aPTT Predicts Paradoxical Embolism in Cryptogenic Stroke

Stroke ◽

10.1161/str.48.suppl_1.wp239 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 48 (suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Bo Song ◽

Wenjun Deng ◽

Lindsay Fisher ◽

I-ying Chou ◽

Max Oyer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Real Time ◽

Protein C ◽

Cryptogenic Stroke ◽

Protein S ◽

Paradoxical Embolism ◽

Proof Of Concept ◽

Stroke Patients ◽

Neurologic Diseases ◽

Coagulation Testing ◽

Coagulation Status

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is an important underlying source of cryptogenic stroke (CS) associated with hematologic procoagulability. However, the association of genetically identified hyperocagulability and paradoxical embolism has been difficult to establish due to retrospective analysis and the limited numbers of of known genetically identified hypercoagulable conditions. In this study, we explored the utility of conventional coagulation status in PFO related stroke, as the patients may harbor genetically unidentified hyperocoagulable conditions. Method: Eligible pts were prospectively recruited in accordance with IRB, and underwent conventional coagulation testing (PT/PTT) testing within 12 hours of stroke. All patients underwent full cryptogenic workup such as MRI/MRA, mobile cardiac outpatient telemetry (>30 days), cardiac echo, and hypercoagulable testing. Results: We screened 4,831 pts admitted with acute neurologic diseases, and recruited 358 eligible acute ischemic stroke pts. 54 (15.1%) pts had CS and 32 pts had PFO related stroke. While there is no difference between PFO-related CS and PFO-unrelated CS on full hypercaogulable screen (protein S, protein C, FVL, PTGM, ATIII, APLAb, LA, hcy), aPTT was statistically significantly shortened in PFO-related stroke patients (PFO CS vs. non-PFO CS: aPTT 27.2±4.1s vs. 29.9±2.3s). ROC curve indicates early shortened aPTT can predict PFO related stroke (sensitivity 70%, specificity 81.5%, p=0.017) (see Figure). Conclusion: We found real time aPTT to be significantly shortened in patients eventually diagnosed with paradoxical embolism related to PFO. While studies in larger pt cohorts accounting for other potential confounders are underway, this proof-of-concept study demonstrates the importance and utility of early conventional coagulation testing in identifying paradoxical embolism. Pts with shortened aPTT may need additional workup for other underlying hypercoagulable conditions.

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Objective Measures of Physical Distancing in the Hospital During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Journal of Hospital Medicine ◽

10.12788/jhm.3666 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Swetha Tatineni ◽

Nicola M Orlov ◽

Joseph M Riehm ◽

Amarachi Erondu ◽

Christine L Mozer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hand Hygiene ◽

Real Time ◽

Monitoring System ◽

General Medicine ◽

Optimal Level ◽

Objective Measures ◽

Real Time Monitoring

During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals published physical-distancing guidance and created dedicated respiratory isolation units (RIUs) for patients with COVID-19. The degree to which such distancing occurred between clinicians and patients is unknown. In this study, heat sensors from an existing hospital hand-hygiene monitoring system objectively tracked room entries as a proxy for physical distancing in both RIUs and general medicine units before and during the pandemic. The RIUs saw a 60.6% reduction in entries per room per day (from 85.7 to 33.8). General medicine units that cared for patients under investigation for COVID-19 and other patients experienced a 14.7% reduction in entries per room per day (from 76.9 to 65.1). While gradual extinction was observed in both units as COVID-19 cases declined, the RIUs had a higher degree of physical distancing. Although the optimal level of physical distancing is unknown, sustaining physical distancing in the hospital may require re-education and real-time monitoring.

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Establishing a mesh communication backbone for disaster management: proof of concept

Proceedings of THE 9TH INTERNATIONAL DEFENCE AND HOMELAND SECURITY SIMULATION WORKSHOP, DHSS 2019 ◽

10.46354/i3m.2019.dhss.002 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Chamnan Kumsap ◽

Somsarit Sinnung ◽

Suriyawate Boonthalarath

Keyword(s):

Data Management ◽

Real Time ◽

Disaster Management ◽

Database Management System ◽

Proof Of Concept ◽

Incident Command ◽

Response Unit ◽

Disaster Data ◽

Military Unit ◽

Quantitative Statistics

"This article addresses the establishment of a mesh communication backbone to facilitate a near real-time and seamless communications channel for disaster data management at its proof of concept stage. A complete function of the data communications is aimed at the input in near real-time of texts, photos, live HD videos of the incident to originate the disaster data management of a military unit responsible for prevention and solving disaster problems and in need of a communication backbone that links data from a Response Unit to an Incident Command Station. The functions of data flow were tested in lab and at fields. Texts encompassing registered name, latitude, longitude, sent time were sent from concurrent 6 responders. Photos and full HD live videos were successfully sent to a laptop Incident Command Station. However, a disaster database management system was needed to store data sent by the Response Unit. Quantitative statistics were suggested for a more substantial proof of concept and subject to further studies."

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Real-Time Fluoroscopic Needle Guidance Software Application for Cisterna Chyli Puncture in Lymphatic Interventions by the use of Tailored Route: Proof of Concept

CardioVascular and Interventional Radiology ◽

10.1007/s00270-021-03013-x ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Alberto Balderi ◽

Enrico Peano ◽

Simone Bongiovanni ◽

Davide Castiglione

Keyword(s):

Real Time ◽

Proof Of Concept ◽

Needle Guidance ◽

Software Application ◽

Cisterna Chyli

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Composing Questions through Conceptual Authoring

Computational Linguistics ◽

10.1162/coli.2007.33.1.105 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 33 (1) ◽

pp. 105-133 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

Catalina Hallett ◽

Donia Scott ◽

Richard Power

Keyword(s):

Natural Language ◽

Question Answering ◽

Free Text ◽

Risk Averse ◽

Proof Of Concept ◽

Concept System ◽

Complex Queries ◽

Extensive Training ◽

Question Answering Systems ◽

Medical Histories

This article describes a method for composing fluent and complex natural language questions, while avoiding the standard pitfalls of free text queries. The method, based on Conceptual Authoring, is targeted at question-answering systems where reliability and transparency are critical, and where users cannot be expected to undergo extensive training in question composition. This scenario is found in most corporate domains, especially in applications that are risk-averse. We present a proof-of-concept system we have developed: a question-answering interface to a large repository of medical histories in the area of cancer. We show that the method allows users to successfully and reliably compose complex queries with minimal training.

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Ecological mechanisms in cognitive science

Theory & Psychology ◽

10.1177/0959354319877686 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 (5) ◽

pp. 676-696 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Sabrina Golonka ◽

Andrew D. Wilson

Keyword(s):

Simple Model ◽

Circadian Rhythms ◽

Cognitive Science ◽

Real Time ◽

Mechanistic Model ◽

Mechanistic Explanation ◽

Perceptual Information ◽

Proof Of Concept ◽

Time Interaction ◽

Ecological Mechanisms

In 2010, Bechtel and Abrahamsen defined and described what it means to be a dynamic causal mechanistic explanatory model. They discussed the development of a mechanistic explanation of circadian rhythms as an exemplar of the process and challenged cognitive science to follow this example. This article takes on that challenge. A mechanistic model is one that accurately represents the real parts and operations of the mechanism being studied. These real components must be identified by an empirical programme that decomposes the system at the correct scale and localises the components in space and time. Psychological behaviour emerges from the nature of our real-time interaction with our environments—here we show that the correct scale to guide decomposition is picked out by the ecological perceptual information that enables that interaction. As proof of concept, we show that a simple model of coordinated rhythmic movement, grounded in information, is a genuine dynamical mechanistic explanation of many key coordination phenomena.

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