Studien undersöker känslomässiga reaktioner vid kooperativt spelande, vilka som är gemensamma för båda spelarna och hur de påverkas av hur svårt spelet är. Arbetet utgick från studier av spelares emotionella reaktioner på spel och teorierna om Flow. Spelet Sanctum användes i en serie tester där mätningar utfördes på två spelare med hjälp av rapportformulär, pulsmätare och hjärna-till-datorgränssnittet Emotiv EPOC. Studien fann att spelarna ibland upplevde samma känslor när de spelade tillsammans och att den ökade svårighetsgradens huvudsakliga effekt var att förändringarna i känslorna blev skarpare och större. Det tycktes huvudsakligen vara motgångar som splittrade spelarnas upplevelser. Resultaten ansågs tyda på att Flow är det optimala tillståndet för känslorna att växa i, och att ohanterbara situationer desynkroniserar dem. Undersökningen omfattade tio personer och åtta tester.

The main goal of this paper is to test the applicability of the device for neural computer control on a group of ten volunteers. In the next part of the paper author focuses on Electroencephalography and the conversion of analog neural signals from brain to digital form. Next chapter describes currently on the market available devices, which allow customers direct computer controlling with the usage of bio signal from brain. The device selected for the purposes of this paper (Emotiv Epoc) is more described in detail. The last goal is an attempt to predict the future development of this technology. The paper demonstrates applicability of this device in its current form for everyday work with Microsoft Project and presents users who are able to learn to control a computer with this device in just 980 minutes of training.

The feasibility of highly dispersed gold nanocatalyst supported on yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) for the model reactions of C2H4 and CO oxidation is demonstrated for the first time. Gold nanoparticles are synthesized on YSZ powder by chemical reduction of the precursor salt in the mixture of ethanol, water and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). Resulting metal loading of the catalysts are 1 wt.% with average particle sizes ranging from 6 to 9 nm. Results of CO and C2H4 oxidation display catalytic activity at 65 0C and 25 0C for CO and C2H4 oxidation, respectively. The catalytic properties of the catalysts are different due to their average particle size. Electrochemical Promotion of Catalysis (EPOC) of C2H4 oxidation is demonstrated. Application of constant potential difference between two electrodes in the bipolar electrochemical cell led to increase in C2H4 conversion. A proposed mechanism explains the bipolar EPOC phenomenon through formation of O2- flux across the electrochemical cell, resulting in the change of Work Function of gold nanoparticles placed in between the electrodes and is electronically isolated.

The feasibility of highly dispersed gold nanocatalyst supported on yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) for the model reactions of C2H4 and CO oxidation is demonstrated for the first time. Gold nanoparticles are synthesized on YSZ powder by chemical reduction of the precursor salt in the mixture of ethanol, water and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). Resulting metal loading of the catalysts are 1 wt.% with average particle sizes ranging from 6 to 9 nm. Results of CO and C2H4 oxidation display catalytic activity at 65 0C and 25 0C for CO and C2H4 oxidation, respectively. The catalytic properties of the catalysts are different due to their average particle size. Electrochemical Promotion of Catalysis (EPOC) of C2H4 oxidation is demonstrated. Application of constant potential difference between two electrodes in the bipolar electrochemical cell led to increase in C2H4 conversion. A proposed mechanism explains the bipolar EPOC phenomenon through formation of O2- flux across the electrochemical cell, resulting in the change of Work Function of gold nanoparticles placed in between the electrodes and is electronically isolated.

Los pacientes con Enfermedad Pulmonar Obstructiva Crónica (EPOC) grave están sometidos a cargas respiratorias crónicas, que inducen cambios en la configuración normal del tórax. La hiperinsuflación pulmonar es la consecuencia más importante del incremento de la resistencias en dichos enfermos. Además, la hiperinsuflación pulmonar puede conducir a daño muscular y consiguiente remodelación. Estas alteraciones estructurales son características de la adaptación que sufren los músculos respiratorios para contrarestar los efectos deletéreos del exceso de cargas respiratorias. De hecho, el principal objetivo de este mecanismo de adaptación es mantener los gases arteriales dentro de la normalidad. En este estudio se ha utilizado un modelo animal. Se aplicaron cargas resistivas inspiratorias intermitentes de moderada intensidad (IRLs) a perros Beagle durante un período de tiempo relativamente prolongado para reproducir pacientes con EPOC. OBJETIVOS: 1) Evaluar la presencia de daño en los músculos respiratorios inducido por IRLs en el músculo intercostal externo, diafragma y un músculo control (vasto interno); 2) Investigar los cambios estructurales (distribución de fibras, proporciones de las diferentes isoformas de miosina de cadena pesada (MyHC) y tamaño de las fibras) inducido por la administración de IRLs; 3) Analizar la expresión de citocinas inflamatorias (TNF_) y no inflamatorias (IL10) en dichos músculos. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: A todos los animales se les realizó traqueostomía. A los animales del grupo estudio se les aplicó cargas respiratorias equivalentes al 15% de su presión inspiratoria máxima (PIM): 2h/día durante 15 días consecutivos. Los animales del grupo control respiraron sólo a través de la traqueostomía. Se obtuvieron biopsias musculares del diafragma, intercostal externo y vasto interno antes y después de la aplicación de IRLs. El daño muscular se evaluó mediante la técnica de inmunohistoquímica que detectó la presencia de fibronectina intracelular. La distribución de las fibras y su morfometría se analizaron por inmunohistoquímica mediante anticuerpos específicos para MyHC I y II. La técnica de ELISA permitió la semicuantificación de las isoformas de MyHC mediante la utilización de los mismos anticuerpos. La expresión de las citocinas se estudió por RT-PCR. RESULTADOS: La aplicación de IRLs en los amimales del grupo estudio indujo: 1) Un incremento de daño fibrilar en todos los músculos; 2) Respecto a los cambios estructurales, no se observó ninguna modificación en el diafragma. Por el contrario, se observó un incremento de la fibras tipo II en el intercostal externo y una disminución de la cantidad de MyHC I, sin ningún cambio en los diámetros de las fibras. En el músculo vasto interno se observó una pérdida de ambas isoformas de MyHC, y una reducción en los diámetros de ambos tipos de fibras; 3) Se observó un incremento en la expresión de IL10 en el diafragma y en el intercostal externo, sin detectarse un incremento significativo en el músculo periférico (P=0,06). No se observó ningún cambio en la expresión de TNF_ en ninguno de los músculos estudiados. Los resultados obtenidos en el grupo control fueron: 1) Ausencia de daño de membrana en todos los músculos; 2) Ausencia de cambios estructurales; 3) Se detectó un incremento de la expresión de TNF_ en todos los músculos estudiados, sin observarse cambios en la expresión de IL10. CONCLUSIONES: Nuestros resultados sugieren que la actividad muscular es un factor importante en la preservación y remodelación del músculo esquelético mediante mecanismos que implican la expresión de mediadores no inflamatorios tales como la IL10. / BACKGROUND: Patients with severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) are subjected to chronic respiratory loads, which induce changes in the normal anatomy of the thorax. Pulmonary hyperinflation is the major consequence of the increase in the respiratory resistances observed in patients with COPD. Furthermore, pulmonary hyperinflation may ultimately lead to respiratory muscle damage and consequent remodelling. These structural alterations are characteristic of the adaptation which suffer the respiratoy muscles to counteract the deleterious effects of the chronic respiratory loads superimposed. Indeed, the main goal of this adaptation mechanism is to keep arterial blood gases within adequate limits. In the present study an animal model has been used. Intermittent resistive inspiratory loads (IRLs) of moderate intensity were applied to Beagle dogs during a relatively prolonged period of time in order to mimic patients with COPD. OBJECTIVES: 1) To evaluate the presence of respiratory muscle damage induced by the IRLs in both inspiratory (external intercostal and diaphragm) and control (vastus medialis) muscles; 2) To investigate the structural changes (fiber type distribution, proportion of the differents MyHC isoforms, and fiber size) induced by the IRLs in these muscles; and 3) To analyse the expression of inflammatory (TNF_) and non-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines in these muscles. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All animals were subjected to tracheostomy. In the study group, the animals were exposed to respiratory loads whose values were 15% of the maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP), and they were applied 2h/day for 15 days. In the control group animals were not exposed to any respiratory load, but tracheostomy. Muscle biopsies from the diaphragm, external intercostal and vastus medialis were obtained before and after the application of IRLs. Muscle damage was evaluated by using specific immunohistochemistry (IHQ) analyses which detect the presence of intracellular fibronectin (membrane damage). Fiber type distribution and fiber morphometry were also examined by IHQ analyses using specific antibodies for MyHC-I and -II isoforms. Enzyme-linked Immunoassay analysis (ELISA) techniques were conducted to semi-quantify the MyHC isoforms using the same antibodies. Cytokine expressions were analysed by RT-PCR. RESULTS: The application of IRLs to the study group of dogs induced: 1) A significant increase of damaged fibers in all muscles studied; 2) Regarding structural changes, no significant changes were observed in the diaphragm. External intercostal muscles showed an increase of type II fibers and a decrease in the amount of MyHC-I isoform without any changes in the fiber diameters. The vastus medialis showed a loss of both MyHC isoforms, and a reduction of both fiber type diameters; 3) There was a significant increase of IL-10 expression in both the diaphragm and the external intercostal muscles, with no significant increase in the peripheral muscle (p=0,06). No changes of TNF_ expression were detected in any of the muscles studied. The findings in the control group were: 1) Absence of membrane damage in all muscles studied; 2) Absence of fiber structural changes; and 3) A significant increase of TNF__expression in all muscles studied with no change in IL-10 expression. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that muscular activity plays an important role in skeletal muscle preservation and remodelling through a mechanism that involves, among others, the expression of anti-inflammatory mediators such as IL-10.

The feasibility of highly dispersed gold nanocatalyst supported on yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) for the model reactions of C2H4 and CO oxidation is demonstrated for the first time. Gold nanoparticles are synthesized on YSZ powder by chemical reduction of the precursor salt in the mixture of ethanol, water and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). Resulting metal loading of the catalysts are 1 wt.% with average particle sizes ranging from 6 to 9 nm. Results of CO and C2H4 oxidation display catalytic activity at 65 0C and 25 0C for CO and C2H4 oxidation, respectively. The catalytic properties of the catalysts are different due to their average particle size. Electrochemical Promotion of Catalysis (EPOC) of C2H4 oxidation is demonstrated. Application of constant potential difference between two electrodes in the bipolar electrochemical cell led to increase in C2H4 conversion. A proposed mechanism explains the bipolar EPOC phenomenon through formation of O2- flux across the electrochemical cell, resulting in the change of Work Function of gold nanoparticles placed in between the electrodes and is electronically isolated.

Las exacerbaciones graves de la EPOC son causa frecuente de hospitalizaciones no planeadas en pacientes con enfermedad avanzada. Este fenómeno se amplifica por factores como la existencia de co-morbilidades y el insuficiente soporte social que frecuentemente presentan estos pacientes. Los reingresos repetidos por exacerbaciones de la EPOC tienen efectos deletéreos sobre la calidad de vida de los pacientes, el progreso de la enfermedad y la mortalidad. El elevado grado de fragmentación de los sistemas sanitarios dificulta el desarrollo de políticas de prevención de eventos agudos adecuadas para los pacientes con enfermedades crónicas. Esta realidad plantea la necesidad de desarrollar un nuevo paradigma de la atención sanitaria basado en el desarrollo de servicios innovadores de atención integrada destinados a pacientes crónicos. La hipótesis central de la tesis plantea que un modelo de atención integrada, de carácter distributivo, centrado en el paciente, puede generar mejores resultados clínicos que la atención convencional, contribuir a la mejora del estilo de vida, adherencia al tratamiento de los pacientes y contribuir a la contención de costes, durante un programa de hospitalización domiciliaria y prevención de hospitalizaciones por exacerbaciones de EPOC. Las tecnologías de la información y comunicación (TIC) son esenciales para facilitar la accesibilidad a pacientes y profesionales y constituyen un elemento básico para compartir la información en un modelo sanitario de carácter distributivo.El estudio de hospitalización domiciliaria fue el primero en demostrar que la atención integrada fue coste-eficaz al alcanzar los objetivos esperados: a) un menor número de visitas a urgencias, b) mejor calidad de vida; c) cambios en el estilo de vida y mejor gestión de la enfermedad; y d) reducción de costes directos fundamentalmente relacionados con una disminución de los días de hospitalización. El estudio de prevención de hospitalizaciones demostró que la atención integrada alcanzó los objetivos esperados: a) una menor tasa de hospitalizaciones durante el período de seguimiento, comparado con el cuidado convencional, y b) un mejor conocimiento de la enfermedad y adherencia al tratamiento. Fue el primer estudio, que demostró en pacientes con EPOC, la eficacia de una intervención basada en la articulación de los recursos existentes entre la atención primaria y el hospital a través de una plataforma TIC. Asimismo, los resultados sugieren que empoderar al paciente en el autocontrol de la enfermedad puede generar cambios conductuales que disminuyan el riesgo de hospitalización por exacerbación. Los desarrollos futuros exigirán una adecuada estandarización de las intervenciones y la evaluación continuada de los resultados en un proceso de retro-alimentación. También se objetiva la necesidad de una adecuada estratificación de los grupos de pacientes diana de acuerdo a la gravedad y a otros factores que influyan en el pronóstico del paciente, como podrían ser las co-morbilidades. En definitiva, las propuestas de futuro deben incorporar una visión holística de la atención integrada, que incluya estrategias de atención a pacientes en fases iníciales de las enfermedades crónicas con el objetivo de modular el curso de las mismas y atenuar su impacto sobre el sistema sanitario. / Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who show repeated emergency room (ER) consultations and/or hospital admissions due to exacerbations present a rapid progress of the disease severity with deterioration of health related quality of life (HRQL) and poor survival. Consequently, prevention of exacerbations constitutes an important end-point in COPD management. However, despite these undeniable progresses in the management of COPD, we are still confronted with a poor understanding of the underlying factors favouring "frequent hospitalisations" in frail patients.Current health care systems are essentially oriented to acute illnesses because it focuses more on physician's treatment rather than in patient's active role in the self-management of his or her disease. Healthcare systems will evolve by moving toward a model of care that can better address chronic conditions. The Chronic Care model defines new relationships between patients and professionals, and promotes re-engineering of the roles of healthcare professionals within and between levels of care. Because information sharing is a pivotal aspect of this model of care, we hypothesize that information technologies (IT) will become an essential component for a successful deployment of the new modalities of healthcare. The home hospitalization study, generated better outcomes than conventional care which included: 1) lower in-patient hospitalization rates; 2) lower rate of short-term relapses requiring ER admissions; 3) clinically relevant improvement in health related quality of life, as assessed by the Saint George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ);4) higher degree of patient's satisfaction; and, 5) an important positive impact on knowledge of the disease and on patient self-management of the chronic condition. The average overall costs per home hospitalization patient were substantially lower than in conventional care essentially due to less days of in-patient hospitalization. The prevention of unplanned hospitalizations study, confirmed that the intervention group was effective on prevent unexpected hospitalisations after one-year follow-up. Integration of health care delivery across systems aiming to provide a continuum of care to target populations of patients with severe chronic diseases seems to be the emerging model most suitable to provide effective and efficient health care services.

Submitted by Automa??o e Estat?stica (sst@bczm.ufrn.br) on 2017-10-02T22:27:19Z No. of bitstreams: 1 GabrielAlvesVasiljevicMendes_DISSERT.pdf: 3791566 bytes, checksum: e847396390a6b6ca2128eefd4423f561 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Arlan Eloi Leite Silva (eloihistoriador@yahoo.com.br) on 2017-10-06T23:26:09Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 GabrielAlvesVasiljevicMendes_DISSERT.pdf: 3791566 bytes, checksum: e847396390a6b6ca2128eefd4423f561 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-10-06T23:26:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 GabrielAlvesVasiljevicMendes_DISSERT.pdf: 3791566 bytes, checksum: e847396390a6b6ca2128eefd4423f561 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-07-31 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient?fico e Tecnol?gico (CNPq) / Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are specialized systems that allow users to control a computer or a machine using their brain waves. BCI systems allow patients with severe physical impairments, such as those suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, cerebral palsy and locked-in syndrome, to communicate and regain physical movements with the help of specialized equipment. With the development of BCI technology in the second half of the 20th century and the advent of consumer-grade BCI devices in the late 2000s, brain-controlled systems started to find applications not only in the medical field, but in areas such as entertainment. One particular area that is gaining more evidence due to the arrival of consumer-grade devices is the field of computer games, which has become increasingly popular in BCI research as it allows for more user-friendly applications of BCI technology in both healthy and unhealthy users. However, numerous challenges are yet to be overcome in order to advance in this field, as the origins and mechanics of the brain waves and how they are affected by external stimuli are not yet fully understood. In this sense, a systematic literature review of BCI games based on consumer-grade technology was performed. Based on its results, two BCI games, one using attention and the other using meditation as control signals, were developed in order to investigate key aspects of player interaction: the influence of graphical elements on attention and control; the influence of auditory stimuli on meditation and work load; and the differences both in performance and multiplayer game experience, all in the context of neurofeedback-based BCI games.

Context: Patients with diseases such as locked in syndrome or motor neuron are paralyzed and they need special care. To reduce the cost of their care, systems need to be designed where human involvement is minimal and affected people can perform their daily life activities independently. To assess the feasibility and robustness of combinations of input modalities, mobile robot (Spinosaurus) navigation is controlled by a combination of Eye gaze tracking and other input modalities. Objectives: Our aim is to control the robot using EEG brain signals and eye gaze tracking simultaneously. Different combinations of input modalities are used to control the robot and turret movement and then we find out which combination of control technique mapped to control command is most effective. Methods: The method includes developing the interface and control software. An experiment involving 15 participants was conducted to evaluate control of the mobile robot using a combination of eye tracker and other input modalities. Subjects were required to drive the mobile robot from a starting point to a goal along a pre-defined path. At the end of experiment, a sense of presence questionnaire was distributed among the participants to take their feedback. A qualitative pilot study was performed to find out how a low cost commercial EEG headset, the Emotiv EPOCTM, can be used for motion control of a mobile robot at the end. Results: Our study results showed that the Mouse/Keyboard combination was the most effective for controlling the robot motion and turret mounted camera respectively. In experimental evaluation, the Keyboard/Eye Tracker combination improved the performance by 9%. 86% of participants found that turret mounted camera was useful and provided great assistance in robot navigation. Our qualitative pilot study of the Emotiv EPOCTM demonstrated different ways to train the headset for different actions. Conclusions: In this study, we concluded that different combinations of control techniques could be used to control the devices e.g. a mobile robot or a powered wheelchair. Gaze-based control was found to be comparable with the use of a mouse and keyboard; EEG-based control was found to need a lot of training time and was difficult to train. Our pilot study suggested that using facial expressions to train the Emotiv EPOCTM was an efficient and effective way to train it.

Emotiv EPOC is a low-cost consumer headset capable of acquiring a raw EEG signal. The thesis evaluates its usage for an acquisition of research event-related potentials. A controlled laboratory experiment was performed with an objective of isolating the Bereitschaftspotential (Readiness Potential) and other movement-related potentials and comparing the results with the results of the previous research. The possibility of measuring the potential with Emotiv EPOC was not confirmed, most probably due to procedural issues during the experiment, however, further analysis of the data suggests its presence. Other outcomes of the research include qualitative findings about the headset, mainly its hardware construction, and testing feedback of EEGLab, an open source toolbox for EEG processing and visualization.