Browsing by Author "Marques, Alda"
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- Automatic quality assessment of a forced expiratory manoeuvre acquired with the tablet microphonePublication . Almeida, Rute; Bernardo, Pinho; Jácome, Cristina; Teixeira, João Fonseca; Amaral, Rita; Gonçalves, Ivânia; Lopes, Filipa; Pinheiro, Ana Catarina; Jacinto, Tiago; Paixão, Cátia; Pereira, Mariana; Marques, Alda; Fonseca, João AlmeidaEvaluation of lung function is central to the management of chronic obstructive respiratory diseases. It is typically evaluated with a spirometer by a specialized health professional, who ensures the correct execution of a forced expiratory manoeuvre (FEM). Audio recording of a FEM using a smart device embedded microphone can be used to self-monitor lung function between clinical visits. The challenge of microphone spirometry is to ensure the validity and reliability of the FEM, in the absence of a health professional. In particular, the absence of a mouthpiece may allow excessive mouth closure, leading to an incorrect manoeuvre. In this work, a strategy to automatically assess the correct execution of the FEM is proposed and validated. Using 498 FEM recordings, both specificity and sensitivity attained were above 90%. This method provides immediate feedback to the user, by grading the manoeuvre in a visual scale, promoting the repetition of the FEM when needed.
- Comfort and functionality of pregnant women's feet study of kinetic parameters with silicon insolesPublication . Marques, Alda; Gonçalves, Pedro; Santos, Rubim; Vilas Boas, JoãoAs gestantes, fruto das suas alterações fisiológicas e biomecânicas, constituem uma população de risco relativamente a dores ou lesões do sistema músculo-esquelético, nomeadamente, nos membros inferiores e coluna. Os objectivos deste estudo consistiram em avaliar: (i) a dor e o conforto dos pés durante a marcha: sem o uso de qualquer palmilha nas gestantes e no grupo de controlo; com a aplicação de uma palmilha de retropé e com a aplicação de uma palmilha completa (nas gestantes); (ii) a distribuição das pressões plantares e, (iii) as forças de reacção do solo nas mesmas condições experimentais. Avaliámos ainda a duração das diferentes fases do ciclo de marcha nas gestantes, com e sem palmilhas, e no grupo de controlo, sem o uso de palmilha. Os nossos resultados mostraram que: (i) as gestantes demoram mais tempo a completar a fase de apoio da marcha, (ii) têm um aumento significativo de dores nos pés, face ao grupo de controlo, (iii) as gestantes sentem menos dor e mais conforto quando realizam marcha, com palmilhas, especialmente com a palmilha completa, (iv) a palmilha completa redistribui as forças, diminui os valores de pressão e aumenta a área de contacto do pé com o solo. Os nossos resultados sugerem que, o uso da palmilha completa de silicone, durante a marcha, pode ser eficaz na melhoria da sintomatologia dolorosa e no aumento do conforto da grávida.
- Comparative analysis of the ground reaction forces, during the support phase, in a group of pregnant women on their 3rd trimester of pregnancy and in a group of not pregnant womenPublication . Santos, Rubim; Gil, Belandina; Marques, Alda; Vilas Boas, João; Silva, JoséTo analyze and compare the Ground Reaction Forces (GRF), during the stance phase of walking in pregnant women in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy, and non pregnant women. 20 women, 10 pregnant and 10 non pregnant, voluntarily took part in this study. GRF were measured (1000 Hz) using a force platform (BERTEC 4060-15), an amplifier (BERTEC AM 6300) and an analogical-digital converter of 16 Bits (Biopac). The study showed that there were significant differences among the two groups concerning absolute values of time of the stance phase. In what concerns to the normalized values the most significant differences were verified in the maximums values of vertical force (Fz3, Fz1) and in the impulse of the antero-posterior force (Fy2), taxes of growth of the vertical force, and in the period of time for the antero-posterior force (Fy) be null. It is easier for the pregnant to continue forward movement (push-off phase). O smaller growth rates in what concerns to the maximum of the vertical force (Fz1) for the pregnant, can be associated with a slower speed of gait, as an adaptation strategy to maintain the balance, to compensate the alterations in the position of her center of gravity due to the load increase. The data related to the antero-posterior component of the force (Fy), shows that there is a significant difference between the pregnant woman’s left foot and right foot, which accuses a different functional behavior in each one of the feet, during the propulsion phase (TS).
- Computerized respiratory sound analysis in people with dementia: a first-step towards diagnosis and monitoring of respiratory conditionsPublication . Rocha, Vânia; Melo, Cristina; Marques, AldaComputerized respiratory sound analysis has been shown to be an objective and reliable way to assess respiratory diseases. However, its application in non-collaborative populations, such as people with dementia, is still unknown. Therefore this study aimed to characterize normal and adventitious respiratory sounds (NRS; ARS) in older people with and without dementia. A cross-sectional study including two groups of 30 subjects with dementia and 30 subjects without dementia was performed. Digital auscultation was used to record NRS and ARS per breathing-phase (inspiration/expiration) at trachea and thorax. Frequency at percentiles 25, 50 and 75, frequency at maximum-intensity, maximum-intensity (I max) and mean-intensity (I mean) characterized NRS. Crackle number, frequency, initial-deflection-width, 2cycle-duration, and largest-deflection-width and wheeze number, frequency and occupation-rate characterized ARS. Groups were similar in socio-demographics, except for anthropometrics. No significant differences were found between groups in NRS frequency or ARS at trachea or thorax. Significant lower I max (inspiration: 36.88(29.42;39.92) versus 39.84(36.50;44.17) p = 0.007; expiration: 34.51(32.06;38.87) versus 42.33(36.92;44.98) p < 0.001) and I mean (inspiration: 15.23(12.08;18.60) versus 18.93(15.64;21.82) p = 0.003 and expiration: 14.57(12.08;18.30) versus 18.87(15.64;21.44) p = 0.001) at trachea and higher I mean (inspiration: 17.29(16.04;19.31) versus 16.45(15.05; 18.79) p = 0.005 and expiration: 16.71(15.31;18.56) versus 16.38(14.40;17.85) p = 0.011) at thorax were found in subjects with dementia when compared with subjects without dementia. To conclude, people with and without dementia had similar NRS and ARS characteristics, except for NRS intensity. Computerized respiratory sound analysis was feasible in a non-collaborative population. Further research is needed to enhance the use of respiratory acoustics in non-collaborative populations, with strong potential to be applied in different settings for diagnosis and monitoring purposes.