Thermopower scaling in conducting polymers.

By directly converting heat into electricity, thermoelectric effects provide a unique physical process from heat waste to energy harvesting. Requiring the highest possible power factor defined as ασ, with the thermopower α and the electrical conductivity σ, such a technology necessitates the best knowledge of transport phenomena in order to be able to control and optimize both α and σ. While conducting polymers have already demonstrated their great potentiality with enhanced thermoelectric performance, the full understanding of the transport mechanisms in these compounds is still lacking.

Prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension in Macau: results from a cross-sectional epidemiological study in Macau, China.

Background: Awareness of hypertension, as well as its prevalence, treatment, and control status, has not been comprehensively investigated in Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR), China.

Methods: A survey was conducted on a randomly sampled population of 1,410 participants (n = 638 men) aged 18-93 years in 2012. Blood pressure was individually measured twice.

Modifiable risk factors including sunlight exposure and fish consumption are associated with risk of hypertension in a large representative population from Macau.

Chinese populations are known to be at risk for vitamin D deficiency, with some evidence that this is due to lack of exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D deficiency and/or low sun exposure have been associated with higher incidence of hypertension in Caucasians. Thus, we investigated these associations in a Chinese population with a high rate of hypertension.

The correlations of work conditions with unhealthy lifestyles and occupational health problems of casino croupiers in Macau.

The Macau economy and employment of residents rely heavily on the gaming industry. It is important that the working conditions in casinos are not harmful to the health of the casino employees. This study examines the correlations between work conditions, unhealthy lifestyles and occupational health problems amongst casino croupiers in Macau.

[Percutaneous tenorrhaphy for Achilles tendon rupture. Study of 29 cases].

Purpose Of The Study: Closed percutaneous repair, described first by Ma and Griffith in 1977, have bridged the gap between surgical and conservative treatment of Achilles tendon rupture. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of percutaneous repair.

Material And Methods: Between 1994 and 1996, 28 patients (18 male, 10 female) with 29 spontaneous ruptures of the Achilles tendon (one bilateral case) underwent percutaneous repair based on approximation and bringing closer both ends of the ruptured tendon using a subcutaneous suture.