Effect of Denoising in Band Selection for Regression Tasks in Hyperspectral Datasets

This paper presents a comparative analysis of six band selection methods applied to hyperspectral datasets for biophysical variable estimation problems, where the effect of denoising on band selection performance has also been analyzed. In particular, we consider four hyperspectral datasets and three regressors of different nature ("�SVR, Regression Trees, and Kernel Ridge Regression). Results show that the denoising approach improves the band selection quality of all the tested methods. We show that noise filtering is more beneficial for the selection methods that use an estimator based on the whole dataset for the prediction of the output than for methods that use strategies based on local information (neighboring points)

Development and preliminary evaluation of the ArmTracker: a wearable system to monitor arm activity during daily life

Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Resultats de la vigilància epidemiològica de la tos ferina (Catalunya, 2011-2018)

Tos ferina; Vigilància i control; ReemergènciaTos ferina; Vigilancia y control; ReemergenciaPertussis; Vigilance and control; ReemergenceIntroducció. L’objectiu de l’article és descriure els resultats principals de la vigilància de la tos ferina a Catalunya i valorar-ne l’evolució en els darrers anys. Material i mètodes. S’han inclòs les sospites de cas i els casos confirmats notificats al sistema de malalties de declaració obligatòria (MDO) en el període 2011-2018, d’acord amb la definició de cas vigent a Catalunya, un cop feta la validació de la notificació realitzada pels professionals sanitaris a aquest sistema. Resultats. L’any 2011 a Catalunya es va observar una reemergència de la tos ferina, que s’ha mantingut al llarg del període en estudi (2011-2018), encara que des de 2016 s’ha observat una disminució de la incidència de la malaltia. La taxa més alta del període va ser la de l’any 2015, que va assolir el valor de 49,2 per 100.000 habitants. Els menors d’un any van presentar les taxes d’incidència més elevades, que van disminuir en els darrers anys del període. La recomanació de vacunar contra la tos ferina les dones embarassades en el tercer trimestre de la gestació a partir de l’any 2014 va tenir impacte en la incidència de la malaltia en els infants menors d’un any i sobretot en la dels menors de 2 mesos, que va disminuir de manera significativa. L’alt percentatge de casos en infants de 5 a 18 anys als quals s’han administrat 4-5 dosis de vacuna posa de manifest que l’efectivitat de la vacuna acel·lular és menor que la de la vacuna de cèl·lules senceres. Conclusions. El control de la tos ferina actualment és un repte al qual han de fer front els serveis de vigilància epidemiològica i de salut pública.RESUMEN. Introducción. El objetivo de este artículo consiste en describir los principales resultados de la vigilancia de la tos ferina en Cataluña y valorar su evolución en los últimos años. Material y métodos. En este estudio se han incluido las sospechas de caso y los casos confirmados al sistema de enfermedades de declaración obligatoria (EDO) en el periodo 2011-2018, de acuerdo con la definición de caso vigente en Cataluña, una vez validada la notificación realizada por los profesionales sanitarios a este sistema. Resultados. El año 2011 en Cataluña se observó una reemergencia de la tos ferina, que se ha mantenido a lo largo del periodo de estudio (2011-2018), aunque desde 2016 se ha observado una disminución de la incidencia de la enfermedad. La tasa más alta del periodo fue la del año 2015, que registró una tasa de 49,2 por 100.000 habitantes. Los menores de un año presentaron las tasas de incidencia más elevadas, que disminuyeron en los últimos años del periodo. La recomendación de vacunar de tos ferina a las mujeres embarazadas en el tercer trimestre de la gestación a partir del año 2014 tuvo impacto en la incidencia de la enfermedad en los menores de un año y sobretodo en la de los menores de 2 meses, que disminuyó de forma significativa. El alto porcentaje de casos entre niños de 5 a 18 años a los cuales se administraron 4-5 dosis de vacuna pone de manifiesto que la efectividad de la vacuna acelular es menor que la de la vacuna de células enteras. Conclusiones. En la actualidad el control de la tos ferina constituye un reto al cual deben hacer frente los servicios de vigilancia epidemiológica y de salud pública.Background. The objective of this paper is to describe the main results of pertussis surveillance in Catalonia and to assess its evolution in recent years. Material and Methods. According to case definition in Catalonia, suspicious and confirmed cases reported to the Notifiable Disease Reporting System in the period 2011-2018 have been included, after validation of reports made by health professionals has been completed. Results. In 2011, a reemergence of whooping cough was observed in Catalonia, which remained during the period of study (2011-2018), although since 2016 a decrease in incidence has been observed. The highest rate for the period was that of 2015, which reached the value of 49.2 per 100,000 inhabitants. Children under 1 year showed the highest incidence rates, but decreased over the period. The recommendation to vaccinate against pertussis pregnant women in the third trimester of pregnancy, which started in 2014, has impacted on the incidence in children under 1 year and especially in children under 2 months, decreasing significantly. The high percentage of cases in children aged 5-18 years with 4-5 doses of vaccine shows lower effectiveness for acellular vaccine versus the whole cell vaccine. Conclusions. Control of whooping cough is currently a challenge that services epidemiological surveillance and public health have to face

Genome-wide transcriptional profiling of pulmonary functional sequelae in ARDS- secondary to SARS-CoV-2 infection

Background: Up to 80% of patients surviving acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) secondary to SARS-CoV- 2 infection present persistent anomalies in pulmonary function after hospital discharge. There is a limited un-derstanding of the mechanistic pathways linked to post-acute pulmonary sequelae. Aim: To identify the molecular underpinnings associated with severe lung diffusion involvement in survivors of SARS-CoV-2-induced ARDS. Methods: Survivors attended to a complete pulmonary evaluation 3 months after hospital discharge. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed using Illumina technology in whole-blood samples from 50 patients with moderate to severe diffusion impairment (DLCO<60%) and age- and sex-matched individuals with mild-normal lung function (DLCO≥60%). A transcriptomic signature for optimal classification was constructed using random forest. Transcriptomic data were analyzed for biological pathway enrichment, cellular deconvolution, cell/tissue-specific gene expression and candidate drugs. Results: RNA-seq identified 1357 differentially expressed transcripts. A model composed of 14 mRNAs allowed the optimal discrimination of survivors with severe diffusion impairment (AUC=0.979). Hallmarks of lung sequelae involved cell death signaling, cytoskeleton reorganization, cell growth and differentiation and the immune response. Resting natural killer (NK) cells were the most important immune cell subtype for the pre-diction of severe diffusion impairment. Components of the signature correlated with neutrophil, lymphocyte and monocyte counts. A variable expression profile of the transcripts was observed in lung cell subtypes and bodily tissues. One upregulated gene, TUBB4A, constitutes a target for FDA-approved drugs. Conclusions: This work defines the transcriptional programme associated with post-acute pulmonary sequelae and provides novel insights for targeted interventions and biomarker development.MCGH is the recipient of a predoctoral fellowship from the University of Lleida. MM is the recipient of a predoctoral fellowship (PFIS: FI21/00187) from Instituto de Salud Carlos III. AC is supported by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Sara Borrell 2021: CD21/00087). DdGC has received financial support from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Miguel Servet 2020: CP20/00041), co-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) “Investing in your future”. IML is supported by a Miguel Servet contract (CPII20/00029) from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, co-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) “Investing in your future”. CIBERES is an initiative of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III. This work is supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (COV20/00110), co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) “A way to make Europe”. Supported by: Programa de donaciones "estar preparados"; UNESPA (Madrid, Spain) and Fundación Francisco Soria Melguizo (Madrid, Spain). Funded by: La Fundació La Marató de TV3, project with code 202108–30/ 31. COVIDPONENT is funded by the Institut Català de la Salut and Gestió de Serveis Sanitaris. This research was funded in part by a grant (PI19/01805) from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) “A way to build Europe” and by the Fundación Rioja Salu

Impact of time to intubation on mortality and pulmonary sequelae in critically ill patients with COVID-19: a prospective cohort study

Question: We evaluated whether the time between first respiratory support and intubation of patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) due to COVID-19 was associated with mortality or pulmonary sequelae. Materials and methods: Prospective cohort of critical COVID-19 patients on IMV. Patients were classified as early intubation if they were intubated within the first 48 h from the first respiratory support or delayed intubation if they were intubated later. Surviving patients were evaluated after hospital discharge. Results: We included 205 patients (140 with early IMV and 65 with delayed IMV). The median [p25;p75] age was 63 [56.0; 70.0] years, and 74.1% were male. The survival analysis showed a significant increase in the risk of mortality in the delayed group with an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 2.45 (95% CI 1.29-4.65). The continuous predictor time to IMV showed a nonlinear association with the risk of in-hospital mortality. A multivariate mortality model showed that delay of IMV was a factor associated with mortality (HR of 2.40; 95% CI 1.42-4.1). During follow-up, patients in the delayed group showed a worse DLCO (mean difference of - 10.77 (95% CI - 18.40 to - 3.15), with a greater number of affected lobes (+ 1.51 [95% CI 0.89-2.13]) and a greater TSS (+ 4.35 [95% CI 2.41-6.27]) in the chest CT scan. Conclusions: Among critically ill patients with COVID-19 who required IMV, the delay in intubation from the first respiratory support was associated with an increase in hospital mortality and worse pulmonary sequelae during follow-up.The study was supported in part by ISCIII (CIBERESUCICOVID, COV20/00110), co‑funded by ERDF, “Una manera de hacer Europa” and Donation pro‑gram "estar preparados". UNESPA. Madrid. Spain David de Gonzalo Calvo acknowledges receiving financial support from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII); Miguel Servet 2020: CP20/00041), co‑funded by the European Social Fund (ESF), “Investing in your future”. JdB acknowledges receiving financial support from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Miguel Servet 2019: CP19/00108), co‑funded by European Regional European Social Fund (ESF), “Investing in your future

Population-based multicase-control study in common tumors in Spain (MCC-Spain): rationale and study design

Introduction: We present the protocol of a large population-based case-control study of 5 common tumors in Spain (MCC-Spain) that evaluates environmental exposures and genetic factors. Methods: Between 2008-2013, 10,183 persons aged 20-85 years were enrolled in 23 hospitals and primary care centres in 12 Spanish provinces including 1,115 cases of a new diagnosis of prostate cancer, 1,750 of breast cancer, 2,171 of colorectal cancer, 492 of gastro-oesophageal cancer, 554 cases of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and 4,101 population-based controls matched by frequency to cases by age, sex and region of residence. Participation rates ranged from 57% (stomach cancer) to 87% (CLL cases) and from 30% to 77% in controls. Participants completed a face-to-face computerized interview on sociodemographic factors, environmental exposures, occupation, medication, lifestyle, and personal and family medical history. In addition, participants completed a self-administered food-frequency questionnaire and telephone interviews. Blood samples were collected from 76% of participants while saliva samples were collected in CLL cases and participants refusing blood extractions. Clinical information was recorded for cases and paraffin blocks and/or fresh tumor samples are available in most collaborating hospitals. Genotyping was done through an exome array enriched with genetic markers in specific pathways. Multiple analyses are planned to assess the association of environmental, personal and genetic risk factors for each tumor and to identify pleiotropic effects. Discussion: This study, conducted within the Spanish Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology & Public Health (CIBERESP), is a unique initiative to evaluate etiological factors for common cancers and will promote cancer research and prevention in Spain.The study was partially funded by the “Accion Transversal del Cancer”, approved on the Spanish Ministry Council on the 11th October 2007, by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III-FEDER (PI08/1770, PI08/0533, PI08/1359, PS09/00773, PS09/01286, PS09/01903, PS09/02078, PS09/01662, PI11/01403, PI11/01889, PI11/00226, PI11/01810, PI11/02213, PI12/00488, PI12/00265, PI12/01270, PI12/00715, PI12/00150), by the Fundación Marqués de Valdecilla (API 10/09), by the ICGC International Cancer Genome Consortium CLL, by the Junta de Castilla y León (LE22A10-2), by the Consejería de Salud of the Junta de Andalucía (PI-0571), by the Conselleria de Sanitat of the Generalitat Valenciana (AP 061/10), by the Recercaixa (2010ACUP 00310), by the Regional Government of the Basque Country by European Commission grants FOOD-CT- 2006-036224-HIWATE, by the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC) Scientific Foundation, by the The Catalan Government DURSI grant 2009SGR1489

Sección abierta de homenaje a Laura Rubio

Secció oberta d'homenatge a Laura RubioOpen section tribute to Laura RubioSección abierta de homenaje a Laura Rubi