Design and Test of a High QoS Radio Network for CBTC Systems in Subway Tunnels

Communications Based Train Control Systems require high quality radio data communications for train signaling and control. Actually most of these systems use 2.4GHz band with proprietary radio transceivers and leaky feeder as distribution system. All them demand a high QoS radio network to improve the efficiency of railway networks. We present narrow band, broad band and data correlated measurements taken in Madrid underground with a transmission system at 2.4 GHz in a test network of 2 km length in subway tunnels. The architecture proposed has a strong overlap in between cells to improve reliability and QoS. The radio planning of the network is carefully described and modeled with narrow band and broadband measurements and statistics. The result is a network with 99.7% of packets transmitted correctly and average propagation delay of 20ms. These results fulfill the specifications QoS of CBTC systems

Virtual Teaching Approach for the Analysis and Planning of Wireless Communications Systems

One of the most important aspects in the field of engineering education is practical training. Very clear examples of this are the laboratories for training in design, development and measurement of electronic systems. However, in other areas of engineering, as for example in the case of communications, where the main objective is the systems analysis and planning, analytical solutions, if is possible, either to the simulation through approaches and algorithms are typically used. We have developed a set of tools for improving the knowledge and skills in wireless communications systems planning, for students of telecommunications engineering of the “Universidad Politécnica de Madrid”. These tools are of relatively simple use, and they are designed with the intention of a gradual process in learning through the establishment of various educational objective levels. In this paper are presented some of these tools developed and also there is realized an analysis of student assessment in the use of such solutions

ECTS and Methodological Experiences in Telecommunications Systems Engineering for the Adjustment to European Space for Higher Education

In this paper we present a summary of the actions in educational innovation perform in the subjects of 3th year of Technical Engineering in Telecommunication Systems, as well as the results and conclusions obtained. These activities has been carry out in the frame of a Educational Innovation Project granted by the “Universidad Politécnica de Madrid” in the process in implementing the European Higher Education Area, and to improve the education quality. The main activities and developed materials are around the organization and coordination of the subjects, and on the utilization of methodologies and educational tools centred on the learning. Besides the academic results and the comparison with other subjects there will be included the opinions of pupils and teachers

Escala ABCD-10 como predictor de mortalidad en niños con farmacodermias graves. Reporte de caso

Antecedentes: Las farmacodermias graves se asocian con alta morbilidad y mortalidad. La insuficiencia renal crónica relacionada con diálisis es uno de los principales factores asociados con mortalidad.  Reporte de caso: Paciente pediátrico masculino de 2 años, con antecedente de insuficiencia renal crónica (en tratamiento con diálisis peritoneal) y síndrome de Lennox-Gastaut, que ingresó al hospital por peritonitis aguda y evolucion a síndrome de Stevens-Johnson-necrólisis epidérmica tóxica, debido a la administración de fenitoína. Recibió tratamiento con inmunoglobulina y corticosteroide sistémico sin mejoría; se agregó choque séptico y posteriormente falleció. Conclusiones: La escala ABCD-10 versus SCORTEN es más efectiva para predecir la mortalidad por antecedente de diálisis. En niños con farmacodermias graves no existen escalas predictoras de mortalidad validadas. Las futuras iniciativas deben buscar factores de riesgo de mortalidad en niños con farmacodermias graves para la creación de una escala predictora de mortalidad. Palabras clave: Síndrome Stevens-Johnson; necrólisis epidérmica tóxica; diálisis; mortalidad; escala ABCD-10; niños

Presentación del monográfico X Congreso Internacional de Evaluación Formativa y Compartida – “Buenas prácticas docentes”

P. 1-3Presentación del monográfico X Congreso Internacional de Evaluación Formativa y Compartida – “Buenas prácticas docentes”, celebrado en la Universidad de León los días 3 y 4 de julio de 2017S

Evaluación formativa entre pares. Experiencias en todos los niveles universitarios

[ES] El objetivo de este trabajo es describir tres tipos de experiencia de evaluación entre pares diseñados con el fin de mejorar no solo el aprendizaje de las materias, sino también las competencias profesionales tanto de evaluados como de evaluadores. Otro de los fines fue estimular la reflexión de los docentes implicados para que, tras un debate sobre las ventajas e inconvenientes del proceso, generasen protocolos y repertorios de buenas prácticas transferibles entre asignaturas y campos de conocimiento. El primer tipo de experiencia, llevada a cabo entre estudiantes en grupos pequeños o medianos en once asignaturas de grado y máster, consistió en la evaluación de trabajos en grupo escritos y/o de sus exposiciones orales. La segunda, realizada entre pares de alumnos en gran grupo, se centró en pruebas “clásicas” escritas utilizadas como parte de la evaluación formativa de una asignatura. Por último, en la tercera experiencia profesores expertos evaluaron la actuación docente de sus pares noveles. Tras concluir las fases de preparación, evaluación y recogida de resultados de las mismas, y a falta del análisis final de los datos de las encuestas de satisfacción y el rendimiento académico, podemos decir que los resultados parecen prometedores: se ha producido un aumento de la motivación y la familiarización con instrumentos de evaluación como las escalas de valoración. Los participantes parecen haber mejorado también sus competencias comunicativas, su capacidad reflexiva y “habilidades blandas” (soft skills) como la capacidad crítica y la colaboración, además de avanzar en su autonomía personal y profesional. Como conclusión, podemos decir que este es un paso adelante en la búsqueda de experiencias de evaluación eficaces desde el punto de vista formativo, sostenibles para el sistema universitario, el docente y la asignatura, y transferibles entre asignaturas de todos los niveles educativos

Correction : Chaparro et al. Incidence, Clinical Characteristics and Management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Spain: Large-Scale Epidemiological Study. J. Clin. Med. 2021, 10, 2885

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...]

Incidence, Clinical Characteristics and Management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Spain : Large-Scale Epidemiological Study

(1) Aims: To assess the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Spain, to describe the main epidemiological and clinical characteristics at diagnosis and the evolution of the disease, and to explore the use of drug treatments. (2) Methods: Prospective, population-based nationwide registry. Adult patients diagnosed with IBD-Crohn's disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC) or IBD unclassified (IBD-U)-during 2017 in Spain were included and were followed-up for 1 year. (3) Results: We identified 3611 incident cases of IBD diagnosed during 2017 in 108 hospitals covering over 22 million inhabitants. The overall incidence (cases/100,000 person-years) was 16 for IBD, 7.5 for CD, 8 for UC, and 0.5 for IBD-U; 53% of patients were male and median age was 43 years (interquartile range = 31-56 years). During a median 12-month follow-up, 34% of patients were treated with systemic steroids, 25% with immunomodulators, 15% with biologics and 5.6% underwent surgery. The percentage of patients under these treatments was significantly higher in CD than UC and IBD-U. Use of systemic steroids and biologics was significantly higher in hospitals with high resources. In total, 28% of patients were hospitalized (35% CD and 22% UC patients, p < 0.01). (4) Conclusion: The incidence of IBD in Spain is rather high and similar to that reported in Northern Europe. IBD patients require substantial therapeutic resources, which are greater in CD and in hospitals with high resources, and much higher than previously reported. One third of patients are hospitalized in the first year after diagnosis and a relevant proportion undergo surgery

Healthcare workers hospitalized due to COVID-19 have no higher risk of death than general population. Data from the Spanish SEMI-COVID-19 Registry

Aim To determine whether healthcare workers (HCW) hospitalized in Spain due to COVID-19 have a worse prognosis than non-healthcare workers (NHCW). Methods Observational cohort study based on the SEMI-COVID-19 Registry, a nationwide registry that collects sociodemographic, clinical, laboratory, and treatment data on patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in Spain. Patients aged 20-65 years were selected. A multivariate logistic regression model was performed to identify factors associated with mortality. Results As of 22 May 2020, 4393 patients were included, of whom 419 (9.5%) were HCW. Median (interquartile range) age of HCW was 52 (15) years and 62.4% were women. Prevalence of comorbidities and severe radiological findings upon admission were less frequent in HCW. There were no difference in need of respiratory support and admission to intensive care unit, but occurrence of sepsis and in-hospital mortality was lower in HCW (1.7% vs. 3.9%; p = 0.024 and 0.7% vs. 4.8%; p<0.001 respectively). Age, male sex and comorbidity, were independently associated with higher in-hospital mortality and healthcare working with lower mortality (OR 0.211, 95%CI 0.067-0.667, p = 0.008). 30-days survival was higher in HCW (0.968 vs. 0.851 p<0.001). Conclusions Hospitalized COVID-19 HCW had fewer comorbidities and a better prognosis than NHCW. Our results suggest that professional exposure to COVID-19 in HCW does not carry more clinical severity nor mortality

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality