Pavement crack detection and clustering via region-growing algorithm from 3D MLS point clouds

Road condition monitoring plays a critical role in transportation infrastructure maintenance and traffic safety assurance. This research introduces a methodology to detect cracks on pavement point clouds acquired with Mobile Laser Scanning systems, which offer more versatility and comprehensive information about the road environment than other specific surveying systems (i.e., profilometers, 3D cameras). The methodology comprises the following steps: (1) Road segmentation; (2) the detection of candidate crack points in individual scanning lines of the point cloud, based on point elevation; (3) crack point clustering via a region-growing algorithm; and (4) crack geometrical attributes extraction. Both the profile evaluation and the region-growing clustering algorithms have been developed from scratch to detect cracks directly from 3D point clouds instead of using raster data or Geo-Referenced Feature images, offering a quick and effective pre-rating tool for pavement condition assessment. Crack detection is validated with data from damaged roads in Portugal.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación | Ref. PID2019-105221RB-C43Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación | Ref. FJC2018-035550-

Calibration of Reanalysis Data against Wind Measurements for Energy Production Estimation of Building Integrated Savonius-Type Wind Turbine

In this work, a cost-effective wind resource method specifically developed for the ROSEO-BIWT (Building Integrated Wind Turbine) and other Building Integrated Wind Turbines is presented. It predicts the wind speed and direction at the roof of an previously selected building for the past 10 years using reanalysis data and wind measurements taken over a year. To do so, the reanalysis wind speed data is calibrated against the measurements using different kinds of quantile mapping, and the wind direction is predicted using random forest. A mock-up of a building and a BIWT were used in a wind tunnel to perform a small-scale experiment presented here. It showed that energy production is possible and even enhanced over a wide range of attack angles. The energy production estimations made with the best performing kind of calibration achieved an overall relative error of 6.77% across different scenarios.This research was funded by the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) GIU 17/002, and the Basque Autonomous Government’s BEAZ-SPRI grant for the creation of innovative enterprises (ROSEO EOLICA URBANA)

Changes in humoral immune response after SARS-CoV-2 infection in liver transplant recipients compared to immunocompetent patients

The protective capacity and duration of humoral immunity after SARS-CoV-2 infection are not yet understood in solid organ transplant recipients. A prospective multicenter study was performed to evaluate the persistence of anti-nucleocapsid IgG antibodies in liver transplant recipients 6 months after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) resolution. A total of 71 liver transplant recipients were matched with 71 immunocompetent controls by a propensity score including variables with a well-known prognostic impact in COVID-19. Paired case-control serological data were also available in 62 liver transplant patients and 62 controls at month 3 after COVID-19. Liver transplant recipients showed a lower incidence of anti-nucleocapsid IgG antibodies at 3 months (77.4% vs. 100%, p <.001) and at 6 months (63.4% vs. 90.1%, p <.001). Lower levels of antibodies were also observed in liver transplant patients at 3 (p =.001) and 6 months (p <.001) after COVID-19. In transplant patients, female gender (OR = 13.49, 95% CI: 2.17-83.8), a longer interval since transplantation (OR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.03-1.36), and therapy with renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (OR = 7.11, 95% CI: 1.47-34.50) were independently associated with persistence of antibodies beyond 6 months after COVID-19. Therefore, as compared with immunocompetent patients, liver transplant recipients show a lower prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and more pronounced antibody levels decline

Pancreatic metastases from renal cell carcinoma. Postoperative outcome after surgical treatment in a Spanish multicenter study (PANMEKID)

Background: Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) occasionally spreads to the pancreas. The purpose of our study is to evaluate the short and long-term results of a multicenter series in order to determine the effect of surgical treatment on the prognosis of these patients. Methods: Multicenter retrospective study of patients undergoing surgery for RCC pancreatic metastases, from January 2010 to May 2020. Variables related to the primary tumor, demographics, clinical characteristics of metastasis, location in the pancreas, type of pancreatic resection performed and data on short and long-term evolution after pancreatic resection were collected. Results: The study included 116 patients. The mean time between nephrectomy and pancreatic metastases' resection was 87.35 months (ICR: 1.51-332.55). Distal pancreatectomy was the most performed technique employed (50 %). Postoperative morbidity was observed in 60.9 % of cases (Clavien-Dindo greater than IIIa in 14 %). The median follow-up time was 43 months (13-78). Overall survival (OS) rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were 96 %, 88 %, and 83 %, respectively. The disease-free survival (DFS) rate at 1, 3, and 5 years was 73 %, 49 %, and 35 %, respectively. Significant prognostic factors of relapse were a disease free interval of less than 10 years (2.05 [1.13-3.72], p 0.02) and a history of previous extrapancreatic metastasis (2.44 [1.22-4.86], p 0.01). Conclusions: Pancreatic resection if metastatic RCC is found in the pancreas is warranted to achieve higher overall survival and disease-free survival, even if extrapancreatic metastases were previously removed. The existence of intrapancreatic multifocal compromise does not always warrant the performance of a total pancreatectomy in order to improve survival. (C) 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd

Repeated pancreatic resection for pancreatic metastases from renal cell Carcinoma: A Spanish multicenter study (PANMEKID)

Background and objectives: Recurrent isolated pancreatic metastasis from Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) after pancreatic resection is rare. The purpose of our study is to describe a series of cases of relapse of pancreatic metastasis from renal cancer in the pancreatic remnant and its surgical treatment with a repeated pancreatic resection, and to analyse the results of both overall and disease -free survival. Methods: Multicenter retrospective study of patients undergoing pancreatic resection for RCC pancreatic metastases, from January 2010 to May 2020. Patients were grouped into two groups depending on whether they received a single pancreatic resection (SPS) or iterative pancreatic resection. Data on short and long-term outcome after pancreatic resection were collected. Results: The study included 131 pancreatic resections performed in 116 patients. Thus, iterative pancreatic surgery (IPS) was performed in 15 patients. The mean length of time between the first pancreatic surgery and the second was 48.9 months (95 % CI: 22.2-56.9). There were no differences in the rate of postoperative complications. The DFS rates at 1, 3 and 5 years were 86 %, 78 % and 78 % vs 75 %, 50 % and 37 % in the IPS and SPS group respectively (p = 0.179). OS rates at 1, 3, 5 and 7 years were 100 %, 100 %, 100 % and 75 % in the IPS group vs 95 %, 85 %, 80 % and 68 % in the SPS group (p = 0.895). Conclusion: Repeated pancreatic resection in case of relapse of pancreatic metastasis of RCC in the pancreatic remnant is justified, since it achieves OS results similar to those obtained after the first resection

Medio ambiente, sociedad, ética, auditoría y educación. La Investigación Contable en UNIMINUTO Virtual y a Distancia: Contexto y Oportunidades.

En los últimos años la educación a distancia ha mostrado ser capaz de reducir la brecha de inequidad social, de capacitar personas en lugares remotos, de brindar la posibilidad a la comunidad discapacitada y de permitirle a quienes no cuentan con suficientes recursos económicos acceder a la educación superior, la presente investigación da cuenta de los aspectos clave asociados a la decisión de matricularse en el programa de Contaduría Pública en la modalidad distancia tradicional. Se realizó un análisis de las narrativas basado en los resultados de un instrumento aplicado a 150 estudiantes. Para el análisis de datos se empleó la herramienta SenseMaker®. Los resultados evidencian aspectos personales, sociales y culturales que posicionan la oferta de educación en la modalidad a distancia como la institución que permite resignificar la vida de las persona

Famílies botàniques de plantes medicinals

Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de Barcelona. Ensenyament: Grau de Farmàcia, Assignatura: Botànica Farmacèutica, Curs: 2013-2014, Coordinadors: Joan Simon, Cèsar Blanché i Maria Bosch.Els materials que aquí es presenten són els recull de 175 treballs d’una família botànica d’interès medicinal realitzats de manera individual. Els treballs han estat realitzat per la totalitat dels estudiants dels grups M-2 i M-3 de l’assignatura Botànica Farmacèutica durant els mesos d’abril i maig del curs 2013-14. Tots els treballs s’han dut a terme a través de la plataforma de GoogleDocs i han estat tutoritzats pel professor de l’assignatura i revisats i finalment co-avaluats entre els propis estudiants. L’objectiu principal de l’activitat ha estat fomentar l’aprenentatge autònom i col·laboratiu en Botànica farmacèutica

Review of laser scanning technologies and their applications for road and railway infrastructure monitoring

Improving the resilience of infrastructures is key to reduce their risk vulnerability and mitigate impact from hazards at different levels (e.g., from increasing extreme events, driven by climate change); or from human-made events such as: accidents, vandalism or terrorist actions. One of the most relevant aspects of resilience is preparation. This is directly related to: (i) the risk prediction capability; (ii) the infrastructure monitoring; and (iii) the systems contributing to anticipate, prevent and prepare the infrastructure for potential damage. This work focuses on those methods and technologies that contribute to more efficient and automated infrastructure monitoring. Therefore, a review that summarizes the state of the art of LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging)-based data processing is presented, giving a special emphasis to road and railway infrastructure. The most relevant applications related to monitoring and inventory transport infrastructures are discussed. Furthermore, different commercial LiDAR-based terrestrial systems are described and compared to offer a broad scope of the available sensors and tools to remote monitoring infrastructures based on terrestrial systems.Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities | Ref. RTI2018-095893-B-C2

Photoprotective Effects of Two New Morin-Schiff Base Derivatives on UVB-Irradiated HaCaT Cells

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation harms the skin, causing oxidative damage, inflammation, and disruption of the skin’s barrier function. There is considerable interest in identifying new natural ingredients with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties to serve as adjuvants in sunscreens. The flavonoid morin (1) can undergo structural modifications to enhance its biological properties. The aim of this study was to synthesize two new morin-Schiff base derivatives, morin oxime (2) and morin semicarbazone (3), comparing their photoprotective effects with that of the parent compound on UVB-exposed HaCaT keratinocytes. The chemical structure of the novel compounds was revealed based on spectroscopic data analysis. Our findings demonstrated that derivatives 2 and 3 enhanced the light absorption capability in the UV–visible (vis) range compared to 1. Tested compounds exhibited a higher scavenger capacity than Trolox. Moreover, pre-treatment with all compounds protected HaCaT cells from UVB-induced cell death. Compound 3 demonstrated the strongest antioxidant effect, reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and, subsequently, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Additionally, compounds 2 and 3 exhibited greater anti-inflammatory effects than compound 1, significantly reducing interleukin (IL)-6 production levels at all tested concentrations. These findings have demonstrated, for the first time, a promising photoprotective activity of two new Schiff base derivatives and suggest their use as natural sunscreen ingredients.Junta de Andalucía US-138084