Analysis of Algorithms for Detection of Pedaling Intention in Brain-Machine Interfaces

[EN] The use of brain-machine interfaces in people who has suffered a cerebrovascular accident could help the rehabilitation process through the cognitive involvement of the patient. These interfaces translate the brain waves into commands to control the movement of an assistant mechanical device. However, the control of these devices should be more stable and achieve a higher accuracy. This work studies if algorithms, such as Stockwell or Hilbert-Huang transform, can improve the control of these devices, and if a personalization by subject or electrode configuration is desirable. Besides, through the analysis of five volunteers is determined that the motor intention can not be detected only by data acquired previously to the movement using desynchronized/synchronized related events. Therefore, it is needed to extend the time processing to the two seconds after the movement starting.[ES] El uso de interfaces cerebro-máquina en personas que han sufrido un accidente cerebro-vascular puede ayudar en su proceso de rehabilitación mediante la implicación cognitiva del paciente. Dichas interfaces traducen las ondas cerebrales en comandos con el fin de controlar un dispositivo mecánico de movimiento asistido. No obstante, el control de estos dispositivos debería ser más robusto y tener una alta precisión. Este trabajo estudia si algoritmos basados en transformadas como las de Stockwell o Hilbert-Huang pueden mejorar el control de estos dispositivos aumentando su precisión, y si es recomendable llevar a cabo una personalización por sujeto y configuración de electrodos. Mediante el análisis de cinco voluntarios se comprueba además, que no es posible detectar con suficiente robustez la intención motora a partir de la desincronización/sincronización relacionada a eventos motores con únicamente los datos previos al movimiento. Por ello, es preciso extender el tiempo de análisis a los dos segundos posteriores al inicio del movimiento.Este trabajo ha sido realizado en el marco del proyecto Associate - Decodificación y estimulación de actividad cerebral sensorial y motora para permitir potenciación a largo plazo mediante estimulación Hebbiana y estimulación asociativa pareada durante la rehabilitación de la marcha (con referencia DPI2014-58431-C4-2-R), financiado por el Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Plan Estatal de I+D+I) y por la Unión Europea a través del Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional - FEDER ((Una manera de hacer Europa)). También queremos agradecer a Neuroelectrics por prestar el equipo Enobio 32 para este estudio.Ortiz, M.; Rodríguez-Ugarte, M.; Iáñez, E.; Azorín, J. (2019). Análisis de Algoritmos para Detección de Pedaleo en Interfaces Cerebro-Máquina. Revista Iberoamericana de Automática e Informática. 16(2):222-231. https://doi.org/10.4995/riai.2018.986122223116

Mujeres víctimas del conflicto armado. Análisis de su reparación en el marco de la Ley 1448 de 2011

Con el fin reflexionar sobre el impacto que ha tenido el enfoque de género consagrado en la Ley 1448 de 2001, cuyo propósito es reparar a las víctimas del conflicto armado interno, el presente artículo desarrollará algunos apuntes respecto a las experiencias de un grupo de mujeres víctimas, y de un grupo de funcionarios/as públicos, líderes sociales y ONG. Para la recolección de la información se utilizó la metodología cualitativa, con entrevistas semiestructuradas en profundidad y talleres de trabajo con diferentes actores. El análisis conlleva a identificar algunos elementos clave que empañan los éxitos legislativos y jurisprudenciales que ha logrado el Estado colombiano en materia de reparación con enfoque de género. Los resultados indican la necesidad de ir más allá del género, como categoría diferenciadora, para lograr una mayor efectividad en la reparación propuesta a las víctimas.Agencia Andaluza de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarroll

Violencia y reparación: experiencias de mujeres víctimas del conflicto armado colombiano

Este artículo interpreta los discursos de mujeres víctimas del conflicto armado colombiano, residentes en el Valle de Aburrá (Antioquia-Colombia), en el momento de acceder a la reparación que le reconoce el Estado en la Ley 1448 de 2011. A partir de una metodología cualitativa y fenomenológica, fueron entrevistadas setenta mujeres y desarrollado tres talleres con funcionarios/as públicos y organizaciones sociales de víctimas. Los resultados exponen la falta de rigor en la comprensión de la heterogeneidad de la situación de las mujeres víctimas y la inefectividad de la ley para una atención integral de toda la población víctima, limitándose, en la mayoría de los casos, a una reparación monetaria.Agencia Andaluza de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarroll

Testing the Homogeneity of Type Ia Supernovae in the Near-Infrared for Accurate Distance Estimations

Type Ia Supernovae (SNe Ia) have been extensively used as standardisable candles in the optical for several decades. However, SNe Ia have shown to be more homogeneous in the near-infrared (NIR), where the effect of dust extinction is also attenuated. In this work, we explore the possibility of using a low number of NIR observations for accurate distance estimations, given the homogeneity at these wavelengths. We found that one epoch in $J$ and/or $H$ band, plus good $gr$-band coverage, gives an accurate estimation of peak magnitudes in $J$ ($J_{max}$) and $H$ ($H_{max}$) bands. The use of a single NIR epoch only introduces an additional scatter of $\sim0.05$ mag for epochs around the time of $B$-band peak magnitude ($T_{max}$). We also tested the effect of optical cadence and signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) in the estimation of $T_{max}$ and its uncertainty propagation to the NIR peak magnitudes. Both cadence and S/N have a similar contribution, where we constrained the introduced scatter of each to $<0.02$ mag in $J_{max}$ and $<0.01$ in $H_{max}$. However, these effects are expected to be negligible, provided the data quality is comparable to that obtained for observations of nearby SNe ($z\lesssim0.1$). The effect of S/N in the NIR was tested as well. For SNe Ia at $0.08<z\lesssim0.1$, NIR observations with better S/N than that found in the CSP sample is necessary to constrain the introduced scatter to a minimum ($\lesssim0.05$ mag). These results provide confidence for our FLOWS project that aims in using SNe Ia with public ZTF optical light curves and few NIR epochs to map out the peculiar velocity field of the local Universe. This will allow us to determine the distribution of dark matter in our own supercluster, Laniakea, and test the standard cosmological model by measuring the growth rate of structures, parameterised by $fD$, and the Hubble-Lema\^itre constant, $H_0$.Comment: Accepted in A&

Real-time estimation of horizontal gaze angle by saccade integration using in-ear electrooculography

The manuscript proposes and evaluates a real-time algorithm for estimating eye gaze angle based solely on single-channel electrooculography (EOG), which can be obtained directly from the ear canal using conductive ear moulds. In contrast to conventional high-pass filtering, we used an algorithm that calculates absolute eye gaze angle via statistical analysis of detected saccades. The estimated eye positions of the new algorithm were still noisy. However, the performance in terms of Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients was significantly better than the conventional approach in some instances. The results suggest that in-ear EOG signals captured with conductive ear moulds could serve as a basis for lightweight and portable horizontal eye gaze angle estimation suitable for a broad range of applications. For instance, for hearing aids to steer the directivity of microphones in the direction of the user’s eye gaze

Similar short elements in the 5' regions of the STA2 and SGA genes from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The 5' region of the SGA and STA2 genes, encoding the intra- and extracellular glucoamylases, respectively, from Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been sequenced. In addition, the transcription initiation sites have been determined. Four distinct short elements (named I to IV) were found in both genes. Element III has the consensus sequence PuCATTTAPiG with a bilateral symmetry around the central T, and is present in both genes as a direct repeat. This motive seems responsible for the coregulation of STA2 and SGA by the repressor STA10 gene of S. cerevisiae.This research was supported by grants from the CAYCIT (497), Plan Concertado CAYCIT-Cruzcampo SA (64/84) and by an Institutional Grant from the Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias to the Centro de Biologia Molecular.Peer Reviewe

Synergistic Parameters of Motor Adaptation in Variable Resistance Cycling Activities

Funding Information: This work has been supported by Conselleria d?Educaci?, Cultura i Esport, Generalitat Valenciana, Spain, through project GV/2019/025. Publisher Copyright: © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.Muscle synergies are a promising assessment tool in motor rehabilitation. In this study, we propose a basic experimental framework with minimum instrumentation and experiment duration for the evaluation of muscle synergies that can be easily translated to clinical application. To that end, we analyze synergistic parameters in cycling activities under different force constraints by modifying the resistance level of a stationary bike. Results suggest that the contribution of specific motor primitives changes with resistance as a result of motor adaptation to greater physical effort. In addition, we observe changes in the contribution of the different muscular groups, particularly the muscles of the posterior chain. These are interesting findings that are likely to be altered in patients with pathological motor conditions and thus can potentially serve as clinical biomarkers.Peer reviewe