Square root module to combat dispersion-induced nonlinear distortion in Radio-over-Fiber Systems

Reduced dispersion-induced harmonics levels are reported for analogue radio-over-fiber systems by using a linearized receiver incorporating a memoryless electronic circuit with square root (SQRT)-like transfer function, and performing amplitude modulation (AM) at the transmitter. A practical implementation demonstrates the effectiveness of the AM-SQRT approach in linearizing the optical transmission system with respect to the conventional intensity modulation and direct detection system.Peer Reviewe

Jouer la carte catalane? Un estudio de la presencia económica francesa en Cataluña, 1939-1975

During the Francoist period, many representatives of the French political and economic milieu underlined the big differences that, in their view, separated Catalonia from the rest of Spain. Did these perceptions have real consequences in the field of economic relations? We are particularly interested in testing if France had more intense or somehow specific relations —in the spheres of technology, investment, trade, tourism and migration— with Catalonia than with Spain as a whole. We examine also if the French agents used the same strategies towards Madrid and Barcelona, if they shared trading and financial partners and if the Catalan demands for autonomy affected the French attitude. In attempting to answer these questions, we will base on a great geographical and sectoral variety of sources.Numerosos representantes de la política y la economía francesas dejaron testimonio, a lo largo del franquismo, de su preferencia por Cataluña frente a otras regiones españolas. ¿Cómo se materializaron estas declaraciones en el ámbito de las relaciones económicas? ¿Se registraron más intercambios entre Francia y Cataluña que entre Francia y España? ¿Hubo diferencias cualitativas en materia de comercio, inversión, tecnología, turismo o emigración? ¿Se utilizaron las mismas estrategias en Barcelona que en Madrid? ¿Coincidieron, al menos en parte, los socios comerciales y financieros? ¿El gobierno y los empresarios franceses resultaron, de alguna forma, condicionados por las reivindicaciones autonomistas de Cataluña? Estas son las cuestiones que intentamos resolver en este trabajo, a partir de una selección de fuentes de muy diversa procedencia geográfica y sectorial

Jouer la carte catalane? Un estudio de la presencia económica francesa en Cataluña, 1939-1975

Numerosos representantes de la política y la economía francesas dejaron testimonio, a lo largo del franquismo, de su preferencia por Cataluña frente a otras regiones españolas. ¿Cómo se materializaron estas declaraciones en el ámbito de las relaciones económicas? ¿Se registraron más intercambios entre Francia y Cataluña que entre Francia y España? ¿Hubo diferencias cualitativas en materia de comercio, inversión, tecnología, turismo o emigración? ¿Se utilizaron las mismas estrategias en Barcelona que en Madrid? ¿Coincidieron, al menos en parte, los socios comerciales y financieros? ¿El gobierno y los empresarios franceses resultaron, de alguna forma, condicionados por las reivindicaciones autonomistas de Cataluña? Estas son las cuestiones que intentamos resolver en este trabajo, a partir de una selección de fuentes de muy diversa procedencia geográfica y sectorial

On-line gas-diffusion separation and fluorimetric detection for the determination of acid dissociable cyanide

A flow injection system with gas diffusion separation and spectrofluorimetric detection is described for the determination of acid dissociable cyanide in waters. Cyanide diffuses through a microporous PTFE membrane from an acidic donor stream into a sodium hydroxide acceptor stream. The cyanide transferred reacts with o-phthalaldehyde and glycine to form a highly fluorescent isoindole derivative

Development and validation of the new HER2DX assay for predicting pathological response and survival outcome in early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer

Gene expression; Breast cancer; PrognosisExpressió gènica; Càncer de mama; PronòsticExpresión génica; Cáncer de mama; PronósticoBackground: Both clinical and genomic data independently predict survival and treatment response in early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer. Here we present the development and validation of a new HER2DX risk score, and a new HER2DX pathological complete response (pCR) score, both based on a 27-gene expression plus clinical feature-based classifier. Methods: HER2DX is a supervised learning algorithm incorporating tumour size, nodal staging, and 4 gene expression signatures tracking immune infiltration, tumour cell proliferation, luminal differentiation, and the expression of the HER2 amplicon, into a single score. 434 HER2-positive tumours from the Short-HER trial were used to train a prognostic risk model; 268 cases from an independent cohort were used to verify the accuracy of the HER2DX risk score. In addition, 116 cases treated with neoadjuvant anti-HER2-based chemotherapy were used to train a predictive model of pathological complete response (pCR); two independent cohorts of 91 and 67 cases were used to verify the accuracy of the HER2DX pCR likelihood score. Five publicly available independent datasets with >1,000 patients with early-stage HER2-positive disease were also analysed. Findings: In Short-HER, HER2DX variables were associated with good risk outcomes (i.e., immune, and luminal) and poor risk outcomes (i.e., proliferation, and tumour and nodal staging). In an independent cohort, continuous HER2DX risk score was significantly associated with disease-free survival (DFS) (p=0·002); the 5-year DFS in the low-risk group was 97·4% (94·4-100·0%). For the neoadjuvant pCR predictor training cohort, HER2DX variables were associated with pCR (i.e., immune, proliferation and HER2 amplicon) and non-pCR (i.e., luminal, and tumour and nodal staging). In both independent test set cohorts, continuous HER2DX pCR likelihood score was significantly associated with pCR (p<0·0001). A weak negative correlation was found between the HER2DX risk score versus the pCR score (correlation coefficient -0·19). Interpretation: The two HER2DX tests provide accurate estimates of the risk of recurrence, and the likelihood to achieve a pCR, in early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer.This study received funding from Reveal Genomics, IDIBAPS and the University of Padova

Study of several variables in the penetration stage of a vegetable tannage using ultrasound

This study concerns the implementation and improvement of a system that applies ultrasound technology in vegetable tanning, which is an eco-friendly tanning process. The system is versatile and requires no major modifications or expenses for tanneries. In particular, the study investigated the influence of several variables on the tannins absorption by the hides. The results show significant differences in the tanning degree of the leathers tested in relation to the work system tested, the ultrasonic power used and the resting time of the leather after tanning. The leathers we obtained showed no scratches, which is the main cause for their devaluation when applying the traditional tanning system, and were suitable for commercialization as high-end leather goods. Ultrasound technology can increase the use of vegetable tannage versus other less eco-friendly kind of tannages.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version