Approach of the naval industry towards industry 4.0

One of the most relevant industrial sectors worldwide is the naval sector, being involved in multiple commercial activities. According to data from UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) [1], it is important to have a large enough naval fleet to meet maritime needs. This includes the shipbuilding sector, which is responsible for the manufacture and repair of the different types of ships and structures in order to respond to the commercial activities that make up this industry

Shipbuilding 4.0 Index Approaching Supply Chain

The shipbuilding industry shows a special interest in adapting to the changes proposed by the industry 4.0. This article bets on the development of an index that indicates the current situation considering that supply chain is a key factor in any type of change, and at the same time it serves as a control tool in the implementation of improvements. The proposed indices provide a first definition of the paradigm or paradigms that best fit the supply chain in order to improve its sustainability and a second definition, regarding the key enabling technologies for Industry 4.0. The values obtained put shipbuilding on the road to industry 4.0 while suggesting categorized planning of technologies

EEG amplitude modulation analysis for semi-automated diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease

Recent experimental evidence has suggested a neuromodulatory deficit in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this paper, we present a new electroencephalogram (EEG) based metric to quantitatively characterize neuromodulatory activity. More specifically, the short-term EEG amplitude modulation rate-of-change (i.e., modulation frequency) is computed for five EEG subband signals. To test the performance of the proposed metric, a classification task was performed on a database of 32 participants partitioned into three groups of approximately equal size: healthy controls, patients diagnosed with mild AD, and those with moderate-to-severe AD. To gauge the benefits of the proposed metric, performance results were compared with those obtained using EEG spectral peak parameters which were recently shown to outperform other conventional EEG measures. Using a simple feature selection algorithm based on area-under-the-curve maximization and a support vector machine classifier, the proposed parameters resulted in accuracy gains, relative to spectral peak parameters, of 21.3% when discriminating between the three groups and by 50% when mild and moderate-to-severe groups were merged into one. The preliminary findings reported herein provide promising insights that automated tools may be developed to assist physicians in very early diagnosis of AD as well as provide researchers with a tool to automatically characterize cross-frequency interactions and their changes with disease

O ACESSO DO ESTUDANTE COM DEFICIÊNCIA VISUAL À EDUCAÇÃO SUPERIOR: ANÁLISE DOS MICRODADOS DO EXAME NACIONAL DO ENSINO MÉDIO (ENEM)

The Brazilian National High School Examination (Exame Nacional do Ensino Médio – ENEM) is the main instrument of access to the Brazilian Higher Education, and its results are also used by public policies for state-subsidized places. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the access to Higher Education of students with visual impairments, investigating factors related to academic performance in the large-scale assessment of ENEM, through the analysis of ENEM microdata from the 2017 and 2018 editions. Based on the exploratory research methodology, with a quantitative approach, this study investigated the participation, socioeconomic and demographic characteristics and the performance of people with visual impairments (PwVi) in the exam compared to participants without disabilities, in order to identify vulnerabilities in the access of PwVi to Higher Education. The results showed the low participation of PwVi in the exam, in addition to the fact that they have lower family income, older age, less female participation and less concentration in the South and Southeast regions of Brazil in relation to participants without disabilities. The performance analysis points out that PwVi had similar results to people without disabilities, thus demystifying the concept of disability related to people with disability. However, the results varied according to the severity of the disability, signaling possible accessibility issues in the exam, thus jeopardizing participants with more severe visual impairment. It was concluded that the education policies of access to Higher Education, which use the ENEM score, do not apply to part of this population, excluded from the benefits of Higher Education subsidized by the State.El Examen Nacional de la Enseñanza Secundaria (ENEM) es el principal instrumento de acceso a la Educación Superior brasileña, siendo sus resultados también utilizados por políticas públicas para ofertas de vacantes subsidiadas por el Estado. Así siendo, el objetivo, en este estudio, fue analizar el acceso a la Educación Superior del estudiante con discapacidad visual investigando factores relacionados con el rendimiento académico en la evaluación a gran escala de ENEM, por medio del análisis de microdatos del ENEM de las ediciones 2017 y 2018. Con base en la metodología de investigación exploratoria con enfoque cuantitativo, el presente estudio investigó la participación, las características socioeconómicas y demográficas y el desempeño de personas con discapacidad visual (PcDv) en el examen en comparación con las personas sin discapacidad (PsD), con el fin de identificar vulnerabilidades en el acceso de las PcDv a la Educación Superior. Los resultados mostraron baja participación de las PcDv en el examen, además de que estos poseen menor renta familiar, edad más avanzada, menor participación del sexo femenino y menor concentración en las regiones Sur y Sureste, en relación a las PcDv. El análisis de desempeño señala que las PcDv tuvieron resultados similares a las personas sin discapacidad, desmitificando así el concepto de incapacidad relacionado con las personas con discapacidad. Sin embargo, los resultados varían según la gravedad de la discapacidad, señalando posibles problemas de accesibilidad en el examen, perjudicando, de ese modo, a las personas con discapacidad visual más severa. Se concluyó que las políticas educativas de acceso a la Educación Superior, que utilizan la puntuación del ENEM, no se aplican a parte de esta población, excluida de los beneficios de la Educación Superior subsidiada por el Estado.O Exame Nacional do Ensino Médio (ENEM) é o principal instrumento de acesso à Educação Superior brasileira, sendo seus resultados também utilizados por políticas públicas para ofertas de vagas subsidiadas pelo Estado. Assim sendo, objetivou-se, neste estudo, analisar o acesso à Educação Superior da pessoa com deficiência visual (PcDv) investigando fatores relacionados aos rendimentos acadêmicos na avaliação em larga escala do ENEM, por meio da análise de microdados das edições de 2017 e 2018 do exame. Com base na metodologia de pesquisa exploratória, com abordagem quantitativa, este estudo investigou a participação, as características socioeconômicas e demográficas e o desempenho das PcDv no exame em comparação aos participantes sem deficiência, com a finalidade de identificar vulnerabilidades no acesso das PcDv à Educação Superior. Os resultados evidenciaram a baixa participação de PcDv no exame, além de estes possuírem menor renda familiar, idade mais avançada, menor participação do sexo feminino e menor concentração nas regiões Sul e Sudeste em relação aos participantes sem deficiência. A análise de desempenho aponta que as PcDv tiveram resultados similares às pessoas sem deficiência, desmistificando, assim, o conceito de incapacidade relacionado à pessoa com deficiência. No entanto,  os resultados variaram conforme a severidade da deficiência, sinalizando possíveis questões de acessibilidade no exame, prejudicando, desse modo, os participantes com deficiência visual mais severa. Concluiu-se que as políticas educacionais de acesso à Educação Superior, que utilizam a nota do ENEM, não se aplicam à parte dessa população, excluída dos benefícios da Educação Superior subsidiada pelo Estado

Early diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s with event-related potentials and event-related desynchronization in N-back working memory tasks

Background and Objective: In this study we investigate whether or not event-related potentials (ERP) and/or event-related (de)synchronization (ERD/ERS) can be used to differentiate between 27 healthy elderly (HE), 21 subjects diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 15 mild Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients. Methods: Using 32-channel EEG recordings, we measured ERP responses to a three-level (N-back, N = 0,1,2) visual working memory task. We also performed ERD analysis over the same EEG data, dividing the full-band signal into the well-known delta, theta, alpha, beta and gamma bands. Both ERP and ERD analyses were followed by cluster analysis with correction for multicomparisons whenever significant differences were found between groups. Results: Regarding ERP (full-band analysis), our findings have shown both patient groups (MCI and AD) with reduced P450 amplitude (compared to HE controls) in the execution of the non-match 1-back task at many scalp electrodes, chiefly at parietal and centro-parietal areas. However, no significant differences were found between MCI and AD in ERP analysis whatever was the task. As for sub-band analyses, ERD/ERS measures revealed that HE subjects elicited consistently greater alpha ERD responses than MCI and AD patients during the 1-back task in the match condition, with all differences located at frontal, central and occipital regions. Moreover, in the non-match condition, it was possible to distinguish between MCI and AD patients when they were performing the 0-back task, with MCI presenting more desynchronization than AD on the theta band at temporal and fronto-temporal areas. In summary, ERD analyses have revealed themselves more valuable than ERP, since they showed significant differences in all three group comparisons: HE vs. MCI, HE vs. AD, and MCI vs. AD. Conclusions: Based on these findings, we conclude that ERD responses to working memory (N-back) tasks could be useful not only for early MCI diagnosis or for improved AD diagnosis, but probably also for assessing the likelihood o

Valorization of kiwi agricultural waste and industry by-products by recovering bioactive compounds and applications as food additives: a circular economy model

Currently, agricultural production generates large amounts of organic waste, both from the maintenance of farms and crops (agricultural wastes) and from the industrialization of the product (food industry waste). In the case of Actinidia cultivation, agricultural waste groups together leaves, flowers, stems and roots while food industry by-products are represented by discarded fruits, skin and seeds. All these matrices are now underexploited and so, they can be revalued as a natural source of ingredients to be applied in food, cosmetic or pharmaceutical industries. Kiwifruit composition (phenolic compounds, volatile compounds, vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, etc.) is an outstanding basis, especially for its high content in vitamin C and phenolic compounds. These compounds possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory or antimicrobial activities, among other beneficial properties for health, but stand out for their digestive enhancement and prebiotic role. Although the biological properties of kiwi fruit have been analyzed, few studies show the high content of compounds with biological functions present in these by-products. Therefore, agricultural and food industry wastes derived from processing kiwi are regarded as useful matrices for the development of innovative applications in the food (pectins, softeners, milk coagulants, and colorants), cosmetic (ecological pigments) and pharmaceutical industry (fortified, functional, nutraceutical, or prebiotic foods). This strategy will provide economic and environmental benefits, turning this industry into a sustainable and environmentally friendly production system, promoting a circular and sustainable economy.The research leading to these results was supported by MICINN supporting the Ramón y Cajal grant for M.A. Prieto (RYC-2017-22891); by Xunta de Galicia for supporting the program EXCELENCIA-ED431F 2020/12, the post-doctoral grant of M. Fraga-Corral (ED481B-2019/096), the pre-doctoral grant of M. Carpena (ED481A 2021/313), the program BENEFICIOS DO CONSUMO DAS ESPECIES TINTORERA-(CO-0019-2021) that supports the work of F. Chamorro and by the program Grupos de Referencia Competitiva (GRUPO AA1-GRC 2018) that supports the work of J. Echave. Authors are grateful to Ibero-American Program on Science and Technology (CYTED—AQUA-CIBUS, P317RT0003), to the Bio Based Industries Joint Undertaking (JU) under grant agreement No 888003 UP4HEALTH Project (H2020-BBI-JTI-2019). The JU receives support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program and the Bio Based Industries Consortium. The project SYSTEMIC Knowledge hub on Nutrition and Food Security, has received funding from national research funding parties in Belgium (FWO), France (INRA), Germany (BLE), Italy (MIPAAF), Latvia (IZM), Norway (RCN), Portugal (FCT), and Spain (AEI) in a joint action of JPI HDHL, JPI-OCEANS and FACCE-JPI launched in 2019 under the ERA-NET ERA-HDHL (n° 696295). Funding for open access charge: Universidade de Vigo/CISUG.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Breast feeding, parity and breast cancer subtypes in a Spanish cohort

Background: Differences in the incidence and outcome of breast cancer among Hispanic women compared with white women are well documented and are likely explained by ethnic differences in genetic composition, lifestyle, or environmental exposures. METHODOLGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A population-based study was conducted in Galicia, Spain. A total of 510 women diagnosed with operable invasive breast cancer between 1997 and 2010 participated in the study. Data on demographics, breast cancer risk factors, and clinico-pathological characteristics were collected. The different breast cancer tumor subtypes were compared on their clinico-pathological characteristics and risk factor profiles, particularly reproductive variables and breastfeeding. Among the 501 breast cancer patients (with known ER and PR receptors), 85% were ER+/PR+ and 15% were ER-&PR-. Among the 405 breast cancer with known ER, PR and HER2 status, 71% were ER+/PR+/HER2- (luminal A), 14% were ER+/PR+/HER2+ (luminal B), 10% were ER-/PR-/HER2- (triple negative breast cancer, TNBC), and 5% were ER-/PR-/HER2+ (non-luminal). A lifetime breastfeeding period equal to or longer than 7 months was less frequent in case patients with TNBC (OR = 0.25, 95% CI = 0.08-0.68) compared to luminal A breast cancers. Both a low (2 or fewer pregnancies) and a high (3-4 pregnancies) number of pregnancies combined with a long breastfeeding period were associated with reduced odds of TNBC compared with luminal A breast cancer, although the association seemed to be slightly more pronounced among women with a low number of pregnancies (OR = 0.09, 95% CI = 0.005-0.54). Conclusions/significance: In case-case analyses with the luminal A cases as the reference group, we observed a lower proportion of TNBC among women who breastfed 7 or more months. The combination of longer breastfeeding duration and lower parity seemed to further reduce the odds of having a TNBC compared to a luminal A breast cancer

Breast feeding, parity and breast cancer subtypes in a Spanish cohort

Background: Differences in the incidence and outcome of breast cancer among Hispanic women compared with white women are well documented and are likely explained by ethnic differences in genetic composition, lifestyle, or environmental exposures. METHODOLGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A population-based study was conducted in Galicia, Spain. A total of 510 women diagnosed with operable invasive breast cancer between 1997 and 2010 participated in the study. Data on demographics, breast cancer risk factors, and clinico-pathological characteristics were collected. The different breast cancer tumor subtypes were compared on their clinico-pathological characteristics and risk factor profiles, particularly reproductive variables and breastfeeding. Among the 501 breast cancer patients (with known ER and PR receptors), 85% were ER+/PR+ and 15% were ER-&PR-. Among the 405 breast cancer with known ER, PR and HER2 status, 71% were ER+/PR+/HER2- (luminal A), 14% were ER+/PR+/HER2+ (luminal B), 10% were ER-/PR-/HER2- (triple negative breast cancer, TNBC), and 5% were ER-/PR-/HER2+ (non-luminal). A lifetime breastfeeding period equal to or longer than 7 months was less frequent in case patients with TNBC (OR = 0.25, 95% CI = 0.08-0.68) compared to luminal A breast cancers. Both a low (2 or fewer pregnancies) and a high (3-4 pregnancies) number of pregnancies combined with a long breastfeeding period were associated with reduced odds of TNBC compared with luminal A breast cancer, although the association seemed to be slightly more pronounced among women with a low number of pregnancies (OR = 0.09, 95% CI = 0.005-0.54). Conclusions/significance: In case-case analyses with the luminal A cases as the reference group, we observed a lower proportion of TNBC among women who breastfed 7 or more months. The combination of longer breastfeeding duration and lower parity seemed to further reduce the odds of having a TNBC compared to a luminal A breast cancer