Neuropsychological profile of executive functions in autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia spectrum disorders: a comparative group study in adults

[EN] As assessed by numerous neuropsychological tasks, individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs) have similar impairments related to executive functions (EFs). The neuropsychological profle of these two conditions was examined using the three-component EFs’ framework of Miyake and Friedman(Cogn Psychol 41(1):49-100, 2000). This approach assesses Inhibition (suppression of unwanted and irrelevant information/responses), Updating (use and control of contents of working memory), and Shifting (disengagement between activities or mental tasks) using nine diferent tasks. In line with previous research, we expected greater performance defcits in ASD in all three components compared to SSD, as well as faster responses for the SSD group. A self-paced task format allowed us to examine whether unlimited time given for a task would lead to better performance. The sample was constituted by the control group (N=25), ASD group (N=24), and SSD group (N=12). Groups did not difer on Inhibition performance. In Updating, individuals with SSD performed poorer than the other groups. As for Shifting, both groups demonstrated poorer performance compared to controls, with the SSD group presenting the greatest difculties. In terms of reaction time (RT), SSD participants’ RT were the slowest on Inhibition and Shifting tasks. There was a positive correlation between performance and time spent on Inhibition and Shifting only for the SSD group, which demonstrates that their performance improves when there are no time constraints. Our work provides a better understanding of spared and impaired EFs, which could be useful for designing strategies aimed at improving specifc EFs in each group.Publicación en abierto financiada por el Consorcio de Bibliotecas Universitarias de Castilla y León (BUCLE), con cargo al Programa Operativo 2014ES16RFOP009 FEDER 2014-2020 DE CASTILLA Y LEÓN, Actuación:20007-CL - Apoyo Consorcio BUCLE

Aplicación de redes neuronales profundas para la detección automática de nombres de dominio generados de manera algorítmica

En el contexto de la seguridad de redes de datos, un nombre de dominio generado de manera algorítmica (DGA, de sus siglas en inglés) es utilizado por el software malicioso (malware) para generar de manera dinámica un gran número de nombres de dominios de manera pseudo aleatoria, y luego utilizar un subconjunto de estos como parte del canal de Comando y Control (C&C). El presente proyecto se enfoca en el desarrollo de algoritmos de detección de DGA mediante la utilización de algoritmos de aprendizaje de máquinas en general y las redes neuronales profundas en particular. Durante el último periodo del proyecto, se ha puesto especial énfasis en la puesta a punto de los modelos obtenidos con vista a su despliegue en ambientes de producción. En particular lo referido a la evaluación de los distintos aspectos necesarios para la estimación del error de generalización, más allá de la división aleatoria entre conjuntos de entrenamiento y prueba.Eje: Seguridad informática.Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informátic

Insights on conducting digital patient and public involvement in dementia research during the COVID-19 pandemic: supporting the development of an “E-nabling digital co-production” framework

BackgroundThe rapid transition to digital working, accelerated due to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, has impacted the involvement of patients and public in research. This paper presents experiences of engaging in digital Patient and Public Involvement (e-PPI) in dementia research since the lockdowns, offering recommendations regarding future digital and hybrid working. Furthermore, it introduces a co-produced framework for researchers, PPI coordinators and public contributors to identify and discuss challenges and opportunities provided by e-PPI.MethodsTwo online workshops and one individual interview were performed with a group of researchers and PPI coordinators with experience in PPI in dementia research, and with an existing dementia PPI group having some experience of working online during the pandemic. The project was constructed as a PPI activity, with the MindTech Involvement Team (PPI group) involved in the entire process, and a collaborative data analysis process was adopted.ResultsAfter refinement of the coding structure, the MindTech Involvement Team and Project Leaders identified four main themes, resulting in the ‘E-nabling Digital Co-production' Framework. During this framework development, different positions were expressed, associated with the transition to digital working. Two main themes were shared by the participating groups regarding e-PPI: wider potential reach without geographical constraints, and the perception of more business-like sessions with reduced opportunities for social interactions and communication. Specifically for dementia research, whilst e-PPI may allow public contributors to attend more meetings, potentially mutually supportive environments provided by face-to-face meetings could be diminished, with carers experiencing a possible reduction in informal respite opportunities.ConclusionsThrough involving public contributors, researchers, and PPI coordinators with a focus on digital PPI in dementia research, we were able to further refine and co-produce the ‘E-nabling Digital Co-production' Framework. Demonstrating potential for analysis of benefits and limitations within e-PPI, it was possible to identify both general insights and those specific to dementia research. However, the most significant contribution of the framework is the potential to support local journeys of co-production in ongoing digital and hybrid public involvement activities

Simulation of facet heating in high-power red lasers

A two-dimensional self-consistent laser model has been used for the simulation of the facet heating of red emitting AlGaInP lasers. It solves in the steady-state the complete semiconductor optoelectronic and thermal equations in the epitaxial and longitudinal directions and takes into account the population of different conduction band valleys. The model considers the possibility of two independent mechanisms contributing to the facet heating: recombination at surface traps and optical absorption at the facet. The simulation parameters have been calibrated by comparison with measurements of the temperature dependence of the threshold current and slope efficiency of broad-area lasers. Facet temperature has been measured by micro-Raman spectrometry in devices with standard and non absorbing mirrors evidencing an effective decrease of the facet heating due to the non absorbing mirrors. A good agreement between experimental values and calculations is obtained for both devices when a certain amount of surface traps and optical absorption is assumed. A simulation analysis of the effect of non absorbing mirrors in the reduction of facet heating in terms of temperature, carrier density, material gain and Shockly-Read-Hall recombination rate profiles is provided

Computer Cognitive Rehabilitation in Older People: gradior Program

In the process of aging, there is a cognitive decline due to age. Cognitive impairment is one of the most common symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia. Throughout decades, different types of cognitive interventions and approaches have been developed with the main objective of improving or maintaining the cognitive capacities of the elderly. Such is the case of computer cognitive rehabilitation that has been shown to be an effective form of stimulation capable of improving cognitive functioning in the older people. This document describes the computerized cognitive rehabilitation program gradior 4.5 (latest version), specifying its different components, application methodology and its most relevant aspects. The experience developed during the more than 20 years of existence of the program with thousands of patients coming from different devices and the different studies of efficacy and usability developed, in order to satisfy the needs, capacities, limitations and preferences of the users, have given place to this new improved version that makes it a flexible, dynamic, simple, useful and easy to use tool

Brief cognitive assessment instruments in schizophrenia and bipolar patients, and healthy control subjects: A comparison study between the Brief Cognitive Assessment Tool for Schizophrenia (B-CATS) and the Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP)

Cognitive impairment in schizophrenia and psychosis is ubiquitous and acknowledged as a core feature of clinical expression, pathophysiology, and prediction of functioning. However, assessment of cognitive functioning is excessively time-consuming in routine practice, and brief cognitive instruments specific to psychosis would be of value. Two screening tools have recently been created to address this issue, i.e., the Brief Cognitive Assessment Tool for Schizophrenia (B-CATS) and the Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP). The aim of this research was to examine the comparative validity of these two brief instruments in relation to a global cognitive score. 161 patients with psychosis (96 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and 65 patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder) and 76 healthy control subjects were tested with both instruments to examine their concurrent validity relative to a more comprehensive neuropsychological assessment battery. Scores from the B-CATS and the SCIP were highly correlated in the three diagnostic groups, and both scales showed good to excellent concurrent validity relative to a Global Cognitive Composite Score (GCCS) derived from the more comprehensive examination. The SCIP-S showed better predictive value of global cognitive impairment than the B-CATS. Partial and semi-partial correlations showed slightly higher percentages of both shared and unique variance between the SCIP-S and the GCCS than between the B-CATS and the GCCS. Brief instruments for assessing cognition in schizophrenia and bipolar disorders, such as the SCIP-S and B-CATS, seem to be reliable and promising tools for use in routine clinical practice

Arquitecturas multiprocesador en computación de alto desempeño: software, métricas, modelos y aplicaciones

Caracterizar las arquitecturas multiprocesador distribuidas enfocadas especialmente a cluster y cloud computing, con énfasis en las que utilizan procesadores de múltiples núcleos (multicores, GPUs y Xeon Phi), con el objetivo de modelizarlas, estudiar su escalabilidad, analizar y predecir performance de aplicaciones paralelas, estudiar el consumo energético y su impacto en la perfomance así como desarrollar esquemas para detección y tolerancia a fallas en las mismas. Profundizar el estudio de arquitecturas basadas en GPUs y su comparación con clusters de multicores, así como el empleo combinado de GPUs y multicores en computadoras de alta perfomance. Iniciar investigación experimental con arquitecturas paralelas basadas en FPGAs. En particular estudiar perfomance en Clusters “híbridos”. Analizar y desarrollar software de base para clusters, tratando de optimizar el rendimiento. Investigar arquitecturas multicore asimétricas, desarrollar algoritmos de planificación en el software de sistema operativo para permitir la optimización del rendimiento y consumo energético en aplicaciones de propósito general. Estudiar clases de aplicaciones inteligentes en tiempo real, en particular el trabajo colaborativo de robots conectados a un cloud y procesamiento de Big Data. Es de hacer notar que este proyecto se coordina con otros proyectos en curso en el III-LIDI, relacionados con Computación de Alto Desempeño, Algoritmos Paralelos, Sistemas Distribuidos y Sistemas de Tiempo Real.Eje: Procesamiento Distribuido y Paralelo.Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Arquitecturas multiprocesador en HPC: software, métricas, modelos y aplicaciones

La línea presentada en este trabajo tiene como eje central las arquitecturas paralelas para Cómputo de Altas Prestaciones, con los siguientes objetivos: - Caracterizar las arquitecturas multiprocesador orientadas a computación de alto desempeño, analizando técnicas para el desarrollo de código eficiente sobre las mismas y métricas de rendimiento computacional y energético. Principalmente teniendo en cuenta aquellas arquitecturas que son combinaciones de cluster, multicores, aceleradores (GPUs, FPGAs, Xheon Phi), placas de bajo costo (Raspberry PI, Odroid). - Estudiar la conformación de clusters y clouds a partir de configuraciones homogéneas e híbridas de multiprocesadores. Y analizar la performance de aplicaciones sobre los mismos, considerando eficiencia computacional/energética y escalabilidad, así como la tolerancia a fallos. - Analizar y desarrollar software de base para estas arquitecturas con el objetivo de optimizar del rendimiento y consumo energético en aplicaciones de propósito general. - Estudiar clases de aplicaciones inteligentes en tiempo real, en particular el trabajo colaborativo de robots conectados a un cloud y procesamiento de Big Data. Es de hacer notar que este proyecto se coordina con otros proyectos en curso en el III-LIDI, relacionados con Computación de Alto Desempeño, Algoritmos Paralelos, Sistemas Distribuidos y Sistemas de Tiempo Real.Eje: Procesamiento Distribuido y Paralelo.Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informátic

Arquitecturas multiprocesador en HPC: software, métricas, modelos y aplicaciones

La línea presentada en este trabajo tiene como eje central las arquitecturas paralelas para Cómputo de Altas Prestaciones, con los siguientes objetivos: - Caracterizar las arquitecturas multiprocesador orientadas a computación de alto desempeño, analizando técnicas para el desarrollo de código eficiente sobre las mismas y métricas de rendimiento computacional y energético. Principalmente teniendo en cuenta aquellas arquitecturas que son combinaciones de cluster, multicores, aceleradores (GPUs, FPGAs, Xheon Phi), placas de bajo costo (Raspberry PI, Odroid). - Estudiar la conformación de clusters y clouds a partir de configuraciones homogéneas e híbridas de multiprocesadores. Y analizar la performance de aplicaciones sobre los mismos, considerando eficiencia computacional/energética y escalabilidad, así como la tolerancia a fallos. - Analizar y desarrollar software de base para estas arquitecturas con el objetivo de optimizar del rendimiento y consumo energético en aplicaciones de propósito general. - Estudiar clases de aplicaciones inteligentes en tiempo real, en particular el trabajo colaborativo de robots conectados a un cloud y procesamiento de Big Data. Es de hacer notar que este proyecto se coordina con otros proyectos en curso en el III-LIDI, relacionados con Computación de Alto Desempeño, Algoritmos Paralelos, Sistemas Distribuidos y Sistemas de Tiempo Real.Eje: Procesamiento Distribuido y Paralelo.Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informátic

Arquitecturas multiprocesador: hardware, software, modelos, métricas y tendencias

El eje de esta línea de I/D lo constituye el estudio de las arquitecturas multiprocesador que integran sistemas distribuidos y paralelos. Incluye como temas centrales: - Arquitecturas many-core (GPU, procesadores MIC), FPGAs, híbridas (diferentes combinaciones de multicores y aceleradores), y asimétricas. - Cloud Computing para HPC (especialmente para aplicaciones de Big Data) y sistemas distribuidos de tiempo real (Cloud Robotics). - Desarrollo y evaluación de algoritmos paralelos sobre nuevas arquitecturas y su evaluación de rendimiento computacional y energético.Eje: Procesamiento Distribuido y ParaleloRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informátic