A spiking neural network for real-time Spanish vowel phonemes recognition

This paper explores neuromorphic approach capabilities applied to real-time speech processing. A spiking recognition neural network composed of three types of neurons is proposed. These neurons are based on an integrative and fire model and are capable of recognizing auditory frequency patterns, such as vowel phonemes; words are recognized as sequences of vowel phonemes. For demonstrating real-time operation, a complete spiking recognition neural network has been described in VHDL for detecting certain Spanish words, and it has been tested in a FPGA platform. This is a stand-alone and fully hardware system that allows to embed it in a mobile system. To stimulate the network, a spiking digital-filter-based cochlea has been implemented in VHDL. In the implementation, an Address Event Representation (AER) is used for transmitting information between neurons.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad TEC2012-37868-C04-02/0

A new geometrical method for 3D evaluation of non-rigid registration methods for radiotherapy in prostate cancer

Three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy aims at delivering a high dose of radiation to the tumour, while sparing the surrounding normal tissue to a maximum extent. Image registration is an essential tool for monitoring radiation therapies, since allows morphological comparisons in presence of anatomic variations. The evaluation of non-rigid registration methods is very complicated owe to the absence of a known pointwise correspondence. The use of analysis of variations in target volume delineations has been proposed in the past for the evaluation of non-rigid registration methods. Delineation of the target volume is usually accomplished by outlining the contour of the volume in each separate tomographic slice. In the studies of reference, the 3D surface is rendered from the contours by means of a Delauney triangulation. This geometrical method only works correctly for convex structures. However the volumes involved on pelvic anatomy, such as bladder or prostate including the seminal vesicles, have relevant concavities that introduce a huge error in the evaluation. A new geometrical method for the evaluation of convex-concave target volumes delineation is proposed

Hypoxia in the Initiation and Progression of Neuroblastoma Tumours

Neuroblastoma is the most frequent extracranial solid tumour in children, causing 10% of all paediatric oncology deaths. It arises in the embryonic neural crest due to an uncontrolled behaviour of sympathetic nervous system progenitors, giving rise to heterogeneous tumours. Low local or systemic tissue oxygen concentration has emerged as a cellular stimulus with important consequences for tumour initiation, evolution and progression. In neuroblastoma, several evidences point towards a role of hypoxia in tumour initiation during development, tumour cell differentiation, survival and metastatic spreading. However, the heterogeneous nature of the disease, its developmental origin and the lack of suitable experimental models have complicated a clear understanding of the effect of hypoxia in neuroblastoma tumour progression and the molecular mechanisms implicated. In this review, we have compiled available evidences to try to shed light onto this important field. In particular, we explore the effect of hypoxia in neuroblastoma cell transformation and differentiation. We also discuss the experimental models available and the emerging alternatives to study this problem, and we present hypoxia-related therapeutic avenues being explored in the field.Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation SAF program (grant number SAF2016-80412-P

La gran acción represiva de Franco que se quiere ocultar

Franco no fue un “ausente” en el gran plan represivo de la posguerra. No sólo estuvo siempre “presente” en la represión, sino que él mismo fue impulsor directo desde su Cuartel General, a través del SIPM, del que era jefe. El SIPM fue un organismo encargado de la “represión rápida” desde mediados de 1938. Al llegar la posguerra Franco puso en marcha el proyecto represivo definitivo: la multi-represión, desde muchos ángulos y no sólo los fusilamientos, en un insólito ataque combinado al que no fue ajeno el vector nazi. Utilizó la tortura, el trabajo esclavo, la represión económica, etc., y el hambre en las cárceles, a manera de un “Auschwitz particular”. Franco no cesó de dictar leyes represivas en catarata: 1939, 1940, 1941, 1943, 1947, etc.,. Todo ello se ignora en el libro de Payne/Palacios, en un gran ejercicio de tergiversación. Palabras clave: Represión franquista, multi-represión, posguerra, SIPM, mortandad en cárceles, conexiones nazis, blanqueamiento de la dictadura. Abstract: Franco was never absent in the post war great repression. He was always present as the general who launched a wave of repression throughout the war, not least through the SIPM which was subordinated to him. The SIPM specialized in "quick repression" since mid 1938. In the postwar period Franco implemented a grand design of multi-modal repression in a great number of areas according to multiple perspectives. Apart from executions there was also an unprecedented assault on civil and political liberties. Nazi concepts came to the surface. Torture, slave work, economic repression and even hunger in a home-made parody of Auschwitz were prevalent. Franco issued wave after wave of repressive laws from 1939 to 1947 and beyond. All this is ignored in the book by Payne and Palacios. Keywords: Francoist repression, multi-modal repression, post civil war, military police, death in prisons, nazi influence, whitewashing of the Franco regim

Equilibrio contractual, garantía estatal y utilidad del contratista en la actualidad

Al momento de expedir la Ley 1150 de 2007, reformó la Ley 80 de 1993, la cual derogó la expresión cuya protección garantiza el Estado , contenida en el artículo 3° del Estatuto General de Contratación Pública, y no se explicaron los motivos para ello. Al modificar estas disposición se generaría alguna incidencia al momento suscribir contratos estatales, teniendo en cuenta que la Constitución Política y la Jurisprudencia siempre ha obligado al Estado a preservar la utilidad planificada por los contratistas como sujeto activo en los contratos estatales

El impacto del diseño de actividades en el plagio de Internet en educación superior

El objetivo de este trabajo es comprender mejor la naturaleza del plagio en la Educación Superior. Analizamos una serie de actividades en un curso on-line de nivel universitario, con el objetivo de encontrar qué tareas llevan más naturalmente al plagio. Este análisis concluye que las actividades que tienen una menor tasa de plagio son actividades que fomentan la participación, la originalidad y la creatividad. Posteriormente, reformulamos la tarea que presenta la mayor tasa de plagio, teniendo en cuenta las conclusiones del análisis anterior y tratando de mantener su esfuerzo relativo y el impacto educativo. A continuación, comparamos las actividades del nuevo diseño con las originales para medir si el rediseño conlleva una reducción significativa del plagio. Los resultados son claros y muestran una caída significativa en los porcentajes de plagio. Además, se realizó una validación adicional en la que se analizó la actividad con la segunda tasa de plagio más alta, encontrando que los grupos eran comparables y mostraban actitudes de plagio similares en otros ejercicios que no habían sido rediseñados. Este estudio muestra que es posible reducir la incidencia de plagio mediante el diseño de actividades de tal manera que los estudiantes se sientan motivados para proponer sus propias ideas utilizando la información disponible en Internet como vehículo para sus soluciones en lugar de como soluciones en sí mismasIn this work we aim to gain a better understanding of the nature of plagiarism in Higher Education. We analyse a set of different activities in an online university-level course, aiming to understand which tasks lead more naturally to plagiarism. This analysis concludes that the activities that have a lower rate of plagiarism are activities that encourage involvement, originality and creativity. Subsequently, we reformulate the task that presented the highest rate of plagiarism, taking into account the conclusions of the previous analysis and trying to maintain their relative effort and educational impact. We then compare the newly designed activities with their original counterparts to measure whether there is a significant reduction in plagiarism. The results are clear and show a significant drop in the percentages of plagiarism. In addition, we performed an additional validation to ensure that both groups were, in fact, comparable. We found that both groups displayed similar plagiarism attitudes in other exercises that were not reformulated. This study shows that it is possible to reduce the incidence of plagiarism by designing activities in such a way that prompts students to propose their own ideas using information available on the Internet as a vehicle for their solutions rather than as solutions in themselve

The Impact of Activity Design in Internet Plagiarism in Higher Education = El impacto del diseño de actividades en el plagio de Internet en educación superior

In this work we aim to gain a better understanding of the nature of plagiarism in Higher Education. We analyse a set of different activities in an online university-level course, aiming to understand which tasks lead more naturally to plagiarism. This analysis concludes that the activities that have a lower rate of plagiarism are activities that encourage involvement, originality and creativity. Subsequently, we reformulate the task that presented the highest rate of plagiarism, taking into account the conclusions of the previous analysis and trying to maintain their relative effort and educational impact. We then compare the newly designed activities with their original counterparts to measure whether there is a significant reduction in plagiarism. The results are clear and show a significant drop in the percentages of plagiarism. In addition, we performed an additional validation to ensure that both groups were, in fact comparable. We found that both groups displayed similar plagiarism attitudes in other exercises that were not reformulated. This study shows that it is possible to reduce the incidence of plagiarism by designing activities in such a way that prompts students to propose their own ideas using information available on the Internet as a vehicle for their solutions rather than as solutions in themselves

El trabajador social como asesor familiar

Se plantea la necesidad social que las familias tienen de recibir asesoramiento sobre sus problemas, en los diferentes momentos por los que pasan en su ciclo vital, y la oportunidad de la figura del trabajador social para desarrollar tareas encaminadas a proporcionar dicho asesoramiento familiar

Procesos termomecánicos y precipitación en un acero HSLA

Se han estudiado dos aceros HSLA (High Strength Low Alloy) que presentan composiciones químicas similares, a excepción del contenido en elementos microaleantes. El propósito del estudio es determinar el efecto del proceso termomecánico y su efecto en la formación de precipitados en cada uno de los dos aceros así como la influencia de estos sobre la microestructura y propiedades mecánicas de los aceros producidos por la industria local

Assessing the relevance of higher education courses

The establishment of the European Higher Education Area has involved specifying lists of professional competencies that programs are expected to develop, and with this the need for procedures to measure how every course within a higher education program is aligned with the program’s competencies. We propose an instrument for characterizing this alignment, a process that we call assessing the relevance of a course. Using information from the course syllabus (objectives, contents and assessment scheme), our instrument produces indicators for characterizing the syllabus in terms of a competence list and for assessing its coherence. Because assessment involves quality, the results obtained can also be used to revise and improve the course syllabus. We illustrate this process with an example of a methods course from a mathematics teacher education program at a Spanish university