Supporting L3 femtocell mobility using the MOBIKE protocol

Proceeding of ACCESS 2011, The Second International Conference on Access Networks, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg, June 19-24, 2011Femtocells can be used to improve the indoor coverage and bandwidth of 3G cellular networks in homes and buildings. They are designed to be placed in a fixed location. However, their use would also be interesting in mobile environments such as public transportation systems. This paper studies the mobility limitations at the layer 3 and suggests an approach to support mobility on femtocell networks. This solution employs the protocols already defined in the femtocell architecture, minimizing thus the impact on it.This work has been supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, CONSEQUENCE project (TEC2010- 20572-C02-01) and partially supported by the Madrid regional community project CCG10-UC3M/TIC-4992

Mejora de la herramienta educativa “más allá del español” con trabajos de investigación de los estudiantes del máster de español como lengua extranjera

El proyecto Más allá del español, financiado con Fondos de Cooperación Social por la Fundación Complutense (ref.77/11), había dejado uno de sus tres objetivos sin cumplir: aquel proyecto de enseñanza de español a extranjeros se había diseñado para que los estudiantes del máster de Español como Lengua Extranjera. Durante este curso nos propusimos lograr que la herramienta fuera útil para los masterandos: se trataba de invitarles a realizar trabajos que pudieran compartir con la comunidad de profesores de ELE, de modo que el aprendizaje de su etapa de Máster revirtiera en la sociedad. La propuesta se hizo en el marco de la asignatura “Español para fines específicos e Inmigrantes”. El primer día de clase tuvimos una conferencia plenaria de inauguración a cargo de María José Alonso, profesora de la Fundación “La Merced inmigrantes”. Durante su exposición subrayó la utilidad de los mapas conceptuales en la enseñanza del español a inmigrantes, particularmente en el aprendizaje del léxico relacionado con la profesión que aspiraban a tener cada uno de los estudiantes. De ahí nació la idea de crear recursos para el aprendizaje del léxico relacionado con oficios y trabajos. De los veintitrés trabajos realizados, catorce han logrado suficiente calidad como para su publicación en: http://masalladelespanol.com/mapas-conceptuales

Analysis of location prediction performance of LZ algorithms using GSM Cell-based location data

Proceedings of the 5th International Symposium of Ubiquitous Computing and Ambient Intelligence (UCAMI 2011), December 5-8th, 2011, Riviera Maya, MexicoPredictions about users' next locations allow bringing forward their future context, thus having additional time to react. To make such predictions, algorithms capable of learning mobility patterns and estimating the next location are needed. This work is focused on making the predictions on mobile terminals, thus resource consumption being an important constraint. Among the predictors with low resource consumption, the family of LZ algorithms has been chosen to study their performance, analyzing the results drawn from processing location records of 95 users. The main contribution is to divide the algorithms into two phases, thus being possible to use the best combination to obtain better prediction accuracy or lower resource consumption.Proyecto CCG10-UC3M/TIC-4992 de la Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid y la Universidad Carlos III de Madri

Spatio-temporal dynamic clustering modeling for solar irradiance resource assessment

Nowadays, with the development of international policies and agreements to promote the integration of renewable energy sources, mainly solar and wind, modeling the solar resource by including the spatio-temporal variability is crucial to determine future PV power plant locations and estimate potential power generation performances. However, contributions involving long-term periods and different time windows to explore such potential solar resource variability are generally scarce. Under this framework, the present paper proposes a methodology focused on characterizing and clustering the spatio-temporal solar resource variability through the global horizontal irradiance analysis. Hierarchical clustering technique is firstly used to classify the spatial data. Different time windows — from short-term to long-term data — can be subsequently evaluated by using various sources of information. The Spanish territory is selected as case study, considering 22-year period data (1999–2020) and 1,936,917 observations from online satellite database. Spatial variability and geographical clustering differences are discussed and compared depending on the selected time windows, identifying relevant spatial variations for some specific months. Additionally, some years present more variability as well, in line with the sunspot peak of the solar cycles. The proposed approach gives an alternative comprehensive spatio-temporal clustering and characterization of GHI evolution, providing a suitable methodology to help the current European sustainable energy transition.These data were obtained from the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) POWER Project funded through the NASA Earth Science/Applied Science Program, United States. The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. This work was partially funded by the research project PID2020–112754GB–I00, financially supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (Spain)

Nanoparticles to Knockdown Osteoporosis-Related Gene and Promote Osteogenic Markers Expression for Osteoporosis Treatment

Osteoporosis is the most common disease involving bone degeneration. Current clinical treatments are not able to offer a satisfying curative effect, so the development of effective treatments is desired. Gene silencing through siRNA delivery has gained great attention as a potential treatment in bone diseases. SOST gene inhibits the Wnt signaling pathway reducing osteoblast differentiation. Consequently, silencing SOST gene with a specific siRNA could be a potential option to treat osteoporosis. Generally, siRNAs have very short half-life and poor transfection capacity, so an effective carrier is needed. In particular, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have attracted great attention for intracellular delivery of nucleic acids. We took advantage of their high loading capacity to further load the pores with osteostatin, an osteogenic peptide. In this study we developed a system based on MSNs coated with poly(ethylenimine), which can effectively deliver SOST siRNA and osteostatin inside cells, with the consequent augmentation of osteogenic markers with a synergistic effect. This established the potential utility of MSNs to co-deliver both biomolecules to promote bone formation, being a potential alternative to treat osteoporosis

Nanoparticles for the potential treatment of osteoporosis.

In this original editorial piece, María Vallet-Regí, Patricia Mora-Raimundo, Daniel Lozano and Miguel Manzano (all at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain) discuss the use of nanoparticles for the potential treatment of osteoporosis, in light of some of their recently published work in the field

Códigos qr y realidad aumentada para fortalecer la lectura comprensiva en estudiantes de bachillerato técnico.

The society is on constantly changing and the ways of learning are evolving. In fact, the pur-pose of this research is to determine the relevance of digital media to promote comprehensive reading in first-year technical high school students, through RQ codes and augmented reality, to improve reading comprehension in first-year technical high school students and get better academic performance. Considering that, the new generations are involved in the digital age that is way we need a new tools that allow them to have a better understanding of what they are learning. Therefore, the use of RQ codes and augmented reality for reading comprehension is considered of great relevance. We do not have to forget, the reading comprehension is an indispensable axis for use in any subject and the millennium comprehension of the new world. And on the other hand, augmented reality offers a high degree of construction of a virtual environment, where students are participants in their learning being able to build, modify and design new learning, promoting better meaningful readings. Thus, this research proposes a methodological guide to reading comprehension through the RQ code and augmented reality.La sociedad está en constante cambio y las formas de aprender van evolucionando. En efecto, el propósito de esta investigación es determinar la relevancia que tienen los medios digitales para fomentar la lectura comprensiva en los estudiantes. Por medio de los códigos QR y realidad aumentada, para mejorar la comprensión lectora en los estudiantes de Primero de bachillerato técnico, y así, mejorar el rendimiento académico. Considerando que las nuevas generaciones se encuentran inmiscuidas en la era digital, es necesario de nuevas herramientas que les permitan tener una mejor comprensión de lo que están aprendiendo. Por lo que, se considera de gran relevancia la utilización de los códigos QR y la realidad aumentada en el proceso de comprensión lectora. Ya que, por un lado, la compresión lectora es un eje indispensable para la utilización en cualquier asignatura y la comprensión informática del mudo. Y, por otro lado, ofrece un alto grado de construcción de un entorno virtual, donde los estudiantes son partícipes de su aprendizaje pudiendo construir, modificar y diseñar nuevos aprendizajes, de esta manera promoviendo mejores lecturas significativas. Así pues, esta investigación propone una guía metodológica de comprensión lectora a través el código QR y realidad aumentada

Beneficial Effects of Limosilactobacillus fermentum in the DCA Experimental Model of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Rats

Limosilactobacillus fermentum CECT5716, a probiotic strain isolated from human milk, has reported beneficial effects on different gastrointestinal disorders. Moreover, it has shown its ability to restore altered immune responses, in association with microbiome modulation in different pathological conditions. Therefore, our aim was to assess the effects of a Limosilacbacillus fermentum CECT5716 in a rat experimental model of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) that resembles human IBS. The experimental IBS was induced by deoxycholic acid (DCA) in rats and then, Limosilactobacillus fermentum CECT5716 (109 CFU/day/rat) was administered. Behavioral studies, hyperalgesia and intestinal hypersensitivity determinations were performed and the impact of the probiotic on the inflammatory and intestinal barrier integrity was evaluated. Additionally, the gut microbiota composition was analyzed. Limosilactobacillus fermentum CECT5716 attenuated the anxiety-like behavior as well as the visceral hypersensitivity and referred pain. Moreover, this probiotic ameliorated the gut inflammatory status, re-establishing the altered intestinal permeability, reducing the mast cell degranulation and re-establishing the gut dysbiosis in experimental IBS. Therefore, our results suggest a potential use of Limosilactobacillus fermentum CECT5716 in clinical practice for the management of IBS patients.Junta de Andalucia A-CTS-447-UGR18 CTS 164Instituto de Salud Carlos IIIEuropean Commission PI19/01058 PI20/0144

Intestinal Parasites Prevalence in Children from “Templo Comedor Sagrado Corazón Teresa Benedicta de la Cruz”, Vallejuelos-Medellín, 2007

RESUMEN: Introducción: los seres humanos estamos expuestos a los parásitos presentes en el medio en que habitamos, lo que puede plantear un problema de salud pública, especialmente en los países en vías de desarrollo como Colombia. La población más vulnerable es la infantil, especialmente la de comunidades en condiciones socioeconómicas precarias. Objetivo: determinar la prevalencia de parásitos intestinales en los niños que acuden a un templo comedor en un barrio marginal de Medellín. Métodos: en octubre y noviembre de 2007 se hizo un estudio descriptivo transversal, mediante un coprológico directo y por concentración, en 58 de los 150 niños que acuden al templo comedor; lo anterior se complementó con una encuesta sobre algunas variables sociodemográficas. Resultados: se halló que 54 de los 58 niños (93%) estaban parasitados y que en 48 de ellos (88,9%) los parásitos eran potencialmente patógenos; entre estos predominó Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (46,6%), seguida por Giardia intestinalis (25,9%), Trichuris trichiura (25,9%), Ascaris lumbricoides (24,1%) y Enterobius vermicularis (8,6%). Se halló multiparasitismo en 21 niños (38,8%). En cuanto a la relación entre algunas variables sociodemográficas y la frecuencia de parásitos solo se halló que el hacinamiento en la vivienda se asociaba significativamente con la presencia de Entamoeba histolytica/dispar y de Blastocystis hominis, y la tenencia de mascotas, con la infección por Enterobius vermicularis. Conclusión: la prevalencia de parasitosis intestinales hallada en este trabajo superó la de otros grupos tanto colombianos como extranjeros. Se discuten las implicaciones de este hallazgo desde el punto de vista de la salud pública.ABSTRACT: Introduction: Human beings are exposed to the parasites present in their habitat. This situation poses a public health problem, especially in underdeveloped countries such as Colombia. The pediatric population is the most vulnerable, particularly that of communities in poor socioeconomic conditions. Objective: To determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites in children attending a social aid institution in a poor neighborhood of Medellín, Colombia. Methods: In October and November 2007 a descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out by means of direct and concentration stool examination in 58 out of 150 children attending the aforementioned institution. In addition, a survey was made of some socio-demographic variables. Results: 54 of the 58 children (93%) were infected by intestinal parasites. In 48 of them (88.9%) potentially pathogen parasites were present, namely: Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (46.6%), Giardia intestinalis (25.9%), Trichuris trichiura (25.9%), Ascaris lumbricoides (24.1%), and Enterobius vermicularis (8.6%). Twenty one children (38.8%) were infected with either 2 or 3 parasites. The only significant associations between socio-demographic variables and parasitic infections were as follows: overcrowding was associated with Entamoeba histolytica/dispar and Blastocystis hominis, and the presence of pets (mostly dogs) in the house was associated with Enterobius vermicularis. Conclusion: Prevalence rate of intestinal parasites was higher in the studied group than in other communities, both Colombian and from other countries. Implications of this finding from the public health perspective are discussed