Using ORB, BoW and SVM to identify and track tagged Norway lobster Nephrops norvegicus (L.)

Sustainable capture policies of many species strongly depend on the understanding of their social behaviour. Nevertheless, the analysis of emergent behaviour in marine species poses several challenges. Usually animals are captured and observed in tanks, and their behaviour is inferred from their dynamics and interactions. Therefore, researchers must deal with thousands of hours of video data. Without loss of generality, this paper proposes a computer vision approach to identify and track specific species, the Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus. We propose an identification scheme were animals are marked using black and white tags with a geometric shape in the center (holed triangle, filled triangle, holed circle and filled circle). Using a massive labelled dataset; we extract local features based on the ORB descriptor. These features are a posteriori clustered, and we construct a Bag of Visual Words feature vector per animal. This approximation yields us invariance to rotation and translation. A SVM classifier achieves generalization results above 99%. In a second contribution, we will make the code and training data publically available.Peer Reviewe

DESARROLLO DE UNA BASE DE DATOS Y UNA APLICACIÓN WEB DE ACCESO A LA MISMA PARA UN GRUPO DE INVESTIGACIÓN MARINA DE ORGANISMOS DE PROFUNDIDAD (DEEP-SEA)

Este proyecto se fraguó previamente a la elección de un trabajo final de carrera. Para poder entenderlo debo mencionar que trabajo como titulado superior de investigación y laboratorio en el Instituto de Ciencias del Mar (ICM)del Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), dentro de un grupo de investigación en oceanografía biológica, concretamente en recursos marinos renovables. En base a mi experiencia con este tipo de entorno de investigación, observe que existían una serie de mejoras de carácter técnico que se podrían introducir, y que ha la larga iban a facilitar mucho más el trabajo científico del grupo. Este grupo durante muchos años se ha dedicado a la obtención de datos de dos especies marinas de interés comercial del mar Mediterráneo que tienen su hábitat en aguas profundas: la gamba rosada (Aristeus antennatus) y la cigala (Nephrops norvegicus). Por ende, de manera colateral, datos de las especies que interaccionan con ellas, y que por este hecho se ven influenciadas al ser pescadas las anteriores. En estos años ha ido en aumento la evidencia de que ecosistemas más someros de nuestros mares tienen una relación mucho mayor de lo que se suponía con los ecosistemas profundos de los mismos. Además estos ecosistemas profundos influyen en los someros, también más de lo que cabía esperar, actuando de refugio de larvas y especies que tienen capacidad de sobrevivir en rangos batimétricos amplios. Si desean tener una visión más profunda al respecto pueden ver algunas de las últimas referencias bibliográficas a las que hago referencia en este párrafo acerca de este hecho, así como del incremento de la importancia de los grupos de investigación en el mundo dedicados a este tipo de investigación. En algunas de estas publicaciones han participado miembros del grupo al cual va dirigido el trabajo que aquí expongo. A medida que crecía el número de miembros del grupo, la importancia del mismo, la mejora tecnológica empleada en los muestreos, las colaboraciones internacionales con otras instituciones y la cantidad de proyectos en el grupo de investigación, crecía a su vez proporcionalmente, la cantidad de datos y la disparidad en formatos y sistemas de almacenaje (Hojas MS Excel o bases de datos MS Access, archivos de texto, etc.). Se ha hecho necesaria entonces la creación de una herramienta que los gestione de una forma común, y una base de datos para el almacenaje de los mismos de una forma coherente y robusta. Así mismo el hecho de tener los datos en una fuente común, posibilitará su distribución a otras bases de datos mundiales sobre la materia con las cuales se colabora, dependientes de organismos tan en la cresta a de la ola, como el Census of marine life (COML), el Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) y el Center for Marine Environmental Sciences (MARUM)de Alemania. Estos a su vez carecen de datos de las zonas geográficas pertenecientes al mar Mediterráneo foco de la investigación del grupo

Integrating data from vessel monitoring system and fish landings in Menditerranean small fleets, using a PostgreSQL database with PostGIS extension

Geospatial technologies represent an advance in knowledge of marine ecosystems, allowing approach the study of the potential effect of world fishing fleets and their dynamics. Nevertheless, their application to fisheries biology is very recent and its use is generalizing when the ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea) proposed one methodology to study fisheries and their impact in Atlantic Ocean ecosystems in the 2008 year. This procedure is based on the use of position data from the "blue boxes" (VMS-Vessel Monitoring System), mandatory since 2006 due to a European regulation, and it's present in most fishing boats. The junction of the VMS, fishing logbooks and landings data enables us to obtain among others results, maps of fishing effort, behaviour of fishing fleet and precise location of fishing grounds at the European waters. However, its design is made for large trawlers and longliners, and extensive Atlantic areas. This fact makes impossible its application for the study of the fleet and fisheries in Mediterranean waters. Because, the boats are much smaller, have lower mobility and they work in small fishing areas. The aim of this work has been to develop and apply a methodology (ICES based) to study fishing effort on species of commercial interest in Catalan coast, using scripting PL/SQL procedures of PostgreSQL system database with Post- GIS extension.Peer Reviewe

Creel fishing and acoustic tracking trials in the No-Take zone off Palamós-Roses (Northwester Mediterranean Sea) at 350-420 m depth

Postprint (published version

Características de la personalidad según el género en universitarios españoles

Gender differences in personality, optimism and stress coping were analysed in a group of Spanish college students.  Specific characteristics in these variables would be found, which will propose specific interventions. Three hundred and seventeen college students, 51 men and 266 women completed several personality questionnaires: The shorter version of  Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ-R), the Coping Strategies Inventory  (CSI), Revised Life Orientation Test (LOT-R), the Neo Five-Factor Inventory (NEO FFI), the Transparent Bipolar Inventory and the Berkeley Personality Profile. Statistically significant gender differences in social avoidance of coping skills scale and neuroticism of Eysenck Scale and Bipolar Inventory were founded. Men showed highest social avoidance and neuroticism based on Eysenck scale and no differences in other dimensions evaluated were showed. Finally, men tend to use avoidant coping, whereas neuroticism results are not consistent.En este artículo analizamos las diferencias de género de un grupo de estudiantes en relación a la personalidad, el optimismo y el afrontamiento al estrés, con el fin de conocer las características específicas de este colectivo en estas variables y si se mantienen las diferencias que apuntan otros estudios, lo cual permitirá proponer intervenciones específicas. En este estudio han participado 317 estudiantes universitarios, 51 varones y 266 mujeres, a los que se les aplicaron de forma individual diferentes instrumentos: el Cuestionario de personalidad de Eysenck (EPQ-R) en su versión abreviada, el Inventario de Afrontamiento al Estrés (CSI), el Test de Orientación Vital Revisado (LOT-R), el Inventario Neo de Cinco Factores (NEO FFI), el Inventario Bipolar de Goldberg, y el Perfil de Personalidad de Berkeley. A partir de los análisis de diferencias de género, se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en la Variable Retirada Social del Inventario de Estrategias de Afrontamiento, la variable neuroticismo del Cuestionario de Personalidad de Eysenck y la variable neuroticismo del Inventario Bipolar de Goldberg, siendo en los varones mayor en las dos primeras y menor en la última, no encontrándose diferencias en el resto de dimensiones evaluadas. Finalmente, parece que los varones tienden a afrontar de forma evitativa, mientras que en el caso del neuroticismo los resultados no son consistentes

The potential of video imagery from worldwide cabled observatory networks to provide information supporting fish-stock and biodiversity assessment

Seafloor multiparametric fibre-optic-cabled video observatories are emerging tools for standardized monitoring programmes, dedicated to the production of real-time fishery-independent stock assessment data. Here, we propose that a network of cabled cameras can be set up and optimized to ensure representative long-term monitoring of target commercial species and their surrounding habitats. We highlight the importance of adding the spatial dimension to fixed-point-cabled monitoring networks, and the need for close integration with Artificial Intelligence pipelines, that are necessary for fast and reliable biological data processing. We then describe two pilot studies, exemplary of using video imagery and environmental monitoring to derive robust data as a foundation for future ecosystem-based fish-stock and biodiversity management. The first example is from the NE Pacific Ocean where the deep-water sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) has been monitored since 2010 by the NEPTUNE cabled observatory operated by Ocean Networks Canada. The second example is from the NE Atlantic Ocean where the Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) is being monitored using the SmartBay observatory developed for the European Multidisciplinary Seafloor and water column Observatories. Drawing from these two examples, we provide insights into the technological challenges and future steps required to develop full-scale fishery-independent stock assessments.This work was funded by the following project activities: ARIM (Autonomous Robotic sea-floor Infrastructure for benthopelagic Monitoring; MartTERA ERA-Net Cofound), ARCHES (Autonomous Robotic Networks to Help Modern Societies; German Helmholtz Association), RESBIO (TEC2017-87861-R; Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Spanish Government), RESNEP (CTM2017-82991-C2-1-R; Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Spanish Government), and SmartLobster (EMSO-LINK Trans National Access-TNA). The EMSO_SmartBay cabled observatory was funded by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) as part of a SFI Research Infrastructure Award Grant No. 12/RI/2331.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Climate drives community-wide divergence within species over a limited spatial scale: evidence from an oceanic island

Geographic isolation substantially contributes to species endemism on oceanic islands when speciation involves the colonisation of a new island. However, less is understood about the drivers of speciation within islands. What is lacking is a general understanding of the geographic scale of gene flow limitation within islands, and thus the spatial scale and drivers of geographical speciation within insular contexts. Using a community of beetle species, we show that when dispersal ability and climate tolerance are restricted, microclimatic variation over distances of only a few kilometres can maintain strong geographic isolation extending back several millions of years. Further to this, we demonstrate congruent diversification with gene flow across species, mediated by Quaternary climate oscillations that have facilitated a dynamic of isolation and secondary contact. The unprecedented scale of parallel species responses to a common environmental driver for evolutionary change has profound consequences for understanding past and future species responses to climate variation

Inhaled Methoxyflurane Provides Greater Analgesia and Faster Onset of Action Versus Standard Analgesia in Patients With Trauma Pain: InMEDIATE: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Emergency Departments

Study objective: The objective of the InMEDIATE study was to evaluate the change in intensity of traumatic pain over the first 20 min in adult patients treated with methoxyflurane versus standard analgesic treatment in Spain. This the first randomized, active-controlled, multicenter trial of methoxyflurane in the emergency setting in Europe. Methods: This was a randomized, controlled study that enrolled adult patients with acute moderate to severe (score >= 4 on the 11-point Numeric Rating Scale) trauma-associated pain in 14 Spanish emergency departments. Patients were randomized 1:1 to methoxyflurane (up to 2x3 mL) or standard analgesic treatment. Coprimary endpoints were the change from baseline in Numeric Rating Scale pain intensity score during the first 20 minutes of treatment and time to first pain relief. Results: Three hundred five patients were randomized (methoxyflurane 156; standard analgesic treatment 149). Most patients in the standard analgesic treatment group (70%) received intravenous first-step analgesics and 9.4% of patients were treated with opioids. Mean decrease from baseline in Numeric Rating Scale pain intensity score was greater for methoxyflurane than standard analgesic treatment at all points, with a significant treatment difference overall up to 20 minutes (repeated-measures model 2.47 versus 1.39; treatment difference 1.00; 95% confidence interval 0.84 to 1.32). Median time to first pain relief was significantly shorter for methoxyflurane than standard analgesic treatment (3 versus 10 minutes). Methoxyflurane achieved better patient and clinician ratings for pain control and comfort of treatment than standard analgesic treatment and exceeded patient and clinician expectations of treatment in, respectively, 77% and 72% of cases compared with 38% and 19% for standard analgesic treatment. Conclusion: These results support consideration of methoxyflurane as a nonnarcotic, easy-to-administer, rapid-acting, first-line alternative to currently available analgesic treatments for trauma pain

Revisiting the epidemiology of bloodstream infections and healthcare-associated episodes: results from a multicentre prospective cohort in Spain (PRO-BAC Study)

PROBAC REIPI/GEIH-SEIMC/SAEI Group.The epidemiology of bloodstream infections (BSIs) is dynamic as it depends on microbiological, host and healthcare system factors. The aim of this study was to update the information regarding the epidemiology of BSIs in Spain considering the type of acquisition. An observational, prospective cohort study in 26 Spanish hospitals from October 2016 through March 2017 including all episodes of BSI in adults was performed. Bivariate analyses stratified by type of acquisition were performed. Multivariate analyses were performed by logistic regression. Overall, 6345 BSI episodes were included; 2510 (39.8%) were community-acquired (CA), 1661 (26.3%) were healthcare-associated (HCA) and 2056 (32.6%) hospital-acquired (HA). The 30-day mortality rates were 11.6%, 19.5% and 22.0%, respectively. The median age of patients was 71 years (interquartile range 60–81 years) and 3656 (58.3%; 95% confidence interval 57.1–59.6%) occurred in males. The proportions according to patient sex varied according to age strata. Escherichia coli (43.8%), Klebsiella spp. (8.9%), Staphylococcus aureus (8.9%) and coagulase-negative staphylococci (7.4%) were the most frequent pathogens. Multivariate analyses confirmed important differences between CA and HCA episodes, but also between HCA and HA episodes, in demographics, underlying conditions and aetiology. In conclusion, we have updated the epidemiological information regarding patients’ profiles, underlying conditions, frequency of acquisition types and aetiological agents of BSI in Spain. HCA is confirmed as a distinct type of acquisition.This work was financed by grants from Plan Nacional de I+D+i 2013–2016, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Subdirección General de Redes y Centros de Investigación Cooperativa, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades [PI16/01432] and the Spanish Network for Research in Infectious Diseases (REIPI) [RD16/0016/0001; RD16/0016/0008], co‐financed by the European Development Regional Fund ‘A way to achieve Europe’, Operative program Intelligent Growth 2014–2020