Low-complexity soft ML detection for generalized spatial modulation

[EN] Generalized Spatial Modulation (GSM) is a recent Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) scheme, which achieves high spectral and energy efficiencies. Specifically, soft-output detectors have a key role in achiev-ing the highest coding gain when an error-correcting code (ECC) is used. Nowadays, soft-output Maxi-mum Likelihood (ML) detection in MIMO-GSM systems leads to a computational complexity that is un-feasible for real applications; however, it is important to develop low-complexity decoding algorithms that provide a reasonable computational simulation time in order to make a performance benchmark available in MIMO-GSM systems. This paper presents three algorithms that achieve ML performance. In the first algorithm, different strategies are implemented, such as a preprocessing sorting step in order to avoid an exhaustive search. In addition, clipping of the extrinsic log-likelihood ratios (LLRs) can be incor-porating to this algorithm to give a lower cost version. The other two proposed algorithms can only be used with clipping and the results show a significant saving in computational cost. Furthermore clipping allows a wide-trade-off between performance and complexity by only adjusting the clipping parameter.Acknowledgements This work has been partially supported by Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities and by European Union through grant RTI2018-098085-BC41 (MCUI/AEI/FEDER) , by GVASimarro, MA.; García Mollá, VM.; Martínez Zaldívar, FJ.; Gonzalez, A. (2022). Low-complexity soft ML detection for generalized spatial modulation. Signal Processing. 196:1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sigpro.2022.10850911219

ASIC para sistemas de medidas ambientales

El circuito integrado que aquí se describe ha sido diseñado con tecnología puramente digital, y tiene como función servir como centro concentrador de datos en estaciones meteorológicas, aunque por su diseño genérico puede ser usado en cualquier otro campo. Su objetivo principal es la adquisición de medidas (condiciones ambientales como velocidad y dirección del viento, tempera-turas, humedades relativas,...) y la generación de señales analógicas y digitales telemandadas procedentes de un canal de radio o de un canal SPI. Esta realización se enmarca dentro del programa GAME y ha sido desarrollada en colaboración con la empresa SAINCO

Soft MIMO detection through sphere decoding and box optimization

[EN] Achieving optimal detection performance with low complexity is one of the major challenges, mainly in multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) detection. This paper presents three low-complexity Soft-Output MIMO detection algorithms that are based mainly on Box Optimization (BO) techniques. The proposed methods provide good performance with low computational cost using continuous constrained optimization techniques. The rst proposed algorithm is a non-optimal Soft-Output detector of reduced complexity. This algorithm has been compared with the Soft-Output Fixed Complexity (SFSD) algorithm, obtaining lower complexity and similar performance. The two remaining algorithms are employed in a turbo receiver, achieving the max-log Maximum a Posteriori (MAP) performance. The two Soft-Input Soft-Output (SISO) algorithms were proposed in a previous work for soft-output MIMO detection. This work presents its extension for iterative decoding. The SISO algorithms presented are developed and compared with the SISO Single Tree Search algorithm (STS), in terms of efficiency and computational cost. The results show that the proposed algorithms are more efficient for high order constellation than the STS algorithm.Simarro, MA.; García Mollá, VM.; Vidal Maciá, AM.; Martínez Zaldívar, FJ.; Gonzalez, A. (2018). Soft MIMO detection through sphere decoding and box optimization. Signal Processing. 145:48-58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sigpro.2017.11.010S485814

Parallel signal detection for generalized spatial modulation MIMO systems

[EN] Generalized Spatial Modulation is a recently developed technique that is designed to enhance the efficiency of transmissions in MIMO Systems. However, the procedure for correctly retrieving the sent signal at the receiving end is quite demanding. Specifically, the computation of the maximum likelihood solution is computationally very expensive. In this paper, we propose a parallel method for the computation of the maximum likelihood solution using the parallel computing library OpenMP. The proposed parallel algorithm computes the maximum likelihood solution faster than the sequential version, and substantially reduces the worst-case computing times.This work has been partially supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities and by the European Union through grant RTI2018- 098085-BC41 (MCUI/AEI/FEDER), by GVA through PROMETEO/2019/109, and by RED 2018-102668-T. Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature.García Mollá, VM.; Simarro, MA.; Martínez Zaldívar, FJ.; Boratto, M.; Alonso-Jordá, P.; Gonzalez, A. (2022). Parallel signal detection for generalized spatial modulation MIMO systems. The Journal of Supercomputing. 78(5):7059-7077. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11227-021-04163-y7059707778

Impact of global and subjective mini nutritional assessment (MNA) questions on the evaluation of the nutritional status: The role of gender and age

Undernutrition is a quite common condition in the elderly, often identified using the mini nutritional assessment (MNA) test. The aim of this research was to study the independent value of the global and the subjective MNA questions to predict the undernutrition according to the full MNA score, and to analyze the influence of gender and age on such items. A total of 22,007 Spanish people 65 years of age or older were evaluated using the MNA test. These data were obtained by trained community pharmacists by using receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves. About 4.3% of the studied population were classified as undernourished according to the full MNA test. The subjective subscore (two questions) presented better predictive value than the global one (six questions). Indeed, 99.5% of subjects detected as well nourished using the MNA test were also correctly classified using the two subjective questions. In the present study, it was identified that the two subjective MNA questions can be an efficient tool for a quick screening to rule out non undernourished subjects

Valoración de la circunferencia de la pantorrilla como indicador de riesgo de desnutrición en personas mayores

BACKGROUND: Undernutrition is a very common situation among elderly, that is associated with increased morbidity and mortality rates. On the other hand, calf circumference (CC) is a direct anthropometric measurement, related to fat free mass. An early detection of an elderly undernutrition situation, based on CC assessment, could contribute to prevent its development and consequences. OBJECTIVE: To analyse the relationship between CC and a possible undernutrition situation, based on the application of the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) test, among Spanish subjects of 65 or more years old, including the gender and age influences. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out to assess the nutritional situation of an ambulatory population, from every area of Spanish geography (n = 22007), using the questionnaire MNA. Every subject surveyed was 65 or more years old when the test was done. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences between subjects with a CC or= 31 cm, both men and women, in weight, height, body mass index (BMI), MNA total score and undernutrition classification. On the other hand, it was found that those elders with lower CC showed a higher undernutrition risk, both men and women, in every age range studied. CONCLUSIONS: It does exit an association between CC of Spanish subjects of 65 or more years old and the risk of developing undernutrition. That association is similar among men and women, and in all age ranges

Filaggrin and cytokines in respiratory samples of preterm infants at risk for respiratory viral infection

Respiratory viral infections (RVIs) are frequent in preterm infants possibly inducing long-term impact on respiratory morbidity. Immune response and respiratory barriers are key defense elements against viral insults in premature infants admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs). Our main goals were to describe the local immune response in respiratory secretions of preterm infants with RVIs during NICU admission and to evaluate the expression and synthesis of lung barrier regulators, both in respiratory samples and in vitro models. Samples from preterm infants that went on to develop RVIs had lower filaggrin gene and protein levels at a cellular level were compared to never-infected neonates (controls). Filaggrin, MIP-1α/CCL3 and MCP-1 levels were higher in pre-infection supernatants compared to controls. Filaggrin, HIF-1α, VEGF, RANTES/CCL5, IL-17A, IL-1β, MIP-1α and MIP-1β/CCL5 levels were higher during and after infection. ROC curve and logistic regression analysis shows that these molecules could be used as infection risk biomarkers. Small airway epithelial cells stimulated by poly:IC presented reduced filaggrin gene expression and increased levels in supernatant. We conclude that filaggrin gene and protein dysregulation is a risk factor of RVI in newborns admitted at the NICU.This study has been partially supported by ISCIII – Instituto de Salud Carlos III, FIS (Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria—Spanish Health Research Fund) grants FI19/00067, PI18/00167, PI21/00896, PI18CIII/00009 and FEDER funds (Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional); Sociedad Española de Alergología e Inmunología Clínica (SEAIC)Beca19A04_Valverde; Alfonso X El Sabio University Grant: VIII Convocatoria Santander-UAX; CIBER de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), a Carlos III Institute of Health Initiative.S

IFE Plant Technology Overview and contribution to HiPER proposal

HiPER is the European Project for Laser Fusion that has been able to join 26 institutions and signed under formal government agreement by 6 countries inside the ESFRI Program of the European Union (EU). The project is already extended by EU for two years more (until 2013) after its first preparatory phase from 2008. A large work has been developed in different areas to arrive to a design of repetitive operation of Laser Fusion Reactor, and decisions are envisioned in the next phase of Technology Development or Risk Reduction for Engineering or Power Plant facilities (or both). Chamber design has been very much completed for Engineering phase and starting of preliminary options for Reactor Power Plant have been established and review here

Effect of olive oil consumption on cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and all-cause mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Some large prospective studies on olive oil consumption and risk of chronic disease sug- gested protective effects. Objective: We conducted an outcome-wide systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies and randomized controlled trials (RCT) assessing the association between olive oil consumption and the primary risk of 4 different outcomes: cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, type 2 diabetes (T2D) or all-cause mortality through January 2022. Methods: Thirty-six studies were included in the systematic review and twenty-seven studies (24 pro- spective cohorts and 3 different reports from one RCT) were assessed in 4 quantitative random-effects meta-analyses. They included a total of 806,203 participants with 49,223 CVD events; 1,285,064 par- ticipants with 58,892 incident cases of cancer; 680,239 participants with 13,389 incident cases of T2D; and 733,420 participants with 174,081 deaths. Olive oil consumption was most frequently measured with validated food frequency questionnaires. Studies follow-up ranged between 3.7 and 28 years. Results: A 16% reduced risk of CVD (relative risk [RR]: 0.84; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.76 to 0.94), standardized for every additional olive oil consumption of 25 g/d was found. No significant association with cancer risk was observed (RR: 0.94; 95% CI: 0.86 to 1.03, per 25 g/d). Olive oil consumption was associated with a 22% lower relative risk of T2D (RR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.69 to 0.87, per 25 g/d) without evidence of heterogeneity. Similarly, it was inversely associated with all-cause mortality (RR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.85 to 0.93, per 25 g/d). Only the results for T2D were homogeneous. Specific sources of hetero- geneity for the other 3 outcomes were not always apparent. Conclusions: Prospective studies supported a beneficial association of olive oil consumption with CVD, T2D and all-cause mortality, but they did not show any association with cancer risk

Solar-Simulated Ultraviolet Radiation Induces Abnormal Maturation and Defective Chemotaxis of Dendritic Cells

Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light induces immunosuppression. Different evidences indicate that this phenomenon is mainly a consequence of the effect of UV light on skin dendritic cells (DC). To investigate the cellular and molecular basis of this type of immunosuppression, we assessed in vitro the effect of solar-simulated UV radiation on the phenotypic and functional characteristics of human monocyte-derived DC and Langerhans-like DC. UV radiation induced a decreased expression of molecules involved in antigen capture as DC-SIGN and the mannose receptor. This effect was accompanied by a diminished endocytic capacity, an enhanced expression of molecules involved in antigen presentation such as major histocompatibility complex-II and CD86, and a significant increase in their capability to stimulate T cells. Furthermore, irradiated DC failed to acquire a full mature phenotype upon treatment with lipopolysaccharide. On the other hand, solar-simulated radiation induced the secretion of tumor necrosis factor-αand interleukin (IL)-10 by DC, but no IL-12. Interestingly, solar-simulated UV radiation also caused an altered migratory phenotype, with an increased expression of CXCR4, and a lack of induction of CCR7, thus correlating with a high chemotactic response to stromal cell-derived factor 1(SDF-1) (CXCL12), but not to secondary lymphoid tissue chemokine (SLC) (CCL21). These data indicate that solar-simulated UV radiation induces a defective maturation and an anomalous migratory phenotype of DC