Laplace Approximation for Divisive Gaussian Processes for Nonstationary Regression

The standard Gaussian Process regression (GP) is usually formulated under stationary hypotheses: The noise power is considered constant throughout the input space and the covariance of the prior distribution is typically modeled as depending only on the difference between input samples. These assumptions can be too restrictive and unrealistic for many real-world problems. Although nonstationarity can be achieved using specific covariance functions, they require a prior knowledge of the kind of nonstationarity, not available for most applications. In this paper we propose to use the Laplace approximation to make inference in a divisive GP model to perform nonstationary regression, including heteroscedastic noise cases. The log-concavity of the likelihood ensures a unimodal posterior and makes that the Laplace approximation converges to a unique maximum. The characteristics of the likelihood also allow to obtain accurate posterior approximations when compared to the Expectation Propagation (EP) approximations and the asymptotically exact posterior provided by a Markov Chain Monte Carlo implementation with Elliptical Slice Sampling (ESS), but at a reduced computational load with respect to both, EP and ESS

Herramientas matemáticas para monitorizar Erasmus+: Estudio comparado con datos FP K102 en Francia, Alemania, Italia, España y Reino Unido

Erasmus+ fosters the creation of a common education framework for the European Union. The mathematical tools proposed by the present research can be used to evaluate equity in all the of the Erasmus+ key actions, comparing the equity in the funds’ distribution between the countries participating in the Erasmus+ programme and its evolution over time. The text analyses the distribution of Erasmus+ KA102 VET funds and evaluates if this distribution is being done fairly, with equity. This analysis has been done with mathematical tools proposed by the author that provide information from three different perspectives: the impact of the funds on the students (Students with a Fair Access to Funds – SFAF), the regions NUTS1/NUTS2 (Regional Mobility Efficiency-RME) and the nations (National Equity – NE). The countries studied in the current research are France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. These five countries contain more than half of all the vocational education and training students in the European Union. Also, these countries had the most students participating in mobilities during the previous Leonardo da Vinci programme. Hence, it is possible to consider that the conclusions of the current research offer a significant image of the situation of VET mobilities in EuropeErasmus+ fomenta la creación de un espacio común de formación en la Unión Europea.Las herramientas matemáticas propuestas sirven para evaluar la equidad en todas las acciones clave de Erasmus+, comparando la equidad de la distribución de fondos en los países participantes del programa y a lo largo del tiempo. Como ejemplo, analizamos la distribución de los fondos Erasmus+ para FP KA 102. Valoramos el grado en que esta distribución se hace de forma equitativa. Este análisis se realiza mediante las herramientas matemáticas propuestas que aportan información desde tres perspectivas diferentes: el impacto de los fondos en los estudiantes (Students with a Fair Access to Funds – SFAF), en las regiones (Regional Mobility Efficiency-RME) y a nivel nacional (National Equity – NE). Los países analizados son Francia, Alemania, Italia, España y Reino Unido. Estos 5 países aportan más de la mitad de los estudiantes de formación profesional en la Unión Europea. Además, son los países que más alumnos movilizaron en el programa previo Leonardo da Vinci. Por ello, es posible considerar que las conclusiones obtenidas son significativas a la hora de analizar el conjunto de la movilidad de la formación profesional en Europ

Co-evolutionnary network approach to cultural dynamics controlled by intolerance

Starting from Axelrod's model of cultural dissemination, we introduce a rewiring probability, enabling agents to cut the links with their unfriendly neighbors if their cultural similarity is below a tolerance parameter. For low values of tolerance, rewiring promotes the convergence to a frozen monocultural state. However, intermediate tolerance values prevent rewiring once the network is fragmented, resulting in a multicultural society even for values of initial cultural diversity in which the original Axelrod model reaches globalization

SEOM-GECP-GETTHI Clinical Guidelines for the treatment of patients with thymic epithelial tumours (2021)

Chemotherapy; Lenvatinib; Thymic epithelial tumoursQuimioterapia; lenvatinib; Tumores epiteliales tímicosQuimioteràpia; Lenvatinib; Tumors epitelials tímicsThymic epithelial tumours (TET) represent a heterogeneous group of rare malignancies that include thymomas and thymic carcinoma. Treatment of TET is based on the resectability of the tumour. If this is considered achievable upfront, surgical resection is the cornerstone of treatment. Platinum-based chemotherapy is the standard regimen for advanced TET. Due to the rarity of this disease, treatment decisions should be discussed in specific multidisciplinary tumour boards, and there are few prospective clinical studies with new strategies. However, several pathways involved in TET have been explored as potential targets for new therapies in previously treated patients, such as multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitors with antiangiogenic properties and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). One third of patient with thymoma present an autoimmune disorders, increasing the risk of immune-related adverse events and autoimmune flares under ICIs. In these guidelines, we summarize the current evidence for the therapeutic approach in patients with TET and define levels of evidence for these decisions

Sex-Specific Effects of Early Life Stress on Brain Mitochondrial Function, Monoamine Levels and Neuroinflammation

Sex differences have been reported in the susceptibility to early life stress and its neurobiological correlates in humans and experimental animals. However, most of the current research with animal models of early stress has been performed mainly in males. In the present study, prolonged maternal separation (MS) paradigm was applied as an animal model to resemble the effects of adverse early experiences in male and female rats. Regional brain mitochondrial function, monoaminergic activity, and neuroinflammation were evaluated as adults. Mitochondrial energy metabolism was greatly decreased in MS females as compared with MS males in the prefrontal cortex, dorsal hippocampus, and the nucleus accumbens shell. In addition, MS males had lower serotonin levels and increased serotonin turnover in the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus. However, MS females showed increased dopamine turnover in the prefrontal cortex and increased norepinephrine turnover in the striatum, but decreased dopamine turnover in the hippocampus. Sex differences were also found for pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, with increased levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of MS males, and increased IL-6 levels in the striatum of MS females. These results evidence the complex sex- and brain region-specific long-term consequences of early life stress.This work was supported by grants PSI 2017-83038-P to HGP and NC, PSI 2017-90806-REDT to JLA, PSI 2017-83893-R to JLA (Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Spain)

Induction of Apoptosis and Cell Cycle Arrest in Human Colon Carcinoma Cells by Corema album Leaves

The leaves of Corema album (Ericaceae), an endemic shrub which grows in Atlantic coastal areas of the Iberian Peninsula, are rich in flavonoids and other secondary metabolites. Silica gel column chromatography of the ethyl acetate extract from dried leaves was performed and a flavonic active fraction was obtained. The cytotoxic activity of this fraction was assessed using the colon cancer cell lines HCT116 and HT29. After 48 hours of treatment, cell viability was determined with luminescence-based ATPLite assay, showing IC50 values of 7.2 ± 0.7 and 6.8 ± 1.2 µg/mL, respectively. The study by flow cytometry revealed that the cytotoxicity of this fraction was mediated, at least in part, by induction of apoptosis and G2/M cell cycle arrest. The active fraction was then subjected to Sephadex LH-20 chromatography and two flavonoids were separated and identified as the flavanone pinocembrin and 2’,4’-dihydroxychalcone after UV, MS and NMR analysis

Relación entre las pruebas de funcionalidad de la marcha en personas con daño cerebral adquirido en fase subaguda

Objetivo: Analizar el grado de relación entre cuatro pruebas que valoran la funcionalidad de la marcha en sujetos jóvenes con daño cerebral adquirido (DCA) en fase subaguda y conocer el grado de relación entre estas pruebas y la percepción subjetiva de seguridad en actividades de la vida diaria. Metodología: 67 participantes jóvenes con DCA en fase subaguda (43 hombres y 24 mujeres) con una edad media 35,09 años. Se realizó estadística descriptiva de todas las variables demográficas: género, edad, IMC, meses desde que se produjo la lesión y etiología lesional. Para analizar si existe correlación entre las variables se utilizó el coeficiente de Pearson. Resultados: El Timed 10-Meter Walk presenta una correlación muy alta con Timed Up and Go (TUG) (r=093), alta con el 6-Minute Walk Test (r=0,77) y moderada con el Step Test (r=0,56). El 6-Minute Walk Test presenta una correlación alta con el TUG (r=0,82) y una correlación moderada con el Step Test (r=0,69). El Step Test presenta una correlación moderada con el TUG (r= -0,68). The Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC) presenta una correlación moderada con el Timed 10-Meter Walk (r=0,42), TUG (R=0,40), 6-Minute Walk Test (r=0,40) y Step Test (r=0,44). Conclusiones: Las pruebas de funcionalidad de la marcha presentan una correlación significativa entre moderada y muy alta en personas jóvenes con DCA. El ABC presenta una correlación significativa moderada con las cuatro variables de funcionalidad de la marcha analizadas en esta població

El uso de las piedras de corte en los monumentos y en la construcción: 1. Areniscas y calizas

Se describen diversas variedades de areniscas y calizas no pulimentadas empleadas habitualmente en la construcción, indicando en que terrenos aparecen y como se deteriora