La Comunicació de risc, més enllà dels mitjans: i els periodistes?

En el context de la societat del risc global, el poder comunicatiu es manifesta constitutivament i reflexiva. Primer, es proposa una aproximació a l'estudi del risc com una forma de comunicació. Segon, l'anàlisi institucional de la UE com a comunitat de comunicació de risc, ens serveix per exemplificar la mediatització creixent d'aquest camp. En tercer lloc, es revisa críticament la investigació dels mitjans que, tot i continuar essent essencial en els processos de comunicació de risc, ara ho és no mediacèntricament. Finalment, es plantegen algunes reflexions obertes per avaluar les cultures professionals del periodisme i llurs pràctiques productives associades amb la comunicació de risc, camp d'acció els trets del qual conviden a una plena configuració comunicativa.Today, in the context of the global risk society, communicative power has shown itself to be constitutive and reflexive. Firstly, the study of risk is approached as a form of communication. Secondly, the institutional analysis of the EU as a risk communication community is used to exemplify the growing mediatisation of the field of risk communication. Thirdly, media research is analysed critically as, whilst still being essential in risk communication processes, it is now essential in a non-media-centric way. Finally, some open-ended questions are posed to assess journalistic professional cul-tures and their productive practices associated with risk communication, a field of action that calls for a complete communicative configuration in light of its characteristics

La Comunicació de risc, més enllà dels mitjans: i els periodistes?

En el context de la societat del risc global, el poder comunicatiu es manifesta constitutivament i reflexiva. Primer, es proposa una aproximació a l'estudi del risc com una forma de comunicació. Segon, l'anàlisi institucional de la UE com a comunitat de comunicació de risc, ens serveix per exemplificar la mediatització creixent d'aquest camp. En tercer lloc, es revisa críticament la investigació dels mitjans que, tot i continuar essent essencial en els processos de comunicació de risc, ara ho és no mediacèntricament. Finalment, es plantegen algunes reflexions obertes per avaluar les cultures professionals del periodisme i llurs pràctiques productives associades amb la comunicació de risc, camp d'acció els trets del qual conviden a una plena configuració comunicativa.Today, in the context of the global risk society, communicative power has shown itself to be constitutive and reflexive. Firstly, the study of risk is approached as a form of communication. Secondly, the institutional analysis of the EU as a risk communication community is used to exemplify the growing mediatisation of the field of risk communication. Thirdly, media research is analysed critically as, whilst still being essential in risk communication processes, it is now essential in a non-media-centric way. Finally, some open-ended questions are posed to assess journalistic professional cul-tures and their productive practices associated with risk communication, a field of action that calls for a complete communicative configuration in light of its characteristics

Rapid weight gain, infant feeding practices, and subsequent body mass index trajectories: The calina study

We aimed to study growth patterns according to rapid weight gain (RWG) and infant feeding practices during the first 120 days and whether infant feeding practices mediated the association between RWG in the first semester of life and subsequent body mass index (BMI) z-score in children from age 1 to 6. (1) Methods: 862 children from the Growth and Feeding during Lactation and Early Childhood in Children of Aragon study (CALINA in Spanish) were examined. Repeated-measures ANOVA analyses were conducted to assess growth trajectories according to RWG and type of feeding practice. The product of coefficients mediation method was used to assess the potential contribution of infant feeding practices to the association between RWG and BMI z-score. Mediation models were conducted using IBM SPSS-PROCESS Statistics for Windows, Version 26.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp. (2) Results: BMI and weight z-score trajectories were significantly higher in the RWG group and the formula-fed group. No significant differences were found regarding height. Infant feeding practices did not mediate the association between RWG and BMI z-score but were associated with BMI at 6 years. (3) Conclusions: Infant feeding practices and RWG determine different growth trajectories of BMI and weight during childhood. Although infant feeding practices did not mediate the association between early RWG and BMI later in life, formula feeding is independently related to higher BMI growth patterns later in childhood

Uppermost mantle seismic velocity and anisotropy in the Euro-Mediterranean region from Pn and Sn tomography

In the last 10-15 years, the number of high quality seismic stations monitoring the Euro-Mediterranean region has increased significantly, allowing a corresponding improve in structural constraints. We present here new images of the seismic velocity and anisotropy variations in the uppermost mantle beneath this complex area, compiled from inversion of Pn and Sn phases sampling the whole region. The method of Hearn (1996) has been applied to the travel time arrivals of the International Seismological Center catalog for the time period 1990-2010. A total of 579,753 Pn arrivals coming from 12,377 events recorded at 1.408 stations with epicentral distances between 220 km and 1400 km have been retained after applying standard quality criteria (maximum depth, minimum number of recordings, maximum residual values¿). Our results show significant features well correlated with surface geology and evidence the heterogeneous character of the Euro-Mediterranean lithosphere. The station terms reflect the existence of marked variations in crustal thickness, consistent with available Moho depths inferred from active seismic experiments. The highest Pn velocities are observed along a continuous band from the Po Basin to the northern Ionian Sea. Other high velocity zones include the Valencia Through, the southern Alboran Sea and central part of the Algerian margin. Most significant low velocity values are associated to orogenic belts (Betics, Pyrenees, Alps, Apennines and Calabrian Arc, Dinarides-Hellenides), and low velocity zones are also identified beneath Sardinia and the Balearic Islands. The introduction of an anisotropic term enhances significantly the lateral continuity of the anomalies, in particular in the most active tectonic areas. Pn anisotropy shows consistent orientations sub-parallel to major orogenic structures, such as Betics, Apennines, Calabrian Arc and Alps. The Sn tomographic image has lower resolution but confirms independently most of the features evidenced in the Pn tomography. Even if both topographies are grossy similar, tectonically stable areas tend to show higher Vs, while the most active zones have lower values

DASBE: Decision-Aided Semi-Blind Equalization for MIMO Systems with Linear Precoding

[Abstract] Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) digital communications standards usually acquire Channel State Information (CSI) by means of supervised algorithms, which implies a loss of performance since pilot symbols do not convey information. We propose to obtain this CSI by using the so-called semi-blind techniques, which combine both supervised and unsupervised (blind) methods. The key idea consists in introducing a decision criterion to determine when the channel has suffered a significant change. In such a case, transmission of pilot symbols is required. The use of this criterion also allows us to determine the time instants in which CSI has to be sent to the transmitter from the receiver through a low-cost feedback channel.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación; 09TIC008105PRMinisterio de Ciencia e Innovación; TEC2007-68020-C04-01Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación; CSD2008-0001

EHEA Adaptation of the Exercises of Electricity and Electronics at the University of A Coruña Using a Design Based on Competences

[Summary] The adaptation to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) of the subject of Electricity and Electronics at the Escuela Técnica Superior de Náutica y Máquinas of the University of A Coruña requires important modifications not only in the methodology to be used but also in the evaluation system. The objective is that the students acquire the specific competences and cross-competences identified for this subject. As a consequence of the process of adaptation to the new EHEA, a great improvement in the quality of the learning process has been obtained. Moreover, the necessity of such improvements have been confirmed by the results presented in this work, based on the teaching experience acquired during the last three years. However, the required improvements in the learning process also demand important changes in the relationship between professor and students.[Resumen] La adaptación al Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior (EEES) de la asignatura de Electricidad y Electrónica impartida en la E.T.S. de Náutica y Máquinas de la Universidade da Coruña requiere importantes modificaciones tanto en la metodología a usar como en el sistema de evaluación. El objetivo es que los estudiantes adquieran las competencias tanto específicas como transversales que han sido identificadas para esta asignatura. Como consecuencia del proceso de adaptación al EEES, se obtiene una importante mejora en la calidad del proceso de aprendizaje. Además, la necesidad de dichas mejoras queda claramente demostrada por los resultados presentados en este trabajo, basados en la experiencia adquirida a lo largo de los últimos tres años. Sin embargo, las mencionadas modificaciones en el proceso de aprendizaje también implican cambios importantes en la relación existente entre el profesor y los alumnos

A Novel Hybrid Approach to Improve Performance on Frequency Division Duplex Systems with Linear Precoding

The final publication is available http://dx.doi.org/DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-13803-4_31[Abstrtact] Linear precoding is an attractive technique to combat interference in multiple-input multiple-output systems because it reduces costs and power consumption in the receiver equipment. Most of the frequency division duplex systems with linear precoding acquire the channel state information at the receiver by using supervised algorithms. Such algorithms make use of pilot symbols periodically sent by the transmitter. In a later step, the channel state information is sent to the transmitter side through a limited feedback channel. In order to reduce the overhead inherent to the periodical transmission of training data, we propose to acquire the channel state information by combining supervised and unsupervised algorithms, leading to a hybrid and more efficient approach. Simulation results show that the performance achieved with the proposed scheme is clearly better than that with standard algorithms.Consellería de Economía e Industria; 09TIC008105PRMinisterio de Educación y Ciencia; TEC2007-68020-C04-0

Channel estimation techniques for linear precoded systems: Supervised, unsupervised, and hybrid approaches

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sigpro.2011.01.001[Abstract] Linear precoding is an attractive technique to combat interference in multiple-input multiple-output systems because it reduces cost and power consumption at the receiver. Frequency division duplex systems with linear precoding acquire the channel state information at the receiver side by using supervised algorithms. Such methods make use of pilot symbols periodically provided by the transmitter. Next, this channel state information is sent to the transmitter side through a low-cost feedback channel. Thus, the available channel information allows the transmitter to adapt signals to the channel conditions. Given that pilot symbols do not convey user data, they penalize throughput, spectral efficiency, and transmission energy consumption of the system. In this work, we propose to mitigate the aforementioned limitations by combining both supervised and unsupervised algorithms to acquire the channel state information needed by the transmitter. The key idea consists in introducing a simple criterion to determine whether the channel has suffered a significant variation which requires the transmission of pilot symbols. Otherwise, when small fluctuations happen, an unsupervised method is used to track these channel variations instead. This criterion will be evaluated by considering two types of strategies for the design of the linear precoders: Zero-Forcing and Wiener criteria.Consellería de Economía e Industria; 10TIC105003PR.Consellería de Economía e Industria; 09TIC008105PRMinisterio de Ciencia e Innovación; TEC2010-19545-C04-01Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación; CSD2008-00010

A Comparative Study of Low Cost Open Source EEG Devices

[Abstract] A comparison of two open source electroencephalography devices designed to acquire signals associated to the brain activity is presented in this work. The experiments are developed considering the task of determining the user eye state i.e., open eyes or closed eyes, applying an algorithm based on computing the sliding Fourier Transform of the captured signals.Xunta de Galicia; ED481A-2018/15

Proposals and Comparisons from One-Sensor EEG and EOG Human-Machine Interfaces

[Abstract] Human-Machine Interfaces (HMI) allow users to interact with different devices such as computers or home elements. A key part in HMI is the design of simple non-invasive interfaces to capture the signals associated with the user’s intentions. In this work, we have designed two different approaches based on Electroencephalography (EEG) and Electrooculography (EOG). For both cases, signal acquisition is performed using only one electrode, which makes placement more comfortable compared to multi-channel systems. We have also developed a Graphical User Interface (GUI) that presents objects to the user using two paradigms—one-by-one objects or rows-columns of objects. Both interfaces and paradigms have been compared for several users considering interactions with home elements.Xunta de Galicia; ED431C 2020/15Xunta de Galicia; ED431G2019/01Agencia Estatal de Investigación de España; RED2018-102668-TAgencia Estatal de Investigación de España; PID2019-104958RB-C42Xunta de Galicia; ED481A-2018/156This work has been funded by the Xunta de Galicia (by grant ED431C 2020/15, and grant ED431G2019/01 to support the Centro de Investigación de Galicia “CITIC”), the Agencia Estatal de Investigación of Spain (by grants RED2018-102668-T and PID2019-104958RB-C42) and ERDF funds of the EU (FEDER Galicia & AEI/FEDER, UE); and the predoctoral Grant No. ED481A-2018/156 (Francisco Laport