Environment mapping using a 3D laser scanner for unmanned ground vehicles

This is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Microprocessors and Microsystems. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Microprocessors and Microsystems, Vol 39, Issue 8, (2015) DOI 10.1016/j.micpro.2015.10.003Unmanned ground vehicles need accurate sensors to detect obstacles and map their surroundings. Laser-based distance sensors offers precise results, but 3D off-the-shelf sensors may be too expensive. This paper presents a 3D sensing system using a 2D laser sensor with a rotation system. Point cloud density analyses are presented in order to achieve the optimal rotation speed depending on the vehicle speed, distance to obstacles, etc. The proposed system is able to generate real-time point clouds, detect obstacles and produce maps, with high accuracy and a reasonable price (less than 5, 000 USD).This work has been done with an INNPACTO program support, in the frame of ARGOS project IPT - 2012 - 0308 - 390000 (Union Europea, Fondos FEDER). It is a joint project between Robomotion and the HCTLab, Human Computer Technology Laboratory, of Universidad Aut onoma de Madrid, Spain

A simple approximation for the evaluation of the photon isoeffective dose in Boron Neutron Capture Therapy based on dose-independent weighting factors

The current methodology for determining the biological effect of Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) has recently been questioned, and a more accurate framework based in the photon isoeffective dose has been proposed. In this work we derive a first order approximation to this quantity than can be easily evaluated even from limited data, as is the current situation in the radiobiology of BNCT. This procedure removes the main drawbacks of the current method and it is based on new weighting factors that, as a difference with the previously used, are true constants (dose independent). In addition to this, we apply the formalism to allow the comparison to a fractionated conventional radiotherapy treatment, for which there is a lot of knowledge from clinical practice. As an application, the photon isoeffective dose of a BNCT treatment for a brain tumor is estimated. An excel sheet used for these calculations is also provided as supplementary material and can be used also with user-provided input data for the estimation of the photon isoeffective dose for comparison with conventional radiotherapy, both to single and fractionated treatments.Departamento de Física Atómica, Molecular y Nuclear, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain. Institut Laue-Langevin. Grenoble, Rhône-Alpes, France. Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular III e Inmunología, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spai

Neutron radiobiology studies with a pure cold neutron beam

Data on the radiobiological effects of thermal neutrons are usually obtained from irradiations in a mixed field of neutrons of different energies and gamma rays or from conversion of proton data with similar energies to those created in the neutron capture on nitrogen. Experimental data from irradiations in a pure thermal or cold neutron beam can help to find new values for neutron relative biological effectiveness (RBE) factors, which are useful for BNCT (Boron Neutron Capture Therapy) and radiation protection applications. We present a new experimental setup for radiobiological studies at a cold neutron beam at Institut Laue-Langevin, a beam without fast neutron component and almost no gamma ray contribution. After the irradiation, survival assays are performed to obtain the survival curves. Finally, comparing with a reference photon irradiation, the thermal neutron RBE factors can be calculated. The methodology is outlined at the example of A375 melanoma cells for which new radiobiological data were obtained.We acknowledge financial support for this work from the Fundación Científica de la Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer (AECC) under grant PS16163811PORR, Junta de Andalucía (Andalusian Regional Government), under contract P11-FQM-8229, Spanish MINECO and FEDER funds under contract FIS2015-69941-C2-1-P, the grant agreement ILL-UGR and the founders of the University of Granada Chair Neutrons for Medicine: Spanish Fundación ACS and Capitán Antonio. M.P. acknowledges a grant under the program Becas de Iniciación a la Investigación from the Universidad de Granada (Plan Propio de Investigación). The open access fee was covered by FILL2030, a European Union project within the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme under grant agreement N°731096

Expropriation risk, investment decisions and economic sectors

We build a Real Options model to assess the importance of private provisionand the impact of expropriation risk on investment timing, investmentvolumes, governmental costs and social welfare. We consider two types ofbusinesses (essential and non essential businesses) and two stages (operatingand investment opportunities), and answer questions regarding three maintopics: the firm's reaction to expropriation risk, the government drivers toexpropriate, and the costs this generates in terms of welfare. We find thatthe firm makes suboptimal investment decisions. When we endogenize thereputational costs of expropriation, results show that the decision of the governmentregarding the level of political risk will largely depend on the typeof business. However, in terms of welfare it is never optimal to expropriat

Industria 4.0 en el cluster cerámico de Castellón

[ES] Se presentan los resultados del Informe, basado en una encuesta a 62 empresas del sector cerámico de Castellón, "La industria 4.0 en el clúster cerámico de Castellón" que ratifican la amplia aceptación de la Industria 4.0 como una línea “estratégica y de futuro” y además se reconoce la existencia de conocimiento en el territorio-cluster para lograr este objetivo. Los esfuerzos de CEBRA+, con el ITC a la cabeza, así como el papel impulsor de los proveedores de maquinaria existentes en el territorio, están impulsado el reconocimiento y adopción de dichas tecnologías. La gran mayoría de las empresas reconocen grandes oportunidades de mejora con la adopción de la Industria 4.0, en producto, en proceso, control de costes y flexibilidad de procesos y algo menos en sostenibilidad. El sector se encuentra en una fase de crecimiento en la adopción de la Industria 4.0, mostrando una clara tendencia positiva que ya ha propiciado el salto cultural necesario para el cambio hacia la digitalización. Los sistemas de información son muy importantes, ya que constituyen la base para digitalizar. Así, el estudio demuestra que las empresas más digitalizadas, aquellas que tienen el proyecto de digitalización más avanzado, son aquellas que tienen implantados más sistemas de información.[EN] The results of the report, based on a survey of 62 companies in the ceramic sector in Castellón, "Industry 4.0 in the ceramic cluster of Castellón" are presented, ratifying the wide acceptance of Industry 4.0 as a "strategic and future" line and also recognizing the existence of knowledge in the cluster-territory to reach this goal. The efforts of CEBRA+, with the leadership of ITC, as well as the driving role of existing machinery suppliers in the territory, are promoting the recognition and adoption of these technologies. The vast majority of companies recognize great opportunities for improvement with the adoption of Industry 4.0, in product, process, cost control and process flexibility, and somewhat less in sustainability. The sector is in a phase of growth in the adoption of Industry 4.0, showing a clear positive trend that has already led to the cultural leap necessary for the change towards digitalization. Information systems are very important, as they form the basis for digitization. Thus, the study shows that the most digitized companies (those with the most advanced digitization project), are those that have implemented more information systems.Hervás Oliver, JL. (2021). Industria 4.0 en el cluster cerámico de Castellón. Universitat Politècnica de València. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/18274

Characterization of the platelet phenotype caused by a germline RUNX1 Variant in a CRISPR/Cas9-generated murine model

RUNX1-related disorder (RUNX1-RD) is caused by germline variants affecting the RUNX1 gene. This rare, heterogeneous disorder has no specific clinical or laboratory phenotype, making genetic diagnosis necessary. Although international recommendations have been established to classify the pathogenicity of variants, identifying the causative alteration remains a challenge in RUNX1-RD. Murine models may be useful not only for definitively settling the controversy about the pathogenicity of certain RUNX1 variants, but also for elucidating the mechanisms of molecular pathogenesis. Therefore, we developed a knock-in murine model, using the CRISPR/Cas9 system, carrying the RUNX1 p.Leu43Ser variant (mimicking human p.Leu56Ser) to study its pathogenic potential and mechanisms of platelet dysfunction. A total number of 75 mice were generated; 25 per genotype (RUNX1WT/WT, RUNX1WT/L43S, and RUNX1L43S/L43S). Platelet phenotype was assessed by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. On average, RUNX1L43S/L43S and RUNX1WT/L43S mice had a significantly longer tail-bleeding time than RUNX1WT/WT mice, indicating the variant's involvement in hemostasis. However, only homozygous mice displayed mild thrombocytopenia. RUNX1L43S/L43S and RUNX1WT/L43S displayed impaired agonist-induced spreading and α-granule release, with no differences in δ-granule secretion. Levels of integrin αIIbβ3 activation, fibrinogen binding, and aggregation were significantly lower in platelets from RUNX1L43S/L43S and RUNX1WT/L43S using phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), adenosine diphosphate (ADP), and high thrombin doses. Lower levels of PKC phosphorylation in RUNX1L43S/L43S and RUNX1WT/L43S suggested that the PKC-signaling pathway was impaired. Overall, we demonstrated the deleterious effect of the RUNX1 p.Leu56Ser variant in mice via the impairment of integrin αIIbβ3 activation, aggregation, α-granule secretion, and platelet spreading, mimicking the phenotype associated with RUNX1 variants in the clinical setting.This work was partially supported by grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) and Feder (PI17/01311, PI17/01966, and CB15/00055), Fundación Séneca (19873/GERM/15), Gerencia Regional de Salud (GRS 2061A/19 and 1647/A/17), Fundación Mutua Madrileña (FMM, AP172142019), and Sociedad Española de Trombosis y Hemostasia (SETH-FETH; Premio López Borrasca 2019 and Ayuda a Grupos de Trabajo en Patología Hemorrágica 2019). The authors' research on IPDs is conducted in accordance with the aims of the Functional and Molecular Characterization of Patients with Inherited Platelet Disorders Project, which is supported by the Hemorrhagic Diathesis Working Group of the Spanish Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis. A.M.-Q., C.F.-I., and L.H.-C. were supported by predoctoral grants from the Junta de Castilla y León, Spain. E.V. was supported by the predoctoral grant from the University of Salamanca, Spain. IG-T and RB were supported by "Contratos postdoctorales Programa II) from the University of Salamanca, Spain

Cardiac protein changes in ischaemic and dilated cardiomyopathy: A proteomic study of human left ventricular tissue

The development of heart failure (HF) is characterized by progressive alteration of left ventricle structure and function. Previous works on proteomic analysis in cardiac tissue from patients with HF remain scant. The purpose of our study was to use a proteomic approach to investigate variations in protein expression of left ventricle tissue from patients with ischaemic (ICM) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Twenty-four explanted human hearts, 12 from patients with ICM and 12 with DCM undergoing cardiac transplantation and six non-diseased donor hearts (CNT) were analysed by 2DE. Proteins of interest were identified by mass spectrometry and validated by Western blotting and immunofluorescence. We encountered 35 differentially regulated spots in the comparison CNT versus ICM, 33 in CNT versus DCM, and 34 in ICM versus DCM. We identified glyceraldehyde 3-phophate dehydrogenase up-regulation in both ICM and DCM, and alpha-crystallin B down-regulation in both ICM and DCM. Heat shock 70 protein 1 was up-regulated only in ICM. Ten of the eleven differentially regulated proteins common to both aetiologies are interconnected as a part of a same network. In summary, we have shown by proteomics analysis that HF is associated with changes in proteins involved in the cellular stress response, respiratory chain and cardiac metabolism. Although we found altered expression of eleven proteins common to both ischaemic and dilated aetiology, we also observed different proteins altered in both groups. Furthermore, we obtained that seven of these eleven proteins are involved in cell death and apoptosis processes, and therefore in HF progression

Multimodal sensory reliance in the nocturnal homing of the amblypygid \u3ci\u3ePhrynus pseudoparvulus\u3c/i\u3e (Class Arachnida, Order Amblypygi)?

Like many other nocturnal arthropods, the amblypygid Phrynus pseudoparvulus is capable of homing. The environment through which these predators navigate is a dense and heterogeneous tropical forest understory and the mechanism(s) underlying their putatively complex navigational abilities are presently unknown. This study explores the sensory inputs that might facilitate nocturnal navigation in the amblypygid P. pseudoparvulus. Specifically, we use sensory system manipulations in conjunction with field displacements to examine the potential involvement of multimodal—olfactory and visual—stimuli in P. pseudoparvulus’ homing behavior. In a first experiment, we deprived individuals of their olfactory capacity and displaced them to the opposite side of their home trees (\u3c5 m). We found that olfaction-intact individuals were more likely to be re-sighted in their home refuges than olfaction-deprived individuals. In a second experiment, we independently manipulated both olfactory and visual sensory capacities in conjunction with longer-distance displacements (8 m) from home trees. We found that sensory-intact individuals tended to be re-sighted on their home tree more often than sensory-deprived individuals, with a stronger effect of olfactory deprivation than visual deprivation. Comparing across sensory modality manipulations, olfaction-manipulated individuals took longer to return to their home trees than vision-manipulated individuals. Together, our results indicate that olfaction is important in the nocturnal navigation of P. pseudoparvulus and suggest that vision may also play a more minor role

Respiratory viruses detected in Mexican children younger than 5 years old with community-acquired pneumonia: a national multicenter study

Background: Acute respiratory infections are the leading cause of mortality in children worldwide, especially in developing countries. Pneumonia accounts for 16% of all deaths of children under 5 years of age and was the cause of death of 935 000 children in 2015. Despite its frequency and severity, information regarding its etiology is limited. The aim of this study was to identify respiratory viruses associated with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children younger than 5 years old. Methods: One thousand four hundred and four children younger than 5 years of age with a clinical and/or radiological diagnosis of CAP in 11 hospitals in Mexico were included. Nasal washes were collected, placed in viral medium, and frozen at �70 C until processing. The first 832 samples were processed using the multiplex Bio-Plex/Luminex system and the remaining 572 samples using the Anyplex multiplex RT-PCR. Clinical data regarding diagnosis, clinical signs and symptoms, radiographic pattern, and risk factors were obtained and recorded. Results: Of the samples tested, 81.6% were positive for viruses. Respiratory syncytial virus (types A and B) was found in 23.7%, human enterovirus/rhinovirus in 16.6%, metapneumovirus in 5.7%, parainfluenza virus (types 1–4) in 5.5%, influenza virus (types A and B) in 3.6%, adenovirus in 2.2%, coronavirus (NL63, OC43, 229E, and HKU1) in 2.2%, and bocavirus in 0.4%. Co-infection with two or more viruses was present in 22.1%; 18.4% of the samples were negative. Using biomass for cooking, daycare attendance, absence of breastfeeding, and co-infections were found to be statistically significant risk factors for the presence of severe pneumonia. Conclusions: Respiratory syncytial virus (types A and B), human enterovirus/rhinovirus, and metapneumovirus were the respiratory viruses identified most frequently in children younger than 5 years old with CAP. Co-infection was present in an important proportion of the children