Automatic pollen recognition using convolutional neural networks: The case of the main pollens present in Spanish citrus and rosemary honey

[EN] The automation of honey pollen visual sorting overcomes the limitations of the conventional procedure helping the specialist in this time-consuming task. In this work, a novel and comprehensive Ground Truth of almost 19,000 images (from optical microscopy) of the 16 most abundant types of grains/pollen particles present in citrus and rosemary honey from Spain was constructed. This task was assisted by a HoneyApp (also developed herein) for the labelling and annotation process. Subsequently, the effectiveness of different pre-existing automatic pollen recognizers based on convolutional neural networks (CNN) (VGG16, VGG19, InceptionV3, Xception, ResNet50, DenseNet201, MobileNetV2 and EfficientNetV2M) was tested together with a new network proposed in this paper (PolleNetV1). The extreme complexity of those pre-existing CNN and extensive use of millions of parameters makes this new proposal especially promising. Although with a slightly lower accuracy (average 96%) in determining the relative frequencies of different types of pollen grains/particles, it has considerable advantages such as simplicity and ability to be included in the future functionality to automate pollen recognition in honey. This is the first step to finally achieving an objective tool that allows the correct labelling of any types of pollen in honey, thus contributing to its transparency in the market.This work is part of Spanish project PID2019-106800RB-I00 (2019) with financial support from the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion (MCIN), Agencia Estatal de Investigacion MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/. It has been also part of the project AGROALNEXT/2022/043, funded by the Next Generation European Union and the Plan de Recuperacion, Transformacion y Resiliencia of the Spanish Government, with the support of Generalitat Valenciana. The authors would like to thank the CRUE-Universitat Politecnica deValencia for providing the funds for open access publication.Valiente González, JM.; Juan-Borras, MDS.; López García, F.; Escriche Roberto, MI. (2023). Automatic pollen recognition using convolutional neural networks: The case of the main pollens present in Spanish citrus and rosemary honey. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis. 123:1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2023.10560511012

What format of treatment do patients with emotional disorders prefer and why? Implications for public mental health settings and policies

Objective We analyzed the preference of three psychological intervention formats—individual, group, and online—in a sample of 267 patients with a primary diagnosis of emotional disorder in Spanish public mental health settings. Method We studied patients’ preferences considering sociodemographic characteristics, diagnoses, history of psychological treatments, number of sessions, and satisfaction with past interventions. Results Most participants (85.4%) preferred psychological treatment in an individual format, 14.2% in group, and 0.4% online. When comparing the people who chose individual and group treatment, no demographic or clinical differences were found. The arguments against group format were the lack of privacy and expression difficulties. Regarding online format, these included being considered impersonal and ineffective. Conclusion The rejection of group and online psychotherapy formats allows us to define the actions we should carry out in public mental health settings to improve the acceptance of more costeffective therapy formats

Classification of Honey Pollens with ImageNet Neural Networks

[EN] The classification of honey pollen grains is performed in order to clas- sify honey according to its botanical origin, which is of great importance in terms of marketing. This visual work is currently done by human specialists counting and classifying the pollen grains in microscopic images. This is a hard, time- consuming, and subject to observer variability task. Thus, automated methods are required to overcome the limitations of the conventional procedure. This paper deals with the automatic classification of honey pollens using five representa- tive Neural Networks coming from the ImageNet Challenge: VGG16, VGG19, ResNet50, InceptionV3 and Xception. The ground truth is composed of 9983 sam- ples of 16 different types of pollens corresponding to citrus and rosemary pollens and its companions. The best result was obtained with the InceptionV3 network, achieving an accuracy of 98.15%, that outperforms the results obtained in previous works.This work is part of the project PID2019-106800RB-I00 (2019) of the Ministry of Science and Innovation (MCIN), State Research Agency MCIN/AEI/https://doi.org/10.13039/501100011033/. It is also part of the AGROALNEXT/2022/043 project, financed by theGeneralitat Valenciana, the Next Generation European Union and the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan of the Government of Spain.López García, F.; Valiente González, JM.; Escriche Roberto, MI.; Juan-Borras, MDS.; Visquert Fas, M.; Atienza-Vanacloig, V.; Agustí-Melchor, M. (2023). Classification of Honey Pollens with ImageNet Neural Networks. Lecture Notes in Computer Science. 14185:192-200. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-44240-7_191922001418

Kinematic Parameters That Can Discriminate in Levels of Functionality in the Six-Minute Walk Test in Patients with Heart Failure with a Preserved Ejection Fraction

It is a challenge to manage and assess heart failure with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (HFpEF) patients. Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) is used in this clinical population as a functional test. The objective of the study was to assess gait and kinematic parameters in HFpEF patients during the 6MWT with an inertial sensor and to discriminate patients according to their performance in the 6MWT: (1) walk more or less than 300 m, (2) finish or stop the test, (3) women or men and (4) fallen or did not fall in the last year. A cross-sectional study was performed in patients with HFpEF older than 70 years. 6MWT was carried out in a closed corridor larger than 30 m. Two Shimmer3 inertial sensors were used in the chest and lumbar region. Pure kinematic parameters analysed were angular velocity and linear acceleration in the three axes. Using these data, an algorithm calculated gait kinematic parameters: total distance, lap time, gait speed and step and stride variables. Two analyses were done according to the performance. Student’s t-test measured differences between groups and receiver operating characteristic assessed discriminant ability. Seventy patients performed the 6MWT. Step time, step symmetry, stride time and stride symmetry in both analyses showed high AUC values (>0.75). More significant differences in velocity and acceleration in the maximum Y axis or vertical movements. Three pure kinematic parameters obtained good discriminant capacity (AUC > 0.75). The new methodology proved differences in gait and pure kinematic parameters that can distinguish two groups according to the performance in the 6MWT and they had discriminant capacity.This work was supported by the Spanish Foundation of Internal Medicine, through the call “Prof. Dr. Miguel Vilardell 2019 research project”, grant number: FEMI-PB-PI-MV-2019. Partial funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málaga

Sensory hybrid host materials for the selective chromo-fluorogenic detection of biogenic amines

Pyrylium-containing mesoporous materials have been used for the chromo-fluorogenic sensing of biogenic amines in an aqueous environment.Amoros del Toro, Pedro Jose, [email protected]

Uncontrolled donation programs after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. An estimation of potential donors.

Objective To determine the number of potential deceased organ donors from out-of- hospital cardiac arrest cases (OHCA) attended by public physician-led emergency medical services in Spain, based on data recorded in the nationwide Spanish OHCA Registry (OHSCAR). Material and methods We analysed OHSCAR data on deceased OHCA patients in Spain during 13 months (1/10/2013 to 31/10/ 2014). Variables included age, sex, estimated OHCA time, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) start time and outcome. Inclusion criteria were: age 16–60 years, witnessed OHCA, no return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and time interval <15 min between OHCA occurrence and CPR initiation. Results Of a total 8789 cases, 3290 met the age criteria; of these, CPR was not witnessed in 745 cases. Among the remaining 2545 patients, 141 were included in uncontrolled donation after cardiac death (uDCD) programs, 902 arrived at the hospital with ROSC, 64 arrived with ongoing CPR and 15 cases were lost to follow-up. Of the remaining 1423 without ROSC, CPR initiation time was not recorded in 454 cases and 398 did not meet the time criteria <15 min between OHCA and CPR initiation. Finally, 571 met all the criteria and could have been potential donors. There were significant differences in the actual donors percentage from potential donors percentage between provinces with and without donor programs (141/322 = 43.8% versus 0/390 = 0%), but there were no differences in ROSC between the two types of provinces (418/1320 = 31.7% versus 652/1970 = 33.4%). Conclusions Many potential donors are missed in current clinical practice. uDCD programs are few and underused even in a country with high rates of organs transplantation.pre-print820 K

Efficacy of a brief multifactorial adherence-based intervention on reducing the blood pressure of patients with poor adherence: protocol for a randomized clinical trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Lowering of blood pressure by antihypertensive drugs reduces the risks of cardiovascular events, stroke, and total mortality. However, poor adherence to antihypertensive medications reduces their effectiveness and increases the risk of adverse events. In terms of relative risk reduction, an improvement in medication adherence could be as effective as the development of a new drug.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>The proposed randomized controlled trial will include patients with a low adherence to medication and uncontrolled blood pressure. The intervention group will receive a multifactorial intervention during the first, third, and ninth months, to improve adherence. This intervention will include motivational interviews, pill reminders, family support, blood pressure self-recording, and simplification of the dosing regimen.</p> <p>Measurement</p> <p>The primary outcome is systolic blood pressure. The secondary outcomes are diastolic blood pressure, proportion of patients with adequately controlled blood pressure, and total cost.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The trial will evaluate the impact of a multifactorial adherence intervention in routine clinical practice. Ethical approval was given by the Ethical Committee on Human Research of Balearic islands, Spain (approval number IB 969/08 PI).</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>Current controlled trials ISRCTN21229328</p

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Psicoterapia grupal: un enfoque integrado para abordar la salud sexual y la relación de pareja tras el parto.

The postpartum period is a vital stage that poses important challenges for many families and can generate difficulties in the relational and intimate level of couples, including sexuality. In spite of this, the attention provided by the public health services tends to focus on the mother-child dyad and the care of the baby, ignoring this important area of intervention. Therefore, there is a real need to offer couples resources that allow them to face this period and become a framework of affective safety for the newborn and mutual development. This paper describes an intervention, by clinical psychologists, for couples in the puerperium, aiming at the possible prevention of sexual dysfunction, couple problems and difficulties in the psycho-affective growth of children. This group treatment includes: tackling and discussion of myths, development of efficient communication within the couple, strengthening self-esteem, information about sexuality and identification of difficulties in the couple in this phase, emphasizing the role of the father in the development of the baby. Finally, the importance of a psychological intervention in couples in the postpartum stage is concludedEl periodo postparto es una etapa vital que supone retos importantes para muchas familias y que puede generar dificultades en el ámbito relacional e íntimo de las parejas, incluyendo la sexualidad. A pesar de ello, la atención que se presta desde los servicios de salud pública tiende a centrarse en la diada madre-hijo y en los cuidados al bebé, omitiendo esta importante parcela de intervención. Existe, por lo tanto, una necesidad real de ofrecer a las parejas recursos que les permitan afrontar este periodo y convertirse en un marco de seguridad afectiva para el desarrollo mutuo y del recién nacido. Se describe en este trabajo una intervención, desde psicología clínica, dirigida a parejas en el puerperio cuyo objetivo es la posible prevención de disfunciones sexuales, problemas de pareja y dificultades en el crecimiento psicoafectivo de los niños. Este tratamiento grupal incluye: abordaje y discusión de mitos, desarrollo de una comunicación eficiente en la pareja, fortalecimiento de la autoestima, información sobre la sexualidad e identificación de las dificultades en la pareja en esta fase, subrayando el papel del padre en el desarrollo del bebé. Por último, se concluye la importancia de una intervención psicológica en parejas en la etapa del postpart

Estimation of Functional Aerobic Capacity Using the Sit-to-Stand Test in Older Adults with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction.

Background: The 6-Min Walking Test (6MWT) has been proposed to assess functional aerobic capacity in patients with heart failure, but many older adults with heart failure cannot complete it. The adequacy of the 5-repetition Sit-To-Stand (5-STS), a simpler test than 6MWT, to assess the functional aerobic capacity in older adults with heart failure has not been evaluated. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the usefulness of 5-STS in estimating maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 peak) in older adults with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out. Patients 70 years and older with HFpEF were included. A bivariant Pearson correlation and subsequent multivariate linear regression analysis were used to analyze the correlations between the 5-STS and the estimated VO2 peak. Results: Seventy-six patients (80.74 (5.89) years) were recruited. The 5-STS showed a moderate and inversely correlation with the estimated VO2 peak (r = −0.555,