Wavelet transforms for non-uniform speech recognition

An algorithm for nonuniform speech segmentation and its application in speech recognition systems is presented. A method based on the Modulated Gaussian Wavelet Transform based Speech Analyser (MGWTSA) and the subsequent parametrization block is used to transform a uniform signal into a set of nonuniformly separated frames, with the accurate information being fed into a speech recognition system. The algorithm needs a frame characterizing the signal where necessary, trying to reduce the number of frames per signal as much as possible, without an appreciable reduction in the recognition rate of the system.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Design of a phonetic corpus for speech recognition in catalan

In this paper, we present the design of a corpus for speech recognition to be used for the recording of a speech database in Catalan. A previous database in Spanish was the reference in setting the specifications about the characteristics of the sentences and in the minimum number of units required. An analysis of unit frequencies were carried out in order to know which units were relevant for training and to compare the results with the figures from the designed corpus. Three different sub-corpora were generated, one for training, ...Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

El colesterol sigue alto. ¿Y ahora qué hacemos? Tratamiento de la hipercolesteremia no controlada a lo largo de un año

ObjetivoConocer la efectividad sobre el control lipídico del tratamiento hipolipemiante, basado en la práctica clínica habitual en atención primaria, en pacientes con hipercolesteremia manifiesta.DiseñoIntervención semiexperimental, antes-después.EmplazamientoCentro de salud urbano. Participantes: 187 pacientes dislipémicos conocidos, con colesterol total o colesterol LDL (cLDL) > 270 o 190 mg/dl, respectivamente.IntervenciónPráctica clínica habitual durante 12 meses en 9 consultas de atención primaria.Mediciones principalesSe registró el perfil lipídico y el tratamiento hipolipemiante al inicio del estudio y al cabo de 12 meses. El control lipídico (en función del cLDL) se evaluó como óptimo, aceptable y deficiente en función del riesgo cardiovascular según los criterios de la Sociedad Española de Arteriosclerosis (1994).ResultadosEn un 27% de casos no se registró ninguna visita relacionada con la hipercolesteremia por su médico. El número de pacientes tratados con hipolipemiantes creció de 50 a 98 (27 frente a 52%; p < 0,005), fundamentalmente a expensas del uso de estatinas. Tras 12 meses, se observaron descensos significativos en la concentración plasmática del cLDL (12%; IC del 95%, 9–15%) y del porcentaje de pacientes con control deficiente, que descendió del 91% inicial al 61% (p < 0,005), aunque sólo un 16% alcanzó un control óptimo.ConclusionesTras un año, con las condiciones de práctica clínica habitual, se observó un incremento en el uso de hipolipemiantes y una mejoría en el control lipídico, aunque algo más de la mitad de los pacientes (61%) con hipercolesteremia manifiesta permanecen con concentraciones tributarias de tratamiento.ObjectiveTo find the effectiveness of lipid-lowering treatment, based on normal clinical practice in primary care, on lipid control of patients with clear hypercholesterolaemia (HC).DesignSemi-experimental before-and-after intervention study.SettingUrban health centre. Participants: 187 patients known to have lipaemia, with total or LDL cCholesterol (cLDL) above 270 and 190 mg/dl, respectivelyInterventionNormal clinical practice for twelve months in nine primary care clinicsMain measurementsThe lipid profile and lipid-lowering treatment were recorded at the start of the study and after twelve months. Lipid control (as a function of cLDL) was evaluated as optimal, acceptable or deficient, as a function of the cardiovascular risk, following the criteria of the Spanish Arteriosclerosis Society (1994)ResultsIn 27% of cases, no visit relating to HC was recorded by the patient´s doctor. The number of patients treated with lipid-lowering drugs grew from 50 to 98 (27 vs 52%, p < 0,005), fundamentally at the expense of statin treatment. After twelve months, there were significant drops in the plasma concentration of cLDL (12%, 95%CI, 9 to 15%) and in the percentage of patients with deficient control, which fell from the initial 91% to 61% (p < 0.005), although only 16% reached optimal control.ConclusionsAfter a year, under conditions of normal clinical practice, there was an increase in the use of lipid-lowering drugs and improvement in lipid control, though a bit over half the patients (61%) with clear hypercholesterolaemia maintained concentrations requiring treatment

Galectin-3 shapes toxic alpha-synuclein strains in Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative and progressive disorder characterised by intracytoplasmic inclusions called Lewy bodies (LB) and degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). Aggregated α-synuclein (αSYN) is known to be the main component of the LB. It has also been reported to interact with several proteins and organelles. Galectin-3 (GAL3) is known to have a detrimental function in neurodegenerative diseases. It is a galactose-binding protein without known catalytic activity and is expressed mainly by activated microglial cells in the central nervous system (CNS). GAL3 has been previously found in the outer layer of the LB in post-mortem brains. However, the role of GAL3 in PD is yet to be elucidated. In post-mortem samples, we identified an association between GAL3 and LB in all the PD subjects studied. GAL3 was linked to less αSYN in the LB outer layer and other αSYN deposits, including pale bodies. GAL3 was also associated with disrupted lysosomes. In vitro studies demonstrate that exogenous recombinant Gal3 is internalised by neuronal cell lines and primary neurons where it interacts with endogenous αSyn fibrils. In addition, aggregation experiments show that Gal3 affects spatial propagation and the stability of pre-formed αSyn fibrils resulting in short, amorphous toxic strains. To further investigate these observations in vivo, we take advantage of WT and Gal3KO mice subjected to intranigral injection of adenovirus overexpressing human αSyn as a PD model. In line with our in vitro studies, under these conditions, genetic deletion of GAL3 leads to increased intracellular αSyn accumulation within dopaminergic neurons and remarkably preserved dopaminergic integrity and motor function. Overall, our data suggest a prominent role for GAL3 in the aggregation process of αSYN and LB formation, leading to the production of short species to the detriment of larger strains which triggers neuronal degeneration in a mouse model of PD

Incidence of human granulocytic anaplasmosis in returning travellers with fever.

Although tick-borne pathogens have been reported as an important cause of imported fever, the incidence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, the causative agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA), in travellers is unknown. We conducted a prospective cohort study to investigate the aetiologies of fever in returning travellers (November 2017-July 2019). Polymerase chain reaction for msp2 gene amplification and indirect immunofluorescence assay for A. phagocitophilum were performed in all returning travellers with undifferentiated non-malarial fever. Among 141 travellers included, 8 patients were diagnosed with probable or confirmed HGA. The overall incidence rate of HGA was 19.9 cases/1000 person-week of travel. The main destination of travel was Asia, accounting for 62.5% patients with HGA. Co-infections were found in 37.5% of patients with HGA. Diagnosis of HGA and empirical treatment with doxycycline should be considered in travellers with fever

Sphingosine-1-Phosphate and the S1P3 Receptor Initiate Neuronal Retraction via RhoA/ROCK Associated with CRMP2 Phosphorylation

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.The bioactive lipid sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is an important regulator in the nervous system. Here, we explored the role of S1P and its receptors in vitro and in preclinical models of peripheral nerve regeneration. Adult sensory neurons and motor neuron-like cells were exposed to S1P in an in vitro assay, and virtually all neurons responded with a rapid retraction of neurites and growth cone collapse which were associated with RhoA and ROCK activation. The S1P1 receptor agonist SEW2871 neither activated RhoA or neurite retraction, nor was S1P-induced neurite retraction mitigated in S1P1-deficient neurons. Depletion of S1P3 receptors however resulted in a dramatic inhibition of S1P-induced neurite retraction and was on the contrary associated with a significant elongation of neuronal processes in response to S1P. Opposing responses to S1P could be observed in the same neuron population, where S1P could activate S1P1 receptors to stimulate elongation or S1P3 receptors and retraction. S1P was, for the first time in sensory neurons, linked to the phosphorylation of collapsin response-mediated protein-2 (CRMP2), which was inhibited by ROCK inhibition. The improved sensory recovery after crush injury further supported the relevance of a critical role for S1P and receptors in fine-tuning axonal outgrowth in peripheral neurons

Pre-exposure prophylaxis with hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 : a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial

Background: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a promising strategy to break COVID-19 transmission. Although hydroxychloroquine was evaluated for treatment and post-exposure prophylaxis, it is not evaluated for COVID-19 PrEP yet. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PrEP with hydroxychloroquine against placebo in healthcare workers at high risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection during an epidemic period. Methods: We conducted a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial in three hospitals in Barcelona, Spain. From 350 adult healthcare workers screened, we included 269 participants with no active or past SARS-CoV-2 infection (determined by a negative nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 PCR and a negative serology against SARS-CoV-2). Participants allocated in the intervention arm (PrEP) received 400 mg of hydroxychloroquine daily for the first four consecutive days and subsequently, 400 mg weekly during the study period. Participants in the control group followed the same treatment schedule with placebo tablets. Results: 52.8% (142/269) of participants were in the hydroxychloroquine arm and 47.2% (127/269) in the placebo arm. Given the national epidemic incidence decay, only one participant in each group was diagnosed with COVID-19. The trial was stopped due to futility and our study design was deemed underpowered to evaluate any benefit regarding PrEP efficacy. Both groups showed a similar proportion of participants experiencing at least one adverse event (AE) (p=0.548). No serious AEs were reported. Almost all AEs (96.4%, 106/110) were mild. Only mild gastrointestinal symptoms were significantly higher in the hydroxychloroquine arm compared to the placebo arm (27.4% (39/142) vs 15.7% (20/127), p=0.041). Conclusions: Although the efficacy of PrEP with hydroxychloroquine for preventing COVID-19 could not be evaluated, our study showed that PrEP with hydroxychloroquine at low doses is safe. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.govNCT04331834. Registered on April 2, 2020

The Impact of Culturing the Organ Preservation Fluid on Solid Organ Transplantation: A Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study

Background. We analyzed the prevalence, etiology, and risk factors of culture-positive preservation fluid and their impact on the management of solid organ transplant recipients. Methods. From July 2015 to March 2017, 622 episodes of adult solid organ transplants at 7 university hospitals in Spain were prospectively included in the study. Results. The prevalence of culture-positive preservation fluid was 62.5% (389/622). Nevertheless, in only 25.2% (98/389) of the cases were the isolates considered ?high risk? for pathogenicity. After applying a multivariate regression analysis, advanced donor age was the main associated factor for having culture-positive preservation fluid for high-risk microorganisms. Preemptive antibiotic therapy was given to 19.8% (77/389) of the cases. The incidence rate of preservation fluid?related infection was 1.3% (5 recipients); none of these patients had received preemptive therapy. Solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients with high-risk culture-positive preservation fluid receiving preemptive antibiotic therapy presented both a lower cumulative incidence of infection and a lower rate of acute rejection and graft loss compared with those who did not have high-risk culture-positive preservation fluid. After adjusting for age, sex, type of transplant, and prior graft rejection, preemptive antibiotic therapy remained a significant protective factor for 90-day infection. Conclusions. The routine culture of preservation fluid may be considered a tool that provides information about the contamination of the transplanted organ. Preemptive therapy for SOT recipients with high-risk culture-positive preservation fluid may be useful to avoid preservation fluid?related infections and improve the outcomes of infection, graft loss, and graft rejection in transplant patients