Online Learning Algorithm for Time Series Forecasting Suitable for Low Cost Wireless Sensor Networks Nodes

Time series forecasting is an important predictive methodology which can be applied to a wide range of problems. Particularly, forecasting the indoor temperature permits an improved utilization of the HVAC (Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning) systems in a home and thus a better energy efficiency. With such purpose the paper describes how to implement an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) algorithm in a low cost system-on-chip to develop an autonomous intelligent wireless sensor network. The present paper uses a Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) to monitor and forecast the indoor temperature in a smart home, based on low resources and cost microcontroller technology as the 8051MCU. An on-line learning approach, based on Back-Propagation (BP) algorithm for ANNs, has been developed for real-time time series learning. It performs the model training with every new data that arrive to the system, without saving enormous quantities of data to create a historical database as usual, i.e., without previous knowledge. Consequently to validate the approach a simulation study through a Bayesian baseline model have been tested in order to compare with a database of a real application aiming to see the performance and accuracy. The core of the paper is a new algorithm, based on the BP one, which has been described in detail, and the challenge was how to implement a computational demanding algorithm in a simple architecture with very few hardware resources.Comment: 28 pages, Published 21 April 2015 at MDPI's journal "Sensors

The implementation of the Gender Perspective in the EU civilian and military missions: Leadership wanted. Security Policy Brief No. 67, October 2015

Fifteen years have passed since the adoption of Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, through which time the EU has grown as a security actor. The keys to produce a change in implementing gender mainstreaming in the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) are well known by member states; the EU and external implementation reports1 are repeated again and again, but real change requires real willingness on the part of member states, and leadership

Ganas de Emprender y Felicidad: un Estudio Exploratorio a Partir del Global Entrepreneurship Monitor en Chile

En este documento se utilizan datos del Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2012 (GEM) para estimar empíricamente los determinantes de la Intención de Emprender (IE) en Chile, entre los que se incluye la felicidad. Trabajos previos han estudiado indirectamente, y de manera muy general, el rol de la felicidad en la IE, sin incorporarla como una variable explicativa. En consecuencia, inspirados en las recomendaciones de Casrud y Brannback (2011), y en la invitación de Elfing et al. (2009) de ajustar el modelo estándar de IE [Shapero (1982) y Ajzen (1991)], en este trabajo se introduce la felicidad tanto como una variable específica como moderadora, la cual se estima a través de un modelo LOGIT.Los resultados del modelo muestran que la felicidad se relaciona de manera inversa con la Intención de Emprender. De esta forma, en la medida que es mayor la felicidad, menor es probabilidad de intención de emprender (o viceversa)

How Do Cytotoxic Lymphocytes Kill Cancer Cells?

In the past few years, cancer immunotherapy has emerged as a safe and effective alternative for treatment of cancers that do not respond to classical treatments, including those types with high aggressiveness. New immune modulators, such as cytokines, blockers of CTLA-4 (cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4) and PD-1(programmed cell death protein 1)/PD-L1 (programmed death-ligand 1), and interaction or adoptive cell therapy, have been developed and approved to treat solid and hematologic carcinomas. In these scenarios, cytotoxic lymphocytes (CL), mainly cytotoxic T cells (Tc) and natural killer (NK) cells, are ultimately responsible for killing the cancer cells and eradicating the tumor. Extensive studies have been conducted to assess how Tc and NK cells get activated and recognize the cancer cell. In contrast, few studies have focused on the effector molecules used by CLs to kill cancer cells during cancer immunosurveillance and immunotherapy. In this article, the two main pathways involved in CL-mediated tumor cell death, granule exocytosis (perforin and granzymes) and death ligands, are briefly introduced, followed by a critical discussion of the molecules involved in cell death during cancer immunosurveillance and immunotherapy. This discussion also covers unexpected consequences of proinflammatory and survival effects of granzymes and death ligands and recent experimental evidence indicating that perforin and granzymes of CLs can activate nonapoptotic pathways of cell death, overcoming apoptosis defects and chemoresistance. The consequences of apoptosis versus other modalities of cell death for an effective treatment of cancer by modulating the patient immune system are also briefly discussed. Clin Cancer Res; 21(22); 5047–56. ©2015 AACR

High risk serotypes of the human papillomavirus (hpv) in patients With exofitic lesions in the oral cavity

Introduction: Oral squamous cell carcinoma has been associated with risk factors such as: tobacco consumption, alcohol and human papillomavirus, the authors determined the prevalence of high-risk serotypes of human papillomavirus infection in exofitic lesions of the oral cavity in a Cartagena hospital during the year 2014-2015. Material and Methods: an observational, descriptive, prospective and cross-sectional study was performed on 73 patients with verrucous lesions in the oral cavity, in which socio- demographic characteristics and the clinical and histopathological diagnosis were determined, and high-risk HPV was identified. The study complied with legal and ethical standards. The results were analyzed using descriptive statistics with the Stata v13.2 program. Results: The prevalence of HPV in the study population during the period 2014-2015 was 9.59% (n: 7). in none of the positive HPV cases in the histopathological study, any high-risk genotype was identified by the real-time multiplex PCR assay. HPV infection was more prevalent in patients in the third decade of life (29.5 years, DS ± 10.60), mean age was 62.8 years SD ± 17.74. The population came mainly from the rural area. The most common site was the labial mucosa. There was a relationship between smoking and the presence of HPV. Discussions: In the present study, no relationship of high risk HPV genotypes was found in the evaluated samples

Introduction to cross LAK 2016: Learning analytics across spaces

For the LAK (Learning Analytics and Knowledge) community, it is highly important to pay attention to the development and deployment of learning analytics solutions for blended learning scenarios where students work at diverse digital and physical learning spaces and interact in different modalities. This workshop has been a first attempt in gathering the sub-community of LAK researchers, learning scientists and researchers from other communities, interested in ubiquitous, mobile and/or face-to-face learning analytics. It was clear for all the attendees that a key concern that has not been deeply explored yet is associated with the mechanisms to integrate and coordinate learning analytics to provide continued support to learning across digital and physical spaces. The two main goals of the workshop were to share perspectives and identify a set of guidelines that could be offered to teachers, researchers or designers to create and connect Learning Analytics solutions according to the pedagogical needs and contextual constraints to provide support across digital and physical learning spaces

La eficiencia energética en la industria manufacturera Colombiana:Una estimación con DEA y Datos de Panel

En el presente estudio se ha utilizado el método de Análisis Envolvente de Datos (DEA) para determinar las tendencias de la eficiencia energética en la industria manufacturera colombiana, tomando como referencia los sectores intensivos energéticamente (SIE). Los resultados de DEA muestran que la gran mayoría de los sectores industriales estudiados han mejorado su eficiencia energética indicando que la energía, como un factor productivo, es importante dentro de las estructuras de producción y es un elemento clave dentro del desarrollo tecnológico. En una segunda etapa, el análisis de regresión utilizando técnicas de datos paneles muestra cómo la productividad laboral, las inversiones y el capital son determinantes en los resultados de la eficiencia energética. Estos resultados indican que las políticas energéticas deben motivar la eficiencia energética a través de mejoras tecnológicas e inversiones que aumenten la productividad y disminuyan el consumo de la energía así como la contaminación ambiental.Eficiencia energética, Análisis Envolvente de Datos, Análisis de Datos Panel, industria manufacturera