Fast exact variable order affine projection algorithm

Variable order affine projection algorithms have been recently presented to be used when not only the convergence speed of the algorithm has to be adjusted but also its computational cost and its final residual error. These kind of affine projection (AP) algorithms improve the standard AP algorithm performance at steady state by reducing the residual mean square error. Furthermore these algorithms optimize computational cost by dynamically adjusting their projection order to convergence speed requirements. The main cost of the standard AP algorithm is due to the matrix inversion that appears in the coefficient update equation. Most efforts to decrease the computational cost of these algorithms have focused on the optimization of this matrix inversion. This paper deals with optimization of the computational cost of variable order AP algorithms by recursive calculation of the inverse signal matrix. Thus, a fast exact variable order AP algorithm is proposed. Exact iterative expressions to calculate the inverse matrix when the algorithm projection order either increases or decreases are incorporated into a variable order AP algorithm leading to a reduced complexity implementation. The simulation results show the proposed algorithm performs similarly to the variable order AP algorithms and it has a lower computational complexity. © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Partially supported by TEC2009-13741, PROMETEO 2009/0013, GV/ 2010/027, ACOMP/2010/006 and UPV PAID-06-09.Ferrer Contreras, M.; Gonzalez, A.; Diego Antón, MD.; Piñero Sipán, MG. (2012). Fast exact variable order affine projection algorithm. Signal Processing. 92(9):2308-2314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sigpro.2012.03.007S2308231492

Tecnologías de la comunicación para la divulgación científica y la mejora docente

El empleo de redes sociales se ha convertido en los últimos años en una actividad cotidiana para la gran mayoría de jóvenes y, por ende, para los universitarios. Muchos docentes e instituciones están incorporado las redes sociales a sus estrategias de enseñanza y difusión de contenidos al tratarse de un espacio idóneo para intercambiar información y el conocimiento de una forma rápida, sencilla y cómoda. Este trabajo presenta el proyecto docente llevado a cabo en el Grado de Lingüística y Lenguas Aplicadas de la Universidad de Cádiz durante el curso 2017‐2018 con la finalidad de mejorar el conocimiento, expectativas y motivación del alumnado mediante el uso de nuevos medios de comunicación social: twitter, Facebook, Instagram, youtube y mailing lists

Correction : Chaparro et al. Incidence, Clinical Characteristics and Management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Spain: Large-Scale Epidemiological Study. J. Clin. Med. 2021, 10, 2885

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...]

Incidence, Clinical Characteristics and Management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Spain : Large-Scale Epidemiological Study

(1) Aims: To assess the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Spain, to describe the main epidemiological and clinical characteristics at diagnosis and the evolution of the disease, and to explore the use of drug treatments. (2) Methods: Prospective, population-based nationwide registry. Adult patients diagnosed with IBD-Crohn's disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC) or IBD unclassified (IBD-U)-during 2017 in Spain were included and were followed-up for 1 year. (3) Results: We identified 3611 incident cases of IBD diagnosed during 2017 in 108 hospitals covering over 22 million inhabitants. The overall incidence (cases/100,000 person-years) was 16 for IBD, 7.5 for CD, 8 for UC, and 0.5 for IBD-U; 53% of patients were male and median age was 43 years (interquartile range = 31-56 years). During a median 12-month follow-up, 34% of patients were treated with systemic steroids, 25% with immunomodulators, 15% with biologics and 5.6% underwent surgery. The percentage of patients under these treatments was significantly higher in CD than UC and IBD-U. Use of systemic steroids and biologics was significantly higher in hospitals with high resources. In total, 28% of patients were hospitalized (35% CD and 22% UC patients, p < 0.01). (4) Conclusion: The incidence of IBD in Spain is rather high and similar to that reported in Northern Europe. IBD patients require substantial therapeutic resources, which are greater in CD and in hospitals with high resources, and much higher than previously reported. One third of patients are hospitalized in the first year after diagnosis and a relevant proportion undergo surgery

Treatment with tocilizumab or corticosteroids for COVID-19 patients with hyperinflammatory state: a multicentre cohort study (SAM-COVID-19)

Objectives: The objective of this study was to estimate the association between tocilizumab or corticosteroids and the risk of intubation or death in patients with coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) with a hyperinflammatory state according to clinical and laboratory parameters. Methods: A cohort study was performed in 60 Spanish hospitals including 778 patients with COVID-19 and clinical and laboratory data indicative of a hyperinflammatory state. Treatment was mainly with tocilizumab, an intermediate-high dose of corticosteroids (IHDC), a pulse dose of corticosteroids (PDC), combination therapy, or no treatment. Primary outcome was intubation or death; follow-up was 21 days. Propensity score-adjusted estimations using Cox regression (logistic regression if needed) were calculated. Propensity scores were used as confounders, matching variables and for the inverse probability of treatment weights (IPTWs). Results: In all, 88, 117, 78 and 151 patients treated with tocilizumab, IHDC, PDC, and combination therapy, respectively, were compared with 344 untreated patients. The primary endpoint occurred in 10 (11.4%), 27 (23.1%), 12 (15.4%), 40 (25.6%) and 69 (21.1%), respectively. The IPTW-based hazard ratios (odds ratio for combination therapy) for the primary endpoint were 0.32 (95%CI 0.22-0.47; p < 0.001) for tocilizumab, 0.82 (0.71-1.30; p 0.82) for IHDC, 0.61 (0.43-0.86; p 0.006) for PDC, and 1.17 (0.86-1.58; p 0.30) for combination therapy. Other applications of the propensity score provided similar results, but were not significant for PDC. Tocilizumab was also associated with lower hazard of death alone in IPTW analysis (0.07; 0.02-0.17; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Tocilizumab might be useful in COVID-19 patients with a hyperinflammatory state and should be prioritized for randomized trials in this situatio

Rock magnetic identification of magnetic iron sulfides and its bearing on the occurrence of gas hydrates, ODP Leg 204 (Hydrate Ridge)

33 pages, 12 figures, 9 tablesIn this paper, we present a rock magnetic data set produced for sediments from Hydrate Ridge recovered during Ocean Drilling Program Leg 204. Our data set is based on several artificially induced magnetic properties that can be used as a diagnostic for the presence of magnetic iron sulfides. The occurrence of magnetic iron sulfides within the gas hydrate stability zone in locations where gas hydrates are present seems to confirm previous interpretations linking formation of such minerals with generation of gas hydrate. Magnetic iron sulfides are also found at positions deeper than the gas hydrate stability zone. We suggest that these positions, which include intervals located just below the bottom-simulating reflector and also at deeper positions, may mark the former presence of gas hydrates that have been later dissociated as the gas hydrate stability zone moved upward through time. Detailed characterization of the magnetic iron sulfide mineralogy and comparison with sedimentological and geochemical data will be attempted for better determining the significance of magnetic iron sulfides in Hydrate Ridge sediments and their possible applications in the study of gas hydratesThis research used samples and/or data provided by the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP). ODP is sponsored by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and participating countries under the management of Joint Oceanographic Institutions (JOI), Inc. We thank the captain, the crew, technicians, and fellow scientists aboard the JOIDES Resolution for their assistance during Leg 204. We also thank the Paleomagnetic Laboratory (Serveis de Suport a la Recerca UB-CSIC) of the Institute of Earth Sciences in Barcelona, where rock magnetic measurements were conducted. B. Housen is thanked for his constructive review. The Spanish Ministry of Science and Education (Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia, MEC) funded participation of E. Gràcia in ODP Leg 204 through grant REN 2001-5262-E and sample analysis and processing through grant BTE2002-11698-E. J.C. Larrasoaña benefits from a MEC “Ramon y Cajal” contract and E. Piñero benefits from a MEC Ph.D. fellowship AP2003-2872Peer Reviewe