A Flexible Implementation of a Matrix Laurent Series-Based 16-Point Fast Fourier and Hartley Transforms

This paper describes a flexible architecture for implementing a new fast computation of the discrete Fourier and Hartley transforms, which is based on a matrix Laurent series. The device calculates the transforms based on a single bit selection operator. The hardware structure and synthesis are presented, which handled a 16-point fast transform in 65 nsec, with a Xilinx SPARTAN 3E device.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. IEEE VI Southern Programmable Logic Conference 201

Private Provision of Water Service in Brazil: Impacts on Access and Affordability

Brazil has been experimenting with Private Sector Participation (PSP) in the water and sanitation sector in various forms since the mid-nineties, one of the most common being concession contracts. Currently, 25% of the population is served by companies with private sector participation and this figure could grow to 36% within 10 years. This paper studies past and ongoing experiences with private provision of water services in Brazil and assesses their impact on access and affordability indicators. It also discusses the social policies in place to improve those indicators, especially those targeting the poor. It uses different estimation methods and datasets to determine whether or not there is any difference in access to water supply and ability to pay water bills between municipalities that opted to entrust the provision of water services with private operators and those that kept them public. Moreover, whenever possible, the analysis is broken down by income (GDP) deciles in an attempt to evaluate the impact of private provision on lower income families. The results obtained entail the conclusion that PSP in Brazil has delivered higher access to water services, benefiting mostly the poor. They are inconclusive regarding affordability of water services though.Water services, access, affordability, panel data, private sector participation

Lactobacillus crispatus as the etiological agent in cytolytic vaginosis

Introduction: Lactobacillus spp. dominate the vaginal niche but can also be involved in other vaginal dysbiosis, such as cytolytic vaginosis (CV), which remains poorly studied. It is characterized by a cryptic symptomatology, that often confounds the clinic. Goals: The aim of this work was to search for the etiological agent of CV, by studying the vaginal microbiome and metabolomics of women afflicted with this disease and compare it with women with other clinical diagnostic. Methods: Twenty-one vaginal washes have been collected from women attending a gynaecology consultation of a private clinic. The samples were categorized according with clinical diagnosis at the time of sampling (CV, 11; vulvovaginal candidosis, 8; Healthy, 2). The distribution of bacterial species, and their prevalence was assessed by next-generation sequencing of the 16S V4 region. In addition, total lactate D-lactic acid and L-lactic acid was quantified in all washes by a commercial kit, as well as lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity. Results: L. crispatus was dominant (>70%) in all CV samples. Lactate was increased in CV in comparison with other cases. The presence of D-lactic acid isomer was associated with presence of L. crispatus. LDH activity was increased in vaginal washes that tested positive for the presence of L. crispatus, however no direct association was found with CV cases. Discussion/Conclusions: The microbiome of women afflicted with CV was dominated in all cases by L. crispatus, contrarily with the results obtained for women diagnosed with other clinical symptomatology. In addition, the finding that an increase in D-lactic acid is associated with CV patients can be related to the role of L. crispatus in CV. The determination of LDH activity did not correlate exclusively with CV cases. On the other hand, D-lactic acid and total lactate quantification could be used as a valuable biomarker to diagnose this cryptic vaginal infection.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio