Modelado de interacciones sensibles al contexto mediante reglas en ambientes inteligentes

La Inteligencia Ambiental (AmI) propone la creación de entornos o ambientes inteligentes que se adapten a las necesidades, gustos e intereses de la gente que vive en ellos. Su principal objetivo es crear espacios constituidos por interfaces inteligentes e intuitivas integradas en objetos cotidianos con los que el usuario interacciona de forma natural y sin esfuerzo. Estas interfaces poseen capacidad para reconocer la presencia de diferentes usuarios, y modificar su comportamiento en función de la identidad de dicho usuario, sus necesidades y las características del contexto o entorno donde se encuentren. Dentro del campo de AmI, esta tesis se centra en el modelado de las interacciones que tienen lugar en este tipo de entornos. Para ello se hace necesario el estudio de un modelo, basado en una relación unívoca Tag-Objeto, en el que los objetos puedan tener asociadas más de una característica (en un único Tag), siendo el usuario el que decida con cuál de ellas interactúa a través de su terminal, teniendo en cuenta también los recursos disponibles en él y el historial de interacciones previas. Un entorno inteligente, además de contener objetos aumentados con Tag RFID, estará ubicado en una localización específica, es decir, en una zona geográfica bien definida. Esta característica hace posible otro tipo de interacciones, aquellas basadas en la localización. Así, un entorno o espacio inteligente no solamente proporcionará servicios al usuario cuando interaccione con alguno de los objetos que tiene definidos, sino que también es capaz de ofrecer otros servicios al usuario basándose simplemente en su localización. OBCAS propone una solución para el modelado de interacciones sensibles al contexto mediante reglas en ambientes inteligentes en la que las reglas no van a estar definidas de forma independiente, sino que van a formar parte del comportamiento de un conjunto de agentes. OBCAS está compuesto por un sistema multi-agente que tendrá un componente en el lado servidor y otro en el lado móvil. Todos los agentes que componen este sistema se comunican utilizando el protocolo FIPA y utilizando en el lenguaje de contenido el modelo ontológico definido en OBCAS-Ontology (Kernel). El kernel es una ontología cuya función es la representación e integración de los diferentes modelos (ontologías) y sus relaciones, de forma que representen a todos los elementos o artefactos que participan en la hipótesis para el modelado de escenarios y el desarrollo de aplicaciones NFC ubicuas y sensibles al contexto. Este sistema puede ser utilizado en cualquier aplicación en la que se realicen interacciones sensibles al contexto, y para verificar su eficacia se ha desarrollado AGATHA, un sistema de alarmas que monitoriza el cumplimiento de un conjunto de restricciones que están asociadas a ciertos usuarios. Esta aplicación ha demostrado la rapidez con la que el sistema es capaz de reaccionar y adaptarse al contexto del usuario, evitando por ejemplo que un agresor se acerque a una víctima o que un anciano se pierda.Ambient Intelligence (AmI) proposes the creation of smart environments able to adapt to the needs, tastes and interests of the people living in them. Its main objective is to create spaces constituted by intelligent and intuitive interfaces embedded in everyday objects with which the user interacts naturally and effortlessly. These interfaces have the capacity to recognize the presence of different users, and modify their behavior depending on the user's identity, needs and characteristics of the context or environment. Within the field of AmI, this thesis is focused on the modeling of the interactions that take place in these environments. In order to do so, it is necessary to study a model based on an univocal Tag-Object relationship, where objects can have associated more than one characteristic (to one tag), and the user decides which one to interact with through its terminal. The resources available in the terminal, and the history of previous interactions are also considered. A smart environment contains objects augmented with RFID Tag, and it is located in a specific location, i.e. a well-defined geographical area. This feature makes possible other interactions, those based on location. Hence, a space or smart environment not only provide intelligent services to the user when interacting with any of the objects that have been defined, but it is also able to provide the user with other services based simply on its location. OBCAS proposes a solution for modeling context-sensitive interactions in smart environments through rules, in which the rules will not be defined independently, but they will be part of the behavior of a set of agents. OBCAS comprises a multi-agent system that will have a component on the server side and another one on the mobile side. All agents making up the system use the FIPA protocol, and the ontological model OBCAS-Ontology (Kernel). The Kernel is an ontology whose function is the representation and integration of the different models (ontologies) and their relationships, so representing all the elements or artifacts involved in the scenario modeling and the development of ubiquitous and context-awareness NFC application. This system can be used in any application with context-aware interactions. In order to verify its efficacy has been developed AGATHA, an alarm system which monitors the performance of a set of constraints that are associated with certain users. This application has demonstrated the speed with which the system is able to react and adapt to the context of the user, e.g. preventing the approaching of an attacker to a victim

An Alert System for People Monitoring Based on Multi- Agents using Maps

This paper describes an alert system for people monitoring based on multi-agent using maps. This system monitors the users’ physical context using their mobile phone. The data acquisition is made using the available sensors on mobile phone. A set of agents on mobile phones are responsible for collecting, processing and sending data to the server. Another set of agents on server stores the data and checks the preconditions of the restrictions associated with the user, in order to trigger the appropriate alarms. These alarms are sent not only to the user that violates a restriction, but also to the one responsible for supervising the person monitored. The supervisor can control all the supervised people through a map interface with functionality such as sending a SMS or making a call directly from the map. The applicability of the system will be illustrated with an example for Alzheimer patient monitoring. These patients will carry on normal activity in the home environment or home for the elderly, monitored by their family or by nurses

An Alert System for People Monitoring Based on Multi- Agents using Maps

Abstract: This paper describes an alert system for people monitoring based on multi-agent using maps. This system monitors the users' physical context using their mobile phone. The data acquisition is made using the available sensors on mobile phone. A set of agents on mobile phones are responsible for collecting, processing and sending data to the server. Another set of agents on server stores the data and checks the preconditions of the restrictions associated with the user, in order to trigger the appropriate alarms. These alarms are sent not only to the user that violates a restriction, but also to the one responsible for supervising the person monitored. The supervisor can control all the supervised people through a map interface with functionality such as sending a SMS or making a call directly from the map. The applicability of the system will be illustrated with an example for Alzheimer patient monitoring. These patients will carry on normal activity in the home environment or home for the elderly, monitored by their family or by nurses

A Delphi consensus panel about clinical management of early-stage EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in Spain: a Delphi consensus panel study

Delphi method; Non-small cell lung cancer; OsimertinibMétodo Delphi; Cáncer de pulmón de células no pequeñas; OsimertinibMètode Delphi; Càncer de pulmó de cèl·lules no petites; OsimertinibPurpose This Delphi panel study assessed the level of consensus between medical oncologists on the clinical management of patients with early-stage EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods A modified two-round Delphi approach was used. A scientific committee comprised of medical oncologists developed an online questionnaire. Delphi panel experts rated their level of agreement with each questionnaire statement on a 9-point Likert scale. The questionnaire included 36 statements from 3 domains (clinical management of early-stage NSCLC: 15 statements; role of adjuvant therapy in early-stage NSCLC: 9 statements; and role of adjuvant therapy in early-stage NSCLC with sensitizing EGFR mutation: 12 statements). Results In round 1, consensus was reached for 24/36 statements (66.7%). Nine statements that did not achieve consensus after the first round were evaluated in round 2, and none of them reached consensus. Overall, 84.4% of the panelists agreed that EGFR mutation testing should be done after surgery. Consensus was not achieved on whether the implementation of EGFR mutation testing in resected early-stage NSCLC could limit the use of adjuvant osimertinib. The panelists recognized the rationale for the use of osimertinib in the adjuvant scenario (88%) and 72% agreed that it may change the treatment paradigm in stage IB–IIIA EGFR-mutated NSCLC. Consensus was not reached on the inconvenience of prolonged duration of osimertinib. Conclusions This Delphi study provides valuable insights into relevant questions in the management of early-stage EGFR-mutated NSCLC. However, specific issues remain unresolved. The expert consensus emphasizes the role of adjuvant treatment with osimertinib in this scenario.The project was funded by ICAPEM (for its acronym in Spanish of Asociación para la Investigación de Cáncer de Pulmón en Mujeres). The opinions expressed are those of the authors. The funding party did not influence any aspect of the study design, collection, analysis or interpretation of data, or decision to submit the manuscript for publication

Neonatal overnutrition increases testicular size and expression of luteinizing hormone ß-subunit in peripubertal male rats

Proper nutrition is important for growth and development. Maturation of the reproductive axis and the timing of pubertal onset can be delayed when insufficient nutrition is available, or possibly advanced with nutritional abundance. The childhood obesity epidemic has been linked to a secular trend in advanced puberty in some populations. The increase in circulating leptin that occurs in association with obesity has been suggested to act as a signal that an adequate nutritional status exists for puberty to occur, allowing activation of central mechanisms. However, obesity-associated hyperleptinemia is linked to decreased leptin sensitivity, at least in adults. Here, we analyzed whether neonatal overnutrition modifies the response to an increase in leptin in peripubertal male rats, as previously demonstrated in females. Wistar rats were raised in litters of 4 (neonatal overnutrition) or 12 pups (controls) per dam. Leptin was administered sc (3 μg/g body weight) at postnatal day 35 and the rats killed 45 min or 2 h later. Postnatal overfeeding resulted in increased body weight and circulating leptin levels; however, we found no overweight-related changes in the mRNA levels of neuropeptides involved in metabolism or reproduction. In contrast, pituitary expression of luteinizing hormone (LH) beta-subunit was increased in overweight rats, as was testicular weight. There were no basal differences between L4 and L12 males or in their response to leptin administration in pSTAT3 levels in the hypothalamus at either 45 min or 2 h. In contrast, pJAK2 was found to be higher at 45 min in L4 compared to L12 males regardless of leptin treatment, while at 2 h it was higher in L4 leptin-treated males compared to L12 leptin-treated males, as well as L4 vehicle-treated rats. There were no changes in response to leptin administration in the expression of the neuropeptides analyzed. However, serum LH levels rose only in L4 males in response to leptin, but with no change in testosterone levels. In conclusion, the advancement in pubertal onset in males with neonatal overnutrition does not appear to be related to overt modifications in the central response to exogenous leptin during the peripubertal periodThe authors are funded by Fondos de Investigación Sanitaria (PI1600485 to JA), Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (BFU2014-51836-C2-2-R and BFU2017-82565-C2-1-R to JC) and fondos FEDER, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fisiopatología de Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (JA), and Fundación Endocrinología y Nutrició

Actualización de las recomendaciones para la determinación de biomarcadores en el carcinoma de pulmón avanzado de célula no pequeña. Consenso Nacional de la Sociedad Española de Anatomía Patológica y de la Sociedad Española de Oncología Médica

En el año 2011 se inició un proyecto conjunto entre la Sociedad Española de Oncología Médica (SEOM) y la Sociedad Española de Anatomía Patológica (SEAP) para establecer unas recomendaciones basadas en la evidencia actual con respecto a la determinación de biomarcadores en pacientes con carcinoma de pulmón de célula no pequeña (CPCNP) avanzado. La mayoría de estas recomendaciones siguen siendo válidas; sin embargo, existen nuevas evidencias que hacen necesaria la actualización de algunos aspectos. En concreto, se modifica la recomendación de qué biomarcadores hay que analizar y en qué pacientes, y se define el manejo óptimo de la muestra tumoral así como las características del material mínimo necesario para la determinación de biomarcadores. Además, se revisan las técnicas adecuadas para la determinación de las mutaciones de EGFR y el reordenamiento de ALK, y se consensúa en qué situaciones se debe llevar a cabo una re-biopsi

Age and sex dependent effects of early overnutrition on metabolic parameters and the role of neonatal androgens

Background: Males and females respond differently to diverse metabolic situations. Being raised in a small litter is reported to cause overnutrition that increases weight gain and predisposes an individual to metabolic disturbances in adulthood; however, existing data are inconsistent. Indeed, significant weight gain and/or metabolic disturbances, such as hyperinsulinemia and hyperleptinemia, are sometimes not encountered. We hypothesized that these inconsistencies could be due to the animal’s sex and/or age at which metabolic parameters are measured. Methods: To analyze the effects of neonatal overnutrition, male and female Wistar rats were raised in litters of 4 or 12 pups/dam and killed at postnatal days (PND) 10, 21, 30, 50, 85, or 150. In a second study to determine if neonatal sex steroid levels influence sex differences in metabolic parameters, female rats were treated with testosterone on PND1. Effects on weight, length, fat pads, adipokine production, and serum levels of glucose, metabolic hormones, and cytokines were analyzed in both studies. Results: By PND10, both males and females raised in small litters had increased body weight, body length, adiposity, and serum glucose, insulin, leptin, and adiponectin levels. Females had a greater increase in inguinal fat, and males had higher expression of leptin messenger RNA (mRNA) and serum insulin, as well as increased testosterone levels. Most of the litter size effects diminished or disappeared after weaning and reappeared during adulthood in males, with sex differences in body size and adiposity being apparent postpubertally. Treatment of females with testosterone on PND1 tended to masculinize some metabolic parameters in adulthood such as increased body weight and serum leptin levels. Conclusions: Our results indicate that (1) both sex and age determine the response to neonatal overnutrition; (2) differences in neonatal sex steroid levels may participate in the development of sex differences in metabolic parameters in adulthood and possibly in the response to neonatal overnutrition; and (3) the comparison of circulating hormone and cytokine levels, even in normal control animals, should take into consideration the early neonatal nutritional environmentThis work was supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación Grants (BFU2011–27492 and BFU2014-51836-C2-2-R (to JAC); BFI2011-25021 (to MTS)) and Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria (PI13/02195 to JA) co-funded by European FEDER Program, Junta de Andalucia, Spain (Project FQM12-1943 to MTS) and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Fisiopatología de Obesidad y Nutrición (JA and MTS) of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, and Fundación de Endocrinología y Nutrició

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Low Bone Mineral Density in the Femoral Neck and Total Hip in Axial Spondyloarthritis: Data from the CASTRO Cohort

Studies on osteoporosis in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) have focused on the lumbar segment, and few studies have assessed bone mineral density (BMD) in the hip and femoral neck in these patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of low BMD and osteopenia in the total hip or femoral neck and the factors associated with these conditions in axSpA patients. This was a single-centre, observational, cross-sectional study among consecutive patients with axSpA according to the ASAS criteria from the CASTRO registry. All patients underwent total hip and femoral neck DXA BMD measurements. Low BMD was defined as a Z-score less than −1, and osteopenia was defined as a T-score less than −1. Multivariate logistic and generalised linear regressions were used to evaluate factors independently associated with low BMD and osteopenia in the hip or femoral neck and those associated with variability in BMD, respectively. A total of 117 patients were included, among which 30.8% were female and the mean age was 45 years. A total of 36.0% of patients had low BMD (28.1% in the total hip and 27.4% in the femoral neck), and 56.0% of patients had osteopenia (44.7% in the total hip and 53.8% in the femoral neck). A multivariate logistic regression showed that age, radiographic sacroiliitis and ASAS-HI were independently associated with low BMD in the total hip or femoral neck. Factors that were independently associated with osteopenia were Body Mass Index, disease duration, radiographic sacroiliitis and ASAS-HI. In conclusion, 36% of the patients with axSpA had low BMD in the total hip or femoral neck. A younger age and radiographic sacroiliitis were the most important factors associated with decreased BMD

Estudio de la madurez y fecundidad de Coryphaena hippurus, en el mar de Alborán - Mediterráneo occidental

La llampuga Coryphaena hippurus (Linnaeus, 1758) también conocida como dorado o lirio es una especie epipelágica migratoria ampliamente distribuida en aguas tropicales y subtropicales. Esta especie es de gran interés tanto para las pesquerías comerciales como para las deportivas en múltiples países a nivel mundial. Las llampugas son reproductores parciales con periodos de puesta que se extienden durante varios meses en aguas cálidas preferentemente de 21-30ºC. En este trabajo se emplearon ejemplares capturados por la pesca deportiva en campeonatos de pesca de altura celebrados en aguas del Mediterráneo, concretamente en el mar de Alborán, durante nueve años (2011-2019) en los meses de agosto y septiembre. El análisis del sex ratio de 70 individuos (57 – 114 cm) mostró una mayor proporción de hembras que de machos (2:1). Un total de 45 ovarios fueron clasificados macroscópicamente, de los cuales 30 fueron examinados histológicamente. Las estimas de la fecundidad por tandas de 10 hembras (58 – 101 cm) varío entre 104179 y 1231207 ovocitos hidratados con una media de 686495 ± 409088 ovocitos hidratados. El análisis del índice gonadosomático y el examen de las gónadas (macroscópico y microscópico) ponen de manifiesto que el mar de Alborán es una zona de puesta para la llampuga

Doñana, diversidad y ciencia

144 páginasLa biodiversidad es más que la suma de los elementos que componen el mundo vivo; también son biodiversidad las relaciones entre esos elementos, los procesos ecológicos que hacen posible su existencia y los procesos evolutivos que los han originado. […] Los seres humanos necesitamos a la biodiversidad más que ella a nosotros, ya que es la responsable de que la Tierra funcione de una manera satisfactoria. […] El entramado de la vida se ocupa de regular la composición de la atmósfera (y con ella, el clima), de depurar el aire y el agua, de hacer fértil al suelo, de evitar riadas y avalanchas, de polinizar las cosechas, de reducir las plagas, etc. Por todo ello es indispensable conservar la biodiversidad, hoy amenazada.” (Miguel Delibes) Doñana, diversidad y ciencia es un paseo conceptual por el espacio natural más emblemático de Europa. La esencia de un mito a través de decenas de fotografías… Un acercamiento respetuoso a la diversidad de sus conceptos, un paseo por la esencia de su historia y una curiosa aproximación a la ciencia que genera hoy en día. En este recorrido descubriremos el carácter distintivo de algunos de los parajes de la reserva, sus matices más interesantes, las texturas y las formas más sorprendentes de la naturaleza, sus colores y conjuntos, sus transformaciones en las últimas décadas y la influencia de la presencia humana en el privilegiado ecosistema de la Reserva Biológica de Doñana