Designing a Frequency Selective Scheduler for WiMAX using Genetic Algorithms

Projecte final de carrera fet en col.laboració amb University of Stuttgar

Designing a Frequency Selective Scheduler for WiMAX using Genetic Algorithms

Projecte final de carrera fet en col.laboració amb University of Stuttgar

Ex-situ breeding of native unionids in Lake Banyoles (Spain) as part of a LIFE project

Póster presentado en: 2nd International Seminar Rearing of unionoid mussels (Clervaux, Luxembourg - Tuesday 24th November – Friday 27th November 2015)Lake Banyoles is the second largest natural lake in the Iberian Peninsula and is one of the first places in the Iberian Peninsula where massive planned fish introductions have taken place. The proliferation of alien fish species explains the current scarcity of the native species that are the natural hosts of the parasitic larvae of unionids. This situation has led to a dramatic regression in the four native unionid species found in this lake (Unio mancus, U. ravoisieri, Potomida littoralis and Anodonta anatina). As a result of management geared towards the preservation of natural heritage, the ecological quality of this site has improved in recent decades. However, the main challenge for the management of the lake and its surrounding areas is now posed by invasive alien species. Projecte Estany (LIFE 08/NAT/E/000078) was a four-year project (2010–2013) whose main aim was to design and implement a large-scale intervention actions that would combat, slow down and revert the decline in species and habitats of Community Interest via (1) the control of invasive alien species, (2) the strengthening of populations of seriously threatened native species, and (3) the restoration of key patches of riparian habitats. As part of the project to recover populations of two Unio species, a breeding laboratory was set up. During the first years of the project, several methodologies were tested to obtain mussel glochidia (larvae), optimize fish infection and design a methodology for fattening juveniles. Up to three different native fish species were tested as hosts for local Unio larvae: Barbus meridionalis, Squalius laietanus and Salaria fluviatilis. All demonstrated their capacity to act as hosts and release viable juveniles; however, due to their larger size, only the first two species are used for intensive mussel breeding, along with Luciobarbus graellsii. Between 2011 and 2013, a total of 108,875 U. mancus and 27,423 U. ravoisieri juveniles were produced via the artificial infection of host fish with larvae grown in a number of semi-natural sequential breeding systems fed by water and sediment from their natural habitats, pools, plastic outdoor channels, and/or cages. In the tested systems, U. mancus reached a mean length of 9.7 mm (SD_1.53) in one year and 12.4 mm (SD_1.55) in two years; for U. ravoisieri these values were 15.8 (SD_0.76) and 21.2 mm (SD_2.45). In the context of the further four years (2014-17) allotted to the project (LIFE Potamo Fauna, LIFE12 NAT/ES/001091), efforts to breed Unio species in this laboratory, which has been enlarged, will continue. We will describe the results of the different juveniles’ collection systems and the facilities created to improve their growth over the past six years. The protocols implemented, the current installations and the results of the captive breeding of Unio species are shown here.Peer reviewe

Deep lobe parotidectomy—why, when, and how?

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Expansion of the exotic unionid Sinanodonta woodiana in low Ter River flood plain (Catalonia)

Póster presentado en: 2nd International Seminar Rearing of unionoid mussels (Clervaux, Luxembourg - Tuesday 24th November – Friday 27th November 2015)In the northeast Catalonia, 4 native unionid species have been cited: Potomida littoralis (Cuvier, 1798), Unio mancus Lamarck, 1819, Unio ravoisieri Deshayes, 1847, and Anodonta anatina (L, 1758). Recently the exotic Sinanodonta woodiana (Lea, 1834), has been cited on Ter and Fluvià rivers. Between 1995 and 2014, several specific surveys were carried out, always below the Pasteral dam, both in the Ter river and in several of its tributaries, including Lake Banyoles. Moreover, from 2010 to 2014 a thorough freshwater bivalves prospection campaign was performed in the alluvial plain of lower Ter, including the river and secondary water masses, mainly irrigation channels associated with the traditional system of agricultural irrigation. The prospections were done by manually on the river bed bottom. All over since 2010 a total of 90 sampling stations has been surveyed in this alluvial plain. Status of native species is precarious, with populations intensely fragmented, and densities often low and heavily aged for lack of recruitment. This situation is clearly attributable to the severe rarefaction of native fish species, since in some areas even completely inexistent. In contrast, the exotic S. woodiana is expanding and occupies already the whole alluvial plain and the lower course of the Ter river, where it is very abundant. Moreover, S. woodiana presents a well-structured global population in the alluvial plain of Ter River and a regular recruitment can be observed thanks to the fact that several exotic fish species are abundant in the area, are potential hosts to them. This exotic unionoid appeared in most of the surveyed localities (81%), and was present in all the types of water bodies surveyed. In 16 % of the localities it was the only unionoid found, and it was present in all of the localities were other unionoid species were present. Specimens of this exotic species found alive constituted the 72 % of the total of alive unionoids collected during the surveying campaigns. Besides this species were quantitatively dominant in the whole of the alluvial plain. Therefore, it is the most spread and abundant unionoid species at present, often with very high densities. It presented a continuous distribution in the lower Ter river basin, as well as in the main irrigation canals.Peer reviewe

Naiads and fish, coupled destiny: the case of basins of north-eastern Catalonia

Póster presentado en: 2nd International Seminar Rearing of unionoid mussels (Clervaux, Luxembourg - Tuesday 24th November – Friday 27th November 2015)Native unionids are among the most threatened groups, as a whole, of the fauna of the Iberian continental waters. Most species are currently in regression, and in fact many of these are cataloged at some level of threat, whether international, national or regional level. Several factors explain this situation, including the destruction or alteration of river habitats and declining water quality, but also the degradation of fish communities. In north-eastern Catalonia four species of naiads are considered native: Potomida littoralis, Unio mancus, Unio ravoisieri and Anodonta anatina. The conservation status of these species in Catalonia is uneven, but generally we can consider all of them highly threatened, given the clear regression observed in their distribution. Much of the historical citations are probably missing at present, or have become residual populations with very low population densities and often on the verge of local extinction due to lack of recent recruitment. In north-eastern Catalonia P. littoralis is in the worst situation, with only four known small populations, with a few observed living animals in each site. On the other hand, recently has been detected an exotic naiad, Sinanodonta woodiana, which is currently expanding. We give a general revision of the known populations of naiads on the area, on the basis of their current structure, and in relation with the recent evolution of local fish communities. In general, it is confirmed that the few native unionid populations with current regular recruitment are placed on river stretches with not severely modified fish communities. These fish communities are characterized by a stable presence of at least one native fish species, and also in general by the absence of exotic fish species, or at most a not stable presence. In contrast, the exotic S. woodiana is now expanding in areas where original fish communities are nowadays strongly altered, often without native fish species.Peer reviewe

Analysis of the clinical relevance of histological classification of benign epithelial salivary gland tumours

IntroductionA vast increase in knowledge of numerous aspects of malignant salivary gland tumours has emerged during the last decade and, forseveral reasons, thishas not been the case in benign epithelial salivary gland tumours. We have performed a literature review to investigate whether an accurate histological diagnosis of the 11 different types of benign epithelial salivary gland tumours is correlated to any differences in their clinical behaviour.MethodsA search was performed for histological classifications, recurrence rates and risks for malignant transformation, treatment modalities, and prognosis of these tumours. The search was performed primarily through PubMed, Google Scholar, and all versions of WHO classifications since 1972, as well as numerous textbooks on salivary gland tumours/head and neck/pathology/oncology. A large number of archival salivary tumours were also reviewed histologically.ResultsPleomorphic adenomas carry a considerable risk (5-15%) for malignant transformation but, albeit to a much lesser degree, so do basal cell adenomas and Warthin tumours, while the other eight types virtually never develop into malignancy. Pleomorphic adenoma has a rather high risk for recurrence while recurrence occurs only occasionally in sialadenoma papilliferum, oncocytoma, canalicular adenoma, myoepithelioma and the membranous type of basal cell adenoma. Papillomas, lymphadenoma, sebaceous adenoma, cystadenoma, basal cell adenoma (solid, trabecular and tubular subtypes) very rarely, if ever, recur.ConclusionsA correct histopathological diagnosis of these tumours is necessary due to (1) preventing confusion with malignant salivary gland tumours; (2) only one (pleomorphic adenoma) has a considerable risk for malignant transformation, but all four histological types ofbasal cell adenoma canoccasionally develop into malignancy, as does Warthin tumour; (3) sialadenoma papilliferum, oncocytoma, canalicular adenoma, myoepithelioma and Warthin tumour only occasionally recur; while (4) intraductal and inverted papilloma, lymphadenoma, sebaceous adenoma, cystadenoma, basal cell adenoma (apart from the membranous type) virtually never recur. No biomarker was found to be relevant for predicting recurrence or potential malignant development. Guidelines for appropriate treatment strategies are given.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Relationship between the transcriptional expression of PIM1 and local control in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinomas treated with radiotherapy

Altres ajuts: Acord transformatiu CRUE-CSIC 10.1007/s00405-021-07223-4Purpose Proviral integration site for Moloney murine leukemia virus (PIMs) are proto-oncogenes encoding serine/threonine kinases that phosphorylate a variety of substrates involved in the regulation of cellular processes. Elevated expression of PIM-1 has been associated with poor prognosis in several types of cancer. There are no studies that have analyzed the response to radiotherapy in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) according to the expression of PIM-1. The aim of our study was to analyze the relationship between the transcriptional expression of PIM-1 and local response to radiotherapy in HNSCC patients. Methods We determined the transcriptional expression of PIM-1 in 135 HNSCC patients treated with radiotherapy, including patients treated with chemoradiotherapy (n=65) and bioradiotherapy (n=15).Results During the follow-up, 48 patients (35.6%) had a local recurrence of the tumor. Patients with local recurrence had a higher level of PIM-1 expression than those who achieved local control of the disease (P=0.017). Five-year local recurrencefree survival for patients with a high expression of PIM-1 (n=43) was 44.6% (95% CI 29.2-60.0%), and for patients with low expression (n=92) it was 71.9% (95% CI 62.5-81.3%) (P=0.007). According to the results of multivariate analysis, patients with a high PIM-1 expression had a 2.2-fold increased risk of local recurrence (95% CI 1.22-4.10, P=0.009). Conclusion Patients with elevated transcriptional expression levels of PIM-1 had a signifcantly higher risk of local recurrence after radiotherapy

Evidence of otitis media and mastoiditis in a Medieval Islamic skeleton from Spain and possible implications for ancient surgical treatment of the condition

Objective To evaluate lesions on a cranium from the Iberian Peninsula and assess its medico-historical and paleopathological significance. Materials The skeletal remains of a juvenile individual found in a Medieval Islamic grave (10th -16th century) in Eastern Spain. Methods Macroscopic examination of the left and right temporal bones, binocular microscopy, X-ray, and Scanning Electron Microscopy - Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) were performed. Results A sub-oval perforation superior to the right mastoid process and pathological changes on the right temporal bone were identified. SEM-EDS confirmed the presence of copper in the surrounding area of the perforation. Conclusions The observed pathological changes are most likely compatible with otitis media and subsequent mastoiditis. The sub-oval perforation could be interpreted either as an abscess or as evidence of a surgical procedure (mastoidectomy) or a combination of both; and the Cu traces may be the result of an associated object or, possibly, the application of a plaster with copper acetate used as medical treatment. Significance This case contributes to the paleopathological record and the interpretation of similar cases, and also helps in the understanding of medical care and treatment in Medieval Islam. Limitations The lack of similar pre-modern cases of surgical intervention limits comparability to clinical cases. Suggestion for further research: Exploration into indicators of health care in past population