Using Multi-Layer Perceptrons to Enhance the Performance of Indoor RTLS

Accuracy in indoor Real-Time Locating Systems (RTLS) is still a problem requiring novel solutions. Wireless Sensor Networks are an alternative to develop RTLS aimed at indoor environments. However, there are some effects associated to the propagation of radio frequency waves, such as attenuation, diffraction, reflection and scattering that depends on the materials and the objects in the environment, especially indoors. These effects can lead to other undesired problems, such as multipath. When the ground is the main responsible for waves reflections, multipath can be modeled as the ground reflection effect. This paper presents a model for improving the accuracy of RTLS, focusing on the mitigation of the ground reflection effect and the estimation of the final position by using Neural Networks

Transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy for central post-stroke pain: systematic review and meta-analysis

IntroductionAlthough rare, central post-stroke pain remains one of the most refractory forms of neuropathic pain. It has been reported that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) may be effective in these cases of pain.AimThe aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of rTMS in patients with central post-stroke pain (CPSP).MethodsWe included randomized controlled trials or Controlled Trials published until October 3rd, 2022, which studied the effect of rTMS compared to placebo in CPSP. We included studies of adult patients (>18 years) with a clinical diagnosis of stroke, in which the intervention consisted of the application of rTMS to treat CSP.ResultsNine studies were included in the qualitative analysis; 6 studies (4 RCT and 2 non-RCT), with 180 participants, were included in the quantitative analysis. A significant reduction in CPSP was found in favor of rTMS compared with sham, with a large effect size (SMD: −1.45; 95% CI: −1.87; −1.03; p < 0.001; I2: 58%).ConclusionThe findings of the present systematic review with meta-analysis suggest that there is low quality evidence for the effectiveness of rTMS in reducing CPSP.Systematic review registrationIdentifier (CRD42022365655)

Colectomy As a Treatment for Fulminant Pseudomembranous Colitis. Case Report And Literary Review

La colitis pseudomembranosa es un término descriptivo que se asocia a una infección colónica por Clostridioides difficile, es responsable de aproximadamente 25% de las diarreas asociadas a antibióticos con presentación de cuadros severos en su mayoría. Esta patología tiene el potencial de desarrollar complicaciones que ponen en peligro la vida como megacolon tóxico, íleo, perforación intestinal y sepsis. Presentamos el caso clínico de una mujer de 65 años, sin inmunización BCG, con antecedente de hipertensión arterial y osteoporosis en control médico, que acude al hospital por dolor lumbar crónico y progresivo. En la tomografía computarizada se identificó un absceso frío paravertebral derecho a nivel T9-T10 con destrucción ósea sin recuperación independientemente de terapia antibiótica intensiva (linezolid y levofloxacino). Finalmente se identificó infección tuberculosa, iniciándose terapia combinada antituberculosa que derivó en colitis pseudomembranosa. A los pocos días se desarrollaron características de megacolon tóxico, así como abdomen agudo con deterioro clínico abrupto. Se tomó tempranamente la decisión multidisciplinaria de realizar una colectomía total, frenando el deterioro general y resultando en una destacada mejoría clínica.Pseudomembranous colitis is a descriptive term associated with a colonic infection by Clostridioides difficile, it is responsible for approximately 25% of antibiotic related diarrhea and it is the cause of most of the severe diarrheas related to antibiotics. Pseudomembranous colitis can be life threatening, particularly when complications arise, like toxic megacolon, ileus, perforation, and sepsis. We present the case of a 65-year-old Mexican woman, with no prior BCG vaccine, with a history of high blood pressure and osteoporosis under medical control, presented to the hospital with complaints of progressive chronic lumbar pain. On a CT scan, a right paravertebral cold abscess was identified at the T9-T10 level with bone destruction without recovery regardless of intensive antibiotic therapy (linezolid and levofloxacin). Eventually, the identification of tuberculous infection was made, starting anti-TB combination therapy that led to pseudomembranous colitis. Within a few days features of toxic megacolon developed as well as acute abdomen with abrupt clinical decline. The multidisciplinary discission to perform a total colectomy was made early, stopping the overall decline and resulting in a prominent clinical improvement

Mitigation of the ground reflection effect in real-time locating systems based on wireless sensor networks by using artificial neural networks

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have become much more relevant in recent years, mainly because they can be used in a wide diversity of applications. Real-time locating systems (RTLSs) are one of the most promising applications based on WSNs and represent a currently growing market. Specifically, WSNs are an ideal alternative to develop RTLSs aimed at indoor environments where existing global navigation satellite systems, such as the global positioning system, do not work correctly due to the blockage of the satellite signals. However, accuracy in indoor RTLSs is still a problem requiring novel solutions. One of the main challenges is to deal with the problems that arise from the effects of the propagation of radiofrequency waves, such as attenuation, diffraction, reflection and scattering. These effects can lead to other undesired problems, such as multipath. When the ground is responsible for wave reflections, multipath can be modeled as the ground reflection effect. This paper presents an innovative mathematical model for improving the accuracy of RTLSs, focusing on the mitigation of the ground reflection effect by using multilayer perceptron artificial neural networks

Implementing a hardware-embedded reactive agents platform based on a service-oriented architecture over heterogeneous wireless sensor networks

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) represent a key technology for collecting important information from different sources in context-aware environments. Unfortunately, integrating devices from different architectures or wireless technologies into a single sensor network is not an easy task for designers and developers. In this sense, distributed architectures, such as service-oriented architectures and multi-agent systems, can facilitate the integration of heterogeneous sensor networks. In addition, the sensors’ capabilities can be expanded by means of intelligent agents that change their behavior dynamically. This paper presents the Hardware-Embedded Reactive Agents (HERA) platform. HERA is based on Services laYers over Light PHysical devices (SYLPH), a distributed platform which integrates a service-oriented approach into heterogeneous WSNs. As SYLPH, HERA can be executed over multiple devices independently of their wireless technology, their architecture or the programming language they use. However, HERA goes one step ahead of SYLPH and adds reactive agents to the platform and also a reasoning mechanism that provides HERA Agents with Case-Based Planning features that allow solving problems considering past experiences. Unlike other approaches, HERA allows developing applications where reactive agents are directly embedded into heterogeneous wireless sensor nodes with reduced computational resources

Building and surroundings: thermal coupling

Energy building performance can be different according to outdoor conditions or urban environment, at the same time that this last assess, buildings are also affected by the building envelope, as obvious consequence of the thermal and Aeraulic coupling existing between the indoor and outdoor conditions in buildings. Thus, in this coupling is fundamental to typify the transmission phenomenon through the building envelope. Doing this, it is possible to estimate transmission heating losses and gains and also the superficial temperatures of the envelope. In order to assess the transient behaviour of the building envelope it is necessary to develop a predictive model, precise enough, to be integrated in a simulating tool. Detailed and multidimensional models, based in numerical methods, like Finite Element Method (FEM), has a high precision, but its complexity imply resources consumption and computational time, too high to be integrated in these kind of tools. On the contrary, simplified methods are good enough because they are simple and fast, with an acceptable precision in almost all the situations. The present work is focused: (a) Firstly, to develop a simplified RC-network model. The aim of the model is to characterize and to implement with precision the behaviour of a wall in a simulating software tool based on urban environment, (b) secondly, to express in form of equivalences, the different indoor and outdoor excitations that can exist in the building envelope, and (c) finally, to calibrate the simplified model through its characteristic parameters. For a homogeneous wall and two types of excitations, it has been obtained the characteristic parameters of the model that represent the better adjustment to the real wall. In a first step, it has been obtained the results of the proposal model and a reference model based on FEM, in terms of wall external surface heat flow. Results of both models have been compared, and the resultant characteristic parameters of the model have been obtained through an optimisation method. Results for the wall and for the excitations under analysis show: (1) Characteristic longitude ec, or capacitive node position, it is determined according to a certain value of Fo equal to 2 for both excitations, this value remains constant in time, (2) useful wall thickness, on the contrary, vary as time function, according to a logarithmic law for both excitations, although this function is different depending on the considered excitation, (3) using a constant excitation, coefficients from the previous logarithmic function depends on the range of the excitation, while these are practically independent of the lineal excitation gradient

Actualización del Mapa del Cuaternario de España (E. 1:1.000.000) y contribución española al “International Quaternary Map Of Europe (E. 1:2.500.000)”

En: Una visión global del Cuaternario. El hombre como condicionante de procesos geológicos (J. P. Galve, J. M. Azañón, J. V. Pérez Peña y P. Ruano, Eds.), pp. 113-116. XIV Reunión Nacional de Cuaternario, Granada (España)This contribution deals about a new project started by the Geological and Mining Institute of Spain with a dual purpose. First, to update the geological data of the Quaternary Map of Spain at 1:1,000,000 scale, and also to update its format and data model. Second, to contribute with cartographic data about the Quaternary geology at 1: 2,500,000 of the Spanish european territory (Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands) for carrying out a new digital version of the International Quaternary Map of Europe (IQUAME-2500), an international project based on a multi-institutional collaborative framework. In order to achieve these goals, multiple factors shall be taken into account such as the diverse scientific-technical requirements, the sources of the key data, the different tasks to be performed and the potential synergies with other data sets about Quaternary geology.Instituto Geológico y Minero de España (IGME)Peer reviewe

Predictores de riesgo en una cohorte española con cardiolaminopatías. Registro REDLAMINA

[Abstract] Introduction and objectives. According to sudden cardiac death guidelines, an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) should be considered in patients with LMNA-related dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and ≥ 2 risk factors: male sex, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 45%, nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT), and nonmissense genetic variants. In this study we aimed to describe the clinical characteristics of carriers of LMNA genetic variants among individuals from a Spanish cardiac-laminopathies cohort (REDLAMINA registry) and to assess previously reported risk criteria. Methods. The relationship between risk factors and cardiovascular events was evaluated in a cohort of 140 carriers (age ≥ 16 years) of pathogenic LMNA variants (54 probands, 86 relatives). We considered: a) major arrhythmic events (MAE) if there was appropriate ICD discharge or sudden cardiac death; b) heart failure death if there was heart transplant or death due to heart failure. Results. We identified 11 novel and 21 previously reported LMNA-related DCM variants. LVEF < 45% (P = .001) and NSVT (P < .001) were related to MAE, but not sex or type of genetic variant. The only factor independently related to heart failure death was LVEF < 45% (P < .001). Conclusions. In the REDLAMINA registry cohort, the only predictors independently associated with MAE were NSVT and LVEF < 45%. Therefore, female carriers of missense variants with either NSVT or LVEF < 45% should not be considered a low-risk group. It is important to individualize risk stratification in carriers of LMNA missense variants, because not all have the same prognosis.[Resumen] Introducción y objetivos. Según las guías de muerte súbita, se debe considerar un desfibrilador automático implantable (DAI) para los pacientes con miocardiopatía dilatada debida a variantes en el gen de la lamina (LMNA) con al menos 2 factores: varones, fracción de eyección del ventrículo izquierdo (FEVI) < 45%, taquicardia ventricular no sostenida (TVNS) y variantes no missense. Nuestro objetivo es describir las características clínicas de una cohorte española de pacientes con cardiolaminopatías (registro REDLAMINA) y evaluar los criterios de riesgo vigentes. Métodos. Se evaluó la relación entre factores de riesgo y eventos cardiovasculares en una cohorte de 140 portadores de variantes en LMNA (54 probandos, 86 familiares, edad ≥ 16 años). Se consideró: a) evento arrítmico mayor (EAM) si hubo descarga apropiada del DAI o muerte súbita, y b) muerte por insuficiencia cardiaca, incluidos los trasplantes. Resultados. Se identificaron 11 variantes nuevas y 21 previamente publicadas. La FEVI < 45% (p = 0,001) y la TVNS (p < 0,001) se relacionaron con los EAM, pero no el sexo o el tipo de variante (missense frente a no missense). La FEVI < 45% (p < 0,001) fue el único factor relacionado con la muerte por insuficiencia cardiaca. Conclusiones. En el registro REDLAMINA, los únicos 2 predictores asociados con EAM fueron la TVNS y la FEVI < 45%. No se debería considerar grupo de bajo riesgo a las portadoras de variantes missense con TVNS o FEVI < 45%. Es importante individualizar la estratificación del riesgo de los portadores de variantes missense en LMNA, porque no todas tienen el mismo pronóstico.This study received a grant from the Proyecto de investigación de la Sección de Insuficiencia Cardiaca 2017 from the Spanish Society of Cardiology and grants from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) [PI14/0967, PI15/01551, AC16/0014] and ERA-CVD Joint Transnational Call 2016 (Genprovic). Grants from the ISCIII and the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad de España (Spanish Department of Economy and Competitiveness) are supported by the Plan Estatal de I+D+i 2013-2016: Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) “Una forma de hacer Europa”

Sofosbuvir/ledipasvir plus ribavirin achieves high SVR12 in genotype‐3 patients with compensated cirrhosis and similar to sofosbuvir plus daclatasvir: a multicentre real life cohort

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