Influence of Input/output Operations on Processor Performance

Nowadays, computers are frequently equipped with peripherals that transfer great amounts of data between them and the system memory using direct memory access techniques (i.e., digital cameras, high speed networks, . . . ). Those peripherals prevent the processor from accessing system memory for significant periods of time (i.e., while they are communicating with system memory in order to send or receive data blocks). In this paper we study the negative effects that I/O operations from computer peripherals have on processor performance. With the help of a set of routines (SMPL) used to make discrete event simulators, we have developed a configurable software that simulates a computer processor and main memory as well as the I/O scenarios where the periph-erals operate. This software has been used to analyze the performance of four different processors in four I/O scenarios: video capture, video capture and playback, high speed network, and serial transmission

Explorando el secretoma de Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. savastanoi: Un enfoque bioinformático para el análisis de proteínas secretadas durante la interacción planta-patógeno

La tuberculosis del olivo, causada por Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. savastanoi (Psv), se caracteriza por la formación de tumores en los troncos y ramas de las plantas infectadas. Las bacterias gramnegativas poseen mecanismos moleculares para la secreción de proteínas al espacio extracelular, si bien, las proteínas liberadas durante el proceso invasivo del patógeno han sido poco estudiadas. En este estudio hemos caracterizado el secretoma de la cepa Psv NCPPB 3335 y dos cepas mutantes en genes del T3SS, hrpA, codificante de la unidad estructural del pilus, y hrpL, proteína reguladora de los genes estructurales y los efectores. Utilizando espectrometría de masas y herramientas bioinformáticas hemos aislado e identificado el conjunto de proteínas secretadas al espacio extracelular en un medio de cultivo que simula las condiciones del apoplasto de la planta. De entre las detectadas, se seleccionaron aquellas con péptido señal para su secreción, descartando las que presentaban dominios hidrofóbicos y analizando posteriormente la localización de las proteínas seleccionadas a nivel subcelular. Con el conjunto de proteínas resultantes, el secretoma de Psv NCPPB 3335, se realizaron análisis para para visualizar las diferencias en la distribución de proteínas entre las distintas cepas utilizando diagramas de Venn, así como análisis de abundancia heatmap y STEM con los que definir posibles patrones entre ellas. Finalmente, las proteínas se caracterizaron funcionalmente utilizando diversos programas para la identificación de dominios funcionales. El enfoque bioinformático realizado, nos ha permitido analizar exhaustivamente el secretoma de Psv y dos mutantes del T3SS, identificando una gran cantidad de proteínas secretadas al espacio extracelular con independencia del T3SS. Este estudio proporciona nuevas perspectivas sobre flujos bioinformáticos dirigidos al análisis de proteínas secretadas en bacterias fitopatógenas y estudiar su papel en la interacción con el huésped vegetalUniversidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Herramienta bioinformática para la identificación de motivos conservados en promotores bacterianos

Los factores de transcripción (FTs) son proteínas que se unen a secuencias específicas de ADN llamadas elementos reguladores, que se encuentran generalmente en las regiones promotoras de los genes. Al unirse a estos elementos, pueden activar o reprimir la transcripción génica. En el caso de FTs de amplio espectro, la identificación bioinformática de sus secuencias de unión en los promotores de un genoma permite predecir el conjunto de genes cuya regulación esté relacionada. Recientemente hemos desarrollado una herramienta bioinformática que permite el análisis y la búsqueda de motivos conservados en las regiones promotoras de los genes desregulados (DEGs) que se obtienen al llevar a cabo técnicas transcriptómicas como el RNAseq. Se trata de un flujo (pipeline) de scripts encadenados capaces de ejecutarse sucesivamente y de manera automatizada, gracias a un gestor de flujos desarrollado en la Unidad de Bioinformática de la Universidad de Málaga. El flujo usa como entrada listas de DEGs provenientes de experimentos llevados a cabo en una cepa bacteriana cuyo genoma esté secuenciado. El trabajo se ejecuta de forma paralela para cada una de las listas de DEGs. El primer paso consiste en la generación de un archivo de anotación de los genes de la lista a partir de un archivo de anotación del genoma de la bacteria. A partir del archivo de anotación, se obtiene otro archivo con las coordenadas genómicas de cada uno de los genes y se genera un archivo con las coordenadas de sus promotores, que sirven para obtener las secuencias de los genes y sus promotores en un archivo multifasta. A continuación, el flujo busca en las secuencias promotoras motivos almacenados en una base de datos de la propia plataforma. También permite la búsqueda de motivos de forma dirigida usando un archivo con matrices. Esta herramienta bioinformática está resultando de gran utilidad para la búsqueda de dominios conservados.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Error adaptive tracking for mobile robots

In mobile robots it is usual that the desired trajectory is memorized or previously generated. When following a trajectory, there are several possibilities attending to the way in which the actual robot state can be related with the whole trajectory. One of them is the extension of the servosystem approach, usually called "trajectory tracking". This is the only possibility if we need strict temporal deterministic requirements. But if not, other possibilities appear. One of them is called "path following", where the path's point to track is the "nearest" (under several conditions) to the actual robot's position. In this paper we present another method suitable for nondeterministic systems, which we may call "error adaptive tracking", because the tracking pace adapts to the errors. Its benefits and advantages are identified. Afterwards, we determine how to construct this method and we apply it to the case of SIRIUS, an advanced wheelchair. Then a control law that ensures asymptotic stability is extracted using the second Lyapunov method and under the error adaptive tracking approach. Finally, we show the benefits of the new method, comparing it with the trajectory tracking approach.Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología TIC-2000-0087-P4-

SIRIUS: Improving the maneuverability of powered wheelchairs

The indoor maneuverability of powered wheelchairs may be difficult or bothersome in several circumstances. In this paper, we describe an experimental powered wheelchair named SIRIUS, developed at the University of Seville, which introduces some simple but effective navigation aids. Special emphasis is placed on the implementation of recorded trajectory playback and in the shared control modes, i.e., the chair's guiding where both the user and the computer collaborate. Furthermore, SIRIUS is an open platform to essay another kinds of functional or navigational aids, because its hardware architecture is based on a commercial PC. This would permit many devices that are frequently needed by the chair driver to be integrated smoothly into the chair controller.Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología TIC-2000-0087-P4-0

PCI-AER interface for Neuro-inspired Spiking Systems

Address event representation (AER) is a neuromorphic interchip communication protocol that allows for real-time connectivity between huge number neurons located on different chips. By exploiting high speed digital communication circuits (nano-seconds), synaptic neural connections can be time multiplexed (mili-seconds). When building multi-chip muti-layered AER systems it is absolutely necessary to have a computer interface that allows: (a) to read AER interchip traffic; and (b) inject a sequence of events to the AER structure. This paper presents a PCI to AER interface, that dispatches a sequence of events with timing information. It is able to recovery the possible delays introduced by AER bus. It has been implemented in real time hardware using VHDL and tested in a PCI-AER board, developed by authors, that currently capable to send and receive events at a peak rate of 16 Mev/sec, and a typical rate of 10 Mev/secEuropean Commission IST-2001-34124Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología TIC-2003-08164-C03-0

A Smart Electric Wheelchair Using UPnP

People with disabilities in general, and wheelchair users in particular, are one of the groups of people that may benefit more from Ambient Intelligent (AmI) Systems, enhancing their autonomy and quality of life. However, current wheelchairs are usually not equipped with devices capable of accessing services in AmI environments. In this paper, we describe how an electric wheelchair is equipped with an UPnP based module that allows the integration in AmI systems.Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología TIC2001-1868-C03-0

Hard-to-Heal Wound Healing: Superiority of Hydrogel EHO-85 (Containing Olea europaea Leaf Extract) vs. a Standard Hydrogel. A Randomized Controlled Trial

Chronic wounds, especially those that are hard-to-heal, constitute a serious public-health problem. Although progress has been made in the development of wound dressings for healing, there is little high-quality evidence of their efficacy, with no evidence of superiority in the use of one hydrogel over another. To evaluate the superiority of a hydrogel (EHO-85), containing Olea europaea leaf extract (OELE), over a standard hydrogel (SH), the promotion and/or improvement of healing of difficult-to-heal wounds was compared in a prospective, parallel-group multicenter, randomized, observer-blinded, controlled trial (“MACAON”). Non-hospitalized patients with pressure, venous or diabetic foot-ulcers difficult-to-heal were recruited and treated with standard care, and EHO-85 (n = 35) or VariHesive (n = 34) as SH. Wound-area reduction (WAR; percentage) and healing rate (HR; mm2/day) were measured. EHO-85 showed a statistically significant superior effect over VariHesive. At the end of the follow-up period, the relative WAR decreased by 51.6% vs. 18.9% (p < 0.001), with a HR mean of 10.5 ± 5.7 vs. 1.0 ± 7.5 mm2/day (p = 0.036). EHO-85 superiority is probably based on its optimal ability to balance the ulcer bed, by modulating pH and oxidative stress. That complements the wetting and barrier functions, characteristics of conventional hydrogels. These results support the use of EHO-85 dressing, for treatment of hard-to-heal ulcers. Trial Registration AEMPS:PS/CR623/17/CE.This research was developed by QUESPER R&D, and partially funded by INNCORPO-RA-TU-2011-1886 subprogram (Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Spain) and the programme for the Reinforcement of Research Activity in the Clinical Management Units of the Andalusian Health Service (Department of Health, Regional Government of Andalusia, Spain)

Pharmacogenetic polymorphisms affecting bisoprolol response

This article is part of the thesis: Analysis of genetic variants associated with response to bisoprolol in patients with acute coronary syndrome with percutaneous coronary intervention with stent, within the doctoral program in Pharmacy at the University of Granada, to whom we thank for their collaboration. We would like to thank Dr. T. Eschenhagen and Dr. K. Kontula for sharing with us detailed information from their articles [16,22] which have allowed us to perform the meta-analysis.β-blockers are commonly prescribed to treat multiple cardiovascular (CV) diseases, but, frequently, adverse drug reactions and intolerance limit their use in clinical practice. Interindividual variability in response to β-blockers may be explained by genetic differences. In fact, pharmacogenetic interactions for some of these drugs have been widely studied, such as metoprolol. But studies that explore genetic variants affecting bisoprolol response are inconclusive, limited or confusing because of mixed results with other β-Blockers, different genetic polymorphisms observed, endpoint studied etc. Because of this, we performed a systematic review in order to find relevant genetic variants affecting bisoprolol response. We have found genetic polymorphism in several genes, but most of the studies focused in ADRB variants. The ADRB1 Arg389Gly (rs1801253) was the most studied genetic polymorphism and it seems to influence the response to bisoprolol, although studies are inconclusive. Even, we performed a meta-analysis about its influence on systolic/diastolic blood pressure in patients treated with bisoprolol, but this did not show statistically significant results. In conclusion, many genetic polymorphisms have been assessed about their influence on patients´ response to bisoprolol and the ADRB1 Arg389Gly (rs1801253) seems the most relevant genetic polymorphism in this regard but results have not been confirmed with a meta-analysis. Our results support the need of further studies about the impact of genetic variants on bisoprolol response, considering different genetic polymorphisms and conducting single and multiple SNPs analysis, including other clinical parameters related to bisoprolol response in a multivariate study