Validation of the PSIR sequence for the determination of arrhythmogenic channels in ventricular ischemia

Treballs Finals de Grau d'Enginyeria Biomèdica. Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut. Universitat de Barcelona. Curs: 2021-2022. Tutora/Directora: Paz Garré Anguera de Sojo and Sara VázquezIn patients with ventricular tachycardia of ischemic origin, arrhythmogenic channels are the pathway of abnormal tissue activation and their determination in the substrate is a essential factor when treating these cases by radiofrequency ablation. Extracting this information from images obtained by magnetic resonance imaging has great advantages over other more invasive imaging techniques. The most commonly used reconstruction technique in MRI-2D is the Magnitude sequence. Recently, another sequence called Phase Sensitive Inversion Recovery (PSIR) is beginning to be established, which takes into account the polarity of the protons, apart from their magnitude, when generating the image. In this project the level of validity of the PSIR reconstruction sequence to determine the arrhythmogenic channels has been demonstrated, comparing data obtained using this sequence with data obtained using the strongly validated and referenced Magnitude sequence. Data from 21 patients with specific conditions have been used for this study. The images have been segmented and processed in order to extract the parameters that have allowed to solve the question raised by means of a statistical analysis of the information obtained. We have worked with ADAS-3D rendering software to study the cases and have determined the configuration that allows the highest quality in the visualization of PSIR images, specifically the setting of contrast thresholds. From the information provided by the ADAS-3D we selected the information considered relevant for the statistical analysis, descriptive information about the channels and characteristics of the tissue. These data, together with the contrast thresholds set in the study, have been statistically analysed with the RStudio programme. Valuable information has been obtained from the results. The ideal thresholds for studying PSIR images have been found and it has been concluded that there is a considerable similarity between both sequences when interpreting MRI images clinically, although not enough to validate it completely. Regarding the characterisation of channels, a high accuracy in the calculation of their mass has been determined, but a great inaccuracy in their counting. In terms of quantification, identification and classification of ventricular tissue, considerable correlation and acceptable measurement accuracy have been demonstrated

The European Map of Job Flows

The European Map of Job Flows (EMJF) is a term used to denote a dataset of meso- and macro-level variables describing different aspect of labour mobility within national labour markets in Europe. In this paper, EMJF is centred on the notion of job “flows”, namely the changes in the level of employment at different breakdowns and levels of aggregation. EMJF is very rich in information content due to the wide variety of possible breakdown of the data and in this sense it is a “map” mostly in the virtual sense, namely, that it is not possible to visualise in the form of geographic maps all the wealth of available information. In terms of its value as a research product and tool, EMJF is mostly an intermediate product in the sense that it is a convenient means to organise the relevant information, which could subsequently be used for different analytical and research purposes. It provides both for cross-sections/snapshots of job flows at different point in time but also it allows their assessment and analysis over longer periods of time. In this sense, EMJF can be widely used for various types of labour-market analysis and research. EMJF’s visual components can also be a convenient tool for policy makers dealing with labour market policies at different level (regional, national or supra-national) in the decision-making process. Here we present a Compilation of a EMJF on the basis of firm-level data In this sense the job flows are built up on the basis of firm-level data for individual countries, following a common methodology. We adopt an approach of establishing such a EMJF on the basis of the AMADEUS dataset developed by the consultancy Bureau van Dijk. The dataset in its most extended version contains balance sheet data and ownership data for almost 14 million firms from 43 different European countries (September 2009 update). For many EU countries the dataset has in principle access to the entire universe of firms which have to report a balance sheet. In terms of countries, the geographic coverage of AMADEUS encompasses information for all the 27 members of the European Union (albeit with different qualities in terms of national coverage) as well as other 16 European countries that complete the geographical and political definition of the continent. Another interesting feature of the database is given by the detailed definition of a firm's location, with data available on the region (NUTS2) and the city in which the firm operates. This project deliverable presents the main results from the final stage of MICRO-DYN work on the EMJF. It discusses the approach to building the EMJF on the basis of AMADEUS data and illustrates the analytical potential of the EMJF as a research tool with a range of Europe-wide analytical exercises. Probably the most important outcome of this research effort is the demonstrated capability to perform meta-analysis at the European level of important labour market characteristics on the basis of firm-level data.job flows, europe, labor market, microdata

Editorial: International law and de-globalization

History does not have a predetermined end in the Hegelian sense, but this idea has inspired various theories, such as Marxist and economic development theories. Something similar has happened with economic globalization, which from around 1990 to 2010 was usually presented as an inevitable progress towards deeper forms of international (legal, economic, social, cultural, etc.) integration and towards the growing irrelevance of states. Since around the time of the 2008 financial crisis, competences have often been reallocated in favor of states and to the detriment of international law to achieve certain ends: regulating the economy, promoting environmental sustainability, strengthening democracy and human rights, promoting peace, protecting health (e.g. in the face of the COVID-19 epidemic), and so on. In this, left-wing and right-wing nationalism and populism coincide out of a critique of so-called "globalism", they call to revitalize state sovereignty in order to face the most diverse challenges and problems. In short, globalization is neither inevitable nor unidirectional. The articles in this special issue explore legal phenomena that, without questioning the paradigm of globalization in toto, seek to reduce or rethink the power of international law and cooperation. All these phenomena, sometimes contradictory, are called "de-globalization" and point towards a rethinking of multilateralism and international cooperation. This is the subject we have explored in this special issue, based on case studies from different areas of law and from the contributors' different points of view

Generation of an intense cold-atom beam from a pyramidal magneto-optical trap: experiment and simulation

An intense cold-atom beam source based on a modified pyramidal magneto-optical trap has been developed and characterized. We have produced a slow beam of cold cesium atoms with a continuous flux of 2.2× 10^9 atoms/s at a mean velocity of 15 m/s and with a divergence of 15 mrad. The corresponding radiant intensity is 1.2×10^13 atom s^−1 sr^−1. We have characterized the performance of our beam source over a range of operating conditions, and the measured values for atom flux, mean velocity, and divergence are in good agreement with results from detailed Monte Carlo numerical simulations

Presencia y estado de conservación de Jasione corymbosa Poir. ex Schult. (Campanulaceae) en la Península Ibérica.

Presence and conservation status of Jasione corymbosa Poir. ex Schult. (Campanulaceae) in the Iberian PeninsulaPalabras clave. UICN, especie extinta, población remanente, Mediterráneo, flora amenazada.Key words. IUCN, extinct species, extant population, Mediterranean, threatened flora

La República de El Salvador como país receptor de Cooperación Sur-Sur en la adopción del objetivo de Desarrollo Sostenible Cuatro “Educación de Calidad” a nivel de Educación Superior en la Universidad de El Salvador, periodo 2015-2017

La Cooperación Sur-Sur en materia educativa en la República de El Salvador para el desarrollo de los países del Sur – Iniciativas internacionales ante el proceso de brindar calidad en la educación superior en la República de El Salvador – Perspectivas del objetivo de Desarrollo Sostenible Cuatro Educación de Calidad: datos, metas y posibles resultados para 2020

Notes on the reproduction of Kentropyx altamazonica (Squamata: Teiidae) and Imantodes lentiferus (Serpentes: Dipsadidae) from southeast Peru

No abstract available