Live Demonstration: Multiplexing AER Asynchronous Channels over LVDS Links with Flow-Control and Clock- Correction for Scalable Neuromorphic Systems

In this live demonstration we exploit the use of a serial link for fast asynchronous communication in massively parallel processing platforms connected to a DVS for realtime implementation of bio-inspired vision processing on spiking neural networks

Total serum cholesterol levels and suicide attempts in child and adolescent psychiatric inpatients

Associations between cholesterol and suicidal behavior in adolescent patients have not been explored in depth. In this study, 66 patients consecutively admitted to a psychiatric inpatient unit following attempted suicide were compared with a control group of 54 patients with no history of suicide attempts. The age range of the sample was from 8 to 18 years old. Cholesterol levels were significantly lower in attempted suicide patients than in controls (p < 0.02), supporting the hypothesis that lower cholesterol levels might be associated with suicidal behavior in patients with similar acute phase of their disorder

Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Rural Development: The Case of Tàrbena, Spain

The population decline of small villages is a very serious problem for our society. This situation is not easy to reverse. The challenge is to generate consensus among the inhabitants of small villages to develop projects that have both a link with social and cultural heritage and the aid of the regional and local authorities. This framework can be successful when it also has the capability to provide new lines of development growing from this initial seed that can attract new inhabitants. In this paper, we present research that follows these requirements. Our proposal is based on a traditional agriculture resource, which is the art of building dry stone walls. We study the case of Tàrbena (642 inhabitants in the province of Alicante, Spain). Stone artifacts are recovered: some of them are still useful for agriculture, and others are cataloged and transformed into a product for cultural tourism. This project is expected to develop local, manual, and specialized work through the development of workshops, crafts, and small businesses. This will provide more income for the municipality and the private sector and more opportunities to attract new inhabitants.This research was funded by the government of Generalitat Valenciana, Spain (Conselleria de Innovación, Universidades, Ciencia y Sociedad Digital). Project AICO 2021-331

Approximating Ordinary Differential Equations by Means of the Chess Game Moves

The chess game provides a very rich experience in neighborhood types. The chess pieces have vertical, horizontal, diagonal, up/down or combined movements on one or many squares of the chess. These movements can associate with neighborhoods. Our work aims to set a behavioral approximation between calculations carried out by means of traditional computation tools such as ordinary differential equations (ODEs) and the evolution of the value of the cells caused by the chess game moves. Our proposal is based on a grid. The cells’ value changes as time pass depending on both their neighborhood and an update rule. This framework succeeds in applying real data matching in the cases of the ODEs used in compartmental models of disease expansion, such as the well-known Susceptible-Infected Recovered (SIR) model and its derivatives, as well as in the case of population dynamics in competition for resources, depicted by the Lotke-Volterra model.This research is funded by Generalitat Valenciana, Conselleria de Innovación, Universidades, Ciencia y Sociedad Digital, Spain. Project AICO 2021-331

Meta-DiSc 2.0:a web application for meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy data

BACKGROUND: Diagnostic evidence of the accuracy of a test for identifying a target condition of interest can be estimated using systematic approaches following standardized methodologies. Statistical methods for the meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) studies are relatively complex, presenting a challenge for reviewers without extensive statistical expertise. In 2006, we developed Meta-DiSc, a free user-friendly software to perform test accuracy meta-analysis. This statistical program is now widely used for performing DTA meta-analyses. We aimed to build a new version of the Meta-DiSc software to include statistical methods based on hierarchical models and an enhanced web-based interface to improve user experience. RESULTS: In this article, we present the updated version, Meta-DiSc 2.0, a web-based application developed using the R Shiny package. This new version implements recommended state-of-the-art statistical models to overcome the limitations of the statistical approaches included in the previous version. Meta-DiSc 2.0 performs statistical analyses of DTA reviews using a bivariate random effects model. The application offers a thorough analysis of heterogeneity, calculating logit variance estimates of sensitivity and specificity, the bivariate I-squared, the area of the 95% prediction ellipse, and the median odds ratios for sensitivity and specificity, and facilitating subgroup and meta-regression analyses. Furthermore, univariate random effects models can be applied to meta-analyses with few studies or with non-convergent bivariate models. The application interface has an intuitive design set out in four main menus: file upload; graphical description (forest and ROC plane plots); meta-analysis (pooling of sensitivity and specificity, estimation of likelihood ratios and diagnostic odds ratio, sROC curve); and summary of findings (impact of test through downstream consequences in a hypothetical population with a given prevalence). All computational algorithms have been validated in several real datasets by comparing results obtained with STATA/SAS and MetaDTA packages. CONCLUSION: We have developed and validated an updated version of the Meta-DiSc software that is more accessible and statistically sound. The web application is freely available at www.metadisc.es

Performance Comparison of Time-Step-Driven versus Event-Driven Neural State Update Approaches in SpiNNaker

The SpiNNaker chip is a multi-core processor optimized for neuromorphic applications. Many SpiNNaker chips are assembled to make a highly parallel million core platform. This system can be used for simulation of a large number of neurons in real-time. SpiNNaker is using a general purpose ARM processor that gives a high amount of flexibility to implement different methods for processing spikes. Various libraries and packages are provided to translate a high-level description of Spiking Neural Networks (SNN) to low-level machine language that can be used in the ARM processors. In this paper, we introduce and compare three different methods to implement this intermediate layer of abstraction. We have examined the advantages of each method by various criteria, which can be useful for professional users to choose between them. All the codes that are used in this paper are available for academic propose.EU H2020 grant 644096 ECOMODEEU H2020 grant 687299 NEURAM3Ministry of Economy and Competitivity (Spain) / European Regional Development Fund TEC2015-63884-C2-1-P (COGNET

Estudis dels principals arbres ornamentals, no autòctons, disponibles a Catalunya

Després de l'estudi realitzat per la ICEA sobre els arbres autòctons, ha estat convenient tractar dels arbres naturalitzats i adaptats. Aquests són molt més nombrosos a Catalunya, de manera que per cada arbre autòcton en corresponen deu dels altres. Per motius que expliquem, l'estudi se centra en un col?lectiu de 119 arbres no autòctons. D'acord amb una enquesta, la meitat dels arbres indicats són fàcils de produir i es comercialitzen regularment. Els restants, per problemes de propagació, de cultiu o de rendibilitat, tenen una comercialització més variable. Les produccions anuals per arbre estan dins l'interval de 1.000 a 5.000 unitats per any, per a 36 espècies, o sigui, el 30 % del total. Les restants es reparteixen entre els intervals superiors a 5.000 i inferiors a 1.000. L'aplicació determinada per a cada arbre, en relació a les 41 comarques catalanes, permet conèixer quins són els arbres adients per a cadas cuna. Els quadres de característiques i d'exigències arrodoneixen l'estudi, proporcionant una informació completa per a cada un dels 119 arbres. Dins el col?lectiu, hi ha 37 arbres de flor, dels quals hem realitzat l'estudi fenològic. L'Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona reuneix excel?lents condicions per a la plantació d'aquests arbres de flor. De les 37 espècies, n'hi van bé 33, o sigui, un 90 %.After the publication of the research on the catalan native tree by the ICEA, it has become convenient to study the naturalized and adapted tree. In Catalonia, there are ten naturalized and adapted trees for each native one. As we will explain later, this research focuses on a group of 119 non-native trees. Following a survey, half of these 119 trees are easy to produce and to marked. The remainders, which have some problems to propagate, cultivate and become rendible, present a more variable marketing. The annual production is between 1.000 and 5.000 trees for each specie; that means a 30 % of the total production. Remainders are between more them 5.000 and less them 1.000. The chapter «Application» indicate the species of non-native trees wich are more convenient to each of the different 41 catalan region. To provide better documentation, the study is completed with information about the «Characteristics» and the «Requirements» of these 119 trees. Because of their flowering, 37 species are thoroughly studied, Barcelona?s Metropolitan Area has an ideal climate for these trees. In fact, 33 out of 37 species, that is a 90 %, can be perfectly adapted to this area.Después del estudio realizado por la ICEA sobre el árbol autóctono, ha sido conveniente tratar el árbol naturalizado y adaptado. Éste es mucho más numeroso en Cataluña, de forma que por cada árbol autóctono, corresponden diez de los otros. Por los motivos que se explican, el estudio se centra en un colectivo de 119 árboles no autóctonos. Según una encuesta, la mitad de los árboles indicados son fáciles de producir y se comercializan regularmente. Los restantes, por problemas de propagación, cultivo o rentabilidad, presentan una comercialización más variable. Las producciones anuales por árbol resultan estar en el intervalo de 1.000 a 5.000 unidades por año, para 36 especies, o sea, el 30 % del total. Las restantes se reparten entre los intervalos superiores a 5.000 e inferiores a 1.000. La aplicación determinada para cada árbol, con relación a las 41 comarcas catalanas, permite conocer cuales son los árboles convenientes para cada comarca. Los cuadros de características y de exigencias redondean el estudio, proporcionando una información completa para cada uno de los 119 árboles. En el colectivo hay 37 árboles de flor, de los que se ha realizado el estudio fenológico. El Área Metropolitana de Barcelona reúne excelentes condiciones para la plantación de estos árboles de flor. De las 37 especies, 33, o sea, el 90 %, se adaptan perfectamente a la zona