Obtaining Anti-Missile Decoy Launch Solution from a Ship Using Machine Learning Techniques

One of the most dangerous situations a warship may face is a missile attack launched from other ships, aircrafts, submarines or land. In addition, given the current scenario, it is not ruled out that a terrorist group may acquire missiles and use them against ships operating close to the coast, which increases their vulnerabilitydue to the limited reaction time. One of the means the ship has for its defense are decoys, designed to deceive the enemy missile. However, for their use to be effective it is necessary to obtain, in a quick way, a valid launching solution. The purpose of this article is to design a methodology to solve the problem of decoy launching and to provide the ship immediately with the necessary data to make the firing decision. To solve the problem machine learning models (neural networks and support vector machines) and a set of training data obtained in simulations will be used. The performance measures obtained with the implementation of multilayer perceptron models allow the replacement of the current procedures based on tables and launching rules with machine learning algorithms that are more flexible and adaptable to a larger number of scenarios

Epistolario de Leopoldo Balbás a Antonio Gallego Burín

Epistolario de Leopoldo Balbás a Antonio Gallego Burí

Distributed coding using punctured quasi-arithmetic codes for memory and memoryless sources

This correspondence considers the use of punctured quasi-arithmetic (QA) codes for the Slepian–Wolf problem. These entropy codes are defined by finite state machines for memoryless and first-order memory sources. Puncturing an entropy coded bit-stream leads to an ambiguity at the decoder side. The decoder makes use of a correlated version of the original message in order to remove this ambiguity. A complete distributed source coding (DSC) scheme based on QA encoding with side information at the decoder is presented, together with iterative structures based on QA codes. The proposed schemes are adapted to memoryless and first-order memory sources. Simulation results reveal that the proposed schemes are efficient in terms of decoding performance for short sequences compared to well-known DSC solutions using channel codes.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Learning to dig: the Palaeolithic site of Los Ahijones-Sector G as an example of investigation and education

Durante los últimos años y gracias a la estrecha colaboración del Departamento de Prehistoria y Arqueología, la empresa Argea S.L y la Dirección General de Patrimonio de la Comunidad de Madrid, se viene desarrollando un modelo mixto de formación e investigación en el yacimiento paleolítico de Los Ahijones (Vicávaro-Madrid) en el que los alumnos de prácticas de campo del Máster de Arqueología y Patrimonio de nuestra Universidad participan activamente. En este trabajo presentamos tanto las metodologías docentes aplicadas en dicho yacimiento, como los resultados preliminares de la investigación resultado de las campañas de 2013-15. Los datos obtenidos muestran la enorme y compleja actividad de talla que los grupos achelenses pusieron en práctica en las zonas del interfluvio Jarama-Manzanares a lo largo de la segunda mitad del Pleistoceno medioDuring the last years, thanks to the collaboration between the Department of Prehistory and Archaeology, Argea S.L company and the Direccción General de Patrimonio of the Community of Madrid, a mixed model of practical learning and research has been developed in the Paleolithic site of Los Ahijones (Vicávaro-Madrid). In that site, the students of the Master of Archaeology and Heritage of our University practice fieldwork methodologies and actively participate in the general research. In this contribution, we present the teaching methods applied in the field, as well as some data obtained in the research from the 2013-15 campaigns. The preliminary results demonstrate the enormous and complex activity developed by acheulian groups in the interfluvial areas of the Jarama and Manzanares rivers during the second half of Middle Pleistocen

A proliferation saturation index to predict radiation response and personalize radiotherapy fractionation

BACKGROUND: Although altered protocols that challenge conventional radiation fractionation have been tested in prospective clinical trials, we still have limited understanding of how to select the most appropriate fractionation schedule for individual patients. Currently, the prescription of definitive radiotherapy is based on the primary site and stage, without regard to patient-specific tumor or host factors that may influence outcome. We hypothesize that the proportion of radiosensitive proliferating cells is dependent on the saturation of the tumor carrying capacity. This may serve as a prognostic factor for personalized radiotherapy (RT) fractionation. METHODS: We introduce a proliferation saturation index (PSI), which is defined as the ratio of tumor volume to the host-influenced tumor carrying capacity. Carrying capacity is as a conceptual measure of the maximum volume that can be supported by the current tumor environment including oxygen and nutrient availability, immune surveillance and acidity. PSI is estimated from two temporally separated routine pre-radiotherapy computed tomography scans and a deterministic logistic tumor growth model. We introduce the patient-specific pre-treatment PSI into a model of tumor growth and radiotherapy response, and fit the model to retrospective data of four non-small cell lung cancer patients treated exclusively with standard fractionation. We then simulate both a clinical trial hyperfractionation protocol and daily fractionations, with equal biologically effective dose, to compare tumor volume reduction as a function of pretreatment PSI. RESULTS: With tumor doubling time and radiosensitivity assumed constant across patients, a patient-specific pretreatment PSI is sufficient to fit individual patient response data (R(2) = 0.98). PSI varies greatly between patients (coefficient of variation >128 %) and correlates inversely with radiotherapy response. For this study, our simulations suggest that only patients with intermediate PSI (0.45–0.9) are likely to truly benefit from hyperfractionation. For up to 20 % uncertainties in tumor growth rate, radiosensitivity, and noise in radiological data, the absolute estimation error of pretreatment PSI is <10 % for more than 75 % of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Routine radiological images can be used to calculate individual PSI, which may serve as a prognostic factor for radiation response. This provides a new paradigm and rationale to select personalized RT dose-fractionation

Differential changes in myocardial performance index and its time intervals in donors and recipients of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome before and after laser therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate left myocardial performance index (MPI) and time intervals in fetuses with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) before and after laser surgery. METHODS: Fifty-one fetal pairs with TTTS and 47 uncomplicated monochorionic twin pairs were included. Left ventricular isovolumetric contraction time (ICT), ejection time (ET), and isovolumetric relaxation time (IRT) were measured using conventional Doppler. RESULTS: Recipients showed prolonged ICT (46 ± 12 vs. 31 ± 8 vs. 30 ± 5 ms; p < 0.001) and IRT (51 ± 9 vs. 43 ± 8 vs. 43 ± 5 ms; p < 0.001) and higher MPI (0.57 ± 0.12 vs. 0.47 ± 0.09 vs. 0.44 ± 0.05; p < 0.001) than donors and controls. Donors showed shorter ET than recipients and controls (157 ± 12 vs. 169 ± 10 vs. 168 ± 10 ms; p < 0.001) and higher MPI than controls (0.47 ± 0.09 vs. 0.44 ± 0.05; p = 0.006). Preoperative MPI changes were observed in all TTTS stages. Time intervals partially improved after surgery. CONCLUSION: Donor and recipient twins had higher MPI due to different changes in the time intervals, possibly reflecting the state of hypovolemia in the donor and hypervolemia and pressure overload in the recipient

Escuchar para mejorar: las necesidades de los alumnos y los despachos de abogados como orientación para mejorar la metodología en la enseñanza presencial del Derecho

El objetivo del proyecto es mejorar la calidad de los métodos que se utilizan para la enseñanza presencial del Derecho, realizando propuestas innovadoras sobre los habitualmente utilizados y proponiendo otros posibles. Para ello se determinan, mediante los correspondientes cuestionarios, las valoraciones de alumnos y despachos sobre los métodos docentes y necesidades de formación de los alumnos. A partir del tratamiento cuantitativo y porcentual de los datos obtenidos, se reflexiona sobre su repercusión en los métodos tradicionalmente utilizados para la enseñanza presencial del Derecho, así como sobre la posibilidad de usar otros no tan habituales, realizándose propuestas concretas para conseguir el objetivo de mejorar la calidad en la enseñanza presencial del Derecho

Innovació i investigació docent per millorar l’enginy i la creativitat dels alumnes d’Enginyeria i Arquitectura

El nou marc de l’EEES i l’experiència docent en las àrees de l’Enginyeria i l’Arquitectura, indueix a pensar en la introducció de noves metodologies docents motivades per la necessitat d’adaptar, en la mesura del possible, els coneixements que l’alumne adquireix a la Universidad al món professional de les empreses. L’ensenyament a Enginyeria i Arquitectura, s’ha ha basat, tradicionalment, en l’aplicació de models matemàtics. Així, els exercicis plantejats als alumnes es redueixen, la majoria de vegades, a aplicar aquest models matemàtics. La realitat professional és ben diferent, l’arquitecte i/o enginyer no tindrà sovint temps de fer anàlisis tant detallats com els que realitzava com alumne; és per això que sembla aconsellable variar el model d’ensenyança / aprenentatge.Peer Reviewe

Impact of time to intubation on mortality and pulmonary sequelae in critically ill patients with COVID-19: a prospective cohort study

Question: We evaluated whether the time between first respiratory support and intubation of patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) due to COVID-19 was associated with mortality or pulmonary sequelae. Materials and methods: Prospective cohort of critical COVID-19 patients on IMV. Patients were classified as early intubation if they were intubated within the first 48 h from the first respiratory support or delayed intubation if they were intubated later. Surviving patients were evaluated after hospital discharge. Results: We included 205 patients (140 with early IMV and 65 with delayed IMV). The median [p25;p75] age was 63 [56.0; 70.0] years, and 74.1% were male. The survival analysis showed a significant increase in the risk of mortality in the delayed group with an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 2.45 (95% CI 1.29-4.65). The continuous predictor time to IMV showed a nonlinear association with the risk of in-hospital mortality. A multivariate mortality model showed that delay of IMV was a factor associated with mortality (HR of 2.40; 95% CI 1.42-4.1). During follow-up, patients in the delayed group showed a worse DLCO (mean difference of - 10.77 (95% CI - 18.40 to - 3.15), with a greater number of affected lobes (+ 1.51 [95% CI 0.89-2.13]) and a greater TSS (+ 4.35 [95% CI 2.41-6.27]) in the chest CT scan. Conclusions: Among critically ill patients with COVID-19 who required IMV, the delay in intubation from the first respiratory support was associated with an increase in hospital mortality and worse pulmonary sequelae during follow-up.The study was supported in part by ISCIII (CIBERESUCICOVID, COV20/00110), co‑funded by ERDF, “Una manera de hacer Europa” and Donation pro‑gram "estar preparados". UNESPA. Madrid. Spain David de Gonzalo Calvo acknowledges receiving financial support from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII); Miguel Servet 2020: CP20/00041), co‑funded by the European Social Fund (ESF), “Investing in your future”. JdB acknowledges receiving financial support from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Miguel Servet 2019: CP19/00108), co‑funded by European Regional European Social Fund (ESF), “Investing in your future