Exploiting Prior Knowledge in Compressed Sensing Wireless ECG Systems

Recent results in telecardiology show that compressed sensing (CS) is a promising tool to lower energy consumption in wireless body area networks for electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring. However, the performance of current CS-based algorithms, in terms of compression rate and reconstruction quality of the ECG, still falls short of the performance attained by state-of-the-art wavelet based algorithms. In this paper, we propose to exploit the structure of the wavelet representation of the ECG signal to boost the performance of CS-based methods for compression and reconstruction of ECG signals. More precisely, we incorporate prior information about the wavelet dependencies across scales into the reconstruction algorithms and exploit the high fraction of common support of the wavelet coefficients of consecutive ECG segments. Experimental results utilizing the MIT-BIH Arrhythmia Database show that significant performance gains, in terms of compression rate and reconstruction quality, can be obtained by the proposed algorithms compared to current CS-based methods.Comment: Accepted for publication at IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatic

ICU-diaries and post-traumatic stress: approximation to the effectiveness and lived experiences through a mixed method

Trabajo fin de grado en EnfermeríaINTRODUCCIÓN. La estancia en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos (UCI) resulta una experiencia negativa para pacientes y familiares, pudiendo producir consecuencias indeseables en la recuperación, como Trastorno de Estrés Postraumático (TEPT), que forman el Síndrome Post Cuidados Intensivos (PICS), subsecuente a la Triada de UCI. Dada su importancia, se plantean estrategias de prevención como el ABCDEF Bundle, el modelo e-CASH, el Plan de Humanización de UCI y las consultas de seguimiento post-UCI, pudiendo mejorar la estancia y calidad de vida tras el alta. Recientemente, surge la intervención enfermera “Diarios de UCI”, posibilitando una atención más integral y humana. OBJETIVOS. Determinar la eficacia de la intervención “Diarios de UCI” para disminuir el TEPT y los síntomas relacionados (ansiedad y depresión) tras el alta de UCI, así como explorar la experiencia vivida al leerlo y la influencia de esta experiencia en la eficacia percibida. METODOLOGÍA. Método mixto (CUAN-cual). El enfoque cuantitativo se abordará mediante un Ensayo Controlado Aleatorizado (ECA), con un grupo de intervención y un grupo control para medir, describir, analizar y comparar la eficacia de los “Diarios de UCI” respecto al TEPT y síntomas relacionados. El enfoque cualitativo se abordará desde la fenomenología, con una entrevista semiestructurada pretendiendo comprender la experiencia subjetiva de los participantes. CONCLUSIONES. A pesar de la escasa bibliografía existente, hay evidencia que indica la posibilidad de una mejora del TEPT a través de una intervención enfermera, de bajo coste, como son los “Diarios de UCI”. Además, el empleo de la metodología mixta potencia ambas perspectivas, cuestión que parece fundamental en una intervención tan holística como los “Diarios de UCI”.INTRODUCTION. The stay in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is a negative experience for patients and family members and may produce undesirable consequences in recovery, such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which form Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS), subsequent to the ICU Triad. Because of its importance, prevention strategies are proposed, such as the ABCDEF Bundle, the e-CASH concept, the ICU Humanization Plan and the post-ICU follow-up consultations, which can improve the stay and quality of life after discharge. Recently, the nurse intervention "ICU-diary" emerged, making possible a more integral and human attention. OBJECTIVES. To determine the effectiveness of the intervention “ICU-diaries” to reduce PTSD and there lated symptoms (anxiety and depression) after discharge from the ICU, as well as explore the experience lived reading it and the influence of this experience in the perceived efficiency. METHODOLOGY. Mixed method (CUAN-cual). The quantitative approach will be addressed through a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT), with an intervention group and a control group to measure, describe, analyze and compare the effectiveness of the “ICU Diaries” regarding PTSD and related symptoms. The qualitative approach will be addressed from phenomenology, with a semi-structured interview aiming to understand the subjective experience of the participants. CONCLUSIONS. Despite the limited existing bibliography, there is evidence that indicates the possibility of an improvement of the PTSD across an intervention nurse, of low cost, since they are “ICU Diaries”. In addition, the employment of the mixed methodology promotes both perspectives, question that seems ti be fundamental in an intervention as holistic as “ICU Diaries

On power line positioning systems

Power line infrastructure is available almost everywhere. Positioning systems aim to estimate where a device or target is. Consequently, there may be an opportunity to use power lines for positioning purposes. This survey article reports the different efforts, working principles, and possibilities for implementing positioning systems relying on power line infrastructure for power line positioning systems (PLPS). Since Power Line Communication (PLC) systems of different characteristics have been deployed to provide communication services using the existing mains, we also address how PLC systems may be employed to build positioning systems. Although some efforts exist, PLPS are still prospective and thus open to research and development, and we try to indicate the possible directions and potential applications for PLPS.European Commissio

Evaluation of the simultaneous presence of SO2 and CO as impurities in the carbon capture and storage technology. CO2/SO2/CO cocapture

From the presented experimental data of two CO2-rich mixtures containing SO2 and CO as impurities of anthropogenic CO2, we evaluated the impact of the simultaneous presence of these impurities on the transport, injection and storage of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology. We determined the density, vapor-liquid equilibrium and speed of sound of a cocapture mixture (non-purified captured flue gas) [CO2 + 4.93 mol% SO2 + 3.01 mol% CO] and a mixture representative of European emissions (purified) [CO2 + 0.09 mol% SO2 + 1.12 mol% CO], measured from 263 to 373 K and pressures up to 30 MPa for the density and up to 190 MPa for the speed of sound. Using our experimental results, we validated two extended versions of the equation of state for combustion gases (EOS-CG) and the perturbed-chain statistical associating fluid theory (PC-SAFT) equation of state (EoS). From the calculation of selected operational CCS parameters, we concluded that, in the cocapture mixture, SO2 overcomes or compensates for the negative effect of CO, and then this mixture could be a favorable fluid for CCS. The negative effect of CO predominates in the emissions mixture. Differences in the chemical reactivity due to the studied impurities were not considered. © 2021 Institution of Chemical Engineer

El juez laico. [Tesina]

Tesina para la obtención de la Licenciatura en Derecho CanónicoEl laico que desempeña el oficio de juez realiza el más alto grado de cooperación de un fiel no ordenado en el ejercicio de la potestad de régimen. El interés por esta figura surge desde el mismo inicio de mis estudios de licenciatura en Derecho Canónico, y más concretamente, a raíz de las asignaturas de Fundamentación Teológica del Derecho Canónico, Pueblo de Dios, Constitución Jerárquica de la Iglesia y Derecho Procesal, que me fueron impartidas cronológicamente en este orden. En Fundamentación Teológica del Derecho Canónico tuve ocasión de sentar las bases de esta tesina, al entender, por un lado, la necesidad de existencia de un verdadero Derecho en la Iglesia, de un ordenamiento jurídico que, pese a ser igual al de cualquier otra sociedad, es peculiar por el origen y el fin de la sociedad a la que regula; y, por otro, al descubrir en la Iglesia una estructura que también es jurídicaDerecho canónic

Results on main elasmobranch species captured during the 2001-2009 Porcupine Bank (NE Atlantic) bottom trawl surveys

This paper presents the results on nine of the most important elasmobranch fish species of the nine years (2001-2009) of the Porcupine bank Spanish surveys. The main species in biomass terms in Porcupine bank bottom trawl survey, in decreasing biomass abundance order, are: blackmouth catshark, birdbeak dogfish, velvet belly, Knifetooth dogfish, lesser spotted dogfish, bluntnose sixgill shark, sandy ray, cuckoo ray and common skate. Many of these species occupy mainly the deep areas covered in the survey, especially birdbeak dogfish, knifetooth dogfish and velvet belly. Less confined to deeper grounds are blackmouth catshark and sandy ray, while lesser spotted dogfish and cuckoo ray inhabit mainly the shallower grounds close to the Irish shelf or the central mound in the bank. Length distributions of these species along the survey series are also presented and discussed. The few available data on siki sharks from the Porcupine bank survey are also summarized.Versión del edito

Analysis performance of wavelet OFDM in mobility platforms

Wavelet orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) is one of the medium access techniques recommended by the IEEE 1901 working group for broadband communications over electrical networks, and is under consideration for IoT applications. This standard provides a flexible architecture supporting integrated access, smart grid, building, in-home, and mobility platform (vehicle) applications. Wavelet OFDM is a filter bank multicarrier system based on the extended lapped transform, in which the transmitting and receiving filters are obtained from a waveform provided by the standard. In this paper, we explore system performance when other waveforms are employed, studying the trade-off between stopband attenuation and transition band width. Furthermore, an alternative and more efficient way of obtaining the theoretical expressions of the achievable data rate is shown, assuming realistic power line communication noise other than additive white Gaussian noise. To demonstrate the capabilities of wavelet OFDM, the results of simulation of the symbol error rate and the data rate in several systems in platform scenarios (in-vehicle and in-aircraft) are shown.Comunidad de MadridUniversidad de Alcal

Influence of SO2 on CO2 storage for CCS technology: Evaluation of CO2/SO2 co-capture

In this work, we determined the influence of SO2 as an impurity in anthropogenic CO2 on carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology. We evaluated the impact on selected injection and storage parameters and the Joule-Thomson coefficient to assess the safety of long-term geological storage of CO2. For this purpose, we obtained new pressure-density-temperature-composition, vapor-liquid-equilibrium, and pressure-speed of sound-temperature-composition experimental data for CO2-rich mixtures containing SO2. To increase the general understanding of the impact of SO2, the compositions cover possible co-capture mixtures, SO2-enriched mixtures, and mixtures similar to industrial emissions. Temperatures and pressures were based on relevant geological storage site values. Our experimental results were used to validate the EOS-CG and PC-SAFT equations of state (EoSs) for CO2 + SO2 under the studied CCS conditions. On the understanding that the chemical reactivity effects due to SO2 have not been considered, we concluded that the presence of SO2 is profitable in most of the studied aspects, especially in the case of shallow reservoirs, and that CO2/SO2 co-capture may be considered as an alternative approach to reduce the costs of CO2 purification. Based on the assessment of the impact of 5 mol% SO2 in the injected fluid in seven saline aquifers, we determined that the reservoirs that would receive the most benefit were Sleipner, Nagaoka and Frio