The Impact of the Multi-core Revolution on Signal Processing

This paper analyzes the influence of new multi- core and many-core architectures on Signal Processing. The article covers both the architectural design and the programming models of current general-purpose multi-core processors and graphics processors (GPU), with the goal of identifying their possibilities and impact on signal processing applications

Heterosis y aptitud combinatoria para producción y calidad de forraje en seis poblaciones de maíz

Six corn populations drawn from outstanding forage quality germplasm, and 15 of their direct crosses were assessed in four sites located between 1,117 and 1,932 m asl. The purpose of the present study was to determine general and specific combining ability and mid parent heterosis for whole plant dry matter (TDM), ear dry matter (EDM), stover dry matter (SDM), in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), neutral detergent fiber content (NDF) and crude protein (CP). Populations showed significant differences for all dry matter yield characteristics, but not for forage quality, while crosses showed differences for EDM and IVDMD. General combining ability effects (GCA) were high and significant only for TDM, while specific combining ability effects (SCA) were significant for IVDMD. Population P3 had the highest GCA for TDM (0.66 t ha-1) and P5F for EDM (0.49 t ha-1). Early cross P1*P2 had the highest heterosis for TDM (17.6 %) and highly significant SCA effects for both TDM and IVDMD (1.48 t ha-1 and 22.6 g kg-1, respectively), while crosses P2*P5F, P1*P4 and P1*P6F had high mid parent heterosis for EDM, with values ranging from 18.6 % to 26.2 %. None of the crosses showed mid parent heterosis for forage traits of importance.Seis poblaciones de maíz derivadas de fuentes de germoplasma sobresalientes por sus cualidades forrajeras y sus 15 cruzas directas se evaluaron en cuatro localidades entre 1,117 y 1,932 m sobre el nivel del mar. El objetivo fue determinar la aptitud combinatoria general y específica, y la heterosis media para variables de producción: materia seca total (MST), de elote (MSEL) y de rastrojo (MSRAS) y variables de calidad del forraje: digestibilidad in vitro de la materia seca (DIVMS), contenido de fibra detergente neutro (FDN) y proteína cruda (PC). Las poblaciones difirieron significativamente en las tres variables de producción, pero no en calidad forrajera, en cambio las cruzas difirieron en producción de MSEL y en DIVMS. Los efectos de aptitud combinatoria general (ACG) fueron significativos sólo para MST y MSEL, mientras que los efectos de aptitud combinatoria específica (ACE), lo fueron adicionalmente para DIVMS. La población P3 tuvo la mayor ACG para MST (0.66 t ha-1), y la población P5F para MSEL (0.49 t ha-1). La cruza precoz P1xP2 presentó la heterosis media más alta para MST con 17.6 % y efectos positivos y significativos de ACE para MST y DIVMS con valores de 1.48 t ha-1 y 22.6 g kg-1. En cambio, las cruzas P2xP5F, P1xP4 y P1xP6F tuvieron los valores de heterosis más altos para MSEL con valores de 18.1 a 26.2 %. Ninguna cruza tuvo heterosis media importante para caracteres de calidad de forraje

Application of Multi-core and GPU Architectures on Signal Processing: Case Studies

In this article part of the techniques and developments we are carrying out within the INCO2 group are reported. Results follow the interdisciplinary approach with which we tackle signal processing applications. Chosen case studies show different stages of development: We present algorithms already completed which are being used in practical applications as well as new ideas that may represent a starting point, and which are expected to deliver good results in a short and medium term

Bladder cancer index: cross-cultural adaptation into Spanish and psychometric evaluation

BACKGROUND: The Bladder Cancer Index (BCI) is so far the only instrument applicable across all bladder cancer patients, independent of tumor infiltration or treatment applied. We developed a Spanish version of the BCI, and assessed its acceptability and metric properties. METHODS: For the adaptation into Spanish we used the forward and back-translation method, expert panels, and cognitive debriefing patient interviews. For the assessment of metric properties we used data from 197 bladder cancer patients from a multi-center prospective study. The Spanish BCI and the SF-36 Health Survey were self-administered before and 12 months after treatment. Reliability was estimated by Cronbach's alpha. Construct validity was assessed through the multi-trait multi-method matrix. The magnitude of change was quantified by effect sizes to assess responsiveness. RESULTS: Reliability coefficients ranged 0.75-0.97. The validity analysis confirmed moderate associations between the BCI function and bother subscales for urinary (r = 0.61) and bowel (r = 0.53) domains; conceptual independence among all BCI domains (r ≤ 0.3); and low correlation coefficients with the SF-36 scores, ranging 0.14-0.48. Among patients reporting global improvement at follow-up, pre-post treatment changes were statistically significant for the urinary domain and urinary bother subscale, with effect sizes of 0.38 and 0.53. CONCLUSIONS: The Spanish BCI is well accepted, reliable, valid, responsive, and similar in performance compared to the original instrument. These findings support its use, both in Spanish and international studies, as a valuable and comprehensive tool for assessing quality of life across a wide range of bladder cancer patients

Morbid liver manifestations are intrinsically bound to metabolic syndrome and nutrient intake based on a machine-learning cluster analysis

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is one of the most important medical problems around the world. Identification of patient ' s singular characteristic could help to reduce the clinical impact and facilitate individualized management. This study aimed to categorize MetS patients using phenotypical and clinical variables habitually collected during health check-ups of individuals considered to have high cardiovascular risk. The selected markers to categorize MetS participants included anthropometric variables as well as clinical data, biochemical parameters and prescribed pharmacological treatment. An exploratory factor analysis was carried out with a subsequent hierarchical cluster analysis using the z-scores from factor analysis. The first step identified three different factors. The first was determined by hypercholesterolemia and associated treatments, the second factor exhibited glycemic disorders and accompanying treatments and the third factor was characterized by hepatic enzymes. Subsequently four clusters of patients were identified, where cluster 1 was characterized by glucose disorders and treatments, cluster 2 presented mild MetS, cluster 3 presented exacerbated levels of hepatic enzymes and cluster 4 highlighted cholesterol and its associated treatments Interestingly, the liver status related cluster was characterized by higher protein consumption and cluster 4 with low polyunsaturated fatty acid intake. This research emphasized the potential clinical relevance of hepatic impairments in addition to MetS traditional characterization for precision and personalized management of MetS patients

One-year longitudinal association between changes in dietary choline or betaine intake and cardiometabolic variables in the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea-Plus (PREDIMED-Plus) trial

Choline and betaine intakes have been related to cardiovascular health. We aimed to explore the relation between 1-y changes in dietary intake of choline or betaine and 1-y changes in cardiometabolic and renal function traits within the frame of the PREDIMED (PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea)-Plus trial. We used baseline and 1-y follow-up data from 5613 participants (48.2% female and 51.8% male; mean ± SD age: 65.01 ± 4.91 y) to assess cardiometabolic traits, and 3367 participants to assess renal function, of the Spanish PREDIMED-Plus trial. Participants met ≥3 criteria of metabolic syndrome and had overweight or obesity [BMI (in kg/m 2) ≥27 and ≤40]. These criteria were similar to those of the PREDIMED parent study. Dietary intakes of choline and betaine were estimated from the FFQ. The greatest 1-y increase in dietary choline or betaine intake (quartile 4) was associated with improved serum glucose concentrations (−3.39 and −2.72 mg/dL for choline and betaine, respectively) and HbA1c levels (−0.10% for quartile 4 of either choline or betaine intake increase). Other significant changes associated with the greatest increase in choline or betaine intake were reduced body weight (−2.93 and −2.78 kg, respectively), BMI (−1.05 and −0.99, respectively), waist circumference (−3.37 and −3.26 cm, respectively), total cholesterol (−4.74 and −4.52 mg/dL, respectively), and LDL cholesterol (−4.30 and −4.16 mg/dL, respectively). Urine creatinine was reduced in quartile 4 of 1-y increase in choline or betaine intake (−5.42 and −5.74 mg/dL, respectively). Increases in dietary choline or betaine intakes were longitudinally related to improvements in cardiometabolic parameters. Markers of renal function were also slightly improved, and they require further investigation. This trial was registered at as ISRCTN89898870

Role of age and comorbidities in mortality of patients with infective endocarditis

[Purpose]: The aim of this study was to analyse the characteristics of patients with IE in three groups of age and to assess the ability of age and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) to predict mortality. [Methods]: Prospective cohort study of all patients with IE included in the GAMES Spanish database between 2008 and 2015.Patients were stratified into three age groups:<65 years,65 to 80 years,and ≥ 80 years.The area under the receiver-operating characteristic (AUROC) curve was calculated to quantify the diagnostic accuracy of the CCI to predict mortality risk. [Results]: A total of 3120 patients with IE (1327 < 65 years;1291 65-80 years;502 ≥ 80 years) were enrolled.Fever and heart failure were the most common presentations of IE, with no differences among age groups.Patients ≥80 years who underwent surgery were significantly lower compared with other age groups (14.3%,65 years; 20.5%,65-79 years; 31.3%,≥80 years). In-hospital mortality was lower in the <65-year group (20.3%,<65 years;30.1%,65-79 years;34.7%,≥80 years;p < 0.001) as well as 1-year mortality (3.2%, <65 years; 5.5%, 65-80 years;7.6%,≥80 years; p = 0.003).Independent predictors of mortality were age ≥ 80 years (hazard ratio [HR]:2.78;95% confidence interval [CI]:2.32–3.34), CCI ≥ 3 (HR:1.62; 95% CI:1.39–1.88),and non-performed surgery (HR:1.64;95% CI:11.16–1.58).When the three age groups were compared,the AUROC curve for CCI was significantly larger for patients aged <65 years(p < 0.001) for both in-hospital and 1-year mortality. [Conclusion]: There were no differences in the clinical presentation of IE between the groups. Age ≥ 80 years, high comorbidity (measured by CCI),and non-performance of surgery were independent predictors of mortality in patients with IE.CCI could help to identify those patients with IE and surgical indication who present a lower risk of in-hospital and 1-year mortality after surgery, especially in the <65-year group

Treatment with tocilizumab or corticosteroids for COVID-19 patients with hyperinflammatory state: a multicentre cohort study (SAM-COVID-19)

Objectives: The objective of this study was to estimate the association between tocilizumab or corticosteroids and the risk of intubation or death in patients with coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) with a hyperinflammatory state according to clinical and laboratory parameters. Methods: A cohort study was performed in 60 Spanish hospitals including 778 patients with COVID-19 and clinical and laboratory data indicative of a hyperinflammatory state. Treatment was mainly with tocilizumab, an intermediate-high dose of corticosteroids (IHDC), a pulse dose of corticosteroids (PDC), combination therapy, or no treatment. Primary outcome was intubation or death; follow-up was 21 days. Propensity score-adjusted estimations using Cox regression (logistic regression if needed) were calculated. Propensity scores were used as confounders, matching variables and for the inverse probability of treatment weights (IPTWs). Results: In all, 88, 117, 78 and 151 patients treated with tocilizumab, IHDC, PDC, and combination therapy, respectively, were compared with 344 untreated patients. The primary endpoint occurred in 10 (11.4%), 27 (23.1%), 12 (15.4%), 40 (25.6%) and 69 (21.1%), respectively. The IPTW-based hazard ratios (odds ratio for combination therapy) for the primary endpoint were 0.32 (95%CI 0.22-0.47; p < 0.001) for tocilizumab, 0.82 (0.71-1.30; p 0.82) for IHDC, 0.61 (0.43-0.86; p 0.006) for PDC, and 1.17 (0.86-1.58; p 0.30) for combination therapy. Other applications of the propensity score provided similar results, but were not significant for PDC. Tocilizumab was also associated with lower hazard of death alone in IPTW analysis (0.07; 0.02-0.17; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Tocilizumab might be useful in COVID-19 patients with a hyperinflammatory state and should be prioritized for randomized trials in this situatio

Measurement of the top quark forward-backward production asymmetry and the anomalous chromoelectric and chromomagnetic moments in pp collisions at √s = 13 TeV

Abstract The parton-level top quark (t) forward-backward asymmetry and the anomalous chromoelectric (d̂ t) and chromomagnetic (μ̂ t) moments have been measured using LHC pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, collected in the CMS detector in a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb−1. The linearized variable AFB(1) is used to approximate the asymmetry. Candidate t t ¯ events decaying to a muon or electron and jets in final states with low and high Lorentz boosts are selected and reconstructed using a fit of the kinematic distributions of the decay products to those expected for t t ¯ final states. The values found for the parameters are AFB(1)=0.048−0.087+0.095(stat)−0.029+0.020(syst),μ̂t=−0.024−0.009+0.013(stat)−0.011+0.016(syst), and a limit is placed on the magnitude of | d̂ t| &lt; 0.03 at 95% confidence level. [Figure not available: see fulltext.