Implementación en FPGA de un conversor de señal de video compuesto a señal VGA

This paper describes the design and implementation of a system for converting composite video signal to VGA signal, which performs the capture and display of video based on the ITU-R BT.601 standard for digital television monitors. The system has three main components: an analog sensor that delivers the composite digital video signal, a graphics card that converts analog video to digital in 4:2:2 sampling format and uses the color space YCbCr and finally a FPGA (NEXIS card 2 , with the integrated circuit 3s1200efg320 -5) where the design has been implemented for processing the video signal to be displayed on a monitor. In the FPGA have been developed 4:2:2 to 4:4:4 sampling conversion modules and the conversion module between YCbCr color space to RGB (color format used in display devices). The synthesis of the FPGA design has been made using the XST (Xilinx Synthesis Tool) that is part of the interface development ISE Project Navigator 13.3 of the Xilinx® company. The equations for the transformation between color spaces have been implemented and simulated in MATLAB ® for validation of results.En este artículo se presenta el diseño e implementación de un sistema de conversión de señal de video compuesto a señal VGA, el cual realiza la captura y despliegue de video basado en el estándar ITU-R BT.601 para monitores de televisión digital. El sistema cuenta con tres principales componentes: un sensor de video analógico que entrega la señal de video digital compuesta, una tarjeta digitalizadora que realiza la conversión del video analógico al digital en el formato de muestreo 4:2:2 y emplea el espacio de color YCbCr y finalmente un FPGA (tarjeta NEXIS 2, con el circuito integrado 3s1200efg320-5) en donde se ha implementado el diseño del procesamiento de la señal de video para poder ser desplegadas en un monitor. En el FPGA se han desarrollado los módulos de conversión de muestreo 4:2:2 al 4:4:4 y el módulo de conversión entre los espacios de color YCbCr al RGB (formato de color utilizado en los dispositivos de despliegue).  La síntesis del diseño en el FPGA se ha realizado utilizando la herramienta XST (Xilinx Synthesis Tool) que es parte de la interfaz de desarrollo ISE Project Navigator 13.3 de la compañía Xilinx®. Las ecuaciones para realizar la transformación entre los espacios de color han sido implementadas y simuladas en MATLAB® para la validación de resultados

Desafíos de la caficultura en Centroamérica

Contiene: 1 Trayectoria y viabilidad de las caficulturas centroamericanas (Mario Samper). 2 Aspectos de la sostenibilidad de los sistemas de cultivo de café en América Central (Carlos E. Fernández y Reinhold G. Muschler). 3 Los suelos cafetaleros en América Central y su fertilización (Elemer Bornemisza, Jean Collinet y Alvaro Segura). 4 Hacia un manejo sostenible de la materia orgánica y de la fertilidad biológica de los suelos cafetaleros (Philippe Vaast y Didier Snoeck). 5 El beneficiado ecológico del café (Rolando Vásquez). 6 La roya anaranjada del cafeto: mito y realidad (Jacques Avelino, Raoul Muller, Albertus Eskes, Rodney Santacreo y Francisco Holguín). 7 El ojo de gallo del cafeto (Mycena citricolor) (Amy Wang y Jacques Avelino). 8 La Anthracnosis de los frutos: un grave peligro para la caficultura centroamericana (Raoul A. Müller, Dominique Berry y Daniel Bieysse). 9 La broca de los frutos del cafeto: +la lucha biológica como solución? (Bernard Dufour, Juan Francisco Barrera y Bernard Decazy). 10 Los Nematodos Parásitos del cafeto (Luc Villain, Francisco Anzueto, Adám Hernández y Jean Louis Sarah). 11 Los recursos genéticos: las bases de una solución genética a los problemas de la caficultura latinoamericana (Franéois Anthony, Carlos Astorga y Julien Berthaud). 12 El mejoramiento genético en América Central (Beno¯t Bertrand, Germán Aguilar, Rodney Santacreo y Francisco Anzueto. 13 Aportes de la biotecnología al mejoramiento genético del café: el ejemplo de la multiplicación por embriogénesis somática de híbridos F1 en América Central (Hervé Etienne, Dominique Barry-Etienne, Nelly Vásquez y Marc Berthouly).2 fig. Cuenta con un glosario.Este documento es una recopilación de información realizada por varias autores y autoras. El libro intenta contribuir al debate y desafíos de la investigación cafetalera, presentando los grandes problemas ecológicos, Agronómicos y biológicos que acechan a la caficultura centroamericana, o que la afectarán probablemente en un futuro cercano. El libro comienza por una resena hist6rica que permite tanto entender la diversidad de situaciones de producci6n coma interpretar los debates actuales en un contexto mas amplio de una historia bisecular. Luego, se estudian los principales avances y limitaciones de los sistemas de cultivo con una atención particular del manejo deI suelo con el afán de proponer soluciones, o de identificar campos prioritarios de investigación. También se repasan los grandes desafios deI beneficiado dei café que son principalmente ecológicos. Un gran espacio es dedicado al estudio de las principales enfermedades y plagas deI café, cuyo desarrollo y agravamiento repercute en costos de control muy elevados. La lucha biológica o integrada puede (o podrá) ofrecer soluciones alentadoras. En fin, se presentan las posibilidades de creaci6n de nuevas variedades de café a partir de los recursos genéticos introducidos de Africa, con las esperanzas que despiertan las nuevas biotecnologias

Implementación en FPGA de un conversor de señal de video compuesto a señal VGA

This paper describes the design and implementation of a system for converting composite video signal to VGA signal, which performs the capture and display of video based on the ITU-R BT.601 standard for digital television monitors. The system has three main components: an analog sensor that delivers the composite digital video signal, a graphics card that converts analog video to digital in 4:2:2 sampling format and uses the color space YCbCr and finally a FPGA (NEXIS card 2 , with the integrated circuit 3s1200efg320 -5) where the design has been implemented for processing the video signal to be displayed on a monitor. In the FPGA have been developed 4:2:2 to 4:4:4 sampling conversion modules and the conversion module between YCbCr color space to RGB (color format used in display devices). The synthesis of the FPGA design has been made using the XST (Xilinx Synthesis Tool) that is part of the interface development ISE Project Navigator 13.3 of the Xilinx® company. The equations for the transformation between color spaces have been implemented and simulated in MATLAB ® for validation of results.En este artículo se presenta el diseño e implementación de un sistema de conversión de señal de video compuesto a señal VGA, el cual realiza la captura y despliegue de video basado en el estándar ITU-R BT.601 para monitores de televisión digital. El sistema cuenta con tres principales componentes: un sensor de video analógico que entrega la señal de video digital compuesta, una tarjeta digitalizadora que realiza la conversión del video analógico al digital en el formato de muestreo 4:2:2 y emplea el espacio de color YCbCr y finalmente un FPGA (tarjeta NEXIS 2, con el circuito integrado 3s1200efg320-5) en donde se ha implementado el diseño del procesamiento de la señal de video para poder ser desplegadas en un monitor. En el FPGA se han desarrollado los módulos de conversión de muestreo 4:2:2 al 4:4:4 y el módulo de conversión entre los espacios de color YCbCr al RGB (formato de color utilizado en los dispositivos de despliegue).  La síntesis del diseño en el FPGA se ha realizado utilizando la herramienta XST (Xilinx Synthesis Tool) que es parte de la interfaz de desarrollo ISE Project Navigator 13.3 de la compañía Xilinx®. Las ecuaciones para realizar la transformación entre los espacios de color han sido implementadas y simuladas en MATLAB® para la validación de resultados

Immunologic resilience and COVID-19 survival advantage.

BackgroundThe risk of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) varies significantly among persons of similar age and is higher in males. Age-independent, sex-biased differences in susceptibility to severe COVID-19 may be ascribable to deficits in a sexually dimorphic protective attribute that we termed immunologic resilience (IR).ObjectiveWe sought to examine whether deficits in IR that antedate or are induced by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection independently predict COVID-19 mortality.MethodsIR levels were quantified with 2 novel metrics: immune health grades (IHG-I [best] to IHG-IV) to gauge CD8+ and CD4+ T-cell count equilibrium, and blood gene expression signatures. IR metrics were examined in a prospective COVID-19 cohort (n = 522); primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Associations of IR metrics with outcomes in non-COVID-19 cohorts (n = 13,461) provided the framework for linking pre-COVID-19 IR status to IR during COVID-19, as well as to COVID-19 outcomes.ResultsIHG-I, tracking high-grade equilibrium between CD8+ and CD4+ T-cell counts, was the most common grade (73%) among healthy adults, particularly in females. SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with underrepresentation of IHG-I (21%) versus overrepresentation (77%) of IHG-II or IHG-IV, especially in males versus females (P < .01). Presentation with IHG-I was associated with 88% lower mortality, after controlling for age and sex; reduced risk of hospitalization and respiratory failure; lower plasma IL-6 levels; rapid clearance of nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 burden; and gene expression signatures correlating with survival that signify immunocompetence and controlled inflammation. In non-COVID-19 cohorts, IR-preserving metrics were associated with resistance to progressive influenza or HIV infection, as well as lower 9-year mortality in the Framingham Heart Study, especially in females.ConclusionsPreservation of immunocompetence with controlled inflammation during antigenic challenges is a hallmark of IR and associates with longevity and AIDS resistance. Independent of age, a male-biased proclivity to degrade IR before and/or during SARS-CoV-2 infection predisposes to severe COVID-19

Immune resilience despite inflammatory stress promotes longevity and favorable health outcomes including resistance to infection.

Some people remain healthier throughout life than others but the underlying reasons are poorly understood. Here we hypothesize this advantage is attributable in part to optimal immune resilience (IR), defined as the capacity to preserve and/or rapidly restore immune functions that promote disease resistance (immunocompetence) and control inflammation in infectious diseases as well as other causes of inflammatory stress. We gauge IR levels with two distinct peripheral blood metrics that quantify the balance between (i) CD8+ and CD4+ T-cell levels and (ii) gene expression signatures tracking longevity-associated immunocompetence and mortality-associated inflammation. Profiles of IR metrics in ~48,500 individuals collectively indicate that some persons resist degradation of IR both during aging and when challenged with varied inflammatory stressors. With this resistance, preservation of optimal IR tracked (i) a lower risk of HIV acquisition, AIDS development, symptomatic influenza infection, and recurrent skin cancer; (ii) survival during COVID-19 and sepsis; and (iii) longevity. IR degradation is potentially reversible by decreasing inflammatory stress. Overall, we show that optimal IR is a trait observed across the age spectrum, more common in females, and aligned with a specific immunocompetence-inflammation balance linked to favorable immunity-dependent health outcomes. IR metrics and mechanisms have utility both as biomarkers for measuring immune health and for improving health outcomes

Evolution over Time of Ventilatory Management and Outcome of Patients with Neurologic Disease∗

OBJECTIVES: To describe the changes in ventilator management over time in patients with neurologic disease at ICU admission and to estimate factors associated with 28-day hospital mortality. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of three prospective, observational, multicenter studies. SETTING: Cohort studies conducted in 2004, 2010, and 2016. PATIENTS: Adult patients who received mechanical ventilation for more than 12 hours. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Among the 20,929 patients enrolled, we included 4,152 (20%) mechanically ventilated patients due to different neurologic diseases. Hemorrhagic stroke and brain trauma were the most common pathologies associated with the need for mechanical ventilation. Although volume-cycled ventilation remained the preferred ventilation mode, there was a significant (p < 0.001) increment in the use of pressure support ventilation. The proportion of patients receiving a protective lung ventilation strategy was increased over time: 47% in 2004, 63% in 2010, and 65% in 2016 (p < 0.001), as well as the duration of protective ventilation strategies: 406 days per 1,000 mechanical ventilation days in 2004, 523 days per 1,000 mechanical ventilation days in 2010, and 585 days per 1,000 mechanical ventilation days in 2016 (p < 0.001). There were no differences in the length of stay in the ICU, mortality in the ICU, and mortality in hospital from 2004 to 2016. Independent risk factors for 28-day mortality were age greater than 75 years, Simplified Acute Physiology Score II greater than 50, the occurrence of organ dysfunction within first 48 hours after brain injury, and specific neurologic diseases such as hemorrhagic stroke, ischemic stroke, and brain trauma. CONCLUSIONS: More lung-protective ventilatory strategies have been implemented over years in neurologic patients with no effect on pulmonary complications or on survival. We found several prognostic factors on mortality such as advanced age, the severity of the disease, organ dysfunctions, and the etiology of neurologic disease