SAVASA project @ TRECVID 2012: interactive surveillance event detection

In this paper we describe our participation in the interactive surveillance event detection task at TRECVid 2012. The system we developed was comprised of individual classifiers brought together behind a simple video search interface that enabled users to select relevant segments based on down~sampled animated gifs. Two types of user -- `experts' and `end users' -- performed the evaluations. Due to time constraints we focussed on three events -- ObjectPut, PersonRuns and Pointing -- and two of the five available cameras (1 and 3). Results from the interactive runs as well as discussion of the performance of the underlying retrospective classifiers are presented

Incidence, clinical characteristics, risk factors and outcomes of meningoencephalitis in patients with COVID-19

We investigated the incidence, clinical characteristics, risk factors, and outcome of meningoencephalitis (ME) in patients with COVID-19 attending emergency departments (ED), before hospitalization. We retrospectively reviewed all COVID patients diagnosed with ME in 61 Spanish EDs (20% of Spanish EDs, COVID-ME) during the COVID pandemic. We formed two control groups: non-COVID patients with ME (non-COVID-ME) and COVID patients without ME (COVID-non-ME). Unadjusted comparisons between cases and controls were performed regarding 57 baseline and clinical characteristics and 4 outcomes. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biochemical and serologic findings of COVID-ME and non-COVID-ME were also investigated. We identified 29 ME in 71,904 patients with COVID-19 attending EDs (0.40‰, 95%CI=0.27-0.58). This incidence was higher than that observed in non-COVID patients (150/1,358,134, 0.11‰, 95%CI=0.09-0.13; OR=3.65, 95%CI=2.45-5.44). With respect to non-COVID-ME, COVID-ME more frequently had dyspnea and chest X-ray abnormalities, and neck stiffness was less frequent (OR=0.3, 95%CI=0.1-0.9). In 69.0% of COVID-ME, CSF cells were predominantly lymphocytes, and SARS-CoV-2 antigen was detected by RT-PCR in 1 patient. The clinical characteristics associated with a higher risk of presenting ME in COVID patients were vomiting (OR=3.7, 95%CI=1.4-10.2), headache (OR=24.7, 95%CI=10.2-60.1), and altered mental status (OR=12.9, 95%CI=6.6-25.0). COVID-ME patients had a higher in-hospital mortality than non-COVID-ME patients (OR=2.26; 95%CI=1.04-4.48), and a higher need for hospitalization (OR=8.02; 95%CI=1.19-66.7) and intensive care admission (OR=5.89; 95%CI=3.12-11.14) than COVID-non-ME patients. ME is an unusual form of COVID presentation (<0.5‰ cases), but is more than 4-fold more frequent than in non-COVID patients attending the ED. As the majority of these MEs had lymphocytic predominance and in one patient SARS-CoV-2 antigen was detected in CSF, SARS-CoV-2 could be the cause of most of the cases observed. COVID-ME patients had a higher unadjusted in-hospital mortality than non-COVID-ME patients

La guía docente adaptada al modelo de Aprendizaje Basado en Proyectos: el informe previo

El proyecto de red para la evaluación de la implantación transversal de 4º del Grado en Ingeniería Multimedia en el itinerario de Creación y Entretenimiento digital tiene como objetivos la preparación y coordinación de las asignaturas para el desarrollo de una metodología de ABP, junto con la elaboración de las guías docentes de las asignaturas que conforman el itinerario. Uno de los apartados más importantes en la confección de dichas guías es el de la planificación docente. Conseguir que la programación de las clases sea adecuada y esté adaptada a la realidad del aula es uno de los retos más difíciles a los que nos enfrentamos los profesores del citado itinerario. Siguiendo los principios del ABP, se delegó en los estudiantes la responsabilidad de plantear el proyecto a realizar y su planificación, plasmándolo en un documento llamado informe previo que básicamente contiene una descripción detallada del problema a nivel profesional. En este trabajo presentamos las diversas experiencias desarrolladas en los 3 años de existencia del itinerario, que han ido modelando la estructura y contenidos del citado informe previo. También se muestra la evolución de los resultados de satisfacción con la metodología tanto de estudiantes como de profesores

Evaluación de la implantación transversal de 4º del grado en Ingeniería Multimedia, Itinerario Creación y Entretenimiento Digital

En esta memoria se describe el proyecto realizado para la evaluación de la implantación transversal del itinerario de Creación y Entretenimiento digital del cuarto curso del Grado en Ingeniería Multimedia de la Escuela Politécnica Superior, como continuación del planteamiento realizado en los proyectos anteriores de preparación, coordinación y seguimiento de las asignaturas del citado itinerario (identificadores 3013 y 3133). En el marco creado por los nuevos estudios dentro del EEES, el proyecto ha tenido como objetivos principales la preparación y coordinación de las asignaturas para el desarrollo de la metodología de Aprendizaje Basado en Proyectos (ABP), la elaboración de las fichas de las asignaturas y el ajuste de recursos disponibles y laboratorios. A partir de la experiencia adquirida en la planificación de cursos previos, se han elaborado las guías docentes de las asignaturas ajustando las del curso anterior. También se presentan los resultados obtenidos en la tercera experiencia llevada a cabo en este curso, expresados en el grado de satisfacción y las sugerencias y observaciones del alumnado y profesorado con la metodología ABP. Por último, se ha mantenido la página web informativa del itinerario creada el curso anterior, publicando noticias relacionadas y mejorando diversos aspectos

Famílies botàniques de plantes medicinals

Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de Barcelona. Ensenyament: Grau de Farmàcia, Assignatura: Botànica Farmacèutica, Curs: 2013-2014, Coordinadors: Joan Simon, Cèsar Blanché i Maria Bosch.Els materials que aquí es presenten són els recull de 175 treballs d’una família botànica d’interès medicinal realitzats de manera individual. Els treballs han estat realitzat per la totalitat dels estudiants dels grups M-2 i M-3 de l’assignatura Botànica Farmacèutica durant els mesos d’abril i maig del curs 2013-14. Tots els treballs s’han dut a terme a través de la plataforma de GoogleDocs i han estat tutoritzats pel professor de l’assignatura i revisats i finalment co-avaluats entre els propis estudiants. L’objectiu principal de l’activitat ha estat fomentar l’aprenentatge autònom i col·laboratiu en Botànica farmacèutica

New insights into the genetic etiology of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias

Characterization of the genetic landscape of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related dementias (ADD) provides a unique opportunity for a better understanding of the associated pathophysiological processes. We performed a two-stage genome-wide association study totaling 111,326 clinically diagnosed/'proxy' AD cases and 677,663 controls. We found 75 risk loci, of which 42 were new at the time of analysis. Pathway enrichment analyses confirmed the involvement of amyloid/tau pathways and highlighted microglia implication. Gene prioritization in the new loci identified 31 genes that were suggestive of new genetically associated processes, including the tumor necrosis factor alpha pathway through the linear ubiquitin chain assembly complex. We also built a new genetic risk score associated with the risk of future AD/dementia or progression from mild cognitive impairment to AD/dementia. The improvement in prediction led to a 1.6- to 1.9-fold increase in AD risk from the lowest to the highest decile, in addition to effects of age and the APOE ε4 allele

Respiratory and Peripheral Muscle Weakness and Body Composition Abnormalities in Non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis Patients : Gender Differences

As demonstrated in COPD, bronchiectasis patients may experience respiratory and peripheral muscle dysfunction. We hypothesized that respiratory and peripheral (upper and lower limbs) muscle function and nutritional status may be more significantly altered in female than in males for identical age and disease severity. In mild-to-moderate bronchiectasis patients (n = 150, 114 females) and 37 controls (n = 37, 21 females), radiological extension, maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures (MIP and MEP), sniff nasal inspiratory pressure (SNIP), hand grip and quadriceps muscle strengths, body composition, and blood analytical biomarkers were explored. Compared to the controls, in all bronchiectasis patients (males and females), BMI, fat-free mass index (FFMI), fat tissue, upper and lower limb muscle strength, and respiratory muscle strength significantly declined, and FFMI, fat tissue, and quadriceps muscle function were significantly lower in female than male patients. In patients with mild-to-moderate bronchiectasis, respiratory and peripheral muscle function is significantly impaired and only partly related to lung disease status. Quadriceps muscle strength was particularly weakened in the female patients and was negatively associated with their exercise tolerance. Muscle weakness should be therapeutically targeted in bronchiectasis patients. Body composition and peripheral muscle function determina-tion should be part of the comprehensive clinical assessment of these patients

Vernakalant in hospital emergency practice: safety and effectiveness

Objectives: To study the effectiveness and safety of vernakalant for restoration of sinus rhythm in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) in routine hospital emergency department care, and to evaluate factors associated with a more effective response. Material and methods: Prospective multicenter cohort study enrolling consecutive patients who were administered vernakalant for medical cardioversion of AF between September 2014 through March 2016 in 5 hospitals in the Spanish autonomous community of Valencia. Results: We studied 165 cases. The median (interquartile range) was 68 years (56-77) years. Cardioversion with vernakalant was effective in 77.6% (95% CI, 71.1%-84%). The median time to conversion was 8 ( 6-12) minutes after a first dose and 34 (22-62) minutes after a second dose. A prior history of cardiac insufficiency was nonsignificantly less common in patients who converted with vernakalant (6.3%) than in those who did not (18.9%) (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.45 [95% CI, 0.13-1.56]; P=.208). Having no prior history of AF was nonsignificantly related to greater effectiveness (in 54.7% vs in 35.1% with prior AF). Duration less than 12 hours was significantly associated with greater effectiveness (83.6% vs 59.5%; adjusted OR, 2.76 [95% CI, 1.12-6.80]; P=.028). Adverse events were reported for 30 patients. None of the events had clinically important consequences, and in only 2 cases (1.2%) was it necessary to suspend treatment

Digestive tract morphology and enzyme activities of juvenile diploid and triploid Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) fed fishmealbased diets with or without fish protein hydrolysates

Triploid, sterile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) could make a contribution to the development of the farming industry, but uncertainties about the performance and welfare of triploids have limited their adoption by farmers. In this study, we compared the ontogeny of digestive tract morphology and enzyme activities (pepsin, trypsin, chymotrypsin, alkaline phosphatase and aminopeptidase) of diploid and triploid Atlantic salmon. Fish were fed diets based on fishmeal (STD) or a mix of fishmeal and hydrolysed fish proteins (HFM) whilst being reared at low temperature from start-feeding to completion of the parr-smolt transformation. Fish weights for each ploidy and feed combination were used to calculate thermal growth coefficients (TGCs) that spanned this developmental period, and the data were used to examine possible relationships between enzyme activities and growth. At the end of the experiment, faeces were collected and analyzed to determine the apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) of the dietary amino acids (AAs). Digestive tract histo-morphology did not differ substantially between ploidies and generally reflected organ maturation and functionality. There were no consistent differences in proteolytic enzyme activities resulting from the inclusion of HFM in the diet, nor was there improved digestibility and AA bioavailability of the HFM feed in either diploid or triploid fish. The triploid salmon had lower ADCs than diploids for most essential and non-essential AAs in both diets (STD and HFM), but without there being any indication of lower intestinal protease activity in triploid fish. When trypsin-tochymotrypsin activity and trypsin and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) ratios (T:C and T:ALP, respectively) were considered in combination with growth data (TGC) low T:C and T:ALP values coincided with times of reduced fish growth, and vice versa, suggesting that T:C and T:ALP may be used to predict recent growth history and possible growth potential

Feasibility, tolerability, and effects of exercise-based prehabilitation after neoadjuvant therapy in esophagogastric cancer patients undergoing surgery: an interventional pilot study

Patients requiring surgery for locally advanced esophagogastric cancer often require neoadjuvant therapy (NAT), which may have a detrimental impact on cardiorespiratory reserve. The aims of this study were to investigate the feasibility and tolerability of a 5-week preoperative high-intensity interval training program after NAT, and to assess the potential effects of the training protocol on exercise capacity, muscle function, and health-related quality of life (HRQL). We prospectively studied consecutive patients with resectable locally advanced esophageal and gastric cancer in whom NAT was planned (chemo- or chemoradiotherapy). Feasibility was assessed with the TELOS (Technological, Economics, Legal, Operational, and Scheduling) components, and data on exercise tolerability (attendance and occurrence of adverse or unexpected events). Exercise capacity was assessed with peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) in a cardiopulmonary exercise test at baseline, post-NAT, and following completion of a high-intensity interval exercise training (25 sessions). Changes in muscle strength and HRQL were also assessed. Of 33 recruited subjects (mean age 65 years), 17 received chemoradiotherapy and 16 chemotherapy. All the TELOS components were addressed before starting the intervention; from a total of 17 questions considered as relevant for a successful implementation, seven required specific actions to prevent potential concerns. Patients attended a mean of 19.4 (6.4) exercise sessions. The predefined level of attendance (≥15 sessions of scheduled sessions) was achieved in 27 out of 33 (81.8%) patients. Workload progression was adequate in 24 patients (72.7%). No major adverse events occurred. VO2peak decreased significantly between baseline and post-NAT (19.3 vs. 15.5 mL/Kg/min, P < 0.05). Exercise led to a significant improvement of VO2peak (15.5 vs. 19.6 mL/kg/min, P < 0.05). Exercise training was associated with clinically relevant improvements in some domains of HRQL, with the social and role function increasing by 10.5 and 11.6 points, respectively, and appetite loss and fatigue declining by 16 and 10.5, respectively. We conclude that a structured exercise training intervention is feasible and safe following NAT in patients with esophagogastric cancer, and it has positive effects to restore exercise capacity to baseline levels within 5 weeks with some improvements in HRQL