Performance evaluation of space-time block coding using a realistic mobile radio channel

This paper presents a performance evaluation of space-time block coding (STBC) employing a realistic mobile radio channel model in macrocellular and urban environments. The bit error rate (BER) is computed by Monte-Carlo simulations in the down-link to evaluate its sensitivity to channel correlation. We consider a horizontal uniform linear array at the base station (BS) formed by up to four antenna elements, and one and two uncorrelated antenna elements at the mobile station (MS). The channel model includes the probability density function (pdf) of the azimuth and delay of the impinging waves and their expected power conditioned on the azimuth and delay. The statistical properties of the model are extracted from macrocellular measurements made in urban environments. Simulation results show that the use of STBC can provide significant gains with acceptable sensitivity to the channel correlation under realistic conditions.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Nuevo instrumento de medición de los patrones temporales en el baile flamenco mediante un sistema de detección de apoyos por conductividad eléctrica

En el presente artículo se expone el diseño y fa- bricación de un sistema de detención de apoyos que permite establecer de una forma rápida y precisa la secuencia de zapateados que compo- nen un baile. Hasta ahora sólo se había hecho mediante el análisis de los fotogramas de cada baile, pero es un sistema extremadamente tedio- so, lento y, por consiguiente, poco práctico para una investigación de muchos sujetos e impracti- cable para que se use como recurso coreográfico de los profesionales del baile flamenco o para prepararse físicamente. Mediante el presente sistema de medición se permite cuantificar de forma precisa y fiable parámetros temporales del baile flamenco, como son el número de apoyos, tiempos de contacto y no contacto, simetrías/ asimetrías de apoyo, duración de los tiempos de doble apoyo, entre otros que se producen duran- te el desarrollo del baile del bailaor/ora y que pueden ser determinantes en su empeño físico y en el desarrollo de la actividad como son la fuerza explosiva y frecuencia de pulsos del tren inferior. De igual forma, El sistema desarrollado permite además su aplicación en otras activida- des dancísticas, como la danza contemporánea

New markers for human ovarian cancer that link platinum resistance to the cancer stem cell phenotype and define new therapeutic combinations and diagnostic tools

BACKGROUND: Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of gynecologic cancer-related death, due in part to a late diagnosis and a high rate of recurrence. Primary and acquired platinum resistance is related to a low response probability to subsequent lines of treatment and to a poor survival. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms that drive platinum resistance is urgently needed. METHODS: We used bioinformatics analysis of public databases and RT-qPCR to quantitate the relative gene expression profiles of ovarian tumors. Many of the dysregulated genes were cancer stem cell (CSC) factors, and we analyzed its relation to therapeutic resistance in human primary tumors. We also performed clustering and in vitro analyses of therapy cytotoxicity in tumorspheres. RESULTS: Using bioinformatics analysis, we identified transcriptional targets that are common endpoints of genetic alterations linked to platinum resistance in ovarian tumors. Most of these genes are grouped into 4 main clusters related to the CSC phenotype, including the DNA damage, Notch and C-KIT/MAPK/MEK pathways. The relative expression of these genes, either alone or in combination, is related to prognosis and provide a connection between platinum resistance and the CSC phenotype. However, the expression of the CSC-related markers was heterogeneous in the resistant tumors, most likely because there were different CSC pools. Furthermore, our in vitro results showed that the inhibition of the CSC-related targets lying at the intersection of the DNA damage, Notch and C-KIT/MAPK/MEK pathways sensitize CSC-enriched tumorspheres to platinum therapies, suggesting a new option for the treatment of patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. CONCLUSIONS: The current study presents a new approach to target the physiology of resistant ovarian tumor cells through the identification of core biomarkers. We hypothesize that the identified mutations confer platinum resistance by converging to activate a few pathways and to induce the expression of a few common, measurable and targetable essential genes. These pathways include the DNA damage, Notch and C-KIT/MAPK/MEK pathways. Finally, the combined inhibition of one of these pathways with platinum treatment increases the sensitivity of CSC-enriched tumorspheres to low doses of platinum, suggesting a new treatment for ovarian cancerSpanish Ministry of Education FPU12/01380Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivity, Plan Estatal de I + D + I 2013–2016Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (RTI2018–097455-B-I00)CIBER de Cáncer (CD16/12/00275)Spanish Consejería de Salud of the Junta de Andalucia (PI-0397-2017

A semiquantitative scoring tool to evaluate eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage in trained rats

Unaccustomed eccentric exercise is a welldocumented cause of exercise-induced muscle damage. However, in trained subjects muscle injury involves only light or moderate tissue damage. Since trained rats are widely used as a model for skeletal muscle injury, here we propose a semiquantitative scoring tool to evaluate muscle damage in trained rats. Twenty male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained for two weeks following a two-week preconditioning period, and randomly divided into two groups: control rats (CTL; n=5) and rats with eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage (INJ; n=15). Injured rats were sacrificed at three time points: 1, 3 and 7 days post injury (n=5 each). Transverse sections from the right soleus were cut (10 μm) and stained with haematoxylineosin. Samples were evaluated by two groups of observers (four researchers experienced in skeletal muscle histopathology and four inexperienced) using the proposed tool, which consisted of six items organised in three domains: abnormal fibre morphology, necrotic/(re) degenerating fibres (muscle fibre domain), endomysial and perimysial infiltration (inflammatory state domain) and endomysium and perimysium distension (interstitial compartment domain). We observed the expected time course in the six evaluated items. Furthermore, agreement among observers was evaluated by measuring the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC). Within the experienced group, items from the muscle fibre and interstitial compartment domains showed good agreement and the two items from the infiltration compartment domain showed excellent agreement. In conclusion, the proposed tool allowed quick and correct evaluation of light to moderate muscle damage in trained rats with good agreement between observers

Obligación del Ecuador en la aplicación de las ciencias forenses para la determinación del femicidio.

Las luchas por la igualdad de género y los derechos de las mujeres, que se han realizado desde las distintas olas del feminismo, han permitido que los Estados adapten sus leyes para que estas incluyan los derechos de las mujeres y respondan a las demandas por la igualdad y la lucha contra la violencia de género. Es así como en varios países de la región se tipificó el delito de femicidio, con el fin de visibilizar la violencia contra mujeres y niñas que llega a su forma más extrema cuando se les arrebata la vida por el hecho de ser mujeres y que lleva implícita las manifestaciones de poder históricamente desiguales

Gran Telescopio Canarias observations of an overdense region of Lyman α emitters at z = 6.5

We present the results of our search near the end of the Reionization Epoch for faint galaxies. This has been done using very deep OSIRIS images obtained at the Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC). Our observations focus around two close, massive Lyman α emitters (LAEs) at redshift 6.5, discovered in the SXDS field within a large-scale overdense region. The total GTC observing time in three medium band filters (F883w35, F913w25 and F941w33) is over 34 h covering 7.0 × 8.5 arcmin2 (or ∼30 000 Mpc3 at z = 6.5). In addition to the two spectroscopically confirmed LAEs in the field, we have identified 45 other LAE candidates. The preliminary luminosity function derived from our observations, assuming a spectroscopic confirmation success rate of 2/3 as in previous surveys, suggests this area is about 2 times denser than the general field galaxy population at z = 6.5. If confirmed spectroscopically, our results will imply the discovery of one of the earliest protoclusters in the Universe, which will evolve to resemble the most massive galaxy clusters today

Vertebral fracture risk in glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis: the role of hypogonadism and corticosteroid boluses

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the risk factors associated with fragility fracture (FF) development in glucocorticoid (GC)-treated patients. Methods: 127 patients (aged 62±18 years, 63% women) on GC-treatment (mean dose 14.5±14.1 mg/day and duration 47.7±69 months) were included. The clinical data collected included bone metabolism study (including gonadal axis), GC-treatment, disease activity, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry analysis (evaluating densitometric osteoporosis (OP) and trabecular bone score (TBS) degraded microarchitecture values (DMA)), X-ray (assessing vertebral fractures (VF)), FRAX risk (GC-adjusted) and previous FF. Results: 17% of the patients had VF, 28% FF (VF and/or non-VF), 29% OP and 52% DMA. Patients with VF received more GC boluses (57.1% vs 29.5%, p=0.03), were older (68±13 vs 60±19 years, p=0.02), postmenopausal (100% vs 67%, p=0.02), had low testosterone levels (57% vs 11%, p=0.02), lower TBS values (1.119±0.03 vs 1.237±0.013, p100, p=0.01) and having received GC boluses (OR 3.45; 95% CI 1.04 to 12.15, p=0.01) were the main factors related to VF. Hypogonadism (OR 7.03; 95% CI 1.47 to 38.37, p=0.01) and FRAX >20 (OR 7.08; 95% CI 1.28 to 53.71, p=0.02) were factors related to FF. Conclusion: Hypogonadism is the principal risk factor for developing fractures in GC-treated men and women, whereas receiving GC boluses is a major factor for VF. These results indicate the importance of evaluating the gonadal axis in these patients

First near-relativistic solar electron events observed by EPD onboard Solar Orbiter

Context. Solar Orbiter, launched in February 2020, started its cruise phase in June 2020, in coincidence with its first perihelion at 0.51 au from the Sun. The in situ instruments onboard, including the Energetic Particle Detector (EPD), operate continuously during the cruise phase enabling the observation of solar energetic particles. Aims. In situ measurements of the first near-relativistic solar electron events observed in July 2020 by EPD are analyzed and the solar origins and the conditions for the interplanetary transport of these particles investigated. Methods. Electron observations from keV energies to the near-relativistic range were combined with the detection of type III radio bursts and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) observations from multiple spacecraft in order to identify the solar origin of the electron events. Electron anisotropies and timing as well as the plasma and magnetic field environment were evaluated to characterize the interplanetary transport conditions. Results. All electron events were clearly associated with type III radio bursts. EUV jets were also found in association with all of them except one. A diversity of time profiles and pitch-angle distributions was observed. Different source locations and different magnetic connectivity and transport conditions were likely involved. The July 11 event was also detected by Wind, separated 107 degrees in longitude from Solar Orbiter. For the July 22 event, the Suprathermal Electron and Proton sensor of EPD allowed for us to not only resolve multiple electron injections at low energies, but it also provided an exceptionally high pitch-angle resolution of a very anisotropic beam. This, together with radio observations of local Langmuir waves suggest a very good magnetic connection during the July 22 event. This scenario is challenged by a high-frequency occultation of the type III radio burst and a nominally non-direct connection to the source; therefore, magnetic connectivity requires further investigation.Agencia Estatal de Investigació

Kinematic analysis of throwing between right and left top member in water-polo

En el presente artículo se han analizado las diferencias en la velocidad de lanzamiento en waterpolo entre el miembro superior derecho e izquierdo. Participaron 16 jugadores (24.25±4.8 años, 1.97±1.9 m, 75.33±7.1 Kg) los cuales realizaron primero un calentamiento, tanto general como específico, para posteriormente realizar 3 lanzamientos alternando el brazo ejecutor. El cálculo de la velocidad de lanzamiento se realizó mediante fotogrametría 2D. Los resultados obtenidos indican que existen diferencias significativas (p<0.001) en la velocidad de lanzamiento entre el miembro superior derecho e izquierdo (X = 18.66 ± 3.047 m/s y X = 12.06 ± 1.476 m/s, respectivamente). También encontramos una alta correlación (p<0.01) entre la edad y las diferencias en el lanzamiento entre ambos brazos (r = 0.63)

Mortalidad materna por trastornos hipertensivos en Chile durante 1999-2019

Background: hypertensive disorders are frequent and severe pathophysiological alterations. In Latin America they are responsible for almost 26% of maternal deaths, while in Chile they correspond to the second cause of maternal death, after medical diseases concurrent with pregnancy. In fact, at the national level, it has been observed that maternal deaths from this pathology have been high compared to maternal deaths from other causes. The objective of this research, therefore, is to analyze the reasons for maternal mortality from hypertensive disorders in Chile between 1999 and 2019.   Methods: a transverse study of ecological type of time series was performed. The number of mothers who died from hypertensive disorders in the period 1999-2019 in Chile was analyzed, excluding mothers who died from other causes. Data were collected from the Department of Health Statistics and Information, Ministry of Health. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analysis were performed using a simple linear regression model. The STATA-16 software was used.   Results: a total of 196 mothers died from hypertensive disorders were obtained. The highest maternal mortality rate was 5.8 in 2001; the lowest rate of maternal deaths was in 2003 and 2015, being 1.6 in both years. A significant reduction of 0.11 was observed on average per year.   Conclusion: there is a decrease in maternal mortality due to hypertensive disorders in Chile, in the period 1999-2019.Antecedentes: los trastornos hipertensivos son alteraciones fisiopatológicas frecuentes y graves. En Latinoamérica son responsables de casi el 26% de las muertes maternas, mientras que en Chile corresponden a la segunda causa de defunción materna, después de las enfermedades médicas concurrentes al embarazo. En efecto, a nivel nacional, se ha observado que las muertes maternas por esta patología han sido elevadas en comparación con las defunciones maternas por otras causas. El objetivo de esta investigación, por tanto, es analizar las razones de mortalidad materna por trastornos hipertensivos en Chile entre 1999 y 2019.   Métodos: se realizó un estudio transversal de tipo ecológico de serie temporal. Se analizó el número de madres fallecidas por trastornos hipertensivos en el período 1999-2019 en Chile, excluyéndose las madres fallecidas por otras causas. Los datos se recopilaron del Departamento de Estadísticas e Información de Salud (DEIS) del Ministerio de Salud. Se empleó estadística descriptiva y análisis bivariado mediante un modelo de regresión lineal simple. Para ello se utilizó el software STATA-16.   Resultados: de los datos analizados se obtuvo un total de 196 madres fallecidas por trastornos hipertensivos. La razón de mortalidad materna mayor fue de 5.8 en 2001, mientras que la menor razón de defunciones maternas se registró en 2003 y 2015, siendo de 1.6 en ambos años. Además, se observó una reducción significativa de 0.11 en promedio por año.   Conclusión: se observa una disminución en las razones de mortalidad materna por trastornos hipertensivos en Chile, en el período 1999-2019