Web based hybrid volumetric visualisation of urban GIS data: Integration of 4D Temperature and Wind Fields with LoD-2 CityGML models

City models visualisation, buildings, structures and volumetric information, is an important task in Computer Graphics and Urban Planning -- The different formats and data sources involved in the visualisation make the development of applications a big challenge -- We present a homogeneous web visualisation framework using X3DOM and MEDX3DOM for the visualisation of these urban objects -- We present an integration of different declarative data sources, enabling the utilization of advanced visualisation algorithms to render the models -- It has been tested with a city model composed of buildings from the Madrid University Campus, some volumetric datasets coming from Air Quality Models and 2D layers wind datasets -- Results show that the visualisation of all the urban models can be performed in real time on the Web -- An HTML5 web interface is presented to the users, enabling real time modifications of visualisation parameter

Implicaciones éticas que se desprenden de algunas corrientes de responsabilidad social: los bienes, las normas y las virtudes

Se propone una reflexión en torno a las dimensiones de la ética empresarial, de acuerdo con el planteamiento de Leonardo Polo, que las divide en bienes, normas y virtudes, alrededor de algunas ideas que se han institucionalizado en torno a la noción de responsabilidad social empresarial. El análisis de los bienes se apoya en dos modelos que han estudiado la relación con los grupos de interés: el de Mitchell, Agle y Wood sobre la interacción entre poder, urgencia y legitimidad, y el de jerarquización en círculos concéntricos de responsabilidad. El análisis de las normas se basa en el planteamiento de Alejandro y Carlos Llano sobre los criterios y principios objetivos que orientan la conducta ética. La reflexión en torno a las virtudes se basa en la consideración de la naturaleza empresarial del ser humano, llamado a poner su conocimiento al servicio de la sociedad, bajo el riesgo de que otros actores no lo emulen.It is proposed a reflection about dimensions of corporative ethics, according to Polo’s statement who divides ethics into goods, norms and virtues, regarding some institutionalized concepts of corporate social responsibility. Goods analysis is based in two different models that study the relationship among organizations and their stakeholders: Mitchell, Agle and Wood about interaction between power, legitimacy and urgency; and a hierarchical model about concentric responsibility circles. Normative analysis is based on Alejandro and Carlos Llano statement that proposes objective criteria and principles to guide the ethical conduct. Finally, the reflection about virtues is based on the consideration of the entrepreneural nature of human being, invited to put his knowledge in society’s benefit, even if it implies the risk that other actors don’t do the same

Tuning of Adaptive Weight Depth Map Generation Algorithms Exploratory Data Analysis and Design of Computer Experiments (DOCE)

In depth map generation algorithms, parameters settings to yield an accurate disparity map estimation are usually chosen empirically or based on un planned experiments -- Algorithms' performance is measured based on the distance of the algorithm results vs. the Ground Truth by Middlebury's standards -- This work shows a systematic statistical approach including exploratory data analyses on over 14000 images and designs of experiments using 31 depth maps to measure the relative inf uence of the parameters and to fine-tune them based on the number of bad pixels -- The implemented methodology improves the performance of adaptive weight based dense depth map algorithms -- As a result, the algorithm improves from 16.78% to 14.48% bad pixels using a classical exploratory data analysis of over 14000 existing images, while using designs of computer experiments with 31 runs yielded an even better performance by lowering bad pixels from 16.78% to 13

Low oxygen tension primes aortic endothelial cells to the reparative effect of tissue-protective cytokines

Erythropoietin (EPO) has both erythropoietic and tissue-protective properties. The EPO analogues carbamylated EPO (CEPO) and pyroglutamate helix B surface peptide (pHBSP) lack the erythropoietic activity of EPO but retain the tissue-protective properties that are mediated by a heterocomplex of EPO receptor (EPOR) and the β common receptor (βCR). We studied the action of EPO and its analogues in a model of wound healing where a bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs) monolayer was scratched and the scratch closure was assessed over 24 h under different oxygen concentrations. We related the effects of EPO and its analogues on repair to their effect on BAECs proliferation and migration (evaluated using a micro-Boyden chamber). EPO, CEPO and pHBSP enhanced scratch closure only at lower oxygen (5%), while their effect at atmospheric oxygen (21%) was not significant. The mRNA expression of EPOR was doubled in 5% compared to 21% oxygen, and this was associated with increased EPOR assessed by immunofluorescence and Western blot. By contrast βCR mRNA levels were similar in 5% and 21% oxygen. EPO and its analogues increased both BAECs proliferation and migration, suggesting that both may be involved in the reparative process. The priming effect of low oxygen tension on the action of tissue-protective cytokines may be of relevance to vascular disease, including atherogenesis and restenosis

High expression of antiviral proteins in mucosa from individuals exhibiting resistance to human immunodeficiency virus

ABSTARCT: Several soluble factors have been reported to have the capacity of inhibiting HIV replication at different steps of the virus life cycle, without eliminating infected cells and through enhancement of specific cellular mechanisms. Yet, it is unclear if these antiviral factors play a role in the protection from HIV infection or in the control of viral replication. Here we evaluated two cohorts: i) one of 58 HIV-exposed seronegative individuals (HESNs) who were compared with 59 healthy controls (HCs), and ii) another of 13 HIV-controllers who were compared with 20 HIV-progressors. Peripheral blood, oral and genital mucosa and gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) samples were obtained to analyze the mRNA expression of ELAFIN, APOBEC3G, SAMHD1, TRIM5α, RNase 7 and SerpinA1 using real-time PCR. RESULTS: HESNs exhibited higher expression of all antiviral factors in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), oral or genital mucosa when compared with HCs. Furthermore, HIV-controllers exhibited higher levels of SerpinA1 in GALT. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the activity of these factors is compartmentalized and that these proteins have a predominant role depending on the tissue to avoid the infection, reduce the viral load and modulate the susceptibility to HIV infection

Insulin-like growth factors and related proteins in plasma and cerebrospinal fluids of HIV-positive individuals

BACKGROUND: Clinically significant dysregulation of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) family proteins occurs in HIV-infected individuals, but the details including whether the deficiencies in IGFs contribute to CNS dysfunction are unknown. METHODS: We measured the levels of IGF1, IGF2, IGFBP1, IGFBP2, and IGF2 receptor (IGF2R) in matching plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples of 107 HIV+ individuals from CNS HIV Antiretroviral Therapy Effects Research (CHARTER) and analyzed their associations with demographic and disease characteristics, as well as levels of several soluble inflammatory mediators (TNFα, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, IP-10, MCP-1, and progranulin). We also determined whether IGF1 or IGF2 deficiency is associated with HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) and whether the levels of soluble IGF2R (an IGF scavenging receptor, which we also have found to be a cofactor for HIV infection in vitro) correlate with HIV viral load (VL). RESULTS: There was a positive correlation between the levels of IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) and those of inflammatory mediators: between plasma IGFBP1 and IL-17 (β coefficient 0.28, P = 0.009), plasma IGFBP2 and IL-6 (β coefficient 0.209, P = 0.021), CSF IGFBP1 and TNFα (β coefficient 0.394, P < 0.001), and CSF IGFBP2 and TNF-α (β coefficient 0.14, P < 0.001). As IGFBPs limit IGF availability, these results suggest that inflammation is a significant factor that modulates IGF protein expression/availability in the setting of HIV infection. However, there was no significant association between HAND and the reduced levels of plasma IGF1, IGF2, or CSF IGF1, suggesting a limited power of our study. Interestingly, plasma IGF1 was significantly reduced in subjects on non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-based antiretroviral therapy (ART) compared to protease inhibitor-based therapy (174.1 ± 59.8 vs. 202.8 ± 47.3 ng/ml, P = 0.008), suggesting a scenario in which ART regimen-related toxicity can contribute to HAND. Plasma IGF2R levels were positively correlated with plasma VL (β coefficient 0.37, P = 0.021) and inversely correlated with current CD4+ T cell counts (β coefficient −0.04, P = 0.021), supporting our previous findings in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: Together, these results strongly implicate (1) an inverse relationship between inflammation and IGF growth factor availability and the contribution of IGF deficiencies to HAND and (2) the role of IGF2R in HIV infection and as a surrogate biomarker for HIV VL. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12974-015-0288-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Proteomic Changes of Alveolar Lining Fluid in Illnesses Associated with Exposure to Inhaled Non-Infectious Microbial Particles

Peer reviewe

Implicaciones éticas que se desprenden de algunas corrientes de responsabilidad social: los bienes, las normas y las virtudes

Se propone una reflexión en torno a las dimensiones de la ética empresarial, de acuerdo con el planteamiento de Leonardo Polo, que las divide en bienes, normas y virtudes, alrededor de algunas ideas que se han institucionalizado en torno a la noción de responsabilidad social empresarial. El análisis de los bienes se apoya en dos modelos que han estudiado la relación con los grupos de interés: el de Mitchell, Agle y Wood sobre la interacción entre poder, urgencia y legitimidad, y el de jerarquización en círculos concéntricos de responsabilidad. El análisis de las normas se basa en el planteamiento de Alejandro y Carlos Llano sobre los criterios y principios objetivos que orientan la conducta ética. La reflexión en torno a las virtudes se basa en la consideración de la naturaleza empresarial del ser humano, llamado a poner su conocimiento al servicio de la sociedad, bajo el riesgo de que otros actores no lo emulen.It is proposed a reflection about dimensions of corporative ethics, according to Polo’s statement who divides ethics into goods, norms and virtues, regarding some institutionalized concepts of corporate social responsibility. Goods analysis is based in two different models that study the relationship among organizations and their stakeholders: Mitchell, Agle and Wood about interaction between power, legitimacy and urgency; and a hierarchical model about concentric responsibility circles. Normative analysis is based on Alejandro and Carlos Llano statement that proposes objective criteria and principles to guide the ethical conduct. Finally, the reflection about virtues is based on the consideration of the entrepreneural nature of human being, invited to put his knowledge in society’s benefit, even if it implies the risk that other actors don’t do the same