Vein biometric recognition on a smartphone

Topic: Intelligent Biometric Systems for Secure Societies.Human recognition on smartphone devices for unlocking, online payment, and bank account verification is one of the significant uses of biometrics. The exponential development and integration of this technology have been established since the introduction in 2013 of the fingerprint mounted sensor in the Apple iPhone 5s by Apple Inc.© (Motorola© Atrix was previously launched in 2011). Nowadays, in the commercial world, the main biometric variants integrated into mobile devices are fingerprint, facial, iris, and voice. In 2019, LG© Electronics announced the first mobile exhibiting vascular biometric recognition, integrated using the palm vein modality: LG© G8 ThinQ (hand ID). In this work, in an attempt to become the become the first research-embedded approach to smartphone vein identification, a novel wrist vascular biometric recognition is designed, implemented, and tested on the Xiaomi© Pocophone F1 and the Xiaomi© Mi 8 devices. The near-infrared camera mounted for facial recognition on these devices accounts for the hardware employed. Two software algorithms, TGS-CVBR® and PIS-CVBR®, are designed and applied to a database generation and the identification task, respectively. The database, named UC3M-Contactless Version 2 (UC3M-CV2), consists of 2400 contactless infrared images from both wrists of 50 different subjects (25 females and 25 males, 100 individual wrists in total), collected in two separate sessions with different environmental light environmental light conditions. The vein biometric recognition, using PIS-CVBR®, is based on the SIFT®, SURF®, and ORB algorithms. The results, discussed according to the ISO/IEC 19795-1:2019 standard, are promising and pave the way for contactless real-time-processing wrist recognition on smartphone devices

Deep Learning for Vein Biometric Recognition on a Smartphone

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has pointed out, even more, the important need for hygiene contactless biometric recognition systems. Vein-based devices are great non-contact options although they have not been entirely well-integrated in daily life. In this work, in an attempt to contribute to the research and development of these devices, a contactless wrist vein recognition system with a real-life application is revealed. A Transfer Learning (TL) method, based on different Deep Convolutional Neural Networks architectures, for Vascular Biometric Recognition (VBR), has been designed and tested, for the first time in a research approach, on a smartphone. TL is a Deep Learning (DL) technique that could be divided into networks as feature extractor, i.e., using a pre-trained (different large-scale dataset) Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to obtain unique features that then, are classified with a traditional Machine Learning algorithm, and fine-tuning, i.e., training a CNN that has been initialized with weights of a pre-trained (different large-scale dataset) CNN. In this study, a feature extractor base method has been employed. Several architecture networks have been tested on different wrist vein datasets: UC3M-CV1, UC3M-CV2, and PUT. The DL model has been integrated on the Xiaomi© Pocophone F1 and the Xiaomi© Mi 8 smartphones obtaining high biometric performance, up to 98% of accuracy and less than 0.4% of EER with a 50–50% train-test on UC3M-CV2, and fast identification/verification time, less than 300 milliseconds. The results infer, high DL performance and integration reachable in VBR without direct user-device contact, for real-life applications nowadays

Apuntes de elasticidad y resistencia de materiales para ingenieros técnicos

Estos apuntes han sido confeccionados por los profesores D. Raúl Martín García y D. Antonio Illana Martos, ambos pertenecientes al Área de Ingeniería Mecánica del Departamento de Ingeniería Industrial e Ingeniería Civil que imparte docencia en la Escuela Politécnica Superior de Algeciras (Universidad de Cádiz). Los apuntes, debido a su carácter fundamental, están dirigidos en principio a los estudios de cualquier ingeniería técnica industrial. No obstante se recomienda su uso para especialidades que traten en sus asignaturas la elasticidad y resistencia de materiales desde un nivel general y básico. Asimismo también puede ser de interés para otras ingeniería técnicas como la de obras públicas, la naval, etcétera. La experiencia docente de los autores en la asignatura ha sido clave para la realización de los apuntes, los cuales están basados en las transparencias de clase. El objetivo de los apuntes es ofrecer una guía que aporte los conocimientos básicos necesarios relacionados con la “elasticidad y resistencia de los materiales”. Por tal motivo, son apuntes bastante esquemáticos, con una carga matemática sencilla, entregados así con la intención de que el alumno pueda complementarlos con cuestiones o aclaraciones surgidas con la asistencia a clase (o a tutorías), o por cuenta propia haciendo uso de la bibliografía adecuada. Son pues apuntes que demandan un trabajo y una participación continuos del alumno para su aprovechamiento final. Como texto de consulta para complementar alguna cuestión determinada o para profundizar en la misma se recomienda al alumno acudir al texto “Resistencia de Materiales - L. Ortiz Berrocal - Me Graw-Hill” en cualquiera de sus últimas ediciones. Los apuntes se complementan con ejercicios prácticos incluidos antes del anexo final. Estos no están resueltos, pero sí se disponen las soluciones finales de cada uno de ellos con el fin de motivar a su resolución

Prehospital point-of-care lactate increases the prognostic accuracy of national early warning score 2 for early risk stratification of mortality: results of a multicenter, observational study

The objective of this study was to assess whether the use of prehospital lactate (pLA) can increase the prognostic accuracy of the National Early Warning Score 2 (NEWS2) to detect the risk of death within 48 h. A prospective, multicenter study in adults treated consecutively by the emergency medical services (EMS) included six advanced life support (ALS) services and five hospitals. Patients were assigned to one of four groups according to their risk of mortality (low, low-medium, medium, and high), as determined by the NEWS2 score. For each group, the validity of pLA in our cohort was assessed by the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. In this study, 3081 participants with a median age of 69 years (Interquartile range (IQR): 54–81) were included. The two-day mortality was 4.4% (137 cases). The scale derived from the implementation of the pLA improved the capacity of the NEWS2 to discriminate low risk of mortality, with an AUC of 0.910 (95% CI: 0.87–0.94; p < 0.001). The risk stratification provided by the NEWS2 can be improved by incorporating pLA measurement to more accurately predict the risk of mortality in patients with low risk.Fil: Martín Rodríguez, Francisco. Universidad de Valladolid; España. Emergency Medical Services; EspañaFil: López Izquierdo, Raul. Hospital Universitario Rio Hortega; EspañaFil: Delgado Benito, Juan F.. Emergency Medical Services; EspañaFil: Sanz García, Ancor. Universidad Autonoma de Madrid. Hospital Universitario de la Princesa; EspañaFil: Pozo Vegas, Carlos del. Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid; EspañaFil: Castro Villamor, Miguel Ángel. Universidad de Valladolid; EspañaFil: Martín Conty, José Luis. Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha; EspañaFil: Ortega, Guillermo José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Autonoma de Madrid. Hospital Universitario de la Princesa; Españ

Potential use of pruning-residues from avocado trees as energy input in rural communities

The global need to transition to renewable and decentralized systems entails agricultural systems as producers of residual biomass. Avocado trees (Persea americana Mill.) are one of the main woody crops cultivated in Mexico, with over 150,000 hectares grown in the country. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the use of avocado pruning residues as an energy input, focusing on the revalorization of biomass and the generation of economic benefits for small producers in the region. For that purpose, we developed allometric equations to calculate biomass availability from pruning residues, evaluated their thermochemical properties, and proposed technological alternatives for their energy use. Two allometric equations for pruning residues as a function of tree height and crown diameter were obtained: one for light and minor maintenance pruning (R2 = 0.63) and one for rejuvenation pruning (R2 = 0.86). From these equations, we estimate the mean amount of biomass generated from light and rejuvenation pruning to be 42.7 and 25.1 kg per tree and year, respectively, which amounts to 1324 and 780 kg ha−1 DM (dry matter), with an energy potential of 26.2 and 15.4 GJ ha−1. The thermochemical analysis shows that a higher proportion of leaves generates a higher ash content, which reduces the quality of the residues as a fuel. Avocado pruning residues have high potential for energy use and could be implemented in the industrial and residential sectors, generating a complementary source of income for producers.Fil: Tauro, Raúl. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Velázquez Martí, Borja. Universidad Politécnica de Valencia; EspañaFil: Manrique, Silvina Magdalena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Investigaciones en Energía no Convencional. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Física. Instituto de Investigaciones en Energía no Convencional; ArgentinaFil: Ricker, Martín. Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. Facultad de Ciencias; MéxicoFil: Martínez Bravo, René. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Ruiz García, Víctor. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Ramos Vargas, Saraí. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Masera, Omar Raul. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Soria González, José A.. Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo. Facultad de Ingeniería en Tecnología de la Madera; MéxicoFil: Armendariz, Cynthia. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Méxic

Elaboración de informes virtuales de prácticas de Microbiología general, odontológica e industrial basados en fotografías y su integración en un banco común de imágenes de Microbiología

Este proyecto, que se platea como continuación del número 161 del curso 2016-2017, propone la creación y realización de informes de prácticas virtuales en distintas asignaturas del área de la Microbiología. Con ello, se pretende incentivar el estudio y mejorar el aprovechamiento de las prácticas realizadas por alumnos de distintos cursos, Grados y Facultades, mediante el uso de las nuevas tecnologías y metodologías más visuales. Dichas asignaturas son: • Microbiología e Inmunología, 2º curso Grado de Odontología, Facultad de Odontología. • Microbiología, 3º curso Grado en Farmacia, Facultad de Farmacia. • Microbiología Industrial y biotecnología (MIBT), 2º curso Grado en Ciencia y Tecnología de los alimentos (CYTA), Facultad de Veterinaria. Se han construido 4 espacios virtuales con plantillas de los informes de prácticas, ya que el proyecto se realizó en 4 grupos distintos. De esta forma se tendrían guías virtuales de las distintas asignaturas con la inclusión de las fotografías y su interpretación. También se comprobaría la utilidad de esta metodología según la estructura de las prácticas de las asignaturas y/o la idiosincrasia de los distintos grupos de alumnos. El otro objetivo general del proyecto es el almacenamiento y clasificación de las fotografías realizadas para ampliar el banco de fotografías de microorganismos y pruebas microbiológicas. Esto, también justifica la elección de las 3 asignaturas mencionadas. El proyecto se ha desarrollado según lo previsto y se han alcanzado de manera satisfactoria los objetivos propuestos. Además, aunque de forma desigual según las asignaturas, la realización de este proyecto ha resultado de interés para los estudiantes, repercutiendo de forma positiva en algunas calificaciones y no representando una carga de trabajo adicional excesiva. Para los profesores y otros miembros del equipo del proyecto también ha supuesto una experiencia gratificante y el material generado puede ahora tener múltiples aplicaciones docentes. Por lo tanto, está metodología se podrá seguir utilizando si los profesores así lo desean en las prácticas de las asignaturas en las que haya presentado mayor utilidad.Depto. de Microbiología y ParasitologíaFac. de FarmaciaFALSEsubmitte

The EPICTER score: a bedside and easy tool to predict mortality at 6 months in acute heart failure

Aims: Estimating the prognosis in heart failure (HF) is important to decide when to refer to palliative care (PC). Our objective was to develop a tool to identify the probability of death within 6 months in patients admitted with acute HF. Methods and results: A total of 2848 patients admitted with HF in 74 Spanish hospitals were prospectively included and followed for 6 months. Each factor independently associated with death in the derivation cohort (60% of the sample) was assigned a prognostic weight, and a risk score was calculated. The accuracy of the score was verified in the validation cohort. The characteristics of the population were as follows: advanced age (mean 78 years), equal representation of men and women, significant comorbidity, and predominance of HF with preserved ejection fraction. During follow-up, 753 patients (26%) died. Seven independent predictors of mortality were identified: age, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cognitive impairment, New York Heart Association class III-IV, chronic kidney disease, estimated survival of the patient less than 6 months, and acceptance of a palliative approach by the family or the patient. The area under the ROC curve for 6 month death was 0.74 for the derivation and 0.68 for the validation cohort. The model showed good calibration (Hosmer and Lemeshow test, P value 0.11). The 6 month death rates in the score groups ranged from 6% (low risk) to 54% (very high risk). Conclusions: The EPICTER score, developed from a prospective and unselected cohort, is a bedside and easy-to-use tool that could help to identify high-risk patients requiring PC

Determination of Foetal Scalp Blood Sampling pH as an Indicator of Loss of Foetal Well-Being in Women Undergoing Caesarean Section

Asphyxia during birth is one of the three leading causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality among newborns carried to term. The objective of this study was to evaluate the measurement of the foetal scalp blood pH as a measure of foetal status, evaluating: cord gases, meconium-stained fluid, APGAR score or the need for neonatal resuscitation in pregnant women undergoing caesarean sections. A cross-sectional study was carried out over a period of 5 years (2017–2021) at the Hospital de Poniente (southern Spain). A total of 127 pregnant women participated from whom a foetal scalp blood pH sample was taken and used to indicate the need for an urgent caesarean section. The results showed a correlation between the pH of the scalp blood and the pH of the umbilical cord artery, umbilical cord vein (Rho of Spearman arterial pH: 0.64, p < 0.001; Rho of Spearman venous pH: 0.58, p < 0.001) and the APGAR test one minute after delivery (Spearman’s Rho coefficient of 0.33, p < 0.01). These results suggest that the foetal scalp pH should not be considered a foolproof method to indicate an urgent caesarean section. Foetal scalp pH sampling can be used as a complementary test, in conjunction with cardiotocography, to indicate whether an emergency caesarean section is necessary due to loss of foetal well-being

Executive summary. diagnosis, treatment and prophylaxis of influenza virus infection. Consensus statement of the Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (SEIMC), the Spanish Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases (SEIP), the Spanish Association of Vaccinology (AEV), the Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine (SEMFYC) and the Spanish Society of Preventive Medicine, Public Health and Health Management (SEMPSPGS)

[spa] El virus de la gripe ha acompañado al ser humano desde tiempo inmemorial, en forma de epidemias anuales y pandemias ocasionales. Se trata de una infección respiratoria con múltiples repercusiones sobre la vida de las personas a nivel individual y social, así como una importante sobrecarga para el sistema sanitario. El presente documento de consenso surge de la colaboración de diversas sociedades científicas españolas implicadas en la atención de la infección por virus de la gripe. Las conclusiones extraídas se han fundamentado en las evidencias de mayor calidad disponibles en la literatura científica y, en su defecto, en la opinión de los expertos convocados. En el documento de consenso se abordan los aspectos clínicos, microbiológicos, terapéuticos y preventivos (respecto de la prevención de la transmisión y en relación con la vacunación) de la gripe, tanto para población pediátrica como para adultos. Este documento de consenso pretende ayudar a facilitar el abordaje clínico, microbiológico y preventivo de la infección por virus de la gripe y, consecuentemente, a disminuir sus importantes consecuencias sobre la morbimortalidad de la población.[eng]The influenza virus has accompanied humans since time immemorial, in the form of annual epidemics and occasional pandemics. It is a respiratory infection with multiple repercussions on people's lives at an individual and social level, as well as representing a significant burden on the health system. This Consensus Document arises from the collaboration of various Spanish scientific societies involved in influenza virus infection. The conclusions drawn are based on the highest quality evidence available in the scientific literature and, failing that, on the opinion of the experts convened. The Consensus Document addresses the clinical, microbiological, therapeutic, and preventive aspects (with respect to the prevention of transmission and in relation to vaccination) of influenza, for both adult and pediatric populations. This Consensus Document aims to help facilitate the clinical, microbiological, and preventive approach to influenza virus infection and, consequently, to reduce its important consequences on the morbidity and mortality of the population