A PCR-based method for discriminating between high molecular weight glutenin subunits Bx7 and Bx7* in Triticum aestivum L

The correct assignment of high molecular weight glutenin subunit variants is a key task in wheat breeding. However, the traditional analysis by protein electrophoresis is sometimes difficult and not very precise. This work describes a novel DNA marker for the accurate discrimination between the Glu-B1 locus subunits Bx7 and Bx7*. The analysis of one hundred and forty two bread wheat cultivars from different countries has highlighted a great number of misclassifications in the literature that could lead to wrong conclusions in studies of the relationship between glutenin composition and wheat quality

Time Series Heterogeneous Co-execution on CPU+GPU

Time series motif (similarities) and discords discovery is one of the most important and challenging problems nowadays for time series analytics. We use an algorithm called “scrimp” that excels in collecting the relevant information of time series by reducing the computational complexity of the searching. Starting from the sequential algorithm we develop parallel alternatives based on a variety of scheduling policies that target different computing devices in a system that integrates a CPU multicore and an embedded GPU. These policies are named Dynamic -using Intel TBB- and Static -using C++11 threads- when targeting the CPU, and they are compared to a heterogeneous adaptive approach named LogFit -using Intel TBB and OpenCL- when targeting the co-execution on the CPU and GPU.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Wearable sensors for measuring movement in short sessions of mindfulness sitting meditation: A pilot study

Mindfulness techniques are useful tools in health and well-being. To improve and facilitate formal training, beginners need to know if they are in a stable sitting posture and if they can hold it. Previous monitoring studies did not consider stability during sitting meditation or were specific for longer traditional practices. In this paper, we have extended and adapted previous studies to modern mindfulness practices and posed two questions: (a) Which is the best meditation seat for short sessions? In this way, the applications of stability measures are expanded to meditation activities, in which the sitting posture favors stability, and (b) Which is the most sensitive location of an accelerometer to measure body motion during short meditation sessions? A pilot study involving 31 volunteers was conducted using inertial sensors. The results suggest that thumb, head, or infraclavicular locations can be chosen to measure stability despite the habitual lumbar or sacral region found in the literature. Another important finding of this study is that zafus, chairs, and meditation benches are suitable for short meditation sessions in a sitting posture, although the zafu seems to allow for fewer postural changes. This finding opens new opportunities to design very simple and comfortable measuring systems

Explotando el nuevo módulo OpenCL de Intel TBB

Este artículo tiene como objetivo contribuir al desarrollo de la programación paralela trabajando en una de las herramientas desarrolladas por Intel: Intel Threading Building Blocks (Intel TBB). Hemos implementado una versión paralela de la aplicación ViVid, un algoritmo de detección de objetos, aprovechando la librería Flow Graph de TBB. En la última versión de esta librería se soporta un nuevo tipo de nodos que simplifica la ejecución de kernels OpenCL. Estos nodos OpenCL_node han simplificado la codificación de nuestro algoritmo para aprovechar al mismo tiempo tanto la CPU como la GPU. A la vista de los resultados obtenidos, podemos concluir que nuestra implementación heterogénea con Flow Graph y OpenCL_node mejora en gran medida a desarrollos anteriores, debido principalmente a explotar la técnica de zero-copy buffer entre GPU y CPU, en vez de lectura y escritura de buffers.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. Proyecto TIN2016-80920-R del Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitivida

The Gut Microbiota and Its Implication in the Development of Atherosclerosis and Related Cardiovascular Diseases

Julio Plaza-Díaz is part of the “UGR Plan Propio de Investigación 2016” and the “Excellence actions: Unit of Excellence on Exercise and Health (UCEES), University of Granada”. We are grateful to Belen Vazquez-Gonzalez for assistance with the illustration service.The importance of gut microbiota in health and disease is being highlighted by numerous research groups worldwide. Atherosclerosis, the leading cause of heart disease and stroke, is responsible for about 50% of all cardiovascular deaths. Recently, gut dysbiosis has been identified as a remarkable factor to be considered in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). In this review, we briefly discuss how external factors such as dietary and physical activity habits influence host-microbiota and atherogenesis, the potential mechanisms of the influence of gut microbiota in host blood pressure and the alterations in the prevalence of those bacterial genera affecting vascular tone and the development of hypertension. We will also be examining the microbiota as a therapeutic target in the prevention of CVDs and the beneficial mechanisms of probiotic administration related to cardiovascular risks. All these new insights might lead to novel analysis and CVD therapeutics based on the microbiota

Comparison of Several Algorithms to Estimate Activity Counts with Smartphones as an Indication of Physical Activity Level

Background Dedicated devices like GT3X+, Actical or ActivPal have been widely used to measure physical activity (PA) levels by using cut-points on activity counts. However, the calculation of activity counts relies on proprietary software. Since smartphones incorporate accelerometers they are suitable candidates to determine PA levels in a wider population. Objective Our aim was to compare several algorithms so that smartphones can reproduce the results obtained with GT3X+. The influence of smartphone location was also investigated. Methods Volunteers participated in the experiment performing several activities carrying two smartphones (hip and pocket) and one GT3X+ (hip). Four algorithms (A1–A4) were considered to obtain GT3X+ counts from smartphone accelerometer signals. A1 was based on a traditional filtering on temporal domain and a posterior calculation of the area under the curve. A2 was based on computing histograms of acceleration values, which were used as independent variables in a standard linear regression procedure. A3 also used a linear regression, but in this case the independent variables were power spectrum bands, leading to a kind of filtering in the frequency domain. A4 was based on a direct measure of area under the rectified curve of the raw accelerometer signal. Performance was measured in terms of raw activity counts or the corresponding PA level classification. The influence of the algorithm was tested with a Quade test. Multiple comparisons were performed with Wilcoxon test with Bonferroni's correction. Besides, battery consumption was also measured as a secondary parameter. The output of the selected algorithm was compared with GT3X+ counts using correlation (pearson and spearman) and agreement (Intra-Class Coefficient, ICC and Bland–Altmann plots for raw counts, and weighted kappa for activity levels). Several experimental conditions regarding smartphone location were compared with Wilcoxon tests. Results Thirty-two volunteers participated in the experiment. More refined algorithms based on filtering techniques did not prove to achieve better performance than A2 or A4. In terms of classification of PA level, A4 got the lowest error rate, although in some cases the differences with other algorithms were not statistically significant (p-value > 0.05). A4 is also the simplest and the one that implies less battery depletion. The comparison of A4 with GT3X+ gave good agreement () and correlation () for raw counts and good agreement when classifying four or two PA levels ( or 0.923 respectively). Besides, in real situations, activity classification into four levels was significantly improved () if data from several body locations were used to find model parameters. Conclusions Simple algorithms can reproduce the results of GT3X+. Thus, smartphones could be used to control the fulfillment of PA recommendations previously validated with cut-points. However, it must be acknowledged that accelerometers are not the gold standard to measure PA

Análisis y Diseño de la Migración de la Red Actual de Cobre, en la Ruta 13 de la Central Norte de CNT en la Ciudad de Guayaquil, a una Red de Fibra Óptica

El proyecto tiene como finalidad la migración de la red actual de cobre, en la Ruta 13 de la Central Norte de la Corporación Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (CNT) en la ciudad de Guayaquil, a una red de fibra óptica. Por ello se realiza un análisis de la red actual de cobre; comprendiendo en su totalidad el escenario de trabajo, abarcando el estado de la red, su estructura, tecnología, servicios, demanda del sector y su requerimiento de expansión. En segundo lugar, un estudio sobre fibra óptica como medio de transmisión en las telecomunicaciones y su respectiva tecnología de implementación PON. Posterior a ello se presenta el diseño la nueva red GPON - FTTH como óptima solución de implementación de fibra óptica para la Ruta 13 junto a una presentación de resultados y simulaciones que aseguran el correcto funcionamiento del diseño propuesto. Finalmente se expone un análisis financiero del proyecto verificando de forma económica la rentabilidad tras la implantación del mismo.This paper presents the migration of the current copper network of the Route 13, in North Central of Telecommunications National Corporation (CNT) in the city of Guayaquil, to a fiber optic network. For it is performed an analysis of the current copper network; realizing in full the stage of work, encompassing the network status, structure, technology, services, demands and expansion requirements. Secondly, a study on fiber optic as the transmission medium in telecommunications and its respective PON implementation technology. Following this, the design presenting the new GPON – FTTH network as the optimal solution deployment as fiber optic for the Route 13 along with a presentation of results and simulations that ensure proper operation of the proposed design. Finally, it is exposed a financial analysis of the project verifying economically profitability after the implementation of it