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Food security is threatened by climate change and associated abiotic stresses that affect the flowering stage and the biochemistry of flowers and fruits. In tomato, managed insect pollination and grafting elite tomato varieties onto robust rootstocks are widely practiced commercially to enhance tomato crop profitability, particularly under suboptimal conditions. However, little is known about rootstock–pollinator interactions and their impact on the chemical composition of fruit. In this study, a commercial tomato F1 hybrid (Solanum lycopersicum L.) was self-grafted and grafted onto a set of experimental rootstocks and cultivated under optimal and saline (75 mM NaCl) conditions in the presence of managed bumblebee pollinators (Bombus terrestris). The number of visits (VN) and total visiting time (TVT) by pollinators to different grafted plants were monitored through an RFID (radio-frequency identification) tracking system, while targeted metabolites (hormones, sugars, and organic and amino acids) and mineral composition were analyzed in the fruit juice by UHPLC-MS and ICP-OES, respectively. Pollinator foraging decisions were influenced by the rootstocks genotype and salinity treatment. Experimental rootstocks predominantly increased pollinator attraction compared to the self-grafted variety. Interestingly, the pollinator parameters were positively associated with the concentration of abscisic acid, salicylic acid, malate and fumarate, and tyrosine in salinized fruits. Moreover, a high accumulation of sodium was detected in the fruits of the plants most visited by pollinators, while rootstock genotype-specific responses were found for nitrogen and potassium concentrations. In addition to the known effect on yield, these findings underscore the synergic interactions between rootstocks, pollinators, and environmental stressors on tomato fruit composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metallum Fire-Resistant paint, denoted as MFR henceforth, represents a cutting-edge insulating material with dual functionality as a fireproof solution, presenting substantial advantages in the realm of construction applications. This exposition derives its primary insights from the scholarly contributions documented in publications. The focal point of these investigations includes the assessment of fire hazards associated with polyethylene materials in building structures and the enhancement of mortars in high-temperature environments in tunnels. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a modified cork-based coating (MFR) compared to traditional coatings in terms of corrosion protection, fire resistance, and thermal insulation properties in construction applications. This evaluation focuses on quantifying the efficacy of MFR by examining key properties, such as adhesion, the reduced thickness required for fire protection, thermal conductivity reduction, and corrosion resistance under extreme environmental conditions. MFR is highly effective in fire prevention for buildings and tunnels, withstanding temperatures over 1000 °C while maintaining structural integrity. A unique aspect of MFR is its use of cork shavings, a typically underutilized byproduct from wine-bottle-stopper production. This innovative not only amplifies MFR's fire-resistant attributes, but also introduces sustainability and judicious resource utilization into its manufacturing processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: SmartAction-VR uses virtual reality to simulate daily life tasks and assess cognitive performance based on the multi-errand paradigm. This study explored whether this new task could provide insights into the executive functioning of children and adolescents with ADHD in their everyday activities. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2021 and December 2022. It consisted of one session and was divided into two parts (cognitive tests; and SmartAction-VR). The sample comprised 76 children and adolescents with a median age (IQR) of 13 (11–14) years and an age range of 9–17 years. Of these participants, 60.50% (n = 46) were males. Out of this sample, 40 participants were in the ADHD group and 36 were in the neurotypical group. The following instruments were used: Waisman Activities of Daily Living Scale, Assessment of Sensory Processing and Executive Functioning, Pediatric Simulator Disease Questionnaire, Digit span subtest, Stroop test, NEPSY-II Subtest of Auditory Attention and Cognitive Flexibility, Trail Making Test, Zoo Map Test, and SmartAction-VR. Results: The ADHD group demonstrated lower accuracy (U = 406, p = 0.010), higher values for total errors (U = 292, p = 0.001), more commissions (U = 417, p = 0.003), new actions (U = 470, p = 0.014), and forgetting actions (U = 406, p = 0.010), as well as fewer perseverations compared to the neurotypical group (U = 540.5, p = 0.029). Additionally, participants who forgot more actions were found to have lower independence in daily life (r = −0.281, p = 0.024). Conclusions: The correlations between the results of SmartAction-VR and activities of daily living, as well as cognitive tests, suggest that this new task could be useful for evaluating executive functioning in daily life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we have verified how non-destructive ultrasonic evaluation allows for acoustically characterizing different varieties of wine. For this, a 3.5 MHz transducer has been used by means of an immersion technique in pulse-echo mode. The tests were performed at various temperatures in the range 14–18 °C. The evaluation has been carried out studying, on the one hand, conventional analysis parameters (velocity and attenuation) and, on the other, less conventional parameters (frequency components). The experimental study comprised two stages. In the first, the feasibility of the study was checked by inspecting twelve samples belonging to six varieties of red and white wine. The results showed clearly higher ultrasonic propagation velocity values in the red wine samples. In the second, nine samples of different monovarietal wine varieties (Grenache, Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon) were analyzed. The results show how ultrasonic velocity makes it possible to unequivocally classify the grape variety used in winemaking with the Cabernet Sauvignon variety having the highest values and the Grenache the lowest. In addition, the wines of the Tempranillo variety are those that present higher values of the attenuation coefficient, and those from the Grenache variety transmit higher frequency waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cough is a frequent symptom in many common respiratory diseases and is considered a predictor of early exacerbation or even disease progression. Continuous cough monitoring offers valuable insights into treatment effectiveness, aiding healthcare providers in timely intervention to prevent exacerbations and hospitalizations. Objective cough monitoring methods have emerged as superior alternatives to subjective methods like questionnaires. In recent years, cough has been monitored using wearable devices equipped with microphones. However, the discrimination of cough sounds from background noise has been shown a particular challenge. This study aimed to demonstrate the effectiveness of single-axis acceleration signals combined with state-of-the-art deep learning (DL) algorithms to distinguish intentional coughing from sounds like speech, laugh, or throat noises. Various DL methods (recurrent, convolutional, and deep convolutional neural networks) combined with one- and two-dimensional time and time–frequency representations, such as the signal envelope, kurtogram, wavelet scalogram, mel, Bark, and the equivalent rectangular bandwidth spectrum (ERB) spectrograms, were employed to identify the most effective approach. The optimal strategy, which involved the SqueezeNet model in conjunction with wavelet scalograms, yielded an accuracy and precision of 92.21% and 95.59%, respectively. The proposed method demonstrated its potential for cough monitoring. Future research will focus on validating the system in spontaneous coughing of subjects with respiratory diseases under natural ambulatory conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicosis caused by engineered stone (ES-silicosis) is an emerging worldwide issue characterized by inflammation and fibrosis in the lungs. To our knowledge, only a few reports have investigated leukocyte/lymphocyte subsets in ES-silicosis patients. The present study was designed to explore the proportions of the main lymphocyte subsets in ES-silicosis patients stratified into two groups, one with simple silicosis (SS) and the other with a more advanced state of the disease, defined as progressive massive fibrosis (PMF). The proportions of B (memory and plasmablasts) cells, T (helper, cytotoxic, regulatory) cells, and natural killer (NK) (regulatory and cytotoxic) cells were investigated by multiparameter flow cytometry in 91 ES-silicosis patients (53 SS patients and 38 PMF patients) and 22 healthy controls (HC). Although the total number of leukocytes did not differ between the groups studied, lymphopenia was observed in patients compared to healthy controls. Compared with those in healthy controls, the proportions of memory B cells, naïve helper T cells, and the CD4+/CD8+ T cells' ratio in the peripheral blood of patients with silicosis were significantly decreased, while the percentages of plasma cells, memory helper T cells, and regulatory T cells were significantly increased. For the NK cell subsets, no significant differences were found between the groups studied. These results revealed altered cellular immune processes in the peripheral blood of patients with ES-silicosis and provided further insight into silicosis pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Q fever is an infectious disease caused by Coxiella burnetii that can affect both humans and animals. Given its consequences and the lack of epidemiological data published about its distribution and risk factors, we aimed to evaluate the prevalence of Coxiella burnetii at dairy farms in the northwest of Spain, identify which risk factors favor its occurrence, and the consequences on reproductive performance at the farm level. Bulk tank milk samples were collected from 262 farms and analyzed to identify antibodies against this bacterium. Additionally, data about potential risk factors and reproductive performance were obtained. A total of 60.1% of the farms tested positive for coxiellosis, and the main risk factors were the herd size, the purchase of livestock, and the geographical area. Additionally, conception rate and first-service conception rates were lower in positive farms, which also tended to have higher incidence of reproductive disorders after calving. Q fever is a zoonotic disease that has been associated with reproductive problems in animals. As there is little epidemiological data regarding the distribution and risk factors of this disorder in cattle, the objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of Coxiella burnetii among dairy herds in the northwest of Spain, and to determine the on-farm risk factors associated with the disease and its effects on reproductive performance. Bulk tank milk (BTM) samples were collected from 262 commercial dairy herds from A Coruña, Lugo, and Pontevedra provinces. Data about location, mean age, and herd management features were obtained. A commercial indirect ELISA kit was used to determine the presence of antibodies against C. burnetii in BTM samples. The relationship between seropositivity to C. burnetii and the risk factors was checked using a Pearson's χ2 test and a classification tree analysis. In addition, a one-way ANOVA test and the Mann–Whitney U test were used to check the impact of seropositivity to C. burnetii on reproductive performance. A total of 60.1% of the farms tested positive for coxiellosis, the herd size, the external purchase of livestock, and the geographical area were identified as the main risk factors. Conception rate and first-service conception rate were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in positive farms (37.1 and 32.9%) compared to negative farms (39.8 and 36.1%). Similarly, positive farms had significant higher incidence of endometritis (13.7% vs. 11.2%, p < 0.05). Consequently, a high seropositivity and slightly negative effects of coxiellosis on reproductive performance were observed, which intensifies the need for further research, including the identification an active infection in positive herds and the characterization of the genotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to non-destructively characterize samples of fresh beef loin by low-intensity ultrasound inspection at various frequencies and to correlate the acoustic parameters of these inspections with quality parameters. In this regard, ultrasonic parameters such as ultrasound pulse velocity (UPV) and variables related to attenuation and frequency components obtained from fast Fourier transform (FFT) were considered. For this, pulsed ultrasonic signal transducers with a frequency of 0.5 and 1.0 MHz were used. Acoustic parameters and those obtained through traditional instrumental analyses (physicochemical and texture) underwent a Pearson correlation analysis. The acoustic determinations revealed numerous significant correlations with the rest of the studied parameters. The results demonstrate that ultrasonic inspection has the ability to characterize samples with a non-destructive nature, and likewise, this methodology can be postulated as a promising predictive tool for determining quality parameters in beef loin samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The parametric design applied to the built environment is critical to creating sustainable and resilient spaces. However, this research field involves a vast and complex amount of disconnected information. Therefore, this paper aims to analyse research trends in applying parametric design to optimise sustainability and environmental ergonomics parameters in built environments. The following specific objectives are identified to meet this objective: (i) a quantitative analysis based on a systematic literature review; (ii) a qualitative review based on a performance analysis and scientific mapping; and (iii) a comparative analysis of case studies applying parametric language for the optimisation of sustainability and environmental ergonomics parameters. The 1045 research records covering 1974 to 2021 illustrate a field in development that evolves from early digital advances to climate change adaptations, the circular economy and resilience. It highlights the importance of applying bioclimatic techniques in the built environment, identifying the most optimised measures and encouraging the creation of guidelines to serve as a protocol for future studies, contributing to the existing body of knowledge by highlighting trends, establishing research themes, outlining research networks and suggesting areas for further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) plays a crucial role in brain water circulation and is considered a therapeutic target in hydrocephalus. Congenital hydrocephalus is associated with a reaction of astrocytes in the periventricular white matter both in experimental models and human cases. A previous report showed that bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) transplanted into the lateral ventricles of hyh mice exhibiting severe congenital hydrocephalus are attracted by the periventricular astrocyte reaction, and the cerebral tissue displays recovery. The present investigation aimed to test the effect of BM-MSC treatment on astrocyte reaction formation. BM-MSCs were injected into the lateral ventricles of four-day-old hyh mice, and the periventricular reaction was detected two weeks later. A protein expression analysis of the cerebral tissue differentiated the BM-MSC-treated mice from the controls and revealed effects on neural development. In in vivo and in vitro experiments, BM-MSCs stimulated the generation of periventricular reactive astrocytes overexpressing AQP4 and its regulatory protein kinase D-interacting substrate of 220 kDa (Kidins220). In the cerebral tissue, mRNA overexpression of nerve growth factor (NGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF1α), and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFβ1) could be related to the regulation of the astrocyte reaction and AQP4 expression. In conclusion, BM-MSC treatment in hydrocephalus can stimulate a key developmental process such as the periventricular astrocyte reaction, where AQP4 overexpression could be implicated in tissue recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The project proposal for the Desierto de los Leones tunnels in the Poetas Highway in Mexico aims to improve the excavation and support systems and evaluate the safety levels during construction. The design is based on geological and geotechnical information from the original project and can be approached using various methods, including numerical simulations. The article includes a summary of the lithological characteristics, a reinterpretation of geotechnical properties, a description of new construction procedures, and the results of calculations using the finite data differences method. The proposed project aims to improve the safety and stability of the tunnels through advanced construction technologies and adapted procedures, generated by a redesign and the scientific application of new techniques developed for this project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineered stone silicosis has become an occupational epidemic disease that progresses rapidly to progressive massive fibrosis with respiratory failure and death, and there is no effective treatment. Silica deposition in the lung triggers a series of inflammatory reactions with the participation of multiple cytokines and cellular mediators whose role in the development and progression of the disease is largely unknown. We hypothesized that differences in plasma cytokine levels exist between patients diagnosed with simple silicosis (SS) and patients diagnosed with progressive massive fibrosis (PMF). Plasma samples from 91 ES silicosis patients, diagnosed and classified by chest radiography and/or high-resolution computed tomography with SS (n = 53) and PMF (n = 38), were assayed by multiplex assays for levels of 34 cytokines. Additionally, a healthy volunteer control group (n = 22) was included. Plasma levels of a high number of cytokines were significantly higher in subjects with silicosis than in healthy control subjects. Moreover, the levels of IL-1RA, IL-8, IL-10, IL-16, IL-18, TNF-α, MIP-1α, G-CSF and VEGF were significantly elevated in PMF compared to SS patients. This study shows that plasma cytokine levels differ between healthy people and silicosis patients, and some of them are also significantly elevated in patients with PMF compared with patients with SS, which could indicate their involvement in the severity of the disease, be considered as biomarkers and could be explored as future therapeutic targets for the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global challenges regarding sustainability and the guarantee of minimum habitability requirements have led to the transformation of construction practices, where research has failed to achieve sufficient dissemination and findings. The purpose of this research is to promote sustainable and resilient patterns in construction in vulnerable neighbourhoods in emerging countries by disseminating techniques and mechanisms through in situ transfer workshops and by raising awareness of the environmental importance of construction. Regarding materials and methods, this paper contributes innovative insights by combining training workshops and awareness-raising sessions to promote both environmental education and sustainable and optimised habits in construction. These methods are applied and tested in a real case study in El Salvador. Subsequent to carrying out a multi-disciplinary assessment analysis, the outcomes and results have led to the design of prototypes that have obtained a global EDGE certificate on sustainable construction and efficient use of resources once the users' testimonies, weaknesses, and strengths have been addressed. The conclusions indicate that families, volunteers, and technical workers need to be trained by promoting environmental awareness in social housing and establishing a plan for dissemination to communicate across universities and public and private institutions in order to replicate guidelines across American dry-corridor countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shape-memory polymers tend to present rigid behavior at ambient temperature, being unable to deform in this state. To obtain soft shape-memory elastomers, composites based on a commercial rubber crosslinked by both ionic and covalent bonds were developed, as these materials do not lose their elastomeric behavior below their transition (or activation) temperature (using ionic transition for such a purpose). The introduction of fillers, such as carbon black and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), was studied and compared with the unfilled matrix. By adding contents above 10 phr of MWCNT, shape-memory properties were enhanced by 10%, achieving fixing and recovery ratios above 90% and a faster response. Moreover, by adding these fillers, the conductivity of the materials increased from ~10−11 to ~10−4 S·cm−1, allowing the possibility to activate the shape-memory effect with an electric current, based on the heating of the material by the Joule effect, achieving a fast and clean stimulus requiring only a current source of 50 V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of differential fault analysis (DFA) techniques and mechanisms to inject faults into cryptographic circuits brings with it the need to use protection mechanisms that guarantee the expected level of security. The AES cipher, as a standard, has been the target of numerous DFA techniques, where its security has been compromised through different formulations and types of fault injections. These attacks have shown vulnerabilities of different AES implementations and building blocks. Consequently, several solutions have been proposed that provide additional protection to cover the identified vulnerabilities. In this paper, an extensive analysis has been carried out covering the existing fault injection techniques, the types of faults, and the requirements needed to apply DFA. Additionally, an analysis of the countermeasures reported in the literature is also presented, considering the protection provided, the type of faults considered, and the coverage against fault attacks. The eight different types of fault that allow us to perform DFAs on the AES cipher have been differentiated, as well as the vulnerabilities of the cipher. On the other hand, two comparisons have been made considering frequency penalty vs. area and fault coverage vs. area and frequency overhead. A metric has been proposed to compare the fault coverage of all the proposed solutions. To conclude, a final analysis is presented discussing the key aspects when choosing a particular solution and the possible development of new countermeasures to provide further protection against DFA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urban setting is a challenging environment for GNSS receivers. Multipath and other anomalies typically increase the positioning error of the receiver. Moreover, the error estimate of the position is often unreliable. In this study, we detect GNSS trajectory anomalies by using similarity comparison methods between a pedestrian dead reckoning trajectory, recorded using a foot-mounted inertial measurement unit, and the corresponding GNSS trajectory. During a normal walk, the foot-mounted inertial dead reckoning setup is trustworthy up to a few tens of meters. Thus, the differing GNSS trajectory can be detected using form similarity comparison methods. Of the eight tested methods, the Hausdorff distance (HD) and the accumulated distance difference (ADD) give slightly more consistent detection results compared to the rest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of indoor positioning solutions using smartphones is a growing activity with an enormous potential for everyday life and professional applications. The research activities on this topic concentrate on the development of new positioning solutions that are tested in specific environments under their own evaluation metrics. To explore the real positioning quality of smartphone-based solutions and their capabilities for seamlessly adapting to different scenarios, it is needed to find fair evaluation frameworks. The design of competitions using extensive pre-recorded datasets is a valid way to generate open data for comparing the different solutions created by research teams. In this paper, we discuss the details of the 2017 IPIN indoor localization competition, the different datasets created, the teams participating in the event, and the results they obtained. We compare these results with other competition-based approaches (Microsoft and Perf-loc) and on-line evaluation web sites. The lessons learned by organising these competitions and the benefits for the community are addressed along the paper. Our analysis paves the way for future developments on the standardization of evaluations and for creating a widely-adopted benchmark strategy for researchers and companies in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In GPS-denied indoor environments, localization and tracking of people can be achieved with a mobile device such as a smartphone by processing the received signal strength (RSS) of RF signals emitted from known location beacons (anchor nodes), combined with Pedestrian Dead Reckoning (PDR) estimates of the user motion. An enhacement of this localization technique is feasible if the users themselves carry additional RF emitters (mobile nodes), and the cooperative position estimates of a group of persons incorporate the RSS measurements exchanged between users. We propose a centralized cooperative particle filter (PF) formulation over the joint state of all users that permits to process RSS measurements from both anchor and mobile emitters, as well as PDR motion estimates and map information (if available) to increase the overall positioning accuracy, particularly in regions with low density of anchor nodes. Smartphones are used as a convenient mobile platform for sensor measurements acquisition, low-level processing, and data transmission to a central unit, where cooperative localization processing takes place. The cooperative method is experimentally demonstrated with four users moving in an area of 1600 m2, with 7 anchor nodes comprised of active RFID (radio frequency identification) tags, and additional mobile tags carried by each user. Due to the limited coverage provided by the anchor beacons, RSS-based individual localization is inaccurate (6.1 m median error), but this improves to 4.9 m median error with the cooperative PF. Further gains are produced if the PDR information is added to the filter: median error of 3.1 m (individual) and 2.6 m (cooperative); and if map information is also considered, the results are 1.8 m (individual) and 1.6 m (cooperative). Thus, for each version of the particle filter, cooperative localization outperforms individual localization in terms of positioning accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the analysis and discussion of the off-site localization competition track, which took place during the Seventh International Conference on Indoor Positioning and Indoor Navigation (IPIN 2016). Five international teams proposed different strategies for smartphone-based indoor positioning using the same reference data. The competitors were provided with several smartphone-collected signal datasets, some of which were used for training (known trajectories), and others for evaluating (unknown trajectories). The competition permits a coherent evaluation method of the competitors’ estimations, where inside information to fine-tune their systems is not offered, and thus provides, in our opinion, a good starting point to introduce a fair comparison between the smartphone-based systems found in the literature. The methodology, experience, feedback from competitors and future working lines are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature control and its prediction has turned into a research challenge for the knowledge of the planet and its effects on different human activities and this will assure, in conjunction with energy efficiency, a sustainable development reducing CO2 emissions and fuel consumption. This work tries to offer a practical solution to temperature forecast and control, which has been traditionally carried out by specialized institutes. For the accomplishment of temperature estimation, a score fusion block based on Artificial Neural Networks was used. The dataset is composed by data from a meteorological station, using 20,000 temperature values and 10,000 samples of several meteorological parameters. Thus, the complexity of the traditional forecasting models is resolved. As a result, a practical system has been obtained, reaching a mean squared error of 0.136 °C for short period of time prediction and 5 °C for large period of time prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medium-cost devices equipped with sensors are being developed to get 3D measurements. Some allow for generating geometric models and point clouds. Nevertheless, the accuracy of these measurements should be evaluated, taking into account the requirements of the Building Information Model (BIM). This paper analyzes the uncertainty in outdoor/indoor three-dimensional coordinate measures and point clouds (using Spherical Accuracy Standard (SAS) methods) for Eyes Map, a medium-cost tablet manufactured by e-Capture Research & Development Company, Mérida, Spain. To achieve it, in outdoor tests, by means of this device, the coordinates of targets were measured from 1 to 6 m and cloud points were obtained. Subsequently, these were compared to the coordinates of the same targets measured by a Total Station. The Euclidean average distance error was 0.005-0.027 m for measurements by Photogrammetry and 0.013-0.021 m for the point clouds. All of them satisfy the tolerance for point cloud acquisition (0.051 m) according to the BIM Guide for 3D Imaging (General Services Administration); similar results are obtained in the indoor tests, with values of 0.022 m. In this paper, we establish the optimal distances for the observations in both, Photogrammetry and 3D Photomodeling modes (outdoor) and point out some working conditions to avoid in indoor environments. Finally, the authors discuss some recommendations for improving the performance and working methods of the device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how inertial Pedestrian Dead-Reckoning (PDR) location systems can be improved with the use of a light sensor to measure the illumination gradients created when a person walks under ceiling-mounted unmodified indoor lights. The process of updating the inertial PDR estimates with the information provided by light detections is a new concept that we have named Light-matching (LM). The displacement and orientation change of a person obtained by inertial PDR is used by the LM method to accurately propagate the location hypothesis, and vice versa; the LM approach benefits the PDR approach by obtaining an absolute localization and reducing the PDR-alone drift. Even from an initially unknown location and orientation, whenever the person passes below a switched-on light spot, the location likelihood is iteratively updated until it potentially converges to a unimodal probability density function. The time to converge to a unimodal position hypothesis depends on the number of lights detected and the asymmetries/irregularities of the spatial distribution of lights. The proposed LM method does not require any intensity illumination calibration, just the pre-storage of the position and size of all lights in a building, irrespective of their current on/off state. This paper presents a detailed description of the light-matching concept, the implementation details of the LM-assisted PDR fusion scheme using a particle filter, and several simulated and experimental tests, using a light sensor-equipped Galaxy S3 smartphone and an external foot-mounted inertial sensor. The evaluation includes the LM-assisted PDR approach as well as the fusion with other signals of opportunity (WiFi, RFID, Magnetometers or Map-matching) in order to compare their contribution in obtaining high accuracy indoor localization. The integrated solution achieves a localization error lower than 1 m in most of the cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The localization of persons in indoor environments is nowadays an open problem. There are partial solutions based on the deployment of a network of sensors (Local Positioning Systems or LPS). Other solutions only require the installation of an inertial sensor on the person's body (Pedestrian Dead-Reckoning or PDR). PDR solutions integrate the signals coming from an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), which usually contains 3 accelerometers and 3 gyroscopes. The main problem of PDR is the accumulation of positioning errors due to the drift caused by the noise in the sensors. This paper presents a PDR solution that incorporates a drift correction method based on detecting the access ramps usually found in buildings. The ramp correction method is implemented over a PDR framework that uses an Inertial Navigation algorithm (INS) and an IMU attached to the person's foot. Unlike other approaches that use external sensors to correct the drift error, we only use one IMU on the foot. To detect a ramp, the slope of the terrain on which the user is walking, and the change in height sensed when moving forward, are estimated from the IMU. After detection, the ramp is checked for association with one of the existing in a database. For each associated ramp, a position correction is fed into the Kalman Filter in order to refine the INS-PDR solution. Drift-free localization is achieved with positioning errors below 2 meters for 1,000-meter-long routes in a building with a few ramps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

These days, mass-produced vehicles benefit from research on Intelligent Transportation System (ITS). One prime example of ITS is vehicle Cruise Control (CC), which allows it to maintain a pre-defined reference speed, to economize on fuel or energy consumption, to avoid speeding fines, or to focus all of the driver's attention on the steering of the vehicle. However, achieving efficient Cruise Control is not easy in roads or urban streets where sudden changes of the speed limit can happen, due to the presence of unexpected obstacles or maintenance work, causing, in inattentive drivers, traffic accidents. In this communication we present a new Infrastructure to Vehicles (I2V) communication and control system for intelligent speed control, which is based upon Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for identification of traffic signals on the road, and high accuracy vehicle speed measurement with a Hall effect-based sensor. A fuzzy logic controller, based on sensor fusion of the information provided by the I2V infrastructure, allows the efficient adaptation of the speed of the vehicle to the circumstances of the road. The performance of the system is checked empirically, with promising results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A well known problem for precise positioning in real environments is the presence of outliers in the measurement sample. Its importance is even bigger in ultrasound based systems since this technology needs a direct line of sight between emitters and receivers. Standard techniques for outlier detection in range based systems do not usually employ robust algorithms, failing when multiple outliers are present. The direct application of standard robust regression algorithms fails in static positioning (where only the current measurement sample is considered) in real ultrasound based systems mainly due to the limited number of measurements and the geometry effects. This paper presents a new robust algorithm, called RoPEUS, based on MM estimation, that follows a typical two-step strategy: 1) a high breakdown point algorithm to obtain a clean sample, and 2) a refinement algorithm to increase the accuracy of the solution. The main modifications proposed to the standard MM robust algorithm are a built in check of partial solutions in the first step (rejecting bad geometries) and the off-line calculation of the scale of the measurements. The algorithm is tested with real samples obtained with the 3D-LOCUS ultrasound localization system in an ideal environment without obstacles. These measurements are corrupted with typical outlying patterns to numerically evaluate the algorithm performance with respect to the standard parity space algorithm. The algorithm proves to be robust under single or multiple outliers, providing similar accuracy figures in all cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A complete course of prenatal corticosteroids reduces the possibility of morbimortality and neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Occasionally, it is not possible to initiate or complete the maturation regimen, and the preterm neonate is born in a non-tertiary hospital. This study aimed to assess the effects of a single dose of betamethasone within 3 h before delivery on serious outcomes (mortality and serious sequelae) and RDS in preterm neonates born in tertiary vs. non-tertiary hospitals. Materials and methods: Preterm neonates who were <35 weeks and ≤1500 g, treated during a period of five years in a level IIIC NICU, were included in this retrospective cohort study. Participants were divided into groups as follows: NM, non-matured; PM, partial maturation (one dose of betamethasone up to 3 h antepartum). They were further divided based on their place of birth (NICU-IIIC vs. non-tertiary hospitals). The morbimortality rates and the severity of neonatal RDS were evaluated. Results: A total of 76 preterm neonates were included. A decrease in serious outcomes was found in the PM group in comparison to the NM group (OR = 0.2; 95%CI (0.07–0.9)), as well as reduced need for mechanical ventilation (54% vs. 68%). The mean time between maternal admission and birth was similar in both cohorts. The mean time from the administration of betamethasone to delivery was 1 h in the PM cohort. With regard to births in NICU-IIIC, the PM group performed better in terms of serious outcomes (32% vs. 45%) and the duration of mechanical ventilation (117.75 vs. 132.18 h) compared to the NM group. In neonates born in non-tertiary hospitals with PM in comparison to the NM group, a trend towards a reduced serious outcome (28.5% vs. 62.2%) and a decreased need for mechanical ventilation (OR = 0.09; 95%CI (0.01–0.8)) and maximum FiO2 (p = 0.01) was observed. Conclusions: A single dose of betamethasone up to 3 h antepartum may reduce the rate of serious outcomes and the severity of neonatal RDS, especially in non-tertiary hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrasound inspection permits the characteristics of some foodstuffs to be determined easily and cheaply. This experimental study included the determination of various ultrasound parameters provided by the fast Fourier transform (FFT) which had not previously been considered in testing the physical properties of different varieties of honey. These parameters are practically independent of the criteria adopted for their calculation, unlike other ultrasound variables such as pulse velocity or attenuation whose determination can vary depending on those criteria. The study was carried out on four varieties of honey (Eucalyptus, Heather, Thyme, and Thousand Flowers) using 500-kHz transducers. A simultaneously performed honey texture analysis (Texture Profile Analysis-TPA) showed significant linear correlations between the ultrasound variables provided by FFT and the texture parameters. The FFT parameters distinguished between each of the four honey varieties studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In species that regenerate the injured spinal cord, the ependymal region is a source of new cells and a prominent coordinator of regeneration. In mammals, cells at the ependymal region proliferate in normal conditions and react after injury, but in humans, the central canal is lost in the majority of individuals from early childhood. It is replaced by a structure that does not proliferate after damage and is formed by large accumulations of ependymal cells, strong astrogliosis and perivascular pseudo-rosettes. We inform here of two additional mammals that lose the central canal during their lifetime: the Naked Mole-Rat (NMR, Heterocephalus glaber) and the mutant hyh (hydrocephalus with hop gait) mice. The morphological study of their spinal cords shows that the tissue substituting the central canal is not similar to that found in humans. In both NMR and hyh mice, the central canal is replaced by tissue reminiscent of normal lamina X and may include small groups of ependymal cells in the midline, partially resembling specific domains of the former canal. However, no features of the adult human ependymal remnant are found, suggesting that this structure is a specific human trait. In order to shed some more light on the mechanism of human central canal closure, we provide new data suggesting that canal patency is lost by delamination of the ependymal epithelium, in a process that includes apical polarity loss and the expression of signaling mediators involved in epithelial to mesenchymal transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high prevalence of falls and the enormous impact they have on the elderly population is a cause for concern. We aimed to develop a walking-monitor gait pattern (G-STRIDE) for older adults based on a 6-axis inertial measurement (IMU) with the application of pedestrian dead reckoning algorithms and tested its structural and clinical validity. A cross-sectional case–control study was conducted with 21 participants (11 fallers and 10 non-fallers). We measured gait using an IMU attached to the foot while participants walked around different grounds (indoor flooring, outdoor floor, asphalt, etc.). The G-STRIDE consisted of a portable inertial device that monitored the gait pattern and a mobile app for telematic clinical analysis. G-STRIDE made it possible to measure gait parameters under normal living conditions when walking without assessing the patient in the outpatient clinic. Moreover, we verified concurrent validity with convectional outcome measures using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and analyzed the differences between participants. G-STRIDE showed high estimation accuracy for the walking speed of the elderly and good concurrent validity compared to conventional measures (ICC = 0.69; p < 0.000). In conclusion, the developed inertial-based G-STRIDE can accurately classify older people with risk to fall with a significance as high as using traditional but more subjective clinical methods (gait speed, Timed Up and Go Test). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Firefighter's interventions under dense smoke and flames are hazardous and ideally need an efficient in-advance geo-located actuation plan. The existing communication and sensing technologies should be customized, optimized, and integrated to better know the conditions (flame locations, air condition) before and during the rescue team's interventions. In this paper, we propose a firefighter intervention architecture, which consists of several sensing devices (flame detectors, carbon dioxide air content) a navigation platform (an autonomous ground wheeled robot), and a communication/localization network (BLE IoT network) that can be used before and during an intervention in rescue or fire extinguishing missions even for indoor or confined spaces. The paper's key novelty presents our integrated solution, giving some key implementation details and an intensive experimentation campaign in two real firefighter scenarios with real controlled fires. Results carried out in these real indoor scenarios are presented to demonstrate the feasibility of the system. A fire detection system is proposed to improve fire focus in real time and moving in confined spaces with no visibility and physical references. The results obtained in the experimentation show the proposal's effectiveness in locating the fire focus's position and orientation reducing time and risk exposure. This kind of location-aware fire integrated systems would significantly impact the speed and security of first responder interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young people make intensive and varied use of social networks, which depends on individual differences and use motives. This study analyses the different ways in which young people use the main social media platforms and the role that gender, age and social class play in users' behaviour with a representative sample of young people aged 17–24 in the Community of Madrid (Spain) (N = 533). Women and the youngest people (17–19 years of age) used social networks more consistently. Instagram and Facebook were the most widely used social networks with greater diversity of use in the areas of sociability and entertainment. While women and the younger age group spent more time using Instagram, young people from the upper class and upper-middle class used Facebook more often in a variety of ways. YouTube was used less frequently, and it was used mainly for entertainment purposes. Snapchat played a small role in this segment of the population. We conclude that age and social class play an important role in defining the different ways in which young people in the Region of Madrid use social media, and such influences vary depending on the platform under study and the types of activities being carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The location of people, robots, and Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices has become increasingly important. Among the available location technologies, solutions based on ultrawideband (UWB) radio are having much success due to their accuracy, which is ideally at a centimeter level. However, this accuracy is degraded in most common indoor environments due to the presence of obstacles which block or reflect the radio signals used for ranging. One way to circumvent this difficulty is through robust estimation algorithms based on measurement redundancy, permitting to minimize the effect of significantly erroneous ranges (outliers). This need for redundancy often conflicts with hardware restraints put up by the location system's designers. In this work, we present a procedure to increase the redundancy of UWB systems and demonstrate it with the help of a commercial system made by Decawave. This system is particularly easy to deploy, by configuring a network of beacons (anchors) and devices (tags) to be located; however, its architecture presents a major disadvantage as each tag to be located can only measure ranges to a maximum of four anchors. This limitation is embedded in the Positioning and Networking Stack (PANS) protocol designed by Decawave, and therefore is not easy to bypass without a total redesign of the firmware. In this paper, we analyze the strategies that we have been able to identify in order to provide this equipment with multiple range measurements, and thus enable each tag to be positioned with more than four measured ranges. We will see the advantages and disadvantages of each of these strategies, and finally we will adopt a solution that we implemented to be able to measure up to eight ranges for each mobile device (tag). This solution implies the duplication of the tags at the mobile user, and the creation of a double interleaved network of anchors. The range among tags and the eight beacons is obtained through an API via a wireless BLE protocol at a 10 Hz rate. A robustified Extended Kalman filter (EKF) is designed to estimate, by trilateration, the position of the pair of mobile tags, using eight ranges. Two different scenarios are used to make localization experimentation: a laboratory and an apartment. Our position estimation, which exploits redundant information and performs outlier removal, is compared with the commercial solution limited to four ranges, demonstrating the need and advantages of our multi-range approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outstanding properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) present some limitations when introduced into rubber matrices, especially when these nano-particles are applied in high-performance tire tread compounds. Their tendency to agglomerate into bundles due to van der Waals interactions, the strong influence of CNT on the vulcanization process, and the adsorptive nature of filler–rubber interactions contribute to increase the energy dissipation phenomena on rubber–CNT compounds. Consequently, their expected performance in terms of rolling resistance is limited. To overcome these three important issues, the CNT have been surface-modified with oxygen-bearing groups and sulfur, resulting in an improvement in the key properties of these rubber compounds for their use in tire tread applications. A deep characterization of these new materials using functionalized CNT as filler was carried out by using a combination of mechanical, equilibrium swelling and low-field NMR experiments. The outcome of this research revealed that the formation of covalent bonds between the rubber matrix and the nano-particles by the introduction of sulfur at the CNT surface has positive effects on the viscoelastic behavior and the network structure of the rubber compounds, by a decrease of both the loss factor at 60 °C (rolling resistance) and the non-elastic defects, while increasing the crosslink density of the new compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Up to 30% of patients with pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) do not respond to anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor (anti-TNF) therapy. The aim of this study was to identify pharmacogenomic markers that predict early response to anti-TNF drugs in pediatric patients with IBD. Methods: An observational, longitudinal, prospective cohort study was conducted. The study population comprised 38 patients with IBD aged < 18 years who started treatment with infliximab or adalimumab (29 responders and nine non-responders). Whole gene expression profiles from total RNA isolated from whole blood samples of six responders and six non-responders taken before administration of the biologic and after two weeks of therapy were analyzed using next-generation RNA sequencing. The expression of six selected genes was measured for purposes of validation in all of the 38 patients recruited using qPCR. Results: Genes were differentially expressed in non-responders and responders (32 before initiation of treatment and 44 after two weeks, Log2FC (Fold change) >0.6 or <−0.6 and p value < 0.05). After validation, FCGR1A, FCGR1B, and GBP1 were overexpressed in non-responders two weeks after initiation of anti-TNF treatment (Log2FC 1.05, 1.21, and 1.08, respectively, p value < 0.05). Conclusion: Expression of the FCGR1A, FCGR1B, and GBP1 genes is a pharmacogenomic biomarker of early response to anti-TNF agents in pediatric IBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]