Open University of Catalonia

About: Open University of Catalonia is a education organization based out in Barcelona, Spain. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Context (language use) & Higher education. The organization has 1943 authors who have published 4646 publications receiving 64200 citations. The organization is also known as: Universitat Oberta de Catalunya & UOC.

An ILS-biased randomization algorithm for the two-dimensional loading HFVRP with sequential loading and items rotation

Abstract: This paper discusses the Two-dimensional Loading Vehicle Routing Problem with Heterogeneous Fleet, Sequential Loading, and Item Rotation (2L-HFVRP-SR). Despite the fact that the 2L-HFVRP-SR can be found in many real-life situations related to the transportation of voluminous items, where heterogeneity of fleets, two-dimensional packing restrictions, sequential loading, and items rotation have to be considered, this rich version of vehicle routing-and-packing problem has been rarely analysed in the literature. Accordingly, this paper contributes to filling the gap by presenting a relatively simple-to-implement algorithm which is able to provide state-of-the-art solutions for such a complex problem in relatively short computational times. The proposed algorithm integrates inside an Iterated Local Search framework, biased-randomized versions of both vehicle routing and packing heuristics. The efficiency of the proposed algorithm is validated throughout an extensive set of computational tests.

Spatial-Domain Image Watermarking Robust against Compression, Filtering, Cropping, and Scaling

Abstract: Two robust spatial-domain watermarking algorithms for image copyright protection are described in this paper. The first one is robust against compression, filtering and cropping. Like all published crop-proof algorithms, the one proposed here requires the original image for mark recovery. Robustness against compression and filtering is obtained by using the JPEG algorithm to decide on mark location and magnitude; robustness against cropping is achieved through a repetition code. The second watermarking algorithm uses visual components and is robust against compression, filtering, scaling and moderate rotations.

Causal Contributions of the Left Frontal Eye Field to Conscious Perception

Abstract: The quest for the neural correlates of consciousness has led to controversial results. When contrasting consciously seen versus unseen stimuli, some authors have proposed that consciousness is related to activity in visual areas along the ventral cortical visual stream, while others propose the implication of parietal and frontal regions (Dehaene and Changeux 2011). When invisibility is caused by neglect or inattention, high levels of activity recorded in early visual areas (Vuilleumier et al. 2001) suggest that further activity in fronto-parietal regions might be necessary for conscious perception. Recent functional magnetic resonance imaging evidence (Chica, Paz-Alonso, et al. 2012) suggested a key role for the left frontal eye field (FEF) in the attentional modulation of visual consciousness. Here, we used the high temporal resolution and causal power of event-related transcranial magnetic stimulation to explore the causal contributions of the left FEF on conscious perception and to assess whether or not these effects are mediated by the orienting of spatial attention. Our results provide the first causal evidence on the contribution of the left FEF to conscious visual perception and indicate that such effects are likely to be mediated by its known role on attentional orienting.

Unification of miRNA and isomiR research: the mirGFF3 format and the mirtop API.

Abstract: Motivation MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA molecules (∼22 nucleotide long) involved in post-transcriptional gene regulation. Advances in high-throughput sequencing technologies led to the discovery of isomiRs, which are miRNA sequence variants. While many miRNA-seq analysis tools exist, the diversity of output formats hinders accurate comparisons between tools and precludes data sharing and the development of common downstream analysis methods. Results To overcome this situation, we present here a community-based project, miRNA Transcriptomic Open Project (miRTOP) working towards the optimization of miRNA analyses. The aim of miRTOP is to promote the development of downstream isomiR analysis tools that are compatible with existing detection and quantification tools. Based on the existing GFF3 format, we first created a new standard format, mirGFF3, for the output of miRNA/isomiR detection and quantification results from small RNA-seq data. Additionally, we developed a command line Python tool, mirtop, to create and manage the mirGFF3 format. Currently, mirtop can convert into mirGFF3 the outputs of commonly used pipelines, such as seqbuster, isomiR-SEA, sRNAbench, Prost! as well as BAM files. Some tools have also incorporated the mirGFF3 format directly into their code, such as, miRge2.0, IsoMIRmap and OptimiR. Its open architecture enables any tool or pipeline to output or convert results into mirGFF3. Collectively, this isomiR categorization system, along with the accompanying mirGFF3 and mirtop API, provide a comprehensive solution for the standardization of miRNA and isomiR annotation, enabling data sharing, reporting, comparative analyses and benchmarking, while promoting the development of common miRNA methods focusing on downstream steps of miRNA detection, annotation and quantification. Availability and implementation https://github.com/miRTop/mirGFF3/ and https://github.com/miRTop/mirtop. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.