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.

High capacity audio watermarking using the high frequency band of the wavelet domain

Abstract: This paper proposes a novel high capacity robust audio watermarking algorithm by using the high frequency band of the wavelet decomposition at which the human auditory system (HAS) is not very sensitive to alteration. The main idea is to divide the high frequency band into frames and, for embedding, to change the wavelet samples depending on the average of relevant frame's samples. The experimental results show that the method has a very high capacity (about 11,000 bps), without significant perceptual distortion (ODG in [?1 ,0] and SNR about 30dB), and provides robustness against common audio signal processing such as additive noise, filtering, echo and MPEG compression (MP3).

A Risk and Benefits Behavioral Model to Assess Intentions to Adopt Big Data

Abstract: Everyday a constant stream of data is generated as a result of social interactions, Internet of things, e‐commerce and other business processes. This vast amount of data should be collected, stored, transformed, monitored and analyzed in a relatively brief period of time. Reason behind is data may contain the answer to business insights and new ideas fostering competitiveness and innovation. Big Data technologies/methodologies have emerged as the solution to this need. However, being a relatively new trend there is still much that remains unknown. This study, based on a risk and benefits perspective, uses the theory of planned behavior to develop a model that predicts the intention to adopt Big Data technologies.

Neutrophil dysregulation is pathogenic in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies

Abstract: Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) are characterized by muscle inflammation and weakness, myositis-specific autoantibodies (MSAs), and extramuscular organ damage. The role of neutrophil dysregulation and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in IIM is unclear. We assessed whether pathogenic neutrophil subsets (low-density granulocytes [LDGs]) and NETs were elevated in IIM, associated with clinical presentation and MSAs, and their effect on skeletal myoblasts and myotubes. Circulating NETs and LDGs were quantified and correlated with clinical measures. Specific MSAs were tested for their ability to induce NETs. NETs and neutrophil gene expression were measured in IIM biopsies. Whether NETs damage skeletal myoblasts and myotubes was tested. Circulating LDGs and NETs were increased in IIM. IIM LDGs had an enhanced ability to form NETs. LDGs and NETs correlated with IIM disease activity and muscle damage. The serum MSA anti-MDA5 correlated with circulating and tissue NETs and directly enhanced NET formation. An enhanced neutrophil gene signature was present in IIM muscle and associated with muscle injury and tissue IFN gene signatures. IIM NETs decreased the viability of myotubes in a citrullinated histone-dependent manner. Dysregulated neutrophil pathways may play pathogenic roles in IIM through their ability to directly injure muscle cells and other affected tissues.