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Abstract Cross-species genome comparisons have revealed a substantial number of ultraconserved non-coding elements (UCNEs). Several of these elements have proved to be essential tissue- and cell type-specific cis-regulators of developmental gene expression. Here, we characterize a set of UCNEs as candidate CREs (cCREs) during retinal development and evaluate the contribution of their genomic variation to rare eye diseases, for which pathogenic non-coding variants are emerging. Integration of bulk and single-cell retinal multi-omics data reveals 594 genes under potential cis-regulatory control of UCNEs, of which 45 are implicated in rare eye disease. Mining of candidate cis-regulatory UCNEs in WGS data derived from the rare eye disease cohort of Genomics England reveals 178 ultrarare variants within 84 UCNEs associated with 29 disease genes. Overall, we provide a comprehensive annotation of ultraconserved non-coding regions acting as cCREs during retinal development which can be targets of non-coding variation underlying rare eye diseases.

IFMIF-DONES will be an irradiation facility based on a 40 MeV deuteron accelerator. Unavoidable beam losses along the accelerator result in deuterium interactions with the beam facing materials of the vacuum beam pipe, some of them leading to material activation. The initial design of the beam pipe was based on stainless steel, but an evaluation of the residual doses from the pipe showed high values after operation of the accelerator. The accelerator beam line must be periodically maintained, and excessive cooling times for reaching acceptable dose levels may result in poorer availability of the facility. A deeper study of the High Energy Beam Transport line (HEBT) showed that a direct reaction between deuterons and iron in steel resulted in the production of Co-56, with a half-life of 77 days. This radioisotope is the main source of the radiation and makes it impractical to wait for a proper attenuation of the radiation field. A redesign of beam line elements has been performed to avoid the presence of stainless steel as a beam facing material and to replace it with aluminum where possible, resulting in faster decay of residual doses. This work contains a summary of the nuclear analysis performed for the computation of residual doses with stainless steel beam pipe, stressing the uncertainties of the calculations, based on the limited availability of nuclear data for the relevant nuclear reaction Fe56 (d,2n). The proposed replacement of element materials is also described, and an updated nuclear analysis shows the reduction of residual radiation, and its impact on possible maintenance operations.

Abstract Despite strong preclinical data, the therapeutic benefit of the RANKL inhibitor, denosumab, in breast cancer patients, beyond the bone, is unclear. Aiming to select patients who may benefit from denosumab, we hereby analyzed RANK and RANKL protein expression in more than 2,000 breast tumors (777 estrogen receptor‐negative, ER−) from four independent cohorts. RANK protein expression was more frequent in ER− tumors, where it associated with poor outcome and poor response to chemotherapy. In ER− breast cancer patient‐derived orthoxenografts (PDXs), RANKL inhibition reduced tumor cell proliferation and stemness, regulated tumor immunity and metabolism, and improved response to chemotherapy. Intriguingly, tumor RANK protein expression associated with poor prognosis in postmenopausal breast cancer patients, activation of NFKB signaling, and modulation of immune and metabolic pathways, suggesting that RANK signaling increases after menopause. Our results demonstrate that RANK protein expression is an independent biomarker of poor prognosis in postmenopausal and ER− breast cancer patients and support the therapeutic benefit of RANK pathway inhibitors, such as denosumab, in breast cancer patients with RANK+ ER− tumors after menopause.

Governments have recently been dedicating relevant funds to cope up with the inevitable transition to sustainable mobility aiming for a greener transportation sector. This scenario is backed up by the deteriorating global energy crisis, which is predicted to hasten the transition to sustainable energy. Focus has been given to railway systems being globally considered as a tractor project for promoting the use of green and renewable energy by helping build the required infrastructure. As a result, a high tendency for integrating onboard energy storage systems in trains is being observed worldwide. This article provides a detailed review of onboard railway systems with energy storage devices. In-service trains as well as relevant prototypes are presented, and their characteristics are analyzed. A comprehensive study of the traction system structure of these vehicles is introduced providing an overview of all the converter architectures used, categorized based on the type of onboard energy storage device on the train. The current situation of hydrogen fuel cells in railway systems is presented as well, highlighting consistent tendencies. This article also provides a glimpse into commercial battery and fuel cell products used on operating trains.

Voltage-controlled magnetic random-access memory is promising for high-performance computing applications. Here, a perpendicular magnetic tunnel junction structure with high voltage-controlled magnetic anisotropy coefficient is developed, allowing sub-volt and sub-nanosecond precessional switching.

Background Prehospital routing of patients with large vessel occlusion (LVO) acute ischemic stroke (AIS) to centers capable of performing endovascular therapy may improve clinical outcomes. Here, we explore whether distance to comprehensive stroke centers (CSCs), stroke severity, and sex are associated with direct‐to‐CSC prehospital routing in patients with LVO AIS. Methods and Results In this cross‐sectional study, we identified consecutive patients with LVO AIS from a prospectively collected multihospital registry throughout the greater Houston area from January 2019 to June 2020. Primary outcome was prehospital routing to CSC and was compared between men and women using modified Poisson regression including age, sex, race or ethnicity, first in‐hospital National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, travel time, and distances to the closest primary stroke center and CSC. Among 503 patients with LVO AIS, 413 (82%) were routed to CSCs, and women comprised 46% of the study participants. Women with LVO AIS compared with men were older (73 versus 65, P

Convolutional neural networks (CNN) have provided great advances for the task of sign language recognition (SLR). However, recurrent neural networks (RNN) in the form of long–short-term memory (LSTM) have become a means for providing solutions to problems involving sequential data. This research proposes the development of a sign language translation system that converts Panamanian Sign Language (PSL) signs into text in Spanish using an LSTM model that, among many things, makes it possible to work with non-static signs (as sequential data). The deep learning model presented focuses on action detection, in this case, the execution of the signs. This involves processing in a precise manner the frames in which a sign language gesture is made. The proposal is a holistic solution that considers, in addition to the seeking of the hands of the speaker, the face and pose determinants. These were added due to the fact that when communicating through sign languages, other visual characteristics matter beyond hand gestures. For the training of this system, a data set of 330 videos (of 30 frames each) for five possible classes (different signs considered) was created. The model was tested having an accuracy of 98.8%, making this a valuable base system for effective communication between PSL users and Spanish speakers. In conclusion, this work provides an improvement of the state of the art for PSL–Spanish translation by using the possibilities of translatable signs via deep learning.

ObjectiveTo report the medium and long-term outcome of nine dogs with disk-associated cervical spondylomyelopathy (DA-CSM), treated by instrumented interbody fusion using patient specific end-plate conforming device that features a micro-porous structure to facilitate bone in-growth.Study designA retrospective clinical study.AnimalsNine medium and large breed dogs.MethodsMedical records at two institutions were reviewed between January 2020 and 2023. Following magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) diagnosis of DA-CSM, pre-operative computed tomography (CT) scans were exported to computer software for in-silico surgical planning. Interbody devices were 3D-manufactured by selecting laser melting in titanium alloy. These were surgically implanted at 13 segments alongside mono-or bi-cortical vertebral stabilization systems. Follow-up included neurologic scoring and CT scans post-operative, at medium-term follow up and at long-term follow-up where possible. Interbody fusion and implant subsidence were evaluated from follow-up CT scans.ResultsNine dogs were diagnosed with DA-CSM between C5-C7 at a total of 13 operated segments. Medium-term follow up was obtained between 2 and 8 months post-operative (3.00 ± 1.82 months). Neurologic scoring improved (p = 0.009) in eight of nine dogs. Distraction was significant (p

During the commissioning and start-up phases of IFMIF-DONES, the 40 MeV deuteron beam will be stopped in a conical beam stopper made of copper, giving rise to intense neutron fields. Accurate coupled deuteron-neutron transport simulations are required in order to prevent the potential risks to the workers and equipment involved. However, the experimental data concerning the neutron emission under these circumstances is scarce and limited to a particular range of energies. Different deuteron nuclear data libraries such as JENDL-5 and special files of TENDL-2021 exhibit some differences on the spectrum of the emitted neutrons. The differences are present in the high energy tails, beyond the available experimental data. Calculations of the prompt neutron fields have been performed employing both deuteron data libraries, as well as employing an estimation of the neutron energy-angle distribution derived from experimental data at different irradiation energies. Even though the high energy tails represent a small part of the flux, they have a major impact on the dose rates. The disparity of the results evinces large uncertainties in the IFMIF-DONES beam dump design process. Further experiments are required in order to resolve the differences among nuclear data libraries and reduce the uncertainty.

Summary: Background: Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is rare but aggressive. The extent of surgical intervention for different GBC stages is non-uniform, ranging from cholecystectomy alone to extended resections including major hepatectomy, resection of adjacent organs and routine extrahepatic bile duct resection (EBDR). Robust evidence here is lacking, however, and survival benefit poorly defined. This study assesses factors associated with recurrence-free survival (RFS), overall survival (OS) and morbidity and mortality following GBC surgery in high income countries (HIC) and low and middle income countries (LMIC). Methods: The multicentre, retrospective Operative Management of Gallbladder Cancer (OMEGA) cohort study included all patients who underwent GBC resection across 133 centres between 1st January 2010 and 31st December 2020. Regression analyses assessed factors associated with OS, RFS and morbidity. Findings: On multivariable analysis of all 3676 patients, wedge resection and segment IVb/V resection failed to improve RFS (HR 1.04 [0.84–1.29], p = 0.711 and HR 1.18 [0.95–1.46], p = 0.13 respectively) or OS (HR 0.96 [0.79–1.17], p = 0.67 and HR 1.48 [1.16–1.88], p = 0.49 respectively), while major hepatectomy was associated with worse RFS (HR 1.33 [1.02–1.74], p = 0.037) and OS (HR 1.26 [1.03–1.53], p = 0.022). Furthermore, EBDR (OR 2.86 [2.3–3.52], p

Abstract Background The standard treatment for endemic goiter is usually total thyroidectomy. In low‐ and middle‐income countries, the management of thyroid disease, which is commonplace in fully developed countries, is not always possible. The purpose of this study is to establish a treatment algorithm to calculate the extent of thyroidectomy based on the risk factors of each patient. Methods This is a retrospective observational study conducted during the period between 2017 and 2019. A total of 287 patients with thyroid pathology were treated in Maragua Hospital (Kenya). The results of surgical treatment were analyzed after the implementation of an individualized treatment protocol. Results One hundred and sixty patients with different types of goiter underwent surgery: solitary nodule (54.4%), multi‐nodular goiter (30.6%), diffuse goiter (10.6%), and intrathoracic goiter (3.8%). The techniques used were hemithyroidectomy (78.8%), Dunhill thyroidectomy (9.4%), bilateral subtotal thyroidectomy (6.9%), and total thyroidectomy (3.1%). There was no mortality. The surgical morbidity rate was 16% (only one major complication (3b)). Two cases of dysphonia were resolved in the first week. There were three cases of symptomatic hypocalcaemia, two of which resolved in the first week and the other of which was definitive. The follow‐up at 6 months was 67%. The cancer rate found in the resection specimens was 5%. Discussion The implementation of individualized surgical protocols for thyroid surgery in sub‐Saharan Africa can improve outcomes. The cooperation projects can increase access to complex surgical treatment for patients with limited resources in low‐ and middle‐income countries.

Abstract Scientometrics is the field of study and evaluation of scientific measures such as the impact of research papers and academic journals. It is an important field because nowadays different rankings use key indicators for university rankings and universities themselves use them as Key Performance Indicators (KPI). The purpose of this work is to propose a semantic modeling of scientometric indicators using the ontology Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange (SDMX). We develop a case study at Tecnologico de Monterrey following the Cross-Industry Standard Process for Data Mining (CRISP-DM) methodology. We evaluate the benefits of storing and querying scientometric indicators using linked data as a mean for providing flexible and quick access knowledge representation that supports indicator discovery, enquiring and composition. The semi-automatic generation and further storage of this linked data in the Neo4j graph database enabled an updatable and quick access model.

In domestic camelids, fleece color is an essential characteristic because it defines the direction of production. Variants were determined in the MC1R gene that showed a relationship with coat color in alpacas and llamas at the level of the coding region. This report sequenced the MC1R gene from 290 alpacas (142 white, 84 black, 50 brown, and 14 light fawn), five brown llamas, nine vicuñas, and three guanacos to analyze the association between coat color and the MC1R gene among South American camelids. A total of nineteen polymorphisms were identified. Seven polymorphisms were significant; three of them were of nonsynonymous type (c.82A > G, c.376G > A, and c.901C > T), two were of synonymous type (c.126 T > C and c.933G > A), one was in the promoter region (−42C > G), and one was in the 3′ UTR (+5T > C). More polymorphisms were found in domestic camelids than in wild camelids. Besides polymorphism, the association of polymorphisms might cause white and dark pigmentation in the fleece of South American camelids. In addition, the MC1R protein would answer the pigmentation in alpacas.

Gastroschisis is a congenital birth defect of the abdominal wall, with a high mortality rate in middle-income countries, especially among twins. We report a monozygotic twin pregnancy in a 14-year-old girl with a low socioeconomic status and living in a rural area 4 hours away from our II-III health care level hospital, which has medical expertise for handling gastroschisis, in a developing country (Mexico). Prenatal screening was performed using ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging, followed by close monitoring and lung maturity induction. A caesarean section was scheduled at 36 weeks, with three available operating rooms for the mother, twin 1, and twin 2, with three teams of specialists. Birth management was done under sedation and analgesia, without intubation. Primary closure was performed for twin 1 and a preformed silo was used for twin 2, who had associated arthrogryposis. Both twins underwent defect sealing with hydrocolloid dressings and sutureless closures, and subsequent neonatal intensive care unit treatment. They had 46XY chromosomes and an identical genetic profile, and were discharged on days 23 and 49, respectively. A specialized multidisciplinary team with state-of-the-art technology, adapted to the hospital conditions of a middle-income country, is paramount for the positive outcomes of twins with gastroschisis.

Switching of ferrimagnets by current-induced spin-orbit torque is promising for spintronics, due to their high-speed dynamics and small macroscopic magnetization. Switching of perpendicularly magnetized materials, however, requires a bias field for symmetry breaking. Here, Zheng et al demonstrate field-free current-induced switching of perpendicular ferrimagnets, using a compositional gradient-driven Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction.

Anti-ferromagnetic based memories have a wide range of advantages over their ferromagnetic counterparts, however, their electrical signatures of switching are complicated by spurious signals. Here, Arpaci et al demonstrate an experimental method to distinguish between anti-ferromagnetic switching, and such spurious signatures.

Abstract Tetherless sensors have long been positioned to enable next generation applications in biomedical, environmental, and industrial sectors. The main challenge in enabling these advancements is the realization of a device that is compact, robust over time, and highly efficient. This paper presents a tetherless optical tag which utilizes optical energy harvesting to realize scalable self-powered devices. Unlike previous demonstrations of optically coupled sensor nodes, the device presented here amplifies signals and encodes data on the same optical beam that provides its power. This optical interrogation modality results in a highly efficient data link. These optical tags support data rates up to 10 Mb/s with an energy consumption of ~ 3 pJ/bit. As a proof-of-concept application, the optical tag is combined with a spintronic microwave detector based on a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ). We used this hybrid opto-spintronic system to perform self-powered transduction of RF waves at 1 GHz to optical frequencies at ~ 200 THz, while carrying an audio signal across (see Supplementary Data for audio files).

INTRODUCTION: Prior retrospective and case-control studies have shown that the use of general anesthesia (GA) during endovascular therapy (EVT) for acute ischemic stroke with large vessel occlusion (AIS-LVO) was independently associated with poor clinical outcomes compared with cases performed under conscious sedation (CS). Conversely, recent small randomized clinical trials (RCT) demonstrated a trend toward better outcome in cases performed under GA. METHODS: We submitted an online survey to 193 Society of Vascular Interventional Neurology and 78 American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons – Cerebrovascular Section neuroendovascular practitioners. Questions were aimed at understanding the current state of anesthesia practice during EVT, and to determine if there is clinical equipoise for a large multicenter RCT comparing GA versus CS during EVT. RESULTS: Between March and May of 2017, we received 116 (43%) responses. Anesthesiologists were responsible for managing 96% of the GA cases as compared to only 51% of the CS cases (P < 0.0001). Notable 56% of providers reported performing less than a quarter of their cases under GA. Only 7% performed all cases under GA compared with 17% who used solely CS (P = 0.048). More than half of respondents thought a new RCT was necessary, of whom 61% were interested in participating. Among interested responders, 59% were located in centers with 3 or more neurointerventionalists. CONCLUSION: The significant variation among neuroendovascular providers, added with the lack of consensus among recent trials and meta-analyses, demonstrate clinical equipoise for further studies to explore the effects of anesthesia during EVT in AIS-LVO.

The integration of healthy management alternatives continues to be a challenge in the organic production of aromatic and medicinal plants, including of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.). The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of three beneficial microorganisms (1) Trichoderma harzianum (TH), (2) Bacillus subtilis (BS), (3) Glomus cubense (GC) and their combinations on the growth of basil. A completely randomised design was used with a control and seven treatments with six repetitions. The control (1) was with no microorganism inoculation and the seven treatments were inoculations with the single or the combined microorganisms as follows: (2) TH, (3) BS, (4) GC, (5) TH+BS, (6) TH+GC, (7) BS+GC and (8) TH+BS+GC. Three harvests of fresh biomass were made and a number of growth variables were recorded: fresh and dry biomass, leaf area, number of commercial stems, stem length and thickness, Leaf length and width, relative chlorophyll concentration (SPAD readings) and the levels of N, P, K, Ca and Mg. Overall growth increased by 58% with TH+GC compared with the control and by 55% compared with the single inoculations (TH, BS and GC) and with the triple inoculation (TH+BS+GC). A growth increase of 51% was obtained with BS+GC compared with the control and of 38% compared with the other treatments. These results indicate co-inoculation of TH+GC or of BS+GC are useful alternative managements to increase greenhouse production of basil.

Magnaporthe oryzaeM. oryzae

Agri-food systems are besieged by malnutrition, yield gaps, and climate vulnerability, but integrated, research-based responses in public policy, agricultural, value chains, and finance are constrained by short-termism and zero sum thinking. As they respond to current and emerging agri-food system challenges, decision makers need new tools that steer toward multi-sector, evidence-based collaboration. To support national agri-food system policy processes, the Integrated Agri-food System Initiative (IASI) methodology was developed and validated through case studies in Mexico and Colombia. This holistic, multi-sector methodology builds on diverse existing data resources and leverages situation analysis, modeled predictions, and scenarios to synchronize public and private action at the national level toward sustainable, equitable, and inclusive agri-food systems. Culminating in collectively agreed strategies and multi-partner tactical plans, the IASI methodology enabled a multi-level systems approach by mobilizing design thinking to foster mindset shifts and stakeholder consensus on sustainable and scalable innovations that respond to real-time dynamics in complex agri-food systems. To build capacity for these types of integrated, context-specific approaches, greater investment is needed in supportive international institutions that function as trusted in-region 'innovation brokers.' This paper calls for a structured global network to advance adaptation and evolution of essential tools like the IASI methodology in support of the One CGIAR mandate and in service of positive agri-food systems transformation.

BackgroundDefining reference intervals in experimental animal models plays a crucial role in pre-clinical studies. The hepatic parameters in healthy animals provide useful information about type and extension of hepatic damage. However, in the majority of the cases, to obtain them require an invasive techniques. Our study combines these determinations with dynamic functional test and imaging techniques to implement a non-invasive protocol for liver evaluation. The aim of the study was to determine reference intervals for hepatic function, perfusion and parenchyma attenuation with analytical and biochemical blood parameters, indocyanine green, ultrasound and computed tomography in six healthy SD rats.MethodsSix males healthy SD rats were followed for 4 weeks. To determine hepatic function, perfusion and parenchyma attenuation analytical and biochemical blood parameters, indocyanine green, ultrasound and computed tomography were studied. Results were expressed as Means ± standard error of mean (SEM). The significance of differences was calculated by using student t-test, p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsIndocyanine green clearance 5 and 10 minutes after its injection was 80.12% and 96.59%, respectively. Approximate rate of decay during the first 5 minutes after injection was 38% per minute. Hepatic perfusion evaluation with the high-frequency ultrasound was related to cardiovascular hemodynamic and renal perfusion. Portal area, hepatic artery resistance index, hepatic artery and portal peak systolic velocity and average between hepatic artery and porta was 3.41 ± 0.62 mm2, 0.57 ± 0.04 mm2/s, 693.24±102.53 mm2/s, 150.72 ± 17.80 mm2/s and 4.82 ± 0.96 mm2/s, respectively. Heart rate, cardiac output, left renal artery diammetre and renal blood flow were 331.01 ± 22.22 bpm, 75.58 ± 8.72 mL/min, 0.88 ± 0.04 mm2 and 13.65 ± 1.95 mm2/s. CT-scan hepatic average volume for each rat were 21.08±3.32, 17.57±2.76, 14.87±2.83 and 13.67±2.45 cm3 with an average attenuation coefficient of 113.51±18.08, 129,19±7.18, 141,47±1.95 y 151,67±1.2 HU.ConclusionIndocyanine green and high-frequency ultrasound could be used in rats as a suitable marker of liver function. Computed tomography, through the study of raw data, help to characterize liver parenchyma, and could be a potential tool for early detection of liver parenchymal alterations and linear follow-up of patients. Further studies in rats with liver disease are necessary to verify the usefulness of these parameters.

The effect of pulsing on the postharvest behavior of cut tuberose was evaluated in the cultivars ‘Mexican Single’ and ‘The Pearl’. Spikes of both were harvested with 1 or 2 of their basal buds open and treated with 20% sucrose and 200 mg of hydroxyquinoline citrate (sucrose + HQC). Pulsing increased the relative fresh weight of spikes, although water uptake in ‘The Pearl’ was greater regardless. After 5 days, visual quality was scored as ‘excellent’ and ‘good’ in ‘Mexican Single’ and ‘The Pearl’, respectively, and the greatest number of open and of senescent flowers occurred in the latter independent of pulsing. CIE L*C*h values and total sugars increased more noticeably among pulsed florets in ‘The Pearl’, whereas higher rates of respiration occurred in the unpulsed spikes of ‘Mexican Single’. Catalase activity was constant in ‘The Pearl’, although superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activities were higher and similar to, respectively, those of ‘Mexican Single’. These differences in physical, physiological and enzymatic behavior are important to consider when developing postharvest conservation and management strategies that are specific for each variety.

The past decade has witnessed an explosion in applications for neural recording and stimulation in the treatment of clinical disorders. Neuromodulatory approaches are now a mainstay of care for essential tremor and Parkinson’s disease, and are expanding rapidly into a wide range of other neurological and psychiatric diseases. In parallel, advancements in endovascular approaches to cerebrovascular diseases have resulted in minimally invasive techniques that deliver devices to neural tissue in the central and peripheral nervous systems, with significantly improved safety and efficacy. In this review, we discuss the history of endovascular neural recording and stimulation, its current progress, and applications for neurological disease.

We have studied the optical and electronic transport properties of n-type AlSb/GaInAsSb double barrier quantum well resonant tunneling diodes (RTDs). The RTDs were grown by molecular beam epitaxy on GaSb substrates. Collector, quantum well, and emitter regions are comprised of the lattice-matched quaternary semiconductor Ga0.64In0.36As0.33Sb0.67. Photoluminescence emission spectra reveal a direct bandgap semiconductor with a bandgap energy of Eg≈0.37 eV, which corresponds to a cut-off wavelength of λ≈3.3 μm. The composition-dependent bandgap energy is found to follow Shim’s model. At room temperature, we observe resonance current densities of jres=0.143 kA cm−2 with peak-to-valley current ratios of up to PVCR=6.2. At cryogenic temperatures T

Resonant tunneling diode photodetectors appear to be promising architectures with a simple design for mid-infrared sensing operations at room temperature. We fabricated resonant tunneling devices with GaInAsSb absorbers that allow operation in the 2–4 μm range with significant electrical responsivity of 0.97 A/W at 2004 nm to optical readout. This paper characterizes the photosensor response contrasting different operational regimes and offering a comprehensive theoretical analysis of the main physical ingredients that rule the sensor functionalities and affect its performance. We demonstrate how the drift, accumulation, and escape efficiencies of photogenerated carriers influence the electrostatic modulation of the sensor’s electrical response and how they allow controlling the device’s sensing abilities.

Network operators have been dealing with the necessity of a dynamic network resources allocation to provide a new generation of customer-tailored applications. In that sense, Telecom providers have to migrate their BSS/OSS systems and network infrastructure to more modern solutions to introduce end-to-end automation and support the new use cases derived from the 5G adoption and transport network slices. In general, there is a joint agreement on making this transition to an architecture defined by programmable interfaces and standard protocols. Hence, this paper uses the iFusion architecture to control and program the network infrastructure. The work presents an experimental validation of the network slicing instantiation in an IP/Optical environment using a set of standard protocols and interfaces. The work provides results of the creation, modification and deletion of the network slices. Furthermore, it demonstrates the usage of standard communication protocols (Netconf and Restconf) in combination with standard YANG data models.

Low treatment efficacy represents an important unmet need in neuropathic pain patients and there is an urgent need to develop a more effective pharmacotherapy. An increasing number of patients choose complementary medicine to relieve pain. Lavender essential oil (LEO) is approved by the European Medicines Agency as herbal medicine to relieve anxiety and stress. However, the capability of LEO to relieve other nervous system disorders such as neuropathic pain has never been established. Our work aimed to evaluate the antineuropathic properties of lavender on a spared nerve injury (SNI) model of neuropathic pain in mice. An acute oral administration of LEO (100 mg/kg) alleviated SNI-induced mechanical allodynia, evaluated in the von Frey test, with an intensity comparable to the reference drug pregabalin. Investigations into the mechanism of action showed that LEO markedly decreased the phosphorylation of ERK1, ERK2, and JNK1, and decreased the levels of iNOS in the spinal cord; involvement of the endocannabinoid system was also detected using in vitro inhibition of the FAAH and MALG enzymes as well as in vivo experiments with the CB1 antagonist. Conversely, no effect on P38 phosphorylation and NF-kB activation was detected. These antihyperalgesic effects appeared at the same dose able to induce antidepressant-like, anxiolytic-like, and anorexic effects. In addition, gavage with LEO did not significantly alter animals’ gross behavior, motor coordination, or locomotor activity, nor impaired memory functions. Oral administration of LEO could represent a therapeutic approach in the management of neuropathic pain states.

Background/Aims: The management of locally advanced rectal cancer has changed substantially over the last few decades with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. The aim of the present study is to compare the results between neoadjuvant post-treatment rectoscopy and the anatomopathological findings of the surgical specimen. Patients and Methods: We conducted a prospective study of 67 patients with locally advanced adenocarcinoma of the rectum (stages II and III). Two groups were established: One with complete clinical response (cCR) and one without (non-cCR), based on the findings at rectoscopy. Assessment of tumor regression grade in the surgical specimen was determined using Mandard's tumor regression scale. Results: Seventeen patients showed a cCR. Thirty-five biopsies were negative and 32 were positive for mailgnancy. All the cCR patients had a negative biopsy (P < 0.0001). All 32 positive biopsies revealed the presence of adenocarcinoma, and of the 35 negative biopsies, 18 had no malignancy and 17 were diagnosed with adenocarcinoma (P < 0.0001). Sixteen of the 17 cCR patients showed a complete pathological response and one patient showed the presence of adenocarcinoma. Of the 50 non-cCR patients 48 revealed the presence of adenocarcinoma and two had absence of malignancy. According to the Mandard classification, 16 of the 17 cCR patients were grade I and 1 grade II; 2 non-cCR patients were grade I, 7 grade II, 13 grade III, 19 grade IV, and 9 grade V. Conclusions: Endoscopic and histological findings could be determinants in the assessment of response to neoadjuvant treatment.

Machine Learning (ML) through pattern recognition algorithms is currently becoming an essential aid for the diagnosis, treatment, and prediction of complications and patient outcomes in a number of neurological diseases. The evaluation and treatment of Acute Ischemic Stroke (AIS) have experienced a significant advancement over the past few years, increasingly requiring the use of neuroimaging for decision-making. In this review, we offer an insight into the recent developments and applications of ML in neuroimaging focusing on acute ischemic stroke.

BackgroundBecause of the unique electromagnetic characteristics of the magnetoelastic microwire, the changes in the pressure of a fluid will provoke a variation of the mechanical pressure on the sensor, which will cause a variation of its magnetization that will be detectable wirelessly. Thus, a wireless system can be developed for following up vascular surgery procedures. Methods and ResultsThe sensor consists of a magnetoelastic microwire ring, which was integrated into an in vitro model with pulsatile flow. Different degrees of stenosis were simulated in different locations both in bovine artery as well as in a polytetrafluoroethylene anastomosis. A Fourier analysis of the registered signals and a statistical analysis using Pearson test and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were made. A Pearson index of 0.945 (P

A key to species and descriptions are presented for 14 species of the New World genus Crassomicrodus Ashmead. Seven new species, C. azteca, C. clypealis, C. costaricensis, C. jalisciensis, C. mariae, C. oaxaquensis, and C. olgae are described. C. fenestratus (Viereck) is synonymized with C. nigriceps (Cresson). C. melanopleurus (Ashmead) is recognized as a valid species.

Enzootic strains of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) have been isolated from febrile patients in the Peruvian Amazon Basin at low but consistent levels since the early 1990s. Through a clinic-based febrile surveillance program, we detected an outbreak of VEEV infections in Iquitos, Peru, in the first half of 2006. The majority of these patients resided within urban areas of Iquitos, with no report of recent travel outside the city. To characterize the risk factors for VEEV infection within the city, an antibody prevalence study was carried out in a geographically stratified sample of urban areas of Iquitos. Additionally, entomological surveys were conducted to determine if previously incriminated vectors of enzootic VEEV were present within the city. We found that greater than 23% of Iquitos residents carried neutralizing antibodies against VEEV, with significant associations between increased antibody prevalence and age, occupation, mosquito net use, and overnight travel. Furthermore, potential vector mosquitoes were widely distributed across the city. Our results suggest that while VEEV infection is more common in rural areas, transmission also occurs within urban areas of Iquitos, and that further studies are warranted to identify the precise vectors and reservoirs involved in urban VEEV transmission.