Direct Connection Research Articles

Joint Trajectory Design and Resource Optimization in UAV-Assisted Caching-Enabled Networks with Finite Blocklength Transmissions

In this study, we design and analyze a reliability-oriented downlink wireless network assisted by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This network employs non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) transmission and finite blocklength (FBL) codes. In the network, ground user equipments (GUEs) request content from a remote base station (BS), and there are no direct connections between the BS and the GUEs. To address this, we employ a UAV with a limited caching capacity to assist the BS in completing the communication. The UAV can either request uncached content from the BS and then serve the GUEs or directly transmit cached content to the GUEs. In this paper, we first introduce the decoding error rate within the FBL regime and explore caching policies for the UAV. Subsequently, we formulate an optimization problem aimed at minimizing the average maximum end-to-end decoding error rate across all GUEs while considering the coding length and maximum UAV transmission power constraints. We propose a two-step alternating optimization scheme embedded within a deep deterministic policy gradient (DDPG) algorithm to jointly determine the UAV trajectory and transmission power allocations, as well as blocklength of downloading phase, and our numerical results show that the combined learning-optimization algorithm efficiently addresses the considered problem. In particular, it is shown that a well-designed UAV trajectory, relaxing the FBL constraint, increasing the cache size, and providing a higher UAV transmission power budget all lead to improved performance.

Transcriptome analysis in a humanized mouse model of familial dysautonomia reveals tissue-specific gene expression disruption in the peripheral nervous system

Familial dysautonomia (FD) is a rare recessive neurodevelopmental disease caused by a splice mutation in the Elongator acetyltransferase complex subunit 1 (ELP1) gene. This mutation results in a tissue-specific reduction of ELP1 protein, with the lowest levels in the central and peripheral nervous systems (CNS and PNS, respectively). FD patients exhibit complex neurological phenotypes due to the loss of sensory and autonomic neurons. Disease symptoms include decreased pain and temperature perception, impaired or absent myotatic reflexes, proprioceptive ataxia, and progressive retinal degeneration. While the involvement of the PNS in FD pathogenesis has been clearly recognized, the underlying mechanisms responsible for the preferential neuronal loss remain unknown. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying FD by conducting a comprehensive transcriptome analysis of neuronal tissues from the phenotypic mouse model TgFD9; Elp1Δ20/flox. This mouse recapitulates the same tissue-specific ELP1 mis-splicing observed in patients while modeling many of the disease manifestations. Comparison of FD and control transcriptomes from dorsal root ganglion (DRG), trigeminal ganglion (TG), medulla (MED), cortex, and spinal cord (SC) showed significantly more differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the PNS than the CNS. We then identified genes that were tightly co-expressed and functionally dependent on the level of full-length ELP1 transcript. These genes, defined as ELP1 dose-responsive genes, were combined with the DEGs to generate tissue-specific dysregulated FD signature genes and networks. Within the PNS networks, we observed direct connections between Elp1 and genes involved in tRNA synthesis and genes related to amine metabolism and synaptic signaling. Importantly, transcriptomic dysregulation in PNS tissues exhibited enrichment for neuronal subtype markers associated with peptidergic nociceptors and myelinated sensory neurons, which are known to be affected in FD. In summary, this study has identified critical tissue-specific gene networks underlying the etiology of FD and provides new insights into the molecular basis of the disease.

Common origin of trapped volatiles in oxidized icy moons and comets

Following spacecraft encounters with comets 67P/C-G and 1P/Halley, it was surprising that O2, expected to be a very minor species in their comas, was observed to outgas at a few percent abundance during their ice sublimation phases. This challenged the direct connection suggested between comets and material in the interstellar medium (ISM), which exhibits a very low O2/H2O gas-phase abundance, leading to a number of papers suggesting novel sources for O2. Since these eccentrically orbiting comets have lost significant amounts of their evaporating surfaces over their lifetimes, the O2 observed must have been stably trapped down to significant depths in these primordial icy bodies. O2 was also seen in the coma by Rosetta, along with other volatiles, long after water ice sublimation began to subside. Here we note that the extensive observations of the icy satellites of Jupiter (Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto) exhibit radiolytic and outgassing processes that provide certain direct parallels to interpretations of recent comet observations. Given that O2 is consistently observed in the atmospheres of icy Jovian satellites, as well as stably trapped as ‘bubbles’ (Johnson and Jesser, 1997) in their water ice surfaces, their spectral observations can help constrain the environment in which Jupiter-family and Oort cloud comets formed given that the observed O2/H2O abundances at both types of comets and icy moons are nearly identical. Based on the approximate charged particle radiation required to produce the observed steady-state concentrations of O2, we suggest that comets likely formed in a far more energetic environment than the ISM. While grains can be irradiated for longer timescales in the neutral ISM, small grains are expected to erode before significant O2 formation and trapping occurs. Independent of celestial dynamics then, an unknown radiation source, may provide insight to the first population of oxidized water ice grains in the early solar system.

Barriers to Community Service Use Among Persons With Dementia and Their Care Partners: A Focus on Consumers of a Novel Statewide Dementia Care Program.

Although the importance of access to, and utilization of, home and community-based services (HCBS) is a well-documented aspect of informal care and the ability to age in place among people living with dementia, these resources are underutilized, especially in the initial stages of the disease. In 2017, the Georgia Memory Net was established as a novel private-public partnership to extend dementia screening, diagnosis, care planning, and direct HCBS connections for people with memory concerns throughout the State of Georgia. We aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to HCBS utilization following a dementia diagnosis and subsequent referral for services. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 7 Georgia Memory Net patients and 19 care partners (unconnected dyads) and analyzed using thematic analysis. We found that even with a direct handoff, many people do not use HCBS and face barriers to accessing services. We offer several recommendations based on these findings.

Design and Analysis of a Three-Phase Interleaved DC-DC Boost Converter with an Energy Storage System for a PV System

This paper describes a groundbreaking design of a three-phase interleaved boost converter for PV systems, leveraging parallel-connected conventional boost converters to reduce input current and output voltage ripple while improving the dynamic performance. A distinctive feature of this study is the direct connection of a Li-Ion battery to the DC link, which eliminates the need for an additional charging circuit, which is a departure from conventional approaches. Furthermore, the combination of an MPPT controller and a closed-loop fuzzy controller with a current control mode ensures accurate switching signal generation for all three phases. The meticulously tuned system exhibits a remarkably low ripple content in the output voltage, surpassing calculated values, and demonstrates a superior dynamic performance. The investigation extends to a comprehensive analysis of losses, encompassing inductor copper loss and semiconductor conduction loss. In all scenarios, the converter exhibits an efficiency exceeding 93%, highlighting its robust performance as an effective solution for PV systems.

Aberrant brain functional hubs and causal effective connectivity in menstrually-related and non-menstrually-related migraine without aura.

Menstrual migraine without aura (MRM) is common in female migraineurs and is closely related to cerebral functional abnormalities. However, whether the whole brain networks and directional functional connectivity of MRM patients are altered remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to detect the alterations of resting-state functional networks and directional functional connectivity between MRM and non-menstrual migraine without aura (NMM) patients using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with degree centrality (DC) and Granger causality analysis (GCA) methods. In this retrospective and cross-sectional study, 45 MRM and 40 NMM patients (matched in age, gender, and years of education) were recruited in the study between May 2018 and June 2022. All participants had undergone resting-state fMRI scanning at the Neurology and Pain Outpatient Department of Nanjing First Hospital. Their brain functions were analyzed in terms of DC and GCA, with the significant threshold at voxel level P<0.01 and cluster level P<0.05, Gaussian random field corrected. Correlation analysis was adopted to assess the relationships between the fMRI results and clinical features (P<0.05, Bonferroni corrected). Compared with those in the NMM group, MRM patients showed decreased DC in the right insula (T=-4.253). Using the right insula as the seed region, patients with MRM demonstrated enhanced effective connectivity from the right insula to the ipsilateral middle temporal gyrus (T=4.138) and contralateral superior temporal gyrus (T=3.523). Furthermore, the MRM group also showed decreased effective connectivity from several brain regions to the right insula, which included the right inferior occipital gyrus (T=-4.498), left middle frontal gyrus (T=-4.879), right precuneus (T=-4.644), and left inferior parietal gyrus (T=-4.113). The average Self-rating Anxiety Scale score of the MRM group was significantly higher than that of the NMM group [P=0.032, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.363-7.761]. In the MRM group, disease duration was negatively correlated with the mean value of DC in right insula (r=-0.428, P=0.01). The present research demonstrated that patients with MRM have disruption in insula resting-state functional networks. Disrupted networks contained regions associated with cognitive processes, emotional perception, and migraine attack in MRM patients. These results may improve our comprehension of the neuromechanism of menstrually-related migraine.

ФУНКЦИОНАЛЬНАЯ ОПРЕДЕЛЁННОСТЬ ПЯТИ 40-ЛЕТНИХ ПЕРИОДОВ В СОСТАВЕ 72-ЛЕТНЕГО ЦИКЛА ИСТОРИЧЕСКОГО РАЗВИТИЯ: ФРАКТАЛЬНО-КЛАСТЕРНЫЙ ПОДХОД

Prediction of scientific, technical and social development requires understanding the structure of the processes being analyzed. The object of the study is 72-year historical cycles. Within the framework of the ontological approach, the 72- year cycle is represented as a set of five processes, each of which lasts 40 years, with the beginning and completion of each subsequent process occurring in each case after 8 years. The subject of the study is the functional certainty of the five distinguished 40-year processes. The hypothesis is formed on the basis of the functional certainty of the elements of the fractal-cluster model: information, technological, environmental, transport, energy. Based on these clusters, ideological, technological, and ethical 40-year processes, a 40-year process of space expansion, and a 40-year energy process are distinguished, respectively. The author analyzes the initial and final eight years of the corresponding 40-year processes. Based on the results of the study, it is concluded that in each case there is a direct connection between the events that mark the beginning and end of the corresponding 40-year process. The analysis is carried out on materials of the Soviet period of national history.

Influência do sistema de mensuração do desempenho na satisfação no trabalho e no comprometimento organizacional

Abstract Purpose: This study analyzes the influence of diagnostic and interactive use of the performance measurement system (PMS) on job satisfaction and affective organizational commitment. Originality/value: The study provides empirical evidence that contributes to highlighting the contrasting findings in the literature on how the use of PMS influences job satisfaction and the affective organizational commitment of individuals. Design/methodology/approach: A survey was carried out with middlelevel managers of companies featured in the Best Companies to Work For ranking by the Você S/A magazine, where a sample of 167 valid responses was obtained. We applied the structural equation modeling to test the hypotheses. Findings: The results show a direct relationship between the interactive use of PMS and job satisfaction. They also indicate a direct connection between job satisfaction and affective organizational commitment. Furthermore, they show that diagnostic use directly impacts affective organizational commitment, while interactive use indirectly impacts affective organizational commitment by mediating job satisfaction. These results contribute to the literature by revealing that PMS’s diagnostic and interactive uses result in different psychological consequences, such as job satisfaction and affective organizational commitment. They also contribute by reinforcing the previous literature regarding the complementarity and interdependence of the dual role of the PMS in the organizational context since the interactive use provides a flexible basis for the performance of activities, and the diagnostic use requires alignment of individual behaviors with organizational standards.

Transcutaneous Osseointegrated Prosthesis Systems (TOPS) for Rehabilitation After Lower Limb Loss: Surgical Pearls.

Transcutaneous Osseointegrated Prosthesis Systems (TOPS) for Rehabilitation After Lower Limb Loss: Surgical Pearls.

Exploring the Potential Link between Aluminum-Containing Deodorants/Antiperspirants and Breast Cancer: A Comprehensive Review.

The potential association between aluminum-containing deodorants/antiperspirants and breast cancer has been investigated and debated. This paper comprehensively analyzes existing literature to examine the evidence and provide insights into this relationship. This comprehensive review discusses aspects related to the absorption and distribution of aluminum compounds, its effects on the induction of oxidative stress, the estrogenic activity of aluminum, and potential disruption of hormonal pathways, and the potential role in breast cancer induction. Currently, available research, consisting of epidemiological studies as well as clinical trials, together with meta-analyses and previously published reviews conducted on identifying the relationship between aluminum-containing deodorants/antiperspirants and the risk of breast cancer were also analyzed and discussed. Societal factors, personal hygiene considerations, and lifestyle changes contribute to the increased usage of antiperspirants, but they do not establish a direct causal connection with breast cancer. Further research employing larger-scale studies and rigorous methodologies must validate the existing findings and explore the underlying mechanisms involved. Continued multidisciplinary research efforts and collaboration between researchers, regulatory bodies, and public health authorities are vital to developing a more definitive understanding of this complex topic.

Study on interface engineering and chemical bonding of the ReS2@ZnO heterointerface for efficient charge transfer and nonlinear optical conversion efficiency.

Rhenium sulfide (ReS2) has emerged as a promising two-dimensional material, demonstrating broad-spectrum visible absorption properties that make it highly relevant for diverse optoelectronic applications. Manipulating and optimizing the pathway of photogenerated carriers play a pivotal role in enhancing the efficiency of charge separation and transfer in novel semiconductor composites. This study focuses on the strategic construction of a semiconductor heterostructure by synthesizing ZnO on vacancy-containing ReS2 (VRe-ReS2) through chemical bonding processes. The ingeniously engineered built-in electric field within the heterostructure effectively suppresses the recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. A direct and well-established interfacial connection between VRe-ReS2 and ZnO is achieved through a robust Zn-S bond. This distinctive bond configuration leads to enhanced nonlinear optical conversion efficiency, attributed to shortened carrier migration distances and accelerated charge transfer rates. Furthermore, theoretical calculations unveil the superior chemical interactions between Re vacancies and sulfide moieties, facilitating the formation of Zn-S bonds. The photoluminescence (PL) intensity is increased by the formation of VRe-ReS2 and ZnO heterostructure and the PL quantum yield of VRe-ReS2 is improved. The intricate impact of the Zn-S bond on the nonlinear absorption behavior of the VRe-ReS2@ZnO heterostructure is systematically investigated using femtosecond Z-scan techniques. The charge transfer from ZnO to ReS2 defect levels induces a transition from saturable absorption to reverse saturable absorption in the VRe-ReS2@ZnO heterostructure. Transient absorption measurements further confirm the presence of the Zn-S bond between the interfaces, as evidenced by the prolonged relaxation time (τ3) in the VRe-ReS2@ZnO heterostructure. This study offers valuable insights into the rational construction of heterojunctions through tailored interfacial bonding and surface/interface charge transfer pathways. These endeavors facilitate the modulation of electron transfer dynamics, ultimately yielding superior nonlinear optical conversion efficiency and effective charge regulation in optoelectronic functional materials.

Design and Development of an IoT Gateway for Smart Building Applications

Due to the depletion of energy resources and increased energy demand, there is an increased focus on the energy consumption and management in buildings. Many building energy management (BEM) software platforms are commercially available to monitor and control energy consumption. These platforms are hosted on the physical hardware within the building, due to which the hardware specifications limit their performance. To address this limitation, cloud technology emerged which facilitates software to be deployed at a remote location that has scalable hardware resources. Conventional BEM software can leverage such a cloud platform to offer scalable and maintenance-free installation. Once hosted on a remote cloud platform, BEM software lacks direct connectivity to building sensors/controllers, hence requires a device to support remote accessibility. Most devices are bound to a local area network and therefore need an additional functional layer on top of its communication stack to perform Network Address Translation (NAT)-Traversal. This functionality is implemented on a scalable software which connects to the devices in the network and acts as a gateway for cloud-based BEM software to access devices in the local area network. Any message sent to this gateway is translated to a respective device protocol. This paper describes the design and implementation of such an Internet of Things (IoT) gateway for a cloud-based BEM system that requires support for BACnet, Modbus, and HTTP RESTful interface devices.

Mpox gastrointestinal manifestations: a systematic review

IntroductionMpox is a viral infection caused by the monkeypox virus, a member of the Poxviridae family and Orthopoxvirus genus. Other well-known viruses of the Orthopoxvirus genus include the variola virus...

Camguard: Preventing unauthorised camera access for women’s saftey

Online harassment is a serious problem that can have significant negative impacts on the mental health and well-being of its victims. To address this issue, an Android app has been developed that is accessible to a wide range of users worldwide. The app is built on a script backend process, providing a stable and efficient environment for data management and request processing. The app's API is integrated into the script backend process, ensuring seamless and efficient operation.During the installation process, the app requires users to go through a verification process that includes providing their Google Account, mobile number, and an OTP. This ensures that only legitimate users have access to the app's features and functions. The app also requires users to create a strong master password, which is directly connected to the Google bot, enhancing its security. Biometrics are recommended to protect the master password, ensuring that only authorized users can access their data.The app's security measures are crucial in ensuring the privacy and protection of user data. The use of biometrics and direct connection to the Google bot enhances security, and the app's API provides access to relevant information and enhances the user experience. Users can change their password securely, ensuring that only authorized users can access their data.Overall, the app is a reliable and efficient solution for managing and protecting user data. Its compatibility with a wide range of devices and seamless integration of API make it accessible to a large percentage of Android users worldwide. The app's verification process, use of biometrics, and direct connection to the Google bot enhance its security, ensuring that only authorized users have access to the app's functionalities. The development of this app is a critical step in addressing the issue of online harassment and protecting the privacy and well-being of its users.

Hemodialysis Access: US for Preprocedural Mapping and Evaluation of Maturity and Access Dysfunction.

Patients with kidney failure require kidney replacement therapy. While renal transplantation remains the treatment of choice for kidney failure, renal replacement therapy with hemodialysis may be required owing to the limited availability and length of time patients may wait for allografts or for patients ineligible for transplant owing to advanced age or comorbidities. The ideal hemodialysis access should provide complication-free dialysis by creating a direct connection between an artery and vein with adequate blood flow that can be reliably and easily accessed percutaneously several times a week. Surgical arteriovenous fistulas and grafts are commonly created for hemodialysis access, with newer techniques that involve the use of minimally invasive endovascular approaches. The emphasis on proactive planning for the placement, protection, and preservation of the next vascular access before the current one fails has increased the use of US for preoperative mapping and monitoring of complications for potential interventions. Preoperative US of the extremity vasculature helps assess anatomic suitability before vascular access creation, increasing the rates of successful maturation. A US mapping protocol ensures reliable measurements and clear communication of anatomic variants that may alter surgical planning. Postoperative imaging helps assess fistula maturation before cannulation for dialysis and evaluates for early and late complications associated with arteriovenous access. Clinical and US findings can suggest developing stenosis that may progress to thrombosis and loss of access function, which can be treated with percutaneous vascular interventions to preserve access patency. Vascular access steal, aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms, and fluid collections are other complications amenable to US evaluation. ©RSNA, 2023 Supplemental material is available for this article. Test Your Knowledge questions for this article are available through the Online Learning Center.

Genetic Network Design Automation with LOICA.

Genetic design automation (GDA) is the use of computer-aided design (CAD) in designing genetic networks. GDA tools are necessary to create more complex synthetic genetic networks in a high-throughput fashion. At the core of these tools is the abstraction of a hierarchy of standardized components. The components' input, output, and interactions must be captured and parametrized from relevant experimental data. Simulations of genetic networks should use those parameters and include the experimental context to be compared with the experimental results.This chapter introduces Logical Operators for Integrated Cell Algorithms (LOICA), a Python package used for designing, modeling, and characterizing genetic networks using a simple object-oriented design abstraction. LOICA represents different biological and experimental components as classes that interact to generate models. These models can be parametrized by direct connection to the Flapjack experimental data management platform to characterize abstracted components with experimental data. The models can be simulated using stochastic simulation algorithms or ordinary differential equations with varying noise levels. The simulated data can be managed and published using Flapjack alongside experimental data for comparison. LOICA genetic network designs can be represented as graphs and plotted as networks for visual inspection and serialized as Python objects or in the Synthetic Biology Open Language (SBOL) format for sharing and use in other designs.

Early hip fracture surgery and rehabilitation. How to improve functional quality outcomes. A retrospective study.

Hip fractures are one of the major disability causes associated with a high morbidity and mortality rate. Early surgery and stable fixation could be associated with better pain control, possibly lower mortality rates, and early recovery of autonomy.

Effect of laser puncture on liver enzymes post burn

Objective. The present study was carried out to investigate the impact of laser puncture as an adjunctive therapy on liver enzymes after a burn. Material and Methods: The study included 30 injured patients with burned body surface areas ranging from 30 to 50%. They were aged from 25 to 40 years. Cases from Orabi Hospital were randomized into two groups, equal in number. Group A included 15 cases as they received laser acupuncture (infrared diode laser, wavelength 808 nanometers, with pulse interval: 200 nanoseconds, power density: 0.4 Watt/cm², and energy density 4 Joule/cm²); it was located in direct connection with skin perpendicular to the body acupoints (ST36), (SP6), (LR3), (GB34), (BL18) on each side of the body as well as Zhongwan (RN12) and conducted for 90 seconds for every point three times a week, for 4 weeks after leaving the intensive care unit, conventional physiotherapy program as well as medical treatment. Group B included 15 patients as they received only their conventional physiotherapy program as well as medical treatment. Aspartate transaminase (AST) and liver enzymes, alanine transaminase (ALT) were determined using a spectrophotometer. Results. After four weeks of our intervention, it was found that the laser puncture group had significantly lower ratios of plasma liver enzymes than those in the control group. Thus, it can be concluded that laser puncture serves as an efficient adjunctive therapy for improving liver function after a burn.

Revealing the Impacts of the Pandemic on Travel Behavior by Examining Pre- and Post-COVID-19 Surveys

Recently, the topic of travel behavior and social media usage has been widely discussed. The current study specifically focuses on how specific factors, such as the sociodemographic variables, the number of friends, the social media usage, and the ICT usage, influence their travel patterns based on survey results conducted in pre- and post-COVID-19 times. The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic is taken into consideration to better understand the impact of restrictions on travel attitudes. Statistical analysis is carried out to investigate the survey data. The results show that the pandemic has made a huge impact on general travel behavior, especially in terms of transport mode choice shifting towards individual modes, such as car and walking. The location choice of the participants has a significant connection to the available transport mode and the price range of the place, together with the retrieved information from the ICT devices. Based on the results, it can be seen that the pandemic has deepened the number of close friendships, but younger people do not tend to choose trendy places anymore. In addition, the results show that there is no direct connection between the number of friends and the number of meetings, and the daily online meetings have not replaced all personal meetings.

The Effects of Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitors on the Management of Cardiovascular Diseases

The Effects of Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitors on the Management of Cardiovascular Diseases