Blockage Prediction for Mobile UE in RIS-assisted Wireless Networks: A Deep Learning Approach

Due to significant blockage conditions in wireless networks, transmitted signals may considerably degrade before reaching the receiver. The reliability of the transmitted signals, therefore, may be critically problematic due to blockages between the communicating nodes. Thanks to the ability of Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RISs) to reflect the incident signals with different reflection angles, this may counter the blockage effect by optimally reflecting the transmit signals to receiving nodes, hence, improving the wireless network's performance. With this motivation, this paper formulates a RIS-aided wireless communication problem from a base station (BS) to a mobile user equipment (UE). The BS is equipped with an RGB camera. We use the RGB camera at the BS and the RIS panel to improve the system's performance while considering signal propagating through multiple paths and the Doppler spread for the mobile UE. First, the RGB camera is used to detect the presence of the UE with no blockage. When unsuccessful, the RIS-assisted gain takes over and is then used to detect if the UE is either "present but blocked" or "absent". The problem is determined as a ternary classification problem with the goal of maximizing the probability of UE communication blockage detection. We find the optimal solution for the probability of predicting the blockage status for a given RGB image and RIS-assisted data rate using a deep neural learning model. We employ the residual network 18-layer neural network model to find this optimal probability of blockage prediction. Extensive simulation results reveal that our proposed RIS panel-assisted model enhances the accuracy of maximization of the blockage prediction probability problem by over 38\% compared to the baseline scheme

Can miRNA712_3p be a promising biomarker for early diagnosis of toxoplasmosis?

Objective: To assess the role of miRNA712_3p as a specific biomarker in early detection of toxoplasmosis in plasma of mice acutely infected with Toxoplasma gondii. Methods: Real-time PCR was used to measure the level of miRNA712_3p in plasma of infected mice. Immune-competent and immune-suppressed mice were examined, three and five days post-infection. Results: Results revealed significant up-regulation of plasma miRNA712_3p in both immune- competent and immune-compromised groups in comparison to the control non-infected group. Additionally, an increase in the level of miRNA712_3p was noticed correspondently in the parasite density detected in liver impression smears. Conclusions: miRNA712_3p can be used as a novel biomarker for the detection of Toxoplasma gondii infection in both immune-competent and immune-compromised host

SARS-CoV-2 vaccination modelling for safe surgery to save lives: data from an international prospective cohort study

Background: Preoperative SARS-CoV-2 vaccination could support safer elective surgery. Vaccine numbers are limited so this study aimed to inform their prioritization by modelling. Methods: The primary outcome was the number needed to vaccinate (NNV) to prevent one COVID-19-related death in 1 year. NNVs were based on postoperative SARS-CoV-2 rates and mortality in an international cohort study (surgical patients), and community SARS-CoV-2 incidence and case fatality data (general population). NNV estimates were stratified by age (18-49, 50-69, 70 or more years) and type of surgery. Best- and worst-case scenarios were used to describe uncertainty. Results: NNVs were more favourable in surgical patients than the general population. The most favourable NNVs were in patients aged 70 years or more needing cancer surgery (351; best case 196, worst case 816) or non-cancer surgery (733; best case 407, worst case 1664). Both exceeded the NNV in the general population (1840; best case 1196, worst case 3066). NNVs for surgical patients remained favourable at a range of SARS-CoV-2 incidence rates in sensitivity analysis modelling. Globally, prioritizing preoperative vaccination of patients needing elective surgery ahead of the general population could prevent an additional 58 687 (best case 115 007, worst case 20 177) COVID-19-related deaths in 1 year. Conclusion: As global roll out of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination proceeds, patients needing elective surgery should be prioritized ahead of the general population

Pancreatic surgery outcomes: multicentre prospective snapshot study in 67 countries

Background: Pancreatic surgery remains associated with high morbidity rates. Although postoperative mortality appears to have improved with specialization, the outcomes reported in the literature reflect the activity of highly specialized centres. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes following pancreatic surgery worldwide.Methods: This was an international, prospective, multicentre, cross-sectional snapshot study of consecutive patients undergoing pancreatic operations worldwide in a 3-month interval in 2021. The primary outcome was postoperative mortality within 90 days of surgery. Multivariable logistic regression was used to explore relationships with Human Development Index (HDI) and other parameters.Results: A total of 4223 patients from 67 countries were analysed. A complication of any severity was detected in 68.7 percent of patients (2901 of 4223). Major complication rates (Clavien-Dindo grade at least IIIa) were 24, 18, and 27 percent, and mortality rates were 10, 5, and 5 per cent in low-to-middle-, high-, and very high-HDI countries respectively. The 90-day postoperative mortality rate was 5.4 per cent (229 of 4223) overall, but was significantly higher in the low-to-middle-HDI group (adjusted OR 2.88, 95 per cent c.i. 1.80 to 4.48). The overall failure-to-rescue rate was 21 percent; however, it was 41 per cent in low-to-middle-compared with 19 per cent in very high-HDI countries.Conclusion: Excess mortality in low-to-middle-HDI countries could be attributable to failure to rescue of patients from severe complications. The authors call for a collaborative response from international and regional associations of pancreatic surgeons to address management related to death from postoperative complications to tackle the global disparities in the outcomes of pancreatic surgery (NCT04652271; ISRCTN95140761)