A heuristic approach for overlay content-caching network design in 5G wireless networks

With a wide variety of mobile applications and social networks, there is a growing demand for anytime, anywhere access to high quality video and other multimedia content. Fifth generation wireless networks are aiming to keep up with user demands by incorporating new spectrum bands at high frequencies, which results in shrinking of cell sizes and eventually leads to small cells. Dense deployment of small cells and base stations open up new opportunities for faster and energy-efficient access to content. Content caching at small cell base stations, for the purpose of reducing delay, has been studied in several previous works. In our previous work, we used Integer Linear Programming (ILP) models to show that content caching can also reduce energy consumption of User Equipment (UE). In particular, selecting a subset of small cell base stations to cache the content, reduces uplink energy budget, cuts down caching energy budget and simplifies management of distributed caches. Yet, ILP based methods are powerful for obtaining benchmark results but they are computationally intensive for large size problems. In this paper, we propose a particle swarm optimization (PSO) based scheme to deploy an overlay small cell content-caching network with the aim of reducing UE energy consumption. We show that PSO is computationally efficient while it slightly increases energy consumption with respect to the ILP-based methods. © 2016 IEEE

Long-term adherence, safety, and efficacy of repeated onabotulinumtoxinA over five years in chronic migraine prophylaxis

Background: OnabotulinumtoxinA (BoNTA) demonstrated a positive benefit-risk in chronic migraine (CM) patients in PREEMPT I and II phase III trials and many subsequent real-world studies. We herein aimed at evaluating the adherence to repeated BoNTA over a period of five years, while secondary objectives included the assessment of its long-term safety/efficacy and patients’ satisfaction to treatment. Methods: We studied 56 CM patients who had successfully received consequent cycles of BoNTA over five years. Adherence was calculated as the percentage of patients actively choosing to follow with repeated BoNTA treatment, as instructed. Safety and efficacy data were collected throughout the study period. The overall patients’ belief in and satisfaction by the efficacy of treatment was assessed at last follow-up, using the self-report 7-point measure patient global impression of change (PGIC). Results: A total of 36 (64.3%) out of 56 patients remained adherent to BoNTA over five years. Long-term BoNTA exposure was safe and well-tolerated, without severe side-effects justifying treatment discontinuation. The mean monthly headache days and associated clinical efficacy outcomes remained consistent and quite low at last follow-up with evidence of continuous improvements in headache monthly frequency between year three and over five years of therapy. All patients who were able to maintain treatment over five years (n = 36), remained very satisfied and scored at least 5 in PGIC. Conclusion: Considerably high adherence, considerable satisfaction and sustained safety/efficacy were observed in patients followed up for five years, supporting a favorable benefit/risk profile for consistently delivering long-term BoNTA in CM. © 2022 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Lt

Onabotulinumtoxin-A treatment in Greek patients with chronic migraine

Background: Chronic migraine is a disabling condition, with limited treatment options. We conducted an open label, single arm, prospective clinical trial, to assess the efficacy and safety of onabotulinumtoxin-A in Greek patients with chronic migraine. Since recent evidence suggests that a meaningful clinical response may be delayed until after a third onabotulinumtoxin-A administration, we aimed at assessing outcomes at this time point. Methods: A total of 119 patients with CM, scheduled to be treated with Onabotulinumtoxin-A (Botox ®) every 3 months, according to the approved indication and standard clinical practice, were prospectively enrolled. Data documenting changes from baseline (T0—trimester before Onabotulinumtoxin-A first administration) to the period after its third administration (T3) in (i) mean number of monthly headache days (ii) migraine severity as expressed by the mean number of days with peak headache intensity of >4/10 in a 0–10 numerical scale, and (iii) mean number of days with use of any acute headache medication, were collected from patients’ headache diaries at each visit. Results: Of the 119 patients, a total of 81 received 3 courses of onabotulinumtoxin-A and were included in the efficacy population. In those 81 patients, there was a significant decrease in mean headache days/month between T0 and T3 (21.3 ± 5.4 vs 7.7 ± 4.8; P < 0.001); a significant decrease in days with peak headache intensity of >4/10 (11.9 ± 5.5 vs 3.7 ± 3.3; P < 0.001) and finally, the change in days using acute headache medications per month between was also significant (16.2 ± 7.8 vs 5.2 ± 4.3; P < 0.001). Adverse events were few and of non- serious nature. Conclusion: Our results strongly support the use of onabotulinumtoxin-A for the prophylaxis of CM, as this intervention proved effective, safe and well tolerated in our cohort of Greek patients. © 2016, The Author(s)

Spin state ordering and magnetic structures in the cobaltites YBaCo2O5 delta delta 0.50 and 0.44

The antiferromagnetic ferromagnetic phase transition in YBaCo2O5.50 and YBaCo2O5.44 cobaltites with different types of oxygen ion ordering in the [YO0.5 0.44] layers has been studied by neutron powder diffraction in combination with group theoretical analysis. As a result, the crystal and magnetic structures above and below the phase transformation temperature Ti were determined and successfully refined. In both cases, the proposed models involve a spin state ordering between diamagnetic t lt;sub gt;2g lt; sub gt; lt;sup gt;6 lt; sup gt;e lt;sub gt;g lt; sub gt; lt;sup gt;0 lt; sup gt;, S 0 and paramagnetic t lt;sub gt;2g lt; sub gt; lt;sup gt;4 lt; sup gt;e lt;sub gt;g lt; sub gt; lt;sup gt;2 lt; sup gt;, S 2 Co3 ions with octahedral coordination. Electronic ordering results in a nonzero spontaneous magnetic moment in the high temperature magnetic phases with isotropic negative exchange interactions. In the case of YBaCo2O5.5, the phase transformation does not change the Pmma 2ap 2ap 2ap symmetry of the crystal structure. The wave vectors of magnetic structures above and below Ti are k 0 and k c 2, respectively. In the case of YBaCo2O5.44 a crossover P4 nmm 3sqrt 2 ap 3sqrt 2 ap 2ap gt;I4 mmm 3sqrt 2 ap 3sqrt 2 ap 4ap was involved to solve the low temperature magnetic structure. The wave vectors in both high temperature and low temperature magnetic phases are k 0. Mechanisms of the phase transformation in both compositions are discussed in the light of obtained magnetic structures. The proposed spin configurations were compared with other models reported in literatur

Beyond chronic migraine: a systematic review and expert opinion on the off-label use of botulinum neurotoxin type-A in other primary headache disorders

Introduction: Botulinum neurotoxin type-A (BoNTA) is licensed for the treatment of chronic migraine (CM), but it has been tested off-label as a therapeutic choice in other primary headaches (PHs). We aimed to provide a systematic review and expert opinion on BoNTA use in PHs, beyond CM. Areas covered: After providing an overview on PHs and mechanism of BoNTA action, we report the results of a systematic review, according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) recommendations, of BoNTA therapeutic trials in PHs beyond CM. Studies and results were reviewed and discussed, and levels of evidence were graded. We also collected data on relevant ongoing trials. Expert opinion: Although there are contradictory findings on PHs other than CM, BoNTA may represent a therapeutic option for patients who do not respond to conventional prophylactic treatments. Based on limited available evidence, BoNTA may be considered in refractory tension-type headache, trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias, primary stabbing headache, nummular headache, hypnic headache, and new daily persistent headache, after the primary nature of cephalalgia has been documented and other drugs have failed. Experienced physicians in BoNTA treatment are required to guide the therapeutic protocol for each patient to optimize good and safe outcomes. © 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group

Sustained onabotulinumtoxinA therapeutic benefits in patients with chronic migraine over 3 years of treatment

Background: Evidence on whether the therapeutic effect and good safety profile of onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox®) in chronic migraine (CM) patients is maintained over long term treatment is still limited. We herein aimed at assessing whether there is a sustained benefit and good safety with repeated onabotulinumtoxinA sessions in CM over more than three years of treatment. Methods: We prospectively enrolled 65 CM patients, who were classified as responders after three sessions of onabotulinumtoxinA and were eligible to further continue treatment. Data documenting longitudinal changes from the trimester after the third onabotulinumtoxinA administration (T1) to the trimester after completing two years of treatment (T2) and eventually to the trimester after completing three years of treatment (T3) in (i) mean number of monthly headache days (ii) migraine severity as expressed by the mean number of days with peak headache intensity of > 4/10, and (iii) mean number of days with use of any acute headache medication, were prospectively collected from patients' headache diaries. Results: A total of 56 (86.1%) of 65 patients achieved to attain onabotulinumtoxinA over three years. At T3, a significant reduction in mean monthly headache days was evident, compared to T1 (3.4 ± 1.7 vs 7.2 ± 3.8; P < 0.001) with diminished mean number of monthly days with peak headache intensity of more than 4/10 and a significant change in days using acute headache medications per month between T1 and T3 (2.8 ± 1.3 vs 4.7 ± 3.2; P < 0.001). Significant changes were also noticed in all efficacy variables from T2 to T3. Therapy was safe and well tolerated with low rates of adverse events or drop-outs. Conclusion: The long -term treatment with onabotulinumtoxinA proved effective, safe and well tolerated over three years. Our findings support the strategy to consistently deliver sessions of use of onabotulinumtoxinΑ over long time in CM patients (Trial registration NTC03606356, registered retrospectively, 28 July 2018). © 2018 The Author(s)

An updated brief overview on post-traumatic headache and a systematic review of the non-pharmacological interventions for its management

Introduction: Post-traumatic headache (PTH), a common type of headache secondary to traumatic brain injury (TBI) or whiplash, carries a relevant burden on patients. PTH is still an undertreated condition because of limited pharmacological treatment options. Therefore, multimodal non-pharmacologic approaches, which account for comorbidities and biopsychosocial factors, are often used in PTH patients. Areas covered: After providing a brief overview of PTH, a systematic review was conducted, according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) recommendations on recently published (2015–2020) papers on non-pharmacological interventions for PTH. We also collected data on ongoing trials on this topic. Studies and results are reviewed and discussed. Expert opinion: PTH is one of the most common complications of TBI and accounts for almost 4% of symptomatic headache disorders. The most common clinical presentations of PTH are migraine-like or tension type (TTH)-like headache, neck pain, cognitive complaints, and psychological/psychiatric symptoms. Growing evidence suggests that combined pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, encompassing noninvasive neuromodulation, physical therapy, cognitive-behavioral treatment, and education, may be the best approaches for PTH and related comorbidities. Acute/preemptive pharmacological treatments for PTH include drugs used for migraine and TTH. When PTH management is multidisciplinary, the patient benefits most. © 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group

Joint Wireless Resource and Computation Offloading Optimization for Energy Efficient Internet of Vehicles

The Internet of Vehicles (IoV) is an emerging paradigm, which is expected to be an integral component of beyond-fifth-generation and sixth-generation mobile networks. However, the processing requirements and strict delay constraints of IoV applications pose a challenge to vehicle processing units. To this end, multi-access edge computing (MEC) can leverage the availability of computing resources at the edge of the network to meet the intensive computation demands. Nevertheless, the optimal allocation of computing resources is challenging due to the various parameters, such as the number of vehicles, the available resources, and the particular requirements of each task. In this work, we consider a network consisting of multiple vehicles connected to MEC-enabled roadside units (RSUs) and propose an approach that minimizes the total energy consumption of the system by jointly optimizing the task offloading decision, the allocation of power and bandwidth, and the assignment of tasks to MEC-enabled RSUs. Due to the original problem complexity, we decouple it into subproblems and we leverage the block coordinate descent method to iteratively optimize them. Finally, the numerical results demonstrate that the proposed solution can effectively minimize total energy consumption for various numbers of vehicles and MEC nodes while maintaining a low outage probability. © 2022 IEEE