Toward the hardening of real-time operating systems

Safety and Mission-critical systems are evolving daily, requiring increasing levels of complexity in their design. While bare-metal single CPU systems were dedicated to such systems in the past, nowadays, multicore CPUs, GPUs, and other accelerators require more complex software management, with the need for an operating system controlling everything. The presence of the operating system opens more challenges to securing the final system’s full dependability. This paper analyses the hardening scenarios based on the evidence gathered by selective fault injection analysis of Real-Time Operating systems. While solutions might be delivered in different fashions, the emphasis on the paper is on the right approach to spot the sensitive part of the Operating system, saving the design from massive overheads

Development of a Nomogram Predicting the Risk of Persistence/Recurrence of Cervical Dysplasia

Background: Cervical dysplasia persistence/recurrence has a great impact on women's health and quality of life. In this study, we investigated whether a prognostic nomogram may improve risk assessment after primary conization. Methods: This is a retrospective multi-institutional study based on charts of consecutive patients undergoing conization between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2014. A nomogram assessing the importance of different variables was built. A cohort of patients treated between 1 January 2015 and 30 June 2016 was used to validate the nomogram. Results: A total of 2966 patients undergoing primary conization were analyzed. The median (range) patient age was 40 (18-89) years. At 5-year of follow-up, 6% of patients (175/2966) had developed a persistent/recurrent cervical dysplasia. Median (range) recurrence-free survival was 18 (5-52) months. Diagnosis of CIN3, presence of HR-HPV types, positive endocervical margins, HPV persistence, and the omission of HPV vaccination after conization increased significantly and independently of the risk of developing cervical dysplasia persistence/recurrence. A nomogram weighting the impact of all variables was built with a C-Index of 0.809. A dataset of 549 patients was used to validate the nomogram, with a C-index of 0.809. Conclusions: The present nomogram represents a useful tool for counseling women about their risk of persistence/recurrence after primary conization. HPV vaccination after conization is associated with a reduced risk of CIN2+

The polymorphism L412F in TLR3 inhibits autophagy and is a marker of severe COVID-19 in males

The polymorphism L412F in TLR3 has been associated with several infectious diseases. However, the mechanism underlying this association is still unexplored. Here, we show that the L412F polymorphism in TLR3 is a marker of severity in COVID-19. This association increases in the sub-cohort of males. Impaired macroautophagy/autophagy and reduced TNF/TNFα production was demonstrated in HEK293 cells transfected with TLR3L412F-encoding plasmid and stimulated with specific agonist poly(I:C). A statistically significant reduced survival at 28 days was shown in L412F COVID-19 patients treated with the autophagy-inhibitor hydroxychloroquine (p = 0.038). An increased frequency of autoimmune disorders such as co-morbidity was found in L412F COVID-19 males with specific class II HLA haplotypes prone to autoantigen presentation. Our analyses indicate that L412F polymorphism makes males at risk of severe COVID-19 and provides a rationale for reinterpreting clinical trials considering autophagy pathways. Abbreviations: AP: autophagosome; AUC: area under the curve; BafA1: bafilomycin A1; COVID-19: coronavirus disease-2019; HCQ: hydroxychloroquine; RAP: rapamycin; ROC: receiver operating characteristic; SARS-CoV-2: severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; TLR: toll like receptor; TNF/TNF-α: tumor necrosis factor

Genetic mechanisms of critical illness in COVID-19.

Host-mediated lung inflammation is present1, and drives mortality2, in the critical illness caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Host genetic variants associated with critical illness may identify mechanistic targets for therapeutic development3. Here we report the results of the GenOMICC (Genetics Of Mortality In Critical Care) genome-wide association study in 2,244 critically ill patients with COVID-19 from 208 UK intensive care units. We have identified and replicated the following new genome-wide significant associations: on chromosome 12q24.13 (rs10735079, P = 1.65 × 10-8) in a gene cluster that encodes antiviral restriction enzyme activators (OAS1, OAS2 and OAS3); on chromosome 19p13.2 (rs74956615, P = 2.3 × 10-8) near the gene that encodes tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2); on chromosome 19p13.3 (rs2109069, P = 3.98 ×  10-12) within the gene that encodes dipeptidyl peptidase 9 (DPP9); and on chromosome 21q22.1 (rs2236757, P = 4.99 × 10-8) in the interferon receptor gene IFNAR2. We identified potential targets for repurposing of licensed medications: using Mendelian randomization, we found evidence that low expression of IFNAR2, or high expression of TYK2, are associated with life-threatening disease; and transcriptome-wide association in lung tissue revealed that high expression of the monocyte-macrophage chemotactic receptor CCR2 is associated with severe COVID-19. Our results identify robust genetic signals relating to key host antiviral defence mechanisms and mediators of inflammatory organ damage in COVID-19. Both mechanisms may be amenable to targeted treatment with existing drugs. However, large-scale randomized clinical trials will be essential before any change to clinical practice

Riociguat treatment in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: Final safety data from the EXPERT registry

Objective: The soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator riociguat is approved for the treatment of adult patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and inoperable or persistent/recurrent chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) following Phase

High temperature fuel cells to reduce CO

Recently the interest in the sustainability of the maritime sector has increased exponentially. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) set as objective the reduction of CO2 emissions by 2030 by a margin of 40% compared to 2008. Recent studies showed that, according to the ships and the emission mitigation method applied, only 15–25% of CO2 reduction is de facto needed. Fuel cells represent an answer to meet this regulation. We propose two different solutions: (i) produce with SOFCs instead of engines the minimum power necessary to cut 20% of the emissions, or (ii) reduce the engine power of about 10% balancing the power requirement using MCFCs with CO2 capture. Using Aspen Plus each solution was investigated. The analysis contemplated LNG steam reforming to produce the H2 necessary for cell operation and the separation and liquefaction of CO2. Two case studies were considered comparing existing passenger ships with engines working on HFO and on LNG respectively. Although both solutions showed potential for the reduction of CO2 emissions respecting the IMO regulations, the SOFC solution requires a major change in the design of the ship, while MCFCs are proposed as an urgent solution allowing ship retrofitting without demanding update

Sistemi di accumulo: tipologie e applicazioni

Nell’articolo vengono descritti e confrontati diversi sistemi di accumulo dell’energia elettrica per applicazioni stazionarie. Essi sono in grado di fornire molteplici servizi di rete con lo scopo di garantire i livelli di adeguatezza, sicurezza e affidabilità antecedenti l’elevata penetrazione della generazione distribuita

Sistemi di accumulo: tipologie e applicazioni

Nell’articolo vengono descritti e confrontati diversi sistemi di accumulo dell’energia elettrica per applicazioni stazionarie. Essi sono in grado di fornire molteplici servizi di rete con lo scopo di garantire i livelli di adeguatezza, sicurezza e affidabilità antecedenti l’elevata penetrazione della generazione distribuita

Optimal Scheduling of Distributed Energy Storage Systems by Means of ACO Algorithm

Energy Storage is the best candidate to improve renewable energy penetration and moderate the intermittent generation problems supporting the match between energy demand and production. This paper addresses the optimal storage operations scheduling based on load and renewable production forecast. Stored energy is controlled to minimize the energy input from the grid and maximizing the revenue from selling renewable energy. This work proposes an optimal scheduling solution based on the Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) algorithm enabling the battery to respond to external signals, e.g. the energy price or on the basis of energy trades. This feature is highly demanded in scenarios with a high share of intermittent renewable energy sources. Four different ACO implementations, customized with respect to the specific problem, are compared. The developed algorithms have been tested by using real load consumption data along a week