122 research outputs found
User Plane Function Offloading in P4 switches for enhanced 5G Mobile Edge Computing
This demo shows a 5G X-haul testbed enhanced with P4 switches implementing the offloading of the User Plane Function module. The P4 code includes GTP protocol encapsulation/decapsulation function, fully configurable N3-N6-N9 steering, and advanced online monitoring of the experienced latency metadata
Atrophic pseudarthrosis of humeral diaphyseal fractures: medico-legal implications and methodological analysis of the evaluation
Humeral shaft fractures account for 1- 3% of all fractures and about 20-27% of those involving the humerus. In the past they were often conservatively treated, with an acceptable consolidation rate. Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) is the best choice in polytrauma patients, in complex or pathological fractures and in those associated with vascular injuries. Regardless the type of fixation used, these fractures can evolve into delayed union or pseudarthrosis (PSA). It should be noted that the humeral shaft itself has a high intrinsic healing potential, due to the blood supply provided by the surrounding muscles. The aim of this work is to evaluate whether the causes that led to the development of atrophic pseudarthrosis in a humeral diaphyseal fracture are attributable to inadequate management of this fearful complication and to highlight the possible medico-legal repercussions. We will try to verify whether the currently used forensic evaluation parameters of permanent disability are appropriate and adequate in relation to the complexity of such injuries. This complexity also includes the repercussions on the ergonomic efficiency of the entire limb, the relative possible postural alterations, the inevitable extension of the period of traumatic illness and the relative repercussions on the overall compromised structure of the subject
Frailty and post-operative delirium influence on functional status in patients with hip fracture: the GIOG 2.0 study
Background: This study analyzes the effect of frailty and Post-Operative Delirium (POD) on the functional status at hospital discharge and at 4-month follow-up in patients with hip fracture (HF). Methods: Multicenter prospective observational study of older patients with HF admitted to 12 Italian Orthogeriatric centers (July 2019-August 2022). POD was assessed using the 4AT. A 26-item Frailty Index (FI) was created using data collected on admission. The outcome measures were Cumulated Ambulation Score (CAS) ≤ 2 at discharge and a telephone-administered CAS ≤ 2 after 4 months. Poisson regression models were used to assess the effect of frailty and POD on outcomes. Results: 984 patients (median age 84 years, IQR = 79-89) were recruited: 480 (48.7%) were frail at admission, 311 (31.6%) developed POD, and 158 (15.6%) had both frailty and POD. In a robust Poisson regression, frailty alone (Relative Risk, RR = 1.56, 95% Confidence Intervals, CI 1.19-2.04, p = 0.001) and its combination with POD (RR = 2.57, 95% CI 2.02-3.26, p < 0.001) were associated with poor functional status at discharge. At 4-month follow-up, the combination of frailty with POD (RR 3.65, 95% CI 1.85-7.2, p < 0.001) increased the risk of poor outcome more than frailty alone (RR 2.38, 95% CI 1.21-4.66, p < 0.001). Conclusions: POD development exacerbates the negative effect that frailty exerts on functional outcomes in HF patients
Enabling Delegation of Control Plane Functionalities for Time Sensitive Networks
This paper proposes a new paradigm for control plane in Time Sensitive Networks (TSN). An SDN controller proactively instructs network elements on the reconfigurations to perform locally if some specific events occur (e.g., failures, performance degradations). Instructions are given in the form of Finite State Machines (FSMs), which store information related to the actions that each network element should execute to react against a specific event. Thus, if such event occurs, the SDN controller is by-passed reducing reaction (e.g., recovery) time. Such an approach is here implemented for recovery upon failures in TSN. Experiments of failure recovery are carried out and measurements are presented comparing the FSM-based solution with a fully-centralized reactive restoration. Moreover, the proposed approach is compared through simulations against Frame Replication and Elimination for Reliability. Results will show how proactive FSM manipulation can strongly reduce recovery time in SDN-based TSN networks without overloading the network with frame replicas
The ASTAROTH project
The most discussed topic in direct search for dark matter is arguably the
verification of the DAMA claim. In fact, the observed annual modulation of the
signal rate in an array of NaI(Tl) detectors can be interpreted as the awaited
signature of dark matter interaction. Several experimental groups are currently
engaged in the attempt to verify such a game-changing claim with the same
target material. However, all present-day designs are based on a light readout
via Photomultiplier Tubes, whose high noise makes it challenging to achieve a
low background in the 1-6 keV energy region of the signal. Even harder it would
be to break below 1 keV energy threshold, where a large fraction of the signal
potentially awaits to be uncovered. ASTAROTH is an R\&D project to overcome
these limitations by using Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPM) matrices to collect
scintillation light from NaI(Tl). The all-active design based on cubic crystals
is operating in the 87-150 K temperature range where SiPM noise can be even a
hundred times lower with respect to PMTs. The cryostat was developed following
an innovative design and is based on a copper chamber immersed in a liquid
argon bath that can be instrumented as a veto detector. We have characterized
separately the crystal and the SiPM response at low temperature and we have
proceeded to the first operation of a NaI(Tl) crystal read by SiPM in cryogeny.Comment: proceedings of the LRT 2022 conferenc
First results of a novel Silicon Drift Detector array designed for low energy X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy
We developed a trapezoidal shaped matrix with 8 cells of Silicon Drift Detectors (SDD) featuring a very low leakage current (below 180 pA/cm2 at 20 \ub0C) and a shallow uniformly implanted p+ entrance window that enables sensitivity down to few hundreds of eV. The matrix consists of a completely depleted volume of silicon wafer subdivided into 4 square cells and 4 half-size triangular cells. The energy resolution of a single square cell, readout by the ultra-low noise SIRIO charge sensitive preamplifier, is 158 eV FWHM at 5.9 keV and 0 \ub0C. The total sensitive area of the matrix is 231 mm2 and the wafer thickness is 450\u3bcm. The detector was developed in the frame of the INFN R&D project ReDSoX in collaboration with FBK, Trento. Its trapezoidal shape was chosen in order to optimize the detection geometry for the experimental requirements of low energy X-ray fluorescence (LEXRF) spectroscopy, aiming at achieving a large detection angle. We plan to exploit the complete detector at the TwinMic spectromicroscopy beamline at the Elettra Synchrotron (Trieste, Italy). The complete system, composed of 4 matrices, increases the solid angle coverage of the isotropic photoemission hemisphere about 4 times over the present detector configuration. We report on the layout of the SDD matrix and of the experimental set-up, as well as the spectroscopic performance measured both in the laboratory and at the experimental beamline. \ua9 2015 Elsevier B.V
Can Clinical and Surgical Parameters Be Combined to Predict How Long It Will Take a Tibia Fracture to Heal? A Prospective Multicentre Observational Study: The FRACTING Study
Background. Healing of tibia fractures occurs over a wide time range of months, with a number of risk factors contributing to prolonged healing. In this prospective, multicentre, observational study, we investigated the capability of FRACTING (tibia FRACTure prediction healING days) score, calculated soon after tibia fracture treatment, to predict healing time. Methods. The study included 363 patients. Information on patient health, fracture morphology, and surgical treatment adopted were combined to calculate the FRACTING score. Fractures were considered healed when the patient was able to fully weight-bear without pain. Results. 319 fractures (88%) healed within 12 months from treatment. Forty-four fractures healed after 12 months or underwent a second surgery. FRACTING score positively correlated with days to healing: r = 0.63 (p < 0.0001). Average score value was 7.3 \ub1 2.5; ROC analysis showed strong reliability of the score in separating patients healing before versus after 6 months: AUC = 0.823. Conclusions. This study shows that the FRACTING score can be employed both to predict months needed for fracture healing and to identify immediately after treatment patients at risk of prolonged healing. In patients with high score values, new pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatments to enhance osteogenesis could be tested selectively, which may finally result in reduced disability time and health cost savings
Photon shot-noise limited transient absorption soft X-ray spectroscopy at the European XFEL
Femtosecond transient soft X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) is a very
promising technique that can be employed at X-ray Free Electron Lasers (FELs)
to investigate out-of-equilibrium dynamics for material and energy research.
Here we present a dedicated setup for soft X-rays available at the Spectroscopy
& Coherent Scattering (SCS) instrument at the European X-ray Free Electron
Laser (EuXFEL). It consists of a beam-splitting off-axis zone plate (BOZ) used
in transmission to create three copies of the incoming beam, which are used to
measure the transmitted intensity through the excited and unexcited sample, as
well as to monitor the incoming intensity. Since these three intensity signals
are detected shot-by-shot and simultaneously, this setup allows normalized
shot-by-shot analysis of the transmission. For photon detection, the DSSC
imaging detector, which is capable of recording up to 800 images at 4.5 MHz
frame rate during the FEL burst, is employed and allows approaching the photon
shot-noise limit. We review the setup and its capabilities, as well as the
online and offline analysis tools provided to users.Comment: 11 figure
Classification of current anticancer immunotherapies
During the past decades, anticancer immunotherapy has evolved from a promising
therapeutic option to a robust clinical reality. Many immunotherapeutic regimens are
now approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines
Agency for use in cancer patients, and many others are being investigated as standalone
therapeutic interventions or combined with conventional treatments in clinical
studies. Immunotherapies may be subdivided into “passive” and “active” based on
their ability to engage the host immune system against cancer. Since the anticancer
activity of most passive immunotherapeutics (including tumor-targeting monoclonal
antibodies) also relies on the host immune system, this classification does not properly
reflect the complexity of the drug-host-tumor interaction. Alternatively, anticancer
immunotherapeutics can be classified according to their antigen specificity. While some
immunotherapies specifically target one (or a few) defined tumor-associated antigen(s),
others operate in a relatively non-specific manner and boost natural or therapy-elicited
anticancer immune responses of unknown and often broad specificity. Here, we propose
a critical, integrated classification of anticancer immunotherapies and discuss the clinical
relevance of these approaches
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