Industry Paper: On the Performance of Commodity Hardware for Low Latency and Low Jitter Packet Processing

With the introduction of Virtual Network Functions (VNF), network processing is no longer done solely on special purpose hardware. Instead, deploying network functions on commodity servers increases flexibility and has been proven effective for many network applications. However, new industrial applications and the Internet of Things (IoT) call for event-based systems and midleware that can deliver ultra-low and predictable latency, which present a challenge for the packet processing infrastructure they are deployed on. In this industry experience paper, we take a hands-on look on the performance of network functions on commodity servers to determine the feasibility of using them in existing and future latency-critical event-based applications. We identify sources of significant latency (delays in packet processing and forwarding) and jitter (variation in latency) and we propose application- and system-level improvements for removing or keeping them within required limits. Our results show that network functions that are highly optimized for throughput perform sub-optimally under the very different requirements set by latency-critical applications, compared to latency-optimized versions that have up to 9.8X lower latency. We also show that hardware-aware, system-level configurations, such as disabling frequency scaling technologies, greatly reduce jitter by up 2.4X and lead to more predictable latency

¿Eres lo que piensas? Validación del Cuestionario de Fusión Cognitiva (CFQ) en población mexicana

Antecedentes: La Terapia de Aceptación y Compromiso se caracteriza por poner énfasis en el distanciamiento desapasionado de los propios pensamientos. La fusión cognitiva es un estado donde las personas reaccionan a sus pensamientos de forma literal permitiendo que sean estos los que tomen control y determinen el comportamiento. El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar las propiedades psicométricas del cuestionario de fusión cognitiva (CFQ) en población mexicana clínica y no-clínica. Método: Se registraron 525 sujetos en el grupo no-clínico y 570 en el clínico; se obtuvo el Consentimiento Informado de cada participante. Se evaluó también la evitación experiencial (AAQ) y la atención plena (MAAS). Resultados:Todos los ítems obtuvieron un poder discriminativo excelente. Se corroboró el modelo unifactorial propuesto en la versión original. Se obtuvieron los coeficientes alpha de Cronbach consideradas excelentes. No se logró establecer esta-bilidad temporal test-retest, y la diferencia en las puntuaciones del grupo no-clínico resultó significativa. Se encontraron correlaciones positivas entre las puntuaciones del CFQ y las del AAQ, y se correlaciones negativas entre el CFQ y el MAAS. El grupo clínico obtuvo puntuaciones más elevadas en el CFQ. Conclusiones: El CFQ es un instrumento válido y confiable para ser usado en población mexicana de índole clínica y no clínica.Background: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is characterized by emphasizing dispassionate detachment from one’s own thoughts. Cognitive Fusion is a state where people react to their thoughts literally, allowing them to take control and determine behavior. The aim of the study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire (CFQ) in clinical and non-clinical Mexican populations. Method: 525 subjects were registered in the non-clinical group and 570 in the clinical one; informed consent was obtained from each participant. Experiential avoidance (AAQ) and mindfulness (MAAS) were also evaluated. Results:All the items obtained an excellent discriminative power. The unifactorial model proposed in the original version was corroborated. Cronbach’s alphas considered excellent were obtained. It was not possible to establish test-retest temporal stability, and the difference in the scores of the non-clinical group was significant. Positive correlations were found between CFQ and AAQ scores, and negative correlations were found between CFQ and MAAS. The clinical group obtained higher scores on the CFQ. Conclusions: The CFQ is a valid and reliable instrument to be used in the Mexican population of a clinical and non-clinical nature

Intra-operative rapid diagnostic method based on CK19 mRNA expression for the detection of lymph node metastases in breast cancer

Staging by sentinel node (SN) biopsy is the standard procedure for clinically node-negative breast cancer patients. Intra-operative analysis of the SN allows immediate axillary lymph node (ALN) dissection in SN positive patients, but a quick, reliable and reproducible method is lacking. We tested the suitability of a quantitative cytokeratin 19 (CK19) mRNA one step nucleic acid amplification (OSNA#) technique (OSNA-CK19) for intra-operative SN analysis. OSNA-CK19 involves a short manual sample preparation step and subsequent fully automated amplification of CK19 mRNA based on reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification, with results available within 30–40 min. OSNA-CK19 was compared to histological staining (Hematoxylin&Eosin and CAM5.2 and CK19 immunostaining) of 346 frozen ALNs from 32 breast cancer patients, using half of the lymph node for each method. 267 samples were negative and 61 positive by both methods. Three samples were histology positive and OSNA-CK19 negative. Fifteen samples were histology negative and OSNA-CK19 positive, 11 of which had copy numbers close to the cut-off level of OSNA-CK19. Seven of these 15 samples were RT-PCR positive for epithelial markers and/or showed CK19 protein expression by Western blot suggesting the presence of tumor deposits in the lymph node part investigated by OSNA-CK19. Concordance with histology was 94.8%, and 96.8% after exclusion of the latter 7 discordant cases. Sensitivity was 95.3% and specificity was 94.7% before and 97.1% after discordant case investigation. Our results indicate that OSNA-CK19 can potentially be useful in an intra-operative clinical setting to detect SN tumor involvement in breast cancer patients

School wellbeing among children in grades 1 - 10

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Determinants of children's school wellbeing have not been extensively studied. In this cross-sectional study of school children we assessed how factors assumed to promote wellbeing and factors assumed to adversely influence wellbeing were associated with self-reported wellbeing in school.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Children from five schools, 230 boys and 189 girls in grades 1-10, responded to the same set of questions. We used proportional odds logistic regression to assess the associations of promoting and restraining factors with school wellbeing.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In a multivariable analysis, degree of school wellbeing in boys was strongly and positively related to enjoying school work (odds ratio, 3.84, 95% CI 2.38 to 6.22) and receiving necessary help (odds ratio, 3.55, 95% CI 2.17 to 5.80) from teachers. In girls, being bothered during lessons was strongly and negatively associated with school wellbeing (odds ratio, 0.43, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.85).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Different factors may determine school wellbeing in boys and girls, but for both genders, factors relevant for lessons may be more important than factors related to recess. Especially in boys, the student-teacher relationship may be of particular importance.</p

Does the psychosocial school environment matter for health? : a study of pupils in Swedish compulsory school from a gender perspective

Despite the fast-growing evidence of the importance of the psychosocial work environment for the health of adults there is a lack of research about the possible health effects of the work environment among pupils, that is, their school environment. This is especially true for the psychosocial aspects of the pupils' school situation. The overall aim of this thesis was to analyse the importance of the psychosocial school environment for the health of pupils in Swedish compulsory school from a gender perspective. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used. A cluster sampling technique was used in order to select six different schools in three medium- sized industrial towns in the north of Sweden. The schools were chosen to represent different socio-economic areas. A three-year prospective study was started in 1994, including a cohort of 533 pupils (261 girls, 272 boys) in grade three and grade six. With age-adjusted questionnaires self-perceived health and psychosocial school environmental factors were measured at the baseline study as well as three years later. The total non-response rate was 0.9%. For the qualitative study, two classes (one from grade 2 and one from 5) were selected and followed with focus group interviews once a year for five years. Twenty-nine single-sex focus group interviews were conducted with themes such as: What they feel good and bad about at school; Strategies for enhanced well-being; What it means to have influence at school. High control in combination with low demands in the school situation was associated with the best health and feelings of self-worth. Multiple regression analyses showed that problems in relations with classmates was the most recurrent psychosocial factor at school pardy explaining ill health development and decreased self-worth. Girls had a more negative ill health development than boys between grades six and nine. A study of factors associated with ill health in grade nine showed that sexual harassment among girls and lack of classmate support among both boys and girls were significant risk factors for a high degree of psychological symptoms. Generally, social background factors were less important for pupils' health in this study than the psychosocial environment at school. The best predictors for health behaviour among boys and girls in grade nine were factors related to earlier health/health behaviour. The results also indicated that school-related factors could predict future health behaviour, especially in relation to low physical activity among girls. The qualitative study showed that the girls used 'alliance-building' and 'resistance', in order to increase their power, while 'responsibility-taking' and 'withdrawal' could mean maintained subordination. The boys used mastering techniques (various types of abuse, claiming to be the norm, acting-out behavior, blaming the girls, choosing boys only) to maintain their dominance. The girls' active actions for increased power could be of significant importance for their health. An interpretation of the boys' mastering techniques was that the boys' health would benefit if they gave up striving for power over others. Thus, the psychosocial school environment in regard of demand, control, classmate relations and sexual harassment seemed to matter for pupil's health. School health promotion need to be more gender sensitive, through increasing the awareness of the gender regimes at school and addressing the asymmetric and gendered distribution of power between pupils. Democratic strategies for increased power among pupils in subordinate positions should be encouraged and methods need to be developed in order to encourage health promoting femininities and masculinities at school.Härtill 5 uppsatserdigitalisering@um

Womens body image after mastectomy : A literature review

Introduktion/Bakgrund: Bröstcancer är den vanligaste cancerformen hos kvinnor. Mastektomi är denvanligaste kurativa behandlingen i samband med bröstcancer som innebär att hela bröstet tas bort. Enmastektomi kan påverka kvinnors kroppsliga funktion men även det fysiska utseendet och kan innebäranya utmaningar för kvinnor, då kroppsbilden kan påverkas av långvarig sjukdom. Syfte: Syftet var att beskriva kroppsbilden hos kvinnor efter en mastektomi. Metod: Studien är utformat utifrån Roséns (2017) process. Databaserna som användes var Cinahl ochPubMed. Urvalsprocessen genomfördes med relevansgranskning av titel och abstract ochfulltextgranskning samt en avslutande kvalitetsgranskning i enlighet med Forsbergs och Wengströms(2016) granskningsmallar. Utifrån urvalsprocessen inkluderades 10 vetenskapliga artiklar till studiensresultat. Resultat: Resultatet presenteras i 4 teman; Förlust av kvinnlighet, förändrat utseende, minskatsjälvförtroende och acceptera den nya kroppen.Slutsats: Kroppsbilden påverkas på olika sätt och kvinnan ställs inför utmaningar psykiskt och fysiskt.Genom att bidra till en ökad förståelse om kroppsbilden efter en mastektomi kan vården utveckla stödjandeomvårdnadsåtgärder för att hjälpa kvinnor återfå en positiv kroppsbild. Fortsatt forskning behövs.  ne