A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Intravenous Sedation in Modern Cataract Surgery

Phacoemulsification is a surgical technique in which a cataract is extracted and replaced with an intraocular lens implant. This can be done under intravenous sedation, oral sedation, or no sedation, in addition to local anesthetic techniques. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to assess the effectiveness of intravenous sedation versus non-intravenous sedation methods. Results found that intravenous sedation was significantly associated with a decrease in pain when compared to non- intravenous methods (SMD = -0.86, 95% CI 1.49 to -0.23, p=0.0008) (WMD = -1.01, 95% CI -1.66 to -0.36, p=0.002). The subgroup analysis found patients did not have a statistically significant reduction in pain when using intravenous sedation over oral sedation. The meta-analysis of perioperative complications found that intravenous sedation did not have a statistically significant increase in adverse events when compared to non-intravenous anesthesia techniques. These findings could inform policy and help develop definitive guidelines for sedation and anesthesia strategies during phacoemulsification

A lightweight method for detecting dynamic target occlusions by the robot body

Robot vision is greatly affected by occlusions, which poses challenges to autonomous systems. The robot itself may hide targets of interest from the camera, while it moves within the field of view, leading to failures in task execution. For example, if a target of interest is partially occluded by the robot, detecting and grasping it correctly, becomes very challenging. To solve this problem, we propose a computationally lightweight method to determine the areas that the robot occludes. For this purpose, we use the Unified Robot Description Format (URDF) to generate a virtual depth image of the 3D robot model. Using the virtual depth image, we can effectively determine the partially occluded areas to improve the robustness of the information given by the perception system. Due to the real-time capabilities of the method, it can successfully detect occlusions of moving targets by the moving robot. We validate the effectiveness of the method in an experimental setup using a 6-DoF robot arm and an RGB-D camera by detecting and handling occlusions for two tasks: Pose estimation of a moving object for pickup and human tracking for robot handover. The code is available in \url{https://github.com/auth-arl/virtual\_depth\_image}.Comment: Submitted to RAAD 202

Leucocyte-rich platelet-rich plasma enhances fibroblast and extracellular matrix activity: Implications in wound healing

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Background: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is an autologous blood product that contains a high concentration of platelets and leucocytes, which are fundamental fibroblast proliferation agents. L iterature has emerged that offers contradictory findings about leucocytes within PRP. Herein, we elucidated the effects of highly concentrated leucocytes and platelets on human fibroblasts. Methods: Leucocyte-rich, PRP (LR-PRP) and leucocyte-poor, platelet-poor plasma (LP-PPP) were compared to identify their effects on human fibroblasts, including cell proliferation, wound healing and extracellular matrix and adhesion molecule gene expressions. Results: The LR-PRP exhibited 1422.00 ± 317.21 × 103 platelets/µL and 16.36 ± 2.08 × 103 white blood cells/µL whilst the LP-PPP demonstrated lower concentrations of 55.33 ± 10.13 × 103 platelets/µL and 0.8 ± 0.02 × 103 white blood cells/µL. LR-PRP enhanced fibroblast cell proliferation and cell migration, and demonstrated either upregulation or down-regulation gene expression profile of the extracellular matrix and adhesion molecules. Conclusion: LR-PRP has a continuous stimulatory anabolic and ergogenic effect on human fibroblast cells

Polarized light therapy: shining a light on the mechanism underlying its immunomodulatory effects

This study investigates the immunomodulatory effects of polychromatic polarized light therapy (PLT) on human monocyte cells. While there is some evidence demonstrating a clinical effect in the treatment of certain conditions, there is little research into its mechanism of action. Herein, U937 monocyte cells were cultured and exposed to PLT. The cells were then analyzed for change in expression of genes and cell surface markers relating to inflammation. It was noted that 6 hours of PLT reduced the expression of the CD14, MHC I and CD11b receptors, and increased the expression of CD86. It was also shown that PLT caused downregulation of the genes IL1B, CCL2, NLRP3 and NOD1, and upregulation of NFKBIA and TLR9. These findings imply that PLT has the capacity for immunomodulation in human immune cells, possibly exerting an anti-inflammatory effect

Πρωτόκολλα Ασφαλών Υπολογισμών Πολλών Συμμετεχόντων

Τα πρωτόκολλα ασφαλούς υπολογισμού πολλών συμμετεχόντων (ΜPCs) είναι κρυπτογραφικά πρωτόκολλα όπου πολλοί κόμβοι εκτελούν από κοινού υπολογισμούς με ασφάλεια και ιδιωτικότητα. Δεν αποκαλύπτονται στους άλλους κόμβους οι πληροφορίες που οι ίδιοι κατέχουν για τον υπολογισμό. Επίσης δεν αποκαλύπτονται οι παράμετροι των συναρτήσεων που χρησιμοποιούνται προκειμένου να γίνουν οι υπολογισμοί. Πάρα πολλές εφαρμογές, είναι βασισμένες σε τέτοια πρωτόκολλα. Η παρούσα διατριβή θα εστιάσει σε αυτά, κάνοντας μίας ενδελεχή παρουσίασή τους ως προς τα χαρακτηριστικά τους, τις εφαρμογές τους και την ασφάλειά τους. Περαιτέρω, θα επιχειρηθεί πρακτική υλοποίηση ενός τέτοιου πρωτοκόλλου, προκειμένου να διερευνηθούν οι αποδόσεις που έχουν σε συμβατικά υπολογιστικά συστήματα.The Secure Multiparty Computations (SMPC) are cryptographic protocols where many nodes execute computations together with security and privacy. The other nodes do not get any other inforamtion about the calculation. Also the parameters about the functions used are not revealed. Many applications are based in such protocols. This thesis will focus on these, doing a brief presentation about their characteristics, applications and security. Furthermore, a practical application of a such protocol will be attempted, in order to investigated their performance in conventional computer systems

Next-gen Industry 4.0 with 5G:enabling secure and high-performance services for critical infrastructure

The advent of Industry 4.0 heralds a new era in manufacturing, driven by advancements in automation, IoT, and AI. Integral to this shift is the deployment of robust communication networks capable of real-time data exchange. Leveraging 5G technology, with its low latency and high bandwidth, is crucial in meeting these demands. However, integrating vertical services with 5G networks poses challenges. This paper, part of the 5 G-INDUCE project, focuses on deploying and validating corrosion inspection and intruder surveillance services for critical infrastructures. Trials conducted at the Greek Experimentation Facility showcased successful service deployment, configuration, and high-definition video streaming. Quantitative results exceeded expected Key Performance Indicators, demonstrating the platform’s efficacy in integrating advanced network applications. This work contributes to the evolution of Industry 4.0 by harnessing the transformative potential of 5 G technology

Οικονομική διακυβέρνηση και κρίση του αντιπροσωπευτικού πολιτεύματος

H παρούσα μελέτη επιχειρεί μία ανάλυση του τρόπου με τον οποίο η ευρωπαϊκή οικονομική ολοκλήρωση επιδρά στην πραγμάτωση της λαϊκής κυριαρχίας και τη συνολική λειτουργία του δημοκρατικού πολιτεύματος. Στο πρώτο κεφάλαιο παρατίθενται συνοπτικά οι βασικές παράμετροι της εμπέδωσης της δημοκρατικής αρχής. Υπό το δεύτερο κεφάλαιο παρουσιάζεται η προβληματική της αναζήτησης δημοκρατικού ερείσματος εντός του ενωσιακού πολιτειακού οικοδομήματος. Στην συνέχεια το τρίτο κεφάλαιο επικεντρώνεται στις καταστατικές αρχές της ευρωπαϊκής οικονομικής διακυβέρνησης και του τρόπου με τον οποίο αυτές επηρεάζουν τη λυσιτέλεια των θεσμικών εγγυήσεων της δημοκρατικής αρχής, όπως αυτές παρουσιάστηκαν στο πρώτο κεφάλαιο. Επιχειρείται δηλαδή μία προβολή των λειτουργικών ασυνεχειών της δημοκρατικής αρχής εντός του συστήματος της ΟΝΕ. Τέλος, το τέταρτο και τελευταίο κεφάλαιο αναδεικνύει τις αλλαγές που επέρχονται στην ευρωπαϊκή οικονομική διακυβέρνηση υπό το βάρος της οικονομικής κρίσης και του τρόπου με τον οποίο οι νέες μορφές και διαδικασίες οικονομικής διακυβέρνησης εντείνουν την προβληματική της νομικής και πολιτικής υποβάθμισης των βασικών αρχών του δημοκρατικού πολιτεύματος. Στο κεφάλαιο αυτό η έρευνα μας επικεντρώνεται στο ρόλο του ΕΜΣ και της ΕΚΤ στην αντιμετώπιση της κρίσης, αλλά και στην ενίσχυση των μηχανισμών δημοσιονομικής εποπτείας σε συνάρτηση με τις βασικές όψεις της λειτουργίας της δημοκρατικής πολιτείας.The present study attempts an analysis of how European economic integration has an effect on the realization of popular sovereignty and the overall functioning of the democratic system. The first chapter summarizes the basic parameters of the consolidation of the democratic authority. The second chapter presents the problem of seeking a democratic foundation within the EU building. Subsequently, the third chapter focuses on the constitutional principles of European economic governance and the way in which they affect the relevance of the institutional guarantees of the democratic principle as presented in the first chapter. It is, therefore, a projection of the functional discontinuities of the democratic authority within the EMU system. Finally, the fourth and final chapter highlights the changes in European economic governance under the weight of the economic crisis and the way in which new forms and processes of economic governance intensify the problem of legal and political degradation of the basic principles of the democratic system. In this chapter, our research focuses on the role of the ESM and the ECB in tackling the crisis, but also on strengthening the mechanisms for budgetary surveillance in relation to the basic aspects of the functioning of the democratic state