Novel Technique of Transepithelial Corneal Cross-Linking Using Iontophoresis in Progressive Keratoconus

In this work, the authors presented the techniques and the preliminary results at 6 months of a randomized controlled trial (NCT02117999) comparing a novel transepithelial corneal cross-linking protocol using iontophoresis with the Dresden protocol for the treatment of progressive keratoconus. At 6months, there was a significant average improvement with an average flattening of themaximum simulated keratometry reading of 0.72\ub11.20D(P = 0.01); in addition, corrected distance visual acuity improved significantly (P = 0.08) and spherical equivalent refraction was significantly lessmyopic (P = 0.02) 6months a\u17fter transepithelial corneal cross-linkingwith iontophoresis. The novel protocol using iontophoresis showed comparable resultswith standard corneal cross-linking to halt progression of keratoconus during 6-month follow-up. Investigation of the long-term RCT outcomes are ongoing to verify the efficacy of this transepithelial corneal cross-linking protocol and to determine if it may be comparable with standard corneal cross-linking in themanagement of progressive keratoconus

In-Network Programmability for Next-generation Personal Cloud Service Support (INPUT)

Abstract In order to overcome the cloud service performance limits, the INPUT Project aims to go beyond the typical IaaS-based service models by moving computing and storage capabilities from the datacenters to the edge network, and consequently moving cloud services closer to the end users. This approach, which is compatible with the concept of fog computing, will exploit Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) and Software Defined Networking (SDN) to support personal cloud services in a more scalable and sustainable way and with innovative added-value capabilities

On the Fly Orchestration of Unikernels: Tuning and Performance Evaluation of Virtual Infrastructure Managers

Network operators are facing significant challenges meeting the demand for more bandwidth, agile infrastructures, innovative services, while keeping costs low. Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) and Cloud Computing are emerging as key trends of 5G network architectures, providing flexibility, fast instantiation times, support of Commercial Off The Shelf hardware and significant cost savings. NFV leverages Cloud Computing principles to move the data-plane network functions from expensive, closed and proprietary hardware to the so-called Virtual Network Functions (VNFs). In this paper we deal with the management of virtual computing resources (Unikernels) for the execution of VNFs. This functionality is performed by the Virtual Infrastructure Manager (VIM) in the NFV MANagement and Orchestration (MANO) reference architecture. We discuss the instantiation process of virtual resources and propose a generic reference model, starting from the analysis of three open source VIMs, namely OpenStack, Nomad and OpenVIM. We improve the aforementioned VIMs introducing the support for special-purpose Unikernels and aiming at reducing the duration of the instantiation process. We evaluate some performance aspects of the VIMs, considering both stock and tuned versions. The VIM extensions and performance evaluation tools are available under a liberal open source licence

Facing channel calibration issues affecting passive radar DPCA and STAP for GMTI

This paper addresses the problem of clutter cancellation for ground moving target indication (GMTI) in multi-channel passive radar on mobile platforms. Specifically, the advantages of a space-time adaptive processing (STAP) approach are presented, compared to a displaced phase centre antenna (DPCA) approach, in the case of an angle-dependent imbalance affecting the receiving channels. The schemes are tested against simulated clutter data. Finally, a space-time GLRT detection scheme is proposed, where steering vector is not specified in the spatial domain, resulting in a non-coherent integration of target echoes across the receiving channels. Such solution offers comparable clutter cancellation capability and is more robust against significant calibration errors compared to a conventional GLRT detector, which suffers from spatial steering vector mismatches

Stylar peroxidases and heteromorphic incompatibility reactions in Primula acaulis Hill («thrum» morph)

SUMMARYIn non-, self- and cross-pollinated styles of Primula acaulis «thrum» morph, the distribution of apoplastic peroxidase activity has been investigated, by means of the cytochemical treatment with diaminobenzidine. Apoplastic peroxidase activity was detected throughout the transmitting tract (at the «neck» region level) in non- and self-pollinated styles. The enzyme has been related to the predisposition of incompatible pollen tube rejection, no appreciable differences in enzyme distribution having been found between non- and self-pollinated styles since, in this morph, incompatible pollen tubes hardly ever reach the stylar neck. Compatible intermorph pollination caused the disappearance of apoplastic peroxidase activity in the central portion of the transmitting tract, where pollen tubes elongated, utilizing the reserves of the stylar cells, which appeared highly degenerate. Stylar apoplastic peroxidases seem then to play a role in heteromorphic incompatibility responses

Towards Incremental Parsing of Natural Language using Recursive Neural Networks

In this paper we develop novel algorithmic ideas for building a natural language parser grounded upon the hypothesis of incrementality. Although widely accepted and experimentally supported under a cognitive perspective as a model of the human parser, the incrementality assumption has never been exploited for building automatic parsers of unconstrained real texts. The essentials of the hypothesis are that words are processed in a left-to-right fashion, and the syntactic structure is kept totally connected at each step. Our proposal relies on a machine learning technique for predicting the correctness of partial syntactic structures that are built during the parsing process. A recursive neural network architecture is employed for computing predictions after a training phase on examples drawn from a corpus of parsed sentences, the Penn Treebank. Our results indicate the viability of the approach andlay out the premises for a novel generation of algorithms for natural language processing which more closely model human parsing. These algorithms may prove very useful in the development of eÆcient parsers

The phase diagram of QCD with four degenerate quarks

We revisit the determination of the pseudo-critical line of QCD with four degenerate quarks at non-zero temperature and baryon density by the method of analytic continuation. We determine the pseudo-critical couplings at imaginary chemical potentials by high-statistics Monte Carlo simulations and reveal deviations from the simple quadratic dependence on the chemical potential visible in earlier works on the same subject. Finally, we discuss the implications of our findings for the shape of the pseudo-critical line at real chemical potential, comparing different possible extrapolations.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figures, 2 table

A new approximation method for time-dependent problems in quantum mechanics

We propose an approximate solution of the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation using the method of stationary states combined with a variational matrix method for finding the energies and eigenstates. We illustrate the effectiveness of the method by applying it to the time development of the wave-function in the quantum-mechanical version of the inflationary slow-roll transition.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, accepted on Physics Letters

Fine-scale differences in diel activity among nocturnal freshwater planarias (Platyhelminthes: Tricladida)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Although most freshwater planarias are well known photonegative organisms, their diel rhythms have never been quantified. Differences in daily activity rhythms may be particularly important for temperate-climate, freshwater planarias, which tend to overlap considerably in spatial distribution and trophic requirements.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Activity of stress-free, individually tested young adults of three common planarian species was recorded at 3-h intervals in a 10-d experiment under natural sunlight and photoperiod during autumnal equinox (D:L ~12:12). Individual activity status was averaged over the 10-d experiment, each tested individual thus serving as a true replicate. Twelve individuals per species were tested. Food was provided every 36 h, resulting in alternating day- and nighttime feeding events. Activity during the first post-feeding h was recorded and analyzed separately. Statistical procedures included ANOVAs, correlations, and second-order analyses of angles.</p> <p>Results</p> <p><it>Dugesia (= Girardia) tigrina </it>Girard 1850 exhibited clear nocturnal behavior, <it>Dugesia (= Schmidtea) polychroa </it>Schmidt 1861 was predominantly but not exclusively nocturnal, and <it>Polycelis tenuis </it>Ijima 1884 was relatively more active from midnight through noon. Species-specific activity peaks were statistically similar, with peaks at dawn for <it>P. tenuis </it>and just before midnight for the two dugesiids; however, <it>D. tigrina </it>was comparatively more active in the early night hours, while <it>D. polychroa </it>was more active than <it>D. tigrina </it>during daytime. <it>D. tigrina </it>also responded less readily to daytime food addition. <it>P. tenuis </it>remained poorly active and unresponsive throughout the experiment. Individual variability in diel behavior was highest for <it>D. polychroa </it>and lowest for <it>D. tigrina. P. tenuis</it>'s general low degree of activity and late activity peak in the experiment may be related to a strong reliance on external stimuli.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The tested species are mainly nocturnal, consistent with their photonegative characteristics. The fine-scale differences in diel behavior among these three triclad species may not be sufficient to allow coexistence in the wild, with the nonnative <it>D. tigrina </it>eventually displacing <it>D. polychroa </it>and <it>P. tenuis </it>in many European waters. The link between planarian diel rhythms and ecological characteristics are worth of further, detailed investigation.</p