Deliverable D2.1 - Ecosystem analysis and 6G-SANDBOX facility design

This document provides a comprehensive overview of the core aspects of the 6G-SANDBOX project. It outlines the project's vision, objectives, and the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Key Value Indicators (KVIs) targeted for achievement. The functional and non-functional requirements of the 6G-SANDBOX Facility are extensively presented, based on a proposed reference blueprint. A detailed description of the updated reference architecture of the facility is provided, considering the requirements outlined. The document explores the experimentation framework, including the lifecycle of experiments and the methodology for validating KPIs and KVIs. It presents the key technologies and use case enablers towards 6G that will be offered within the trial networks. Each of the platforms constituting the 6G-SANDBOX Facility is described, along with the necessary enhancements to align them with the project's vision in terms of hardware, software updates, and functional improvements

Ingestion of plastic debris (macro and micro) by longnose lacetfish (Alepisaurs ferox) iin the North Atlantic Ocean

Plastic debris is found in nearly all marine regions and is a known threat to marine biota. This study evaluates the ingestion of plastic marine debris (macro and micro plastics) by a piscivorous predator, Alepisaurus ferox Lowe (1833). A total of 27 specimens were captured in 2015 and 2016 in the North Atlantic (around 34 degrees-36 degrees N and 10 degrees-16 degrees W) and their stomachs were dissected and inspected for plastic elements. Macroplastic particles were found in 37% of fish, with an average weight of 0.46 +/- 1.14 g with film being the most abundant category (60%). The main polymers characterized were Polypropylene (PP) and Polyethylene (PE). Microplastics were found in 74% of the stomachs, with item values per individual ranging from 0 to 16, with an average value of 4.7 +/- 4.8 items per stomach. Only microfibers and fragments were observed, with microfibers (similar to 85 %) being the dominant typeS

Ingestion of plastic debris (macro and micro) by longnose lacetfish (Alepisaurs ferox) iin the North Atlantic Ocean

Plastic debris is found in nearly all marine regions and is a known threat to marine biota. This study evaluates the ingestion of plastic marine debris (macro and micro plastics) by a piscivorous predator, Alepisaurus ferox Lowe (1833). A total of 27 specimens were captured in 2015 and 2016 in the North Atlantic (around 34 degrees-36 degrees N and 10 degrees-16 degrees W) and their stomachs were dissected and inspected for plastic elements. Macroplastic particles were found in 37% of fish, with an average weight of 0.46 +/- 1.14 g with film being the most abundant category (60%). The main polymers characterized were Polypropylene (PP) and Polyethylene (PE). Microplastics were found in 74% of the stomachs, with item values per individual ranging from 0 to 16, with an average value of 4.7 +/- 4.8 items per stomach. Only microfibers and fragments were observed, with microfibers (similar to 85 %) being the dominant typePostprin

Deep-sequencing reveals broad subtype-specific HCV resistance mutations associated with treatment failure.

A percentage of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients fail direct acting antiviral (DAA)-based treatment regimens, often because of drug resistance-associated substitutions (RAS). The aim of this study was to characterize the resistance profile of a large cohort of patients failing DAA-based treatments, and investigate the relationship between HCV subtype and failure, as an aid to optimizing management of these patients. A new, standardized HCV-RAS testing protocol based on deep sequencing was designed and applied to 220 previously subtyped samples from patients failing DAA treatment, collected in 39 Spanish hospitals. The majority had received DAA-based interferon (IFN) α-free regimens; 79% had failed sofosbuvir-containing therapy. Genomic regions encoding the nonstructural protein (NS) 3, NS5A, and NS5B (DAA target regions) were analyzed using subtype-specific primers. Viral subtype distribution was as follows: genotype (G) 1, 62.7%; G3a, 21.4%; G4d, 12.3%; G2, 1.8%; and mixed infections 1.8%. Overall, 88.6% of patients carried at least 1 RAS, and 19% carried RAS at frequencies below 20% in the mutant spectrum. There were no differences in RAS selection between treatments with and without ribavirin. Regardless of the treatment received, each HCV subtype showed specific types of RAS. Of note, no RAS were detected in the target proteins of 18.6% of patients failing treatment, and 30.4% of patients had RAS in proteins that were not targets of the inhibitors they received. HCV patients failing DAA therapy showed a high diversity of RAS. Ribavirin use did not influence the type or number of RAS at failure. The subtype-specific pattern of RAS emergence underscores the importance of accurate HCV subtyping. The frequency of "extra-target" RAS suggests the need for RAS screening in all three DAA target regions