Lightweight error correction technique in industrial IEEE802.15.4 networks

Industrial Wireless Sensor Networks (IWSNs) are nowadays becoming more and more popular thanks to their flexibility and pervasive monitoring capabilities to support process automation and remote maintenance applications. In such a scenario, channel errors due to the wireless medium can result in data packet losses, and consequently in unreliable IWSN services. To mitigate the above reported problem, this paper presents a lightweight error correction scheme specially developed for IEEE802.15.4-based IWSNs. By adding error correction and detection information inside the IEEE802.15.4 MAC data frame, the proposed FEC scheme is able to guarantee a backward compatibility with the standard while providing advanced capabilities in recovering data packets affected by bit errors. In the paper the benefits of the proposed technique are first evaluated through simulated loss traces, then they are validated in a real environment by considering real loss traces collected in an electricity power plant. The proposed error correction scheme is able to recover around 50% of the data packets that would be lost in case of a standard communication without any error correction capability

Inefficient skeletal muscle oxidative function flanks impaired motor neuron recruitment in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis during exercise

This study aimed to evaluate muscle oxidative function during exercise in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients (pALS) with non-invasive methods in order to assess if determinants of reduced exercise tolerance might match ALS clinical heterogeneity. 17 pALS, who were followed for 4 months, were compared with 13 healthy controls (CTRL). Exercise tolerance was assessed by an incremental exercise test on cycle ergometer measuring peak O2 uptake ([Formula: see text]O2peak), vastus lateralis oxidative function by near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and breathing pattern ([Formula: see text]E peak). pALS displayed: (1) 44% lower [Formula: see text]O2peak vs. CTRL (p\u2009<\u20090.0001), paralleled by a 43% decreased peak skeletal muscle oxidative function (p\u2009<\u20090.01), with a linear regression between these two variables (r2\u2009=\u20090.64, p\u2009<\u20090.0001); (2) 46% reduced [Formula: see text]Epeak vs. CTRL (p\u2009<\u20090.0001), achieved by using an inefficient breathing pattern (increasing respiratory frequency) from the onset until the end of exercise. Inefficient skeletal muscle O2 function, when flanking the impaired motor units recruitment, is a major determinant of pALS clinical heterogeneity and working capacity exercise tolerance. CPET and NIRS are useful tools for detecting early stages of oxidative deficiency in skeletal muscles, disclosing individual impairments in the O2 transport and utilization chain

Osteopathy students profile in Italy: A cross sectional census

Introduction: The Osteopathy Students Analysis (OSA) aims to profile osteopathy students in Italy as a target population in terms of sociodemographic characteristics, geographical distribution, health status, and previous and ongoing education specifications. Materials and methods: The OSA used a cross-sectional design. A Web-based survey was distributed to the Italian Osteopathic Education Institutions (OEIs). The OSA survey was composed of items organised into four sections: 1. Sociodemographic characteristics (11 items); 2. Geographical distribution (5 items); 3. Health status (3 items); 4. Previous and ongoing education specifications (16 items). A descriptive sample population analysis was performed. Dichotomous and categorical variables were presented as frequencies and percentages, and continuous variables were displayed as means and standard deviations. Some variables were analysed using a pentenary distribution. Results: 49 out of the 61 OEIs identified matched the inclusion criteria, and among these, 22 accepted to propose the enrolment of their students into the study. The survey was administered to 4,720 students from all the participant OEIs. A total of 3,762 students responded to the survey, accounting for an estimated response rate of 53.7%. The majority of respondents were men (54%), with an average age of 26.9 ± 6.5 years. Almost the totality of the sample was composed of the European ethnic group (99.1%). Respondents were predominantly born in Italy (97.2%). The majority of the sample reported being in good (49.5%) to excellent (38.6%) health. To date, osteopathy students are almost evenly distributed between the two types of curricula (T1 = 46.6%; T2 = 53.4%). Conclusions: The OSA is the first study that aims to profile Italian osteopathy students as a target population in terms of sociodemographic characteristics, geographical distribution, health status, and previous and ongoing education specifications. Future studies should focus on investigating the correlation between the sociodemographic characteristics of students and their academic performance

Characterization of multinucleated giant cells in synovium and subchondral bone in knee osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis

Background: Multinucleated giant cells have been noticed in diverse arthritic conditions since their first description in rheumatoid synovium. However, their role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA) or rheumatoid arthritis (RA) still remains broadly unknown. We aimed to study the presence and characteristics of multinucleated giant cells (MGC) both in synovium and in subchondral bone tissues of patients with OA or RA. Methods: Knee synovial and subchondral bone samples were from age-matched patients undergoing total joint replacement for OA or RA, or non-arthritic post mortem (PM) controls. OA synovium was stratified by histological inflammation grade using index tissue sections. Synovitis was assessed by Krenn score. Histological studies employed specific antibodies against macrophage markers or cathepsin K, or TRAP enzymatic assay. Results: Inflamed OA and RA synovia displayed more multinucleated giant cells than did non-inflamed OA and PM synovia. There was a significant association between MGC numbers and synovitis severity. A TRAP negative/cathepsin K negative Langhans-like subtype was predominant in OA, whereas both Langhans-like and TRAP-positive/ cathepsin K negative foreign-body-like subtypes were most commonly detected in RA. Plasma-like and foam-like subtypes also were observed in OA and RA synovia, and the latter was found surrounding adipocytes. TRAP positive/ cathepsin K positive osteoclasts were only identified adjacent to subchondral bone surfaces. TRAP positive osteoclasts were significantly increased in subchondral bone in OA and RA compared to PM controls. Conclusions: Multinucleated giant cells are associated with synovitis severity, and subchondral osteoclast numbers are increased in OA, as well as in RA. Further research targeting multinucleated giant cells is warranted to elucidate their contributions to the symptoms and joint damage associated with arthritis

How mathematics students perceive the transition from secondary to tertiary level with particular reference to proof

This paper reports on a research project concerning the difficulties met by undergraduate students in mathematics during the first year of university. Our aim is to provide elements for studying the transition from secondary to tertiary level as perceived by the students who live it. The combination of different analytical tools (questionnaires, interviews, problem solving and proving activities) allows shedding light on aspects which are not purely cognitive, but also pertain to the affective domain

Dynamic positioning operability assessment by using thrust allocation optimization

A Dynamic Positioning system can automatically maintain both the position and heading of a vessel by using its thrusters. The core is composed of force and thrust allocation modules that tailor the required forces and moment to compensate the external forces over the available actuators. The propulsion systems are often over-actuated and, then, it is impossible to solve analytically the thrust allocation algorithm. To address the challenge several methodologies are available, starting from reducing the order of the problem up to operation research techniques. The paper aims to develop an optimisation procedure that includes an ad-hoc objective function with relative non-linear constraints for the thrust allocation logic that tends to minimize the thrust of the actuator. The procedure accounts for non-linear hydrodynamic effects on the thrust generation, including thruster-thruster and thruster-hull interactions. Based on the assumption of equal available power, two different propulsion configurations are investigated in terms of yearly operability