Pointing-and-Acquisition for Optical Wireless in 6G: From Algorithms to Performance Evaluation

The increasing demand for wireless communication services has led to the development of non-terrestrial networks, which enables various air and space applications. Free-space optical (FSO) communication is considered one of the essential technologies capable of connecting terrestrial and non-terrestrial layers. In this article, we analyze considerations and challenges for FSO communications between gateways and aircraft from a pointing-and-acquisition perspective. Based on the analysis, we first develop a baseline method that utilizes conventional devices and mechanisms. Furthermore, we propose an algorithm that combines angle of arrival (AoA) estimation through supplementary radio frequency (RF) links and beam tracking using retroreflectors. Through extensive simulations, we demonstrate that the proposed method offers superior performance in terms of link acquisition and maintenance

Ginseng for erectile dysfunction

BACKGROUND: Dietary supplements with ginseng, or ginseng alone, are widely used for a broad range of conditions, including erectile dysfunction. Ginseng is particularly popular in Asian countries. Individual studies assessing its effects are mostly small, of uneven methodological quality and have unclear results. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of ginseng on erectile dysfunction. SEARCH METHODS: We conducted systematic searches on multiple electronic databases, including CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, AMED, and loco-regional databases of east Asia, from their inceptions to 30 January 2021 without restrictions on language and publication status. Handsearches included conference proceedings. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomized or quasi-randomized controlled trials that evaluated the use of any type of ginseng as a treatment for erectile dysfunction compared to placebo or conventional treatment. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two authors independently classified studies and three authors independently extracted data and assessed risk of bias in the included studies. We rated the certainty of evidence according to the GRADE approach. MAIN RESULTS: We included nine studies with 587 men with mild to moderate erectile dysfunction, aged from 20 to 70 years old. The studies all compared ginseng to placebo. We found only short-term follow-up data (up to 12 weeks).  Primary outcomes Ginseng appears to have a trivial effect on erectile dysfunction when compared to placebo based on the Erectile Function Domain of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF)-15 instrument (scale: 1 to 30, higher scores imply better function; mean difference [MD] 3.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.79 to 5.25; I² = 0%; 3 studies; low certainty evidence) assuming a minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of 4.  Ginseng probably also has a trivial effect on erectile function when compared to placebo based on the IIEF-5 instrument (scale: 1 to 25, higher scores imply better function; MD 2.39, 95% CI 0.89 to 3.88; I² = 0%; 3 studies; moderate certainty evidence) assuming a MCID of 5. Ginseng may have little to no effect on adverse events compared to placebo (risk ratio [RR] 1.45, 95% CI 0.69 to 3.03; I² = 0%; 7 studies; low certainty evidence). Based on 86 adverse events per 1000 men in the placebo group, this would correspond to 39 more adverse events per 1000 (95% CI 27 fewer to 174 more). Secondary outcomes Ginseng may improve men's self-reported ability to have intercourse (RR 2.55, 95% CI 1.76 to 3.69; I² = 23%; 6 studies; low certainty evidence). Based on 207 per 1000 men self-reporting the ability to have intercourse in the placebo group, this would correspond to 321 more men (95% CI 158 more to 558 more) per 1000 self-reporting the ability to have intercourse. Ginseng may have a trivial effect on men's satisfaction with intercourse based on the Intercourse Satisfaction Domain of the IIEF-15 (scale: 0 to 15, higher scores imply greater satisfaction; MD 1.19, 95% CI 0.41 to 1.97; I²=0%; 3 studies; low certainty evidence) based on a MCID of 25% improvement from baseline. It may also have a trivial effect on men's satisfaction with intercourse based on item 5 of the IIEF-5 (scale: 0 to 5, higher scores imply more satisfaction; MD 0.60, 95% CI 0.02 to 1.18; 1 study; low certainty evidence) based on a MCID of 25% improvement from baseline. No study reported quality of life as an outcome. We found no trial evidence to inform comparisons to other treatments for erectile dysfunction, such as phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors. We were unable to conduct any predefined subgroup analyses. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Based on mostly low certainty evidence, ginseng may only have trivial effects on erectile function or satisfaction with intercourse compared to placebo when assessed using validated instruments. Ginseng may improve men's self-reported ability to have intercourse. It may have little to no effect on adverse events. We found no trial evidence comparing ginseng to other agents with a more established role in treating erectile dysfunction, such as phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors

The relevance of outsourcing and leagile strategies in performance optimization of an integrated process planning and scheduling

Over the past few years growing global competition has forced the manufacturing industries to upgrade their old production strategies with the modern day approaches. As a result, recent interest has been developed towards finding an appropriate policy that could enable them to compete with others, and facilitate them to emerge as a market winner. Keeping in mind the abovementioned facts, in this paper the authors have proposed an integrated process planning and scheduling model inheriting the salient features of outsourcing, and leagile principles to compete in the existing market scenario. The paper also proposes a model based on leagile principles, where the integrated planning management has been practiced. In the present work a scheduling problem has been considered and overall minimization of makespan has been aimed. The paper shows the relevance of both the strategies in performance enhancement of the industries, in terms of their reduced makespan. The authors have also proposed a new hybrid Enhanced Swift Converging Simulated Annealing (ESCSA) algorithm, to solve the complex real-time scheduling problems. The proposed algorithm inherits the prominent features of the Genetic Algorithm (GA), Simulated Annealing (SA), and the Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC). The ESCSA algorithm reduces the makespan significantly in less computational time and number of iterations. The efficacy of the proposed algorithm has been shown by comparing the results with GA, SA, Tabu, and hybrid Tabu-SA optimization methods

Groups without cultured representatives dominate eukaryotic picophytoplankton in the oligotrophic South East Pacific Ocean

Background: Photosynthetic picoeukaryotes (PPE) with a cell size less than 3 µm play a critical role in oceanic primary production. In recent years, the composition of marine picoeukaryote communities has been intensively investigated by molecular approaches, but their photosynthetic fraction remains poorly characterized. This is largely because the classical approach that relies on constructing 18S rRNA gene clone libraries from filtered seawater samples using universal eukaryotic primers is heavily biased toward heterotrophs, especially alveolates and stramenopiles, despite the fact that autotrophic cells in general outnumber heterotrophic ones in the euphotic zone. Methodology/Principal Findings: In order to better assess the composition of the eukaryotic picophytoplankton in the South East Pacific Ocean, encompassing the most oligotrophic oceanic regions on earth, we used a novel approach based on flow cytometry sorting followed by construction of 18S rRNA gene clone libraries. This strategy dramatically increased the recovery of sequences from putative autotrophic groups. The composition of the PPE community appeared highly variable both vertically down the water column and horizontally across the South East Pacific Ocean. In the central gyre, uncultivated lineages dominated: a recently discovered clade of Prasinophyceae (IX), clades of marine Chrysophyceae and Haptophyta, the latter division containing a potentially new class besides Prymnesiophyceae and Pavlophyceae. In contrast, on the edge of the gyre and in the coastal Chilean upwelling, groups with cultivated representatives (Prasinophyceae clade VII and Mamiellales) dominated. Conclusions/Significance: Our data demonstrate that a very large fraction of the eukaryotic picophytoplankton still escapes cultivation. The use of flow cytometry sorting should prove very useful to better characterize specific plankton populations by molecular approaches such as gene cloning or metagenomics, and also to obtain into culture strains representative of these novel groups

Prospective comparison of novel dark blood late gadolinium enhancement with conventional bright blood imaging for the detection of scar

BACKGROUND: Conventional bright blood late gadolinium enhancement (bright blood LGE) imaging is a routine cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) technique offering excellent contrast between areas of LGE and normal myocardium. However, contrast between LGE and blood is frequently poor. Dark blood LGE (DB LGE) employs an inversion recovery T2 preparation to suppress the blood pool, thereby increasing the contrast between the endocardium and blood. The objective of this study is to compare the diagnostic utility of a novel DB phase sensitive inversion recovery (PSIR) LGE CMR sequence to standard bright blood PSIR LGE. METHODS: One hundred seventy-two patients referred for clinical CMR were scanned. A full left ventricle short axis stack was performed using both techniques, varying which was performed first in a 1:1 ratio. Two experienced observers analyzed all bright blood LGE and DB LGE stacks, which were randomized and anonymized. A scoring system was devised to quantify the presence and extent of gadolinium enhancement and the confidence with which the diagnosis could be made. RESULTS: A total of 2752 LV segments were analyzed. There was very good inter-observer correlation for quantifying LGE. DB LGE analysis found 41.5% more segments that exhibited hyperenhancement in comparison to bright blood LGE (248/2752 segments (9.0%) positive for LGE with bright blood; 351/2752 segments (12.8%) positive for LGE with DB; p < 0.05). DB LGE also allowed observers to be more confident when diagnosing LGE (bright blood LGE high confidence in 154/248 regions (62.1%); DB LGE in 275/324 (84.9%) regions (p < 0.05)). Eighteen patients with no bright blood LGE were found to have had DB LGE, 15 of whom had no known history of myocardial infarction. CONCLUSIONS: DB LGE significantly increases LGE detection compared to standard bright blood LGE. It also increases observer confidence, particularly for subendocardial LGE, which may have important clinical implications

Living biointerfaces based on non-pathogenic bacteria to direct cell differentiation

Genetically modified Lactococcus lactis, non-pathogenic bacteria expressing the FNIII7-10 fibronectin fragment as a protein membrane have been used to create a living biointerface between synthetic materials and mammalian cells. This FNIII7-10 fragment comprises the RGD and PHSRN sequences of fibronectin to bind α5β1 integrins and triggers signalling for cell adhesion, spreading and differentiation. We used L. lactis strain to colonize material surfaces and produce stable biofilms presenting the FNIII7-10 fragment readily available to cells. Biofilm density is easily tunable and remains stable for several days. Murine C2C12 myoblasts seeded over mature biofilms undergo bipolar alignment and form differentiated myotubes, a process triggered by the FNIII7-10 fragment. This biointerface based on living bacteria can be further modified to express any desired biochemical signal, establishing a new paradigm in biomaterial surface functionalisation for biomedical applications

Potential health impacts of heavy metals on HIV-infected population in USA.

Noninfectious comorbidities such as cardiovascular diseases have become increasingly prevalent and occur earlier in life in persons with HIV infection. Despite the emerging body of literature linking environmental exposures to chronic disease outcomes in the general population, the impacts of environmental exposures have received little attention in HIV-infected population. The aim of this study is to investigate whether individuals living with HIV have elevated prevalence of heavy metals compared to non-HIV infected individuals in United States. We used the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2010 to compare exposures to heavy metals including cadmium, lead, and total mercury in HIV infected and non-HIV infected subjects. In this cross-sectional study, we found that HIV-infected individuals had higher concentrations of all heavy metals than the non-HIV infected group. In a multivariate linear regression model, HIV status was significantly associated with increased blood cadmium (p=0.03) after adjusting for age, sex, race, education, poverty income ratio, and smoking. However, HIV status was not statistically associated with lead or mercury levels after adjusting for the same covariates. Our findings suggest that HIV-infected patients might be significantly more exposed to cadmium compared to non-HIV infected individuals which could contribute to higher prevalence of chronic diseases among HIV-infected subjects. Further research is warranted to identify sources of exposure and to understand more about specific health outcomes