Towards common file formats and data standards for seafloor geodesy - Community Whitepaper for UNAVCO’s “Future Directions for Seafloor Geodesy” Committee, September 2020 (revision of July 13, 2021)

Seafloor geodesy experiments have been expanding considerably in recent years. More and more research teamsaround the globe are conducting projects to monitor the tectonic or volcanic deformation of the seafloor. Theseexperiments are commonly based on limited-duration experiments, but increasingly, permanent observatories arealso being installed. This dynamic development is very encouraging for the establishment of a strong community which arguably willlead to the emergence of a worldwide scientific and technical synergy. However, data andknowledge transferbetween the different groups working on similar topics are still limited at the present time. This can be partlyexplained by the fact that the instruments, infrastructure, and processing software developed are custom-made andthus various file formats are used, although the fundamental observables are most of the time identical. One wayto overcome this limitation is to set up exchange standards in the form of standardized file formats. These fileswould gather and store all the physical quantities observed and will prove useful for the processing simplificationand, in the end, the extraction of the geodetic signal sought. Furthermore, uniformized formats would allow muchmore easily the comparison of software and processing methods between research groups, whether during tests oroperational measurement campaigns. Standardized data will eventually provide a base for the activities of potentialfuture national or international observation services. They would also make it possible to envisage the datadissemination similar to geodetic data recorded on land

VirtuWind: Virtual and Programmable Industrial Network Prototype Deployed in Operational Wind Park

With anticipated exponential growth of connected devices, future industrial networks require an open solutions architecture facilitated by standards and a strong ecosystem.VirtuWind aims to develop and demonstrate an SDN and NFV ecosystem, based on an open, modular and secure framework.A prototype of the framework for intra-domain and inter-domain scenarios will be showcased in real wind parks,as a representative use case of industrial networks. Validate the economic viability of the demonstrated solution is paramount for VirtuWind. This paper details this vision and explains steps forward

Time Course and Nature of Brain Atrophy in the MRL Mouse Model of Central Nervous System Lupus

Objective. Similar to patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, autoimmune MRL/lpr mice spontaneously develop behavioral deficits and pathologic changes in the brain. Given that the disease-associated brain atrophy in this model is not well understood, the present study was undertaken to determine the time course of morphometric changes in major brain structures of autoimmune MRL/lpr mice. Methods. Computerized planimetry and highresolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were used to compare the areas and volumes of brain structures in cohorts of mice that differ in severity of lupus-like disease. Results. A thinner cerebral cortex and smaller cerebellum were observed in the MRL/lpr substrain, even before severe autoimmunity developed. With progression of the disease, the brain area of coronal sections became smaller and the growth of the hippocampus was retarded, which likely contributed to the increase in the ventricle area:brain area ratio. MRI revealed reduced volume across different brain regions, with the structures in the vicinity of the ventricular system particularly affected. The superior colliculus, periaqueductal gray matter, pons, and midbrain were among the regions most affected, whereas the volumes of the parietal-temporal lobe, parts of the cerebellum, and lateral ventricles in autoimmune MRL/lpr mice were comparable with values in congenic controls. Conclusion. These results suggest that morphologic alterations in the brains of MRL/lpr mice are a consequence of several factors, including spontaneous development of lupus-like disease. A periventricular pattern of parenchymal damage is consistent with the cerebrospinal fluid neurotoxicity, limbic system pathologic features, and deficits in emotional reactivity previously documented in this model. Neuropsychiatric (NP) manifestations are a common and serious complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Contemporary imaging techniques have revealed various abnormalities in patients with SLE, including lesions in the periventricular and subcortical regions (1,2), hypoperfusion (3), and regional metabolic abnormalities (4). Brain atrophy is the most frequent observation (5) and is likely a consequence of widespread neuronal and glial damage (6). Consistent with these reports, recent studies on water diffusivity indicate a genuine loss of brain-tissue integrity in patients with NPSLE/central nervous system (CNS) lupus (7). However, the lack of understanding of CNS damage led to development of animal models of acute and chronic lupus and dissection of complex pathogenic circuits (8). MRL/MpJTnfrsf6 lpr (MRL/lpr) mice and MRL/ MpJϩ/ϩ (MRLϩ/ϩ) congenic control mice share more than 99.9% of their genome but differ in the onset of lupus-like manifestations. The 3-4-month difference in the time to onset allows discrimination of autoimmunityinduced functional and structural brain damage from epiphenomena associated with aging and with damage of vital peripheral organs (9). In addition to accelerated development of serologic signs of inflammation and autoimmunity, MRL/lpr mice develop, at an early stage, a constellation of behavioral deficits and neuropathologic changes, operationally termed autoimmune

A Reactive Security Framework for Operational Wind Parks Using Service Function Chaining

The innovative application of 5G core technologies, namely Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV), can help reduce capital and operational expenditures in industrial networks. Nevertheless, SDN expands the attack surface of the communication infrastructure, thus necessitating the introduction of additional security mechanisms. A wind park is a good example of an industrial application relying on a network with strict performance, security, and reliability requirements, and was chosen as a representative example of industrial systems. This work highlights the benefit of leveraging the flexibility of SDN/NFV-enabled networks to deploy enhanced, reactive security mechanisms for the protection of the industrial network, via the use of Service Function Chaining. Moreover, a proof of concept implementation of the reactive security framework for an industrial-grade wind park network is presented. The framework is equipped with SDN and SCADA honeypots, modelled on (and deployable to) an actual, operating wind park, allowing continuous monitoring of the industrial network and detailed analysis of potential attacks, thus isolating attackers and enabling the assessment of their level of sophistication

Differential Proteome Analysis of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Patients

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a complex three-dimensional deformity of the spine. The cause and pathogenesis of scoliosis and the accompanying generalized osteopenia remain unclear despite decades of extensive research. In this study, we utilized two-dimensional fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) coupled with mass spectrometry (MS) to analyze the differential proteome of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) from AIS patients. In total, 41 significantly altered protein spots were detected, of which 34 spots were identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF analysis and found to represent 25 distinct gene products. Among these proteins, five related to bone growth and development, including pyruvate kinase M2, annexin A2, heat shock 27 kDa protein, γ-actin, and β-actin, were found to be dysregulated and therefore selected for further validation by Western blot analysis. At the protein level, our results supported the previous hypothesis that decreased osteogenic differentiation ability of MSCs is one of the mechanisms leading to osteopenia in AIS. In summary, we analyzed the differential BM-MSCs proteome of AIS patients for the first time, which may help to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms of bone loss in AIS and also increase understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of AIS

Challenges in assessing and managing multi-hazard risks: A European stakeholders perspective

The latest evidence suggests that multi-hazards and their interrelationships (e.g., triggering, compound, and consecutive hazards) are becoming more frequent across Europe, underlying a need for resilience building by moving from single-hazard-focused to multi-hazard risk assessment and management. Although significant advancements were made in our understanding of these events, mainstream practice is still focused on risks due to single hazards (e.g., flooding, earthquakes, droughts), with a limited understanding of the stakeholder needs on the ground. To overcome this limitation, this paper sets out to understand the challenges for moving towards multi-hazard risk management through the perspective of European stakeholders. Based on five workshops across different European pilots (Danube Region, Veneto Region, Scandinavia, North Sea, and Canary Islands) and an expert workshop, we identify five prime challenges: i) governance, ii) knowledge of multi-hazards and multi-risks, iii) existing approaches to disaster risk management, iv) translation of science to policy and practice, and v) lack of data. These challenges are inherently linked and cannot be tackled in isolation with path dependency posing a significant hurdle in transitioning from single- to multi-hazard risk management. Going forward, we identify promising approaches for overcoming some of the challenges, including emerging approaches for multi-hazard characterisation, a common understanding of terminology, and a comprehensive framework for guiding multi-hazard risk assessment and management. We argue for a need to think beyond natural hazards and include other threats in creating a comprehensive overview of multi-hazard risks, as well as promoting thinking of multi-hazard risk reduction in the context of larger development goals

Effects of Anacetrapib in Patients with Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease

BACKGROUND: Patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease remain at high risk for cardiovascular events despite effective statin-based treatment of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. The inhibition of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) by anacetrapib reduces LDL cholesterol levels and increases high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. However, trials of other CETP inhibitors have shown neutral or adverse effects on cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 30,449 adults with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive atorvastatin therapy and who had a mean LDL cholesterol level of 61 mg per deciliter (1.58 mmol per liter), a mean non-HDL cholesterol level of 92 mg per deciliter (2.38 mmol per liter), and a mean HDL cholesterol level of 40 mg per deciliter (1.03 mmol per liter). The patients were assigned to receive either 100 mg of anacetrapib once daily (15,225 patients) or matching placebo (15,224 patients). The primary outcome was the first major coronary event, a composite of coronary death, myocardial infarction, or coronary revascularization. RESULTS: During the median follow-up period of 4.1 years, the primary outcome occurred in significantly fewer patients in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (1640 of 15,225 patients [10.8%] vs. 1803 of 15,224 patients [11.8%]; rate ratio, 0.91; 95% confidence interval, 0.85 to 0.97; P=0.004). The relative difference in risk was similar across multiple prespecified subgroups. At the trial midpoint, the mean level of HDL cholesterol was higher by 43 mg per deciliter (1.12 mmol per liter) in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (a relative difference of 104%), and the mean level of non-HDL cholesterol was lower by 17 mg per deciliter (0.44 mmol per liter), a relative difference of -18%. There were no significant between-group differences in the risk of death, cancer, or other serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive statin therapy, the use of anacetrapib resulted in a lower incidence of major coronary events than the use of placebo. (Funded by Merck and others; Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN48678192 ; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01252953 ; and EudraCT number, 2010-023467-18 .)