Analysis and Evaluation of End-to-End PTP Synchronization for Ethernet-based Fronthaul

Provisioning of cost-effective Ethernet-based fronthaul by reusing the LAN infrastructure available in most commercial buildings is challenging predominantly in terms of the required bandwidth and synchronization. In contrast to a synchronous fronthaul, a PTP-based Ethernet network must cope with estimation noise introduced by packet delay variation (PDV) for synchronization recovery. The SYNC packet used for PTP on such networks is expected to suffer from significant PDV due to the fronthaul traffic and other background traffic. Further challenge is when the involved network switches do not support PTP and therefore synchronization can only be done by end-devices. Focusing on this scenario, this paper analyzes the problems that may affect the time-offset estimation accuracy and presents schemes to mitigate these problems. The performance is evaluated through a self-developed FPGA-based testbed and the results suggest that the end-to-end PTP approach can fulfill the less strict time alignment requirements of 3GPP standards if PDV is handled properly

FPGA-Based Testbed for Synchronization on Ethernet Fronthaul with Phase Noise Measurements

Cloud radio access network (C-RAN) is a recent trend of RAN architecture positioned to help the operators to address challenges of new wireless services, such as emerging 4G and 5G mobile networks. C-RAN uses baseband processing units in a central server which connects to the radio front-ends at cell sites via the so-called fronthaul network. The fronthaul infrastructure is currently provided by CPRI (Common Public Radio Interface) and OBSAI (Open Basestation Architecture Initiative) industry standards which use dedicated optical links with high deployment costs. An alternative is to use Ethernet technology aiming to reuse of network infrastructure available in many commercial buildings. However, in contrast to the traditional synchronous fronthaul, Ethernet suffers with packet delay variation (PDV) and challenging synchronization recovery. This work presents a complete and flexible testbed to evaluate Ethernet-based fronthaul. The system is validated via extensive measurements that show the effects of synchronization procedures and network impairments on regenerated clock phase noise

Analysis of Controlled Packet Departure to Support Ethernet Fronthaul Synchronization via PTP

The synchronization accuracy achieved via the IEEE 1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP) in packet-based fronthaul networks is substantially impaired by packet delay variation (PDV). Nevertheless, in the particular case of deployment over tree topologies, it is known that PDV can be avoided by controlling the departure of PTP packets such that they experience close to constant delays over the fronthaul. This paper analyzes controlled PTP departure under constraints that are peculiar to a fronthaul scenario of interest and considering that radio traffic itself behaves as background traffic relative to PTP. Since the method involves buffering of radio traffic prior to controlled PTP transmissions, its impact on buffer sizes at the baseband and radio units, and the corresponding increase in fronthaul latency are also analyzed. In the end, results collected through a self-developed FPGA-based testbed are presented.This work was supported in part by the Innovation Center, Ericsson Telecomunicac¸ ˜oes S.A., Brazil, CNPq/Capes, Brazil, and by the European Union through the H2020 collaborative Europe/Taiwan research project 5G-CORAL (grant agreement no. 761586)

Impact of lockdown during Covid‐19 pandemic on physical activity and arrhythmia burden in heart failure patients

Background Restricted outdoor activity during COVID-19 related lockdown may accelerate heart failure (HF) progression and thereby increase cardiac arrhythmias. We analyzed the impact of March/April 2020 lockdown on physical activity and arrhythmia burden in HF patients treated with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices with daily, automatic remote monitoring (RM) function. Methods The study cohort included 405 HF patients enrolled in Observation of Clinical Routine Care for Heart Failure Patients Implanted with BIOTRONIK CRT Devices (BIO|STREAM.HF) registry in 16 countries, who had left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) = 8 min/day in 46.5% of patients; predictors were higher LVEF, lower NYHA class, no defibrillator indication, and more activity before lockdown. AHRE burden increased by >= 17 min/day in 4.7% of patients; predictors were history of atrial fibrillation, higher LVEF, higher body mass index, and activity decrease during lockdown. Conclusion Unfavorable changes in physical activity, AHRE burden, and follow-up rate were observed during lockdown, but not in ventricular arrhythmia

Psychological and somatic symptoms among breast cancer patients in four European countries : A cross-lagged panel model

Psychological and physical health among women with breast cancer are linked. However, more research is needed to test the interrelations between psychological and somatic symptoms, over time and throughout the different phases of breast cancer treatment, to determine when and which interventions should be prioritized. Six hundred and eighty nine women from four countries (Finland, Israel, Italy and Portugal) completed questionnaires during their first clinical consultation following diagnosis with breast cancer, and again after 3 and 6 months. The questionnaires included self-reported measures of psychological symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule Short Form) and somatic symptoms [selected items from the International European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) questionnaires]. Psychological and somatic symptoms were relatively stable across the three time-points. Cross-lagged paths leading from somatic to psychological symptoms (beta coefficients of 0.08-0.10), as well as vice-versa (beta 0.11-0.12), were found to be significant. No evidence was found for cross-cultural differences in mutual effects of psychological and somatic symptoms. The findings of this study call for tailoring personal interventions for breast cancer patients-either from a somatic perspective or a psychological perspective-and adjust them to the specific experiences of the individual patient.Peer reviewe

Trajectories of Quality of Life among an International Sample of Women during the First Year after the Diagnosis of Early Breast Cancer: A Latent Growth Curve Analysis

The current study aimed to track the trajectory of quality of life (QoL) among subgroups of women with breast cancer in the first 12 months post-diagnosis. We also aimed to assess the number and portion of women classified into each distinct trajectory and the sociodemographic, clinical, and psychosocial factors associated with these trajectories. The international sample included 699 participants who were recruited soon after being diagnosed with breast cancer as part of the BOUNCE Project. QoL was assessed at baseline and after 3, 6, 9, and 12 months, and we used Latent Class Growth Analysis to identify trajectory subgroups. Sociodemographic, clinical, and psychosocial factors at baseline were used to predict latent class membership. Four distinct QoL trajectories were identified in the first 12 months after a breast cancer diagnosis: medium and stable (26% of participants); medium and improving (47%); high and improving (18%); and low and stable (9%). Thus, most women experienced improvements in QoL during the first year post-diagnosis. However, approximately one-third of women experienced consistently low-to-medium QoL. Cancer stage was the only variable which was related to the QoL trajectory in the multivariate analysis. Early interventions which specifically target women who are at risk of ongoing low QoL are needed

Citral: antifungal activity and mode of action, against Cladosporium oxysporum

Dematiaceous fungi are a group of fungi with dark colonies and pigmented fungal elements. The spectrum of diseases associated with fungi ranges from superficial skin and soft tissue infections to disseminated sepsis with high mortality. Therefore, it is necessary to study molecules with an antifungal action against these fungis. Attention has been drawn to the antimicrobial activity of aromatic compounds because of their promising biological properties. Citral is a monoterpene with known pharmacological properties, including antimicrobial action. Therefore, we investigated the antifungal activity of citral against strains of C. oxysporum, which involved determining its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) and effects on mycelial growth and conidial germination. The effects of citral on the cell wall (sorbitol protect effect) and the cell membrane (citral to ergosterol binding) were investigated. Citral inhibited the growth of 50% of C. oxysporum strains employed in this study at an MIC 128μg/mL, as well as mycelial growth and conidia germination

Atividade anti-Candida tropicalis dos enantiômeros (R)-(+)- & (S)-(-)-citronelal em associação com cetoconazol

Introdução: aproximadamente 75% das mulheres saudáveis experimentam pelo menos um episódio sintomático de candidíase vulvovaginal (CVV) durante sua vida. Objetivo: avaliar a atividade antifúngica contra cepas de C. tropicalis dos enantiômeros (R)-(+)- e (S)-(-)-citronelal [(R)-(+)- e (S)-(-)-CT] em associação com cetoconazol. Metodologia: o efeito antifúngico de ambos os enantiômeros foram quantificados e classificados como fungicida ou fungistático a partir dos resultados obtidos da microdiluição em meio líquido RPMI-1640 para a obtenção da concentração inibitória mínima (CIM) e da concentração fungicida mínima (CFM). Foram realizados ensaios de associação do antifúngico padrão, cetoconazol com os fitoconstituintes por difusão em Agar e os resultados foram classificados como sinérgicos, antagônicos e indiferentes. Resultados: a CIM50 e a CFM50 dos compostos (R)-(+)- e (S)-(-)-citronelal foram respectivamente 16 e 64µg/mL e 2×CIM. Houve sinergismo para todas as cepas testadas com ambos os compostos, porém com maior efeito do enantiômero (S)-(-)-CT sobre as cepas LM 665 e LM 255 em relação ao enantiômero (R)-(+)-CT. Conclusão: os compostos naturais deste estudo mostraram efeito fungicida sobre as cepas testadas, bem como efeito sinérgico significativo quando associado ao cetoconazol

Estudo do potencial antifúngico e do mecanismo de ação do timol contra cepas de Candida parapsilosis resistentes ao fluconazol e a anfotericina B

Objetivo: Investigar a suscetibilidade antifúngica do timol contra cepas de Candida parapsilosis isoladas de sangue humano, bem como seu possível mecanismo de ação. Métodos: Foram utilizadas técnicas de microdiluição em placas de 96 poços para determinar a concentração inibitória mínima (CIM) e concentração fungicida mínima (CFM). Além disso, foram realizados testes com o sorbitol e o ergosterol para investigar a ação do timol na parede e na membrana celular fúngica respectivamente. Resultados: Nos testes de CIM e CFM, foi observado que as cepas de C. parapsilosis são resistentes ao fluconazol e a anfotericina B, no entanto, o timol desempenhou efeito fungicida com razão CFM/CIM entre 1 e 2. Além disso, a CIM do timol não aumentou quando o sorbitol ou o ergosterol foi adicionado no meio, sugerindo fortemente que este monoterpeno não age na parede celular fúngica ou por ligação ao ergosterol na membrana plasmática. Conclusão: Portanto, esses resultados contribuem para a elucidação do mecanismo de ação do timol, sugerindo outros possíveis alvos de interação fármaco-receptor. No entanto, mais investigações de caráter enzimático e molecular em modelos in vitro são necessários para que se possa elucidar completamente o modo de ação desse promissor monoterpeno