Multi-Modality Imaging of Atheromatous Plaques in Peripheral Arterial Disease: Integrating Molecular and Imaging Markers

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a common and debilitating condition characterized by the narrowing of the limb arteries, primarily due to atherosclerosis. Non-invasive multi-modality imaging approaches using computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and nuclear imaging have emerged as valuable tools for assessing PAD atheromatous plaques and vessel walls. This review provides an overview of these different imaging techniques, their advantages, limitations, and recent advancements. In addition, this review highlights the importance of molecular markers, including those related to inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and oxidative stress, in PAD pathophysiology. The potential of integrating molecular and imaging markers for an improved understanding of PAD is also discussed. Despite the promise of this integrative approach, there remain several challenges, including technical limitations in imaging modalities and the need for novel molecular marker discovery and validation. Addressing these challenges and embracing future directions in the field will be essential for maximizing the potential of molecular and imaging markers for improving PAD patient outcomes

5G-Wi-SUN for Building Management System

With higher data rates and lower latency, 5G constitutes a mobile alternative to both wired networks and less capable wireless solutions. However, the performance of 5G requires expensive hardware and high energy consumption, making it less suitable for energy-constrained edge devices. Combining the capabilities of 5G for Wide Area Network (WAN) access, with the benefits of other wireless networks purpose-built for low-power embedded systems, a Building Management System (BMS) based on 5G can be deployed anywhere in a building with 5G coverage extended with a suitable LPWAN connectivity for IoT devices of the BMS. In this paper, the LPWAN of choice is the Wireless Smart Utility Network (Wi-SUN), a low-power sub-GHz connectivity based on IEEE 802.15.4g, offering mesh and multi-hop features for improved reliability and range, alongside competitive data rates. The performance of a 5G-Wi-SUN hybrid network was evaluated with a fibre-broadband hybrid network, a 5G-only network and a Wi-SUN-only network to determine the feasibility of 5G-Wi-SUN network. Test results show a significant performance of our 5G-WiSUN network, with a round-trip times below half a second in most cases, and a trimean of 115ms, only 27ms more than the fibre broadband-WiSUN network in our experiment. Consequently, the results have demonstrated the ability of a 5G-Wi-SUN network to provide a versatile alternative to fibre broadband-WiSUN, while maintaining a comparable performance