Joint Optimization of Edge Computing Architectures and Radio Access Networks

Virtualized radio access network (vRAN) architectures and multiple-access edge computing (MEC) systems constitute two key solutions for the emerging Tactile Internet applications and the increasing mobile data traffic. Their efficient deployment, however, requires a careful design tailored to the available network resources and user demand. In this paper, we propose a novel modeling approach and a rigorous analytical framework, MEC-vRAN joint design problem (MvRAN), that minimizes vRAN costs and maximizes MEC performance. Our framework selects jointly the base-station function splits, the fronthaul routing paths, and the placement of MEC functions. We follow a data-driven evaluation method, using topologies of three operational networks and experiments with a typical face-recognition MEC service. Our results reveal that MvRAN achieves significant cost savings (up to 2.5 times) compared to non-optimized centralized RAN or decentralized RAN systems, and MEC pushes the vRAN functions to radio units and hence can increase substantially the network cost.Work supported by the EC under Grant No 761536 (5GTransformer) and by SFI under Grant No 17/CDA/4760

The Effects of Treadmill or Overground Walking Training Program on Gait in Parkinson's Disease

[Abstract] Background. Gait impairment in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients is characterized by the inability to generate appropriate stride length. Treadmill training has been proposed as a therapeutic tool for PD patients. However, it remains unknown whether treadmill training effects are different from overground walking training. Thus, our goal was to explore the effects of two training programs, walking on a treadmill and walking overground, in PD patients. Methods. 22 PD patients were randomly assigned to a treadmill or overground training group. The training program consisted of 5 weeks (3 sessions/week). Before and after the program we evaluated gait kinematics during walking at preferred and maximal speed; Timed Up and Go (TUG); static posturography and knee extensors strength. Gait parameters were reevaluated in the treadmill training group one month after the cessation of the training. Results. Preferred speed walking improved in both groups after the training program. The treadmill training program, but not the overground, led to an improvement in the stride length at the preferred and maximal walking speed in the PD patients. In addition, the treadmill training group showed improvement of the TUG and static posturography tests. The improvement in gait parameters was maintained one month after the cessation of the treadmill training. Conclusions. This study provides evidence of a specific therapeutic effect of treadmill training on Parkinsonian gait and balance. Walking on a treadmill may be used as an easy, effective and accessible way to improve the stride length and balance in PD patients. Background. Gait impairment in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients is characterized by the inability to generate appropriate stride length. Treadmill training has been proposed as a therapeutic tool for PD patients. However, it remains unknown whether treadmill training effects are different from overground walking training. Thus, our goal was to explore the effects of two training programs, walking on a treadmill and walking overground, in PD patients. Methods. 22 PD patients were randomly assigned to a treadmill or overground training group. The training program consisted of 5 weeks (3 sessions/week). Before and after the program we evaluated gait kinematics during walking at preferred and maximal speed; Timed Up and Go (TUG); static posturography and knee extensors strength. Gait parameters were reevaluated in the treadmill training group one month after the cessation of the training. Results. Preferred speed walking improved in both groups after the training program. The treadmill training program, but not the overground, led to an improvement in the stride length at the preferred and maximal walking speed in the PD patients. In addition, the treadmill training group showed improvement of the TUG and static posturography tests. The improvement in gait parameters was maintained one month after the cessation of the treadmill training. Conclusions. This study provides evidence of a specific therapeutic effect of treadmill training on Parkinsonian gait and balance. Walking on a treadmill may be used as an easy, effective and accessible way to improve the stride length and balance in PD patients.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación;DEP-2011-2246

Nonlinear dispersive waves in repulsive lattices

[EN] The propagation of nonlinear waves in a lattice of repelling particles is studied theoretically and experimentally. A simple experimental setup is proposed, consisting of an array of coupled magnetic dipoles. By driving harmonically the lattice at one boundary, we excite propagating waves and demonstrate different regimes of mode conversion into higher harmonics, strongly influenced by dispersion and discreteness. The phenomenon of acoustic dilatation of the chain is also predicted and discussed. The results are compared with the theoretical predictions of $\alpha$-FPU equation, describing a chain of masses connected by nonlinear quadratic springs and numerical simulations. The results can be extrapolated to other systems described by this equation.The work was supported by Spanish Ministry of Economy and Innovation (MINECO) and European Union FEDER through Project No. FIS2015- 65998-C2-2 and by Project No. AICO/2016/060 by Conselleria de Educacion, Investigacion, Cultura y Deporte de la Generalitat Valenciana. L.J.S.-C. gratefully acknowledge the support of PAID-01-14 at Universitat Politscnica de Valsncia. A. M. gratefully acknowledge to Generalitat Valenciana (Santiago Grisolia program).Mehrem, A.; Jimenez, N.; Salmerón-Contreras, LJ.; García-Andrés, FX.; García-Raffi, LM.; Picó Vila, R.; Sánchez Morcillo, VJ. (2017). Nonlinear dispersive waves in repulsive lattices. Physical Review E. 96(1). https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.96.012208S00220096

The promoter activity of human Mfn2 depends on Sp1 in vascular smooth muscle cells

AIMS: Mitofusin-2 (Mfn2) expression is dysregulated in vascular proliferative disorders and its overexpression attenuates the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and neointimal lesion development after balloon angioplasty. We sought to gain insight into the mechanisms that control Mfn2 expression in VSMCs. METHODS AND RESULTS: We cloned and characterized 2 kb of the 5'-flanking region of the human Mfn2 gene. Its TATA-less promoter contains a CpG island. In keeping with this, 5'-rapid amplification of cDNA ends revealed six transcriptional start sites (TSSs), of which TSS2 and TSS5 were the most frequently used. The strong CpG island was found to be non-methylated under conditions characterized by large differences in Mfn2 gene expression. The proximal Mfn2 promoter contains six putative Sp1 motifs. Sp1 binds to the Mfn2 promoter and its overexpression activates the Mfn2 promoter in VSMCs. Chemical inhibition of Sp1 reduced Mfn2 expression, and Sp1 silencing reduced transcriptional activity of the Mfn2 promoter. In keeping with this view, Sp1 and Mfn2 mRNA levels were down-regulated in the aorta early after an atherogenic diet in apolipoprotein E-knockout mice or in VSMCs cultured in the presence of low serum. CONCLUSION: Sp1 is a key factor in maintaining basal Mfn2 transcription in VSMCs. Given the anti-proliferative actions of Mfn2, Sp1-induced Mfn2 transcription may represent a mechanism for prevention of VSMC proliferation and neointimal lesion and development

X Premio Juan Andrés : [presentación de Miguel Albero Suárez y Araceli García Martín del X Premio Juan Andrés, 19 de junio de 2019]

Intérpretes: Miguel Albero Suárez. Araceli García MartínTipo de archivo: Imagen y sonidoMadrid, 19 de junio de 2019, Salón de Embajadores de la AECID.Sumario: Presentación a cargo de D. Miguel Albero Suárez, Director de Relaciones Culturales y Científicas de la AECID, y Dra. Araceli García Martín‎, Directora de la Biblioteca de la AECID, del X Premio Juan Andrés de Ensayo e Investigación en Ciencias Humanas concedido al profesor Dr. D. Daniel-Henri Pageaux por su obra "De Cervantes a Vargas Llosa. La prosa española entre ficción y mediación", tuvo lugar el 19 de junio de 2019 en el Salón de Embajadores de la AECID (Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo).Formato mp4Introducción X Premio Juan Andrés. -- Min. 00.53: Presentación de Miguel Albero Suárez. -- Min. 2.04: Presentación de Araceli García Martí

Permafrost conditions in the Mediterranean region since the Last Glaciation.

Cold-climate geomorphological processes today in the Mediterranean region are only distributed in the highest mountain environments. However, climate condition prevailing during the Late Pleistocene and Holocene have conditioned significant spatio-temporal variations of the glacial and periglacial domain in these mountains, including permafrost. In this communication we examine permafrost condition in the Mediterranean region taking into account five periods: Last Glaciation, deglaciation, Holocene, Little Ice Age (LIA) and present-day. The distribution of currently inactive permafrost-derived landforms and sedimentary records indicates that the permafrost elevation during the Last Glaciation was ca. 1000 m lower than present. Permafrost was also widespread in non-glaciated slopes above the snowline forming rock glaciers and block streams, as well as in relatively flat summit areas where meter-sized stone circles developed. As in most areas of the Northern Hemisphere, the deglaciation in the Mediterranean region started ca. 19-20 ka. The exposed terrain by retreating glaciers was affected by paraglacial dynamics and intense periglacial processes, mostly associated with permafrost condition. Many rock glaciers, protalus lobes and block streams formed in these recently deglaciated environments, becoming gradually inactive as temperatures rose during the Bølling-Allerød. Following the Younger Dryas glacial advance, the last massive deglaciation in Mediterranean mountains took place during the Early Holocene together with a progressive shift of the periglacial belt to higher elevations. It is unlikely that widespread permafrost have existed in Mediterranean mountains during the Holocene, except in the highest massifs exceeding 2500-3000 m. The colder climate prevailing during the LIA favoured a minor glacial advance and the spatial expansion of permafrost, with the development of new protalus lobes and rock glaciers in the highest massifs. Finally, the warming started during the second half of the 19th century has led to glacial retreat and/or complete melting, increased paraglacial activity, migration of periglacial processes to the highest lands and degradation of alpine permafrost along with geoecological changes

Parametrical optomechanical oscillations in phoxonic whispering gallery mode resonators

We report on the experimental and theoretical analysis of parametrical optomechanical oscillations in hollow spherical phoxonic whispering gallery mode resonators due to radiation pressure. The optically excited acoustic eigenmodes of the phoxonic cavity oscillate regeneratively leading to parametric oscillation instabilities

Differential expression of THOC1 and ALY mRNP biogenesis/export factors in human cancers

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>One key step in gene expression is the biogenesis of mRNA ribonucleoparticle complexes (mRNPs). Formation of the mRNP requires the participation of a number of conserved factors such as the THO complex. THO interacts physically and functionally with the Sub2/UAP56 RNA-dependent ATPase, and the Yra1/REF1/ALY RNA-binding protein linking transcription, mRNA export and genome integrity. Given the link between genome instability and cancer, we have performed a comparative analysis of the expression patterns of THOC1, a THO complex subunit, and ALY in tumor samples.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The mRNA levels were measured by quantitative real-time PCR and hybridization of a tumor tissue cDNA array; and the protein levels and distribution by immunostaining of a custom tissue array containing a set of paraffin-embedded samples of different tumor and normal tissues followed by statistical analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We show that the expression of two mRNP factors, THOC1 and ALY are altered in several tumor tissues. THOC1 mRNA and protein levels are up-regulated in ovarian and lung tumors and down-regulated in those of testis and skin, whereas ALY is altered in a wide variety of tumors. In contrast to THOC1, ALY protein is highly detected in normal proliferative cells, but poorly in high-grade cancers.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results suggest a differential connection between tumorogenesis and the expression levels of human THO and ALY. This study opens the possibility of defining mRNP biogenesis factors as putative players in cell proliferation that could contribute to tumor development.</p

Palbociclib in combination with endocrine therapy versus capecitabine in hormonal receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor 2-negative, aromatase inhibitor-resistant metastatic breast cancer: a phase III randomised controlled trial—PEARL

Background: Palbociclib plus endocrine therapy (ET) is the standard treatment of hormone receptor-positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative, metastatic breast cancer (MBC). However, its efficacy has not been compared with that of chemotherapy in a phase III trial. Patients and methods: PEARL is a multicentre, phase III randomised study in which patients with aromatase inhibitor (AI)-resistant MBC were included in two consecutive cohorts. In cohort 1, patients were randomised 1 : 1 to palbociclib plus exemestane or capecitabine. On discovering new evidence about estrogen receptor-1 (ESR1) mutations inducing resistance to AIs, the trial was amended to include cohort 2, in which patients were randomised 1 : 1 between palbociclib plus fulvestrant and capecitabine. The stratification criteria were disease site, prior sensitivity to ET, prior chemotherapy for MBC, and country of origin. Co-primary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) in cohort 2 and in wild-type ESR1 patients (cohort 1 + cohort 2). ESR1 hotspot mutations were analysed in baseline circulating tumour DNA. Results: From March 2014 to July 2018, 296 and 305 patients were included in cohort 1 and cohort 2, respectively. Palbociclib plus ET was not superior to capecitabine in both cohort 2 [median PFS: 7.5 versus 10.0 months; adjusted hazard ratio (aHR): 1.13; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.85-1.50] and wild-type ESR1 patients (median PFS: 8.0 versus 10.6 months; aHR: 1.11; 95% CI: 0.87-1.41). The most frequent grade 3-4 toxicities with palbociclib plus exemestane, palbociclib plus fulvestrant and capecitabine, respectively, were neutropenia (57.4%, 55.7% and 5.5%), hand/foot syndrome (0%, 0% and 23.5%), and diarrhoea (1.3%, 1.3% and 7.6%). Palbociclib plus ET offered better quality of life (aHR for time to deterioration of global health status: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.53-0.85). Conclusions: There was no statistical superiority of palbociclib plus ET over capecitabine with respect to PFS in MBC patients resistant to AIs. Palbociclib plus ET showed a better safety profile and improved quality of life