Microwave Photonics: Current challenges towards widespread application

Microwave Photonics, a symbiotic field of research that brings together the worlds of optics and radio frequency is currently facing several challenges in its transition from a niche to a truly widespread technology essential to support the ever-increasing values for speed, bandwidth, processing capability and dynamic range that will be required in next generation hybrid access networks. We outline these challenges, which are the subject of the contributions to this focus issue

EM Algorithm for Mapping Quantitative Trait Loci in Multivalent Tetraploids

Multivalent tetraploids that include many plant species, such as potato, sugarcane, and rose, are of paramount importance to agricultural production and biological research. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping in multivalent tetraploids is challenged by their unique cytogenetic properties, such as double reduction. We develop a statistical method for mapping multivalent tetraploid QTLs by considering these cytogenetic properties. This method is built in the mixture model-based framework and implemented with the EM algorithm. The method allows the simultaneous estimation of QTL positions, QTL effects, the chromosomal pairing factor, and the degree of double reduction as well as the assessment of the estimation precision of these parameters. We used simulated data to examine the statistical properties of the method and validate its utilization. The new method and its software will provide a useful tool for QTL mapping in multivalent tetraploids that undergo double reduction

Reduced NOV expression correlates with disease progression in colorectal cancer and is associated with survival, invasion and chemoresistance of cancer cells

Aberrant expression of nephroblastoma overexpressed (NOV) has been evident in certain malignancies. In the current study, we aim to investigate the role played by NOV in colorectal cancer (CRC). NOV expression was determined in a cohort of 359 CRC tissues and 174 normal colorectal tissues. Its impact on CRC cells was investigated using in vitro NOV knockdown and overexpression models. NOV transcripts were reduced in the CRC tumours compared with the paired adjacent normal colorectal tissues (p < 0.01) and was associated with distant metastases. NOV knockdown resulted in increased cell proliferation and invasion of RKO cells, whilst an opposite effect was seen in the HT115 NOV over expressing cells. A positive association between Caspase-3/-8 and NOV was seen in NOV knockdown and overexpression cell lines which contributed to the survival of serum deprived CRC cells. Further investigation showed that NOV regulated proliferation, survival and invasion through the JNK pathway. NOV knockdown in RKO cells reduced the responsiveness to 5-Fluorouracil treatment, whilst overexpression in HT115 cells exhibited a contrasting effect. Taken together, NOV is reduced in CRC tumours and this is associated with disease progression. NOV inhibits the proliferation and invasion of CRC cells in vitro. Inhibition of proliferation is mediated by a regulation of Caspase-3/-8, via the JNK pathway, which has potential for predicting and preventing chemoresistance

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Correction to: Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Capex Advantages Of Few-Mode Fiber Networks

CapEx minimization for few-mode fiber networks is studied for different traffic patterns for the first time. FMF networks can have significant CapEx advantages for bulk data transfer and for fine-granularity switching by deploying MDM-compatible WSSs

Capex Advantages Of Few-Mode Fiber Networks

CapEx minimization for few-mode fiber networks is studied for different traffic patterns for the first time. FMF networks can have significant CapEx advantages for bulk data transfer and for fine-granularity switching by deploying MDM-compatible WSSs. OCIS codes: (060.4250) Networks; (060.4256) Networks, network optimization

Impact Of Mode Coupling On The Capacity Of Mode-Division Multiplexing Networks With Mimo Equalization

We explore the impact of mode coupling on the capacity of MDM networks under limited DSP computational complexities. Results show that a 34-fold increase in network throughput can be achieved by introducing strong mode coupling

Single Molecule Real Time Transcript Sequencing Unveiled Flowering Regulatory Genes in Crocus Sativus

Crocus sativus (saffron) is prized for purple flower that is well-known for producing spice saffron, a most valuable spice with medicinal uses in gynaecopathia and nervous system diseases. Single molecule real time (SMRT) sequencing is a newly developed technology that can generate kilobase-sized sequence reads. Unveiling flowering regulatory genes using SMRT sequencing is important to breed superior cultivars with increase flower numbers, thus resulting in high saffron yield. Two full length transcriptomes of flowering saffron and non-flowering saffron were established using SMRT sequencing separately. The bulb buds, pistils, stamens, petals and leaves of flowering saffron and terminal buds, lateral buds, leaves of non-flowering saffron were used. Meanwhile, higher-accuracy short-read sequencing of terminal and lateral buds of both flowering and non-flowering saffron and small terminal buds (\u3c 6 g) of non-flowering saffron was obtained separately using next generation sequencing (NGS) method. Sixteen SMRT cells were detected, and 22.85 G data was acquired from the PacBio RS II panel. Flowering and non-flowering saffron had 394,653 and 252,850 high quality full-length transcripts, respectively. A total of 75,351 full-length saffron unigenes were generated. Function annotation showed that 64,562 (85.7%) full-length unigenes were annotated against databases of Cluster of Orthologous Group(COG), Swiss Prot, Non redundant(NR), Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and 50,197 coding DNA sequences (CDS) were predicted with an average length of 1081 bp. Alternative splicing (AS) was detected in 72,148 unigenes with 1 to 217 AS events, among which 42 and 28 AS events existed in flowering and non-flowering saffron gene pool, respectively. In addition to long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and simple sequence repeats (SSR) in flowering or non-flowering saffron were obtained. A total of 478 full-length differentially expressed genes between flowering terminal buds and non-flowering terminal buds, 74 genes between flowering lateral buds and non-flowering lateral buds, and 1,247 genes between non-flowering small terminal buds and flowering terminal buds was acquired. At least 14 genes were closely related with flowering phenotype using real-time RT-PCR method. Further validation of AS, lncRNAs, SNP, and SSR is needed for flowering and non-flowering saffron