On the viability of a CSO architecture for on-demand virtualized cloud planning and provisioning

As bandwidth requirements and computing capacity for future applications have been predicted to exceed current network and IT infrastructure capabilities, providers face the need to adapt their provisioning models. This article presents the benefits of Cross Stratum Optimized architectures (provision of network and IT resources in a coordinated way) in support of Cloud-based applications. We also present the architecture's potential impact and benefits for operators, based on MACTOR methodology. MACTOR results show the interactions among value-chain actors and identify their business convergences and divergences, revealing the architecture feasibility

Filming the glial dreams: real-time imaging of cannabinoid receptor trafficking in astrocytes

How does the brain process incoming information and produce thoughts? These questions represent, to all likelihood, the most challenging matters ever faced by natural sciences, matters which may never be fully comprehended. The evolution of the nervous system that, in about billion of years, brought into existence the human brain progressed through an ever-increasing complexity of neural networks. This evolution began from the diffuse nervous system, in which primordial neurons were able to sense the environmental inputs and convey them to effector organs and to the neighbouring neurons. At the next evolutionary stage the conglomerates of neuronal cell bodies, the ganglia, appeared, thus forming the primitive centralized nervous system. The developments which ensued went through a continuous increase in complexity of neuronal conglomerates, which eventually formed the central nervous system, which attained maximal perfection in mammals. In this issue of ASN NEURO, Osborne et al. have described details of real-time imaging of cannabinoid receptor trafficking in astrocytes, a technique that will help to elucidate the role of these receptors in the ever-increasing complex neural networks

Survival analysis with delayed entry in selected families with application to human longevity

In the field of aging research, family-based sampling study designs are commonly used to study the lifespans of long-lived family members. However, the specific sampling procedure should be carefully taken into account in order to avoid biases. This work is motivated by the Leiden Longevity Study, a family-based cohort of long-lived siblings. Families were invited to participate in the study if at least two siblings were ‘long-lived’, where ‘long-lived’ meant being older than 89 years for men or older than 91 years for women. As a result, more than 400 families were included in the study and followed for around 10 years. For estimation of marker-specific survival probabilities and correlations among life times of family members, delayed entry due to outcome-dependent sampling mechanisms has to be taken into account. We consider shared frailty models to model left-truncated correlated survival data. The treatment of left truncation in shared frailty models is still an open issue and the literature on this topic is scarce. We show that the current approaches provide, in general, biased estimates and we propose a new method to tackle this selection problem by applying a correction on the likelihood estimation by means of inverse probability weighting at the family level

Collagen-containing scaffolds enhance attachment and proliferation of non-cultured bone marrow multipotential stromal cells

Large bone defects are ideally treated with autografts, which have many limitations. Therefore, osteoconductive scaffolds loaded with autologous bone marrow (BM) aspirate are increasingly used as alternatives. The purpose of this study was to compare the growth of multipotential stromal cells (MSCs) from unprocessed BM on a collagen-containing bovine bone scaffold (Orthoss® Collagen) with a non-collagen-containing bovine bone scaffold, Orthoss®. Another collagen-containing synthetic scaffold, Vitoss® was included in the comparison. Colonization of scaffolds by BM MSCs (n = 23 donors) was evaluated using microscopy, colony forming unit-fibroblast assay and flow-cytometry. The number of BM MSCs initially attached to Orthoss® Collagen and Vitoss® was similar but greater than Orthoss® (p = 0.001 and p = 0.041, respectively). Furthermore, the number of MSCs released from Orthoss® Collagen and Vitoss® after 2-week culture was also higher compared to Orthoss® (p = 0.010 and p = 0.023, respectively). Interestingly, collagen-containing scaffolds accommodated larger numbers of lymphocytic and myelomonocytic cells. Additionally, the proliferation of culture-expanded MSCs on Orthoss® collagen and Vitoss® was greater compared to Orthoss® (p = 0.047 and p = 0.004, respectively). Collectively, collagen-containing scaffolds were superior in supporting the attachment and proliferation of MSCs when they were loaded with unprocessed BM aspirates. This highlights the benefit of collagen incorporation into bone scaffolds for use with autologous bone marrow aspirates as autograft substitutes

Human islet isolation and allotransplantation in 22 consecutive cases

This report provides our initial experience in islet isolation and intrahepatic allotransplantation in 21 patients. In group 1, 10 patients underwent combined liver-islet allotransplantation following upper-abdominal exenteration for cancer. In group 2, 4 patients received a combined liver-islet allograft for cirrhosis and diabetes. One patient had plasma C-peptide >3 pM and was therefore excluded from analysis. In group 3, 7 patients received 8 combined cadaveric kidney-islet grafts (one retransplant) for end-stage renal disease secondary to type 1 diabetes mellitus. The islets were separated by a modification of the automated method for human islet isolation and the preparations were infused into the portal vein. Immunosuppression was with FK506 (group 1) plus steroids (groups 2 and 3). Six patients in group 1 did not require insulin treatment for 5 to > 16 months. In groups 2 and 3 none of the patients became insulin-independent, although decreased insulin requirement and stabilization of diabetes were observed. Our results indicate that rejection is still a major factor limiting the clinical application of islet transplantation in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus, although other factors such as steroid treatment may contribute to deteriorate islet engraftment and/or function. © 1992 by Williams and Wilkins

Cytogenetic analysis (GTG, CBG and NOR bands) of a wild boar population (Sus scrofa scrofa) with chromosomal polymorphism in the south-east of Spain

International audienc

Prevalence and Incidence of Parkinson\u27s Disease in Latin America: A Meta-Analysis

\ua9 2023 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. Background: Parkinson\u27s disease (PD) is a rapidly growing neurodegenerative disorder, but up-to-date epidemiological data are lacking in Latin America. We sought to estimate the prevalence and incidence of PD and parkinsonism in Latin America. Methods: We searched Medline, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, Scientific Electronic Library Online, and Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ci\ueancias da Sa\ufade or the Latin American and Caribbean Health Science Literature databases for epidemiological studies reporting the prevalence or incidence of PD or parkinsonism in Latin America from their inception to 2022. Quality of studies was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Checklist. Data were pooled via random-effects meta-analysis and analyzed by data source (cohort studies or administrative databases), sex, and age group. Significant differences between groups were determined by meta-regression. Results: Eighteen studies from 13 Latin American countries were included in the review. Meta-analyses of 17 studies (nearly 4 million participants) found a prevalence of 472 (95% CI, 271–820) per 100,000 and three studies an incidence of 31 (95% CI, 23–40) per 100,000 person-years for PD; and seven studies found a prevalence of 4300 (95% CI, 1863–9613) per 100,000 for parkinsonism. The prevalence of PD differed by data source (cohort studies, 733 [95% CI, 427–1255] vs. administrative databases. 114 [95% CI, 63–209] per 100,000, P < 0.01), age group (P < 0.01), but not sex (P = 0.73). PD prevalence in ≥60 years also differed significantly by data source (cohort studies. 1229 [95% CI, 741–2032] vs. administrative databases, 593 [95% CI, 480–733] per 100,000, P < 0.01). Similar patterns were observed for parkinsonism. Conclusions: The overall prevalence and incidence of PD in Latin America were estimated. PD prevalence differed significantly by the data source and age, but not sex. \ua9 2023 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society

Scenario dependence of linear site-effect factors for short-period response spectral ordinates

Ground‐motion models for response spectral ordinates commonly partition site‐response effects into linear and nonlinear components. The nonlinear components depend upon the earthquake scenario being considered implicitly through the use of the expected level of excitation at some reference horizon. The linear components are always assumed to be independent of the earthquake scenario. This article presents empirical and numerical evidence as well as a theoretical explanation for why the linear component of site response depends upon the magnitude and distance of the earthquake scenario. Although the impact is most pronounced for small‐magnitude scenarios, the finding has significant implications for a number of applications of more general interest including the development of site‐response terms within ground‐motion models, the estimation of ground‐motion variability components ϕS2SϕS2S and ϕSSϕSS , the construction of partially nonergodic models for site‐specific hazard assessments, and the validity of the convolution approach for computing surface hazard curves from those at a reference horizon, among others. All of these implications are discussed in the present article