A Flexible Architecture for Broadcast Broadband Convergence in Beyond 5G

There has been an exponential increase in the usage of multimedia services in mobile networks in recent years. To address this accelerating data demand, mobile networks are experiencing a subtle transformation in their architecture. One of the changes in this direction is the support of Multicast/Broadcast Service (MBS) in the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Fifth Generation (5G) network. The MBS has been introduced to enhance resource utilization and user experience in 3GPP 5G networks. However, there are certain limitations in the 3GPP 5G MBS architecture, such as the selection of the delivery method (unicast or broadcast) by the core network (may result in sub-optimal radio resource utilization) and no provision for converging non-3GPP broadcast technologies (like digital terrestrial television) with cellular (3GPP 5G) broadband. In this context, we propose a new architecture for broadcast broadband convergence in mobile networks. A novelty of the architecture is that it treats signalling exchange with User Equipment (UE) as data (service) which results in improved scalability of mobile networks. The proposed architecture can also be extended for the convergence of cellular broadband and non-3GPP broadcast networks with ease. The architecture supports enhanced flexibility in choosing a delivery method (3GPP 5G unicast, 3GPP 5G broadcast, or non-3GPP broadcast) for user data. We evaluate the performance of the proposed architecture using process algebra-based simulations, demonstrating a significant reduction in the number of signalling messages exchanged between the UE and the network for MBS session establishment as compared to the 3GPP 5G network.Comment: 6 pages, conference pape

Applying SDN to Mobile Networks: A New Perspective for 6G Architecture

The upcoming Sixth Generation (6G) mobile communications system envisions supporting a variety of use cases with differing characteristics, e.g., very low to extremely high data rates, diverse latency needs, ultra massive connectivity, sustainable communications, ultra-wide coverage etc. To accommodate these diverse use cases, the 6G system architecture needs to be scalable, modular, and flexible; both in its user plane and the control plane. In this paper, we identify some limitations of the existing Fifth Generation System (5GS) architecture, especially that of its control plane. Further, we propose a novel architecture for the 6G System (6GS) employing Software Defined Networking (SDN) technology to address these limitations of the control plane. The control plane in existing 5GS supports two different categories of functionalities handling end user signalling (e.g., user registration, authentication) and control of user plane functions. We propose to move the end-user signalling functionality out of the mobile network control plane and treat it as user service, i.e., as payload or data. This proposal results in an evolved service-driven architecture for mobile networks bringing increased simplicity, modularity, scalability, flexibility and security to its control plane. The proposed architecture can also support service specific signalling support, if needed, making it better suited for diverse 6GS use cases. To demonstrate the advantages of the proposed architecture, we also compare its performance with the 5GS using a process algebra-based simulation tool.Comment: 11 page

Associations of autozygosity with a broad range of human phenotypes

Abstract: In many species, the offspring of related parents suffer reduced reproductive success, a phenomenon known as inbreeding depression. In humans, the importance of this effect has remained unclear, partly because reproduction between close relatives is both rare and frequently associated with confounding social factors. Here, using genomic inbreeding coefficients (FROH) for >1.4 million individuals, we show that FROH is significantly associated (p < 0.0005) with apparently deleterious changes in 32 out of 100 traits analysed. These changes are associated with runs of homozygosity (ROH), but not with common variant homozygosity, suggesting that genetic variants associated with inbreeding depression are predominantly rare. The effect on fertility is striking: FROH equivalent to the offspring of first cousins is associated with a 55% decrease [95% CI 44–66%] in the odds of having children. Finally, the effects of FROH are confirmed within full-sibling pairs, where the variation in FROH is independent of all environmental confounding

Effect of transcatheter aortic valve implantation vs surgical aortic valve replacement on all-cause mortality in patients with aortic stenosis

Importance: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is a less invasive alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement and is the treatment of choice for patients at high operative risk. The role of TAVI in patients at lower risk is unclear. Objective: To determine whether TAVI is noninferior to surgery in patients at moderately increased operative risk. Design, Setting, and Participants: In this randomized clinical trial conducted at 34 UK centers, 913 patients aged 70 years or older with severe, symptomatic aortic stenosis and moderately increased operative risk due to age or comorbidity were enrolled between April 2014 and April 2018 and followed up through April 2019. Interventions: TAVI using any valve with a CE mark (indicating conformity of the valve with all legal and safety requirements for sale throughout the European Economic Area) and any access route (n = 458) or surgical aortic valve replacement (surgery; n = 455). Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was all-cause mortality at 1 year. The primary hypothesis was that TAVI was noninferior to surgery, with a noninferiority margin of 5% for the upper limit of the 1-sided 97.5% CI for the absolute between-group difference in mortality. There were 36 secondary outcomes (30 reported herein), including duration of hospital stay, major bleeding events, vascular complications, conduction disturbance requiring pacemaker implantation, and aortic regurgitation. Results: Among 913 patients randomized (median age, 81 years [IQR, 78 to 84 years]; 424 [46%] were female; median Society of Thoracic Surgeons mortality risk score, 2.6% [IQR, 2.0% to 3.4%]), 912 (99.9%) completed follow-up and were included in the noninferiority analysis. At 1 year, there were 21 deaths (4.6%) in the TAVI group and 30 deaths (6.6%) in the surgery group, with an adjusted absolute risk difference of −2.0% (1-sided 97.5% CI, −∞ to 1.2%; P &lt; .001 for noninferiority). Of 30 prespecified secondary outcomes reported herein, 24 showed no significant difference at 1 year. TAVI was associated with significantly shorter postprocedural hospitalization (median of 3 days [IQR, 2 to 5 days] vs 8 days [IQR, 6 to 13 days] in the surgery group). At 1 year, there were significantly fewer major bleeding events after TAVI compared with surgery (7.2% vs 20.2%, respectively; adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.33 [95% CI, 0.24 to 0.45]) but significantly more vascular complications (10.3% vs 2.4%; adjusted HR, 4.42 [95% CI, 2.54 to 7.71]), conduction disturbances requiring pacemaker implantation (14.2% vs 7.3%; adjusted HR, 2.05 [95% CI, 1.43 to 2.94]), and mild (38.3% vs 11.7%) or moderate (2.3% vs 0.6%) aortic regurgitation (adjusted odds ratio for mild, moderate, or severe [no instance of severe reported] aortic regurgitation combined vs none, 4.89 [95% CI, 3.08 to 7.75]). Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients aged 70 years or older with severe, symptomatic aortic stenosis and moderately increased operative risk, TAVI was noninferior to surgery with respect to all-cause mortality at 1 year. Trial Registration: isrctn.com Identifier: ISRCTN57819173