Cross-Layer Service Discovery Mechanism for OLSRv2 Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

Service discovery plays an important role in mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs). The lack of central infrastructure, limited resources and high mobility make service discovery a challenging issue for this kind of network. This article proposes a new service discovery mechanism for discovering and advertising services integrated into the Optimized Link State Routing Protocol Version 2 (OLSRv2). In previous studies, we demonstrated the validity of a similar service discovery mechanism integrated into the previous version of OLSR (OLSRv1). In order to advertise services, we have added a new type-length-value structure (TLV) to the OLSRv2 protocol, called service discovery message (SDM), according to the Generalized MANET Packet/Message Format defined in Request For Comments (RFC) 5444. Each node in the ad hoc network only advertises its own services. The advertisement frequency is a user-configurable parameter, so that it can be modified depending on the user requirements. Each node maintains two service tables, one to store information about its own services and another one to store information about the services it discovers in the network. We present simulation results, that compare our service discovery integrated into OLSRv2 with the one defined for OLSRv1 and with the integration of service discovery in Ad hoc On-demand Distance Vector (AODV) protocol, in terms of service discovery ratio, service latency and network overhead.This work is partially supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the Continuity of Service, Security and QoS for Transportation Systems (CONSEQUENCE) (TEC2010-20572-C02-01/02) and INcident monitoRing In Smart COmmunities (INRISCO) (TEC2014-54335-C4-2-R) projects. We thank the editor and anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments, which helped us to improve our manuscript

TGGE-monitoring of the microbial community along the olive mill wastewaters anaerobic treatment

Monitoring the microbial community present during the olive mill wastewater (OMW) anaerobic treatment was carried out using PCR-TGGE analysis. Phase-contrast microscopy was used in order to directly examine microbial cells morphology. Samples were collected from the anaerobic digester bottom along the successive increases of OMW loading rate. TGGE banding patterns showed a significant diversity of OTUs. Cluster analysis of TGGE banding patterns shows two major groups: one cluster composed of samples belonging to the initial phases of treatment and a second cluster that encloses the other two samples. According to BLAST results, four sequences affiliated with group Cytophaga-Flexibacter-Bacteroidetes (CFB), one with sub-class Epsilon-Proteobacteria and other with phylum Firmicutes. The sequences obtained from each band were used to construct phylogenetic trees, and also using bacterial 16S rDNA sequences from environmental clones and reference taxa. Archaeal 16SrDNA PCR detection analysis revealed the presence of Archaea only in the initial sample of the digester start-up suggesting that methanogenesis along the treatment process occurs at an upper level of the unit. Concerning microscopic observations, the more representative morphological forms found in the bottom of digester were Clostridium spp. and Clostridium spp. sarcina-like forms

Compositional features of the “Kweli” red raspberry and its antioxidant and antimicrobial activities

Red raspberries (Rubus idaeus L.) are increasingly popular foods in contemporary diets due to their freshness, nutritional value and health claims. Among the existing cultivars, “Kweli” is one of the most productive and widely cultivated. In this study, the nutritional value and chemical composition of “Kweli” red raspberry were characterized by the official method of food analysis and chromatographic techniques, and its antioxidant and antimicrobial activities were tested against biological/biochemical oxidizable substrates and foodborne bacteria and fungi strains, respectively. Carbohydrates (including fructose and glucose, 14.3 and 12.6 g/100 g dw, respectively), proteins (6.8 g/100 g dw), and ashes (3.90 g/100 g dw) were major constituents. The fat content was quite low and constituted mainly by unsaturated fatty acids (58.3%), with a predominance of oleic acid. Fresh red raspberry also contained high levels of citric (2.7 g/100 g) and ascorbic (17 mg/100 g) acids. The anthocyanins (4.51 mg/g extract) cyanidin-O-hexoside and mostly cyanidin-O-sophoroside were identified in the red raspberry hydroethanolic extract, which was able to inhibit thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) formation (EC50 of 122 µg/mL), oxidative hemolysis (IC50 of 298 µg/mL), and β-carotene bleaching (EC50 of 18.7 µg/mL). In turn, the extract was more effective than the food additive E224 against Bacillus cereus. All these results highlighted the nutritional quality of “Kweli” red raspberry and showed some compositional differences in relation to other cultivars. Therefore, its inclusion in a daily diet can be helpful to obtain nutrients and antioxidants and bring health benefits.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020). This research was funded by FEDER-Interreg España-Portugal programme through the projects 0377_Iberphenol_6_E and TRANSCoLAB 0612_TRANS_CO_LAB_2_P; by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Regional Operational Program North 2020, within the scope of Project NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-023289: DeCodE and project Mobilizador Norte-01-0247-FEDER-024479: ValorNatural®; and also by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technological Development of Republic of Serbia (451-03-68/2020-14/200007). National funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program-contract for J. Pinela, M.I. Dias, and L. Barros contracts.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Performance indicators for clinical practice management in primary care in Portugal : consensus from a Delphi study

Early OnlineBackground: Performance indicators assessing the quality of medical care and linked to pay for performance may cause disagreement. Portuguese indicators included in recent health care reform are controversial. Objectives: To obtain consensus from opinion leaders in family medicine regarding the performance indicators for practice management used in the evaluation of Family Health Units in Portugal. Methods: Eighty-nine specialists in primary care were invited to answer the following question in an online Delphi study: 'Which performance indicators should be assessed regarding the organization and management of clinical practice in primary care in Portugal?' A Likert scale was used to evaluate validity, reliability, feasibility and sensitivity to change. Twenty-seven experts participated in the second round and achieved a high degree of consensus. Eight categories were created for analysis. Results: The experts suggested the use of existing indicators as well as new indicators. Thirty-nine indicators suggested by the experts are currently in use in Portugal. The assessment of the number of clinical acts performed, the number of administrative acts, and evaluation of the clinical demographic profile achieved a high degree of consensus. The expert panel suggested fifty new indicators. Five categories of these new indicators had a high degree of consensus, and three categories had a low degree of consensus. Conclusion: The expert panel recommended that performance indicators of practice management should first assess the quantity of clinical and administrative activities undertaken. These indicators must take into account the human and financial resources available to the clinic and its demographic context

Predictors of clinically significant quality of life impairment in Parkinson's disease.

Quality of life (QOL) plays an important role in independent living in Parkinson?s disease (PD) patients, being crucial to know what factors impact QoL throughout the course of the disease. Here we identified predictors of QoL impairment in PD patients from a Spanish cohort. PD patients recruited from 35 centers of Spain from the COPPADIS cohort from January 2016, to November 2017, were followed up during 2 years. Health-related QoL (HRQoL) and global QoL (GQoL) were assessed with the 39-item Parkinson?s disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39) and the EUROHIS-QOL 8-item index (EUROHIS-QOL8), respectively, at baseline (V0) and at 24 months ± 1 month (V2). Clinically significant QoL impairment was defined as presenting an increase (PDQ-39SI) or decrement (EUROHIS-QOL8) at V2 ? 10% of the score at baseline (V0). A comparison with a control group was conducted for GQoL. GQoL did not change significantly in PD patients (N = 507; p = 0.686) or in the control group (N = 119; p = 0.192). The mean PDQ-39SI was significantly increased in PD patients (62.7 ± 8.5 years old; 58.8% males; N = 500) by 21.6% (from 16.7 ± 13 to 20.3 ± 16.4; p < 0.0001) at V2. Ninety-three patients (18.6%) presented a clinically significant HRQoL impairment at V2. To be younger (OR = 0.896; 95% CI 0.829?0.968; p = 0.006), to be a female (OR = 4.181; 95% CI 1.422?12.290; p = 0.009), and to have a greater increase in BDI-II (Beck Depression Inventory-II) (OR = 1.139; 95% CI 1.053?1.231; p = 0.001) and NMSS (Non-Motor Symptoms Scale) (OR = 1.052; 95% CI 1.027?1.113; p < 0.0001) total scores from V0 to V2 were associated with clinically significant HRQoL impairment at the 2-year follow-up (Hosmer?Lemeshow test, p = 0.665; R2 = 0.655). An increase in ?5 and ?10 points of BDI-II and NMSS total score at V2 multiplied the probability of presenting clinically significant HRQoL impairment by 5 (OR = 5.453; 95% CI 1.663?17.876; p = 0.005) and 8 (OR = 8.217; 95% CI, 2.975?22.696; p = 0.002), respectively. In conclusion, age, gender, mood, and non-motor impairment were associated with clinically significant HRQoL impairment after the 2-year follow-up in PD patient

2022-RA-1389-ESGO Diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound O-RADS for classifying adnexal mass: systematic review and meta-analysis

n/

Manejo de la inmunosupresión en pacientes trasplantados de riñón con COVID19. Estudio multicéntrico nacional derivado del registro COVID de la Sociedad Española de Nefrología

Introduction: SARS CoV2 infection has had a major impact on renal transplant patients with a high mortality in the first months of the pandemic. Intentional reduction of immunosuppressive therapy has been postulated as one of the cornerstone in the management of the infection in the absence of targeted antiviral treatment. This has been modified according to the patient`s clinical situation and its effect on renal function or anti-HLA antibodies in the medium term has not been evaluated.Objectives: Evaluate the management of immunosuppressive therapy made during SARS-CoV2 infection, as well as renal function and anti-HLA antibodies in kidney transplant patients 6 months after COVID19 diagnosis.Material and methods: Retrospective, national multicentre, retrospective study (30 centres) of kidney transplant recipients with COVID19 from 01/02/20 to 31/12/20. Clinical variables were collected from medical records and included in an anonymised database. SPSS statistical software was used for data analysis.Results: renal transplant recipients with COVID19 were included (62.6% male), with a mean age of 57.5 years. The predominant immunosuppressive treatment prior to COVID19 was triple therapy with prednisone, tacrolimus and mycophenolic acid (54.6%) followed by m-TOR inhibitor regimens (18.6%). After diagnosis of infection, mycophenolic acid was discontinued in 73.8% of patients, m-TOR inhibitor in 41.4%, tacrolimus in 10.5% and cyclosporin A in 10%. In turn, 26.9% received dexamethasone and 50.9% were started on or had their baseline prednisone dose increased. Mean creatinine before diagnosis of COVID19, at diagnosis and at 6 months was: 1.7 +/- 0.8, 2.1 +/- 1.2 and 1.8 +/- 1 mg/dl respectively (p < 0.001). 56.9% of the patients (N = 350) were monitored for anti-HLA antibodies. 94% (N = 329) had no anti-HLA changes, while 6% (N = 21) had positive anti-HLA antibodies. Among the patients with donor-specific antibodies post-COVID19 (N = 9), 7 patients (3.1%) had one immunosuppressant discontinued (5 patients had mycophenolic acid and 2 had tacrolimus), 1 patient had both immunosuppressants discontinued (3.4%) and 1 patient had no change in immunosuppression (1.1%), these differences were not significant.Conclusions: The management of immunosuppressive therapy after diagnosis of COVID19 was primarily based on discontinuation of mycophenolic acid with very discrete reductions or discontinuations of calcineurin inhibitors. This immunosuppression management did not influence renal function or changes in anti-HLA antibodies 6 months after diagnosis

In vivo cholinergic basal forebrain degeneration and cognition in Parkinson's disease: Imaging results from the COPPADIS study

COPPADIS Study Group.[Introduction] We aimed to assess associations between multimodal neuroimaging measures of cholinergic basal forebrain (CBF) integrity and cognition in Parkinson's disease (PD) without dementia.[Methods] The study included a total of 180 non-demented PD patients and 45 healthy controls, who underwent structural MRI acquisitions and standardized neurocognitive assessment through the PD-Cognitive Rating Scale (PD-CRS) within the multicentric COPPADIS-2015 study. A subset of 73 patients also had Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) acquisitions. Volumetric and microstructural (mean diffusivity, MD) indices of CBF degeneration were automatically extracted using a stereotactic CBF atlas. For comparison, we also assessed multimodal indices of hippocampal degeneration. Associations between imaging measures and cognitive performance were assessed using linear models.[Results] Compared to controls, CBF volume was not significantly reduced in PD patients as a group. However, across PD patients lower CBF volume was significantly associated with lower global cognition (PD-CRStotal: r = 0.37, p < 0.001), and this association remained significant after controlling for several potential confounding variables (p = 0.004). Analysis of individual item scores showed that this association spanned executive and memory domains. No analogue cognition associations were observed for CBF MD. In covariate-controlled models, hippocampal volume was not associated with cognition in PD, but there was a significant association for hippocampal MD (p = 0.02).[Conclusions] Early cognitive deficits in PD without dementia are more closely related to structural MRI measures of CBF degeneration than hippocampal degeneration. In our multicentric imaging acquisitions, DTI-based diffusion measures in the CBF were inferior to standard volumetric assessments for capturing cognition-relevant changes in non-demented PD.This work was supported by the Alzheimer Forschung Initiative e.V. (AFI International Training Grant to MJG), the Instituto de Salud Carlos III-Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (ISCIII-FEDER) [PI14/01823, PI16/01575, PI18/01898, PI19/01576, PI20/00613], the Consejería de Economía, Innovación, Ciencia y Empleo de la Junta de Andalucía [CVI-02526, CTS-7685], the Consejería de Salud y Bienestar Social de la Junta de Andalucía [PI-0471-2013, PE-0210-2018, PI-0459-2018, PE-0186-2019], the Fundación Alicia Koplowitz and the Fundación “Curemos el Parkinson” (https://www.curemoselparkinson.org). MJG is supported by the “Miguel Servet” program [CP19/00031], MALE by the University of Seville [USE-20046-J], JFM by the “Sara Borrell” program [CD13/00229] and VI-PPIT-US from the University of Seville [USE-18817-A], SJ by the “Acción B-Clínicos-Investigadores” program [B-0007-2019], and DMG by the “Río Hortega” program [CM18/00142].Peer reviewe

Staging Parkinson’s Disease Combining Motor and Nonmotor Symptoms Correlates with Disability and Quality of Life

COPPADIS Study Group.[Introduction] In a degenerative disorder such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), it is important to establish clinical stages that allow to know the course of the disease. Our aim was to analyze whether a scale combining Hoehn and Yahr’s motor stage (H&Y) and the nonmotor symptoms burden (NMSB) (assessed by the nonmotor symptoms scale (NMSS)) provides information about the disability and the patient’s quality of life (QoL) with regard to a defined clinical stage.[Materials and Methods] Cross-sectional study in which 603 PD patients from the COPPADIS cohort were classified according to H&Y (1, stage I; 2, stage II; 3, stage III; 4, stage IV/V) and NMSB (A: NMSS = 0–20; B: NMSS = 21–40; C: NMSS = 41–70; D: NMSS ≥ 71) in 16 stages (HY.NMSB, from 1A to 4D). QoL was assessed with the PDQ-39SI, PQ-10, and EUROHIS-QOL8 and disability with the Schwab&England ADL (Activities of Daily Living) scale.[Results] A worse QoL and greater disability were observed at a higher stage of H&Y and NMSB (). Combining both (HY.NMSB), patients in stages 1C and 1D and 2C and 2D had significantly worse QoL and/or less autonomy for ADL than those in stages 2A and 2B and 3A and 3B, respectively (; e.g., PDQ-39SI in 1D [n = 15] vs 2A [n = 101]: 28.6 ± 17.1 vs 7.9 ± 5.8; ).[Conclusion] The HY.NMSB scale is simple and reflects the degree of patient involvement more accurately than the H&Y. Patients with a lower H&Y stage may be more affected if they have a greater NMS burden.Peer reviewe

Predictors of Global Non-Motor Symptoms Burden Progression in Parkinson’s Disease. Results from the COPPADIS Cohort at 2-Year Follow-Up

COPPADIS Study Group.[Background and Objective] Non-motor symptoms (NMS) progress in different ways between Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients. The aim of the present study was to (1) analyze the change in global NMS burden in a PD cohort after a 2-year follow-up, (2) to compare the changes with a control group, and (3) to identify predictors of global NMS burden progression in the PD group.[Material and Methods] PD patients and controls, recruited from 35 centers of Spain from the COPPADIS cohort from January 2016 to November 2017, were followed-up with after 2 years. The Non-Motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS) was administered at baseline (V0) and at 24 months ± 1 month (V2). Linear regression models were used for determining predictive factors of global NMS burden progression (NMSS total score change from V0 to V2 as dependent variable).[Results] After the 2-year follow-up, the mean NMS burden (NMSS total score) significantly increased in PD patients by 18.8% (from 45.08 ± 37.62 to 53.55 ± 42.28; p < 0.0001; N = 501; 60.2% males, mean age 62.59 ± 8.91) compared to no change observed in controls (from 14.74 ± 18.72 to 14.65 ± 21.82; p = 0.428; N = 122; 49.5% males, mean age 60.99 ± 8.32) (p < 0.0001). NMSS total score at baseline (β = −0.52), change from V0 to V2 in PDSS (Parkinson’s Disease Sleep Scale) (β = −0.34), and change from V0 to V2 in NPI (Neuropsychiatric Inventory) (β = 0.25) provided the highest contributions to the model (adjusted R-squared 0.41; Durbin-Watson test = 1.865).[Conclusions] Global NMS burden demonstrates short-term progression in PD patients but not in controls and identifies worsening sleep problems and neuropsychiatric symptoms as significant independent predictors of this NMS progression.This research was funded by Fundación Española de Ayuda a la Investigación en Parkinson y otras Enfermedades Neuro-degenerativas (Curemos el Parkinson; www.curemoselparkinson.org).Peer reviewe