Network Slicing and Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) are vital enablers for achieving 5G and 6G networks. A 5G/6G network can comprise various network slices from unique or multiple tenants. Network ...providers need to perform intelligent and efficient resource management to offer slices that meet the quality of service and quality of experience requirements of 5G/6G use cases. Resource management is far from being a straightforward task. This task demands complex and dynamic mechanisms to control admission and allocate, schedule, and orchestrate resources. Intelligent and effective resource management needs to predict the services' demand coming from tenants (each tenant with multiple network slice requests) and achieve autonomous behavior of slices. This paper identifies the relevant phases for resource management in network slicing and analyzes approaches using reinforcement learning (RL) and DRL algorithms for realizing each phase autonomously. We analyze the approaches according to the optimization objective, the network focus (core, radio access, edge, and end-to-end network), the space of states, the space of actions, the algorithms, the structure of deep neural networks, the exploration-exploitation method, and the use cases (or vertical applications). We also provide research directions related to RL/DRL-based network slice resource management.
Twin birth is associated with a higher risk of adverse perinatal outcomes than singleton birth. It is unclear whether planned cesarean section results in a lower risk of adverse outcomes than planned ...vaginal delivery in twin pregnancy.
We randomly assigned women between 32 weeks 0 days and 38 weeks 6 days of gestation with twin pregnancy and with the first twin in the cephalic presentation to planned cesarean section or planned vaginal delivery with cesarean only if indicated. Elective delivery was planned between 37 weeks 5 days and 38 weeks 6 days of gestation. The primary outcome was a composite of fetal or neonatal death or serious neonatal morbidity, with the fetus or infant as the unit of analysis for the statistical comparison.
A total of 1398 women (2795 fetuses) were randomly assigned to planned cesarean delivery and 1406 women (2812 fetuses) to planned vaginal delivery. The rate of cesarean delivery was 90.7% in the planned-cesarean-delivery group and 43.8% in the planned-vaginal-delivery group. Women in the planned-cesarean-delivery group delivered earlier than did those in the planned-vaginal-delivery group (mean number of days from randomization to delivery, 12.4 vs. 13.3; P=0.04). There was no significant difference in the composite primary outcome between the planned-cesarean-delivery group and the planned-vaginal-delivery group (2.2% and 1.9%, respectively; odds ratio with planned cesarean delivery, 1.16; 95% confidence interval, 0.77 to 1.74; P=0.49).
In twin pregnancy between 32 weeks 0 days and 38 weeks 6 days of gestation, with the first twin in the cephalic presentation, planned cesarean delivery did not significantly decrease or increase the risk of fetal or neonatal death or serious neonatal morbidity, as compared with planned vaginal delivery. (Funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00187369; Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN74420086.).
Monitoring of fecal indicator bacteria at recreational waters is an important public health measure to minimize water-borne disease, however traditional culture methods for quantifying bacteria can ...take 18-24 hours to obtain a result. To support real-time notifications of water quality, models using environmental variables have been created to predict indicator bacteria levels on the day of sampling. We conducted a systematic review of predictive models of fecal indicator bacteria at freshwater recreational sites in temperate climates to identify and describe the existing approaches, trends, and their performance to inform beach water management policies. We conducted a comprehensive search strategy, including five databases and grey literature, screened abstracts for relevance, and extracted data using structured forms. Data were descriptively summarized. A total of 53 relevant studies were identified. Most studies (n = 44, 83%) were conducted in the United States and evaluated water quality using E. coli as fecal indicator bacteria (n = 46, 87%). Studies were primarily conducted in lakes (n = 40, 75%) compared to rivers (n = 13, 25%). The most commonly reported predictive model-building method was multiple linear regression (n = 37, 70%). Frequently used predictors in best-fitting models included rainfall (n = 39, 74%), turbidity (n = 31, 58%), wave height (n = 24, 45%), and wind speed and direction (n = 25, 47%, and n = 23, 43%, respectively). Of the 19 (36%) studies that measured accuracy, predictive models averaged an 81.0% accuracy, and all but one were more accurate than traditional methods. Limitations identifed by risk-of-bias assessment included not validating models (n = 21, 40%), limited reporting of whether modelling assumptions were met (n = 40, 75%), and lack of reporting on handling of missing data (n = 37, 70%). Additional research is warranted on the utility and accuracy of more advanced predictive modelling methods, such as Bayesian networks and artificial neural networks, which were investigated in comparatively fewer studies and creating risk of bias tools for non-medical predictive modelling.
Swimming and other recreational water activities in surface waters are popular in Canada during the summer. However, these activities can also increase the risk of recreational water illness. While ...routine monitoring of beach water quality is conducted by local authorities each summer, little research is available in Canada about beach exposures and illness risks.
We conducted a pilot of a prospective cohort study at a popular beach in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in 2022 to determine characteristics of beachgoers, common water and sand exposures, the incidence of recreational water illness, and the feasibility for a larger, national cohort study. We enrolled beachgoers on-site and surveyed about their exposures at the beach and conducted a follow-up survey 7 days following their beach visit to ascertain acute gastrointestinal, respiratory, skin, ear, and eye illness outcomes. We descriptively tabulated and summarized the collected data.
We enrolled 649 households, consisting of 831 beachgoers. Water contact activities were reported by 56% of beachgoers, with swimming being the most common activity (44% of participants). Similarly, 56% of beachgoers reported digging in the sand or burying themselves in the sand. Children (≤14 years) and teenagers (15-19 years) were most likely to report engaging in water contact activities and swallowing water, while children were most likely to report sand contact activities and getting sand in their mouth. Boys and men were more likely than women and girls to report swallowing water (15.2% vs. 9.4%). Water and sand exposures also differed by household education level and participant ethno-racial identity. E. coli levels in beach water were consistently low (median = 20 CFU/100 mL, range = 10-58). The incidence of illness outcomes was very low (0.3-2.8%) among the 287 participants that completed the follow-up survey.
The identified beach exposure patterns can inform future risk assessments and communication strategies. Excellent water quality was observed at the studied beach, likely contributing to the low incidence of illnesses. A larger, national cohort study is needed in Canada to examine risks of illness at beaches at higher risk of fecal contamination.
•The protein fractions of the Andean seeds of kanihua variety Ramis and Cupi-Sayhua have a high content of proteins and important essential amino acids.•The antimicrobial hydrolysates of Alcalase and ...Pepsin-pancreatin sequential system of the kanihua protein fractions presented different degrees of hydrolysis and are novel nutraceutical ingredients in food design and bio-preservatives of food origin.•28 antimicrobial hydrolysates of the kanihua protein fractions presented more significant antimicrobial activity with the enzyme:substrate ratio (1:10), the protein fraction glutelins and the microorganism E. coli, followed by S. aureus, and finally C. albicans.•Four AMPs of kanihua protein fractions purified by chromatography showed significant PI against E. coli, S. aureus, and C. albicans. Three AMPs of globulins and glutelins presented cationic and anionic charge, and one Glutelins gave anionic charge with the MIC of E. coli was 95%.
The kanihua (Chenopodium pallidicaule Aellen) Andean grain from the Peruvian Altiplano presents proteins of 15% to 19%. The objective was to obtain purified bioactive antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), hydrolyzed with Alcalase and Pepsin-pancreatin sequential system of protein fractions of kanihua varieties Ramis (KR) and Cupi-Sayhua (KS), and hydrolysates with different degrees of hydrolysis (DH) and percentage inhibition (IP) of the growth of E. coli, S. aureus, and C. albicans. To obtain AMPs, nutraceuticals, bio-preservatives, and novel ingredients in food design. The results showed 216 hydrolysates (1%, w/v), only 28 presented significant difference compared to controls (IP ≥ 45%, p ≤ 0.05), 4 AMPs were purified by chromatography, glutelins KS 4 h (1:10) stood out with DH 40% and IP 52% and 70% of S. aureus and C. albicans, respectively (p ≤ 0.05), showed minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 95% for E. coli (p ≤ 0.05), and presented an anionic charge. In conclusion, the simulated digestion in vitro showed higher DH (7%–67%) than Alcalase (13%–54%); the majority were extensive; of 28 hydrolysates with IP ≥ 45% 4 AMPs with important IPs were obtained, and one was anionic.
The effects of less-tight versus tight control of hypertension on pregnancy complications are unclear.
We performed an open, international, multicenter trial involving women at 14 weeks 0 days to 33 ...weeks 6 days of gestation who had nonproteinuric preexisting or gestational hypertension, office diastolic blood pressure of 90 to 105 mm Hg (or 85 to 105 mm Hg if the woman was taking antihypertensive medications), and a live fetus. Women were randomly assigned to less-tight control (target diastolic blood pressure, 100 mm Hg) or tight control (target diastolic blood pressure, 85 mm Hg). The composite primary outcome was pregnancy loss or high-level neonatal care for more than 48 hours during the first 28 postnatal days. The secondary outcome was serious maternal complications occurring up to 6 weeks post partum or until hospital discharge, whichever was later.
Included in the analysis were 987 women; 74.6% had preexisting hypertension. The primary-outcome rates were similar among 493 women assigned to less-tight control and 488 women assigned to tight control (31.4% and 30.7%, respectively; adjusted odds ratio, 1.02; 95% confidence interval CI, 0.77 to 1.35), as were the rates of serious maternal complications (3.7% and 2.0%, respectively; adjusted odds ratio, 1.74; 95% CI, 0.79 to 3.84), despite a mean diastolic blood pressure that was higher in the less-tight-control group by 4.6 mm Hg (95% CI, 3.7 to 5.4). Severe hypertension (≥160/110 mm Hg) developed in 40.6% of the women in the less-tight-control group and 27.5% of the women in the tight-control group (P<0.001).
We found no significant between-group differences in the risk of pregnancy loss, high-level neonatal care, or overall maternal complications, although less-tight control was associated with a significantly higher frequency of severe maternal hypertension. (Funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research; CHIPS Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN71416914; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01192412.).
Aims/hypothesis
Maternal hyperglycaemia alone does not explain the incidence of large offspring amongst women with type 1 diabetes. The objective of the study was to determine if there is an ...association between placental function, as measured by angiogenic factors, and offspring birthweight
z
score in women with type 1 diabetes.
Methods
This cohort study included samples from 157 Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Pregnant Women with Type 1 Diabetes (CONCEPTT) trial participants. Correlations were estimated between birthweight
z
score and placental growth factor (PlGF) and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase (sFlt-1) levels measured at baseline and at 24 and 34 weeks of gestation. Linear regression was used to assess the relationship between birthweight
z
score and placental health, as measured by PlGF and sFlt-1/PlGF ratio, stratified by glycaemic status (continuous glucose monitoring and HbA
1c
measures) and adjusted for potential confounders of maternal BMI, smoking and weight gain. Higher PlGF levels and lower sFlt-1/PlGF ratios represent healthy placentas, while lower PlGF levels and higher sFlt-1/PlGF ratios represent unhealthy placentas.
Results
Among CONCEPTT participants, the slopes relating PlGF levels to birthweight
z
scores differed according to maternal glycaemia at 34 weeks of gestation (
p
= 0.003). With optimal maternal glycaemia (HbA
1c
< 48 mmol/mol 6.5%/ or continuous glucose monitoring time above range ≤ 30%), birthweight
z
scores were reduced towards zero (normal weight) with increasing PlGF values (representing a healthy placenta), and increased with decreasing PlGF values. With suboptimal glycaemic status (HbA
1c
≥ 48 mmol/mol 6.5% or time above range > 30%), increasing PlGF values were associated with heavier infants. Those with a healthy placenta (PlGF > 100) and suboptimal glycaemic control had a higher mean
z
score (2.45) than those with an unhealthy placenta (mean
z
score = 1.86). Similar relationships were seen when using sFlt-1/PlGF ratio as a marker for a healthy vs unhealthy placenta.
Conclusions/interpretation
In women with type 1 diabetes, infant birthweight is influenced by both glycaemic status and placental function. In women with suboptimal glycaemia, infant birthweight was heavier when placentas were healthy. Suboptimal placental function should be considered in the setting of suboptimal glycaemia and apparently ‘normal’ birthweight.
Graphical abstract
This paper estimates the potential for hydrogen production via electrolysis from hydropower coming from spilled turbinable energy of the hydroelectric plants of Ecuador. As a case study, the use of ...hydrogen in fuel cell-powered vehicles in public transportation in Cuenca city is analyzed. The technical and economic analysis determine the size of the electrolytic plant as well as the cost of hydrogen production, valued at 1.77 US$/kg in the best-case scenario. When compared to the price at which the State buys diesel in the international market, the results show that the cost of hydrogen is only 0.64 times the cost of diesel. In addition, the favorable impact of hydrogen penetration is calculated from both environmental and economic points of view. This study concludes that hydrogen production from untapped hydropower and its use in Cuenca's urban transport is a niche opportunity for leading the country towards a Hydrogen Economy.
•Exploitable hydropower results from a percentage of spills in power plant dams.•The resulting hydrogen is used to power public buses in Cuenca city.•In the best-case scenario the cost of hydrogen production is 1.77 US$/kg.•The hydrogen penetration creates favorable environmental and economic impacts.•Hydrogen production and its end use represents a niche opportunity in Ecuador.
This laboratory study explores whether sleep has different effects on explicit (recognition-based) and implicit (priming-based) memory. Eighty-nine healthy participants were randomly assigned to one ...of two experimental conditions: sleep or wake. All participants were previously exposed to an incidental learning session involving a 12-element deterministic second-order conditional sequence embedded in a serial reaction time task. The participants' explicit and implicit knowledge was assessed both immediately after the learning session (pretest) and after 12 h (posttest). For the sleep group, participants had a night of normal sleep between pretest and posttest, whereas the wake group spent 12 h awake during the day. The measures involved an explicit recognition test and an implicit priming reaction-time test with old fragments from a previously learned sequence and new fragments of a different control sequence. The sleep group showed statistically significant improvement between the pretest and the posttest in the explicit memory measure, whereas the wake group did not. In the implicit task, both groups improved similarly after a 12-h retention interval. These results suggest that throughout sleep, implicitly acquired information is processed offline to yield an explicit representation of knowledge incidentally acquired the night before.
•This study uses a Serial Reaction Time Task (SRTT) to evaluate implicit knowledge.•We use accuracy and confidence ratings to index explicit knowledge.•Sleep improves explicit recognition of incidentally learned sequential patterns.•A 12-hour interval improves motor performance both for wake and sleep groups.•Sleep contributes to translating implicit knowledge into explicit knowledge.
PDF
