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Uplink Cell-Free Massive MIMO OFDM With Phase Noise-Aware Channel Estimation: Separate and Shared Local Oscillators
No full textCell-free massive multiple-input multiple-output (mMIMO) networks enhance coverage and spectral efficiency (SE) by distributing antennas across access points (APs) with phase coherence between APs. However, the use of cost-efficient local oscillators (LOs) introduces phase noise (PN) that compromises phase coherence, even with centralized processing. Sharing an LO across APs can reduce costs in specific configurations but cause correlated PN between APs, leading to correlated interference that affects centralized combining. This can be improved by exploiting the PN correlation in channel estimation. This paper presents an uplink orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signal model for PN-impaired cell-free mMIMO, addressing gaps in single-carrier signal models. We evaluate mismatches from applying single-carrier methods to OFDM systems, showing how they underestimate the impact of PN and produce over-optimistic achievable SE predictions. Based on our OFDM signal model, we propose two PN-aware channel and common phase error estimators: a distributed estimator for uncorrelated PN with separate LOs and a centralized estimator with shared LOs. We introduce a deep learning-based channel estimator to enhance the performance and reduce the number of iterations of the centralized estimator. The simulation results show that the distributed estimator outperforms mismatched estimators with separate LOs, whereas the centralized estimator enhances distributed estimators with shared LOs
Unruptured anterior communicating artery aneurysms surgery: preservation of an old-fashioned, but ever-precious craft
No full textThe anterior communicating artery (AComA) is a common site for intracranial aneurysms. Complex regional anatomy increases surgical risks, and endovascular treatment is increasingly favoured, despite long-term durability concerns. This study aims to reassess the role of open surgery by presenting a 20-year single-centre experience with microsurgical management of unruptured AComA aneurysms. We sought to evaluate surgical outcomes, assess complication rates, and compare them to a contemporary endovascular cohort, thereby exploring whether surgical clipping remains a valid option in selected patients. We retrospectively analysed 64 consecutive patients with unruptured AComA aneurysms treated via microsurgical clipping from 2004 to 2024. Aneurysm selection was based on multidisciplinary evaluation. Demographic, radiological, surgical, clinical, neuropsychological and outcome data were collected and analysed. Secondarily, results were compared with 74 endovascularly treated cases managed during the same period. Microsurgical clipping achieved complete occlusion in 94% of cases at 1-year follow-up. Postoperative complications, graded according to the Treatment-Disability-Neurology (TDN) grade, occurred in only 12% as a TDN > 1, namely requiring intervention or resulting in a new deficit. Compared to the endovascular group, the surgical cohort demonstrated a significantly lower persistent opacification rate (6% vs. 22%, p = 0.01), without differences in morbidity. Microsurgical clipping of unruptured AComA aneurysms remains a safe, durable treatment when applied to carefully selected patients and performed by experienced teams. Hence, safely-performed surgical treatment still represents the best long-term treatment option for highly selected cases. It is of paramount importance to share a hard-earned expertise to preserve an old-fashioned, but ever-precious craft
The Timing of Intrauterine Exposure to Maternal SARS-CoV-2 Infection Impacts Neurodevelopment and Growth Trajectories During the First Year of Life
No full textBackground: The effect of intrauterine exposure to SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy on neurodevelopment and growth trajectories during the first year of life remains under investigation. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records of all pregnant women who received care at Mayo Health System and tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (RT-PCR) from March 2020 through October 2021 and examined the effects of fetal sex and trimester of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection on the risk of neurodevelopmental disorder diagnosis and growth trajectories of head circumference (HC) and body weight (BW) percentiles over the first year of life using linear mixed models. Results: We observed that a higher percentage of male infants (n = 357), compared to females (n = 344), have neurodevelopmental disorders (10.9% vs. 5.2%, p = 0.008), and infants exposed to maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection in the second (n = 183) or third trimester (n = 358) have a higher prevalence of neurological diagnoses compared to those exposed in the first trimester (n = 160) (1st vs. 2nd vs. 3rd trimester: 0% vs. 0.9% vs. 0.7%, respectively, p = 0.037). In addition, female infants, compared to males, had significantly lower BW (B = −0.04, p < 0.0001) and HC (B = −0.06, p < 0.0001) percentile growth trajectories over the first year of life. Moreover, infants exposed to maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection in the second trimester had a significantly lower BW percentile growth trajectory (B = −0.01, p = 0.006), while infants exposed to maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection in the third trimester had a significantly lower HC percentile growth trajectory (B = −0.02, p = 0.02). Conclusions: In utero exposure to maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection could have long-term effects on growth trajectories, depending on the infant’s sex and timing of exposure
First validated liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method for simultaneous quantification of propranolol and 4-hydroxypropranolol in pig plasma and dried blood spots and its application to a pharmacokinetic study
No full textI non-luoghi della normatività: dalla regolazione alla post-law
No full textThe essay examines the metamorphosis of normativity in digital markets, tracing the shift from regulation to post-law: a form of legality that moves from decision to infrastructure, embedding itself within the technical and behavioural architectures that induce and prefigure the economic conduct of digital platforms. Through an examination of Codes of Conduct (GDPR, DSA, AI Act) and New Competition Tools in the antitrust domain, it shows how the production of rules shifts towards regulatory “non-places” specific to the digital economy, where the traditional boundaries between hard and soft law, public and private, regulation and enforcement, become blurred. In these hybrid spaces, co-regulation takes the form of induced normativity, while antitrust intervention is transformed into preventive market design. What emerges is an unprecedented morphology of economic law, operating as an anticipatory engineering of the possible, and raising radical questions about the democratic legitimacy of a normativity generated beyond the visible space of decision
Beyond yield: integrating energy, water, cost, and carbon to benchmark indoor vertical farming viability
No full textGlucotropaeolin-enriched Lepidium sativum L. extract as a novel phytotherapy for tendinopathy: mechanistic insights into pain modulation
No full textObjective Tendinopathy is a clinical condition marked by pain and impaired tendon function. Given the limited efficacy of conventional therapies, phytotherapeutic and nutraceutical strategies have gained attention. Brassicaceae plants, particularly Lepidium sativum L., contain bioactive compounds such as glucosinolates, notably glucotropaeolin, with potential benefits in chronic pain. The aim of the study was to evaluate the therapeutic potential of a L. sativum seed extract in tendinopathy. Methods Tendon damage was induced in mice via intra-tendinous collagenase injection. Both systemic (oral) and local (peritendinous) administrations of L. sativum extract were tested for anti-hyperalgesic effects and compared with isolated glucotropaeolin. Pharmacological and histological mechanistic analyses were conducted. Results Oral administration of the L. sativum extract (13–130 mg kg−1, equivalent to 10–100 μmol kg−1 glucotropaeolin) dose-dependently reduced tendinopathy-related pain. Pharmacodynamic investigations showed that glucotropaeolin undergoes hydrolysis in vivo, releasing hydrogen sulfide (H2S), which activates Kv7 potassium channels involved in pain modulation. Local administration of glucotropaeolin (10–100 μmol mL−1; 50 μL) significantly reduced tendon pain, while the extract showed reduced efficacy peritendinously. Repeated administration of the L. sativum extract (40 mg kg−1 orally) or glucotropaeolin (30 μmol mL−1 peritendinously) for ten days attenuated spontaneous pain, mechanical hyperalgesia, and exercise-induced exacerbation. Although these treatments did not prevent tendon degeneration, the extract markedly decreased mast cell infiltration and substance P levels in tendon tissue. Notably, unlike conventional anti-inflammatory drugs such as NSAIDs, which in preclinical collagenase-induced tendinopathy chiefly reduce early inflammation without improving tendon repair, L. sativum extract demonstrated a broader pharmacological profile with both anti-hyperalgesic and immunomodulatory efficacy. Conclusion L. sativum exhibits significant potential in the symptomatic and therapeutic management of tendinopathy, mainly through glucotropaeolin-mediated modulation of pain pathways
Interpretable Link Prediction via Neural-Symbolic Reasoning
No full textKnowledge Graph Embedding models have shown remarkable performances in different tasks like knowledge completion. However, they inherently lack interpretability, making it difficult to understand the reasoning behind their predictions. While different Neural-Symbolic (NeSy) models have been proposed to achieve interpretable reasoning through logic rules, existing evaluations primarily focus on accuracy, overlooking the critical assessment of explanation quality. This paper addresses this gap by introducing fully “interpretable-by-design” NeSy approaches for link prediction inspired by recently proposed models. Our framework employs reasoners that generate explicit logic proofs, utilizing either predefined or learned logic rules, ensuring transparent and explainable predictions. We go beyond traditional accuracy assessments, evaluating the quality of these explanations using established XAI metrics, including coherence. By quantitatively assessing the interpretability of our model, we aim to advance the development of trustworthy and understandable link prediction systems for Knowledge Graphs
Sustainable Vineyard Management with On-Field UV-C Irradiation: Impacts of Supplementary Applications on Grape Composition and Secondary Metabolites
No full textResearch for sustainable viticulture practices has fostered interest in ultraviolet-C (UV-C)
radiation as non-chemical tool for vineyard pathogen control; however, little information is
available on their potential elicitation of berry metabolites. This two-year study investigated
the impact of supplementary in-field UV-C applications, in addition to the vineyard sanitary
protocols, on berry composition in Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines. In both experimental
years, vegetative, yield, and berry technological parameters were determined at harvest,
but they were not altered by UV-C treatments. Significantly higher concentrations of
berry secondary metabolites were measured at harvest trough GC-MS and HPLC. UV-C
treated vines had higher berry anthocyanins, particularly tri-hydroxylated forms (malvidin,
delphinidin, petunidin), and flavonol concentrations (quercetin, myricetin derivatives),
improving the potential for wine color stability and copigmentation. Glycosylated berry
aroma compounds were also increased in UV-C vines, particularly some monoterpenes
(geraniol, nerol, citronellol), C13-norisoprenoids (β-damascenone, β-ionone, 3-oxo-α-ionol),
and volatile phenols (eugenol, 4-vinyl-guaiacol). These results highlighted the potential of
UV-C in-field applications, in addition to pest management control, to increase grape quality
traits by modulating berry phenolic and aroma profile without affecting productivity
