This paper presents the first comprehensive tutorial on a promising research field located at the frontier of two well-established domains: Neurosciences and wireless communications, motivated by the ongoing efforts to define how the sixth generation of mobile networks (6G) will be. In particular, this tutorial first provides a novel integrative approach that bridges the gap between these two, seemingly disparate fields. Then, we present the state-of-the-art and key challenges of these two topics. In particular, we propose a novel systematization that divides the contributions into two groups, one focused on what neurosciences will offer to 6G in terms of new applications and systems architecture (Neurosciences for Wireless), and the other focused on how wireless communication theory and 6G systems can provide new ways to study the brain (Wireless for Neurosciences). For the first group, we concretely explain how current scientific understanding of the brain would enable new application for 6G within the context of a new type of service that we dub braintype communications and that has more stringent requirements than human- and machine-type communication. In this regard, we expose the key requirements of brain-type communication services and we discuss how future wireless networks can be equipped to deal with such services. Meanwhile, for the second group, we thoroughly explore modern communication system paradigms, including Internet of Bio-nano Things and chaosbased communications, in addition to highlighting how complex systems tools can help bridging 6G and neuroscience applications. Brain-controlled vehicles are then presented as our case study. All in all, this tutorial is expected to provide a largely missing articulation between these two emerging fields while delineating concrete ways to move forward in such an interdisciplinary endeavor.

To evaluate the concentration and profile of fatty acids (FAs) among macrosomic neonates delivered by healthy pregnant women and pregnant women with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM).

Infections by both human oncoviruses, human Papillomaviruses (HPV) and Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) are very common in the adult human population and are associated with various malignancies. While HPV is generally transmitted sexually or via skin-to-skin contact, EBV is frequently transmitted by oral secretions, blood transfusions and organ transplants. This study aims to determine the prevalence and circulating genotypes of HPV and EBV in healthy blood donors in Qatar. We explored the co-prevalence of high-risk HPVs and EBV in 378 males and only 7 females blood donors of different nationalities (mainly from Qatar, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Pakistan, and India) residing in Qatar, using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). DNA was extracted from the buffy coat and genotyping was performed using PCR and nested-PCR targeting E6 and E7 as well as LMP-1 of HPV and EBV, respectively. We found that from the total number of 385 cases of healthy blood donors studied, 54.8% and 61% of the samples are HPVs and EBV positive, respectively. Additionally, our data revealed that the co-presence of both high-risk HPVs and EBV is 40.4% of the total samples. More significantly, this study pointed out for the first time that the most frequent high-risk HPV types in Qatar are 59 (54.8%), 31 (53.7%), 52 (49.1%), 51 (48.6%), 58 (47%) and 35 (45.5%), while the most commonly expressed low-risk HPV types are 53 (50.6%), 11 (45.5), 73 (41.7%) and 6 (41.3%), with all the cases showing multiple HPVs infection. In this study, we demonstrated for the first time that HPV and EBV are commonly co-present in healthy blood donors in Qatar. On the other hand, it is important to highlight that these oncoviruses can also be co-present in several types of human cancers where they can cooperate in the initiation and/or progression of these cancers. Therefore, more studies regarding the co-presence of these oncoviruses and their interaction are necessary to understand their cooperative role in human diseases.

BACKGROUND Paraovarian/paratubal cysts constitute 5-20% of all adnexal lesions and typically originate from the paramesonephric or Müllerian duct. The primary epithelial tumors arising from paraovarian cysts account for 25% of the cases, but giant cystadenomas of paraovarian origin are extremely uncommon during childhood and adolescence with very few cases reported in the literature. CASE We present the case of a 15-year-old female that presented with a bulky mass in the abdomen and pelvis. An initial clinical and radiological examination indicated an ovarian cyst measuring ∼25x20 cm. However, explorative laparotomy revealed a giant paratubal cyst that was successfully treated with complete excision using fertility-sparing surgery. Histopathological examination was consistent with a serous cystadenoma. The postoperative course was uneventful and the girl was discharged on the seventh postoperative day. At the follow-up of six months, the patient was doing well. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION Due to their rarity and enormous size, the proper diagnosis and adequate management of giant paratubal cystadenomas are challenging. A complete excision of cystadenoma with preservation of adnexa represents a desirable treatment modality in adolescent females and should be attempted whenever possible.

ABSTRACT We conducted a genome-wide association study of blood DNA methylation and smoking, attempted replication of previously discovered associations, and assessed the reversibility of smoking-associated methylation changes. DNA methylation was measured in baseline peripheral blood samples for 5,044 participants in the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study. For 1,032 participants, these measures were repeated using blood samples collected at follow-up, a median of 11 years later. A cross-sectional analysis of the association between smoking and DNA methylation and a longitudinal analysis of changes in smoking status and changes in DNA methylation were conducted. We used our cross-sectional analysis to replicate previously reported associations for current (N = 3,327) and former (N = 172) smoking. A comprehensive smoking index accounting for the biological half-life of smoking compounds and several aspects of smoking history was constructed to assess the reversibility of smoking-induced methylation changes. This measure of lifetime exposure to smoking allowed us to detect more associations than comparing current with never smokers. We identified 4,496 cross-sectional associations at P < 10−7, including 3,296 annotated to 1,326 genes that were not previously implicated in smoking-associated DNA methylation changes at this significance threshold. We replicated the majority of previously reported associations (P < 10−7) for current and former smokers. In our data, we observed for former smokers a substantial degree of return to the methylation levels of never smokers, compared with current smokers (median: 74%, IQR = 63-86%), corresponding to small values (median: 2.75, IQR = 1.5–5.25) for the half-life parameter of the comprehensive smoking index. Longitudinal analyses identified 368 sites at which methylation changed upon smoking cessation. Our study demonstrates the usefulness of the comprehensive smoking index to detect associations between smoking and DNA methylation at CpGs across the genome, replicates the vast majority of previously reported associations, and quantifies the reversibility of smoking-induced methylation changes.

Abstract Background: Bosnia and Herzegovina is a multinational and multireligious country, located in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula. Migrations through history were a key factor in the genetic identity of the Bosnian–Herzegovinian population. Aim: To analyse genetic polymorphisms of 22 autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) loci in the population of Bosnia and Herzegovina and to compare STR allele frequencies for STR loci with the reference data for European populations. Subjects and methods: The study was conducted among 600 unrelated individuals from all regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Genotyping was performed using the PowerPlex® Fusion amplification kit. Allele frequencies and statistical parameters were calculated, as well as the genetic distance among analysed populations through the construction of a neighbor-joining dendrogram. Results: STR loci included in the PowerPlex® Fusion amplification kit showed high discriminatory power indicating their reliability for human identification and paternity testing. The neighbor-joining dendrogram based on the results of genetic distance analysis showed that the Bosnian and Herzegovinian population has the greatest genetic distance from Turkish and Hungarian populations and greatest similarity with Croatian, Slovenian, and Serbian populations. Conclusion: The results of this study strongly support the application of 22 autosomal genetic markers for paternity testing and personal identity testing and are in agreement with most previous human studies in the investigated human populations.

Introduction: Emergency cerclage in the second trimester is aestablished treatment for a dilated cervix. Aim: To report a case of a successful cerclage performed in a 33-year old woman in her secondpregnancy, after 5 years of non-successfulpregnancy outcomes. Case report: In her fourth month of pregnancy, the patient was hospitalized because of suprapubic pressure. After complete laboratory results, ultrasound and vaginal examination the patient was diagnosed with cervical shortening, cervical canal was opened 3cm, with prolapse and bulging of the fetal membranes in vagina. An amount of 120 ml of clear amniotic fluid was removed transabdominally under ultrasound guidance, and sent to the microbiological and genetical analysis. McDonald emergency cerclage of the cervical canal was performed. Patient was monitored few days on department and released home with advice of strict reduction of activity to minimum, and prescribed therapy due to that: antithrombotic, progesterone and antibiotic therapy. Conclusion: Amnioreduction at the time of emergency cerclage placement is associated with a lower rate of extreme prematurity and related neonatal morbidity. Successful outcome is not impossible, along with adequate antibiotic regimen, bed rest and regular obstetrical control/checkup.

Introduction: The association of acute intermitetn porphyria (AIP) with pregnancy and as a cause of spontaneous abortion is rare. Aim: To show a case of AIP known before pregnancy in a patient who had a spontaneous abortion. Case report: A gynecologist examined 26-year-old patient in the 8th week of gestation, due to initial spontaneous abortion, abdominal pain, constipation, muscle weakness, vomiting and dark colour of urine. Her therapy was dydrogesterone. In consultation with an anesthesiologist, a short intravenous anesthesia, vacuum aspiration, and curettage were performed.During hospitalization, the patient ceased to take harmful drugs and she was given haemarginate, glucose and symptomatic drugs, and she recovered completely. Conclusion: Treatment of threatened spontaneous abortion in AIP remains the subject of dilemma and controversy, and future research is needed.

An integrated quadruple voltage mixed quenching, and active resetting circuit (Q2RC) in a 150 nm CMOS process is presented in this paper. The Q2RC features an excess-bias voltage of 7.2 V, which is four times the 1.8 V supply voltage. The dead time can be adjusted from 7 ns to 29 ns, which corresponds to the count rate range from 34 Mcps to 142 Mcps. Post-layout simulation results for an external SPAD with an equivalent parasitic capacitance of 4 pF are reported. The achieved quenching time of the Q2RC is 1.75 ns, which results in 4.05 GV/s quenching slew rate, while the delay time is 1.1 ns, and the resetting time is 2.55 ns.

Tactile internet" refers to a network that can support real-time interactions between human operators and remote cyber-physical systems as if they were near to each other. For this, the network should support ultra-low latency communication, often referred to as the 1ms challenge. However, we observe that network requirements, such as latency and bandwidth, of tactile internet based cyber-physical systems or Tactile Cyber-Physical Systems (TCPS) are not static: they severely fluctuate over time. Therefore, for TCPS, static provisioning of network resources is sub-optimal. For optimal utilization of network resources, we propose a mechanism to, per TCPS flow, dynamically create, destroy and switch network slices, based on the network resources needed at that time. Our solution consists of two main components. First, we develop a clustering algorithm to determine the slices and their specifications required to support a TCPS flow. Second, we leverage Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and P4-programmable switches to enable on- the-fly provisioning and switching of these slices.

The computer network industry is preparing for the revolution caused by the virtualization of the network infrastructure. The virtualization of network functions, together with the network programmability, is a fundamental skill-set required in both electrical engineers and computer scientists, which will become even more significant in the upcoming years. Therefore, in this article, we present an educational framework for Service Function Chaining (SFC) practical teaching to undergraduate students aiming to prepare them for future Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and communication networks market that will demand skillful professionals in the domain. The educational framework was designed for the Network Management course at the University of Antwerp. To structure the content of the framework’s sessions, we explain the fundamental concepts behind the SFC. Moreover, we detail the framework objectives, sessions, and how we plan to evaluate it. We also present facts and works that endorse the hands-on teaching preparing students for the research and development in the new generation communication networks arena. After, we discuss the methodology of the educational framework alignment with joint ACM/IEEE Computer Engineering Curricula for Network Management courses. Next, we present possible outcomes during the course evaluation using the survey. We conclude which this educational framework achieves the necessary core learning outcomes to empower students concerning the practical steps when deploying and managing communication networks and the virtualization techniques which nowadays are being applied.

Abstract Failures of aircraft piston engine components are a common occurrence in practice. During operation, cylinder heads are components that are exposed to multiaxial thermomechanical loads leading to fatigue. Therefore, predicting the lifetime of the cylinder heads exposed to such loads is one of the most important tasks to ensure engine quality, durability and safety. This paper is the continuation of a comprehensive research of the Lycoming IO-360-B1F aircraft engine cylinder head failure. The failure of this type has already occurred during flight and about 50 failures like this have been registered from around the world, some of them with a fatal outcome and therefore require detailed research. This research includes the numerical stress and fatigue analysis of the cylinder assembly exposed to high cycle mechanical and thermal loads that failed due to a crack appearance on the cylinder head. A 3D cylinder assembly model was created. The locations with the highest stress values, both mechanical and thermal, were determined using numerical analysis. Also, the lifetime of the cylinder assembly has been determined, i.e. an integrity assessment has been carried out which will contribute to the consideration of the crack appearance problem. Defining the coupled thermomechanical load of the cylinder assembly in the numerical analysis gives special significance to this paper. The results obtained will serve to analyze the crack propagation in the cylinder head which is going to be the subject of further research.