Chronic heart failure in patients undergoing major head and neck surgery: A hospital-based study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of chronic heart failure on various post-operative outcomes in head and neck cancer patients undergoing major cancer surgery. STUDY DESIGN: For this retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing major head and neck cancer surgery, a sample of 10,002 patients between 2017 and 2019 were identified through the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. SETTING: Patients were selected as undergoing major head and neck cancer surgery, defined as laryngectomy, pharyngectomy, glossectomy, neck dissection, mandibulectomy, and maxillectomy, then separated based on pre-surgical diagnosis of chronic heart failure. METHODS: The effects of pre-operative chronic heart failure on post-surgical outcomes in these patients were investigated by univariable and multivariable logistic regression using ICD-10 codes and SPSS. RESULTS: A diagnosis of chronic heart failure was observed in 265 patients (2.6 %). Patients with chronic heart failure had more preexisting comorbidities when compared to patients without chronic heart failure (mean ± SD; 4 ± 1 vs. 2 ± 1). Multivariable logistic regression showed that chronic heart failure patients had significantly greater odds of dying during hospitalization (OR 2.86, 95 % CI 1.38-5.91) and experiencing non-routine discharge from admission (OR 1.89, 95 % CI 1.41-2.54) after undergoing major head and neck cancer surgery. CONCLUSION: Chronic heart failure is associated with greater length of stay and hospital charges among head and neck cancer patients undergoing major head and neck cancer surgeries. Chronic heart failure patients have significantly greater rates of unfavorable post-operative outcomes, including death during hospitalization and non-routine discharge from admission.

Quantitative Determination of Iron-Siderophore Complexes in Peat by Isotope-Exchange Size-Exclusion UPLC-Electrospray Ionization High-Resolution Accurate Mass (HRAM) Mass Spectrometry.

A method was developed for the quantification of iron-siderophore complexes by electrospray high-resolution accurate mass (HRAM) mass spectrometry (MS) without the need for authentic standards. The bulk of iron-siderophore complexes was purified by solid-phase extraction (SPE) and concentrated by evaporation. The individual complexes were identified by fast size-exclusion chromatography (FastSEC)-Orbitrap MSn on the basis of the exact molecular mass (±1 ppm) and MS2 or MS3 fragmentation. Their capability to readily exchange the natural 56Fe for the added 58Fe was demonstrated by SEC with ICP MS and ESI MS detection. The method was applied to the analysis of peat sampled in the eastern part of the French Pyrenean mountains. Nineteen siderophores belonging to four different classes were identified and quantified. The results were validated using ICP MS detection of iron by matching the sum of iron complexes determined by isotope exchange-ESI MS within each peak observed by FastSEC-ICP MS.

Unveiling the Pool of Metallophores in Native Environments and Correlation with Their Potential Producers.

For many organisms, metallophores are essential biogenic ligands that ensure metal scavenging and acquisition from their environment. Their identification is challenging in highly organic matter rich environments like peatlands due to low solubilization and metal scarcity and high matrix complexity. In contrast to common approaches based on sample modification by spiking of metal isotope tags, we have developed a two-dimensional (2D) Solid-phase extraction-Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPE-LC-MS) approach for the highly sensitive (LOD 40 fmol per g of soil), high-resolution direct detection and identification of metallophores in both their noncomplexed (apo) and metal-complexed forms in native environments. The characterization of peat collected in the Bernadouze (France) peatland resulted in the identification of 53 metallophores by a database mass-based search, 36 among which are bacterial. Furthermore, the detection of the characteristic (natural) metal isotope patterns in MS resulted in the detection of both Fe and Cu potential complexes. A taxonomic-based inference method was implemented based on literature and public database (antiSMASH database version 3.0) searches, enabling to associate over 40% of the identified bacterial metallophores with potential producers. In some cases, low completeness with the MIBiG reference BCG might be indicative of alternative producers in the ecosystem. Thus, coupling of metallophore detection and producers' inference could pave a new way to investigate poorly documented environment searching for new metallophores and their producers yet unknown.

Impaired lung function in multiple sclerosis: a single-center observational study in 371 persons.

INTRODUCTION: Abnormal lung function in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) could be considered as the result of muscle weakness or MS-specific structural central nervous system (CNS) abnormalities as a precipitant factor for the worsening of motor impairment or cognitive symptoms. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional observational study in PwMS. Forced spirometry was conducted, and normative metrics of forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), and the relation FEV1/FVC were calculated. Qualitative and quantitative brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations were carried out. RESULTS: A total of 371 PwMS were included in the study. Of those, 196 (53%) had RRMS, 92 (25%) SPMS, and 83 (22%) PPMS. Low FVC and FEV1 was present in 16 (8%), 16 (19%), and 23 (25%) of the patients in the RRMS, PPMS, and SPMS, respectively. PwMS with T2-FLAIR lesions involving the corpus callosum (CC) had a significantly higher frequency of abnormally low FVC and FEV1 (OR 3.62; 95% CI 1.33-9.83; p = 0.012) than patients without lesions in that region. This association remained significant in the RRMS group (OR 10.1; 95% CI 1.3-67.8; p 0.031) when the model excluded PPMS and SPMS. According to our study, for every increase of 1 z score of FVC, we observed an increase of 0.25 cm3 of hippocampal volume (ß 0.25; 95% CI 0.03-0.47; p 0.023) and 0.43 cm3 of left hippocampus volume (ß 0.43; 95% CI 0.16-0.71; p 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: We observed an incremental prevalence of abnormally low pulmonary function tests that parallels a sequence from more early relapsing courses to long-standing progressive courses (RRMS to PPMS or SPMS).

SARS-CoV-2 vaccination patterns in a private hematology and internal medicine outpatient clinic.

OBJECTIVE: Determine the proportion of vaccinated patients in a private hematology and internal medicine outpatient clinic and potential factors in adherence in at-risk patients (due to onco-hematological diseases). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study of outpatients from a private clinic. We applied a non-validated instrument to all patients attending the outpatient clinic from May to October 2021. According to the primary diagnosis, we classified patients into onco-hematological and non-onco-hematological patients. Since national authorities exclusively executed and planned the rollout of vaccines, the order and eligibility defined by authorities of vaccination was considered when conducting the analysis and patients were classified according to the their corresponding group. RESULTS: 397 participants were accrued, 269 (68%) had an onco-hematological condition. In the whole group, 73 (18.3%) had a history of infection. Vaccination history was present in 286 persons (72%); 82% had two doses. In the subset of 269 persons with an onco-hematological condition, 191 (71%) were vaccinated, whereas 95 participants with non-hematological conditions (73%) had received the vaccine. Vaccination status was associated with age (OR 1.07, 95%CI: 1.03,1.10, p<0.0001) and body mass index (OR 1.11, 95%CI: 1.04,1.17, p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: According to our study, vaccination adherence at our center is significantly different from the nationwide proportion of vaccines.

Families of doctors at Academia Nacional de Medicina de México.

INTRODUCTION: The decision to get involved in the study and practice of medicine is not easy. Within the scientific environment, achieving both professional and personal success requires a strict discipline, where effort becomes an essential part of daily life; in addition, having family support becomes crucial in order for not to lose hope when confronting the different adversities that arise during medical training. OBJECTIVE: To identify families where at least two members belong to the Academia Nacional de Medicina de México (ANMM). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out to identify families of Mexican doctors where at least two members, consanguineous or in-laws, have been or are ANMM members through a review of 2017 ANMM Directory and personal contact with the different academics. RESULTS: Information on 45 families belonging to the ANMM was collected. CONCLUSIONS: From this study, it is possible to show the great influence that some doctors have in their family environment, which makes the study of medicine attractive as a life project.

INTRODUCCIÓN: La decisión de involucrarse en el estudio y la práctica de la medicina no es fácil. Dentro del ambiente científico, alcanzar el éxito tanto profesional como personal requiere de una disciplina estricta en donde el esfuerzo se vuelve parte esencial de la vida diaria, además, el tener el apoyo familiar se vuelve un pilar para no perder la ilusión ante las distintas adversidades que se presentan en la formación médica. OBJETIVO: Identificar a las familias donde mínimo dos miembros pertenecen a la Academia Nacional de Medicina. MÉTODOS: Se llevó a cabo un estudio transversal para analizar las familias de médicos mexicanos en las que por lo menos dos miembros, consanguíneos o políticos, han sido o son miembros de la Academia Nacional de Medicina de México por medio de la consulta del Directorio de la Academia Nacional de Medicina del año 2017 y el contacto de manera personal con los distintos académicos. RESULTADOS: Se recolectó información de 45 familias pertenecientes a la Academia Nacional de Medicina de México. CONCLUSIONES: A partir de este estudio es posible evidenciar la gran influencia que emiten algunos médicos en su entorno familiar, que hace que el estudio de la medicina sea atractivo como proyecto de vida.

Heritable functional architecture in human visual cortex.

How much of the functional organization of our visual system is inherited? Here we tested the heritability of retinotopic maps in human visual cortex using functional magnetic resonance imaging. We demonstrate that retinotopic organization shows a closer correspondence in monozygotic (MZ) compared to dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs, suggesting a partial genetic determination. Using population receptive field (pRF) analysis to examine the preferred spatial location and selectivity of these neuronal populations, we estimate a heritability around 10-20% for polar angle preferences and spatial selectivity, as quantified by pRF size, in extrastriate areas V2 and V3. Our findings are consistent with heritability in both the macroscopic arrangement of visual regions and stimulus tuning properties of visual cortex. This could constitute a neural substrate for variations in a range of perceptual effects, which themselves have been found to be at least partially genetically determined. These findings also add convergent evidence for the hypothesis that functional map topology is linked with cortical morphology.

A comparative analysis of the bronchodilatador response measured by impulse oscillometry and spirometry in asthmatic children living at high altitude.

OBJECTIVE: Although the assessment of a bronchodilator response (BDR) is a routine and important procedure when performing lung function tests, comparisons between spirometric and oscillometric BDRs in asthmatic children living at high altitude have not been previously reported. The aim of the present study was to compare spirometric and oscillometric BDRs in children living at high altitude, and to identify independent predictors of spirometric and oscillometric BDRs. METHODS: Between January and December, 2015, asthmatic children aged between 5 and 17 years old performed impulse oscillometry (IOS) and spirometry during the same visit before and after albuterol administration. The data were analyzed, and children were classified into those positive for oscillometric BDR only, those positive for spirometric BDR only, those positive for both BDRs, and those negative for both BDRs. RESULTS: Ninety-three asthmatic children (56 boys, 37 girls), with a median (IQR) age of 11 (8-13) years, made up the study population. Among the total of 93 participants, 13 (14.0%), 4 (4.3%), 0 (0%), and 76 (81.7%) were positive for spirometric BDR only, positive for oscillometric BDR only, positive for both BDRs, and negative for both BDRs, respectively. Age and baseline lung function were identified as significant predictors of positive spirometric BDR. CONCLUSIONS: The present study shows poor concordance between positive spirometric and oscillometric BDRs, with a greater proportion of patients with a spirometric BDR when compared to those with positive oscillometric BDR. Additionally, age and baseline lung function are useful for predicting spirometric BDR results.

Software-In-Loop Simulation of an Underwater Wireless Sensor Network for Monitoring Seawater Quality: Parameter Selection and Performance Validation.

In this work, a real-time software-in-loop simulation technique was employed to test and analyse an underwater wireless sensor network. This simulation should facilitate the deployment of the real network and helps guarantee the network's expected behaviour. We study duplicated packets, one-way delay, and power consumption to analyse the network's leading parameters. Evaluating production-ready software in simulated conditions eases effective deployment. This method will ultimately allow us to establish these parameters, test the software before the deployment, and have an excellent understanding of the network's behaviour.

Early Blindness Shapes Cortical Representations of Auditory Frequency within Auditory Cortex.

Early loss of vision is classically linked to large-scale cross-modal plasticity within occipital cortex. Much less is known about the effects of early blindness on auditory cortex. Here, we examine the effects of early blindness on the cortical representation of auditory frequency within human primary and secondary auditory areas using fMRI. We observe that 4 individuals with early blindness (2 females), and a group of 5 individuals with anophthalmia (1 female), a condition in which both eyes fail to develop, have lower response amplitudes and narrower voxelwise tuning bandwidths compared with a group of typically sighted individuals. These results provide some of the first evidence in human participants for compensatory plasticity within nondeprived sensory areas as a result of sensory loss.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Early blindness has been linked to enhanced perception of the auditory world, including auditory localization and pitch perception. Here we used fMRI to compare neural responses with auditory stimuli within auditory cortex across sighted, early blind, and anophthalmic individuals, in whom both eyes fail to develop. We find more refined frequency tuning in blind subjects, providing some of the first evidence in human subjects for compensation within nondeprived primary sensory areas as a result of blindness early in life.

Treatment of Persons with Multiple Myeloma in Underprivileged Circumstances: Real-World Data from a Single Institution.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) has evolved in recent years, and the disease-associated prognosis has improved substantially. This improvement has been driven largely by the approval of novel agents, many of which are expensive and not universally available. Less expensive but effective approaches would be of value globally. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All consecutive MM patients diagnosed in the Centro de Hematología y Medicina Interna de Puebla after 1993 were included in this study. Patients were given oral thalidomide (100 mg/day), oral dexamethasone (36-40 mg/week), and aspirin 100 mg/day. Bor-tezomib (1.75 mg s.c. every week) was administered to those who could afford it. After 4-6 weeks of treatment, patients were offered an outpatient-based hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT). After the recovery of granulocytes following HCT, patients continued indefinitely on thalidomide; those who failed to tolerate thalidomide were switched to lenalidomide (25 mg/day). RESULTS: The median overall survival (OS) for all patients has not been reached and is >157 months. Median follow-up of the patients lasted 14 months (range 1.3-157). The median OS of patients with and without HCT was similar. The response rate (complete remission or very good partial remission) was 72% for those given thalidomide plus dexamethasone versus 88% for those given bortezomib, thalidomide, and dexamethasone before HCT, but OS was not different. As post-HCT maintenance, 37 patients received thalidomide; 26 of those (70%) could be maintained indefinitely on thalidomide, whereas 11 were switched to lenalidomide after a median of 7 months; median OS of patients maintained on thalidomide or lenalidomide after HCT was not different. CONCLUSION: In this series, a regimen incorporating low-cost novel agents and outpatient HCT was associated with excellent long-term survival in the treatment of MM patients. This approach may be a model for MM treatment in underprivileged circumstances.

Modeling large-scale biometeorological indices to monitor agricultural-growing areas: applications in the fruit circuit region, São Paulo, Brazil.

This paper aimed to support the rational crop expansion in agricultural-growing regions. MODIS satellite images are used together with gridded weather data to model biometeorological parameters at the Fruit Circuit region, state of São Paulo, Southeast Brazil. This region has experienced some cases of drought, while arising rainfall water excess in some periods, demanding large-scale water and energy balance studies to subsidize water resource policies. The SAFER (Simple Algorithm for Evapotranspiration Retrieving) algorithm was applied together with the radiation-use efficiency (RUE) model for biometeorological index assessments. The highest latent heat fluxes (λE), above 8.0 MJ m-2 d-1, at the end of the year, coincide with the progressive increases on both rainfall and global solar radiation (RG) levels, and drop to below 5.0 MJ m-2 d-1 in the middle of the year, during the driest conditions. The same tendencies along the year are verified for sensible heat fluxes (H), for which mean pixel values are above 3.5 MJ m-2 d-1 at the end of the year. On the one hand, the highest values for water productivity (WP), which is considered the ratio of actual evapotranspiration (ET) to biomass production (BIO), above 4.0 kg m-3, are verified in April, period under increasing BIO and low ET rates. On the other hand, the lowest WP values (below 2.0 kg m-3) occur between August and October, when BIO is low, and ET is high. Although the area featuring good WP levels under high precipitation (P), with rainfalls generally above ET, supplementary irrigation may benefit agriculture in some periods of the year. The results of the large-scale modeling showed applicability of the models for monitoring water and vegetation dynamics over 16-day timescale and at a 250-m spatial resolution in areas experiencing climate and land-use changes by combining climate data and MODIS images. Application of these tools enables to indicate the best options for expanding the agriculture activities, being of great potential for rational natural resources management, in regions under environmental vulnerability conditions.

Mantle cell lymphoma may have a different clinical course in Mexican Mestizos: Real-world data from a single center.

BACKGROUND: The biology of some hematological diseases varies among different populations. No previous studies have evaluated the clinical behavior of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) in México. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: This is a retrospective review of MCL cases seen in Mexico from January 2003 to June 2020. A total of 12 cases were identified. RESULTS: There were nine males and three females; median age was 56 years. Eight patients had a high MCL international prognostic index score, one was intermediate, and three were low. Five patients had circulating malignant monoclonal cells. Initial treatment included rituximab, cyclophosphamide, daunorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) and CHOP. Subsequent treatment included hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in five patients; two were given maintenance therapy. Splenectomy was done in four patients. Median overall survival (OS) for all the patients has not been reached and exceeds 162 mos: OS at 162 mos was 56%. Achieving a complete remission (CR) after the first treatment was a significant prognostic factor, with a median OS exceeding 141 mos in patients achieving CR, and 16 mos among those not achieving CR (p = 0.0006). CONCLUSION: Some of MCL patients in Mexico have an indolent clinical course, particularly patients who achieve a CR to initial treatment and who undergo splenectomy.

Normative cerebral cortical thickness for human visual areas.

Studies of changes in cerebral neocortical thickness often rely on small control samples for comparison with specific populations with abnormal visual systems. We present a normative dataset for FreeSurfer-derived cortical thickness across 25 human visual areas derived from 960 participants in the Human Connectome Project. Cortical thickness varies systematically across visual areas, in broad agreement with canonical visual system hierarchies in the dorsal and ventral pathways. In addition, cortical thickness estimates show consistent within-subject variability and reliability. Importantly, cortical thickness estimates in visual areas are well described by a normal distribution, making them amenable to direct statistical comparison.

Mechanisms and Risk Factors Contributing to Visual Field Deficits following Stereotactic Laser Amygdalohippocampotomy.

Selective laser amygdalohippocampotomy (SLAH) is a minimally invasive surgical treatment for medial temporal lobe epilepsy. Visual field deficits (VFDs) are a significant potential complication. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between VFDs and potential mechanisms of injury to the optic radiations and lateral geniculate nucleus. We performed a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of 3 patients (5.2%) who developed persistent VFDs after SLAH within our larger series (n = 58), 15 healthy individuals and 10 SLAH patients without visual complications. Diffusion tractography was used to evaluate laser catheter penetration of the optic radiations. Using a complementary approach, we evaluated evidence for focal microstructural tissue damage within the optic radiations and lateral geniculate nucleus. Overablation and potential heat radiation were assessed by quantifying ablation and choroidal fissure CSF volumes as well as energy deposited during SLAH.SLAH treatment parameters did not distinguish VFD patients. Atypically high overlap between the laser catheter and optic radiations was found in 1/3 VFD patients and was accompanied by focal reductions in fractional anisotropy where the catheter entered the lateral occipital white matter. Surprisingly, lateral geniculate tissue diffusivity was abnormal following, but also preceding, SLAH in patients who subsequently developed a VFD (all p = 0.005).In our series, vision-related complications following SLAH, which appear to occur less frequently than following open temporal lobe -surgery, were not directly explained by SLAH treatment parameters. Instead, our data suggest that variations in lateral geniculate structure may influence susceptibility to indirect heat injury from transoccipital SLAH.

Model Free Localization with Deep Neural Architectures by Means of an Underwater WSN.

In recent years, there has been a significant effort towards developing localization systems in the underwater medium, with current methods relying on anchor nodes, explicitly modeling the underwater channel or cooperation from the target. Lately, there has also been some work on using the approximation capabilities of Deep Neural Networks in order to address this problem. In this work, we study how the localization precision of using Deep Neural Networks is affected by the variability of the channel, the noise level at the receiver, the number of neurons of the neural network and the utilization of the power or the covariance of the received acoustic signals. Our study shows that using deep neural networks is a valid approach when the channel variability is low, which opens the door to further research in such localization methods for the underwater environment.

Perception and Processing of Faces in the Human Brain Is Tuned to Typical Feature Locations.

UNLABELLED: Faces are salient social stimuli whose features attract a stereotypical pattern of fixations. The implications of this gaze behavior for perception and brain activity are largely unknown. Here, we characterize and quantify a retinotopic bias implied by typical gaze behavior toward faces, which leads to eyes and mouth appearing most often in the upper and lower visual field, respectively. We found that the adult human visual system is tuned to these contingencies. In two recognition experiments, recognition performance for isolated face parts was better when they were presented at typical, rather than reversed, visual field locations. The recognition cost of reversed locations was equal to ∼60% of that for whole face inversion in the same sample. Similarly, an fMRI experiment showed that patterns of activity evoked by eye and mouth stimuli in the right inferior occipital gyrus could be separated with significantly higher accuracy when these features were presented at typical, rather than reversed, visual field locations. Our findings demonstrate that human face perception is determined not only by the local position of features within a face context, but by whether features appear at the typical retinotopic location given normal gaze behavior. Such location sensitivity may reflect fine-tuning of category-specific visual processing to retinal input statistics. Our findings further suggest that retinotopic heterogeneity might play a role for face inversion effects and for the understanding of conditions affecting gaze behavior toward faces, such as autism spectrum disorders and congenital prosopagnosia. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Faces attract our attention and trigger stereotypical patterns of visual fixations, concentrating on inner features, like eyes and mouth. Here we show that the visual system represents face features better when they are shown at retinal positions where they typically fall during natural vision. When facial features were shown at typical (rather than reversed) visual field locations, they were discriminated better by humans and could be decoded with higher accuracy from brain activity patterns in the right occipital face area. This suggests that brain representations of face features do not cover the visual field uniformly. It may help us understand the well-known face-inversion effect and conditions affecting gaze behavior toward faces, such as prosopagnosia and autism spectrum disorders.

NiI Catalyzes the Regioselective Cross-Coupling of Alkylzinc Halides and Propargyl Bromides to Allenes.

We describe the unprecedented formation of allenes by Ni-catalyzed cross-coupling of propargyl bromides with alkylzinc halides. The reaction regioselectivity is complementary to the previously reported formation of propargyl-coupled compounds. Experiments support the formation of NiI complexes as the active species and the participation of radical intermediates. Kinetic studies showed that the reaction is first order with respect to the electrophile, zero-order with respect to the nucleophile (fast transmetalation), and one-half order with respect to the metal catalyst. Mechanistic studies support a bimetallic NiI -based pathway that involves fast homolytic cleavage of the C-Br bond by an alkyl-NiI complex, followed by radical coordination to NiI that determines the observed regioselectivity.

A Feasibility Study of the Full Outpatient Conduction of Hematopoietic Transplants in Persons with Multiple Sclerosis Employing Autologous Non-Cryopreserved Peripheral Blood Stem Cells.

BACKGROUND: With the goal of achieving immune system reset, autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantations have been performed in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two hundred and eighty-six consecutive patients with MS were autografted in a single center using non-frozen peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs), on an outpatient basis and conditioning with cyclophosphamide and rituximab. The protocol was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02674217. RESULTS: One hundred and ninety-four females and 92 males were included; the median age was 47. All procedures were started on an outpatient basis and only 8 persons needed to be admitted to the hospital during the procedure. In order to obtain at least 1 × 106/kg viable CD34 cells, 1-4 aphereses were performed (median 1). The total number of viable CD34+ cells infused ranged between 1 and 19.2 × 106/kg (median 4.6). Patients recovered above 0.5 × 109/L absolute granulocytes on median day 8 (range 0-12). Two individuals needed red blood cells but none needed platelet transfusions. There were no transplant-related deaths and the 128-month overall survival of the patients is 100%. In 82 persons followed up for 3 or more months, the Expanded Disability Status Scale diminished from a mean of 5.2-4.9, the best results being obtained in relapsing-remitting and primary progressive MS. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to conduct autotransplants for patients with MS employing non-frozen PBSCs and outpatient conduction. Additional information is needed to assess the efficacy of these procedures in the treatment of patients with MS.

Underwater Electromagnetic Sensor Networks-Part I: Link Characterization.

Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks (UWSNs) using electromagnetic (EM) technology in marine shallow waters are examined, not just for environmental monitoring but for further interesting applications. Particularly, the use of EM waves is reconsidered in shallow waters due to the benefits offered in this context, where acoustic and optical technologies have serious disadvantages. Sea water scenario is a harsh environment for radiocommunications, and there is no standard model for the underwater EM channel. The high conductivity of sea water, the effect of seabed and the surface make the behaviour of the channel hard to predict. This justifies the need of link characterization as the first step to approach the development of EM underwater sensor networks. To obtain a reliable link model, measurements and simulations are required. The measuring setup for this purpose is explained and described, as well as the procedures used. Several antennas have been designed and tested in low frequency bands. Agreement between attenuation measurements and simulations at different distances was analysed and made possible the validation of simulation setups and the design of different communications layers of the system. This leads to the second step of this work, where data and routing protocols for the sensor network are examined.