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Fertility preservation methods for prepubertal women about to undergo gonadotoxic chemo and/or radiation therapy are limited. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility to develop an alternative fertility preservation method based on an ex vivo perfusion platform for whole ewe ovaries. Thirteen ewe ovaries were divided into two groups (group 1 and 2) that were perfused in a bioreactor for up to 7 days. Group 1 (n = 3) were stimulated with human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) administered in single daily dose, while group 2 (n = 10) were stimulated continuously for 24 h. The perfused ovaries in group 1 showed no significant differences in follicular density, sub-follicular morphology and oocyte quality after ischaemia and after ex vivo perfusion compared with non-perfused control ovaries. The perfused ovaries in group 2 showed a significant decrease in the follicular reserve and oocyte quality compared with the control group. In total, 16 GV–MI oocytes were retrieved from both groups. This study describes for the first time the ex vivo maintenance of viable follicles of ewe ovaries with oocyte integrity and the retrieval of oocytes after ex vivo hormonal perfusion with two different protocols for up to 7 days.

Fertility preservation methods for prepubertal women about to undergo gonadotoxic chemo and/or radiation therapy are limited. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility to develop an alternative fertility preservation method based on an ex vivo perfusion platform for whole ewe ovaries. Thirteen ewe ovaries were divided into two groups (group 1 and 2) that were perfused in a bioreactor for up to 7days. Group 1 (n =3) were stimulated with human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) administered in single daily dose, while group 2 (n =10) were stimulated continuously for 24h. The perfused ovaries in group 1 showed no significant differences in follicular density, sub-follicular morphology and oocyte quality after ischaemia and after ex vivo perfusion compared with non-perfused control ovaries. The perfused ovaries in group 2 showed a significant decrease in the follicular reserve and oocyte quality compared with the control group. In total, 16 GV-MI oocytes were retrieved from both groups. This study describes for the first time the ex vivo maintenance of viable follicles of ewe ovaries with oocyte integrity and the retrieval of oocytes after ex vivo hormonal perfusion with two different protocols for up to 7days.

IoT installations can be complex distributed systems with many geographically dispersed heterogeneous nodes with different capabilities, connected via separate physical networks. They can span multiple operational and security domains managed by different entities. Securing such systems poses challenging problems.

Networking has two important parts of primary interest to IoT system designers: (1) the edge network that provides wired or wireless connections to sensors and things and (2) the Internet that interconnects all other parts of the system. Edge networks operate in a variety of environments and conditions that can pose additional challenges and result in somewhat unique implementations. However, data from the edge are ultimately destined for the Internet, and thus the IoT Edge network should be designed with that transition in mind. Internet is the network of networks based on the sound design principles that have withstood the test of time. Obviously, it makes sense to apply and emulate those ideas in IoT Edge network design.

An IoT system edge is a touchpoint and interface between the physical world and the cyber world. On the input side, the IoT edge may be functionally viewed as an endpoint that can capture real-world data to make it available to authorized clients anywhere on the Internet. In principle, this implies that the endpoint should be addressable and capable of communicating the data in a format understood by the rest of the IoT system in which it operates. In practice, some of the edge nodes may not have the processing power or the Internet Protocol (IP) connectivity to perform these functions, and they rely on other intermediate nodes in the data path, such as gateways, to provide the missing pieces.

There are many standards that are applicable to various parts of IoT systems. Since IoT things usually operate in M2M environments and are also part of the Internet, many of the standards designed for those environments may be directly or indirectly relevant to IoT systems. In this chapter we briefly describe several representative and influential ones that focus on data and information models that are of particular importance to IoT. Some of them are created by industry groups and associations that are not formal standards bodies and tend to be more generically referred to as the Standards Definition Organizations (SDOs).

One of the major IoT system design challenges is to address the need for interoperability. As mentioned in chapter “ Introduction and Overview”, achieving interoperability is estimated to increase the potential IoT market value by 40% [1]. The usefulness of IoT systems generally increases with their scale, volume, and variety of data. Many complex IoT systems – for instance, smart cities – require coordination of different subsystems that may and often use different data formats. The target is to achieve semantic or, as the Industrial Internet Consortium referred to it [2], conceptual interoperability, i.e., “represent information in a form whose meaning is independent of the application generating or using it.”

An IoT platform is a collection of integrated components that provide much of the common functionality required to implement an IoT system. IoT platforms have the potential to reduce complexity, cost, and length of product development by providing and supporting many common core system functions in a professional and presumably trustworthy manner. In principle, their use should enable IoT system designers to focus on their areas of expertise and the product’s unique added value and to rely on IoT platforms to complete much of the rest of the system needed for a complete system offering [1].

Cloud is the point of high-level aggregation and processing of data in an IoT system. As indicated earlier, data aggregation and processing may take place at multiple levels in the IoT system hierarchy, but lower levels operate with limited data sets. Depending on the implementation, a cloud-level aggregation can span multiple IoT domains to provide system-level actionable insights within an enterprise or segments of an industry.

This chapter summarizes key phases and considerations in designing and implementing an IoT system. Most of the details of component design considerations are covered in the respective chapters on edge, communications, cloud, security, and data models. The chapter provides a more holistic overview of the overall IoT system design process. The first few sections summarize the process and the design considerations, followed by a detailed case study of a complete project.

Internet of Things (IoT) systems connect the physical world to the Internet. Basically, IoT works by attaching real-world interfaces to the Internet, such as sensors that provide data and actuators that act upon their surroundings. In effect, IoT systems provide the technology and means to instrument, quantify, and actuate the physical world.

After uterus transplantation, the follow-up should be similar after transplantation from deceased or live donor. The length of hospital stay after transplantation is in general 4–7 days, and during this time the patient is monitored with frequent intervals. This article will elaborate on the monitoring of the patients until continued pregnancy is achieved. The primary aim of these controls is to find any pathological condition or signs of rejection/graft failure early so that there will be a chance to correct the condition and to avoid graft failure. The patients will be followed by laboratory blood tests, gynaecological examination, measurement of uterine artery blood flow by Doppler, vaginal bacterial culture and cervical biopsies. The frequency of the follow-up visits will continuously be spaced out if there are no signs of adverse event.

IoT interoperability is critical to the realization of the IoT on a global scale. This paper examines how seemingly obvious choices for perfect IoT interoperability are not so perfectly rational and offers the concept of "Rational Interoperability" as a means to frame and to scope the discussion. We identify why a new framing conceptualization adds value. We explore the gradations, progression and implications of Rational Interoperability: from good-enough interoperability in a pervasively connected world, to enriched interoperability for trusted groups of Things, to the aspirational goal to use interoperability requirements to guide the behavior of groups of Things toward the common good. To motivate Rational Interoperability, we describe architectural shifts underway in the IoT and present key building blocks, both of which play pivotal roles and impact its realization. We examine pragmatic near-term goals for IoT interoperability, as well as longer-term research directions. Throughout, we share lessons learned from IoT standards, highlighting pragmatic and philosophical viewpoints. Finally, we identify the gaps, challenges and opportunities in realizing IoT interoperability, including meta-data handling, enhanced discovery, data-driven insights, data-centric networks and the coordination of collective behaviors.

Hysteroscopy simulation complements conventional training on patients, yet evidence-based recommendations about its implementation and use are lacking. This systematic review analyzes and critically discusses hysteroscopy simulation literature published over the last 30 years. Systematic searches on PubMed, Embase, PsychINFO, ERIC, and the Cochrane Library produced 27 original articles published through 2017. Strategies based on different simulation models (e.g., animal organs, vegetables, synthetic uteri, virtual reality) were evaluated by users and appeared to facilitate learning. Observational studies have suggested a large impact on the knowledge and technical skills of novices for a wide range of hysteroscopic procedures, including for diagnosis, resection, and sterilization. Pretest/posttest studies show large improvements in performance time (6 studies; pooled effect size, 1.45; 95% confidence interval, 1.06-1.85) and overall performance scores (4 studies; pooled effect size, 3.19; 95% confidence interval, 1.45-4.94). Additionally, performance assessment on simulated models distinguishes novices from experts. Caution should be exercised because the available evidence largely originates from heterogeneous studies with weak designs, conducted in experimental settings with nonclinical participants (i.e., medical students). Moreover, neither clinical outcomes nor the clinical value of simulation-based assessment has been addressed. Hysteroscopy simulation may be supported ethically and pedagogically, but its role should be evaluated in pragmatic contexts, with robust interventional studies and broader competence-defining outcomes that include nontechnical skills.

Objective To investigate four different protocols for cryopreservation of the whole rat ovary with intact vasculature to evaluate whether differences exist in post-thawing viability of the ovary after either vitrification or slow freezing. Design Experimental study. Setting Obstetrics and gynecology department. Animal(s) Immature Sprague-Dawley female rats. Intervention(s) Ovaries were isolated with the vascular tree intact up to the bifurcation of the abdominal aorta and were subsequently cannulated. The ovaries were flushed with increasing concentrations of the cryoprotectant dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to either 1.5 or 7 M. The ovaries underwent cryopreservation by vitrification or passive slow freezing. Main Outcome Measure(s) After thawing, the ovaries were subjected to neutral red viability staining to assess the density of viable small follicles and for long-term (48 hours) incubation evaluation of steroid secretion, histology, and apoptosis assay. Result(s) The follicular viability was decreased in both vitrification groups and in the slow-freezing group with the high concentration of DMSO, as compared with fresh controls. Estradiol levels in the incubation medium followed the same pattern. Light microscopy revealed well-preserved morphology in all groups after 48 hours' incubation. Apoptosis was increased in both vitrified and cryopreserved ovaries. Conclusion(s) We have developed a new method that can be used in basic studies to improve cryopreservation protocols. Our initial findings suggest that a moderate concentration of the cryoprotectant DMSO is superior to a high DMSO concentration for both vitrification and slow freezing.

Cryopreservation of a complete ovary may be a future method for fertility preservation in cancer patients. Difficulties exist in cryopreservation of the relatively large ovarian tissue mass. This study evaluates whether a human postmenopausal ovary can be used, as a complement to animal models, in studies of this research field.Postmenopausal human ovaries (n = 10) were isolated and flushed through ovarian arteries with either the cryoprotectant dimethylsulphoxide or Ringer-Acetate, followed by slow freezing. After thawing, production of androgens during in vitro perfusion and morphology (light/electron microscopy) were assessed.The dimethylsulphoxide-cryopreserved ovaries showed larger secretion of androgens during perfusion than Ringer Acetate-cryopreserved ovaries. Light microscopy showed well preserved morphology in both groups. Electron microscopy revealed normal appearance of stroma and vessels in the dimethylsulphoxide group.The study demonstrates the potential to use the postmenopausal human ovary for further studies aiming at optimizing cryopreservation protocols, with special reference to ovarian vascularity and stroma.

To evaluate a slow freezing method for whole ovary cryopreservation by evaluating effects of added cryoprotectant.Sheep ovaries were isolated during surgery, flushed with either Ringer-Acetate or dimethylsulphoxide and cryopreserved by slow freezing. After rapid thawing, viability was assessed by ovarian in vitro perfusion, cell culture, histology and fluorescent live-dead assay.Production of cyclic AMP and progesterone was slightly higher in the dimethylsulphoxide group. Cultured ovarian cells from dimethylsulphoxide-preserved ovaries secreted larger amounts of progesterone than cells from Ringer-Acetate preserved. Light microscopy of ovarian biopsies obtained after perfusion, revealed well-preserved tissue in the dimethysulphoxide group but not in the Ringer-Acetate group. The density of small follicles and ovarian cell viability were higher in dimethysulphoxide ovaries compared to Ringer-Acetate ovaries.Equilibrium with its protective effect can be achieved by slow freezing protocol, with an additional protective effect by the presence of dimethylsulphoxide.

Emerging Internet uses-including peer-to-peer and grid computing-provide both a glimpse of and the impetus for evolving the Internet into a distributed computing, platform of unprecedented scale. Taking a longer view, the authors consider what would be needed to make the Internet an application-hosting platform: a networked, distributed counterpart of the hosting environment traditional operating systems provide to applications within a single node. The foundation of their proposed approach is to disaggregate and virtualize individual system resources as services that can be described, discovered, and dynamically configured at runtime to execute an application.

Uterus transplantation is the first available treatment for absolute uterine infertility, which is caused by absence of the uterus or the presence of a non-functional uterus. Eleven human uterus transplantation attempts have been done worldwide but no livebirth has yet been reported.In 2013, a 35-year-old woman with congenital absence of the uterus (Rokitansky syndrome) underwent transplantation of the uterus in Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden. The uterus was donated from a living, 61-year-old, two-parous woman. In-vitro fertilisation treatment of the recipient and her partner had been done before transplantation, from which 11 embryos were cryopreserved.The recipient and the donor had essentially uneventful postoperative recoveries. The recipient's first menstruation occurred 43 days after transplantation and she continued to menstruate at regular intervals of between 26 and 36 days (median 32 days). 1 year after transplantation, the recipient underwent her first single embryo transfer, which resulted in pregnancy. She was then given triple immunosuppression (tacrolimus, azathioprine, and corticosteroids), which was continued throughout pregnancy. She had three episodes of mild rejection, one of which occurred during pregnancy. These episodes were all reversed by corticosteroid treatment. Fetal growth parameters and blood flows of the uterine arteries and umbilical cord were normal throughout pregnancy. The patient was admitted with pre-eclampsia at 31 full weeks and 5 days, and 16 h later a caesarean section was done because of abnormal cardiotocography. A male baby with a normal birthweight for gestational age (1775 g) and with APGAR scores 9, 9, 10 was born.We describe the first livebirth after uterus transplantation. This report is a proof-of-concept for uterus transplantation as a treatment for uterine factor infertility. Furthermore, the results show the feasibility of live uterus donation, even from a postmenopausal donor.Jane and Dan Olsson Foundation for Science.

The emergence of Information Technology (IT) based sensing has received increasing attention and acceptance in buildings due to its noninvasive nature and its ability in delivering real-time and potentially highly personalized feedback to building energy and comfort management. This study presents results of a pilot deployment experiment on such an IT-based sensing system - Personal Office Energy Monitor (POEM) developed by Intel Labs. The pilot study shows that with appropriate analytic methods the POEM sensor data could be transferred into valuable inputs to building management system (BMS). This study applies building science principle based models as the first step to calculate intermediate building performance indices based on raw measurement data. The intermediate performance indices are then further analyzed in order to reveal potential means to improve a building's operational energy efficiency and occupant comfort. Results demonstrate that POEM sensor data could lead to energy saving opportunities through localized comfort management, plug load sensing and scheduling, and occupancy based building control. As an IT platform-integrated and occupant centered sensing system, POEM provides a convenient, low-cost, and efficient sensing solution to the next generation of smart buildings, featured by its ability in assisting BMS to improve operational building energy efficiency without compromising occupants' thermal comfort and indoor environmental quality.

A method using tissue engineering principles for the culture of immature ovarian follicles followed by fertilization of oocytes in vitro has been presented by Xu et al.. This methodology is a great step forward toward new technology for fertility preservation in female cancer patients.

We investigate the feasibility of leveraging platform-integrated ambient sensors (PISs), which are sensors being built into personal computing devices (hosts), to enhance people-centric sensing. PISs can utilize resources (e.g., energy, computation, and communication) from their hosts (e.g., cellphones and laptops). Hence, the sensors have many advantages including low manufacturing cost, ease of deployment, and battery-free operation compared to standalone sensors (e.g., Telosb [1]). PISs, however, have a constraint that they must be attached to their hosts, which may not be their sensing targets (e.g., users). Therefore, it is unclear if PISs are actually useful for sensing applications. We conducted an empirical study of platform-integrated ambient sensor data collected from various locations on a wide range of personal computing devices and locations surrounding a user, who is using the devices. We found that (i) ambient data collected from PISs are close and highly correlated to ambient conditions at the user (ii) sensor placement, host operation mode (e.g., active or power-saving), host computational load, host mobility, and user activities impact PIS readings, (iii) simple models can be developed to estimate ambient conditions at the user from PISs data accurately, (iv) the estimated ambient conditions can be useful for sensing applications such as building management system, and (v) for laptops, PISs and sensing services have negligible impacts on the host and experience of the user.

This paper discusses collection, analysis and interpretation of data pertaining to files in personal computer (PC) environments. We developed programs to collect and analyze data from PCs running the OS/21 operating system and using the High Performance File System (HPFS). The data collection program gathers the information about file sizes, the times and dates of file creation, the last file access, and the last file update by scanning the contents of disk storage devices. The gathered information is used to analyze the distributions of file sizes, functional file lifetimes, and functional lifetimes of file's data. The analysis shows that: most files are small (more than 60% of files on a system are smaller than 8 Kbytes), about 60% of files on a system have never been accessed again after being created and very few files are ever modified.

The ultimate aim of ovarian cryopreservation research is naturally to increase the effectiveness of this fertility preservation procedure in female cancer victims and much of this research on whole ovary cryopreservation, ovarian cortex cryopreservation and transplantation has been performed in animal models. However, ovarian cryopreservation could also be used in the future in programs with the purpose to rescue endangered species (Santos et al., 2010) and certain specific strains of animals (Dorsch et al., 2004). Due to the ethical barriers in the research on human tissue and the shortage of human premenopausal ovarian tissue for research purposes, there is a need to find animal models that are reasonably analogous to the human. As a general rule, animal models have to be comparable in biochemical, physiological and anatomical characteristics to the human so that the results can be applicable to human conditions (VandeBerg, 2004). Regarding research of ovarian cryopreservation for human fertility preservation, a similar tissue architecture and size of the ovary (Table 1) as well as being a mono-ovulatory species with the primordial follicles located superficially in the cortex would be of advantage (Gerritse et al., 2008). The previous research on ovarian cryopreservation using bovine, porcine, sheep and non-human primate models will be presented in this chapter.