Multi-Dimensional Self-Organizing Maps on Massively Parallel Hardware

Although available (sequential) computer hardware is very powerful nowadays, the implementation of artificial neural networks on massively parallel hardware is still undoubtedly of high interest, not only under an academic point of view. This paper presents an implementation of multi-dimensional Self-Organizing Maps on a scalable SIMD structure of a CNAPS computer with up to 512 parallel processors.

Reciprocal Interactions between Human T-Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 and Prostaglandins: Implications for Viral Transmission

Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1), the etiologic agent of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma, is transmitted through breast milk and seminal fluid, which are rich in prostaglandins (PGs). We demonstrate that PGE(2) upregulates the HTLV-1 long terminal repeat promoter through the protein kinase A pathway, induces replication of HTLV-1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) derived from asymptomatic carriers, and enhances transmission of HTLV-1 to cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMC). Furthermore, HTLV-1 Tax transactivates a promoter for cyclooxygenase 2, a PG synthetase, and induces PGE(2) expression in PBMC or CBMC. Thus, HTLV-1 interacts with and benefits from PGs, constituents of its own vehicle for transmission