An analysis on decentralized adaptive MAC protocols for Cognitive Radio networks

The scarcity of bandwidth in the radio spectrum has become more vital since the demand for more and more wireless applications has increased. Most of the spectrum bands have been allocated although many studies have shown that these bands are significantly underutilized most of the time. The problem of unavailability of spectrum and inefficiency in its utilization has been smartly addressed by the Cognitive Radio (CR) Technology which is an opportunistic network that senses the environment, observes the network changes, and then using knowledge gained from the prior interaction with the network, makes intelligent decisions by dynamically adapting their transmission characteristics. In this paper some of the decentralized adaptive MAC protocols for CR networks have been critically analyzed and a novel adaptive MAC protocol for CR networks, DNG-MAC which is decentralized and non-global in nature, has been proposed. The results show the DNG-MAC out performs other CR MAC protocols in terms of time and energy efficiency

Celecoxib for the prevention of nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer: Results from a matched control study

New targets and approaches are under investigation for the treatment of nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Preclinical data suggest cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) as a promising target. Celecoxib, a COX-2 selective inhibitor, inhibits tumor development and enhances survival, both in vitro and in vivo models of bladder cancer. Therefore, we conducted a pilot study of celecoxib to prevent recurrence in patients with intermediate risk NMIBC

A unified framework to catalogue and classify digital games based on interaction design and validation through clustering techniques

The digital games industry has grown exponentially due to the diversification of games and the increasing multiplicity of the user target base. The market explosion and the great variety make digital game cataloguing and classification challenging issues whose effectiveness can advance scientific research and address design, development and distribution. Firstly, the present study reviews previous cataloguing for video and serious games through systematic literature review and, joining together the findings from the literature review, develops a unified cataloguing model based on five definitions. This model can aid designers in tailoring their applications and contribute to disseminating game design knowledge in academic research. Then, a matrix that correlates design principles and the cataloguing model’s metadata is applied to the cataloguing model, obtaining a unified classification system. Together, they offer a comprehensive framework for understanding the multifaceted landscape of digital games, addressing the limitations of existing domain-specific approaches and providing a versatile tool for game designers. Research validation exploits a two-stage cluster analysis using agglomerative hierarchical and k-means clustering on the data extracted from a sample of digital games. The results show the framework's effectiveness in categorizing digital games without a clear-cut distinction between video and serious games. The system's application in real-world scenarios suggests its potential to guide game development. Future work will refine the proposal based on feedback from digital game designers, expanding the research scope to include a broader range of games

Exploring game design approaches through conversations with designers

This paper explores game designers' attitudes and praxis through a Grounded Theory analysis of data collected from interviews with 11 game design professionals. The aim of the research is to investigate and map possible shared approaches and strategies. The study presents a theoretical framework based on the core category “Balancing permanence and change”. Designers appear to build and maintain elements of stability, and contemporarily ensure the process’ flexibility and adaptability to possible constraints through collaborative approaches and iterative methods. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of game design practices and provide a theoretical framework for interpreting designers' choices. Future research should assess the adaptability of the framework across game genres and cultural backgrounds of designers

Detection of the A189G mtDNA heteroplasmic mutation in relation to age in modern and ancient bones.

International audienceThe aim of this study was to demonstrate the presence of the A189G age-related point mutation on DNA extracted from bone. For this, a peptide nucleic acid (PNA)/DNA sequencing method which can determine an age threshold for the appearance of the mutation was used. Initially, work was done in muscle tissue in order to evaluate the sensitivity of the technique and afterwards in bone samples from the same individuals. This method was also applied to ancient bones from six well-preserved skeletal remains. The mutation was invariably found in muscle, and at a rate of up to 20% in individuals over 60 years old. In modern bones, the mutation was detected in individuals aged 38 years old or more, at a rate of up to 1%, but its occurrence was not systematic (only four out of ten of the individuals over 50 years old carried the heteroplasmy). For ancient bones, the mutation was also found in the oldest individuals according to osteologic markers. The study of this type of age-related mutation and a more complete understanding of its manifestation has potentially useful applications. Combined with traditional age markers, it could improve identification accuracy in forensic cases or in anthropological studies of ancient populations

Therapeutic challenges for cisplatin-resistant ovarian germ cell tumors

The majority of patients with advanced ovarian germ cell cancer are treated by cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Despite adequate first-line treatment, nearly one third of patients relapse and almost half develop cisplatin-resistant disease, which is often fatal. The treatment of cisplatin-resistant disease is challenging and prognosis remains poor. There are limited data on the efficacy of specific chemotherapeutic regimens, high-dose chemotherapy with autologous progenitor cell support and targeted therapies. The inclusion of patients in clinical trials is strongly recommended, especially in clinical trials on the most frequent male germ cell tumors, to offer wider therapeutic opportunities. Here, we provide an overview of current and potential new treatment options including combination chemotherapy, high-dose chemotherapy and molecular targeted therapies, for patients with cisplatin-resistant ovarian germ cell tumors