Progressive Processing of Continuous Range Queries in Hierarchical Wireless Sensor Networks

In this paper, we study the problem of processing continuous range queries in a hierarchical wireless sensor network. Contrasted with the traditional approach of building networks in a "flat" structure using sensor devices of the same capability, the hierarchical approach deploys devices of higher capability in a higher tier, i.e., a tier closer to the server. While query processing in flat sensor networks has been widely studied, the study on query processing in hierarchical sensor networks has been inadequate. In wireless sensor networks, the main costs that should be considered are the energy for sending data and the storage for storing queries. There is a trade-off between these two costs. Based on this, we first propose a progressive processing method that effectively processes a large number of continuous range queries in hierarchical sensor networks. The proposed method uses the query merging technique proposed by Xiang et al. as the basis and additionally considers the trade-off between the two costs. More specifically, it works toward reducing the storage cost at lower-tier nodes by merging more queries, and toward reducing the energy cost at higher-tier nodes by merging fewer queries (thereby reducing "false alarms"). We then present how to build a hierarchical sensor network that is optimal with respect to the weighted sum of the two costs. It allows for a cost-based systematic control of the trade-off based on the relative importance between the storage and energy in a given network environment and application. Experimental results show that the proposed method achieves a near-optimal control between the storage and energy and reduces the cost by 0.989~84.995 times compared with the cost achieved using the flat (i.e., non-hierarchical) setup as in the work by Xiang et al.Comment: 41 pages, 20 figure

Intracellular Membrane Association of the Aplysia cAMP Phosphodiesterase Long and Short Forms via Different Targeting Mechanisms

Phosphodiesterases (PDEs) play key roles in cAMP compartmentalization, which is required for intracellular signaling processes, through specific subcellular targeting. Previously, we showed that the long and short forms of Aplysia PDE4 (ApPDE4), which are localized to the membranes of distinct subcellular organelles, play key roles in 5-hydroxytryptamineinduced synaptic facilitation in Aplysia sensory and motor synapses. However, the molecular mechanism of the isoform-specific distinct membrane targeting was not clear. In this study, we further investigated the molecular mechanism of the membrane targeting of the ApPDE4 long and short forms. We found that the membrane targeting of the long form was mediated by hydrophobic interactions, mainly via 16 amino acids at the N-terminal region, whereas the short form was targeted solely to the plasma membrane, mainly by nonspecific electrostatic interactions between theirNtermini and the negatively charged lipids such as the phosphatidylinositol polyphosphates PI4P and PI(4,5)P<inf>2</inf>, which are embedded in the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane. Moreover, oligomerization of the long or short form by interaction of their respective upstream conserved region domains, UCR1 and UCR2, enhanced their plasma membrane targeting. These results suggest that the long and short forms of ApPDE4 are distinctly targeted to intracellular membranes through their direct association with the membranes via hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions, respectively. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.1

A Rare Case of a Signet Ring Cell Carcinoma of the Colon Mimicking a Juvenile Polyp

Primary signet ring cell carcinoma (SRC) of colon at early stage is quite rare. Only 26 cases were reported until now. We report an early stage of primary SRC which was misdiagnosed as a juvenile polyp and treated with polypectomy followed by surgical resection. A 21-year-old male was administered for hematochezia. Abdominopelvic enhanced computed tomography revealed a polyp with active bleeding at the proximal rectum just below the rectosigmoid junction. Colonoscopy examination revealed a colon polyp with 0.5 cm sized head. Polypectomy was performed with snare and the polyp was completely removed. Biopsy revealed SRC. Surgical resection was also performed and there were no residual tumor or lymph node metastasis in the surgical specimen

Could Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide Test be Useful in Predicting Inhaled Corticosteroid Responsiveness in Chronic Cough? A Systematic Review

© 2016 Background Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) is a safe and convenient test for assessing T H 2 airway inflammation, which is potentially useful in the management of patients with chronic cough. Objective To summarize the current evidence on the diagnostic usefulness of FENO for predicting inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) responsiveness in patients with chronic cough. Methods A systematic literature review was conducted to identify articles published in peer-reviewed journals up to February 2015, without language restriction. We included studies that reported the usefulness of FENO (index test) for predicting ICS responsiveness (reference standard) in patients with chronic cough (target condition). The data were extracted to construct a 2 × 2 accuracy table. Study quality was assessed with Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2. Results We identified 5 original studies (2 prospective and 3 retrospective studies). We identified considerable heterogeneities in study design and outcome definitions, and thus were unable to perform a meta-analysis. The proportion of ICS responders ranged from 44% to 59%. Sensitivity and specificity ranged from 53% to 90%, and from 63% to 97%, respectively. The reported area under the curve ranged from abou t 0.60 to 0.87; however, studies with a prospective design and a lower prevalence of asthma had lower area under the curve values. None measured placebo effects or objective cough frequency. Conclusions We did not find strong evidence to support the use of FENO tests for predicting ICS responsiveness in chronic cough. Further studies need to have a randomized, placebo-controlled design, and should use validated measurement tools for cough. Standardization would facilitate the development of clinical evidence

Human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells engineered to overexpress growth factors accelerate outcomes in hair growth

Human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells (hUCB-MSCs) are used in tissue repair and regeneration; however, the mechanisms involved are not well understood. We investigated the hair growth-promoting effects of hUCB-MSCs treatment to determine whether hUCB-MSCs enhance the promotion of hair growth. Furthermore, we attempted to identify the factors responsible for hair growth. The effects of hUCB-MSCs on hair growth were investigated in vivo, and hUCB-MSCs advanced anagen onset and hair follicle neogeneration. We found that hUCB-MSCs co-culture increased the viability and up-regulated hair induction-related proteins of human dermal papilla cells (hDPCs) in vitro. A growth factor antibody array revealed that secretory factors from hUCB-MSCs are related to hair growth. Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were increased in co-culture medium. Finally, we found that IGFBP-1, through the co-localization of an IGF-1 and IGFBP-1, had positive effects on cell viability; VEGF secretion; expression of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), CD133, and b-catenin; and formation of hDPCs 3D spheroids. Taken together, these data suggest that hUCB-MSCs promote hair growth via a paracrine mechanism

The Effect of Clonidine Pretreatment on Epidural Resiniferatoxin in a Neuropathic Pain Rat Model

Resiniferatoxin (RTX) is an ultrapotent synthetic TRPV1 (transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype 1) agonist with significant initial transient hyperalgesia followed by a prolonged analgesic effect in response to thermal stimulus. Using a rat model of neuropathic pain, we evaluated the effect of pretreatment with clonidine－which has been shown to relieve intradermal capsaicin-induced hyperalgesia－on the initial hyperalgesic response and the thermal analgesic property of RTX. Thirty-six male rats were divided into 6 treatment groups (n＝6 each):RTX 500ng, RTX 1μg, clonidine 20μg (Cl), Cl＋RTX 500ng, Cl＋RTX 1μg, or normal saline 20μL (control). We evaluated the short-term (180min) and long-term (20 days) analgesic effects of RTX after thermal stimulation and mechanical stimulation. RTX had significant initial transient hyperalgesia followed by a prolonged analgesic effect in response to the thermal stimulus, but the RTX 500ng and RTX 1μg groups showed no initial short-term thermal hyperalgesic responses when pretreated with clonidine. The Cl＋RTX 1μg ratsʼ behavior scores indicated that they were more calm and comfortable compared to the RTX 1μg rats. Even though we cannot precisely confirm that pretreatment with clonidine potentiates or adds to the analgesic effect of RTX, clonidine pretreatment with epidural RTX eliminated the initial RTX-associated hyperalgesic response and systemic toxicity in this neuropathic pain rat model

Serial Measurement of WT1 Expression and Decrement Ratio Until Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation as a Marker of Residual Disease in Patients with Cytogenetically Normal Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

AbstractUsing real-time quantitative PCR, we monitored Wilms tumor gene 1 (WT1) expression from diagnosis to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in adult patients with cytogenetically normal acute myelogenous leukemia (CN-AML) and FLT3-ITD and NPM1 mutations. The values at diagnosis were evaluated in 104 patients. Data collected after induction chemotherapy were available for all patients, but only 68 patients were treated with HSCT. Significant WT1 expression cut-offs were determined by receiver operation characteristic curve analysis, and rates of overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were estimated. WT1 decrement ratios (DR) at postinduction chemotherapy and at pre- and post-HSCT compared with the diagnostic level were calculated. Higher WT1 expression at diagnosis, postinduction chemotherapy, and pre-HSCT showed inferior OS (P = .015, <.001, and .002) and DFS (P = .006, <.001, and .003). The cut-offs were determined at the median for diagnostic WT1 expression and at the 25% level from the top for other time points excluding post-HSCT. The WT1 DR ≥ 1-log after induction chemotherapy showed superior OS and DFS (P = .009 and .002) and WT1 DR ≥ 1-log preceding HSCT also showed superior OS and DFS (P = .009 and .003). Results of WT1 DR were consistently applicable in each subgroup with higher (≥1.0) and lower (<1.0) WT1 expression at diagnosis and also in NPM1-wild-type/FLT3-ITD–negative CN-AML. The WT1 DR therefore predicted survival outcomes after HSCT more accurately than did the diagnostic WT1 expression. WT1 expression may serve as a reliable marker for residual disease and WT1 DR as a prognostic indicator, particularly in NPM1-wild-type/FLT3-ITD–negative CN-AML. These measures may be applied throughout the course of treatment and even after HSCT

Genome-wide comparative analysis of the Brassica rapa gene space reveals genome shrinkage and differential loss of duplicated genes after whole genome triplication

Euchromatic regions of the Brassica rapa genome were sequenced and mapped onto the corresponding regions in the Arabidopsis thaliana genome