On Computing Shannon’s Sphere Packing Bound and Applications

file: :home/zaki/.local/share/data/Mendeley Ltd./Mendeley Desktop/Downloaded/Ahmed, Ambroze, Tomlinson - 2007 - On Computing Shannon’s Sphere Packing Bound and Applications.pdf:pdf keywords: SPB mendeley-tags: SPBA new method to numerically evalu- ate Shannon’s lower bound is presented in this pa- per. This new method is based on the Incomplete Beta function and permits the exact evaluation of the Sphere Packing Bound for a large range of code sizes, rates and probability of error. Comparisons with cur- rent standards (DVB–RCS, DVB–S2 and 3GPP) are also presented and discussed. It is shown that cur- rent standard coding schemes are about 0.6dB from the Shannon Limit corrected for Binary Signalling

Association of two apolipoprotein A-I gene MspI polymorphisms with high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol levels and indices of obesity in selected healthy Chinese subjects and in patients with early-onset type 2 diabetes

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have reported associations between two apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) gene MspI polymorphisms (G-75A and C83T) and high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol and/or apoA-I levels, but have not investigated the relationship with obesity. METHODS: We determined the distribution of these polymorphisms in 482 early-onset (< or = 40 years) Type 2 Chinese diabetics and 167 Chinese selected healthy controls. RESULTS: The -75A and 83T allele frequencies were similar in the diabetic and healthy subjects. In the healthy control subjects, HDL-cholesterol levels were significantly higher in the AA homozygotes than in the GG/GA carriers (1.74 +/- 0.58 vs. 1.45 +/- 0.58 mmol/l, P<0.001). Furthermore, analyses showed a significant relationship between increasing HDL-cholesterol tertiles and the AA genotype frequency in the selected healthy subjects (3.6, 8.9 and 16.1%, P=0.026). For the C83T polymorphism, healthy male CT carriers had higher HDL-cholesterol levels than CC homozygotes (1.71 +/- 0.57 vs. 1.25 +/- 0.30 mmol/l, P=0.001), but this was not found in females. No relationship between these polymorphisms and lipid levels was found in the diabetics, who had a more adverse lipid profile than the selected controls. In the diabetics, but not the controls, in CT carriers compared to CC homozygotes there were lower levels of body mass index (BMI; 23.8 +/- 3.9 vs. 25.4 +/- 4.7 kg/m2, P=0.048) and waist-to-height ratio (0.49 +/- 0.06 vs. 0.52 +/- 0.07, P=0.023), and this relationship was supported by tertile analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The -75AA genotype was associated with higher HDL-cholesterol levels in the selected healthy, but not diabetic, subjects. The 83T allele was associated with greater indices of obesity in the diabetic patients, and with higher HDL-cholesterol in heterozygous healthy male subjects.postprin

Evolutionary Games with Affine Fitness Functions: Applications to Cancer

We analyze the dynamics of evolutionary games in which fitness is defined as an affine function of the expected payoff and a constant contribution. The resulting inhomogeneous replicator equation has an homogeneous equivalent with modified payoffs. The affine terms also influence the stochastic dynamics of a two-strategy Moran model of a finite population. We then apply the affine fitness function in a model for tumor-normal cell interactions to determine which are the most successful tumor strategies. In order to analyze the dynamics of concurrent strategies within a tumor population, we extend the model to a three-strategy game involving distinct tumor cell types as well as normal cells. In this model, interaction with normal cells, in combination with an increased constant fitness, is the most effective way of establishing a population of tumor cells in normal tissue.Comment: The final publication is available at http://www.springerlink.com, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13235-011-0029-

Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing as a Longitudinal Clinical Tool in Interstitial Lung Disease Management

This is an abstract from International Conference of the American-Thoracic-Society Location: Dallas, TX Date: MAY 17-22, 2019Royal Devon & Exeter Hospita

A place for precision medicine in bladder cancer: targeting the FGFRs

Bladder tumors show diverse molecular features and clinical outcome. Muscle-invasive bladder cancer has poor prognosis and novel approaches to systemic therapy are urgently required. Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer has good prognosis, but high recurrence rate and the requirement for life-long disease monitoring places a major burden on patients and healthcare providers. Studies of tumor tissues from both disease groups have identified frequent alterations of FGFRs, including mutations of FGFR3 and dysregulated expression of FGFR1 and FGFR3 that suggest that these may be valid therapeutic targets. We summarize current understanding of the molecular alterations affecting these receptors in bladder tumors, preclinical studies validating them as therapeutic targets, available FGFR-targeted agents and results from early clinical trials in bladder cancer patients

Comparison of percent predicted and percentile values for VO2max in people with interstitial lung disease

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from BMJ Publishing Group via the DOI in this recordBritish Thoracic Society Winter Meeting, London, UK, 23 - 25 November 202

(2+1)D surface solitons at the interface between a linear medium and a nonlocal nonlinear medium

We address (2+1)D surface solitons occurring at the interface between a linear medium and a nonlocal nonlinear medium whose nonlinear contribution to the refractive index has a initial value at the interface. We find that there exist stable single and dipole surface solitons which do not exhibit a power threshold. The properties of the surface solitons can be affected by the initial value and the degree of nonlocality. When a laser beam is launched away from the interface, the beam will be periodic oscillations.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figure

Clarifying the distal to proximal tephrochronology of the Millennium (B–Tm) eruption, Changbaishan Volcano, northeast China

Tephra dispersed during the Millennium eruption (ME), Changbaishan Volcano, NE China provides one of the key stratigraphic links between Asia and Greenland for the synchronization of palaeoenvironmental records. However, controversy surrounds proximal-distal tephra correlations because (a) the proposed proximal correlatives of the distal ME tephra (i.e. B-Tm) lack an unequivocal chronostratigraphic context, and (b) the ME tephra deposits have not been chemically characterized for a full spectrum of element using grain-specific techniques. Here we present grain-specific glass chemistry, including for the first time, single grain trace element data, for a composite proximal sequence and a distal tephra from Lake Kushu, northern Japan (ca. 1100 km away from Changbaishan). We demonstrate a robust proximal-distal correlation and that the Kushu tephra is chemically associated with the ME/B-Tm. We propose that three of the proximal pyroclastic fall units were erupted as part of the ME. The radiocarbon chronology of the Kushu sedimentary record has been utilised to generate a Bayesian age-depth model, providing an age for the Kushu tephra which is consistent with high resolution ages determined for the eruption and therefore supports our geochemical correlation. Two further Bayesian age-depth models were independently constructed each incorporating one of two ice-core derived ages for the B-Tm tephra, providing Bayesian modelled ages of 933-949 and 944-947 cal AD (95.4%) for the Kushu tephra. The high resolution ice-core tephra ages imported into the deposition models help test and ultimately constrain the radiocarbon chronology in this interval of the Lake Kushu sedimentary record. The observed geochemical diversity between proximal and distal ME tephra deposits clearly evidences the interaction of two compositionally distinct magma batches during this caldera forming eruption

Variations in water use by a mature mangrove of Avicennia germinans, French Guiana

In the tropical intertidal zones, little is known on water uptake by mangroves. Transpiration rates are generally measured at leaf level, but few studies exist on water use at tree or stand levels. The objective of this study was to measure sap flow in trees of different sizes to appreciate the range of variation in water use that may exist in a site dominated by 80% mature Avicennia germinans. The results showed that from the dry to the wet season the mean water use increased from 3.2 to 5.3 dm3 d−1 in small trees (DBH ∼ 13 cm), from 11.5 to 30.8 dm3 d−1 in medium trees (∼24 cm) and from 40.8 to 64.1 dm3 d−1 in large ones (∼45 cm). Sapwood remained active up to a depth of 8 cm with radial variations within the stem. Weak correlations were obtained with VPD and net radiation. This study confirmed that transpiration was larger under low levels of salinity. Water use at stand level (∼1900 living stems ha−1) was estimated to be in the range of 5.8 to 11.8 m3 ha−1 d−1 according to the season

Small molecule FGF receptor inhibitors block FGFR-dependent urothelial carcinoma growth in vitro and in vivo

BACKGROUND: Activating mutations of FGFR3 are frequently identified in superficial urothelial carcinoma (UC) and increased expression of FGFR1 and FGFR3 are common in both superficial and invasive UC. METHODS: The effects of inhibition of receptor activity by three small molecule inhibitors (PD173074, TKI-258 and SU5402) were investigated in a panel of bladder tumour cell lines with known FGFR expression levels and FGFR3 mutation status. RESULTS: All inhibitors prevented activation of FGFR3, and inhibited downstream MAPK pathway signalling. Response was related to FGFR3 and/or FGFR1 expression levels. Cell lines with the highest levels of FGFR expression showed the greatest response and little or no effect was measured in normal human urothelial cells or in UC cell lines with activating RAS gene mutations. In sensitive cell lines, the drugs induced cell cycle arrest and/or apoptosis. IC(50) values for PD173074 and TKI-258 were in the nanomolar concentration range compared with micromolar concentrations for SU5402. PD173074 showed the greatest effects in vitro and in vivo significantly delayed the growth of subcutaneous bladder tumour xenografts. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that inhibition of FGFR1 and wild-type or mutant FGFR3 may represent a useful therapeutic approach in patients with both non-muscle invasive and muscle invasive UC