Performance Analysis and Design of Two Edge Type LDPC Codes for the BEC Wiretap Channel

We consider transmission over a wiretap channel where both the main channel and the wiretapper's channel are Binary Erasure Channels (BEC). We propose a code construction method using two edge type LDPC codes based on the coset encoding scheme. Using a standard LDPC ensemble with a given threshold over the BEC, we give a construction for a two edge type LDPC ensemble with the same threshold. If the given standard LDPC ensemble has degree two variable nodes, our construction gives rise to degree one variable nodes in the code used over the main channel. This results in zero threshold over the main channel. In order to circumvent this problem, we numerically optimize the degree distribution of the two edge type LDPC ensemble. We find that the resulting ensembles are able to perform close to the boundary of the rate-equivocation region of the wiretap channel. There are two performance criteria for a coding scheme used over a wiretap channel: reliability and secrecy. The reliability measure corresponds to the probability of decoding error for the intended receiver. This can be easily measured using density evolution recursion. However, it is more challenging to characterize secrecy, corresponding to the equivocation of the message for the wiretapper. M\'easson, Montanari, and Urbanke have shown how the equivocation can be measured for a broad range of standard LDPC ensembles for transmission over the BEC under the point-to-point setup. By generalizing the method of M\'easson, Montanari, and Urbanke to two edge type LDPC ensembles, we show how the equivocation for the wiretapper can be computed. We find that relatively simple constructions give very good secrecy performance and are close to the secrecy capacity. However finding explicit sequences of two edge type LDPC ensembles which achieve secrecy capacity is a more difficult problem. We pose it as an interesting open problem.Comment: submitted to IEEE Transactions on Information Theory. Updated versio

Increased susceptibility to collagen-induced arthritis in female mice carrying congenic Cia40/Pregq2 fragments

ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION: Collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in mice is a commonly used experimental model for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We have previously identified a significant quantitative trait locus denoted Cia40 on chromosome 11 that affects CIA in older female mice. This locus colocalizes with another locus, denoted Pregq2, known to affect reproductive success. The present study was performed to evaluate the role of the Cia40 locus in congenic B10.Q mice and to identify possible polymorphic candidate genes, which may also be relevant in the context of RA. METHODS: Congenic B10.Q mice carrying an NFR/N fragment surrounding the Cia40/Pregq2 loci were created by 10 generations of backcrossing (N10). The congenic mice were investigated in the CIA model, and the incidence and severity of arthritis as well as the serum levels of anti-collagen II (CII) antibodies were recorded. RESULTS: Significant effects on onset, incidence, severity, and anti-CII antibody titers were observed in female mice carrying a heterozygous congenic Cia40/Pregq2 fragment of NFR/N origin, containing one or more polymorphic genes. Congenic male mice did not show increased incidence of CIA, but males carrying a heterozygous fragment showed a significant increase in severity in comparison with wildtype B10.Q males (littermates). CONCLUSION: The Cia40/Pregq2 locus at chromosome 11 contains one or more polymorphic genes of NFR/N origin that significantly influence both incidence and severity of CIA in heterozygous congenic mice of the B10.Q strain. The major polymorphic candidate genes for the effects on CIA are Cd79b, Abca8a, and Map2k6. The congenic fragment also contains polymorphic genes that affect reproductive behavior and reproductive success. The Sox9 gene, known to influence sex reversal, is a candidate gene for the reproductive phenotype

Identification of collagen-induced arthritis loci in aged multiparous female mice

Collagen-induced arthritis in mice is one of the most commonly used autoimmune experimental models, with many similarities to rheumatoid arthritis. Since collagen-induced arthritis is a complex polygenic disease there is a need for identification of several major disease-controlling genes. Because rheumatoid arthritis particularly affects aged women, we have in the present study identified new genetic regions critical for collagen-induced arthritis by studying aged female mice of a cross between NFR/N and B10.Q (H-2(q )haplotype). The mice in the present study had different reproductive histories, which did not significantly affect the onset, incidence or severity of the disease. A total of 200 female mice were used in a total genome-wide screening with 125 microsatellite markers. We found one new significant quantitative trait locus affecting the arthritis incidence, severity and day of onset on chromosome 11 (denoted Cia40), which colocalizes with a locus controlling pregnancy failure. Furthermore, a quantitative trait locus of suggestive significance associated with the incidence, severity and day of onset was identified on chromosome 1. Finally, a suggestively significant quantitative trait locus associated with collagen type II antibody titers was identified on chromosome 13. This study indicates that several gene loci control arthritis in aged multiparous females, and that at least one of these loci coincides with pregnancy failure

The Relationship of Provincial Economic Level and Child Injury Mortality in Thailand: A Cross-Sectional Analysis in a Middle Income Country

The objective of this cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship of provincial economic development indices with incidences of child injury mortality in Thailand from 1999 - 2001. All injury deaths among children age 1-14 years were included. The independent variables included gross provincial product per capita (GPP/c), poverty and inequality indices, material and social deprivation indices, population in rural/ urban areas, and migration. Due to multicollinearity of such variables, the 76 provinces were categorized by GPP/c quartile, and means of overall injury, drowning, and transport-related mortality rates were compared among quartile groups. Spearman’s rho correlation between GPP/c and injury mortality rates was also performed. Finally, factor analysis was employed to create a set of factors to be treated as uncorrelated variables and stepwise multiple regression was carried out for the effects of the factors on injury mortality rates. A significant direct relationship was observed between GPP/c and overall injury mortality among children age 1-4 years, and 10-14 year-olds of both genders. Drowning was the main cause of this relationship among children age 1-4 years, and transport-related injury was the principle cause among children age 10-14 years. Conversely, provinces with lower GPP/c experienced higher injury mortality rates among school-age children 5-9 years old for both genders, mostly due to drowning. Factor analysis, and multiple regression results confirmed the relationships between economic development and injury mortality rates. These findings revealed that economic development had an adverse impact on injury-related mortality among children 1 to 4 and 10 to14 in Thailand

Получение заданной плотности и пористости покрытия, получаемого совместной вытяжкой

Материалы XII Междунар. науч.-техн. конф. (науч. чтения, посвящ. П. О. Сухому), Гомель, 22–23 нояб. 2018 г

Patterns of Suicide and Other Trespassing Fatalities on State-Owned Railways in Greater Stockholm; Implications for Prevention

Each year, approximately 80–100 people are killed on state-owned railways due to train-person collisions in Sweden. Underlying causes are suicide and accidents; suicide constituting a vast majority. Earlier Swedish studies at a national level revealed a relation between population density and incident frequency, however, with places of occurrence often located to the outskirts of cities some distance away from station areas where victims can await approaching trains in seclusion. The aim of this study was to investigate whether this national pattern also applies to larger urban areas such as greater Stockholm, and to discuss preventative implications based on these observations. All registered incidents (N = 41) where people were hit or run-over by trains with a fatal outcome over the four-year period 2005–2008 were investigated. Results deviating from the national pattern include that most incidents occur at station areas, and that most victims enter the tracks from platforms. Passing express trains appear to be overrepresented, compared to commuter trains. Due to a low number of cases, our observations must be interpreted with caution. However, they imply that preventative measures in this type of area should focus on platform safety foremost, especially protection against rapid trains passing by station areas

Labraunda 2017

La mission 2017 de Labraunda a été double. Parallèlement à la mission de fouille/documentation/conservation qui s’est déroulée sur le site de Labraunda du 18 juin au 18 août 2017, nous avons inauguré cette année une mission de prospection, pour l’instant modeste, mais qui s’avère très prometteuse. Cette dernière, dont la première édition s’est déroulée pendant les deux semaines qui ont précédé la fouille, a pour objectif d’établir une carte archéologique de la région de Labraunda et de permet..

Trade-unions in cross-bordering. A study of six swedish local trade unions.

This rapport examines six Swedish workplace unions, in manufacturing internationalised companies, degree of internationalised trade union work. The report is based on interviews with local shop stewards. All local workplace unions were in some form internationalised. They were placed in three different groups of strategies: Passive, Tactical and Strategic. The Passive union only tried to get information; the Tactical unions were reactive against initiative from company management and used the channels provided of Industrial Relation laws. The Strategic unions where acting from an analysis that demanded collaboration with foreign trade unions and were active in trying to build contacts.In discussing why a local workplace trade union become internationalised three explaining factors was constructed: A relation to the company which gave the union more information and resources than the minimum level of required legislation. Second; a strategic analysis involving a threat against the employees. And third; a belief that the trade union could make a difference

Mainstreaming integration policy : On translation of policy and network governance with a hindrance in Swedish regional development policy,1998-2007

Det här är en fallstudie av hur integrationspolitiska mål översätts tvärsektoriellt inom den regionala utvecklingspolitiken: i en rad olika sammanhang på nationell, regional och kommunal nivå. I studien beskrivs och analyseras hur idén om integration genom mainstreaming översätts till den regionala utvecklingspolitiken, för att fortsätta med en fördjupad analys av det regionala tillväxtpartnerskapet i Östergötland samt olika lokala kommunala tillväxtpartnerskap. Avslutningsvis jämförs resultaten från Östergötland med utvecklingen i landets övriga 20 regionala tillväxtpartnerskap. I avhandlingen visas att det fanns höga ambitioner om att genomföra en mainstreaming, bland annat med hjälp av nätverksstyrning. Så skedde också i olika målsättningstexter och beslut. Men när dessa målsättningar och beslut skulle omvandlas till aktiviteter, fullföljdes inte mainstreamingen. Man avstod helt från att göra något inriktat mot invandrare eller så genomfördes olika former av säråtgärder för invandrare. Avhandlingen visar dock på stora skillnader mellan olika aktörer och sammanhang. I vissa fall var man nära på att uppfylla kraven på en mainstreaming, i andra valde man att inte försöka. I avhandlingen visas också att hinder för genomförandet varit föreställningar om invandrare och invandrarfrågor som ej bidragande i ekonomiska tillväxtsammanhang, brist på styrningskompetens och resurser samt ett bristande kunnande om hur man skulle mainstreama integration.This is a case study of how the Swedish migrant policy is cross-sectorally translated into the regional development policy area: at national, regional and municipal levels. The study describes and analyzes first how the idea of integration through mainstreaming is translated into the regional development policy. Secondly it conducts an in-depth analysis of the Regional Growth Partnership in the region of Östergötland as well as various municipality based growth partnerships. Finally, the results are compared with the development of other Regional Growth Partnerships (21 in total) in Sweden. The thesis shows that there were high ambitions for implementing the idea of mainstreaming integration, including the use of network governance. This also was reflected in other objectives and decisions. But when these goals and decisions were to be transformed into activities, the mainstreaming they were not completed. All actors refrained from implementing the proposed mainstreaming model; but some did implement various forms of side-stream measures for migrants. The thesis reveals large differences between different actors and contexts. In some cases, they were close to meeting the requirements of mainstreaming, in others they chose not to try at all. The thesis also shows that hindrances to translations were negatively related to the categorizations of immigrants, lack of management skills and resources and a lack of knowledge about how to mainstream integration of immigrants